1899 Pinot Noir release later this year – new world wine made with old world techniques and no electricity
We are so proud to carry Illahe wine and support a family owned winery in the sibling state of Oregon.
We could ramble on about their responsible practices, family, terroir, Doc & Bre (the vineyard horses) etc. but aside from all the cool stuff they do – their wines are stunning and if you’ve never tried any of them, you should.
We’re crushing on a newly-landed rosé from Slovenia! Named after the winemaker’s grandmother, Cuvee Anna is ripe with aromas of wild berries, strawberries, melons and peaches. On the palate, it’s bright and fruity with a lively, refreshing finish. We had it on a recent warm day with some grilled chicken and a goat cheese salad and it was *perfect*
Blend: 50% Žametna črnina, 20% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Grigio, 10% Blaufrankisch (Fun fact: Žametna črnina is the oldest-known grape varietal in the world (at 375-400 years old) and it’s traditionally planted in Slovenia). Aged for 3 months on fine lees.
You’re probably not familiar with the varietal that makes up the majority of the wine but don’t let that deter you – this is a Provence-style rosé that will make you wonder how it’s not from Provence!
This wine is produced in small quantities and not a lot makes it to us in Vermont, so pick up a few and stash them for those hot days (they’re coming, we promise).
ABOUT GÖNC WINERY
Gönc is a family tradition going back to the year 1936, when winemaker Peter Gene’s great grandfather built a wine cellar and planted a vineyard around it in the small town of Dobrovnik in Slovenia. After World War II, Peter’s grandfather moved to the city of Ptuj and started working in the Ptujska Klet winery as a cellar cleaner. He worked his way up to head winemaker and CEO of the oldest winery in Slovenia (now know as Pullus).
Peter’s father worked at the same winery but on the side, he planted 24 acres of vineyards in Dobrovnik to keep up the family tradition (they now have 28 acres total). When Peter came of age they built a new cellar in Ptuj and started Gönc again. Peter is the 4th generation of winemakers and winegrowers in the family.
60 Days of Rosé #12 | Villa Wolf | Pinot Noir Rosé | $12.99
Coming in at number 12 during our 60 Days of Rosé is an elegant, delectable stunner for under $15.
Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rosé has been a staff and crowd favorite this year, with multiple customers coming in, getting a bottle, then coming back for a case.
Hot, muggy weather is approaching so beat the heat with this refreshing, craveable, German rosé for $12.99!
VILLA WOLF ROSÉ – The Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rosé is made with fruit from vineyards farmed expressly for the purpose of producing a true rosé (called Weissherbst in German). Only perfectly ripe, healthy grapes are selected. Upon harvest the fruit is given a brief maceration (four to six hours) to extract a lovely salmon color from the Pinot Noir grapes. Thee is no saignée or coloring with red wine. The resulting wine is light and refreshing, with deliciously bright fruit flavors and a clean, zippy finish.
THE 2017 VINTAGE – A very warm spring kicked off an early growing season in the Pfalz. It was slowed by a bout of frost in April that inhibited shoot growth and made training the vines very difficult. A warm, wet summer promoted rapid fruit development, but also botrytis. Through extensive vineyard work, however, our team was able to harvest a clean, healthy crop in September. In spite of the challenges, the wines have excellent ripeness and bright, refreshing acidity.
VILLA WOLF ROSÉ –
Harvested at optimal ripeness for a bright, fresh style. No overripe or botrytis-affected fruit is allowed.
True rosé, with a brief maceration to extract the delicate color.
Fermentation and maturation in stainless steel tanks.
No malolactic fermentation.
Light filtration before bottling. No other filtering or fining.
Alcohol: 11.5%
Residual sweetness: 10.5 grams/liter
Total acidity: 7.4 grams/liter
VILLA WOLF VARIETAL WINES – The Villa Wolf varietal line-up includes exceptionally affordable, classic Pfalz wines made from traditional grape varieties. These value-priced wines combine Villa Wolf estate-grown fruit with grapes from contracted growers throughout the region.
THE PFALZ REGION – The Pfalz (aka ‘Palatinate’) region is in the Rhine river valley in southwest Germany, directly north of France’s Alsace region. The low-lying Haardt mountains protect the area from cold, wet Atlantic weather, making it one of the warmer and drier areas of Germany. Wine grapes do quite well here where it is possible to achieve full ripeness in every vintage. The predominant soil type in this area is well-drained, weathered sandstone. It produces wines with a fruit-driven purity and a stony structure.
