Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We will be returning to doing just the one wine on Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

If we keep saying this is a wine for the last dog days of Summer, we have to be right eventually, don't we? If ever we had a 'no brainer' white wine in the Californian section, it would be this. Founders and husband/wife duo Spencer Graham and Elizabeth Pressler were an integral part of the Charlottesville wine scene in the 80s and early 90s before moving out to Napa and starting this winery in the heart of Rutherford. This Sauvignon Blanc has always been a favorite not only as a great value but one that showcases the oft-forgotten quality of fruit from Mendocino County. Consistently cooler climate to the more tourist driven Napa and Sonoma areas gives their wines some extra nerve, and this serves it up year after year. Fresh citrus and green apple tones on the nose, light of intensity but still giving a tingling of minerality if you sniff deeply enough, much less tropical that found in many other areas of California and completely absent of oak. The palate hints a little bit towards the Loire style of Sauvignon Blanc with the brightness and quenching tartness, but fattens up with white fruit tones that get juicier with each sip and gets more melon and pear into the finish. A great pairing with seafood and Summer salads, for however long they may last this year.

Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We will be returning to doing just the one wine on Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

Another fun wine to enjoy during what we hope are the last dog days of Summer, and it's a fresh batch of a store favorite for you Pet-Nat fans. The name means 'Unheard Of' and there is a lot taking place with this wine that is definitely unique, in all the right ways and for all the right reasons. La Staffa and its young owner/winemaker has earned a lot of recognition for already making standout traditional Verdicchio di Castelli di Jesi, working entirely organically and with minimal sulfites in some very old and distinctive vineyards. His youth has also enabled him to play around and have some fun with his winemaking, creating one of the few examples of a naturally fermented Pet-Nat wines using Verdicchio on the market (perhaps only example, we certainly haven't found any others yet). What we like so much about this wine is it never loses the character and flavor of the varietal as it delves into the exploration of Pet-Nat and the more 'natural' sides of the process. A still Verdicchio has a lovely green apple and citrus aroma to it, as well as some herbal or almond skin notes, right from the first pour these notes are in full exposure even with the initial yeasty/dusty notes from the low level carbonation. The palate is equally full of citrusy flavors given extra brightness by the bubbles and the higher altitude natural acidity, and the leesy texture also adds a touch of oyster shell type brininess. A great wine to chill down with an equally chilly plate of fresh oysters as well as any other lighter seafood dishes, especially ones with lots of citrus and herbs.

Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We will be returning to doing just the one wine on Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. we hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.
It's hot out there. Too hot to think, too hot to type, almost too hot to drink good wine..... but not quite. Time for some 'no-brainer' good Rose that's delicious right out of the fridge and is refreshing as all get-out. Vajra is one of our longest-standing favorite producers from the Piedmont, a house we represent up and down the lineup without fail because they are that good and priced that fairly. Roses aren't overly common from here, especially ones based so heavily on Nebbiolo like this one, but they are lovely when they do make an appearance. The winery states the grapes are from 'our blocks facing the Alps', meaning they are facing more North and don't get as much direct sunlight, so the grapes don't ripen as intensely. That's perfect for making Rose! Bright mineral fused red fruits and Nebbiolo's floral herbs with lavender pop on the nose, with a nice touch of weight and juiciness on the palate from the helpings of Barbera and Dolcetto in the blend. Lots of natural acidity that really helps the wine snap right out of the fridge, so cool that the glass starts to sweat minutes after it's poured, puts some leafy tones on the strawberry notes and intensifies the finish. Get a bottle and consider yourself done for the day.