June Monthly Newsletter

No TASTINGS or CLASSES in JUNE

BUT...

And now for something completely different:
VIRTUALA-ROSÉ-A-PALOOZA
We’ll open and taste 9 of our favorite Rosé wines from 3 different distributors and post the video segments on line. You can buy and taste with us, or watch and decide what to purchase or watch and decide not to purchase anything! It’s confusing and marginally silly but hey so is the time of Corona Virus.
THE THREE VIDEOS WILL BE POSTED BY JUNE 14th and the wine will be announced in a separate e-mail.

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

We still have selected “Packs” available and will continue to sell them until the inventory runs out. You can find the remaining options on and around the table outside the fine wine room.

SOMEWHAT RANDOM FATHER’S DAY SUGGESTIONS- with discounts!

2015 Mas Amiel Maury Sec “Initial”, Languedoc-Rousillon, France
Mas Amiel is located in the heart of the Agly valley, in France’s Roussillon region. This is Cathar country: it’s beautiful but rugged—a hot, rather hostile environment with rocky, stony soils, frequent windy weather, and 260 days’ sunshine a year. Back in 1816, a bishop used one of his plots of land as a bet in a game of cards. He lost it to Raymond Amiel, and this is how Mas Amiel was born. Here is a review from the Wine Advocate: “A beautiful wine from this terrific estate, the 2015 Maury Sec Initial (60% Grenache, 30% Carignan and 10% Syrah) is an elegant, seamless and incredibly pure beauty that offers lots of freshness in its black raspberry, violets and peach pit aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, pure and balanced, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 7-8 years as well.” (WA #230)  Regular price: $24.99 on sale $19.99.

2014 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy
Always had a soft spot for these guys with an impressive winery and tasting room. A modern style that you can drink and enjoy now. Here is a review from Vinous: “Bright deep red. Perfumed nose of red cherry, Oriental spices, flint and graphite. Rich, dense and suave on entry, then lighter and more linear in the middle, but with a plush juicy mouthfeel that makes it hard to put the glass back down once you’ve started tasting it. Very pure black/red cherry and spice flavors linger impressively on the long, refreshing finish. A knockout 2014 Brunello that lacks the size of the bigger vintages (very appropriately, I may add, given what the 2014 growing season was like) but showcases enchanting purity and grace. Very well done.” Regular price: $76.99 On / Sale: $59.99

2017 Domaine Paul Autard Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Cote Ronde, Rhone, France
One of Autard’s top wines, La Côte Ronde comes from a parcel of vines that are between 75 and 90 year old. They are planted in stony, fossil-rich soil on a dome-shaped hill (hence the name “Côte Ronde”), in the Le Mourre de Gaud lieu-dit, on the plain between the village of Châteauneuf and Courthézon. Here is a review from Wine Spectator: “Dark and winey, featuring lots of currant, fig and blackberry compote notes stuffed together, with hints of ganache, tobacco and roasted alder filling in around them. A warm earth accent runs through the finish, which exhibits grip and drive. Rock-solid. Best from 2022 through 2037. 750 cases made, 200 cases imported.” (WS 2/29/20)  Regular Price:  59.99 / On Sale: $49.99

2016 Delas Freres Hermitage Les Bessards, Rhone, France
Les Bessards is a steep granitic Hermitage hillsides Lieux-dit (single vineyard) located close to the bend in the river. Here is a review from Vinous: “Opaque purple. Mineral-accented dark berries, candied licorice, olive paste, exotic spices and pungent flowers on the explosively perfumed nose. Deeply concentrated yet energetic black raspberry, spicecake, smoked meat and violet pastille flavors are complicated by vibrant mineral and dark chocolate notes that build on the back half. Sweet, sappy and sharply delineated on an extremely long, floral- and dark-fruit-driven finish that shows superb clarity and steadily building, harmonious tannins.” (9/19) Regular Price $239.99 /  On sale: $174.99

2017 Ridge Vineyards Three Valleys Red Blend, Sonoma County, USA
Paul Draper, founder of Ridge vineyards retired at 80 years young in 2016 but still yields influence as chairman at Ridge vineyards. He is arguably the father of California Zinfandel and before you roll your eyes remember that he was among the first to farm responsibly and put the ingredients on every bottle he vints. The Three Valleys is a blend of 73% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane, and 2% Grenache from up to 8 vineyard sites located in several Sonoma County Valleys. Here is a review from Antonio Galloni at Vinous:
“The 2017 Three Valleys is a delicious entry-level offering from Ridge. Juicy dark cherry, plum, tobacco, leather, menthol and spice are front and center. The ripeness of the vintage comes through in this decidedly overt, lush Zinfandel-based red.”  Regular price $35.99 / On sale $24.99

NEW ARRIVALS

One of our favorite inexpensive Roses!
2019 Domaine de Puilacher Variation Rosé, IGP Pays d’Oc, France
A Languedoc Cinsault and Grenache rosé from old vines planted in 1950. Subdued but inviting aromas of freshly plucked strawberries, rosemary leaf, melon, and grapefruit zest. Finishing crisp and lean in the best possible way. Ideal for your summer moments. $12.99

2014 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France
Two things make this Domaine special, the first is the spectacular Cabernet Franc vineyards located in the heart of Saumur’s tuffeau plateau, a deep bed of limestone overlain with different topsoils and the second is the Foucault Brothers, Nady and Charly Foucault. But with the passing of Charly in December, 2015, and the subsequent sale of the domaine two years later, the eight-generation-old Foucault family domaine in Saumur came to an end. And the wines have become scarce to the point of being virtually unobtainable. The 2014 vintage is last made by the Foucaults. We only get a couple of bottle and it will go quickly. $179.99

MONTHLY SPECIALS