Monthly Featured Wines

Mas de Boislauzon Chaussynette Rouge, 2023

$13.99/bottle    -    $149.99/case

Featured Wine January 2026

Mas de Boislauzon is a highly regarded producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape located in the north of the district, not far from the ancient Roman city of Orange. The domaine is managed by brother and sister Daniel and Christine Chaussy, the fifth generation in their family to manage it. The domaine takes its name from the lieu-dit (a named vineyard) where their oldest Mourvèdre vines are planted. Boislauzon has been certified organic since 2012 and biodynamic since 2021. In addition to several Châteauneuf red cuvées, there is a Châteauneuf Blanc and a Côtes du Rhône-Village. The domaine covers 11 acres of vines in Châteauneuf, 19 acres in Côtes du Rhône-Village, and two acres outside of Appellation Controlée (just Vin de France).

Chaussynette Rouge (there are also a Chaussynette Blanc and Rosé) is made from Grenache and Syrah grapes that were declassified from the Côtes du Rhône-Village, as well as the two acres outside the AC. The soil, not unlike that of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is clay covered by rounded pebbles. The clay holds moisture and helps to even out the swings of rainy and dry periods. The pebbles reflect some of the sunlight up to the vines and absorb the heat of the sun during the day, radiating some of that heat back up to the vines at night.

The grapes are hand-picked, meticulously sorted, and 100% destemmed. Vinification is traditional with native yeast in tanks with temperature control. The wine sees no wood. It’s a “fruity” wine with just enough structure for balance and interest. It displays aromas and flavors of strawberries, raspberries, tangy lime; herbal notes of mint, fennel, and garrigue; and a salty minerality. It’s medium-bodied with a hint of tannin and an uptick of acidity, which will give it some longevity. Outstanding quality and value. Serve it slightly cool with grilled meat, anything barbecued, and cheese.

Bodegas Agronavarra Agramont, Navarra, 2020

$16.89/bottle    -    $182.41/case

Featured Wine December 2025

Navarra is located in the northern stretches of Spain, near Pamplona, and north of the more famous Rioja, where it is bordered by the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean). The Pyrenees Mountains and the Ebro River lie northeast, combining for a unique microclimate that moderates Mediterranean temperatures, making ideal conditions for growing excellent fruit! Traditionally, Navarra has been associated with rosé wine (rosado), with Garnacha producing the best examples. These are often dry and fruity, and are a good accompaniment to the hearty local cuisine.

The first records of winemaking in the region date back to Roman times, but grapes were almost certainly thriving here long before that. Vines of the prehistoric Vitis sylvestris species – predecessor of the cherished Vitis vinifera – have recently been discovered still growing in Navarra. After the Romans, grape-growing continued under the Moors and was then greatly expanded under Christian rule. Demand for wine was strengthened by Catholics making the pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago to the shrine (now a cathedral) in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, where tradition has it that the remains of the Apostle St. James are buried. In the 14th Century, the number of vineyards multiplied to the extent that restrictions had to be imposed to ensure enough land was dedicated to cereals to feed the local population. Demand increased further in the late 19th Century when France was hit by phylloxera, until the scourge also came to Navarra.

Production recovered after vignerons replanted using phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. The more recent success of Tempranillo-based red wines has motivated winemakers to produce more of this variety, and it now leads Navarra’s production. The trend is towards concentrated, fruity, yet oak-influenced, red wines. Cabernet and Merlot have also been introduced.

Bodegas Agronavarra, originally founded in 1983 as Brana Vieja, is a prominent winery (400 hectares on chalky-loam soil) located in Murchante. In 2013, the winery adopted its current name and has since been producing a diverse range of wines under the guidance of enologist Isabel López and winemaker Pablo Pavez.

This wine consists mostly of Tempranillo. The balance is Cabernet and Syrah. It has fairly intense, plummy fruit and a good level of refinement. Aromas of cassis, cherry, and mocha waft from the glass. Cherry pie, purple plum, cocoa powder, and herbs de Provence flavors are wrapped in velvety tannins that wind down to a bright, Valencia orange splashed finish.

Lilly Langtry Lillie's Collection Bourbon Barrel-Aged Petite Sirah, 2022

$14.99/bottle    -    $161.89/case

Featured Wine November 2025

Petite Sirah is a varietal known more for its power than for its finesse. Bourbon barrel-aged Cabernets had their three minutes of fame, but it was generally just a way to cover up the meh flavors of less-than-desirable grapes. Combine the two (Petite Sirah and bourbon barrels), and you get more than the sum of the parts; the flavors really work well together. This is a richly flavored, soft, and mellow wine that punches way above its weight. It opens with plum, baking spices, and subtle notes of cigar box and tarragon. With dark cherry, blackberry, and some caramel, it is clean, juicy, deeply concentrated, and quite the value!

Lillian Langtry was a famous and controversial British socialite and actress in the late 1800s. Born and raised Emilie Charlotte Le Breton on the Island of Jersey, she married Edward Langtry and moved to London, becoming well known in social circles for her looks and charm. She was painted by many artists and became the first celebrity to endorse a product (Pears Soap)! She broke even more new ground when she became the first socialite to appear on stage. Her West End debut caused a sensation in London. She starred in many plays in both the UK and the US.

One of the most glamorous British women of her era, she had relationships with royals and noblemen, including Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), Lord Shrewsbury, and Prince Louis of Battenberg (with whom she had a daughter). After a scandalous divorce, Langtry had relationships with several wealthy men, and in 1888, she purchased a 4200-acre ranch in Guenoc Valley, Lake County, California. She became a U.S. citizen and established a winery. She later (1906) sold the property, but it still bears the Langtry Farms name. Adding to her entrepreneurship, Langtry became active in the UK horse racing scene and owned a successful horse racing stable. A final relationship, to Sir Hugo de Bathe, made her Lady de Bathe when they married. She lived out her last years in Monaco, while Sir Hugo lived in France.

Bodegas Larchago Rioja Crianza, 2020

$16.99/bottle  -  $183.49/case

Featured Wine October 2025

Rioja is Spain’s second smallest wine region, but its wine reputation is second to none. It is made up of three sub-regions, Rioja Alta (to the west), the small Rioja Alavesa (to the north), and Rioja Oriental (to the east). Alta and Alavesa have a continental climate, influenced by the Atlantic Ocean to the north (known here as the Cantabrian Sea), while Oriental’s warmer climate is considered Mediterranean. Fun fact #1: Rioja is one of the largest mushroom-growing regions in Europe. Fun fact #2: Tempranillo, the predominant grape, takes its name from the Spanish word for early, temprano, due to its propensity to ripen sooner than other varieties.

Dating to 1882, Bodegas Larchago is the oldest winery in Rioja Alavesa, which is technically in the Basque Country. It has vineyards located in the municipalities of Laguardia, Elciego, and Lapuebla de Labarca, the most emblematic areas of Rioja Alavesa.

The Crianza is 100% Tempranillo grapes grown in Laguardia, the core of Rioja Alavesa, at an altitude of 1970 feet on limestone-clay soil. The clusters are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel with a 15-day maceration to ensure good color extraction. The wine is then aged 14 months in American oak barrels and 6 months in the bottle before release. This is an expressive wine with surprisingly deep color and flavor. The recommended serving temperature is 63ºF.

We also carry Larchago’s 2016 Reserva ($20.99), a standout and a great value with exceptional aromatics. It’s also 100% Tempranillo, but from older vineyards in Laguardia, and it spent 18 months in French oak barrels. Excellent!

Ninety+ Cellars Pinot Noir Lot 137, Willamette Valley, 2023

$17.99/bottle    -    $194.14/case

Featured Wine September 2025

Willamette Valley, Oregon justifies its growing wine reputation. It’s the Goldilocks of Pinot Noir. Not too heavy. Not too light. Just right. The cool climate is perfect for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We can’t say enough about this wine. It’s everything a Willamette Valley Pinot should be, with a knock-out varietal bouquet, spot-on varietal flavor, and a soft, generous texture without intrusive alcohol (13.5%). We would put this beauty up against wines costing $10 more! 

