Le Sommelier Mixed Case: Warming Whites

Wine Type:
Style of Wine:	Various
Country of Origin:	Various
Grape Varietal:	Various, Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Garnacha Blanca, and Chardonnay
Bottle Format:	750mL
Case Size:	12 bottles
$376.44 Per Case ($31.37/btl)

Tasting Notes

Each case contains two bottles of the following wines:

Weingut Loimer Grüner Veltliner 2019, DAC Kamptal, Austria.
Carrying on his family's winemaking tradition, after studying oenology at Austria’s Klosterneuburg University and working in Germany and Napa, Fred Loimer took over the winery from his father in 1997. His 80 hectares of vineyards began conversion to biodynamics in 2006, and all are certified today. Unlike most of his peers, Fred vinifies his wine to dryness, like this concentrated, stony, older vine grüner from vineyard around Langenlois, growing on loess and gneiss soils at 200-400m. Predominantly fermented and aged in large stainless tanks (5% in large oak barrels), this rested 4 months on lees before blending and bottling. Wet rock rules this bright, shining GV, with green apple, Asian pear, lemon rind streaming along the palate. Ample white pepper infiltrates the palate, already buzzing with soils.

Vignoble du Reveur Pierre Sauvages 2018, AOC Alsace, France.
This is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir, from 40 year old vines rooted in their biodynamic Bennwihr estate. This was native fermented in foudre, where it rested on lees for one year until bottling with light filtration and a minimum of sulphur. Honeysuckle, pear skin, yellow apple, wild flowers stream along the dry palate, juicy with mouth watering salinity, and finely gripped along the sides. Lovely trio of pinots.

Papantonis Metron Ariston 2019, PGI Peloponnese, Greece.
Papantonis Winery was established in 1993 in Nemea by siblings Antony and Kallie Papantonis. The vineyards, are situated just outside of the village Malandreni. Metron Ariston (meaning ‘moderation is best’) is a blend of Roditis (65%) and Chardonnay (35%), planted on their estate's sandy clay soils. Creamy and full in the mouth, with acacia, fragrant florals, lemon blossom, pear, offset by a bright, lifted acidity. This concentrated white tastes of the Mediterranean, but remains fresh throughout, making it particularly food-friendly.

Churton Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand.
From their organic and biodynamically farmed hillside vineyard above the Waihopai Valley, this was whole bunch pressed and native fermented long and slow in a mix of stainless and barrel, with each plot vinified separately and held on lees for 9 months prior to racking and bottling. Fresh and floral, with white peach, melon and gooseberry notes, with bright acidity over a creamy texture.

FitaPreta Vinhos Branco 2020, VR Alentejano, Portugal.
This blend of Roupeiro, Rabo de Ovelha, Antão Vaz, Tamarez, Alicante Branco, and Arinto are sourced from granitic soils of Alentejo, and vines from 30-47 years, up to 400m in altitude. After a native ferment in stainless barrels, this remained there on lees for 6 months prior to bottling. As one would expect from the grapes / soil / winemaker Antonio Maçanita, this is layered and complexed wine, with decomposed stones infiltrating quince, green apple, pear skin, pine nuts, scrubby herbs and potent mineral salts. The mineral bodied palate has a vine veil of wax to support, finishing with a lingering granitic grip. Not about fruit, all about place. Fantastic authentic Alentejano snapshot now, and will age beautifully. Amazing value.

Vinyes Domènech Bancal del Bosc Blanco 2020, DO Montsant, Spain.
Vinyes Domènech is a family project started Joan Ignaci and his wife, Rita, in Capçanes, in the south of Priorat. Together with their sons, they biodynamically farm 15 hectares of recovered old-vines vineyards. This Garnatxa Blanca (grenache blanc) is rooted at 400m in their chalky, rocky limestone soils, is native fermented, and spends 3 months on lees. Fragrant and tight pear, yellow apple, white honeysuckle, subtle white blossoms, lemon pith streams along a grippy, lightly textured palate to a lightly spiced finish.

Critical Praise

We’ve put together this case of 12 fuller, textured whites perfectly suited to the cooler days of fall and winter.

Estimated time of delivery is 3-10 business days.