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Wine of the Week
Lamblin & Fils 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon
Burgundy, France
$39.99, $35.99 for Wine Club Members
Normally $60!
This week we have our last hurrah from the land of Chablis. If would could pinpoint a tag name for 2024 it would be "The year of Chablis". Cool-climate Chardonnay from the far north village in Burgundy was a huge hit with many of you. We sold more Chablis this year than we ever have before.
Unfortunately we hit the end of the road for great deals from Chablis. The 2024 growing season in Chablis was a mess. By harvest time yields were almost zero for many producers. It is a disaster both in terms of winery finances and also in terms of your 2025-2026 supply. Now after harvest price increases are coming in from all producers.
Imagine our shock and delight when our supplier emailed advising us that a large European fine wine chain changed hands, in effect orphaning a 2020 vintage, organic, 1er Cru Vaillon. In return we have "94 point reviewed wine that normally retails for $60.
"Fresh in fruit yet invigorating and steely, this ripe but quintessential Chablis highlights zesty, limestone-scented flavors of lemon, lime and green apple. Medium bodied adn bracing in style, the wine is a delightful young but should improve through 2035." "94 Points" The Wine Enthusiast, 12/21. $60.
What is Chablis Premier Cru?
Chablis Premier Cru is a designation that applies to wines made from some of Chablis’ top sites -- only the Grand Crus rank above these sites. The Chablis Premier Cru appellation was added to the region somewhat recently, in 1967, and today it accounts for only 16 percent of Chablis production.
Unlike Chablis’ other appellations, Chablis Premier Cru does not technically have its own appellation. Rather, these wines fall under the general Chablis AOC Appellation. But when a wine is labeled Chablis Premier Cru... it means something! Just as in the rest of Bourgogne, “Premier Cru” tells you that you are dealing with a wine of very high quality – almost as high as it gets. (Only Grand Crus are higher.)
Vaillons is one of the largest Premier Cru vineyards in Chablis, sitting southwest of the town. On the Left Bank, it gets lots of sunlight to make fresh, slightly floral wines with intense minerality.
NEW ARRIVALS
Notes by Hannah Green
Travis Allen, Kobayashi Winemaker
Kobayashi
Columbia Valley, Washington
Drinking a Kobayashi wine is like having a conversation. With each sip the wine reveals more of itself, unfolding layer upon layer of brilliance and insight. These are wines with a soul.
These wines are also scarce; the winery produces just over 1,000 cases annually. The wines are so in-demand, with wines snapped up within hours of release, that it’s hard to get your hands on a bottle—unless you have a source.
Kobayashi debuted in 2014 with 25 cases of Cabernet Franc. Winemaker Travis Allen is a nurse anesthetist by day, and didn’t get into wine until he and his wife, Mario, visited Napa Valley in 2001. A flip switched. “Since that moment in 2001, I’ve read something about wine every single day,” says Travis. After the couple moved to Seattle in 2007, he began attending wine tastings and talking with winemakers as often as he could. Travis decided that someone in Washington should be making new, interesting wines; he was that someone.
Travis takes a decidedly minimalist approach to winemaking, one which he says was heavily influenced by the late Sean Thackrey. He is highly focused on making individualistic, unique wines that stand apart from what he sees as the conventional approach to wine in Washington State. With input and advice from Rhône master winemaker Yves Gangloff, Travis’s micro-production, artisan wines have become something of an insider secret amongst the Washington wine industry.
As proof of the winery’s painstaking ministrations, Kobayashi is the first American winery to use Mizunara oak barrels. Mizunara barrels are serious. Ariake Sangyo, the Japanese cooper who makes these barrels, shot down Travis’s repeated requests for a barrel. Eventually, Mario stepped in to write a letter in Japanese to please their case (Mario is Japanese). It worked. Mizunara has the lowest tannin of any oak variety, which further distinguishes Kobayashi from equivalent Washington wineries. The wood also lends aromas of incense and wood, not the typical oak or vanilla that appear in French or American barrels.
Travis uses his mastery, curiosity and keen intuition to craft Washington wines that are truly special. With how rare these wines are, I was not able personally to taste these wines until quite some time after learning of their existence, being familiarized with the winery’s philosophy and incredible care, and seeing first-hand the hypnotic hold they have over the wine coterie. Before the first taste, one almost has to ask the question: do they live up to the hype?
They do.
Kobayashi Marsanne Roussanne 2023
$64.99, $58.49 for Wine Club Members
"You know we make this wine in an unconventional way, and the result is animated and bold. We are not making any big changes here, the first Kobayashi wine that has found its footing. Pre-fermentation skin contact, cigar shaped barrels, full aromatics and flavor, full body, full pleasure." Travis Allen
“The 2023 Marsanne-Roussanne is rich yet vividly fresh with a cascade of young peaches, apricots and hints of raw almond, all complemented. by exotic spice. Nearly oily in texture, this washes across the palate with notable weight yet remains vibrant. A tinge of saline minerality and ginger enhances its ripe stone fruits. The 2023 finishes long and staining, with a tug of crunchy tannins and a minty herbal resonance. The Marsanne-Roussanne was refined in 320-liter cigar-shaped French oak barrels for ten months. IT has. large-scale feel, but its balance is impossible to deny. 94 points” Vinous
Grapes sourced from WeatherEye Vineyard
74% Marsanne, 26% Roussanne
Our total allocation is 12 bottles.
