Saturday afternoon the 26th of October from 12:00 NOON until 3:00 PM here at the shop

Wine Tasting

Sangiovese di Toscana

2016 Toscana Rosso Bandinello Villa di Geggiano

2015 Rosso di Montalcino Col d'Orcia

2016 Rosso di Montalcino Altesino

2016 Chianti Classico Borgo Scopeto

2012 Chianti Classico Riserva Grosso Senesi Podere Il Palazzino

Gentlemen, please, no cologne or after shave; ladies, please no perfume!

Um, regarding those trade wars ...

Almost no one who enjoys a good glass of wine from anywhere on this miraculous planet Earth would wish for this situation, but, here we are. French, German, Spanish and English wines, with the glaring exception of sparkling wines and wines of 14% alcohol by volume and above (go figure) arriving in this country on or after the 18th of October are now subject to a 25% tariff. In the plain-spoken state of Texas, we would simply call this a 25% tax, ostensibly paid by those who prefer to drink these wines. But, will we willingly pay 25% more or more still for newly arriving wines from these formerly allied and friendly European sources? For our part, we are still assessing the situation. But we must assume that our discerning clientèle would prefer to wait out such a trade kerfuffle, reasonably reckoning that it might well come to an hasty end, given what appear from here the extreme vagaries inherent in such political machinations.

For our part, we currently have adequate supplies of most fine «pre-tariff» French and German wines and we will trust that our main suppliers can also keep us in stocks of the best of these and «pre-tariff» Spanish wines as well for a reasonable while to come. Should you, however, feel at all compelled to lay in supplies as a hedge against later having to pay the tax, by all means, do come on downtown and see us! We're here for you.

We can only hope that better trade angels will prevail and that trade peace can be made in short order so that our discerning clientèle might continue to enjoy their vinous beverage of choice without eventually having to pay an onerous tax over and above what we most all have come to enjoy as a norm in terms of price. Never mind our wine buyer is in a bit of a state concerning the price of cheese.

Hallelujah, the fall season has finally arrived, and our Fall Clearance Sale is now in the mix. We've reduced prices on a whole host of delicious wines in an effort to make room for the new (and, yes, also to reduce the evidence of indulgence on the part of our wine buyer). You'll find discounts of 25% and more off the regular per bottle price of selected wines throughout the store. Give us a little click here or on the link above to see what's what. Then, yeah, you know what to do — come on downtown! 'Things'll be great ... no finer place ... everything's waiting for you.' Well, not exactly waiting for you. Things are disappearing quite quickly, actually. So, do scurry on down!

Scot Bilbro has taken over for his late father and his brothers and is now running the show at Marietta Cellars. Old Vine Red Lot Number 69 is now on the scene. The wine is tweaked ever so slightly drier than in the past, perhaps now ever the more appealing to both west coast and European wine tastes. Produced mainly from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane primarily from vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red replicates the old Cal-Ital field blends there. Alluring deep ruby purple in color, with Zinfandel-influenced aromas suggesting dark ripe juicy berries with hints of the parched dusty northern California vineyard floor; at once fresh and vibrant, smooth and slippery on the tongue with just an inkling of fine-grained tannins that keep it all on the up and over. And, by all means, do take note of its continuing brilliantly true blue in terms of value!

While it's no secret that we quite typically look to the south of France for most of our rosé needs, its certainly also nice when something from closer to home can turn our heads. And this lovely new entry from Marietta Cellars in northern California makes a crisp splash with its aromatic allure, its refreshingness and restraint. Marietta Cellars Old Vine Rosé is produced from fruit of old vine Syrah, Grenache Noir and Grenache Gris, including some of the oldest examples of these vines in northern California; salmon-pink in color with a hint of wild strawberry on the nose; supple on entry, then building in nerve and vibrancy and freshness on the tongue, leaving one begging for another pull; a quite perfect choice to foil the late summer and early fall weather 'round here. And, it's Marietta Cellars. So, do take note of the value!

Ruby red in color with lovely aromas suggestive of cassis and violet, fleshy ripe grape and earth; medium-bodied, crisp and compelling, invigorating even with mouthwatering Cabernet berry fruit and balancing fresh acidity, nice polished palate feel and soft chalky tannins; holds it shape on the tongue, at once both fresh and vibrant, toothsome and satisfying. And, by all means, note the price. This is simply superb value in Cabernet Sauvignon!

