INSIDER'S PICK: 2018 EL ENEMIGO CHARDONNAY MENDOZA (Wine Advocate/Vinous 93points) $28.99

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.

During our anniversary special this month, we also like to break out some wines for the Insider's Pick that step things up a notch in quality, but still do things a little bit outside the norm as we always like to do here. This is a Chardonnay that definitely brings the unusual into play, while still maintaining traditional appeal and brilliance. The El Enemigo project comes from the winemaking tree of Catena Zapata, where so many advancements and top wines in Argentina have evolved from over the last few decades. Alejandro Vigil is the chief winemaker at Catena Zapata, and Adrianna Catena is a daughter of winery founder Nicolas Catena (also the namesake for one of Catena's most famous vineyards). Together they created this project to step outside the more traditional restraints of winemaking at Catena Zapata and experiment won a smaller scale with some more unique ideas. For the Chardonnay, they allow/encourage the development of flor in the barrels, a layer of yeast that creates a natural oxygen barrier in the barrel and dramatically changes the acidity and flavor development. Most famously the flor is used in making traditional Sherry and is most prevalent in the Fino and Manzanilla styles, but also plays a part in the distinct white wines from the Jura region. Vibrant gold in color, the aromas are equally energetic with lots classic Chardonnay white fruits and rich pear notes, but also a spice and nuttiness from the flor, almost saline, just hanging out in the background where the more vanilla toasty notes would sit from new oak. The palate is quite broad and mouthfilling, but the acidity retained by the flor takes all the cloying texture out of the picture, finishing quite dry and tangy. Not quite Burgundy, not quite California, still very much Chardonnay, and absolutely brilliant with richer seafood dishes where the acidity can cut through like a hot knife.

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