April 2026Wines of the Month

For the wine snob: Domaine Filliatreau is based in the village of Chacé, just outside of Saumur in the Loire Valley. The domaine’s reputation is closely tied to the Saumur-Champigny appellation, where it has become one of the largest organically certified estates and a key voice in the evolution of Cabernet Franc in the region. Though the property has been in family hands since the late 19th century, the story of the present Domaine Filliatreau begins with Paul Filliatreau in the 1960s, who helped shift the estate from polyculture to focused wine production at a time when Saumur wines were often sold in bulk or blended anonymously.

For the rest of us: This vintage shows a translucent ruby core with slight purple edges. Aromas open with wild raspberry, red plum, and crushed violet, followed by savory notes of peppercorn, graphite, and dried herbs. On the palate, the wine is mid-weight and energetic, driven by fresh acidity and finely grained tannins. Flavors of red currant, cranberry, and pomegranate give way to earthy undertones of iron, thyme, and flint. The finish is precise and dry, with a mineral snap and lingering red fruit.

For the wine snob: It is sourced from elevated and therefore slightly cooler terraces with light, stony soils. The formation of sugar in the grapes develops more slowly in these sites. The grapes were harvested at a time when the taste was already there, yet the natural sugar and potential alcohol content were still comparatively low. This is always the lightest Grüner Veltliner of the vintage. Fermentation took place cool, but not too cold, in stainless steel tanks.

For the rest of us: Appealing nose of apples, fresh citrus and mild flowery aromas, as well as rosewood, green peas and asparagus, fresh and crisp, sappy fruit on the palate followed by a hint of minerals and spice in the finish.

For the wine snob: The 2019 season was characterized by a dry spring and summer with few cloudy days, which helped temperatures to be slightly above normal. The months of March and April also had higher than normal temperatures. Grape production was 12% lower than expected, but with very healthy and balanced grapes. The aromatic quality, balance and concentration of the 2019 wines is outstanding

For the rest of us: Ripe and jammy character with aromas of plums and blackberries, as well as hints of dried herbs, spices and wet earth. Medium-to full-bodied with firm tannins and a velvety mouth-feel. A little tight and austere, yet fresh, with mellow fruit character. Firm finish with hints of hazelnuts and chocolate.

For the wine snob: 100% estate fruit grown in the Altenasso cru of Castiglione Falletto and the Bricco Manescotto cru of La Morra Vineyards planted in 1997, now well over 20 years old! 40% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Viognier Fermented separately and aged six months in stainless steel Malolactic is blocked to preserve the wines freshness 1500 cases produced annually.

For the rest of us: Pale yellow with emerald hues. Fresh and charming nose with white flowers, sage, yellow and orange fruits in addition to mineral notes. The delicate flavors continue on the palate where a soft texture is combined with a sapid and cleaning acidity.

For the wine snob: 53% Sangiovese, 26% Dolcetto, 10% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. This is the second vintage of their homage to the Super Tuscan style wines of Italy, known for blending Sangiovese with the “bandit” grapes of Bordeaux, France. David loves Italian wine, so he highly recommends this one 😉  They sourced this fruit from the highly esteemed Alegria Vineyard, which is hand-farmed with love and care by Bill & Betsy Nachbauer from their heritage vineyard that holds a history that goes well over 100 years. Superiore takes the charm of the Old Vine Italian field blend and enhances it with all the charm of these expressive, unique varietals, not usually seen in this combination.

For the rest of us: Aromas of dried cranberry, blackberry, orange peel and star anise on the nose. The palate gives flavors of tart cranberry and crème de cassis, with spiced cocoa and rich, dry tannin lingering on the finish.

For the wine snob: This wine has the perfect balance of intensity and elegance in a fun, exciting way. The intensity presents itself as a refreshing, tart fruit core when you taste it chilled right from the refrigerator or ice bucket. As it warms up to room temperature, or patio temperature if you are outside, the Wine then gets more fleshy and mouth-coating, and the elegance and lower alcohol turn this into a classy jewel.

For the rest of us: Beautiful, inviting aromas and flavors of wild strawberry, nectarine, and orange blossoms and the layers keep coming as the wine opens up. This bone-dry Rose will go great with seafood, cheese, pasta, desserts, or is outstanding sipping on its own.

For the wine snob: Old vine wines have a unique and special character. They produce only 3 or 4 clusters per vine, which results in concentrated, rich flavors with a deep complexity. Amazing layers of flavor and spice surface in the wine as a direct result of the relationship of the soil and the 30 feet deep root system. These factors, combined with the vineyard’s cool, eastern-facing hillside location in the heart of the Russian River Valley, cannot be replicated any other way. The Davis Family Old Vine Zinfandel is a true expression of a specific place.

For the rest of us: This wine sees no new oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered and with minimal sulfites. Enjoy red berry fruit, great acidity, and a long juicy (not jammy!) finish.

For the wine snob: 35% Roussanne, 35% Viognier, 26% Marsanne, 4% Picpoul. The Cuvée Luke is an extra-special wine for the family as it is named for Guy’s eldest grandchild. This wine was inspired by traditions from the Rhône Valley.

For the rest of us: The three varieties come together seamlessly, expressing stone fruit and floral aromatics, balanced with a distinctive minerality. Since we do this wine in full stainless steel, we do a few days of extra skin contact on the Roussanne to give the really interesting body without needing oak.