Kobayashi Cabernet Franc 2022
$84.99, $76.49 for Wine Club Members
"Our cab franc rests on a wavelength despised and avoided by other winemakers in our region–which makes me lean in even more. We want to preserve the 'Cab Franc-i-ness'; we want fresh cut herbs; we want savory spice. Cab Franc is one of the most distinctive grape varieties, why wouldn't we want to embrace that? Slow cool fermentation and aging in foudre and large neutral French oak puncheons. Unmistakable natural beauty with no make-up and no photoshop." Travis Allen, Kobayashi winemaker
“A totally classic bouquet of mint leaf, bell pepper and crushed raspberries meets a beautiful complement of white smoke as the 2022 Cabernet Franc blossoms in the glass. This washes across the palate with a contrasting blend of sweet spices and tart wild berry fruits, taking on a tactile mineral crunch and depths of exotic spice toward the close. Silky within, yet grippy and sinewy through the finish, this finishes impossibly long and staining. 96 points” Vinous
Grapes sourced from Blue Mountain and Red Willow Vineyards
Our total allocation is 12 bottles.
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NEW ARRIVALS
Notes by Stefano Brandi
Domaine Fond Croze Rasteau 2022
Rhone, France
$18.99, $17.09 for Wine Club Members
Started by Charles Long in 1918 after returning from World War I, this Domain is rooted in a century of family tradition, in Saint Roman de Malegarde, a village north of the Ventabren hills. Over time, the family expanded its property to 62 acres, focusing mainly on farming vines and melons, peach trees and apricot trees. It was in 1997 that Daniel and Bruno Long officially established Domaine Fond Croze, combining traditional viticulture techniques and their oenology expertise. Today, fourth generation winemaker Guillaume Long, Daniel's son, continues the legacy on over 198 acres. The vineyard has applying organic methods since 2009.
This Rasteau 2022 comes from a 15-acre estate vineyard on the sunny hillsides of the appellation, grown on stony, clay and limestone soil. This GSM blend (80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre) shows the characteristics and depth of the Rasteau terroir. The grapes are harvested manually, and after a long vinification of more than a month, the wine ages for a year in 500 liter French oak barrels.
“Black raspberries, darker cherries, flowers, and violet notes, as well as some classic Rasteau scorched earth, all emerge from the 2022 Rasteau, a pure, medium to full-bodied, seamless Rasteau with fine tannins and a great finish. 91-93 Points” Jeb Dunnuck
This red wine is an ideal pairing for aged cheeses, hearty stews, grilled meats, and dishes with a gamier profile featuring lamb or venison.
Once & Future Oakley Road Vineyard Zinfandel
Contra Costa County, California
$29.99, $26.99 for Wine Club Members
It's Back!
Zin-lovers, the best deal of the last few months is back! Once & Future Oakley Road Vineyard Zinfandel is usually priced at $55, but once again we made sure to get a good quantity of it, so you can grab one or more bottles of this red gem for half of the usual price!
Once and Future is the culmination of Joel Peterson’s passion for winemaking and California’s historic vineyards, a journey that began in the early 1970s. Joel developed a meticulous approach to winemaking, along with a deep appreciation for fine wine, growing up with his parents, who were chemists and wine-and-food enthusiasts. Both applied their skills and interests, the mother in cuisine and recipe testing (including for the Chez Panisse cookbook), the father, in research and wine-writing (including in The San Francisco Wine Sampling Society). Guided by his mentor, the iconic winemaker Joe Swan, Peterson learned winemaking and fell in love with Zinfandel. When he founded Ravenswood in 1976, he first focused on crafting this varietal from old vines, elevating California’s reputation for terroir-driven wines. After decades of success with Ravenswood, and a short retirement, he launched Once and Future to return to his roots, creating small-lot wines that celebrate specific vineyard sites with old-world techniques. Joel son’s, Morgan Twain-Peterson, has also chosen winemaking as his career and runs the highly innovative and successful Bedrock Wine Company.
This single-vineyard Zinfandel comes from Oakley Road, located in an area characterized by ancient vines and unique river-delta sand. Early farmers here, called “sandlappers”, cultivated vines that would resist Phylloxera, leading to the survival of some remarkable 100-year-old, own-rooted, unirrigated plants. Here the microclimate allows vine growth and steady ripening of the grapes to start earlier than in most of California, thanks to the capacity of sandy soils to warm up rapidly, and the cooling maritime breezes from the Carquinez Straits. The vines are dry-farmed and head-pruned. The result is beautiful concentrated fruits, which are hand-harvested early. Minimal intervention is applied to the vinification process. The wine is fermented in open-top redwood vats. Aging occurred in French oak barrels for 15 months, adding structure and complexity without overshadowing the natural terroir flavors.
