Category: Wine-Aid Packages

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Return of Saturday-Sips + Saturday Sips Review Package: Northern Rhône Bounty from Stéphane Ogier

At long last, we invite you to join us for the return of Saturday Sips! Of course we will be applying in-store tasting protocols to ensure everyone stays safe. We will limit the number of people tasting at any given time and adhere to proper social-distancing using assigned tasting spots marked on the floor. Our tasting glasses will be one time use for the day but feel free to bring your own glass if you wish. We hope to see you soon.

What better producer to launch the return of Saturday Sips than with one of the superstars of Northern Rhône, Stéphane Ogier. A seventh generation winemaker, Stéphane knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps from a very early age. After studying viticulture and oenology in Beaune, he did practical training with some of the best winemakers in Burgundy and South Africa. In 1997 he took over the family estate.

Stéphane was greatly influenced by Burgundy during his studies there. He gained an understanding about elegance and finesse, and today his wines are among the most delicate and subtle of Côte-Rôtie. The domaine produces wines from 27 acres of vineyards in some of the most famous Côte-Rôtie areas, such as Lancement, Côte-Rozier, and La Viallière. These wines have become a reference point for the appellation and have brought Stéphane international acclaim. Indeed, he is considered among the elite among Northern Rhône producers, with the quality of his wines often being compared to Chave in Hermitage.

As with all the great winemakers, Stéphane believes vineyard management is essential for the production of world-class wines that speak of place. Each parcel is vinified and matured separately. Once the grapes are harvested, they are brought to the temperature-controlled cellars in Ampuis where fermentation is completed in stainless steel tanks to preserve the natural acidity of the grapes and extract the primary aromas of the fruit. Typical maturation is 18 months in barrel. The results are wines of harmony, complexity, and longevity.

 

$89 “La Combe de Malleval” (Condrieu 2018)

100% Viognier produced from 25-year-old vines in the granite plots of Veauvignière in Malleval and La Combe in St-Pierre-de-Boeuf. The wine is fermented in large barrels (350 Liter and foudre) with native yeasts and then aged 10 months on fine lees. It is highly concentrated with yields exceptionally low due to frost in the spring and a very dry summer.

 

$80 “Mon Village” (Côte-Rôtie 2016)

“Mon Village” was first produced in the 2010 vintage. This Syrah-based wine is a blend of different plots from Côte Blonde & Côte Brune with soils of granite & mica-schist. Most of the grapes are destemmed. The wine is vinified in stainless steel tanks and aged in oak barrels (20% new) for 18 months. The average production is 175 cases per vintage.

 

$153 “Réserve” (Côte-Rôtie 2015)

“Réserve” is a recent cuvée first produced with the 2012 vintage. The wine is made from a blend of mostly Syrah and a touch of Viognier. The 40-year-old vines are well placed in a myriad of 11 different lieux-dits that works out to 65% Brune (microschist) and 35% Blonde (granite & gneiss). Produced with 30% whole bunch fruit using cold maceration in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks, the wine is then aged 20 months in French oak barrels (20% new).

 

$531 “La Belle Hélène” (Côte-Rôtie 2015) 750ml
$1,170 “La Belle Hélène” (Côte-Rôtie 2015) 1.5 Liter

“La Belle Hélène” made its debut with the 1995 vintage. It is produced from 100% Syrah that comes from a tiny plot of 60-year-old vines planted in “Côte Rozier, not far from the parcels used by Guigal for their famous La Landonne. The grapes are 50% whole cluster pressed and the wine is aged in French oak barrels (around 50% new, depending on the vintage). On average, only about 150 to 200 cases are produced each year and the wine has the potential to develop for three decades.

Saturday Sips Review: $205 — 6 Bottles from Stéphane Ogier (All Included and Delivered)

The price for this Saturday Sips Review Package includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Included in Saturday Sips Review are two bottles each:

 

“Syrah La Rosine” (IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2016) RED, Regular Price: $35 

The vineyards of Collines Rhodaniennes are on the plateau above the Cru-classified vineyards yet can offer a glimpse into the greatness of Northern Rhône Syrah at a more reasonable price. “La Rosine” is 100% Syrah from the slopes of Tupin-Semons. The fruit comes from vines aged 20 to 30 years and growing in granite soils. It is produced with natural fermentation with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks before 12 months of maturation in 228 Liter French oak barrels (no new). The wine is supple with a nice minerality and lovely raspberry and strawberry fruit vibes.

 

“Le Temps est Venu” (Côtes du Rhône 2017) RED, Regular Price: $22

60% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre from vines aged 30 to 50 years growing in the clay and limestone soils of Plan de Dieu & Visan. The wine is produced using whole bunch fermentation in temperature regulated concrete tanks with native yeasts and then aged 10 months in concrete tanks. Rich fruit and good structure makes for a lovely drink to sip during these cool autumn nights.

