Thursday September 17, 2020
.. the most wholesome image of 2020.
This Week: Thank you to all who purchased a set of the Miner Family Wines in support of the Mark Your Mark foundation. It is always a treat to be able to buy & purchase wine for a great cause. We'll be selling the set and donating $20 per purchase through next week! So, even if you missed the virtual gala, you don't have to miss out on the wine.

A lot of fall feelings around here with our wine choices this week. We're taking a closer look at some of our favorite expressions of sangiovese on the shelf - both new & old world. The staff has been drinking some good stuff that you'll want to curl up by a fire with.

Continue to keep the West Coast in your thoughts. Hundreds of thousands have been affected and displaced by fires in California, Oregon, and Washington. Find a way to help out here.

As usual, thank you for masking and sanitizing. Enjoy the fall weather! Won't be long before we are complaining about winter again.

Cheers,
The Team at NL Wine & Spirits
JUST IN: McBride Sisters Wines
This has been one of our most requested wines of the season and we are so happy to say we were finally able to get them on the shelf!

McBride Sisters Brut Rosé New Zealand
McBride Sisters Chardonnay Central Coast CA
McBride Sisters Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ
McBridge Sisters Red Blend Central Coast CA
McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic Riesling California
McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic Rosé California
McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic Red California

The McBride sisters are trailblazers in the industry and with a truly unique story. One was raised in CA and the other was in NZ - they spent most of their lives not knowing each other existed until meeting in 1999 and bonding over wine. We'll keep the story short, but today they represent the minority as female BIPOC winemakers and owners in a very white, male-dominated field. We'll be raising a big glass to that.
Back to the basics: we're visiting with one of our fav grapes and the most planted in all of Italy.. Sangiovese.

Sangiovese will typically display bright, fresh, and tart red fruit tones.. think sour red cherry and strawberries.. when young and made for early consumption. This is a variety that takes well to aging in wood, neutral or new, displaying progressively spicier, savory, earthier characteristics. The grape naturally packs some good acidity, lending it a natural affinity as a pairing to pastas in tomato sauces, red meats, seasoned poultry, and the like. A naturally perfect pairing for the roasts, stews, and hearty dishes for the cooler fall days.

For a good sense of the grape and why we think it is so awesome - start with the region in Tuscany. The 2016 Selvapiana Chianti Rufina ($21.99) is a well-priced classic bottling from a historic winery in the region. Full of darker toned red fruits, earth, fresh herbs.. a very pleasurable Tuesday night type of wine. If you've ever looked at 2 wines from the same winery on a shelf and wondered why the other one costs more - then Selvapiana's 2016 'Bucerchiale' Chianti Riserva ($44.99) is a must-try counterpoint. A more serious and complex version of the former, built to age. Always exuberant and balanced, it is a great showing for their flagship wine.

Montalcino, also in Tuscany but further south, is famous for the great Brunello di Montalcino wines. The DOCG mandates 100% Sangiovese, unlike the typically blended Chianti, longer aging time, and are quite well known for their stature and longevity. La Ragnie's 2012 Brunello di Montalcino ($84.99) showcases the sheer elegance this DOCG is capable of - perched at the highest elevation outlook, the wines of this estate continually draw comparisons to Burgundy. The Gaja family's 2014 Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino ($114.90consistently draws high scores and praise, offering an incredibly well-structured, dense yet polished red fruit and mineral-driven example.

What about Sangiovese in the New World? Thing is, this is a difficult grape to cultivate - it is picky about its environment. But the right clones in the right sites has given some wonderful results. The 2019 Stolpman "Love You Bunches" Sangiovese Santa Barbara (26.99) is one such example - this is bright fresh and made for early, easy consumption. Also worth grabbing off our shelf - 2019 Field Recordings "Freddo" Sangiovese Paso Robles ($19.99) and the 2019 Ryme Cellars Sangiovese + Fruilano co-ferment from Mendocino County.

Stop in to browse selections and don't hesitate to ask questions or for other suggestions!
STAFF PICKS
Things our staff "taste tested" this week. Tough job, but someone's gotta do it.

Copper & Kings American Brandy $31.99
As cool fall winds approach around the corner, I find myself instinctively drawn to the warming glow of a good brandy. Copper & Kings, based in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, produces a particularly American expression. Drawing on a distillation tradition that predates the production of whiskey in the United States, Joe & Lesley Heron take advantage of their location in the heart of bourbon country to source some of the highest quality ex-bourbon barrels to age their brandies. Their distillation process emphasizes a "low and slow" approach using their three pot stills (named after women in Bob Dylan songs) to produce a full bodied, flavorful distillate. Their aging process is supplemented by subwoofers set up to induce "sonic aging," using music to agitate the barrels & increase the flavor exchanges between the spirit & wood. Expect a full-bodied spirit with lots of floral, caramel, and honeysuckle on the nose and a toasty, complex palate.
-Nick Shaw

2017 Kompassus 'Colheita' Bairrada Portugal - $21.99  
 As the spotlight shines further and further into the hidden corners of the wine world it becomes rarer and rarer to stumble across new and unique grapes. One such grape that I'm sure the majority of U.S. wine drinkers have not tried is Baga. Baga is the hidden gem of Bairrada and Bairrada in turn is the hidden gem of Portugal.
Bairrada wines tend to be medium bodied but concentrated with a lively structure. A Lot of this personality can be attributed to the Baga grape. It's very dark and thick skinned, providing color and stong tannin with some Cabernet like notes of dark fruit, tobacco and bell pepper. The Colheita from Kompassus is an attractive blend of Baga with the famous Port grape, Touriga Nacional. Made by top Portugese wine maker, Anselmo Mendes. The Touriga adds rich ripe dark berry fruit to the slightly rustic Baga. A very pleasing blend that offers tremendous value.
-David Mathiason

2015 Markham Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley- $52.99
It's that time of year; the cold is on the way, the kids are back in school, and the cabernet sauvignon is calling your name! If you are looking to find out why there's such a craze for "Napa Cab," the team at Markham Vineyards would be happy to enlighten you through their expression of cabernet sauvignon. There are many layers, a fantastic balance, and a prolonged finish to this sexy bottling. Please take a step back from this bizzare time and enjoy the many romances of Fall! 
  -Samuel Phillips  

2017 Hugel 'Gentil' Alsace White Blend - $16.99
Hugel, a 13th generation Alsacian winery, is a benchmark producer worth revisiting time and time again. The 'Gentil' is a white blend of Alsacian varietals such as Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc & Riesling. Because this wine is a blend, it is very approachable to most palates - making it the perfect accoutrement to any dinner party! This beautifully structured and mineral driven white wine pairs seamlessly with seafood, canapés, vegetable courses, and even roasted chicken. À votre santé!
-Katrina Bowers


2017 Cruess, Fiano, Russian River Valley Sonoma- $28.99
This wine is delightful! Fiano is white indigenous grape variety from Southern Italy. It has found its home in Russian River Valley with Bill and Marie Cruess. This wine has beautiful aromatics. Beautiful elegance and structure, grapes are macerated for 9 days before pressing. Not an 'orange' wine but the maceration adds a depth of complexity not typically found with Fiano. Think stonefruit, melon and seaspray. This wine is DRY and medium bodied.Perfect for anyone who likes Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and unoaked white wines which are fresh and vibrant.
-Mary Kennedy

2018 Lapierre 'Raisins Gaulois' Gamay - Vin de France - $19.99
Haiku for Gamay
Sassy little sip.
Soft red fruits in velvet wrap.
Great with soups and roots. 
-Heidi

2017 Palazzone 'Vignarco' Orvieto Classico - $16.99
Organically farmed since the early 1980s, the Dubini family is staying true to this region of Italy and it's ancient Etruscan wine history. The Dubinis grow the Grechetto and Procanico grapes for their Orvieto Classico completely on their own estate, making this a true expression of the Terroir in this part of Umbria.
No oak is used in fermentation or aging, just pure fruit and floral aromatics, which lead to a dry but rich palate of white peach, preserved lemon, and honeydew melon. A balanced acidity offers a lingering finish.All being a perfect match for sesame seed crusted seared Ahi Tuna!
-Patrick Dennison
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT...
Just some good dogs that visited us recently.
(We hear dog photos are a great way to spread cheer)
Cheers everyone!
-The Team at North Loop Wine & Spirits