Is Provençal Rosé the vinous equivalent of bottled sunshine? Is it the what's what of pink wines? Is it the cool, crisp compelling glass of vin rosé at the end of the rainbow? Yeah, probably so! Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence Rosé is among our favorite of the Provençal rosé wines each year. Fresh, bright, vivid with a gentle intensity of chalky berry flavor just bursting forth and a refreshingness that is just, ahhhhh ... Thank heaven for sunshine! Thank heaven for Provençal rosé!

From the land of d'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers comes this keen-edged little number. Noted wine critic, Robert M. Parker, Jr., has called it 'among the greatest white wine values in the world.' Vivid and fresh of aroma, hinting at citrus, say ruby-red grapefruit and peach; light on its feet and low in alcohol, crisp, chalky dry, both tantalizing and refreshing, stirring the salivary glands something wonderful. Serve this one up well-chilled for maximum refreshment.

Our choice for classic shape and utility for professional decanting of fine red (or, for that matter, fine white) wines. Brilliant Tritan® crystal clear; well-grounded with a low center of gravity and a large surface area for maximum aeration; easy to pour and with drip protect lip. This is the item! Regularly $75.00 the piece, on sale now at ⅓ off:

After long years of intensive research and development, in collaboration with the University of Erlangen, Schott Zwiesel has succeeded in creating a new type of crystal glass: Tritan®. The use of unique ingredients, including Titanium instead of lead, combined with an advanced manufacturing process, has created an incredibly pure, hard and clear crystal glass — crystal glass that is highly resilient to accidental breakage and chipping in the dishwasher. Tritan® is a unique, patented crystal glass that sets a new high standard. And the Schott Zwiesel Forté series is our choice for classic elegance and durability in everyday stemware at an even better than everyday price.

The Pure line of stemware by Schott Zwiesel brings the pursuit of pleasure in wine to the point. The bowls of the various shapes both allow a fine wine to breathe and to focus the bouquet for those discerning of aroma, taste, texture ... And they clearly do it all with a certain style. Tritan®, too!

Founded in 1849, Pol Roger is one of only a few Grande Marque Champagne houses that remain family owned and operated. Pol Roger Brut White Foil is produced from the first pressing only of fruit from Premier and Grand Cru Vineyards, about ⅓ each Chardonnay from Cote des Blancs, Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims, and Pinot Meunier from Vallee de la Marne and Petite Valle d'Epernay: pale gold in color with an ultra fine bead; flowery, delicately toasty aroma; creamy textured, then supremely balanced on the tongue with a dry, well-rounded and harmonious finish that so elegantly cajoles another pull. We find it delectable. And, if it is true that a Champagne house be judged by the quality and consistency of their House Brut, then the house of Pol Roger, in our humble estimation, ranks among those at the very top.

Champagne Palmer Brut Réserve is produced from about ½ Chardonnay, ⅓ Pinot Noir and the balance Pinot Meunier from a selection of the most prestigious terroirs in Champagne with Premier and Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims predominating and making their distinctive mark. A significant proportion (25% to 35%) of reserve wines contributes a rare fullness and maturity. Your entrepid wine tasters here note a light lemon gold in color with an abundance of vibrant bubbles racing upward; spontaneous aromas of citrus blossom, toasted baguette and wet stone; full, round, chalky dry with a zesty lemony tang of refreshingness and full mineral vibrancy and potency and mouthwateringness and satisfyingness.

Produced of 100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards near Le Mesnil sur Oger, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, holy ground for lovers of the finest Champagne. This bottling represents some ⅔ of the production of the very well-run cooperative that is Champagne Le Mesnil. Brilliant white-gold in color, this Brut Blanc de Blancs has a lovely harmony of elements, fresh and most enticing and inviting aromas suggestive of melon, cool of the morning grape plucked from the vine, buttered biscuit and flower pollen; nice medium-full mousse, then expansive on the tongue and supremely flavorful, its crisp fresh chalky dry finish just begging another pull. Delicious!

