Mâcon les Crays
2019 Mâcon-Charnay ‘Les Crays’ (Jean Manciat)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Jean Manciat is not content to produce a light, easy style of Mâcon. The ‘Les Crays’ vineyard that he planted is now 20 years old. It faces southeast, getting full sun, and the chalk soil helps to deliver beautifully ripe Chardonnay. He ages the wine in oak for nine months and stirs up the lees to add weight and intensity. This results in a powerfully rich white Burgundy with texture and depth. The 2019 is just starting to come around with its ripe apple fruit and impressive mouthfeel. Try this with a grilled swordfish and buttered corn on the cob.

Terre Siciliane
2021 Terre Siciliane Rosso ‘SP68’ (Occhipinti)
Sale Price $31.99 – $326.30 case of twelve
2021 Terre Siciliane Bianco ‘SP68’ (Occhipinti)
Sale Price $31.99 – $326.30 case of twelve
Arianna Occhipinti is a superstar of Sicilian wines. At the young age of 16 she knew she wanted a career in wine; at 22 she started her own label. Now, nearly two decades later, the demand for her wines is so great that we get very little and don’t have it to sell for most of the year. So, here we have the just released 2021s of SP68, named after the road that runs through her vineyards. The red is an earthy, delicate blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola, and the white is an aromatic mix of Albanello and Zibibbo. We suggest surrounding these wines with a variety of Middle Eastern meze and tinned fish for a well-rounded Mediterranean meal.

Specialty Foods

Inflation Reduction Cheese, cont.

This month we continue our recent trend of featuring the best cheeses we can offer for under $20 a pound. Old favorites meet some recently discovered gems, but these all share in their value, approachability, and deliciousness.

Ashbrook $19.99 per lb
Spring Brook Farm – Reading, Vermont
From Spring Brook Farm (one of our favorite local producers), Ashbrook takes inspiration from the French cheese Morbier, a classic of the Franche-Comté region. This cheese is known for its striking layer of vegetable ash running across the center of the cheese. The ash, once used to preserve the milk during the cheese-making process, now serves as a decorative element that reminds us of a cheese-making tradition that stretches back beyond modern production and refrigeration methods.

Dalmatinac $19.99 per lb
Paška Sirana – Pag Island, Croatia
Dalmatinac (dahl-mah-TEE-nahts) is a lovely blend of pasteurized cow and sheep’s milk from Croatia. Made with sheep’s milk sourced entirely from Pag Island and cow’s milk from the mainland, this cheese has a nutty and grassy flavor heightened by a touch of the salty Mediterranean environment. This highly snackable cheese is perfect for a fall picnic and will pair well with a medium-bodied red wine.

Maxorata PDO $19.99 per lb
Queso Majorero – Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain
The Canary Islands archipelago is located off the coast of West Africa. Maxorata PDO is produced from the milk of the Majorero breed of goats which are unique to these volcanic islands. The cheese is creamy and tangy with a lightly grassy flavor. With its mild flavor and well-balanced acidity, this versatile and easy-eating cheese is perfect for snacking solo or entertaining.

Weydeland Flinck $19.99 per lb
Treur Kaas – Woerden, The Netherlands
This wonderful aged Gouda checks all the boxes for us! A sweet butterscotch flavor, firm yet creamy texture, and ample crunchy tyrosine crystals make this a great pick at a great price. Aged for 10 months by the family-owned Treur Kaas, this cheese will pair perfectly with coarse salami and a brown ale.