Special Arrivals
Portugal
Filipa Pato & William Wouter
A collaboration between a Portuguese chemical engineer/winemaker and a Belgian restaurateur/Sommelier. Together, these two have created something magical, easily more than the sum of its parts.
Their philosophy? Authentic wines without adulteration. Focusing on indigenous varietals and biodynamic farming these are fantastic food pairing wines for thanks to William and are in the top echelons of quality and cutting edge wine technology. In fact, Filipa was elected Winemaker of the Year in Portugal by the “Revista de Vinhos” in 2020, a true rarity as she is the first woman to earn the title in 30 years!
Filipa Pato & William Wouter 3B Metodo Traditional Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature, Beiras, Portugal NV 750ml $19.50 special, 36 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 90 Points “The crisp lines of this sparkler carry scents of lemon thyme, Macintosh apples and fresh quince. The brisk salinity and limestone acidity take this from simple bubbles to something delicious, especially with oysters.”
Winery Notes “70% Bical, 23% Maria Gomes and 7% Cercial, from chalky clay soil. Primary fermentation in tank with wild yeast, second fermentation in bottle with 9 months sur-lie aging. No dosage and practicing Biodynamic (Demeter)!
Filipa Pato & William Wouter 3B Metodo Traditional Xbrut Rose, Bairrada, Beiras, Portugal NV 750ml $19.50 special, 12 bottles available
Wine & Spirits 92 Points “A 75/25 blend of red-skinned baga and white bical, this is a rich sparkler that brings to mind a shellfish broth with its vibrant salinity and a raspberry mousse with its supple, refreshing fruit flavors. It’s creamy, with plenty of acidity and bubble to finish on a lovely, clean fragrance. Pour it with grilled langoustines or other rich shellfish.”
Filipa Pato & William Wouters ‘Dinamica – DNMC’ Baga, Bairrada, Portugal 2022 750ml $18 special, 12 bottles available
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate “Well, this is a lot different than your typical Baga and a lot of fun. Consumers should love this, especially since the price is pretty good for something a little different. It’s a Baga from the producer’s younger vines made in a way that would make Beaujolais producers happy. It even has part carbonic maceration. This is light, fruity (as promised) and easy. The tannins are nominal. It has a bright feel, though. It is never jammy or never candied. It tastes great and seems very friendly. It may be light, but the fruit isn’t shy on the finish. I don’t know that my first guess would have been Baga if this were tasted blind, but as noted, it tastes great.”
New Arrivals
Oregon
The Eyrie Vineyards
A boy and his Dijon clones
If you love Oregon Pinot Noir, you owe it all to David and Diana Lett. Back in 1965, the Letts were the very first people to plant Pinot Noir in Oregon State. They were so dedicated, they spent their honeymoon clearing weeds and planting Dijon clones in the land that would soon be known as The Eyrie.
Winery Note: “To create this wine, Jason blended vintages of Pinot noir fruit (48%), Pinot Meunier (6%), Chardonnay (9%), Pinot Blanc (5%) and Chasselas doré (31%). Fermentation and aging occurred in a mixture of wood barrels and stainless steel. Full malo and an average of 11 months on lees lend a subtle richness with zero residual sugar. The final step: Jason had the wine carbonated to 4.2 atmospheres of pressure and bottled under crown cap.”
staff pick The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Spark’ Sparkling Rose, Willamette Valley, USA NV 750ml $19 special, 24 bottles available
Erin Brooks-Wine Advocate 90 Points “The NV Spark is a blend of 55% Pinot Noir, 37% Chasselas Doré and 8% Pinot Blanc, from 31-year-old vines. It is an “ultra brut,” although this particular bottling is made using forced carbonation instead of méthode Champenois. Medium to deep cherry-pink in color, it has aromas of cantaloupe, strawberries, raspberries and lemon peel with notes of stone and toast. The palate is dry with citrus and red berry flavors, spritely mousse and a refreshing, mineral-driven finish.”
These are the lowest prices in the USA:
That visionary spirit continues at Eyrie Vineyards to this day. Although David passed away in 2008, his son Jason has expanded to lesser known grapes like Trousseau, Chasselas, and Pinot Meunier, crafting wines like Trifolium, a true wine geek’s treat.
