Though I have many favorites in the store that are consistently good and I really love to sell, sometimes you need to shake things up a bit. At some point in every week, I hear someone say, “Hey, Jen! What’s new?” And I am always bringing new and interesting items for my customers. Here are a few wines we’ve tasted recently. I think you’ll love them.

Dopff & Irion Crustaces Alsace, France 2012 

This label makes my tummy growl! Just seeing the crustaceans almost dance across it makes you want to grab a bottle and skip straight to the seafood counter. Pear and citrus intertwine on the nose, with medium-plus acidity and minerality on the palate. 90% Sylvaner and 10% Pinot Blanc, this crowd-pleasing, fruity, light-bodied wine is perfect with fresh, cleanly prepared seafood.

Mustiguillo Mestizaje El Terrerazo, Spain 2014 

This wine is a vibrantly interesting blend of 75% of the all but extinct Merseguera grape, 20% of the always fresh and peachy Viognier, and 5% of the delicately sweet Malvasia. The nose is expressive with pineapple, guava, and apricot, while on the palate white peach, lime zest and white flower nuances appear. Medium-bodied and almost fleshy, it is crisp and dry in the finish.

Diora Pinot Noir Monterey, California 2013 

When I first tried Diora, I thought, Whoa. This is Pinot Noir?  Bold, flavorful notes of mocha, black cherry and coffee lead into a soft, long finish. It’s seductive and rich. Let’s just say that if most Pinot Noir is Gwyneth Paltrow, this wine is Angelina Jolie! Though this is a perfectly good wine to drink on its own, when summer turns to fall, remember this wine. It will be terrific with autumnal foods.

Motto Red Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel, California 2013 

Even though this wine is named Motto, as in “It’s our motto to break the rules,” all I can think when I see it is—in my grandfather’s thick Sicilian accent—Eh? What’s a motto you? But there is nothing “a motto” with these wines! Overflowing with bold, black, blue, and just a note of red fruits on the red blend and Cabernet, these wines are crazy good with dark chocolate, coffee and spice on the finish. As I tasted through the line, I thought, if these wines are less than $24.99 retail, I will bring them in and stack them up… When I was told we could sell them for $12.99, I just about fell out of my chair! It’s my motto to sell good wine, and this falls right into place.

So next time you pop into one of our beautiful stores and say, “Hey, what’s new?” we’ll be ready for you with this amazing line up of affordable and delicious wines.

Enjoy!

–          Jennifer Laurie