Staff Picks - What to Drink This Week
Try these special, staff-selected libations!
2020 Domaine Rouge Bleu Origine Carignan - $24.99
Caroline Jones is the wine-making half of Rouge Bleu along with her partner, Thomas Bertrand, who handles the farming and sales. They are located in the village of Sainte Cecile in the Southern Rhone and in addition to running their small, organic winery they operate a bed and breakfast, parent two young girls, and are two of the hardest-working people in France. Origine is their newest bottling and this 100% old-vine Carignan is fresh and vibrant with hints of cassis, pink peppercorns, brambly berries and warm spices. This medium-bodied red pairs well with mushroom dishes, hard cheeses and pork rillettes.
-Angie
5 Sentidos Espadin Capón -$114.99
Many of the most compelling spirits in Mexico come from distillers and farmers like the ones 5 Sentidos ("Five Senses") work with - small, multi-generational family operations working outside of the registration system. You won't see the word 'mezcal' on any of these labels for good reason. The introduction of labeling laws modeled after the French appellation system led to the exclusion in the market of many producers whose mezcales, which their families and communities had been making for hundreds of years in some cases, was suddenly not allowed to be called 'mezcal.' Today, some producers simply don't see the benefit of spending money to be registered; others intentionally avoid it as an act of rebellion.
5 Sentidos began as the house brand for El Destilado, a small mezcaleria-turned-restaurant in Oaxaca founded by Jason Cox & Joseph Gilbert. The driving goal of the brand was to bring in high-quality mezcales (technically, since unregistered, these are destilados de agave) for the restaurant that were bottled with complete transparency, and with fair compensation for the mezcaleros. Personally, one of my favorite tasting experiences in Oaxaca was hanging out at the taqueria on the rooftop of El Destilado with Jason, going through the line and hearing his stories about the producers he counts himself lucky to work with. These just arrived in Minnesota for the first time and we were able to secure a few bottles of these highly allocated gems - these are not spirits to miss.
We now have five expressions available from 5 Sentidos: a Cuishe & Arroqueño from Tio Pedro in Santa Catarina Minas, who has been distilling for over 50 years, and finally built his own distillery at the ripe young age of 62; an Arroqueño/Madrecuixe blend from Lalo Perez Cortez; an Ancho (aka Cupreata) from a young cooperative in Guerrero, Colectivo Xochipala, that was just founded in 2021; and, a personal highlight...
Espadin Capón - Alberto Martinez has been distilling in high-elevation hometown of Santa Catarina Albarradas for over three decades, now sharing the work with his son-in-law Reynaldo. Santa Catarina is ~7500 feet above sea level, and so they see many cold nights. Alberto thus kick-starts his ferments with ground tepehuaje bark to stabilize the fermentation in case it's too cold for the native yeast. Capón describes cutting off the quiote, or stalk of the agave, after it has sprouted and allowing it to sit in the field for an extended period of time to allow sugars to concentrate - in this case, the agaves sat for over a year. The result is a spirit that is satisfyingly sweet like hard candy and savory with a creamy texture.
-Nick Shaw
2021 Idlewild Flora and Fauna White Blend - $26.99
Idlewild wines were created with a passion for the wines of piedmont. That said Flora and Fauna uses Piemontese grapes to create something unique. The blend perfectly balances aromatic and mineral components in a seamless and satisfying way, a feat often attempted but rarely executed. The result is aromatic and rich up front but immediately gives way to a tense, concentrated core, and a long saline finish. This perfect winter white pairs with anything.
-Dave
2019 Charles Pere et Fille Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune
'Cuvee du Menhir' - $37.99
In the heart of the Hautes Cotes de Beaune appellation in Burgundy, France, Pascal Charles and his daughters Pauline and Marie produce beautiful wine following traditional and sustainable methods. This Cuvee du Menhir is another stunner from the epic 2019 vintage. The wine shows aromas of raspberry and plum with baking spice and the medium bodied palate delivers generous cherry fruit balanced with mineral and acid. This wine is drinking well right now and would be a perfect pair with a pork tenderloin or beef Bourgogne.
-Rob
Red Locks; Irish Whiskey - $26.99
There are a statistically improbable number of redheads that either currently work at North Loop or have very recently, of which I am one. Start celebrating St. Patrick's Day early this year with Red Locks, an Irish whiskey that celebrates all those who have red locks of their own! The unique combination of four cask finishes in the blend (ex-bourbon, sherry, virgin oak, and rye) give the whiskey a sophisticated, smooth whiskey with a very pleasant bite on the end. The delicious woody character finishes just a tiny bit nutty, making this an excellent sipper. An added bonus is that the Red Locks company is based out of Minneapolis, making this a local product! So whether or not you have Irish heritage, or red locks yourself, celebrate the season with a homegrown taste of Ireland.
-Nick
2018 Salcheto, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - $29.99
Under the guidance of Michele Manelli, this elegant Vino Nobile from Salcheto is a real winner. From estate vineyards of the Sangiovese clone known as Prugnolo Gentile (grown exclusively in the DOCG classified vineyards around the picturesque Tuscan hilltop village of Montepulciano) Manelli and his team produce this Vino Nobile as "one bottle per plant".
Viniculture is Certified Organic, ambient yeast is used in oak fermentation, and the wine is aged in a combination of small and large oak barrels for 18 months. Bright floral aromas, fresh herbs, and black cherry mix with cinnamon and tobacco notes, leading to a palate of juicy cherry, strawberry, and licorice. Supple tannins and lifted acidity carry the fruit and herbs to a long textured finish. This is an excellent value for a Vino Nobile. Enjoy!
-Patrick
