We
have quite the
Top 10 line-up
in store for
you. The
diversity is
sprawling, the
quality second
to none.
Enjoy!
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2017
Agricola
Brandini
Barolo
Annunziata
(Italy,
Piedmont) $98
It was nearly
one year ago
that we sat
down with
Giovanna
Bagnasco from
Agricola
Brandini at
Olio e Limone
for a very
memorable
evening. You
may have even
been there. It
was truly
special and
while all
their
single-vineyard
Barolos showed
well that
night, it was
the 2017
Annuziata that
wowed us with
the pan-seared
beef
tenderloin and
polenta dish;
a perfect
pairing.
Since that
evening we’ve
enjoyed the
wine several
times and have
been impressed
with the
elegance and
poise this
wine possess.
Anything with
truffles would
be a perfect
pairing
here.
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2021
Babcock
Chardonnay Top
Cream
(Santa Barbara
County) $60
When we order
wine from
Babcock it's
usually Brian
himself
delivering the
wine on his
way home at
the end of the
day. We chat
for a moment,
talking about
the wine
industry, or
just life in
general. When
he dropped off
a handful of
cases of Top
Cream last
year he
mentioned this
new vintage
was one of his
best.
A few days
later we
opened a
bottle and
became
mightily
impressed with
the wine.
Bright,
vibrant,
swarming with
energy. Pure,
concentrated,
exotic,
opulent even.
A terrific
finish then
hats off to
Brian Babcock
for producing
something so
stunning.
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2023
Paul Thomas
Sancerre
Chavignol Les
Comtesses
(France, Loire
Valley, Upper
Loire,
Sancerre) $38
Looking back
on our
purchases we
see that this
is the 21st
vintage we’ve
carried from
Paul Thomas.
That is quite
the track
record. The
winery is
situated on
the slopes of
Les Mont
Damnés, one of
the finest
areas for
producing
top-class
Sauvignon
Blanc. Domaine
Paul Thomas
has the
largest
vineyard on
this steeply
sloping hill,
which is known
for its deep,
pure
outcropping of
Kimmeridgean
limestone
(gotta love
the
limestone).
Specifically,
Les Comtesses
is from a
1.5-hectare
monopole
within Les
Mont Damnés
making this a
very special
bottle of
wine.
Full of
gorgeous
texture, with
a savory
mineral-hewn
streak. Hints
of tarragon
and other
green herbs,
fine citrus
and rounder,
riper fruit.
Pure, clean
and beautiful.
Our top
selling
Sancerre in
2024.
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2022
Tenuta
dell'Ornellaia
Le Volte
Toscana IGT
(Italy,
Tuscany) $34
“Instant
satisfaction”,
“concentrated
harmony”,
“considerably
generous” were
a few of the
notes we wrote
while tasting
this wine last
year. This
‘second’ wine
from famed
producer
Ornellaia is
instantly
enjoyable,
versatile,
playful,
convivial.
It’s bold,
beautiful, and
hard to
resist. The
51% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 44%
Merlot, 5%
Petit Verdot
blend is a
fascinating
Super-Tuscan
at a very fair
price.
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2022
Domaine du
Vieux Collège
Bourgogne-Aligoté
(France,
Burgundy) $28
We often think
of Aligote as
the
'forgotten' or
'other' white
grape in
Burgundy.
Until recently
it was rarely
seen outside
of Burgundy
and had a
reputation as
a lighter,
less
enthusiastic
little sibling
of Chardonnay.
We are here to
tell you that
in the right
hands, in this
case
winemaker Eric
Guyard,
Aligote can
soar.
Certified
organic and
biodynamic,
Eric has
created a
mineral-laden,
energy-driven
wine with
depth and
drive. There's
gorgeous
citrus with a
subtle ginger
spice, a
mid-palate
that includes
a savory
element, then
a finish that
is quite
lengthy. We
enjoyed this
recently at
Clark's Oyster
Bar with
Beausoleil
oysters from
one of the New
Brunswick
oyster
appellations
by Negauc,
Canada (yes,
oyster
appellations).
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2022
Domaine de la
Butte
Bourgueil Le
Haut de la
Butte
(France, Loire
Valley,
Touraine,
Bourgueil) $42
First tasting
note: "OH
YEAH".
Remember that
song from the
Swiss band
Yello, from
their album
Stella, and
featured in
the film
Ferris
Bueller's Day
Off? This is
that wine.
