PHOTO OF THE WEEK
They were emptying some tanks of 2023 vintage Barolo at the Elvio Cogno winery this past week.

The famous Italian grape called Nebbiolo can make long-lived red wines depending on the winemaker's vinification techniques.
It had been traditional to leave the skins of the grapes in contact with the juice and wine for an extended period.

We used to hear winemakers say they left the skins with the juice until "the wine went dry," meaning the fermentation had finished.

But in Italy's Piemonte and Valtellina regions where Nebbiolo is most at home, vintners would leave the skins to macerate for a month or two or three, creating tannic, astringent red wines which needed lots of aging to reach a point of drinkability.

We know of one winemaker who labels one of his Barolo wines as "90 dì" referring to a 90 day maceration.
It produces a rather bitter Barolo which he matures for 4 years in wood tanks and then gives it a few years of aging in bottle before sending it to the market.

In the 1980s there was a shift in winemaking and many young bucks shortened the maceration time for their Nebbiolo wines and then they racked the wines into small French oak barrels (instead of leaving the wine for a few years in large, neutral vats as had been the normal protocol).

There was quite an uproar over the so-called modernistas versus the traditionalists.

We have tasted nicely aged, mature Nebbiolo wines which had been criticized by some as defective due to aging in French oak.
But you know, if the wine had sufficient "stuffing," let's say, with age those modernista wines resembled those from the old school vintners.

Our barrel broker friend Mel Knox would tell people "There is no such thing as an over-oaked wine.  It's simply under-wined."

His observation is a good one in our view.

So winemaker Valter Fissore (of Elvio Cogno fame) racks the wine off the skins and here's what's left in the tank:


The Elvio Cogno winery is a treasure and a bit below the radar for many but the most knowledgeable Piemontese wine drinkers.
Aside from terrific Barolo reds, they are the reference point winery for a white grape called Nascetta that's particular to their town of Novello in the western part of Barolo.
We have that in the shop, along with a special bottling of Barolo made exclusively from the Rosé clone of Nebbiolo, a somewhat paler-colored red wine with a particularly interesting fragrance and flavor.

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We enjoyed a 2006 vintage Nebbiolo from the Malvira winery in Piemonte's Roero region.
They offer some single vineyard wines and this comes from the Mombeltramo vineyard near the winery (and their fancy restaurant & hotel) across the river from Barbaresco.
This snapshot was taken at the Cafe Figaro restaurant near our shop.
The young fellow who runs that place is doing a nice job creating a good neighborhood dining spot.
The wine is still young and it's well-priced, in our view, at $49.99 (in our shop, not at the restaurant).
The lamb was a good choice and one of our favorite dishes there.




We hope you are drinking well this season.
If you are not, please come see us.
We can fix that!



GERALD & THE CREW AT WEIMAX

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We have a full-time slot available...40 hours...Tues-Sat 9:45-6:45.
Drop us a note if you're interested.
gerald at weimax.com

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Our Tasting Room is open...Monday through Saturday from mid-day until 6pm.
CLICK HERE TO HAVE A LOOK.
That's Gaby & Norbert, by the way!

Tasting Room Alert:
Saturday December 2nd
&
Monday December 4th
The Tasting Room will not be open until 4pm.
Gerald is a judge at the San Francisco International Wine Competition and won't be back until the late afternoon.
Apologies for the inconvenience.

Some bottles of the 2019 Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet are now in stock...
Sale price is $200.
Yes, that may seem like an exorbitant price, but remember Dunn has 40+ years of history making top Napa Cabernet.
There are many newcomers asking $300-$500+ for brand new labels that have no established track record, merely a celebrity winemaker and a numerical point score from an expert who's capable of rating the wine based more on its price than its actual quality.
Come drop $20 and taste this as we offer it in The Tasting Room presently.

The 2021 Fenocchio Barbera d'Alba is a great follow-up to the excellent 2020 bottling.
In fact, it may be even better!
Dark in color and beautifully aromatic with blackberry fruit notes...it's dry and smooth, a perfect partner for pizza, sausages, tomato-sauced pastas, pork, red meats, etc.
$25.99

If you're having a Fondue party, you might consider this terrific dry white from vineyards on Lake Geneva near the town of Evian-Les-Bains.
It's less costly than most Swiss wines made of the Chasselas grape...$16.99.
No oak...dry...

