Staff Picks: What to Drink This Week
Things our staff thinks you should consider trying!
Les Croisille 'Cocori Cot' Cotes du Lot, France - $19.99
This weekend is a hot one so the only red wine I will be imbibing will be cold. Chillable reds are a fun new addition to any wine lover's repertoire on a hot day and we have several we've added to the shop! Cocoricot is French for Cock-a-doodle-do and this 50% Malbec (aka Cot), 50% Merlot is 100% carbonic maceration and 100% delicious! Serve with a slight chill and pair with grilled BBQ chicken, charcuterie and semi-hard cheeses.
-Angie
2017 Fattoria Di Rodano Chianti Classico - $25.99
Fattoria Di Rodano is a 3rd generation family winery located in the heart of Chianti Classico. The 2017 vintage is high tone — an acid lover's dream. Bright, borderline tart, notes of raspberries give summer-friendly freshness to this otherwise very spicy and herbal single-varietal Sangiovese. Beware: the aromatics of this wine are so hypnotizing, you may have to remind yourself it's for drinking! This organic Tuscan red has the appropriate gusto to accompany your next grilled dinner, without being too heavy on a hot summer's eve.
-Katrina
2019 Ludovic Chanson 'Les Cabotines' Montlouis-sur-Loire - $28.99
Ludovic Chanson has been making great Chenin Blanc in Montlouis in the Loire Valley for just over a decade. The Chenin Blanc he organically farms for the 'Les Cabotines' bottling is grown on a mix of clay soil with silex, pebbles, and flint. This bottling has a little residual sugar, but it doesn't quite land in demi-sec territory. The wine shows beautiful aromas of spiced apple and hazelnut. The palate has honeyed richness and shows candied pear, quince, and pineapple upside down cake. I have enjoyed this epic Chenin Blanc on its own but it would pair well with pork dumplings, a creamy chicken dish, or pan seared halibut.
-Rob
2021 Echeverria !No es Pituko! Cabernet Franc or Chardonnay - $18.99
They're telling you the wine is not fancy but if you're into 'natural' wine these are absolute no-brainers. The wine is made with hand picked grapes from ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines. They are unsulfured and unfined and are fermented with natural yeast. .. and yet, they are fresh and free of buggy faults. More importantly both white and red are absolute crushers with a chill, making them the perfect companion to your uber hip barbecue. The Chardonnay is lush and driven by the aroma and flavor of fresh pineapple while the Cab Franc shows acidity, fine tannin and jubilant berry fruit without suffering from garish overripeness or the candied fruit of carbonic styled wines. You won't stop drinking these wines until average temps dip below 65 degrees.
-Dave
Attems Ramato Pinot Grigio - $22.99
What's old is new again, so to speak. A historical winemaking style from Friuli Italy made via skin contact pinot grigio with a copper color and a lush tropical nose. Bright red apple, and tangerine on the palate, it finishes clean and dry. At the dinner table, this wine shines with starters and shellfish.
-Sean
2020 Tenuta Roveglia “Limne” Lugana - $21.99
I’m a big fan of unusual whites with a lot of complexity – and this fascinating northern Italian Limne from premiere cru area of Lugana in Lombardy hits far beyond the usual. Small sips begin an elegant journey; from a crisp minerality to a refined, multi-layered, tropical bouquet of aromatic ripe peach, white flowers and herbs that keep unrolling across the palate for a long and savory finish. Built on verdiccho varietals, which draw from the area’s calcareous clay soils and rich mineral salts, it is a standout solution when your “go to” whites just aren’t going. This is a classy vino with ratings in the 90s by Wine Enthusiast and others. While a treat on its own, it deserves to be appreciated in fine glassware and paired with fresh prawns or roasted white fish.
-Karen
2020 Ameztoi, Getariako Txakolina, Txakoli D.O. - $22.99
In the Basque country of Northern Spain lies the vineyards of the Ameztoi family.
High above the Bay of Biscay, on seaside cliffs, the fifth generation of the Ameztoi family maintains their vineyards in the traditional manner of the region. Only the indigenous grape of Hondarrabi Zuri is used, cultivated organically, on the family's estate. Cold fermented in stainless steel (to preserve the fruits freshness) with native yeasts, the tanks are closed to retain the famous light spritz that is a big characteristic of Txakolina. This resultant vintage is fresh, crisp, and racy. Beautifully typical. White flower aromatics lead to a palate of the sea air, with bracing acidity and minerality. Apple and white pear flavour notes tame the raciness just enough, without compromising the liveliness of this wine. It positively dances on the tongue. This is a great party or dinner starter, as it awakens the senses and says, "hello, happy to meet you!". For a food pairing, it's oysters or shrimp on a sunny patio, hopefully overlooking the ocean....or you can at least imagine it so!
-Patrick
