September 2023
WINE OF THE MONTH
Every month we give a little spotlight time to a hidden treasure, a wine we think you should meet (and hopefully fall in love with). To encourage the introduction, we offer the wine at 25% OFF the bottle price for the given month.
La Tour du Tourril 2018 Les Cyprès Minervois
Languedoc-Roussillon, France // Reg $15.99 | 25% OFF = $11.99
Blend of Syrah/Grenache. Organic. Very herbal (oregano, lavender, bay leaf) with hint of blueberry. (Jules said: I don't like bay leaf. And I said, "You will after this wine!") The palate is a little different. Still lots of herbs, but more fruit. Blackberries, dark plums, black cherries. Medium-bodied. Long finish. For that price? Ridiculous. (And that's before the discount!)
JENS’ TOP PICKS
Every month Portalis owner Jens Strecker picks 5-10 wines that he thinks are outstanding … for any reason he chooses. Here are his picks (not in a specific order) made with a change of season in mind.
Thomas Barton 2020 Graves Reserve Blanc
Bordeaux, France // Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon. 50% is 3 mos in oak, rest is aging on the lees. Low yield. Organic. Natural fermentation. Vegan. Rich, run nose of flowers, hay, yellow plums & soft spices. Flavors of citrus, yellow plums. Complex mid-palate. Wonderful acidity. Smoky notes on the finish.
Warp & Weft 2017 Red Blend
Swartland, South Africa // Reg $16.99 | Mixed Case $13.59
Pinotage blend. Dry-farmed. 30 year old vines. 31% Shiraz, 19% Carignan, 15% Mourvedre, 14% Cinsaut, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Pinotage, 2% Viognier. Medium to fuller in body. Dark in flavor. Boysenberry, blackberry, blueberries. Lots of fruit. Licorice. Not much oak. Taste the crazy, intense, fruitiness and complexity of this wine.
Domaine de Chevilly 2022 Quincy
Loire Valley, France // Reg $26.99 | Mixed Case $21.59
100% Sauvignon Blanc from vineyards between west of Sancerre. Nose of earth, chalk, limestone, grapefruit, white peach. Complexity is amazing. Laser-beam acidity. Fruity flavors of yellow plums, grapefruit, peach. We found a new friend. Absolutely killer wine!
Gerard Tremblay 2020 Chablis Premier Cru Montmain
Burgundy, France // Reg $47.99 | Mixed Case $38.39
Aged 80% in stainless steel, 20% in barrel. “Shimmering with energy this wine deftly combines mineral, saline and orchard fruits notes across an energetic palate that finishes with a long, bright finish.” —importer notes.
Scavino 2021 Dolcetto D'Alba
Piedmont, Italy // Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99
Red grape indigenous to Piedmont. ”Our 50 years old Dolcetto vines ensure a beautiful complexity in this wine. Purple colour, fresh and delicate aromatics of cherry, blueberry, spices and flowers. The structure has a lightness and brightness in it. Well defined by good tannins and harmonious acidity this wine has a pleasant freshness and intriguing character.
Dolcetto d’Alba is the everyday wine usually combined with the typical Piedmontese antipasti.” —winery notes.
Kind Stranger 2022 Rosé
Columbia Valley, Washington // Reg $17.99 | Mixed Case $14.39
Fresh honeydew melon, red berries & minerals on the nose. Palate is bright, light, refreshing.