Our weekend wine tastings are on hiatus, but we will still be featuring select wines for discount! Scroll down to explore tasting notes, and purchase any of the wines featured this weekend for 10% off retail pricing.
For a printable PDF of this weekend’s notes, click here!
Early Mountain Petit Manseng 2018
Origin: Madison, Va
Retail: $24.95 | Sale: $22.45
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Early Mountain is a pristine 350 acre property surrounded by rolling hills and pastoral farms. Their aim is to craft low-intervention wines, that are sustainably farmed; experimenting with various organic, biodynamic, and pruning techniques to figure out how best to support the health of the vineyards in this region.This Petit Manseng opens with notes of sweet citrus blossom, honeysuckle, and tangerine. The palate is lush and juicy, with notes of honey, citrus fruits, and hazelnut with a touch of bitterness on the finish from the extended skin-contact to leave it balanced and dry.
95% Petit Manseng | 3% Sauvignon Blanc | 2% Chardonnay
Kiràlyudvar Furmint Sec 2016
Origin: Hungary
Retail: $26.95 | Sale: $24.25
The historic wine-producing region of Tokaj lies 220 km northeast of Budapest, Hungary along the Bodrog and Tisza Rivers. Located at the geographical center of Europe, this UNESCO World Heritage site covers over 5,000 hectares around twenty-six villages that include Mád, Bodrogkeresztúr and Tállya. Fresh and viscous, this wine exudes stone fruit wrapped around a tight mineral core. This is a smooth polished wine with a long and lingering finish.
Furmint | Hárslevelu | 92 Points Robert Parker | Organic
Roland Champion Grand Cru Blanc De Blanc NV
Origin: France
Retail: $59.95 | Sale: $53.95
Roland Champion is a small family-owned producer located in the Grand Cru Village of Couilly. The Champion family has been growing grapes from father to son since the 18th Century. As members of the "Special Club" group, Roland Champion is a true Artisanal Champagne producer. The Blanc de Blancs NV is aged for 30 months (the minimum for NV is 15 months). This cuvee is the result of the blend of the 2005, the 2006 and the 2007 vintage and is produced from the free run juice only. Fresh and delicate, its fine bubbles and wide range of aromas will be perfect as an aperitif or New Year's celebrations!
100% Chardonnay | 92 pts Wine Spectator | 90 pts Wine Enthusiast
Linden Claret 2015
Origin: Linden, Va
Retail: $94.95 | Sale: $85.45
Jim Law and his family purchased a long-abandoned 76-acre apple orchard in 1983, after several years of looking for vineyard land with high elevations and east facing slopes. This medium-bodied red blend has weight from the Merlot and Cabernet Franc along with tannin length and acidity from the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. In the glass it greets you with aromas of red and black fruits, forest floor, and subtle toast. The palate shows restrained balance with refreshing acidity that frames the structure with soft background tannins.
46% Cabernet Sauvignon | 25 % Merlot | 16% Petit Verdot | 13% Cabernet Franc
Château du Cèdre Extra Libre Malbec 2016 France
Origin: France
Retail: $27.95 | Sale: $25.15
A true expression of a wonderful terroir, the team at Château du Cèdre produces Malbec wines that are both fruity and possess the necessary composition to improve with age. Their 27 hectares of vineyards are influenced heavily by a bedrock of clay and limestone along with the wooded area which surrounds the estate, leaving the wines with aromas of eucalyptus and juniper. Another key factor in the production process is the microclimate that the Domaine experiences, influenced by the prevailing wind from the Atlantic Ocean for eight months of the year and the warm weather from the Mediterranean Sea for the duration of the summer. Produced from organically grown grapes and bottled without added sulfur, this wine is full of life. With no added sulphites, it is one of the purest representations of Malbec from the Cahors that you will ever come across. Fresh raspberries, strawberries, and blackcurrants prevail in the nose, while a hint of lemon peel and black pepper give heaps of energy to the bouquet. It furthermore expresses the entire exuberance that characterizes the 2016 vintage in Cahors and elsewhere in France through its juicy taste and crisp tannins. Some spices and dried fruit complete the wine on the finish. It is most certainly a cuvee that highlights the benefits of the natural wine movement.
95% Malbec | 5% Merlot | Organic
Contratto Vermouth Americano Rosso NV
Origin: Italy
Retail: $29.95 | Sale: $26.95
While in the past 20 to 30 years, Vermouth was mainly used as a cocktail ingredient, Contratto's reintroduction of the Vermouth now makes for a great aperitif on its own, simply poured over ice and garnished with a lemon or orange. The intense herbal, fruit and spice flavors make no room for dilution. The flavors of roghly 30 different premium natural herbs and botanicals are extracted by cold maceration, create a sophisticated elixir with 100% natural flavors and colors. Contratto Aperitif has just 13.5 percent alcohol, a soft tartness and subtle herbaceousness. Mixed with sparkling wine or club soda, it’s a refreshing way to start a night.