 White Rhone wines are in less demand than they used to be, and have been losing acreage in much of the region to be planted to more popular red varieties. A shame, for when you find a nice one they can really add good complexity and diversity to your white wine drinking repertoire. The wines are generally blends just like the red ones, and the different combinations of partners and percentages allow for endless possibilities. Clairette is a workhorse grape here (along with Grenache Blanc) that makes up a good chunk of the blend to make it a value, while Roussanne and Marsanne provide a bit of exotic character you usually don't find in wines at this range. Clean and unoaked aromas of white flowers, tea and a touch of citrus peel pop from the glass, catching your attention without being heavy or overpowering. The palate has a great unctuous feel to it while still having lots of zest and brightness, almost creamy and citrusy at the same time and finishing with a note of melon rind. This type of wine matches very well with Mediterranean vegetable and fish preparations, oily but not heavy dishes.
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 Cabernet Sauvignon grown in Virginia is 'tricky' (using that term with as much kindness as possible), with our widely varying seasonal conditions year after year making it incredibly difficult to feature. Where Cabernet Franc and Merlot can be more forgiving and consistent in tougher years, Cab Sauv can vary wildly in what it offers, and it's very hard to invest that time/money/energy when you don't know what you are going to get. There are some spots where it IS successful (often very small ones), so when we can find them we will champion them. For Jump Mountain over in Rockbridge Baths, that spot is the sunny South/Southwest facing slope of their vineyard. Nice dark color in the glass with a Bordeaux-style nose of currants, cranberry and pencil lead without a strong presence of oak and a slight pepperiness. On the palate the fruit is bright with some dried cherry skin character and very fine tannins for a Cab Sauv, finishing savory with a touch of a tomato water note. A very tasty no-nonsense Cabernet Sauvignon, and a very solid price to boot!
 Italy is a constant source of unique grape varieties to experience, with every region having their own catalog of wines native to them. Even if a grape seemingly gets the 'popularity bump' of getting featured in a new part of the world it may not become a name that's recognized by most consumers. Grignolino is such a grape, very much a secondary citizen in its native Piedmont. It's a very unique grape in that the skin is fairly pale in color, yet it makes a fairly tannic wine due to the high number of seed pips inside (the name Grignolino comes from the local term for seed pips). The grape has some fans in various parts of the world, among the most famous is Napa Valley icon Heitz Cellars who have done a Rose/pale Red from the grape for many years, yet it has never really caught on all that broadly. A shame when there can be such lovely quality in wines such as this. Surprisingly deep-for-a-Grignolino ruby color, the nose is full of dried berry and citrus notes, almost mouth-watering just by aromas alone. There is a bit of a gaminess there as well that often lends the grape to be compared to Gamay from Beaujolais, but the citrus tone brings a distinct fire. The palate is where Grignolino gets very sneaky, starting out light with crunchy dried berries then getting persistently drier until finishing downright dusty. Fans of a higher toned, more acid driven wine definitely need to give this a try, ideal to match with salumi or meat dishes that have a strong salty component (think capers or anchovies).
INSIDER'S PICK: 2020 ESK VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON/ MERLOT/MALBEC GIMBLETT GRAVELS HAWKES BAY $22.991/5/2023  Most of the attention for New Zealand wines is on the Marlborough region and the South island, as it is the region that produces the most volume and gets to most consumer's eyes. The North island has a completely different set of geographic and environmental conditions, and while you don't see the volume of production the quality is definitely worth pursuing. The warmer overall climate helps the island do well with many red grapes, especially the Bordeaux varietals. One area in Hawkes Bay has become particularly noteworthy over the years because its well-draining rocky soil mimics what is found in Graves and much of Bordeaux's famous Right Bank. The Gimblett Gravels sits along the Ngaruroro River, with much of the exposed gravely features recently exposed by floods within the last 200 years. This type of soil is ideal for consistently ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, and is the backbone for many great wines in this area. Inky color (you don't even realize until you pour a little bit out that the bottle is completely clear) with immediate aromas of cool dark fruits and tobacco or eucalyptus, even a bit minty, definitely more of an Old School character. The palate is surprisingly silky at first, with some of the Cab Sauv tannins showing up more towards the finish, and the blacker fruits from the Malbec show up nicely as well, but the wine overall is surprisingly elegant, even restrained, and shows off a very Bordeaux-like alcohol balance. A bit youthful with some potential to age and evolve, fans of Old World wines will be surprised what the Gravels has to offer.
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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
September 2023
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