We loved the 2010 Viña Tondonia from Lopez Heredia.
The 2011 is a more robust rendition but with similar styling and complexity...classic red from Rioja.
Sale price is $53.99.
Their entry level red called Cubillo is delicious and just $26.99, so you can affordably explore old-school Rioja.

Virna's 2019 "Noi" (we/us) Barolo is sale-priced at $39.99...it's showing well presently and can be cellared for well more than a decade.

We had this as our top choice in a blind-tasting earlier in November...2014 vintage Semillon from Brokenwood.
This is a good choice for the holiday feast.  Sale price is $49.99.
Low alcohol, high acid...toasty and bone dry Australian Semillon from a prestigious winery.

Vintner Matthew Towers is enamored with Pinot Noir and this 2021 bottling from Mendocino is the second we've had in the shop...delicious cherryish fruit and nicely oaked.  It's a tiny production wine...maybe 200 cases.
We have this sale-tagged at $39.99 (it's $48 at the winery).

Delille Cellars in Washington periodically makes a white wine we find to be delightfully intriguing.
Not every year, though...It's a Sauvignon/Semillon blend and the 2022 is a winner.
The nose is a bit shy presently, but the flavors are expressive and deep!
Sale price is $39.99 ($42 at the winery)...

 
We were fortunate to be able to bring in a scant few bottles of Le Gallais and Egon Müller Rieslings...
$89.99 for the Wiltinger Qba 2020 Riesling and $74.99 for the Scharzhof 2021 Riesling.
Both are babies.



We are smitten by this delicious Tuscan Sangiovese.
The Caparzo owners have two other wineries and blend grapes for this wine from Montalcino, Chianti Classico and the Maremma.
They've added 5% each of Canaiolo, Alicante and Petit Verdot...
It's a brilliant blend.
Young and berryish, this is remarkably good and well-priced.
Don't miss it.
By the way, we sent out an email touting this wine.  One couple stopped by to pick up a case and the next day sent a note saying they made a Ricotta/Fennel Sausage Pasta Sauce which paired beautifully with this wine.
"For us," she wrote, "it's a wine we can enjoy thanks to its versatility and its price."
$15.99.

We've long been fans of Colene Clemens wines...this is a special bottling called Margo and it's a 2021 vintage...
We like the classic Pinot fruit and there's ample sweet wood spices as well.
$44.99 (and it's available in the Tasting Room presently).

Domaine des Deux Fleches...two arrows...
This is the work of a couple of young fellows who graduated from a winemaking school in Burgundy and then purchased some vineyards in Beaujolais.
This is a delicious Gamay Noir from the famous cru of Fleurie.
$29.99


The small domaine of Anne & Marc Matthieu is located about 11 miles northeast of Ribeauville in the small village of Blienschwiller (maybe 300 residents).  We selected an outstanding 2019 Riesling from the Grand Cru site of Frankstein.
This is quite dry and beautifully fragrant with hints of the petrol aromas one finds in mature Riesling.
A few more bottles arrived this week, as the first shipment was well-received.
$34.99

The 2012 Salice Salentino from Cosimo Taurino arrived this week...Negroamaro is the grape, with a small percentage of Malvasia Nera.
Aged in oak and then given substantial bottle aging, here's a 10+ year old red for just $19.99.
Well worth trying...

Xavier Gerard...a newish domaine in France's Rhône Valley.
The 2020 Côte-Rôtie is already showing beautifully and it will continue to develop over the next 10 to 15 years+.
$84.99.
Impressive!

What a lovely rendition of Gamay Noir!
Joy Fantastic is a 2022 vintage from the Santa Rita Hills area of Santa Barbara.
$39.99.


The 2019 Larkmead Napa Cabernet is a winner.
$125 most places...we have it on sale presently for $99.99
and it's available for sampling in our Tasting Room.

This 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé caught out attention as it rivals far more costly white Burgundies from, say, Chassagne-Montrachet and Meursault.  Nicely toasty thanks to a bit of bottle age, so it's "just right."
Famille Paquet.
Sale price is $49.99

Siro Pacenti's 2018 Brunello is showing well presently, though it can certainly be kept a few years.
Sale price is $59.99.
Give this an hour in a decanter...



The 2012 Henriot Champagne is a winner...beautifully toasty from being 8+ years en tirage (on the spent yeast in the bottle).
It's quite dry and remarkably complex.
We enjoyed a bottle at the Wakuriya restaurant in San Mateo with their amazing prix-fixed menu (and we had a few other bottles for this remarkable feast!).
Sale price is $109.99.

