JULY 2026
Newsletter Features
A note about many of this month’s offerings -
One of Portland’s biggest wine distributors is going through a major restructuring, giving us the opportunity to pick up a variety of great wines at killer prices, hence the repeated comments about deals, discounts, originally-priced-at, etc. Some are quite limited, some are better suited to cooler weather, all are standouts for their respective styles, especially given their lower prices. So have some fun and load up while they last!
Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage 2022
$22.99/$18.40 by the case Originally $40
An awesome chance to pick up a world class northern Rhône Syrah for almost half price, this is also an awesome opportunity to experience how much a wine can open and change with air. At first taste this was aromatically quiet with a livewire of acidity that hurried the flavors and kept the texture vibrant yet lean. But after 20+ minutes in the glass it blossomed beautifully leading one stunned taster to exclaim “now it’s a completely effin’ different wine!” The adjectives poured forth – floral violet, smoky bacon, cracked pepper, meaty iron, dried rosemary, cherry, blackberry, blueberry…the list went on. The texture fleshed out, flirting with a juicy richness before culminating in a long powerful finish. It was a remarkable transformation of a remarkably delicious, distinctly northern Rhône Syrah.
Jean-Michel Gerin Côte Rôtie Champin Le Seigneur 2017
$57.99 Originally $95 Very limited
Speaking of world class Syrah, this eight-year-old beauty takes it to a whole other level. Sumptuous and sexy in style, its silky texture and open-knit feel is a prelude to the intensity buried within. Balancing richness and elegance with just a hint of animale, it offers a heady mix of blue/black fruits, lavender, olive tapenade, roasted coffee and smoked meats with time-melted, satiny tannins. 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier.
Côte Rôtie is a tiny historic appellation at the top of the northern Rhône, a sliver of steeply sloped and terraced hillside vineyards hugging the river’s banks. A spiritual homeland of Syrah, its wines are prized for their power, elegance (aided by an allowed small addition of Viognier) and unique flavor complexity, unlike Syrah grown most anywhere else.
Jean Bouchard Pouilly-Fuissé 2020
$23.99/$19.20 by the case Originally $42
A five-year-old white Burgundy for almost half price? Yes please! Coming from steep slopes of clay limestone soil in southern Burgundy’s most prestigious appellation, this is in a perfect drinking window, developed yet still poised and energetic with integrated lemon zest and mineral notes balancing a creamy, rounded texture. A lovely string of acidity wraps around the richness as notes of golden apple and just-ripe pear mingle with toasted hazelnut, bread yeast and woodspice, with suggestions of beeswax and flint echoing on the long finish.
Tenuta Luce Lucente 2022
$19.99/$15.99 by the case Originally $30
Although located in the higher-elevation, southwest corner of Montalcino, Tenuta Luce makes very little Brunello. Their focus from the start was to take the quality of Montalcino’s vineyards and produce bold, internationally styled Super Tuscans that offer an amped up, almost decadent version of Tuscany’s signature varietals. Lucente is the second wine of the estate, designed to please upon release and made in a generously fruited, polished style. There is no one single style of Super Tuscan, but for many of its fans, it tastes a lot like this.
This 2022 reflects the hot growing season with its concentrated fruit and substantial mouthfeel yet remains lively and appealingly juicy. In a string of 90+point reviews the words balance and fresh pop up repeatedly, almost to the surprise of the reviewer. What that freshness is balancing is a core of creamy dark cherry and blackberry fruit glossed over by a sheen of hickory smoke, dark chocolate and fragrant cedar. As one taster noted, “it smells expensive!”
Wayfarer Pinot Noir Fort Ross-Seaview Sonoma ‘The Estate’ 2022
$49.99 Originally $100! Very limited
Originally an off-the-grid organic farm, Wayfarer was planted to grape vines in 2002 by renowned Napa vintners Jayson Pahlmeyer and David Abreu. This stunning 30-acre organic vineyard sits high on a rugged ridgeline surrounded by redwood forest, just four miles from the coast. After working alongside her father for years, Jayson’s daughter Cleo Pahlmeyer started Wayfarer, aiming to produce world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from this exceptional, unique terroir. She clearly has succeeded – this is now considered among the finest Pinot Noir produced in California with a string of recent reviews in the upper 90s, full of words like wow and magnificent. A truly special wine, we’re thrilled to be able to offer it.