"The 2019 Zinfandel Oakley Road is bright and effusive, with tons of character. Sweet red berry fruit, rose petal and mint are beautifully layered together. Creamy and resonant in the glass, the Zinfandel is quite expressive today, in the understated style of the year. Dollops of Carignane and Mataro round out the Zinfandel-based field blend." "93 Points" Vinous
This luscious red is ideal with grilled meats, savory stews, and hearty pasta dishes.
Holiday Sake Special
Tsukino Katsura Junmai "Iwai"
$26.99 / $24.29 for Wine Club Members
Reg $35.99!
This is a fresh, beautiful sake that will no longer be carried by our distributor.
They offered the last 15 bottles available at a terrific price and it is great to be able to share this opportunity with you.
This is a versatile bottle that will appeal to both the experienced sake drinker as well as someone trying sake for the first time. It can be enjoyed chilled, room temperature or gently warmed to fit the occasion, the menu and the weather.
This is a very interesting brewer.
Please click Buy Now button below to learn more.
We have bottles wrapped and ready for you.
Gorgeous photo by Stefano.
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FRIDAY TASTING
Mark Ryan Winery
With Jake Higgens ( Mark's Nephew)
Friday, December 20th 3-5:30 pm
The Mark Ryan team - Mark McNeilly and Mike Macmorran - make some of the best, burliest, Washington wines.
Mark started making wine in a garage in Bellevue, Washington. Today the winery in the warehouse district of Woodinville is a destination for lovers of rich, robust reds.
Long Haul is a red blend named for the long drive across the Snoqualmie Pass in a rickety Ford truck full of grapes; Dead Horse is another red blend, made entirely from grapes from Ciel du Cheval (Horse Heaven) Vineyard.
McNeilly’s goal is to fashion flavorful, even-handed wines expressive of the region where the grapes originate. Classics Dead Horse and Long Haul are almost universally described as variations of “big” and “ripe,” labels which he agrees with wholeheartedly.
Mark has always been remarkably modest about his winemaking. In 2009, Mike Macmorran moved from assistant to full-on winemaker. The collaboration between them has produced the best Mark Ryan wines to date.
We have Mark's nephew Jake Higgins in house pouring all his new releases.
Today's the day for you to bring out your best (or worst...) Christmas sweater. Some of the best in the shop will receive a nice surprise.
The Line up
Untethered 2021 Bubbles $27.99
We Sat by The Ocean 2023 White $27.99
Board Track Racer 2021 GSM "The Shift" $27.99
Underground Wine Project 2020 Idle Hands Red $34.99
Mark Ryan 2021 Monkey Wrench Red $34.99
Mark Ryan 2022 The Dissident Cabernet $44.99
Friday, December 20th. 3-5:30 pm. $5 tasting fee. One free ticket per Wine Club Membership.
Upcoming Tastings
Mark Ryan Winery
with Jake Higgins, Winery Representative
Friday, December 20th, 3-5:30
Last Tasting of the Year–Staff Picks Pouring!
We are pulling a few of our favorite bottle to pour for you. WeatherEye, Kobayashi, Kelley Fox, Champagne, Saké.... along with a few others that we at S&J love to drink ourselves.
Friday, December 27th, 3-5:30
$5 fee. Wine Club Members receive one free tasting per membership.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO
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Holiday Gift Guide
Some things just make sense—like showering friends and family with wine-themed gifts. That’s especially true if you work at Seifert & Jones.
This year, we gathered input from our team to determine the best wine gifts for this holiday season. From ultimate corkscrews and glassware to hard-to-find limited wine gems and box sets, here are our top picks.
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2024
GIFT OUR WINE CLUB
Looking for your next best gift idea?
How about a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription of wine?
This gift has the elements of surprise, education and great taste long after the paper and bows have been swept away.
We offer six clubs:
World Wine Club at $29 per month
Northwest Club at $49 per month
Grand Cru Club at $99 per month
Sake Club $35 per month-one bottle
Natural Club $49 per month
Bubbles Club $99 per month
Each club receives 2 bottles monthly that are hand-selected by Ted and Hannah and accompanied by Hannah's informative tasting notes for each. Membership includes the exclusive 10% shop discount, the opportunity to receive Club Member-Only special offers and one free ticket to all tasting events.
More info
Gift Cards
My father-in-law, Jon, knows what he's going to get for every occasion every time–WINE! And he's glad of that.
It's the perfect gift for the wine enthusiast or that person who already has everything they need in your life. We went old-school with our cards, hand-pressed and printed.
You have the choice of picking up the card or we will happily mail it for you. You provide the gift recipient's name and mailing address; we'll handle the rest.
Call us or come on in to the shop to purchase a gift card. Not available online.
December Shop Schedule–Extended Hours
All month, Monday-Saturday 10-6
Sunday 22nd 12-4
Christmas Eve, 10-5
Christmas Day, CLOSED
Sunday 29th 12-4
January 1-13th , CLOSED for shop vacation
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