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Sage Advice
Questionable wit & wisdom from the bottom of the bottle

Tasting Notes (12.9.22)

12/13/2022

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​Silver Thread Pétillant Naturel 2021 ($22.99)
Seneca Lake, New York

"GRAPES: Various grape varieties were hand harvested and co-fermented. The blend includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Franc and Riesling.  
 
FERMENTATION: Fruit was pressed into neutral oak barriques where spontaneous fermentation took hold. Several different lots, including five barrels of early season fruit and one larger lot of later-picked Riesling, were blended before bottling.

TASTING: Alluring aromas of fresh fruit, yeast and earth. Broad, creamy mid-palate with a touch of grip. Pure, unadulterated and alive with moderate fizz… a lively sensory experience."


Erica Orr Wines Chardonnay 2019 ($34.99)
Columbia Gorge, Washington

"The Columbia Gorge is the best climate in Washington for the style of
chardonnay I like – mineral driven and fresh with that tension between
bright, clean and acidic and round, rich and savory.

I helped hand pick this fruit early in the morning and then we whole cluster
pressed the grapes when we got back to the winery later that afternoon. We
settled the juice in tank overnight and then filled five old French oak barrels
for native fermentation.

After a couple months of batonnage, I stopped stirring the lees and let the
wine clear by gravity. After a year in barrel, we moved the wine into
stainless steel drums which is a technique I had read about but never done
before the 2018 vintage of this wine. This is how it is said that Dominique
Lafon makes his white Burgundy, apparently Roulot follows this protocol as
well, shifting the wine from the oxidative environment of the barrels into an
anoxic reductive world of stainless steel for a couple months for the wine to
“drop the baby fat”, “chisel the cheekbones” and tighten it up a bit.

I felt strongly that the mouthfeel I’d been building for 16 nerve-wracking
months would be destroyed by filtration and I was ok with the clarity of the
wine as it is. So we went to bottle without fining or filtering in February of
2021."


Schola Sarmenti Negroamaro 2019 ($17.99)
Puglia, Italy

"Variety: Negroamaro 100%  
Aging: At checked temperature in stainless steel tanks.  
Bouquet: A singular olfactory register interwoven with notes of spices, tobacco and leather in a well-marked fruit finish.  
Taste: The enterprising sip intoxicates the palate with a softness and a velvety structure softened by a fine tannin that leaves a pleasantly bitter trail."


Sablettes Sauternes 2016 ($22.99)
Bordeaux, France

"Sablettes is a second label of sauternes from Chateau Doisy Vedrines in Barsac, a commune that is said to have “noble soils.” The relationship between the the soil, the climate and the vines is complicit in its ability to give botrytis an opportunity to work its magic. Once ready, grapes are hand
harvested and sorted up to 9 times over the course of 6-8 weeks.

This sauternes features nose of citrus, marmalade, honey and ripe pineapple with a hint of white peppercorn. Sweet on the tip of the tongue with refreshing acidity yielding to an elegant finish."
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Sage Selection Bag 11.22

12/7/2022

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​Dignitat Brut Cava (Regular Bag)
Spain

Organic sparkling wine from the Penedès.
Xarel·lo 34%, Macabeo 33%, Parellada 33%
Straw yellow color with green tones. Fine persistent bubbles. Bright appearance. Soft aging aroma with signs of flower and citrus. Vivacious in mouth compensated with elegance and equilibrium. Fresh, with low acidity, pleasant, balanced and a fine bubbling structure.
Drink as an aperitif or with appetizers.


Perrachon Cremant de Bourgogne (Holiday Bag) NEW
France

Traditional method sparkling 100% Chardonnay from Burgundy.
Bold, fresh nose, subtle palate with flowery notes, slightly lemony.
Drink as an aperitif or with appetizers.


Domaine Campu Vecchiu Rosé (Regular Bag)
France

Rosé from Corsica: 40% Sciaccarellu 30% Niellucciu 30% Grenache
Rich and round with a touch of acidity that brings freshness to the finish. To be enjoyed well chilled with white  meat or grilled fish.


Château Barbebelle Rosé (Holiday Bag)
France

This very Provençal rosé wine distinguishes itself by a good length on the palate, a strong fruity and floral, freshness and everything in sharpness.
Grenache 50 % Syrah 25 % Cinsault 25 %
Nose: Expressive, floral notes, rose, honeysuckle. Mouth: Nice length, raspberry, redcurrant, white fruits. 
Enoy as an aperitif, with salads, or with poultry.