The 2020 vintage of Luciano Sandrone's Barbera d'Alba is a delight as it's full-bodied and displaying lots of dark plum and blackberryish fruit.
$46.99.
It's a versatile red, so pairing it with roasted chicken, tomato-sauced dishes or red meats is ideal.
They lavish as much care on this as they do their $150+ bottles of Barolo.

We were enchanted by a terrific dry white from Greece.
It's from the Mercouri Estate winery and the wine is predominantly made of the Assyrtiko grape.
Beautiful lime and citrus fruit...no oak.
$19.99

We love good Aglianico wines and view a few Taurasi bottlings as benchmarks.
But we preferred the lower-tier Aglianico from Altavigna to their more costly Taurasi...it's a 2018 vintage
of the Irpinia Campi Taurasini appellation and it's called Elio in honor of the founder of the winery.
Nine months in French oak contributes a beautiful cedary tone to the dark fruit of the Aglianico grape.
$31.99.

We brought in this remarkable Sardinian Vermentino despite its being offered in an unusually-shaped flagon which won't fit in a display bin.
It comes from a small winery in western Sardegna and it's the work of an inquisitive winemaker who's curious to constantly experiment.
Piero Cella calls this "Un Anno Dopo," "one year after" or "one year later."  That's because the wine is left in tank on its spent yeast to see what this contributes to the wine.  And it contributes a pleasing complexity to what is usually a simple dry white.
2020 vintage.  $22.99.
Perfect as a cocktail white but it really shines with seafood.

The 2018 Izadi Rioja Reserva won a recent blind-tasting and it's just $21.99/bottle.
We're offering it in the Tasting Room presently.
Nicely balanced and ready to drink.


We're usually "allergic" to wines grown in Lodi, but this California Carignan is a pleasant surprise.
$22.99/bottle and it's offered for tasting presently ($2.30/pour) in our Tasting Room.


Many people are fans of the various red wines from the Tuscan coastal region of Bolgheri.
You'll find the famous wines of Sassicaia and Ornellaia there.
But  a bit south is the region of Suvereto and they don't cost quite as much as those iconic Tuscan bottlings.
This one features Sangiovese with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malvasia Nera.
It's available in The Tasting Room: $4.50/pour...$44.99/bottle.

Homefire is a small Zinfandel specialist in Sonoma...their "Berry Farm" red blend features 81% Zinfandel, 14% Cabernet and 5% Grenache...you'll pay $25 at the winery...we have it specially-priced at just $14.99.

The 2022 vintage of this classic Sancerre is currently in stock...but just for a while as the wine has a legion of fans and its supply is limited.
The 750ml bottles are $39.99 and we just go a few half-bottles at $21.99.


The Dehlinger family does not rush its wines to market...they're just releasing an elegant 2020 vintage Chardonnay.
Barrel fermented and this spends about a year on the spent yeast...mildly toasted with a touch of green apple fruit and pineapple spice notes.
$44.99.

The Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva is showing nicely, if a bit internationally-styled.  They incorporate Cabernet Sauvignon and some Cabernet Franc in this wine.
A special purchase allows us to have this in the shop with a sale-tag of just $37.99/bottle.
We're pleased to see so many customers take advantage of this special pricing this past week.

We've often been delighted with Caggiano's minerally Fiano, a beautifully elegant, crisp, dry white from Italy's Campania region.
The 2022 is now in stock...$27.99.


We've enjoyed numerous bottlings of various Scheurebe wines...this bottling from the Weegmüller winery in Germany's Rheinpfalz is a delight, displaying notes reminiscent of pineapple and oranges.
It's a "trocken" wine, meaning it's dry.
We're going to enjoy this with some dim sum this week. Again.
$18.99

Don't miss the sale pricing on the Vajra 2018 Barolo "Albe," a blend of several vineyard sites.
Give this an hour of aeration in a decanter...
It's typically $45-$50 but want to introduce Barolo and, specifically Vajra Barolo, to customers so it's currently sale-tagged at just $39.99

Presqu'ile 2021 Syrah from Santa Barbara County caught our attention as we like spicy reds...and this displays a lovely pepper spice which can pair handsomely with well-seasoned pork, chicken or red meats.
It's presently sale-tagged at just $29.99.

The 2022 Sancerre from Alphonse Mellot is stellar!
Bright aromas and crisp acidity make for a classic rendition.
$35.99.

