​Vera Vinho Verde ($10.99)
Minho, Portugal
From the distibutor:
"A joint effort by wine impresarios Rui Abecassis and Bruce Schneider, Vera Vinho Verde is one of our most exciting acquisitions in recent years. The wine is made at Casa do Valle by Luis Duarte, one of Portugal’s preeminent vignerons. Boasting zippy freshness over a base of minerality, this is surely the most “serious” Vinho Verde that we have encountered and one that will serve as a perfect thirst quencher through summer and beyond.
-60% Arinto, 30% Azal and 10% Loureiro
-From select blocks of Casa do Valle’s main estate vineyard
-The vines are between 10 and 15 years old
-The average elevation is 300 meters
-Soil is granitic sandy loam

Clean, lively flavors of lime, ripe pink and yellow grapefruit. Slight effervescence."

From me:
The first time I had Vinho Verde, I thought to myself, "what is happening in my mouth?" Its hint of effervescence and bright acidity just gives it a great "zing." This is perfect hot weather wine with enough mineral lift to make it truly thirst-quenching.

Colimoro Pinot Grigio ($13.50)
Alto Adige, Italy
From the producer:
"Winemaking:
Hand-harvested the first week of September during
the early morning hours. The grapes are gently
pressed and undergo a cold-soak in stainless steel
tanks. Fermentation takes place at low temperatures
over 10-15 days. Partial malolactic occurs. The wine
was fined with bentonite and lightly filtered before
bottling.
Aging:
2-3 weeks on a small amount of lees in stainless steel
tanks followed by 3 months in bottle

Tasting Notes:
Intense and clearly defined flavors of stone fruit such as pear and white peach. Ripe melon aromas are present. All are accented by elegant floral aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle. Full-bodied, with great balance, length, and Golden Delicious apple flavors on the finish.
Pour this wine for all occasions within 2-3 years of the vintage. Best with light fare such as salads, seafood, and creamy pasta dishes. Serve well-chilled."

From me:
This is the wine I sell instead of Santa Margherita; it's very similar in style, but I think this is better quality, and at half the price, it's a great buy. I like my Pinot Grigio to have a little more heft and character, which this does. Partial malolactic fermentation gives it body and richness, while the acidity keeps it fresh on the palate. This is great for sipping, but its robustness makes it versatile for pairing with light to medium fare.

Saveurs du Temps Rosé ($11.99)
Costières de Nîmes, France
From the producer:
"Intense nose of red fruit, raspberries, and blackberries. Ample and generous on the palate. Pairs well with white and grilled meats.
Grapes: 75% Grenache, 25% Syrah
Soil: colluvium clay and limestone
Age of Vines: 20 Years Old
Altitude: 80 m above sea level
Fermentation: cold maceration in stainless steel
Aging: in stainless steel
Production: 300,000 bottles per year"

From me:
This wine really appealed to me, in part because Costières de Nîmes wines are, in general, very good values for the quality, and because it's got a little more character than some of the other southern French rosés. The fruit from the Grenache is very strong, but the Syrah balances it out with some structure and dryness. This is a lovely wine to drink on its own, but it can stand up to a heartier meal as well. I daresay this is a year-round rosé.

​Vivanco White Rioja ($11.99)
Rioja, Spain
From the producer:
"Vivanco Viura-Tempranillo Blanco-Maturana Blanca. The first wine in Rioja, and in the whole world, to be made with this unique blend. Using traditional Viura as a basis and main variety (50%), the wine includes, for the first time, two minority grapes which are exclusive to Rioja: Tempranillo Blanco and Maturana Blanca. The three varieties come from estate-owned vineyards grown by the Vivanco family in different terroirs across Rioja.

GRAPE VARIETIES

50% VIURA: The main white grape variety grown in Rioja, it produces fruity wines with floral aromas and remarkable acidity, ideal for making both young and aged whites. Our Viura vineyards are located in Briones, Rioja Alta.

35% TEMPRANILLO BLANCO: This grape variety comes from a natural genetic mutation found in a single cane of a red Tempranillo vine, discovered in an old vineyard in Murillo de Río Leza (La Rioja) in 1988. It has a fruity, intense aroma of bananas, citrus fruit and tropical fruit with floral notes. It does not exist anywhere else in the world.