“[This] is lifted in the glass and has a lot of fresh, bright notes of rosy perfume, grenadine, rosemary, and sweet earth. Medium-bodied, it has a vibrant energy and savory drive on the palate, with notes of salty earth and tea leaf, a light umami richness, ripe tannins, and evenly balanced acidity. It is lovely all the way through and is going to show its best if given more time in bottle.” – 97 pts, Jeb Dunnuck
“[This] is a wine of total class and understatement. Bright red-toned fruit and well-judged oak inform this sculpted, striking Pinot Noir. I especially admire the energy here. Blood orange, mint, crushed rock, citrus and dried herbs open with a bit of time in the glass. This translucent, crystalline Pinot is, quite simply, magnificent.” – 96 pts, Vinous
Château de Font Vive Bandol Rosé 2025
$22.99/$18.40 by the case
From a small winery whose vineyards border Bandol superstars Tempier and Terrebrune, this new-to-Portland pink delivers textbook Bandol character and power at a fraction of the price of those famous names. Roughly a third each Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsault, it is beautifully perfumed, all fresh red berries and summer roses with a streak of warm Mediterranean herbs. Roundly textured, the delicate nectarine/apricot fruit carries pops of sea salt, pink peppercorn and citrus-y kumquat. With more body and intensity than most rosés, this is great to pair with richer summer dishes or just when you want to amp up your rosé game.
Château Tournefeuille Lalande-de-Pomerol 2021
$19.99/$15.99 by the case Originally $36
An aromatic and elegant Right Bank Bordeaux from clay-gravelly soils, this medium-bodied charmer opens with enticing aromas of eucalyptus, dried rose petals, cedar shavings and a faint whiff of pipe tobacco. Richly textured yet silky and bright, the fresh strawberry/cherry fruit is edged by a loamy soil earthiness with fine-grained tannins rounding out the finish. A delicious example that showcases the immediate charms of a cooler vintage like 2021 and a much nicer wine than its discounted price suggests.
Socré Barbaresco 2021
$31.99/$25.60 by the case Very limited
A small, third-generation family winery, Socré farms just over seven acres in the famous Roncaglie cru, a location that offers stunning panoramic views of Barbaresco and its landmark medieval tower. This historic vineyard area is prized for producing rich yet elegant wines with perfumed complexity and refined tannins. This Barbaresco normale shows off the excellence of the 2021 vintage with a combination of approachable-now richness and classic ageworthy structure backed by Nebbiolo’s aromatic charm. With limited availability, stash some in the cellar now and come November you’ll be glad you did.
"The 2021 Barbaresco is a bold, super-expressive wine. Dark cherry, blood orange, menthol, spice, new leather, licorice and mocha are front and center. Bold and racy in the glass, with terrific persistence, the 2021 has a lot to offer. It's a fine effort in its peer group; that much is obvious. This is beautifully done." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Triennes Rosé Var, Provence 2024
$16.99/$13.60 by the case Originally $21
This sells so well it doesn’t need a newsletter spotlight but since we suggest it to anyone who asks for a rosé recommendation, we might as well put it in writing. Mostly Cinsault with a little Grenache and Syrah, it is quite simply a classic: lively, thirst-quenching Provence rosé whose effortless charm belies the quality of winemaking. Triennes is owned by two of Burgundy’s most revered winemakers – Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac and Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – and kudos to them for producing a wine that is such a joy to drink without having to overthink it. The Cinsault brings lovely floral aromatics and racy, lip-smacking acidity while the Grenache and Syrah add a gentle softness and zesty red berry fruit. A sleeper hit of the summer so far, grab a bottle and join the party.
