Celebrate the start of June with us this weekend and enjoy a complimentary wine tasting hosted by Juliet and Kelly. Tastings run from 11:30 to 5 on Saturday and Sunday, and all wines featured will be available for purchase at a 10% discount.
Find a printable PDF of this week’s tasting notes here.
Nitida Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Origin: South Africa
Retail: $18.95 | Sale: $17.05
This small Durbanville property houses one of South Africa’s most successful small wine cellars while also maintaining a flock of 50 sheep, 2 cows and a sheepdog. The grapes were harvested in 25 different pickings over a time span of 6 weeks. This gives them the variety of building blocks to create a complex Sauvignon Blanc that reflects the riper tropical fruit flavors of the 2018 harvest, with green undertones that are traditional from the Durbanville terroir. There is a superb balance of fruit, delicious minerality and perky acidity. Sip your first glass with oysters on the half shell topped with a shallot mignonette -- their brininess is the perfect pair. This wine is also a great choice for a light supper or lunch with a loaded Nicoise salad.
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Domaine de la Croix Senaillet Saint-Veran 2017
Origin: France
Retail: $21.95 | Sale $19.75
"Domaine de la Croix Senaillet" takes its name from a cross that had been given by an ancient mayor of the village called Benoit Senaillet. This second-generation estate in southern Burgundy covers a unique stretch of 60 plots of vines with an average age of around 30 years old on all the slopes of the village. This Saint-Veran is the estate's best-known bottling, representing an assemblage of 40 parcels. The wine is crisp and fresh, offering a delicious bouquet of white flower, peach, citrus and mineral aromas. The palate is balanced with a concentration of ripe apples, lychee and citrus fruits that finish with hints of spice. A great wine to pair with seafood, sushi, poultry and goat cheese.
100% Chardonnay
Organic
White Hall Gewürztraminer 2017
Origin: Virginia
Retail: $24.95 | Sale: $22.45
Established in 1992, White Hall has grown from 6 acres planted to over 48 acres currently under vine. The Champ family has taken great pride over the years in being stewards of the land and creating wines that are unique to the beauty and richness of the terroir. This 100% estate Gewürztraminer is made in an Alsatian style, fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. An aromatic nose fills the glass with vibrant notes of orange, rose, and honey. The palate is elegant with rich citrus, enhanced by cloves and cardamom throughout the refreshing and lengthy finish. Its a delightful compliment to Asian dishes and spicier foods, as well as a pleasant wine to enjoy on its own.
100% Gewürztraminer
Llopart Rosé Brut Reserva 2015
Origin: Spain
Retail: $27.95 | Sale: $25.15
The Llopart family has been dedicated to viticulture since 1385 and to the production of cava since 1887. More than 125 years of experience support the quality of these organic, family-produced wines. Located in Alt Penedés, Barcelona, their estate is comprised of 235 acres of exclusively organic vineyards. Planted on unique geologic formations, the mountain vineyards are located in a privileged microclimate at between 360m and 510m above sea level.
This is an elegant Monastrell-driven Spanish sparkling wine that is lively and fun. Aromas of fresh strawberry and orange zest lead into a smoky mineral quality adding lift and complexity. Persistent bubbles linger with juicy tangerine fruits with a refreshingly bitter blood orange note that carries through on a long finish.
60% Monastrell | 20% Garnacha | 20% Pinot Noir
91 Points Jeb Dunnuck | 92 Points Vinous
Dear Mom Canned Red Wine
Origin: Oregon
Retail, 4-pack: $16.95 | Sale: $15.25
Retail, Single: $4.95 | Sale: $4.45
This Côte-Rôtie style wine is the perfect red for drinking outside. BBQs, picnics, kayaking, hiking, biking, you name it! This canned wine needs to be there. It will surprise you with a savory, almost smoky nose and nice dark fruits on the palate that come through with a bit of structure. These adorable cans are 187ml servings, which is essentially a standard pour at your local watering hole.
A 4-pack of Dear Mom is equal to approximately 1 standard 750ml sized bottle of wine.
90% Syrah | 10% Viognier
Averaen Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2017
Origin: Oregon
Retail: $23.95 | Sale: $21.55
Oregon's Willamette Valley offers an ideal growing climate, where strong winds blow from the nearby Pacific Ocean, and the mix of ancient volcanic soils and marine sediments from a prehistoric ocean floor lend intense minerality and complexity to the Pinot Noir grapes. Simple sustainable farming and hands-off winemaking give this textbook Willamette Pinot Noir an impressive quality at a great price. It opens with abundant berry and floral character, with hints of vibrant spice. Seamless in texture and appealingly sweet, this wine finishes with impressive persistence and resonating florality.
100% Pinot Noir
Sustainable | 91 Points Vinous
Domaine des Bernardins Beaumes de Venise Rouge 2017
Origin: France
Retail: $26.95 | Sale: $24.25
Domaine des Bernardins is a sixth-generation family owned estate on the edge of the tiny village of Beaumes de Venise, in the southern part of the Rhone Valley. Like many of this region's villages, Beaumes de Venise has been producing wine since Roman times. Everything is essentially done by hand on this estate. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are all carried out by hand with the utmost care. They prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing and use an organic compost made from grape marc. This beautiful rhone blend opens with complex aromas of pepper, lavender and roasted herb notes intermixed with black currants, black cherries, truffles and spice. It is a medium to full-bodied, traditionally styled Cotes du Rhone to drink over the next several years.
65% Grenache | 25% Syrah | 5% Mourvedre | 5% Grenache Blanc
94 Points Decanter
Lillet Rosé NV
Origin: France
Retail: $23.95 | Sale: $21.15
It is well-established that summer means rosé. But the warm weather is also ideal for an aperitif — a super refreshing, low-proof drink before dinner — and Lillet Rose is our new summer favorite. Like Lillet Blanc, which you may be more familiar with, Lillet Rose is a wine-based aperitif, made from the Grand Cru Bordeaux grapes used for Lillet’s white and red versions, and then combined with herb and fruit liqueurs before ageing in oak. As a result, it is bright and fruit-forward but not overly sweet — a pleasure to sip on its own, or in a fun cocktail.
Sémillon & other Bordeaux varietals