Margherita Otto (Alan Manley) 2016 Barolo 1.5 L

Cornelissen, Frank 2018 Terre Siciliane (Etna) Munjebel Bianco

Carricante and Grecanico Dorato, fermented in epoxy tanks with indigenous yeasts, with about 4 days of skin contact. Not really an orange wine, but this gives the wine some structure and texture without losing the strong sense of place, via the intense volcanic stone aromas and flavors, to which are added pear, honey, and black tea. A great and very versatile food wine. Jamie Wolff

Cornelissen, Frank 2018 Terre Siciliane (Etna) Munjebel Bianco 1.5 L

Cornelissen, Frank 2019 Etna Rosato Susucaru

Susucaru Rosato is not a pale pink wine – it looks and tastes more like a light red. It is refreshing, and it’s very expressive of Etna - old-time Etna in fact, because it’s a field blend of grapes that appear somewhat randomly in the oldest vineyards: Nerello Mascalese, of course, and also Malvasia, Moscadella, and Insolia. It always makes me think about Poulsard, which I love. A fine and very interesting wine! Jamie Wolff

Cornelissen, Frank 2019 Etna Rosato Susucaru 1.5 L

Cornelissen, Frank 2019 Etna Rosato Susucaru 3 L

Brovia 2016 Barolo

Brovia 2016 Barolo Garblet Sué

For years Garblet Sue  has been - for me - the most elusive of the Brovia wines. Then the 2015 turned out to be a very fine wine, and the 2016, tasted from barrel, showed equally well. Now I'm looking forward to trying it again... Jamie Wolff

Burlotto 2019 Rosato "Elatis"

Produced by arguably Verduno's most esteemed winery, the G.B. Burlotto Elatis Rosato is a brilliant Nebbiolo (45%) and Pelaverga (45%) based rosé, with a color that flashes between powerful mature peach and delicate rose water. The rest of the blend is Barbara. Grapes are destemmed before being pressed. The wine matures in stainless steel vats for 6 or so months before 2 months of bottle aging prior to release. The nose is exceptional, throwing lavender, fennel fronds, pomegranate, and strawberry into a bold, harmonious game of scents. The palate has angular flavors compared to the wine's aromatics, like candied raspberry and sliced unripe white plum. When first served and cold, the wine has puckering acidity, but it levels out surprisingly quick, retaining good acid but gaining a soft and pleasant texture on the tongue and cheeks. The Elatis is definitely here for immediate consumption, but I'd also love to see how this 2019 tastes in the summer 2021 or '22. Very delicious bottle. David Hatzopoulos

Burlotto 2019 Verduno Pelaverga

The first vintage of the Burlotto 2019 Pelaverga was 1800, according to the distributor's notes. Today, the wine comes from three different sites in Verduno: Sut Jort, Lasagne, and Rocche dell'Olmo. A general soil type is of calcareous limestone. Vines planted are between 4 and 20 years old and trained to the Guyot system. Fruit is hand harvested in the beginning of October. Fermentation starts with 7 days of maceration in French oak. Next, malo occurs in stainless, before the wine ages for 3 months in wood. For an additional 2 months, the wine stays in stainless casks. Finally, the wine spends at least 2 months after bottling in the cellar before release. The result is a bolder expression of the varietal than I'm used to. Even the color has depth and darkness, as opposed to the brownish, earthy light red that I usually associate with wine made from this classic grape in the Piedmont. The nose has an attractive bouquet of wild cherries and blueberries. There is a breezy, summery aroma of thick green grassy fields instead of the spicy, peppery character I typically find in Pelaverga wines. Herbs, cherry, and a bit of dark mineral and rich plum show on the palate. Well structured, slightly tannic, but bright on the tongue. Not a big wine at all, but surprisingly substantial in flavor and texture for a Pelaverga from Verduno. All that said, this is a delicious wine from Burlotto, as we should expect from the producer. Also, exactly what you should be drinking as the nights cool and we change seasons. David Hatzopoulos

Margherita Otto (Alan Manley) 2016 Barolo

Once again: we didn't get to taste the 2016 after it was bottled, but last year it showed beautifully from bottle. Alan Manley (owner, farmer, winemaker, chief bottle washer) provided the following very  interesting text:

2016: A classic, cool year of excellent potential. However, not a “Vintage of the Century,” no matter what the wine magazines say. The winter and spring were normal, with good precipitation to replenish the water tables after the dry and hot 2015 growing season. A burst of heat around the flowering and a week of warmth over the July-August cusp were the only sustained heat events of the year; this was a very excellent growing season marred only by a few oidium outbreaks. The critical ripening period were warm days and cool nights with excellent, stable weather that made for an easy harvest conducted under optimal conditions. As always, the field-sorting of fruit during the picking was critical to a good outcome in the cellar.The critical difficulty in 2016 was overproduction – after several vintages of below-normal yields, the vines exploded in 2016. Careful management of the vegetation was absolutely necessary to a good result in 2016. Crop thinning was performed after the flowering, when many single new shoots had set 3-4 flower bunches; ideally, there should be one per shoot. A second pass through the vineyards after the invaiatura (veraison) was necessary to bring the yields under the legally mandated limits. Any imperfectly colored bunches were removed at this point.Pernanno and Sotto-Rionda were harvested on October 12; Ginestra on October 16. This wine was also made in the rented cellar, the same as in 2015. As the ripening dates were so close together, they were fermented together (the Ginestra fruit was simply added on top of the already-fermenting Pernanno and Sotto-Rionda fruit in a single concrete tank). Total maceration time was about 38 days and the wine went through malolactic fermentation in steel as there was no wooden botte to be rented that year. The wine spent about 10 months in the steel tank with several rankings before being transferred to the Margherita Otto cantina as soon as the new facility was ready in late August 2017. The wine was put into a single 25hl Mittelberger botte, a single well-used tonneau of 500L and a single old barrique of 225 liters.The wine was bottled on April 29, 2020 (after 32 months in wood) and released in June 2020. Production: 20 double-magnums, 535 magnums and 3200 bottles. Alan Manley

