Beer

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Brasserie Dupont 'Forêt' Organic Saison (750ml Bottle) $16

Brewed by Brasserie Dupont (one of the oldest breweries in Belgium), the Foret Saison was the first 100% certified organic beer to be produced in Belgium. The beer is crafted with organically cultivated hops and barley as well as filtered artisan well water, providing the beer with a distinct and unique mineral quality. A light bodied, refreshingly smooth beer with a bold malt flavor, Foret Saison has distinct aromas of bread, clove and pepper, finishing with a dry herbal note and complex fresh citrus flavor.

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Rosé

 

2017 La Nerthe “Les Cassgnes” Rose, Cotes-du-Rhone, France $21

Château La Nerthe is known for being one of the most prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape producers, so we were excited to host the winery for one of Boulder Wine Merchant's Wine Wednesday events earlier this year. We had no doubt the flagship Châteauneuf-du-Pape would be a hit, considering it's reputation and quality, but were surprised that the rosé actually stole the evening. The wine shows a very floral nose with tangerines and red berries on the palate, ending with a creamy but bright mouthfeel. Easy drinking and full of flavor, but not lacking any of the layers you would anticipate with a great rosé. Perfect for all sorts of dishes, but can impressively hold up to heavier food.

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White

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2017 Brand, Weissburgunder, Pfalz, Germany (1 Liter Bottle) $24

The Pfalz region is located between the Rhine River and the low-lying Haardt mountain range, the natural continuation of the Alsatian Voges.  The Pfalz produces a wide range of styles, and while the stone fruit flavored Rieslings of the region are popular, grapes like Weissburgunder offer outstanding dry alternatives.  Daniel and Jonas Brand are producing outstanding organically grown wines with personality and charm.  They avoid the use of fertilizers and pesticides and rely on natural herbal extracts and teas as vineyard applications to maintain balance with the plants.  This focus on biodiversity keeps the vines and soils healthy producing wines with greater precision.  Weissburgunder or Pinot Blanc is a grape that offers bright flavors of golden apple, pear, lemon and a touch of herb and spice.  The palate is racy and vibrant with lifted acidity and a refreshing clean finish.

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2016 Arndorfer 'Vorgeschmack' White, Niederösterreich, Austria $32

Martin Arndorfer comes from a long line of winemakers, and he grew up in the vineyards and cellar of his parent’s estate. Anna Stieninger is the daughter of Karl Steininger, one of the most respected winemakers in Austria. They are a wine power couple. Both born with a genetic love and a nurtured appreciation for for Riesling and Grüner Veltliner grapes. Arndorfer Estate is located in the northern reaches where wine can grow, only 15 kilometers south it is considered too cold, and the land is dedicated to grain. This cool weather is important for the distinctive style of Arndorfer and soil and climate help the grapes develop a unique regional expression. "Vorgeschmack" is German for "appetizer", and for Martin and Anna this is what they call their "welcome wine". A blend of 80% Grüner Veltliner and 20% Riesling, this is a deliciously fruity wine meant to bring people together and go with salads and light dishes.

2016 Tire Bouchon Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France $39

It's rare to find a wine from Burgundy that is called by a nickname rather than strictly by appellation, but the Tire Bouchon white Burgundy stands up as a serious example of French Chardonnay. Made by a well-established Burgundian winemaker who prefers to remain anonymous on this project, "Tire Bouchon" translates to "corkscrew" in English. Even though the winemaker is a mystery, the quality of this wine is abundantly clear. Rocky, mineral-driven, and well-balanced, it doesn't get much better than this for entry-level Burgundy. Coming from vineyard sites in Meursault and Savigny-les-Beaunes, it is lighter in style with firm acidity and brightness. It still maintains a fruit-forward palate and is incredibly food-friendly: you can pair it with anything from seafood to richer meat and creamy pasta dishes.
 

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Red

 

2013 Cardedu 'Caladu' Cannonau, Sardegna, Italy $23

The vineyards of Cardedu (car-DAY-do) are in the area of Ogliastra, the most mountainous and least populous province on the island; a land of turquoise shimmer and ragged-dry cliffs. Here on the southeast coast of Sardinia the Loi family grows and makes wines from the native varieties Vermentino, Cannonau, and Monica. Cardedu is one of the island’s better-known traditional producers but doesn’t think of itself as a natural wine producer; they are not in that hipster giro / circle. Yet all wines are fermented with native yeasts, and the vines are dry farmed without use of herbicides or pesticides.

Cannonau is the local name for the Grenache grape, and this wine exhibits some of the classic grapey richness and ripeness found in all Grenache, but this Cannonau offers layers of spice, sandalwood, sun scorched earth, and dried field flowers that. 

 

2015 La Carafe Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy, France $26

This is a brand new project between the dynamic Little Nell Hotel duo, Wine Director Carlton McCoy, MS and F&B Director Csaba Oveges. They just launched the wines in the market and have been greeted with immediate anticipation and enthusiasm. We have offered their Touraine Sauvignon, Bourgogne Blanc, rosé, and red wine from Corbiéres. This Bourgogne rouge is sourced from a combination of vineyard sites varying in vine age, but all producing outstanding fruit quality. The sites are carefully selected for Pinot Noir grapes that are capable of offering a wine with the perfect balance of freshness and finesse.  2015 is an outstanding vintage and yielded concentrated wines with plenty of depth and flavor.  The La Carafe Bourgogne was carefully fermented using 20% used French Oak barrel and bottled with approachability and drinkability in mind.

2016 P’tit Paysan Cabernet Sauvignon, Monterey, California $37

Le P’tit Paysan is a small producer focused on showcasing the quality and diversity of the wines that Monterey and the nearby AVAs can create. Ian Brand, named one of Wine Enthusiast’s “40 Under 40 Tastemakers” in 2013, is the owner and winemaker. Innovative, experimental and eager to push the envelope in the Salinas Valley and beyond, Brand is known for his progressive approaches to plantings, commitment to organic farming and tireless promotion of Monterey as the next region to watch in California. Brand says on the impetus for the Le P’tit Paysan wines, “We did not set out to make these wines. We discovered great vineyards at the edge of sensible farming and decided to bring them to light. The farther we looked, the more we found – remote, challenging vineyards, with hard depleted soils, and intense sunlight tempered only by the coastal breeze. Vineyards capable of producing only the most idiosyncratic wines. Our goal as winemakers is to lightly polish the roughest edges and leave the idiosyncrasy intact.” In their growing sites Brand looks for shallow, rocky soils, good site selection and proper varietal match with the soil and climate.

The Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Petite Verdot. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from two vineyards: a 44 year old vineyard planted in the calcareous alluvial deposits of the San Benito River and a 25 year old vineyard east of Gilroy, which grows in deep, extremely sandy soils against the foothills of the Diablo Range. The Petite Verdot comes from the Paicines AVA and grows in rocky alluvial deposits above the Tres Pinos arroyo. All three vineyards experience the warm days and cold nights typical of the Central Coast, allowing these late ripening Bordeaux varieties to be picked at high acidity and moderate sugars. This is a beautiful example of lighter, more ‘old school’ California Cabernet made with minimal intervention from mature vineyards.

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