Staff Picks

Champagne Charles Dufour - Bulles de Comptoir #11 

Why did you pick this wine?

I LOVE champagne. This is a very special, super small production champagne. The winemaker, Charles Dufour, blends vintages as far back as the '80s from his fathers cellar. It's precise, lean and elegant, with just enough fruit.

What's your favorite wine and food pairing?

Champagne and Korean fried chicken.

What's a varietal that more people should know about?

Ciliegiolo! Why? Because it tends to hide in the shadows of Sangiovese (which it's normally blended with). With the right amount of TLC, Ciliegiolo can truly shine on its own -think cherry cough syrup in the best way possible. 

Racines - STA. RITA HILLS CUVEE Pinot Noir 2020 750ml

Why did you pick this wine?

new world California fruit meets the structure of old world burgundy - so you could say the best of both worlds. (note RJ was obligated to pick this as he is the #1 purchaser and consumer of the wine from the shop)

What's your favorite wine and food pairing?

Why overcomplicate the meal with food? Just kidding. Perhaps Oregon Pinot with baked salmon or off-dry Riesling with a spicy Panang curry.

What's a varietal that more people should know about?

godello. good affordable alternative to white burgundy and excellent winter white.

Lioco- PINOT NOIR Mendocino County 2022 

Why did you pick this wine? 

I love the complexity and elegance of  Pinot Noir. The one that I’ve been loving recently is from Mendocino, California. It’s truly unique, with its gentle tannins and notes of juicy red fruit, rose petals, and clove, how could you NOT pick this as your fave? notes of ripe cherries, raspberries, and vanilla (all tasting notes I can’t get enough of). It’s so refreshing, juicy, and oh, it’s great chilled, too!  

What’s your favorite wine and food pairing? 

A good skin-contact wine and pizza. 

What’s a varietal that more people should know of? 

This isn’t so much a varietal but a type of dessert wine that I think more people should try- called “Eiswein.” It’s small production by default because of the extremely small yields and a painstaking process. It’s produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars do not freeze but the water does, so extracting the juice is a process in and of itself. The wine is so decadently sweet and delicious. It may be expensive but it’s SO worth it!