Domaine La Ligiere 2022 Vacqueyras “Le Chemin Blanc” Certified Organic! Domaine La Ligière is situated in Beaumes de Venise, in southeastern France, about 50 straight-line miles from the Mediterranean. The land has been in the family since 1896 when it was a mixed-crop farm, raising silkworms. The property’s unique terroir led Maurice Bernard to plant grape vines in the 1950s with the fruit going to a cooperative. Today, Domaine La Ligière is a biodynamic and certified organic winery with 60 hectares of vines spread between four appellations. The blanc is grown in the Vacqueyras appellation, and is a blend of Clairette and Roussanne, fermented with wild yeasts. Firm, long mouth with notes of wet asphalt lending to fresh minerality, and vanilla-kissed peach and pear.

Champagne Moutard NV Climat Richardot Vieilles Vignes The star of this pack: new Champagne Moutard single vineyard! Where do we start? This Buxeuil-based producer sports a backwoods vibe in the best of ways. They own probably half the town (our guess) with underground tunnels that pop you up in random buildings, all of which are loaded up with foudres, tanks, and barrels. One of our favorite Champagne houses, walking through their doors is like entering another world both in terms of human culture and in terms of what is inside the bottle. Everything is a bit different in the Côte des Bar. Allow us to show you with this wine… 100% Pinot Noir, 45 year old site called “Richardot” in Buxeuil on clay-limestone soils. South Exposition. Guyot pruning, sustainable farming. Lots of red and black fruit. Very gastronomic.

Viu Manent 2024 Secreto Viognier After nearly 100 years this firm is still family owned and operated (a rarity in Chile, especially for a winery of this size), all farming is certified sustainable, and two of Chile’s top names consult with the winery on a permanent basis – Roberto Pizarro (vineyard management) and Paul Hobbs (winemaking). Secreto means “Secret” because up to 15% of the wine has up to 15% of a “Secret Blend” that is only known by the Winemaker. This Viognier presents a brilliant light greenish-yellow color. Its intense, fresh flavors recall flowers and white fruits, citrus, apricots, cherimoya, and other exotic fruits. The palate is tense and vibrant yet delicate, complex, and well balanced with a pleasing finish.

Bodegas Naia Rueda 2022 Verdejo Started in 2002, Bodegas Naia had a straightforward purpose: making high quality white wines using grapes from old, indigenous Verdejo vines. The experiment worked. The winery has succeeded in making some of the best Verdejo in the world, and its affordable Naia is no exception. The fresh, well-structured Naia, a 100 percent Verdejo wine, is an excellent, straw-yellow-colored wine with flavors and aromas of peaches and apricots. Naia goes well with fish and seafood or just to sip on its own any time of year. We recently tried it with a rich chicken, chickpea and artichoke soup, and it complemented the dish beautifully!

Airfield Estates 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Airfield Estates is a family owned and operated winery and vineyard situated in the heart of the Yakima Valley – Washington State’s oldest established AVA. For four generations, their family has been farming in this region. They planted their first wine grapes in 1968, but prior to its farming days, Airfield Estates operated as a training base for hundreds of Army Air Corps pilots during World War II. The airbase closed in 1944, and the airplane hangars and other buildings were auctioned off to the Miller family for $1. The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing, light-bodied wine with vibrant tropical citrus fruit aromas. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, lime zest, and layers of fresh lemongrass dominate the nose. On the palate, bright acidity highlights undertones of mandarin peel and a hint of minerality.

Weingut Helenental 2023 Zweigelt Rose Our first 1L bottle! The roots of today’s Helenental Kelleri (winery) can be found in the former Retz-Röschitz wine cooperative, founded in 1942 in Weinviertel, Austria’s largest specific wine-growing region (14,001 hectares). The winery is located in the village of Röschitz in the district of Horn in the state of Lower Austria, just 10 miles from the Czech border. This rose delivers authentic flavors of the region by highlighting indigenous varietals from Röschitz, such as this Zweigelt. On the palate it has fruit forward flavors of cranberries and dark cherries with refreshing acidity. Well balanced and easy to drink.

