Newsletter
January 18, 2024 – February 14, 2024
Wine and Wind
2022 Cairanne ‘Les Travers’ (Domaine Brusset)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
The village of Cairanne is famous for its robust red wine and for the relentless mistral which blows through its garrigue-scented vineyards. The terraced Les Travers vineyard from Brusset is a terrific Rhône value. The newly released 2022 is a rich, velvety red with ripe tannins and a gripping dry finish. A terrific match with a beef stew.
Le Viognier
2022 Côtes du Rhône Blanc ‘Le Viognier’ (Domaine Les Grands Bois)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Lirac
2020 Lirac ‘Charles I’ (Raymond Usseglio & Fils)
Sale Price $27.99 – $285.50 case of twelve
The Lirac appellation consists of four villages; one of these, Roquemaure, is where Hannibal and his elephants “tamed the violence of the mighty Rhône.” Today, the once sleepy appellation has been awakened by producers from nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape in search of cheaper land. The vineyards in Lirac also share a resemblance to those of Châteauneuf, being covered with large round glacial stones. This month we return to the Usseglio family with their spicy and exotic Charles I cuvée. This Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre blend is a hearty match for a cassoulet.
Bandol and Bouillabaisse
Pradeaux
2022 Bandol Rosé (Château Pradeaux)
Regular Price $34.99 – Sale Price $29.99
In the Provençal tongue, Bandol growers refer to their main grape Mourvèdre as the ‘strangle-a-dog’ grape due to its significant tannin. Pradeaux’s wines are the perfect example of structured and long-lived wines. Even their rosé, with its peppery tannins, drinks like a young red.
Pibarnon
2022 Bandol Rosé (Château de Pibarnon)
Regular Price $44.99 – Sale Price $39.99
Tempier
2022 Bandol Rosé (Domaine Tempier)
Regular Price $59.99
Sale Price $49.99
Listed prices are honored through February 14th, 2024. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 48, No. 2
This vintage of Guido Porro’s Dolcetto started out pleasant enough, but after it was open for an hour it clearly had found another gear. Its mulberry fruit had expanded and its bright tannins framed the rich, round flavors. Their old vines located in the Barolo Cru of Lazzarito truly deliver an enhanced Dolcetto experience. We’ll say it again: Dolcetto is great with mushrooms.
It is conjectured that Piedmont’s Asti district is Barbera’s homeland. The Barbera grown here does seem to have a level of vibrant berry fruit and a pleasing dry finish that goes well with a variety of dishes. These are all on offer in Olim Bauda’s 2021 La Villa. It’s not too heavy, plus it has a chiseled crispness. The raspberry fruit is especially appealing. This will make a lovely match with pasta. 
The Loewen family grew the size of their tiny estate throughout the 80s and 90s by purchasing steep, old vineyards that others no longer wanted to work. While steep slopes are more labor intensive, they are often necessary for fully ripening grapes in cooler climates like the Mosel. Likewise, older vines produce smaller yields, but of greater ripeness and concentration than younger counterparts. Loewen’s “Old Vines” bottling comes from 50-70 year old Riesling vines. The winemaking is very traditional; native yeasts, no temperature control, and a slow fermentation all enhance the complexity. This dry Riesling has gorgeous aromatics and a deep and concentrated palate with honeysuckle, lime zest, apricot, and slate. Have with pork chops with applesauce. 
It’s still early, but this Mâcon has a strong chance to be the bargain of the year. Roger Lassarat produces very fine St-Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé, but their Mâcon from the commune of Vergisson gives more expensive wines from those appellations a run for their money. And that is before we negotiated an even deeper deal. This 2020 exemplifies Chardonnay’s ability to drink like multiple wines in one. The generous fruit, weighty palate, and toasty oak profile are given structure by firm acidity and lifted with a thrilling finish. Serve alongside a hearty stuffed acorn squash.
Cour-Cheverny is an appellation that is the sole home to the Romorantin grape. Believed to have migrated from Burgundy and related to the Melon B of Muscadet, it produces a crisp yet full white with pear and mint flavors. François Cazin has long been our favorite and most consistent producer of this fascinating varietal. At harvest time François gave his highest marks to his 2020 Cour-Cheverny. This wine has a full and vivacious fruit quality along with flecks of herbs and spices. A great match with a roast chicken and Loire Valley goat cheeses.
We have had so much success with this wine that we hesitate to even market it. But when the wholesaler announces that they have only so many cases left and the price is likely to go up in the next vintage, we pounce. Simply put the 2018 Hautes Versannes delivers a textbook Saint-Emilion with a beautiful balance of plummy fruit and ripe, round tannins. A great wine with a seared rib eye steak, salad, and a slab of blue cheese.
2020 Saumur-Champigny ‘Tuffe’ (Château du Hureau)
Cabernet Franc is a delightful match with seared salmon.
Lark Fine Foods is a 100% woman-owned company located in Essex that makes sophisticated cookies and savory biscuits. The buttery salted shortbreads come in a range of flavors that are complex and balanced. One of our favorites, the Burnt Sugar Shortbread, features whole fennel seed for a gentle licorice spice in contrast to the sweetness of toasted caramel. It feels like a “stoned” combination anyways, so lean in.
This relative newcomer to the world of local specialty snacks has completely reshaped our standards for tortilla chips. They are a fresh and crispy celebration of corn and traditionally made nixtamal. Strong enough to dip but flavorful enough to eat alone, these chips (made in collaboration with Painted Burro in Davis Sq.) are a no-brainer.
2022 Picpoul de Pinet (Saint-Peyre)