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Wine of the Week
Summertime Steak Wine
Bodega Garzón
Uruguay
Single Vineyard 2018 Tannat &
Single Vineyard 2018 Petite Verdot
$21.99, $17.99 for Wine Club Members
Normally $30 SAVE 40%!
We are on the cusp of summer grilling season and Father's Day is right around the corner. These two wines speak the language of sizzle.
How to Grill a Perfect Steak by Food & Wine Magazine
These wines, BIG and BOLD, are made for steaks!
You can hear it. You can smell it. Go get that ribeye so you can taste it too!
2018 Tannat–From Garzón’s free-draining granite sands comes this gorgeously opulent and inviting Tannat, a world (and an ocean) away from the super-tannic, often austere wines of Madiran, France. Look for notes of crushed boysenberry, red plum, toasted herbs, and a faintly saline, marine note. This is a fabulous wine to pair with hearty fare like smoked short ribs this spring. Napa Cabernet lovers, you’re going to want a case of this deep red seductress and some red meat, stat. "94" James Suckling.
2018 Petite Verdot–Petit Verdot ripens too late to be featured on its own in Bordeaux, but in the blessed climate of Garzón it gets to fire on all inky, chocolaty, blueberry-scented cylinders. Dark as night and packed with high-toned red fruit and wet granite tones, and a tremendous volume on the palate with a lengthy finish. "92" James Suckling
Awarded "NEW WORLD WINERY OF THE YEAR"
By The Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Bodega Garzón is located near the southeastern coast of Uruguay. It is about 110 miles from the capital of Montevideo. They craft limited production premium wine from their estate vineyards. The estate vineyards are divided into more than 1,150 individual blocks that follow the farm’s topography featuring a distinct terroir of varying altitudes and exposures. While primarily focused on Tannat, Uruguay’s national grape Bodega Garzón works with many other grape varieties including Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Viognier.
When Alejandro Bulgheroni and his wife, Bettina, discovered the small village (population of 600) of Garzón in 1999, they saw in it their “little Uruguayan Tuscany”, and they had a dream, a family dream that has come true today: Agroland. Agroland is a 10,000-acre sustainable agriculture business that raises cattle and produces pecans, almonds, honey, and 400,000 liters of award-winning extra-virgin olive oil. Bodega Garzón, the family estate and winery is a part of Agroland.
NEW ARRIVALS
Notes by Hannah Green
Chateau de Béru Chablis 2018
Burgundy, France
$26.99, $24.29 for Wine Club Members
Chateau de Beru has stood on a bedrock of limestone since monks built the chateau in the 12th century. The estate has belonged to the Comtes de Beru for 400 years, with Athenais de Beru leading the 37-acre Chablis vineyard today.
Beru has partnered with Patagonia, a company already involved in several global projects that promote land regeneration. These initiatives are part of a wholistic ecosystem, mindful of organic practices and fair working conditions. For this collaboration, Château de Béru, committed to the same environmental and human approach, has bottled an ad hoc vineyard blend, intended for the American market.
The nose opens with notes of lemon rind, flint, dried flowers and lime zest. The palate is on the fuller side for Chablis, with ripe citrus, wet stone, racy acidity and rich texture. For a cause this noble, with a wine this good, it’s almost a crime not to enjoy a bottle of this Chablis.
La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé 2022
Bandol, France
$29.99, $26.99 for Wine Club Members
Bandol, long been held in esteem for its great red Mourvèdre, is one of the three oldest appellations in Provence, created in 1941 (the others being Cassis and Bellet). Though famous for its reds, Bandol currently dedicates over 70% of its production to rosés. These rosés are known for their aging potential and complexity.
The vineyards of Bandol cover almost 4,000 acres in a vast amphitheater of clay and limestone, sloping southwards towards the sea and sheltered by the massif of Sainte Baume to the north. The terroir gives Mourvedre extra ripeness, greater fruit weight and structure. (Winemakers say Mourvedre needs its heat in the sun.) The seaside effect also keeps the grapes bright and higher in acidity.
In the early 1970s, Michel and Louis Bronzo acquired the property of Bastide Blanche in Sainte-Anne du Castellet. Their goal was to produce wines equal to those of more famous appellations like Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Their painstaking efforts were rewarded in 1993 when conditions created this benchmark year that put Bandol in general—and Bastide Blanche in particular—amongst the constellation of top producers in France.
Bastide Blanche has been certified organic since 2012. The estate has always kept its yields very low, concentrating each grape left on the vine. As is required of Bandol producers, all grapes are harvested by hand. This practice makes it possible to finely sort the bunches during harvest and to protect the fruit until it reaches the cellar.
The 2022 is absolutely beautiful. The cuvee of Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault shows mouthwatering aromas of strawberry cream on the nose, followed by a silky, refined palate with delicate but distinct flavors of melon and peach. The structure is delicate, but with a texture and character of impressive substance.
