2021 PALAZZONE ORVIETO
'TERRE VINEATE' CLASSICO SUPERIORE
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE

There are some people in wine regions who become iconic figures within their regions without ever bringing attention to themselves or their work. Palazzone, which began bottling in 1982, has never needed an outside consultants (although several are great friends) because Giovanni Dubini and now with son Pietro alongside, produces such amazingly delicious and impeccably detailed white wine on his own. 30 years ago, this cat was making Orvieto that transcended this area that while beautiful and heavily touristed, has often been known to produce innocuous and uninspiring wines

Palazzone's wines are nothing like any Orvieto that you will taste! Made from a blend of the ever-popular, roll-off-of-your-tongue, native varietals of Procanico, Grechetto, Drupeggio, Verdello and Malvasia, this Orvieto always has something extra not normally found here. Prominent peach-pit and orange fruit collide with sea breeze scents, flint and ginger aromas which all come together and carry over to a texture that is palate-coating, tense and cleansing. The finish seemingly glides, then snaps back and echoes its terroir and fruit back for minutes after the wine is swallowed. If you are a grigio or bianco fan and want to be rocked by another distinctive Italian white, we highly recommend buying this stellar Orvieto by the case. Enjoy with Cioppino, fresh crab, goat cheeses and on its own. A resounding jackpot on Bryan's Cool Wine-o-Meter!

2021 FEUILLARDE MACON-CHARNAY
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

Along with many producers in Burgundy, Lucien Thomas experienced heavy losses due to frost and hail for vintage 2021. In fact he made no Saint-Veran in this vintage and only a couple hundred cases of this toothsome Macon-Charnay. What was left to produce turned out to be more than charming. The bad news…we normally receive thirty cases, this year we have a mere ten available.

Coming from 30-year-old vines and elevated in stainless steel tanks, it shows knockout scents of lemon, gooseberry, Granny Smith apple and stony mineral. Zippy flavors dominate, but there is also nice expansion and intensity in the mouth from the yields being 30% less than allowable for the appellation. Crisp and lithe on the finish, it is perfect with a roasted chicken with chanterelles.

2017 QUINTA DA ROMANEIRA
DOURO TINTO
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

This wine does not mess around; it is serious enough for food but can also be consumed very easily on its own. Think of a mullet haircut, business in the front, party in the back. Currently, we are now realizing the emerging quality of Portugal’s wines. This particular offering is from the Douro region, which is home for Port wines, however over the last 20 years; many top-notch DRY red wines have emerged from this region.

50% Touriga Francesa, 30% Tinta Roriz, 10% Touriga Nacional & 10% Tinto Cão aged in second and third use French barrels, this savory red is a real mouthful of delicious excitement!! Loads of individuality and class behind a robe of blackberry fruit with mountain spices, wild flowers, mint and mocha ride shotgun provide complexity. Full-flavored yet very agile and compelling, this "alive" wine shows impressive texture and breadth of flavor all while maintaining poise. Lots of movement and licorice shine on the finish and sum up the entire experience by letting the taster know that all of the components really work well and do their part from start to finish. Drink this delicious 20-buck steal with sausages, braised pork and even dark chocolate.

2018 AMBRA CARMIGNANO
'SANTA CRISTINA IN PILI'
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

Year in and year out this is one of the strongest values from Tuscany. Not as known or as popular as other DOCG regions like Brunello di Montalcino or Chianti Classico, the region of Carmignano, located northwest of the city of Florence, is unofficially the first "Super-Tuscan Region" since Bordeaux varietals have always been permitted for blending with the native Sangiovese. Only of the early proponents of this Tuscan region as well as remaining one of the leading producers since 1955, well before the DOCG was granted in 1984.

One of the leaders of this NW Tuscan region, Ambra’s ‘Santa Christina in Pili’ Carmignano is a blend of 75% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Canaiolo, and 5% others. Intense nose of dark cherry, cassis and a hint of licorice. In the mouth, this has delicious berry fruit, good tannic structure, with overall excellent balance. A terrific value, once you taste this you will be back for more. Drink over the next 4-6 years with penne Bolognese, grilled hanger steak or hard cheese pecorino cheeses from Tuscany.

