{"title":"Staff Favorites","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"folk-machine-pinot-noir-red-label","title":"Folk Machine Pinot Noir Central Coast (Red Label)","description":"Simply the best, better than all the rest at this price point. - Ben","brand":"Left Bank","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44474832945385,"sku":"A11600","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_984aa773-a16a-4b6c-bacf-7d67113a3486.png?v=1631631982"},{"product_id":"b57","title":"Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2019","description":"\u003cp\u003eOlga Raffault’s \u003cem data-start=\"16\" data-end=\"30\"\u003eLes Picasses\u003c\/em\u003e has always been about quiet authority, and in 2019 it feels beautifully, confidently arrived. Cabernet Franc from this storied Chinon site opens with cool river-stone minerality, blackcurrant skin, and that unmistakable Loire undercurrent of damp earth and tobacco leaf, as if the cellar door has just been opened after a long winter. On the palate, the wine is resolved and supple without losing its spine—dark berries and savory plum wrapped in fine, chalk-dust tannins, lifted by gentle herbal notes and a flicker of iron. At this age, \u003cem data-start=\"570\" data-end=\"584\"\u003eLes Picasses\u003c\/em\u003e is in its prime: poised, expressive, and deeply satisfying, offering the pleasure of maturity without any sense of decline—just a calm, confident sense of place, fully spoken.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vino Veritas","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48949819769065,"sku":null,"price":35.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_0f36b0f7-7a28-49ed-923f-be7a7956a755.png?v=1631301606"},{"product_id":"d74","title":"Ghostwriter Santa Cruz Pinot Noir 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eCritical acclaim:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ghostwriter owner\/winemaker Kenny Likitprakong is a powerhouse. An experienced vineyard master and a diversely gifted wizard in the cellar, I challenge you to name anyone in California bottling a broader and more consistently delicious arsenal of fairly priced, eco-friendly, and truly hand-crafted wines.” - Ian Cauble, Master Sommelier\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWaterford commentary:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKenny Likitprakong, the founder, owner, and maker of Ghostwriter wines, says his Pinot Noirs tell a story. “The subjects of the story are the sites, the vines, and the vintage,” he explains. “As the winemaker, my part is simply to tell the story.” The story Kenny’s Santa Cruz County Pinot Noir tells is nothing less than magical.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story begins when Kenny graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2001. His first winemaking job was at Hallcrest Vineyards, a small winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. “All of my classmates headed to Napa,” Kenny says, “but surf and the sort of underdog, underrated, unexplored charm of the Santa Cruz Mountains led me there. I harvested the first Ghostwriter vintage in 2008,” he says. “I wanted to champion a largely misunderstood appellation and produce a wine that no longer existed in California.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKenny’s Santa Cruz County Pinot Noir is all about the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eterroir\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eof Santa Cruz and its elegant and ethereal style of Pinot Noir. Kenny farms its grapes organically and cultivates, prunes, and harvests its vines by hand. He makes the wine without commercial yeast, malolactic bacteria, or any other commercial additives. He ages it in neutral French oak barrels and concrete eggs, with a small percentage of new oak. He adds no or very little sulfur to the wine and bottles it without fining or filtration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as Kenny says, the smell and taste of the 2019 Santa Cruz County Pinot Noir tells the story of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Its nose is strawberry, cranberry, and spice over dark black cherry and blackberry. Its palate is rich, ripe forest berries, with super savory length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Pinot Noir is an evening’s pleasure. It’s like a great book or movie, it takes you to magical places you’ve never been to. With a few bottles in your cellar, you can go there again and again and again.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Left Bank","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44534498328809,"sku":"A12230","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_5eac3cd4-1c82-4b4e-b062-979b845feefa.png?v=1631643101"},{"product_id":"d87","title":"Au Bon Climat Sandford \u0026 Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir","description":"Jason notes: \"Jim Clendenen spent a lifetime championing the grapes of Burgundy (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) in California.  While the fashion was to push boundaries of ripeness, Jim stayed true to his roots and made wines he was proud to pour.  His wines are born in California but have a Burgundy sense of place.