INSIDER'S PICK: 2024 LIEU-DIT 'BLANC DE MER' WHITE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY (Vinous 90points) $23.9912/4/2025  Bivalves can be a tricky food pairing, especially when you are doing them raw and accenting their briny flavors. Bubbles are safe, Champagne of course being the thing if you're feeling particularly luxurious, but still wines can be an issue, with values being a particular challenge. One of the long standing go-to areas for us has been Muscadet in France, with the seashell flavored wines coming from where the Loire empties into the Atlantic and picking up all kinds of coastal flavors. Lieu-Dit has produced here perhaps the best 'drink-alike' domestic wine for Muscadet fans, standing toe to toe (brine to brine?) with the classics of the region. A savvy and unlikely blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc from several important Santa Barbara vineyards, fermented using native yeasts to really draw out the natural vibrancy of the varieties. Super bright lemon, hints of flowers and rind-y citrus aromas pop at first, getting warmer and softer as it opens but also gaining some seashell tones. On the palate there is definitely more of a round texture than the lean and linear Muscadet wines usually have, so there is a bit of California juiciness here, but it's very welcome. Clean bright citrus peel flavors, very mouth-watering the more you sip with a long lemon and shell tone on the finish. The plate of oysters on the label isn't a subliminal suggestion, it's an order!
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 For the last Insider's Pick before Thanksgiving, we had to of course pick a wine from out Thanksgiving selections email we sent out last week. There are plenty of safer and 'traditional' routes you can go with your red wines, like Beaujolais/Gamay and your favorite Pinot Noir regions, but there are lots of great possibilities out there that can work equally well. Our general 'rules' for choices is looking for reds with less aggressive tannins and/or oak presence, a more polished and silkier palate, something that can work its way around all the various flavors of the traditional holiday table. The Nerello Mascalese grape may not be the first thought for many this time of year, as it usually has a more firm, minerally intensity from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna. But Calabretta is not your normal winery, and Gaio-Gaio is not a normal Nerello. Built for approachability, the grapes get a lot softer and shorter soak to get color and fragrance but not as much tannin. A dark but transparent black cherry color, the aromas are all dusty red fruits that get richer as it opens up, with an almost citrusy mineral energy to them, very soil driven. The first sip is unexpectedly juicy at first, round and full of tangy fruits, but the super-fine tannins sneak in and are very persistent and dusty through the finish. The juicy citrus tones give this the ability to take a light chilling if you wanted, and will do exceptionally well at the more savory Thanksgiving tables.
 Apologize for not getting out the Insider's Pick email last week. While there will be a BUNCH of wines coming over the next few weeks from those tastings for you to enjoy, that did not help those of you looking for your Thursday/Friday tasting fix. To make up for it we are doubling up for you this week with two wines from one of our store favorites. These are also great lead-ins to our yearly Thanksgiving recommendations email that will be coming out within the next day, as they are both ideal all-purpose food wines. Clos du Caillou is one of the iconic houses in the Rhone, one that genuinely and drastically affected the lines drawn for Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the 1930s. Let's just say that shotguns were involved. They are one of a very few houses whose estate straddles the appellation lines, placing their Cotes du Rhone vineyards side by side with their CNDP vineyards. These are both classically constructed Rhone wines; the White based on Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Clairette (occasionally some Roussanne from the neighboring CNDP-Blanc vines), and the red a classic Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend with a splash of Cinsault for a hint of rusticity. Balanced, more elegant in style that don't try and pound you over the head with fruit or assertive alcohol, these are a tasty 1-2 punch to have at any time of year, but especially at the holiday dinner table.
