843-471-2157 mariedsauer@gmail.com

WINE DEALS 9/6/23

SPECIAL DEAL

Stoller Family Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2019, Dundee Hills:  Stoller Reserve Pinot Noir opens with aromatics of ripe plum, dried bing cherries, baking spice, and earth. The palate is supple, carrying flavors of cola and bing cherry, with hints of cedar and flint. This wine can be enjoyed now; however, it was constructed for longevity with proper cellaring.

Limited time: $37.99! (regular $44.99) While supplies last!

WINE DEALS 81823

  1. Chateau Carignan Rouge 2016, Cotes de Bordeaux-Cadillac:  $22.99  70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Medium (+) ruby color on its appearance. On the nose, blackberry, plum, cherry, pepper, earthy, leather, cedar, tobacco, chocolate, vanilla, and oak. On the palate, dry, medium body, medium acidity, chalky and medium (+) tannins, nicely balanced, firm structure, and medium (+) finish. Enjoyable with steak.
  2.  Jonathan Didier Pabiot Elisa Pouilly Fume 2021, Loire Valley:  $28.99  Pabiot is one of Pouilly Fumé’s most exciting producers. He is also one of the few biodynamic producers in the appellation. Elisa is made from his youngest vineyard and is the first to be released into bottle. Not that there is anything conventional about his wines, but this is the one that is most recognizable in style as ‘Pouilly Fume’ This cuvée is only from tank, aged on its lees until early spring.
  3.  Jonathan Didier Pabiot Leon Pouilly Fume 2021, Loire Valley:  $31.99  This is built in the style of the great Silex Sauv Blancs from Didier Daganeau. It’s incredibly structured and layered, an elegant and age-worthy style of Sauvignon Blanc that speaks to the incredible trio of Kimmeridigian marl, chalky Portlandian, and clay-silex on flint from which this wine came. It’s still a little tight in its youth, but as it opens up you can tell that this is a very special and complex bottle of wine with a lot of life ahead. 
  4.  Jonathan Didier Pabiot Aubaine Pouilly Fume 2020, Loire Valley:  $41.99  Fabulous Domaine and viewed by many as the new Didier Dageneau. Precise, refined and intensely mineral style, with the most delicate of citric fruit flavors, led by pink grapefruit. When a number of producers are focusing on later harvested and more fruit driven styles, Jonathan’s wines are almost crystalline in character and truly taste of the soil as well as the grape – Sauvignon Blanc.
  5.  Francois Crochet Sancerre 2022, Loire Valley:  $34.99  Fresh, pure and elegant with blackcurrant leaf and gooseberry on the nose. This is textbook Sancerre which has fruit and minerality in perfect proportions. Fresh citrus fruit acidity supports stony fruit and minerality on the palate. The wines from Francois and Carine Crochet are some of the most precise and refined Sancerre around. With power and elegance and purity this wine really stands out.
  6.  Francois Crochet Sancerre Exils 2021, Loire Valley:  $47.99  The direct mineral impression of this wine easily stands apart from Francois’ range. Given that this silex soil is his most unique soil, it also renders the most unique wine from this domaine. The nose is dominated with the smell of minerals, flint, stones and metal. Yes, there are other organic-type aromas, like high-toned citrus fruits, fresh grasses and forest floor, but this wine is dominated by its stoniness. The acidity is perhaps the most impressive in the range of wines and also most elegant. This is a real beauty of a wine.  The anagram “Les Exils” comes from the stones that completely cover this vineyard, Silex. This flintstone, formed long before Fred and Barny existed, tens of millions of years ago. Silex is a brutally hard stone that has been used as a tool for cutting things for thousands of years because of its sharpness and hardness. In fact, when François plows this vineyard, the blades on his tractor end up in pretty bad shape. The anagram “Les Exils” was created because this is also a vineyard that is far away from every other vineyard in the Crochet stable. The vines and stones rest next to a forest, at the top of a south-facing hill on the south side of Sancerre, near the Loire River.
