The 2022 Newsletter -Volume 2 · Summer Edition- is Here

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WINES OF THE MONTH

WHITE

2020 Comtesse de Malet Roquefort Bordeaux Blanc

Bordeaux, France · $15.99 | Sale $12.99

Bordeaux, the seminal home of Cabernet and Merlot, is most well known for its iconic red wines, some costing hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Yet amidst the sea of red wine, the Bordelais still produce over seven million cases of white wine every year, primarily from Sauvignon Blanc and a bit of Sémillon. Comtesse de Malet Roquefort is made by the same family domaine that owns Château La Gaffelière, one of the great Grand Cru estates of Saint-Émilion. It is a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon from sustainably-farmed vineyards. It opens with citrus and mineral aromas followed by a mid-weight palate with notes of wet stone, melon, grapefruit and lime with excellent acidity. Perfect for a warm day on the patio with seafood or a fresh salad.

RED

2018 Marqués de Toro Cabernet Sauvignon

Castilla y León, Spain · $15.99 | Sale $11.99

A delicious hidden gem from Castilla y León, Marqués de Toro focuses on creating high-quality wines at incredibly reasonable prices. From only 22 hectares, the team produces single vineyard bottles for the price of a table wine. This Cabernet is a steal! Dark, smooth fruit with a hint of earthy forest notes balance the profile on this quaffable red. Grill up your favorite New York strip or pork loin to pair along with this vibrant Cabernet. “Plenty of currants and berries with bark and violets on the nose. Medium to full body, creamy tannins and flavorful finish.”

92 Points | James Suckling

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SUMMER REDS

The onset of warmer temperatures does not necessarily portend the end of red wine consumption. While a hearty red certainly goes well with grilled meats - like the buck you fell from 300 yards with the crossbow you smuggled out of the William Tell Museum - there are many reds wines that are easily enjoyed on a warm summer day. Here you will find a small sample of what may satisfy one’s red wine cravings as the earth keeps cooking.

2020 Cantine Lenotti Bardolino Classico

Lake Garda, Italy · $12.99 | Sale $10.99

Bardolino is situated on the eastern shore of Lake Garda and, like its neighbor Valpolicella, is made primarily from the Corvina and Rondinella grapes. Affected by the breezes of the lake, the resulting wine is dry, light and refreshing. The Classico region, where Lenotti is located, produces wines of higher concentration with cherry, raspberry and spice flavors. It can even be served slightly chilled.

2020 Carlin de Paolo Piemonte Grignolino

Piemonte, Italy · $15.99 | Sale $13.99

Piemonte, in northwestern Italy, is home to many of Italy’s greatest wines including Barolo and Barbaresco. It is also home to a bevy of other varieties not often seen outside the region. One of these is Grignolino. Hundreds of years ago, it was as highly-regarded as Barolo, in a time when aging wines was not feasible. Today, it is seen by some as a summertime version of Nebbiolo, light-bodied with bright acidity and flavors of rose, sage and white pepper with a hint of wild strawberries. Once again, it is often enjoyed slightly chilled.

2020 Bonnet Cotton 'Ygueule' Gamay

Vin de France · $28.99 | Sale $24.99

Pierre Cotton is one of the great young vignerons of Beaujolais. His single vineyard wines from Brouilly are some of the finest Beaujolais we have ever tasted. In 2020, he teamed up with Marine Bonnet to create Bonnet Cotton. Aside from their highly sought after and allocated Crus, they have created this new wine made for immediate consumption. Crafted from 100% organic grapes with native yeasts and the bare minimum of added sulfites. It would be hard to find a more quaffable - or as the French say, 'glouglou' - summer red. Beautiful deep red color and a burst of fresh berries on the palate. Down the hatch. Yum! Serve slightly chilled.

2019 M Plouzeau Château de la Bonnelière 'Les Lisons' Chinon

Loire Valley, France · $23.99 | Sale $19.99

Here is another organic gem from the Loire Valley. In 1976, the Plouzeaus restored their old family estate, Château de la Bonnelière, and began making some of the finest wines in Chinon. Their Les Lisons bottling comes from a single vineyard of organically-farmed 50- year-old Cabernet Franc vines. Very elegant aromas of dark berries, cigar smoke, a hint of tree bark and a whisper of fresh thyme. “Deep, black, fruity; cassis, sweet blackberries and quite elegant in profile with a long, complex finish.” 92+ Points | John Gilman, View From The Cellar

2020 Durigutti 'Proyecto Las Compuertas' Criolla Parral

Luján de Cuyo, Argentina

$23.99 | Sale $20.99

The wines of Proyecto are the best made by the Durigutti family. They honor the traditions of Argentina while following organic practices and presenting the more elegant side of winemaking in Mendoza. Criolla, better known as the Mission grape, is not found in abundance in this country. These heritage vines were planted in 1943. For such an aromatic, lighter-bodied wine, there is immense depth and character in this red. Floral and spicy, this wine explodes on the palate with rose petals, blood orange, fresh strawberries and herbs.

2021 Stolpman Vineyards 'Love You Bunches' Carbonic Sangiovese

Central Coast, CA · $27.99 | Sale $23.99

This lighter red is imminently drinkable, juicy as all get out, and just plain fun. It was truly made for summer sipping and is meant to be chilled down a touch and enjoyed in the sunshine! Stolpman Vineyards has been famous for their Central Coast wines for decades... in particular, their reds. All of their wines, before this line, were big and bold. We were so jazzed to see this vibrant, juicy, red- fruited, lower alcohol treat come our way! Try it with taco salads or spicy barbecue.

