A.R. Lenoble INTENSE ‘mag 16’ NV
Origin: Champagne, France
Retail: $41.95 | Sale: $37.75
Founded in 1920, AR Lenoble is one of the very rare houses in Champagne to be consistently family owned and completely independent throughout its rich history. In 2020, They celebrated their 100th birthday. AR Lenoble is today managed by the sister-and-brother team of Anne and Antoine Malassagne, the fourth generation of the family to run the estate and the great-grandchildren of founder Armand-Raphaël "AR" Graser. AR Lenoble believes in privileging the characteristic expression of fruit from our own vineyards, all of which have been certified Haute Valeur Environnementale since 2012 in recognition of more than twenty years of commitment to sustainability and biodiversity. From the 2016 vintage with the addition of 40% reserve wines, this very dry Champagne is pure, clean and fruity. All three grapes show out in the blend, crisp Chardonnay, structured Pinot Noir and fruity Meunier.
20% Chardonnay de Chouilly | 35% Pinot Noir de Bisseuil | 45% Pinot Meunier de Damery
Orealios Gaea Robola of Cephalonia 2020
Origin: Cephalonia, Greece
Retail: $14.95 | Sale: $13.45
In 1982, the growers of the Robola zone founded the Robola Cooperative of Cephalonia. High inclination, respective altitudes, and poor, gravelly limestone soils ensure the freshness, finesse and exquisite balance of the island’s wines. Armed with experience and knowledge, this was done in an effort to ensure their income, as well as protect and highlight the potential of the Cephalonia region. The PDO Robola is the only PDO wine named after its grape variety that yields it rather than the area it comes from. In Cephalonia, Robola is the most widely planted variety and flourishes on thin (barren) soil which, at times, is so poor that the Italians’ name for Robola was “Vino di Sasso” (“stone wine”). The slopes of Mount Enos host many self-rooted vines of advanced age. Robola wine emerges endowed with a “European” minerality, medium body, and excellent oxidation which are evocative of a good PDO Santorini wine. When young, it may be likened to—why not?—a Chablis and—after it has aged a few years—even a Riesling may be a fitting comparison to a Robola!
100% Robola
Los Bermejos Malvasia Volcanica Secca 2020
Origin: Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Retail: $28.95 | Sale: $26.05
Owned and run by winemaker Ignacio Valdera, Bermejos is on the easternmost island of Lanzarote. Only 125km from the African coast, conditions here are extreme. A volcanic explosion that lasted from 1730-1736 covered the entire island in lava and ash 3-5 meters deep. Consequently, each vine must be planted in a hole or hoyo that breaks through that infertile volcanic crust of petrified lava to the organic matter that can nourish it. The wind, which acts as a natural fungicide, is so ferocious that each hoyo is surrounded by rock walls for protection.Yields are miniscule (16 hL/ha) and each berry is concentrated with flavor. All vineyard work is done meticulously by hand. 100% tank-aged Malvasía Volcanica. Malvasía Volcanica is a grape that is truly indigenous to the Canary Islands, a crossing of Marmajuelo (an indigenous peach-skinned white grape) and Malvasía Aromatica. Crisp, bright and positively exploding with citrus and mineral flavors.
100% Malvasia Volcanica
Ermes Pavese Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle 2020
Origin: Valle de Aoste, Italy
Retail: $39.95 | Sale: $35.95
Pavese works the native grape known as Prié Blanc. Starting with barely two hectares of vineyards, situated at about 1200 meters above sea level, Pavese has gradually expanded his holdings in this high altitude zone. Because these vineyards are so isolated, Pavese has been able to work with the original, pre-phylloxera root stock since that malady never infiltrated this area when it came sweeping through Europe many years ago. A stunning wine from the highest vineyard site in Europe, with annual production of about 12,000 bottles of this austere, racy, mineral white wine with vivacity and length.
100% Prie Blanc
Hirsch Chardonnay 2019
Origin: Sonoma, California
Retail: $69.95 | Sale: $62.95
Their first Chardonnay vineyard was planted in 1994. That year, David Hirsch prepared 2.5 acres for planting on a rocky, 40% slope above his house. He was enamored with Barolo and had the crazy idea to put in Nebbiolo. Burt Williams, who had begun buying our Pinot Noir fruit for his winery Williams Selyem, told David he was nuts and should plant Chardonnay instead. Thus the old Chardonnay vineyard was born. As with all the wines from Hirsch, the purpose of the Chardonnay is to bring you a transparent expression of this unique vineyard site. Through farming and winemaking, they strive to bring the acidity and minerality of the site forward, with fruit and oak playing a secondary role. Sunny, ideal growing conditions gifted the 2019 vintage with a luxurious mouthfeel, harmonious structure, complex aromatics and remarkable length.
