May 2020 Newsletter

NO TASTINGS or CLASSES IN MAY.

The Store will be open and maintain normal hours.
We offer curbside and delivery service.
Please see the spotlight section of our website for a partial list of available wines.
May is usually one of our favorite wine months. Rosé-a-Palooza is a May event and one of our largest. Events like that are becoming memories and, even after this little jerk is suppressed, (no, we won’t completely eliminate him or his mutations) one wonders if we will ever be comfortable standing shoulder to shoulder at a wine tasting or at any event. May was also the first time,10 years ago, that we introduced our Short Sips class series, that squeezed people together in our fine wine room for a tasting and class. One good sneeze covers the whole room so it’s not likely we will be holding classes anytime in the foreseeable future. But, generally, we are holding up well, as we hope you are and we long for  a time when we don’t need to triangulate distances in a grocery store or wake up wondering if we used hand sanitizer before we scratched our nose. We include here a PDF of our May 2010 newsletter as it reminded us of a better time, ten years ago: our 1st Rosé-a-Palooza, our first Short Sips and our first “natural” wine tasting. Stay safe.
May_10_newsletter.pdf

Notes on the new Normal

We are open and, at present, holding to our normal hours.
You may visit us to shop BUT you must follow the protocols posted on the back and front entrances. If you are shopping for better wines and, perhaps, some cheese we believe we are a safer option than a large chain store.
You may order from this newsletter which has some special discounts or
You may order from the spotlight section of our website,
Place your order by phone or e-mail and pay by phone.
We offer Curbside pick-up and
FREE delivery (in our delivery area) for orders over $100.

WINE Pacs ( Ok, Ok we’re not cool enough for “Pacs”, We’ll put the “k” back in.) “Packs”

This month, amidst this ongoing weirdness and misery, we thought we would bundle 3 selected wines together in Pacs, sorry Packs and offer them at a reduced pack rate. We picked 3 bottles because, well, because 3 bottles are a good fit in our paper bags. If, for some reason, do not want one of the selected packs, you may pick any three wines (or more) from the offerings below and save 10%.

RP1 (RED Pack ONE)
2012 Haut Bourcier Blaye, Cotes de Bordeaux, France Located directly across the Gironde river from Ch. Latour (Ok, I know it means nothing relative to quality but at least you get a sense of where Blaye is located.) this is a terrific value Bordeaux with black fruits and cassis, it’s full bodied with supple tannins. $17.99
2018 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi Rosso DOC, Italy – An iconic DOC using the grape Piedirosso from volcanic soil near Mt. Vesuvius “The Tears of Christ on Vesuvius” has berry and spice aromas with flavors of juicy cherry, raspberry & black pepper along with supple tannins & fresh acidity.  $23.99
2018 Braai Cabernet Sauvignon, South Africa - “This leans more toward elegance than power, with cherry and rose hip notes… (WS) $10.99                 Regular price: $52.97   Pack price $36.99     SAVE 30%

RP2 (RED Pack Two)
2015 Alain Jaume & Fils Domaine Grand Veneur Lirac Clos de Sixte, Rhone, France – “It’s a serious, large scaled, voluptuous effort that that has lots of ripe tannin, a big mid-palate and copious amounts of blackberries, black cherries, scorched earth, licorice and roasted herbs. One of the bigger boned and concentrated reds in the lineup, it will have a decade of longevity” WA 267 $22.99
2017 Vina Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, CA-“…delivers loads of Paso Robles richness at a fair price, starting with lush aromas of black cherry, caramel & mocha cream. The palate starts soft & inviting, with more cherry & caramel, then firms up with tighter tannins & penetrating acidity.” (WE) $22.99
2006 Conde de Hervias ‘Mencos’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa, Spain - “ Complex, perfumed bouquet evokes dried cherry, vanilla, incense & candied rose, along with a smoky topnote. Juicy and focused on the palate, with bitter cherry and cassis flavors spreading out & gaining sweetness with air. Shows very good energy and clarity on the long smoke & spice-accented finish, which is framed by smooth, harmonious tannins.” (Vinous 9/14)  $24.99 Reg. price: $71.97 Pack Price: $53.99 SAVE 25%!

