Wine Tasting – November 23rd

Domaine de Cray Montlouis sur Loire Sec, Loire-France, 2023 ($23.99) – WOW! This is a delicious Chenin Blanc! It has exceptional aromatics, is crisply dry, and has a ton of character. An absolute winner! Mountlouis sur Loire lies just across the Loire River from Vouvray and was allowed to use that better-known Appellation name until 1938, when the growers of Vouvray unneighborly kicked the M-s-L- growers out of the appellation. The estate vineyards of Domaine de Cray have been in the same family for five generations, Most recently, in 2006, Michel Antier passed it on to his son, Antoine. It is spread over 75 hectares (20 are planted to truffle oak) on the limestone plateaus overlooking the Loire between Tours and Amboise. The perfect white for Thanksgiving.

Domaine Rochette Régnié Cru Beaujolais, 2021 ($20.99) – Cru Beaujolais should be more popular. “Cru” refers to the 10 best villages in the Beaujolais district within Burgundy. Beaujolais lies between the Mâcon and Lyons. These 10 villages are clustered in the northern part of the region and feature the Gamay grape grown on granite soil. Gamay has gotten a bit of a bad rap because it was banned from Burgundy’s Côte d’Or in favor of Pinot Noir, but it thrives on granite soil. Another factor in its lack of respect is the reputational damage Beaujolais suffered from the many mediocre (at best) Beaujolais Nouveau wines (but we just got in some good ones). Nouveau is made in a hurry using strictly carbonic maceration (where the grapes are not crushed but allowed to ferment inside the grape and from the partial crushing due to the pressure of grapes at the top of the tank) and bottled practically without aging while it is still fruity, but hasn’t developed the structure, balance, and harmony of a more serious wine. But the best Beaujolais undergoes Burgundy-like crushing and fermentation or a hybrid called semi-carbonic. These make for a much more serious and interesting  wine that will actually benefit from some aging. Although it was the last of the villages awarded Cru status, Régnié is located in the heart of the crus (between Morgon and Brouilly). At its best, like this one, it is rich and full-bodied with aromas of currant and raspberry as well as smooth tannins that allow it to age well. This comes from granite soils with a good south / southeast exposure. Matthew and Chantal Rochette are the owners of this 37-acre property.

Ramirez de la Piscina Rioja Riserva, 2018 ($24.99) – We love Riojas and think many are great values, with their relative richness of Tempranillo flavor and smooth texture due to aging before release. This example is exceptional with its dark fruit and depth of flavor. And it comes with the traditional gold wire on the bottle! (This was first used by Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga, Marques de Riscal in the 1880s to prevent counterfeiters from re-filling legitimate bottles with cheap wine.) Wine Spectator: 90 “Wafts of dried flowers and cigar box spices offer a subtle, fragrant thread that winds through plump cherry, plum sauce, and vanilla flavors in this well-meshed red. Fresh and focused with dense, fine-grained tannins emerging to trim the finish. Drink now through 2029.

Goofy Bandit Espressotini, New York Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur ($34.99) – WARNING! This is irresistible. If you taste it, you won’t be able to help yourself; you’ll have to buy a bottle. It’s THAT incredibly delicious! It’s a terrific after-dinner drink with intense coffee flavor and a perfect balance between its sweet and bitter components. YUM! Best refrigerated after opening.


Recent Tastings
November 16
Pine Ridge Chenin/Viognier, 2023 ($15.95) 
Tagline Chardonnay, Sonoma County, 2021 ($29.99)
Tagline Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, 2019 ($29.99)

November 9
Chateau Graville-Lacoste Graves Blanc, 2023 ($22.49)
Bodega Vistalba Corte B, Mendoza-Argentina, 2019 ($21.99)

November 2
Paco & Lola Albariño, Rias Baixas – Spain, 2022 ($22.99)
Bodegas Teso La Monja Almirez, Toro-Spain, 2020 ($36.99)

October 26
Castoro Cellars Chardonnay, Paso Robles, 2021 (sale $14.99; reg. $19.99)
Bonpas Ventoux Grande Réserve des Challières, 2020 ($15.95)
Abbadia Ardenga Brunello di Montalcino, 2018 ($38.99)

October 19
CARM Duoro White, Portugal, 2022 ($19.99)
Benton Lane Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley-Oregon, 2022 ($31.99)

October 12
La Colline aux Fossiles Chardonnay, Languedoc-Roussillon, 2020 ($18.99)
Chateau Beauchene Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Réserve, 2015 ($36.49)

October 5
Clotilde Davenne Cote d’Auxerre Blanc, 2022 ($28.99)
Bibbiano Chianti Classico 2021 ($20.99)

September 28
Sergent du Roy Sancerre Blanc “Au Fil du Temps,” 2023 ($25.99)
Paso Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, 2021 ($21.99)

September 21
Domaine Nathalie et Gilles Fèvre Bourgogne Chardonnay, 2022 ($26.99)
Sojourn Cellers Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, 2021 ($39.99)

September 14
Sojourn Cellars Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, 2022 ($39.99)
Metier Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, 2021 ($25.99)

September 7
Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Tuscany, 2022 ($16.79)
Topophilia Red Blend, Sonoma, 2019 (sale: $29.99; reg.: $33.99)

August 31
Sella & Mosca La Cala Vermentino, Sardinia-Italy, 2020 ($19.69) 
Musso Barbera d’Alba, 2020 ($19.99)

August 24
Bargemone Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé, 2023 ($22.99)
Bon Anno Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2021 ($33.99)

August 17
Domaine Pascal Balland Sancerre, 2022 ($23.99)
Gober & Freinbichler Vineyard Project 004 Blaufränkisch, Burgunland -Austria, 2022 ($19.99)

August 10
Masseria Frattasi Falangina Taburno, 2023 ($20.99)
Azalea Barbera d’Alba “Punta,” 2021 ($31.99)

Aug 3
Miraval Rosé, Côtes de Provence, 2023 ($23.99)
Hamilton Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2023 ($19.99) 
Volante Bellini ($14.99) 

July 27
Ritratti Pinot Grigio, Trentino, 2023 ($21.49)
Department 66 Cotes Catalanes Others, 2015 ($29.99)

July 20
Chateau Sainte Roseline “Le Cloitre” Rosé, 2023 ($19.49)
Tardieu-Laurent Côtes du Rhône Rouge Becs Fins, ’21 ($13.99)

July 13
Saints Hills Middle and South Dalmatia SV Ante Posh, Croatia, 2022 ($24.99)
Saints Hills Middle and South Dalmatia Black, Croatia, 2020 ($19.99)

July 6
Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica, Marche-Italy, 23 ($19.99)
Chateau Fontenil, Fronsac, 2016 ($31.99)

June 29
Hanabi Lager Company Napa Valley Pilsner Edelweiss 
Tardieu-Laurent Cotes du Rhone Blanc Becs Fins, ’23 ($13.99)
Montinore Red Cap Pinot Noir, Willamette-OR, 2021 ($20.99)

June 22
Domaine Martin Chardonnay, Val de Loire, 2022 ($16.99)
Château Piconat Bordeaux Rouge, 2022 ($15.95)