Dovecote 2018 Gascogne Rose You asked for more Gascogne Rosé, and you were touched by the story of Steve Lawrence and Diana Lucz, so here is the “other” wine in their “Dovecote” project. The idea here is the same as it was for the Sauvignon Blanc (one wine from two vineyard sites, one “cool” and one “warm”) – The result is one delicous bottle of rosé – Lighter in color, with abundant layers of flavor.
Lorelle 2018 Pinot Grigio We all love some Pinot Gris from Oregon, but from Washington State? Why not?!? The fruit here comes from Den Hoed Vineyard, within Washington’s Columbia Valley AVA, where it is a little cooler than other locations in the area. This cooler climate vineyard gives the wine unique freshness and bright acidity. In classic COVID-era business climate, we worked a crazy deal on a truckload of this during a video call with the winegrower/farmer (who we hadn’t before met) while he was on his tractor plowing. Classic.
Vignamato 2018 Verdicchio Castelli di Jesi Classic Verdicchio! Sourced from a 10-hectare vineyard with clayey soil at 400 meters in elevation in the classic zone of the region. Vines here are 40 years old and deeply rooted. Late September harvest, picked by hand. Oxygen free steel fermentation and aging for three months, no malolactic. Straw yellow.
Fruity with nice freshness. Flavorful, harmonious, fresh, with a typical finish. If you have cardoons in your garden this actually pairs really well with them!
O&T 2018 Touraine Sauvignon “Les Gourmets” O+T (or in long-form the Confrerie de Vignerons d’ Oisly et Thesée) has long played a leading role in the Loire winegrowing area of Touraine. In the sixties, with the aim being to make better and fresher wines, O+T was the first French cooperative to install stainless steel tanks in the cellar. Over time the company has continued to push the envelope on expectations of quality out of this area, and their flagship Sauvignon Blanc bottling has long been one of our best-selling wines. Citrus and flint on the nose, with a medium-bodied palate and quenching acidity.
Evaia 2018 Rose Rioja This is a Provence-style rose from our friend Iker Fernandez, who named the wine after his two daughters hence the two umbrellas on the label). It offers wonderful aromatics and enough acidity to accompany almost any cuisine, even spicy thai food. Pale pink color, notes of white and citrus fruits, complex aromas of apricot, ripe peach, and lychee. 100% Garnacha.
Rupert & Rothschild 2013 “Classique” This wine proves that yes, you can make some brilliantly spicy, smooth, and balanced wines on South African soil! A favorite and this is the last of our stash. 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc. Blackcurrant and plum aromas combined with cedarwood and graphite nuances. Abundant fresh berry flavors with fine-textured tannins and a lingering finish.
El Cipres 2018 Malbec Mendoza The viticultural history of the Correas family began in 1860 when Don Segundo Correas built the family’s first winery in Mendoza. For many decades, beginning in the 1930s, led by Julian Correas, the family was notorious for producing some of Mendoza’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon. Luis Segundo Correas, the third generation of his family to craft Argentine wine, continues to build on this history at the humble winery space he built in the mid-1970s. All wines here are estate-grown, and their “El Cipres” Malbec is a go-to value for us. You simply will not find a better option in the category.
Collefrisio 2016 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Third-generation winemakers Amedeo De Luca and Antonio Patricelli created the Collefrisio winery in 2004 in the hills of Frisa, Chieti Province, in Italy’s Abruzzo region. The estate is based on the hilltop holdings they acquired from the Frisio family (hence the name “Collefrisio”). Vineyard holdings are 35 hectares in total, and all farming is organic. Here we have a handmade Montepulciano that is fruity, fresh, and more interesting than most of what is on the market. Ruby red color with violet reflections. Intense nose, containing hints of slightly spicy cherry plum. Nice structure and well balanced.
Chateau Gaudou 2018 Cahors “Cuvee Tradition” The Gaudou estate sits in Vire-sur-Lot amongst a handful of Cahors’ other most prestigious vineyard addresses – A mythical location referred to as “The Beverly Hills of the Cahors Appellation” by French critic Michele Bettane. Most vines on the estate are considered “old vine,” some still on original rootstock being planted as far back as the late 1800s! A variety of soil types and exposures within the estate drives complexity in the finished wine – This bottling is a blend from the 48 acres of vines the Durou family owns and farms on second and third terraces in the terroir of the village of Bagat en Quercy. 80% Malbec, 15% Merlot, 5% Tannat.
Castello di Meleto 2017 Chianti Classico Castello di Meleto is a Tuscan estate on the rise, and probably the earliest ever vinous example of the now popular “crowdfunding” practice. They are receiving crazy press for their wines, with this Chianti Classico being the flagship bottling of the estate. Deep ruby red. Marked notes of cherry, typical of the grape, with hints of floral and spice. Velvety, enveloping palate with rounded tannins. Good structure with an excellent balance and long full finish. Check our podcast the first week of June for an in-depth look at this property.
Bricco Carlina 2018 Langhe Bianco “Serafina” The vineyard for this wine was purchased by Camilla and Francesco from a woman named Serafina, who had lived on this land (Grinzane Cavour) for several decades. This woman was quite the character and taught Camilla and Francesco a lot about life, and for this, they named this “Serafina” after her. After discovering a picture of Serafina on a swing with flying red hair, they decided that this image was perfect for describing this white wine, as it is something “old” (Favorita is the historical varietal of Langhe) and something “new” which Camilla and Francesco bring to the winemaking process with modern equipment and techniques.
Catania 2015 Ribera del Duero Crianza
Goblet trained, ungrafted 70-year-old-plus vines, that sit on sandy/calcerous loam soils in La Rasa at over 3,000 feet in elevation. Applause worthy stuff in its ability to provide a top level Ribera del Duero palate experience at a fraction of the price of some of the region’s more well-known names. Intense ruby red color. Ripe fruit aromas with hints of cocoa and roasted coffee. A touch of sweet fruit on the palate with a backbone of tannins and a little acidity makes this a complex and balanced Crianza.
