Newsletter
June 20, 2021 – July 18, 2021
Tavel-Land
2020 Tavel (Château de Trinquevedel)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
Tavel is a village in the south of France, devoted to producing only rosé. This places the stony vineyards of Tavel in Grand Cru
territory. Like many southern French rosés the recipe at Trinquevedel starts with a healthy portion of Grenache (60%), then adds measured doses of Clairette, Syrah, and Cinsault along with a splash of Bourboulenc. The 2020 is an absolutely gorgeous rosé that drinks like a spicy light red. Perfect for spicy stuffed squid.
Muga
2020 Rioja (Muga)
Sale Price $15.99 – $163.10 case of twelve
The Muga rosado always pleases, but the 2020 might be the best vintage yet. This Garnacha/Viura blend is lively with plummy fruit and a riveting, minerally finish. Great with a seafood paella.
L-D-B
2020 Bourgueil (Lamé Delisle Boucard)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
Mourgues du Grès
2020 Costières de Nîmes (Château Mourgues du Grès)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
To the west of Tavel lie the vineyards of Costières de Nîmes. The vineyards at Mourgues du Grès also have the large, heat-retaining galets roulés found in Tavel and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The blend of Grenache (50%),
Syrah (40%), and Mourvèdre creates a full-bodied style of rosé with a dry, peppery finish. Have this with pulled pork.
Olivettes
2020 Pays d’Oc (Terre des Olivettes)
Sale Price $8.99 – $91.70 case of twelve
Feudo Montoni
2020 Rose di Adele (Feudo Montoni)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
Listed prices are honored through July 18th, 2021. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 45, No. 7
We’ve been fans of Eugène Carrel’s wines for some time, but only recently rediscovered the immense value to be found in their Jongieux Blanc. The appellation of Jongieux is named for a village in France’s mountainous Savoie region, but the vineyards cover enough area to make it the region’s largest Cru. Though they can produce red and rosé from a few different varieties, Jongieux Blanc is made exclusively from the native grape Jacquère. These wines are reliably as brisk as an alpine stream (the great Hugh Johnson describes them like “drinking bottled mountain air”). The nose and palate are bursting with ripe orchard fruit but the finish is stony, cool, and crisp. At 11.5%, this is the ideal wine for a lunchtime picnic of salads and cheeses. 
The Valmaggiore vineyard in Piedmont’s Roero district has attracted the attention of several of the best Barolo producers. Giacosa, Sandrone, and Marengo all own some vines in Valmaggiore. This vineyard is an extremely steep hill of sand and marine fossils. The sandy soils lead to a precocious style of Nebbiolo with gorgeous aromatics, lots of purple fruit, and ripe, round tannins. This is a Nebbiolo that drinks well young and goes well with delicate pasta dishes and ripe, runny cheeses. 
The Alto Adige specialty grape Lagrein has the advantage of having lots of color and very little tannin, which harmonizes into a gamey, fruity red that is wonderful with a lot of different foods. The 2019 from St. Michael-Eppan is a dark mountain red with cherry fruit and a pleasing rusticity. Give this a slight chill and serve it with grilled salmon and a mountain of greens, or a picnic of cheese and charcuterie. 
“Every year since I first saw Les Grandes Garrigues, I have been back to admire it, enjoy its smell again and listen.” So begins Madeleine Kamman’s chapter on Provence in When French Women Cook. Her visits with Magaly at Mont-Redon vividly describe the life and cooking at a Southern Rhône winery. Luckily, Mont-Redon is still going strong and makes this deliciously affordable Côtes du Rhône. The 2018 is a classic blend of Grenache and Syrah. It has the heady scent of garrigue along with flavors of ripe berries and olives. A great red for stuffed tomatoes Provençal and pistou.
Jo Landron conceived of Amphibolite as a light and lively Muscadet, but the longer he makes it the more serious it becomes. Even though he bottled it early after it barely qualified as sur lie, the 2019 vintage has depth and length galore. It packs an orchard's worth of fruit along with striking dryness and gripping minerality. A great white for every component of a clam bake. 
The Brocard family has been a consistent producer of quality Chablis of all levels for decades, and was one of the first in the region to pursue organic viticulture. The south-facing vineyard of Sainte Claire offers a great example of unoaked Chardonnay grown on Chablis’ famous Kimmeridgian limestone soil, and at a fair price. The 2019’s gently aromatic nose offers hints of lemon and ripe orchard fruits. On the palate, the flavors glide with precision towards the succulent, stony, mineral-laden finish. Meant for simply prepared fish or shellfish. 
We’re big fans of Valpolicella and have been trying to purchase the Monte Dall’Ora wines for a couple of years. Finally, we have a few cases of their single vineyard Camporenzo. This small family winery grows all their grapes biodynamically, harvests by hand, and treads this wine by foot once a day until the fermentation begins. The 2017 has wonderful aromas of flowers and fruits, with gentle tannins and an earthy finish. Try this with an artichoke lasagna. 
While much has been written about Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, comparatively little has been about the Côte Chalonnaise. The little-known villages of Montagny, Mercurey, Rully, and Givry are sources of lovely Pinot Noir. The wines from Parize are not trophy wines, but the best wine in their cellar is the Premier Cru Champ Nalot. The 2019 has an exquisite balance of juicy ripe fruit, mellow tannins, and a light touch of oak. A lovely red for a simple roast chicken on a bed of watercress. 
Like Vouvray, its famous neighbor to the south, the Loire Valley appellation of Jasnières also specializes in wines made from the Chenin Blanc grape. In contrast, however, to the larger and more prolific Vouvray region, a bare trickle of Jasnières makes it across the Atlantic. Les Maisons Rouges is one of only four producers currently available in our market, and their biodynamic L’Eclos from the acclaimed 2015 vintage is a fantastic value. The wine carries aromas of early summer flowers that are most fragrant at night, along with delicate white peach and gingery spice. Jasnières’ characteristic brisk acidity ensures its ageablity; despite being six years old, this dry white wine still has many more years of development ahead. For now, take advantage of its exquisite precision by pairing it with a broiled trout in cream sauce with snap peas. 
The flagship cheese from Uplands Cheese Company in Wisconsin, Pleasant Ridge Reserve holds the distinction of being the most-awarded cheese in American history. This alpine-style cheese has won the American Cheese Society’s Best of Show three times, the only cheese with that honor. In keeping with the tradition of the alpine cheeses after which it’s modeled, it is only made in the summer months while the herd is grazing on pastures. The flavor is incredibly balanced—fruity, nutty, and grassy nuances are all tied together by umami richness—and it carries a long, lingering finish.
Nettle Meadow Farm must be one of the most prolific American cheesemakers. The Warrensburg, NY dairy is continuously creating new styles and flavors of their award-winning cheeses, and the small-format Prospect Mountain is one of the newest. Like many of their offerings, it’s a soft cow’s milk cheese with a bloomy rind. The notable feature on each 7 ounce piece is the coating of herbs and flowers native to the Adirondacks, including blackberry leaf, dandelion leaf, heather, rose petals, red clover, sumac, and sarsaparilla root. This is a striking cheese with a definite sense of place.
2020 Pinot Grigio delle Venezie (Gorgo) 
2020 Vinho Verde (Muralhas de Monção)