Lombardo, Giordano 2019 Gavi di Gavi Vigna San Martino

The Lombardo Gavi is a staple at Chambers. The 2020 has bright fruit of apricot and lemon, zesty minerality, and a medium mouthfeel. Even though there is a bit of weight on the palate, the wine also shows a touch of effervescence. A great bottle for anyone looking for a wine with ripe yellow fruits and a dynamic texture. David Hatzopoulos

Bordiga Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry

Bordiga is a long-standing distillery established in 1888 outside of Turin, close to the Occitan Alps. They craft their own vermouths with Piedmontese grapes and infuse nearly thirty botanicals, some of which are foraged from the mountains nearby. Each botanical is macerated in neutral grain alcohol separately to ensure the best extraction and then blended into the base of Moscato and Cortese. The 'Extra-Dry' is fresh, herbaceous and  has a pleasantly bitter finish. If you like more than a 'whisper' of vermouth in your martini, this is a great option. Michelle DeWyngaert

Bordiga Vermouth di Torino Rosso

Pietro Bordiga turned his love of bartending into a passion for distilling by opening this distillery south of Turin near the Occitan Alps. Unlike many Vermouth di Torino labels, they produce their own vermouths, instead of just bottling/labeling them, and forage for many of the botanicals used in the mountains of their backyard. The rosso is based with Langhe Nebbiolo, Moscato, and Cortese, fortified with neutral grain spirit, and sweetened with sugar from Martinique. Definitely on the lighter, less sweet side of sweet vermouths, with a bright, earthy aroma and lots of freshness on the palate. Michelle DeWyngaert

Finot, Thomas 2018 Coteaux Grésivaudan Étraire la Dhuy *(3 btl max)

Étraire de la Dhuy is a rare grape from the Vallé du Grésivaudan in the Isère, with only about 6 hectares currently in production. The 2018 Finot Étraire de la Dhuy is from a parcel of 70 year-old massale selection vines, only 24 btls were available for the US.  AKA Étraire de l'Aduï. According to Wine Grapes "DNA parentage analysis suggests a parent-offspring relationship between Étraire de l'Aduï and Persan. Indeed, both varieties belong to the Sérine ampelographic group."  Tasted with Thomas last winter, the 2018 showed meaty red currant fruit with plum skin and earth, densely fruited on the palate but bright, with terrific length. We look forward to tasting again for more complete notes, but 3 - 5 years of cellaring or decanting would be advised, drink over the next ten - fifteen years.  David Lillie

Finot, Thomas 2018 Vin de France (Isère) "Cugnète" Macération

Thomas Finot makes his "Vin de Macération Cugnète" from purchased fruit grown in Isère and on the Isère/Savoie border, thus Vin de France. The three month skin contact gives the wine a pale bronze color. The aromas are light and pretty - dried flowers, brown spice, citrus peel and peach. The palate shows creamy dried pear, mineral, brown spice, almond and citrus notes, quite subtle and with a clean, long finish without harsh skin tannins. This is a fascinating wine that will accompany shellfish, ceviche of many kinds, sushi, goat cheeses and much more.  12.9% alcohol.  Lovely wine!  David Lillie

Extra facts: Thomas says that Cugnète is an ancient type of Jacquère.  Aging was in big used barrels from 2005 and 2006. My guess is the maceration was more of a soaking, with little or no punch down or extraction, as the wine appears more like a white than an 'orange,' and only has a delicate and subtle amount of tannin in the back of the palate. Eben Lillie

Finot, Thomas 2018 Coteaux Grésivaudan (Isère) Verdesse (Sec)

According to the hefty Wine Grapes book (Robinson/Harding/Vouillamoz), there were a total of about 2 hectares (5 acres) of Verdesse in the world as of 2008. Thomas Finot now says there is about 3-4 hectares total. Thomas started with an old plantation of about 2 ares (200 square meters, or .05 acres) and now has about 1.5 hectares, mostly of younger vines he planted. Verdesse is a grape that, according to Thomas, is green for a long time, and typically ripens late, gaining a golden and amber color at the "very last moment." The 2018 vintage Verdesse is a gorgeous wine of golden color, with a nose of green apple, hay, and ripe pear. I was blown away by the fresh acidity and plumpness on the palate. Driven by notes of pear, quince and almond, the wine develops over the evening into notes of minerals, brioche, dried apricot and spice. Ideally paired with curry, sushi, or shrimp tempura. A sublime wine of intensity and texture. Bravo, Thomas! John David Crosby

Finot NV IGP Isère Coteaux du Grézivaud "Gallopine" Viognier

This is the first US appearance for Thomas Finot's vibrant "Galopine," (the local name for Viognier) made from organic grapes grown in the alpine valley of the Coteaux du Grézivaudan. Wow, it's quite delicious, showing a bright pale gold color and elegant aromas of lime, apricot, peach, white flower, almond and white pepper. The palate is creamy and ripe but beautifully balanced by lemony acidity from the cool mountain nights. Flavors of almond, peach, citrus and stone  linger in the clean refreshing finish. Bright enough to serve with a delicate ceviche of fluke, ripe enough for shrimp, lobster and white meats. Just a lovely wine!  David Lillie

Finot Frères 2019 Vin de France Tracteur Blanc (Isère)

In 2019, Thomas Finot made this refreshing "tractor white" from 80% Jacquere and 20% Chardonnay  grown in the Coteaux Grésivaudan, northeast of Grenoble. This is a delightful everyday wine, featuring lovely aromas of green apple, quince, almond, hay and brown spice. The palate is ripe but balanced, crystalline, mineral and lively with bright acidity, showing flavors of pear,  almond, citrus and stone, with just a hint of roundness from the Chardonnay. Serve happily by itself or with fish in sauce, roast chicken, salads and mild cheeses. This is a lovely Muscadet of the Mountains! David Lillie

Finot Frères 2018 Vin de France Tracteur Rouge (Isère)