For our part, we've found of late that it just doesn't pay to try and do Champagne on the cheap, that we're better off looking outside that oft jaded geography to find as fine if not finer sparkling wine indeed for the bubbles buck that needs to stretch on out a bit. The fine Crémant de Bourgogne sparkling wines of Louis Picamelot are just such a find. The House of Picamelot was founded in 1926 and is located in Rully in the Côte Chalonnaise in Burgundy. The winemaking facility is located at and makes good use of an old quarry site just outside the village, with the quite cool cellars dug into the solid rock there. This cuvée, the Louis Picamelot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Les Terroirs, represents just over ⅔ of the production here and, as such, is thankfully most always available now here in beautiful downtown Austin! Produce of about 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Aligoté, all hand-picked from the Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. Really lovely slate of aromas suggestive of toast and orchard fruits, say pêche de vigne, apricot, green apple then, closer to the ground, fresh grapes on chalky limestone soils; full, vibrant, expansive mousse that then spreads itself richly on the tongue with flavors of toasted orchard fruits a most expressive and satisfying reprise of those first whiffs. This is ultra-satisfying and flavorful sparkling wine for a very attractive price. Champagne on the cheap? Nah! This is Crémant de Bourgogne that'll do you proud. Do come and get it!

And simply superb in pink as well. Produce of 100% Côte Chalonnaise Pinot Noir fruit. The color here is a lovely rose to sunset orange pink at the edges; aromas that define allure, you can almost smell the refreshment to come, with a pinch of spice and a kiss of red berry and a real sense of that wonderful stony Burgundian wine-growing soil underpinning; this one has both body and refreshingness as well as something that simply piques, perhaps pinches, but certainly imbues the imbiber with the feeling of having consumed ever so well with a nervy freshness and spiced red berry flavors that linger in most welcome reprise. This is like bottled joie de vivre. Get some!

Garbèl, which in ancient local dialect means a dry, crisp, pleasantly tart wine, is produced from the hilly vineyards in the Colli Trevigiani area, where the cool nights and hot days are ideal for expressing the typical fruit notes of the Glera grape, also known as Prosecco. A wonderfully versatile sparkler, Garbèl’s 13 grams of residual sugar place it between the Brut and Extra Dry styles: lucid, platinum in color; vibrant and fresh aromas lure one in with suggestion of orchard fruits like yellow plum and pear (it is, of course, the Glera grape); vivid, frothy, crisp and mouthwatering on the tongue with just a hint of minerality; leaves the palate fully refreshed and ready. Unpretentious, unaffected, engaging and refreshing, Adami Garbèl is our go-to Prosecco.

With a wine list that extends to thousands of labels you can easily get lost, so since I will soon be in the Cape, I scoured the South Africa list. I was pleased to find a selection of lesser-known names such as Restless River and Thorne & Daughters, and chose the 2016 Cartology Bushvine from Alheit Family. Chris Alheit’s Chenin Blanc-based white blend showed brilliantly: taut and focused on the nose, perhaps stricter than previous vintages, with scintillating tension and energy on the palate. Drink 2018-2030. Rated 93. - Neal Martin, vinous.com June, 2018

The world seems sometimes less sweet a place than it might otherwise could be. And, whadda ya know, sweet wine is suffering in the marketplace, too. So, necessity being the mother of invention, here's a little something, if not completely different, certainly far more prevalent than in days gone by, that is, dry white wine from Sauternes. From about half each certified organically farmed Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon vines an average of 35 years old and planted to sandy gravel and clay gravel soils of Sauternes to the southeast of the city of Bordeaux. Lovely yellow gold in color with characteristic waxy Bordelais blanc aromas suggestive of fresh ripe melon, fig, rain-moistened stone and, with air, citrus blossom; oh this is a tactile wine, gently glycerol, rounded, cushy, satisfying, but with nerve and spine and underpinning enough to keep fresh melon, citrus and stone-tinged flavors moving along, even skipping along fresh and vital and long on the finish. Delightful. And of a formidable quality at so small a price.

Settled in the heart of the Côte de Beaune since 1731, Bouchard Père & Fils know well the qualities of the terroirs of this southern section of the Côte d'Or. For their Bourgogne Blanc Réserve, they have selected fine Chardonnay fruit from various parcels of vineyard for their complementary qualities. The result is a delicious if less expensive white Burgundy that would serve as a worthy entrée to the far more expensive white wines from the Côte de Beaune. Our new friend from Goodnight Hospitality in Houston, Mr. Ryan Cooper had this to say: «This golden-tinged stunner delivers everything walking, breathing human beings seek in Bourgogne Blanc; mineral purity, bright orchard fruit, silky texture, and just enough weight and richness to linger in harmonious balance until you make the all-too-easy decision to return for more». And the delicious price makes it even easier still to swallow.