\"","brand":"Left Bank","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43283370377449,"sku":"","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_09048a91-256b-4185-b485-219216622642.png?v=1631648093"},{"product_id":"k7","title":"Becheras Saint Joseph Le Prieure d'Arras","description":"\"Coming from the western banks of the northern Rhone River, the wine is 100% Syrah.  This is a tiny producer with only about four hectares of vineyards, all of which are harvested by hand.  This gorgeous wine shows through with notes of black pepper, bacon fat and incredible freshness.\" - Scott","brand":"Vino Veritas","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46747599503593,"sku":"","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_a26205a4-b421-4690-ac7e-3c450b6ddff8.png?v=1632236183"},{"product_id":"k56","title":"Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge Lulu \u0026 Lucien 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom Kermit Lynch's (the American importer) website:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Of all of the domaines we represent, no other serves more as our cornerstone, stands more in the defense of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eterroir\u003c\/em\u003e, and is more intricately interwoven with our own history, than that of the iconic Peyraud family of Domaine Tempier. The pages that Kermit has written about them alone rival those of his dear friend, Richard Olney, who wrote the definitive history of the domaine and was the first to introduce Kermit to the family in 1976. Their story might be considered mythic if it were not true.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"When Lucie “Lulu” Tempier married Lucien Peyraud in 1936, her father gave them Domaine Tempier, an active farm that had been in the family since 1834, near Le Plan du Castellet, just outside the Mediterranean seaport village of Bandol. Tasting a pre-phylloxera bottle of Domaine Tempier Bandol (a wedding gift from his father-in-law) inspired Lucien to research the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eterroir\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eof Bandol extensively.  Up until that point, old vineyards planted with Mourvèdre had been systematically replanted to higher-yielding varietals. However, more research not only showed its historical roots to the area, but the grape proved to be more resistant to oxidation, producing wines with great aging potential. By 1941, with the assistance of neighboring\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003evignerons\u003c\/em\u003e, Lucien worked with the I.N.A.O. (\u003cem\u003eInstitut National des Appellations d’Origines\u003c\/em\u003e) to establish Bandol as its own A.O.C. Needless to say, large-scale replanting of Mourvèdre ensued, and Bandol now requires a fifty percent minimum in all reds. Lucien will forever be celebrated as the Godfather of Bandol, but also as the man who revived Mourvèdre to its former glory. Raising deep and structured wines of such refinement and longevity has made Domaine Tempier truly a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003egrand cru\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003ede Provence\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Lulu and Lucien raised seven children, and nourishing family, friends, and wine lovers at table is a regularly celebrated tradition at the domaine. Much of that is attributed to Lulu, the beautiful, Marseillaise\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003ematerfamilias\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewho has carried on the great Tempier family ritual of serving guests fresh, cool rosé, hearty, soulful reds, and copious amounts of delicious homemade Provençal cuisine. Her traditional hearth cooking has attracted attention throughout France, even bringing Alice Waters over from California to learn in Lulu’s kitchen. When Lucien retired, sons François and Jean-Marie shared management of the domaine with François in the vineyards and Jean-Marie in the cellars. The two made a formidable team. Though Lucien passed away in 1996, and his sons have now since retired, the torch has been passed to the young, energetic, and talented Daniel Ravier, who has just the right\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003esavoir faire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto carry on the great tradition and style of the domaine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Beyond our affection and the enduring bonds of our friendship, objectively the celebrity of Domaine Tempier also lies deep in the soils of Bandol. Variations of clay and limestone soils between the vineyards produce wines that are undeniably world class. Whether it is the cult following they have established through their refreshing, age-worthy rosé (once praised by Robert Parker as the greatest rosé in the world), their Bandol\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBlanc,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eor the distinctive cuvées of Bandol\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003erouge\u003c\/em\u003e, the wines of Domaine Tempier stand as the proud benchmark when talking about Provençal wines. Through their passion, pioneering, and advocacy for Bandol, the Peyrauds have become legendary. We are fortunate to have their wines serve as the flagship of our portfolio, and even more grateful to have the Peyrauds and their extended family as cherished friends. If any wine can be said to have soul, it’s Tempier.