Thomas Finot in the Coteaux Grésivaudan made the vibrant 2018 Tracteur Rouge from 35% Gamay, 35% Pinot noir, 20% Persan and 10% Merlot.  The wine shows a lovely bright red color and pretty aromas of strawberry, raspberry and tart cherry with hints of violet, earth and spice. The palate is bright and slightly peppery, a bit more round and full than previous vintages, showing strawberry and red currant fruit with a nice lift of sappy  berry fruits, earth and citrus in the finish. It's lovely, served quite cool, with charcuterie, burgers, chicken and cheeses from Comté to Raclette.   David Lillie 

Finot, Thomas 2018 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc

Thomas Finot, who is making fascinating wines in the Coteaux Grésivaudan in the Isère, makes a tiny quantity of Crôzes-Hermitage Blanc and Rouge.  This beautiful Crôzes Blanc is from 100% Marsanne grown on the family's 1.8 hectare parcel of old vines in Larnage on a hillside with granite and limestone subsoils under interesting soils of white clay (kaolin). It's a great terroir for Marsanne giving a wine that is ripe and concentrated but with a fabulous underlying stone and smoky character.  The aromas are of apricot, peach, mango and Asian fruits with stone and hay, the palate is dense with earth and mineral flavors below the elegant pear and yellow fruits, finishing with stone,  pear and citrus that linger. A great aperitif, this will pair well with any full-flavored seafood dishes, crab and shrimp, also white meats in sauce, goat cheeses and vegetable terrines.   David Lillie

Finot, Thomas 2018 Crozes-Hermitage Classique

Thomas Finot, who is resurrecting forgotten vineyards and varieties in the Isère, is also making brilliant wines from his tiny family vineyard in Crozes-Hermitage. He has 1.8 hectare of old vines in Larnage on a hillside with granite and limestone subsoils under interesting topsoils of white clay (kaolin). The 2018 Crozes-Hermitage is a delicious Syrah showing lush aromas of black cherry and black raspberry liqueur, with hints of blueberry and earth. The palate is elegant and dense, but not over-ripe,  perfectly balanced with cherry, black raspberry and red currant fruits with citrus notes in the long well-structured finish. This is a very stylish Crozes and a great value that will accompany a wide variety of pork and chicken dishes and mild cheeses. Decant and serve cool or hold for a few years then drink until 2030.  David Lillie

Traginer 2010 Banyuls Grand Cru 750ml

(Arrival Wednesday 11/9) (Found in the warehouse - great stuff!) Grenache, Grenache Gris and Carignan, aged for six years or more in ancient barrels, bottled without fining or filtration. Jean-François Deu at Domaine du Traginer makes elegant, complex and beautifully balanced Banyuls at his organic and biodynamic estate. The 2010 Banyuls Grand Cru shows fabulous aromas of burnt orange, prune, lemon peel, rose, earth and aged cheese...for starters. Very deep and complex. The palate is ripe and a bit sweet, but refreshing and balanced by bright acidity with prune, red currant, rose and deep berry confit with citrus, brown spice and earth. Beautiful wine - great to sip by itself or serve with fruit desserts and chocolate. Highly recommended. DL

Traginer 2018 Banyuls Rimage 750ml

The Traginer Banyuls Rimage (Vin Doux Naturel) at 16% alcohol is an insanely delicious wine as an apéritif or with deserts of chocolate or fruit (figs especially) and goat cheeses. The 2018 shows a bright black/red color and vivid aromas of ripe blackberry, prune,  licorice, violets, and earth, a bit lighter and more floral than usual. The palate is ripe and lush with blackberry, prune, citrus and cocoa, but very bright and refreshing as well, just delicious. It finishes with citrusy acids and black fruits that linger on the palate - serve cool and enjoy! (Keep this fortified wine for weeks in the fridge, re-corked) DL

Traginer 2018 Collioure Blanc

(Was $29.99)  An outstanding and unusual white made by Jean-François Deu at the organic/Biodynamic estate, Domaine du Traginer (Mule-driver) in Banyuls and Collioure. Made from Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris and Vermentino grown on low-yielding vines, on steep slopes above the Mediterranean. The 2018 is a superb and complex wine of the south that shows a bright pale gold color and aromas of almond, pear and peach, lime-flower and preserved lemon. The palate is ripe and dense with citrus, almond, peach and stone flavors backed by firm acidity, finishing with mineral flavors citrus and white fruits. Serve this unique wine with a ceviche of scallops or fluke, fish soup or fish in sauce, white meats and goat cheeses. Lovely wine!  David Lillie

Traginer 2016 Collioure Cuvée Octobre

Cuvée Octobre is made from equal parts Black Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Syrah from vines raised on steep slopes above the Mediterranean in the Collioure AOC. The organic vineyards are situated high above Banyuls-sur-Mer and are picked late which adds some warmth and depth to the cool minerality from the schist soils. The nose offers aromas of blackberry, thyme, and black-cherry. After being opened for a few days, the layers of aromatics deepened with notes of dried herbs, spice, and red fruit. The palate is round and supple with layers of blackberry, smoke, and hints of citrus, and rosemary on the lengthy finish. This is a food-friendly wine and would pair nicely with braised lamb or grilled steak.  Complex and highly enjoyable!

