This Week's News: To Our Loving Customers and Friends: We will be CLOSED This Sunday, August 1st for a much-needed Family Day 
Thank you very much for your continued support and understanding, we appreciate it! –Andrea, Elisabeth, and the Team * * * Wines of the Week: 
2020 Alphonse Mellot La Moussiere Sancerre Pinot Noir Rose Normally $37.99–$32.29 15% Off This Week ONLY! NV Tenute Dettori Renosu Triple A Italia Cannonau Red Blend Normally $27.99–$23.79 15% Off This Week ONLY! * * * About the Wines of the Week: 2020 Alphonse Mellot La Moussiere Sancerre Pinot Noir Rose Normally $37.99–$32.29 15% Off This Week ONLY!  .jpg)
About the Winery The Mellot family originally gained recognition back in 1698 because César Mellot was appointed as Wine Advisor to Louis XIV. Today, this century old winemaking tradition is perpetuated by Alphonse Mellot, father and son, the 18th and 19th to bear the name. The wines are produced from the upper Sancerre vineyard, the Domaine La Moussière. Its exceptional quality has led to it being officially classified as a unique category amongst the Sancerre wines. The Domaine comprises one single vineyard of over thirty hectares. Its ideally exposed location on the south-western tip of Sancerre, its chalk soil and its specific sub-soil are all perfect conditions for the cultivation of the vine. The terroirs of Domaine la Moussière are a true gift. This is the only way in which each wine will develop different mineral characteristics, thus constituting a "memory catalogue" of the soil and climatic conditions. This makes tasting so much more enriching and the wine itself becomes a real work of art. The cellars at La Moussière, built between the 15th and 17th century, are situated right at the heart of the historic town of Sancerre. 
About the Wine The vineyard is trained in both organic and biodynamic vine growing. This Rose Sancerre is produced from the noble grape Pinot Noir on 1.8 hectare, planted for this purpose thirty years ago! Made like a white wine (gentle press, free-run juice only); fine, salmon-pink color, white pepper and red berries bouquet, smooth, fresh, focused finish, aged eight months in conical woo vats, full malo, certified biodynamic. * * * NV Tenute Dettori Renosu Triple A Italia Cannonau Red Blend Normally $27.99–$23.79 15% Off This Week ONLY!  
About the Winery To make natural wine is not a trend for Alessandro Dettori, but rather the soul of his family’s work since 1860. Alessandro was just a boy of 12 when he began to work with his grandfather. In Romangia, the region of northern Sardegna that includes Sorso and Sennori, the vineyards have been so prized from ancient times that they were consistently protected from destruction during various conflicts, including by Napoleon. The terrain is more rugged in the North; it is a form of meditation for Alessandro to observe the hawks that wheel above his mountain walks. Sheep and wild boar are part of the area’s biodiversity, and the vineyard rows are home to aromatic herbs and indigenous berries that attract pollinators. Dettori has 26 hectares under vine, many of them more than 100 years old. With alluvial limestone and gravel so similar to that of the Southern Rhone, the soil in Romangia is often compared to that of Chateau Rayas. This brings us to the usual questions: is cannonau grenache? Yes and no. Historical mentions of cannonau predate all records of France’s grenache. French grenache was certainly eventually brought in, and did very well. There were certainly crossings and clonal variation over time, but Dettori’s vines, over 100 years old, represent the original, ancient cannonau. The ancient clone is distinguished by particular flavors and aromas of herbs and cola. In terms of the preservation of indigenous grapes, Alessandro is equally devoted to Vermentino. Alessandro, with his quiet, professorial mien, can talk about Vermentino for hours, and he sits on the Vermentino tasting board. He shares his love of history with his wife, who works at an Etruscan Museum. Not looking to impress anyone, Alessandro is a family man who simply carries the torch of Dettori’s history. His Demeter-certified wines are unfiltered and unfined, and Alessandro gives much support to all the small producers who seek to make quality wine on this singular island. 