Second tasting
note: "WOW!
BUY!"
We haven't
looked back.
As we are now
half way
through
another case,
feed back from
our customers
has been
absolutely
positive. A
sensational
food wine
(mushroom
risotto, rack
of lamb,
roasted
pork...), and
also a
fabulous wine
for
conversation.
The most
notable Cab
Franc of 2024.
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2022
Domaine Labbé
Vin de Savoie
Abymes
(France,
Savoie) $26
Abymes ("Ah
BEEM") is one
of 16 named
crus with
hillside
vineyards in
the Vin de
Savoie
appellation.
Located in
eastern
France, these
alpine
vineyards
aren't far
from
Switzerland.
This wine came
to mind
because of our
continued
longing for
another sip.
There's so
much going on
here; apple,
melon citrus,
wild flower,
minerality,
perhaps a dash
of white
pepper and
caviar lime
zest on the
finish. Wildly
addicting.
100% Jacquère
and 11.5%.
Imagine
that.
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Paul
Bara Champagne
Grand Cru
Grand Rosé
(France,
Champagne) $80
Paul Bara is
widely
regarded as
the O.G. of
grower
Champagnes,
otherwise
known as
‘Farmer-Fizz’,
a term Terry
Theise
coined.
Other fun
facts about
this Champagne
House:
In the 1950s,
Paul became
the first to
present his
cuvées on all
five
continents.
In the 1975,
Paul Bara
became one of
the first
champagne
houses to
export to the
United States.
All of Paul
Bara’s 11
hectares are
Grand Cru
vineyards in
Bouzy and
Ambonnay.
The inclusion
in this Rose
Champagne of
Bouzy Rouge
(love it) a
still red wine
produced by
the estate, is
particularly
unusual.
Paul Bara is
the largest
producer of
Bouzy
Champagne
Rosé.
We could go
on…
This bottle of
bubbles was
particularly
striking in
2024 and so
many of our
customers
remarked on
the delicious,
savory,
fine-tiny
bubbles and
the
breath-taking
finish that
for the first
time it was
our #1 selling
Rose
Champagne.
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2023
Weingut Willi
Bründlmayer
Grüner
Veltliner
Terrassen
(Austria,
Niederösterreich,
Kamptal) $35
What can we
say about this
wine,
specifically
this vintage?
We’re
obsessed. It’s
the best
‘daily’ Gruner
we’ve ever
had. We keep
talking about
it, sharing it
with friends
and family,
posting
glowing
reviews on
irrelevant
boards, in
short, this is
our Jam. We’ve
enjoyed it
with seafood,
roast chicken,
steak (yup!),
cioppino,
Schnitzel,
fried chicken,
egg rolls,
artichokes
(honestly)…in
short this is
one versatile
wine. It
was/is love at
first sip.
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2015
Château
d'Armailhac
(France,
Bordeaux,
Médoc,
Pauillac) $95
Sometime
there’s an
invitation
offered that
cannot be
refused. Ours
was from Dewey
Markham III of
Baron Philippe
de Rothschild
and Rory Cox
from Châteaux
& Domaines
last June. The
invite was for
lunch at
San Ysidro
Ranch.
The occasion?
To taste the
wines from the
Rothchild’s
estates.
The line-up
was extensive
and included
2016 Clerc
Milon, 2015
Petit Mouton,
2014 Chateau
Mouton
Rothschild
(1st growth),
and 2015
Chateau
d’Armailhac.
All the wines
showed well on
this day,
especially
these four.
But the
stunner on the
table was the
2015 Chateau
d’Armailhac.
It was bright,
lively,
engaging, with
a perfectly
bold balance
and a
near-endless
finish. It’s
all we could
talk about.
Yes, the 1st
growth was
lovely (needed
20 more
years), the
Clerc-Milon
had elegant
silky tannins
(but was a bit
of a ‘safe’
wine), and the
Petit Mouton
(their second
label wine)
was a wee bit
over priced
(we later
learned it
retails for
about $400).
So it was much
to our
surprise that
the
show-stopper
of the
luncheon was
the least
expensive (and
by a good
margin).
Needless to
say this was
one epic wine
find in 2024.
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We
would like to
thank everyone
for their
support in
2024.
We look
forward to
seeing
everyone in
2025 at
Renegade, at
our wine
dinners (more
on the way),
and at our
in-house
tastings which
will begin
again later in
February.
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