15% MATURANA BLANCA: It is the oldest grape variety to have a written record in Rioja, being mentioned in a text dating to 1622. Maturana Blanca wines are a greenish yellow, with fruity aromas of apples, bananas and citrus fruit underscored by grassy notes. It does not exist anywhere else in the world.
 
Tempranillo blanco and Maturana Blanca, an indigenous, minority white grapes that are exclusive to the DOCa Rioja. Bodegas Vivanco is a pioneer in the use of this grapes varieties, which gives this white wine a unique personality.

VINEYARDS
Estate-owned vineyards in Briones, Rioja Alta (Viura, Tempranillo blanco and Maturana blanca) with a marked Atlantic influence, and Tudelilla, Eastern Rioja, in a vineyard at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level in the Sierra Carbonera (Tempranillo blanco and Maturana blanca).

HARVEST
The Tempranillo blanco and Maturana blanca during the second week in September and Viura, at the end of the month. Picked by hand and taken in small crates. All the grapes are placed in a cold room for 24 hours before being processed on the sorting table.

VINIFICATION
Each grape variety is vinified separately. After a brief cold maceration of the whole grape clusters (between 10-12 hours), the free-run must is fermented in small stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures (12-15 °C) to retain its full varietal expression. The wines remain in contact with their lees in stainless steel tanks for 4 months to preserve the varietal aromas against oxidation and give them greater harmony and unctuousness in mouth.

THE BOTTLE
Our bottle is inspired in an original eighteenth-century bottle that is on exhibit at the Vivanco Museum of the Culture of Wine.

TASTING NOTES
Pale-yellow with green hues; clean and bright. To the nose it proves expressive, intense and complex, with aromas of citrus fruit, green apples and white peaches, underscored by elegant floral hints. Very fresh and well-balanced in the mouth, enticing one to drink and enjoy.

SERVING AND PAIRING
Serving temperature: 6-10 °C. Ideal for wine by the glass, as a standalone appetiser or with all types of tapas. It is a good choice to enjoy with mild rice dishes, all types of salads, white meats, cold creams, fish and shellfish."

From me:
If you've never had white Rioja, this is absolutely the one to try. From the shape of the bottle, to the labeling, to the wine itself, this is a gorgeous product. The unique blend of grapes lends a complexity that you will not find in other Riojas; you are truly getting an authentic taste of Spain with this wine.

Côté Mas Aurore Rosé ($15.99)
Languedoc, France
From the distributor:
VINEYARD
Clay and Limestone
Average yield:70 hl/ha

GRAPE VARIETIES
Grenache 50%, Cinsault 30%, Syrah 20%

PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES
The grapes were destemmed and each variety was vinified separately.
Gentle pressing occurred with a pneumatic press; only the free-run juice is
used for our Rosé. The fermentation occurred at 17°C in temperaturecontrolled
stainless steel for 3 weeks.
The wine was aged on its lees with regular stirring for 40 days in new coated
cement vats. During the ageing process we look at maintaining a maximum
fruit expression and concentration thanks to regular pumping-over.

DESCRIPTION
Pale salmon color. Complex nose with cherry and strawberry notes evolving
towards soft candied fruit. The palate is rich and smooth with ripe red fruits
and a well-balanced acidity.

ANALYSIS
Alc.: 12.5%

SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Best served with light dishes, salads or on its own as an aperitif. This wine
can be kept 2 to 3 years.

ABOUT DOMAINES PAUL MAS
Jean-Claude Mas has blazed the trail for premium winemaking in the
Languedoc region of the South of France. Since taking the helm of the
centuries-old Domaines Paul Mas in 2000, his driving mission has been to
use only premium quality grapes to craft superior wines with a modern, New
World flair. Above all else, this innovative, fourth-generation vintner strives
to make wines with authenticity and refinement, the end result of which is a
family of magnificently charming wines that burst with personality and
express their unique terroir."

From me:
This is another winner from Paul Mas--their wines consistently punch above their weight. The Aurore Rosé is a delicious, thirst-quenching, light and juicy wine that's perfect for a hot summer day. At $15.99 for a 1 L bottle, it's also a great deal!

