Category Archives: Special Features

Wine of the Day: Charles Smith CasaSmith Jack’s Vineyard Barbera, Walla Walla Valley 2014 – July 2016

Charles Smith K Vintners CasaSmith Jack’s Vineyard Barbera, Walla Walla Valley 2012 750ML ($39.95) Buy Now: $33 special

Italian taste meets Washington muscle. Winemaker Charles Smith took Piedmont’s Barbera grape and made it boldly American in this wine. Brooding, deeply pigmented, and stuffed full of ripe red fruit, earth, and roses, the 2012 Jack’s Vineyard Barbera is almost a meal in itself. Aged 26 months on the lees in 40% new French oak: here’s a big Washington wine, from the rocky Walla Walla Valley, that speaks Italian, with an American accent. Any fan of Washington wine should taste this ode to Italia. – Daniel… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: M Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche, Loire 2014 750ML 7-3-16

Wine of the Day: M Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche, Loire 2014 750ML ($19.95) Buy Now: $14 special
Case-12 M Plouzeau Chinon Rive Gauche, Loire 2014 750ML ($199.95) Buy Now: $149 special

“A touch more muscle than the Chinon found atop zinc tables across Paris, Plouzeau’s ‘Rive Gauche’ offers an animated, hyper-reliable example of Cabernet Franc. Tobacco, damp earth, red fruits, and a touch of mushroom make for a transparent and versatile wine which would appeal to Francophiles, those who enjoy Washington State blends, and pretty much anyone who falls in the in-between. A beaut!” – Tyler… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Charles Smith CasaSmith Cervo Barbera 2014 7-2-16

Charles Smith K Vintners CasaSmith Cervo Barbera, Wahluke Slope 2014 750ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $18 special

Delicious as Washington’s Cab, Syrah, and Merlot can be, let’s face it: we can only drink so much French varietal wine! Which is why CasaSmith proposes a trio of grapes from Italy instead, refreshing as a breeze on the Amalfi coast. Their 2014 Cervo Barbera represents Piedmont, with no new oak, grown sustainably on the Wahluke Slope, and it makes you wonder why the Evergreen State doesn’t cultivate more grapes from Italia. Barbera’s earthy, spiced, red fruit nature comes through a cappella in the Cervo. Serve it with Italian fare, or Washington-style with a proper venison steak, or, que cazzo, spaghetti and venison meatballs!… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Chapuy Carte Noire Brut Tradition, Champagne NV 7-1-16

Chapuy Carte Noire Brut Tradition, Champagne NV 750ML ($39.95) Buy Now: $30.90 pre-arrival special, ETA July 8th
Chapuy Carte Noire Brut Tradition, Champagne NV 375ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $18 pre-arrival special, ETA July 8th

I could smell the aromatics from this Champagne when it was poured in my glass several feet away. It’s one of the most explosively aromatic Champagnes that I’ve tried. Picture that curl of citrus zest sitting in a glass of Negroni. It smells of a mix of red fruits, exotic spices and oodles of freshly grated citrus zest. On my first sip, there was still plenty of citrus to enjoy (mostly lemon), with a clean, fruity taste. Certainly dry, it was not too lean or acidic.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Bourgogne Passe-tout-grains 2014 6-30-16

Wine of the Day: Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur Bourgogne Passe-tout-grains 2014 750ML ($27.95) Buy Now: $21.90 special

Passetoutgrain wines have a special place in my heart. For one, throwing a little Gamay into the Pinot terrain makes for a more playful,  textured wine. To be frank, it’s not all that fashionable a wine, which is fine by me: the underdog status keeps the price down!

60-year-old Gamay vines in Volnay? Yessir! The roughly 60/40% blend of Pinot and Gamay make for a broad, fresh, and easy-drinking example of affordable Burgundy. If anything, it’s a little tight at the moment, which suggests that this little cutie could age for a good while. Enjoy it! – Tyler… Read the rest