  7.  Groth Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Oakville:  $68.99  The 2019 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is an alluring shade of deep purple-red, concentrated all the way to the edge of the glass. From the glass, it radiates an array of aromas that includes blackberry, red currant, coffee, cocoa powder and white pepper. On the palate, the fine and chalky tannin provides an excellent balance of an initial firm grit that leads to a soft and melted finish. Flavors of sour cherry, red raspberry and chocolate invite another sip. Wood-grilled flat iron steak with caramelized root vegetables pairs beautifully with this wine. It is also a delicious choice with a cacio e pepe pasta, as the cheese and black pepper are a perfect match to the richness of the Cabernet.Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11%
  8. Merlot.Stoller Family Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2019, Dundee Hills:  $44.99  Stoller Reserve Pinot Noir opens with aromatics of ripe plum, dried bing cherries, baking spice, and earth. The palate is supple, carrying flavors of cola and bing cherry, with hints of cedar and flint. This wine can be enjoyed now; however, it was constructed for longevity with proper cellaring.
  9.  Chateau Leoube Organic Sparkling de Leoube Rose N.V.:  $53.99  This sparkling wine offers a beautiful pale onion skin color, vibrant & thin bubbles and subtle aromas of grapefruit and peach.  Cabernet Franc and Cinsault.
  10.  Domaine de Bagnol Rose 2022, Cassis:  $36.99  A summery bouquet of bright redcurrants, strawberry, and citrus on the nose, followed by a palate layered with summer berries, cherries, and a hint of citrus. The Grenache, Mourvedre, and Cinsault blend interweaves clay-enriched fruit layers with a chiseled limestone-mineral structure, and the finish leaves you with a refreshingly salty tang reminiscent of the Mediterranean breeze. The wine is crisp and elegant and boasts a gorgeous purity of texture.
  11.  Gehricke Pinot Noir 2020, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma:  $29.99  Lively aromas of ripe blue fruit, allspice, blood orange peel and earth tones dazzle the nose. On the palate, distinctive notes of fresh baked blueberry cobbler and ripe strawberry are interlaced with hints of lavender, chocolate ganache, roasted almonds and lingering spicy notes on the finish. 
  12.  Daou Chardonnay 2021, Paso Robles:  $19.99  The 2021 Discovery Chardonnay leads with a stunning nose of juicy pineapple, freshly sliced pears, lemon chiffon, and warm toast. Spicy notes of nutmeg and ginger are highlighted with star jasmine and honeysuckle fragrances accompanied by hints of smoky oak and hazelnut. Elegant and silky on the palate, this Chardonnay offers delectable peach, melon, and green apple flavors accentuated by tropical notes of mango, guava, pineapple, and kiwi. A clean, exceptionally balanced finish is rounded out with essences of sweet Crenshaw melon, nectarine and papaya.
  13.  Angeline Vineyards Chardonnay 2022, CA:  $12.99  Fresh notes of Bosc pear, lemon zest, touches of pineapple, and subtle vanilla on the finish.  Fresh and spicy. Pairs effortlessly with fresh fish tacos and mango salsa.
  14.  Gehricke Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Knights Valley:  $36.99  This Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has fragrant aromas of dark fruits layered with harmonious hints of milk chocolate and cedar. With a smooth palate and polished tannins, the fresh flavors of ripe blackberry, dark cherry and plum are well-integrated with complimentary notes of wild sage, licorice, and pepper. The result is a wine which gets more elegant with more time in the glass.  Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon,6% Petite Sirah.
  15.  Alma Rosa Pinot Noir 2021, Santa Rita Hills:  $38.99  Winemaker Notes: This wine appears garnet color and yields dark fruits, earth and cedar on the nose. Complex aromas of meaty black cherry, cheery blossom and savory herbs emerge with another swirl. Round and soft the palate this friendly Pinot Noir has a core of black cherry fruit with hints of dried orange peel, root beer and spice. The finish has similar flavor with a burst or ripe raspberry and a touch red currant. A perfect fireside Pinot Noir before, during, or after dinner.
  16.  Chateau Pradeaux Verpree Rose 2021, Bandol, Provence:  $45.99  In homage to Bandol’s noblest cepage, “Vesprée”—a somewhat untranslatable French term referring to the deep pinkish hue of a clear sky as day fades to night—is 100% Mourvèdre. Etienne aged half of it in a single six-hectoliter oak cask, and the other half in a concrete egg—an eye-grabbing vessel that promotes aeration, stabilizes temperature naturally, and allows the wine inside to flow continuously and smoothly. It was bottled after nearly a full year of élevage, and over six months later than the regular bottling. “Vesprée” presents a full, swaggering nose of quince paste, white pepper, and coarse-ground Indian spices, and the big, richly textured palate possesses a structural tension that heavily underlines its potential for aging—though it is fresh, tense, and very delicious right now. It is exceedingly difficult to find rosé of this caliber and character, even from Bandol—and, in a twist of irony, this wine which is so purely and deeply Bandol to its very core was denied appellation status on three separate occasions, and is thus labeled a “Vin de France.”