We usually feature wines with a story. This doesn’t have much of one, but it is a stunning Pinot for the price. (This is an introductory price; it will go up to $18.99 on October 1st.) Ninety Plus Cellars contracts with wineries around the world to buy significant portions of their production, pays them upfront, and gets a big price reduction over what the winery charges under its own label. They sign an NDA, so all we know is that the grapes come from the foothills of the Coast Range Mountains. They were destemmed, crushed, and fermented in small open-topped tanks with regular push downs. This is the way the best Pinot Noirs are made (Think Burgundy and the best Oregon and California wineries). The wine ages for 8-10 months in mostly used French oak before bottling. With a year in the bottle, it is rich ruby red in color with aromas and flavors of fresh cherries and strawberries. Cinnamon, violets, black tea, and cedar peek out. It’s beautifully balanced with a long velvety finish. Serve cool with mushroom risotto, whole-roasted chicken, or a plate of fresh bread and soft cheeses.

Buck Summit Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022

$16.89/bottle - $182/case

Featured Wine August 2025

Cabernet Sauvignon is perhaps the most popular red grape varietal today. The problem is price and what you get for what you pay. When it comes to other varietals, you can usually find some nice wines under $20, but with only a few exceptions, inexpensive Cabernets taste like they were made from low-quality grapes grown in too-warm vineyards, then manipulated with additives. The additives give them color and flavor, making them pleasing to many because of an intrinsic sweetness, but this style is boring and lacking freshness. Here’s looking at you, Josh!

Although made in Napa Valley at Grand Napa Vineyards, the grapes for this wine come from the much warmer Lodi region. The flavor profile, however, suggests a better microclimate than the mass-produced alternatives. It is soft and just slightly jammy, but it is also balanced with nice blackcurrant, plum, and black pepper flavors. And it doesn’t taste cheap, like most of its competitors. It was aged for 12 months in American oak. Many of its competitors are flavored with oak chips or oak extract and the dreaded grape concentrate.

For more information on what really goes on with cheap California (and some other) wines, check out an eye-opening article on our website. Click on Wine Info, click on Articles, then click on the asterisked “Cheap Wine and the Mega-Purple Scandal” near the bottom of the list of articles. There are other interesting articles while you’re there.

Piccini Orvieto Classico, 2023

$13.99/bottle - $149.99/case

Featured Wine July 2025

Drive from Tuscany to Rome, and you will see signs for Orvieto, a commune in the south-western corner of Umbria. It is also a wine zone with vineyards in both Umbria and Lazio. The grapes grown here are predominantly Trebbiano Toscano (also called Procanico) and Grechetto, which together must account for at least 60% of the wine. The vines are planted on both sides of the Paglia River en route to its confluence with the Tiber. Tufaceous soils and bedrock characteristic of the area contribute to the quality of the local terroir and are well suited to the excavation of cellars for long-term storage. This “tufo” rock (as in Greco di Tufo) is also found in France's Loire Valle (especially Chinon and Saumur-Champigny), where it is known as “tuffeau.”

Historically, sweet Orvieto wines were the preferred wine of popes and nobility. Today, the vast majority are dry, very floral, clean, and crisp with moderate acidity. The alluring bouquet is one of its highlights. “Classico” is reserved for wines from vineyards surrounding the commune. Their cooler microclimate contributes to the complexity of Orvieto Classico’s aroma and taste profile. Volcanic hills and some chalky limestone impart a unique saline minerality.

The Piccini family began a Tuscan winery in 1882. Today, fourth-generation Mario, Martina, and Elisa Piccini oversee seven estates. The Orvieto Classico uses two clones of Grechetto (G5 and G109), Procanico, and Chardonnay. It’s straw yellow with a fabulous bouquet dominated by floral, exotic, and yellow fruit notes. On the palate, the wine is soft, round, tasty, and fresh. Ripe fruit shows tropical nuances and a lively finish. Amazingly good for the price. And it’s organic!

Black Stallion Chardonnay, North Coast, 2023

$16.99/bottle - $183.49/case

Featured Wine June, 2025

Our best-selling Chardonnay, Esser from Monterey County, was discontinued last year. When we found out, we purchased all that was left. We finally sold out last month and have tasted many potential replacements. Of all the ones we tasted, this was by far the best! 

Black Stallion Estate Winery is located in Napa Valley on the southern Silverado Trail. The road  had been built in 1952 to connect Napa to Calistoga and was named for the silver mining in the hills to the east during the 1860s and early 1870s. The winery is located on the grounds of a former equestrian center; hence the name. From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, the eastern part of Napa was home to cattle and horse ranching. Richard Tam and Ben Harvester built the Silverado Horseman’s Center on 32 acres in the 1950s. With an indoor riding track, 36 horse stalls, and a grandstand for indoor riding events, it also included an outdoor arena with a half-mile track and a grandstand that sat 3000 people. It thrived until the 1990s. The Indelicato Family (their huge company is Delicato) purchased the property in 2010 and established the winery. 

Most Black Stallion wines have a Napa designation. The North Coast program, which includes a Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet, is designed to hit a lower price point. This is a blend of grapes from mostly Sonoma (Russian River Valley) and Mendocino, with a small amount from Napa. The must was fermented mostly in tanks with a small proportion in used French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation (100%) reduced the acidity to 0.49g/l but the pH at 3.46 and contributed a rounded texture and only a hint of butter. It is very California but not overdone, even with 14.5% alcohol.

Wine Enthusiast: 93 “Lush and bright, with aromas of pineapple, apple, orange cream, and notes of toasted vanilla. The flavors on the palate are white nectarine, pear, and apple intertwined with nutmeg, tangerine zest, and a dry supple finish.”

Terre Margaritelli Roccascossa, Rosso dell Umbria, 2020

$16.89/bottle    -    $181.99/case

Featured Wine May, 2025

Not famous like Tuscany or Piemonte, Umbria quietly makes some lovely wines that fly under the radar of most wine lovers. Located on Tuscany’s southern and eastern border, Umbria makes two highly regarded red wines, Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG and Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG, as well as attractive whites like Orvieto and Verdello.

Terre Margaritelli was begun in 1948, when Fernando Margaritelli retired and left his forest management, coal, and wood production company to his three sons. He bought 140 acres in Miralduolo di Torgiano, just southeast of Perugia, and followed his true passions: agriculture and wine production. After his death, his sons focused on wood flooring and forest management, even opening a sawmill in Burgundy! They stopped making wine in Italy and just sold grapes to other wineries, but in 2000, Fernando’s grandson, Dario Margaritelli, restarted wine production with new attention to sustainability and organic farming. Federico Bibi has been the manager since 2005 and took the winery to new heights. It is now Certified Organic EU Standard, Certified Equalitas Sustainable Winery, and part of the New Green Revolution program.

Terre Margaritelli makes some high-end, oak-aged wines for which they have a unique arrangement to harvest trees from the Bertranges Forest in Burgundy, cut the wood at their local sawmill, and have a Burgundian cooper make their barrels. They also make this pretty little entry-level wine that sees no oak. Roccasossa is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and, unusual for central Italy, 30% Cabernet Franc. The Cab Franc shows but doesn’t dominate the Sangiovese. This is not a rich, powerful wine, but it is very nicely done and pairs well with salmon and chicken.

Cantine Volpi Barbera Aurora, Piemonte, 2022

$13.99/bottle - $149.99/case

Featured Wine April, 2025

Cantine Volpi dates to 1914, when a woman named Cristina, along with her two children, bought an old tavern in the center of Tortona and started selling wine by the glass. Her children expanded the “business,” buying local wine and selling it to markets in Milan and Genoa. Eventually, vineyard land was purchased in Tortona and a crude winery was built in 1957 called Cantine di Viguzzolo. A more modern cellar was built in 1961/1962. The name was later changed to Cantine Volpi to reflect the family name. Tortona lies in the southeast portion of Piemonte, a hilly area that borders Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, and Liguria.

Cantine Volpi specializes in Barbera, one of the most versatile and food-friendly grapes in Italy. Volpi’s vines average 20-30 years of age and are planted on south-facing slopes of clay and limestone. The winery farms its vineyards organically, adding value to this delicious and elegant wine. Aurora is made specifically for a US importer. Wine Enthusiast: 90 “Mixed plums, particularly Damson, and abundant violets create a super pretty aroma. The wine is plump and juicy with refreshing acidity and a touch of earthiness. It’s a solid wine and great value.”

Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya, Jumillo, 2022

$14.99/bottle    -    $161.89/case

Featured Wine March, 2025

Jumilla is one of the great bastions of value not only in Spain, but in the entire world. It lies in the southeastern part of Spain, west of Alicante. With a very warm climate, it is ideally suited to the Monastrell grape, which is also called Mourvèdre in southern France.

Founded in 1930, the Olivares’ family vineyard, Finca Hoya de Santa Ana, is a very special place. It’s planted on soil that’s sandy and full of chalk. There’s a very high percentage of old vines, with the oldest planted in 1872! Because of the sandy soils, the old, ungrafted, bush-pruned vines never succumbed to phylloxera. Given the vine age, the high elevation which provides cool nights, and the high percentage of chalk, the resulting wines offer a great combination of concentration and complexity along with balance, freshness, and structure.

Wine Advocate: 91 “The 2022 Altos de la Hoya comes from ungrafted Monastrell selected from plots averaging 2755 feet above sea level on sandy limestone soils. The dry-farmed and head-pruned vines have an average age of 45 years. The Monastrell is complemented by 5% Garnacha [the website says 10%], fermented in stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts, and matured 50/50 in [mostly used] 500-liter barrels and 6,000- and 10,000-liter oak vats for 6-8 months. The wine shows ripe black fruit, Mediterranean herbs, and a spicy, creamy, and smoky touch. Juicy, round, & fleshy with 14.5% alcohol, good balance, & almost unnoticeable tannins. 2024-2029”

Collelceto di Elia Palazziesi Toscana Rosso IGT Lo Spepo, 2023

$15.95/bottle    -    $172.89/case

Featured Wine February, 2025

The full name of Elia Palazziesi’s property is Azienda Agricola Collelceto di Elia Palazziesi. Elia's Toscana Rosso IGT Lo Spepo is his entry-level wine and is 100% Sangiovese. His vineyards are vegan and certified ORGANIC by ICEA as of this 2023 vintage.

Elia’s property is in the heart of a forested area in southwestern Montalcino, Tuscany. The estate has been in the family for 100 years, but it was previously a livestock and grain farm with a few vines for family consumption. Elia’s father planted 5 acres of Sangiovese. Seeing that grapes and wine from this famous wine region would yield much more income, Elia added 12 more acres of Sangiovese and began producing wine for commercial sale. 

A Brunello*, Brunello Riserva*, and Rosso di Montalcino are produced in addition to the IGT Lo Spepo, which comes from medium-textured soil with pebbly structure on a slope varying between 5% and 10%, averaging 425 feet above sea level. The grapes are hand-harvested and undergo a soft pressing followed by fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with periodic pump-over. After an 18-day maceration, the wine is aged for four months in tanks before bottling; it sees no oak. Lorenzo Landi is the winemaker. 

The wine is deep ruby red and quite intense with a spicy and fresh bouquet of sage and Mediterranean herbs. Pure Sangiovese character bursts through on the palate, which is dry but relatively soft and velvety with distinct spicy hints. It has good concentration for this price range.

*We also carry these.

Velenosi Rosso Piceno Superiore “Il Brecciarolo,” 2022

$17.49/bottle    -    $187.55/case

Featured Wine January 2025

This newest vintage of a former Wine of the Month is stunning! The Marche region of central Italy is less well known than Tuscany, Piemonte, Veneto, and even Lombardy, Campagnia, and Umbria, but that simply means that there are some terrific values there. The Velenosi winery is a landmark estate that lies in a unique spot in the Piceno wine area near the border of Marche and Abruzzo. The area is enclosed by the surrounding Apennine Mountains on one side and the Adriatic Coast on the other. 

The estate was founded by Angela and Ercole Velenosi in 1984. It is currently run by the charming Angiolina Piotti Velenosi. Attilio Pagli is the winemaking consultant. The vines sit on south-facing slopes of clay and limestone soil at an unusually high 885 (average) feet above sea level. At this elevation, it actually snows here in the winter, but summers are scorching hot. The autumn harvest tends to be long, and the season ends with a sudden cooling and abundant rain.

Rosso Piceno DOC should be better known. It combines the ripe, juicy intensity of Montepulciano with the complexity and elegance of Sangiovese. In this case, the ratio is 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese. The wine saw 15-20 days of maceration and was aged for 12 months in 2nd use French barrique. It’s a gorgeous wine with fabulous aromatics and loads of fruit, yet with elegance and harmony. It’s smooth and hints at the balsamic spice of Aglianico. So much wine, so little price!

 Mevante Elettra Rosso, Umbria, 2020

$15.95/bottle - $172.26/case 

Featured Wine December 2024

Siblings Antonella and Paolo Presciutti dreamed of starting their own winery. Although not in the wine industry, their parents’ successful business allowed the family to travel widely. Paolo attended winemaking school and met a professor who was a well-known consultant to top wineries. Paolo and his sister purchased an existing vineyard in the hills of the ancient Roman city of Mevania (now Bevagna). Their property consists of 25 acres of east-facing native vines, Sagrantino (red) and Grechetto and Trebbiano (whites). The sunrise (levante), visible from their vines, inspired the name of the winery. They hired the professor as their consultant. Annual production, 5000 cases.

Elettra Rosso is a blend of 80% Sagrantino, with the balance Merlot and Sangiovese. Sagrantino is indigenous to the region of Umbria in Central Italy. It is grown primarily in the village of Montefalco and the surrounding area and has increased in popularity with over 2,500 acres and over 50 producers. Pliny the Elder (23 CE - 79 CE) mentioned red wines from Montefalco that may have been Sagrantino. but the first written record is in the late 16th century as a communion wine. The name itself is of uncertain origin, possibly from sagra (feast) or sacrestia (communion wine). It is a low-yielding vine requiring a long, hot season to ripen, producing small, slightly conical winged bunches late in the season. The grape has one of the highest tannin levels of any variety more than Aglianico or Tannat, and twice the level of Cabernet Sauvignon or Nebbiolo! Its wines are inky purple with a near-black center. The bouquet dark, brooding red fruits with hints of plum, cinnamon, and earth. The tannin load here has been reduced, but it is still a gutsy, full-flavored, tasty red. 

Château La Plaige Bordeaux Supèrieur, 2023

$17.49/bottle   -   $188.89/case

Featured Wine, November 2024 (new vintage)

We featured the 2019 Château La Plaige in August of 2023 and the 2020 vintage in November of 2024. The latest release is the 2023. Like the previous vintages, it’s a heck of a value!

The large Bordeaux region includes the confluence of two river systems. The southern Garonne River drains Graves and Sauternes. The northern Dordogne River drains Fronsac, St.-Emilion, and parts further upriver. One of these is Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux where Chateau La Plaige sits on a hillside overlooking the Dordogne at the very eastern edge of the Bordeaux appellation.

Clay and limestone soils, as well as the cooler temperatures upriver, make it perfect for growing Merlot, and this wine is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet. The estate has been in the Naud family for five generations. Frédéric and Lise Naud have been managing it since 2000.

The wine is given a traditional warm fermentation in stainless steel vats, which preserves the primary fruit aromas of wild berries. It is then aged in concrete vats for 18 months, allowing the tannins to soften while retaining the fruit. The wine is bold and youthful, with just enough tannic structure. Rich and relatively silky, it tastes like a more expensive Bordeaux and will provide good drinking through 2026 or even later. Perfect for grilled or roasted beef or lamb.

Fabiano Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso, 2022

$17.99/bottle - $194.29/case

Featured Wine, October 2024

There are three “levels” of  Valpolicella, the Italian red wine from Veneto that uses indigenous grapes. The most famous is Amarone, a powerful wine made from grapes that are allowed to partially dry out, losing about 30% of their moisture before the remaining juice is fermented. Then there is basic Valpolicella, which is a light to medium-flavored red made by simply fermenting crushed ripe grapes. In the middle is Ripasso, made by taking the best of basic Valpolicella, adding leftover Amarone grape skins, and allowing it to re-ferment, thus picking up some of the depth and complexity of Amarone (but not the high alcohol) at a much lower cost.

