Sometimes you just need a glass (or two) of genuine Champers.  Here’s a few we have in stock for the holidays.
 
Magic Door, La Cle de la Femme Brut  $36
Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
The grapes are grown in top vineyards sites in the Marne Valley. These vineyard sites are made of sedimentary soils of calcium, silica, and limestone which impart layers of minerality into the wine.  It is then left on the lees for 20 months.  It shows expressive aromas of apple and white pear along with more subtle notes of almond, buttered toast and baking spices.

Liebart Regnier, Les Sols Bruns Brut $37
60% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay
Cellar aged for 3 years with a subtle nose with a predominance of apricot and yellow peach. Delicate menthol, biscuity fragrances add richness with a lively tension from the citrus, predominantly pomelo flavors, this full-bodied wine has a delicate tartness to get your juices flowing. It is multi-layered and full of character.  The dominance of Pinot Meunier means that its fruitiness is already enjoyable, pushing attractive citrus and fresh pineapple flavors forward.
 
Collet, Brut  $40
50% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir.
Notes of white flowers, citrus. Stone fruit, such as quince, apple, crisp pear as well as white peach. Small delicate touches of spices, cumin, anise and herbs, black tea and lime tea. Light pastry notes, like the puff pastry of an apple tart.

Pascal Ponson, 1er Cru Prestige Brut  $43
80% Pinot Meunier, 10% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay
A small grower producer from Montagne de Reims.  The Brut has rich and creamy aromas of red and yellow apple, quince, lemon blossom, white mushroom, honeysuckle, hazelnut, and delicate purple flowers are woven around a strong core of mineral notes.

Paul Dethune, Grand Cru Brut Reserve  $50
70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay
A good price for a grand cru, the reserve is made up of older vintages. Its intense nose has aromas of underbrush, honeysuckle and bergamot. Its freshness and liveliness are combined with its creamy flavor and a delicate honey finish.

Liebart Regnier, Blancs de Blanche Brut  $40
Chardonnay
Lightly spicy and packed with citrus, this is a tensely fresh Chardonnay. The brightness adds to the minerality of this delicious wine, texture and fruit working well together.  This champagne is silky-smooth, rich and indulgent on the palate.

Le Brun Servenay, Melodie En C Grand Cru  $41
Chardonnay
The bouquet is excellent, wafting from the glass in a blend of pear, delicious apple, limestone minerality, fresh almond, hints of the pastry cream to come, white flowers and gentle upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is brisk, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with a youthful personality, slightly coarse mousse, fine focus and grip and a long, nascently complex finish.

Wafflart-Anoniolli, 1er Cru Blanc de Blanc  $56
Chardonnay
From the premier cru village of Sacy, in the Petit Montagne, comes an exceptional producer, Thierry Wafflart. Unlike typical Blanc de Blancs from the Cote de Blanc, this expression of Chardonnay balances the acidity with roundness and depth, revealing luscious complexity with hints of soft fruits and earthy aromas. This wine will upend your previous notions of Blanc de Blanc.

2009 Tribaut Schloesser, Millésime Brut  $55
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Made from a single year’s harvest and blended with 20% Pinot Noir vinified in large casks (foudres). This cuvée shows good maturity with a powerful vinous backdrop with weighty richness and toasty nut flavors blended with the crisp citrus.

Pascal Ponson, Rosé de Gentes Dames 1er Brut  $48
68% Pinot Meunier, 15% ‘Vin Rouge’, 8.5% Chardonnay, 8.5% Pinot Noir.
Textbook Rosé Champagne smell and taste of strawberry, wild cherry and cranberry lead the way. Orange scone, red apple and faint yellow rose petal follow behind. Great fruitiness, partly explained by the 10 G/L dosage, which falls squarely in the Brut range as it lifts the fruity flavors up.
 

Holiday Hours
Tuesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

‘Tis the Season, and we’ve selected s few sparkling wines to help get everyone in the spirit.  We think these are a bit above your cut rate Cavas, but still affordable enough to PARTY!

