March 2025 Newsletter Wines
Spring is in the air. The Newsletter wines of March are here to celebrate the first weekends spent outside, the first blooms in the garden, and lower heating bills. This Newsletter is divided into three parts: Salt & Pepper, Fruit & Flower, and Herb & Spice, so sorted for the wine's defining flavor.
Salt & Pepper wines of the newsletter to be tasted Saturday, March 8th
Olga Raffault Chinon Rose 2023 $21
Olga Raffault is a name to remember if you’re a fan of old school, classic Loire valley Cabernet Franc. Indeed, you very likely already know the name, as this estate is famous for spectacularly earthy, functionally immortal Cabernet Franc that sets the standard to which other winemakers in Chinon aspire. Under the direction of Olga’s granddaughter Sylvie and her husband Eric De la Vigerie, the tradition remains strong, and even their elegant and fine-grained rose is unmistakable as anything but Cabernet Franc. In 2023, conditions were hard on winemakers dodging both excess rain and heat, but the Raffault family has been doing this long enough to coax great wine from all sorts of vintages. This 100% Cabernet Franc rose offers aromas of Rainier cherries and white strawberries, tangerine zest, white pepper, acacia blossoms and chalky clay. The palate is surprisingly full for how energetic it is, very soft and lightly creamy, with white strawberry and citrus on the midpalate that turns savory and clay-style earthy on the finish. Serve with grilled birds, shrimp dishes, crudo, and charcuterie spreads.
Vostinic Klasnic Moslavina Ikons Grasevina Skrlet 2023 $21
This is inland Croatia, the northern hinterland of rolling hills, valleys, and small farms to the east of Zagreb, far less touristy than the Dalmatian coast. One of those small farms is a winery owned by Tomislav Voštinić, who learned everything he now knows about winemaking from his grandfather Klasnić. It was Klasnić who saved the native Škrlet grape from extinction more or less by himself, thereby preserving a key element of Moslavia’s viticultural heritage. It was Klasnić who taught Tomislav to farm organically – which he does without certification. As Tomislav puts it, he farms this way for the vines, not for his wine labels. One of the other things he learned from his grandfather was to blend his Škrlet with Graševina (Welschriesling) to make a cheerful and fresh everyday wine. This 2023 edition smells of peach and pineapple, Cara Cara orange, lime, and basil. The palate has the appealing weight of Graševina with the bright cut and zesty acid of Škrlet. Powerful waves of orange and lemon and lime wash through, with notes of white pepper and granite minerality. True to Klasnić’s recipe, the finish is crisp and refreshing, perfect for salads, hors d'oeuvres, and light fish dishes.
Borgo Paglianetto Verdicchio di Matelica Terravignata 2023 $18
There is a valley in central Marche called Alta Valle dell'Esino, tucked between two branches of the Apennines. It is a high country, surrounded on all sides by mountains and even the valley floor is 1000 feet above sea level. Sunny, dry days give way to cold nights, and the local brand of Verdicchio has a significantly crisper and lighter personality than the Verdicchios of Castelli di Jesi just over the eastern mountains. Roman records attest to ancient vineyards here, naming certain properties Terra Vignate, or Vineyard Lands, a name Borgo Paglianetto’s entry cuvee uses to remind us of this tradition, even if the winery itself has only been around since 2008. After harvest and fermentation this wine rests in steel tanks for a few months before bottling and release, because this is the sort of wine at its best when at its freshest. Aromas of white pepper and orange blossoms and McIntosh apples lead into a spicy palate of lemon curd and apple with a touch of ginger on the finish. Verdicchio always has weight, but in Matelica, it’s always lively and crisp too. A great way to welcome the first spring vegetables.
Altolandon Manchuela Bobal Rayuelo 2019 $20
The plateau of La Mancha is dry and windy, something famously pointed out in Don Quixote by the prominent part windmills played in the story. The eastern part of the Plateau is called Manchuela, where some of the driest, windiest, and highest elevation vineyards in all of Spain are planted. This is a difficult place to grow things, but if you are Rosalie Molina and you want to make organic and natural wines with powerful personality and balletic balance, this place is perfect. Her vineyards are home to a range of varieties both native and introduced, and Bobal is among the most prominent. This Southeast Spanish variety offers sturdy tannins, full body and intense color to wine, even without much attention from the winemaker. With the attention Rosalie pays, this wine has much more to say. Aromas of black plum and cherry, red soil and peppercorn and leather lead into a palate with sturdy, long lasting tannins and a rivulet of acidity that carries a big gulp of black fruits and dried herbs before the finish lingers with pepper and orange oil. A perfect wine for steaks, burgers, and vegetables cooked over an open fire.