 

“Viognier de Rosine” (IGP Collines Rhodaniennes) WHITE, Regular Price: $40 

100% Viognier from the slopes of Tupin-Semons, neighboring Côte-Rôtie vineyards. The fruit comes from vines aged 20 years and growing in granite soils. The wine is produced through direct pressing before fermentation in barrels and foudres with native yeasts. The result is a “mini Condrieu” with bright tangerine, apricot, and white flower notes. Its medium-body and lively texture will keep you coming back for another sip.

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Wine-Aid: $255 “Three Shades of Tempranillo” — 12 Bottles from Rioja’s Rising Star, Artuke Bodegas y Viñedos (All Included and Delivered)

Easily one of the most exciting producers in Rioja right now, we never tire of the wines from brothers Arturo and Kike de Miguel Blanco, third generation viticulturalists that produce wine for Artuke Bodegas y Viñedos. Each new vintage illustrates just how much growth and improvement can be accomplished when your singular focus is creating wines of freshness and purity that speak of place.

Modern Rioja’s storied history began in the mid-1800s when local winemakers adopted the methods of Bordeaux and began aging their wines in wooden casks. Since then, the region has tended to spotlight the amount of time the wine spent in oak barrels, effectively putting a supporting actor in the leading role. But in June of 2017, The Consejo Regulador in Rioja announced the introduction of a “Singular Vineyard” designation to be known as Viñedos Singulares. Now the quality of Rioja wine can be linked to a specific terroir.

In practice, these “Singular Vineyards” are nothing new for Arturo and Kike. These two young men have completely refocused their winery to cultivate small vineyard plots in and around the village of Abalos in the high elevation foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains. Yet they currently have no plans to adopt the new labeling to their own wines, believing that the laws were thrown together too hastily, without enough study of the soils and history of the land.

With less than 55 total acres of vineyards distributed over 32 different plots, Artuke is a family affair. Their father still helps with vineyard maintenance, and their mother will always have a plate of food at the ready for hungry family members and visitors alike. Their wines clearly reveal the characteristics of the Alavesa sub-zone, the northernmost and smallest of the three Rioja sub-zones, where the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean meets the warmer interior. This unique climate has the effect of ripening Tempranillo grapes with slightly thinner skins, yielding wines with superb fruit and balance.

The price for this Wine-Aid package includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Included in “Three Shades of Tempranillo”:

2 Bottles “Finca de los Locos” (Rioja, 2015) Regular Price: $36

Arturo and Kike’s grandfather was regarded as crazy (loco) for purchasing this single vineyard located on a high terrace around 1,600 feet in elevation overlooking the Ebro river in Baños de Ebro. The plot consists of nearly 40-year-old vines growing in a sandy, gritty soil over a chalky limestone subsoil. A blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Graciano that is aged for 13 months in both 500 and 3500 liter French oak barrels, this wine shows it’s Atlantic climate mainly on the palate as ripe red fruit immediately turns crunchy to lead into a lengthy mineral finish. Aromatically complex, a noseful is rewarded with plums, minty herbs, dark chocolate, baked earth, and cherry blossoms. You could do worse things than pairing “Finca de los Locos” with some fatty red lamb chops.

 

4 Bottles “Pies Negros” (Rioja, 2018) Regular Price: $25

A blend of mostly Tempranillo with a small amount of Graciano from vines as old as 95 years, from vineyards in the village of Ábalos. Pies Negros means Black Feet, a reference to the archaic method of crushing the grapes using one’s feet. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, most of the wine matured in 500-liter oak barrels for one year, with about one-quarter kept in concrete. The wine is especially pretty on the nose with a heady floral scent wrapped around candied fruit and cinnamon. A medium-bodied sip is generous and swells through the midpalate to finish with a touch of earth. A fantastic value that would pair beautifully with anything you’re grilling this autumn.

 

6 Bottles “Artuke” (Rioja, 2018) Regular Price: $16

“Artuke” is made with the carbonic maceration method, a wine-making technique used to enhance aromatics and produce luscious, fresh, fruity wines preferred by Basques in the northern sub-zone of Alavesa. It is a blend of mainly Tempranillo grapes with about 5% of the white grape, Viura, from vineyards in the village of Baños de Ebro. The wine is fermented and aged in concrete for close to six months before bottling. It smells like a four-berry pie. This mouth-watering red wine takes a relatively deep chill which makes it a versatile pairing with all types of food: tuna, pretty much anything made with zucchini, fried chicken, gooey cheese sandwiches, pizza, etc…

 

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Wine-Aid: $165 “The Other Cabernet” – 3 Types of Cabernet Franc from 3 Producers in the Heart of the Loire (6 Bottles, All Included and Delivered)

Stone rarely looms as large in French life as it does along the Loire River Valley. The generous and celebrated local supplies of malleable limestone (tuffeau) are responsible for both grand old castles and Cabernet Franc-based wines that are lively and bursting with juicy black raspberry fruit. Yet the soils are as varied as the expressions of Cabernet Franc that come from these areas with the potential to produce France’s most refreshing, elegant, and profound versions of this grape variety. The center of it all are the appellations of Saumur-Champigny, Chinon, and Bourgeil, three of the most important sub-regions for red wine production in the Loire — all producing 100% Cabernet Franc wines.

