Friday Knows Best

As Friday evening approaches you can feel the week's edge soften, tensions lighten, moods improve. The weekend has arrived, and with it a few days to relax.

We've had fun this week, first with a great Champagne, then three wonderful local wines, and finally a phenomenal Cabernet experience.

Here's to the weekend. Enjoy!

Pierre Gerbais Champagne Extra Brut La Loge
(France, Champagne) $108

Introducing a stunning 100% Pinot Blanc Champagne!

Located in the Côte des Bar, specifically in the village of Celles-sur-Ource, Aurélien Gerbais is creating some of the most fascinating Champagnes in the region. This cuvee, 100% Pinot Blanc is from vines planed on "Chablis Soil" (aka Kimmeridgian soil) planted in the 1940s. The juice is 50% base (2019) and 50% solera (begin in 2011).

First impressions: green and red apples, pear, peach, melon freshness, passionfruit, quince, and spring flowers. Vibrant with nice brioche notes, pillowy mousse, and a long, saline, mineral-driven finish.

If you've never experienced Champagne made from Pinot Blanc this is the one you have to try!

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Going Native:

2023 Lo-Fi Wines Trousseau Clos Mullet
(Santa Barbara County) $30

We love that a customer texted us after tasting this wine saying, "HOLY MOLY BATMAN!". We felt the same way after our first sip. Fresh, bright, feather elegance...pure, delicious, vibrant, seamless. We rarely come across a wine so fiendishly addicting at this price.

2023 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Chardonnay Arbois Patchwork

2023 Amevive Carino Ibarra-Young
(Los Olivos District) $44

A coferment of Tempranillo and Graciano from late 1990s plantings from the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos District; a certified organic vineyard since 1993 (also farmed using regenerative and biodynamic practices).
Bright, great texture, exceptionally well balanced, featuring slightly under-ripe dark berry notes with an appearance of stone fruit, and a gander of citrus. And at a friendly 11.6% ABV you're already thinking about a second glass.

2022 Land of Saints GSM (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County)

2022 Land of Saints GSM
(Santa Barbara County) $26.50

Land of Saints is a collaboration between Angela and Jason Osborne (A Tribute to Grace Wine Company), and Manuel Cuevas (C2 Cellars). Our first sips of their wines years ago were eye-opening; not only were the wines very good; they were also very well priced.

Today we have their GSM in stock (43%, 30%, 27%). Our quickly written notes begin here: "Bramble berries, cassis, violets, crunchy cherry, herbs, spice." A very approachable red that's vibrant and fresh, crowd-pleasing and versatile (and we love the label).

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Road Trip:

2022 Matthiasson Cabernet Sauvignon Village Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley)

2022 Matthiasson Cabernet Sauvignon Village
(Napa Valley) $60

Take a jaunt North 366 miles and you'll come across one of the most interesting, progressive, thought-provoking wineries in North California. And calling it simply a winery does not do it justice (but that's for another story or for you to explore).

Matthiasson Winery was founded in 2003 by husband and wife Steve and Jill Matthiasson. Their focus is on producing balanced, food-friendly wines from unique grape varieties (think Cortese, Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano) but they produce magnificent Cabernets.

This 'Village' Cabernet is aged in neutral barrel for 20 months before resting in the bottle. We call this a very honest Cabernet reminiscent of the Cabs in Napa from the 60s and 70s where alcohol levels rarely exceeded 13.5% (this one is 13% on the dot).

Food friendly, vibrant, a streak of minerality, with beautiful red and black fruit. This is a real gem.