Newsletter
October 18, 2023 – November 14, 2023
Mâcon
2022 Mâcon-Péronne (Maison Matisco)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Hautes Côtes
2019 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits (Les Domaines de la Tassée d’Or)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
Aged Bourgueil
2014 Bourgueil ‘Cuvée Prestige’ (Lamé-Delisle-Boucard)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
The current vintage of the L-D-B Cuvée Prestige is 2018 and the price has crept up to (egads!) $15.99. We joke because this has long been a great value in Loire Valley Cabernet Franc, a category that we promote as often as is reasonable. When we’re not selling you on the value of Chinon or Saumur-Champigny, we always return to this lovely Bourgueil. Fortunately, we ordered more 2014, one of our favorite vintages, months ago. At almost ten years of age this is an aromatic beauty with sandalwood and allspice. The fruit is fading but has been replaced with a leafy, autumnal, and earthy dry finish. A lovely red with salmon, spinach, and lentils.
The Little Bear
2022 Vin de France ‘Cuvée Le Petit Oursan’ (Jean & Jean-Paul Versino)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Domaine Bois de Boursan has been making very traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines since the 1950s, but they recently purchased a small plot of land outside the appellation confines near the town of Jonquières. This is the home of Le Petit Oursan. The climate here is slightly cooler, which helps maintain fresh acidity in the wines. All work in the vineyard is organic and very hands on. All work in the cellar is very hands off. The blend is mostly Grenache with small amounts of Syrah and Merlot, and the result is a juicy and lively plum and cherry-scented dry red. Perfect for an autumnal roasted chicken.
Côtes de Bordeaux
2019 Côtes de Bordeaux (Château Pied d’Argent)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Given the prices of classed growth Bordeaux, there will always be an issue of affordability in the region. We are here to remind customers that Bordeaux is an enormous winegrowing region with wines in all price ranges. Basic Bordeaux rouge can be a pleasant wine for around ten dollars. Cru Bourgeois Médocs are wonderful for around twenty-five dollars. The sweet spot in the middle is Côtes de Bordeaux. The 2019 from Pied d’Argent affirms this with a smooth, ready-to-drink, dry red with an authoritative stamp of structured Bordeaux authenticity.
Rive Gauche
2021 Chinon Blanc ‘Rive Gauche’ (Marc Plouzeau)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Listed prices are honored through November 14th, 2023. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 47, No. 11
Austrian wine has been on an impressive upward qualitative rise in the last two decades. Blessed with outstanding vineyards and the Grüner Veltliner grape variety, its versatile wines are delightful with light, fresh, and spicy foods from all over the world. The Wachau is one of the world’s best areas for white wines and many of the wines are priced accordingly. Fortunately, Domäne Wachau is a cooperative winery producing affordable and delicious whites. Our mainstay is their Federspiel Terrassen, a hand-harvested Grüner made from terraced vineyard sites throughout the Wachau. This medium-weight dry white has tropical fruit flavors and a crisp, peppery finish. Of course it will complement schnitzel and salad, but it’s also a great pairing for sushi, spring rolls, and all kinds of noodles.
In Tuscany, Montepulciano is the name of a lovely hillside village surrounded by cypress-lined roads and vineyards of Sangiovese. Our favorite Montepulciano comes from Sanguineto. This is a traditional producer whose timeless wines are ideal with roasted meats and hearty bean dishes. We have now cleaned out the wholesaler’s supply of this 2020 Rosso in addition to last month’s 2019 Vino Nobile from Sanguineto, and we have reduced the price by a few dollars. This is simply a fabulous Tuscan wine. 
Abruzzo is a mountainous region in central Italy. The food is hearty and dense, and the red wines made from the Montepulciano grape variety match the food. Pietrame is a full and lively Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Its plum and berry fruit, crisp balance, and spicy finish are perfect for a hearty lamb stew and multiple varieties of spicy pasta sauce.
Luigi Maffini’s southern Campanian wines are eye-openers. His Kràtos, made from the ancient Fiano grape, is an intense dry white with beeswax and honeysuckle aromas, apricot fruit, and a bone-dry finish. Great with a whole roasted branzino stuffed with fennel.
Pinot Grigio has long been an inexpensive go-to wine for those looking for an easygoing light white. Yet for just a dollar or two more there is this fuller, rounder, and nuttier Grigio from the Cantina in Cormòns, a village in northeast Italy near the Slovenian border. This hilly part of Friuli, which receives regular cooling breezes, is a treasured area for a variety of white grapes, and the Pinot Grigios made here are among the best in Italy.
The winery Tajinaste is named for a flower that grows on Tenerife, one of Spain’s Canary Islands. This volcanic Atlantic archipelago is closer to North Africa than it is to mainland Spain. Tajinaste’s dry white is made mostly from Listan Blanco with a splash of Albillo Criollo. The aromas and flavors are a mix of the minerally volcanic soils and exotic fruit. A fine match with roasted fish on a bed of potato and leek.