Our latest Wine-Aid package features wine from three producers covering all three of the key appellations. These are wines that are genuinely refreshing and intense, perfect for the transition to autumn.

The price for this Wine-Aid package includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Included in “The Other Cabernet” — 3 Types of Cabernet Franc from 3 Producers in the Heart of the Loire Valley Wine-Aid Package are two bottles each:

Château du Hureau “Fours à Chaux” (Saumur-Champigny 2014) Regular Price: $35

Fifth generation vigneron Philippe Vatan and his daughter Agathe use organic and biodynamic farming techniques and low yields to coax richness and terroir out of their 20 plots covering just under 50 acres. The wines see long fermentations with indigenous yeasts. The élevage lasts from 10 to 20 months deep in the tuffeau cellars in a combination of demi-muids and foudres. All of these factors contribute to the elaboration of Cabernet Franc wines that are aromatically complex with the hallmark Saumur-Champigny scents of black raspberry and earth. “Fours à Chaux” is produced from two plots in its namesake vineyard consisting of mixed sand and clay soils above a chalky limestone bowl that gets prolonged sunlight during the ripening season.

 

Catherine & Pierre Breton “Trinch” (Bourgueil 2018) Regular Price: $27

Catherine and Pierre Breton farm 27 acres of vines just east of Bourgueil in the village of Restigné. The couple first introduced biodynamic practices into their viticulture in 1994, just after receiving their organic certification in 1991, and have become international icons for the natural wine movement in an area where the climate and soil can make organic viticulture difficult. While their wines are completely natural and unadulterated, their meticulous work in the vineyards and the cellar ensure that the wines are also consistently pure. “Trinch” is named after a German expression meaning “cheers” championed by the poet and philosopher François Rabelais. The wine is vinified in stainless steel with a cold maceration and is full of juicy fruit balanced by soft tannins and low alcohol.

 

Domaine Bernard Baudry “Le Domain” (Chinon 2018) Regular Price: $24

Bernard Baudry is easily one of Chinon’s best producers. In 1975 he decided to start his own estate with five acres of vines in the village of Cravant-les-Coteaux. Today the estate is 79 acres and Bernard’s son, Matthieu, works with his father to continue producing the consistent, high-quality wines for which the domaine is celebrated. The Baudry vineyards have been organically farmed since 2006. Harvest is done 100% by hand and post-harvest all fruit is de-stemmed and placed into gravity-fed vats where fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts. The fresh and structured “Le Domaine” is a mix of fruit from vineyards of sand over limestone and gravel.

 

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Summer-Aid: $265 “The Other Burgundy” — The Delectable Wines of Beaujolais (8 Bottles Red, 4 Bottles Rosé, All Included and Delivered)

Feast your end-of-summer senses on our latest Wine-Aid box that features a selection of wines that represent a marriage of grapes and ground that the French regard as mystical. It’s in the sandy clay soils over granite of Beaujolais that the Gamay grape finds its truest expression, in the right hands producing red wines that are fresh, vivid, light and fruity, yet possessing a soulful depth and sense of place. It is a wine that is somehow simultaneously uncomplicated and consequential.

The wines of Beaujolais are especially appropriate for a long Labor Day weekend as they drink particularly well with a slight chill and pair nicely with just about every type of fare, from grilled hot dogs with corn-on-the-cob to lamb steaks with roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes.

The price for this Wine-Aid package includes tax and delivery, as well as a 15% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Included in “The Other Burgundy” — The Delectable Wines of Beaujolais Wine-Aid Package are two bottles each:

Château de Lavernette “Le Clos” (Beaujolais-Leynes 2017) Regular Price: $33

The commune of Leynes and its old four-story Château de Lavernette lie at the crossroads of Beaujolais and the Mâconnais. “Le Clos” comes from the estate’s best parcels of Gamay — a little over four walled acres planted between 1957 and 1967. Leynes is one of thirty-nine villages entitled to use its name within the Beaujolais-Villages appellation. “Le Clos” is produced traditionally in older barrels using predominantly whole cluster fermentation but there’s also usually some de-stemmed fruit depending on the vintage conditions.

 

Château Thivin “Reverdon” (Brouilly 2018) Regular Price: $26

A benchmark domaine in the Côte de Brouilly, the Geoffray family has been farming their steep, south-facing slopes of decomposed pink granite for over a century. Château Thivin “Reverdon” is from the Reverdon sector of Mont Brouilly, an area known for producing wines of great finesse. It is produced using whole cluster fermentation for about a week and then aged in concrete tank for eight months for a wine that is simultaneously joyous and expressive of place.

