Bonhomme, Pierre-Olivier 2021 Vin de France Le Telquel

(We have good stock of the 2021, and more is shipping from France!) This "poil dur" is wagging its tail again in 2021, with the brightness and balance of the old days at 11.5% alcohol, really refreshing and delicious! The wine shows bright plum, raspberry and green apple fruit with a bit of earth and spice. The palate is light and fresh but with nice density of fruit - raspberry, red currant and cherry with bright acidity, quite "gouleyant" - lip smacking and tasty that is, reminding us of the Ducroux Exspectatia...yum! The blend in 2021 is still based on Gamay, with Cabernet Franc, and some Syrah and Grenache from the Roussillon (noted from tasting with Pierre-O in February 2022).

Peciña, Hermanos de 2019 Rioja Blanco

Pecina provides one of Rioja's greatest examples of fresh yet complex young white wine. 100% Viura,  fermented with native yeasts and raised entirely in stainless steel (with several months on the lees and up to a year in bottle), for a bold, bright white, with cool herbal and waxen aromas, followed by flavors of tangy white grapefruit and green apple, and fresh green herbs. A spectacular bargain and a nice change from your everyday white, perfect for pairing with salads, fish, poultry and pesto.

Clos Fantine 2019 Faugères Cuvée Tradition (No SO2)

We’ve always loved Clos Fantine due to their impeccable farming, thoughtful cellar work, and wild soulfulness of their wines. This cuvée is a harmonious blend of de-stemmed Carignan, Syrah, and Grenache vinified separately in large vats with indigenous yeasts, then assembled and aged in cement before bottling with no sulfur. Slightly more polished than previous vintages, the 2019 is singing, with a nose that is bursting with aromas of wood smoke, baked red apple skins, citrus and garrigue. The wine shows a deep purple in the glass. The palate is lifted by cool minerality and structured with powdery tannins with flavors of juicy plum, cinnamon spice and dried herbs on the finish.

Coulaine 2020 Chinon Bonaventure

(Arrives May 9) Chateau de Coulaine is one of the very best estates in Chinon, with a long history dating back to 1300! The domain has been certified organic since 1997 and is now run by the young and very capable Jean de Bonaventure. Coming from 30-year old organically farmed Cabernet Franc vines planted on yellow limestone and sandstone, with sandy clay soils, the 2020 "Bonaventure" showed beautifully tasted recently in Angers - it's a superb Chinon to drink now and over the next 5 to 10 years. In this great vintage for Loire reds, the wine shows lush blackberry, plum, earth and spice aromas with a dense, supple palate of black fruits, earth and saline minerals, with terrific length. Meant to be drunk young, the wine shows surprising depth and elegance with the refreshing brightness one finds in good Chinon. A serious wine at a reasonable price - Serve cool with grilled foods, roast chicken and charcuterie, open well in advance if possible. David Lillie

Domaine de Reuilly 2021 Reuilly Les Pièrres Plates

Proprietor Denis Jamain has taken this estate to new levels of quality with organic and biodynamic farming. The 2021 Pierres Plates shows lovely aromas of grapefruit and pear with fresh herbs, lime flower and stone. The palate is ripe with dried pear, citrus, herbal, smoke and mineral flavors balanced by firm acidity. This is a lovely Sauvignon Blanc and a great alternative to increasingly expensive Sancerres. Serve happily by itself or with broiled fish, chicken, quiches/omelettes and goat cheeses.

