Newsletter
June 20, 2022 – July 19, 2022
L’Olivier
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (Domaine de l’Olivier)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Completely banished from Burgundy, the Muscadet grape previously known as Melon de Bourgogne is now officially called Melon B (the B stands for Blanc). Even with this très français bureaucratic bungling, Muscadet is still a great bargain. This month we have two wines from one branch of the Ollivier family (not to be confused with Marc Ollivier of Domaine de la Pépière, who has retired, though the wines remain excellent when we can get them). This other Ollivier clan has been in the Melon B business for over 400 years. Their entry level wine is crisp and minerally. A fine white for a shore dinner.
Landron Hears a Houx
2019 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine ‘Les Houx’ (Domaines Landron)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Clisson
2015 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson (Vignobles Ollivier Frères)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
J. Mourat
2021 Val de Loire Rosé (J. Mourat)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Chenin in Silex
2020 Vouvray ‘Cuvée de Silex’ (Domaine des Aubuisières/Bernard Fouquet)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
Sancerre
2020 Sancerre (Domaine Jean-Paul et Jean-Luc Millet)
Sale Price $19.99 - $203.90 case of twelve
As we implied last month, the days of $20 Sancerre are over. That is unless you buy a pallet of 50 cases from a producer offering an introductory price because they’re new to Massachusetts. Then, shrink your margins to get to the price that Sancerre used to be years ago. Back in March, we tasted a sample of this Sauvignon Blanc from the excellent 2020 vintage. We found it fresh and juicy with seamlessly integrated minerality. Even though the wine was still in France, we were willing to wait for its arrival. Well, it’s finally here, just in time for summer cookouts. We have no doubt that this small family-run domaine will continue to provide well-crafted wines. Their Sancerre is perfect for summer salads dolloped with crumbled chèvre and grilled vegetable kebabs.
Listed prices are honored through July 19th, 2022. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 46, No. 7
2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford Road) 
This favorite Tuscan red is almost completely made by Dora Forsoni. Dora does almost all of the vineyard work herself and she shoots the wild boars that threaten the grapes. Dora is also in her seventies. When we inquired last January what the delay was with the 2020, we were told that Dora wasn’t ready to bottle the wine. Finally, it has arrived and it’s a delicious vintage. The fruit is ample, ripe, and round. It’s less tannic and lower in acidity than in previous years. We knew all along that there was going to be a price increase, but Dora’s work at this truly artisanal estate is worth it. 
In the early days of California Chardonnay the goal seemed to be to make the oakiest, heaviest wine possible. Producers bragged about how much they paid for their new French oak barrels and added that to the price. Today’s Chardonnays tend to be better balanced, but the best of them still have a good dose of oak and a cornucopia of ripe fruit. This is what we liked about Neyers’ 2019 Carneros Chardonnay. It’s a barrel-fermented, full-bodied white with lovely peach and apricot fruit. Have this with crab cakes and corn on the cob. 
2015 Fronsac (Château Arnauton)
We adore the Bardolinos from Le Fraghe. The basic red is pure charm, all fruit and flowers. The Brol Grande is serious. This has grip and structure, deeper fruit, and a smoky complexity. The 2019 is a superb version. Give it a slight chill and serve with salmon and peas.
If you’re looking for a light, chillable red on the cusp of summer, this Catalan red has arrived just in time. Celler Pardas’ Sus Scofra is an organically grown red (from the not widely planted Sumoll grape variety) that is a scant 11 degrees alcohol. This is woodsy and rustic with charming strawberry fruit. Serve chilled with asparagus and favas.
Zorzal’s Rosado recently graced the pages of the New York Times food section. Among ten rosés it was the cheapest, and our price is lower than the price they quoted. That said, it’s an obvious great bargain. Dark for a rosé, it has a full palate of ripe fruit flavor and a dry, lively finish. Perfect for paella.
Cheese sales naturally dip in the summer, which is just as well for us because this is the season we gravitate towards salty, briny snacks. The less prep required in the kitchen, the better. While recently looking through Chris McDade’s beautiful book The Magic of Tinned Fish, we stumbled upon The Gilda, a simple but inspiring pintxo from San Sebastiân in Spain’s Basque Country which we immediately had to replicate.
Pintxos are bite-sized snacks typically served on a skewer (think tapas on a toothpick), and have become a whole culture in certain regions of Spain. Pairing pintxos with plentiful drinks and good company is essential. This version, named after Rita Hayworth’s character in the 1946 film of the same name, features an anchovy skewered with a green olive and a piparra, a mild pickled pepper and a Basque specialty. (You can also make Steve’s favorite variation by including boquerones—white anchovies in vinegar—in addition to the standard anchovy in olive oil.)
While you could enjoy with vermut, beer, or cider, we highly recommend pairing with the delightful Basque rosé from Txomin Etxaniz featured here.
2020 Vinho Verde (Muralhas de Monção) 