Deal Of The Month
2018 Bonfio Chianti
The warmth of the 2018 vintage in Europe can be tasted in this delicious Sangiovese from the Monteriggioni area to the North of Siena—suberb value!
2018 Bonfio Chianti Northern Siena 13.00 10.79VS
New Arrivals
2018 Ken Wright Visit
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noirs
Ken Wright says, “2018 continues a string of very warm and very dry vintages. Our vines were very happy for the half-inch drink of water they received mid-September. Rather than a setback in the pace of ripening this rain event got the vines motors running again. We saw all sites physiologically push to balanced maturity which is what happens when Mother Nature provides the perfect scenario. Though we are down 20% in production of Pinot Noir, what we have in our house is deep, dreamy and gorgeous.” Come in and sample a selection of these rich and delicious gems with Ken Wright on Saturday, January 18th at both shops.
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noir ‘Abbott Claim’ Yamhill-Carlton (Limited) 49.95 net
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noir ‘Canary Hill’ Eola-Amity 49.95 net
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noir ‘Carter’ Eola-Amity 49.95 net
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noir ‘Freedom Hill’ Willamette Valley 49.95 net
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noir ‘Shea’ Yamhill-Carlton 49.95 net
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noir ‘Savoya’ Yamhill-Carlton 49.95 net
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noir ‘McCrone’ Yamhill-Carlton 49.95 net
2018 Ken Wright Pinot Noir ‘Guadalupe’ Dundee Hills 49.95 net
Taste a selection of these wines on Saturday,
January 18th at both shops from 11AM-5PM
Ken Wright will be at the Ravenna shop from 11:30AM-2:00PM
and at the Queen Anne shop from 2:30PM-5PM
Bandol
Mourvèdre is a late-ripening grape variety, and it requires heat and dryness to mature. Bandol is the perfect microclimate to ripen Mourvèdre, as it is located in the terraces above the fishing village of Bandol in Provence. Here vineyards are exposed to warm, coastal weather that allows for late ripening. We love these wines for winter evenings, with stews, cassoulet, and lamb dishes. Lulu Peyraud, who founded Domaine Tempier with her husband Lucien, turned 100 on December 11th, 2017 and thus the vintage is named in her honor, ‘pour LuLu’. Taste a selection of these wines on Saturday, January 11th at both shops.
2018 Domaine Tempier Blanc Bandol (Limited) 50.00 41.50VS
2016 Domaine Bastide Blanche Rouge Bandol (Limited) 28.00 23.24VS
2017 Domaine Tempier Rouge ‘pour LuLu’ Bandol (Limited) 60.00 49.80VS
2016 Château de Pibarnon Rouge Bandol 57.00 47.31VS
2015 Marengo Baroli
This Marengo estate was established in 1899. Today, Marco Marengo manages it with his wife Jenny and his son Stefano. Their vineyards cover 6 hectares, with 1.2 hectares in Le Brunate, a grand cru of La Morra, and 1 hectare in Bricco delle Viole, one of the main crus of the town of Barolo.
2015 Marengo Barolo Normale 45.00 37.35VS
2015 Marengo Barolo ‘Bricco delle Viole’ 55.00 45.65VS
2015 Marengo Barolo ‘Brunate’ 67.00 55.61VS
Staff Picks
Fast & Furious
2018 Bonfio Chianti
The warmth of the 2018 vintage in Europe can be tasted in this delicious Sangiovese from the Monteriggioni area to the north of Siena—suberb value!
2018 Bonfio Chianti Northern Siena 13.00 10.79VS
2018 Sarrazin Bourgogne Rouge
The 2018 Michel Sarrazin Bourgogne Rouge is made using fruit from estate owned, old vines in the village of Givry. It has an aroma of violets and raspberries, with a hint of licorice.
2018 Michel Sarrazin Bourgogne Rouge Les Vieilles Vignes 26.00 21.58VS
2018 Ruggeri Corsini Dolcetto
From east facing estate vineyards in Monforte d’Alba, the 2018 Ruggeri Corsini Dolcetto d’Alba has an amazing pedigree. It shows black cherries, blackberries, African violets, and a hint of mocha.
2018 Ruggeri Corsini Dolcetto d’Alba Piemonte 16.00 13.28VS
2018 Hoppenot Morgon
A well known wine writer stated this, “My advice is to hoard as much of this as you can before everyone else catches on!” This 2018 Hoppenot Morgon ‘Corcelette’ is filled with black cherries and floral aromas..
2018 Domaine Grégoire Hoppenot Morgon ‘Corcelette’ 25.00 20.75VS
2018 Produttori Nebbiolo
Bursting with bright fruit, the 2018 Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo Langhe has a ruby red color, with a bouquet of red fruits, spices, white pepper, and anise. It is a food friendly Nebbiolo that is drinking well today, but it will age gracefully.
