2024 LIVIO FELLUGA FRIULANO
'FRIULI COLLIO ORIENTALE' DOC
SPECIAL - $26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE

[reg. $36.99]…After World War II, and after centuries of foreign rule, Livio Felluga played a key role in reviving Friuli’s wine culture. Until his death in 2016 at age 102, he remained a tireless advocate for the region. Today, Friuli’s exceptional wines and rich story continue through the generations that followed. Friulano, once called Tocai Friulano, is a northern Italian white grape believed to have originated in the Veneto, Friuli’s neighboring region, but it reaches its fullest expression in Friuli.

This wine clearly reflects Friuli’s stony ponca soils. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, it is direct and precise, showing subtle herbal notes, coastal salinity, lemongrass brightness, and fragrant nectarine. It gains complexity with each aroma. The palate is clean and focused, with broad presence, firm dryness, and a lively, savory finish. Pair it with Prosciutto di San Daniele, the classic match, or enjoy it with seafood and white sausages.

2017 TERRA DEL VESCOVO
TAURASI 'LARGO MADAMA' DOCG
SPECIAL- $34.99 BTL./$209.94 - 6 PK

[reg. $52.99]…Made entirely from Aglianico, Taurasi is Campania’s highest-rated DOCG, and deservedly so: wines from these revered soils are consistently profound. Led by Giuseppa Molettieri, Terra Del Vescovo is a tiny nine-acre estate. The Molettieri name is highly respected in the area, and the estate focuses mainly on three red wines and the Taurasi is the standout. From a single vineyard planted in 1952 at 600 meters above sea level, it is aged four years in large botti and at least one year in bottle. The 2017 is the current release, and the extra age is welcome—young Taurasi will kick you in the teeth, but at nearly ten years old, this bottle is unfolding magnificently.

Aromas of dried black cherry, sea smoke, licorice, nutmeg, underbrush, graphite and roasted earth lead into a deep, vertical palate with powerful structure. The finish is bold and persistent, conveying boysenberry, smoke, leather, saline, and earthy notes. Often called the Barolo of the South, this wine pairs beautifully with braised lamb, short ribs, or game. However, it is most excellent with classic ragù Napoletano over ziti or rigatoni, followed by the tender meat as a main course. Enjoy over the next decade.

2023 LYDIAN 'GSM'
COLUMBIA VALLEY
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

93 Points – The Wine Spectator…Avennia’s everyday label, Lydian, delivers remarkable value and shows what Grenache and Rhône-style blends can achieve in Washington.

Made from 67% Grenache, 21% Syrah, and 12% Mourvèdre, it is a lovable Washington take on Côtes-du-Rhône. With no new oak, the grapes and soil speak clearly: wild cherry, Italian plum, white pepper, dusty earth, and a hint of meatiness lead to a succulent, mouth-filling palate packed with peppery character. Excellent with barbecue, tomato-based dishes, lamb, or North African and Indian cuisine.

2023 CLAMENS FRONTON ROUGE
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE

Fronton, about 40 miles from Toulouse, is a little-known region centered on the local Négrette grape. Its wines are dark, flavorful, and unmistakably French.

The Frontonization of Portland is underway! This distinctive wine offers aromas of wild blackberry, plum pit, leather, and anise, followed by savory, tangy, succulent flavors. Medium-bodied and irresistibly drinkable, it pairs beautifully with cold meats such as terrines and pâtés, as well as sausages, meatloaf, and bean dishes like cassoulet.

2023 GROSSOT CHABLIS
$36.99 BTL./$221.94 - SIX PACK

From Galicia’s Ribera Sacra—one of Spain’s most stunning landscapes, with Roman-era terraces still visible today—this wine highlights Godello, the region’s leading white grape.

Made from 30- to 80-year-old vines, this cuvee is a terrific white-wine value and a pure palate-pleaser. Lemon, pear, blossom, and flinty aromas open the show. On the palate, crisp energy, medium body, and a velvety mouthfeel frame lemon and apple flavors, accented by subtle rocky notes that carry through the long, persistent finish.

2021 LA VALENTINA 'SPELT'
RISERVA
MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO
$26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE

Abruzzo is one of Italy’s rising wine regions, transformed over the past 15 years from a source of simple trattoria wines into a home for terroir-driven bottles that drink well young and can also age. Spelt is a formidable step up from La Valentina’s delicious entry wine and belongs in our newly named “Super Montepulciano” category for its alluring power and complexity.

