 No, this isn't a glitch in the Matrix, you didn't slip into the wine version of 'Groundhog Day'. We just had such great response showing you the Madson wines for the first time with the Chardonnay last week we had to give the Pinot Noir equal time. If you want some background on the winery you can refer back to last week's Insider's Pick and check out our socials as we've been posting about them frequently for months since we first met up. It is impressive how consistently excellent their 'basic' Santa Cruz Mountain blends are, right down to the same accolades from Vinous, and what perfect representations they are of the clean mountain style that is so appealing. This is the antithesis of the sweetened, jammy caricature that 'Californian Pinot Noir' gets portrayed as all too often. Cool dark cherry skins and savory truffle-y herb aromas at first that slowly get deeper and more red-fruited with lots of swirling. The palate is where this really starts to swing out, seemingly lighter at first and distinctly dry even at less than 13%abv, but absolutely STACKED with bright crunchy red fruits and energetic flavors. The weight in the mouth gets fuller over time but never sweetens, indeed leaning more citrusy orange peel and subtle savoriness. Much like the Chardonnay last week, this has loads of life to it and may even be showing better for those that taste on Friday, but getting to it either day will be a treat!
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INSIDER'S PICK: 2024 MADSON WINES CHARDONNAY SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS (Vinous 93points) $35.997/30/2026  This is a more expensive wine than we usually feature in the Insider's Pick, but we are SO JAZZED to have this producer in the store we had to share (plus after suffering through the heat of July we all deserve a little reward). This was a find for us in our recent Californian travels, and the more we got to know Cole Thomas and the Madson team the more we fell in love, knowing we HAD to get their wines into the store somehow. Fortunately they were already beginning the process of finding distribution out our way, so we didn't have to do much convincing our wait very long. All we had to do was pounce when the wines arrived (and carve out a cherry or two for ourselves). Madson has become one of the best examples of how profoundly under-rated the Santa Cruz Mountains growing area is as a whole, making world class wines from spectacular pockets of vineyards scattered among the trees and fog, and can still be called relative bargains for what they provide. This Chardonnay is a perfect picture of what they are about as a winery (as is the Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noir for you red fans) for their 'minimal interference' winemaking mantra; spontaneous native yeast fermentation, minimal new oak presence, and embracing the cooler mountain characters of their vineyards. Vibrant lemon and citrus aromas with a small hint of warm white fruits and some lemon curd as it opens up. The palate also has a bit of that Californian warmth at first but quickly moves to a cut of coastal salinity and bright green apple, with an impressive natural juiciness that doesn't need any outside boost.This has lots of Burgundian character ties, one of which is that it is built to evolve and grow with time, so those of you coming by on Friday will have the chance to see this really kicking on all cylinders.... if there's any left, that is.
INSIDER'S PICK: 2023 CHAMPIONSHIP BOTTLE 'YOU + ME + THE MOON' WHITE WILLAMETTE VALLEY $28.997/23/2026  Nice to finally choose a wine for the Insider's Pick without concern for the extreme heat outside or the worry that everything will taste like it has smoke taint. Even though this wine is 100% an Oregon wine, we will try to claim at least a little bit of local Virginia involvement. Founder/ winemaker/ salesman Saul Mutchnick grew up Virginian and earned his way into the wine industry though the Richmond and Williamsburg scenes before taking on Oregon, interning with some great small producers and slowly developing his own label. Largely shaped by the more minimalist styles of winemaking and the more textured white wines from Friuli, the Championship Wines are primarily from the cooler climates of Oregon (even their occasional reds), embracing vibrancy and acidity over fame and reputation of address. While not an 'orange wine', we can call it 'orange-adjacent' as it definitely has influences from that winemaking style without showing the color changes. This starts as a co-fermentation of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, then spends a full year aging on the lees before being bottled without filtration or extra SO2. Clean and clear in the glass (ordinary-looking?) but wholly unique from the first whiff, filled with zesty citrus and lychee, lots of layers that come out with each swirl. The palate is equally outstanding, deep and naturally juicy with zero oak or sweetness present, textured citrus skin and fine leesy tannins with vibrancy for days that leaves a long citrusy finish. Natural wine-influenced but not one that is overtaken by the natural-ness, this is a rockstar food wine with Mediterranean cuisine.