2020 VIETTI BARBERA D'ALBA
'TRE VIGNE'
$26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE

A perennial favorite and significan step-up from the Asti Tre Vigne, Vietti’s Barbera D’Alba Tre Vigne is rip-roaring delicious and as usual, quite the Barbera overachiever. Made from fruit from three primary Barolo villages, 2020 is a classically formed Piemontese vintage meaning the wines are sculpted around structure, aromatics, vividness and red fruit aspects.

Outstanding refined and sophisticated aromas of prominent strawberry, rose, subtle licorice, herbs and dusty earth follow through to a smooth, graceful, suavely textured palate that spreads out on the sultry finish that hangs around and flirts well after the wine is swallowed. This downright delicious wine can be enjoyed with a wide range of foods from roasted pork to barbecued chicken to risotto jacked with mushrooms. It is also sneaky with how it will age. Drink and enjoy this offering over the next 5-7 years.

2012 VINCENT & SOPHIE MOREY
SANTENAY PREMIER CRU 'PASSETEMPS'
$39.99 BTL./$479.88 CASE

Very popular earlier this year, I was able to obtain three more cases of this 10-year-old French Pinot Noir. Vincent Morey is the son of famed Chassagne-Montrachet producer Bernard Morey. Located just south of the village and towards Chassagne-Montrachet, Morey’s vines in the Passetemps vineyard are from plantings in 1958 and 1995 and situated at 725 feet.

Prominent raspberry and wild strawberry fruit, combined with earth and fluttering licorice notes play nicely off exotic spice and sous-bois tones. As the wine opens, it becomes more botanical with roses and mushroom notes. Vinous and very resolved in the mid-palate while maintaining a seamless texture that is extraordinarily lacy and silky. This is not Pinot Noir for those that like lollipop, sweet and obvious versions, rather this is for those who appreciate seriously complex, cerebrally detailed, elegant, and silky Burgundy. With the wine’s smoothness paired with its silky high tones pair this beauty with roasted chicken or pork dishes done with mushrooms (I have a great recipe for pork chops and ‘shrooms that is a superb match with this wine…email for a copy). This wine is drinking very well right now and will continue through 2028+.

2020 CANTINA VALLE D'ISARCO
KERNER 'ALTO ADIGE'
$19.99 BTL./$119.94 - SIX PACK

Located in the far north of Italy’s Alto Adige region, Valle Isarco is a mere football kick (5 km) from Austria. Like other areas of Alto Adige, well-run cooperatives put forth excellent wines and recently we were introduced to those of Cantina Valle Isarco and bowled over by their quality.

Kerner is not an minor character in Hogan’s Heroes or Inglorious Basterds, it is a Schiava and Riesling hybrid created in Weinsberg (Germany) around 1930 and grows very well in the gravelly and sandy soils of the higher altitude hillsides of the Valle Isarco. Alluring aromas of freshly cut white flowers, melon, nectarine, mineral and with a crescendo of spice as it unfolds. Thrusting and bursting, yet with loads of depth and persistence. Absolutely marvelous, it will make you hungry for Asian fare if you drink it alone. Perfect for chicken, salmon or pork dishes, too. One can opt for these traditional preparations, but if you have a little bit of Szechuan peppercorn or Chinese 5-spice, go ahead and add it to your recipe. I recently had this wine with a butternut squash soup and it was a spectacular pairing indeed.

2020 AVENNIA 'LYDIAN'
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

Even though this wine is classified into Avennia’s second label, this vastly undervalued Cabernet Sauvignon punches well above its weight class and can knock out quite a few that come in at twice the price. Founded in 2010 and led by winemaker Chris Peterson who spent seven years making the wines at famed DeLille Cellars, the line of Lydian Columbia Valley wines created by superb Washington producer Avennia represent excellent value all while maintaining a fabulous price points that don’t exceed 20-bucks.

Non-stop vanilla and cocoa notes that are wrapped around buxom black cherry, smoky oak, cola and creamy milk chocolate which all virtually glisten the instant the wine is poured into the glass. On the palate, there is lots of style here with nice flowing dense tones, excellent weight and the typical steadfast, mouth-crawling flavors that one comes to expect in these excellent wines. Layered, forward, accessible and perfect with a steak or short ribs; enjoy through 2028.

