THE CELLAR DOOR'S 'SEARING' WINESHEET
9 wines including Bandol & Beaune
Tuscan Red, Dry Rose
Cotes-du-Rhone, Pinot Gris
2025 FARINA BARDOLINO
CHIARETTO ROSE
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE
In Italy, Chiaretto is often called “the Christmas wine” because it is so popular in December, but a rosé this fresh is just as easy to enjoy in June.
Made from Corvina and Rondinella, this vibrant pink wine from the Veneto side of Lake Garda offers lively raspberry fruit, a silky texture, bright acidity, and a hint of spice. Long and expressive, it is well-rounded, refreshing, and likely to sell out quickly.
2023 PIAGGIA 'PIETRANERA'
TOSCANA ROSSO
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
Piaggia is one of the leading estates in Tuscany’s Carmignano region, and this is the first time we have offered its savory, approachable gateway wine, Pietranera.
A blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Franc, this unconventional wine expresses both Tuscany and its galestro soils with confidence. Wild cherry and berry take the lead, supported by smoke, sage, balsamico, and sandalwood. Lavish yet finely balanced, it is succulent, flavorful, and impressively long for the price. Enjoy it over the next decade with penne Bolognese, brined pork chops spiked with rosemary, sage, and garlic, or grilled ribeye.
2021 FRITZ HAAG
RIESLING TROCKEN
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE
Describing the full range of Riesling is one of the most frustrating aspects of my job. The grape produces wines in every style, from intensely dry and ageworthy to lusciously sweet dessert wines, with everything in between. This bottle is worth your attention: Fritz Haag is one of the Mosel’s—and Germany’s—most important producers, and this wine delivers. It is Riesling, it is German, and for anyone still doubtful: yes, it is dry.
With impressive dimension on both the nose and palate, this wine reflects the slate soils of the steep slopes around Haag’s home village of Brauneberg. It is vibrant, luminous, succulent, and distinctly stony, finishing with blistering energy and precision, this wine seemingly grooves its ass out on the dance floor and is cool as a cucumber. Pair it with seared albacore tuna marinated in ginger, soy, and garlic, or with white sausages.
2023 BODEGAS ARZUAGA
RIBERA DEL DUERO 'LA PLANTA'
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE
When I am not dabbling in the occult during work hours, I search for wines that deliver exceptional value, and the Ribera del Duero region’s Bodegas Arzuaga has been many Spanish wine lovers’ secret find for years.
Made from 100% Tempranillo, it opens with polished aromas of strawberry jam, clove, coriander, and mocha. The palate is layered and graceful, with solid depth, while red and black berry notes become more pronounced as it opens. The finish is suave, poised, and long. Drink it over the next five years with lamb or braised beef. At twenty dollars, La Planta performs far above its price.
2025 DOMAINE LE GALANTIN
BANDOL BLANC
SPECIAL - $23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
[reg. $29.99]…Bandol Blanc remains rare, with white wine making up just 5% of the appellation, so little reaches the U.S. Domaine Le Galantin’s brisk, refreshing version is 85% Clairette, 10% Ugni Blanc, and 5% Rolle, which adds roundness and exotic fruit notes. The region’s maritime influence, also evident in the estate’s red and rosé wines, helps shape its character.
Aged only in stainless steel and concrete, this white is distinctly Provençal. Mango, minerality, lemongrass, and nectarine lift from the glass, while the region’s sunshine adds depth. The word alléchant—mouthwatering—fits, especially on the long, vivid finish. Pair it with swordfish, smoked salmon, grilled asparagus, zucchini, prosciutto or bacon, or Asian dishes with moderate heat.
2024 ANDELUNA '1300'
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
Anne-Charlotte Bachas’s Font du Loup estate is based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape on the north side of Le Crau, a site best known through Vieux Télégraphe. Beyond her outstanding Châteauneuf wines, she also makes a Côtes-du-Rhône of legitimate distinction.
Rosemary and fennel rise first from the glass, followed by strawberry and blackberry. Plush but not overripe, the fruit corresponds with refinement and clarity, with white pepper lurking on the elegant finish.
2024 MESA PINOT GRIS
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE
Mesa is essentially a second label from the little-known but respected Oregon producer McKinlay. Pinot Gris is wine I rarely willingly drink, as too many examples are dilute or dirty sugar water, but in the capable hands of Matt and Jacob Kinne, it becomes something compelling.
Fresh citrus notes swell from the glass, with tangerine, lime, and lemongrass leading into a crisp, lightly smoky palate that is both mouthfilling and refreshing. Telltale roundness is present up front yet it remains poised and dry. A superb way to start a warm evening and matches well with vibrant cheeses, sole, or halibut.
2023 PILLOT BEAUNE
'BOUCHEROTTES' PREMIER CRU
$65.99 BTL./$395-94 - SIX PACK
Les Boucherottes is a Premier Cru vineyard in the southern part of Beaune, just beside Pommard. This excellent parcel, planted between 1966 and 1996, sits on slightly stony brown limestone soils and offers a warm, plush expression. Laurent farms just 1.13 acres here, and annual production is usually around 200 cases.
The nose is striking from the outset, with rose, pepper, mineral, and touches of vanilla and nutmeg. On the palate, its impressive breadth is confirmed by youthful structure, with fresh aromatic herbs and Asian spice nuances. Savory, succulent, and persistent, drink it through 2038.
2023 FONT DE LOUP
COTES-DU-RHONE
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
Anne-Charlotte Bachas’s Font du Loup estate is based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape on the north side of Le Crau, a site best known through Vieux Télégraphe. Beyond her outstanding Châteauneuf wines, she also makes a Côtes-du-Rhône of legitimate distinction.
Rosemary and fennel rise first from the glass, followed by strawberry and blackberry. Plush but not overripe, the fruit corresponds with refinement and clarity, with white pepper lurking on the elegant finish.