Starting in 1912, Founder Francesco Fabiano and his son, Sergio, were Venetian wine traders. Sergio and his sons moved to Verona in 1956, where they began making wine from their own estate and from contract vineyards in Soave, Bardolino, and Valpolicella. A decade later, they built a new winery in Sona and gradually built up what became one of the largest wineries in Italy. In the early 2000s, they actually reduced their production, focusing more on quality than sheer quantity. Today, they represent wines from various Italian regions, but they are best known for their Lugana, this Ripasso, and their Amarone. This wine comes from vineyards in the hills of Valpolicella Classico, specifically in the municipalities of Negrar and S. Pietro in Cariano on loose red soil with limestone. The blend uses traditional local grapes, specifically 65% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella, 5% Negrara, and 5% Molinara.

This gorgeous Ripasso is deeply colored and richer in flavor than most. It has an almost Pinot Noir-like vibe but with much more intensity. The violet and cherry bouquet is followed by flavors of dried cherries, vanilla, and earthy spice notes from relatively long (12 months) barrel aging. It’s full-bodied at 14% alcohol and has soft tannins and decent length. Punching way above its weight, it has more than enough substance to stand up to meat. And it’s a steal at the price!

Cà Maiol Lugana Maiolo, 2022

$15.95/bottle  -  $172.28/case

Featured Wine, August 2024

Italy’s Lugana area stretches between the southern shore of Lake Garda and the spectacular Morainic Hills, created by the slow erosion of glaciers in the late Ice Age. It is made up of five picturesque and historic communes: Desenzano del Garda, Sirmione, Pozzolengo, and Lonato in the Province of Brescia; and Peschiera del Garda in the Province of Verona. Long hot summers, short mild winters, moderate rainfall, and limestone soil with stratifications of clay (a distinctive feature) make it ideal for growing grapes. It is a region of natural beauty with countryside scents, a mild climate, the gentle lake, and rugged hills that frame the landscape. The lake keeps temperatures from extremes, so the diurnal shift is relatively small.

In 1967, Milanese entrepreneur Walter Contato bought a farm called Cascina Maiolo on the southern shore of Lake Garda that had been founded in 1710. He renamed it Cà Maiol. His children took over in 1996 and have grown the estate to 272 acres. The grape planted is the vineyard is called Turbiana. It had been called Trebbiano di Lugana for hundreds of years, but recent DNA analysis shows it is actually the Verdicchio grape and is unrelated to Trebbiano.

The grapes for this wine come from moderately young vines, trained using the Silvoz and Guyot systems and with an average annual yield of around 4.5 tons per acre. The limestone-based soil with clay strata, dating from the post-glacial era, together with manual picking, soft pressing, and temperature-controlled fermentation, give this Lugana distinctive characteristics such as straw-like color with greenish highlights, delicate scent, and tangy flavor. It’s delicate, dry, and fresh with white almond, apple, peach, and herbal tones plus lightly candied notes of ripe melon and citrus zest. At 12.5% alcohol, it is perfect for warm weather. It over-delivers!

Domaine La Montagnette Côtes du

Rhône-Villages Signargues, 2022

$15.49/bottle   -   $167.29/case

Featured Wine, July 2024

There are many basic Côtes du Rhônes out there that are pleasant enough but lack character and a sense of place. The next step up in quality and usually price are the wines from the best villages in the southern Rhône, which are allowed to use the CdR-Villages appellations and sometimes append the name of the village. This all makes our selection this month an even more outstanding value. Villages wines are usually substantially more expensive. Signargues, in the far south and west part of the Rhône, is one of the hottest and driest parts of the region. The vines send roots deep into the ground in search of water and nutrients, so yields are low and the wines tend to be more intense.

Montagnette is produced at Les Vignerons d’Estezargues, a small cooperative that has produced wine for all of the growers of the village for generations. Uniquely, each vineyard is farmed sustainably and consistent with the “Terra Vitis” charter: no cultured yeasts, fining, filtration, or enzymes, and no sulfur until bottling. The wines are bottled separately for each estate.

Domaine La Montagnette is owned by Jean-Marie Granier, who defines precocious. He bought his first vineyard plots when he was 16, became the mayor of  Signargues at the age of 24, and became vice-president of the co-op back in 1990. His holdings now extend to 148 acres, 17 of which are cared for by his son, Jean-Laurent. Farming has been organic since 2003, and the vineyards will be certified by Ecocert with this 2022 vintage. This delicious wine is a blend of an unusually high 50% Syrah, 35% Grenache (unusually low), and 15% Mourvèdre. It offers aromas and hearty dark flavors of stewed strawberries and raspberries, dried cherries, and figs with hints of cinnamon and barbecue smoke. It improves with airing and tastes even better the day after it is opened (if there’s any left).

Château Marjosse Bordeaux Blanc, 2023

$16.89/bottle  -  $182.30/case

Featured Wine, June 2024

This historic property is less than 9 miles south of Saint-Émilion in the Entre-deux-Mers with 40 acres of vineyards on exceptional clay and limestone soil. In 1782, a wine merchant named Bernard Chénier moved into the imposing 18th century “Chartreuse” with his wife, Catherine Clémentine Fiton, and planted the first vines. Several owners later, in 1990, elderly General Georges Deleuze rented out some of the parcels to an ambitious, young winemaker named Pierre Lurton, who had started his career at Clos Fourtet before moving on to Cheval Blanc! Lurton had been born and raised in a neighboring château and bought the Marjosse property in pieces, starting in 1991. His first year was a disaster; the entire crop was destroyed by hail! He was saved by a bank loan that got him through. By 2005, he had purchased all the vineyard land and the magnificent stone Chartreuse.

Lurton calls Marjosse his “secret garden” and treats its vines and wine with the same “Grand Cru” principles that he uses at world-class Château Cheval Blanc, where he has been the manager since 1992. The blend is 50% Semillon, 45% Sauvignon Blanc, and 5% Muscadelle with an average vine age of just over 20 years. The planting density is 5,000 vines per hectare, and the yield is 58 hl/ha. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled cement vats, with manual stirring of the lees (batonnage) twice a week. The wine is filtered and bottled after four months. It has a beautiful pale gold color and very expressive aromas of lemon, grapefruit, and mango with a floral touch. Fresh and lively, it also manages to be a full-bodied white that retains a backbone of acidity.

A few notes: 1) Since the last time we carried this wine, inflation has been 20%, but this wine has only gone up 9%, making it a relative bargain. 2) Lisa Perrotti-Brown: 91 “Sings of freshly squeezed lemons, lime blossom. and juicy pears plus hints of elderflower and dill seed. Impressive intensity with a silky texture and great tension, finishing with a spicy lift. Nice!” 3) Jeb Dunnuck: 91 “Always terrific, the 2023 is no exception and has vibrant crushed citrus, lemon zest, and minty herb notes in its medium-bodied. bright, racy, mineral-driven profile. A beautiful white well worth seeking out.” 4) Antonio Galloni: 90 “Delicious. Crisp and inviting. Crushed rocks, mint, white pepper, and lime lend lovely nuance throughout. Floral top notes and tropical overtones really explode on the finish.”

Château Pont de Pierre, Lussac St.-Emilion, 2018

$16.89/bottle  -  $182.30/case

Featured Wine, May 2024

Lussac St. Emilion is one of several “satellite” villages neighboring St.-Emilion itself. The general region is small and sits upriver from the Médoc, along one of the tributaries that join to form the Gironde estuary separating the two primary Bordeaux sections. The wines of these satellite villages never reach the same heights of quality as those that come from St.-Emilion, but they are always less expensive and can represent great value. 

The wine estates in Lussac are relatively small, averaging 25 acres, and are mostly family-owned. Lussac has a diversity of soils on plateaus, on the sides of the hills, and in small valleys. Château Font de Pierre is owned by the Delorme family, who have been making wine in the region for generations. The estate has been producing quality wines since the 19th century and is one of the oldest wineries in the region. It is located 5.5 miles from St.-Emilion, and its soil has a high amount of limestone.