 

Domaine Robert-Denogent “Cuvée Jules Chauvet” (Beaujolais Villages 2017) Regular Price: $25

In 1988, Jean-Jacques Robert took over 12 acres of his grandfather’s vines in the Mâconnais region of Burgundy just outside the village of Fuissé and soon came under the influence of one of the masters of terroir-focused Beaujolais, Marcel Lapierre. “Cuvée Jules Chauvet” is made from a three acre parcel of Gamay vines in a 15 acre vineyard that was owned by the late Jules Chauvet – a legend for his pioneering work with organic viticulture in Beaujolais and his leadership in the French natural wine movement. The wine is made with rigorous sorting in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar and then aged for 16 months in seven-year-old barrels.

 

Clos de Mez “La Dot” (Fleurie 2013) Regular Price: $24

Vines have been in Marie-Élodie Zighera Confuron’s maternal family for four generations but she is the first of the family to produce and bottle the wines under her own name. “La Dot” is so named because it was a dowry gift for Marie’s grandmother’s wedding. It is a five acre plot of pinkish granite soils near the famous lieu-dit of Grille Midi in the south of Fleurie. The average age of the vines is close to 50 years old. Aromas of iris, violet, rose, and red fruit eventually give way to notes of spice. It is a wine of body, elegance, and finesse.

 

Château Thivin Rosé (Beaujolais Villages 2019) Regular Price: $20

The fruit for Château Thivin Beaujolais Villages Rosé is sourced from a 2.5 acre plot of 50 year old vines. It is produced by direct pressing the grapes and allowing the skins to macerate with the juice for one day before vinification in cool, temperature-controlled stainless-steel cuves. The result is a rosé with delicate fresh fruit aromas and juicy flavors ideal for pairing with light summer al fresco meals. A crowd-pleaser for certain, this is always one of our top selling rosé wines.

 

Pierre-Marie Chermette Rosé “Griottes” (Beaujolais 2019) Regular Price $19

Strict traditionalists, Pierre-Marie and Martine Chermette were among the first in Beaujolais to use sustainable agricultural practices, shunning the use of chemicals in the vineyard and encouraging as much life in the soil as possible. The wines are made with minimal intervention: wild yeasts, minimal sulphur additions, and no filtering if possible. Their poundable, Gamay-based rosé is pale in color but deep in flavor. Fruit and flowers on the nose are enhanced by a hint of gravel.

 

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Summer-Aid: $290 Northern & Southern Rhône “Country Wines” from Three Great Producers (12 Bottles, All Included and Delivered)

Our latest Wine-Aid box features a selection of wines that represent the value that can be found from Rhône Valley’s top producers when you dig deep into their portfolios. While these “Country Wines” are generally everyday drinkers, they all rise above simple sippers and clearly express a sense of place.

Northern and Southern Rhône are quite different from each other in terms of terroir. Northern Rhône’s steeply terraced hillsides and granite soil mixed with stone, shingle, and clay produces powerful wines with only a few grape varieties, mainly Syrah and Viognier. Southern Rhône tends to be flatter, with a climate that goes between continental and Mediterranean, and better known for its blends, typically based in Grenache.

The price for this Wine-Aid package includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Included in the Northern & Southern Rhône “Country Wines” Wine-Aid Package are four bottles each:

Northern Rhône

Stéphane Ogier “Syrah” (IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2016) Regular Price $39

Seventh generation winemaker Stéphane Ogier knew he wanted to follow in his winemaker father’s footsteps from a very early age. The domaine produces wines from 27 acres of vineyards in some of the most famous Côte-Rôtie areas, such as Lancement, Côte-Rozier, and La Viallière. These wines have become a reference point for the appellation and have brought Stéphane international acclaim. The vineyards of Collines Rhodaniennes are on the plateau above the Cru-classified vineyards yet can offer a glimpse into the greatness of Northern Rhône Syrah at a more reasonable price.

Southern Rhône

Frédéric & Daniel Brunier “Le Pigeoulet” (IGP Vaucluse 2017) Regular Price $21

Brothers and fourth generation winemakers Frédéric and Daniel Brunier are rightfully well-known for Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe – their world-class wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s La Crau plateau. Year after year, respected French wine guides like La Revue du Vin de France and Bettane & Desseauve give Vieux Télégraphe the highest of ratings. Is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Carignan, 5% Cinsault that has all of the depth, power, finesse, drinkability, and typicity that you would expect from wines much higher in price.

 

Michel Chapoutier, Ferraton Père & Fils “Samorëns” (Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc 2017) Regular Price: $17

Starting in 1998, Ferraton embraced biodynamic farming techniques for their range of vineyard parcels across Rhône. To help with the transition, Michel Chapoutier, who was already enjoying great success with biodynamic farming was brought in to form a partnership. “Samorëns” is a blend of 60% Grenache Blanc and 40% Clairette from vines planted in clay and limestone soils. The wine is matured in vats without malolactic fermentation, which helps to maintain freshness and energy in the warm climate of Southern Rhône. A glass is filled with the scent of white flowers and a sip will reward you with lush orchard fruits.