An old friend has returned after maybe a 15 vintage absence!
Isabel was one of the early wineries coming to us from the then-new wine region of Marlborough in New Zealand.
The 2021 vintage of Sauvignon Blanc is delicious...and it's well-priced at $19.99.
We have some bottles of their Pinot Noir...also quite good...$28.99.


It's been ages since we have had a floor-stack of Australian Shiraz.  So many of the modestly-priced bottlings are sweet, aimed at a wine drinker who's just venturing out to red wine.
Zilzie is a newish producer, but comes from a long-time wine-growing family.
And it's just $15.99!

The Pedroncelli Family makes a Macon-styled, non-oaked Chardonnay from Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley.
$15.99!

We were enchanted by the 2014 Rioja from the iconic Lopez Heredia winery in Spain...This is their "young" wine that spends about three years in seasoned American oak barrels.
We like the mildly woodsy fragrances and flavors and the juicy, berryish red fruit.
$26.99.

While Ridge Vineyards is highly regarded for its red wines, they also make a couple of darned good whites.
The Estate Chardonnay comes from the Santa Cruz Mountains and it's one of our favorite California Chardonnays.
$69.99

A few wines from Trediberri arrived recently...this is a good winery in La Morra...
The exuberant 2022 Nebbiolo is $29.99...we also have a terrific Barbera ($25.99) and a couple of Barolo bottlings.

A good, chillable Beaujolais for warm-weather drinking is the newly-arrived bottling from the Gauthier family.
$15.99

Chianti Classico producers now have a category of wine called "Gran Selezione."  This is sort of a reserve bottling that is said to be a more prized wine than basic Chianti and Riserva bottlings.
We've thought many of these are simply an attempt to extract more money from consumers and most are not worth the prices being asked.
The Querceto di Castellina 2018 "Gran Selezione" is an exception to this notion.  It's $49.99 for the 2018 but the wine, unlike so many of these premium-priced bottlings is outstanding.

2011 Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Spätlese! 
It's moderately sweet and is a remarkably youthful Mosel Riesling...
Perfect with summer fruits over vanilla ice cream.
We had a bottle with some Dim Sum last week...the chili oil restrained the sweetness nicely.
Sale price is just $39.99!


A precious few bottles of the 2022 Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre arrived this week.
$39.99.
Limited...Snag yours while they're available.

Ridge makes a fabulous Chardonnay and a few years ago they embarked on vinifying Grenache Blanc.
The 2021 is dry and crisp with a bare hint of wood.
Sale price is $31.99.

We've been fans of Li Veli's red wine made of the obscure Susumaniello grape and we just tasted a brilliant Rosato version!
This comes from Puglia in Southern Italy...very dry and wonderfully aromatic with a hint of passionfruit fragrances.
$26.99
Limited availability, we're told.
It's presently available for tasting in our Tasting Room.

This Portuguese winery is about 90 miles northeast of Porto and they make some remarkably good wines.
This is a blend of traditional grape varieties with Cabernet Sauvignon.
$19.99 and worth every penny!
We have a Grande Reserva from 2015...$49.99 for that.

The 2022 vintage of Moscato d'Asti from Emilio Vada is a delight...you can damned near taste the fresh Muscat grapes in this wine.
It's low in alcohol, making it a nice patio white in the warm weather, but it's also delicious paired with summer fruits.
$17.99


South Africa's benchmark Chardonnay is back!
The 2021 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay tilts towards Burgundian winemaking.
$46.99

I Favati is a small, family winery in Italy's Campania region...if you're a fan of stony, minerally dry white wines, give this a go!
(We recently enjoyed a bottle of their 2004 Taurasi, a beautifully aged red made of Aglianico...$69.99).
The Greco di Tufo is $25.99.

The 2021 has been released and we're delighted with this Syrah/Grenache (etc.) blend.
$38 from the winery...we've got it sale-tagged at $21.99.

The 2022 Elk Cove Pinot Blanc is an outstanding bottle.
$19.99.
Dry, fresh, appley and no oak...It tastes like Spring!



The 2019 Smith-Madrone Cabernet from vineyards atop Spring Mountain in Napa just arrived...
Dark in color and sporting lots of blackcurrant fruit...these fellows routinely make impressive wines.
Sale tagged at $59.99.

