July Monthly newsletter

NO OPEN IN STORE TASTINGS or CLASSES IN JULY.

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 delivery Monday - Friday, noon- 3pm. Note that here is a $10 delivery fee, however, delivery for orders in excess of $100 is free in a 2.0 mile radius of the store north of the river.

ON TUESDAY, JULY 14TH,  WE WILL BE CELEBRATING OUR 35TH YEAR.
As the oldest continuously operated wine store in Richmond, we, traditionally, have a special
open tasting event on that day we call :  LA FÊTE NATIONALE (BASTILLE DAY) / FOUNDERS TASTING
that brings out long time customers and friends. We open older wines including wines from our founding year, 1985. This year we could not find a way to safely hold this event and it would not lend itself to zoom or other virtual platforms. At some point in the future we will return to in store tasting events and, no matter what month, this will be our first event.

JULY SPECIAL OFFERS

ON SALE: 2016 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon, Puente Alto, Chile
Don Melchor is a legacy wine from Chile, first created in 1987 by the Guilisasti family of Concha y Toro, and named for their forefather in Chilean wine. A Cabernet Sauvignon of refinement and elegant character, Don Melchor represents a singular expression of the Puente Alto Vineyard in the upper Maipo Valley, overseen by winemaker Enrique Tirado. Here is a review from Robert Parkers’ Wine Advocate: “Even though it’s still very young and it’s not going to be released for some months, the 2016 Don Melchor shows great elegance and poise. This might be a lighter year for Don Melchor, but it has more finesse, lower alcohol (the label says 14%, when it was traditionally 14.5%) and great balance. This has a velvety texture, with very fine and round tannins and very good freshness.” (10/18)
Reg. price: $99.99 - On Sale in JULY: $74.99 (while supplies last/ no further discounts)

ON SALE: 2010 Chene Bleu “Abelard”, IGP Vaucluse, France
Described as the “World’s First super rhone” Chêne Bleu wines are named after the blue oak tree on the estate (SCEA Domaine de La Verrière.)  La Verrière uses sustainable organic and biodynamic practices and began as isolated medieval priory in Crestet, at the southern border of Gigondas in the Vaucluse region of Provence. Here is a review from The Wine Advocate: “When tasting the 2010 Abelard alongside the Heloise, the derivation of the names becomes obvious. Abelard is the bigger, richer wine—the more “masculine,” to deploy a somewhat dated/sexist stereotype. This full-bodied Grenache-dominated (85%) wine is packed with black cherries, star anise and other ground spices, and features a wonderfully long silky finish. Despite the size and concentration, the wine is complex and elegant, not an easy feat. It should drink well over the next 10-15 years.” (#223) 
Reg. price: $79.99 - On Sale in JULY: $54.99 (while supplies last/ no further discounts)

ON SALE: 2018 Jean Claude Rateau Beaune Clos des Mariages, Burgundy, France
Jean-Claude Rateau became the first vigneron in Burgundy and the fourth in the whole of France to adopt biodynamics. In Eric Asimov’s article (NYT 9/12/19) “12 Top-Tier (but Undervalued) Burgundy Producers” he said “I hesitate to mention this estate because the wines are hard to find. But they are so fresh and seductive, both reds and whites from village and premier cru sites in Beaune that they are worth seeking out.” Located toward the bottom of the slope beneath Beaune Grèves and adjacent to Les Cents Vignes, Clos des Mariages is a mix of young and very old vines planted in clay and brown limestone soils. “This fertile soil gives wines that are open and joyous, with delicate spice notes, giving great pleasure in their youth and capable of long-term aging.” (J-C Rateau) Here is a review from David Lillie of Chamber Street Wines (They are sold out.): “the 2018 Clos des Mariages is a gorgeous wine showing a bright mélange of black cherry, strawberry and raspberry with hints of spice, citrus, licorice and violet. The palate shows dense, chalky fruit, sappy and ripe but with firm acidity and mineral flavors that continue in the very long, juicy finish. This is absolutely delicious now and should drink well continuously over the next ten to fifteen years.”
Reg. price: $54.99 - On Sale in JULY: $44.99 (while supplies last/ no further discounts)

NEW ARRIVALS: 2017Romanee-Conti

Simply the greatest Pinot Noir in the world and practicing Biodynamic principles since 2008. We have other vintages as well. Here are reviews from The Wine Advocate.

2017 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Echezeaux Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France – “The flamboyant 2017 Échézeaux Grand Cru is especially good this year, bursting from the glass with an extravagant bouquet of wild berries, rose petals, cinnamon, smoked duck and Asian spices. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, supple and velvety, with an expansive attack and superb depth and amplitude, its fleshy core of fruit framed by fine, melting tannins. Reminiscent of a modern-day version of the Domaine’s 1985 Échézeaux, this is another 2017 that has gained appreciably with its final months of élevage. Picked on the 18th, this was where the estate’s harvest concluded.” $1699.99
2017 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France –“More brooding and reserved than the Échézeaux that preceded it in the tasting, the 2017 Grands Échézeaux Grand Cru unwinds in the glass with an enticing bouquet of cassis, blackberries, blood orange, exotic spices and musk. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a more introverted, structured profile than the Échézeaux, its considerable reserves of concentrated fruit framed by an abundance of powdery tannin and succulent acids. Long and penetrating, this will reward sustained bottle age. The Grands Échézeaux was picked on September 12.” $1999.99
2017 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France- “The 2017 Richebourg Grand Cru offers up generous aromas of ripe strawberries, raspberries, cinnamon and coniferous forest floor, framed by a lavish application of creamy new oak that’s less immediately integrated than in the Domaine’s other wines at this early stage. On the palate, the Richebourg is full-bodied, rich and multidimensional, with a lavishly enveloping attack and supple structuring tannins that are almost entirely concealed by its deep core of fruit. Long and sapid, this is a spectacular wine in the making.” $2999.99

NEW ARRIVALS - Rosé with Attitude

We offer a wide range of affordable Rosé wines from around the world. But every once in a while, especially in the time of Corona, you might want to treat yourself to something special.

2019 Chateau de Pibarnon Rosé,  Bandol, Provence, France
“Shimmering orange-pink. Powerful, mineral-accented white peach, raspberry and melon scents, along with building citrus pith and floral nuances. Palate-staining red berry, blood orange, nectarine and lavender flavors deftly meld depth and energy. Shows strong tension and repeating mineral character on the strikingly long finish, which leaves a suave floral note behind.”  (Vinous 6/20) $39.99
 
2019 Domaines Ott Chateau de Selle Rosé, Cotes de Provence, France
“The beauty of the Ott rosés is that they don’t wallop you with confected aromas, remaining cool and elegant. The 2019 Cotes de Provence Rose Chateau de Selle—a blend of 56% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 11% Syrah and 8% Mourvèdre—offers up scents of wet stones, grapefruit, lime and hints of wild strawberries. It’s medium-bodied, with a fine line of acidity, a delicately silky texture and a lingering, refreshing finish.” (WA 5/20) Regular price: $56.99 on sale in July: $47.99 ( while supplies last/ no further discounts.)

MONTHLY SPECIALS