Previous Favorites Still Available
Château de Rouanne Vinsobres 2020
$15.99/$12.80 by the case Originally $23
Vinsobres is a lesser-known appellation in the northern part of the southern Rhône and Rouanne a 12th century estate purchased in 2019 by Gigondas winemaker Louis Barruol of Château de Saint Cosme fame. Barruol sees great potential in the slightly cooler climate of Vinsobres and this 2020, one of his first wines from the property, shows an old school rustic power and soil-driven complexity with dark fruit providing a background canvas for the range of pastoral umami aromas. Mellowed from five years in bottle but still energetically potent, this overflows with peppery scents of Provence – anise, black olive tapenade, lavender, grilled fennel and espresso – that are deeply embedded in the cool-toned black and blueberry fruit. A wine of real character and a steal at its end-of-vintage price. 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre.
Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica 2024
$20.99/$16.80 by the case
A New York Times Italian favorite that often sells out quickly, this is sleek yet powerful, delivering a jolt of crushed granite, lemon and saline notes that invigorate the palate. As it opens and warms more nuanced flavors emerge – just-ripe pear, white pepper, orange blossom and lime zest – echoing about on the refreshingly brisk finish. The biodynamic 10-acre vineyard in the Marche sits up high in the Apennines mountains with wild strawberries planted between the rows to keep weeds down. Sounds like a dreamy place to work: the importer says winemaker Fabio Marchionni is one of the happiest people he has ever met. Living in a setting like that with a glass of this in his hand I can understand why.
Josep-Maria Vendrell Montsant Miloca 2024
$19.99/$15.99 by the case
This absolutely delicious 100% old vine Carignan comes from vineyards not far from the Priorat border, and with only 50 cases made we’re extremely happy to get some. Referred to as a “high-class country wine” by the importer, it feels both satisfyingly rich and vibrantly fresh with enveloping aromatics of piercing wild berry and hazy peppery bramble. The palate is soft and juicy, buoyed by a current of mouthwatering acidity. Its effortlessly joyous profile belies (or maybe highlights) the qualities that make it so – hand harvested organic 50 to 80-year-old vines, indigenous yeast fermentation and bottling unfined and unfiltered. 100% Carignan cuvées are rare enough, ones that taste this good for just $20… we’d love to see more.
Brunely Vacqueyras Les Secrets De La Licorne 2023
$21.99/$17.60 by the case
When visiting Gigondas producer Edmond Burle in the early 2000s I remember his son Damien shrugging in that Gallic way when asked about the difference between Gigondas and its less famous neighbor, Vacqueyras: “Not much really; you can charge more for Gigondas because it is better known.” Oh how I love an honest vigneron. Even if most southern Rhône aficionados would argue that Gigondas is indeed a step up from Vacqueyras, the differences can be slight, especially in old vine cuvées like this one. A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah from 50-80-year-old vines, it displays a Gigondas-like dark fruited intensity at a very un-Gigondas price.
“This brings a classic, Provençal style in its ripe black cherry, melted licorice, and sappy, floral, garrigue-like nuances. It's a rich, powerful 2023 that has tons of fruit and a voluptuous, layered mouthfeel. It puts its foot firmly on the ripeness scale while staying pure and balanced.” 93 points, Jeb Dunnuck.
Viña Nora Albariño ‘Peitán’ Rias Baixas 2024
$18.99/$15.20 by the case
While we love the crisp raciness that coastal Albariño is famous for, versions from farther inland can also delight, with a wider range of flavors and creamier, more generous textures. This delicious example comes from the most eastern and southern subzone of Rias Baixas, called Candado do Tea, and is made by the young rising star winemaker Emilia Schmidt. Its succulent peachiness is enlivened by persistent yet moderate lemon peel acidity and its swirl of slightly exotic flavors gives it dimension beyond the typical citrus mineral spectrum. Floral honeysuckle and tangerine slide into juicy mango and white peach with cleaner notes of crisp Bartlett pear on the finish.