There are not many wines costing north of $200/bottle that we find to be "good values," but this 2011 Castillo Ygay gets a big 'thumbs up' from us.
We had fallen off the Marques de Murrieta bandwagon some years ago, as they changed their barrel aging program and the wine was not as good, in our view, as what we had come to love going back to the 1960s and 1970s.
It had been getting good reviews as some critics seem to judge some wines by their price tags and not what's in the glass.
The 2011 we opened this two weeks ago was shockingly good and we've bought this in to share with customers who are interested in such a damned good bottle, despite its elevated price.
Compared to many Napa Cabernets and top Bordeaux, this is a deal.
Sale price is $199.99 (and check the Tasting Room page as we are offering this at $20/pour).

Turley makes a bit of Cinsault from old vineyards in Lodi...a nice alternative to their Zinfandels and it's well-priced at $29.99.

Mullineaux's Old Vines white is an interesting blend based on Chenin Blanc.
But it has Clairette, Viognier, Semillon, Grenache Blanc and some Verdelho, too.
$31.99

Beppe Ca'Viola is a highly-regarded winemaker all over the Italian Peninsula.  He hails from Piemonte and consults with dozens of wineries.
Ca' Viola makes a small quantity of wine from his own vineyards and we were delighted to be able to source some bottles of his 2018 "Caviot" bottling, not at $60 as intended, but for just $34.99.



In the world of "skin contact" white wines, often called "orange wines," we've just brought in the 2022 Pinot Gris from the Union Sacré winery in California's Central Coast region.  The "white" grape of Pinot Gris does have some pigment in its skins and leaving those with the juice can produce a pinkish-colored wine.
This is a delight whether you consider it a Rosé, an "orange wine" or simply a white wine...
Sale price is $17.99 as these fellows don't sock it to you as do many artisan vintners pricing their wines based more on scarcity than on quality.

Here's a delightful "declassified" Riesling from the esteemed Wegeler stables.
Nicely aged and showing hints of the petrol fragrances of mature or maturing Riesling...it has a touch of sweetness, but plenty of
acidity to balance.
$29.99.

Winemaker Peter Heitz does a great job with Chenin Blanc...Napa Valley Chenin Blanc at that! 
Dry and offering lots of apple and pear-like fruit.  $29.99.
His Cabernet comes from Calistoga and the 2019 is delicious!
$64.99 for that.

From a tiny patch of vines in the French Alps comes this remarkable red made of the Mondeuse grape.
Sometimes Mondeuse is reminiscent of Syrah, but this wine is unique, displaying an almost grapefruit-like aroma and finish.
It's akin to a light Pinot Noir in terms of body.
$24.99

A young fellow named Julien Dreveton is cultivating some 40 year old Syrah vineyards for his Domaine des Louis wines...both his grandfathers were named Louis, by the way...
It's a dark-colored wine with black fruit aromas...we expect it will develop handsomely with a few years of bottle aging, but it's terrific right now, especially if you can decant it an hour ahead of dinner.
$34.99

From the top of Spring Mountain in Napa comes this remarkable dry Riesling.
The Smith brothers don't rush this wine, allowing it to develop some petrol fragrances which are the hallmark of aged Riesling.
2018 vintage...$32.99

We've enjoyed a few Geek white wines made of the Moschofilero grape, but can't say we'd tasted anything quite like this!
The Troupis winery produces a "wild ferment" dry white giving the juice some skin contact which results in a pinkish-hued wine.
The aromas are intensely fruity and the wine is quite dry and marvelously crisp.
Even better, it's just $19.99.

A few bottles of two different Peter Michael Chardonnays arrived recently.
These rarities go for $130/bottle.

Had this as one of my top two wines in a blind-tasting of well-priced California Pinot Noirs.
This is a delight and it's specially priced at just $24.99.
Don't miss it.

Back in stock is the outstanding Clos Bartolomé wine from Spain's Priorat region.
It's a blend of Grenache and Carignane and we like its balance and drinkability.
On top of that, it's only $25.99 and compares very favorably to the $50-$100 from this prestigious Spanish wine region, not far from Barcelona.



The dollar usually goes farther in Washington State than in California's Napa Valley.
Kiona Vineyards and Winery mostly sells grapes to neighboring wineries, but they make a smallish quantity for their own label.
Nicely oaked and with classic dark Cabernet fruit...$26.99.