Fruit & Flower wines of the newsletter: to be tasted Saturday, March 15th
Mary Taylor Wines Christophe Avi Agenais Rose 2023 $14
Christope Avi is the latest gem of a winemaker discovered by Mary Taylor in her search for underappreciated wines across France, Italy, and Spain. Christophe started working for his family’s Domaine du Bois de Simon in 1992, and perfected the blend he calls blood of the Garonne, a roughly half and half mix of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, which he farms biodynamically. Agen is on the river about halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, and we think this rose would be at home in either setting, a cheerful and bright wine that doesn’t demand attention, but if you take time with it, there’s surprising complexity inside. Aromas of Bing cherry and orange, pink roses and golden raspberries with a deft touch of sage and clay, before the plate arrives clear and fresh, with clean lines of acidity defining notes of cherries, limes, rosewater, and orange that come all the way through to a zesty finish. Serve this with delicate seafood dishes, hors d'oeuvres, and sunny picnics.
Colle Petruccio Toscana Bianco Stralunato 2022 $15
The generous Tuscan sun meets the salty winds of the Tyrrhenian Sea in this full bodied white, grown a quick 20 minute drive from the shore on some particularly rocky soils in Maremma. Vermentino, that sea faring grape that permeates the vineyards of this quarter of the Mediterranean, plays the largest part. Small helpings of Trebbiano and Malvasia add their weight and fruity charm to the wine, and winemaker Sandro Ruffo tries to stay largely out of the way with gentle pressing, no yeast additions, and gentle handling throughout. Stainless steel tanks are the only item that sets his technique apart from winemaking methods of a hundred years ago. The result is a charming, inexpensive white with a pleasantly creamy texture and gobs of fruit. On the nose, the wine starts with lavender and orange blossoms, kiss melon, tangerine, and breezy salt. The palate is pleasantly full and brimming with lemon and orange with a rim of mineral salt. Simple, unctuous, and deliciously easy to drink, this wine will find a home with Marcella Hazan’s “Chicken with Two Lemons” recipe, or an afternoon on the deck with vegetables on the barbecue.
Domaine Cheveau Saint Amour Villa Violettes 2021 $19
Is there a redder wine than great Cru Beaujolais? Domaine Cheveau is a classy producer of both Beaujolais and Maconnais Burgundy and they pose the question with this unexpectedly serious edition of Beaujolais’ northernmost Cru of Saint-Amour. Broad aromatic strokes of red raspberries and red cherries, red cranberries and red roses and szechuan peppercorn are like a Mark Rothco painting for the nose. The palate offers a similarly generous supply of buoyant red berries, with notes of white pepper and sage framed by substantial but suave tannins. Sand and granite soils give the wine a soft, velvety character, and elevage in stainless steel tanks helps to preserve freshness. Nicolas and Julien Cheveau are the third generation running the domaine, who somehow manage to produce 18 different wines from their 14 hectares of vines, all hand-harvested in and around the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation. When pairing this delightfully red wine with food, take a page out of Lyonnais cookbook and make Coq au Vin, Sauccisson, or poulet.
Chateau Pineraie Cahors 2020 $19
The Burc family owned land outside the town of Puy-l'Eveque in 1456. They still do, and for five generations they’ve made wine at Chateau Pineraie. It has been an eventful and difficult time for Cahors over the last 140 odd years, but Pineraie has endured as one of the most reliable outfits in the region. Their domaine lives both on the lowland clay terraces of the Lot river, and on the highland limestone terraces to the south, giving Pineraie the best of both terroirs to express powerful and neatly balanced Malbec every year. Sisters Anne and Emanuelle Burc have taken over winemaking and operation of the winery from their father Jean-Luc, and with the change, there has been a subtle shift in the wines towards finesse. This is still a stern wine, with a woodsy tannic backbone and deep black fruit, but the aromas are more powerful and distinct than before: Blackcurrant jelly, iron-rich clay, roses and figs somehow feel fresh and lively. The palate is full and filled with blackberries and currants, framed with silky tannins that don’t go away, and finishes with a note of blackberry gelee and sandalwood. For best results, serve with steak or duck.
Herb & Spice wines of the Newsletter: to be tasted Saturday, March 22nd
Chiussuma Erbaluce di Caluso Pajarin 2022 $22
Chiussuma is a waterfall near the mountain town of Carema, perched on the side of an Alp at the mouth of the Vallee d’Aosta. It is also a winery in Carema, the only new producer in this tiny wine region for a generation, and the source of some spectacularly interesting wine. This part of Piedmont is home to one of the most interesting white wines in Italy, the Erbaluce di Caluso. It is a relative rarity, spread over the foothills south of the extremely northern city of Ivrea. It’s a thick skinned variety that’s used to the relative cold of this part of Piedmont, so even relatively basic versions of Erbaluce have more structure and flavor than usual, but this is not a basic version, this is a master-class. Fermentation is slow, to maximize the interplay between those thick skins and the juice inside, before the wine is aged in stainless steel to preserve every note of the aromatic kaleidoscope. Lemon pepper, honey roasted pears, white strawberries, chamomile, while tea, tarragon and slate come through, before the palate comes up with Meyer lemon, candied ginger, orange zest and salty, slatey minerality. Full bodied the way Erbaluce often is, incredibly lively and crisp the way Erbaluce often isn’t. Oranges and salt-preserved lemons linger on the finish. Pair with hearty dishes made of pork or duck or raclette.