Winery Notes Picked by hand, the Trifolium was destemmed and put into a variety of fermenters to undergo native primary fermentation. This unique blend is Pinot Meunier (8%), Trousseau (15%), and Pinot Noir (77%).
The Eyrie Vineyards Trifolium, Dundee Hills, USA 2020 750ml $19.50 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 95 Points “This blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Trousseau is the poster child for balance. The show starts with blackberry and thyme aromas, along with notes of earth and citrus. The Trifolium’s zingy acidity and optimal tannic structure support flavors like black cherry, cocoa nibs and a nice pot roast. Best trio since Rush. “
Winery Note: “Our Trousseau is made from estate-grown, no-till organic grapes and transformed to juice by wild yeast. It aged in neutral oak puncheons for 10 months. We strive to make a Trousseau that’s the truest expression of the fruit. That’s why we’ve chosen to not fine or filter this wine, and to bottle it with moderate levels of sulfur.”
The Eyrie Vineyards Trousseau, Dundee Hills, USA 2022 750ml $31.50 750ml $31.50 special, 12 bottles available
(not reviewed yet. 2021 review provided for reference)
James Suckling 93 Points (2021) “This has an attractive peppery and spiced character with crunchy red berries, hints of nutmeg and dusty soil. It is light and ethereal with the crunchiness of sour cherry mixed with savory herbs and dried citrus peel. Chalky and fleshly red-fruited finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.”
Westrey
Westrey Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, USA 2018 750ml $18 special, 24 bottles available
Clive Pursehouse-Decanter 93 Points “A showy and opulent Pinot Gris with six years of bottle age, this wine defies expectations of simplicity for the variety—aromatics of ripe stone fruits and dried white flowers with a hint of clover honey. The palate shows richness, honeyed peach and nectarine flesh, and dried notes of tarragon and mint offer complexity and freshness, showing the real ageability of this stalwart Willamette Valley varietal.”
Westrey Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, USA 2021 750ml $24 special, 24 bottles available
Clive Pursehouse-Decanter “[Tasted July 2024] A dense and riper-styled Pinot Noir from Westrey, 50% of the fruit from Carlton Hill Vineyard and the other half from Holmes Gap in the Van Duzer Corridor. Dark berries and forest floor notes mark the aromatics, and the palate is dusty blackberries with hints of wild herbs with a zippy acidity to lighten the finish. Drinking Window 2024-2030.”
Winery Note “A harmonious wine with strawberries and cherries on the nose, and bright, ample fruit on the palate. Very food friendly; we love it with meats straight off the grill.”
St. Innocent
St. Innocent Villages Cuvee Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, USA 2022 750ml $28 special, 24 bottles available
Winery Note “The Pinot noir, Villages Cuvée has robust sweet spice aromas with lovely black cherry, smoky berry and dark rose notes. Juicy and pungent flavors of dark cherry, wild strawberry, allspice, cinnamon with a touch of smoke fill your mouth. Beautifully balanced with soft tannins and fresh acidity, the finish slowly fades into supple dried fruit and spices. Still young now the wine will fill out through the winter and into the spring. This is my favorite wine for thanksgiving and flavorful white meat dishes. It is just as good with burgers, brats and pizza. Enjoy now through 2030.”
Ayres
Ayres Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Oregon, USA 2023 750ml $24 special, 36 bottles available
Winemaker’s Note “The Ayres Willamette Valley Pinot is sourced from the Ayres Estate in Ribbon Ridge at 474 feet elevation, and the Oliver Vineyard in Yamhill Carlton at 600 feet elevation. Wines are fermented in open top, 2 ton fermenters using all indigenous yeasts for both primary and secondary fermentations. A small amount of whole clusters were used.”
Flaneur
Flaneur Wines Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, USA 2023 750ml $28 special, 12 bottles available
Winery Note “Our Willamette Chardonnay is a harmonious blend from two distinct microclimates sourced from our organic dry-farmed estate vineyards: La Belle Promenade in the Chehalem Mountain ACA and Flanerie Vineyard in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. This blend beautifully captures the essence of the greater Willamette Valley telling a unique story with each vintage.”