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Left Bank","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45570906226921,"sku":"","price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_8c698eee-c8db-490a-a10a-6a8c63dcc01d.png?v=1680196367"},{"product_id":"do-ferreiro-albarino-2019","title":"Do Ferreiro Albarino","description":"\u003cp\u003eBen noted about this wine back in 2014: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIf there was ever any doubt in your mind whether old vines matter, just try a bottle of this.  These vines are a one-acre plot of Albariño named Cepas Vellas, in the Salinas zone of Rias Baixas, Galicia, Spain. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe resulting wine is, without a doubt, explosive: right from the cork pull, a massive aroma fills the room with lemon zest, oceanic salt spray, tangerines, neroli, grilled shrimp, kombu, granite and evergreen trees moistened by coastal rain. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBut even more amazing, this wine is not “flashy.”  Meaning it’s not oaked up, it’s not juiced up with residual sugar, it’s not put in a pressurized evaporator \/ concentrator to make it bigger.  It’s just old vines with such an extraordinarily low yield that the flavors of the fruit are intense and beautiful. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis beauty continues on the palate: it’s lean and elegant, not zingy and overly acidic. The wine is graceful, lively, and refreshing.  The flavors echo the nose, and if you want to explore, there is much to explore.  But if you want to just pound it with a bowl of mussels, it’s extraordinary. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDo Ferreiro is run by third-generation winemaker Gerardo Mendez.  If you are wondering about the name, Gerardo’s grandfather was an ironworker – and ferrous \/ ferreiro means iron.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhile there are many Albariño on the market, Gerardo believes that it is in Salinas (one of three major sub-zones of Rias Baixas) where the vines give you the acidity – and therefore the age-ability – to make great Albariño. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHe usually makes two wines: Albariño and Albariño Cepas Vellas.  The Cepas is 250-year-old vines.  The Albariño is the rest of the production (50- to 249-year-old vines).  However, in 2012 there was devastating hail – 70% of the entire production of both was lost.  Gerardo decided that the best course of action was to blend them together.  I think the result is stunning.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI have to admit, I am pretty pumped about this wine. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhy?  Frankly, it’s so darn good and so darn cheap.  Right here, right in this bottle is a massive amount of drinking pleasure at an extraordinarily low price.  I love this kind of wine. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDo Ferreiro has been out of the Wisconsin market since the end of Grapes \u0026amp; Grain, and I am happy to be the store to bring it back.  Stock up and enjoy as much as you can!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vino Veritas","offers":[{"title":"750 ml","offer_id":45239033692393,"sku":"","price":35.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"375 ml","offer_id":45239033659625,"sku":"","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.5L","offer_id":48304656580841,"sku":"","price":94.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_b6c7d453-cc76-41c9-bb72-ba2b5f9bec25.png?v=1634244540"},{"product_id":"perrin-cndp-blanc-2019","title":"Domaine Roger Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc","description":"\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\"\u003eThis wine is just a total home run – it’s gorgeous to drink, it fits late winter\/inspiring to spring cuisine incredibly well, and Charles Neal, an American importer whom I have learned to trust both in terms of flavor and value, brings it in. In other words, it’s just an amazing steal. I’ll do my impressions first, then turn it over to Charles for the history of the domaine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlavor-wise, this wine to me is an amazing combination of meditation wine and gastronomic pleasure wine. To explain – the stone fruit character is so gorgeously deep, yet subtle, that it encourages the mind to wander across seasonal pleasures of winter quietude as we look forward with anticipation to spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then there is food paired with this magnificent wine – think of butternut squash roasted and tossed with toasted farro, Parmesan, olive and baby arugula. Grilled Rouget with garlic butter and thyme. Heck, even just a wheel of Epoisses with toasted bread – and this wine will make the food explode. The summation of this CdP Blanc with hearty food is so much greater than the two separate, it’s mind-blowing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\"\u003eAnd hey, most CdP Blancs are MORE expensive than the reds – usually starting at $80 and the sky’s the limit. So this one is a find!