Il Vescovado Chianti 2023 $16
The village of Poggibonsi is in the heart of Chianti Classico, adjacent to San Gimignano, and home to an uncomplicated sort of Chianti. Il Vescovado Chianti is a second label of Borgo Pretale, a blue-collar Chianti house outside Sienna that has never strayed from the classico style of the region. For both their flagship wines and this everyday quaffer, the winemakers use strictly native varieties, in this case 80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, and 10% Ciliegiolo. The wine is raised in concrete and steel tanks, so the notes of pure fruit and savory earth are entirely unimpeded on their way through the nose and across the palate. Aromas of red cherry and cranberry, orange peel and rosemary lead into flavors of soft red fruit, orange peels, with dusty earth. The tannins are also dusty, gentle enough to handle a wide range of Italian cuisine. This is not a wine to fuss and fret over, this is something to open over a pan of pizza, a plate of pasta, or a dish of bechamel macaroni.
Contini Cannonau di Sardegna Tonaghe 2022 $18
Contini was founded in 1898, and stands today as Sardinia’s oldest winery. After five generations in the family, the winery has spread out geographically from Oristano, the western coastal region where Continis have always lived and where their signature – and singular – white Vermentino is made. Though the winery produces wines of every color and from every corner of the island, there is something about living next to the Mediterranean that influences work in the cellar. There is a freshness in this bright red Cannonau that speaks of ocean breezes blowing through the vines in Ossidiana, delicate notes of earth and herbs drawn from the vineyard’s clay and sand. You can taste all this because this wine only ever touches stainless steel tanks before bottling. You can smell three leaves: tomato, bay, and curry. There’s red cherries and orange peels and black peppercorns too. The palate is surprisingly light for Cannonau, with silky threads of tannin woven through cherry and orange fruits before the finish adds notes of sage and tarragon. While charcuterie and tomato-based dishes are on the menu, this is also the rare sort of red that goes with saltwater seafood – particularly the fried kind.
Famille Fabre Vin de France Cinsault Lux Levis 2022 $21
Nestled in the heart of Corbieres, the village of Luc-sur-Orbieu is home to about 1,000 people, a smattering of restaurants and guest houses, and – just a block off the Rue des Vignerons – the winery Famille Fabre, one of the first fully organic wineries in Corbieres. The family makes a wide range of red and white wines at generally easy-to-digest prices, and everything they make is some kind of savory. This Lux Levis cuvee is a rarity, 100% Cinsault, a grape generally relegated to the “other native grapes” section of a cepage listing. On the rare occasion this vine is allowed to get to 65 years old, it can produce a wine of stunning complexity, balance, and savor. The aromas are of all the ingredients for an herb rub on standing rib roast: rosemary, thyme, mint, lavender, and oregano. There’s black olive tapenade, eucalyptus, and blackberry jam too. The palate is medium bodied, with appealing tension, rough cut tannins, and jammy notes of blackberry, cherry, and marmalade that return to an earthy, clay lined finish.
Tim Malone at the Winemaker's Barrel
Timothy Malone’s wines are known in these parts as some of the very best value wines in Oregon. His Pinot Noirs are fresh and spicy, and his signature Nebbiolos were some of the first to indicate that this noble variety has a great future in Oregon. After working for leading Willamette Valley lights like Cameron and J Christopher, he’s becoming something of a leading light himself, and we’re excited to have him at the shop Saturday, March 1st, to sample his latest releases.
2023 Columbia Gorge Nebbiolo Rose $18
As clean and crisp as wine ever really gets, with delightful fruit flavors.
2022 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir $31
Perfectly balanced Pinot Noir with red fruits and baking spices.
2022 Columbia Gorge Nebbiolo Garnier Vineyard $21
One of the most exciting Nebbiolos in Oregon, unbeatable value!
2022 Rocks District Syrah $35
A savory Syrah from Oregon's corner of Walla Walla
Wednesday, March 26th, 6PM: Fino Sherry Seminar $50 per seat
For our second Sherry seminar, we're taking a closer look at Fino and Manzanilla Sherry. This is the light and crisp side of the spectrum and often considered the "simplest" sort of Sherry, intended for fresh tapas, seafood, and sunshine. We will talk in depth about the iconic flor yeast that defines the style and flavor of fino, and taste everything from the standard, easy drinking Fino all the way to the premium Finos that are redefining what these sorts of wine are capable of.