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Summer-Aid: $260 “Biodynamic Wine Pioneer” — Languedoc’s Domaine Léon Barral (6 Bottles Red Wine, All Included and Delivered)

Our latest Wine-Aid box features new vintage wines from biodynamic pioneer, Didier Barral. Didier’s vines grow beneath the scrub-covered ridges and windswept stone outcrops of Faugères. The appellation is known for its dry and crunchy metamorphic schist that forces the roots of the vines to penetrate deeply in search of moisture. This cherished soil for grape growing absorbs the heat of the daytime before releasing it in the cooler evenings. The humid Marin winds off the Mediterranean and the dry, violent Tramontane winds from the northwest are a constant presence in the Faugères hills that help to ventilate the vineyards. Most of Didier’s vines are very old, some up to ninety years of age. All of these factors help for even ripening of the grapes and further increases their concentration.

Didier farms about 75 acres of vines using biodynamic practices. Developed by Austrian philosopher and social reformer Rudolf Steiner in the early 20th Century, biodynamic agriculture is defined as “a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture, gardens, food production and nutrition.” Biodynamic wine is made with a set of farming practices that views the farm or vineyard as one solid organism. The ecosystem functions as a whole. On Didier’s farm, ancient breeds of cattle graze the cover crops in and around the vineyards, which promotes healthy microbiotic activity in the soil. Between the vines grow all sorts of rare greens and unusual wild herbs, often harvested by Michelin starred chefs from all over France.

Although Didier considers the wine all but finished once it leaves the vineyard, the harvest is cared for with the same attention once it reaches the cellar. All wines are hand-harvested, hand-sorted, fermented with indigenous yeasts and have no sulfur added. They are never racked, filtered, or fined. While these minimal intervention principles form an idyllic narrative of a natural product, the fact is that Didier has a profound influence on other viticulteurs who can see how his ideology translates to results.

The price for this Wine-Aid package includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Included in the Biodynamic Wine Pioneer Wine-Aid Package:

Domaine Léon Barral (Faugères, 2016) Three Bottles, Regular Price: $36
Didier’s traditional Faugères bottling is a blend of 50% Carignan, 30% Grenache, and 20% Cinsault from vines aged 40 to 70 years old. After fermentation, the wine is aged for two years in cement and stainless steel cuves. The aromatics are joyous with black cherries, cocoa, herbs and flowers. A sip is filled with fruit yet nimble on the palate, elegant even, with a finish of sun-baked stone.

“Jadis” (Faugères, 2016) Two Bottles, Regular Price: $47
50% Carignan, 30% Syrah, 20% Grenache, aged for 24 to 26 months in barrel (10% new oak). Black fruits and herbs in abundance. More focused and elegant than the classic cuvee, the 2016 “Jadis” is a similar blend that substitutes Syrah from southern-facing vines in place of the Cinsault. A wine that drinks great upon release yet will develop in a proper cellar over the course of a decade or more.

“Valinières” (Faugères, 2016) One Bottle, Regular Price: $69
80% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, aged for 24 to 26 months in barrel (10% new oak). “Valinières” is the domaine’s top cuvée, capable of medium to long-term cellar development. With a Mourvèdre base, this wine is big, meaty, and concentrated. The portion of Syrah comes from northern-facing vines. The cooler, northern exposure allows the grapes to remain on the vines longer, giving added maturity, greater concentration of flavors, and increased complexity.

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Summer-Aid: $265 “France’s Deep South” — Elegance from the Rugged Landscape of Fitou (10 Bottles, All Included and Delivered)

Our latest Wine Aid box celebrates both the wild and remote subzone of Fitou and two happy-loving couples that produce wine there. One of the very first granted appellation in the southern French region of Languedoc, Fitou consists of two small enclaves within Corbières: Fitou Maritime, a clay-limestone band around the saltwater lagoons on the coast, and Fitou Montagneux, a patch of various mountainous soils fifteen miles inland. With these 10 Bottles we’ll be exploring both of these distinct terroirs with wines made by some of the top producers in the region.

Included in the France’s Deep South Wine-Aid Package are two bottles of each:

The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Domaine Bertrand-Bergé

Near the tiny village of Paziols in Fitou Montagneux, Jérôme and Sabine Bertrand have been steadily improving the reputation of Fitou through the excellence of their wines. The domaine’s history can be traced back over a century when Jérôme’s great-grandfather, Jean Sirven, won plaudits for his wines at the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris. But the modern era for Bertrand-Bergé started in 1993, when the couple took the winemaking back into their own hands after a few decades of supplying grapes to the local co-operative.

