WORLD WINE

JAMES SUCKLING 92 POINTS - "Lovely purity of fruit here, especially when you consider the vintage, ranging from citrus to raspberries to iodine. The juicy and succulent tannins are just the right counterpoint to the rather tangy acidity, and this ends medium-chewy and grainy."

The wine is ruby red in color with aromas of ripe red fruit and well amalgamated notes of vanilla and coffee. The palate enjoys a notable support from the acidity, which maintains a pleasurable freshness and persistence of flavor along with soft and sweet tannins which guarantee excellent drinkability.

The Frascati region, in the Castelli Romani hills outside Rome, produces Lazio's most well-known wines. But other regions in Lazio also deserve attention, as these bottlings prove. Although he's only 33 years old, Damiano Ciolli is possibly the greatest interpreter of Cesanese, the delicate red variety that's local to eastern Lazio.

We have a great deal on an Argentinian red that's full-bodied and soft with upfront, ripe dark-berried and plummy fruit and equally forward spicy-sweet oak that brings along flavors of vanilla bean and cacao nib. This Malbec from 1853 Old Vine Estate is a step up from their other wine that you might have seen around: it's made with some preferred parts (select parcels) of a vineyard originally planted in 1910.

Malbec came into Argentina from Southwestern France in 1853, which is the origin of the name for the 1853 Old Vine Estate project, one of several belonging to a group of friends under the Kauzo Estates name. They don't take shortcuts where others might: the grapes are handpicked rather than machine harvested, which is more time-consuming and costly, but better for quality selection; and they use new French oak barrels for aging rather than oak chips or worse, which are unfortunately not uncommon these days. Going further, this producer has been awarded Carbon Footprint and Water Footprint certifications, which says a lot in an industry that uses a surprising number of resources.

If this sounds like your kind of wine, we recommend picking it up while it's here!

JAMES SUCKLING 94 POINTS - "This shows a lot of muscular and toned personality with dark-berry, wet-earth and bark character. Full and lightly chewy with pretty tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A serious red. Delicious now."

Bodegas y Vinedos Aalto is a partnership between legendary vigneron Mariano Garcia and Javier Zaccagnini, former President of the governing body of the Ribera del Duero DO. Aalto is sourced from 7 different villages on a variety of soils with vineyard age ranging from 40-100 years and was aged for 24 months in French and American oak.

JAMES SUCKLING 95 POINTS - "This is a stunning Ribera that shows a plethora of finely judged mulberries, blackberries, oyster shell, rust, iron, citrus, vanilla, undergrowth and licorice. Full-bodied and powerful with muscular tannins, but a wealth of dark fruit. Long and chewy on the finish. Drink in 2025."

WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "Selección Especial is Abadía Retuerta's reliable red blend produced in enough quantities to have good availability and with an approachable and easy-to-understand profile that reached great quality with the 2016 Selección Especial, from one of the best vintages in recent times in the region. It's 75% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 3% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, a blend that can change with the conditions of the year, as it's decided by tasting the wines. If in the past this wine was quite oaky, this 2016 feels quite integrated and balanced, ripe and medium-bodied, with a soft and tender palate, round tannins and moderate influence from the élevage of 13 months in French and American oak barrels."

We recently held a comprehensive tasting of Proseccos for our staff in order to upgrade our selection of this increasingly popular genre. The winner, especially when price was considered, was this delightful “Garbel” bottling by Adami. “Garbel” is a word from arcane Veneto dialect that means a dry, crisp, pleasantly tart wine. All the Prosecco grapes for this fizz were sourced exclusively from preferred hillside vineyards in the Colli Trevigiani district. Garbel’s 13 grams of residual sugar places it between the Brut and Extra Dry styles giving it the versatility to be enjoyed with a wide range of foods including antipasti and mildly spicy Pacific Rim fare.ROBERT PARKER 88 POINTS - The entry-level Non-vintage Prosecco 13 Garbel is pretty and focused in its floral fruit. This delicious Prosecco shows plenty of energy and focus in an easygoing style. Anticipated maturity: 201 2-2015 .

WINERY NOTES-"Bosco di Gica is the ancient name of the area where the family's best vineyards are located. A blend of 93-95% Prosecco with 5-7% Chardonnay this bubbly displays a straw yellow hue and a fine gentle mousse. The nose is deep with excellent fruit, along with scents of yellow apple and peach plus notes of wisteria and acacia blossom. Wonderful balance and elegance complement a pleasurably crisp spiciness while while displaying a crisp, savoury mouthfeel. Its generous, lingering flavours nicely mirror the nose and achieve perfect balance."

'Bricco Blina' is the name of the vineyard. This wine is a direct, straightforward rendition of the Barbera grape. Fresh acidity and berry flavors are the hallmarks of Barbera, but low yields and old vines give this wine very good depth and concentration, too. Fermentation and aging are completed in stainless steel.
The wine is a bright red color with a violet rim; aroma of red berries and mineral; palate is classic Barbera, bright raspberry/cranberry flavors with a very long finish. A classic that is wonderful with a variey of foods. Pizza, pasta, meats, cheeses...