  17.  Claude Riffault La Noue Sancerre Rouge 2020, Loire Valley:  $43.99  Certified organic and biodynamic.  La Noue is a 2.5 hectare plot of Pinot Noir on clay limestone and marl. Divided into seven plots and ranging in age from 10 to 60 years old it is the source for both the Noue Rosé and Rouge. Stéphane’s Rouge shows his Burgundian-trained touch with this variety, one that preserves the light and delicate style of Pinot from Sancerre, but layered with a depth of red fruit and black tea flavors.
  18.  Domaine Nudant Ladoix 2018:  $39.99  Dominated by generous perfumes of red berries (blackcurrant, cherry) with a touch of humus, this wine is elegantly aromatic, softly tannic. A classic cru of Burgundy.
  19.  Ca Maiol Lugana 2020, Lombardy:  $16.99  Our Lugana Maiolo is made from Turbiana grapes and takes its name from the Cascina Maiolo farm, founded in 1710.  The grapes for this wine come from moderately young vines, trained using the Silvoz and Guyot systems and with an average annual yield of around 10,000 kilos of grapes per hectare. The limestone-based soil with strata of clay, dating from the post-glacial era, together with manual picking, soft pressing and temperature-controlled fermentation, confers on this Lugana distinctive characteristics, such as its straw-like color with greenish highlights, its delicate scent and its tangy flavor.
  20.  Mastroberardino Radici Fiano di Avellino 2021, Campania:  $31.99  Straw yellow. Aromas including hints of pear, pineapple, acacia, hazelnuts, and citrus fruits, with some hawthorn and floral notes. Balanced acidity and soft on the palate, with white peach and grapefruit leading to dried fruits.  Pair with seafood salad, fresh, young cheeses and baked or grilled fish.
  21.  Domaine de la Cote Memorious Pinot Noir 2021, Santa Rita Hills:  $107.99  James Suckling 97 pts.  Crushed stone, raspberry and strawberry character. Medium-bodied with density and a toned structured. White pepper notes come through. Racy and bright. Drink or hold.
  22.  Terre Rouge Viognier 2021, Fiddletown:  $27.99  Our 2021 Viognier is organically-grown on our Fiddletown estate in granitic soils. Zesty fresh, floral, and spicy aromatics with fruit notes that suggest classic white peach and apricot flavors.  The grapes were harvested on September 23rd. We harvested at 24.2 brix, whole-cluster pressed to tank; fermented to dry in stainless and then transferred to a set of older French oak barrels with a couple special new barrels that are coopered in Condrieu thrown in the mix. Lees stirring, malolactic fermentation, and no racking off of primary lees are all techniques employed prior to bottling. 
  23. Terre Rouge Enigma (Marsanne/Viognier/ Rousanne) 2009, Sierra Foothills:  $28.99 Enigma is made from fruit harvested from one vineyard site, Suma Kaw, planted in volcanic soil at an elevation of 3,000 feet in Pleasant Valley area of El Dorado County. The vineyard is on a sweeping North slope where we harvested the Viognier on October 2nd, the Marsanne on October 28th and the Roussanne on November 4th in 2009 in this very late season. This high, cool elevation allows us to let the fruit hang for full flavor development while maintaining proper acidity. The vines grow on a vertical trellis with upward shoot and cane positioning for good fruit exposure to sunlight. The grapes are hand-picked into small bins and whole-cluster pressed. Fermentation takes place in older French oak barrels. The wine was bottled the following June 2010. Aromas suggest almond blossoms, honey, and acacia with hints of tangerine and papaya. Flavors are creamy with peach, apple, and quince impressions competing for your attention. The finish is crisp with classic white Rhône stone (peach) fruit pit flavors that intermingle with the subtle mineral tones from this rocky site. Enjoyable young, the wine also gains great complexity with bottle age.