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"AVA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44615185858793,"sku":"5203","price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_a516cf10-60d7-48f8-b24b-6477b5cb9e7b.png?v=1634417538"},{"product_id":"peillot-altesse-2019","title":"Peillot Altesse","description":"\u003ctable data-mce-fragment=\"1\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\" border=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003ctr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003ctd data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI once had one of the most exquisite dining experiences in my life, and a tremendous argument, all at the same time. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI had just passed my first level of the Master of Wine Exam (qualification never to be finished) and the occasion was dinner at Le Bec-Fin, once described as “America’s best French Restaurant” and winner of Conde Nast's 1994 poll in for “best restaurant in the country.”  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBefore creating Waterford Wine, I had grown up in the “back of the house” – cooking – and Le Bec-Fin was considered Valhalla: the place of dreams, divine craftsmanship, and absolute adherence to French cooking tradition, all at once.  I had never been, and so once I got close (with a reason to celebrate), I had to go. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI remember the dish:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eShaved, chilled sea scallop, shaved fennel, cubes of apple and cardamom gelee, set on a perforated bowl over another bowl of dry ice spiced with silver needle tea.  The server poured water onto the dry ice, resulting in a soft billowing cloud of white tea, cardamom, apples and fennel.  The aroma was extraordinary.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNow the argument:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eJust before this amazing dish, the sommelier served us a Roussette du Bugey, explaining that it's Roussanne.  Two things: First, Pennsylvania wine law requires restaurants to buy from retailers, effectively adding a fourth tier.  That extra tier is the State of Pennsylvania, making a pretty penny.  This means restaurants have to search deep into the sea of wines, for those golden gems that taste not just twice, but four times above their price. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSecond, Roussette is not Roussanne.  The sommelier misidentified it, and being fresh from an exam, I called her on it.  Roussette is Altesse, Savoie’s finest grape variety, and as the Oxford companion notes, “rich in mystery, exotically perfumed and well worth ageing.”  She, the sommelier, was wrong.  And totally unimpressed with my erudition.  I, on the other hand, fell in love. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRoussette is beautiful.  In Franck Peillot's version, it’s oh-so-very-pretty, but not affected at all.  It’s just a bit like white Burgundy, having structure and density on the palate, yet also a bit exotic, tasting of red apples, baking spice, herbs, and honeysuckle. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe pairing was extraordinary.  It was the wine of the night.  And when you consider its price tag (and all the other circumstances), that is saying something rather great.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI could go on with a fruit salad description but for those of you receiving this email I think I can do something better.  I can give a recommendation.  Every one of you whom I have poured this wine for, has bought some.  And not just the courtesy “thanks for the glass” one-bottle purchase.  But a purchase well imbued with desire to have the wine again. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI learned of the Savoie and Roussette via a touch of snobbery and enthusiasm mixed up together.  But you don’t have to take the convoluted route.  Purchase just a bottle, that is fine, but I guarantee you’ll come back for more.  I certainly did.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Vino Veritas","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45067681497321,"sku":"","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_4c233e6e-bee6-48dc-acf1-fab0bb146bc4.png?v=1634418600"},{"product_id":"tyler-chardonnay-2019","title":"Tyler Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2024","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOk, for those of you who read the tag line, there is probably nothing more for Waterford to add to this write up other than – “yeah, we agree.