We tasted a couple of wines from a tiny Slovenian estate with organically-farmed vineyards.
Rizling, as you might guess, is Riesling.
Modra Frankinja is the grape we know more commonly as Blaufränkisch.
The Rizling is a dry version of a late-harvest Riesling and it's easy to peg (and to drink).
The Modra Frankinja is exotically floral, reminding us of Pinot Noir with perhaps a hint of rose petals.
$26.99 for the Rizling.
$35.99 for the Frankinja (which is available in our Tasting Room presently.

Winemaker Marco Porello, a prominent vintner in the Roero region of Piemonte, produces a well-priced, attractive Barolo from vineyards in Serralunga and Novello.
The sale price of $29.99 makes this a nice value.

The new vintage of this remarkable French white just arrived...it's from the Delaille brothers' winery in the Loire Valley.
Cheverny is based on Sauvignon Blanc, but unlike Sancerre, it can have a small percentage of Chardonnay to give the wine a bit of texture on the palate.  You certainly don't detect this on the nose.
$19.99.

Prisma Sauvignon Blanc comes from Chile's Casablanca area.  It's a blend of two vineyard sites and it's remarkably showy and aromatic.
There's an exotic fragrance, reminiscent of citrus and passion-fruit.
It's only $13.99!





Silvio Jermann was one of the first winemakers in Italy making world-class white wines.
In an era where most Italian whites were rustic or oxidized, this fellow produced polished, flavorful bottles.
The 2022 Pinot Grigio is a far cry from the thin, watery wines were regularly are presented, dressed up as premium Pinot Grigio.
They gave the juice a short bit of skin contact, resulting in a bit more intensity.
Specially priced at $24.99.

The appellation of Bouzeron in France's Burgundy region is found on wines made exclusively from the Aligoté grape,
not Chardonnay.
Dujardin's is fermented in neutral oak and we like its mildly toasty note with some green apple fruit.
Dry, of course.
$27.99

From Italy's Alto Adige region we were thrilled to taste a benchmark bottling of the Müller-Thurgau grape from the Tiefenbrunner winery.
It's called Feldmarschall Von Fenner, named after an heroic Austrian warrior who defended what's now the Alto Adige (or Südtirol) in several battles.  This is grown at a high elevation site in somewhat salty soils, which winemaker Christof Tiefenbrunner credits with intensifying the fruit and herb notes.  It's very expensive for Müller-Thurgau, but when you taste this it's not so much the grape but the vineyard.
$74.99

From the Domaine Laboureau we found a terrific White Burgundy from the Pernand-Vergelesses appellation, a somewhat overlooked region where consumers don't have to pay for a prestigious name.  The wine rivals far more costly bottlings.
Nicely toasty with a touch of a smoky element...$49.99.

The Falvo family owned Tuscany's Avignonesi winery in Montepulciano some decades ago.
They now run the Masseria Li Veli winery in Puglia and make some surprisingly elegant and charming wines.
The Susumaniello grape is a rarity as there were but 13 hectares in 2006.  Today there are 400 hectares being cultivated in and around Salento.
The Li Veli bottling is medium bodied, showing an array of red fruits with mild tannins.
$25.99...delicious!

A Premier Cru bottling of white Burgundy from the Givry appellation made the cut this past week, with some toasty,
leesy notes on the nose and palate.  Dry, of course.
Good value, too, at just $29.99.





Viore is a new dry white wine from Spain's Rueda region.
It's made of the Verdejo grape and resembles Sauvignon Blanc to some degree.
$18.99

Schola Sarmenti's Primitivo from Puglia has often "made the cut" here at Weimax.
The new vintage is a delight, being medium-full bodied and berryish...softer/smoother, too.
$17.99

The 2020 Nebbiolo from Italy's Valtellina region called Botonero is made by the Mamete Prevostini winery.
It's unusually charming and quite enjoyable despite it being so young.
$18.99 on sale!

From France's Jura region in the Alps comes this delicious, dry sparkling wine that will easily be confused with a bottle of good $50 Champagne.
It's made entirely of Chardonnay, biodynamically cultivated and the wine spends about two years maturing on the spent yeast.
Dry, mildly toasty and lightly chalky...$29.99.


La Coeur de la Reine is a beautifully aromatic, fresh, dry Sauvignon Blanc from France's Loire Valley.
You won't believe how good this is...$17.99.

