Join us for our last wine tasting of the year!
Sample lovely whites or reds to pair with your New Years Eve meal, and a Virginia-made bubbly from Thibaut-Janisson that is perfect for welcoming in 2020! Starting at 11:30am on Saturday and Sunday, all bottles will be available for purchase at 10% off retail price.
Find a printable PDF of this week’s tasting notes here.
Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Sainte Claire 2018
Origin: France
Retail: $26.95 | Sale: $24.25
Named after the church next to the winery, fruit for this wine comes from 30-year old vines with a south-facing exposure in the village of Préhy. The soils are chalky, with alternate layers of limestone and marl containing fossilized marine bodies, giving this Chablis its fresh and vibrant minerality. Notes of lemon and green apple welcome you into the glass. On the palate the wine is soft, with ripe fruits cut by citrus, spice, and vanilla. Matured entirely in stainless steel, this is a perfect crisp white.
Chardonnay
90 Points Wine Spectator Biodynamic
Morgadío Albariño Rias Baixas 2018
Origin: Spain
Retail: $21.95 | Sale: $19.75
Located in Rias Baixas from a farm planted in 1984, this vineyard has grown to 148 acres. Their albariño is intense and elegant with tropical fruit and kiwi complementing granitic minerality. Made from free-run juice, it’s well-structured and dry with a long finish.
Albariño
Thibaut-Janisson Brut NV
Origin: Monticello
750mL Retail: $29.95 | Sale: $26.95
375mL Retail: $18.95 | Sale: $17.05
Thiabaut Janisson is a joint venture between Champagne's Manuel Janisson and globe-trotting winemaker Claude Thibaut. They have captured the flavors and essence of the Virginia Terroir. This Cuvee from the Monticello Appellation has vibrant aromas of pear and ripe apples; the taste is perfectly balanced, crisp and refreshing. Thibaut notes that in America, unlike in other parts of the world, Champagne and sparkling wine is reserved for special occasions. He encourages that it should be enjoyed not just for celebrations and noteworthy events, but also as a highly versatile wine that pairs well with an assortment of foods and can stand on its own as a daily pleasure and petite indulgence.
Chardonnay
De Martino Legado Carmenère 2017
Origin: Chile
Retail: $23.95 | Sale: $21.55
The De Martino family has been producing wine in Chile's famous Maipo Valley for almost 70 years. This Carmenère was sourced from stony alluvial soils in Isla de Maipo where the variety achieves excellent ripeness. After fermenting in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts, the wine is aged in used oak barrels for 19 months. Paprika aromas with a touch of herbs welcome you into the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins.
Carmenère
Arianna Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso Frappato 2017
Origin: Italy
Retail: $44.95 | Sale $40.45
Occhipinti is located in the Vittoria region of southeastern coast of Sicily between the Mediterranean Sea and inland mountains. Owner, winemaker and viticulturist Arianna Occhipinti founded the estate in 2004. All 25 hectares are certified organic, practicing biodynamic, and feature only native Sicilian varietals. Her Frappato is extremely aromatic with notes of red, black, and blue fruits mixed with wild strawberry and bing cherry. It’s medium-bodied with a wonderful expression of fruit and savory notes of dried flowers, warm spices, and crushed stones.
Frappato | Biodynamic
The Counselor Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Origin: California
Retail: $39.95 | Sale: $35.35
This single vineyard Alexander Valley Cabernet is sourced from the River Pass Vineyard is located just north of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. Nick Goldschmidt has been working this site for 15 years. The 7 acre site receives gentle morning sun which permits longer hang-times and greater flavor development resulting in the ultimate balance of richness, depth and elegance. Aromas of raspberry, blackberry and cinnamon welcome you into the glass. On the palate, black currant, cherry, and raspberry flavors mingle with mocha and spice. The wine has bright acid and is smooth and softly textured with black cherry on the finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon
91 points Wilfred Wong of Wine
Ferraris Malvasia di Casorzo 2017
Origin: Italy
Retail: $14.95 | Sale: $13.45
Malvasia is a pleasant, sweet wine, and low in alcohol. Made exclusively from grapes grown in the hilltop vineyards of Casorzo and neighboring villages, it’s the pride and prestige of the area. The nose and palate bring sweetened red fruits and floral notes together. lt can be paired with desserts, fruit salads, or enjoyed as an aperitif for any party occasion.
Malvasia
Sustainable