Tag: Carignan

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$195 “The Sergio Leone” Wine-Aid Package – 12 Bottles of Spanish Wine (8 Red + 4 White, All Included and Delivered)

“I’ve always believed that true cinema is cinema of the imagination.” — Sergio Leone

Introducing The Sergio Leone, a $195 Wine-Aid package that includes 12 Bottles of Spanish Wine showcasing the quality and value of Spanish wines from the slopes of Montserrat near the Mediterranean Sea to the Val do Salnés on the Atlantic coast. The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a 20% discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package. 

While Sergio Leone is an Italian director most of his films are inextricably tied to the landscape of Spain. The Tabernas Desert in the southeastern province of Almería is probably the most famous setting, but he filmed all over the country. Indeed, the first film of the “Man With No Name Trilogy” that made both Leone and Clint Eastwood famous, and is considered the birth of the spaghetti western genre, was principally filmed in the municipality of Hoyo De Manzanares, a short drive from the vineyards of our first featured winemaker Uva de Vida.

It’s easy to imagine that those many years ago the cast and crew might have been drinking very similar wines as are featured in this Wine Aid package. And it is this idea of geography, and its connection to the history of humanity, that can make the simple act of drinking a good bottle of wine something more profound. 

Included in The Sergio Leone Wine-Aid box are four bottles of each:

1) Uva de Vida “Latitud 40” (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla 2015)  Regular Price $23

The wife-and-husband team of Carmen López and Luis Ruiz have harnessed the soul of the land to produce wines of purity, brilliance and energy. Biodiversity of plant and animal life is promoted in their 33 acres of vines planted at 1,600 feet of altitude in the clay-based soils near the tiny village of Santa Olalla just up the road from the city of Toledo. Uva de Vida employs minimal intervention techniques from start to finish. 100% Graciano and nearly opaque deep red, a glass of “Latitud 40” radiates aromas of cherry fruit leather, dark chocolate, herbs, and salty, sun-baked earth. These heady scents merge seamlessly into a mid-weight sip of blackcurrant fruit with a long and juicy finish. 

 

2) 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. 

 

3) Fento “Bico da Ran” (Rías Baixas 2018) Regular Price $17

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. With an altitude below 1,000 feet and vineyards that reach the Atlantic Ocean, this is the coolest winemaking zone in the region. 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.

 

Still from A Fistful of Dollars (1964) compared to a recent photograph in Hoyo De Manzanares

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$270 “The Thomas Aquinas” Wine-Aid Package – 12 Bottles of Côtes du Rhône from Producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape (All Included and Delivered)

“Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.” — Thomas Aquinas.

Introducing The Thomas Aquinas, a $270 Wine-Aid package that includes 12 bottles of Côtes du Rhône from producers based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This range of wines represents the high level of quality and value that stellar Châteauneuf-du-Pape winemakers are capable of producing with their more everyday, regional wines. The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a deep discount. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package. 

Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) lived at a critical juncture of western culture when the arrival of the Aristotelian corpus in Latin translation reopened the question of the relation between faith and reason. Born in Lazio, Italy, Thomas eventually completed his studies at the University of Paris. The Catholic Church has over the centuries regularly and consistently reaffirmed the central importance of Thomas’s work, both theological and philosophical. 

Fifty years after Thomas’s death, Pope John XXII, seated in Avignon, pronounced Thomas a saint. Pope John XXII regularly drank the wines from the vineyards that we now know as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and did much to improve viticulture practices there. Whether you are Catholic or not, you can appreciate him for his wisdom in both wine and philosophers. 

Included in The Thomas Aquinas Wine-Aid box are four bottles of each:

1) Domaine Chante Cigale “Vieilles Vignes” (Côtes du Rhône 2016) Regular Price $25

Domaine Chante Cigale is one of the most important family estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Young winemaker Alexandre Favier and his team are dedicated to traditional winemaking using native yeasts for fermentation. The estate boasts close to 100 acres, divided into 45 parcels, across exceptional terroir. The diversity of soils and grape varieties allows the elaboration of wines that truly represent Southern Rhône. The fruit for Chante Cigale’s old-vine Côtes du Rhône comes from hand-harvested, 50-year-old vines in the Plan de Dieu, one of the finest lieux-dits in the appellation. Composed of 70% Grenache, 20% Carignan, and 10% Syrah, the wine shows loads of cherry fruit and spice. 

2) Domaine Charvin (Côtes-du-Rhône 2017) Regular Price $25

Until recently, Laurent Charvin, who holds about 25 acres in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, was almost the only grower to vinify with whole-cluster fermentations. Today that is becoming the trend. His Côtes-du-Rhône is a blend of low yielding vines, mainly Grenache with small additions of Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Syrah.  Some vines are as old as 90 years, with the average around 40 years old.  The fruit is organically farmed and harvested by hand from north-facing slopes on the northwest limit of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape lieu-dit Maucoil. Only indigenous yeasts are used and fermentation is done in cement tanks. Dark red fruits and an herbal vibe make this a seriously tasty wine.