Traginer 2018 Collioure Rouge Vieille Foudre

Equal parts Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre and Syrah from the steep schist terraces of Banyuls-sur-Mer, this is a pure and concentrated expression of this dramatic coastal stretch of the Roussillon. Dark black red color. Lush aromas of blackberry, black plum, bitter chocolate, licorice, stone and brown spice.  The palate is dense, ripe and supple with blackberry liqueur, earthy morello cherry, red currant and minerals, with cool citrus and red currant in the long finish. This is a beautiful Collioure that will accompany a steak, grilled meats, stews, grilled vegetables and tagines. Highly recommended. DL

Gaudry, Vincent 2019 Sancerre Tournebride

 Vincent Gaudry has been certified organic and Biodynamic  for many years, perhaps the leading domaine in Sancerre in regards to farming. The cuvée "Le Tournebride" comes from all three Sancerre terroirs: terres blanches (Kimmeridgian marl), caillottes (weathered limestone) and flint (silex). The grapes are hand-harvested and ferment with wild yeasts in stainless stell vats, the wine then ages about ten months and is bottled unfiltered. The 2019 "Tournebride" shows a bright very pale gold color with elegant aromas of citrus, white flowers, pear, green apple and quince with hints of anise and fig with time open.  The palate is subtle and pure with floral white fruits, a bit of melon, almond and firm citrusy acids—light but with nice density—with a crystalline, stony aspect that continues in the long clean, sapid finish. This is a very elegant Sancerre and a great value which will accompany any mild-flavored fish dish, white meats and goat cheeses.  David Lillie 

Gaudry 2018 Sancerre Vincengétorix

This is a gorgeous Sancerre Rouge, Pinot Noir with Pinot Fin  a product of Vincent Gaudry's wonderful biodynamic farming. Wild yeast fermentation, aging 12 months in used barrels. The 2018 shows a brilliant black/red color and vibrant aromas of black cherry liqueur, black raspberry, earth, licorice and violet. The palate is dense, sapid and chalky with lush, earthy black fruits framed in firm acidity and mineral flavors with hints of licorice, cherry pit and brown spice. This could be a premier cru from the Côte-de-Nuits but from better farming and more expessive of the limestone terroir. Bravo to Vincent and his team! Delicious now, best after 3 to 5 years, drink until 2030+  David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2018 Gigondas

Clos du Joncuas, founded in 1920 by Pierre Auguste Chastan, has always farmed with natural methods and has been officially organic since 1980. Currently run by sisters Dany and Carole Chastan, the estate's Gigondas vines are on slopes below the Dentelles de Montmirail on soils of clay with dolomite and gypsum over the limestone of the Dentelles and average 40 to 90 years old. 80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah, whole cluster fermentation in vat with 12 months aging in large old barrels. 2018 was a difficult year in the southern Rhone as warm wet conditions in the spring led to horrible outbreaks of mildew that lowered yields. The late season weather was warm and dry however helping to produce wines with supple fruit, good freshness and a somewhat softer character making the wines lovely to drink young. The 2018 Clos du Joncuas is a bit softer and brighter than the norm  with very deep color and ripe high-toned cherry, red currant, mineral, spice and licorice aromas. The palate is elegant and fresh showing deep supple black fruit liqueur with hints of graphite, garrigue and brown spice. This is delicious now and will be fully ready within a few years, drink until 2030-2035 - a lovely wine!

Clos du Joncuas 2017 Vacqueyras La Font de Papier

From 80% Grenache with Syrah and Mourvedre, grown on gravelly limestone terraces, always farmed organically, whole-cluster fermention and aged in concrete vats. 2017 is another good vintage for the always lovely Vacqueyras from Carole and Dany Chastan at Clos du Joncuas. The nose is full of dark notes of plum, blackberry and spice, that open towards ripe raspberry and a stony minerality. The palate is quite bold and ripe, but very balanced. The core of the wine is limestone minerality; fresh blackberry, leather, raspberry, and earth surround that bright, mineral core. With air, this opens brilliantly, showing fresher and brighter, with notes of cherry and strawberry coming to the fore.  A joyful wine and highly recommended!

Gonon 2018 Vin de France Chasselas VV NFS

99% Chasselas (1890s, 1900s)  planted by Raymond Trollat’s grandfather, 1% Marsanne, Folle Blanche, Riesling from gneiss, decomposed granite soils 50 cm deep before the hard rock, on "Aubert" at St Jean de Muzols, aged in used 228-litre oak casks 12 months, malo completed, 1-2 casks per year. There was a rumor that the Gonons finally pulled the old vines out, but in fact they did a massale selection  to replant 250 vines and repaired the wall. "The poor soils mean the Chasselas avoids being flabby," says Jean. Tasted at the estate in January 2020, the wine showed a lovely gold/bronze color and floral aromas of almond, peach and ripe pear with apricot, stone and hay on the round but mineral palate, quite unique and wonderfully delicious! We're very glad that Jean and Pierre have decided to continue making this beautiful wine.

Bastide Blanche 2015 Bandol Cuvee Estagnol

Bastide Blanche, one of the few organic domains in Bandol, produces this beatiful wine from old vines of 92% Mourvedre and 8% Grenache. The wine is hand-harvested in multiple passes, with very low yields, fermented with wild yeasts and aged in old foudres.  File under under curiosity or perhaps, sometimes you just need a duck wine. Depending on one’s whims, one plans their meals around a particular wine or perhaps in a more balanced life, one plans their wines around a meal (dear reader, I am probably more inclined to the former truth be told). But in this case I had a lovely bunch of baby Japanese turnips and a fine breast of Rohan Duck, so the the meal drove the bus, so to speak. The 2015 Bastide Blanche Estagnol is just the thing. With a substantial decant, it has all the dark floral aromatics, ground Telicherry peppercorn, blackberry fruit, and yes, a hint of game on the nose. The palate is tightly wound and just this side of severe on opening but with two hours in the decanter, the pure, sweet, plummy fruit emerges with loads of charm, ripeness, and dry extract to buffer the substantial structure beneath. And while the solar 2015 vintage can result in wine that show more power than grace, here it seems like there is there is real poise and potential. This shows ripeness, but no sense of heat or flab. Plenty of black fruits and dusty tannins and sure, oodles of garrigue. But there’s real flair and harmony and each sip has me wondering what a mature bottle will taste like. Excellent with duck and turnips, but I'd love to pair this with lamb and tapenade, or once summer is in full stride, ratatouille. John McIlwain