The lovely village of Saint-Vérand (note the different spelling) is located half-hidden amongst the hills in the Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy, between Pouilly-Fuissé and the Beaujolais. Its Jurassic chalky soils are a continuation of the limestone strata found in the Côte d'Or and are ideal for growing Chardonnay grapes. Harvested by hand the grapes are immediately and gently pressed, then passed into stainless steel to undergo a slow and cool fermentation. The wine is bottled the following spring to retain its inherent freshness, fruitiness and roundness. Green-gold in color with discreet and pure Chardonnay aromas suggesting flesh of crisp green apple, citrus and stone; fine, elegant Chardonnay flavors are refreshingly crisp and mineral, but at the same time broadening on the tongue, becoming more sumptuous and satisfying, delivering a nice wallop of excellent dry white Burgundy wine for the price of mere everyday Chardonnay.

Produce of 100% Chardonnay fruit hand-picked mostly from 50-plus year-old vines from one sustainably-farmed vineyard near Poinchy. This is like springtime for lovers of real Chablis: characteristic luminous green-gold in color with ultra clean, pure aromas suggesting ripe cool-of-the-morning Chardonnay berries over your everyday rain-soaked upper Jurassic Kimmeridgian age limestone; supremely balanced and deliciously dry, with a certain urgency and lovely interplay between ripe fruit from old vines, minerality and vibrant acidity; just plain delightful dry white wine for enjoying in this very here and now.

The Domaine des Corbillières is a 20-hectare estate located in the town of Oisly, about 30 kilometers east of the city of Tours in the Loire River Valley. It was three generations ago that Fabel Barbou planted his first Sauvignon Blanc, introducing the varietal in this central Loire appellation. The vines are today quite old and low­ yielding. The wines nowadays are made with great care and passion by Fabel’s great­grandson, Dominique Barbou. Luminous bright green-­gold in the glass; high-toned, ultra-fresh aromas of citrus, ripe melon, lemongrass; vibrant and alive on the tongue, almost électrique as its former importer, Mr. Bobby Kacher, would say. And with this 2018 vintage, if ample and mouthfilling, Domaine des Corbillières Touraine remains a completely and totally refreshingly crisp, nervy, delicious white wine. And always among the absolute best values available in high-quality Sauvignon Blanc.

"Unquestionably the number one small estate of Orvieto" according to Stephen Tanzer, Palazzone produces delicious white wines from indigenous grape varietals of Umbria, balancing irresistable fruit aromas and flavors with an oh-so stony backdrop and nerve; 50% Procanico, 30% Grechetto and 20% of Verdello, Drupeggio and Malvasia, vinified in stainless steel to keep things fresh; medium-bodied, supremely-balanced white wine with aromas that speak clearly of cool of the morning harvest fresh grapes and notions of floral honey, beeswax and something like hazelnut and elderflower and, yet again, stone; at once, just ample and round, crisp and dusty, citrusy dry and alive with fresh grapey flavor; our Italian wine-loving pal Jerry Reid sez "slap and tickle." C'mon downtown 'n get yourself some of this delicious wine!

A stunning value, Pierre Lurton’s 2018 Marjosse Blanc is loaded with citrus, mint and white flower notes. This mid-weight, crisp, dry Bordeaux is a fabulous aperitif wine, but will also drink well at the table with lighter fare. It is an ideal wine for the spring and summer months. The blend is 40% Sémillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Gris and 10% Muscadelle. Rated 89. - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com April, 2019

The 2016 Marjosse is an absolutely gorgeous, everyday wine from Pierre Lurton's home estate. Tobacco, cedar, mint and dried flowers add an attractive savory quality to this delicious, affordable, no-frills Bordeaux. Drink 2018-2023. Rated 88. - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com January, 2019

Produce of 74% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon fruit grown in vineyards over the hills near Saint-Emilion. The property has been owned since 2001 by la famille Malet-Roquefort of Château La Gaffelière (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé). The wine is a head-turner: lovely ruby to garnet in color at the edges, aromas reveal the ripeness of the sun-drenched 2015 vintage, but with complexing notes of shaved dark chocolate, toasted baguette, spiced plum and a hint of good winegrowing earth; rounded and polished on the palate with gentle intensity of flavors that ring true to the promise of the aromas with ripe round tannins lending a freshness, mouthwateringness and supple gentle energy that so invite another pull.