WP1 (White Pack One)
2018 Mastroberardino Falanghina del Sannio, Campania, Italy - aromas of ripe pineapples and citrus fruits are complemented by undertones of white flowers.  On the palate, zesty acidity and persistent notes of honeysuckle and toasted almond make for a definite crowd-pleaser. $17.99
2017 Chalk Hill Russian River Chardonnay, CA. - Produced at the winery from selected Russian River plots. This is balanced and bright with concentrated flavors of creamy lemon custard, poached pear, almond and spice. A rich, classic Cali Chard – quick, boil the lobster! $14.99 (no further discounts)
2018 Chartron et Trebuchet Bourgogne Chardonnay, Burgundy, France - From a great vintage, with aromas of dried fruits and white flowers. Aged 8 months; 50% in oak barrels & 50% in stainless steel tanks. The stainless tanks bring fruitiness & freshness whereas the oak barrels bring structure & roundness. $18.99 Reg. Price: $51.97 Pack price: $35.99 SAVE 30%

WP2 (White Pack Two)
2015 Domaine Capuano-Ferreri & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet Cuvee Prestige, Cote de Beaune, France “Very stony and a little austere on the nose. Just a slight leesy creaminess. And a creamy intensity on the palate, rounded but with a bright freshness taking it to a long finish. Very moreish.” Jancis Robinson $44.99
2017 Arterberry Maresh Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, USA - “a lovely, open-knit nose of honeycomb, orange blossom, apple pie, crushed hazelnuts, clotted cream, baked peaches, hay and a unique umami-like undercurrent. The palate is medium-bodied and silky, tethered by tangy acidity & a hint of phenolic texture, finishing long and nuanced with incredible tension and energy.” $29.99
2018 Domaine de la Chezatte Sancerre, Loire, France -  bright and refreshing, with aromas and flavors of lemon, lime & apple, with a subtle mineral note & a mouth-watering finish. $26.99 Reg. Price: 101.97   Pack price: $79.99 SAVE 20%

NATURAL PACK
2019 Chateau Guilhem ‘Pot de Vin’ Rouge, Vin de France, France – (100% Merlot) a simple, natural southern French wine from biodynamically grown fruit, fermented with native yeast and with a negligible dose of SO2. Fresh and smooth with notes of red fruits and plums; it finishes smooth with mild tannins. $14.99                                                                
2016 Cantina Marilina ‘Sikele’ Grecanico Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily, Italy -  Organic grapes macerate for 13 hours of skin contact before pressing. Wine is vinified in concrete tanks with native yeast and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Golden yellow with notes of almond straw and lemon with crispy acidity.  $18.99
2018 Domaine des Cognettes Pinot Noir, IGP Val De Loire - Organically farmed since 2009, fermented and bottled with minimal intervention, this polished, clean Pinot has ripe red fruits & good density as a result of the wonderful 2018 vintage.  $15.99                                                      
Reg. Price: 49.97   Pack price: $42.99 SAVE 15%

PINOT PACK
2017 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir – A rich, meaty red with a dense fruit character showing earthy, berry aromas joined by mouth-filling flavors of plum & bitter chocolate on the palate. Aged 18 mo. in French barrels, 1/3 new.  $24.99
2016 Bouchard Pere & Fils Pommard, Cote de Beaune, France- “A perfumed and softly floral nose speaks of dark raspberry, earth and a hint of oak. There is excellent volume to the tighter and more precise middle weight flavors that possess excellent richness and mid-palate density while offering excellent complexity and persistence on the youthfully austere finish. This is an excellent Pommard villages though one that will require at least a few years of patience first. $39.99
2015 Francis Tannahill The Hermit Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, USA- “Lovely herbal accents over a core of bramble berry, crushed blackcurrant and warm black cherries with layers of violet perfume and warm earth. Medium to full-bodied, it’s packed with ripe, lush fruit in the mouth, with firm, grainy tannins and very juicy, mouthwatering acidity, finishing long with blue fruit and perfume. This is hedonistic and delicious.” (WA #238)  $39.99 Reg. Price: $104.97 Pack price: $88.99 SAVE 15%

ROSÉ PACK
2019 Romain Duvernay AOP Costières de Nîmes Rosé, Rhone Valley, France – A Côtes du Rhône blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault with ripe red fruits and green apples all mixed with Provençal herbs. Medium bodied, balanced and delicious.  $12.99
2019 Dom. de La Navarre “Sacrifice”, AOP Côtes-de-Provence Rosé, Fr.- A lovely Provençal Rosé with an ironic name. A blend of Grenache Tibouren & Mourvedre with notes of strawberry & yellow pit fruit with great texture & balance.  $16.99
2019 Tegernseerhof Mittelbach Zweigelt Rosé, Wachau, Austria – Always one of our favorites, this is a fresh, crisp dry Rosé with ripe berry fruits notes and an easy drinking style with a lip smacking finish. $14.99
Reg. Price: $44.97   Pack price: $33.99 SAVE 25%

MONTHLY SPECIALS