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A very well-balanced Bordeaux blend from the Napa Valley and the deft touch of winemaker Laura Barrett. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc. The palate delivers black currant, licorice and a touch of graphite. Fine-grained but firm tannins suggest it is cellar worthy for 5-7 years as well.

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We love most all of the wines Mick Unti makes, and also love hearing him explain the technical aspects and tasting notes behind them. Thus, without further ado, “this Zinfandel comes from our Primitivo-clone vineyard planted next to the winery in 1998. We favor the Primitivo-clone because it tends to produce berries that are smaller and with thicker skins, versus typical California Zinfandel selections. This leads to a richer wine with more tannin, which is characteristic of old-vine Zin.

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Some of our customers have enthusiastically embraced Chardonnay in unoaked versions, and this is one of our favorites. Producer notes ~ "Our 2019 EX Chardonnay comes from the original 35-year old, own-rooted Clone 4 planted on our estate vineyard. It is fermented (primary only) and aged for 3 months in stainless steel.

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A Monthly Wine Club Selection
Bistue Cellars was born out of passion for exploring different wine regions while creating remarkable wines. It began in 2014 as a fun side project by winemaker Carolina Bistué and her family, but soon grew into something more. After earning her Masters in Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, Carolina Bistué worked at La Perla del Priorat in Spain and at Paul Hobbs’ Viña Cobos in Mendoza, Argentina as part of their winemaking teams. Carolina employs minimal-intervention winemaking techniques and subscribes to the belief that great wines begin in the vineyard, “We carefully select our vineyards based on the ideal location for each grape varietal and the style of wine that we want to achieve.”

Bernard Baudry is unquestionably one of Chinon’s most outstanding producers. Not only does he have the talent to make delicious and consistent wines, vintage to vintage, but he is also fortunate to have vineyard land that showcases the varied soil types of the appellation.

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This wine is 100% Barbera from the Ferrione vineyard located on a west-facing hillside at 1,500 feet above sea level and situated just below the winery. The vines range in age from 10 to 55-years-old, the grapes were hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks with minimal sulfur added. The resulting wine was aged four months in large oak casks (botti) and another six months in cement tank before bottling. Dark garnet. Aromas of black and red berries, plum and a kiss of mint. Fresh flavors of ripe Bing cherries, blackberries, and baking spice. Nicely framed, the finish is fruity and well-balanced, with a solid acid backbone typical of Barbera and fine-grained tannins.

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Complex, rich and spicy, and from a fine vintage in the Southern Rhone as well. The younger generation at Le Clos du Caillou as of 2020 purchased this spectacular property north of the family estate in Courthézon. The winery is made up of a 15th-century farmhouse (the “mas”) and cellars, surrounded by acres of prime Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards, in the heart of lieu-dit ‘La Janasse’ in the far northeast corner of the appellation. With many vines planted in 1924 and terroir that echoes Châteauneuf’s finest, winemaker Marilou Vacheron and her brother Axel (of the Sancerre clan) are more than well-positioned to craft seriously compelling and character-rich southern blends.

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A Monthly Wine Club Selection
Founded in 1905, Domaine Sauvète boasts four generations of artisan winemakers in Touraine. The family farms its 40 acres of vineyard land according to organic principles, and is certified organic by Ecocert. In recent years, they have incorporated more biodynamic practices, such as using plant-based teas and preparations to help combat vine maladies, and working according to the lunar calendar.

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From the Producer: "Both complex and alluring, this radiant Chardonnay opens up with aromas of pineapple, stone fruit and lime, as well as hints of white flowers and sweet French oak. On the palate, it is round and silky, with lively acidity and abundant minerality balancing the underlying richness and adding poise to the lush flavors of apple, peach and creamy lemon curd."

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A Monthly Wine Club Selection
Inky purple color. Aromas of sweet red berries, fresh basil and violet. The palate shows flavors of black fig, Rainer cherry and a symphony of red bramble fruits. Light body with some dusty tannins on the finish.

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A Quarterly Sparkling Wine Club Selection
Led by Kiki Pfitzer-Simon and Ingo Simon, Gebrüder Simon's winegrowing tradition dates back to 1724, and continues to this day, guided by passion, tradition and innovation. The current sparkling wine facility was built in 1995, and all their sparkling wines are made in the traditional or classic method. Ingo Simon is often found in other wine regions, producing sparkling wines, and flying as far as the Republic of Georgia to manage the production of several red wines. He is a real character—known for his wry wit, and his astute seriousness when it comes to his craft. He is the driving force behind this small family venture located in Lösnich, facing the impossibly steep, amphitheater-like slopes of the famous Ürziger Würzgarten, or ‘Garden of Spices’, just across the Mosel river. The winery cultivates just 4.5 hectares of vines in the world-famous locations of Ürziger Würzgarten, Erdener Treppchen, Lösnicher Försterlay and Kinheimer Rosenberg.

