drink nice(r): saint valentine

when: friday 2/12 @ 6pm est or 3pm pacific 

what: some say the most romantic holiday of the year is best celebrated during a pandemic. who said this? unsure. the fact remains: the more alcohol, the merrier. 

this tasting will be structured around quintessential valentine’s day wine picks. namely, a classic sparkling and seductive red. 

want to add-on a cheese pairing as well? consider it done, just let us know.

wines (shipping not included):

domaine de la taille aux loups montlouis sur loire triple zero nv $26

raul perez la vizcaina las gundinas 2018 $36

drink nice(r): the beauty of bourgogne

when: friday 11/20 @ 6pm est

what: not all bourgogne is made equally. in fact, quite a few of them can age for a decade or longer without even wincing. we have the rare opportunity to try two of the best side by side. 

pierre boisson (aka boisson-vadot) has solidified its spot in the top echelon of white burgundy allstars. the wines are often described as possessing a ‘coche’ tendency, one of the highest compliments paid to any wine in the world today. their bourgogne blanc is made up of fruit sourced solely from meursault, meaning this wine is a serious over-performer for the level.

sylvain pataille exists far enough off the beaten path to be consistently forgotten about, though he doesn’t seem to mind as the wines are as good as ever. sylvain is a terroir-obsessive man, making around 15 cuvees each vintage--all of which are unique in their own right. the bourgogne blanc we’re tasting comes from an old vine, single parcel.

wines (shipping not included):

pierre boisson bourgogne blanc 2018 $37

sylvain pataille bourgogne blanc ‘méchalots’ 2016 $32

drink nice(r): southern rhone

when: friday 1/29 @ 6pm est or 3pm pacific 

what: if the northern rhone is defined by notes and flavors that tend toward the savory, the southern rhone is best known for wines that offer an abundance of fruit. while the terroir of each region is totally different, so are the grapes, and for this tasting, we’ll be focusing on wines dominated by grenache. 

chateauneuf-du-pape is the pride and joy of the southern rhone. here you’ll primarily find blends that can be composed of up to 13 different grapes. sunshine dominates this land, so ripeness is always a key attribute when describing wines this far south. thus, it is up to the winemaker to tame this ripeness, in an effort to craft a balanced and harmonious wine.

gigondas is a lesser known, nearby village, again focusing on grenache, but blended with less grapes--generally, mourvedre and syrah. when we talk about garrigue as it pertains to wine, gigondas is often exactly what we mean. as a whole, these wines are consistently surprising when it comes to quality and value. 

wines (shipping not included):

olivier & lafont chateauneuf-du-pape ombres et lumieres  $34

domaine du cayron gigondas 2018  $30

drink nice(r): the unusual suspects

when: friday 1/22 @ 6pm est or 3pm pacific 

what: without a doubt, piedmont’s most recognized appellations are barbaresco and barolo. and while both are worthy of the world’s praise, the problem with this is that the neighboring regions go all but unnoticed. 

roero is one such region, best known for the white grape variety, arneis. many associate piedmont, as a whole, with red wine, and, to be fair, nebbiolo does reign king. however, arneis is capable of producing spectacular wine, partly because the land it is grown in is ripe for terroir-driven expressions. 

boca is likely a word few have heard of though some of piedmont’s most enticing wines are made here. we are now in alto piemonte, a region that sits amongst the majestic italian alps. altitude is a primary influence  (these are called mountain wines for a reason), as are ancient volcanic soils. while nebbiolo is the main grape, its personality is wholly unique.

wines (shipping not included):

giovanni almondo roero arneis bricco delle ciliegle 2019  $19.50

vallana boca 2016  $26.50

drink nice(r): south of burgundy

when: friday 1/15 @ 6pm est or 3pm pacific 

what: the south of burgundy is almost wholly ignored, primarily because it is in the north that we find the most long-lived reputations. however, the times (and temperatures) have now fully changed  and many of the region’s most heralded producers have now set their sights on this forgotten land. 

in truth, the south has never had an easy run. organization and representation were never their collective strong suits, so they have always had trouble establishing themselves as a quality-driven locale. Part of the shift that we see today has to do with well-known producers seeking affordable land. In this pursuit, they have earnestly investigated this land and have witnessed its full potential. 

we’ll be tasting two white wines from exemplary producers (aubert de villaine and dominique lafon), who both made a name for themselves in the north but are also now showcasing the beauty of the south. 

wines (shipping not included):

domaine de villaine bouzeron aligoté 2018  $36

les héritiers du comte lafon mâcon-bussieres ‘le monsard’ 2018  $30

drink nice(r): crozes vs cornas

when: friday 1/8 @ 6pm est or 3pm pacific 

*brooklyn: orders sent by sunday will receive free shipping*

*manhattan: orders sent by monday will receive free shipping*

what: syrah from the northern rhone is a wine like none other. the aromatics range from black and purple fruits to scents that are reminiscent of smoked bacon fat. similarly, the palate possesses a mineral freshness juxtaposed with overtly savory characteristics. because of these seemingly opposite poles, these are wines that consistently beguile the senses.