Evesham Wood
Evesham Wood La Grive Bleue Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, USA 2022 750ml $39 special, 12 bottles available
Eric Guido-Vinous 94 Points “The 2022 Pinot Noir La Grive Bleue is distinctly savory. It opens with an herbal thrust of rosemary and sage before evolving into wild blueberries, wilted violets and flowery underbrush. This is youthfully lean and compact, washing across the palate with silken textures and a refined blend of red berries and spice. It tapers off with tense tannins, a firm acid spine and hints of tangerine, leaving the taster completely enamored. Readers should wait another year or two to indulge in this bottle. (Drink between 2026-2032).”
Winery Note “While more savory than the Eola-Amity Hills Cuvee, this wine offeres fresh flowers (running from violets and jasmine to roses) atop cosmic crisp apples and blueberry compote. The very discrete fruits are balanced by fine tannins nicely punctuated with acid.”
Purple Hands
Purple Hands Haakon Lenai Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, USA 2022 750ml $66 special, 6 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points “A youthful ruby red hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Haakon/Lenai Vineyard comes from 27-year-old vines in the main estate vineyard. A youthful bright magenta/ruby color, it offers darker berried fruit notes of wild black raspberries, layered spice, toasted cedar, umami, and licorice, with some red-fruited, high-toned lift shining through. There is real crystalline depth to this wine as well as more purity and clarity, and it has bright, ripe acidity, mouthwatering freshness, and a great finish. Its ripe tannins are very well-framed, and it has a long finish. Much more purity and clarity here. Drink 2024-2044. This is by far the best wine in the Purple Hands lineup.”
Purple Hands Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, USA 2022 750ml $69 special, 7 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points “A richer reflective ruby hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard is a savory wine with notes of wet stones, graphite, pine, fresh black cherries, mixed berries, and tea leaf. It is very appealing on the palate early on. with refined tannins and a juicy feel. It’s very attractive now, and it’s not going to slow down any time soon. Drink 2024-2040.”
Champagne
Gaston Chiquet Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs d’Ay Brut, Champagne, France NV 750ml $57.90 special, 6 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points “The base vintage of the NV Champagne Blanc De Blancs D’Ay Grand Cru Brut is from 2019, and it spent 4 years on the lees. A robust style of Blanc de Blancs, it’s assertive with notes of ripe pineapple, preserved lemon, honeycomb, and fresh walnut. Flesh and full-bodied, it has a soft, pillowy mousse, a persistent core of acidity, and a powerful drive through the finish. It will need some age to improve, as its tertiary notes should start to integrate and harmonize, rounding out its muscular personality. Drink 2025-2035. Disgorged December 2022.”
H. Billiot Fils Grand Cru Brut Millesime, Champagne, France 2014 750ml $99 special, 33 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 93 Points “The 2014 Brut Millésime is a beautiful wine that shows the Billiot style off to great effect. Fresh, vibrant and also wonderfully deep, the 2014 hits all the right notes. Red plum, kirsch, flowers, mint and sweet spice all come together in a Champagne that marries tension with volume. That’s a pretty appealing combination in my book. Dosage is 0.6 grams per liter.”
Bereche et Fils Brut Reserve, Champagne, France NV (2021 base) 750ml $69 special, 36 bottles available
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 91 Points “The NV Brut Réserve (base 2021) is a bit unusual in this release, in that reserve wines account for 45% of the blend because the base year was so challenging. It’s an approach that worked out well though, as the finished wine is gorgeous. Pear, apricot, white flowers, spice, mint and almond all grace this nuanced, classy NV Champagne. Floral overtones appear later to lift the finish. Dosage is 5.2 grams per liter. Disgorged : November 2023.”
Bereche et Fils Campania Remensis Extra Brut Rose, Champagne, France NV (2020 base) 750ml $99 special, 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni- Vinous 92 Points “The 2020 Extra-Brut Campania Remensis, the Bérêche Rosé, is exquisite. Crushed red berry fruit, white pepper, mint, cranberry and floral overtones all run through this wonderfully nuanced, delineated Champagne. Deceptively light in color, the 2020 is quite deep and layered. It’s one of my favorite wines in this range. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: February 2024.”