INSIDER'S PICK: 2018 LIOCO CHARDONNAY SONOMA COUNTY $25.99

At a time like this, it's pretty much impossible to be 'normal'. But it is important to try and keep what you can as close to normal as you can while you can. 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 on Thursday and Friday. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

Building on the theme from last week of Californian producers that break down the stereotypical concepts of their wines, we have one of the top names in the movement to make vibrant, understated wines in the state. Lioco was started about 15 years ago by two restaurant professionals who were weary of the overall perceived style of Californian wines and the lack of choices that really offered anything different. Another part of their mission statement was to focus on responsible growers that farmed as naturally as possible. Sourcing fruit from across California but with a focus on the North Coast region, their wine catalog features many great sites and undiscovered gems that help them to deliver exactly the type of wines they sought so many years ago. This is their entry level Chardonnay blended from several sustainable/ organic/ biodynamic sites in Sonoma County, and is a great introduction not only into their style but the idea of the 'naturalist' hands-off style of winemaking. Aged on the lees in a combination of tank and larger neutral oak tanks, this is about as zesty a Chardonnay as you will find in most vintages, but the mild weather of 2018 really allowed them to build an amplified version of their vision. Vibrant citrus peel and lemon curd aromas on the nose mix with pear and white flower notes, even some cool herbal tones. On the palate the lees aging and malolactic fermentation bring some weight and texture to the fresh citrus and rindy melon flavors, but doesn't weigh them down with buttery notes, just amps them up. This is also a white wine that definitely benefits from some decanting or time open, boosting the aromatics and seemingly adding weight to the mouthfeel.Ideal to match with most any richer fish or white meat dish, able to handle strong herbs, salty and citrusy ingredients with relative ease. 

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