Bodega Granbazan is located in Tremoedo, in the Salnes sub-zone of Rias Baixas. Owners Manuel Otero and his nephew Jesus Alvarez own 17 hectares of 30-year-old Albarino vines that is supplemented by long-term contract with growers. Grapes are hand-picked, de-stemmed and undergo six to eight hours of cold maceration, while fermentation is undertaken in concrete and steel tanks using both natural and cultured yeast. I adore their evocative, rather old-fashioned labels with their maritime-themed drawings and equally, more importantly, I loved the wines inside. These are pure Rias Baixas Albarinos that brim over with crispness, flavor and authenticity.

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc

This is a ripe and moderately rich coastal Tuscan red, with enough extract to give a little velvety texture and structure. Driven by fruit (like plum, black cherry, and blackberry macerated in spirits), dried herbs, and a touch of vanilla from the year in oak. The finish gives you some pleasantly ripe fruit skins. A good wine for drinking on its own or partnering with moderately rich dishes.

This estate has been bringing us incredible value since the 90's with the help of the late legendary winemaker of Ornellaia, Tibor Gal, who assisted them in the start of their own winery. The Pellegrini estates include vineyards in some of the most reputable spots in Bolgheri. The home to some of the most well-known Super Tuscans in the world including the highly regarded, Sassicaia. The one place where Bordeaux varietals take precedence over any native Italian grape.

The Pellegrini family have been grape growers for many generations and have sold their grapes to some of the Top Super Tuscan houses for many years. Their property, Casavecchia, is adjacent to the highly regarded Ornellaia and shares many attributes of its more famous neighbor. Somehow, even in this high rent district, Aia Vecchia has brought us an affordable interpretation of this fantastic Mediterranean climate location. This fantastic Super Tuscan is drinking exceptionally well right now!

JAMES SUCKLING - 94 POINTS
A particularly gentle style of Junmai that is an accurate expression of how delicate sake can become as you work your way to the north of Japan. There is a clean and crisp mouth feel to compliment the sake’s slightly sweetened rosewater undertones. Rice is Ginjno Polishing 64%. Alcohol 14.5%.

Akitabare Koshiki Junzukuri "Northern Skies"

Akitabare is the kind of sake one can drink enjoyably for hours at a stretch. Its subdued, understated refinement evokes a sense of the northern province where it is meticulously brewed. Pleasingly dry and quite mild, a well-crafted traditional sake.
This Junmai has a plum nose with subtle grass tones. The first sip has a fairly dry start filled with hints of lemon, plum, and grape skin tones. The viscosity is slick and shimmering and the overall feel is soft and balanced. This Junmai is a classic "three sipper" which means you need to realize three sips to find the soul and beauty of this semi-dry Junmai.

Sake Meter Value: +3
Acidity: 1.8
Prefecture: Akita
Food pairing: Incredibly versatile. Enjoy with a variety of foods.

PREFECTURE: AKITA
Rice Variety: Gin no Sei
Acidity: 1.3-1.5
Polishing Ratio: 65%
Sake Meter Value: +2.0-+4.0
Yeast: Akita Konno No.12

This light sake is seamlessly put together. The aroma is complex, with notes of cream, orange blossom, melon and sea spray. It has excellent structure, yet creamy and full, with a taut center and a dry, elongated finish.

Serving Recommendations: Just sweet enough for sipping chilled on a warm day, Shunsetsu pairs nicely with light sidedishes like edamame, tofu and seafood salad. Keep under refrigeration after purchase and serve ice cold. Supremely food friendly.

Prefecture: Akita
Rice Variety: Yamadanishiki
Acidity: 1.1-1.2
Polishing Ratio: 40%
Sake Meter Value: ±0 (soft/neutral)
Yeast: Association No.1801

Akitabare's Daiginjo comes in soft and gentle, with a striking nose filled with berries, mangos, green melon, and orange blossoms. It also has layers of depth featuring minerals, melon, rock candy and white grape tones. This sake is aged in the bottle for two years, developing a rarefied, multi-hued flavor. A superb sake for both the expert and novice.

JAMES SUCKLING 91 POINTS - "A red with blackberries, wet earth and dark tea leaf. It’s medium-bodied with lightly creamy texture and a long, flavorful finish. A fresh, delicious malbec that won’t disappoint."

Appearance: attractive straw color with hints of green in the rim. Clean and brilliant.Nose: very expressive and harmonious nose. Fine notes of white fruit (green apples, pear) and lemony aromas. Hints of herbs (basil) and flower blossom base notes. Surprising aromatic intensity.Palate: Clean and textured. Seductive exotic palate of pineapple and mango intermingled with refreshing citrus flavors amplified by minerally accents. Silky but yet full bodied, with long lingering finish. Round and very tasty.

A blend of 80% sangiovese and 20% merlot. It presents aromas of dark berries and savory, rustic notes. On the palate, sour cherry, plum, herbs, gentle acidity and tannin.

Winemaker's Notes The grapes are hand picked. The whole cluster grapes are directly pressed in a pneumatic press with a long and soft pressing, hence the coral/ light pink salmon color. Cremant Rosé is made by the Champagne Methode. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle. Afterwards it stays on its lees for 9 months follow by the remuage and disgorging.