Tullia, Sparkling Brut Rosé  $14
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Created from estate-grown fruit in Loncon di Annone Veneto, Tullia Brut Rose offers bright floral aromatics, a lively, fruit-forward palate and a delicate spiciness, complemented by a satisfying effervescence.

Leon Manbach, Crémant d’Alsace Rosé  $21
Pinot Noir
Crisp Alsatian Pink Biodynamic Bubbles.

Domaine Bonnet-Huteau, Nuit Boréale  $18
80% Chardonnay, 20% Melon de Bourgogne
Sparkling French bubbles from Sèvre et Maine appellation, the heart of Muscadet.  Fresh and elegant wine with aromas of white fruits.  Organic, biodynamic

Clos Roussely, Favorite Blanc de Blancs Brut  $23
100% Chardonnay
Loire Valley Methode Traditionelle, Vin Mousseux de Qualité.  24 to 36 months on leas.  Great and very pure dry Blanc de Blancs, with notes of brioche ripe fruits and minerals — fine, complex and elegant.  Great value here.  Organic

Vigneti Pittaro, Brut Metodo Classico  $23
Chardonnay and Chardonnay Mousqué
Friuli’s answer to Champagne.  Aged 36 months on leas. The Brut has a fine and persistent perlage. On the nose the yeast notes are well pronounced with memories of bread crust and delicate sensations of dried fruit and exotic fruit.

Contrdi Castaldi, Franciacorta Brut  $20
80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Nero, 10% Pinot Bianco
A fresh, creamy sparkling with attractive aromas of dried apple, lemon zest, honey and candied walnuts. Sharp acidity, balanced by a creamy mousse with lovely almond character on the finish.

Antica Fratta, Franciacorta Brut  $25
90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Nero
Franciacorta is to Italy what Champagne is to France. The calcareous soils producing complex mineraled wines. The Antica Fratta is blended out of a library of base wines and then aged 2 years in bottle. It is an elegantly fresh, vivacious and full wine characterized by pleasing aromas of fresh fruit, wild blossoms and subtle bread crust.

Holiday Hours
Tuesday to Sunday, 12-6PM

It is December and the holidays are here.  We’ve stocked up on a few new French wines to match those upcoming special dinners.

2018 Château de la Crée Les Tourelles Montagny 1er  $28
100% Chardonnay
Primer Cru Burgundy at a great price.  This single vineyard wine has aromas are acacia, mayflower, honeysuckle, bramble flowers with notes of hazelnut, white peach and ripe pear. In the mouth, the wine is fresh, young at heart, frisky, alluring, and rich. Refinement and delicacy are harmoniously matched to a durably well-built structure.

2019 Alain Gautheron Chablis  $29
100% Chardonnay
The Domaine Gautheron hews mostly to the style of classic Chablis.  When they use barrels for elevage, they do so with a light touch. The result is wines that show clean, pure, Chardonnay fruit mixed with a stony minerality.

2018 Domaine Jean Royer Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc  $35
50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Bourboulenc, 20% Clairette
Lovely aromatics of nectarine, tangerine, white flowers, and orange pith. On the pallet, it’s fresh and lively, with good body.  The stone fruit and orange citrus flavors pick up a touch of fennel frond as they coat your mouth and a refreshing burst of orange and lime pith and chalky minerality makes your mouth water and gets you ready for the next sip.

2020 Cattin Orange Pinot Gris  $22
Alsace
This Pinot Gris Orange gets a bright orange color due to the long peel + pit contact. In the nose you indeed smell lemon and orange peels and thick spices. In the mouth you taste the full complexity of the same tones but then candy confit, melon, mango and pepper.

2019 Domaine Vincent Paris Granit 30 Cornas  $45
Syrah
The Granit 30 designation refers to the soil, the approximate age of the vines, and the slope on which they are planted.  Aromas are a cloud of camphor, black pepper, lillies, gravel, roasted plums, smoked meat. It leads with pure dark fruit with a smoky mid-palate, and a savory, mineral finish. The tannins have a gentle grip. Prime Northern Rhône Syrah with just enough force to reel you in.  Organic, Biodynamic.