Le Briseau (Nathalie Gaubicher Heredia) NV Vin de France 'Mama Mouchi'

"Quelle bête est-ce là?" - You can discuss amongst yourselves about the beast on the label. It seems to us like a cat on a sheep, but we don't know what to call it. What we do know is that Nathalie and the team at Le Briseau have bottled up a charming Pineau D'Aunis! From young vines in the Jasnières region, this is a new offering from Le Briseau, and one that we're very excited about. Lithe, herbaceous, with textbook notes of white pepper and crushed wild berries. A French retailer suggests that this is the perfect wine to drink while you wait for your bottles of 'Patapon' to mature. We'd have to agree, as this is clearly a wine for the moment, not the cellar. Drink with a light chill. Bottled without any added sulfites, but totally 'clean' (the one we tried was open for several hours and stayed delicious!).  -EL

Cru Godard 2019 Francs - Côtes de Bordeaux

65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec. Harvest by hand, natural fermentation, and zero new oak. Château Cru Godard’s vines grow on southerly exposed hillsides adjacent to the Saint-Emilion appellation,  geographically closer to Bergerac than to the city of Bordeaux. The wine is fermented by indigenous yeast in stainless steel tanks and is then matured 50% in tank and 50% in used barriques that have seen two passages. The 2019 has a dark ruby robe. The nose offers aromas of sweet black fruits, tobacco, and cocoa. The mid-weight palate has soft flavors of black cherry, cassis, blackberry, and coffee framed by savory earth notes and fine-grained tannins. A great value!

Ducroux 2022 Vin de France Prologue

The 2022 "Prologue" shows a lovely red/black color and very pretty raspberry, plum and peppery aromas. The palate is light but quite ripe, lush, earthy  and delicious at 11.5% alcohol. A bit more structured than usual, some free-run juice with juice from the first press.  Sensational, with a little supernatural funk of course, serve it cool and be happy...!

Turenne 2021 Cotes de Provence Cuvée Camille Rosé

Domaine Turenne, northeast of Bandol in Provence, produces this lovely rosé from 40% Cinsault, 50% Grenache and 10% Syrah, certified organic. The terroir is a unique bed of limestone and sandstone debris with small stones called "Gavroches" which bring a pronounced minerality and good drainage to the vines. The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented with wild yeasts. The 2021 "Camille" is a pretty, very pale pink/orange color with aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, rose and citrus, with a hint of stone fruits as well. The palate is light and elegant with subtle berry fruits, a hint of citrus and stone, and has nice density and length. This is a light and lovely rosé for all year enjoyment, sipped by itself or with grilled fish, white meats, salade Niçoise and mild cheeses - and it's a fabulous value! 

Clos du Joncuas 2021 Gigondas Rosé

This is a beautiful Gigondas Rosé from our organic friends at Clos du Joncuas. Pretty bright pink/orange color, aromas of raspberry, tart cherry, blood orange, peach skin and rose, a bit fresher and brighter than the last two vintages. Full, crisp palate with pretty red fruits and firm acidity. Long finish with tart cherry, peach, earth and citrusy acids. A bit lighter and better balanced than the 2019 and 2020, and very young -  it should open up nicely over the next two years. It's delicious now though, and very food-friendly – serve with grilled fish and white meats, salade nicoise, vegetarian dishes and Provençal foods. A great rosé to enjoy all year-round!

Lambert, Patrick 2020 Chinon Rosé

(Arrives 4/11) This delightful Chinon Rosé comes from Patrick Lambert's 6 hectares of organic vines in Cravant, around the corner from his friend and mentor, Bernard Baudry. Hand harvested from 20-year-old Cabernet Franc vines on gravel and sandy clay soils over limestone. This is drinking beautifully now with a bit deeper berry fruit than the 2021 (August 2022) and will drink well through 2023. This is a fabulous value and highly recommended.(Note: Some bottles have naturally occuring tartrate crystals which disappear when chilled and have no effect on flavor)

Kühn, Peter Jakob 2020 Rheingau Riesling Jacobus

An exuberant aromatic bouquet of spearmint pine forest, lemon peel, white rocks, green apple and apricot. Medium-bodied and dry on the palate, but juicy, with flavors of quince and grapefruit, followed by a long, limeade finish with an underscore of slate minerality. A lovely, delicate Riesling. Giselle Hamburg