 Another hot one this week. Another week perfect for fresh and easy drinking white wines that love a good chill on them. No surprise then that this one's coming from the same part of the world as the one just before the 4th of July when we had the same 'heat advisory' situation. Albarino from the Rias Baixas region of Spain has grown immensely in popularity over the last couple decades, so much so that the grape is one of the fastest growing internationally with new plantings worldwide trying to capture the enjoyment. It has made it more difficult to find good values however, at least ones that keep that classic coastal vibrance and character. We're happy to say this one may well over-deliver for the price. Quiet floral aromas with more pear and lime leaf and a pop of coastal salinity (especially right out of the fridge). Impressive juicy leesy body with tons of clean clear white fruits and just a tinge of minerality and skin tannin to provide a little energy on the finish. So cool and quenching when chilled, juicy and flavorful as it gets to room temperature. Find your sweet spot and slam it down!
 We enjoy a good crossover collaboration here, especially when the results are as excellent as they are here. But some of the more unexpected ones may need a bit of explaining; this wine has been here less than a week, and has been confused for a sake multiple times because of the label. This Spanish wine originated from a relationship between the winery and a restaurant in Japan looking to create a wine that would better marry with the extremely complex and often contrasting elements of their cuisine. A lot of traditional white Rioja is more aged on release and can show more oxidative qualities, but for this wine they are looking for more aromatic intensity first and foremost (the name 'Kaori' refers to scent and aromatics). Built from 100% old vine Viura and aged in mostly multi-use barrels, this does not disappoint on the promise of the name with lots of rich baked apple and musky melon, with some toasted vanilla from the oak at first that dissipates as the fruit opens up. The palate is creamy and rich with leesy fruit textures that deliver lots of complexity across the palate, but also pops in some natural skin tannin with the oak tones on the finish. Often the go-to for the more difficult food pairings with exotic spice palates will end up being whites with some sweetness to them, but this will do equally well with a much drier presentation. Bring on the most complex, spiced or umami-driven seafood and sauces you can find.
 Crazy hot next couple of days here in Virginia. Almost too hot for writing, but we'll power through. Definitely need to be strategic picking wines to drink, need to get something refreshing that will do well with a good chill on it (because it won't stay cold for long). This Portuguese white from the area made famous by Vinho Verde is just the ticket. Loureiro and Alvarinho are two of the backbone grapes for making Vinho Verde but are increasingly popular being made outside the lightly fizzy manner, actually making some great wines that ca be enjoyed all year round. Lower in alcohol (11.5%) but completely dry and racy on the nose and palate, lots of lime and laurel notes (Loureiro means 'bay leaf' in Portuguese) and superior zip in the mouth. The juice spends several months on the lees which really helps bring richness to the fruit and keeps any hard edges or austerity from showing through. If you let it open up there are more floral notes that appear from the Alvarinho, but on days like these you'll need to keep the bottle in the fridge between pours to get there. Great seafood pairing, keep this one in mind when it gets cooler as well.
 Most wine people know the name Copain as one of the trail blazer wineries of the 2000s, exploring and championing the cooler climates of the North Coast. Their single vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah lineup and minimalist/sustainability focused style has inspired dozens of new producers and lots of growers to explore these more remote sites. Unfortunately pretty much all of those wines are too expensive for us to do on a Thursday Insider's Pick. HOWEVER....Their Daybreak series are a delicious everyday option that delivers the skill and quality sources the winery is known for at a more approachable price point. The white is a full on 'kitchen sink' blend of at least 6 varieties (blend can vary vintage to vintage) including aromatic ones like Malvasia and Gewurztraminer, while others like Chardonnay and Riesling bring the body and acidity. Fresh and immediately floral from the first pour with lots of orange peel and magnolia blossom, the palate drinks a lot drier than the nose (especially with a chill to it), with some background acidity and a tart pink grapefruit tone to the finish. The more sugar-adverse of you out there should not be scared off from giving this a taste just because you saw Gewurztraminer in the blend, it's still drier than probably 95% of California Chardonnay out there. A delightfully fun wine perfect for Summertime enjoyment.