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTo us, Justin Tyler is making some of the most dynamic Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs coming out of Santa Barbara. This is a Chardonnay of structure, clarity, intensity and subtlety. It is not an in-your face oaky Chard, but it’s not driven ultra-lean and steely. If Americans would allow their Chards to be compared to Burgundy (and vice versa), here is one that hits the flavor notes of Burgundy – plenty of dry extract, a long, mineral finish, a touch of baby-fat fruit up front on the palate, with focus and precision. At this price, it’s as good as anything I’ve ever had from Burgundy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTo my understanding, Justin began making wine almost 20 years ago in his home town of Santa Barbara. But for my palate, things really took a substantial turn in 2015 to 2019. In 2015 he and his wife were able to purchase a vineyard, and that has revolutionized all the wines. Their 2020 vintage was absolutely exceptional and instantly sold out. We are excited to offer the 2021 allocation!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe points and thus the calculated QPR don’t lie. I believe that this winery is on the road to super-stardom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis things just been rocking my world lately. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"The 2021 Chardonnay overdelivers for its appellation-wide status. It has pretty scents of quince, poached pear, spring honey, chalk and roasted almonds. The medium-bodied palate is satiny, savory and expansive with dynamic flavor layers and a very long finish.\" - Erin Brooks, \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWine Advocate\u003c\/em\u003e (95 points).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Select Sellars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45499299365097,"sku":"123401","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_42b556c3-4a14-414b-a9f5-f81427775d2a.png?v=1634668300"},{"product_id":"arnaud-lambert-saumur-clos-david-breze","title":"Arnaud Lambert Saumur Clos David Breze","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Tuffeau chalk soils are the name of the game here in Saumur.  Chenin Blanc is the grape and the young Arnaud Lambert, the winemaker.  Arnaud is leading a revolution in the Loire Valley, creating some of the most elegant and mineral-driven white wines in the region.  Chenin Blanc is a bit of a chameleon, and it can rival the best of Burgundy, Germany, Austria or any white wine out there.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Left Bank","offers":[{"title":"750ml","offer_id":45238425518313,"sku":"F52410","price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.5L","offer_id":46451199049961,"sku":"F52418","price":91.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_cea371a6-ae0b-411d-8f55-515ab81db31f.png?v=1652134550"},{"product_id":"pernot-et-ses-fils-puligny-montrachet-2018","title":"Paul Pernot Puligny Montrachet 2024","description":"","brand":"Select Sellars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44256108544233,"sku":"590102","price":81.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_418b6b58-5d77-4384-86f5-2d070b52ff51.png?v=1636487288"},{"product_id":"stringer-cellars-stagecoach-vineyards-cabernet-sauvignon-2018","title":"Stringer Cellars Stagecoach Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"Jason notes: \"We always like to support the little guy, the artisan farmer with dirty hands and muddy boots.  But in this case, we double down our support of local winemaking rockstar Casey Stringer. Hailing from West Bend, WI, Casey has taken Napa Valley by storm. He makes wines from some of the greatest vineyards up and down the Valley.  The Stagecoach Vineyard on Prichard Hill overlooks the towns of Oakville and Rutherford, soaking in the setting California sun.\"","brand":"Select Sellars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46176649314537,"sku":"123008","price":107.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_2aecfcfd-0526-4521-ab18-ce487136fc33.png?v=1636670281"},{"product_id":"sang-de-cailloux-vacqueyras-rouge-cuvee-floureto","title":"Sang des Cailloux Vacqueyras Cuvee Floureto, Doucinello, or Azalaïs","description":"\u003cp\u003eNote: \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe name of the Vacqueyras rouge changes each year, and is named after the daughters’ of Serge Férigoule: Floureto, Doucinello, and Azalaïs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eTerroir\u003c\/em\u003e.  It means “tastes of a place” – What an odd concept.  In the U.S. we hardly ever talk about place.  We talk about a wine’s grape varietal, its expression of fruit, or what such-and-such a wine critic said about it.   \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut in France, \u003cem\u003eterroir\u003c\/em\u003e is all.  Wine without \u003cem\u003eterroir\u003c\/em\u003e is simple, common, and generic.  Wines that express distinct \u003cem\u003eterroir\u003c\/em\u003e are highly valued.  This difference is worth exploring. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is fairly easy to make a wine taste like ripe cherry fruit with a finish of smooth vanilla richness.  If you pick your Cabernet when it’s riper than the next guy’s you get more cherry flavor.  If you oak your wine in new oak it will impart the rich, smooth tones of vanilla and chocolate.  After 18 months you get the ultimate expression of Cabernet: cherry richness; bold, yet smooth, and a long finish with just a hint of vanilla. