![]() Grape clones are a vital part of what makes a wine taste the way it does, even when compared to other wines of the same grape. Clones get created by identifying traits and propagating it by grafting and creating new vines. Over time these clones get known for these traits, such as having better disease resistance, higher yields, or certain flavor profiles. There's never such a thing as the 'perfect' clone that has it all, so you can find all sorts of subtle style and flavor variety even within a grape like Sauvignon Blanc due just to the clones being used. We bring this up because this delightful wine from our friends at Dogwood & Thistle (the 'Dogwood' comes from Erin Robinson's growing up here in Virginia) is made from a unique Sauvignon Blanc clone that is only used in 2% of California vineyards, and is a major factor in the wine's intensity and distinct quality. And Sandy's winemaking talents as well, of course. The nose is immediately different, loaded with more lychee and white fruits in front of the grassier tones, cool and zesty without as much grapefruit impact. The palate has lots of full juicy texture that shows off the cool Mendocino acidity on the zingy mouthfeel and long nervy finish. Delicious and food friendly, far different from the other 98% of California Sauvignon Blancs out there.
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INSIDER'S PICK: 2022 KELLEY FOX WINES 'NERTHUS' WILLAMETTE VALLEY $26.99 (Vinous 93points)7/18/2024 ![]() For the last 10+ years the team at Kelley Fox Wines has been growing a reputation as one of the dynamic, thoughtful and exciting newer producers in Oregon, cut from the same cloth as favorites like Patricia Green Cellars of a generation before. The talent of the winemaking has opened the doors to access some of the great vineyards of the region to make not only their acclaimed Pinot Noirs but for their more experimental wines like this. Living somewhere in between an 'orange wine' and a Rose, this is unique not only for the combination of grapes but the remarkable sources for some of the varieties. The blend of Early Muscat, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling is whole cluster pressed and the slight tint of color comes from the Pinot Gris getting extra skin contact. All the fruit comes from sites well known for their Pinot Noir production, some older than 30 years and two particular ones from blocks in the 1980s planted franc de pied (on their own rootstock, unusual since the phylloxera blight in the late 1800s). The aromas are perfumed and intensely exotic, loaded with wildflowers, peach stone, orange zest, Asian tea and several other fragrances of your own imagination. Just a lot going on here, and it changes with each swirl of the glass. The palate is juicy and quenching yet completely dry and showing off the texture from all the skin contact, getting more of the pithy side of the fruit than the pulp and a dusty mineral note to the finish that lingers as long as the aromas do. ![]() We always like reminding people during 'Rose Season' in the Summer that great dry Rose comes from all sorts of grape varieties and all parts of the world, not just Provence. More importantly, wineries that make all manner of great wines will also make great Rose, so they don't have to be a specialist to really knock your socks off. Vajra has been our most represented producer from the Piedmont for many years, from their most basic Langhe Rosso to their finest single site Barolos. It should come as no surprise then that their Rose built from the three primary grapes of the region (Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto) is also one of the best Italian versions we get year to year. The winery harvests the grapes used for making this Rose early to give it acidity and distinctive freshness that mirrors the Provencal style in same ways, but still shows the unique character of the Piedmont varieties. Pale salmon color and loads of rose petals and light red fruits on the nose as well as some citrusy or green apple type tartness. The palate has great weight, you get the juicy feel of Barbera, but the acidity and Nebbiolo's fine texture gives the dried berry fruit some zip and lightly dusty note to the finish. This does everything a Provence Rose can do without tasting like an exact copy, you can tell there's Piedmont character in the glass. ![]() For our last Insider's Pick during our 30th anniversary month, we can't think of a better wine to feature than this new release from our favorite 'side project' in Virginia. For many years the R Wines label has been made by someone we clandestinely refer to as 'The Mind Behind', one of the very best winemakers in the state. This project tends to be 1-2 barrel productions, artistic experiments that test theories and concepts, pushing the boundaries usually found in production winemaking, the more successful of concepts getting measured into the larger scale wines he makes for his day job. Ruby