Minervois
2020 Minervois ‘Heledus’ (Domaine Pierre Fil)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Located east of the famed medieval city of Carcassonne, the region of Minervois has been making wine since Roman times. But it wasn’t until the last few decades that effort and capital went into producing terroir-driven wines in a region previously known more for volume than quality. The Heledus from the multigenerational winemaking Fil family is a perfect example of how far Minervois has come. Equal parts organic Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan blend seamlessly into a silky, savory, cocoa-dusted red that makes for a delicious partner to merguez and lentils.

Les Vignes d’à Côté
2021 Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah (Yves Cuilleron)
Sale Price $16.99 – $173.30 case of twelve
Yves Cuilleron has built an impressive portfolio of Northern Rhône wines with famous appellations like Condrieu and Côte Rotie, as well as this humble yet delicious Syrah from his home village of Chavanay. This 2021 Syrah has a floral and peppery nose, spicy red berry fruit, and a robust, earthy, dry finish.

North Coast Camping
2022 North Coast Chardonnay (Camp)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
The fruit for Camp’s 2022 North Coast Chardonnay comes mostly from a vineyard in the Alexander Valley. It is fermented in stainless steel with natural yeasts and aged in a mix of stainless vats and previously used French barrels. This results in snappy and fresh green plum fruit and a lively dry finish.

A L’Ecart Chenin
2020 Saumur Blanc ‘L’Ecart’ (Clotilde Legrand)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
We have been impressed by every vintage and cuvée of Clotilde Legrand’s Saumur-Champigny. Only recently did we learn that she makes a small amount of Saumur Blanc. We tasted it and, of course, it’s delicious. It tickles the palate with salty minerals and cool, subtle fruit. A great white for roasted salmon and beurre blanc.

Herdade do Rosé
2022 Alentejano Rosé ‘Mariana’ (Herdade do Rocim)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
The arrival of the first rosé of the latest vintage is as much a harbinger of spring as the longer days and more moderate temperatures. Our first featured 2022 rosé is from Herdade do Rocim, a husband and wife team in the Vidiguiera subregion of Alentejo in southern Portugal. The hills and granite soils in Vidiguiera give their wines distinctive minerality and fantastic freshness despite the hot climate. With ripe white peach and strawberry fruit plus a cool, stony, dry finish, this organic rosé is a great way to welcome spring, especially when served with grilled shrimp and vegetables or a plate of fresh cheeses.

A California Classic
2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Beaulieu Vineyard)
Sale Price $29.99 – $305.90 case of twelve
Beaulieu Vineyard’s basic Napa bottling has always been a good choice when looking for the dusty dryness and rugged fruit of Cabernet Sauvignon. But in recent vintages it has been fine tuned and greatly improved. Fearing warmer vintages, the current regime chose to maintain a larger canopy of leaves to shade the fruit. They also decided to harvest earlier to preserve freshness. It’s still a big California Cabernet, but more chiseled and precise. The fruit is sourced from Napa’s blue-chip sites in Rutherford and Calistoga, and aged 18 months in a mix of French, American, and Hungarian oak. Get out the grill and have this with a dry-aged rib eye.

This month we are featuring a collection of cheeses that can assuredly be described as the boldest (or at least the oldest) of their respective styles. They are all intrinsically limited in their

availability because of seasonal restrictions or other incredible factors that really push the boundaries of “small batch” production.

Comté AOC (aged 36 months) – $34.99 per lb   
Rodolphe Le Meunier – France
Comté is one of the most ubiquitous of French cheeses and is, in fact, the most-produced AOC cheese in the country. While most of the production is aged between four and nine months, a few select wheels are destined for something grander. This 36-month Comté from the master affineur Rodolphe Le Meunier is a wonderful example of the transformative powers of time. The paste is rich, nutty, and studded with tyrosine crystals for that perfect crunch.

L’Etivaz AOP Alpage (aged 12 months) – $29.99 per lb   
Gourmino Cooperative – Switzerland
In 1932 a small group of Gruyère makers broke off from the herd. Disaffected by modernization efforts pushed by “Big Gruyère” these cheesemakers doubled down on traditional production methods. Each batch of fresh summer milk is hand-stirred in copper kettles over a wood fire, before being pressed and aged at an altitude of over 2000 meters. Sure, Gruyère is great, but L’Etivaz is for lovers.

Fontina Valle D’Aosta DOP Alpeggio
(aged 4 months) – $29.99 per lb   
Valle D’Aosta Coop – Italy
This cheese is a perfect example of the difference that altitude makes on milk, grass, and indeed the entire micro- and macro-biome. Made exclusively with summer milk from cows grazing high in the Italian alps, this cheese is both complex and subtle. The unmistakable spicy quality of raw milk is balanced by the creamy flavor and supple texture of whole milk. Rich with notes of wild grasses and flowers, this is a truly unctuous example of Fontina.

Beaufort AOC Alpage (aged at least 3 years, but probably 4) – $39.99 per lb   
Rodolphe Le Meunier – France
Straight from the “lost-and-found” bin at Rodolphe’s cave, this one-of-a-kind Beaufort is the very definition of “limited release” and once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. We’re not certain how or why this wheel came to exist in the first place but we do know for sure that it is not a regular product for Rodolphe. Which is a shame, because it is absolutely delicious. The flavor is bold and nutty with notes of dark chocolate and beef broth. Be sure to try this while you can!