Today, the estate is comprised of many old-vine parcels that cover an area of 84 acres dotted around the hilly countryside of Paziols, the air fragrant with the scent of wild juniper, thyme, rosemary and lavender of the local garrigue shrubland. The estate is cultivated entirely using organic techniques. Of the wide range of soils that are found in the region, the pudding stones found around Paziols contribute much to the high quality of the wines of Bertrand-Bergé by retaining daytime heat. But of course it’s the tireless effort of Jérôme Bertrand that can translate the unique charm of this place into world-class wines.

“Origines” (Fitou 2014) Regular Price: $17

The Bertrand’s offer the affordable cuvée “Origines” as a starting point to enjoying the terroir of Fitou. A blend of 60% Carignan and 40% Grenache aged for 18 months in concrete, “Origines” delivers juicy ripe blackberry and blueberry accented by cocoa, clean earth and a touch of white pepper. The fruit for “Origines” comes from vines averaging 20 years in age planted in chalky-clay soils. Although this cuvée is priced as an everyday wine, it has always had the ability to mature gracefully and is drinking superbly right now.

 

“La Boulière” (Fitou 2014) Regular Price: $33

A deep, sappy blend of 50% Mourvèdre, 25% Carignan and 25% Grenache aged for 18 months in oak barrels. A grocery cart of aromatics like black raspberry, blueberry, smoked meat, cinnamon, and leather precede a full-bodied, layered and elegant palate balanced by a muscular underlying structure. The fruit comes from vines with an average age of 15 years planted in puddingstone soils. Pop this open for your fattiest cuts of grilled meat. This wine should drink well over the course of a decade.

 

Mas des Caprices

In the village of Leucate, on the north shore of L’étang de Leucate in the subzone of Fitou Maritime, Mireille and Pierre Mann have been steadily building their estate, Mas des Caprices, into one of the top producers in the region. This is a rugged land kissed by both the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. High yields are impossible to achieve here. Indeed, many of the wines from this region are produced with similar (or even smaller) yields to the most sought after wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy.

The couple, both children of Alsace winemakers, ran a restaurant near the city of Colmar for 10 years. While they loved providing their patrons fresh local products, they felt the need for greater challenges. So they decided to rebuild their lives closer to the earth. In 2003 they moved to southern France and began reinventing themselves as winemakers. Their passion was evident from the start. The duo eventually settled on the Mediterranean coast and quickly made a name for themselves by producing tasty, genuine wines. Certified organic in 2009, their guiding philosophy is meticulous work in the vineyard while respecting nature with the goal of producing wines that are both expressions of their unique environment and utterly delectable. Forget pudding, the proof of the wine is in the drinking.

“Retour aux Sources” (Fitou 2015) Regular Price: $37

45% Carignan, 25% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, and 10% Syrah from the Fitou maritime hillsides where pink schist and limestone mix. Maturation takes place for nine months, with roughly 70% of the wine in concrete vats and the rest in old barrels. Bold ripe fruit, excellent structure, and heady aromas of ripe fruit and herbs make a wine ideal for hearty vegetable dishes like ratatouille and olive tapenade and, of course, grilled meats.

 

“ZE” (Fitou 2015) Regular Price: $26

A blend of 40% Carignan, 35% Grenache, and 25% Mourvèdre from the windswept Leucate cliff. Fruit, both ripe and fresh, provides the foundation for this crowd-pleasing red. Maturation takes place for nine months, mainly in concrete vats, with around 20% aging in old barrels. Exceptionally floral on the nose, a sip seduces the palate with velvety tannins and silky berry salad. Pop a bottle for pizza, shawarma, or game night.

 

“Ozé” (Corbières 2017) Regular Price: $24

Although separate appellations, Fitou and Corbières share much of the same terroir. You will often find producers based in Fitou with parcels in Corbières, and vice versa. Mireille and Pierre Mann’s rosé is a blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre with a touch of Syrah. Fresh, fruity, and intense, it’s a crowd-pleaser. If you like a classic southern French rosé while chilling on the patio or paired with your seafood feast, this cuvée will put you in your happy place.

 

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Summer-Aid: $250 “Green Spain” — Taste the Terroir of Northwest Spain with 12 Bottles (6 Red, 6 White, All Included and Delivered)

Our latest Wine Aid box hails from the northwest corner of the Iberian peninsula and is packed with lively, graceful, cool-climate wines, defined as much by the nearby Atlantic coast as the vineyard soils and slopes. These are wines with the same sort of aromatic headiness and elegant structure that draw wine lovers to the most famous winemaking regions in the world.

Included in the Green Spain Wine-Aid Package are three bottles of each:

The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Fento

Hard-working vigneron Eulogio Pomares is a rising star in the far northwest corner of Spain where he receives accolades from critics and consumers alike. Although perhaps best known for his work with the region’s Albariño variety as the seventh generation winemaker at Zárate, his family’s estate, Eulogio can’t be contained and is branching out into some of “Green Spain’s” other subregions.