 At this time of year if we aren't already on vacation or planning a vacation, we're probably wishing we were somewhere on that vacation. Wines with a distinct sense of place can take our minds and palates all across the world, even when our bodies can't follow, and today we are off to the Greek island of Santorini. Perhaps the most famous and tourist-visited of the Greek islands, Santorini is the picture of the laid-back Mediterranean lifestyle, eating the freshest of seafood while drinking the local white wines, most famously made from the Assyrtiko grape. High demand and some tough years (for volume not quality) has pushed the pricing up for many Santorini wines, but this delivers on all its promises and more. Almost floral aromas of juicy pear and white citrus, but kept in check by some coastal salinity and tart lemon, giving the image of 'sunshine' but not 'blazing heat'. Plenty of leesy juiciness on the palate which really invites you to hold the wine in your mouth longer to enjoy the texture, then getting more and more of the zesty lemon-y cut on the palate for a longer and longer finish. If you've been to Santorini before you will be immediately transported back; if not it will be a very easy trip to make. Great with a chill to pair with any number of lighter seafood dishes and pastas.
 We don't usually feature the same winery in the Insider's Pick so closely together if we can help it. The goal is to spread the love around the store as much as possible to get the shine on all the great wines from all over the world. But this Rose coming in hot on the heels of the Ventoux Rouge is just too good to wait on any longer. The story is the same as last time: top producer in the region, elevating the standard well beyond its reputation yet still delivering excellent values, yadda yadda yadda. For their Rose they are taking their cues from Provence instead of Tavel or Lirac, and will absolutely win the Pepsi challenge with most any one you will find for the same price. Lovely salmon color in the glass and a huge pop of dried strawberry and watermelon from the very first pour. As it gets warmer out of the fridge temperatures it gets a bit of dried herb and salinity, never flowery but very energetic and refreshing. The palate is equally juicy and super-quenching with lots of dry penetrating savory fruit and some citrus twang that gets well through into the finish. This is a very lively Rose that holds your attention well after the flavors have left your palate. Can't have too much of this on hand for the Summer.
 A good liter sized bottle of wine is becoming an essential accessory as a party-goer these days, especially a white wine at this time of the year. It's always good to have that extra splash of juice in the bottle to top off everyone's glasses, and if you know where to look there can be some surprisingly special wines hiding in there. Collestefano is one of the top producers of Verdicchio in the Matelica region of the Marches, which along with Castelli di Jesi are the two premium DOCs for the variety. Castelli di Jesi is more coastal and influenced by the Adriatic with a more mineral and crisp style, white Matelica is a more landlocked interior valley, quite rural and built in a juicier more forward style. Like many producers here they only work with the Verdicchio grape and rarely deviate from more than 1-2 bottlings, maybe the occasional sparkling wine or older vine single vineyard if they're lucky enough to have it. This bottling is relatively new to the Collestefano lineup coming from newly planted estate vineyards and replanted parcels that aren't quite ready to go into their top wine, so the juice is 'declassified' to make a less expensive wine that's remarkable for all of its own reasons. Lighter and leaner than its big brother with a lovely pop of fresh lime and cool melon aromas, uncomplicated but fresh and inviting. The palate covers all the right notes for a Verdicchio with lots of zip and zest to the fruit and a touch of skin tannin dryness on the finish. Far more compelling than most whites going dollar for dollar, an absolute crusher for cookouts.
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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
March 2026
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