Tsiakkas Xynisteri NEW
Cyprus

Our vines continue to be planted ungrafted, propagated from the cuttings of exceptional old vines coming from our own vineyards. Although the vineyards look less uniform and yields aren’t as efficient as they could be, this traditional practice offers a more sincere reflection of terroir and promotes healthier diversity among the plantation.
Aromas:   Nectarine, lime, grapefruit, honey
Pairing:   Green vegetables, poultry, seafood
This is a great wine for Sauvignon Blanc drinkers!


Albastrele Blanc de Cabernet
Moldova

Our Blanc de Cabernet, a white wine made from gently pressed red Cabernet Sauvignon, is a pale gold with green hints. The nose and palate display lively passionfruit, ripe peach and apricot aromas and flavors, with delicate citrus and sweet spice notes. We enjoy this wine chilled, served as an aperitif  and with a variety of dishes, such as roast chicken, grilled fish, and creamy risottos. 


Domaine du Clos du Fief Beaujolais-Villages
France

Traditional semi-carbonic winemaking of
whole berries with temperature control. Charming bright red color, with red berries aroma, tannic and structured, honest in the mouth, ending with a mineral note. It can be called a Beaujolais-Villages fit for ageing. To drink within 3 years. This is a character-rich, expressive Gamay from just outside of Beaujolais’ band of “cru” villages. Certainly one of the finest values for serious quality anywhere; floral, aromatic and full of intensely layered red fruits. Pinot Noir lovers should love this.


Beaumirail Vacqueyras NEW
France

From the southern Rhône Valley, this is a robust and full-bodied wine.
63% Grenache 24% Syrah 13% Mourvedre and Cinsault
Maturation in steel tank
A magnificent red color with deep purple accents. Notes of blackberries, blackcurrant and black cherries. Delicate and integrated tannins. Its aromatic finale starts with spicy noted of nutmeg and clove, then develops a subtle perfume of violets.
Pair with stews, meats, and slightly spicy dishes.
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Tasting Notes 12.2.22

12/7/2022

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​Cleto Chiarli Dry Lambrusco ($18.99)
Modena, Italy

100% Lambrusco di Sorbara
Deep rosé colour, with clear fragrances of strawberry and brushwood. Its taste is fresh, pervasive, mineral, and at the same time velvety and surprisingly pleasant. Dynamic.

A light aperitif or to enjoy with poultry, ham, or roasted vegetables.


Forge Cellars "Classique" Dry Riesling ($19.99)
Seneca Lake, NY

Each of the 16 vineyards that we work with contribute to the blend that make up our Classique wines. These wines showcase the beauty of Seneca Lake: to be able to consolidate the various elements of each site into a perfectly balanced wine. Very few regions in the world provide in a natural way this perfect combination.

Throughout the years, we have characterized the vintages based on Mother Nature’s contributions and the shared disposition of wines in the cellar during their year of development and maturity.  In our 10th vintage sharing the voice of the land, we have affectionately referred to 2020 as “the vintage of the sun.”  While the world was shrouded in uncertainty  amidst  a rising pandemic, nature delivered sun drenched days that helped us maintain our focus and optimism, and nurtured the vines with unyielding promise.

If you've never had dry Riesling, this is the one you must try.

Domaine Reverdy-Ducroux Sancerre Rouge ($23.99)
Loire Valley, France

-Originates from clay-limestone slopes situated at an altitude of 240m in the highlands of Verdigny.

-100% developed from pinot noir, this Sancerre red is known for its freshness and fruity flavor.

Tasting notes
Ruby-red colour, bouquet of red fruits: cherry, raspberry, cranberry. Well-balanced on the palate, lively and refined; nice freshness to finish.

Serving suggestion
Serve chilled at 14°C with meat or charcuterie, Loire salmon, or to accompany a red fruit salad or caramelized pears.


Tenute Sant'Antonio Monti Garbi Valpolicella Ripasso ($20.99)
Verona, Italy

Grapes:
Corvina and Corvinone 70% - Rondinella 20% - Croatina and Oseleta 10%

​Color: ruby red. Aroma: red fruit and cherry.
Flavor: soft, caressing, fresh, savory and fairly tannic with a spicy aftertaste.

Pairing:
Pasta entrées with meat ragout and Italian sauces, grilled, roast or stewed white meats, hard medium-ripe cheeses.

Aging Potential:
10 years.
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