Massimo Lentsch Etna Bianco
$41.99
From the owner: "My wine represents the culmination of an entire year’s work in the vineyards- day in, day out – up to the moment of harvest and vinification, and then also of its years of maturation and evolution. This is a process into which, silently and with humbleness and dedication, I give my all, constantly seeking new emotions and experiences: those that a man needs in order to keep giving himself new goals. That is what wine gives you: a new objective to reach every year, and ever since I began to become interested in it and then to produce it, I have understood that it was above all this that I needed. Each vintage tells the story of the weather conditions and of the work carried out in the vineyards, but it also – and especially – speaks about me, because I transfer into every bottle my personality, my character and my willpower. That is why I decided to put my name on them. The decision to create vineyards and a winery on Etna comes at a particular time in my life, in which much has altered at a personal level: a sort of milestone that marks a significant change. Producing high-quality wines in a zone that is very “trendy”, but also extremely competitive, represents a major challenge for me, and one that I intend to win."
Cadet de la Begude IGP Mediterranee Rose
$27.99
Domaine de La Bégude was founded in 1996 by brothers Guillaume and Louis Tari, who continue an old family wine tradition (Château Giscours, 3rd Cru, Margaux). Today the estate is run by Guillaume and his wife Soledad. Guillaume is winemaker for the estate, as well as the president of the Bandol AOC. They are devoted to elaborating wines that express the characteristics of the Bandol terroir.
Philipponnat RR Brut Champagne
$104.99
The Philipponnat family has been growing grapes in Champagne since 1522. The House was founded in 1910 by Pierre Philipponnat. Charles Philipponnat took over as CEO in 1999 and has improved the quality and production vastly by implementing smaller oak barrels, keeping different vineyard plots separate and utilizing only the first press grapes It's made from a blend of 65% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Meunier from first press juice, mainly from Grand and Premier Crus grapes from the heart of the Champagne wine-growing area.
20 to 30% of the reserve wines are aged in wooden barrels using the solera system to incorporate older wines without losing freshness.
It's vinified using traditional methods to avoid premature oxidation. Partial malolactic fermentation and reserve wines are aged in casks to allow the aromas to develop complexity. It has a typical dosage of (8 g/litre) to maintain a balance between freshness, fruitiness and vinosity without masking the wine’s character and purity. It's aged on the lees in the domaine’s cellars at a constant temperature of 12°C for three
years, far longer than the legal minimum requirement of 15 months.
Sorelle Bronca Prosecco Brut
$38.99
Between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, between the Dolomites and the Adriatic, on high and steep hills where it is difficult even to stand without falling: here their wine becomes the expression of a unique territory, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From their Father Livio, they inherited the passion for the vine, the dedication to work, and the teachings of our grandfather Martino. Antonella and Ersiliana Bronca have put the desire to transform this deep family feeling into a life project: Sorelle Bronca.
JL Denois Extra Brut Cremant
$41.99
Good Crémant is often lauded as a less expensive alternative to Champagne, but while this is true, the more important project is to create a crémant of place and substance that does not seek to replicate or outshine Champagne but rather to introduce its own terroir in its own rite. This, indeed, is what Jean-Louis Denois has done with his sparkling wines. Inventive in its blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a 10% kick of Chenin Blanc, the estate's organically tended vineyards in the Haute Vallée de l'Aude benefit from an ideal climate. Thanks to their altitude and the proximity of the Pyrenees, the berries are perfectly balanced between acidity and fruit. No need for chaptalization or acidification, it is the precise harvest date that is decisive for a perfect balance and here Jean-Louis's years of expertise honed in his Champagne homeland, his education in Beaune, and his working travels in California, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa have all culminated in this life long project of proving Limoux's viability for world-class bubbles. The palate shows white fruit, almond frangipane, nectarine, and salted pineapple, a harmonious, dry, elegant, and joyfully fruit-oriented wine. Then the finish saunters in with notes of hazelnut, red berries, and toasted bread.
Taylor White Port
$26.99
The team behind the Taylor's Port house are pioneers of this exciting style, having introduced it in 1934. It is made in exactly the same way as conventional Port, but with white grapes rather than red. As the name suggests, it has a drier, fruity taste, and is best served chilled. White Port has a lovely fruity taste and makes an unusually good aperitif. Add one part white Port to one part tonic. Serve over rocks and add a crescent of thinly sliced lemon. Ahh!
Henry Pelham Ice Wine
$77.99
In the late 18th century, the current owner's great-great-great grandfather was deeded the land on which their Ontario winery sits in present day St. Catharines. Fast forward six generations and they're still on the family farm in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula. The Short Hills Bench, where they are situated, is the most easterly of the sub-appellations located within the Niagara Escarpment. It encompasses the land rising up from the plain of the peninsula south of Regional Road 81 to the Escarpment Brow and situated between Twelve Mile Creek and Fifteen Mile Creek.
Frogs Leap Zinfandel
$63.99
The historic Red Barn, located in the Napa Valley, was originally built as a winery in 1884. Today, winemakers John Williams and Paula Siroky continue the tradition of hand-crafting wines using only Napa Valley's best organically grown grapes. The 2000 Zin is a blend of old vine vineyards (50 years and more) insuring great depth of flavor and an elegant structure. Always a favorite here!
Moss Wood Margaret River Pinot Noir 2022
$67.99
Established in 1969, Moss Wood is an important, founding estate of the Margaret River wine region in the northern sub–region of Wilyabrup, Western Australia. Clare & Keith Mugford, as winemakers, viticulturalists & proprietors, have been making wine & tending the vineyard at Moss Wood since 1984 & 1979, respectively. Their exacting viticulture ensures the production of high-quality fruit, and they have created a stable of fine wines distinguished by their consistency over each vintage, along with their ability to age superbly.
They have put significant effort into developing an appropriate style for each of their wines, but Cabernet Sauvignon, their first wine, is still the primary focus. Naturally, they looked to the great wines of Bordeaux for inspiration and carefully examined the factors that have made Bordeaux the benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon.
As they were making wine in Margaret River inspired by those of the Medoc, they felt it was important to consider the Bordeaux environment as opposed to Margaret River’s individualistic climate and terroir. Wine writer Jancis Robinson has called them the Chateau Latour of Australia, and, we might add, for a fraction of what Latour costs.