Domaine Bunan Bélouvé Rosé Côtes de Provence 2024
$19.99/$15.99 by the case New vintage $26
A beloved shop favorite (pun intended), this 2024 seems especially enjoyable thanks to lovely floral aromatics and a generous yet lively personality. From a single terraced organic vineyard perched in the hills overlooking the port of Bandol and the Mediterranean, it delivers both thirst-quenching refreshment and layers of complexity in a fuller, rounder Bandol-like style. Varietally mimicking its more expensive neighbors, this is dominated by Mourvèdre with Grenache, Cinsault and a touch of Syrah. Sun-warmed wild herbs and seaside saline perfume the nose followed by dappled, toothsome flavors of strawberry, cherry and even light peach. A white pepper zestiness runs throughout giving it a punchy, dynamic feel, and everything comes together on the long minerally finish.
G.D. Vajra Rosabella Vino Rosato (Piedmont) 2024
$18.99/$15.20 by the case Originally $21
Every wine this Barolo-based family makes is near universally admired and their lovely pink is especially a seasonal favorite. Mostly Nebbiolo from organic young vines near the winery with small amounts of Barbera and Dolcetto, the fruit is picked early to maintain acidity and freshness. Fragrant and floral with orange blossom and cantaloupe on the nose, the spiny, spicy precision of Nebbiolo is enveloped in softer, rounder folds of strawberry and cherry kept lively by a vein of lemon oil briskness. Pretty and complex yet satisfyingly succulent, it’s a crowd pleaser for sure.
Gobelsburg Cistercien Rosé Kamptal 2024
$18.99/$15.20 by the case Normally $23
By far our most popular rosé that surprises customers by how much they like it, the tall skinny bottle throws some people off. But once tasted it’s "hey, this is really good!". A blend of Zweigelt, St. Laurent and Pinot Noir from an Austrian monastery property dating to 1171 (855 years ago!), it’s delicate but persistent with mild herb aromas and an intriguingly saline undercurrent. The fruit is tangy and bright with fresh strawberry and raspberry lemon, all propelled across the palate by a barely perceptible wave of spritz. Gobelsburg is a benchmark for Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, led by the visionary winemaker Michael Moosbrugger, and while this makes no pretense of special terroir or tricks of the cellar, the quality of organic fruit and winemaking clearly shines through.
Cameron Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2024
$29.99/$23.99 by the case
Cameron decided to not bottle a separate Ribbon Ridge cuvée for 2024 so all that great fruit is in here, making what is always one of the best “basic” bottlings even better. It’s roughly 1/3 Ribbon Ridge and 2/3 Dundee Hills, including both the awesome Clos Electrique and Abbey Ridge sites plus La Colina. The result is a dark-fruited, medium-bodied beauty with aromas of violet and savory spice, dark cherry fruit and a dense, mineral-inflected texture. As always airtime helps it open, revealing a brighter side of rosy aromatics and black raspberry, flavors that mingle with the darker side on the long, sticky finish.
Giovanni Pinot Blanc 2025
$20.99/$16.80 by the case
Always a welcome sight, we knew that spring was right around the corner when winemaker John Paul appeared with a bottle of this, his homage to northern Italian white wine. Comprised of old vine fruit from Abbey Ridge Vineyard, its moderate (and unchanged for years) price belies the quality of fruit and winemaking. Albeit based on one glass, the 2025 seems the best in years, beautifully balanced between soft fleshy pear and crisp tangy white peach. The aromatics are super expressive with background notes of pear blossom, lime and fennel frond and the round rolling texture is generous yet lively.
Palamá Ninì Susumaniello Salento 2024
$19.99/$15.99 by the case
We have sold the Palamá wines for 20+ years – Primitivo, Negroamaro, Verdeca – but until recently had never tasted this, their small-production bottling of one of Salento’s most obscure, interesting varietals, Susumaniello. Ignored to the brink of extinction as growers turned to higher volume reds, even just a few years ago there were only 125 acres planted in total. Determined to save their local heritage a handful of wineries kept growing and promoting it and given its unique charms, it’s now taken off in popularity.
The inky dark color and ripe rich fruit is balanced by natural acidity, giving it a surprising freshness, and its woodsy aromatic complexity is much more nuanced than other reds of the region. This was made entirely in stainless yet has a perfume of woodland woven in that adds a wild feel to the red berry and plum fruit. Zesty pops of licorice and pie cherry add to the buoyant feel before turning darker and more robust on the spicy dried herb finish.