Here's an obscure, fizzy red.  If you're a fan of good Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna, here's a southern Italian vino frizzante from the coast of Campania.  It's from a region just a few miles south of Pompei in the town of Gragnano and it's made mostly of Piedirosso with Aglianico and a bit of Sciacinoso.  Mildly fizzy and dry, it's a great red to pair with pizza.
$19.99

We visited this domaine in 2016, having appreciated their various Chablis wines.
Denis and Isabelle Pommier have a new importer in the Bay Area and we're delighted to have them back in the shop.
$35.99 for 750mls and half-bottles are $26.99.
Back in stock and available for tasting presently...damned good, classic, stony Chablis!




We've been fans of this Napa Valley "trophy" and it easily compares to the top "cult Cabernets" found on many restaurant wine lists.
Production is small and the price is high...but less than $300 anyway.

A new enterprise from a fellow who's long been a Weimax customer, Tomaq is a word for "fog" in the language of the Kashaya people who inhabited the lands near Fort Ross, California.
We found a delightful Pinot Noir which, while light on the palate (and it's not a high alcohol wine, by the way) is remarkably aromatic and complex on the nose.
$33.99 

La Rioja Alta makes traditionally-styled wines of the highest quality, in our view.
California vintners have difficulty challenging these guys for value, as this Tempranillo is matured in some new American oak and then given several years in bottle, released when it's complex and beautifully drinkable.
Sale price is $21.99.

One of our favorite Champagnes is that of Pierre Moncuit, a small family enterprise in the "Grand Cru" town of Le Mesnil where Chardonnay is king.
Bone dry as they cater to a discriminating connoisseur, not the mass-market palate aimed at by the largest Champagne wineries.
It's entirely Chardonnay, mildly toasty and perfect for launching a holiday season fest.
Sale price is $49.99.

The Von Winning team is clearly appreciative of top French Champagne and their Extra Brut, made entirely of Riesling has some Champagne-like toasty notes with the aromatics and flavors of Riesling.
This is an Extra Brut bottling...bone dry.
$29.99!

Smith Woodhouse is a famous producer of Late-Bottled Vintage Port. 
While the expensive Vintage Ports now hit the market for $100+ a bottle upon release, Smith Woodhouse matures this for 4 years in vats and bottles it without filtration as is common for Vintage Ports.
But then they give it ample bottle aging and release it when it's in its early stages of drinkability.
Most Late Bottled Vintage Port is filtered and this robs the wine of a measure of character and its ability to develop with bottle aging.
If you'd like to experience a really good Port this holiday season and don't mind not spending $100-$300/bottle, come grab a bottle of this.
Sale price is $39.99.
It's best to stand the bottle upright to allow the sediment to settle and then decant it.

Miroslav Tcholakov's day job is as winemaker for the Trentadue family winery in Geyserville.
He has his own label and these wines are routinely spot-on.
We have his blend of Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel called Cuvée Sasha.
$22.99.

A spendy Etna Bianco, but we felt this wine is actually worthy of its $59.99 price tag.
Primarily Carricante with some Minnella...it's a remarkably soulful, dry white which tips its cap in the direction
of Burgundy (in our view).
It sees a bit of aging in tonneaux, large, seasoned wood barrels.
Special.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME PREVIOUS
SELECTIONS
Likely Still Available

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A Weimax shopper and parent of a Roosevelt Elementary School student sent us a screenshot of an online
"Teddy Talk" where a student was explaining the importance of supporting community businesses and "shopping local."

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From the local paper at the end of 2021...CLICK HERE to read that story.

Ellen had her picture on the front page of the New Year's weekend Daily Journal, a local newspaper here in San Mateo County.

They did a story about holiday sales of wines and liquors, so we were mentioned (and quoted) in that.


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The store is fully stocked...lots of good value bottlings and numerous "fancy" wines, too.

Stop by and we can give you a little tour...

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Happy Halloween!

A Coat-de-Bouteille!

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This car is "corked"!!!

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GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE...


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Had a nice mention in the Wall Street Journal's 2016 story about wine store signage:
CLICK HERE

The Most recent mention, September of 2017, is this one...Things Wine Shop Owners Detest...
CLICK HERE

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Australian Wine Writer Jim McMahon wrote a nice article published on the web site of the New South Wales Teachers Federation.
CLICK HERE

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Did you see the article in the local newspaper, by the way?
CLICK HERE.

It was printed just before New Year's Eve...

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Wine Tasting Today

TO INQUIRE ABOUT A WINE:  gerald@weimax.com

Copyright © 1999    WEIMAX    DECEMBER 2, 2023