ABOUT VILLA WOLF – Founded in 1756, in the Pfalz region of Germany, the J.L. Wolf estate (now called Villa Wolf) was a successful and highly regarded winery for more than two centuries. It entered an especially glamorous era with the construction of its Italianate estate house and villa in 1843.
In the latter years of the 20th century, however, the estate languished, lacking a firm hand to guide its wine production. Ernst Loosen, of the Dr. Loosen estate, took over the vineyards in 1996, launching a dramatic turnaround in the estate’s quality and reputation.
Since 2011, the estate has been managed by a talented and dedicated young couple who met while working at Dr. Loosen. Patrick Moellendorf and Sumi Gebauer have brought renewed energy and focus to the viticulture and winemaking at Villa Wolf. Traditionally Crafted Pfalz Wines
The goal at Villa Wolf is to produce wines that express the pure, authentic terroir of the Pfalz.
Made in the classic style of the Pfalz, Villa Wolf Rieslings are drier and more full-bodied than Mosel Rieslings, with fully ripe fruit flavors and a characteristic stoniness in the aroma.
The Pfalz region also has a long tradition with other grape varieties, allowing Ernst and his team to expand their winemaking palette to include Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer and Dornfelder.
To preserve the naturally high quality of the vineyards, we employ sustainable viticultural practices and emphasize gentle handling of the fruit through traditional, minimalist winemaking.
The Winery: Wilde Farm was a place long before it was a wine. Built in 1907 on the estate of Samuel Wilde, a successful coffee and spice trader, Wilde Farm began as a horse farm, with a generous kitchen garden of vegetables and herbs. It is of the Colonial Revival style popular at the time. The edifice itself is purposefully constructed, with hand-hewn floorboards, chestnut moldings, high, plastered ceilings and strong, honest lines. Much like its eponymous wine, the house was expertly crafted of honest materials and made to age gracefully. About twenty years ago, my wife and I took over custody of Wilde Farm. There we have raised three beautiful boys, in the only home they have ever known.
Wilde Farm makes wines from old vines and exceptional vineyards. Quantities are very small. Our wines are bright, balanced and made by hand. They emphasize a balance of acid and fruit. As an added bonus they age great.
Pax Mahle makes Wilde Farm wines. He has a light touch and a craftsman’s approach. Together, we work hard to ensure that Pax has the best materials available and that as a team we screw it up as little as possible. We source grapes from old vine, low yield sites, where soil, climate and honest farming practices allow for a full expression of the type of grape and the place the grapes come from. We only offer vineyard designated wines (so far).We pick when the grapes are ripe and ready. Yeasts are ambient, oak is neutral and fermentation happens at its own pace. We sometimes include stems in the primary fermentation, when it makes sense. We bottle our wines unfined and unfiltered. We sell them when we think they are delicious.
Winemaker’s notes: Vibrant and fresh with a compelling depth of aroma of effusive cinnamon laced black red & blue fruits. The palate is loaded w/ fresh fruit, spice and a supple core of spicier fruit. Weighty and textural this is really delicious served w/ a chill.
Alcohol: 12.4%
pH: 3.48
Cases Produced: 70
Fox Hill Vineyard: Wilde Farm Dolcetto comes exclusively from The Fox Hill vineyard, located just south of the town of Ukiah on the Talmage Bench. The soils are well-drained, with high concentrations of gravel and sandstone. Fig, apple and plum trees dot the grounds, as well as an acre of olive trees. The Dolcetto we source comes from the cooler, tree-shaded, north-west facing slopes. This wine goes through complete carbonic fermentation with native yeasts and is raised naturally for only 6 months in neutral french barrique with no sulfur added.
60 Days of Rosé | #08 | Amplify Wines | “Pink Flag” Rosé of Counoise | Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, California | $21.99
This wine is crazy. And by that we mean, crazy amazing! “Pink Flag” rose from Amplify Wines is really unlike any other rose we’ve tasted this year. I mean, that hazy crazy beautiful color alone is mind-blowing! When you pour a glass and hold it up to the sun, you notice how its silken texture flows and shimmers in the most summery, let’s-get-on-a-boat-right-now kind of way. Take a sip, and your palate is pleasantly shocked with an amped up grapefruit brightness, which is perfectly tempered by refreshing salinity and satiny, nutty richness. You should definitely drink it while listening to Wire’s influential album of the same name 🙂
How do they do it? Well, the way this wine is made is very, very unusual. Husband & wife winemakers Cameron & Marlen Porterage 50% of the wine under flor, using a method similar to that used to make Vin Jaune or Sherry. This contributes the sea salt, almond, saline character. The other half of the wine is more reminiscent of classic Bandol rosé. The marriage of these two styles makes for a very complete, savory rosé, one that expresses a new side of the Santa Barbara’s famed Camp 4 Vineyard through the Counoise grape.