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A fine discovery in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the oldest official appellation in France. The name, "Chateauneuf-du-Pape," dates from the era when there was a split in the Papacy and the Avignon Pope built a summer home in this area. Founded in 1930, this is a small estate of five hectares that is divided into six parcels located in the lieux-dits of Palastor, Bois Dauphin, and Cabriere, in Orange. The northerly situation and cooler climate allows for more elegant and aromatic wines, and is less prone to drought. Farmed organically with no fertilizers, pesticides, or weed killers used. 400 feet elevation.

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A Quarterly Golfweek Mixed Wine Club Selection
Jeff Loomis got his revelation with “real wine” during a study abroad semester in Avignon, France, where he spent a few francs on a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. He always thought that if he ever did something with wine, it would be with Rhone varietals. “I love to create and push boundaries. Do things that haven’t been done before. Like Rhône varietals. In Napa Valley—the heart of Cab country. In the middle of an oak forest. At elevation. All on one estate. But that was my vision behind Loomis Estate Vineyards as I walked the raw land back in 2000. We were going to produce great wine or great salad dressing. I honestly didn’t know which at first. But guess what? Wine prevailed.”

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_{A Monthly Wine Club Selection}
Adegas Terra de Asorei is an association of six winemaking families that have banded together with the intention to produce premium, charismatic, 100% Albariño wines. The team, which joined forces at the beginning of the 21st century, operates a state of the art winery in the Salnés Valley in Rías Baixas in the verdant northwestern region of Galicia, Spain.

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This a hearty red made from Saperavi, from one of the traditional grapes varieties in the Republic of Georgia. It is also produced in traditional terracotta quevri, a winemaking style that has been around for centuries. Producer Notes - "Papari Valley has been a family farm since its founding, releasing its first commercial vintage in 2015. Estate-grown and bottled wines are made in the Kakhetian wine-making method, with naturally occurring yeast fermentation and aging in qvevris. Papari Valley has 21 qvevris and makes it their mission is to find the best methods of combining Georgian Qvevri and modern wine-making techniques. They aim is to preserve and save the idea of the Qvevri wine, farming Saperavi and Rkatsiteli grape varietals over 9.3 hectares of vineyard. Papari Valley Winery is located on the slopes of the Gombori mountain range, overlooking the the Caucasus Mountains to the north and the fertile Alazani River Valley which is famous for its wine production and its winemaking history."

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With the price of good Burgundy going rapidly through the roof, this is one to grab before it is gone. 100% Chardonnay these vineyards lie in the heart of the village of Meursault and winemaking has been the family tradition for nine generations. If you're looking for a baby Meursault you've found it!

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Bracing and zesty Vinho Verde from an estate that dates back to the early 1700's. Loureiro is, along with Alvarinho and Treixadura, one of the principle grape varieties grown in this northern wine region of Portugal. As the ambitions of producers in Vinho Verde have increased in recent years we are seeing more single variety bottlings as well. It is a welcome trend, and Quinta do Ameal was one of the first to do so.
 

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This is a "joven" style Rioja, meaning it has not been aged in wood at all and is vinified in a style for early drinking. It is a fine value in a daily red, and delicious with a slight chill as well. Buy it by the case!

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Most of the best 2020 red Burgundies have long since been snapped up, as they are delicious now but also offer cellar potential. This is the case here, with a slightly deeper red fruit profile than typical of Santenay and the warmth of the vintage showing. Remoissenet has a long history, and today is run by Burgundy veteran Bernard Repolt and Pierre-Antoine Rovani, formerly of The Wine Advocate. Maybe we should rank the latter's performance on a 100 point scale!

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Delicate bouquet of chamomile and citrus. The palate has remarkable texture and a crisp, refreshing acidity, exuding flavors of underripe stone fruit, grapefruit flesh underscored by a savory note. The finish is long and juicy with persistent minerality.

Spottswoode is one of Napa Valley's most legendary estates with a history going back to the 1800s. It would be considered a 'First Growth' if California used the French rating system for vineyards as they do in Bordeaux. And like wines from the great Bordeaux Chateaux, Spottswoode's Cabernet Sauvignons age beautifully, and really need time in bottle to settle down and show their purity and grace.

We best describe this as textbook Gruner Veltliner. It is middle-weight, with zippy circus, minerality, and a classic white pepper note. At this price, it more than over-delivers.

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Made by Nick Goldschmidt, this is one of the best value (and most popular) Cabernets in our stores. We tasted it next to many more expensive Cabernets, and found that The Verge overdelivers for the price point. Bravo!