Arneis, No Longer For The Birds
2024 Langhe Arneis (Voghera)
Sale Price $15.99 – $163.10 case of twelve
For a time, the aromatic white grape Arneis was planted together with Nebbiolo so that birds would be attracted to its strong flavor and leave the more valuable Nebbiolo alone. The great Piedmontese producers Vietti and Giacosa kept Arneis alive until its full-bodied tropical flavors became attractive to enough human wine drinkers to create a retail market. The folks at Voghera make a terrific version. Their 2024 is a textured, rich, and dry white with honeysuckle aromas and peachy fruit. In this vintage there is even a hint of coconut. Great for ceviche and salsa.

Village People
2023 Pinot Noir ‘Villages Cuvée’ (St. Innocent)
Sale Price $29.99 – $305.90 case of twelve
St. Innocent’s Villages Cuvée is a blend of four high-quality Willamette Valley vineyards. The de-stemmed grapes ferment naturally and are aged in barrel for twelve months. Doing this, Mark Vlossak and his team make this an accessible great value in Oregon Pinot Noir. The 2023 has gentle spice, lively berry fruit, and a firm, dry finish. Have this with pork tenderloin and grilled peaches.

Maris Rouge
2023 Pays d’Oc Rouge (Maris)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
Château Maris’ 2023 Pays d’Oc red is a fresh and juicy blend of Merlot and Syrah sourced from certified organic vineyards in sunny southern France. The 2024 has fresh red cherry and black plum fruit with supple tannins and a peppery finish. Its easy price and compatibility with grilled meats make this a good red for an outdoor barbecue.

Baldovino
2024 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo ‘Baldovino’ (Tenuta I Fauri)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
One of the pleasures of cerasuolo is the striking cherry-red color which inspired its name. Unlike lighter-hued rosés, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo sees longer skin contact using the intensely pigmented Montepulciano grape. In the case of the Baldovino, this results in a luminous, near-magenta color that has to be one of the prettiest we’ve ever seen. Back in the day, making a cerasuolo was a way for farmers to use up their inferior-quality grapes while they submitted their better ones to the local cooperative. Eventually, efforts to improve the phenolic ripeness of the skins led to more wines worthy of selling. For the sister/brother duo behind I Fauri, their Baldovino requires more labor and attention than any of their other organic wines. For them it’s worth it, as it’s what their family prefer to drink year round. In fact, as Valentina DiCamillo joked, if her father doesn’t like you, he’ll serve you their red instead of their cerasuolo. She says this is a wine “you never get bored of.” Indeed, it is a bit of everything: fruity with pomegranate, sour cherry, and strawberry notes; but also herbal, saline, and savory with a bitter almond finish. It drinks like a light red and it’ll carry you from the beginning of a meal to the end. Every pizza needs a chilled bottle of this by its side, but it’s also wonderful with spicy grilled shrimp.

Dogliani
2022 Dogliani ‘San Luigi’ (Pecchenino)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
When you don’t know what to pair with your meal, it’s hard to fail by choosing a Dolcetto. This red grape is the one that producers in Italy’s Piedmont serve at their own daily dinner table, reserving the heftier Nebbiolo-based Barolo for special occasions and meals. Though produced throughout the region, only the commune of Dogliani has achieved DOCG status for their Dolcetto wines, a testament to their quality. The 2022 San Luigi from Pecchenino has juicy purple fruit, easygoing tannins, and a supple body which balances depth and freshness. As mentioned, this works with a wide variety of dishes but is particularly good with an eggplant lasagna.

Zagreus, God of Wine?
2024 Thracian Valley White ‘Santimenti’ (Zagreus)
Sale Price $15.99 – $163.10 case of twelve
Though Bulgaria has a very long winemaking history (the wines made by the ancient Thracian people who inhabited much of the present-day country carried such a strong reputation that Homer wrote about them multiple times in the Iliad and the Odyssey; Thrace is also thought to be the origin of the cult of Dionysus), modern winemaking there is defined by a new generation looking to revitalize the industry as it has reemerged following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The communist government exerted rigid control over wine production with an emphasis on quantity and uniformity over quality and diversity. No surprise that young winemakers today are looking to experiment while also focusing on improving quality and honoring the rich history of winemaking in the Thracian Valley. Enter Dimitar Kostadinov. Upon taking over his family vineyards he converted to organic viticulture and began exploring natural winemaking techniques. This is only the second vintage of his white wine, a blend of the native Dimyat with Georgia’s Rkatsiteli. This dry white is fresh and zesty with yellow pear, citrus, tamarind, and ginger. It’s hard to find a more interesting and unique white at this price, not to mention the modest 11.5% alcohol. Serve with salty cheeses, grilled trout, and stuffed cabbage rolls.

Bourgogne Tonnerre
2022 Bourgogne Tonnerre ‘Le Clos du Château’ (Vignoble Dampt)
Sale Price $23.99 – $244.70 case of twelve
Located a mere ten miles east of Chablis, Bourgogne Tonnerre is a relatively new appellation created about twenty years ago. Like Chablis, Chardonnays from this region are distinctively fresh and minerally. Although the Dampt family mostly makes Chablis, they also make this Bourgogne Tonnerre which provides an affordable introduction to the rest of their wines. Their 2022 has delicate aromas of white blossoms and juicy lemon fruit counterbalanced by a stony, lip-smackingly saline finish. This is the perfect lobster roll wine, but it’s also a fine partner to chicken in an herb cream sauce.

It’s Getting Hot In Here…
Boy howdy, it’s another scorcher out there and, personally, we have ZERO interest in cooking anything or turning the stove on for any reason. Even barbecuing sounds like a nightmare, not to mention that many popular BBQ side dishes still require some degree of hot preparation. We’re looking at you, potato salad. So, in honor of it being too hot, here are a couple of our favorite “no-cook” hors d’oeuvres that will be great for your next outdoor get-together but are equally valid eaten as a meal alone in the bedroom because that’s the only room you have with an air conditioner.

Pickled Asparagus Tapas
Take one slice of Jamón Serrano and spread the fig jam on the top side. Cut one piece of pickled asparagus in half across the middle and place both pieces on one end of the serrano along with a piece of Manchego. Season with fresh black pepper and roll it all up in the serrano. You can secure it with a toothpick, but the fig spread alone will keep everything stuck together.

• Mama Lil’s Spicy Asparagini (26oz) – $14
• Jamón Serrano – $8 per quarter pound (8–10 slices)
• Manchego Semi-Curado – $28 per pound
   (average piece $10–$12)
• Divina Fig Spread (9oz) – $6

Beet Bites
This one’s pretty simple, but very effective. Place a slice of baguette in a shallow dish of olive oil to moisten one side. Spread fresh chèvre on the oiled side, top with a slice of pickled beet, drizzle with Gold Label Balsamic of Modena (or any good, aged balsamic) and season with flaked sea salt and a crack of black pepper.

• Iggy’s Baguette – $4.50
• Rick’s Picks Phat Beets (15oz) – $12
• Lively Run Dairy Fresh Chèvre (4oz) – $6
• Giusti Gold Label Balsamic of Modena (8.4oz) – $24