Chateau de Manissy Tavel Rosé 2021
Tavel, France
$27.99, $25.19 for Wine Club Members
Fun fact: Tavel is Rhone’s only singular rosé-only appellation. All wine here, by law, is pink. And there are more laws. Nine grapes are permitted in Tavel, dominated by ubiquitous Rhone grapes Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, and including Mourvedre, Carignan and the nearly extinct Calitor. Three white grapes—Clairette, Picpoul and Bourboulenc—are on the list as well, but the white grapes must be pressed alongside the red. These white grapes contribute needed acidity, dilute the wine’s color and dry extract, and add a floral lift.
Beyond the grape varieties, it’s the winemaking style that sets Tavel apart. the process kicks off with maceration of the grape skins with pulp, which draws out pigments and flavorful compounds. This not only stains the juice a deep rosy hue, it also imbues the wines with structure and spicy complexity.
The seriousness of these wines is not a surprise. Tavel, after all, is in the southern Rhone, and sits just one appellation away from Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Lirac comes between them). Tavel is also the quaff of many serious people, including King Louis XIV, and authors Honoré de Balzac (one of the founders of realism in European literature), Frédéric Mistral (a famous poet who led the 19th century revival of the Provençal language Occitan) and that burliest of men, Ernest Hemingway.
Produced since 1915, the Tavel here is the historic cuvée of Chateau de Manissy, retaining the ancient label and the ancient methods of production, now enhanced by Biodynamic farming. The wine is a blend of Grenache, Clairette and Cinsault that undergoes a 24 to 48 hour maceration on the skins and then a cool fermentation with wild yeasts for about 2 weeks. The wine ages in neutral barrels for 9 to 12 months. This is a true rosé of gastronomy that will drink beautifully for ten years or more. It exudes bright aromas of pomegranate, red flowers and spice with a silky, cool palate and a light red wine feel, with flavors of red currant, tart cherry and saline minerals. This is a rosé to be sure, but go ahead and drink it like a red.
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NEW ARRIVALS
Notes by Charlotte Travis
Tanya Bjornsson in her cellar
Esja Wines
Rattlesnake Hills, Washington
Esja is owner, winemaker and Whatcom native Tanya Bjornsson. She is first generation American from Icelandic decent. Those who have been are sure to recognize the Esja Mountains on the label. She was first introduced to wine as a teenager when a family member was studying to be a sommelier. She was aware of wine, but this was the first time she realized you could have wine as a career. After graduating from Western in 2015 she took sommelier classes in Seattle, and was off to Portland to start her restaurant career. After many resumes dropped the only call back was from Union Wine Company where she worked as a harvest intern. Once harvest was over the interns were let go, but Tanya just kept going to work. There was plenty to do, so they hired her on full time. This lead to on-the-job training and connections being made. One such connection convinced Bjornsson to work harvest at Greystone Wines in Waipara, New Zealand in 2018, the very same year Greystone winemaker Dom Maxwell was named New Zealand’s winemaker of the year by Gourmet Traveller. This is where she really started thinking about the wine she wanted to make. After harvest she was back stateside, but in the Seattle area where her husband had gotten a job. The big, bold wines of Washington were more than she was accustom to drinking. She got a job as assistant winemaker at Darby, and used her contacts to make her first vintage in 2020. She is making minimally intervened, fresh, fun Washington wines that are just perfect for the weather we are having.
“I want to make light-bodied wines that are unassuming, fun wines. I’m not trying to be the best in the world. I just want people to enjoy fun wines.”- Tonya Bjornsson
Rosé 2022
$19.99, $17.99 for Wine Club Members
The rose is a blend of 60% Cab Franc, and 40% Sangiovese. Grapes went directly to press and fermented in stainless steel with wild yeast. It was gently filtered and bottled 4 months later. This is a delicious easy-drinking rosé with classic notes of ripe strawberries and fresh raspberries. This is bright and crisp with a fresh, clean finish.
Roussanne Orange 2022
$17.99, $16.19 for Wine Club Members
This orange wine is made from 100% Roussanne. The wine was fermented on skins for 14 days with wild yeasts. It was then pressed into neutral French oak and went through partial malolactic fermentation, aged on lees for six months and then bottled. This is a lush and lively skin contact white wine with supple tannins and juicy fresh fruit notes along side tart peach flavors with a crisp refreshing finish. Either rosé or orange are a great pairing for long summer days.
L'Ecole No. 41 40th Anniversary Red Blend
Walla Walla, Washington
$54.99, $49.49 for Wine Club Members.
***We only received 1 case of this limited edition anniversary wine.
L’Ecole N° 41 founded in 1983. They were only the 3rd winery to make Walla Walla Valley their home. The winery is in an historic old French schoolhouse hence the name, which translates to school in French. The winery was founded by Baker and Jean Ferguson as their retirement project. Their first vintage of Merlot, 1983, won the only gold medal issued by the 1986 Pacific Northwest Enological Society, establishing a long tradition of exceptional winemaking. Their daughter, Megan, and her husband, Marty Clubb, would come up from San Francisco to help with harvests every fall. It didn’t take long for them to take the leap of faith. In 1989 they moved to Walla Walla permanently, and Marty took over as manager and winemaker. With Marty at the helm the winery continued to make incredible wines winning many, many awards. There are way too many to list, but they have been on the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries of the Year 16 times! They have some of the best vineyards in the Columbia Valley that they farm sustainably and are Salmon Safe. Today the winery his owned by Marty and Megan along with their children, Riley and Rebecca. The third generation is learning how they make internationally celebrated wines from beautifully maintained vineyards.
