Featured wines of the month

 Many of you are already familiar with our very popular Wines of the Month Club. Below are some of  the wines we have recently selected for our members. Typically a mixed half case of three white and three red.  The wines are discounted, and each one has been tasted an approved by us, here at the store. It costs nothing to join, and you have a choice of all red, all white, or the combo (which most people select.) Call us anytime to join. You can sign up for 3, 6, or 12 months.  

   Flavorful blend of Grenache, Chardonnay, and Rolle. Rolle is the French word for Vermentino. Dry, medium body, and a perfect reflection of the three grapes that comprise it. They work in concert to deliver an aromatic and soft white meant to be enjoyed with light pasta dishes, eggs/omelets/quiche; cheeses, and vegetarian dishes, and fish. Green apples, pears, apricots, honey, a bit of minerality, and yes, some citrus. Sante’! 

  Typical of the region – grapefruit, passion-fruit, melon, pear, and other tropical fruit notes with a nice acidity and long finish, you’ll appreciate this Sauvignon Blanc with seafood, fish, salads, and as a terrific aperitif on its own.  

 La Plancheliere Sauvignon Blanc, Loire, France

This is a dry, light bodied Sauvignon Blanc with nice minerality (not the New Zealand tropical fruit style). The wine is delicate, flavorful, with a nice finish and not a lot of salivary gland action. This pale and expressive floral white develops beautiful exotic fruit flavor without overpowering the palate. Fresh and well balanced, it's best enjoyed young, with seafood or vegetables, and light cheeses.

 The grape – Trebbiano. There’s a slight minerality about this, and on the nose you’ll detect peach, apple, pear and maybe a little honey or pineapple (if you really concentrate.) Pasta pairs well with it, as does shellfish. You’ll also appreciate it with mature and hard cheeses, and again, the antipasto. Slightly acidic and fruity, you’ll appreciate the complexity of this wine as soon as you pop the cork. 

 The grape, Macabeo, is a white skinned gem, also known as Viura. It’s used mostly used to make mildly acidic and young white wines mostly suitable for early consumption or blending with other varieties both red and white. This one has notes of citrus, peaches, apricot, and honey. Clearly, it’s meant for lighter fare, salads, soft cheeses, and simple fish dishes.  

The grape?  Inzolia.  What is that?  It’s a white grape grown primarily in Sicily and used mostly for (gasp!) marsala. It's known for its nutty aroma, and pairs magnificently with risotto, salmon, and simple pasta dishes (not red sauced -- but how about brown butter and parmigiano? or shrimp and mussels?)  Some melon, herbal, and citrus notes round out the nuttiness of the grape.  Cin cin!

  Organic! Made from 80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon:
This deep ruby red color invokes the passion with which it is made. It has intense fragrance notes of ripened red fruits that are well balanced with fresh oak. Great mouth feel, with a boldness that mandates red meat – since the back flavors are aromatic herbs and spice. Grilled and roasted red meat dishes, noble poultry and seasoned cheese are great choices for this wine. Chill it. To about 65 

 Yes, before you tsk tsk “French” Malbec, remember that the grapes originated in France, and an enterprising vigneron from Argentina adopted them. This wine is the perfect expression of Malbec with notes of blackberries, black currant, and plums, and some distinctive flavors evoking tobacco, chocolate, oak and leather. There is some nice minerality/earthiness present, and so it is perfectly paired with beef, lamb, and aromatic poultry (not chicken Milanese). It’s ready for drinking now, and the soft finish will convince you that the French really do know what they’re doing.  

 Pale ruby color, and the notes are cassis, strawberry, and plum. Somewhat acidic, the barbera grape is lighter with medium tannins (in this vintage, especially) and well balanced and very uncomplicated. Drink it, don’t store it. You might also detect a note or two of clove and cinnamon. Have this with your hot antipasto, or the main course.   Pasta. Veal. Pork. 

   The appellation of Valpolicella is known for three grapes – Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, and by law, the wine must be 46-95% Corvina. This vintage is more smooth than it is tannic; on the drier side, and angling toward a little more acidity. Again, a meal with this one, please. Cherries, red fruits, tobacco, and vanilla on the nose and palate. Pairs well with beef, pasta, veal, and poultry – think sausages, red sauces, green peppers (chicken cacciatore) and a meaty lasagna.  

  Cahors is about 100 miles east of Bordeaux and the rule is it must contain 70% - 100% Malbec. This one is 80/20, and a perfect blend of aromas, tannins, and finish. It’s well structured, full bodied, and elegant. The grapes are aged in oak but not to their death, and you’ll note blackberry and blackcurrant flavors. It’s perfect with beef or lamb – maybe hang on to this for Easter/Passover. It’s also fined without animal proteins so it’s suitable for vegetarians/vegans.   