Terrebrune 2019 Bandol Rosé

A little late in the game from a “Rosé Season” standpoint, but I still have a couple of days to wear white pants or white bucs. This year's (2019) model has a pale salmon, sunset robe to the meniscus. Upon opening there is a touch of struck match and mineral smoke, which blows of shortly. The nose is delicately floral and redolent of watermelon agua fresca, wild strawberries, and tangerine peel. The palate is a bit less concentrated than the 2018, but is more lifted and vibrant with plenty of brio on the long, mouthwatering finish. And lest it suffer by comparison to the previous, there is a compelling mineral core here that expresses itself with gusto and will stand up to your tapenade, ratatouille, or on this evening a riff on Madame Peyraud’s thon à La Marseillaise. This certainly offers plenty of charm and refreshment, but there is enough structure and poise to warrant aging for 3-5 years. And who doesn't need a September rosé to wash down the end of the season’s eggplant, courgettes, tomatoes, and maybe a bit of that tapenade? John McIlwain

Charvin 2018 Côtes-du-Rhone Le Poutet Arrives

(Our last delivery sold-out immediately - it's back!) The Laurent Charvin "Le Poutet"  is made from average 50 year-old vines (some are 90 years-old!) of 80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Syrah and Carignan in vineyards that abut Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Maucoil in the northwest and Campovin and Boislauzon in the northeast. The soils are sandy clay/limestone with galets stones. The grapes undergo a 15 to 20-day whole bunch fermentation with daily pumping-overs, the wine then spends 18 months in concrete vat and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The resulting wine is equal to many Châteauneuf-du-Pape, offering complex aromas of garrigue and spicy red fruits with the structure to evolve and drink well over ten to fifteen years. The 2018, tasted with Laurent Charvin in January, 2020, was  quite remarkable with gorgeous floral aromas of strawberry and blackberry and vibrant, supple black fruits on the palate with round juicy tannins - delicious already but with enough brightness and structure to provide beautiful drinking over the next ten years. This is truly "gouleyant" and should be purchased by the case - at $22.99 per bottle it's a great value!  David Lillie

Bize, Simon 2018 Bourgogne Blanc Les Champlains

We are huge fans of the Bize wines and what we have seen of the 2018s so far has us jazzed. The whites are of particular note, considering the warmth of the vintage. They have the poise and freshness that one expects from serious white Burgundy, while still showing the fruit and richness that characterizes the vintage. "Champlains" is a Bourgogne that performs at a high level, from a parcel that Patrick Bize planted himself. It includes about five percent of Pinot Beurrot (known as Pinot Blanc elsewhere) and has a beautifully ripe nose full of white peach and lilies. There is good weight on the palate and more of that stone fruit character, wrapped up in a lovely sea shell-like finish. We opened a bottle the day this arrived  at the store and put it away in not more than thirty minutes.   Sam Ehrlich

Barthod, Ghislaine 2017 Bourgogne Rouge Bons Bâtons

Barthod is in a handful of the truly ace growers of Chambolle-Musigny, making wines of terroir that have the ability to age for many years. Her Bourgogne Rouge "Les Bons Batons" is an outstanding bottle, year after year, and we feel fortunate to have a bit more this year to offer out. It comes from a single parcel just outside the village limits and presents real Chambolle character, full of red cherry fruit, dried roses, baking spice and a cool long finish. This will reward a couple of years in the cellar or give it a gentle decant for tonight!  Sam Ehrlich

Magnien, Stephane 2018 Coteaux Bourguignons Tradition (Passetoutgrain)

From 35-55 year-old vines below the village of Morey-Saint-Denis in deep clay soils, 50% Pinot Noir/50% Gamay (with the new AOC Coteaux Bourguignons replacing Borgogne Passetoutgrain and Bourgogne Rouge). Hand harvested, fermented with wild yeasts and aged 16 months in tonneaux and stainless steel vats, bottled unfined and unfiltered, about 150 cases made.This is a lovely and affordable Burgundy that shows a dark red/black color and deep aromas of cherry and black raspberry with earth and citrus notes. The palate shows a potpourri of berry fruits with herbal flavors and impressive length, finishing with juicy acidity. Drinking beautifully now, and over the next few years - buy a case and make this your "everyday" Burgundy. (The 2015, a similarly lovely wine, was featured in the NY Times "20 Under $20" of 9/21/17)  David Lillie

Magnien, Stephane 2018 Morey-Saint-Denis "Grains Fins"

The Morey-Saint-Denis "Grains Fins" is another new cuvée from Stephane Magnien, and it's an absolutely delicious wine! It's made from young vines of Pinot Fin, in the vineyards of "Bas-Chenevery" and "Crais-Gillon" on gravelly soils. There is a 12-month elevage in mostly old barrels, followed by 4 months in cuve inox - only 200 cases were made. The 2018 "Grains Fins" is a terrific wine, surprisingly structured, mineral and dense from these young vines - perhaps the smaller grapes of Pinot Fin brought a bit more grip to this generous vintage. The wine shows a bright deep red/black color, with vibrant aromas of blackberry, earth and ripe morello cherry, very floral, with hints of darker fruit and stone with a fabulous backbone of chalky minerals. The palate has nice grip and density with sappy red and black fruits, with a chalky texture, leading to a firm and very long, lush and mineral finish with hints of licorice and cherry pit. Enjoy this delicious wine in its vibrant youth, or wait a few years then drink until 2030-2035  David Lillie

Bengoetxe 2019 Getariako Txakolina

Iñaki and Rosa Maria Etxeberria produce Bengoetxe in the cool, very green Basque country on the border with France. The humid climate and the influence of the Atlantic Ocean yield wines with lots of bright acidity grown from native grapes (in this case, Hondarribi Zuri and a tiny bit of Gros Manseng). The Exeberrias pursue a lower-intervention and more serious style of Txakoli, harvesting by hand, fermenting with native yeasts, and resting for a full year on the lees in steel tanks before bottling without captured CO2. Bengoetxe is from vineyards from a slightly warmer site, and the wine shows rich citrus,  melon, smoke and herbs on the palate. The 2019 is outrageously good, a total knockout for the price: long and extremely mineral on the palate, with brilliant acidity and freshness. I don't know if I'll manage to save a bottle or two (as it is so very tasty right now), but my feeling is that is could also age quite brilliantly. Ben Fletcher

