Presell
The Weinhaus tastes wines daily. When we find a wine that we think is a great value, giving top quality for a reasonable price, we buy it in quantity in order to get the best possible price. We then offer it to you, the customer, at a great price based on your willingness to buy in case quantities and to pay promptly. For this you get our guarantee. Try a bottle from your case. If you don’t agree that it is a great value, return the rest of the case for credit. No questions asked. We know of no wine shop in our area willing to make this commitment. That’s why we say the Presell is the best way to buy wine.
To order from our presell simply call in and let us know which cases you'd like. We'll put your order aside in our cellar, so you can come pick it up whenever it's convenient for you. Coming by in person is always welcome too, of course, and we're working on building a way to order directly from our website in the (hopefully) near future.
We got the cure for the Summertime Blues!
A wine by another name is still the same. Readers of our newsletter will recall a couple of the great affordable Italian wines that have been offered on previous presells. The Barocco Rosso del Salento and Vignale Pinot Grigio both developed a dedicated following among our customers. However, we began to see the prices of both creeping up over the years. The importer of both these wines came up with a solution. He put the exact same wines into less expensive bottles with less expensive labels. This simple idea allows us to offer the identical wines at the prices of several years ago. We are pleased to present these wines as the Villa Romanti Rosso del Salento and Pinot Grigio.
The Villa Romanti Rosso del Salento is an epitome of the approachability of Southern Italian reds. This is the wine of Puglia, the region which forms the heel of the Italian boot. The grapes used here are a typical blend used in the region. Negroamaro is the grape that makes up the bulk of the cuvee. A bit of Malavasia Nero is blended in to add a velvet texture. The result is a perfect medium bodied red for summertime enjoyment. A deep ruby color yields supple tannins coupled with rich fruit and rounded out by an appealing earthiness. The Rosso is ideal for pairing with pasta dishes, meats, and cheeses. This wine has reached an appealing level of maturity and is ripe for drinking in the near term.
The Villa Romanti Pinot Grigio is sourced from the Venezie. This area is located at the Northern end of the Adriatic Sea in the Northeastern most corner of Italy. More bottled wine is exported from this region than any other part of Italy. Venetian and Austrian ideals combine here to provide an atmosphere that is more receptive to innovation. The soils of the region vary from sandstone in the more hilly areas to clay, sand, and gravel in the valleys. Aromatic, sharply etched white wines dominate both image and production in the Venezie. This Pinot Grigio offers a light, crisp acidity with notes of ripe pear. This wine is an ideal companion to the dog days of summer. It is equally suited as an aperitif or paired
with white fish, shell fish, or summer greens with a lemon dressing. We believe these wines offer a superior level of quality at a similar price level to brands produced for supermarket sales. Experience the depth and character of two regionally characteristic Italian wines at an everyday price tag. We think that both are perfectly suited to round out your summertime wine needs. These wines are normally priced at 8.99 per bottle.
We are pleased to offer both the Rosso de Salento and Pinot Grigio at $6.99 a bottle for an $83.88 case on the Presell.
Hold the Phone. Cotes-du- Rhone!!!
One of the great wine regions in France and the world is the Rhone Valley. The Southern end of the valley consists of broad terraces of smooth, round stones warmed by the Mediterranean sun. The region is dominated in both prestige and price by the legendary Chateauneuf-du-Pape. However 77% of the regions wines fall under the Cote-du-Rhone and CDR Village classification.
Along these lines we are offering a very affordable mixed case of two Cote-du-Rhone reds. Domaine De Cristia is one of the most dramatically improved estates in the appellation. Proprietors Alain and Baptiste Grangeon have raised the bar on quality in a very short period of time. Likewise their neighbor Coralie Goumarre is one of the women vinters who is pushing the envelope of quality in the region. Besides working for other estates, she has created the Mas des Lysses wines that offer distinctive typicity, concentration, and freshness. The 2006 Cote-du-Rhone is a typical Southern Rhone blend of Grenache 60%, Mourvedrè 20%, and Cinsault 20%. This wine offers aromas of black fruits and spices. Persistent lively and silky flavors dominate the palate. Both wineries are located in Courthezon, which is just to the northeast of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Likewise both estates have holdings in this precious region and the ability to produce top rated wines. So enjoy the wine making techniques and production facilities from the makers of top wines for a fraction of the cost.