  24.  Terre Rouge Tete-a-Tete Rhone Blend 2015, Sierra Foothills:  $23.99  Tête-à-Tête is our fun easy drinking assemblage of Mediterranean varietals (in 2015 – it’s 39% Grenache, 39% Mourvèdre & 22% Syrah,). We blend it with current drinkability in mind, for drinking both at home and as a restaurant pour. We generally put it together from our younger vines and our more forward tasting barrel lots. 2015 was a year where most of our Rhône varietal lots had brightness and ripe fruit. For us, it was more of an average growing season, but this was the third year of a three year drought. The fruit developed nicely all summer, with no surprises, and we received good flavor development. This wine drinks like wines from solid Côtes-duRhône-Villages vintage: sappy, spicy, mouth-filling, and nuanced. It is an eminently enjoyable everyday bottle. This 2015 has our typically deep boysenberry fruit aromatics, with smoky/meaty/ gamey complex flavor components that emphasize our terroir, and a lengthy creamy texture. Aged for 16 months in a mixture of French barrels. This is a great California wine value ! 
  25.  Terre Rouge Grenache L’Autre 2014, Sierra Foothills:  $36.99  One of California’s original Southern Rhône-style blends, L’Autre is hand crafted from varietals nurtured in the rocky terroir of the Sierra Nevada of California. It is luscious, elegant, silky, and complex.  75% Grenache, 17% Mourvedre and 8% Syrah.
  26.  Terre Rouge Garrigue 2014, Sierra Foothills:  $23.99  A generous wine even when opened at a young age. Its hue is a lovely straw yellow. The nose has a pronounced elegance with a floral bouquet, notes of almonds and honey. Tender and abundant on the pallet, its character is well-balanced but full-bodied. True to the terroir of this Cru.
  27.  Terre Rouge Syrah ‘Les Cotes de l’Ouest’ 2016:  $25.99  These vines are cultivated west (ouest) of our winery on small, sandy loam hills (côtes) just outside the Amador County appellation, a few miles from the Mokelumne River.  In the tradition of our other syrahs, this wine has great flavor intensity and mouthfeel. It is made with the current enjoyment in mind, rather than longevity.  Our popular Syrah for every day pleasure is also a big hit in wine bars and restaurants across the US, Canada and England.  This syrah, from the “western slopes of the Sierra” is a wine that everyone can afford to drink and enjoy. We blend about 60% of grapes from our lowest elevations with 40% from our highest vineyards to create a lovely, balanced syrah.
  28.  Easton “E” Zinfandel Fiddletown 2015, Sierra Foothills:  $31.99  EASTON “E” Zinfandel was added to our Zinfandel portfolio starting with the 2009 vintage. This is an non-contiguous, all estate-grown Zinfandel hand-crafted from grapes tended organically in the Rice MacDonald vineyard site in the Fiddletown AVA. It is made with our traditional winemaking techniques, including a natural yeast fermentation after the fruit arrives at the winery. This is a very cool site for Zinfandel, where crop size is monitored closely to make sure we can get the grapes to ripen properly, usually in mid-to-late October. It was planted to a mixture of heritage California clones in 1999 and 2000.
  29.  Mirabelle Blanc de Blancs 31st Bottling:  $34.79  The Mirabelle Blanc de Blancs is a non-vintage brut sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown in the unique pockets of California’s North Coast. It has bright and fresh aromas of Pink Lady apple, lemon-lime, and warm wheat toast, with layers of apricot, baked pineapple, and toasted almonds. The wine has a tartness to the mid-palate that carries to a long, flavorful finish. It can be enjoyed by itself as an apéritif, or with fresh oysters, other seafood, fried chicken, aged Gruyère or Comté, and semi-soft aged cheese.
  30.  Bodega Piedra Negra Malbec Reserve 2020, Los Chacayes IG, Valle de Uco:  $23.99  Ruby red color with hints of cherry. Complex with a mixture of red berry and spice aromas, plus a hint of black pepper. Some delicate chocolate and coffee notes from maturation in oak barrels. A well-structured, complex wine with pleasant tannins that add softness and a lingering finish. The spices join forces with toasted notes and the red fruit characteristic of Malbec.
  31.  Bodega Piedra Negra Pinot Gris 2022, Mendoza:  $17.99  Limpid greenish color with bright reflections. Fresh and slightly floral aroma sustained with a fruity profile of peaches and apricots. Intense and complex, opening up over time and demonstrating its particularities. Very fresh entry. A full mouth and sustained by a very good acidity and a beautiful aromatic persistence.
  32.  Domaine Nudant Vosne-Romanee 2019, Cote de Nuits, Cote d’Or:  $93.99  A pure and brilliant color with tints of white gold. Aromas of white flesh fruit, and blooming trees. The palate offers a sensation of fresh and silky mouthfeels, with a floral and persistent finish balanced by crisp acidity.  Best paired with red meats and game served with mushrooms.