Costers del Priorat 2017 Priorat Petit Pissarres

Costers del Priorat's Petit Pissarres is 60% Garnacha Tinto and 40% Samso (a.k.a. Carignan), from organically farmed vineyards planted on the unique slate soils of Priorat. The Llicorella, or decomposed slate,, and the vintage's warmth, lend this wine a bold, dense character, but also  mineral lift. The fruit character is dark, suggesting plum, blackberry, and black currant on the nose, while the palate is more lifted with notes of cherry, blueberry and blackberry around a core of slate-y minerality, with just a touch of oak spice. Ben Fletcher

Xoriguer Mahon Spanish Gin 1 Liter

Xoriguer gin hails from Mahon on the island of Menorca in Spain and one of only three gins (along with Plymouth Gin and London Dry Gin) to have a geographic designation. Gin has a rich history on Menorca dating back to British occupation during the 18th century and is still made with the same traditional methods. This gin is made in wood-fired pot stills from a base spirit of grape distillate (as opposed to the more common grain-based distillate) and is rested in American oak barrels before bottling. This process gives this spirit decidedly fruity and floral aromatics as well as a softer, citrusy palate. For lovers of gin and tonics, try this for your next experiment! Tim Gagnon

Sidónio de Sousa 2015 Branco Brut Nature

A lively sparkling wine made from 40% Bical, 35$ Maria Gomes, and 25% Arinto from the Bairrada region in Portugal. The nose shows a fresh and energetic medley of almond, pear, thyme and white flowers. The palate is crisp and refreshing with fine minerality, with notes of bright citrus and flowers. An excellent aperitif, or can be paired with a mild cheeses or a light seafood dish. JDC

Garalis 2019 Lemnos (Greece) Natural Retsina Rose (500ml)

 This is a delightful little (500mL) bottle of skin-contact Retsina giving it an amber-peach color. The Greek island of Lemnos is rich with volcanic soil and a tradition of adding Aleppo pine resin to create the uniquely Greek wine; Retsina. This bottling is a blend of 90% Muscat of Alexandria and 10% Limnio which are macerated on the skins for a few days, fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel, then infused with pine resin. Oftentimes Retsina can be a bit overpowering with the scent of pine, but the extended skin contact fleshes out the juicy necterine and grapefruit notes of the Muscat and balances out the resin to a softer note of fresh thyme and rosemary. The palate has gentle tannins like peach fuzz, and bright Meyer lemon and stone fruit. Michelle DeWyngaert

Zaro 2016 Izola Refosk 'Fresh' (Slovenia)

From a small family winery in Izola, Slovenia, this is a traditional red from the Refosk (Refosco) grape. Indigenous to the the Friuli- Venezia-Giulia region and to the Istrian peninsula (shared by Italy, Croatia and Slovenia),  Refosk has peppery notes, moderate tannin and can yield a range of styles, from light and fresh, to heavier and more structured. This Refosk, nicknamed "Fresh,"in fact falls between the two, with nice acidity and lift, complemented by black pepper notes and some rusticity. Fermentation and aging is in 2000L Slovenian oak, and the wine is bottled without fining or filtration. A perfect red for charcuterie or grilled foods.  -EL

Holmes Cay 2005 Barbados Single Cask Rum 63.8%

The curators of Holmes Cay are on a mission to convince you that rum can be as exquisite, as unique, and as valuable as any single-malt Scotch. This single-cask selection goes a long way towards that end. The 2005 Barbados rum comes from the Foursquare Rum Distillery, a blend of column and pot-still distillations, aged for an incredible eleven years on the island in ex-bourbon barrels, and then for another three years of aging in the UK. It is bottled at cask strength, nearly 64%ABV, and yet the richness of this rum seems to somehow carry that alcohol without feeling out of balance. There is a delicious note of banana crème brûlée, mixed with vanilla and all spice on the nose, and on the palate a luscious texture, with notes of hazelnut, toffee, black pepper, and nutmeg. Add in a splash of water or an ice cube to allow the aromas to open up. The finish will linger for ages. Michelle DeWyngaert

Holmes Cay 2005 Guyana Port Mourant Single Cask Rum 56.4%

The Port Mourant still is totally unique; the last double wooden pot still in operation in the entire world. Originally built in 1732 on the Port Mourant Estate, it then moved to Uitvlugt Estate, and after that was shut down, ended up at Demerara Distillers Limited, the last rum distillery in Guyana. Since then the rums coming off the Port Mourant still have been used in blends for El Dorado, the flagship brand of DDL. To find a single cask of exclusively Port Mourant still rum is a treat indeed. This cask has spent most of its time aging in a continental climate in Northern Europe, and is bottled at cask strength without any additives. Off the bat this feels slightly funkier than one would expect from a rum from Guyana. There is tropical fruit here: a hint of guava, a hint of banana, under-ripe pineapple, coconut, along with apricot, green apple peel, mirabelle plum. There is an herbaceous and savory edge to this rum, with some vegetal notes of dried grass and undergrowth, along with a hint of engine oil and a touch of iodine. Incredibly complex, and maybe even a little bit mysterious, this is a rum I kept coming back to, trying to figure out it's shifting and mesmerizing profile. Oskar Kostecki

Holmes Cay 2004 Fiji Single Cask Rum 58%

Single casks of Fiji rum are quite rare, and are about to become even more scarce, with the recent exclusivity agreement between South Pacific Distillery (the only commercial rum producer in Fiji) and Plantation. This 16 year-old, 100% pot still rum spent 12 years of its life aging in the tropical climate of the island, and a further 4 years in northern Europe. This is a dense rum, with immediate heavy notes of vanilla, baking spice, and toffee. There is a slight saltiness to this rum, and some nuanced spice character, with cinnamon, pepper, and ginger all showing nicely on the palate. There is a hint of smokiness on the long finish. Even though the rum has intensity and weight to it, there is also really great balance that keeps all the flavors from overwhelming each other. A fascinating rum, and very drinkable. Oskar Kostecki

Viña Maitia 2020 Maule Valley Pais Pipeño

"Pipeno" actually translates to barrel, but in this case it refers to an old tradition of making large barrels of juicy, quaffable wine for everyday drinking, and this wine is a perfect example. The blend is 80% Pais and 20% Carignane from 120-year-old vines. Though the climate is very warm in Maule, the Humbolt Currant helps maintain acidity and keeps the fruit from over-ripening. The País is destemmed with a traditional zaranda, and the Carignan is left whole-cluster. Together the wine is aged briefly in concrete before bottlling.