crozes-hermitage is best known for wines that can be rather bulky, primarily because a majority of these vineyards are planted on relatively flat land, as opposed to on the slopes. however, one producer in particular has always been able to cull an aspect of finesse from this region--namely, alain graillot. 

cornas, which is located just down river albeit on the opposite side, is arguably more prestigious in nature, though leaning toward the side of syrah that is wild. a handful of northern rhone legends are located here, crafting wines of impressive poise and ageability. vincent paris is one such producer and is fortunate enough to work with some of the best sites in cornas. 

wines (shipping not included):

alain graillot crozes-hermitage 2018  $35.99

vincent paris cornas granit 30 2017 $34.99

drink nice(r): burgundian beaujolais

when: friday 12/11 @ 6pm est

what: we’ve talked a fair amount about beaujolais over the past year and that’s simply because it is a region that continually overperforms. however, we have yet to speak about two producers who have been a driving force behind quality and, thus, prestige. 

jean-louis dutraive (domaine de la grand’cour)  is likely best associated with the ‘burgundian’ side of beaujolais in that, as his wines mature, they become more and more like pinot noir. they are consistently elegant, graceful and precise, though rather scarce in terms of quantity. 

alain coudert (clos de la roilette) represents the grandeur of gamay. these wines are a bit richer, though by no means opulent, and unafraid of pushing the grape to its absolute limits. coudert’s style is different from the rest--while minerality is certainly present, there is also brilliant depth in each of his cuveés. we are tasting the estate’s top bottling which is capable of aging like a fine burg. 

wines (shipping not included):

jean-louis dutraive ‘domaine de la grand’cour’ brouilly 2018 ~$31

alain coudert fleurie ‘clos de la roilette’ griffe du marquis 2018 ~$34

drink nice(r): galicia

when: friday 11/13 @ 6pm est

what: there are few regions in the world that compare to the splendor of galicia. located in northwestern spain and likely best known for albariño, the terroir here is actually quite diverse. from ocean vineyards, to mountainous terrain, to slopes as steep as any in the mosel--galicia seems to have a little bit of everything. they also have a handful of revolutionary producers who are set on making world class wine. we will taste two such winemakers: luis rodriguez from ribeiro and alberto orte from valdeorras. if you’re not a big spanish drinker, these two will guaranteed change your mind. 

wines (shipping not included):

luis rodriguez ribeiro ‘a teixo’ blanco 2016 ~$35

escalada do sil valdeorras ~$35

drink nice(r): the master's apprentice

when: friday 11/6 @ 6pm pacific/9pm est

what: it is sometimes the case that the apprentice outpaces the master. in the wine world, this occurs all the time. and while it doesn’t necessarily have to be a competition, it is always exciting to see the student shine in his or her own unique manner. 

romain guiberteau began his illustrious career at the legendary clos rougeard. after his own apprenticeship, he went on to take over his family’s domaine, eventually elevating it to a world-class estate.

a few decades later, brendan stater-west, an american, finds himself working in a parisian retail shop where he is introduced to the wines of guiberteau. shortly after, he reaches out and lands a job at the winery--the rest is history. 

we will taste both domaine guiberteau and brendan stater-west’s wines side by side.

wines (shipping not included):

domaine guiberteau saumur 2014/2018 ~$28

brendan stater-west saumur chapaudaises 2015 ~$35

drink nice(r): the punk rock of slyvaner

when: friday 10/30 @ 6pm est

what: sylvaner is likely a grape you’ve never encountered before. it finds its home in germany’s franken, where there’s really just one producer who continually crafts mind blowing iterations of the varietal. stefan vetter (no relation to pearl jam, thank god) is a quiet man intrigued by the textural complexity and nuance of the old-vine sylvaner he farms. comparisons to chardonnay or chenin blanc are certainly accurate, however vetter’s wines exist in their own universe. he is literally carving a new path in this land, making his own rules along the way.  

stephen bitterolf will help us explore vetter’s poetic landscape by leading us through two of his most impressive bottlings. 

wines (shipping not included):

vetter sylvaner muschelkalk 2017 $38

vetter sylvaner sandstein 2017 $38

drink nice(r): the judgement of syrah

when: friday 10/23 @ 6pm pacific/9pm est 

what: if you’ve heard about the judgment of paris then you already know that california and france have been wine battling for decades. the original tasting was focused upon cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay--for our purposes, we will be delving into the world of syrah. 

more specifically, we will taste two benchmark producers from each country: pax, whose bottling comes from the north coast and jamet, a legendary all-star located in the northern rhone. our intention is not necessarily to seek the best expression, but rather to see the beauty in each.

wines (shipping not included):

pax north coast syrah $28-32 (dependent upon location) 

jamet vdp collines rhodaniennes 2018 ~$35

drink nice(r): grenache vs syrah

when: friday 10/16 @ 6pm est

what: to put it rather simplistically, grenache is southern france’s most cherished grape. it plays a large role in prestigious appellations such as chateauneuf-du-pape, but also in lesser known regions, like the languedoc. due to this terroir diversity, grenache comes in many different styles but they all have the capacity to intrigue and enamor.