Ad Fines 2011 Gracchus Ad Fines, which means “at the borders” in Latin, was the name of a stage station near the estate. The name referred to the borders between the tribes of Cavaillon and those of Apt. The name was chosen to reflect the philosophy of going “to the frontiers” of quality. Michel Rocher is passionate about fine wine and is doing everything possible to best express this particular terroir. His objective is to produce wines of great aromatic complexity, finesse, and elegance that are capable of long aging. 89% Syrah, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. With fourteen years in bottle as current release, this will surprise and delight anyone we hand it to. Tobacco, bacon fat, and bay leaf notes balanced by a core of cassis and darker berry fruits. Medium to full-bodied, with solid texture as well as concentration, it’s now mature yet opens up nicely with time in the glass. Drink over the next 7-8 years.

Sin Complejos 2018 Organic Toro Tempranillo Organically farmed old vine (40+ years) Tempranillo from Toro. Easy drinking, amazing value Toro wine offering incredible complexity. There is a rich ripe depth to the aromatics with hits of fresh black fruits rounded off by spicy toasty notes. The body is well-balanced with good structure from soft tannins and fresh acidity. The depth of ripe fruit gives it a full rich mouth feel.

Vignalta 2016 Merlot Riserva “Colli Euganei” In the middle of the Euganean hills, in the municipalities of Arquà Petrarca, Baone, Cinto Euganeo and Teolo, this Vignalta wine comes to life. Vignalta, which means “high vines,” is located at a high elevation. Gomiero currently has 55 hectares (123 acres) in different plots on south facing slopes of the Colli Euganei. This Riserva is produced from Gemola. a single-vineyard wine from this “little gem” of a vineyard on Gemola hill. The superior-quality fruit, grown on decomposed lava rock, is the flagship of Vignalta, having received the Tre Bicchieri honor 10 times. It is an elegant wine with black fruit notes, such as boysenberry, and sweet notes, such as cedar. Smooth, special, delicious.

Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières 2022 CDR Rouge Who doesn’t love an intense, mineral-rich Rhone sourced from vines growing on the fluviatile alluvium of the quaternary?!? Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières is a very old family estate, whose name comes from a place of pilgrimage visited by the Provençal people in the middle ages who believed that the fountain on the property would protect them from the plague. Claude Roux and his cousin Jean-Pierre have so many generations of Gigondas wine-making experience in their family that they don’t know exactly how many of their relatives have been involved up to now – Antique writings suggest that this Domain existed in the 900’s. Fortunately, this tradition is continuing with Claude’s children, Isabelle and Julien, gradually taking over the day-to-day responsibilities of farming, production, and administration. When asked about their methods they smile and explain that they are simply following the traditional methods of the family members that came before them.

Chateau Redon 2019 Bordeaux Rouge The Ducourt family’s philosophy is to use traditional methods and modern techniques to produce authentic and affordable wines that respect the environment and their customers. The Redon vineyard is planted with red varietals on a clay-limestone terroir and is well-suited to making fine, full-flavored, fresh, gourmet wines in the heart of the Entre-Deux-Mers region. Aromas of ripe fruits, violet, and spices lead to a gentle, fruit-driven palate and a long aromatic finish. Try with veal!

Bodega Pirineos 2023 Principio Moristel Here’s a new variety for you to try… 100% Moristel! Principio Moristel is made from the most native grape of Somontano, Moristel. It comes from the unique and historic vineyards, Paraje de El Mon. Bodegas Pirineos (which means Pyrenees) is a co-op winery in the city of Barbastro in Aragon, northeastern Spain, about 60 miles northeast of Zaragoza in the shadow of the Pyrenees Mountains. It lies within the Somontano wine appellation. The region was granted DOP status in 1984. The co-op was founded in 1993, but growers had been lobbying for the DOP since 1964. Clean aromas of red fruits such as plum or currant. Rock tea. Rhubarb. Forest fruit coulis. Mineral, wet slate. Candied fruit. Its matrix is ​​acidic, with a great intensity of fruit, which gives it originality and is stimulating in the mouth.

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