Viña Maitia 2018 Maule Valley Carignan Weon

This is an introduction to Chilean Carignan from David Marcel at Viña Maitia. Vines are about 70 years old, and the grapes are fermented in lagar, and aged in concrete. The aroma of fresh soil hits you first and a just a touch of barnyard followed by rich black plum, raspberry, and red apple skins. The palate is plush and juicy with soft, pleasant tannins making it easy to enjoy with or without food. The finish is distinctly stony and savory on this easy drinking medium-bodied wine. Michelle DeWyngaert

Floral Terranes 2019 North Fork Orient Backyard - Merlot

This is not your typical boring, stuffy Merlot, this is wild, untamed Merlot from a tiny plot in someone's backyard on the far end of the North Fork in Long Island!  The grapes are foot-crushed, whole-cluster, fermented and aged in neutral barrels, and then bottled as is, with just a small amount of SO2. When it was first opened the nose showed notes of crispy bell pepper and juicy plum, but with some air/time it reveals an array of spice notes, graphite, wild brambly fruit, and tree bark. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle tannins, and the notes of forest floor linger long after you put it down. Michelle DeWyngaert

Floral Terranes 2019 North Fork Backyard Vineyard - Marquette

In the backyard of an Inn on the North Fork of Long Island, winemakers Erik Longabardi and Benford Lepley discovered a small amount of Marquette, a hybrid of Vitus Vinifera and Vitus Ripera. Hybrids, by nature, always feel a bit foreign, but this wine has a fascinating and unique aroma. I poured over this glass attempting to parcel out various descriptors and landed upon a mixture of red apple, plum, dried wild flowers, cocoa nibs, and somehow, Dr. Pepper. The grapes were foot-crushed, then fermented and aged in neutral barrels, and bottled off of the gross lees with a small amount of SO2. The palate is fresh and vibrant, with very soft tannins, and an array of flavors that will have you asking both, "What IS this?" and "Can I get more of it?" Michelle DeWyngaert

Floral Terranes 2019 Nassau County Suburban Moraines Still Cider

The creators of Floral Terranes drive through the towns of Long Island and seek out random uncultivated apple trees and grape vines. For the 'Suburban Moraines' cider, 10% of the apples used come from these discovered trees, and the rest of the blend is a mixture of Black Twig and Winesap apples from Breeze Hill Farm, Peconic, Long Island. There's a very pretty herbaceous quality to this cider like fresh sage,  lemon balm, and chamomile tea, backed by notes of Pink Lady apple, creating a crisp, dry still cider. Michelle DeWyngaert

Eminence Road 2018 Finger Lakes Elizabeth's Vineyard Pinot Noir

This vintage of the Elizabeth's Vineyard Pinot Noir proves that even with challenges in the growing season, a good winemaker can still make something beautiful. 2018 was incredibly rainy in the Finger Lakes. Compared to the previous vintage which was dense and concentrated, this year's Pinot Noir is lithe, almost a dark rosé. The grapes were left whole-cluster, then foot-crushed, and aged in neutral French oak barrels. The nose is an enticing blend of earth and fruit with notes of sage, moss and river rock with juicy raspberry. A perfect Pinot Noir for Springtime and lighter proteins! Michelle DeWyngaert

Eminence Road 2018 Seneca Lake Lamb's Quarter Vineyard - Char

The wines from Eminence Road get better and better each year, and this year's Lamb's Quarter Chardonnay is no exception. As these wines are made with very little intervention, there is a real sense of rusticity from the barn they're made in, and the limestone and loam soil the vines are grown in show prominently on the palate. For this bottling, the grapes are destemmed and allowed the macerate for two days on the skins before fermenting in stainless steel tanks. The wine spends 22 months on the lees, and then bottled by hand, unfined and unfiltered. On the nose are notes of crisp yellow apple, fresh cider, clean linens, and chalk. The palate is bright, with yellow and green apples, Meyer lemon, and crushed rock on the finish giving it a lovely bit of texture. Michelle DeWyngaert

Eminence Road 2018 Finger Lakes Elizabeth's Vineyard Cabernet Franc

A light, summery Cabernet France from Andrew Scott of Eminence Road! This bottling comes from the Elizabeth's Vineyard on the east side of Seneca Lake with soils comprised of a thin layer of loam over shale. The grapes are foot-stomped as whole-clusters in tanks and then pressed after 16 days into neutral barrels where it finished fermentation and remained for the rest of a year. As is typical with Eminence Road wines, the Cabernet Franc is bottled unfined, unfiltered and unfussed with. At only 10.7% alcohol this is  dangerously easy to drink and has a really nice umami, savory quality that makes it excellent as a food pairing, and finishes with the quintessential Cabernet Franc herbaceousness. The winemaker suggests serving this 'en plein air' for the full aromatic experience!