The 2016 Pontet-Canet is absolutely breathtaking. Powerful, ample and racy in the glass, the 2016 is one of the most exquisitely well-balanced young Pontet-Canets I can remember tasting. Savory, high-toned aromatics and brisk mineral notes lend energy and delineation as this vivid wonderfully alive wine opens up in the glass. The flavors are dark and incisive, but it is the wine's total sense of harmony that is most compelling. All of the elements are simply in the right place. The 2016 is tremendous. It's as simple as that. As is often the case, Pontet-Canet is one of the most singular wines in Bordeaux. Alfred Tesseron could have chosen to play things safe when he took over the management of the estate in the mid-1990s. Instead, he chose a very different path. No proprietor in Bordeaux has taken more risks over the last two decades than Alfred Tesseron. A commitment to biodynamic farming, sustainability across the entire estate more broadly, and the adoption of new concepts for Bordeaux, such as aging a portion of the wine in terra cotta, set Pontet-Canet apart from other properties in Pauillac and the Left Bank. Not surprisingly, the wine is also starkly different from the wines of neighboring estates. Drink 2026-2066. Rated 99. - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com January, 2019

Proprietor Alfred Tesseron and winemaker Jean-Michel Comme produced an absolutely stellar Pontet-Canet in 2015. Sumptuous, racy and totally inviting, the 2015 is all class. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice and exotic floral notes build as the 2015 shows off its alluring personality. Even with all of its raciness, the 2015 speaks with authority and power. Fine tannins extend the persistent, highly nuanced finish. The 2015 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot aged 50% new oak, 4% in terra cotta and 15% in neutral oak. Tasted three times. Rated 97+. - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com February, 2018

One of the few estates where the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape actually eclipses the 2016, this is a top-flight effort. Black cherries and red raspberries combine with dried spices in a complex swirl of fruity and savory elements, garnished with sprigs of garrigue. Full-bodied, round and rich, this velvety wine should drink well through at least 2035. Drink 2019-2035. Rated 95. - , Wine Advocate, Rated (94-96). - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate August 30th, 2019.

Mostly grown on the sandy soils of lieu-dit Chapouin, with some Crau and Janasse components too, the oldest vines were planted way back in 1912. Two-thirds of the wine are aged in foudre, one-third in demi-muid. It's very lush and opulent, showing black fruits with prune, plum and loganberry. It has a good weight of tannin, and the ripe acidity helps to pull it into focus, leading onto a long finish. An authentic expression of quintessential Châteauneuf - loud, proud and high fidelity. Drink 2020-2029. Rated 94. - Matt Walls, decanter.com (tasted October 31, 2018)

Deep bright-rimmed red. An explosively perfumed bouquet evokes ripe fruits, incense and exotic spices, and a sexy floral pastille nuance builds in the glass. Sappy, broad and expansive on the palate, offering sweet raspberry preserve, boysenberry and spicecake flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Closes on a gently tannic note, displaying superb clarity and spicy thrust and leaving sweet red fruit preserve and Asian spice notes behind. Rated (94-96). - Josh Raynolds, vinous.com July, 2018.

Produce of about 40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault from 30 hectares in the Coudoulet neighborhood of the southern Côtes du Rhône, located just east of the vineyard of Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape on the opposite side of the A7 motorway. Coudoulet is often referred to as baby Beaucastel - it's vineyard is similar being the same Molasse seabed covered by diluvial alpine deposits. These stones called «galets roulés» play a big, er, role, as it were—they take in the heat during the day and let it go slowly at night which gives the vines a good running start come springtime. Dark ripe berry (reminds this taster of the grape jujubes of his youth) with a trace hint of garrigue given the warmth of the growing season again submerged beneath the ripeness and roundness and overall amplitude and voluminosity of the vintage; generous and then, somehow, firm, almost crunchy on the palate in evidence of its stoney origins in close proximity to Châteauneuf-du-Pape itself (laissez les galets roulés); and while this smacks of a Côtes-du-Rhône that should age nicely, our winebuyer suggests it gregarious enough for drinking the vintage in even now.

Produce of 55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Carignan, 5% Cinsault and 5% Mourvèdre grown on 20 acres adjacent to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards of Domaine de La Janasse. This superb Côtes-du-Rhône has been a go-to bottle for us for some years now: deep, deep ruby red, with hints of garrigue and stone almost wholly subsumed by sun-drenched and delicious ripe grapey aromas; rich, round and powerful with ripe kirsch-like Grenache flavors and chalky stony tannins building on the palate and giving shape and structure on to the warm and invigorating finish.

