LOW ROAD WHITE

2018 Margerum M5 White, $15.36 

Club members Jen and Marcie were walking by the house and wanted to order some wine (not a wine store). BUT, as it happened, I was on the back deck tasting with a wine rep (not a tasting room), and they were invited to join. Jen and Marcie sipped this and immediately ordered a case. If you know Jen, you’ll understand that she told me that we must have this in the club. Yes Sir! Jen, Marcie, and I hope that you’ll enjoy this Rhône blend from California with Marsanne, Roussanne, and just enough Viognier make it a dinner wine.

2019 Columna Albarino, $15

We have had this wine before at our Taste! Party to raise money for school. It was popular then, so when the blind tasting group was organizing an Albarino tasting, I added the 2019. It showed very well, especially considering the price point. We love a value. Wine and Spirits magazine agreed and gave this vintage 92 points and a Best Buy award. Unoaked, so you can taste the granite soil and pear flavor, and 12.5% alcohol so you can have a second bottle with lunch. Heck, why not..

LOW ROAD RED

2018 Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne Cuvee Riserva, $16.64

A Négociant is a winemaker that sources his grapes from growers.  Generally the grapes they buy will make or break the wines. To get a mutually-beneficial vineyard relationship, Nicolas Potel’s philosophy is to get drunk with the grower one night and only negotiate the vineyard contract after waking up on their couch the next morning. Sounds familiar. The emphasis at Roche de Bellene is on individual terroirs from vieilles vignes (old vines, 40 years or older) that are farmed responsibly. Easy Thanksgiving Pinot.

2017 Chateau Haut-Monplaisir Cahors Tradition, $16.21

Cahors is a region of Southwest France. In the old days, you would have needed to know that if you saw a Cahors, that meant Malbec. But France has loosened up a little when it comes to their marketing and they are nice enough to spell it out for us Americans on the label. Merci. This Malbec is aged in concrete and neutral oak barrels so the flavor is pure. Psst, plus the price is great. It is a big, chewy wine that Californians should love, but with lower alcohol and a French finish… à votre santé!

HIGH ROAD WHITE

2017 Cruess Russian River Vally Fiano $20.48

In the last delivery, you had the GSM blend. For our 15th wedding anniversary we braved the smoke and Covid to go to Wine Country and met the family of Cruess. The sacrifices we make for you!  Club members Brian and Corby met us in the Fiano Vineyard to taste the 2020 grapes and all of the Cruess wines. Fiano is a high-quality grape used in southern Italy, but primarily Campania. We love our introduction to drinking a local Fiano from the Russian River Valley. It’s nutty and textured, with an oily viscosity. But like, in a good way.

2019 Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage Blanc $38.40

Recent wine tariffs hadn’t impacted us much because we have been buying wine that was already in the country. We’ve also always planned to stay away from wine with an artificially high price. It’s kind of our thing because the value from the rest of the world is so high. Exception alert. Because this wine is highly in demand, it is allocated, which means it’s rationed only to repeat customers. Translation: Buy me this year or lose me forever. Luckily, it’s delicious.   

HIGH ROAD RED

2018 Noelia Ricci Godenza Sangiovese Superior $28.16

We bought this wine specifically for Thanksgiving. It is 100% hippy Sangiovese from Godenza, a highly-regarded vineyard near San Cristoforo (also home to our popular 100% Petit Verdot from the West Coast of Italy.) This vintage gets Tre Bicchieri (“Three Glasses,”) the highest rating from the wine magazine Gambero Rosso. That’s impressive because its sustainably farmed, manually harvested, and aged in stainless steel. Grown in clay, sandy soil close to the ocean, the wine wasn’t manipulated to alter the flavor of Sangiovese. Also it is unfiltered so you may see some sediment in the last pour.. Perfect for a big, diverse range of foods, perfect to gobble, gulp, gobble.

2016 Casa Castillo Las Gravas, $28.16

We weren’t expecting to have another Spanish wine this quickly after the Rioja in August but hola! May we present a blend of Monastrell (Mourvèdre), Garnacha (Grenache), and a bit of Syrah (Syrah) from a 3rd generation winemaker. Originally planted in the mid 1800s by wine growers escaping the France phylloxera outbreak, this extremely rocky single vineyard is still harvested by hand and crushed by foot. Rated 94 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Drink with food or by itself.