 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 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.
This is a great wine we get the privilege to feature, not just because of the quality for the price or the distinct character, but because it is truly important for what it means to the identity of the region. The Boca wine region was at one time one of the most important in the northern Piedmont, on par with its neighbor Gattinara and considered the equal of Barolo and Barbaresco. After World War II, the rural agricultural economy was gutted by the next few generations moving to Milan and other industrial centers looking for jobs. As recently as the 1990s there was less than 50 acres of vines remaining in the entire appellation. The group that started Le Piane sought to revitalize Boca at its lowest point, first purchasing about 2 acres of one of the oldest remaining stands of Nebbiolo, then slowly buying other parcels and replanting new ones. This wine represents the classic regional 'field blend' using Nebbiolo, Vespolina and Croatina; because of their early work preserving original parcels, they also have a site of rare mixed varieties interplanted and harvested together used in the blend as well.It's a fun bit of mystery to see on the wine breakdown '15% of 9 other grape varieties and also white grapes'. Because of that uniqueness this is a wine that is all but impossible to replicate. Loads of savory dark fruits with unique aromatics of dried spice and tobacco alongside slight whiffs of citrus and white fruits, very fine tannins with a soft rustic flavor, this isn't a blockbuster type but subtly beautiful. A tasty pairing with gamey or mushroomy meats and pastas.
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 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 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.
Along with the special case pricing we do during our Anniversary Special, we like to break out a few nicer than usual wines to feature in the Insider's Pick, some extra-special treats that usually wouldn't show up here. In the case of this wine, it's also one that is a little closer to our hearts. Not everyone may prefer the style of Sauvignon Blanc that comes from the Loire, but Sancerre is without a doubt very singular within the region. It is one of the most distinct lessons in the concept of terroir, one of the first places where many learning about wine (myself certainly included) said 'Wow, there is definitely something going on 'here' that just isn't happening anywhere else around it.' And I can honestly say that, in the entire time that the Wine Warehouse has been open, there has been MAYBE 2-3 vintages of this wine that we have not had in he store. MAYBE. This is a Sancerre icon (along with Vatan and the two Cotat brothers) , with family roots as growers back to the 14th century and vineyards on the premium chalky slopes of Chavignol. Short of the rare and expensive single site bottlings from the best producers, this is as true as you get in Sancerre; vibrant, tingly on the palate with loads of white fruits and hints of chalky dustiness, mouth-filling yet completely refreshing. A perfect special occasion wine for this time of 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 on Thursday and Friday. 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.
The weather is starting to mandate a little extra Rose action, which works out just fine as more and more excellent ones finally start making their way into the marketplace. Provence is of course one of the signature regions in the world for Rose, and once the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco GP get into full swing the Rose flows more freely than the water. Lots of good stuff, but as always lots more very ordinary stuff as well, so you should still make sure you're buying from good producers. Figuiere is a moderate sized organically run estate in the sub-district of La Londe, and their Mediterranee line comes from nearby contracted growers; technically the Mediterranee IGP covers a mighty wide area and can make for very nondescript wines, but this is true Provencal Rose in every aspect. Super clean and fresh with bright acidity that pops on the nose with aromas of peeled citrus and strawberry leaf, quenching on the palate showing lots of mouth-watering flavor with almost a hint of salinity to the finish. Classic character that delivers great value, and while we are rarely suckers for a label........c'mon, this literally screams for poolside enjoyment.  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 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.
