August 2024
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 Rouge • Languedoc-Roussillon, France • Reg $15.99 | 25% OFF = $11.99
Blend of Syrah/Grenache. Organic. Herbal on the nose: oregano, lavender with hint of blueberry. The palate has more fruit. Blackberries, dark plums, black cherries. Medium-bodied. Long finish. Great deal!
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 late summer in mind.
Château Minuty 2022 Prestige Rosé • Provence, France • Reg $19.99 |Mixed Case $15.99
From north of Saint-Tropez. Pale in color. Nose = summer in a bottle. Fresh berries in a field. Flavors of white peach, nectarines, strawberries, raspberries. Essence of sage & lavender. Great acidity. Dry finish with some spicy notes. Harmonious, elegant, complex. “A symphony! Best rosé on the shelf so far this season in my opinion.” —Jens
Erste + Neue 2022 Pinot Grigio • Alto Adige, Italy • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
Complex, top-notch Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige, northernmost Italy on the border to Austria. Mirabella plums, apple and pear orchards with lots of minerality. Long fresh finish. Killer Pinot Grigio!
Jean-Michel Dupré 2021 Coteaux du Lyonnais • Beaujolais, France • Reg $18.99 | Mixed Case $15.19
From vineyards south of Lyon, 100% Gamay. Characteristic of this wine: light, a little earthy, soft red fruit. Spicy pepper, anise, fennel on the nose. Red berries on the palate. Classic French table wine in Lyon. Fantastic.
Catena 2021 Appellation Malbec Paraje Altamira • Mendoza, Argentina • Reg $27.99 | Mixed Case $22.39
100% Malbec from the Paraje Altamira appellation in the Uco Valley in the southwest of the Mendoza province. Vineyards located at 3,613 feet with loamy soils. Fermented in stainless steel tanks. Aged in French oak barrels for 6-8 months (25-40% new, rest 2nd & 3rd use), then 10 months in bottle before release. Alcohol = 13.5%.
Red & black plums. Earth. Herbs. Super inviting nose. Smooth flavors of plums, blackberries. Elegant, complex. Medium-bodied to fuller. On the finish, mineral notes again. Fantastic wine.
Famille Lançon 2021 La Solitude Rouge • Southern Rhône, France • Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99
Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre. Plums on the nose (which is surprising) and farmers market tiny black raspberries (a very special, wonderful flavor). Then you get a lot of red fruit on the palate: raspberries, plums (still kind of crazy). Spicy, herbal finish. Great summer wine.
Isenhower 2020 I-Label Syrah • Columbia Valley, Washington • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
Nose is like Rhône almost, garrique a little bit. Wild strawberries, raspberries. Flavors add a little blackberries on the finish. Medium-bodied. Super pleasant. Spicy finish. Great burger wine.
Leth 2022 Grüner Veltliner • Wagram, Austria • Reg $22.99 | Mixed Case $18.39
100% Grüner Veltliner. Floral, peppery, yellow apples & herbs. Palate is full of fruit: pineapple, white peach, honeydew melon followed by vibrant acidity. Almost an effervescence. Enjoy with summer charcuterie plates.
G.D. Vajra 2023 Rosa Bella • Piedmont, Italy • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
100% Nebbiolo rosé from northwest Italy! Fruity, but dry. It's a great combo, and this one has really nice acidity as well.
Nota Bene 2018 Dineen Vineyard Cabernet Franc • Yakima Valley, Washington • Reg $26.99 | Mixed Case $21.59
Herbs, earth, a little black fruit on the nose. Flavors blackberries, black currants, blueberries. Super smooth. Medium-bodied. Well-aged Cab Franc. Fine tannins on the finish. Note of spice. Drink now. Great price. Killer deal. Owner/winemaker Tim Narby with his wife Carol Bryant.
Scenic Valley 2021 Chardonnay • Willamette Valley, Oregon • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
"Velvety and rich in texture with a soft mouthfeel. This Chardonnay has notes of ripe pear, apples and a hint of vanilla from the Oregon oak." –winemaker's notes