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Patois Cider ‘Quaker Run’ Cider
Origin: Crozet, Virginia
Retail: $27.95 | Sale: $25.16
Patois Cider is based in Crozet, Virginia in the heart of the historic apple country. The project is run by Patrick Collins and his partner Danielle LeCompte, and they completed their first commercial vintage in 2019. They focus on producing ciders that express the wild fruit and terroir of small pockets of Virginia. Everything is hand harvested, without spray practices in an old-growth orchard, and fermented with little to no SO2. Quaker Run is a former commercial orchard dating back to the 19th century that contains clay loam soils with quartz and greenstone gravel and sits at an elevation of 950 feet. Notes of candied lime, satsuma, and linden tea. 30% Roxbury Russet, 25% Ashmead’s Kernel, 19% Black Twig, 14% Grimes Golden, 12% Gold Rush
La Brasserie du Mont Salève ‘Cédrat’ Ale
Origin: Jura, France
Retail: $19.95 | Sale: $17.96
Before he was brewing beer full-time, Michaël Novo was building chemical installations for a design office. He is a self-taught brewer who eventually opened La Brasserie du Mont Salève in 2010. The brasserie is based in Haute-Savoie in a small village called Neydens, a stone's throw from Switzerland and Lake Geneva. All of their beers are brewed on site, and there are no additives whatsoever, nor are they filtered or pasteurized. Lots of focus and attention is placed on the sourcing of the raw materials, and they now work with a multitude of carefully selected hops, including the French Barberouge, NZ Nelson Sauvin, as well as classic hops like Cascade and Chinook. In order to minimize waste and the environmental impact of the brewery, Michaël also gives all of his spent grains to local farmers to feed to their livestock. Vibrant and refreshing with aromas of fresh lemon peel and white flowers.
Castello di Castellengo ‘Miranda’ Bianco 202
Origin: Alto Piemonte, Italy
Retail: $19.95 | Sale: $17.95
The historic Castello di Castellengo is surrounded by numerous 80+ year old vineyard plots, which gave the winery its name: “Centovigne” means “one hundred vineyards.” In 1998, Magda Zago and her husband Alessandro started making wine from these tiny plots. This area was once the shore of an ancient sea which covered most of northern Italy, giving the soils here a high mineral content. Magda explains that it’s crucial to keep this type of soil “alive,” with the cultivation of plants like dandelions, which give nutrients to the soil and attract insects, in order for the vines to thrive. In the winery, Magda seeks to capture the uniqueness of the terroir in the bottle. She uses native yeasts, natural temperature control, cement tanks, and large used oak “botti.” ‘Miranda’ is aged for six months in concrete, resulting in a wine that exudes aromas of stone fruit and delicate white flowers, and has a medium body. 100% Erbaluce
Andrea Felici Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2022
Origin: Marche, Italy
Retail: $21.95 | Sale: $19.76
Andrea Felici started bottling his wines in 2002, but when his son Leonardo wanted to join the family firm, Andrea wisely sent him to gain experience in the wider world, to develop a taste for fine wine and to broaden his perspectives before he came back to their tiny village in the region of the Marche. Leo spent four years working as a sommelier, then returned home. He and his father began converting the vineyards to organic. They make just two wines: a young vine Verdicchio, and a lees-aged Verdicchio from 50 year old vines. Both are delicious at incredible value. Fine aromatics of green apple skin and grapefruit pith. The palate exhibits beautiful purity of fruit and pronounced minerality, with lemon flesh, Kaffir lime and a touch of bitter almond. 100% Verdicchio
La Lupinella ‘Il Lupi Nello’ 2021
Origin: Tuscany, Italy
Retail: $19.95 | Sale: $17.96
La Lupinella winery, situated in the idyllic regions of Montespertoli and Sant'Ansano in Vinci, Tuscany, holds a rich history dating back to the 16th century. Renowned for their commitment to organic farming, the Bitossi family cultivates their vineyards with care, upholding traditions that have been handed down for centuries while seamlessly integrating modern techniques. This winery is a true emblem of Tuscany, seamlessly merging the viticulture of the land with the ceramics legacy of the Bitossi family, providing a beautiful harmony between artistic creativity and the natural rhythm of winemaking. Its light ruby red color hints at a captivating floral bouquet, reminiscent of white flowers and exotic fruits. On the palate, the wine presents a vibrant freshness, softening into velvety tannins and ending with a sapid, juicy, and persistent finish. 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cannaiolo, 5% Trebbiano