 From the Gironde region, this typical red from north of Bordeaux, is a delicious blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Bold, tannic, dry, and somewhat acidic. It needs food, a little olive oil, or a buttery sauce (veal francaise?) and your love. Cool it to about 60-65, and enjoy it with slow food. It’s French. It demands respect. Sante! 

 Think deep foods. Red sauce pasta, beef, lamb. Ragu. No, not the stuff in the jar. Make a vat of Bolognese (ragu) and enjoy it with this. Some pomegranate and cherries on the nose; leather and chocolate on the palate, but not at all like the Gucci loafers you wish you hadn’t tossed last year; and the finish has plum and blackberry notes. A little spicy with low tannins, it’s smooth and well balanced. 

  This beauty is 100% Cabernet Franc so it’s less gigantic than Cabernet Sauvignon. It thrives in sandy, chalk soils, and in Bordeaux, plantings of Cabernet Franc are treated as an "insurance policy" against inclement weather close to harvest may damage plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is fresh, elegant and refined, with soft, fruity, notes of blackcurrant and spice. Well balanced, it leaves you with an elegant finish. Pair it with poultry, pork, grilled red meat, and hard cheeses. Swiss, cheddar, and aged gouda come to mind. 

   Soft. Some minerality. A little citrus, green apple, and pear. You might detect some grapefruit which is not typical of French sauv blancs. It’s a wonderful taste sensation that truly accompanies all, including red meat. Trivia: The grapes are sourced 75% from the Sancerre district, and 25% outside, so technically, well, it’s “not” a Sancerre, but close.   

 Melons. Pears. And maybe a plum. Another Sauvignon Blanc for you to contrast with the above. This one is 100% Sauvignon, so of course, it will be a bit more crisp than the Bordeaux above. Because of the zip this wine delivers, it’s perfect with mature and hard cheeses; cured meats, shellfish, and pasta dishes (creamy sauces, maybe a little garlic) 

 Bold. Tannic. Dry. Acidic. It’s a wonderful red to enjoy with barbeque and red meats in general. Flavor profile? Oak, tobacco, vanilla, cherries, and blackberries. Get it to the sweet spot in temperature – hovering in the 60-65 degree vicinity for the bloom to really hit.  

This spectacular wine is one of our favorites. It's a glass of fresh grass. You can taste the hay, the air, the Austrian soil. Gruner is the most prolific grape variety in Austria, and the vinification speaks volumes for how much the Austrians revere it. Pair it with fresh young cheeses, shrimp, stuffed grape leaves or falafel. Consider it with veal, chicken, or pork cutlets that you've doused with a squeeze of lemon.

 Bold, somewhat tannic, and dry, with a well-balanced acidity that won’t make you pucker. Cherries, cranberries, some oak, chocolate, vanilla, and maybe a little graphite. (I know. Unless you’ve licked your pencil you have no idea what graphite tastes like. Well, it softens things.) Pair this gem with beef, lamb, poultry, and big pork (like pulled, or a stew.) It’s rich, and flavorful without being a big bottle of pushy fruit. 

 100% organic. Cherry, raspberry, plum, blackberry, licorice, pepper, cinnamon. Yeah. All of that. In this beautifully balanced entry from Spain. It’s a big wine that demands your attention and a meal. Beef, lamb, meaty pasta dishes, and those that include tomatoes. And with all reds, remember to get the temperature to about 60-65 degrees for optimum pleasure on your taste buds.  

 Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon. Big. Dry. Acidic. Everything you’d expect from a California blend. It’s 80% Zin, so it really needs a meal – all the usual suspects including poultry. On the palate? Oak, vanilla, tobacco, red fruits – cherries and raspberries. It opens to a perfect expression of its grapes if you let it air for 15 minutes or so.  

This medium bodied red has light tannins and is reminiscent of dried fruits - plums, raisins - with some honest red intensity. It's aged in French oak for 1 year and has a long finish. It's richer than most Malbecs and will deliver a decidely different profile from what you might be used to. Remember that Malbec first started in France, where it is used grown and used in Bordeaux, but it has become the "national grape" of Argentina. This particular bottling is elegant, but big.

 Many of you are already familiar with our very popular Wines of the Month Club. Below are the wines we packed for our members – this was the mixed half case of three white and three reds. The wines are discounted, and each one has been tasted an approved by us, here at the store. It costs nothing to join, and you have a choice of all red, all white, or the combo (which most people select.) Call us anytime to join. You can sign up for 3, 6, or 12 months.