Nick’s Picks – June 2024

Value $106

Discount Price $90

Vale Dos Pombos Vinho Verde Rose - $12

Vinho Verde Rose made from indigenous grapes of Northern Portugal.  It’s as though this wine was divinely to bring paradise to the Spring and Summer months.  Light-bodied, bright and juicy, slightly effervescent, and with oasis-like refreshment, pink citrus and red fruits bursts out of the glass, riding a wave of juicy acidity to make a glass so drinkable, they will turn from glasses to bottles at any party in the sunshine.  The perfect wine to lead the charge into Summer.

Viejo Feo Pinot Noir Rose - $12

100% Pinot Noir Rose from Maule Valley, Chile.  Just like the red Pinot Noir of this producer, this is a fabulous expression of Chile for the price.  The glass shows Barbie pink with red guava and fresh coffee fruit on the nose.  A satisfying palate of both salty acidity and plump red fruit to create a balance and dynamic that will take you aback.  With this one the complexity is there if you want it, but you also don’t have to feel guilty about carelessly enjoying the hell out of it, either.

Villera Tradition Brut - $25

Traditional Method Cap Classique of Sparkling Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Paarl, South Africa.  Everyone by now is familiar with Cava, Cremant, and other Champagne ‘alternatives’, but now it is time for the beautiful South African expression of Traditional Method sparkling wine to bask in the sun.  There’s a lot going on in this one, with subtle notes of baked apple, melon, lemon, with salted toffee and savory umami flavors.  Combine these flavors with a persistent citric acidity and a wonderful feel of bubbles on the palate and you get a Cap Classique with great character.  You don’t need to wait to celebrate to open this bottle.  Drinking it is itself a celebration.

Pago Del Vicario Tempranillo Blanco - $16

Blanc de Noir Style white made from the red Tempranillo grape.  It’s not an everyday thing to make a white wine from a red grape like this, but when it works, it really works.  Vibrant and packed with flavor, papaya, fresh fennel and melon hulk out of the glass, with crunchy cranberry and spice reminding you of its red counterpart.  Laurel and lemon/lime take the original flavors into overdrive, while at the same time delivering a silky palate softer than a baby’s tush.  Worth a try, sure to love.

Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Villages - $18

100% Gamay from Eastern France.  Ever seen Rom-Coms where the cute neighbor next door winds up being the true love all along?  This is how we feel about Beaujolais, and you should too.  Bright but soft red currant flavors playfully dance with licorice flavors.  The beauty of this wine is surely the palate, with bright acidity, satisfying fruitiness, non-existent tannin, and a drinkability beyond belief.  A finishing move of 45 min in the fridge and it will eventually sit comfortably next to every other drink you pack in the cooler for an outing.  This is fabulous wine.

Boutinot Les Coteaux Cotes du Rhone Villages - $23

75% Grenache and 25% Syrah from Southern France.  This red is a class act from start to finish.  Brambly red and black fruit leads the way with subtle oak-driven cinnamon and grated star anise, all with a strong sense of how purposefully the flavors work together harmoniously.  A hearty palate with a bit of lift from the acidity concludes itself as a wine with impeccable grace and balance.  If you want a real feel of the synergistic skill that Rhone brings to blending and balance, this is a great place to land.

Every month Nick picks 6 wines to feature in a 6pk at a reduced price of 15% off