Tonight's Lineup: 
2017 Domaine Andre Neveu Le Manoir Vieilles Vignes Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc $32.99   About the Winery The Neveu family, viticulteurs father and son, have been based in the heart of the Chavignol vineyards for generations, and today carry on the tradition of the great Sancerrois vignerons. Valérie (André Neveu’s daughter), and her husband Thomas, now run the domaine that extends to about 13 hectares of vines of AOC Sancerre red, white and rosé. They harvest, vinify and sell everything themselves. Silex is a very hard sedimentary rock, that gives smoky aromas. The soil gives way for a mineral flavor that develops over the years. This stony and limestone soil produces elegant and fruity wines that are very pleasant when drunk young or for making more structured wines, good for long ageing. .jpeg)
About the Wine From the Sauvignon Blanc grape whose vines are planted on the Sancerre hillside, a terroir composed exclusively of Silex. Produced from 50 year old vines planted on a limestone pebble soil, this wine gives intense aromas, a pleasing roundness, and length in the mouth. With an incomparable color, fruity and refreshing, this is a worthy Sancerre. Powerful, the aromas as varied as they are classic: stone fruits are well represented, with hints of limestone and minerality. The mouthfeel is elegant and supple. A good balance between roundness and freshness shows on the mid-palate. Clean and lively on the finish, the persistent retro-olfaction has fruity notes of apricot and peach, this is a white Sancerre with a forthright character. 2016 Mas de Boislauzon Les Deux Chênes Cotes du Rhone Villages Grenache $22.99   About the Winery Daniel and Christine CHAUSSY, brother and sister working together, are the 5th generation (following on from their mother) to run Mas de Boislauzon. They are always looking to make improvements while respecting tradition and the vines. The domaine is in the north of the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation: it takes in 10 hectares (23 acres) in Chateauneuf du Pape and 18 hectares (40 acres) in Cotes du Rhone Villages, split up into 30 parcels. These plots have clay-limestone soils covered with large pebbles, including the ones it the Cotes du Rhone Villages appellation wich border the Chateauneuf du Pape zone. Daniel follows the principles of sustainable grape-farming, favoring tilling the soil, de-budding, green-harvesting, leaf-removal and letting the weeds grow. Picking is done by hand with very fussy bunch-sorting for both the estate’s appellations. .jpeg)
About the Wine Manual harvesting, sorting on the plot. No stems, no yeast. Traditional vinification with temperature control. Wine aging in a tank. "Les deux Chênes", meaning "The Two Oaks", is an image that appears on all Mas de Boislauzon packaging is a sketch of the two oaks trees on the property that mark the actual border limits of the Côtes du Rhône Villages and Châteauneuf du Pape appellations. When poured, notes of herbs, spice and earthiness are well accompanied by black fruits and licorice. The texture on this wine leaves you wanting more; the medium-bodied juice has a chewiness to it, that is mouth-filling and with with firm structure yet not overwhelming. Flavors of truffle, dark fruits, and peppery herbs intertwine themselves throughout until an everlasting finish. This wine over delivers vintage after vintage! 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan 2014 Marion Valpolicella Cabernet Sauvignon $39.99  
About the Winery It is an idyllic, classic approach to the winery: down a long drive spiked with tall, thin Cypress trees, surrounded by vineyards. The Campedelli residence, at the end of the drive, is large and stately. It should be, for beginning in the 15th century it was the noble residence of the Counts Marioni. The surrounding vineyards are verdant, lovingly cared for, stunning. One of the things that distinguishes the appellation of Valpolicella from neighboring Soave is this calcareous terroir, so different from Soave’s volcanic bedrock, and the soil is almost white with calcareous material. The older vines, up to 60 years old, are planted in the traditional pergola, in which the canopy is trained overhead on crossing wooden and wire supports. The younger vines, those planted by Stefano and his wife Nicoletta in the early 90s, are planted to guyot, which produces more reliably lower yields and is easier to manage. The philosophy of the estate is to make beautiful, drinkable wines from the healthiest, most balanced fruit possible. Healthy fruit is procured from healthy vineyards: all the technical wizardry in the world won’t change the fact that most of the really important work happens in the vineyards, where the goal is perfect grapes. Therefore, Stefano and Nicoletta are passionate viticulturists, and practice minimal intervention in the cellar; that said, the quality of the barrels is of utmost importance, and Stefano uses the best. But apart from some small experimental trials, Marion avoids barrique, in favor of 500L barili (called tonneaux in France) each almost exclusively of Slavonian oak. .jpeg)
About the Wine The vineyards grow on gently sloping hills facing from north to south in the foothills of the Marcellise valley some 100 meters above sea level. Chalk with a little clay and stones; organic fertilization every four years, using microelements as required. The grapes are harvested manually. Part of the grapes are partially dried for approx. 30-40 days in boxes in well-ventilated rooms. A further part is left on the vines until it reaches super-ripeness, then harvested and pressed. The wines obtained are aged separately in 350 liter oak barrels from Slavonia for about 30 months. Then it is blended and bottled. 
Critical Acclaim “The hottest winery in Veneto? Well, there are several. But one of them is without question Marion... The wines reflect the artisan side of Valpolicella and are loaded with personality. These remain some of the finest handcrafted wines readers will find in all of Italy.”–Antonio Galloni * * * Cocktail Recipe of the Week: Gina's Super Bowl Punch 
Ingredients: 1 Liter Tito’s Handmade Vodka Three 12-ounce Bottles Modelo Especial or Corona Extra Three 6-ounce containers frozen limeade, thawed Three 1-liter bottles club soda 3 limes, sliced into wheels Ice, for serving Lime wedges, for garnish Directions: Add the vodka, beer, limeade, and club soda to a large serving container and mix well Add lime wheels and pour into tall tumblers filled with ice Garnish each glass with a lime wedge and serve * * * Snack of the Week: Murray's Mini Brie  When the mushroomy, garlicky intensity of Fromage de Meaux is more than you want, pasteurized French Brie offers a creamy and mild, buttery flavor familiar to all who have purchased most other well-known brands. This one is a true double creme 60% brie, meaning it is 60% butterfat in dry matter (but 100% brie). Sturdy and economical enough for baking in pastry or slicing for artsy sammies. Light bodied, fruity whites are best for pairing. * * * |