2010 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Saint Joseph Domaine de la Croix des Vignes  $55
Syrah
This 100% Syrah has a nose of crushed blackcurrant, raspberry and blackberry. On the palate the wine is full bodied with clear, brilliant fruit flavors, mineral, spice and earth. Aged and ready.

Holiday Hours
Tuesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

We turned our back to cook the turkey and a slew of Italian wines slipped in the door.  Good thing they fit nicely into holiday parties and dinners.

Contrdi Castaldi, Franciacorta Brut  $20
80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Nero, 10% Pinot Bianco
A fresh, creamy sparkling with attractive aromas of dried apple, lemon zest, honey and candied walnuts. Sharp acidity, balanced by a creamy mousse with lovely almond character on the finish.

Cantina di Sorbara, Lambrusco Salamino  $13
Made from Salamino grapes (yes little salamis).  Beautiful freshness here with freshly soaked blueberries, elderberries, spearmint and rosemary. Dry, balanced and medium-bodied, drawing on a fine thread of bubbles and precise, cutting acidity.

2016 Lunelli, Pietragrande Trentino Bianco  $13
85% Chardonnay, 15% Sauvignon Blanc
From Northern Italy, aromas of white flowers, apples and pears and hints of aromatic herbs. It is lively, refreshing and tangy; mouth-filling, rounded fruit on the front palate gives way to appealing citrus-like notes and mineral hints on the finish.
Was $18 Now $13

2019 Cantina Colterenzio, Alto Adige Gewürztraminer  $19
Enticing aroma of tropical fruit, cloves and cinnamon. It only takes one sniff to know this is not only going to be good but also offer a lot of different layers. The wine tastes thick, luscious and complex. It’s somewhat sweet but carries it remarkably well thanks to plenty of acidity. Citrus and tropical fruit, baking spice, minerality and more await as you sip. It ends dry, with lingering spice and tart fruit.

2017 La Spinetta, Il Nero di Casanova  $18
100% Sangiovese
Aromas of wild cherry, black currant and sweet plum. On the palate, this wine offers silky tannins and a fruity chewy finish as well as lots of cherry with elegant richness. A funky and intense wine.

2016 Campo a Matteo, Chianti Reserva  $15
80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 10% Ciliegiolo
A Reserva at normalie pricing.  Savory, full-bodied, black cherries and berries. The supple mouth feel and focused taste of cherry flavors make our Chianti a pleasant and traditional Tuscan wine

2018 San Felice, Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva  $20
Sangiovese
This Reserva represents the perfect blend of the traditional and the modern. It spends some 24 months in oak, with about 20% in small barriques, and one year in the bottle.  Black cherries with summer black truffles and dark wood on the nose. A medium-to full-bodied red with medium, round tannins and lovely fruit. It firm and flavorful.

2018 Cesari, Jústo  $14
60% Corvina, 40% Merlot
This wine is an appassimento style wine – the grapes are dried for a short period of time – about 20 days. Notes of ripe fruit and cherry are evident. A bold structure, yet with a smooth and velvety mouthfeel.

2018 Ronchi di Pietro L’Ánime de Nestre Tiare  $20
Schioppettino
A rescued indigenous varietal from Friuli.  Wild berry bouquet, including wild blackberry, raspberry and blueberry. Round and warm taste, full-bodied and with elegant tannicity.

Holiday Hours
Tuesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

In a land to the South of us is a place where the sun shines and the grapes ripen with little threat of rain.   With all the grapes that we produce locally, we sometimes forget about this place.  Here’s a few wines from there that have recently migrated North and found their way to our shelves.  What better way to spend a grey weekend than to sip a bit of sunshine?
 