Plaimont Les Cépages Préservés Saint Mont Blanc 2020
$17.99/$14.40 by the case
If you liked the Yura Jurançon Sec featured in November/December, this white is made at the same winery with similar grapes. You may also remember the 2019 version of this, a bona fide hit when we introduced it a few years back. Like that, this overflows with gorgeous aromatics of yeasty spice, lemongrass and lime leaf, a lush yet lively texture, and wonderful balance between the white peach/apricot succulence and citrusy electric vibrancy. Such an interesting and delicious wine for the price, sometimes it really pays to explore.
Saint Mont sits in southwestern France’s Pyrénées sub-region roughly 50 miles from both the Atlantic Ocean and the snow capped peaks that lead to Basque country, an area that doesn’t receive much international attention. But as in many overlooked regions new ideas are springing to life and the forward-thinking folks at Plaimont are using the past as a guide to the future. The three varietals here – Gros Manseng, Petit Corbu and Arrufiac – are historic to the region. A return to organic farming, lower yields and less interventionist winemaking is proving that for complexity and pleasure, these wines are worthy to compete on the world stage.
Reload alert!
Tre Donne Langhe Nebbiolo 2021 and 2020
$19.99/$15.99 by the case Originally $30
Last October we scored this stunning value when a Midwest distributor closed and couldn’t take their order. It sold out much too quickly but lo and behold, the importer found another little stash while doing inventory which just arrived.
Run by the three Lequio sisters since 1988 and now helped by a new generation of donne (their daughters), the winery is in Barbaresco and the fruit here comes from low-yielding, organically farmed older vines. 2021 was a terrific vintage in Piedmont and stylistically this lands in that Goldilocks zone, a near perfect balance of generosity and structural tension that delivers complex classic Nebbiolo flavors. The texture is lightly sappy yet taut with an underlying energetic power as tarry, rosy, peppery aromas color the supple black cherry fruit, finishing with darker plum and amaro-like spices.
The 2020 is very similar; the fruit leans more red – smoky cherry, red berry – and the texture is a bit softer while remaining bright and transparent. Additional background aromas of mint, dried porcini and shaved cedar weave in and out, bit players to the toothsome red fruit.
Hanna Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2023
$16.99/$13.60 by the case Normally $30!
A "need to hit our sales goal" deal from the local distributor shaves almost 50% off this classic cooler-climate Cali Chard from the northern reaches of Sonoma. We offered this deal last fall but it sold out quickly leaving many customers wanting more. Well, it’s back and amazingly a dollar cheaper! Hanna was founded in 1985 and is still family owned and operated with second-generation Christine Hanna currently running the winery. With a delicious balance of lemony freshness and creamy mouthfeel, this offers the generous charm of California with a nod to France with its dry, lively structure and clean, focused profile. A recent Wine Spectator review sums it up nicely: "Bright and fresh, showing a mix of citrus notes up front, with fresh-cut apple and fresh ginger flavors, plus a touch of hard lemon candy. Offers crisp acidity and spice details on the finish."
Tacchino Giusti Barbera del Monferrato 2018
$17.99/$14.40 by the case
The 2017 was one of our best-selling Italian reds in 2025 so we were thrilled when this 2018 was recently offered direct from the winery. It offers all the developed flavor complexity and true Piedmont character that we loved in the 2017 in a slightly fuller-bodied style, making it again one of the most interesting and best value Italian reds in the shop.
Third generation winemaker Romina Tacchino and her brother farm just over twenty acres in the lush, forested hills of Piedmont’s Alto Monferrato region. Located northeast of Barolo and Barbaresco in the foothills of the northern Apennine mountains, the area is rich in history, picture postcard views and castles – as well as being the likely birthplace of the Barbera varietal. True to Monferrato’s reputation, this has a slightly more wild, aromatic personality than Barbera from Alba or Asti with vibrant acidity electrifying the dark plush fruit. Top aromas of oregano, rosemary and tobacco perfume the mass of spiced black plum and berry fruit while notes of wild strawberry, licorice and orange zest linger on the long finish.