Joiseph 2021 Piroska

Joiseph; a new-ish estate founded in 2015 by three friends (Luka Zeichmann, Richard Artner and Xandl Kagl). It started with a tiny vineyard in the village of Jois (thus the name, a playful personification of the village). Joiseph has grown quietly, slowly, and it has quietly become the talk of Burgenland. Piroska is a blend of Zweigelt and Pinot Noir with a little Blaufrankisch and some white grapes thrown in for fun. The name of the wine was inspired by the Hungarian word ‘Piros’ which means light red; Piroska is also often used as a girls nickname in Hungary. The wine is light and fresh, it has lovely cherry, raspberry and ripe pomegranate aromas. A perfect wine to drink with friends at a BBQ party!

Joiseph 2021 Gemischter Satz Mischkultur

Joiseph's 2021 mixed culture is a casual white mixed set. The young vines from the mixed set grow alongside 100-year-old vines, which give the wine its name of mixed culture. A field blend of a mix of Grüner Veltliner, Welschriesling, Neuburger, Muskateller, and Traminer from two separate parcels, with vines ranging from 10 to nearly 100 years in age, on limestone and slate soils. Pure spring sunshine and joyous warmth in a glass! Giselle Hamburg

Joiseph 2021 Blaufrankisch BFF

The name of this wine was intended to be Blaufränkisch Forever, but it could easily become anyone’s best friend. Whether you bring it for dinner at your parent’s house or BBQ with friends in the summer, it will spark joy anywhere it lands. Made of 100% Blaufränkisch, with 50% whole bunches that were covered with de-stemmed mash. It was barely touched during fermentation, only enough to keep the cap wet, and let the extraction happen slowly and steadily. When it was lightly punched down once in a while, it was done gently, by hand. The result is pretty astonishing. While it delivers the undeniable character of the Blaufränkisch grape — dark juicy fruits, cooking herbs like rosemary and thyme, black olive and five-spice, earthiness tied up with a sharp backbone of acidity — it remains playful in its structure. The tannins are silky and integrated, the ripeness is comforting and shows no signs of heaviness. I don’t know how many more words I can use to describe the only one that seems necessary here : balance. This wine is just simply harmonious. And if you don’t already know this amazing well-kept secret : Blaufränkisch is a wonderful candidate for aging in general, and BFF will refine even more if you have the courage to lay it down. It paired amazingly with an al fresco dinner made of a vegetable tart and green beans with pesto. GREAT pizza wine option here, too. It will complement dishes with tomato sauce with its vivacious acidity, lasagna comes to mind, or eggplant parmigiana.  -Emily Campeau

Rosi Schuster 2018 Burgenland St. Laurent Classic St Margarethen

The old adage of the iron fist in a velvet glove applies here. Organically farmed, this Sankt Laurent was fermented with native yeasts and spent one year in used 500 Liter Stockinger barrels. Presenting a dark ruby/purple robe, she comes across as opulent and velvety. A heady nose of iron rich minerals and dusty blackberries with a hint of herbaceousness waft from the glass. The palate bursts with earthy yet fresh mineral-rich notes of cherry and red berries. Silky tannins, delicate spice and a lovely long finish are signature characteristics.  Bright acidity is tempered by its velvety mouthfeel and body. Very Burgudian, a true class act.  -GH

Bodrog Bormuhely 2017 Hungary Tokaj-Hegyalja Furmint

The Lapis Vineyard is near the town of Bodrogkeresztúr in Tokaj and looks down onto the Bodrog River and its floodplains. Despite being near to all of this moisture, botrytis only hits certain parts of the vineyard. The 1,8 ha that they farm is 155m up and in a breezy spot making dry wines possible. The soil is a mixture of rhyolite with strong brown clay soil and tufa.  If there were to be reclassification of the Tokaj vineyards, this would be a strong contender for a grand cru.  Fresh and botrytis free fruit  fermented in small used barrels. It’s all at once pure, bright and fresh, and dense with peach and lemon notes, a hint of petrol and an intense saline  minerality. The high acidity is balanced by the creamy mouthfeel from long lees and barrel ageing. An incredibly elegant and sumptuous wine fit for the Kings of yore that used to drink it, think fatty fish and fowl dishes,  creamy pastas and  full flavored cheeses. Giselle Hamburg

