“I curate only the best, so you can order with confidence.”
Doug’s Selections
DRINK GOOD SCHIST
2018 Sérol Eclat de Granite
The partially underground cellar contains mostly cement tanks and some wooden tronconic tanks. These temperature-controlled tanks are perfectly sized for vinifying separate vineyard origin. After sorting, the whole bunches are gently transferred by conveyor belt into tank. Fermentation takes place exclusively with natural yeasts. The aging period lasts 4 to 11 months, and the wine is racked as needed.
Description
With notes of strawberries and dark red cherries, there’s just a kiss of stone dust. The palate is a soft, vinous caress that effortlessly seduces with seamless flavors of peak-of-the-season, red-ripe strawberries with just a hint of ripe cranberry brightness. The wine continues to a supple, mouthwatering, lingering finish. It’s just so damn good – and it goes with any food.
Vinification Method
High density of planting (8 500 feet/ha). The soils are plowed and the vines are nourished by the previous year’s cuttings, by organic compost and by powdered limestone (to neutralize the soil’s acidity). Human intervention comes into play several times during each season for de-budding, trellising, leaf-thinning. Grapes harvested by hand before carefully sorting them in cellar. 40% destemed and maceration in whole bunch in cement tanks with temperature control. 9 days of slow maceration with indigenous yeasts only. Pneumatic pressing. Aging of 6 months in cement tanks with racking. After a light filtration, bottling by Domaine Sérol.
WINERY: Domaine Sérol
Les Estinaudes - 42 370 Renaison
+ 33 (0)4 77 64 44 04
http://domaine-serol.com
CATEGORY: French
GEOGRAPHIC REGION: Loire Valley
AREA: Côte Roannaise
TYPE: Red
COLOR: Intense dark red color
VARIETY: Gamay
ALCOHOL: 12.5%
2015 Château Réaut
The Château and vineyard is located very close to the Garonne river near the village of Rions, south and east of the city of Bordeaux. The wonderfully-located vineyard is on a steep, south-oriented hillside as well as a smaller parcel at the top of the hill. The soils are varied and include clay, limestone, sand, and deep gravel. The hillside location also assures that the vineyard sees frequent breezes and cool night-time temperatures (which makes for wines with more complex aromatics and a fresher, more intense, better-balanced finish). The densely-planted vineyard as well as leaf-thinning and green harvesting all assure low yields and highly concentrated and highly complex wines.
Description
A deep, dense ruby red, this has beautifully fresh aromas of currants, raspberries, and blackberries, with notes of stones, spice and baking chocolate. The palate is concentrated, opulent and supple-textured . There are forward flavors of berries, herbs, chocolate and spice that linger on a long, vibrant, and balanced finish.
Vinification Method
The grapes are de-stemmed before gentle extraction and slow fermentation (30 days) in temperature-controlled vats. The wine is then aged for 16 months, partially (50%) in French oak barrels.
WINERY: SAS Château Réaut - Lieu-dit Fontuch
33410 RIONS
+33 (0)5 56 62 66 54
https://www.chateau-reaut.com/
CATEGORY: French
GEOGRAPHIC REGION: Cotes de Bordeaux
AREA: Bordeaux
TYPE: Red Bordeaux
COLOR: Red
VARIETY: Merlot 58%, Cabernet Sauvignon 37%, Cabernet Franc 5%
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
2015 Somlói Vándor, Nagy-Somlói Furmint
Wine Name: Furmint, pronouced “foo r-mint.” This one you might have heard of! It is the backbone of Hungary’s most famous wine, Tokaji Aszu!
Description:
Color also straw yellow. Classic pithy stone fruit, volcanic nose and a touch of saline minerality. Wow! Starts off with thick flavors of yellow/orange fruits with a touch of fresh apricots. Incredible concentration. Bone dry, yet packed with delicious compressed fruit flavors. Remarkable structure, great length and purity. This is a wine that will continue to develop for years to come.
Pairing: Great with dishes using Thai basil or citrus based dishes.
Vinification Method
Alcoholic fermentation done in stainless steel. Elevage: half of the wine is aged in 100% new oak, and then blended. The new oak is heavy toast. It’s hard to believe the vines are only 15 years old!
OUT OF STOCK
WINERY: Somlói Vándor Pince
Somlóvásárhely, 8481 hrsz 1700, Hungary
+36 30 835 2295
somloivandor.hu
CATEGORY: Hungarian
GEOGRAPHIC REGION: NAGY-SOMLÓ
AREA: SOMLÓ
TYPE: WHITE
COLOR: WHITE
VARIETY: FURMINT
ALCOHOL: 11.5%
2015 Somlói Vándor, Nagy-Somlói Harslevelű
Wine Name: Harslevelű, pronouced “HARSH-leh-veh-LOO,” means linden leaf.
Description
Color straw yellow. Lemon-lime nose, almost like the smell of Buddha Hand lemon. On the palate, vibrant acidity that coils around flavors of dried lemon curd, stone dust, and white flowers.
Pairing: Perfect wine with oysters, shellfish with a little vinegar, and white fleshed fish such as Chesapeake Bay Rockfish.
Vinification Method
Fermented in stainless steel, temperature controlled. Aged in wood for 2 months. Only 91 cases are produced. Half a hectar at a miniscule 20 hectoliters per hectar.
OUT OF STOCK
WINERY: Somlói Vándor Pince
Somlóvásárhely, 8481 hrsz 1700, Hungary
+36 30 835 2295
somloivandor.hu
CATEGORY: Hungarian
GEOGRAPHIC REGION: NAGY-SOMLÓ
AREA: SOMLÓ
TYPE: WHITE
COLOR: WHITE
VARIETY: HARSLEVELŰ
ALCOHOL: 12.5%
2015 Somlói Vándor, Nagy-Somlói Juhfark
Imagine a vineyard almost untouched by time in a tiny, virtually unknown wine region whose wines just blow you away. It was my first visit of the day, my first visit in Hungary, and I hit a home run! That never happens. I spent three hours soaking in the stark beauty of these volcanic hillside vineyards. I was totally enraptured. There’s a volcanic thread running through each of these unique wines, exotic but comfortably delicious.
WINE NAME: Juhfark, pronounced “Yooh-fark,” means sheep’s tail. The name is due to the elongated shape of the grape clusters.
Description
Golden color. Slight Riesling petroleum nose that opens up to white flowers and yellow peach. Great density, rich mouth feel. Yellow peach flavors dominate with a mouthwatering mineral core. Underlying volcanic saline—almost saltiness—really hangs onto your palate.
Pairing: Think of using this wine in place of a red wine where deep flavors,perfect integration, and palate-cleansing acidity are called for. This wine pairs well with spicy Hungarian salami. This is a wine that can stand up to and complement a multitude of marinated grilled red meats.
Vinification Method
A mere 300 cases produced. Four parcels blended together. The wine is pressed, put into barrel for fermentation for five months of aging on the fine lees. The grapes are not grown anywhere else in the world, and the grapes are harvested in late September.
OUT OF STOCK
WINERY: Somlói Vándor Pince
Somlóvásárhely, 8481 hrsz 1700, Hungary
+36 30 835 2295
somloivandor.hu
CATEGORY: Hungarian
GEOGRAPHIC REGION: NAGY-SOMLÓ
AREA: SOMLÓ
TYPE: WHITE
COLOR: WHITE
VARIETY: JUHFARK
ALCOHOL: 13.5%