Fento is a partnership of Eulogio with his wife Rebeca that works with both rare and common indigenous grapes found within Galicia. Organic viticulture is difficult in the region due to humidity and mildew pressure, but Eulogio is applying the methods to bring the Fento vineyards into full organic cultivation, relying on native cover crops and natural products to do most of the work.

“Xabre” (Ribeira Sacra 2017 RED) Regular Price: $29

The cuvée Xabre [SHAH-bray] is named after the weathered, sandy granite soils of Ribeira Sacra. It’s a blend of predominately Mencía with the remainder made up of Sousón, Mouratón and Garnacha, all from vines ranging between 15 and 80 years old. The fruit comes from the Quiroga-Bibei sub-zone, from terraced vineyards between 900 to 2,100 feet in elevation. Extraordinarily perfumed, Xabre radiates notes of citrus peel, green tea, violets, fresh berries and warm terra cotta. With just a slight chill it’s an ideal wine to keep you company while tending the grill.

 

“Bico da Ran” (Rías Baixas 2018 WHITE) Regular Price: $18

Bico da Ran is 100% Albariño made from fruit grown in the sub-zone of Val do Salnés. Considered the birthplace of the Albariño grape this is the original and oldest sub-region in Rías Baixas. Some of the best vineyards in Salnés produce the Bico da Ran fruit. The vines are 15 to 25 years old. Grapes are harvested in early morning to preserve aroma and freshness. Vinification and aging is done in stainless steel. All of this results in a wine that is aromatic with citrus and a delicate herbality. On the palate it is refreshing and crisp, with layers of crunchy orchard fruit.

 

Viñedos y Bodegas Pardevalles 

Third generation vigneron Rafael Alonso is one of the pioneer winemakers of southern León. Viñedos y Bodegas Pardevalles, his family’s vineyards and 300 year old cellars are situated in northwestern Spain at around 2,400 feet in elevation where the uncommon and indigenous grape varieties Prieto Picudo (red) and Albarín Blanco (white) thrive in the extreme microclimate around the River Esla. Rocky soil, swinging diurnal temperatures and less than 20 inches of annual rainfall combine to create wines of superb ripeness, acidity and balance with highly developed aromatics.

Recently granted official Denominación de Orígen status in 2007, Tierra de León is nevertheless an ancient region that has been cultivated for wine production for centuries. The Alonso family holds around 95 acres there in the high plains, where Quaternary Period soils are covered in rounded stones that absorb the heat of the sun during the day. Similar to the galets roulés of Châteauneuf-du-Pape but at a much higher elevation, these stones help the vines bear the low nighttime temperatures and ensure a long, even ripening.

“Gamonal” (Tierra de León 2015 RED) Regular Price: $23

One of Spain’s most fascinating indigenous varieties, Prieto Picudo is highly aromatic with fleshy bright fruit and good acidity. Aged for one year in 225 liter neutral oak barrels, you might compare the Pardevalles Gamonal to a Cru Beaujolais from a vintage that achieved full ripeness (and then some). While it’s a joyous wine full of bursting berries up front it shows a more serious side with a concentration and a pure, lengthy finish. With the slightest chill it will pair with myriad grilled foods or a simple plate of cheese and olives.

 

“Albarín” (Tierra de León 2019 WHITE) Regular Price: $19

Pardevalles’ seven acres of Albarín Blanco (about 10% of all vineyards planted to the variety) were developed in 2004 for the purpose of recovering this indigenous grape which was on the edge of extinction. But the wine is far more than a rescue mission for an obscure variety. The Albarín Blanco is an exuberant wine brimming with aromatics of fragrant herbs, mouthfuls of white fruits, and a finish that’s fresh and clean. It’s a wine that delights both the casual drinker and the most discerning gourmand. It’s versatile enough for sipping on the patio or pairing with seafood and poultry dishes.

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Summer-Aid: $270 “The Uncommon Burgundy” — Explore Out of the Ordinary Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with 6 Bottles (All Included and Delivered)

What makes these Burgundy wines uncommon?

For one it is the apparent dual existence of Chassagne-Montrachet. The commune is recognized for producing some of the best white wines in the world but it has a long history of creating substantial red wines that are quite often compared to the vibrant Nuits-Saint-Georges to the north.

And when was the last time you tasted a Premier Cru wine from the commune of Montagny? Located at the southern end of Côte Chalonnaise, where the warm continental climate and limestone-concentrated soils help create full-bodied wines with fresh acidity, the appellation exclusively produces white wines made from Chardonnay.

Included in The Uncommon Burgundy Wine-Aid Package are two bottles of each:

The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Vincent Girardin “Les Vieilles Vignes” (Chassagne-Montrachet RED 2017) Regular Price $55

The quality of the wines produced at Maison Vincent Girardin are upheld by its “Très Haute Couture” code of winegrowing practices. The fruit comes from vineyards managed according to the following principles: No herbicides or insecticides, deep ploughing, use of natural composts from farms in the Burgundy region, high trellising for better photosynthesis, and manual harvests with sorting in the vineyard and in the vat room. “Les Vieilles Vignes” is 100% Pinot Noir from 50 year old vines situated around the village of Chassagne-Montrachet. Aged for 14 months (10% of new oak) it is a meaty wine with a structure reminiscent of wines from Côte de Nuits.