2017 Cannonball Eleven, Sauvignon Blanc  $14
Dry Creek Valley
This fruity white is balanced by buoyant acidity. Fermented mostly in stainless steel, it offers defined flavors of lemon, melon and lime.  Was $20 now $14

2018 Trefethen, Dry Riesling  $15
A quality Cali Riesling– Floral aromas of orange blossom and jasmine are complemented by fresh notes of green apple and grapefruit. On the palate, this bright, yet luscious wine evolves with flavors of nectarine, white peach and honey-crisp apple. The minerality and beautiful acidity provide an invigorating finish.  Normally $20 Special Price $15

2017 Trefethen, Oak Knoll Chardonnay  $15
Aromas of lemon, honeysuckle, and pear greet the nose. The fresh palate features more citrus flavors, as well as green apple, and a clean finish. The oak influence in this wine is subtle but important, adding a note of vanilla on the nose and a pleasant roundness on the palate.  Sustainable  Was $30 Now $15

2019 Sandhi, Central Coast Chardonnay  $20
Pretty aromas of citrus flowers and fruit. Notes of limes, lemons and toasty notes from oak. On the palate it will have good structure and plenty of restraint and balance.  Practicing Organic

2018 Flowers, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay  $30
Bursting with fresh, salty acidity, this appellation wine conjures the coast from which it comes, offering beguilingly soft layers of elegant richness. Apple, pear, nutmeg and a whiff of lemon meringue play well on the palate, with plenty of length and breadth to impress.

2014 Mount Peak, Rattlesnake Zinfindel  $20
96% Zinfandel, 4% Petite Sirah
Classic Zinfandel characteristics of Provençal spices, roasted herbs, pepper and oodles of briary black raspberry and black cherry fruit. It cuts a big swath across the palate with loads of glycerin and an unctuous, thick, juicy quality that is provocative.

2017 Experience, Napa Cabernet  $27
92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Malbec.
A plush, forward Napa Cab to enjoy with life, now! The winery’s tasting note: “Intense ruby in color, this Cabernet opens with a lovely bouquet of forward fruit, soft notes of oak from the barrel fermentation, some anise and a hint of mocha. Ripe black fruit unfolds on the palate offering cassis, blackberry and black cherry. The finish is long and lingering with a smooth rich texture.”

2017 Sinegal, Napa Valley  $50
82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 4% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
This high scoring Napa Cab exhibits elegant aromas of ripe raspberry, plumb and black cherry, with notes of rose petal, cinnamon and all spice. The subtle oak spice tones are well integrated with the fruit and floral aromas in this wine. On the palate there is a silky texture with smooth tannins and long lingering finish. Flavors of candied cherries, and blackberry kirsch are intermixed with secondary notes of vanilla bean, mocha and coca nibs.  Was $100, Now $50

Holiday Hours
Tuesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

We have the shop stocked with lots of suitable wines for Thanksgiving day.  The best way to find the one for you is to come in and browse the selections.  But if you want a preview here are a few off the beaten path choices for Turkey day.

We will be open Tuesday the 23rd from noon to 6.  And Thanksgiving day the 25th from noon to 3pm.  We’ll also be open every Tuesday through New Years.  The holiday season is here.

A Cornucopia of Whites

2019 Joseph Cattin, Alsace Gewurtztraminer  $18
A nice perfumed nose with litchi and mango aromas and a delicate touch of rose water. The palate reveals ripe exotic fruits with rose flavors. The style is well-balanced between spiciness and freshness. Super delicious.

2019 Marcel Deiss, Alsace Complantation  $29
This is a co-fermented field blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Muscat à petits grains, Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner, Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Beurot, Muscat Blanc, Rose d’Alsace, Traminer, plus others.  Bright elderflower, mandarin, fragrant pear is stenciled with tangerine pith on a long palate, finishing with a gentle swell of warmth  Lovely harmony here.  Biodynamic

2019 Domaine des Forges, Savennieres Moulin du Gué  $24
Chenin Blanc
A rich yet dry white infused with the distinctive mineral characteristic of the Savennières wines. The creamy texture is beautifully balanced with buttery notes, hazelnut and sweet spice through to a refreshing finish.