Our enjoyment of this wine is even greater because of the ethos of Cameron & Marlen, who were born and raised in Santa Barbara County. They believe in native yeast fermentations; neutral vessels for fermentation and aging; no additions of any kind except for minimum effective sulfur dioxide; and farming that seeks to establish a healthy ecosystem, enhancing and supporting the natural characteristics of a given place.
The exploration, and elevation, of their California growing region has been their life’s work. They first bonded over a shared love for wine and music, and Amplify is a natural extension of this marriage between their two greatest passions. As winemakers, they seek to amplify the voice of site and enhance the most singular characteristics of a given vineyard, marrying a sense of place with a sense of style. They embrace the happy accident, letting intuition guide their hand, with their creative spirit and palates as their primary tools.
Amplify Wines “Pink Flag” rosé is extremely limited. The winery produced 81 cases of the 2017 vintages, and this is the first time it’s ever been available in Vermont. Only a handful of cases are available across the whole state! It’s hard to miss this wicked cool label on our expansive “wall of rosé” copper bar display – come and snag yours today!
60 Days of Rosé | #06 | Famille Lafage Miraflors Rosé | France – Roussillon – Côtes Catalanes | $16.99
The pink ‘n pale Lafage Miraflors rosé in a frosted bottle will grab the attention of your eyes, and the flavor will grab the full attention of your palate.
We adore this French rosé for under $20. Refreshing & bright, Miraflors can be enjoyed by itself or with some of your favorite spring/summer fare.
Named after an old estate located in the heart of Domaine Lafage, Mas Miraflors, the Miraflors Rosé is sourced from old vines of Grenache Gris, nearing 80 years old, planted near the Mediterranean. Added to this is some Mourvedre that Jean-Marc planted here about 15 years ago. This a direct press rosé with the color coming from the skins of the pink Grenache Gris berries, and naturally, from the much darker Mourvedre. It is aged in tank for 4 months before bottling.
Famille Lafage Miraflors Rosé
Location | Roussillon, France
Appellation | Côtes Catalanes
Size / Elevation | 160 hectares / 50-400 meters
Variety | Mourvedre, Grenache Gris
Age of Vines | 15-75
Farming | Practicing organic
Soil | Alluvial gravel
Altitude | 15-25 meters
Fermentation | Hand harvested, direct press, fermented in tank
Aging | 4 months in tank
For well over a decade we have worked with Jean-Marc Lafage at his estate in the Roussillon, and across the border in Spain where he consults on several projects. As good as his wines were, when we first met him, they only get better with each vintage. When we first made his acquaintance in Calatayud, he suggested we visit his estate in the Roussillon and the rest, as they say, is history.
Jean-Marc and Eliane Lafage farm 160 hectares of vines located just south of the capital of French Catalonia, Perpignan. Some of their vineyards are situated a few kilometers from the Mediterranean while others can be found in the foothills of the Pyrenees. This range of sites allow them to make both refreshing whites as well as concentrated reds and, this being the Roussillon, some fortified wines as well. Benefiting from a warm, dry climate, the estate is farmed organically.
They grow primarily Grenache (Blanc, Gris & Noir), Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Marsanne, Roussanne and Chardonnay with a significant proportion of the vines well over 50 years old. The soil, as you near the coast is weathered, alluvial gravel while in the higher elevation sites it is predominantly schist. They harvest by hand and the winemaking is surprisingly uncomplicated with stainlesss steel for the fresher whites but mostly concrete tanks for the rest with a small amount of French oak demi-muids.
Named after an old estate located in the heart of Domaine Lafage, Mas Miraflors, the Miraflors Rosé is sourced from old vines of Grenache Gris, nearing 80 years old, planted near the Mediterranean.
Added to this is some Mourvedre that Jean-Marc planted here about 15 years ago. This a direct press rosé with the color coming from the skins of the pink Grenache Gris berries, and naturally, from the much darker Mourvedre. It is aged in tank for 4 months before bottling.
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