Château Mitrotes Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2022
$20.99/$16.80 by the case
The 2022 vintage in Bordeaux is already widely considered as one of the greats, with many wines balancing richness with freshness and power with elegance in an appealingly open-knit style. The Merlot-based reds of Saint Emilion did particularly well and this internationally styled charmer is a delicious example. Generous and mouthfilling, this delivers a velvet-covered core of power with loads of black currant, cherry and blueberry richness backed by dark spicy notes of Asian spice, cocoa powder and toasted oak. The texture is sexy and lush, with supporting fruit-encased tannins that soften with air. Although this is already a treat, it will continue to improve for years if you can keep your hands off it. An excellent value for true Saint-Emilion.
Domaine du Salvard Cheverny 2024
$21.99/$17.60 by the case
Near the end of a recent seemingly interminable tasting day this jumped out like a breath of fresh springtime air, a Sauvignon Blanc-dominated charmer from the eastern Loire that reminded us why we sometimes taste 35+ wines in a day – to find the gems like this. For longtime Kermit Lynch followers this is hardly a hidden gem though; imported by Kermit since 1992, this fifth-generation family estate is a reliable, over-achieving value vintage after vintage. That said, this just arrived 2024 tastes like the most complete version in a while. The nose is lovely, an expressive perfume of spring flowers, lemon verbena, mild tarragon and vibrant gooseberry. Delivering Sancerre-like flavors with a more mid-weight texture, it’s crisp yet caressing with Meyer lemon and lime fading into softer white peach, while the finish brings notes of crushed chalky stone and a refreshing lemony kick.
Gaussen Vin de Pays du Mont Caume 2019
$19.99/$15.99 by the case
Gaussen makes one of the most old-school style wines in a fairly old-school appellation, Bandol. A small Provençal village perched on the Mediterranean, Bandol is quietly famous for its long-lived Mourvèdre-dominated reds and powerful age-worthy rosé. His Vin de Pays, from vineyards outside the boundary, is made from the same mold, albeit designed to drink younger. A blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache with a little Cabernet Sauvignon, it is redolent of classic cured black olives, wild pungent herbs, briary wet earth and dark dried fruit. Compared to some vintages this 2019 is open-knit and approachable, balancing its typical animale wildness with a juicy black cherry smoothness, making it a versatile wintertime companion.
Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino 2019
$59.99 Normally $85+
One of the iconic names in Montalcino since the early 1900s, Sassetti’s vineyards are on the Montosoli hill located on the cooler northern side of the appellation. Their style is traditional yet sneakily hedonistic, with a racy underpinning bringing life to the dark wild fruit and spicy aromatic accents. Usually in short supply or even allocated, a recent distributor switch resulted in excess inventory, hence this golden discount opportunity from the great 2019 vintage no less. Although this will easily age a decade or longer, we were surprised at how delicious it already is – sultry, silky textured and packed with layers of complexity. Acclaimed with a string of 95-point reviews from top critics, this one describes the magic well:
“The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a spice box of a wine, opening with a burst of camphor and dried flowers, giving way to crushed blackberries, sage and cloves. This is surprisingly energetic and racy in style. Vibrant acidity propels depths of dark red fruits and inner floral as salty minerals saturate. The 2019 finishes structured and long yet still lively, leaving violet inner florals and hints of currant to taper off slowly. The combination of power, depth and energy makes this impossible to ignore.” -95 pts, Vinous
Klipsun Vineyard Red Blend Red Mountain 2022
$41.99/$33.60 by the case Normally $55+
A knockout single vineyard Bordeaux blend from Washington’s prestigious Red Mountain AVA, wines like this have given Red Mountain its enviable reputation. Bold and mouthfilling with serious presence and intensity, the saturated flavors cascade across the palate with polished tannins providing a sturdy framework. Mixed berries, black cherry and plum are joined by accents of tobacco, cedar shavings and crushed slate, appealingly wild aromas that meld beautifully with the dark fruit. Powerful and concentrated, this drinks well now – especially if decanted – but will evolve nicely for years to come. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 17% Syrah, 7% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc.