is his latest concoction, named in honor of his faithful dog and vineyard partner (also the inspiration for the bottle color scheme, black with white markings and a red collar), and is another successful experiment in Virginia winemaking. The blend, as usual for an R wine, is not divulged (but we're pretty sure Chambourcin is involved somewhere) as the intent and final result is more important than the ingredients. Deep in color but not thick and opaque, the youthful nose is full of lavender, spice, and savory red berry that gets deeper and richer as it opens up. The palate is most distinctive, polished with very fine tannins and delivering a profile of gamey high toned and slightly tart red fruit. In one way it's reminiscent of Cru Beaujolais, but there is more body and texture along with fuller, darker red fruit, so it also has hints of the Northern Rhone. A unique wine with loads of time ahead of it, a rare example of excellent natural winemaking process in Virginia, and completely singular. In short, nothing less than what we would expect from 'the Mind Behind'. ![]() One constant about the world of wine is that there are always new things to find out about and learn, no matter how long you have been in the business. Grape varieties in particular seem to constantly emerge out of the woodwork from Europe as more consumers start to care about tasting the native and authentic wines of historic regions, instead of forcing them to serve up a Chardonnay like ever other place. Ikaria is one of the smaller North Aegean islands, but is rich in Greek mythology as both the birthplace of the God Dionysos and the landing place of its namesake, Icarus, after flying too close to the sun. With centuries of relative isolation many of these islands have their own grape varieties naturally evolve to their conditions, and Begleri is the white that has landed here. Similar in some ways to the famed Assyrtiko grape of Santorini in the South Aegean, this pops immediately with a rich perfume and tropical fruits, but also zesty citrus and magnolia blooms. Lots of texture on the palate as well that intensifies the orange citrus and juicy white fruits, with a zingy finishing combo of acidity and lingering grapeskin dryness. This is a LOT of fun to mix into your white wine rotation, especially with Mediterranean dishes with lots of bold flavor and textures, capable of handling roasted vegetables, white meats and salty olives or capers with ease. ![]() With Summertime temperatures approaching on the horizon, it's a good time to lean into the most Summertime-y of wines, the classic Provence Rose. A chilled bottle of pale salmon pink wine just screams poolside leisure to so many, and Provence historically sets that tone for most of the world. This estate is a relatively new addition to the legendary portfolio of Rosenthal Wine Merchants (essentially the East Coast equivalence of the esteemed Kermit Lynch), but the lands here have history back to Roman times and the estate itself has been run by the same family for nearly 200 years. An organically run property with all estate owned vineyards, this is a winery that definitely looks to make the best Roses possible. Refreshing dried strawberry and citrus aromas with an underlying salinity and wet rock note that reminds you that the Mediterranean is only a couple miles from the vineyards. The palate is juicy and round with tart citrus and light red fruits at first, before almost immediately getting racy and increasingly pleasingly bitter (the importer refers to a French term, 'amertume') that defines the flavor through the finish. Like many of the European cocktails, that bitter note is refreshing and appetite stimulating, leaving your mouth ready for another quenching sip or some light salty snacks, even mediterranean seafood salads. ![]() The sweetness of a wine is all about how the grapes are treated and fermented; you can make a wine with any grape, red or white, as sweet or as dry the producer wants to. Certain grapes like Gewurztraminer definitely lean towards making sweeter wines because of their natural aromatics, but that doesn't mean that's the only way they can be done, and done well. For many vintages now this producer has made Exhibit A for that argument, fashioning very atypical Californian wines from very unique out-of-the-way vineyards across the state. The fruit is picked earlier from a cooler coastal site, which allows the wine to have both bright natural acidity and keeping the alcohol lower once made dry. They also allow the juice to stay on the skins longer than usual to pick up more skin tannin texture (and even a slight pinkness in some vintages). The resulting wine is floral and lovely, but also downright refreshing. Cool perfume of white flowers and lime, more minty than warm or tropical though it does get prettier the longer it is opened. The palate is where the real surprise lives, hitting full and juicy at first with lots of lychee and dried pear, but quickly