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut the taste of t\u003cem\u003eerroir\u003c\/em\u003e is different.  It can only be found in the soil of a place, the climate of the terrain, and the aspect of vineyard.  \u003cem\u003eTerroir\u003c\/em\u003e can be so localized, so specific, that the resulting wines become immensely prized.  Great French wine is filled with such places: La Romanee, Champagne, Paulliac, and Chateaunuef du Pape.  Or, to put it another way, you’ve lived many places, but you were born in only one of them.  A wine’s birthplace leaves its imprint \u003cem\u003esine die\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVacqueyras, a village in the Cotes du Rhone, expresses \u003cem\u003eterroir\u003c\/em\u003e fully, completely, and utterly in Sang des Cailloux’s Cuvee Floureto.  Sang des Cailloux translates to Blood of the Stones.  The wine takes this name for two reasons.  The vineyard has no top soil.  It is completely covered in granite stones.  It is planted mostly with Grenache that soaks up the\u003cem\u003e Provencal\u003c\/em\u003e sun.  The resulting wine is deeply red-colored – the dark red leather of a farmer's chafed hands. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe wine tastes like it could have only come from one place: Vacqueyras.  It smells of wild Rhone herbs – rosemary, garlic chives, lavender, with touches of orange peel.  The taste is gamey, \u003cem\u003esauvage\u003c\/em\u003e, animal.  The polite French word is \u003cem\u003egarrigue.  \u003c\/em\u003eThe finish tastes of rain water filtered through granite.  It is stony and smells of gunflint.  The wine has a pure acidity that pulls you into the bottle. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is not a wine for everyone.  But you were never everyone.  You were always someone.  And that is the point.  This wine, like you, is unique.    \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor those of you about to eat strong cheese or venison or wild duck; those who love Cotes du Rhone wines; or the individualistic few who need just a bit more animal in your life, heed my call.  Come taste the Blood of the Stones– Sang des Cailloux’s Cuvee Doucinello.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e - Ben's pick\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Left Bank","offers":[{"title":"750ml","offer_id":46427862597865,"sku":"F78650","price":42.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.5L","offer_id":46427862630633,"sku":"","price":84.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_c76ae269-fdc8-4b51-b4e0-9231c7421653.png?v=1679332703"},{"product_id":"terlano-pinot-grigio","title":"Terlano Pinot Grigio 2021","description":"From Marie: \"Cantina Terlano is one of the oldest cooperative wineries in Südtirol-Alto Adige, founded in 1893 with just 24 farmers.  Now the winery has grown to 143 members and is recognized worldwide for producing exceptional wines.  Each year, their Pinot Grigio is a store favorite with its elegance, weight and structure.\"","brand":"Prestige","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42676742258921,"sku":"302507","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_dabc936b-8033-49c2-8ac4-f398f7af4ab5.heic?v=1682356208"},{"product_id":"groiss-gemischter-satz-braitenpeuchtorff","title":"Ingrid Groiss Gemischter Satz Braitenpeuchtorff 2024","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFrom Jancis Robinson:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIngrid Groiss tried to escape the vineyards and small-village life of Breitenwaida in the Weinviertel north west of Vienna but the call of the vines proved irresistible. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHer parents and grandmother owned vineyards and made wine for their own Heuriger (a country wine tavern selling young wine on tap) and for private clients and at the age of 15 she wanted to leave home to study at the Klosterneuburg winemaking school. There was one insurmountable problem: there was no dormitory for girls and her parents felt, not surprisingly, that she was too young to live on her own in or near Vienna. So she studied tourism at a nearby college.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHaving completed her studies, she started working with her parents and ‘felt like life had already ended … together with my parents in this really, really tiny village surrounded by nothing – here the chicken and foxes say good night to each other – ideally marrying my neighbour who is also a farmer (as an old saying goes: loves goes away, hectares stay) so I had to leave and explore the world.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAfter a happy and properous few years working in marketing for Coca Cola and Anheuser Busch in the German cities of Bremen and Berlin, she still felt something was missing – ‘a great life, good payment, a company flat and company car … so what would you expect more from life?’ The inescapable conclusion: ‘What I really desire to do and what my heart beats for: making wine!’