3) Domaine de Beaurenard (Côtes-du-Rhône 2018) Regular Price $25

Traditional winemakers Daniel and Frédéric Coulon hold a little under 80 acres of vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and around 60 acres in the Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau appellation. All of Domaine de Beaurenard’s vines are certified biodynamic. In the vineyatds, these methods involve working the soil without herbicides, spreading carefully-dynamised manure, and maintaining sensible grass cover. Their Côtes-du-Rhône is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah from parcels of limestone and clay. The fruit is co-fermented with native yeasts and a short maturing period to preserve the delicacy of the fruit. The embodiment of the Beaurenard style, the wine shows ideal balance between fruit and spice. Fragrantly aromatic native herbs intermingle with pure, sumptuous fruit. 

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$165 “The Matisse” Wine-Aid Package – 6 Bottles Southern French Red Wine (All Included and Delivered)

“What I dream of is an art of balance.” — Henri Matisse

Introducing The Matisse, a $165 Wine-Aid package that includes six bottles of Red Wine illustrating the rich fruit and herbal fragrant wines from vineyards across southern France’s Languedoc-Rousillon region. The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor the 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package. 

Henri Matisse was one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. In 1905 he was residing in the coastal village of Collioure in the Languedoc-Roussillon when he was inspired to fill his canvases with passionate hues and a brash distortion of form. For these stylistic innovations he was branded a fauve (wild beast) and thus fundamentally altered the course of modern art with the founding of Fauvism.

The selections in The Matisse Wine-Aid are not only a nod to the “art of balance” but also to the bold and ecstatic vibes, much like Matisse’s work, that these wines display in the glass. We’re pretty sure that Henri would approve. 

Included in The Matisse Wine-Aid box are two bottles of each:

1) Domaine Saint Sylvestre Rouge (Languedoc 2015) Regular Price $45

Vincent and Sophie Guizard are cultivating less than 20 acres of prime vineyards in Terrasses du Larzac, an appellation known for its unique climate that benefits from both the warm Mediterranean sea and the cool air that blows down from the Larzac plateau on summer nights, creating wines that are fresh, yet delicate. They use no synthetic fertilizers or herbicides in the vineyards. Fermentation is completed using only indigenous wild yeasts. The wine is a blend of 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 10% Mourvedre aged for two years in used French oak barrels from Burgundy before blending and bottling without fining or filtering. It exudes an intoxicating nose of blackberry, garrigue, raw red meat, violets, and a curl of wood smoke. 

2) Le Clos du Serres “Saint-Jean” (Terrasses du Larzac 2017) Regular Price $24

In 2006, Béatrice and Sébastien Fillon purchased 37 acres divided into 15 parcels near the town of Saint Jean de la Blaquière. The diversity of the soil across all of their parcels includes schist, sandstone, pebbles & shingle, and red ruffes (deep deposits of sandstone accumulated some 265 million years ago and exposed by erosion). “Saint-Jean” is a blend of 25% each Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Oeillade (a grape indigenous to the Languedoc and close to extinction). It’s a wine that expresses all the terroir the village has to offer. After maturation for 12 months in concrete vats the result is a wine that is luscious with fruit but balanced, with floral, spice, and red berry aromatics.

3) Domaine Bertrand-Bergé “Origines” (Fitou 2016) Regular Price $23

Fitou Montagneux is a patch of mountainous schist fifteen miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. Winemakers Jérôme and Sabine Bertrand’s 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. “Origines” is a starting point to understanding and enjoying the terroir of Fitou. A blend of 60% Carignan and 40% Grenache aged for 18 months in concrete, “Origines” delivers juicy ripe black fruits accented by clean earth.

The Wine Press — Henri Matisse

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$260 “The Cézanne” Wine-Aid Package – 12 Bottles Southern French Red Wine (All Included and Delivered)

“A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.” — Paul Cézanne

Introducing The Cézanne, a $260 Wine-Aid package that includes 12 bottles of Red Wine illustrating a range of ripe and luscious flavors and aromas from vineyards across Mediterranean France. The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a 10% discount. We will also honor the 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to the Wine-Aid package. 

Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations for 20th century art. His paintings formed a bridge between Impressionism and the early 20th century’s new line of artistic enquiry, Cubism. Both Matisse and Picasso claimed that Cezanne “is the father of us all.” 

The Sainte-Victoire mountain near Cézanne’s home in Aix-en-Provence in southern France was one of his favorite subjects and he is known to have painted it well over 60 times. This is the type of landscape you find throughout Mediterranean France and from which our latest selection of wines is inspired. Cézanne painted the mountain from different angles, at different times of the day, and under different weather conditions. Browsing all of his works on this subject and you get a sense of the different elements over a growing season the winemakers represented in this selection must face every vintage. 

