March WinesWines of the Month

For the wine snob: Following manual harvest and manual selection, the grapes ferment in our temperature-controlled state-of-the-art stainless steel vats where we search for the ideal balance between extraction and aromatic preservation. After a minimum of 20 months ageing in American-oak casks, this wine finds its plenitude rounding off in the bottle.

For the rest of us: Clean and bright with a medium robe and a ruby ​​red color. On the nose it is complex with aromas of red fruits, sweet spices with a balsamic background. After a powerful attack the sensation of soft, supple volume gradually extends across the palate for a creamy finish. The aftertaste reminds you of the red berry fruit mingled with hints of wild herbs.

For the wine snob: This producer makes this fabulous wine from 20-year-old Albariño vines grown at high altitude. The growing conditions at such altitude include very warm days and cool nights which maximize the flavor whilst locking in freshness. There’s an especially vibrant citrus zing to this vintage, along with a nice weight to coat the palate, and perfumed aroma to delight the senses.

For the rest of us: An expressive, forward style of Albariño, shining with ripe citrus fruit and tangy green apple flavors. The varietal’s classic minerality is in abundance, with pretty floral aromas and a crisp, fresh, luscious palate.

For the wine snob: This wine is 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. It was matured in American oak barrels for a year and then bottled in April of 2020. It has good tannins that would pair nicely with many foods, or spend more time aging in the bottle.

For the rest of us: This wine is balanced with moderate alcohol. It contains ripe fruit and spice flavors that make it recognizable as a Rioja.

For the wine snob: The 45 year old vines are located near the Slovenian border in a cooler climate than most Italian wine. This produces low yields, but unparalleled concentration and viscosity.

For the rest of us: There is stone and tropical fruit on the nose with floral undertones. The palate is lush and balanced with high acidity and a flavor that lingers for some time.

For the wine snob: The grapes were hand-harvested at night, then cold soaked for 48 hours. They were fermented with skins for an average of 14 days, and spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred in barrel. The wine was then aged for 20 months in French oak barrels.

For the rest of us: A distinctive mingling of ripe blueberry, boysenberry, and blackberry fruit aromas are with bright notes of red cherry are layered with cocoa, vanilla and clove leading to cedar with a hint of graphite. Forward and juicy on the palate, the black fruits dominate with notes of black currant and crème de cassis. The bold ripeness of the fruit leads into a rich and textured mid palate where the baking cocoa powder coated tannins turn soft and balanced on the finish.

For the wine snob: The Thomas family has been growing grapes and making wine in Sancerre since 1670. Today, ninth and tenth generation winegrowers farm 19 hectares. Their terroir and the house style favor wines of great amplitude and texture, with long, lingering finishes. The Thomas’ holdings encompass all three soils types in the appellation: flinty soils, Kimmeridgian limestone, and gravelly slopes of caillottes. They farm their vineyards sustainably and shun the use of herbicides.

For the rest of us: This wine has full and developed fruit flavors of citrus, grapefruit, crisp green apple, and wildflowers resonant from the glass. With great texture, a classic minerality lingers through the finish with crushed rock and refined herbal notes of balanced pyrazines.

For the wine snob: A 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine’s fresh fruit aromas are beautifully underpinned by an elegant tannic structure. Vintage after vintage, the winemaking team remains faithful to what has become a winning formula, aiming to maintain the supple, sensual classicism associated with Bordeaux’s finest wines.

For the rest of us: On the nose, intense ripe fruit aromas (especially cherry) are joined by nutty notes and hints of cocoa and licorice. The boldness of the nose is confirmed in the mouth, with a supple attack giving way to an uninhibitedly fruit-forward, full bodied mid-palate. Minty notes on the finish reveal all the elegance of a distinguished Bordeaux red.

For the wine snob: The grapes for this wine come from parcels planted on clay, marl and limestone soils. All 21 different types of limestone known in the world can be found in the soils. These soils, and the particular climate of the sites were discovered by the monks who first made wine here over 400 years ago, and today some of their methods are still used; vineyard activity is carried out based on the position of the moon and stars, with grape maturity and picking determined by the ripeness of the pips, as well as the skins. Organic and biodynamic practices are used to manage the vineyards, although they are not certified.

For the rest of us: is a very expressive Gewurztraminer, with notes of jasmine and exotic fruits, leading to a complex and rich palate, lifted by a fresh saline finish.