2022 TE MATA SAUVIGNON BLANC
'HAWKES BAY'
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

It has been quite a spell since a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc incited me to get my ass off the chair. A few weeks back, I tasted this ‘subtly explosive’ Sauvignon from the Hawkes Bay area that is way beyond the normal tropical fruit pageant contestants.

Brimming with youthful flavors of lime, nectarine, honeydew melon, and subtle herbs and fig, the palate is round, refined and layered, with a great balance between the clean and almost piercing acidity, minerality and superb core of fruit. Rich enough for crab cakes and grilled pork chops but is a match made in heaven with salmon. Undoubtedly, one of the finest Kiwi sauvignons I have tasted recently. If you love this grape, you will undoubtedly enjoy this wine.

2017 JEAN-MICHEL GERIN SAINT-JOSEPH
$34.99 BTL./$209.94 - SIX PACK

About fifteen years ago, Cote-Rotie maestro Jean-Michel Gerin started producing Saint-Joseph. As his sons Alexis and Michael have come on board, one must think these guys run on 29 hour clocks as that have taken on more land to make Syrah and Viognier, added in another Condrieu, partner in Trio Infernal in Priorat as well as being highly involved in a Rhone Valley group of growers known as Rhone Vignobles. However, I digress and back to this brilliant Saint-Joseph.

From south of Cote-Rotie in the village of Sarras, this beautiful Saint-Joe takes on the lovely, aromatic characteristics that the family is so very well known for producing. Straddling the line between traditional and modern and at age five, Gerin’s Saint-Joseph is starting to speak of place but maintains its generous core of fruit. The 2017 reveals a real pepper-pot nose abundant with plum, raspberry, smoke and black olive, it is generous with lifting fruit upon entry all unfurling into minerally vibrancy. Drink this scintillating Syrah over the next 5-6 years with a pepper-encrusted filet of beef, leg of lamb, venison or even a pulled pork sandwich.

2019 VINEDOS DEL JORCO
CEBREROS TINTO 'LAS CABANUELAS'
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE

100% Garnacha. One of the exciting areas of Spain lies east of Madrid and known as Vinos de Madrid. Slowly the area is being subdivided into smaller appellations and Cebreros is one such region. Raul Perez, Cesar Ruiz and two other friends are behind Vinedos del Jorco and these old, high-elevation vineyard sites bring about an almost Pinot Noir side to Grenache.

Aging for this wine occurs in large 10,000-liter barrels and the wine has a fine color yes with all of the Grenache trappings. Raspberry, balsamic, mineral, thyme and ground pepper follow through to a texture that expands in the mouth then follows into a piquant, livewire, spice-laden finish.

2017 ANDREW WILL CIEL DU CHEVAL RED
RED MOUNTAIN
$64.99 BTL./$389.94 - SIX PACK

A legendary Washington producer scores again. The record of accomplishment of Chris Camarda and now his son Will is mighty impressive and benchmark Washington blends comtinue to emerge from their Vashon Island cellars. The Ciel du Cheval vineyard is located near Benton City and the vines average 31 years old for this limited 800 case cuvee. Being a warm and torrid site Andrew Will prefers to make this wine sans Cabernet Sauvignon due to the loamy soils on gravel beds to reflect the site as well as its Right Bank influences.

50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Franc and already very complex in its youth, this luxurious blend reveals prominent blueberry, raspberry and red earth. The use of oak here is intelligent with scents of tobacco and nutmeg soon to arrive. The texture possesses lots of movement and voluptuous qualities with a structured, solid middle, the maintaining a stacked, packed and long, substantial finish. Youthfully vibrant yet very ageworthy, expect a good 12-15+ years of drinking enjoyment.

2019 CARDERES CORBIERES
$12.99 BTL./$155.88 CASE

Corbieres is an expansive Languedoc growing region so one can imagine the variability of quality. While there is a plethora of mediocrity done here, there are also many tremendous values to be had and this is one of them.

Grenache, Carignan and Syrah, it's packed with smoke, black pepper, violets, southern French herbs and strawberry which lead into a luscious texture that shows plenty of freshness and style as well as a flavorful and persistent finish. At this price, it can be consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as alone and binge watching your favorite programs.