2016 DR. HEYDEN OPPENHEIMER RIESLING KABINETT 'DRY-STYLE'
Often in the world of wines, vintages are determined to be 'great' base on how well the most prized and/or highest end wines turn out. 2015 was outstanding in Germany, and deservedly so, with a large number of wines in the Spatlese and Auslese levels of ripeness that are hard to pass up. It is a vintage that will live for decades in many drinker's cellars. 2016 will likely be viewed as a very good vintage, but most of the quality comes from the Kabinett level, and the great charm comes from the more immediately approachable wines like this one versus the aging wines. Where the label says 'dry style', it would more traditionally be labeled as 'halbtrocken', or half-dry, but it honestly drinks closer to a true Trocken. Pure clean white fruits on the nose and palate with no signs of cloying sweetness, and a vibrant acidity on the palate that gives the flavor great energy. Do not let the low price point fool you, this is a small estate grown bottling with lots of individuality in it's flavor. Regular Price $13.99, $11.89/case 2016 TRE SECOLI BRACHETTO d'ACQUI Brachetto d'Acqui is the dark grape sibling of Moscato d'Asti, made in the same style and with a similar level of sweetness. Many out there would think this is too sweet of a wine for them hearing it's similarity to a Moscato. But if you get is as a Select Six, it's a wine that deserves you to go out of your way and find a reason to enjoy it. The juicy cherry and blackberry fruit are given a cocoa powder tannin from the grape skins that provide just a touch of dryness to the finish, and the light carbonation give the flavors that freshness you get when biting into the fruit itself. The low alcohol make it IDEAL for brunch with fresh fruits (cherries, blueberries, etc more-so than citrus or tropical fruits) and absolutely anything with a chocolate ingredient. Do not write this off as a sugary wine! It's a great wine that just happens to have sweetness. Regular Price $13.99, $11.89/case 2014 CHATEAU d'EPIRE SAVENNIERES Savennieres is one of the more exclusive addresses in the Loire, with fewer than 30 producers working the roughly 400 acres of vines along the northwest back of the river. Among these precious few are names like Nicolas Joly and Domaine Baumard, considered among the most influential wine names in modern French viticulture. Their style of dry Chenin Blanc is more intensive than those from Vouvray, and tend to shy away from the honeyed tones. It is rare to have the opportunity to present one at a price that fits into the Select Six, so we hope people grab on with both hands! Chateau d'Epire among the few estates to have enough volume to construct a 'value' Savennieres bottling, which will introduce you to all the tiny appellation's unique character. Cool coastal aromas and citrus skin on the nose that get richer and more melon influenced as the wine opens up, with a fuller and more powerful flavor than the aromas would have you expect. Lots of acidity behind the fruit on the palate that gives the wine an exceptionally long and complex finish, helping it stand up to a broad array of rich seafood and poultry dishes. Regular Price $19.99, $16.99/case 2014 CHATEAU PERAYNE BORDEAUX SUPERIEURE With more and more information coming out about the devastating frost that hit Bordeaux and much of Europe in 2017 (large portions of the region with at least 50% loss of crops), it's a good time for Bordeaux drinkers to plan ahead by looking backwards at the strong recent vintages. Not only will there be much less to choose from of decent quality when they come out, but the damage was such that 2018 will most likely be a very limited crop size as well (people with perennial flowering plants know how pruning them at the wrong time drastically reduces the number of flowers the next season. Same concept). All the more reason to explore the bounty of high quality the 2014 and 2015 vintages provided. 2015 is a bigger, juicier vintage that gets a lot of press, but 2014 is quietly exciting especially for those that like a more structured and traditional Bordeaux like this. Half Merlot with the balance primarily Cabernet Franc with a chunk of Cabernet Sauvignon, this could be described as 'sneaky delicious'. Immediate classic Bordeaux aromas of dark berry and currants, with the Cab Franc component coming through as it opens with more red flowers and tartness. The palate has polish on the first sip, but the Cab Sauv element brings nice structure that stays present even as the wine opens up and the fruit gets richer on the palate. Starting to show plenty of enjoyment in its youth, this will do well in the cellar for those looking for a selection of great values to pop again and again over the next decade. Regular Price $14.99, $12.74/case 2012 FONTANASSA GAVI This marks the return of a favorite winery we haven't had in the store for a while. Many frequent customers will recognize the artistic style on the label from the Gavi we carried from Fontanassa before, called Ca' Adua. This bottling is from a more mature vineyard, and is built to be a little more intense and 'serious' than Gavi is usually created. You don't often taste a Gavi built to not just survive but actually thrive with several years or more in the bottle, but this bottling has a track record of doing well for over a decade past vintage. Lots of zesty orange citrus and white fruits on the nose, and loads of energy on the palate despite being 5 years past the vintage. Extended time on the lees before bottling picked up a lot of complexity and body that gives the flavor more of a richer melon and pithy fruit than usual. Often Gavi is more simplistic a wine, but this will hold up well to complex dishes and surprise even the most particular of wine drinkers. Regular Price $15.99, $13.59/case 2015 ALPHONSE DOLLY PINOT NOIR 'LES DOIGTS d'OR' Sancerre is best known by far for the production of Sauvignon Blanc over Pinot Noir, so much so that many would be surprised that as much as 20% of the region is planted to Pinot Noir (thinking that number would seem quite high). In truth, the second most compelling wine from Sancerre is usually the Rose based on Pinot Noir more-so than the reds. So to find a full blooded Pinot Noir from Sancerre that is not only quite good but an excellent value is stunning, especially as most consumers continue to fight the battle of finding Bourgogne styled Pinots without spending Bourgogne prices. Blended with some fruit from just outside the appellation keeps this wine from being called a Sancerre Rouge, but the minerality behind the fruit is indication of where it's from. A nice dark color for a Pinot Noir and it shows off nice darker cherry tones and red fruits on the nose. The chalky minerality give the palate a bit of a stronger tannin feel at first but evolves into something softer and quite elegant, keeping the dark fruits on the nose polished and pleasing on the palate. Fans of the French style of Pinot Noir should be all over giving this a try. Regular Price $16.99, $14.44/case These wines regularly sell for $95.94 For Select Six July they are $81.99 You Save $13. 95! Select Six White (2 of each white) is $84.99 Select Six Red (2 of each red) is $78.99 Pick any three different bottles and get 10% off!
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Seasonal Picks at a Great PriceEach month we pick six fantastic wines and give them to you at an even better price when purchased together CategoriesArchives
September 2018
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