Typical of the region, the Pont de Pierre vineyard is planted to mostly Merlot vines, but also some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The exact varietal breakdown of the wine varies from year to year. This wine has a lovely bouquet of dark berries, old wood, and tobacco. The palate features blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, a little pepper, integrated wood, and a hint of tobacco. It’s now ready to drink and represents fabulous value.

Domaine le Clos des Lumières L’éclat, Côtes du Rhône, 2022

$17.79/bottle      -      $192.13/case

Featured Wine, January 2024

(Sorry, we just had to raise our price, thanks to tariffs and a weaker dollar)

Such a delicious wine!!! Domaine le Clos des Lumières is a family operation founded in 1946 by the grandfather of current winemaker Gerald Serrano. Located in the Southern Rhône Valley’s Fournès commune, the high quality of the Domaine’s soils gives its wines great appeal. The 124 acres of vines include some as old as 65 years. Rocky, calcareous soil retains the sun’s heat through the night, providing the vines with a stable temperature and allowing them to produce fully ripened grapes.

The soil features round pebbles mixed with chalky clay-sand dating from the Miocene and Ice Age (6-8 million years ago). Because of erosion, the soil particles have become very fine, small enough to be picked up by the roots of the vines and impart their characteristics to the wine. The southern Rhône also benefits from the largest number of sunshine hours in France, important for photosynthesis and grape maturation. The northern wind, the Mistral, blows up to 100 days per year and keeps the vines clean and healthy, reducing the need for treatments. The vines are planted at a density of 4000 per hectare. Yields are kept low by leaf-thinning and green harvesting.

The blend here is 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. The grapes are harvested at night to limit oxidation. They are destemmed and crushed, then chilled pre-fermentation to extract more aromas. Flavors and color extraction are enhanced during the cool fermentation by cap punch-down and pumping over of the juice. A small amount of micro-oxygenation is used for maturity and structure. The result is a wine with an intense nose of jammy fruit, spices (nutmeg), and black olives. On the palate, mostly red and black fruit (cherry, raspberry, cassis) are followed by some white pepper and garrigue notes, all with a pleasant roundness and silky tannins on the finish. They alo make a fabulous white!

Yllera Pepe Yllera Ribera del Duero, Spain, 2019

$14.99/bottle    -    $161.89/case

Featured Wine, December 2023

Ribera del Duero lies north of Madrid and west of Rioja. It consists of a long valley whose river (the Duero) flows west to the Portuguese border. There, it turns south, bordering the two countries before turning west again, becoming Portugal’s Duoro River, which is famous for the production of Port wines. Ribera del Duero focuses on the Tempranillo grape, which is locally called Tinto del País. The extremely hot and relatively short summer, paired with sandy clay with chalk-limestone marls, produces a rich style of Tempranillo wine. More yummy fruit!                         

Bodegas Yllera was founded in the early 1970s by brothers Jesus and Pepe Yllera, 5th-generation grape growers. The Yllera family has four separate wine projects in Ribera del Duero. Their latest project is Vivaltus, their high-end wine, which began with the 2016 vintage. Its wines sell for $120 and are now being marketed through La Place de Bordeaux (alongside all the famous Bordeaux wines). We carry one of their mid-level wine, Jesus Yllera.                            

Pepe Yllera is made from some of the family’s younger vines (only 30-40 years old!). The grapes are double sorted and destemmed. The wine ages for 9 months in American and French oak barrels. It can be enjoyed with airing now, but it will show even better with short aging. The Wine Advocate gave it a great review: 91 Points, $18 “There is a big change in the wines since 2018 because of the work they started doing in Vivaltus that permeated the rest of the projects, including the 2019 Pepe Yllera, from a warm and dry year. It is less ripe and with a lot less oak (they started using Flextank eggs and 500-liter oak barrels and harvesting two to three weeks before they used to), which kept the wine to 14% alcohol and good freshness. It’s medium-bodied and has very fine tannins. It has a small percentage of Cabernet and Merlot (around 12%). It’s a great improvement and a bargain. The Yllera team has had a big influence from [consultant] Jean-Claude Berrouet since he started advising them in Vivaltus. 2023-2028”

Les Vigneron du Pic - Devois de Perret, Languedoc, 2022

$15.95/bottle     -     $172.15/case

Featured Wine, November 2023

The Languedoc in southern France is a generally warm region that lies west of the Rhône District and typically features the same grapes. The soils are diverse from one parcel to the next; hard and soft limestone, dolomite, marl, and limestone rocks predominate. To the east is the Rhône, Roussillon is to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea constitutes the southern border. This region is considered the cradle of French viticulture, dating back to the Romans who introduced vines between 500-600 B.C.E. Adequate moisture coupled with hot days and cool nights (the median altitude is 500 feet) makes for ideal ripening conditions for the Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Carignan grapes typically grown here. 

Les Vignerons du Pic is a collective (founded in 1939) of winemakers from four villages that share a winery in Pic St. Loup. Each winery bottles independently under its own label. This wine comes from the organically farmed (but not certified) Devois de Perret estate and is made by Brunbo Dereluzzi, the head winemaker of the facility. It is a blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache from 17-year-old (average) vines from multiple soil types throughout Pic St. Loup. Yields are a moderate 50 hl/ha (3 tons/acre), and the grapes are hand-harvested at night to maintain fresh aromas. Vinification is traditional with 20 days of maceration in concrete tanks. The wine is filtered but not fined. The result is a wine that is juicy and soft, yet sufficiently structured to stand up to food and to age short term. Quite tasty!

Cantele Salice Salentino Riserva, 2019

$16.89/bottle    -    $182.41/case

Featured Wine, October 2023

Puglia is a sunny, dry region on the southernmost part of Italy’s Adriatic coast. It is a prolific farming region with over 60 million olive trees (yielding almost half of Italy’s olive oil production) and 17% of the country’s total wine production. The Greeks, who ruled here beginning in the 8th century B.C.E., are thought to be the first to plant grapevines. In the modern era, Puglia became known for cheap, mass-produced red wines that were used to boost the color, body, and alcohol content of finer wines from more northerly parts of Italy and even France! In the 1990s, several large firms invested in the area with modernization of the cellars and the introduction of better viticultural practices. 

The Salento Peninsula, the extreme south of Puglia, is where Salice Salentino is made, mostly from the Negroamaro (translates as bitter black) grape. A lot of Primitivo is also grown. The traditional alberello trellising is favored, whereby the vines grow low to the ground in the shape of a bush, allowing the plant to withstand strong winds and shade itself while absorbing the soil’s rich nutrients.

Family-owned Cantele consists of 346 acres. The winemaker is Gianni Cantele. Total production is 95,000 cases. The Salice Valentino Reserva comes from 20 to 45-year-old vines and is fermented in stainless steel with 7-10 days of maceration after which it is aged six months in French barriques. It is an intense ruby red and shows candied fruits and spices with clean underbrush, tea, and amber notes. The easy-going tannins and fresh acidity work in counterpoint to create a balanced, soft wine.

José Maria da Fonseca Artisanal Reserva Red Blend, Alentejano-Portugal, 2020

$12.99/bottle    -    $139.75/case

Featured Wine, September 2023

Another fabulous value from Portugal, this wine comes from the same producer as the Periquita that we carry and that has a lot of fans. Like most Portuguese reds, it’s a blend of mostly indigenous grapes, in this case, 32% Aragonez (Tempranillo), 28% Trincadeira, 25% Syrah, and 15% Alicante Bouchet. It has a relatively deep color with quite bold and very attractive black fruit flavors. There’s also a charming little spiciness that entices you back for another sip. Wine Enthusiast Magazine (Roger Voss): 91 “Matured in clay amphorae, the wine has a smooth texture that offers spice and generous black fruits. Balanced, with an edge of dark chocolate, the complex wine is developing well and gently. Drink from 2024” Actually, it’s already perfectly ready to drink.

José Maria da Fonseca is the oldest (1834) and largest winery in Portugal. It’s owned by the Soares Franco family and has nearly 650 hectares of land under vine in Península de Setúbal, Alentejo, and Douro. The operation is very modern and is totally computerized. The winery has 114 clay amphorae, the kind of containers the Romans used well before glass and wooden vats were introduced. 

