Quinta da Lixa
Aviva Vinho Verde 2020
Reg. Price $14.99
Sale Price: $9.99
White Wine of the Month
Aviva Vinho Verde, try saying that three times fast! I have been sitting on this one for a couple of months just waiting for the weather to be Vinho Verde temps! While we started off the month with cool and rainy weather the sun should come out soon! Aviva is a Spanish wine importer who was dedicated to bringing high quality Spanish wines to the states before they were as well known as they are today. Now Aviva has expanded into Portuguese and Italian wines and has made relationships with many different producers in each country. This Vinho Verde is actually made by Quinta da Lixa, the winery that makes one of my favorite Vinho Verdes, Anjos. Quinta da Lixa is located in the northern Minho region of Portugal where Vinho Verde comes from. There are a lot of lesser quality, slightly sweet Vinho Verde out there and Quinta da Lixa is changing the game. While they are still making the wine in a frizzante style, they are only using a handful of grapes. While the Anjos is a blend of Loureiro, Trajadura, and Arinto the Aviva is 100% Loureiro. The Aviva Vinho Verde is totally dry with intense mineral notes, lime zest and green apple and it is perfect for before dinner or on the patio!
Lago Cerqueira
Douro Red Blend 2019
Reg. Price $12.99
Sale Price: $8.99
Red Wine of the Month
One of the distributors I work with has been bringing in some mind blowingly good Australian wines at unreal prices. I brought in the Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir from MWC Wines that is brought in by the same importer but I couldn’t believe it when I tried this Cab. While there are still some uninteresting, overly fruity bulk wines made in Australia featuring various animals or poking fun at criminals it is time to start talking about the progress they have made. It is time to discard the old, tired stereotype of critter wines and start focusing on the amazing juice that the country is making currently. When and Where is made in the Riverland area within South Australia, the largest wine region in Australia. While South Australia is known for their hot regions like Barossa this Cabernet is picked earlier and is incredibly well balanced. The wine comes in at 13% alcohol and is done entirely in stainless steel so it is fresh, balanced and shows the purity of the beautiful fruit they are growing! Notes of dark plum, cherry, fig and dried flowers make this a super crowd friendly Cab. Take this to BBQ’s, dinner with friends and late nights on the patio.
Scaia
Garganega Chardonnay 2021
Reg. Price $19.99
Sale Price: $14.99
I have been on a bit of a Chardonnay kick lately but this time there is a weird Italian grape blended in! Scaia is from north eastern Italy in the Veneto region which is nestled against the base of the Dolomites and Lake Garda marks its western edge. It is often overlooked except for Prosecco but in addition to one of the most popular types of sparkling wine, the region makes Valpolicella, Amarone, Soave and others. The Veneto is one of the largest wine producing areas in Italy and boasts the second highest amount of DOCG’s. “Scaia” means a chip of stone, chalk or limestone and it is there was of paying homage to the soil types they are working with and their terroir. Garganega is the grape in Soave and it adds a refreshing citrus note to this blend and pairs with Chardonnay’s texture well! This wine is 55% Garganega and 45% Chardonnay that is fermented and aged in stainless steel at cooler temperatures to retain the freshness and delicate aromatics. The wine doesn’t see any oak but they do stir up the lees once a week for texture. The finished wine is medium bodied but surprisingly fresh and citrus forward! Notes of white flowers, under ripe pineapple, citrus rind and jasmine make this perfect for fish, pesto and salads.
Vera de Estenas
Bobal 2020
Reg. Price $17.99
Sale Price: $13.99
Bobal is the most widely planted grape in Spain you’ve never heard of. It is native to the Utiel-Requena area of Valencia but is grown throughout Spain and in small amounts in Sardinia and southern France. In 2015 there were 61,524 hectares planted in Spain making it the second most planted grape in the country. Wines made from Bobal tend to be fruity, refreshing and lower alcohol and always make me think of Pinot Noir. You won’t be able to find a Pinot Noir of this quality for this price though! Vera de Estenas was founded in 1945 by Francisco Martinez Bermell and has some of the oldest Bobal vines in the region. The wines are made very traditionally and are much more structured and earthy than the more playful Bobals that I have tried. The vineyards are all practicing organic and and grown in chalky, clay soils and only 3,500 cases are made a year! The average vine age is 50 years old and if you miss the days that you could get village level Burgundy for under $20 this is for you. The wine is aged in a combination of concrete and old oak barrels to bring the perfect texture, subtle spice notes and earthiness. Dark cherry, red berries and crushed violets make a perfumy bouquet that begs for another sip.
Château Mourgues Du Grès
Fleur d’Eglantine Rosé 2020
Reg. Price $21.99
Sale Price: $16.99
Mas de Bressades
Costières de Nîmes Rosé 2021
Reg. Price $18.99
Sale Price: $13.99
This rosé is also from southern France but is a very different style! Mas de Bressades is a producer that I’ve worked with and loved starting at the beginning of my career until the company who distributed it shut their doors. An importer that they worked with at the time all but disappeared, taking some incredible wines with them. Mas de Bressades is one of the only ones I’ve seen resurface and I am so glad to have it back! Mas de Bressades was founded in the Costières de Nîmes in 1960 by Roger Marès and is now run by his son Cyril. The Costières de Nîmes is like an extension of the Rhone since they grow a lot of the same grapes, the vineyards are also planted among the large rocks like in the Southern Rhone and the “mistral” wind still whips through the land. All of the Mas de Bressades wines are certified organic and the rosé is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Cinsault. Notes of raspberry, strawberry and crushed rose petal marry beautifully with the luscious texture, balanced minerality and rich acidity.
I can’t wait to explore these wines and more with you!
Pop into the store for all of your beverage needs and don’t forget about our in store tastings!
Beer Tasting Thursday 5 pm to 7 pm
Wine Tasting Friday 4 pm to 7 pm
