Staff Picks: What to Drink This Week
Things our staff thinks you should drink.
2019 Idlewild 'The Bee, Flora & Fauna: White Blend' Mendocino - $21.99
The Idlewild white is a blend of 56% Arneis, 42% Muscat Canelli and 2% Cortese. All three varietals come from the steep hillsides of Lost Hills Ranch in Mendocino’s Yorkville Highlands AVA which is lauded for it's sandstone and schist based soils. This wine has always been the embodiment of summer in a bottle, not only because of its beautiful label but because of the feeling this wine inspires. Bursting with fragrant wildflowers, honey, jasmine, wet stone, one whiff of this bad boy brings you right back to childhood playing in the backyard while your mom tends to her garden and subtly making sure you're not getting into too much trouble... The palate always intrigues with fresh acidity, a well rounded mouthfeel and clean persistent finish. What better way to thank your mother for those lovely summer days than a wine that reminds you of her! Whether this will be her new favorite gardening wine or just an amazing white to have with summer dishes, this wine can do it all, just like our moms!
-Nick Z.
2017 Louis Antoine Luyt Pipeno Blanco Chile (1L) - $21.99
What could be better than bubbles on Mother's Day? Quite possibly nothing, but showing up with a full liter of wine couldn't hurt. Beyond the appeal of a larger format, this wine is simply lovely. It is a blend of Muscat of Alexandria, Torrontel, Semillon, and Chasselas. On the nose it smells of ripe pear, apple blossoms, Meyer lemon and wild honey. On the palate it tastes of melon, red apples, lemon zest and roses. If those grape varieties make you think of Savoie and Bordeaux, you're not alone. As it turns out Louis Antoine is Burgundian and studied viticulture and oenology in Beaune before he spent five years working with and learning from the Lapierre family (of natural-winemaking and Beaujolais fame). He then took his talents to Chile, where pressure from disease is much lower. Fun fact- Chilean vines were never wiped out by phylloxera, so many vines are almost 300 years old.
-Claire
2020 Pares Balta, Ros de Pacs, Penedes - $15.99
With the Pares Balta farmhouse dating back to 1790, this estate in Penedes (about an hour west of Barcelona) has been under vine ever since it was built. For more than 40 years, now, the estate has been owned by the extended Cusine family. Today, sister-in-laws Maria Elena Jimenez and Marta Casas are the winemakers. Teaming up, they are making a huge commitment to organic and Biodynamic viticulture. Their beautifully hand-crafted wines and have a real sense of place and are a great value for such care and quality. Their 2020 rosé is a blend of organically grown estate grenache and syrah. The aromas of rose petal and violet lead to a palate of mouth-watering red berry fruit that is still dry and lifted. The low acid and high PH makes this a perfect summer patio refresher enjoyed alone, or with a bright strawberry and spinach salad. Salud!
-Patrick
Marie Courtin 'Resonance' Extra Brut Champagne - $69.99
This weekend is for mothers everywhere and what better way to celebrate than with Champagne! Since you need to grab some Prosecco to make her mimosas for brunch anyway, take a pause at our vast array of Champagne and grab something special for the gal that really deserves it. I especially love that this Champagne house was founded by a woman, Dominique Moreau, who named her estate after her Grandmother Marie Courtin, whom she describes as a "woman of the earth". Dominique farms using organic and biodynamic practices in the Cotes des Bars, in the most southern part of Champagne, also known as the Aube. Here she grows Pinot Noir from 40 year-old vines with meticulous care. Her cuvee "Resonance" refers to the balancing energies of the earth and sky that affect the creation of a wine from its terroir. Bright floral and savory overtones coupled with citrusy acidity and a laser-like purity makes this bottle very special, just like mom.
-Angie
Keush Origins Brut, Armenia - $22.99
I'm a firm believer that any holiday should start with bubbles, an especially appropriate rule now with spring finally here to stay. Keush Brut will not only offer a glimpse into a region of the world of which you may not be familiar, it's also fresh and lively and a tremendous value to boot. The wine is made in the traditional method from some of the highest sparkling wine vineyards in the world. It utilizes indigenous white grapes and spends a whopping 22 months on its lees. The result is focused and zesty with just the right amount of weight on the palate. This Keush is just the right wine to break the ice or keep you hydrated until the burgers are done.
-David
The Beauty of Three: Domaine Tempier's Provencal Stunners. Blanc, Rosé and Rouge.
[Tempier Blanc ($68.99), Tempier Rosé ($57.99), Tempier Rouge ($84.99)]
Mother's Day is on the way and I am absolutely positive the wines of Domaine Tempier will be the most splendid gift! This incredible legacy-driven domaine crafts some of the world's most delicious blancs, decadent roses, and divine rouges. The blanc is an incredibly rare bottling, and is a standout expression of a Provencal white. The rosé is perhaps the most famous and highly sought after by all. The rouge is simply stunning; there is nothing like it, and nothing ever will be like it. Whether you buy the bottle that represents your mother most, or all three wines to make her feel extra special, Domaine Tempier is the premium option for this Mother's Day.
-Samuel
Rhum JM, Rhum Blanc Martinique - $43.99
RHum JM is a Rhum Agricole made of all estate grown sugarcane in the small northern village of Macouba, Martinique. There the sugarcane goes from field to fermentation tank in less than an hour. Rhum Agricole is made from sugarcane juice and not molasses like most other rums. This gives rhum agricole a very fresh, vegitel nose. Rhum JM blanc on the nose has fresh lime, cane flower, honey and a bit of anise. On the palate there is a nice oily viscosity followed by tropical fruit, grilled pineapple, honey and a vegetal grassiness. This is a great rhum for sipping or you can make one of the best daiquiris you have ever had.
-Nikola