Sousa Lopes Vinho Verde, Portugal, 2021

$13.99/bottle - $149.99/case

Featured Wine, July 2023

Vinho Verde translates as green wine but refers to the color of the grapes. The Portuguese white wines carrying this name are traditionally very light, slightly sweet, slightly fizzy, and quite inexpensive. Many producers, such as Sousa Lopes, are upping their game by making better, more interesting, and slightly more expensive wines that are neither sweet nor fizzy. This one is lively and barely off-dry. It maintains beautiful freshness as it tingles the palate. It’s a true terroir expression, with limited yields from old vines, and it’s vinified with no addition of CO2 or sugar.

Gonçalo Sousa Lopes’s family estate was founded by his great-great-grandfather in the 1920s. It now consists of three vineyards totaling 52 acres of 35 to 40-year-old indigenous vines (Arinto, Alvarinho, and Loureiro) planted on granitic, schist soils. The vineyard management is as natural as possible; the wines are technically organic but not certified. Winemaking is traditional but with modern updates. Harvest is done manually. The varieties are fermented separately under strict temperature control in stainless steel tanks using yeasts selected from their vineyard. The batches are then aged on the lees until final blending and bottling.

The previous vintage was reviewed by the Wine Advocate: 90 $16 “Equal blend of Loureiro and Arinto, unoaked, dry, and coming in at 12.5% alcohol. This is sourced from Quinta da Senra. Surprisingly deep, at least as it seems in mouthfeel, this is a seriously styled table wine that is lean by some standards but rather full-bodied by the standards of unoaked Vinho Verde. It has a fair bit of power as well. In some ways, this is rather stern, certainly not the most expressive Vinho Verde ever, but it's also one that is clearly designed to have the stuffing to hold up to foods. Well done in its style, which isn't going to be that light-and-easy Vinho Verde style many are familiar with, this is a relative surprise in the lineup and a good value point. Drink 2022-28”

Château Bellevue, Bordeaux, 2018

$15.95/bottle   -   $172.26/case

Featured Wine, June 2023

Just across the Gironde estuary from the Médoc lie the east bank Bordeaux regions of Côtes-de-Blaye and Côtes-de-Bourg. Further upstream (higher elevation and cooler climate), are Fronsac, Canon-Fronsac, Pomerol, and St.-Emilion, where the cooler climate and soil composed of sand and clay make it more suited to Merlot and Cabernet Franc than to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Originally from Burgundy, Nicolas Dabudyk somehow wound up in Bordeaux, where he purchased a Château Bellevue just outside Fronsac in 2006. He then purchased Château Larriveau in Fronsac itself in 2009. To confuse things, there is an unrelated, highly regarded Château Bellevue located in Fronsac. Nicolas’ Bellevue is a small, five-hectare (12.5 acres) estate that is sustainably farmed with only Merlot vines that are now 18 years old. The site is perfectly suited to Merlot.

Although it's small, Nicolas has a very modern facility. He ferments with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. Aging is in mostly used French barrique for 8-10 months followed by a light filtration before bottling. While this wine may not have the refinement of the best St.-Emilions, it shows gorgeous black-currant fruit and is of surprising quality for its price. Its character is very Bordeaux and very Merlot in a ripe style with just enough ripe tannins for structure. It may mellow with further aging, but it doesn’t need a lot of cellaring.

Quinta Milú Ribera del Duero, 2021

$15.95/bottle - $172.26/case

Featured Wine, May 2023

Northern Spain’s Ribera del Duero region lies west of Rioja and consists of a long, relatively flat valley of the Duero River within a surrounding plateau. The rocky terrain is warmer than Rioja and produces a riper, richer style of Tempranillo. RdD is centered in the town of Aranda de Duero, but its most famous vineyards surround Peñafiel and Roa de Duero to the west. Wine has been produced here for thousands of years, but viticulture as we know it is thought to have arrived with Benedictine monks from Cluny (Burgundy) in the 12th century. Only recently (1982) has it been recognized as an official denominación de origen (D.O.)

The wines of Ribera del Duero range from a few introductory wines like our selection this month to some of Spain’s best and most expensive wines with names like Vega Sicilia, Pingus, Emilio Moro, Abadia Retuerta, Protos, Dominio del Aguila, Dominio de Es, and Pesquera.

Quinta Milú is young winemaker Germán R. Blanco’s tiny operation in the small town of La Aguilera. Blanco calls his estate a “micro-winery” and eschews modern winemaking techniques and international varieties. He makes wines from old Tempranillo vines and ages them in different types and sizes of casks and barrels. Quinta Milú is named for Germán's baby boy, Lucas, whom he lovingly refers to as “Mi Lu” or Milú. This 100% Tempranillo comes from organically grown vines that average 50 years of age. The fruit is completely destemmed, and the wine is aged a minimum of six months in used French and American oak casks. The wine is then bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without cold stabilization. Germán calls this— his flagship wine— a “vino de pueblo,” which he translates as “a wine for every day and for everyone.”

Velenosi Rosso Piceno Superiore 'Il Brecciarolo,' 2020

$16.99/bottle    -    $183.49/case
Featured Wine, April 2023

This 2020 version is just as good if not slightly better than the 2017 version we carried previously; it’s delicious!

The Marche region of central Italy is less well known than Tuscany, Piemonte, Veneto, Lombardy, Campagnia, and even Umbria, but that simply means that there are some terrific values there. Velenosi Winery is a landmark estate that lies in a unique spot in the Piceno wine area near the border of Marche and Abruzzo. The area is tightly closed in by the surrounding Apennine Mountains on one side and the Adriatic Coast on the other.

The estate was founded by Angela and Ercole Velenosi in 1984. It is currently run by daughter Angiolina Piotti Velenosi. Attilio Pagli is the winemaking consultant. The vines sit on south-facing slopes of clay and limestone soil at an unusually high 885 feet (average) above sea level. Summers are scorching hot, but surprisingly it snows here in the winter! Autumn harvest tends to be long, and the season ends with a sudden cooling and abundant rain.

Rosso Piceno DOC is a type of wine that should be better known. It combines the ripe, juicy intensity of Montepulciano with the complexity and elegance of Sangiovese. In this case, the ratio is 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese. The wine saw 15-20 days of maceration and was aged for 12 months in 2nd use French barrique. It is a stunning wine, deep in color with loads of dark, ripe fruit yet with elegance and harmony. There are hints of spices and French oak.

Exopto Cellers Rioja Tinto “Bozeto,” 2022

$15.95/bottle     -     $172.26/case

Featured Wine, March 2023 (new vintage)

Exopto is one of the new breed of Rioja wineries that features a new style of Rioja with a higher percentage of Garnacha (Grenache), more and darker fruit, less obvious oak, and less American oak. It’s not a question of which style is better - they are both wonderful - but they are very different.

Exopto is Latin for “to long for” or “to desire greatly.” This winery is the dream of Frenchman Tom Puyaubert and his family. Tom relocated from France to Rioja in 2000 after falling in love with the region while working for the French cooperage firm Saury as its Spain representative.

Rioja is a “tale of two worlds.” The best known are the wineries founded in the late 1800s (Lopez de Heredia, La Rioja Alta, Murrietta) with a winemaking model taught to them by the Bordelaise who came to Rioja after phylloxera decimated Bordeaux. This “traditionalist school” is based on blending grapes, but mostly Tempranillo, from different areas and long aging in American oak casks. Before this time, however, there was the “vigneron” or grape grower and winemaker model, a small family farm centered in a specific village and terroir. Here the winemaking was natural but not focused on long aging in wood.

Tom wanted to combine both worlds. Each of his wines showcases a particular varietal, not necessarily Tempranillo. His idea is to remain true to the blending concept but to focus on the best terroirs/villages for each varietal across the sub-regions of Rioja. He partly uses the “vigneron” model – small plots of vines in extreme areas, wild yeast fermentation in concrete or old oak vats (as opposed to new), and then aging in a way to showcase the fruit, minerality, and terroir - not the wood or aged flavors that we often associate with Rioja.

