2020 Montenidoli, Il Garrulo, Colli Senesi Chianti

Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano, Malvasia

Montenidoli is literally and figuratively a mountain above the appellation of San Gimignano. It is a large estate of roughly 200 hectares, though just 24 hectares under vine. Elisabetta Fagiuoli is pivotal figure in Tuscan winemaking, making highly appreciated terroir-driven wines for over 50 years. In 1965 she fell in love with the Montenidoli estate which she was able to purchase with the help of some money from her grandmother. The estate, both the vineyards and olive groves were in total disrepair. She began working towards restoring the property to its former glory. We are extremely lucky to have her wines here and perhaps more than any wine in this set, it speaks to us about how something so simple and so natural can be so beautiful. We recommend 30-45 minutes in a decanter to unveil the essence of this bright, fresh, earthy, spiced red fruit, beautiful wine. Enjoy with tomato-sauced dishes!

2021 Christos Fonsos, "Mathiulis" Red, Tinos Island, Greece

80% Koumari, 20% Mavro Potamisi

Christos Fonsos is a one-man show at his small winery on the Cyclades Island of Tinos. He produces only 400 cases of wine a year, all with organically grown indigenous grapes. This wine is so delicious that we bought everything available when we tasted it. The Mathiulis has a medium+ ruby color with a pink rim, indicating signs of youth. Still, the wine is already so well integrated and balanced, especially after a bit of time in a decanter. It is dry and so sultry and exotic on the nose with notes of sun-ripened red berries, black figs, and plums wrapped in florals, spices, and earthiness … all beautifully balanced medium body, medium+ and fine tannins, and refreshing medium+ acidity.

2021 Evesham Wood, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon

100% Pinot Noir

This estate sits on the lower terrace of the Eola-Amity Hills’ eastern slope in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and has been producing wines with one goal in mind. To produce delicious biodynamic and organic wines that represent the truth and capabilities of Willamette Valley terroir. This truly artisanal selection is a peek at what they can accomplish for a reasonable price. The wine is a medium concentration of ruby that leads out into a petal pink rim. The color is a bit hazy which is indicative of the unfiltered, unfined, and wholly natural winemaking practices. The nose is a beautiful expression of pinot noir with moderate+ concentration of ripe red fruits—cherry, watermelon, and raspberries, with lilacs, tulips, and a forest floor earthiness. On the palate it is dry, medium+ bodied, medium and soft tannins, and medium+ acidity. It is all in balance with a red ripe red fruit finish reminiscent of cherry Jolly Ranchers … in a good way.

2020 Gigou, Pineau d'Aunis, Coteaux Du Loir, Loire, France

100% Pineau d'Aunis

The Gigou family operates their quaint farm in the central northern reaches of the Loire Valley.  Joël, who is credited with saving the appellation of Jasnières, started the estate in 1974 along with his wife Sylvie. They keep all their bottled wines in their cellar for at least one or two years so that they are ready to drink when released. Pineau d'Aunis is a dark skinned grape that is indigenous to the Central Loire Valley dating back to the Middle Ages.  Royalty in France and England cherished it from the 13th to 15th centuries. Their Pineau d'Aunis comes from very old vines and has a light garnet color with notes of grilled and smoked blue plums, dark figs and cherries with a mild pepper flavor. It’s bone dry and medium-bodied with light and smooth tannins.

2021 Descendientes de J. Palacios, Petalos, Bierzo, Spain

100% Mencia

Winemaker, Ricardo Perez, is Spain’s foremost expert on Biodynamics. He is a winemaker in a region to watch. His “entry-level” wine Petalos is produced from over 300 plots of old-vine Mencia all harvested by hand in high-elevation sights in the northern region of Bierzo. The deep ruby wine is fresh and delicious and just coming into its own after a few years of bottle age and is still youthfully complex with aromas of ripe and juicy dark berries, red plum, black currants, a spring day after the rain, savory herbs, fresh violets, with integrated notes of tobacco and cocoa. On the palate it is dry and medium-bodied with medium and fine tannins, lifting medium+ acidity, and a lingering finish of earthiness and juicy dark fruits.

2022 Field Recordings, Freddo, Sangiovese, Paso Robles, California

79% Sangiovese, 16% Dolcetto, 5% Valdiguié

Field recordings is winemaker Andrew Jones’ love letter to California grapes. Having set foot in every vineyard in the State’s Central Coast, he is as deeply rooted in that region as its oldest grapes. Hand selecting grapes from some of the best vineyards in the area (some will even leave their best plots totally to his wines) he curates blends of wine that highlight the area's capabilities. This wine is a delicious representation of his work and a fantastic refreshment for a hot day. It is medium clear, with a medium concentration of bright electric ruby, with moderate intensity of aromatics with notes of ripe juicy raspberries, blueberries, pomegranate, and cherries soaked in liqueur with a little spice from the Sangiovese varietal. The wine is bone dry and with medium-plus body, medium tannin that’s fine grained on the palate and medium-plus acidity. File this under “chillable” red.

PLEASE NOTE

• Purchasers must be 21 years of age or older and be present with an ID upon delivery.

• Price includes 5.50% Maine State sales tax and Maine’s fifteen-cents redemption deposit per bottle.

• If your billing address is different from your delivery address, please include your delivery address in the comments section at checkout.

• *Delivery is by Wine Wise—not third-party carriers. Our delivery area is Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland Foreside, Falmouth, Old Orchard Beach, Portland, Saco, Scarborough, South Portland, and Westbrook. We have a larger delivery area for Wine Club deliveries.