While the art of creating Port wine was being perfected, Bordeaux—another region with a talent for satisfying the thirst of the English—was inventing vinification using a process of prolonged maceration, allowing for the gradual and gentle extraction of tannins. This gave rise to the balance and finesse of the great red wines of the Médoc. The attempt to apply Bordeaux winemaking methods to grapes which are traditionally destined for the production of vintage Port is the essence of this exciting Prats & Symington project. Prazo de Roriz is produce of a classic mingling of Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Amarela, Tinto Cão and Sousão fruit hand-harvested from the vineyards of Quinta de Roriz and Quinta da Perdiz. Quinta de Roriz is situated in a natural amphitheatre facing north on the banks of the Douro. Its mineral-rich schistous soils give highly aromatic wine of red-fruited, mineral-driven character. Quinta da Perdiz lies on a steep gradient on the other side of the same mountain in the relatively closed-in Rio Torto Valley and produces ripe, soft, velvety wines from this warmer climate. Altogether, Prazo de Roriz is an exceptional Douro Valley red wine: deep ruby red with glints of almost bluish purple in color with alluring saturated aromas redolent of mineral soils-influenced ripe berries and dried cherries, baking spices, grape pomace and graphite; then, at once, fresh, intense and vibrant on the palate, its mineral edge on keen display with fine ripe tannins carrying penetrating flavors that remain fresh, long and mouthwatering to the finish.

From Douro Valley vineyards of the Symington family in northern Portugal, including the Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira, which have traditionally supplied the famed Porto House of Dow. Vale do Bomfim represents a new style of table wine from the Upper Douro Valley, where the region's wealth of grape varieties, mature vineyards and modern winemaking have been successfully combined. Produce of 40% Touriga Franca, 20% Touriga Nacional and the remainder a field blend of typical and local (once called mixed black) varieties, hand-selected and vinified at the Quinta do Sol winery, one of the most modern winemaking facilities in Portugal. Deep purple red in color with aromas suggestive of fleshy wild berries, let’s say mulberry, ripe plum, blonde tobacco and a woodsy, cinnamon stick-like spice; polished texture on entry, medium in body with balancing structure of firm ripe tannins that fan out broadly on the tongue, yielding delicious flavors of berries and spice that linger long and warm on the finish. Absolutely splendid value at its regular price of $11.25 the bottle, on sale now at:

Podere Il Palazzino is owned by Alessandro and Andrea Sderci and is located in Monti in Chianti, 20km northeast of Siena in the southern part of Chianti Classico. The estate has a total of about 20 hectares (roughly 50 acres), the greater part of which is dedicated to viticulture and a small part to olive groves. Given the small dimensions of the estate working procedures are strictly manual and the soil is cultivated using organic methods. Grosso Sanese originates from a vineyard covering about 2 hectares just below the casa and cantina of the estate. The fairly compact clay/calcareous soils here are composed mainly of alberese and galestro. The vines are pruned in the spurred cordon method, leaving a maximum of six buds per plant. Production is limited to 5,000 to 6,000 liters per hectare for a total production of about 10,000 bottles per year. Fermentation takes place in 5,000-liter oak barrels. The wine is refined in barriques made of Alliers oak, thirty percent of which are replaced each year. Here it stays for eighteen months, before the final blending and bottling. The wine then ages for another six months in bottle before being released for sale. Produce of 100% Sangiovese, the 2012 Grosso Sanese is intense ruby red in color with classy, complex aromas suggestive of tanned leather, taut red and blue berry fruits transformed, spices, ginestra, the macchia mediterranea and more; poised, ample and well-rounded on the tongue, then revealing its potency, brilliant intensity and persistence of flavor; warming, satisfying, with fine silky tannins carrying flavor long, long on the finish. In our humble estimation, there may be no finer example of the world-class table worthiness of fine Chianti Classico.

Bright red. Pure, refined red cherry and wild strawberry aromas and flavors complicated by sweet spices and aromatic herbs. Deep and multilayered, the wine boasts polished tannins and a harmonious acid spine that lifts and extends the red fruit on the long, suave finish. An essence of Sant’Angelo in Colle with bigger body and palate weight than, for example, the Brunellos of Montosoli, but still sleek and refined as the best wines of Sant’Angelo in Colle can be. The cool-climate-styled 2013 vintage is precisely the type of year in which Il Poggione excels: this lovely, focused wine is the best classico Brunello from Il Poggione in years. Superb. Drink 2022-2035. Rated 95. - Ian D'Agata, vinous.com April, 2018