showing the acidity tingle and fruit skin tannins so that the fruit becomes downright tangy, finishing with a pear skin/melon rind dryness. Not a sign of any cloying sugars at all, anywhere. Super fun Summertime wine as a back porch sipper or with zesty seafood preparations. ![]() One of our more unique Rose wines we get each year, yet routinely one of the most loved and definitely one of the best Roses we have for year-round drinking. The Basque region around the city of Bilbao is vastly different from the rest of Spain; environmentally, culturally, right down to their own quasi-independent regional government. Their identity is so self-dependent that even their finest local Football club, Athletic Bilbao, has a policy over the last century to only sign Basque raised or Basque trained players. It should come as no surprise then that their wine culture features grapes that are theirs and theirs alone as well. The majority of their wines are white from the Hondarribi Zuri , tailor made to pair with some of the finest maritime cuisine in the world, and the primary grape for their red wines coming from the Hondarribi Beltza grape. Ameztoi is largely credited for popularizing this Basque style of Rose, an even blend of the red and white varietals pressed and vinified together with the slightest bit of natural carbonation. Pale, Provence-esque salmon color in the glass with the tiniest pinpoints of bubbles on the surface, the aromas are full of citrus and dried strawberry, with a little bit of the coastal zest the white wines are so known for. The palate is light with a tart lime zing to it popped by the slight tickle of carbonation, mouthfilling and quenching at the same time, finishing with a bit of savory red fruit at the end to remind you that there is some red wine elements here as well. Fully dry yet still under 11%abv, this is about as easy drinking and energetic a Rose as you will find. ![]() Many consumers don't know about the greatness of Sancerre Rose. The region is deservedly famous for Sauvignon Blanc, one of the finest expressions of the grape anywhere in the world, but around 20% of the appellation is also planted to Pinot Noir. Most of that 20% goes to making Rose (a small % is used in red wine), but even so there isn't enough to make higher volume and inexpensive versions like in Provence that can familiarize the everyday consumer with the style. On the plus side, once you try one you will find you will rarely if ever find one boring or disappointing, consistently delivering excitement from producer to producer and vintage to vintage. The same chalky soils that make the Sauvignon Blanc so distinctive also shines through in the Rose, bringing a refreshing nerviness that very few others can approach. Cool strawberry and rose petal aromas with the chalky mineral notes coming through slightly lime zest-y especially when the wine is at its coolest. On the palate is where the wine's signature sits, polished and velvety Pinot Noir mouthfeel with a fine mineral tingle to the fruit, and lightly dried strawberry leaf on the finish that is very mouthwatering. Delicious all-purpose wine for both food and by itself, and surprisingly durable because of the acidity, capable of thriving for several years past the vintage if you choose. ![]() The wines of Luis Pato are Portuguese icons, revolutionary in their time and still a leader more than 50 years on. Were they from one of the more famous regions in Europe, their name would be on most every wine drinker's lips by now. The family can trace its growing history back more than 200 years, but the Bairrada region (about 50 miles South of Porto) was only designated for wine production in the late 1960s, and the Patos were the first to use the name on their wines. Under the control of Luis since the 1980 vintage, the winery has been THE name here, developing wines in the more 'natural' style well before the name became cool, all with a very nonconformist attitude that pushes some of his greatest wines outside the Bairrada DOC regulations. Focusing on their native varieties they have elevated the Baga grape (red) and Maria Gomes (also called Fernao Pires elsewhere in Portugal) into grapes of distinction and recognized quality. For the Maria Gomes, think of it as a Portuguese version of Muscadet, but with a little more sunshine added in. Fresh lime and melon rind aromas pop from the glass almost immediately with a racy, slightly minty coolness. On the palate there is a juicy body at first, followed up by more of a lemon-y tang and more tart fruit than on the nose. This is where you get a lot of the Muscadet comparisons as it can hit almost like salinity, especially when being consumed with seafood. That, of course, is EXACTLY what you should be doing with this wine at all times, getting it together with fresh and simply prepared seafood dishes. |
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
July 2024
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