Maloof 2019 Dundee Hills AVA 'Thistle Block' Pinot Gris

The wines from Maloof are made by two of the nicest people, using some of the finest organically grown fruit in the Willamette Valley, and transforming it into tasty bottles of wine with as little added or taken away as possible. The 'Thistle Block' Pinot Gris comes form the certified organic Haakon/Lenai Vineyard in the Dundee Hills. The grapes are direct-pressed into neutral oak barrels where they ferment and then rest for eleven months on the lees with no stirring. As the Maloof team controls just two blocks of Pinot Gris from here, very little was made, but the site is so distinct that they continue to bottle it on its own. This wine is bursting with flavor; notes of honeysuckle, perfectly ripe peach, green apple, chamomile tea, and kumquat dance together on the palate. This is a joyful wine, to be enjoyed with or without food. Michelle DeWyngaert

Perkins Harter 2016 Willamette Valley Chardonnay Johan Vineyard

Every so often I taste a wine that truly tells a story like this Chardonnay from Perkins Harter.  The winemakers  were inspired by their favorite wines from Chablis and certainly there is a nod to that here, with their use of neutral oak and salty sea-breeze quality, but there is also a unique Johan Vineyard quality to this wine. After allowing this to decant for an hour or so, the nose paints a picture of the farm from which it comes. There are cows grazing on fresh grass in the distance, fruit trees are blossoming, the rain from the previous day can still be sensed. On the palate I imagined a really fresh butter had been made from the milk of the cow who was grazing, mingled with notes of crisp green apple, lemon skin, and peach blossom. There's a really nice tension of acidity and freshness against the weight and stony texture. The lingering finish and balanced structure lead me to believe that this wine will continue to age gracefully for the next 5-10 years. Michelle DeWyngaert

Children's Atlas of Wine Atlantic Coast

Cod fishermen set out from Bilbao, the oysters are netted up and boated to market in Nantes, they're playing bagpipes in Galicia and stuffing squid into empanadas the size of dinner plates. Europe's northwest coast, facing the Atlantic across the Bay of Biscay, has a definite feel. There's the same mild, wet, green weather brought in from the Gulf Stream that keeps Scotland damp, a number of unrelated minority languages, runes carved in stone. This is as much cider country as it is wine country. But the wines! A diverse bunch, united by a salty freshness, an herbaceous tang, that gives everything from Ribeira Sacra Mencía to Pays Nantais Melon have something to say to one another.

**Order this kit to join this virtual class with James Sligh on October 1st at 6:30PM EST. Each kit includes three bottles of wine, class materials, and an email with pairing suggestions, a weekly playlist, and a link to the Zoom tasting.** 

Drink with James Pinot X

Pinot is an ancient grape. With gouais blanc, the Cronos-type progenitor god of so many Western European varieties, it birthed everything from gamay to chardonnay. It's also a chameleon. Whether its skin is green-gold (blanc), or pink (gris), or purple-black (noir), pinot can transmit place and express itself through different styles in a way that makes it truly hard to pin down. But we can try to isolate some variables. Just like the X-Men, it all comes down to a fateful mutation.

**Order this kit to join this virtual class with James Sligh on October 3rd at 5PM EST. Each kit includes three bottles of wine, class materials, and an email with pairing suggestions, a weekly playlist, and a link to the Zoom tasting.** 

Deep Dive ...Minerality?!

Put four wine professionals in a room and you'll get six definitions. The concept of minerality in wine -- can we taste it? does it come from rocks? -- is one of the most contentious in my field. It speaks not just to what we love about wine that can be hard to express with language, but to some of the deepest questions it poses: how does place express itself through a plant and in our glass? Happily, 'minerality' is also often a shorthand for wines of quality; so we'll have some beautiful things to drink while I propose some answers, or, at the very least, some better questions.

**Order this kit to join this virtual class with James Sligh on October 7th at 6PM EST. Each kit includes three bottles of wine, class materials, and an email with pairing suggestions, a weekly playlist, and a link to the Zoom tasting.** 

Children's Atlas of Wine Wurttemberg, Baden, Alsace

National borders can get in the way of us seeing what wine regions have to say to one another. Neither Alsace nor the loose linguistic and historical region of Swabia in Germany's south fit neatly into the stories we tell each other about what German or French wine is 'supposed' to be. They're each incredibly diverse worlds unto themselves, with lots of variation of soil type and a big palette of grape varieties to choose from. But there are also connections between them waiting to be discovered. And in each case, from the rain shadow of the Vosges Mountains to the rocky fist of the Kaiserstuhl to the rumpled bedsheet of river valleys north of Stuttgart, there's an awful lot of great wine coming out of there that wasn't in bottle or available outside of the country until now.

**Order this kit to join this virtual class with James Sligh on October 9th at 6:30PM EST. Each kit includes three bottles of wine, class materials, and an email with pairing suggestions, a weekly playlist, and a link to the Zoom tasting.**  

Drink with James Blue-Chip on a Budget

Maybe the best reason to find wine professionals you can trust, apart from the thrill of exploration, is value. Burgundy, Bordeaux, Barolo, Champagne, Napa Cab... the blue chips of the wine world (mostly) got their reputations for a reason. And as long as you have money to burn, it's easy to close your eyes, sit back, and press play. But what about not burning money? When a classic is what's called for instead of an unpredictable adventure and price *is* an object  —   when we have to impress a partner's parents, say, or buy a gift for someone we don't know well, or just want a taste of the good life  —   where can we turn? We'll drink our way through a few different paths to finding value in wine regions, and wine styles, that often deliver anything but  —   and discover some world-class wines in the process.

**Order this kit to join this virtual class with James Sligh on October 10th at 5PM EST. Each kit includes three bottles of wine, class materials, and an email with pairing suggestions, a weekly playlist, and a link to the Zoom tasting.**  

Deep Dive Wine in Clay

Wine was born in clay. For thousands of years before folks in Gaul started floating oak barrels downriver, amphorae or dolia or tinajas or qvevri were where wine fermented, aged, and traveled. Clay vessels are our earliest evidence of winemaking. Clay bowls were even what you drank out of. And today, both in its ancestral territories and in places where it was never tradition, clay is making a comeback. We'll explore clay's impact on wine, its variations and permutations from Imereti to Itata, and drink wine that calls back to wine's very origins.

**Order this kit to join this virtual class with James Sligh on October 13th at 6PM EST. Each kit includes three bottles of wine, class materials, and an email with pairing suggestions, a weekly playlist, and a link to the Zoom tasting.**