“With a nod to L’Ecole’s original label, we celebrate our 40th Anniversary with a special blend from two of the earliest and most important Walla Walla Valley vineyards. Still family-owned and -operated, our spirit of adventure and optimism persists today. We raise a glass to the future!”- L’Ecole
This is a Merlot-based Bordeaux style blend with tantalizing aromatics of dark fruit like cherries and fig with cedar, fresh tobacco and a hint of sage and rose. The texture is pleasantly rich with dark chocolate and plum notes all laced with an undercurrent of graphite resting on the nimble, polished tannins and a fresh but focused finish.
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Areyas (Pita Stuffed with Spiced Meat)
The rosés featured here have more body and depth than the poolside summer sippers of the season. Tavel in particular is an incredible pairing partner to heftier and more flavorful dishes like grilled meats, Mediterranean cuisine and aromatic, fruity and herbal dishes. These Middle Eastern spiced beef-stuffed pitas (areyas) are an ideal pairing. This dish would also be tasty with either Garzon wines and the L’Ecole!
I have my own recipe for these addictive handheld pitas, based very, very loosely on many recipes, along with inspiration from many sites on the history and traditions of the dish. My recipe is below. The photo is from Little Spice Jar, with a link to their version included here as well.
Areyas (Hannah's Version)
Makes four triangles
8 oz mushrooms, very finely diced
One small red onion, finely diced
1 package (12 oz) beef, lamb, or Impossible ground meat
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp each cinnamon and garlic powder
1 tsp each paprika and ginger
1 round pita (the ones with a pocket)
1. Heat cast iron pan to medium. Spray with a small amount of oil. Add mushrooms and lightly salt. Cook, stirring often, until all moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden brown, which should take several minutes. Remove to a large bowl.
2. Add diced onion, impossible meat and spices to the bowl with the mushrooms. Mix thoroughly to combine.
3. Test a small amount of mixture in a cast iron over medium heat, then adjust spices and salt to taste.
4. Cut pita in half and stuff each half with a good amount of meat mixture and flatten to make the pita uniformly thick, about 2 cm thick.
5. Cut each pita in half once more to make four triangles in total. With cast iron on medium heat, place pitas, one cut side down, on skillet. It should hold its shape standing up. Cook until the pita “releases” itself and can be picked up without needing to use a spatula, with side-down a golden brown color. Turn the pita to the side with the uncooked meat on the cast iron and cook the same way. The rest of the pita meat will be fully cooked throughout once both side have reached a golden color.
Serve immediately. You can dip the pita in herby tahini, yogurt, or just hot sauce.
Little Spice Jar Areyas Recipe
FRIDAY TASTING
Bodega Garzón, Uruguay Tasting
with winery representative Mele Sosa
Friday, June 2nd 3-5:30 pm
Bodega Garzón is located near the southeastern coast of Uruguay. It is about 110 miles from the capital of Montevideo. They craft limited production premium wine from their estate vineyards. The estate vineyards are divided into more than 1,150 individual blocks that follow the farm’s topography featuring a distinct terroir of varying altitudes and exposures. While primarily focused on Tannat, Uruguay’s national grape Bodega Garzón works with many other grape varieties including Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Viognier.
When Alejandro Bulgheroni and his wife, Bettina, discovered the small village (population of 600) of Garzón in 1999, they saw in it their “little Uruguayan Tuscany”, and they had a dream, a family dream that has come true today: Agroland. Agroland is a 10,000-acre sustainable agriculture business that raises cattle and produces pecans, almonds, honey, and 400,000 liters of award-winning extra-virgin olive oil. Bodega Garzón, the family estate and winery is a part of Agroland.
The Line-up
2022 Albarino
2020 Tannat Reserva
2018 Tannat Single Vineyard
2020 Marselan (cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache)
2018 Petite Verdot Single Vineyard
$5 fee. Wine Club Members receive one free tasting per membership.
Upcoming Tastings
Bodega Garzón, Uruguay Tasting
with Mele Sosa
Friday, June 2nd 3-6 pm.
Famille Perrin-Southern Rhone & Tablas Creek-Paso Robles
Meet the Importer- Jennifer Blades, Vineyard Brands
Friday, June 9th 3-5:30 pm.
Five Star Cellars, Walla Walla
Meet Assistant Winemaker Cameron Rushton
Friday, June 16th 3-5:30 pm.
DeLille Cellars, Woodinville
With Co-founder Jay Soloff
Friday, June 23rd 3-5:30 pm.
Ridge Vineyards
With Ben Reece
Friday, June 30th. 3-5:30 pm.
$5 fee. Wine Club Members receive one free tasting per membership.
CLICK TO READ MORE
HOURS OF HAPPINESS
Tuesday-Saturday
10-6 PM
360-393-3271
In-Store Shopping / Door Service / Store pick up / Curb side
ORDER ON-LINE
Email: ted@sjwinemerchants.com
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