Kalogris Organic Winery 2021 Arcadia (Greece) Mrs Polia

From the Mantinia plateau in the center of the Peloponnese, Moschofilero's birthplace. Mrs Poulia is a 10 day skin contact wine from the gray-skinned Moschofilero grape, in stainless steel with no temperature control, ambient yeast, no additives, and no filtration or fining, with limited sulfur at bottling. Delicate aromas of honeysuckle and melon, high acid and notes of blood orange with a long, savory minty finish. Easter Bunny wine! Giselle Hamburg

Fattoria Di Vaira 2021 Molise Vincenzo Bianco (Trebbiano/Falanghina)

From a humble farm in Molise, this is a pleasant and mellow skin contact wine, made from Falanghina and Trebbiano. A bright yellow/orange hue in the glass, subtle tannins and the sensation of light grip and fleshiness. This a great candidate with food, grilled fish, sardines, and salty Italian-inspired/Mediterranean dishes. It's also great on it's own or with simple snacks. A fantastic deal and a great intro to the world of "orange wines."

Maloof 2021 Willamette Valley Where Ya PJs At?

Always a perennial favorite, the 2021 "Where ya PJs at?" combines 80% Pinot Gris with 15% Riesling and 5% Schonburger. The Pinot Gris and Schonburger were fermented on the skins, while the Riesling was direct pressed. The Maloofs have long been champions of Pinot Gris, a grape that thrives in the Willamette Valley and can produce incredibly complex, layered wines ranging in style from lean and precise whites to textured Ramato style orange wines and with even longer maceration can become almost a light red. This falls into a nice middle-ground, with a peachy pink hue and vibrant strawberry watermelon citrusy aromatics coupled with bright acidity and subtle texture that ticks all the right boxes. Jeff DiLorenzo

Maloof 2021 Tualatin Hills AVA No Clos Radio Gewurztraminer

This is 100% Gewurztraminer from the Maloofs' own No Clos Radio Vineyard within the recently designated Tualatin Hills AVA in northwest Willamette Valley. The vineyard dates back to the 1970s and is own-rooted, dry farmed and worked organically, comprised of jory and loess soils with iron manganese deposits unique to the AVA. The fruit is destemmed before fermenting on the skins until dry (about 16 days) and aged in 500L neutral oak puncheons. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, it's a hazy gold/amber in the glass with springtime aromatics of fresh flowers along with some peach and apricot fruit. It's not overly perfumy, striking a perfect balance between floral aromatics mingling with a savory edge and a long mineral finish. This was a standout at the recent Bowler tasting - a joy to drink and perfect for the spring! Jeff DiLorenzo

Day Wines 2021 Willamette Valley Deep Blue Pinot Noir

Day Wines Deep Blue is 100% Pinot Noir coming from seven different biodynamically and organically farmed vineyards from the Willamette Valley, namely Cassin, Roshni, Johan, Momtazi, Nemarniki, Finnigan Hill and Claygate. It's made with around 30% whole clusters and is unique for its darker fruit characteristics, showing blueberry and blackcurrant fruit combining with subtle spice and lifted acidity. It's silky and smooth while still retaining energy and focus - light on its feet but still lush. It's a versatile pairing option and great for anyone who likes Pinot but wants something a bit darker. Jeff DiLorenzo

Gomariz La Flor Y La Abeja 2021 Treixadura

100% Treixadura that is unoaked, fermented naturally and bottled without filtration. Coto de Gomariz is in Ribeiro, a small region in Galicia, Spain. Farming is organic, with biodynamic principles, and winemaking is low-intervention, always native yeast fermentation and minimal use of SO2. This Treixadura is textured, a bit waxy, but mineral and fresh as well. A fabulous and affordable introduction to this special grape from Galicia.