2017 Tenuta Santi Giacomo e Filippo Bellantonio  $22
Incrocio Bruni
A unique white from the Marche region.  The nose is abundant with fruit and has complex notes of citrus fruit, tomato leaves with a hint of tropical lychee fruit.  The palate is fresh and vibrant with a near perfect balance of fruit and acidity. Stunning wine.  Organic

2018 Château de la Crée, Les Tourelles Montagny 1er  $28
100% Chardonnay
Premier Cru Burgundy at a great price.  This single vineyard wine has aromas are acacia, mayflower, honeysuckle, bramble flowers with notes of hazelnut, white peach and ripe pear. In the mouth, the wine is fresh, young at heart, frisky, alluring, and rich. Refinement and delicacy are harmoniously matched to a durably well-built structure.

Versitile Reds

2019 Francheso Brigatti, Maria Collin Novaresi  $22
Vespolino
Vespolina is the indigenous grape variety of Alto Piemonte by definition, the wine is deep ruby with violet reflections when young. Floral and red berries are the main aromas and flavors that complement the typical spicy note.

2020 Elena Walch, Schiava  $16
A great summer red you can put a chill on.   A delicate hint of cherry on the nose. On the palate, it is harmonious and elegant due to naturally mild acidity and tannin with a pleasant bitter almond flavor on the finish. An elegant, fruity red wine with good length.

Bubbles

Domaine Bonnet-Huteau,  Nuit Boréale  $18
80% Chardonnay, 20% Melon de Bourgogne
Sparkling French bubbles from Sèvre et Maine appellation, the heart of Muscadet.  Fresh and elegant wine with aromas of white fruits.  Organic, biodynamic

Cantina di Sorbara. Lambrusco Salamino  $13
Made from Salamino grapes.  Beautiful freshness here with freshly soaked blueberries, elderberries, spearmint and rosemary. Dry, balanced and medium-bodied, drawing on a fine thread of bubbles and precise, cutting acidity.

Dessert

2019 Ximénez-Spínola, Pedro Ximénez  $34
A PX made is a Sauterne style.  The aromas of fleshy fruit stand out: peach, apricot and ripe plum but not raisined yet. When the glass is rotated, the pear and the green apple are awakened, with no more than a slight hint of bitter almond given by the French oak wood, which balances the exuberant profusion of its fruity manifestation  –500ml.

Holiday Hours
Tuesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Gamay is a most overlooked and underappreciated grape. Traditionally from Beaujolais, it is a great accompaniment to a wide range of food and doesn’t require the long ageing of Bordeaux or Burgundy.  It also makes a great Thanksgiving wine.  Here are a few we have in stock.

2019 Les Iris Beaujolais  $13
A little value Gamay.  Bright and lively red, this youthful, juicy Beaujolais has plenty of lifted red fruit. Crushed red berries on the palate with floral notes and a dusting of allspice.

2018 Stéphane-Aviron Beaujolais Villages  $13
this tasty organic red is made from 50+ year old vines.  It has an easy drinking and fruit forwards style on this Beaujolais Villages. On the nose, there are abundant notes of macerated strawberries with hints of herbs. The acidity is bright with soft tannins with abundant red fruit on the palate.
Organic

2019 Dupre Beaujolais-Villages  $15
Single-vineyard Gamay from vines planted in 1940. The wine has a good concentration full of red fruit and drying tannins.

2018 2019 Domaine les Gryphées Beaujolais Les Balmes  $17
“Balmes” is a slope.  This steeply-graded vineyard was planted nearly 100 years ago. Aromas of red and purple flowers, cherries and red plums, light baking spice, pepper.  Medium-bodied; smooth tannins.