Pure, fruity and elegant, featuring cherry, plum, currant and iron aromas and flavors. Well-structured, yet balanced, with a lingering, fresh aftertaste of fruit, iron and leather notes. Drink now through 2024. Rated 91. - Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator October 31, 2018

Etna Rosso is, for us, a most wonderful if somewhat recent discovery of some, um, magnitude. And Tenuta delle Terre Nere have emerged a favorite producer of the wine among our discerning clientèle. Produced from a preponderance of Nerello Mascalese along with a dash of Nerello Cappuccio fruit from the young vines of the estate cropped at low yields of around 35 hectolitres per hectare and growing on the hillsides of the famous volcano on the eastern edge of the island of Sicily. This 2017 vintage is a touch deeper ruby in color than previous vintages of the wine (2017 is already considered among the great vintages for the red wines of Etna), and redolent with vivid, ripe fruit suggesting fleshy dark berry aromas; more potent from the get-go than the 2016 vintage, again, ripe, if still substantial tannins building right there on the tongue in power and warmth. While there has been a good deal of comparison of Etna Rosso to Burgundian Pinot Noir, the aromatic profile is quite different and the silken-textured opening quickly gives way, builds into somewhat more of a southern powerhouse on the tongue, with fine-grained tannins seemingly carrying bursting flavors right on up that hill, potent and long to the finish. Maybe a comparison to a mythical marriage of Chambolle-Musigny and Châteauneuf-du-Pape would be more apt but, then again, no. Etna Rosso is sui generis. One might say it enters on silken slippers, all carefree island hopping light on its feet, but goes out with a firm and forceful resolve, as one might reasonably expect of a wine whose vines' waltzing partner is the stuff of an active volcano.

"Dogliani" is a new(ish) DOCG which denotes highest quality wines produced from Dolcetto grapes in this cooler, higher elevation growing area in this southern part of Piemonte. Vigna Tecc «pronounced tĕtch» is produced from 100% Dolcetto fruit from vines planted to the marl/calcareous and clay soils from 2 hectares of favored south facing old hillside vineyards on the estate near the village of Dogliani. If a bit more firm and typical than the 2015, the 2016 is perhaps a more classic example of Dolcetto from this area: deep ruby in color with fermentive aromas of grape pomace and pencil shavings, bitter almond and a waft of liquirizia; at once, ample grapey and firm on the palate, with an almost crunchy fruit character and that telltale hint of bitter almond on the mouthwatering finish.

In centuries gone by, casks of sherry were lashed to ships sailing for the Indies as ballast and were found to develop an extraordinary smoothness and complexity. Lustau has revived this style of sherry in the East India Solera wine, an inspired mingling of about 85% aged dry (20 years old) Oloroso with about 15% aged (10 years old) sweet Pedro Ximenez blended then aged an additional 5 years in the warmest part of the bodega, la sacristia. Raisined fruit, candied citrus peel, macerated cherries, caramel and roasted almonds are common descriptors that we might put forward, but somehow there is something left to be described – an ineffable – as if a benevolent form of alchemy were having its way with an already wonderful raw material. Richly textured and flavorful; just sweet; assuages the tongue whilst giving all its wonderful complexity of flavor. Regularly $24.99 the bottle, on sale now at:

Super-ripe with an expressive plum and dark chocolate aroma. Rich opulence backed by dark chocolate intensity and spicy tannic grip – big and bold on the finish. Voluptuous with fabulous richness, big and bold on the finish. This is one for the long haul but it’s already very impressive. Production of 6,325 cases. Drink: 2030-2055. Rated 98. - Richard Mayson decanter.com December, 2018

In the Graham’s cellars the depiction of bunches of grapes on the cask ends has been used to signify a wine of Vintage Porto quality. Amongst these, six bunches denote the darkest and most full‑bodied of such wines. One of Graham’s original Porto blends, Six Grapes is a true expression of the Graham’s house style with great richness and complexity — Graham's themselves refer to it as 'everyday Porto for the lover of full-on Vintage Porto.' Midnight ruby red in color with very primary aromas of ripe plum, prune, cherry, grape pomace, dried fig, tea leaf, bergamot, anise, cracked pepper, whoo, we could go on; rich, voluptuous even, on the tongue, then shows its warming grip with structure from velvety tannins; invigorating, fortifying, flavorful to the finish.