Rafael Palacios 2021 Valdeorras 'Louro do Bolo' Godello

From Rafael Palacios' younger vines in Valdeorras, this is a clean and subtly dense Godello, fermented with indigenous yeasts in large foudres, and aged on the fine lees for four months. A big hit at a recent in-store tasting, we often liken this style of fresh and layered Godello to a good village level Chablis, or Macconais white. There are obvious similarities to a mineral-driven, unoaked Chardonnay, the stoniness at opening, and subtle weight that is expressed after the wine has had time to breath. A fantastic candidate with grilled fish with herbs, or poultry, but perfectly delicious on its own too! -EL

Guímaro 2021 Ribeira Sacra Tinto

Pedro Rodriguez is one of our favorite winemakers in Northwest Spain, and the wines from Guímaro are consistently interesting and exciting. This is the most approachable and affordable red wine from the estate, made with hand harvested grapes from precariously steep vineyards of mainly Mencía within the Ribeira Sacra appellation. Fermented and aged without exposure to oak, this wine is red fruited and almost juicy, balanced by bright, clean acidity and a deep mineral core. This is an appealing expression of Mencía, approachable and friendly to food. -Ben Fletcher

Raúl Pérez 2020 Bierzo Ultreia St. Jacques

Raul Perez has become one of the best known and most celebrated oenologist-winemakers in Galicia and Bierzo. His Ultreia wines are beautiful expressions of the terroir and indigenous varieties of Bierzo. Primarily Mencía, with small amounts of Bastardo (Trousseau) and Garnacha Tintorera from organically farmed vineyards near Valtuille de Abajo, the grapes for the Ultreia St. Jacques are hand harvested, and fermented mostly whole-cluster in large oak vats before being raised in large barrels, foudre, and some cement. This is a classic wine of Bierzo, with vibrant violet floral notes on the nose and  chalky minerality, medium body and delicate tannins.

Celler Pardas 2021 Vino di Mesa Sus Scrofa (Sumoll)

Ramon Parera and Jordi Arnan have been making wines under the Celler Pardas label since 1996, when they acquired an old estate in Alt Penedès. They have a passion for the traditional grape varieties of the region, and Sumoll is one of these old-school Catalan varieties. Sumoll is not an easy grape to work with and is not very productive, and as a result it has largely disappeared from the vineyards of Catalonia. Sus Scrofa is a great example of natural Sumoll, made in concrete tank with about 50% whole-clusters, from 3 parcels of old vines on clay-limestone soils. This is a bright, refreshing red wine that is suited to a brief chill, showing notes of cherry and pomegranate around a core of limestone minerality.

Stratum Wines 2021 Jumilla 'Matas Altas' Monastrell

Stratum Wines is a special project from Jumilla, started by siblings Carlos, Juanjo and Lucía, from Bodega Cerrón. Their family estate produces fine organic wines in the region, but they wanted to focus on the best and oldest vineyards in the region and showcase how exceptional Monastrell can be. Otherwise known as Mourvedre in France, Monastrell is very common in Valencia, and Jumilla specifically. Matas Altas is the introduction to the Stratum Wines project, more affordable than their top two wines, but nonetheless a beautiful and remarkably balanced and complex red. The grapes are from old, prephyloxera vineyards, on sandy limestone soils. Fermentation is in wooden vats, followed by aging in used French barrels. An elegant, medium bodied red, with some rustic aromas, but very inegrated tannins and fine acidity. At some point we will bring in all of the wines from this project, as the wines are turning heads in Spain (our friends at Envinate have said this was one of the most exciting projects to them in all of Spain). For now, we highly recommend trying this wine, which would be best suited to the dinner table, but equally versatile for Spring and Summer grilling. About 95% Monastrell, with small amounts of Moravia Agria, Blanquilla, Forcallat, Bobal and Rojal. -EL