Wines of the Week: 
2020 Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon Villages Chardonnay Normally $29.99–$25.49 15% Off This Week ONLY! 2017 Domaine Baron Thenard Les Bois Chevaux Premier Cru Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir Normally $37.99–$32.29 15% Off This Week ONLY!
* * * About the Wines of the Week: 2020 Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon Villages Chardonnay Normally $29.99–$25.49 15% Off This Week ONLY!
 
About the Winery Founded in 1999 by Dominique Lafon, Héritiers du Comte Lafon is his trailblazing, biodynamic Mâconnais domaine. These world class Chardonnay display what this magical region is capable of producing. Historically, the Mâconnais was known for industrially farmed, volume driven wines. Dominique was the first Cote d’Or producer to invest in the immense potential hidden in those rolling hills by buying higher altitude, old vine parcels with the intent of letting this beautiful terroir (perhaps the most picturesque wine region in the world) reach its full potential. He started by converting all of the vineyards to biodynamic farming –the Lafon way! Early on, he strived to preserve the fruit and minerality of the region by using only larger, neutral wood for the aging of the wines. His belief and passion for the region has made Héritiers a towering beacon for fine wine in the previously overlooked Chardonnay mecca. In 2006, he appointed longtime apprentice Caroline Gon as head winemaker of the domaine. Under her tireless and inspired leadership, the gospel of quality Mâconnais is spreading far and wide, with a clear and definitive voice. 
About the Wine Considered one of the finest winemakers in France, Dominique Lafon produces some of the most coveted white Burgundies. He strongly believes in the potential in Maconnais where he has been making terroir-driven wines since 1999. Coming from 30+ year old biodynamically farmed Chardonnay, the vineyard site sits about 650 feet above sea level with deep clay soils on a limestone bed. This Macon-Villages is fleshy, with a melange of citrus, melon and mineral aromas and flavors, a bright profile and good persistence. * * * 2017 Domaine Baron Thenard Les Bois Chevaux Premier Cru Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir Normally $37.99–$32.29 15% Off This Week ONLY!  
About the Winery Domaine Baron Thénard is a magical place to visit. From the outside, the cellar looks like an old barn; the roof is near the ground and when you open the door, you immediately descend the slippery stone steps into the cellar. The cellar dates from the eighteenth century— it's dark, damp, and cold— a perfect place to age wine. At the bottom of the steps, you are in a large room that houses the gigantic open top wooden fermenters that are still used for the red wines. Owner Jean-Baptiste Bordeaux-Montrieux does not know how old the fermenters are, perhaps 100 years old save the leaky stave that may be replaced from time to time. Sometimes in this room, you might see a barrel or fifteen(!) of Montrachet stacked up on the side. As you wind through the cellar, you find a very old press that is centuries old (no longer in use). There is a room for aging whites - Givry Blanc from the Clos du Cellier aux Moines and again, more Montrachet. Another room is used for aging the reds, it's full of foudres and barrels. Within all of those barrels and foudres you will mostly find Givry. The domaine has eighteen hectares total in Givry that are spread over three 1er Cru, the Clos du Cellier aux Moines, Clos Saint Pierre, and the Bois Chevaux. The domaine also has just under five hectares in the Cote d'Or: Premier Cru Clos St. Jean in Chassagne, Iles des Vergelesses in Pernand, Grand Cru Clos du Roi in Corton, Les Grands Échezeaux in Flagey, and they are the second largest owner of Le Montrachet at one and four-fifths hectares. Even with the excellent holdings throughout Burgundy, the heart of the domaine has remained in Givry. The Bois Chevaux is located mid-slope and is also east-facing. Jean-Baptiste Bordeaux-Montrieux has been running the domaine from the 1980's and the wines have always been made in a very traditional method: fermented in wood tonneau barrels for two weeks, punched-down by foot twice a day, then aged in barrel for twelve to eighteen months (five percent new oak on the premier crus), and only very lightly filtered if necessary. Fermentations start spontaneously and go at their own pace, sometimes lasting months. The amount of new oak has been dialed back on the Montrachet and averages fifty percent from the 2010 vintage. The Boix Chevaux is a fifty-fifty mix of foudres and barrels. 