Warre's Late Bottled Vintage Porto, a.k.a. «LBV» for short, remains among the very best of its type. Unfiltered and bottle-matured (to be sure, it's bottled four years after the vintage, two years later than vintage Porto, and then held in bottle until fit and ready for consumption. So much of what is so wonderful about mature vintage Porto, but, sans the wait and at about one-third or less the price, Warre's '04 LBV is just on the scene, just in time for the autumnal nip. Deep, deep purple in color with aromas of dried stone fruits, say dark cherry and black plum, and just a wisp of grape spirit; on aeration, there's nuance of dark chocolate and baking spices, too; composed and complete on the tongue, medium-full in body with easy, broad chalky tannins; an engaging, fortifying wine, warm, potent and flavorful to the finish.

While vintage Porto is bottled some 18 months following the vintage, Tawny Porto is aged almost entirely in cask, during this process throwing off its dark purple color in favor of a more "tawny" hue, leaving its sediments in cask rather than in the bottle, it’s once grapey, plummy fruit transformed into something far more complex and, frankly, sublime — a veritable cornucopia of aromatic richness: bitter almond, caramel, walnut, citrus peel, raisin, prune, dried berry and cherry and perhaps a hint of brandy by campfire; oh so silken-textured, at once voluptuous and fiery, challenging and satisfying, with deliciously complex flavors that somehow so discreetly reprise those first highly suggestive aromas. Absolutely superb!

Potocki Wódka is created from the highest quality rye grain sourced in fields around the distillery in central Poland. Fresh from the harvest each August, the grain is milled and cooked under pressure. Yeast is then added to start fermentation yielding a low alcoholic strength mash. The mash goes through two slow distillations in a column still. It is regularly tasted until the optimal distillation level is reached. The «head» and the «tail», that is the initial and final ends of the distillate, are discarded to ensure the highest quality. The resulting distillate is then mixed with a pure distilled water to the desired strength of 40% alcohol by volume. No additives, such as citric acid or glycerine, are used. The common process of charcoal filtration is intentionally omitted as this would unnecessarily strip the vodka of its character (and flavor, mind you). We find the end result a most compelling spirit: discernably a distillate of a fine quality rye grain with an alluring warmth and breadth and purity of aroma; smooth and round in texture, a wholly satisfying, engaging and pure eaux-de-vie de seigle polonais. Our wine buyer's mentor, Mr. Henry, used to quip that it was the Poles who taught the Russians to make vodka (never mind he was himself Polish). Potocki Wódka lends creedence to his argument. And, no, he wasn't just whistling Górecki. The proof is in the product. We give this fine spirit our very highest recommendation.

In the 1930s, Chambéry earned the only protected designation of origin for Vermouth in France. Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry is our choice for the most perfect of dry vermouth wines for use in the classic Martini (whatever one's idea of classic might be). It is distinguished by its light, fresh, clean profile, which comes from a delicate white wine base and more than thirty Alpine herbs. From its start in 1821, Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry has been a benchmark for fine French Vermouth. Its fresh and elegant nose, subtle and complex palate is the profile that made the 1 part gin to 1 part dry vermouth Martini famous. Beyond mixed drinks, it is ideal on its own with a twist of citrus peel as an apéritif, as an accompaniment to goat cheese or pesto, Marcona almonds, or more simply with conversation or in quiet contemplation at the end of the day. In cooking, Dolin Dry Vermouth adds depth and an herbal character above and beyond that of a normal white wine.

The world's best VSOP Cognac? Some of the, er, more venerable of our discerning clientèle will remember this fine brandy as the Marcel Ragnaud VSEP, from back in the days when we operated from inside of 650 square feet a block or so away. Times change. Packages change. Markets move. Heck, bottle shops move. But the quality and allure of this Grande Champagne 1er Cru de Cognac Ragnaud-Sabourin remains. The № 10 VSOP is distilled from wine of Saint-Émilion grapes harvested from the 50 hectares of vines planted in the favored chalky soils of Grande Champagne at the Domaine de La Voute at Ambleville. Aged for about 10 years for remarkable aromatic allure, the № 10 VSOP is an hommage to the spirit of the grape and the soil, with complex and compelling aromas that conjure a sweet and delicate sense of slow maturation in wood, the singed sugar atop crème brulée, baking spices, raisined fruit, toasted hazelnut and at last a freshening zest of tangerine peel; smooth, rounded, elegant and rich on entry, almost voluptuous on the tongue and all the while fresh and invigorating with dazzling intensity and length of flavor. A remarkable Grande Champagne Cognac, indeed. Welcome back!