Viña Maitia Aupa Pipeño ($12.99)
Maule, Chile
From the distributor:
"Frenchman David Marcel is the producer and winemaker of Aupa with his Chilean wife Loreto. Marcel comes from the French Basque Country and has been involved with wine in Chile for a long time. He was one of the first winemakers in Chile to succeed in the production of quality, craft Pipeño starting with the 2013 vintage. The combination of the traditional production method and the traditional grape varieties lead to a very unique, herbal, and quaffable wine that is an incredible value. Aupa!

Pipeño is the traditional method of winemaking in Chile, which dates back to the late 16th century. The Aupa Pipeño from Viña Maitia is an old school blend of 80% País (aka Mission/Listan Negro/Criolla Grande) and 20% Carignan from a 10 hectare, 120-year-old, dry farmed vineyard in the Maule Valley of Chile. This valley benefits from a Mediterranean-like climate where high temperatures in the summer are cooled by the breeze from the Humboldt Current in the Pacific Ocean. Pipeño is a very rustic wine, especially when produced with País, a sacramental grape which was the first grape planted in the Americas, brought here by the Spanish. The País grapes are removed from the clusters manually by being hit over a zaranda, a metal grid that acts as destemmer and press, to a traditional concrete vat, where a natural yeast fermentation takes place. The Carignan is fermented with whole clusters, and then the blend is aged briefly in concrete before bottling into flint glass at a 12.9% ABV with small amounts of sulfur."

From me:
You must try this wine. Period. It's not like anything you've had before, and it's a perfect summer red. It's great on its own, or pair with barbecued meats and veggies, hearty salads, or gazpacho. You can drink it at room temperature, but it's best with a little chill on it.

​YANKEE DISTILLERS BOURBON WHISKEY (750ml: $59.99/375ml: $34.99)
From the producer:
"Made from corn, rye, malted barley and smoked malt. Unmalted grain is 100% New York State origin. Sweet, simple corn and rich oak on the nose. On the palate, sweet corn gives way to peppery, spicy rye. Soft vanilla and faint smoke in the finish."

From me:
I love Bourbon, but I haven't found too many from New York that are worth the money. This one is. Yankee works "grain-to-glass," with a lot of care to make a high-quality product. Their Bourbon is smooth, but it possesses a nice bite of rye, making it versatile for sipping or crafting delicious cocktails.


YANKEE DISTILLERS RYE WHISKEY (750ml: $59.99/375ml: $34.99)
From the producer:
"Made from rye, wheat, and malted wheat. Unmalted grain is 100% New York State origin. Pepper on the nose, with faint honey underneath.  On the palate, spicy, peppery rye dances down through spicy cinnamon. Long, syrupy, sweet honey in the finish."

From me:
I also love Rye, and this is one of my favorites from New York. Round and elegant, it is a delight to drink neat. If you are going to mix it, though, it is outstanding as the base for a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned.

ELEVEN LAKES VODKA (750ml: $34.99/375ml: $19.99)
From the producer:
"Made from Finger Lakes wheat and malted wheat. Unmalted grain is 100% New York State origin. Soft grain on the nose. Flavorless.  Sweet, creamy mouthfeel.  Faint pepper in the finish."

From me:
This vodka is smooth and creamy! If I'm going to sip a vodka neat, this is the one I choose. It also makes a fantastic dry Martini. 

YANKEE DISTILLERS COLONIAL WHITE RUM (750ml: $26.99/375ml $15.99)
From the producer:
"Made from a blend of Caribbean and domestic molasses. Vanilla and butterscotch on the nose. Bright tropical notes shine through the rich, earthy flavor of the sugar cane. Long, creamy, butterscotch finish."

From me:
I don't drink rum very often, but what struck me about this one was how sippable it is. I wasn't expecting that from white rum, and I think it points to the quality of ingredients and distilling. It's a delicious spirit.

YANKEE DISTILLERS COLONIAL AMBER RUM (750ml: $34.99/375ml: $19.99)
From the producer:
"Made from a blend of Caribbean and domestic molasses. Aged in used Yankee Whiskey Barrels. Vanilla and butterscotch on the nose. Vanilla, caramel, and peppery spice dance on the palate. Creamy vanilla and spicy oak in the finish."

From me:
I do expect to be able to sip an amber rum, and I was not disappointed in this one. The age gives it some elegance and deepens the flavors. This rum is versatile: sip neat, blend with summer cocktails, add to hot cider or mulled wine!