Many choices of Rose to be had for Memorial Day, wanted to offer one out that may not get as much recognition as it should at first look. A lot of people would look at this label and think 'Cassis? Like Creme de Cassis? Must be sweet.' That famously sweet blackcurrant liqueur was created originally in Burgundy, while this dry Rose comes from the Mediterranean Coast near the town of Cassis. So no relations there. If anything, Cassis has the most in common with its neighbor Bandol just to the East, with a similar port and amphitheater-style hills surrounding the city, framed by one of the largest bluffs on the coastline. The soil in Cassis is heavier with limestone than in Bandol, which has made it more attuned to making white wines and Roses. Quality here is consistently higher than most Cotes de Provence out there, there just aren't that many producers so we don't 'know' them as well as we should. Fresh strawberry and citrus skins on the nose, crisp almost to the point of showing some salinity on the palate with lots of quenching watermelon and cherry skin coming through, and a lengthy refreshing finish. This will stand up to lots of foods because of the body and fresh acidity, as well as be super refreshing chilled down on its own.  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 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.
Even though Puglia is one of the oldest wine growing cultures in Italy, now working into its 5th millennia, it's one of the least recognized and followed by modern consumers. After the European phylloxera epidemic in the late 1800s devastated the vineyards, the region was slow to replant, and the largely agricultural zone felt heavy pressures after both WWI and WWII that slowed their development even further. In recent years most of the world has grow familiar with their most prevalent and successful grapes Negroamaro and Primitivo, but there are still secrets there to unearth. Susumaniello is among the lowest planted varietals in the region, but has seen a considerable bump in popularity as more focus has come to embracing native varieties. This isn't just a fun wine because of the rarity, but because it's REALLY good, a noticeable step up from the winery's more everyday Negroamaro and Salice Salentino. Where many of the wines here are juicy but a bit simple, Susumaniello is deeper and more complex, layering in more black fruits and spice, even a bit of tannic structure in with the polished mouthfeel. Loads of warm raspberry and blackberry on the nose with pepper and dried spices, very fleshy on the palate but not cloying thanks to the fine tannin that allows a bit of savory tones to get in and firms up the finish. It has a bit of a character like a classic California 'Field Blend' that has a fair mix of other varieties in the vineyard that provide another layer to a mostly Zinfandel base. A great match with grilled foods and spicier rubs or smoked meats.  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 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.
The high times for Rose wines is getting into full swing, and there will surely be many options for big fun and inexpensive values. It's important to us to feature this one when we can, not just because we love everything Bedrock, but because it's among the most 'serious' Roses going, and this level of artistry deserves recognition. The name is in honor of Lulu Peynaud, historical matriarch of Domaine Tempier in Bandol, who is considered THE preeminent source of great Rose since they first bottled one in 1943. The high percentages of Mourvedre give these wines distinct acidity and intensity not found in most Provencal Roses, which is what Bedrock looks to emulate. The team at Bedrock use specific old blocks of Mourvedre and Grenache (some over 100 years old) that could easily be utilized in wines more than twice the price, but are dedicated to harvesting them early to preserve the acidity and making a wine worthy of its namesake. The nose is always a tight combination of both red and white fruits, some high tone citrus, and even some Provencal herbal notes (may be a form of synesthesia brought on by the background story, but I'm going with it). On the palate is where this shines so much more than others, with penetrating acidity and a sense of structure usually absent in a Rose, giving lots of fruit skin texture to the flavors, even a touch of salinity to the lengthy finish, always a big flavor without feeling thick in the mouth or heavy in any way. A great food wine that stands up to tuna steaks and cedar plank grilled salmon, and actually keeps quite well for several years after vintage, though not to the epic lengths of its namesake.  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 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.
Pretty much since the inception of the Virginia wine industry, Gabriele Rausse has been an important name as a viticulturist, winemaker, and general source of wisdom. Even this far along in his career, you can also add the term 'innovator' with the wines from the Vino Dal Bosco project. The wines here follow a lot of the 'natural wine' movement while still displaying traditional flavors and character, creating unique wines (especially in Virginia) without being oddballs. These projects see a lot of effort and love in their production, the only drawback being they tend to be done in fairly small volumes, so they can come and go fairly quickly. This Malvasia technically falls into the 'orange' or 'amber wine' category, in that it sees nearly two weeks on its skins during fermentation, but the pale skins don't create any color change, nor does the 4 months aging in small amphora under no sulfites. It does create a much drier and lower alcohol character to the wine that usually found with Malvasia, and makes for a truly fascinating glass. Lovely perfume of Spring flowers and pulpy white fruits as soon as it's opened, but you also get the note of grapeskin which tempers the fragrance and keeps it from registering too much sweetness. There's nice body from the time on the skins and amphora aging, and nice acidity giving freshness to the fruit on the palate giving the flavors distinctly crisper character that the aromas may have let on. The finish is lean and clean, almost minty in coolness especially when there is a nice chill on it, and this goes down so easily it won't have time to warm up. A great warm weather sipper for those that want something a little different, and awesome to pair with lightly spiced seafood like a fish taco or fresh ceviche.  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 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.
White wines from the Cotes du Rhone went through an unfortunate slump in popularity, and there was a stretch in time where many sites were uprooted in favor of planting more red varieties. It's hard to find much that's really exciting and distinctive, even from some of our favorite small producers. We devour most everything we can get from Bastide Saint Dominique up and down their lineup, but even their basic Cotes du Rhone Blanc is in all too small a percentage of their production. This is he type of wine we wish we could From a single site with an average vine age of @30 years, Viognier is the primary grape in this blend with equal portions of Grenache Blanc and Clairette making up the balance. Lots of floral and tropical fruit to the nose from the Viognier, but tempered by some green citrus and cool melon tones. The palate has some of the plush fruit from the Viognier, but carries nice energy and citrus zest, freshening the finish with some clean lingering acidity. A tasty option for all kinds of Spring time meals and outdoor activities.  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 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.
The natural wine movement has taken hold, even in countries with several millennia of cultivation like Greece. One of the things these types of wines do exceptionally well is to help breathe new life into underappreciated and forgotten varieties. Roditis is a native grape to the Peloponnese peninsula, historically best known for its blended us in making Retsina, but rarely featured on its own. Popularity has rebounded as more consumers look to find lighter, less alcoholic and more naturally acidic wines, which Roditis brings very well especially when planted in the cooler mountainous vineyards. This version feels like it learned some of the important lessons from the great Muscadet producers in the Loire, getting extra texture from their older vines by giving them more time on their lees before bottling. Not quite as much seashell and lean fruit found here as a Muscadet, but lots of clean fresh lemon and high energy citrus to the nose and palate, a touch of salinity and native yeast, but mostly clean and refreshing through the racy finish. This is probably at its best with a little bit of extra chill to really bring out the zesty character, while the fruit gets a bit softer as it warms Great for pool parties to mix it up, as well as light and briny seafood dishes.  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 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.
The DNA of the Catena family is prevalent all over our Argentina selections, from their estate wines, value series under the Tilia name, and various spin-off projects from family members and long time employees striking out on their own. They are truly one of the most influential names in Argentinian winemaking, especially when it comes to exploring vineyards at higher altitudes. The more extreme growing conditions here stresses the vines and intensifies the resulting wines, most notably in their single vineyard/single parcel series of reds and whites, which are considered among the very best from the Southern Hemisphere. Their 'Appellation' series examines the same concept but at a more general and affordable look at individual varieties. This white is the newest entry in that series; a bit of a tweak in that it isn't a true single area, but a blend of common soil types dominated by clay. Inspired by the White Bordeaux style with Semillon dominating and a notable presence of French barrel aging, the tweak is using Chenin Blanc instead of Sauvignon Blanc that really plays up the waxy, honeyed richness in both varieties. Lots of golden fruit, barrel notes and beeswax to the nose, very lush and intensely promising, with an equal amount of weight and power to the palate. Surprisingly, the creamy citrus texture has very good acidity born from the higher altitudes that cuts through the finish to bring out some nice citrus tones and keeps the wine from feeling anywhere close to cloying of flabby, A great pairing with creamier seafood dishes or a saucy pork loin. |
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
October 2022
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