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFortuitously and, from Ingrid’s point of view, ‘as a sign of destiny’, at this time the University of Vienna started a new natural sciences course in Weinbau, Önologie und Weinwirtschaft (viticulture, oenology and wine marketing). Alongside her studies she gained practical experience working with producers such as Domäne Wachau, Birgit Braunstein and Birgit Eichinger. She had started making wine at home but then began the generation game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs she explains, ‘I had already started making wine at home but with my father, and it was always big discussions and fights because he had his own philosophy and I wanted to improve many things. It didn´t work and so I asked my granny to give me her Schablau vineyard to work and make wine out of it (this was my first own vintage 2010). I had a deal with my father. I said I would work this vineyard in my own philosophy and make the wine in my style and he is not allowed to discuss it. Then we taste all wines together blind and if my wine wins I run the vineyards and make the wines on my own with my philosophy in the next year. My wine won. Now he is happy that he is not responsible for the vineyards and the cellar any more and I´m happy as well (but of course both my mum and my father support me a lot and I´m thankful for this!). Also the philosophy of my parents changed – now we already work the first vineyards organically and my father is proud of this way!’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGroiss is particularly grateful for the ‘gorgeous’ vineyards planted by her granny. ‘Most of them are 50 years and older and in these times people put much more focus on which varieties fit on which appellations and on which soil. I´m also proud that I still have many old autochthonous varieties in my gemischter Satz vineyards like Hietl Rote, Silberweisse, Weisse Vöslauer and Graue Vöslauer (varieties that where planted everywhere in Weinviertel but now nobody knows them any more). And of course I learnt a lot from my granny (there are sooo many things you cannot learn from a book – it´s things you learn from a real long life and lot of experience). She couldn´t sit at home – she always wanted to go in the vineyards with me.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWaterford commentary:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAll of the wine for the Gemischter Satz (field blend) comes from a plot planted in 1951 by Ingrid’s grandmother. At that time, Grandma Groiss’ dream might have been to have a winery of her own. But that dream didn’t come true...until 61 years later. Ingrid, fighting against her parents and the tradition of selling off all their fruit to the local co-op, founded a winery from her grandmother’s vineyards. The results are outstanding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIts bold aromas of white peaches, lily of the valley, flint, lemongrass, melons and ripe pear fill the glass. Yet the sheer ripe and caressing palate is pushed back afresh with an instantaneous attack of pure minerality, creating a dynamic interplay of fruit, minerals, and acidity that is haunting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eI would say more and try to relate this wine’s extraordinary flavors to its grape constituents. But Ingrid’s grandmother didn’t keep a record of what she planted, and only about half of the varieties have been identified. What I will tell you is that these old vines make amazing grapes, and Ingrid has turned them into amazing wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"paragraph-spacing-none\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Braitenpuechtorff is fresh, vibrant, mineral, filled with smells of sweet peas and amaranth, ripe green fruits like papaya, and a zesty, fresh finish of stone fruit and kaffir lime leaf. It drinks as easily as water, yet with the backbone of Chablis. It takes the springlike charm and easy diffidence of the basic and adds weight, drama and richness. Most of us taste Gruner Veltliner that is driven by its mineral backbone. But here is a dry white wine filled with power and fruit, and yet at low alcohol levels. Gruner Veltliner glories in this rich, dramatic style, and this wine is glorious. Don’t miss it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Left Bank","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44926774870249,"sku":"O05230","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_dfbaf61e-b786-454f-a285-2964447cd5c4.png?v=1679333334"},{"product_id":"2017-uccelliera-brunello-di-montalcino","title":"Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino","description":"\u003cp\u003eJason's notes: \"Tucked away in the southeast corner of Castelnuovo dell’Abate, the soil here is loose and stony. Coupled with a warm microclimate, this gives the wines of Uccelliera a rich and ripe expression.  Whether you are drinking their big boy Brunello or their delicious little-brother Rosso, you are getting a powerhouse from the Italian hills!\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Left Bank","offers":[{"title":"2017","offer_id":43628884459753,"sku":"I58040","price":64.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_51bb3821-9a56-4add-9bde-dadee4f724ab.png?v=1661190558"}],"url":"https:\/\/waterfordwine.com\/collections\/staff-favorites.oembed?page=3","provider":"Waterford Wine and Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}