Included in The Cézanne Wine-Aid box are four bottles of each:

1) Mas des Caprices “ZE” (Fitou 2016) Regular Price $31

Mireille and Pierre Mann quickly made a name for themselves by producing tasty, genuine wines on the Mediterranean coast. Certified organic in 2009, their guiding philosophy is meticulous work in the vineyard while respecting nature. 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 (virtual) game night with friends.

2) Le Clos du Serres “Saint-Jean” (Terrasses du Larzac 2017) Regular Price $24

In 2006, Béatrice and Sébastien Fillon purchased 37 acres divided into 15 parcels near the town of Saint Jean de la Blaquière. The diversity of the soil across all of their parcels includes schist, sandstone, pebbles & shingle, and red ruffes (deep deposits of sandstone accumulated some 265 million years ago and exposed by erosion). “Saint-Jean” is a blend of 25% each Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Oeillade (a grape indigenous to the Languedoc and close to extinction). It’s a wine that expresses all the terroir the village has to offer. After maturation for 12 months in concrete vats the result is a wine that is luscious with fruit but balanced, with floral, spice, and red berry aromatics.

3) Domaine Saint Patrice “Vieilles Vignes” (Côtes-du-Rhône 2016) Regular Price $18

From their first vintage, Domaine Saint Patrice became one of the finest producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  “Vieilles Vignes” Côtes-du-Rhône is boisterously fruity in aromatics and flavor with some clean earth and a hint of herbs. A sip is downright poundable, juicy, with a finish that extends far beyond its reasonable price. It has all the elements one looks for in the type. The attractive price is just the cherry on top. It is a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah from three plots: Les Champauvins, Le Coudoulet, and Boisfeuillet. In the cellar, maceration and fermentation are done in concrete tanks. Aging takes place over 14 months in concrete vats and large oak foudre with a further 12 months after bottling.

Mont Sainte-Victoire

 

 

 

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$220 “The L’Ona” Wine-Aid Package – 12 Bottles of Spanish Wine (All Included and Delivered)

We 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.

We’ve been having a little fun tying our Wine-Aid packages to authors but this one is a little more personal. Many of you already know that the majority of Spanish wines we carry are imported by VIN°VI & CO, a Ferndale-based wine importer that has collected a portfolio of distinguished, passionate producers from some of the most exciting wine production regions in Spain. Barcelona native Núria Garrote i Esteve leads the operation but perhaps more importantly, she’s also my wife.

When we are visiting winemakers throughout Spain and France, our young daughter Ona is often with us, exploring the vine rows and smelling our tasting samples. Working closely with a few of her winemakers to select fruit and determine maturing regimens, Núria has assembled a few special collaborative cuvées named after Ona. These are wines available only in the North American market, and each wine has a story to tell.

Included in The L’Ona Wine-Aid Package are 12 bottles of wine, 10 red and 2 white:

Six Bottles RED — Ona (Priorat 2016) Regular Price $22

Priorat is one of the most progressive winemaking regions in all of Spain. Its special reddish and black slate soils (called llicorella in Catalan) are key to the singularity of the region’s wines. Priorat has become known for upscale wines intended for the cellar that reveal an insight into time and place after years of development.This is the landscape in which the young winemaker Blai Ferré, in collaboration with Núria, created the Ona bottling.

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 Ferré likes being self-sufficient and doing everything himself. He produces a scant 500 cases of Ona, bottling the rest of the harvest in other cuvées.

Four Bottles RED — Ona (Penedès 2015) Regular Price: $17
Two Bottles WHITE — Ona (Penedès 2015) Regular Price: $17

Núria’s relationship with the visionary winemaker Raimon Badell of Masia Can Tutusaus began when she sought out his award winning Cava and brought it into the U.S. Almost all Cava production is centered in the Penedès region of Spain, a short distance west of the city of Barcelona. But it’s the mountainous sub-zone of the Massís del Garraf, where soil and microclimate yield fruit with the concentration and balance required for singular, world-class, sparkling wine.

Raimon believes in making contemporary wines that respect Mediterranean culture without becoming mired in convention. Certified biodynamic in Spain, he has the utmost respect for his vines and soil and it shows in every glass.

Ona (Penedès 2015) Red

On one of her many visits with Raimon at his vineyards Núria tasted a unique red wine that was being produced only for consumption by Raimon and his friends. The grape was Marselan – a variety created by crossbreeding Cabernet Sauvignon with Grenache. The exuberant red fruit ripeness of Grenache and the elegant structure of Cabernet Sauvignon was fitting for the Ona label.

Ona (Penedès 2015) White

The superior geography of the Massís del Garraf, and the high quality of the Xarel-lo (pronouced shah-REHL-loh) grapes grown at the estate, led Núria and Raimon to bottle a still version of Xarel-lo with all the intense aromatics, yellow fleshy fruit, and freshness that the variety has to offer.