2017 Jack Rabbit Hill 'M&N' Meunier/Pinot Noir Blend

North Fork Valley, CO · $31.99 | Sale $27.99

We are losing it over this elegant, Demeter certified (say what?!), Colorado grown blend of 75% Pinot Meunier and 25% Pinot Noir. Lush and generous fruit meets round, present acids and a great floral nose that will blow you out of the water! The folks at the winery like to say they have their nose in the dirt as much as it is in the glass. This is by far the best Colorado wine on the market, and it is biodynamically-farmed, which is one the most difficult, involved organic practices seen today.

2021 Kumusha Cabernet Sauvignon

Breedekloof, South Africa

$14.99 | Sale $11.99

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Tinashe Nyamudoka moved to South Africa for better economic prospects. Within several years of entering the wine world with no previous experience, he landed the position of head sommelier at The Test Kitchen, ranked best restaurant in Africa and in the top 50 restaurants in the world. Yet even with all this incredible success, something was still missing from his life and thus, the Kumusha wines were born. The Cabernet Sauvignon carries surprisingly juicy red berry notes making for a brighter Cabernet with excellent drinkability.

2020 Christina Zweigelt

Burgenland, Austria · $24.99 | Sale $20.99

The Netzl family has lived and farmed in the very same village since 1650. Having helped her family run the mixed farm and vineyards since an early age, Christina Netzl knew she wanted to be a winemaker at the tender age of five. Inspired by the quality of natural wines, Christina decided to turn the whole property organic in 2013 and started her own line of natural wines two years later. This Zweigelt, her favorite varietal to grow, is wildly good for the price. Nerdy, juicy and full of mineral notes and fresh blackberry. The bit of "barnyard funk" keeps it from becoming overly fruity, but makes it ever so delicious to chill down for 15 minutes and enjoy again and again this summer.

2019 Hugl Zweigelt

Weinviertel, Austria · $18.99 | Sale $15.99

Yes, it’s another amazing summer Zweigelt! In 1922, Dr. Fritz Zweigelt crossbred two local Austrian red grapes, St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch, and created his eponymous varietal, Zweigelt. Since then, it has become the most widely planted red varietal in Austria. The Hugl winery is located just north of Vienna in Weinviertel - Austria’s largest wine growing region. Fresh and spicy with bright, tart cherry and a juicy finish, it benefits from a slight chill. Great with any lighter grilled foods. And it’s a full liter. One third more!

91 Points | The Tasting Panel

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GAMAY ALL DAY

2020 Domaine Miolanne ‘Éphémère’ Carbonic Gamay

Puy de Dôme, France · $24.99 | Sale $20.99

The Côtes d’Auvergne is one of the most remote areas in all of France. Sitting on the eastern edge of the Massif Central, it is also the largest volcanic area in Europe. These soils help to produce some exceptional and unique wines. Although officially considered a part of the Loire Valley wine region, it is, in reality, closer to southern Burgundy and Beaujolais, hence the predominance of Gamay. The Domaine Miolanne is a small organic estate at the edge of the mountains. Their Gamay is made using carbonic maceration ("carbo" in French) where the grapes are not crushed but placed in a sealed tank with CO2. The grapes then ferment from the inside and eventually burst creating a more fruit-forward wine. Soft and fruity with flavors and aromas of strawberries, raspberries and other red fruits. Some spice and even a touch of mint come forth on the finish. Extremely refreshing for a red. Serve slightly chilled.

2020 Vincent Gamay Noir

Willamette Valley, OR · $25.99 | Sale $22.99

While no one will dispute that Beaujolais is the epicenter of the Gamay grape, there have been significant successes in producing wines from Gamay in Oregon. While production is still quite small, to its adherents it may soon be considered the second most successful red varietal in the state, after the ubiquitous Pinot Noir. The Vincent Wine Company is a small boutique winery run by Vincent Fritzsche. While Vincent does not own any vineyards, he has long term contracts with some of the best growers in the Willamette Valley. Everything is done as naturally as possible, from eschewing spraying to using indigenous yeasts with minimal interventions. Fresh and lively with bright red fruits. Juicy and crisp with hints of white pepper. Give it a slight chill while grilling a hot dog or bratwurst as accompaniment.

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GRILLING WINES

2018 Mullineux 'Kloof Street' Red Blend

Swartland, South Africa · $23.99 | Sale $20.99

Chris and Andrea Mullineux are a couple obsessed with the Swartland. Their wines get incredible scores and are hailed as some of the best coming out of South Africa. As Chris would say, this is a "braai wine," the Afrikaans equivalent to a barbecue. The blend comprises 44% Tinta Barocca (usually seen in Portugal), 44% Syrah, 7% Grenache, 4% Cinsault and 1% Carignan. Dark, spicy fruit is met with a hint of earthy balance and a smooth, lush finish. What a wine for everything from grilled steak to burgers and great barbecue!

2014 Two Horns Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Spring Mountain District, Napa, CA

$64.99 | Sale $59.99

While wines from the valley floor in Napa often exhibit great power and concentration, those from the hillside districts are often the most highly-regarded. Spring Mountain lies on the western side of Napa Valley. Here at higher elevations, they don’t see the searing heat that often bakes the valley floor. The Two Horns Reserve Cabernet is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. Aged in young (but not new) oak barrels for 14 months, this is still a powerful wine, but with a sense of balance. Rich, brambly fruit with plum, pepper, spice, blackberry and a hint of chocolate and coffee. Nearly eight years of aging has added to the smoothness and complexity. Perfect for that ribeye you know you want to throw on the grill.

2018 Green & Red Chiles Canyon Zinfandel

Napa, CA · $35.99 | Sale $32.99

In 1969, while teaching sculpture at UC Berkeley, Jay Heminway was also developing a love of fine wine and food. One thing led to