Tag Archives: Staff Pick

Wine of the Day: Chateau Auney L’Hermitage Rouge 2011 4-17-16

Chateau Auney L’Hermitage ‘L’Hermitage Rouge’, Graves 2011 ($27.95) Buy Now: $24 special

Why we love it: Just enough earthiness and rusticity to keep you engaged but not so much to overwhelm. With a nice beef stew, this would really shine. More medium-bodied and restrained than I’m used to, with a very intriguing cranberry-licorice-tobacco-mint flavor composite. – Tyler

Importer note: “Known as Chateau Le Chec until 2012, when its long-time owners changed the name to Auney l’Hermitage, the estate is run by Sylvie and Christien Auney. 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec. Aged for 15 months in a mix of new and old oak.”… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Evesham Wood Temperance Hill 2013 4-16-16

Evesham Wood Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2013 750ML ($39.95) Buy Now: $31.90 special

Evesham Wood Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2013 1.5L ($89.95) Buy Now: $79 special

Why we love it: The aromas! Sizzling red fruit, campfire spice, and herbs… An incredibly seductive wine with nice follow-through; cherry and currant flavors marry into a lasting, bright finish. A balanced and playful wine with very broad appeal. – Tyler

Winery note: “What a special place Temperance Hill is and what special wines come from it. As always, that “Temperance Hill note” is immediately evident on the nose. It’s hard to nail that note–cedar, green tobacco, freshly sawn wood–whatever you call it, it’s always there, but this year right there with it is a cherry and almost strawberry jam component.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Crowley La Colina 2013 4-14-16

Crowley La Colina Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2013 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now: $51.90 special

The Dundee Hills AVA is delineated in part by the soil, termed Jory. Jory soil is a very old, dark red loam, silt and clay soil formed from the decomposed basalt deposited by 15 million year old lava flows. The soil is well-draining and is credited for giving the AVA’s wines classic red fruit and dusty spice notes. The vineyard in question, La Colina, was planted by George Hillberry in 1999. Since 2005 (first under the Entre Nous bottling and now also as a single vineyard) Tyson Crowley has worked with the non-irrigated vineyard. La Colina is between 450 and 550 feet in elevation and boasts over 6 feet of Jory soil.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis 2013 4-12-16

Thomas Pico Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis 2013 750ML ($31.95) Buy Now: $28 special
Why we love it: Efficiency. There’s a relentless energy to this wine, so packed with flavor and layers yet sitting so delicately on the tongue. Lemon sorbet, ripe peach, white flowers, and a kiss of spice make it classic, yet the texture of it all lends a really lovely distinctiveness. I’m crazy about this one. – Tyler

“The 2013 Chablis Villages is a blend of vines up to 60 years old, 90% in vat and 10% in barrel. This came from the latest of three bottling that Thomas Pico makes. It has a clean and precise bouquet with citrus fruit and just a faint touch of white chocolate.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day – Evesham Wood Puits Sec 2013 4-9-16

Evesham Wood Le Puits Sec Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2013 750ML ($39.95) Buy Now: $33 special
“Russ Raney founded Evesham Wood Winery in 1986. He studied wine in Germany before eventually moving to Portland to find an ideal US site for Burgundian and Alsatian-style wines. He is now enjoying semi-retirement while importing southern French wines from Clos Canos and Chateau de Cabriac, among others. Erin Nuccio took over as wine-maker and owner after working several years with Russ while also developing his Haden Fig label.

“The estate vineyard, Le Puits Sec, is planted on an east facing slope overlooking the Willamette River. It has iron-rich soils and is planted to several varieties. While the Evesham Wood wines tend toward elegance and the Haden Fig wines towards more fruit-forward notes, both are expressive examples of their (all dry-farmed) vineyards.… Read the rest