The family owns and works by hand 40 acres in different terroir-specific sub-zones of Rioja with vines ranging in age from 30 to 90 years. Tempranillo shines from 20 acres in the village of Abalos in the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria with calcareous soils rich in limestone. Very old Garnacha and Graciano vines come from Rioja Baja at Monte Yerga and El Agudo, with an altitude of 1310–1640 feet on poor sandy soils. This northern limit of the Mediterranean influence showcases the varietals’ character while being cool enough to get freshness in these sometimes heavy and rich varietals.

Bozeto is Exopto’s Garnacha-dominant wine. Translated from Latin as “sketch” or “draft,” it is Tom’s “beginning” wine. The blend is 50% Garnacha (Yerga and Agudo), 40% Tempranillo (Abalos), and 10% Graciano (Yerga), all naturally fermented and then aged for 6 months in a mix of concrete and 5,000L (large, used) oak vats. Its hallmarks are elegance, freshness, and gentle concentration. Wine Advocate (Luis Gutierrez): 90 “A pretty nose of cassis, plums, raspberries, bark, and sweet spices. Medium-bodied with sleek tannins. Round, plush, and juicy with plenty of fruit and a spicy finish. Drink 2024-27”

Domaine Paul Autard Côtes du Rhône, 2019

$16.89/bottle     -     $182.41/case

Featured Wine, December 2022

There are many basic Côtes du Rhônes out there that are pleasant enough but lack character and a sense of place. Jean-Paul Autard makes a more serious wine as he carries on the tradition established by his father, Paul, who founded the family domain in the village of Courthézon in the early 1970s but passed away when Jean-Paul was only 17. Jean-Paul now works with his daughter, Pauline, and cultivates 65 acres, 30 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 25 just outside that prestigious appellation.

Autard Côtes du Rhône is 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. The vines average 45 years of age. Maceration and fermentation with native yeast take place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks over 25 days with a pneumatic punch down of the cap. Two pump-overs are carried out daily for 10 days to enhance extraction and aerate the wine. It is then aged in used oak barrels.

Autard’s Côtes du Rhône is a smoky, structured, and complex wine with nice raspberry fruit. It is not made in a fruit bomb style; instead, it has plenty of flavor but also the stuffing for short-term aging. It is still youthful, but well-balanced and very much in the style of a lighter Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It got a very respectable review in the Wine Spectator: 89 $18 “Bright and juicy, with engaging cherry, plum, and red licorice notes racing through, keeping good energy through the lightly toasty finish. Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.” We also carry Autard’s wonderful Châteauneuf at $54.

Filodivino Lacrima di Morro d’Alba 'Diana,' Marche, 2019

$16.99/bottle      -      $183.49/case

Featured Wine, August 2022

Tired of their textile factory, Alberto and Alida Gandolfi sold it and looked to settle down and produce wine. They fell in love with the town of San Marcello in the hills of the Marche, halfway between the sea and the mountains, and found an old farmhouse with 42 acres, including 50-year-old Verdicchio (white) vines. The couple restored the neglected vines and planted more Verdicchio, some red Lacrima di Morro d’Alba vines, and converted to organic farming. Guest suites, a demonstration kitchen, and a spa soon followed. They hired Ginevra Espositi as winemaker, renowned Tuscan winemaker Luca D’Attoma as a consultant, and Marco Scarponi to oversee the vineyard.

The Lacrima grape is rich in polyphenols, but the skin is thin and fragile. It takes its name (lacrima means “tears”) from the droplets of juice which drip from the bunches when the berries are ripe. The grapes are hand-harvested with two or three labor-intensive passes for perfect ripeness.

The organically certified grapes come from two vineyards, one in San Marcello (15-year-old vines), the second in Ostra (7-year-old vines). Both are on calcareous clay and sand soil at 800 to 1000 feet elevation. About 15 percent of the wine undergoes carbonic fermentation. The rest is crushed and sees one week of maceration on the skins with fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Six months of aging on the lees in tanks and six months in the bottle precede release. The result is a distinctive but charming wine that shows intense color with tons of violet, rose hip, and wild berries on the nose and palate. It is spicy and easygoing with a good balance between its aromatics and palate. A bit Gamay-like, it is best served cool, especially on a warm day. Pair it with grilled chicken, fresh cheese, cured meat, pasta, or Brodetto (a traditional fish soup of the La Marche region).

Château La Douce, Médoc, 2016

$16.99/bottle  -  $183.49/case

Featured Wine, July 2022

This incredible Bordeaux value pushes the price range of our monthly selections, but it is such a bargain that we couldn’t resist featuring it. 

Cédric Perez wasn’t born into the wine industry; his father was a mechanic, his mother a housewife. Yet he was attracted to farming and started small by buying a recently planted vineyard of 2.47 acres in the village of Saint-Yzans-de-Médoc in 2006. He subsequently added more land and now has 20 acres of vines and also raises a flock of 600 salt marsh sheep, sold under the Agneau de Pauillac AOC. Interestingly, the initial vineyard had been planted and farmed organically in 2003. “Organic” sounds great, but it isn’t always practical. The wet 2007 growing season saw a severe outbreak of downy mildew. Cédric was forced to abandon organic farming and treated his vines to save his crop. He hasn’t returned to organic farming since.

Surprising for the Médoc, Château La Douce is 100% Merlot. The clay and limestone soil is particularly suitable for Merlot. To keep the cost down, only 30% of the wine was aged in barrique for 12 months, the rest in tanks. The wine perfectly reflects its name, for La Douce translates as “plush.” It is smooth and velvety with a good depth of ripe cherry and chocolate fruit as well as some spice and a noticeable touch of oak. The wine is fully ready to drink now and will hold for a few years.

Bonpas Ventoux Grande Réserve des Challières, 2020

$15.95/bottle      -      $172.26/case

Featured Wine, June 2022

Bonpas is a highly regarded Rhône producer located near Avignon, in the heart of the southern Rhône Valley. From the French “bon passage” and earlier the Latin bonus passus (“safe crossing point”), it is a fortified stronghold that has watched over the safe crossing of the Durance River along the historic route that once linked Rome with Avignon beginning in 1318! The Notre Dame de Bonpas chapel had been built between 739 and 805. In the 12th century, the Bonpas Charterhouse, a monastery, was built by the Order of the Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. The Charterhouse was given to the Carthusian monks, who cultivated grapes and olives until the French Revolution confiscated church property. Dozens of subsequent owners used it primarily to exploit nearby quarries and for textile manufacture until the 1940s when new owners renovated the Charterhouse. In 2003, the current owner purchased the site and reestablished the vineyards and cellars. 

In addition to magnificent Rhône red wines such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Rasteau, and several Côtes-du-Rhône cuvées, Bonpas makes this delicious Ventoux from the south-facing slopes of Mont Ventoux in the Vaucluse. The grapes are Grenache (70%), Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan. Deep red in color, it has a very pretty, floral nose with a hint of freshly churned butter. There are flavors of black fruit, lovely hints of spice, and impressive length. This nicely balanced wine is perfect with a light chill. It was aged in a combination of stainless steel and concrete tanks.

The 2020 hasn’t yet been reviewed, but it’s very similar to the 2017: Wine Advocate 88 “Medium to full-bodied, silky and supple, not terribly rich or concentrated but charming and very drinkable. It’s loaded with black cherry fruit with hints of dried spices that emerge on the finish.”

Cascina Pace Langhe Nebbiolo, 2022

$18.59/bottle    -    $200.77/case

Featured Wine, April 2022 (This new vintage is excellent and improves with airing/decanting)

Nebbiolo is the grape of Barolo, one of Italy’s best and most expensive wines. Barbaresco and Gattinara are two other fine wines made from the grape. Nebbiolo is unique in that it often features more character than classic fruit. The relatively light color belies the amount of character found in these food-demanding wines. All three are out of the price range for everyday drinking, but there are other options. The best producers often declassify lesser batches and label them “Nebbiolo,” but the quality can be hit or miss, depending on the vintage and the standards of the producer.

Another option is based on geography. Barolo and Barbaresco lie south of the River Tanaro in the southern Langhe. Cascina Pace Nebbiolo comes from the Roero district, just north of the river. Roero Rosso wines must be a minimum of 95% Nebbiolo and aged for 20 months, of which at least six must be in oak barrels. Roero Rosso is similar to Barolo but less intense and less age-worthy. It is characterized by spice-tinged aromas of black forest fruits and succulent, sour cherries. Medium-bodied and relatively tannic when young, it is less muscularly structured than the wines to the south.