2018 Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo Langhe 27.00 22.41VS
Winter Wines
2018 Domaine Labbè Abymes
The appellation comes from the French word “abimé” which means broken, and refers to the broken stones in the soil. The Labbè family farms Jacquère grapes on 10 hectares of these rocky slopes. The 2018 Domaine Labbè Abymes has a racy minerality, a saline note, and a rich mouthfeel, making it perfect for fondues.
2018 Domaine Labbè Abymes Cru de Savoie 15.00 12.45VS
2016 Fèlsina Chianti Riserva
Sporting a brand new, all black label, the 2016 Fèlsina Chianti Classico Riserva is reminiscent of the Sangioese wines from this estate in the late 1980’s. The grape must spends time in stainless steel until March or April. It then goes into Slovenian oak tanks and neutral oak barrels. The result is a wine that has a complex aroma of dried flowers and caneberries. The palate is soft, and a harmonious flavor lingers on the palate.
2016 Fèlsina Chianti Classico Riserva Castelnuovo Berardenga 40.00 33.20VS
2017 Michel Autran
Michel Autran left a career in medicine to follow his passion for racy, Loire wines. In 2011, he purchased land in Vouvray and began farming it biodynamically. He makes wines that are edgy, filled with bracing acidity, and striking minerality. He chose not to use the Vouvray appellation, opting to declassify to Vin de France. These Chenin Blancs are shockingly good, and will surprise one with their dryness.
2017 Michel Autran ‘Les Enfers Tranquilles’ Vin de France (Limited) 28.00 23.24VS
2017 Michel Autran ‘Ciel Rouge’ Vin de France (Limited) 32.00 26.56VS
2018 Terre Nere Rosso
The 2018 Tenuta delle Terre Nere is a blend of 95% Nerello Mascalese and 5%Nerello Cappuccio from the townships of Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo. Winemaker/owner Marco de Grazia states, “It is an aristocratically liberal wine: enjoy it with whatever food you wish, as long as its properly cooked.”
2018 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Rosso 25.00 20.75VS
Pre-Tariff Imports
Damn The Weather
Get out your sun lamps—a few choice new rosés have finally arrived, and even if it isn’t warm outside, these tasty rosés will warm your spirits. Serve with garlic prawns, spicy salmon with red peppers, or seafood stews.
2018 Les Pallières Rosé ‘Au Petit Bonheur’ (Limited) 26.00 21.58VS
2018 Sainte Magdeleine Rosé Côtes de Provence (Limited) 24.95 net
2018 Clos Ste. Magdeleine Rosé Cassis (Limited) 40.00 33.20VS
2018 Clos Ste. Magdeleine Rosé ‘Marie de Magdala’ Bouches du Rhône (Limited) 45.00 37.35VS
2015 Lestrille Capmartin
The 2015 Château Lestrille Capmartin is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented in tank, and aged in oak just long enough so as not to mask the lush Merlot fruit. Perfect as a winter warmer, it has firm tannins and would work well with lamb chops.
2015 Château Lestrille Capmartin Bordeaux Supérieur 18.00 14.94VS
2018 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre
Sourced from hillside vineyards around the town of Sancerre, with a mix of chalk and silex soils, the 2018 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre is a stunning example of Sauvignon Blanc. If you like flavors of lemons and limes, sea salt, and crisp pear, then buy this wine to serve with oysters or Crottin cheese. It is simply as good as wines from this appellation can be.
2018 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Cher 40.00 33.20VS
2017 Vincent Paris ‘Granit 30’
The 2017 Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas ‘Granit 30’ has blueberries and floral scents, with olive and cracked pepper notes. It is a bold expression of Syrah that is tame in tannin. The name of this wine, ‘Granit 30’, refers to the slope of the vineyard, as well as the average age of the vines. This is a wonderful winter warmer.
2017 Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas ‘Granit 30’ (Limited) 40.00 33.20VS
New from the Northwest
2018 Involuntary Commitment
It is no secret that there is an abundance of wine in Washington State. After years of big crop loads with excellent quality, many great values will be arriving in the market. Involuntary Commitment is a project from the winemaking team at Andrew Will Winery. They use only fruit from sources selected by Will and Chris Camarda, and in this case, the 2018 vintage is all from Two Blondes Vineyard. A blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, the 2018 Involuntary Commitment has a striking aroma of tobacco leaf and blackberries.
2018 Involuntary Commitment Red Columbia Valley 20.00 16.60VS
2018 Numbskull Reds
The 2018 Numbskull reds are now available and they are “a lot of juice for the money”. The 2018 Numbskull Red Syrah/Mourvédre is a blend of 61% Syrah and 39% Mourvèdre that shows the sanguine notes from Syrah. The 2018 Numbskull Red ‘BDX’ is a Bordeaux-style red having 62% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Malbec. The depth of power, color, and complexity in these Walla Walla Valley wines is amazing.
2018 Numbskull Red (Syrach/Mourvèrde) Walla Walla Valley 38.00 31.54VS
2018 Numbskull Red ‘BDX’ Walla Walla Valley 38.00 31.54VS