About the Wine “Renosu” means sand, referring to the sandy vineyard area near the coastline. Sitting between 131-820 feet in elevation, the vines for this wine are situated on top of sandy soils with gravel, limestone, sandstone, clay and alluvial deposits. Hand-harvested with a six days skin maceration. The wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation and three months of aging in cement tanks before bottling. No filtration and no stabilization. When poured, this wine exhibits dark red cherry hues followed by bright notes of baked blackberries and raspberries popping out of the glass. Layers of fragrant notes such as black tea leaf and star anise, with a hint of aged leather mingle with juiciness in this medium-bodied red. Zesty and mouth watering on the lingering finish. 2,125 cases produced. * * * Also Tasting Today: 2020 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco White Blend $27.99  
About the Winery Tenuta delle Terre Nere is the fruit of over 30 years of passion and work in the world of fine wine. The estate is located in the northern slopes of the volcano, with vineyards between the village of Solicchiata and the town of Randazzo, the area historically recognized as the finest in the appellation for fine red wines. The property consists of over 30 hectars, divided into 10 parcels in four crus, with a total vineyard surface of 27 hectars, which we mean to enlarge to 30-32 hectars. Except for 6 hectars recently planted, the rest are between 50 and 100 years old. One parcel, having survived phylloxera, has reached the venerable age of 130-140 years old. The soils differ very much from cru to cru, and even within the crus themselves. The same is true of the altitudes, the vineyards ranging between 600 and 1000 meters above sea level. 
About the Wine 60% Carricante, 25% Catarratto, 10% Grecanico, 5% Minnella from vineyards located on the northern slopes of the Etna volcano at 600-900 meters above sea level. After harvest at the beginning of October, the grapes go through a soft pressing and low temperature fermentation in stainless steel. 
Critical Acclaim “The moment I put my nose to the glass, I questioned if this was just the entry-level 2020 Etna Bianco. Crushed stone and sea shells give way to nectarine, mint and a hint of vanilla bean to create a wildly attractive and Burgundian bouquet. On the palate, this speaks more in whispers, soft and subtle yet pleasantly sweet, contrasting ripe orchard fruits against vibrant acidity, and with gobs of minerality that sneakily collect toward the close. The medium-long finish is clean and refreshing, as hints of raw almond and pretty inner florals slowly taper off. This blend of 60% Carricante, 25% Catarratto, 10% Grecanico and 5% Minnella shines bright in the 2020 vintage.”–Eric Guido, Vinous * * * Cocktail Recipe of the Week: 
Summer Red Sangria Ingredients:
1 bottle Punto Final Mendoza Malbec
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 orange, sliced
1 apple, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 12-ounce can seltzer Directions: Macerate fruit for 20 minutes: Mix the sangria fruit with sugar and let it macerate or stand at room temperature and break down. This helps the fruit flavors permeate the wine even more.
Add the red wine, orange juice, seltzer, and brandy. Throw in some lemon slices.
Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours. This allows the flavors to meld and develop. Voila! It’s ready to serve. We hope you’ll find it’s the most authentic, best sangria flavor you can make at home. Cheers and Enjoy! * * * Snack of the Week: .jpg)
Brebirousse D'Argental An ooey-gooey wonder sure to please any crowd, with a creamy paste that threatens to run free of its annatto-tinged rind. Luscious and silky enough for brie-lovers, sheepy and full-flavored enough for the most adventurous palate, its bright orange rind refuses to be ignored, but its delicate sweetness balances the buttery intensity with aplomb. Made in Lyon, France, of pure pasteurized sheep milk--richer and creamier than cow's milk--Brebirousse (literally: red sheep) is everything we could want in a cheese: savory, creamy, nutty and complex. Play up savory notes with thick slices of ham on crusty baguette, tease out the milky sweetness with dried apricots, or enhance the intensity with a dollop of earthy chestnut honey, alongside a glass of bubbly cava. * * * | 