2019 Piron Coq Leon  $17
95% Gamay, 5% Gamaret
A VDP but the grapes all come from Beaujolais vineyards.  Gamaret is a cross of Gamay with Reichensteiner. There are plots of these vines growing in little known villages in the region and occasionally, as in this case, it is blended with Gamay to make a plump, darker, some would say more fun wine to be enjoyed without fuss with the hearty fare served locally.

2019 Château La de Bottieére Juliénas  $20
100% Gamay
Dark raspberries and wild strawberries, peppered with crushed violets, peonies, star anise, and an undercurrent of dark, stony earth. It is plenty smooth, pretty, and soft, but there is also a nice crunch of acid and tannin which gives the wine its lift and palate persistence.

2018 Domaine de Bel-Air Morgan les Charmes  $20
Some deeper aromas here with darker fruit and mineral notes, leading to a palate that has impressive density and rich dark berries. Long, stony finish. Really rich.
Organic

2018 Maison Guillot-Broux, Mâcan Rouge  $25
A blend of several old Mâconnais vineyards.  The wine is vinified in concrete vats, using indigenous yeasts. Part of the harvest is de-stemmed to bring a bit more finesse and elegance to the cuvee. The limestone terroirs give it its minerality and freshness; the granite terroirs, hints of camphor and dark fruits with has spicy and peppery overtones.

Holiday Hours

Tuesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

It is hard not to like affordable Bordeaux.  Here are a few that have recently come into the shop.

2020 De Fontenille Entre Deux Mers  $15
50% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Gris, 20% Muscadelle, 10% Semillon
A lot more than straight up Sauv Blanc, the Fontenille has enticing aromas of citrus fruit and white peaches, Château de Fontenille Entre Deux Mers displays wonderful acidity and freshness on the palate coupled with exotic fruit and citrus flavors.

2019 Château Cleyrac Bordeaux Supérieur  $10
10 buck Bordeaux.  A juicy, fruity red with currant and floral character. Medium body. Easy finish.  Mystery cepage.

2016 Moulin de Lagut Bordeaux  $13
65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc
Ripe, fresh fruit on the nose, expressive oak with vanilla and toasty notes. Full, round, powerful and aromatic on the palate. An authentic Bordeaux.

2016 Château Briot Bordeaux  $14
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot
From an estate in Entre-Deux-Mers, the Briot shows  pleasant red berry aromas, with a hint of fresh walnut and toasted vanilla.  It is well-rounded and  fruit  driven,  with  an  elegant,  soft  tannic structure and good length.

2014 Dumas Cenot Bordeaux Superieur  $15
Merlot – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon
A good little Bordeaux in an odd bottle and a wooden box.  Expressive smell of matured black fruits, supple tannins with a ripe fruit finish.

Wednesday-Sunday-12-6PM

Take a break from the grey and introduce yourself to our two new wines from Elephant Seven. Walla Walla fruit done right.

2019 Elephant Seven. Side E  $22
23% Viognier, 27% Grenache Blanc, 21% Clairette Blanche, 29% Picpoul
Walla Walla
Medium-bodied with candied citrus fruits, apricot, ginger, soft cheese rind, and exotic spices. A crushed stone minerality covers the mid-palate. The finish lingers and is dry, fresh, and zesty with just a bit of natural tannins coming through for extra lift.

2020 Elephant Seven, Cosmic Reflection  $25
60% Mourvèdre, 40% Syrah
Walla Walla
Earthy on the nose with white pepper, dried Provençal herbs, red fruit, Luxardo cherries, and pencil shavings. Medium to full bodied. Briary wild berries, roasted meats, and olive tapenade on the mid-palate. Firm yet well integrated tannins with a long, effusive finish.

Also just in:  Ciel du Cheval from Cadence

2018 Cadence, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard  $45
38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 19% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot
Lots of classic Red Mountain tannins and minerality as well as notes of cassis, currants, dried herbs, graphite, and loamy soil define this beauty, and it’s medium to full-bodied and wonderfully balanced, with a round, expansive mouthfeel and a great finish.

Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM