SELECT SIX FOR AUGUST 2017

2013 LAURENT COGNARD & Co. POUILLY-LOCHE 'AUX BARRES'
Every once in a while great deals land in your lap, even from an area like Burgundy where small volumes and tricky weather makes the deals few and far between. An 'end of vintage' discount brings us this wine from a well regarded producer in the most famous end of the Macon well under the $20. If anything this wine is drinking better than the newer vintages arriving soon, but needs to be out of the warehouse to avoid confusion. Big win for you the customer! Round and full white fruit aromas with custard-y rich notes, but very lively on the palate with most all the oak notes absorbed with the bit of extra time in the bottle and lots of citrus zest coming through. Polished enough to be enjoyed on its own, but at its best with creamy seafood dishes and scallops.
Regular Price $17.99, $15.29/case

2013 VINA TARAPACA CABERNET SAUVIGNON GRAN RESERVA
In the face of all the unusual and unique wines we love to feature in the Select Six and get people excited about, it pays to have a wine every once in a while that's easy for everyone to get behind. A really good Cabernet Sauvignon will deliver the goods every time. Chilean versions tend have more of a Bordeaux influence, providing more elegance and drier structure than the fruit forward New World style, but this seems to borrow a little from both worlds. On the nose the fruit hits a riper, darker side with lots of plum and currant fruit that are very open and approachable with hints of barrel and tobacco in the background. The palate hits with more of the Bordeaux structure in silky yet persistent tannin that give lots of dry savory flavors and earthy spice that deserve some hearty meat dishes to take on. Perhaps not the first choice for a Cab to sip on by itself, but a real winner to have at the dinner table.
Regular Price $17.99, $15.29/case

2016 QUINTA DE CHOCAPALHA ARINTO LISBOA
A new vintage for a favorite from last Fall. Most of the wine drinking population have not come across the Arinto grape, at least not knowingly. It's fairly widely planted in Portugal but usually appears in the background of blends like Vinho Verde due to its high natural acidity and lemony flavor profile. In the Southern end of Portugal towards Lisbon the temperatures are warmer, which helps lower the acidity and brings out more of the warmer fruits, but even then it is rare to find one that is particularly compelling. This producer deserves special attention as their use of older vines helps bring necessary richness to the palate that the wines usually lack. Zesty citrus and refreshingly tingly melon and pear aromas and flavors abound, extremely clean and zippy on the palate, almost bracingly so. A little bit outside the box, but that's where we like to be, and ideal to pair with seafood or citrus influenced poultry dishes.
Regular Price $12.99, $11.04/case

2016 LAURENT MIQUEL PERE et FILS CINSAULT-SYRAH ROSE
The refreshing character and elegant salmon color that has become the hallmarks for Provencal Rose is predominantly thanks to the Cinsault grape. When used in red wines the grape is more of a 'filler' used to create high volume wine or soften hearty edges, and generally shows off a more rustic edge than wines from Grenache or Syrah.But when treated properly with the intention of making quality Rose the acidity sparkles on the palate and the rustic edges disappear to show fresh strawberries and subtle savory edges. This bottling comes from a well regarded producer in the Languedoc, but the character and flavors are right out of the vineyards between Marseille and Nice. Pure clean aromas of fresh strawberries, nice weight on the palate for the price, and refreshingly crisp through the finish is more than you can expect from a Rose at this price, and should be a mainstay in most people's fridge through the end of the Summer if not beyond.
Regular Price $9.99, $8.49/case

2015 DOMAINE PLOUZEAU SAUVIGNON TOURAINE
In our opinion you can never have too many really good values in the store at a time, especially from a place like the Loire. Even for a grape as established and 'normal' as Sauvignon Blanc can find endless nuances pulled from the unique diversity of soils and at the hands of adventurous winemakers. The Plouzeau family is based in Chinon, better known for red wine production, but excels with Sauvignon Blanc as well. The soil types here are different than the main part of Touraine north of Tours, which brings a unique flavor palate to the wine along with their use of native yeast strains. Bright citrus and grapefruit aromas with a hint of savory tones from the native yeasts, the slightest pinprick of CO2 on the palate gives the citrus flavors extra intensity when first opened but softens as it opens up and shows off more softness with notes of mint and white fruits. This is a far more complex and entertaining wine than you usually expect to find from Touraine, and especially at this price.
Regular Price $14.99, $12.74/case

2014 SAN MARZANO MALVASIA NERA 'FALO'
Puglia represents the 'heel' part of the Italian boot, and has 4 millenia of wine growing history as it was among the first areas settled by the Greeks. Modern civilization (the last 600 years counts as 'modern' here) has not been favorable as they are cut off from the interior of Italy by the Apennines mountains and much of the cultural prosperity of cities like Florence, Rome, and Naples since the Renaissance. Many factors over the last few decades has seen growth and improvement in the Puglian wine industry, and those that are paying attention are finding many things to be excited about. The region is warmer than most of Italy, and the wines have a much spicier and forward character to them, so those that find most Italian reds too austere now have wines to explore. Several months ago we featured the 'baby brother' of this wine in the Select Six, the more famous Primitivo grape. Malvasia Nera is usually featured in blends, but this shows off the grape's deep dark blackberry and sweet cherry fruit, as well as surprisingly good acidity and structure which brings out the dark spice and oak tannins on the finish. An excellent wine for those that usually find the traditional Italian staples too earthy or acidic, and a delicious wine to match with grilled food or BBQ.
Regular Price $17.99, $15.29/case

These wines regularly sell for $91.94
For Select Six August they are $78.99
You Save $12.95!
Select Six White (2 of each white) is $78.99
Select Six Red (2 of each red) is $78.99
Pick any three different bottles and get 10% off!