Beyond the Usual Suspects

Great wine beyond the grapes you already know

Unusual-variety tasting

2024 Jadix Picpoul De Pinet France    $21.99 / $19.79

100% Piquepoul Blanc. The 2024 Jadix Picpoul de Pinet is a crisp, white wine from France's Languedoc region, featuring high acidity, mineral notes, and flavors of lemon, green apple, and salinity. This dry, refreshing, and screw-capped wine is an excellent pairing for seafood, with expert reviews noting its vibrant, zesty.

2021 MIRO Cellars Ribolla Gialla Lodi, CA   $20.99 / $18.89

100% Ribolla Gialla. This is the first-ever white wine for Miro Cellars. The wine has intense fruity aromas of lemon curd, Bartlett pear, baking spices, and a hint of hazelnut. The color is straw yellow. It has a silky texture with great weight and length. It has a suggestively sweet finish although the wine is completely dry.

2023 Diego Magana Dominio de Anza Selección de Parcelas Bierzo Tinto   $31.99 / $28.79

Blend: Mencía/Bastardo (Trousseau)/Garnacha, Tintorera. A vibrant, old-vine Mencía sourced from multiple parcels across Bierzo, offering a fresh and elegant expression of the region. Aromas of red berries, violets, and subtle herbal notes lead into a silky palate with fine tannins, bright acidity, and a mineral-driven finish. Light to medium-bodied, lifted, and beautifully balanced.

2022 Prima Materia Negroamaro Lake County CA   $29.99 / $26.99

100% Negro Amaro. Plum, cassis and general grapiness abound with notes of fig, olive, black pepper and pleasingly rustic earthiness that is still light on its feet. Low-ish acid and smooth tannin make it a round delight. There is a wonderful fresh funk that always accompanies Negroamaro as well in a bright, almost glou glou (French for "glug-glug") vibrant style.

Lesson: indigenous/lesser-known varieties and why some grapes become internationally famous while others remain regional

Wines from the tasting on sale for 10% OFF