Our mixed case contains 8 bottles of the Domaine De Cristia Cotes-du-Rhone 2008 and 4 bottles of the Mas des Lysses Cotes-du-Rhone 2006. Everyday prices for both wines are $12.99.
Try the mixed case of Cotes-du- Rhone Reds for just $9.99 a bottle $118.88 a case on the Presell.
Chilean Chardonnay
As with many other varieties of wine, we have found that the Southern Hemisphere offers amazing quality for the dollar. We are offering a mixed case of two Chardonnays that exemplify this notion. Both wines offer a wonderful compromise between the styles of Burgundy and California. While Viu Manent’s winery and red wine vineyards are in the Colchagua Valley, they have recognized that the best climate for Chardonnay lies to the North in the Casablanca Valley. Warm Days and cold nights enhance the exceptional growing conditions of the valley. The fruit is sourced from two growers in the upper part of the valley whose vines average at fifteen years of age. In the winery, 100 percent of the wine is aged for six months in French barrels. The end result is flavors of lime, pineapple, and honeysuckle with a fresh, zesty acidity. The wine is ready to drink now, but may be enjoyed over the next couple of years.Loma Larga Vineyards estate grown and bottled Chardonnay rounds out our mixed case. This exquisite wine offers all the depth for a fraction of the cost of an equivalent California Chard. The fruit is harvested from 3 blocks of vineyards which are cropped to produce less than 3 tons per acre. A mere 620 cases of this wine were produced. This wine may be enjoyed now or through its peak in 2012.
Our mixed case includes 6 bottles of Viu Manent Reserve Chardonnay 2009 and 6 bottles Loma Larga Chardonnay 2008. These wine are regularly 12.99 and 13.99 respectively.
Enjoy the Chilean Chardonnay Mixed Case for just $10.50 a bottle, $126 a case on the Presell.
Big Syrah for Summer Fun
As we have noted in previous letters the Rousillon area of France is a land unto its own. The culture and dialect is Catalonian, having only been a part of France for 350 years. An average of 325 days of sunshine per year explain the proliferate amounts of fruit that are produced in the region. Among them wine is foremost. To the west of Perpignan lies the small village of Pèzilla la Rivière. It is here that Marie Pierre Blanes crafts the wines of Mas Blanes. The land consists of pebbled topsoil. Yields are kept small at 1200 liters of wine per acre. All of the domaine’s harvest is done by hand. The result is a densely extracted wine loaded with fruit and balanced by an arch of tannins. If you like drinking big reds, then Le Clot is your new friend. This is your steak wine. Other options for pairing would include hearty red sauces and grilled vegetables. Our regular price for this wine is $13.99 a bottle.
Try the Le Clot Rouge for just $10.99 a bottle, $131.88 by the case on the Presell.
Sauvignon Blanc in Spain?
The vineyards spread over the dramatic plateaus above the Duero River in Spain have long been known as wine country. The Rueda appellation in the state of Valladolid specializes in white wines. This was determined by the famous French enologist Emile Peynaud when he surveyed the area for a prominent Rioja producer in the 1970’s. The dominant grape grown here is the native verdejo. However, a good white wine producer can use the same set of skills to bring forth the best characteristics of other varieties.
Alvarez y Diez is such a producer and Sauvignon Blanc is the grape. The winery was founded in 1941 and began to overhaul its facilities with modern equipment and techniques in the late 1980’s. The 1990’s brought further modernization coupled with a plan for global wine sales. Today the winery has a prominent domestic presence as well an export market in 15 countries.
The winery draws on 197 acres of its own vineyards. These well cared for vines are allowed to take on the characteristics of both climate and soil. The marked contrast between day and night temperatures gives rise to an excellent balance between sugar and acidity. The soil plays its part by providing aeration and drainage in the rainy season, while a clay substrata retains water for dry years. Longer hours of sunshine allow the Sauvignon Blanc clusters to develop to levels not possible in the more Northern climates.
The Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc shows its true colors starting in the aromatics. The wine offers a delightful nose of intense mature, tropical fruits. On the palate varietal characteristics of grass and citrus fruits shine forth. This wine is a great summer sipper. The fruit and aromatics dominate the wines profile, while the acidity remains at a lower level than is common with many of the New Zealand and Bordeaux whites. This wine is excellent on its own as an aperitif. It also pairs well with light starters, salads, and seafood. Our regular price for this wine is $13.99 a bottle.
Try the Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc for just $10.99 a bottle, $131.88 by the case on the Presell