Le Sommelier Mixed Case: Lighter Reds

Wine Type:
Style of Wine:	Earthy & Spicy
Country of Origin:	Various
Grape Varietal:	Various
Bottle Format:	750mL
Case Size:	12 bottles
$455.52 Per Case ($37.96/btl) Add to Cart

Tasting Notes

Each case contains two bottles of the following wines:

J.M. Sohler Pinot Noir Les Terrasses 2017, Alsace, France.
Sourced from a 27-year-old granitic soiled, terraced pinot noir vineyard in Blienschwiller, in the Bas-Rhin, this was fermented and aged in very old (75+ years), very large wood. Concentrated but so elegantly finessed, with beauty haunting cherry and raspberry licked with kirsch and flaked with sea salts. The core of red fruit is housed by spiderweb tannins and lifted with an easy, natural swell of acidity. Nothing is forced with this charming wine; drinking lovely now, but will hold in your cellar short term.

Bruno Giacosa Barbera d’Alba DOC 2018, Piemonte, Italy.
From select vineyards in the villages of Neive, and Alba, this youthful red was fermented and aged in stainless before moving to oak for 14 months’ rest. Expressive aromas typical of Barbera with cherry and forest fruit notes matched with a balanced, lively mouthfeel and acidic freshness on the finish.

J.M. Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2017, Loire, France.
Jean-Maurice Raffault and Rodolphe Raffault’s family began cultivating vines in Chinon 14 generations ago, when their ancestor, Mathurin Bottreau, bought his first parcel of vines in 1693. Today, Domaine Jean-Maurice Raffault owns 50 organically farmed hectares of vines in 7 communes. This Cabernet Franc is from the Les Picasses lieu dit, atop a plateau overlooking the Vienne, the windiness of the site reflected in the windmill on the label. Soils here are stony limestone and clay. After destemming and a native ferment this moves to barriques for MLF and aging 18 months on fine lees. Light smoke and roasted pimento lead this mineral-braced red, backed with sunripened cherry, floral kirsch, and a hint of green pine on the francy bitter finish. Tannins are firm but fine, well integrated into the structure of this powerful, medium-bodied, textural red.

Lanciola Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG 2017, Tuscany, Italy.
In Greve, in the heart of the Chianti Classico area, the winery has 14 hectares, 10 of which are devoted to vineyards sitting on shale soils at approximately 300 meters. This Sangiovese is splashed with 10% of other local grapes, and fermented and rested in a mix of stainless and very large old oak barrels. Forest-scented berries, scented violets dart through this smooth, medium bodied palate, bound by silky tannins and carried by a fresh acidity to the finish.

Crêt de Bine Cuvée Bio’Addict 2019, Beaujolais, France.
Gamay Noir is sourced from two parcels planted on granite and and granitic sand, one planted to 20 year old vines, and the other to 50 year old vines, all farmed and vinified biodynamically. Fermented native with their pied de cuve, and semi-carbonic, in stainless, where it remained for a few months until bottling with small amounts of sulphur. Soft cassis, downy plum, cassis, and high toned purple florals in this bright, lofty, naturalist Bojo.

Niepoort NAT’Cool! Tinto 2019, Bairrada, Portugal. (1000mL)
Dirk Niepoort's NAT'Cool! range of wines were created to meet certain criteria : be made as naturally as possible, be low alcohol, be terroir-driven, use native grapes to the region, be affordable, and be so smashable that it's only sold in 1L bottles. This lighter, shining red is 40-100 year old baga vines from the limestone laced, clay soils of Bairrada. Native ferment and aging in stainless preserves the purity of fruit and precision afforded from soulful old vines on these soils. Wild plum, raspberry is threaded with scrubby herbs and bushy rockrose. Acidity is crunchy bright, and tannins are whisper slight, guiding this to a pink peppercorn dusted, mineral-humming finish. Serve with a light chill. Smashable, by definition.

Critical Praise

We’ve put together this case of 12 lighter bodied reds perfectly suited to cooler weather, yet still with freshness and vibrancy.

Estimated time of delivery is 3-10 business days.