100% Chardonnay
Lightwell Survey ‘The Weird Ones Are Wolves’ 2019
Origin: Virginia
Retail: $29.95 | Sale: $26.95
Lightwell Survey is a Virginia winery shining a new light on the traditional wine-scape. We aim for a bullseye yet prefer to land slightly off center. Started in the fall of 2015 in partnership with Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, VA, our wines will continue to delve into traditional and not so familiar territory as we bring our wines to market. Formed by partners Sebastian Zutant, Ben Jordan and Jay Zutant, and recently including Julian Caustrita and John DeNapoli. A blend of 94% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Manseng. Both grapes were co-fermented with 20% Whole cluster, the Petit Manseng being all whole cluster. Aged for 11 months in neutral French 500L and 228L barrels. Bottled unfiltered August 2020. A deep baked bluefruit nose with cedar and baking spices leads up to an equally warm palette. This is our meatiest wine we have made thus far. A true red meat monster with soft tannins for days. Decant for an hour or more, chill just a touch. Only 326 cases were produced.
94% Cabernet Franc | 6% Petit Manseng
Hirsch Pinot Noir ‘San Andreas Fault’ 2018
Origin: Sonoma, California Retail
Retail: $68.95 | Sale $62.05
Perched on a ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Fort Ross, Hirsch Vineyards is the birth ground of great pinot noir on the extreme Sonoma Coast. David Hirsch founded the vineyard in 1980 to grow fruit and make site-specific wine. In the wines of Hirsch Vineyards you find a natural balance and consistency in the harmonious resolution of these opposites. This complex, unique site produces fruit and wines of unusual acidity and balance with a vintage specific concentration of pinot noir or chardonnay fruit. These are wines to be enjoyed now or laid down for future consumption. The San Andreas Fault Estate Pinot Noir is the flagship wine from Hirsch, and the wine that represents the summation of our complex vineyard.2018 San Andreas Fault Estate Pinot Noir is charming and complex, with a captivating dark cherry nose with notes of licorice and baking spice. The tannins are gentle yet present, making this a perfect wine for both the impatient drinker and the collector. David Hirsch says that if you drink only one Hirsch wine let it be this one.
100% Pinot Noir
Domaine du Pavillon de Chavanne 2020
Origin: Côte de Brouilly, France
Retail: $27.95 | Sale: $25.15
Mont Brouilly rises to a height of 1,587 feet all by its lonesome, an old volcanic thumb sticking out of a plain. Paul Jambon grew up in the shadow of this geological skyscraper—the first one encountered as you drive west from the River Saône into this southern sector of the Haut Beaujolais. Mont Brouilly marks the beginning of the Beaujolais hills. For a generation now Pavillon de Chavannes has been managed by Paul and Betty Jambon. During this time, they farmed 37 prime acres on Mont Brouilly’s steep sides and made a traditional Beaujolais and the Cuvée des Ambassades. The Cuvée had always come from 12 acres of the domaine’s best vines until this surface was reduced in 2018 when Paul sold two parcels of very old vines. One of the two had been used for the Ambassades but both parcels had become economically unviable and needed replanting. This is a very old school Beaujolais in the best sense: beautiful garnet color, beguiling aromatics, and a burst of refreshment in the mouth—and that burst is a savory, mineral, toothsome thing because of the domaine’s high elevations and because of Brouilly’s meager volcanic soils. Some crus emphasize soil notes, others give fruit, but only good Côte de Brouilly gives stone in the flavor.
100% Gamay
Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly 2020
Origin: Beaujolais, France
Retail: $33.95 | Sale: $30.56
It is no surprise that Château Thivin is the benchmark domaine of the Côte de Brouilly; everything about it is exceptional. Built in the fifteenth century on an ancient volcano which juts out steeply into the valley below, Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly. The parcels are predominantly south facing and are planted entirely with Gamay vines that average 50 years of age. The soil is plowed and composted regularly while cover crops are left between some rows to encourage micro-biotic activity. Absolutely no insecticides are used. On a slope with a grade of 48% and crumbly surface, implementing these techniques is essential to safeguard the soil from erosion, but it isn’t easy! Aromas of crushed cherries and red raspberries come charging out of the glass. Pure bottled crushed fruit A beautiful and delicate acidity on the palate leads to a long and elegant finish carrying you back to those berries again, and repeat.
100% Gamay
Jean-Paul & Charly Thévenet Morgon ‘Vielles Vignes’ 2020
Origin: Beaujolais, France
Retail: $41.95 | Sale: $37.76
It’s not easy to raise the bar when your father revolutionized winemaking in a given region, but that is precisely what Charly Thévenet has accomplished with this 2019 Morgon. Building upon the creed of sustainable farming and natural winemaking that brought the “Gang of Four” to the limelight, Charly has brought his own touch, resulting in cru Beaujolais that presents hedonistic pleasure and serious pedigree: chilling the grapes down before fermentation preserves vibrant fruit and freshness, while his decision to forgo punch-downs and pump-overs yields a silky-fine grain without sacrificing underlying structure. Jean-Paul has helmed his estate since taking over for his father in 2008. He still farms old vines biodynamically, he still refuses any amount of chaptalization or filtering. In comparison to other Gang of Four members, his point of difference comes in long, slow fermentations in cement, giving his wines deeper color, plush supple tannin, and restrained fruit character, followed by 6-8 months in old Burgundy barrels to further broaden the shoulders
Vibrant and effusive strawberry and blackberry aromas start to entice you into the woods where the palate shifts to bramble. It has a pleasant cocoa powder dusting of tannin and is already hinting at the secondary aromas of dried herbs and preserved strawberries that the years ahead will open.
100% Gamay