 New vintage (and new look) for one of the best values and most textbook examples of a 'Super Tuscan' you will find. The term is very popular, but more than a bit ambiguous as the term can loosely be used to describe any Tuscan red wine that falls outside the traditional Chianti guidelines and regulations. They can even be 100% Sangiovese if one wanted, the primary grape in Chianti and most of central Italy, just employing some more modern or unique methods. At its heart, the term refers to the influx of mostly Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the early 1960, and the resulting wines that share both a modern French and distinctly Tuscan sensibility. Some wineries entertain a few acres here and there of these interloping varieties, while others embrace them wholeheartedly and make some exceptionally standout wines, especially around the more West Tuscany regions of Maremma and Bolgheri. Lagone is a blend of primarily Merlot with the balance of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, a recipe straight out of the Right Bank of Bordeaux, very similar to several of the Saint-Emilion wines we have in right now. Lots of dark plum with a touch of pretty violets that emerge slowly thanks to the Cabernet Franc, lots of warm aromas with a little bit of Tuscan spice in the mix. The palate has nice tannic structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon, probably makes the wine 'taste' more like a Bordeaux than the aroma. Once it opens up more the Tuscan warmth starts coming through on the palate as well, familiar but noticeably different in origin. A welcome wine for both Italian and BDX fans alike.
 Bedrock is without a doubt one of the most important and iconic producers in California, especially if you are a fan of the historic old vineyards within the state. Few if any can match the number of vineyards -both red and white- that have been identified, preserved, even saved from being ripped up in some cases, and the wines they make from these treasures are beyond reproach. In the grand scheme of things, their Heritage wines and old vine selections are relative bargains but would be hard to consider 'everyday' wines. Fortunately, they have that covered as well with their 'Shebang!' wine. This blend comes from parcels across California that may be new to the oversight of Bedrock and in transition, younger parcels or plantings, and just not quite ready to be featured on their own. It blends all the different varietals in the vineyards into the mix, just as their Heritage series wines, and see the same care and fermentations lot by lot with indigenous yeasts before blending. Consistently built with more than a casual nod towards a Cotes du Rhone type flavor profile, it shows lots of ripe red berry from the Zin up top, but not heady or sugary with nice dark pepper and spice tones present. Juicy at first on the palate, there is unexpected brightness and energy, a very Rhone-like savory tone from the mix of varietals in the field blend, decidedly non-jammy though the finish. On one of his trips out to Virginia, founding parter Chris Cottrell spoke of how their vineyards naturally reduced the potential alcohol in their wines as they were converted to organic practices, and even here in their 'basic' bottling it shows through with great balance and a dry feel to the finish. Everyday excellence here!
 Most people don't think of Australia as a source for grapes that are traditionally more 'cooler climate' friendly, such as Pinot Noir. We sometimes forget how much of the continent is NOT featured on 'Croc Hunter', and that there are actually substantial mountain ranges in the region of Victoria. Skiing, even, in what's known as the 'Victorian Alps'. The nearby foothills sport some picturesque valleys that provide an ideal climate for some of the best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producers in the Southern Hemisphere, and in many people's minds can rival the best in Burgundy. Can be tricky to find a wine that does the area justice AND is still a great value all the way on this side of the world, but this one lands it without much extra intervention involved. Pale-ish color but a dark lively nose with lots of dark cherry, spicy strawberry and peppery dark spice leaning almost clove-y. Stays savory on the palate with some decent weight but no sweetness, bringing in some tart cranberry notes behind the darker fruits and fine tannic structure. I'm sure many of you may have been expecting a fruit bomb out of this one, but this is spot-on cool climate with nice acidity to cut through gamey foods like duck or something with a dark plummy sauce.
 There's no better way for us to celebrate Virginia Wine Month than feature a brand new wine from our favorite 'hidden gem', the private label of the winemaker we just refer to as 'the Mind Behind'. For 20 years now this label has been the testing ground for experimental projects that push the boundaries of winemaking in the state, a few barrels at a time at most, with the lessons learned taken over to their more commercial wines. We have been a supporter for pretty much every wine offered to us, and as they are never the same thing from year to year the wines have built an underground buzz in anticipation of what each release may bring. Pinotage has been featured before (no surprise given his South African heritage), but this vintage may very well be the best r wine yet. If you are not familiar, Pinotage was an accidental crossing at a South African nursery of Pinot Noir and Cinsault in 1925 (happy 100th anniversary!). In South Africa it usually takes on a more hearty, robust and sometimes rougher character born from the Cinsault side of its heritage, which is what most of the world thinks of. In Virginia it takes on more of the Pinot Noir parentage, silky and polished with more elegance, and far fewer of the fragility issues Pinot has in our environment. A transparent plum color in the glass, the nose is full of dried black cherry and currants with touches of black pepper and savory herbs. It's new to the bottle, so there is lots of change happening as it opens up for hours, at times more perfumed and sweet tones, at others meaty. The palate is full and round with super fine tannins somewhere between a red Burgundy and a finessed Northern Rhone Syrah, with lots of natural texture from being bottled unfiltered to really let the flavor of the grape come forward. Not a 'powerhouse' wine for the big tannin/big oak red wine fans, but a deliciously complex red wine with charm for days that showcases the best of what Virginia can achieve.
