PER THE MAYOR’S ORDERmasks are required and must be worn
unless actively eating or drinking
shukrun (thank you)
A JOURNEY THROUGH LEVANTINE COOKING
*CONSUMPTION OF RAW OR UNDERCOOKED FOOD COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF FOOD BORNE ILLNESS
MEZZE
AUTUMN ‘fattoush’ ▶ 17 pears + apples + pomegranate + whipped feta
GEM LETTUCES ▶ 16 shepard’s delight cheese puffed chickpeas + shabazi buttermilk
COAL-FIRED BEETS ▶ 16 muhammara + walnuts + kashkaval cheese
SWEET N’ SUMAC CARROTS ▶ 17 whipped ricotta + date honey smoked peanut harissa + sesame
SMOKED LAMB BELLY ▶ 18 green harissa + sumac honey mint + caramel apples
BBQ’D GIANT PRAWNS ▶ 36 sunchoke tzatziki harissa + wild herbs
DUCK SHISH ▶ 20 pomegranate honey + sunchoke stewed lentils + celery root labne
SNACKS / 2 per order
SMOKED LEBANESE OLIVES ▶ 6 preserved orange
SFEEHA lamb meat pies ▶ 8
BEET TAHINI ARAYES sumac labne ▶ 8
CINNAMON KEFTA habibi sauce ▶ 8
PITA +
BEIRUTI-STYLE hummus charred broccoli + cabbage + harissa ▶ 16
BURNT EGGPLANT baba ganoush shawarma cauliflower + pine nuts ▶ 16
SMOKED LAMB hummus fried yam + date molasses + soujek spices ▶ 17
MD CRAB whipped labnesmashed pumpkin + vadouvan ▶ 17
EMBERED MUSHROOM hummusblack garlic + confit egg yolk ▶ 17
MASHAWI
GRILLED BLACK BASS ▶ 40 MD crab + mushroom tabouli + grapes green chili oil + black lime yogurt
SMOKED BOBO’S CHICKEN ▶ 46 white bean + celery root yogurt preserved citrus + pomegranate yum yum
BBQ’D LAMB KEBOBS ▶ 48 loin + kefta + yam jam + tahini aji dulce honey + 7 spice yogurt
SOFRAarabic translation: ‘a set table’
A spontaneous menu highlighting peak season ingredients ▶ 95 food + 55 beverage
– – sides– –
batata harra shawarma spices ▶ 15
mujadarra crispy rice + charred onions ▶ 15
hashwei stuffed pumpkin + almonds + lamb ▶ 18
– – kibbeh naya – –
SMOKY BEET ▶ 16 / YELLOWFIN TUNA ▶ 19 puffed bulgar + garlic toum + herbs
BROWN BUTTER KNAFEH ▶ 14 greek yogurt ice cream + pistachio powder + lemon syrup
BAKLAWA CUSTARD ▶ 12 apple honey + cinnamon candied nuts caramelized white chocolate
COFFEE espresso : ▶ 4
cappuccino : ▶ 5
americano : ▶ 5
LAT TEtraditional ▶ 6
smoked dirty chai latte ▶ 6
turmeric honey latte ▶ 6
HOT TEABLACK TEAS ▶ 7
blue mtn nilgiri / lady lavender / lapsang souchong
GREEN TEAS ▶ 7 moroccan mint / genmaicha
HERBAL TEA (CAFFEINE FREE) ▶ 7 turmeric tonic
SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM ▶ 7
SWEET WINE (3 oz)NV DOM. DE LA BELIÈRE : bugey-cerdon, savoie, france (5oz sparkling) ▶ 12
NV LOS BERMEJOS MALVASIA VOLCÁNICA : lanzarote, canaries, spain ▶ 16
2005 DOM. SINGLA AMBRÉ : rivesaltes, france ▶ 16
NV PAUL MARIE & FILS “TV” : p.d.charentes, france ▶ 20
2005 TSIAKKAS : commandaria, cyprus ▶ 20
LABNE SOFT SERVE pomegranate + almond dukka
TAHINI SOFT SERVE oat milk caramel + halva
DIGESTIFMONTENEGRO : amaro, bologna, italy ▶ 11
CYNAR : amaro, milan, italy ▶ 11
FERNET BRANCA : amaro, milan, italy ▶ 13
YEREVAN ARARAT 3 YEAR : brandy, armenia ▶ 11
YEREVAN ARARAT 10 YEAR : brandy, armenia ▶ 16
CHÂTEAU ARTON RESERVE : armagnac, france ▶ 22
GUILLON-PAINTURAUD VSOP : grande champagne, cognac, france ▶ 20
CREMISAN 35 YEAR : brandy, palestine ▶ 28
CHARTREUSE JAUNE : alpine liqueur, france ▶ 13
CHARTREUSE VERT : alpine liqueur, france ▶ 13
SOMETHING SWEET
AFFOGATO ▶ 10labne or tahini soft serve + counter culture espresso
ARAK
KSARAK ▶ 10 Château Ksara, Ksara, Lebanon
ARAK BRUN ▶ 10 Domaine des Tourelles, Chtaura, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
GOLDEN ARAK ▶ 9 Ramallah Distillers, Ramallah, Palestine
MASSAYA ARAK ▶ 11 Massaya, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
L’ARACK DE MUSAR ▶ 16 Château Musar, Ghazir, Lebanon
NON-ALCOHOLIC
SUMAC LEMONADE ▶ 7
TAMARIND ICED TEA ▶ 7
POMEGRANATE CHAI SHRUB ▶ 7
APPLE CHAIDER (HOT) ▶ 6
BEER
DENIZENS GEORGIA AVE. SOUR ▶ 9 Tart Peach Ale, Denizens Brewing Co., Silver Spring, MD - 12 oz can
