Let's
Begin With Rose
With
the continued warm weather here in Santa
Barbara, it's the perfect time to
celebrate the holiday week/weekend with
bottles of Summer wine; specifically
Rose. Our selection represents many
parts of the globe including Bandol,
Sancerre, Morocco, and of course Roses
from our own backyard. Here are a few
favorites:
2024
Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rosé
(France, Languedoc) $11.50
Many a people have looked at the price
and kept walking. However, though this
may be inexpensive it is worthy.
Red
currants, strawberries, raspberry, and
peach, hints of watermelon and
wildflower, with a touch of minerality.
The wine is well balanced, round, and
crisp, offering refreshing acidity and a
clean, long,
"more-ish" finish, meaning yes, more
please!
Organic too!
ON SALE!
2023
La Spinetta Il Rosé di Casanova
(Italy, Tuscany) $20
reg 24
One of our favorite go-to Italian Roses;
this one is in a great spot. Savory,
inviting, red fruit with a touch of
peach and yellow citrus, long finish.
2024
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre
Rosé
(France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire,
Sancerre) $35
There's a pale elegance here; tart and
refreshing notes of cranberry, cherry,
slivers of citrus, a core of stony
mineral acidity, and a vibrancy that
finishes strong. Outstanding.
2024
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé
(France, Provence, Bandol) $62
This is a beauty; a great vintage for
Tempier Rose. It's gorgeously fresh with
red fruit, melon, and exotic citrus
notes, herb-tinged with nice structure
and length. A worthy Summer wine.
Try this one with grilled salmon.
2024
Zarate Albariño Rías
Baixas Val do Salnés
(Spain, Galicia, Rías
Baixas) $30
Fresh
and vibrant, with bright
acidity and lengthy
mineral notes. Aromas of
guava, key lime, and
oyster shell, with
floral notes and a
refreshing, seductive
finish. One of our
favorite Spanish wines
year in and year
out.
|
|
2022
Samuel Billaud Chablis
1er Cru Montée de
Tonnerre
(France, Burgundy,
Chablis) $95
If
you made a list of all
the vineyards in
Chablis, premier cru and
grand cru, then asked us
to circle our
favorite, Montée de
Tonnerre would be the
one we'd select. It has
the most of what we
love: "shells and
stones". That is, oyster
shell and the impactful
limestone that seem to
seep into the wines.
We splurged on our day
off and enjoyed this
wine immensely over the
course of several hours.
It kept unwinding,
opening, showing more
and more structure and
depth; after 90 minutes
or so the wine became
craveable! We vowed next
time, we'd include a few
dozen oysters, raw and
grilled.
|
|
2022
Bouvy Cidre - Mont Sur
Courville
(France,
Champagne) $32
Victor
Bouvy is the fourth
generation to run his
family’s farm in
Mont-Sur-Corville in the
Vallée de l’Ardre in the
heart of Champagne,
tucked between the
Montagne de Reims and
the Marne Valley.
In the early 2000s,
Victor’s father began
successfully cultivating
a vast array of new
fruit varieties for
simple table
consumption, as the
region’s calcareous,
silty-clay soils proved
to be a perfect match
for apples (and not just
Pinot Meunier in the
production of fine
Champagne!)
Victor wanted to take
the family’s commitment
to apples a step
further. With a degree
in agricultural
engineering and a
passion for traditional
dry cider, Victor
traveled to Normandy to
better learn the
intricacies of cider
production. Upon his
return in 2019 he
planted a new and
complimentary mixture of
apple varieties
(Avrolle, Douce Coët,
Douce Moen, Bedan,
Fréquinette, Dabinett,
Douce de l’Avent, and
Locard Vert), ideal for
cider production.
Expertly crafted, this
cider has delightfully
array of aromas and
flavors, from yellow
apple to marigolds to
crushed stones and sweet
spice. Long, precise and
dry, with fine bubbles.
And how did we discover
a traditional cider
producer in the middle
of Champagne? Winemaker
Francis Egly of Domaine
Egly-Ouriet introduced
Victor to the importer,
the importer introduced
his cider to us, and now
we have the pleasure of
returning the favor and
sharing this beauty with
you.
|
|
2022
Michel Sarrazin et
Fils Maranges
(France, Burgundy, Côte
de Beaune,
Maranges) $45
A
week ago a text came
through. It began, "Off
the charts value!!",
then, "Highly
recommended you try".
Finally, "Best value in
ages".
This was not from a
retailer, or sales
person, but from an East
coast friend known for
his great palate.