 Even though we don't really believe in a red wine or white wine 'season' around here (drink what you like when you like it), cooler weather can definitely make certain styles more broadly desirable than they were during the heat of Summer. Richer, more fleshy and full bodied white wines can go better with some of the seasonal dishes, and you just don't need acidity as much as you do when trying to cut through the heat and humidity. Grillo can be just such a variety for you, a native Sicilian grape mostly known through history as one of the primary base grapes for making Marsala. Zesty ripe melon and white orchard fruit aromas pop with a little bit of lime, a bit sunny and hints of coastal salinity at first. The palate is really where it's at, round and juicy with some shots of melon rind for texture, lots of natural mouthfeel that finishes with plenty of citrus. Holds up to richer fish stews, breaded and/or buttery seafood or creamy white sauces without needing oak or sugar to fatten it up.
 Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc are the undisputed 'King and Queen' of white varieties in the Loire, with plantings of both up and down the entire length of the river. Doesn't mean there isn't room for the odd Prince, Duke or Lord popping up here and there. The Melon de Bourgogne grape, for example, occupies much of the area around Nantes where the river enters the Atlantic, making the noted wines of Muscadet. Romorantin is an ancient grape with a long history in the Loire, but has fallen out of favor in much of the region with only one appellation featuring it, in Cheverny. Only @150 acres devoted to the variety, but boy do they pop when you can find them. Think of it as a somewhat hypothetical combination of the flavor profile of a Sauvignon Blanc and the textural nuances of a Roussanne from the Rhone, and that gets you in the room. Musky white fruits and pear skin aromas with some grassy citrus notes, clear and pretty but definitely something a little outside the norm. The palate is where the grape really jumps out at you, with long lush white fruits, liquid apples, definite notes of grapeskin tannins in the minerally finish. Lots of evidence that this will keep evolving for quite a few more years, makes you wish more vineyards could champion the variety more.
INSIDER'S PICK: 2021 TENUTA BELLAFONTE MONTEFALCO ROSSO 'POMONTINO' (Vinous 91points) $26.999/18/2025  The region of Umbria sits between the world famous cities of Florence and Rome, and most people only take note of it as they pass through it from one city to the other. Largely rural and completely landlocked, it has missed out on a lot of the hype and notoriety bestowed on its neighbors, allowing it to be a mostly unspoiled 'bread basket' of central Italy. The wines here are very under-appreciated as well, especially compared to the notoriety Tuscan wines have accumulated over the centuries. Umbria's native red grape is Sagrantino, originally used mostly for making 'dried grape' wines, but now reaches its greatest heights around the town of Montefalco and their DOCG designated wines. The DOC designated Rosso wines will blend Sagrantino and Sangiovese that gives a wonderful window into the local style. Savory and a bit rustic on the aromas, with a dusty 'Old School' style nose of dried flowers, dark red fruits and hints of cedar. The presence of Sagrantino is most noticeable on the palate, where it has a bit more tannin than Sangiovese and a citric acidity note behind the dark fruits. As it opens up it gets more plump but keeps that classic energy all through the finish. This wants food, such as a hearty tomato-y stew or a classic ragu over pasta.
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The Best of the Best.We offering free tastings on these wines in the store every Thursday and Friday, and a 10% discount off the retail price through the duration of the day. Come on by and give them a try! Archives
October 2025
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