syrah, too, can be found in the south of france, but its birthplace is the northern rhone. it is here that the varietal flourishes, capable of consistently competing with the world’s top wines. the aromas range from the fresh and fruity to the savory and smoky, effectively making for a combination that is wholly unique. 

we will taste two producers who are crafting honest expressions of each varietal. 

wines (shipping not included):

clos du rouge gorge cotes de catalanes 'jeunes vignes' 2015 $38

julien cecillon st. joseph 'babylone' 2017 $39

drink nice(r): bargain burgundy

when: friday 10/9 @ 6pm pacific

what: domaine goisot is almost unfairly ignored in wine critic circles. for all intents and purposes, the estate is located in chablis, however due to legal stipulations, goisot cannot attach itself to the region. thus, it lies in relative obscurity, which means: very well priced!

not all bourgognes are made equally. some are composed of the remnants of leftover juice, while others are crafted with the intention to live a decade or longer. jean-marc pillot’s bourgogne is just that—a wine that can compete with others thrice its price.

wines (shipping not included):

guilhem et jean-hugues goisot bourgogne côtes d'auxerre 2017 $27
jean-marc pillot bourgogne rouge les grandes terres 2018 $30

drink nice(r): the magic of spain

when: friday 9/25 @ 6pm pacific UPDATED

what: for the past decade, spanish wine has been growing through a reformation. the days of big brooding wines are behind us and in their place are expressions of freshness and terroir. we will taste two exemplary producers that showcase all that ‘new spain’ has to offer. we can source and deliver both bottles, you need only to sign up.

wines:

envínate táganan blanco 2018 $30 + tax
4 monos gr-10 tinto $23 + tax

drink nice(r): THE rivalry

when: friday, september 11th @ 6pm est

what: say the name ‘yvon métras’ anywhere near a wine geek and his or her ears will immediately perk up. the wines are known across the world as near perfect iterations of beaujolais and the man, himself, has played a major role in the region’s success. less talked about is yvon’s son, jules, who is really starting to make a name for himself. we will be tasting two wines, one from yvon and one from jules, in an effort to see this rivalry play out before our very eyes.

wines:

yvon métras beaujolais 'deuxieme mise' 2018 $39
jules métras chiroubles ‘la montagne’ 2018 $39

drink nice(r): german for burgundy

when: friday 9/4 @ 6pm est
what: 'german pinot noir' is likely three words you've never uttered successively. however, they should be. though, still relatively on the fringes of popular wine culture, germany's spätburgunder (their word for pinot noir) deserves all the praise and more. the wines are impossibly delicious yet sell for far less than they are actually worth. possessing the intricacies of burgundy, yet embracing the identity of germany, these pinots make a compelling argument for one of the most interesting wines on the market today. the revered stepehen bitterolf (vom Boden) will lead our journey through two benchmark bottlings.

wines:

enderle & moll pinot noir basis 2018 $23
stein spätburgunder kabinett trocken 2018 $39

drink nice(r): new wave bordeaux

when: friday 8/28 @ 6pm est

what: today, bordeaux is going through a renaissance of sorts. gone are the days of old, stuffy attitudes and here to stay is an innovative atmosphere, open to experimentation and exploration. for instance, many of these youthful-minded estates are wholly biodynamic and interested in all types of aging vessels. we will taste two producers that exemplify this new wave.

wines:

chateau cartier saint-emilion 2016 $30
clos puy arnaud 'les ormeaux' 2015 $31

master class: santa rita hills

when: saturday 8/22 @ 5pm est

what: some of the most exciting wines in the world are being made in santa barbara. while to the outsider, this region may seem nothing more than a beautiful beach town, the reality is far more complex. for one, the climate is moderate enough where grapes have the opportunity to thrive if tended to correctly. for another, the soil composition can often mimic samples taken from europe's famous wine-growing regions (think: burgundy and champagne). we will explore two vineyards, both from the santa rita hills and both from the 2014 vintage. 

wines:

sandhi la cote pinot noir 2014 $45 (currently unavailable in the us)
sandhi rinconada pinot noir 2014 $45 (currently unavailable in the us)

drink nice(r): cali vs oregon

when: friday 8/21 @ 6pm est

what: pinot noir in america is at its best when grown in either california or oregon. this likely isn't a surprise to many of you, as examples of these wines are widely available. however, what may be of more interest is the similarities and differences between the two. we will be tasting pinot noir from both the santa rita hills in santa barbara as well as the eola-amity hills in oregon. both wines were sourced directly from the estates and are meant specifically for this event.

wines:

evening land vineyards pinot noir 'brasserie 19' 2014 $25
lompoc wine co. pinot noir sta. rita hills 2013 $25

master class: dauvissat-camus

when: saturday 8/15 @ 5pm est

what: vincent dauvissat is a master of chablis (some might even say THE master). his wines exist as benchmark iterations of the grape and the region, though they have become increasingly difficult to source. the petit chablis plot is situated directly above the grand cru site, les clos, sharing the same southern exposure. rarely do we get to try two vintages side by side, so i jumped on the opportunity. SEATS ARE LIMITED.

wines:

dauvissat-camus petit chablis 2016 $45
dauvissat-camus petit chablis 2017 $45