Abbey Road Farm Chardonnay Yamhill-Carlton 2021
$17.99/$14.40 by the case Originally $36
A slam dunk end of vintage deal, this terrific organic Chardonnay showcases the white Burgundy-inspired, lively style that Oregon is known for, married to a lightly creamy texture and a wealth of detailed flavors. Succulent apple and pear are accented with notes of toasted almond, warm spice and a hint of vanilla, while a precise beam of lemony acidity provides focus and lift. The finish is dry and supple, trailing notes of dried white fruit, jasmine and mandarin peel. With acclaimed winemaker Blair Trathen at the helm of this 82-acre working farm with an onsite B&B, the buzz around Abbey Road Farm keeps buzzing stronger and this is a great introduction to their wines.
L'Ecole No 41 Frenchtown Red Columbia Valley 2023
$21.99/$17.60 by the case
This Walla Walla icon likely needs no introduction. Founded in 1983 in a former schoolhouse on the edge of town, they were the third bonded winery after Leonetti and neighbor Woodward Canyon and have been making consistently great wine ever since; so consistent that sometimes we take them for granted. Tasting through the whole line up last month we were reminded just how rock solid they are and so fairly priced for Walla Walla-based wines.
This Bordeaux-meets-Rhône blend captures their balanced, flavorful style and totally overdelivers for the price, with a string of 90+ point reviews – a feat not often achieved by most $20 range WA reds. A blend of eight varietals, it melds richness and freshness, dark fruits and bright, with a lush juicy texture held in check by fine-grained tannins. The flavors are copious yet integrated with lots of red/black berry, crisp cherry and currant framed by purple floral and cedary mulling spice aromas.
Fento Albarino Rias Baixas 2024
$23.99/$19.20 by the case
The new vintage of this beloved mineral-driven Spanish white arrived last month and we’re thrilled to say it’s as good as ever. A personal family project of winemaker Eulogio Pomares (Bodegas Zarate) and wife Rebeca Montero, the fruit comes from organic, dry-farmed vineyards composed of mica and granite. With minimal intervention during winemaking – native yeast, stainless steel, low sulfur – the essence of the fruit and rocky terroir shines through. Expressive and brimming with a youthful energy, the nose offers a floral perfume of salted lime, white flowers and summer melon. The palate is snappy yet roundly supple, dripping with Meyer lemon and fresh pear, flavors that remain supercharged through the crisp spearmint-laced finish.
Belle Pente Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton 2022
$34.99/$28 by the case
We’ve long been fans of Brian O’Donnell’s Pinot Noirs, wines that effortlessly combine elegance, detailed complexity and an overall flavor saturation that gives them their own personality, while still tasting like a quintessential Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. His Yamhill-Carlton cuvée is all declassified estate fruit, an intentional blend of early pick, late pick and press wine that delivers classic Yamhill-Carlton character in a drink now, accessible style. As always the aromatics here are lovely, an enticing mix of floral violet, dusty blueberry, tangy rhubarb and savory spice. The palate is refined and delicate, with high tone raspberry cherry and fertile soil notes unfurling on a bed of light tannins. Aeration does wonders for this youthful new release, so let it breathe to take advantage of all it has to offer.
Domaine Les Gryphées Beaujolais Cuvée Centenaire Les Balmes 2023
$16.99/$13.60 by the case
A silly value for a wine coming from low-yielding 103 year-old vines, this marries the easy-going, insouciant charm of young Gamay to a richer texture and concentration level more typical of pricier Cru Beaujolais. The vineyard sits on a steep slope (balmes in local dialect) in a mix of limestone, clay and golden chalk, a mineral-rich soil that helps define the region. Winemaking is old school – hand harvests, indigenous yeast fermentation and aging in old large barrels (foudres) – to produce a wine of character and place. The nose is all purple flowers and mixed wild berries, with deeper cherry and appealing baking spices joining on the palate as Gamay’s trademark acidity keeps the flavors sailing along, high, crunchy and bright.
GWB Newsletters Archive
Here are current and back-issues of the Great Wine Buys Newsletter to help you print out the month or find a wine from past issues.
Coming Soon