 

Domaine Langoureau “Les Voillenots Dessous” (Chassagne-Montrachet RED 2016) Regular Price: $45

Husband and wife team of Nathalie and Sylvain Langoureau farm about 24 acres of prime vineyards mainly in the Côte de Beaune villages of Saint-Aubin, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet. This is a heart and soul garagiste operation based in the tiny hamlet of Gamay, nestled between Puligny-Montrachet and Saint-Aubin. Although Chassagne-Montrachet is renowned for its white wines, the commune produces just as much red wine. “Les Voillenots Dessous” is 100% Pinot Noir and a superb value from a parcel located on the border just below the village of Chassagne-Montrachet and across a lane from the Premier Cru parcel of Les Places.

 

Jean-Marc Boillot (Montagny Premier Cru WHITE 2018) Regular Price: $40 

After vinifying 13 vintages at Domaine Henri Boillot (his family’s estate), Jean-Marc Boillot left to pursue his own fortunes. He became the winemaker for Olivier Leflaive for the next four years while also producing wines bottled under his own label. Today, Jean-Marc runs his domaine from his grandfather Henri Boillot’s house and cellars in the village of Pommard. He has inherited some of Burgundy’s most exceptional parcels from both Henri Boillot as well as his maternal grandfather, the late Etienne Sauzet. His Montagny Premier Cru is 100% Chardonnay. Fermentation and aging take place in oak barrels (30% new) with weekly bâtonnage to build a rich and powerful white wine.

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.

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Summer-Aid: $235 “Homage to Catalonia” — Taste the Terroir of Northeastern Spain with 12 Bottles (All Included and Delivered)

From breezy Mediterranean shores to Barcelona cafés to the towering peaks of the Pyrenees, the autonomous community of Catalonia is a land of diversity. These places and cultures have inspired poets, artists, and winemakers.

This week’s Wine-Aid package starts in the ancient wine country of the Penedès Plain, then into Priorat, one of the most progressive winemaking regions in all of Spain with its special reddish and black slate soils (called llicorella in Catalan), and finally to the slopes of the multi-peaked Montserrat range. A glassful of any one of these wines brings the region to life at your dinner table.

Included in Homage to Catalonia Wine-Aid Package is four bottles of each:

The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package.

Alemany i Corrio Principia Mathematica (Penedès 2018) Regular Price: $26

Passionate wife-and-husband winemakers Irene Alemany and Laurent Corrio’s “Principia Mathematica” is crafted from 100% Xarel·lo (shah-REHL-loh), a grape indigenous to the region that most sparkling wine drinkers will recognize as the principal variety that makes up Cava. 55 year old Xarel·lo vines see fermentation in new French oak barrels of 228 and 700 liters. A third of the wine is then aged for nine months in stainless steel on the yeast (sur lie) with the remaining two thirds aged in oak barrels with occasional stirring (battonage). The result is a wine of freshness and depth that fully expresses a Burgundian style of winemaking alongside high coastal Mediterranean terroir.

 

Blai Ferré “Ona” (Priorat 2016) Regular Price $22

Blai Ferré’s Ona is Priorat in the raw, a wine of intensity and balance with little elaboration. It is a classic Mediterranean blend of 40% Garnatxa, 40% Syrah, and 20% Carinyena. Cultivation is organic and the harvest is hand-picked and hand-sorted. Half of the wine is aged in stainless steel vats and the other half in French oak for eight months. We’ve found that it’s a wine that always outperforms its price level and it’s versatile enough to be paired with a simple cheese plate to roast lamb and everything in-between. Blai produces a scant 500 cases of Ona, bottling the rest of the harvest in other cuvées.

 

Ca N’Estruc Negre (Catalunya 2016) Regular Price $14

Francisco Martí is co-owner of perhaps the finest wine shop in Spain, Vila Viniteca, located in the El Born district of old Barcelona. Yet he has spent much of his life in the vineyards of the Ca n’Estruc estate that lies on the slopes of Montserrat at over 500 feet in elevation. The Vineyards are ideally orientated to optimize sunshine and hold some vines that are close to 80 years old. Ca N’Estruc Negre is a blend of Garnatxa, Samsó (Carinyena), and Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo) grown in alluvial soils. Ripe raspberries and cherries underneath a hint of rosemary make this one of the more interesting everyday value wines that you’ll find.

We are committed to providing you with your wine needs in the safest way possible. We do encourage you to take advantage of our back door pick-up or free delivery. We can easily process the payment of your purchase over the phone and load you up without you needing to get out of the car. Or we can deliver it to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience.