Thursday July 30, 2020
... safety first.
This week: This year feels like the longest Monday every - but wine is good for a case of the Monday's so here we are. We have some more items of the more rare and allocated sort hitting the shelves this week. See below for more details on what to look for as well as spotting of another new arrivals. Check back next week for more gem's you may want to be getting your hands on.

In other news, Mary is back with some a little Wine 101 and some helpful notes on orange and natural wines. Sure, these topics have been "en trend" for awhile and might be old news for some.. but for the rest of you out there who still have questions, take a peek and seek out her recommendations.

Thank you to all who have been safe and respectful towards the mask mandate. COVID-19 isn't going away anytime soon, so might as well get used to the face covering. A reminder: don't be selfish. Wearing a mask isn't about you - it is about everyone around you. Keep them safe. Keep us safe. Keep yourself safe.

Cheers,
The Team at NL
Newly Arrived & Returning Favorites

Sean Minor 'Point North' Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
Cosecheros y Criadores 'Buenas' Viura ($9.99 summer crusher)
Flor de Pinoso "Fermina" Blanco Spain (natural!)
Unalou by Scribe Rosé of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Flor de Pinoso "Fermina" Monastrell (natural!)
Quinta de Sao Sebastia 'Forte do Cego' Lisboa Tinto (super bargain)
Witness Mark Pinot Noir California
Bien Nacido Estate Chardonnay Santa Maria valley
Bodegas Paniza 'Fabula de paniza' Garnacha D.O. Carinena
Domaine de Nizas 'Le Pierres Blanche' Languedoc
Maison l'Envoye Rosé of Gamay Beaujolais
Anakota 'Helena Montana Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon
Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Hartford Court "Three Jacks Vineyard" Russian River Valley
Kenefick Ranch "Chris' Cuvee" Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Mount Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Napa Valley
Williams Selyem Estate Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir
Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Phillip Giraud Sancerre
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy, Sancerre (new vintage - back on the shelf!)
Brickhouse 'Evelyn's' Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge Willamette Valley
Vincent Dampt Petit Chablis (back in!)

All new arrivals are special,
but some are more highly anticipated than others:
2018 Clos Cibonne, Tibouren Rosé, Cotes de Provence
Clos Cibonne Rosé 'Special les Vignettes' Cotes de Provence
Domaine David Duband Hautes Cotes de Nuits
Domaine David Duband Nuits-Saint-Georges 'Les Pruliers' 1er Cru
Domaine David Duband Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Ceritas 'Costalina' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Natural Wine, Clean Wine, Orange Wine
Back to the Basics
Orange Wine? Natural Wine? Natural Orange Wine? As a wine professional who has just recently dipped their toe in the world of natural wine and orange wine I have discovered two wines that I am excited to share with you.

1) Orange wine is created when a winemaker chooses to let the juice sit with the skins to extract color. Contrary to popular belief, white wine grapes are oftentimes shades of pink, copper and so on. When the juice sits with skins, beautifully colored wines are the final product. Wines range from slightly orange, copper, to fluorescent pink and orange colors. The wine to try? Jolie Laide Pinot Gris from Sonoma, CA ($33.99)
This is fantastic! Lovely notes of dried apricot, tangerine, dried chamomile. Don't drink this wine too cold! This wine needs to warm up a little bit to really show off (think pinot noir chilled temperature). This wine is clean, (no funky off flavors), medium-bodied and dry.

2) "Natural" wine is a touch harder to define as there isn't a global definition of what it is. France just legally defined it this year - more on that here , if you're curious. However, for the most part, these wines are made from organic grapes with minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Native yeasts are always used. The resulting wine can sometimes have "off flavors" which typically express themselves as kombucha-like (sometimes vinegary) but they can also taste totally "normal" - just depends on how it is made and if it fits your personal definition of natural.

One of my recent favorites.. Occhipinti 'SP68' Bianco, Terre Sicilane ($28.99) . Ariana Occhipinti, female winemaker, has brought Occhipinti to cult wine status. This wine is not as funky as some natural wines can be. In my opinion, it rides the line beautifully. Notes of saffron, bergamot and wildflowers. The grapes here undergo a two week maceration period, which means this wine is natural and orange! Made from the indigenous grape varieties, Zibibbo and Albana. This wine is a bit more on the funky side of "natural". Disclaimer: being very careful to use quotations here as the term natural is not defined and certainly not a "one size fits all" category.

Have more questions or curious what else we have in these categories? Just stop in and ask!
STAFF PICKS
Things our staff "taste tested" this week. Tough job, but someone's gotta do it.

2018 Domaine de Durban Gigondas, France - $30.99
 "Good Grenache indeed", that's what I said, or at least thought when drinking this wine. Sure it's a bit wound up and hot but it's young. Given a bit of air it unwinds into a collage of bold strawberry and blackberry fruit with herbal complexity and some smoked meat for depth. Stainless steel fermentation and cement aging leave the wine un obscured by any unnecessary make up. For me Gigondas tends to have the best structure and balance of all the Cote du Rhone villages and this one really delivers. 
-David M.

2018 De Moor (Alice et Olivier) Bourgogne-Chitry - $54.99  
This winemaking couple showcases chardonnay made with passion not only for their fruit, but of the terrior in which the fruit is harvested. Chitry is less than 10 miles south of the famed town of Chablis, and as seen through this allocation, can produce some seriously sought after chard. Lively acidity on the palate, yellow fruit characteristics, and a nose flush with the finest baked goods France has to offer. Pull this wine out of the cellar when you have your favorite people over, or need to engage in a little self-love!
  -Samuel P

2019 Rouge Bleu Dentelle Rose, Cotes du Rhone - $17.99
Owned by the young and hip Thomas Bertrand and Caroline Jones, Rouge Bleu is a small hands-on winery fully dedicated to Biodynamic farming and wine making. A true expression of "place", in between the famous vineyards of Gigondas and Chateaunuef-du-Pape. Their 2019 Rose vintage consists of mostly Grenache, blended with 30% Carignan. The grapes are harvested early in the season and picked early in the morning to retain maximum acidity and freshness. The resulting wine is fresh and redolent of rose petal and red berry fruit, leading to mouth watering flavors with white peach and raspberry. This is a perfect wine, chilled, by itself or accompanying a bright summer salad!
-Patrick D.
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT...
Just some good dogs that visited us recently.
(We hear dog photos are a great way to spread cheer)
CALL AHEAD FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP,
SOCIAL DISTANCE WITH DELIVERY.
... remember to have faith that it won't be long before we can take this message outta here :)

Call in your order: Give us a ring or send an email .. tell us what you'd like, and pay over the phone. Call as you're pulling up and just let us know front door or back door and we'll wash our hands and drop your goods in the trunk or the backseat. Easy, just like that.

Don't know what you want? Ask for help, take our recommendations. Tell us what you like, what you're interested in, and your budget. We'll put something good together for you. Pull up and pick up. Again, easy, safe and sanitary.

Call for delivery: The most responsible thing you can do is stay home and let us leave your goods outside your door. C all in your order and have us deliver. Delivery is free for orders over $25 (pre-tax) for anyone within a 5 mile radius. We will deliver outside of this radius for a small surcharge. Of course, with higher volume of delivery demand, we need your patience and understanding that your order's ETA may be longer than usual. Don't forget to tip your driver.. they are going out so you don't have to.

For delivery and curbside.. email northloopwine@gmail.com or call 612-338-5393.
Cheers everyone!
-The Team at North Loop Wine & Spirits