So we ordered three
cases sight unseen so to
speak. The wine arrived
Tuesday morning, and
today we have just
finished sampling the
Pinot Noir. Our notes go
a little something like
this:
...brilliant
nose...then red
raspberry, hint of
earth, savory
minerals...med. body w/
juicy acidity,
...blood
orange, iron sauvage,
violets...light spice,
subtly rustic...
long
finish...give 15 minutes
in the glass to open...
This is one heck of a
wine from Burgundy;
fairly priced, and
wickedly delicious.
Hats
off to our friend for
steering us towards this
one.
|
|
2022
Lingua Franca Pinot Noir Avni
(Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity
Hills)
$36
It's
been hard to keep this one in stock, but
we did purchase extra for the weekend. By
far our best selling Oregon Pinot
Noir...ever!
|
|
2023
Domaine Henry Pellé Menetou-Salon
Morogues
(France, Loire Valley,
Menetou-Salon) $28
We
will begin with this wine simply because
we actually have a waiting list for it.
The last time it graced our shelves was
during the holidays of 2024. The new
vintage finally made it across the pond,
to the West coast, and on to our shelves.
This
2023 vintage is not a dazzler, and we are
grateful for that. Back in 2020 -a very
hot vintage- the wine came across as
tropical. In 2022 -another warm vintage-
it was almost juicy. Still excellent
wines, but not exactly what was 'typical'
in years passed.
We
are extremely pleased to report that this
vintage, this Sauvignon Blanc (quick note:
Menetou Salon shares a boarder with
Sancerre), is subtly fabulous. The savory,
salty minerality is back. There's depth
and spice but also a real poise
throughout. Sipping the wine now and
thoughts of oysters on the half shell come
to mind, then a greek salad with grilled
swordfish, finally roast chicken. This
wine could pair with each.
|
|
2024
Kir-Yianni Assyrtiko Le Nord
(Greece, Macedonia) $24
First,
check out the beauty of this Macedonian
winery. Then stop by for a bottle.
It's divine. There's a deep minerality
then a familiar orchard fruit attraction,
but lean, not overt. Citrus zest, acacia
blossom, more stone fruit, all in balance.
Vibrant and fresh and expressive.
And yes, the label shot depicts the 2023
vintage. But we are talking about the 2024
(no time for a re-shoot).
|
|
2024
Mas Champart Saint-Chinian Rosé
(France, Languedoc, Saint-Chinian) $20
We
do not come across wines from Saint
Chinian often. In the last 10 years we've
only carried one other!
Now,
thanks to Kermit Lynch, we are proudly
carrying what might be the Rose surprise
of the Summer. We call this wine a most
'elegant, snazzy, Bandol
impersonator'. Why?
We
begin with the blend: like Bandol this is
predominately Mourvedre with about 30%
Cinsault, and a splash of Syrah. It's
cravable, this one, and at a price you
could enjoy often.
Fresh red berries, peach, assorted citrus,
spice, savory mid-palate, vivid finale.
This one has it all.
|
|
2023
COS Terre Siciliane Zibibbo in Pithos
(Italy, Sicily) $42.50
2023
COS Frappato
(Italy, Sicily) $32
We
have two new vintages here. On the left we
have a white crafted from the Zibibbo
grape, also known as Muscat of Alexandria.
Fermentation is spontaneous in terracotta
amphorae, on the skins with indigenous
yeasts. This orange wine has intense
floral aromas; orange blossom,
honeysuckle, with a 'sweet' spice (not
sweet tasting) and an iron-like
minerality. There are subtle earthy
undernotes, lemon confit, dried apricots,
salinity and a marvelous ending.
We
pause for a moment, then continue:
Frappato.
Jumping
right in: fragrant wild strawberries,
raspberries, and cranberries dominate,
with hints of candied orange peel, floral
notes, and a touch of cinnamon. Savory and
mouthwatering.
COS
has been delivering ground-breaking wines
for the past 42-ish years. We appreciate
you!
|
|
2023
Domaine de Pallus Chinon Messanges Rouge
(France, Loire Valley, Chinon) $24
We
can read and read and read and sometimes
we miss a beat; in this case a definition:
Messanges is an old Loire Valley name for
Cabernet Franc (see label above). Next
time you're at a dinner party...
We
love the style of this Cab Franc: fresh,
bright, juicy with the noblest hint of
rusticity (i.e., ruggedness, earthiness,
and authenticity). There's a mild spice
and a gentle savory character here, along
with a faint graphite/mineral edge. This
is old world goodness in a bottle.
And remember:
Franc is Fun!
|
|
|