Bernardino Negro bought Cascina Pace in 1934. His grandsons, Dino and Pietro, took over from their father, Giovanni, in 1996 and began making wine in addition to selling grapes. Their 54 acres are planted to Nebbiolo, Arneis, Barbera, and Favorite. The Nebbiolo is mostly tank-aged and is a very pretty, flowery expression of the grape. Nebbiolo’s typically drying tannins are ripe and mild here, barely evident on the finish. This lighter-style red is a good ( and drier) alternative to Pinot Noir.

Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Crianza Monte Real, 2018

$15.95/bottle     -     $172.26/case

Featured Wine, February 2022

One of the grand old names of Rioja, Bodegas Riojanas has produced delicious wines since its founding in 1890. Its continuity has been assured by the commitment of the Artacho family and the fact that winemaker Felipe Nalda was with the bodega for 49 years until his retirement in 2013. Under his guiding hand, Riojanas was one of the few remaining houses committed to the traditional methods that produce distinctive and long-lived wines.

Rather than being founded in the commercial hub of Haro—as many prominent bodegas were—Riojanas is in the very heart of Rioja at Cenicero, where the Artacho family has been growers for generations. Riojanas has the luxury of complete control of its production, from vine to bottle. Cenicero’s terroir has long been revered as the source of some of the very best Riojas, complete wines that combine the elegance and structure of Rioja Alta with the full body of Rioja Alavesa.

The blend in this Crianza is classic: Tempranillo enhanced by Mazuelo, Graciano, and Garnacha. Fermentation was in large upright wood tinas, with aging of at least 12 months in American oak barrica and further bottle age before release. Wine Spectator: 90 $18 “A smooth texture masks good concentration in this juicy red, with a firm structure. Ripe cherry and plum flavors mingle with coffee and toasty notes, showing touches of herb and loamy earth. Drink now through 2028.”

Château La Naude, Bordeaux Rouge, 2017

$16.99/bottle     -     $183.49/case

Featured Wine, September 2021

Although the red wines of Bordeaux are some of the most expensive wines made, many unheralded properties produce wines of exceptional value. Château La Naude is an 18.5-hectare estate located north of Saint-Emilion, just outside the village of Gauriaguet. Its vineyards are situated on highly-coveted limestone and clay soils, which, in an otherwise nutrient-poor environment, provide their Merlot grapes with signature minerality.  

Proprietor Jacques De Schepper comes from a family tradition of wine and spirits. His father began the De-Mour company in the 1930s by producing jenever (a gin-like liquor) and other regional liquors in the Belgian town of Ghent. After expanding their import business in the 1960s, the De-Mour company began acquiring five Bordeaux estates (two Saint-Émilion, one Margaux, and two Bordeaux Supérieur), with the goal of restoring these neglected facilities. Jacques De Schepper purchased Château La Naude on his own in 1996.

Although De Schepper is involved in La Naude’s operation, its resurrection is really due to manager and winemaker Jean-Michel Garçion. Jean-Michel was passionate about viticulture from a very young age and received his diploma in Viticulture and Oenology at Le Landreau in 1984. He settled at La Naude after ten years of working harvests around the world and oversaw a complete replanting of the vineyard, so the vines now range in age from only 10 to 20 years.

The blend here is 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The wine has developed beautifully in the bottle and has more depth, complexity, and refinement than is usually found at this price. It is pure and floral, with lush ripeness of sweet blackberry, plum, and cassis flavors. It’s also nicely balanced with a long, spicy finish. 

Parceleros Pinot Noir, Casablanca-Chile, 2022

$13.99/bottle    -    $149.99/case

Featured Wine, August 2021 (new vintage)

Pinot Noir is a difficult grape to grow and wine to make well. The vines must be planted in the right places and requires meticulous care. Wine production is unforgiving and requires small-batch attention. Because mass-produced Pinots are rarely successful, we’re skeptical of inexpensive ones, but this Chilean Pinot is surprisingly solid. Its medium texture is backed up by a good amount of fruit and a flavor profile that is more varietal than one usually finds at this price point. 

Parcelero is a local name in Casablanca, Chile for a small grower or vigneron. Casablanca Valley is one of the coolest wine regions in Chile and was only planted to vines 30 years ago. Its most distant point is still only 20 miles from the cold Pacific Ocean. The combination of a Mediterranean climate with maritime influences gives it hot days and very cool, misty nights. These conditions are great for growing Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir.

The grapes for this wine are hand-picked by local farmers and their families. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures with manual pumpover, then aged in mostly used French oak barrels for 6-7 months, rotating the barrels periodically to add to the wine’s texture. It comes in at a modest 13.0% alcohol. At 4.95 grams/liter, the acidity is lower than ideal, but the pH measures 3.55, which is near perfect (the two don’t always go hand in hand).

Parceleros Pinot Noir has intense aromas of strawberries and tart cherries with a touch of rose petal and wild herbs. The similar red fruit flavor is complemented by lightly toasted hazelnut and vanilla notes. Pretty yummy for an everyday Pinot.

Brancatelli Questo Dedicato a Toscana, 2013

$12.99/bottle   -   $139.99/case

Featured Wine, May 2021

Most people are familiar with the Chiantis from Tuscany's central hills. But there are other red wines from Tuscany’s coast. Whereas central Tuscan reds almost invariably feature the Sangiovese grape (and Chiantis must be a minimum of 70% Sangiovese, Chianti Classicos a minimum of 80%), coastal reds generally feature less or even no Sangiovese.  

BQDT (for short) is one of those with no Sangiovese; instead, it is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, and Syrah. Although it uses grapes historically associated with France, this tastes pure Italian. There’s a lot going on in BQDT. Aromas of black currant, cinnamon, baking spices, and tobacco give way to flavors of black fruit (especially black cherry), dried herbs, vanilla, and spices. Although it is ready for prime-time drinking, it will continue to develop for a few years. And BQDT is quite a bargain. It originally sold for $20, but the distributor decided to close it out to make room for new arrivals. The wine saw 15 days of maceration and was aged part in wood and part in stainless steel. The alcohol content is 13%.

Villa Brancatelli is located in Val di Cornia, a valley that separates the sea from the hills. The historic building (13th century!) overlooks the Island of Elba. Giuseppe Brancatelli grew up amid his father’s vineyards in Mili San Pietro, near Messina, where he developed a passion for and love of wine. Years later, after working as a restaurateur in Holland, he came back and searched out his own vineyard, finding a connection to the land in Val di Cornia. The estate was founded in 1989 and lies 40 miles southwest of Sienna. Claudio Gori is the winemaker.

Basciano Chianti Rufina, 2020

$17.99/bottle    -    $193.99/case

Featured Wine, April 2021 (new vintage)

Although the smallest of the seven sub-zones outside of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico, Rufina is considered to be the best and often represents great value. It is higher in elevation than the Classico zone and lies in the foothills of the Apennine Mountains. The high elevation means the grapes can ripen more slowly, softening the tannins. It also means a big diurnal temperature difference; cool nights maintain good acidity in the grapes and thus freshness in the wine.

Fattoria di Basciano is an historic property in the heart of the Chianti Rufina area, only 15.5 miles from Florence. Its main structure, once an ancient guard tower, dates back to the 13th century. At an elevation of 985’, this beautiful property overlooks the rolling Tuscan countryside of vineyards, olive groves, and cypress trees. There are lovely guest facilities for when we can travel again. The property has been in the same family for 120 years. Father and son team Renzo and Paolo Masi oversee 35 hectares of vines. Production is just under 17,000 cases. 

This Chianti is 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino, which deepens the color and softens the acidity. Fermentation with maceration took 20 days followed by malo in Inox stainless steel tanks. The wine ages in 1- and 2-year-old French barrels for 12 months. Wine Spectator: 90 “Supple in texture and saturated with black cherry, blackberry, and violet flavors, this red is appealing now for the luscious fruit, with a long aftertaste that echoes the fresh berry notes. Sangiovese and Colorino. Drink now. 25,000 cases made”