Category Archives: Wineries We Cherish

Wine of the Day: Holden Wine Company Johan Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 7-8-16

Holden Wine Company Johan Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 750ML ($27.95) Buy Now: $24 special

I’ve been training myself off of superlatives lately – wine sales and criticism bear no shortage of ’em, after all, and ‘Best Ever’ doesn’t carry the same weight after a half-dozen or more proclamations. Even so, I’ll proudly confess that this year, I have yet to experience a white wine as lovely as Holden’s 2014 Chardonnay.

Holden’s offerings are marked with an energetic, unique edge; you’re welcome to call them anything you’d like outside of ‘boring.’ While value is meaningless without quality and quality suffers when value is lacking, their Chardonnay delivers such a lovely combination of the two. I can’t really say enough good things about their lineup, so I’ll wrap things up with a few thirst-inspiring descriptors…

The Johan Chardonnay is layered and nuanced, going through malolactic fermentation while being spared overmanipulation.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Domaine Henri Boillot Les Lavieres, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2011 7-7-16

Domaine Henri Boillot Les Lavieres, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($69.95) Buy Now: $49 special

A very distinguished gentleman came into Vinopolis today looking for fine Burgundy. Before buying a case of 2011 Domaine Henri Boillot Savigny 1er Cru Les Lavières, he asked us to open it, so we did. Lucky us. The Côte de Beaune’s unmistakable perfume wafted out of the glass like ripe roses in early summer: raspberry, plum, red currant, and hints of earthy sous-bois. Exquisite. On the palate, the wine revealed its 2011 character, which is light-bodied, with fine tannins and perky acidity. Refreshing. Our esteemed customer was kind enough to leave the open bottle for us to appreciate, and with time we noticed how nicely the wine opened up even more.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Domaine Jean-Philippe Padie Cotes du Roussillon Petit Taureau 2014 750ML – 7-6-16

Wine of the Day: Domaine Jean-Philippe Padie Cotes du Roussillon Petit Taureau 2014 750ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $18 special

A 50/50 blend of Syrah planted in schist and Carignan planted in limestone; Padie calls it his ‘yin-yang cuvee.’ The wine is medium-bodied, with fresh red fruit, persistent-yet-playful spice, and a nice balancing act of minerality. Native yeast fermentation, elevage in concrete tanks, and only a nominal amount of sulfur added at bottling. I absolutely adore it. – Tyler… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Domaine de la Petite Mairie Bourgueil Cuvee des Galluches, Loire 2013 7-5-16

Domaine de la Petite Mairie Bourgueil Cuvee des Galluches, Loire 2014 750ML ($19.95) Buy Now: $16 special

Optimally, you’d enjoy this wine seated at a little cafe table at one or two p.m., on a sunny Sunday, along Boulevard Voltaire in Paris. A touch of a chill, naturally, with a new notebook and your favorite pen at its side.

Wherever you may find yourself, however, the ’13 ‘Cuvee des Galluches’ offers up everything a bistro wine oughtta: beautiful aromatics, nice texture, good balance of acid, fruit, and earth, and a lingering-but-not-insistent finish. A gentle brush of tannin keeps the wine from appearing too herbal or fruit-dominated. Overall, an effort in balance and grace. Subtle yet enchanting! – Tyler… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Charles Smith CasaSmith Jack’s Vineyard Barbera, Walla Walla Valley 2014 – July 2016

Charles Smith K Vintners CasaSmith Jack’s Vineyard Barbera, Walla Walla Valley 2012 750ML ($39.95) Buy Now: $33 special

Italian taste meets Washington muscle. Winemaker Charles Smith took Piedmont’s Barbera grape and made it boldly American in this wine. Brooding, deeply pigmented, and stuffed full of ripe red fruit, earth, and roses, the 2012 Jack’s Vineyard Barbera is almost a meal in itself. Aged 26 months on the lees in 40% new French oak: here’s a big Washington wine, from the rocky Walla Walla Valley, that speaks Italian, with an American accent. Any fan of Washington wine should taste this ode to Italia. – Daniel… Read the rest