About the Wine The 1er Cru Bois Chevaux sits mid-slope, facing east below the Clos Saint Pierre (monopole of Thenard) in a red, iron-rich soil. The vines are sixty to eighty years-old. Grapes are destemmed and fermentation (spontaneous, natural yeasts) takes place in large, wooden open top fermenters that are more than 100 years old. Aging takes place in large foudres and barrels, no new oak on this cuvee. Barrels are kept for approximately seven years. The foudres are very old. These wines represent a very old-style of Burgundy that you find less and less: delicate and light in color, smell like forest floor, have bright and beautiful acidity, and a measured amount of fruitiness to them. If you want to collect wines on a budget, these are beautiful options. * * * Also Tasting Today: 2018 Martinelli Winery Vigneto di Evo Russian River Valley Zinfandel $37.99  
About the Winery The Martinelli family has been growing grapes in the Russian River Valley since 1887. At the ages of 19 and 16, Giuseppe Martinelli and Luisa Vellutini left their small village in the Tuscany region of Italy and made their way to California looking for land to farm and start a winery. Giuseppe had been a winemaker in Italy and with his viticultural knowledge he was hired to plant a vineyard for a farmer in Forestville. 100 years later, the historic Martinelli Estate vineyards are farmed by Lee Martinelli, Sr., and sons Lee, Jr. and George Martinelli. The wines are made by winemaker Bryan Kvamme. These handcrafted wines are unfined, unfiltered, neither cold nor heat stabilized and may contain naturally occurring sediment. 
About the Wine This wine is a barrel-blend from select Martinelli single vineyard zinfandel sites: Jackass, Vellutini, Lolita and Giuseppe & Luisa. The Vellutini, Lolita and Giuseppe & Luisa vineyards were planted with cuttings from our 135 year-old Jackass Zinfandel clones. These vineyards are grown in cool regions of the Russian River Valley, allowing the deeper, dark flavors to develop in the grapes versus black pepper, characteristic of warmer vineyard sites. It is named for Evo Martinelli, who was raised on Martinelli Road. He was Lee Sr.'s first cousin, the son of Fred Martinelli. Evo gave Lee Sr. one of his first jobs out of the vineyard and instilled the importance of going to college in him as a young man. The Vigneto di Evo Zinfandel has a nose of bright cherry, notes of dusty herb, and black licorice. The palate develops into rich red cherry, spice and raspberry. The 2018 season was much calmer than 2017, due to the absence of extra rain and heat spikes experienced in 2017. The moderate temperatures in the spring and summer allowed for a longer growing season and full flavor development. There was plenty of water in the soil to carry the clusters through the long growing season with minimal dehydration. The first day of harvest in 2018 was September 10th, compared with an August 26th start in 2017. It was nice that the production crew could enjoy the Labor Day holiday right before the long hours and hard work of harvest began. * * * Cocktail Recipe of the Week: 
Spiced Pear Moscow Mule Ingredients: 2 ounces Claremont Vodka
1.5 ounces spiced pear simple syrup
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
4 ounces ginger beer
Pear slice and cinnamon stick to garnish 1 cup pear juice
Ingredients for Pear Syrup: 1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 pear, diced Directions for Pear Syrup: In a small pan, add the pear juice, sugar, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, allspice, and diced pear. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. The liquid should be slightly thickened. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and allow to cool. Directions for cocktail: Begin by filling your mug with ice. Add the vodka, spiced pear simple syrup, and lime juice. Top with ginger beer. Stir to combine. Garnish with a pear slice and cinnamon stick. Cheers and Enjoy! * * * Snack of the Week: 
Eli Zabar’s EAT Toasted Parmesan Crisps Eli Zabar's famously savory crisps are made from his most popular breads and go with just about everything, especially Eli's cheeses. In his restaurants, Eli often serves them with soups and salads and in big baskets at the wine bar at his restaurants. * * * | 