Worth trying for the color alone, this dark red offers confident aromas of black cherry, pepper, tar, and roasted meat. Those flavors carry into a lush, tangy, slightly rustic palate that avoids jamminess and excessive polish. Long and persistent, it pairs beautifully with tomato-based dishes and is even better with lamb. Better yet, combine both with penne and Spelt Montepulciano for a miracle in the mouth. Drink over the next decade.

2023 RAUL PEREZ BIERZO
ULTRIEA SAINT-JACQUES
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

93 Points – The Wine Advocate…Synonymous with Galicia and neighboring Bierzo, Raúl Pérez seemingly can do no wrong. He has been a leading force behind Bierzo’s rise over the past two decades. Ultreia is one of the world’s great wine values, offering something for nearly everyone.

Led by Mencía with Trousseau, Alicante Bouschet, Palomino, and Doña Blanca, it comes mostly from vines planted between 1890 and 1940. Aromas of cinnamon, clove, plum, roasted earth, and chocolate licorice unfold as the wine aerates. The palate is generous yet poised, gliding gracefully to the finish. A Spanish delight with pork dishes.

2024 GRASSL GRUNER-VELTLINER
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

This lively Austrian white is good enough to make you dance. Fresh, inviting aromas of yellow and green apple, lime, peppermint, and spice lead to an even more impressive palate: dry and uplifting, with substance, subtlety, and length. Pair it with seafood appetizers, white sausages, mild cheeses, or dishes with a touch of heat.

2023 ORNELLAIA 'LE VOLTE'
TOSCANA ROSSO
$29.99 BTL./$359.88 CASE

Here is a chance to enjoy a Super Tuscan experience from a legendary producer at a fair price. Tenuta Ornellaia is renowned for its namesake wine and the extremely scarce Massetto, both priced well north of $200. Le Volte is an imaginative, approachable blend that offers a taste of one of Italy’s great estates without requiring a second mortgage.

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, this wine offers savory cassis, plum, and blueberry layered with Eastern spices, Italian herbs, and gentle chocolate notes. Creamy, layered, engaging, and mouth-filling, it should appeal to a wide range of palates and carry beautifully to the table. Enjoy through 2031 with beef or lamb.

2023 JB NEUFELD CABERNET
SAUVIGNON 'CIEL DU CHEVAL'
$65.99 BTL./$395.94 - 6 PK

Formerly the longtime winemaker at Gibert Cellars, Justin Neufeld makes wines under his own labels from some of Washington’s most celebrated vineyards, including this Ciel du Cheval bottling.

From the Red Mountain AVA, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon brims with blackberry and cranberry, accented by coffee, anise, smoke, and mint. Mysterious and debonair, it is loaded, rich, and expansive on the palate. Buxom, smooth, and mouth-coating, it also has ample structure and backbone beneath the swath of chewy fruit, pointing to impeccable aging potential.

2023 LEBREUIL SAVIGNY-LES BEAUNE 'LES GRAVAINS' 1^ER CRU
$69.99 BTL./$419.94 - 6 PK

We have admired Savigny specialist Jean-Baptiste Lebreuil’s wines for years, and they continue to excel. A map of the appellation’s Premiers Crus resembles a wildly intricate mosaic done by a cartographer who just dropped a heroic dose of acid.

Gravains is one of the top sites, and just 166 cases are produced. The wine captures the vineyard’s elegance and finesse while retaining structure and body. Blue argile clay in the soil contributes deep, slightly darker tones. The compact nose layers mineral, dried flowers, roasted coffee, black cherry, and violet. Supple fruit coats the palate, balancing the vintage’s generosity. The character of 2023 shows in ripe, fine-grained tannins that frame its alluring complexity. Enjoy it now, or let it open over the next two to five years; it should provide pleasure for at least another decade.

2021 CIECK CANAVESE ROSSO
'TUCC-UN' (Barbera Blend)
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

Created in 1996, the Canavese DOC in Piedmont encompasses a wide range of grapes and wines. Although the white grape Erbaluce is well known, leading producers also make excellent red blends such as this one. Cieck’s Barbera-based Tucc-Un is one of its three Canavese Rossi, blended with Freisa and the local Neretto di San Giorgio.

Sultry aromas of plum and sandalwood carry an undercurrent of cardamom-like spice. The palate is medium-bodied, with the local grapes adding intrigue and Barbera contributing spice and tang. Intellectual yet soulful, it is exemplary with roasted or grilled meats.

2021 BASTIDE BLANCHE
BANDOL ROUGE
$34.99 BTL./$419.88 CASE

Alongside Bandol leaders such as Pradeaux, Gros Nore and Pibarnon, the Bronzo brothers of Bastide Blanche produce some of the appellation’s most compelling wines. Their perennial-favorite rosé is well known, but the estate’s reds are even more impressive.

To borrow from the Replacements, “Give Me One More Dose of Thunder!” This vibrant 2021 is a must for Southern French wine enthusiasts, with youthful aromas of herbes de Provence, black truffle, leather, spice, strawberry and wild purple flowers. Athletic yet hedonistic, it is approachable now but structured enough to reward cellaring. Best from late 2027 through 2035.

2025 ALTOS DE TORONA
ALBARIÑO
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

Based in O Rosal, in the southern reaches of Rías Baixas in Galicia, Altos de Torona is new to us, and its Albariño offers exceptional value.

Terraced vineyards above the Miño River, proximity to the Atlantic, sandy granite soils, and cool ocean breezes give this fine white a vivid saline minerality. Mineral slathered, it gains depth in the glass as floral notes mingle with nectarine, lemongrass, and sea spray. Energetic yet elegant, it has impressive depth, character, and a detailed, lingering finish. Pair it with clams, mussels, salmon, halibut, cod, sea urchin—almost anything that swims.

2023 JANUIK COLUMBIA VALLEY
RED BLEND
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE

Washington wine pioneer Mike Januik helped establish the state on the world wine map, from his tenure as Wine Director at Chateau Ste-Michelle to today.

The Columbia Red is a standout value with its broad blend of 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 10% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre and 1% Malbec. Layered aromas and flavors of black cherry, smoke, licorice, cassis and violet meet integrated oak. Graceful and rich, it gains structure, acidity and grip on the second taste, with a surprisingly saturated, long finish for the price.

2024 MAXIMIN GRUNHAUSER
RIESLING TROCKEN 'SCHLOSS'
$26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE

Pay attention to this bottle: Maximin Grünhaus is one of the Ruwer’s—and Germany’s—most important producers, and this wine, formerly labeled simply “Trocken” and “Monopol,” does not disappoint. Yes, it is Riesling. Yes, it is German. And for the skeptics: YES, IT IS DRY!

Aromatic and expansive on the palate, it vividly expresses the Ruwer’s slate soils. Livewire, luminous, succulent, and stony, it finishes with brilliant energy—grooving on the dance floor while staying cool as a cucumber. A natural match for turkey, it also pairs beautifully with seared albacore tuna marinated in ginger, soy, and garlic, or with spicy Thai dishes.

2021 PASTERNOSTER 'SYNTHESI'
AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE

Subliminal sensuality from Southern Italy: bold and brazen, this red delivers far more than a kiss on the cheek. Made from 100% Aglianico in Basilicata, it comes from the Vulture area, often considered the variety’s finest source—though Campania would surely disagree.

Generous and eloquent, it offers aromas and flavors of licorice, tea leaf, violet, and red earth, all with inimitable attitude. Enjoy it with a Sunday meat sauce, eggplant Parmesan, or pork chops alla Napoli with tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, and green olives.

2021 ANGELO NEGRO
BARBARESCO 'BASARIN'
$39.99 BTL./$479.88 CASE

Because Angelo Negro’s core wines and home base are in Roero, its small-production Barbaresco and Barolo are often overlooked—a benefit to consumers, given their quality-to-price ratio. Basarin, a cru in Neive that straddles Barbaresco and Treiso, seems to carry the DNA of all three Barbaresco villages. The monumental 2021 Piedmont vintage makes finding a single-cru wine for under forty dollars feel like pulling off a robbery.

Aged in traditional large barrels, it opens with roses, tar, subtle spice, and earth. As expected, especially in a vintage like this, the palate is generous, with chewy, expressive fruit, firm structure, and excellent definition that tightens on the finish. It offers exceptional length, depth, grip, dimension, and layering for the price—hallmarks of a great vintage. Though youthful, a devoted Nebbiolo disciple could try one now; for best results, cellar it until late 2027 and drink through 2035.

2022 SUCCES VINICOLA CONCA DE
BARBERA 'CUCA DE LLUM'
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE

Conca de Barberà has nothing to do with the Barbera grape—or conking someone over the head with a bottle. Located in central Catalonia, this diverse growing region spans flat and gently rolling land that rises to 600 meters, creating a range of terroirs and a diverse selection of grapes.

Made from 100% Trepat, the wine layers boysenberry, blueberry, and raspberry with notes of thyme and anise. The palate is crowd-pleasing, lush, and complex, with muscular structure and mineral edges. Its iron-fist-in-a-velvet-glove character broadens through a savory, persistent finish.