TAYBEH GOLDEN ▶ 9 German Style Pilsner, Taybeh, Palestine - 11.25 oz bottle
TAYBEH DARK ▶ 9 German Style Bock, Taybeh, Palestine - 11.25 oz bottle
ALLAGASH WHITE ▶ 9 White Ale, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME - 12 oz can
JAI ALAI ▶ 9 IPA, Cigar City Brewing, Tampa FL - 12 oz can
3 STARS PEPPERCORN SAISON ▶ 10 Saison, 3 Stars Brewing, Washington, DC - 12 oz can
ANCHOR STEAM ▶ 8 California Common, Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, CA - 12 oz can
HELLBENDER BARE BONES KOLSCH ▶ 8 Kolsch, Hellbender Brewing, Washington, DC - 12oz can
CUVÉE DES JACOBINS ROUGE ▶ 12 Flemish Sour Ale, Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste,
Bellegem, Belgium - 11.2 oz bottle
COCKTAILS
MEDITERRANEAN SPRITZ ▶ 13 classic sparkler highlighting mediterranean flavorsred vermouth, dc&f ambrosia, sparkling wine, orange blossom
JUN & JUICE, THE REUNION TOUR ▶ 14 with my mind on my masari and my masari on my mindjun gin, herb liqueur, apple, beet, lemon, savory bitters
JAFFA ORANGE ▶ 14 as crushable as the palestinian citrus is famousvodka, orange juice, dc&f mandarinetto, orange blossom
C.R.E.A.M SODA ▶ 13 cynar rules everything around mecynar 70, walnut liqueur, amaretto, smoked cinnamon, soda
FIL-MISHMISH ▶ 15 arabic for “in apricot season”, both refreshing and spirit forwardapricot eau-de-vie, dc&f finocchio, orange bitters
LEVANTINE OLD FASHIONED ▶ 14 an aromatic take on a classicoverproof bourbon, cardamom, bitters, orange blossom
SMOKY DATE ▶ 15 like drinking an old fashioned by a desert campfirearmenian brandy, lapsang-date syrup, peychaud’s
– – white – –2018 ANIMA NEGRA ▶ 12 Callet, Premsal / “Quibia” / Illes Balears, Mallorca, Spain
2018 DOMAINE PELLÉ ▶ 15 Sauvignon Blanc / “Morogues” / Menetou-Salon, Loire Valley, France
2017 LOUIS ANTOINE LUYT ▶ 15 Moscatel, et al. / “Gorda Blanca” / Bio Bio Valley, Chile
2018 ESPORÃO ▶ 15 Antão Vaz, Arinto, Roupeiro (which admittedly looks really confusing, but if you like rich, white wines with generous oak treatments, this is it) / “Reserva” / Alentejo, Portugal
2019 SCLAVOS WINES ▶ 17 Robola / “Vino Di Sasso” / Robola of Cephalonia, Cephalonia, Greece
2018 MASSAYA ▶ 13 Obaideh, et al. / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
– – red – –2018 MONTINORE ESTATE ▶ 15
Pinot Noir / “Red Cap” / Willamette Valley, OR, USA
2018 DIVISION VILLAGES ▶ 15 Cabernet Franc, et al. / “Béton” / OR, USA
2018 CREMISAN WINE ESTATE ▶ 14 Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Baladi / “Star of Bethlehem” /
West Bank, Palestine
2017 UNICO ZELO ▶ 14 Dolcetto / “Cherry Fields” / Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia
2018 JL CHAVE SELECTION ▶ 15 Grenache, Syrah / “Mon Coeur” (AKA ‘my heart’ AKA ‘albi’) /
Côtes du Rhône (South), France
2017 MOVIA ▶ 16 Cabernet Sauvignon / Brda, Primorska, Slovenia
2012 CHÂTEAU LA VIEILLE CURE ▶ 20 Merlot, et al. / Fronsac, Bordeaux, France
– – rosé + orange – –2018 ANTONIO MAÇANITA ▶ 12
(rosé) Touriga Naçional / Douro Valley, Portugal
2019 TELIANI VALLEY ▶ 15 (orange, but in Georgia they call it amber, so let’s go with amber)
Kisi / “Glekhuri Kisi Qvevri” / Kakheti, Georgia
WINES BY THE GLASS
– – sparkling – –NV FRANCK PEILLOT BRUT ▶ 15 (it’s actually 2015, but fine, we’ll pretend it’s NV)Altesse, Mondeuse, Chardonnay / Bugey-Montagnieu, Savoie, France
NV MOUSSÉ FILS BRUT ▶ 27 Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir / “L’Or d’Eugène - Perpetuelle Blanc de Noirs” / Cuisles, Champagne, France (May 2019)
NV LUIS PATO BRUTO ▶ 13 (rosé) Baga / (Bairrada,) Portugal
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*SPARKLING*CHAMPAGNE METHODFeeling traditionelle.
NV (“Officially,” but really it’s 2015) FRANCK PEILLOT BRUT ▶ 60 Mondeuse, Altesse, Chardonnay / “Montagnieu” / Bugey Savoie, France
NV PIERRE PETERS BRUT GRAND CRU ▶ 145 Chardonnay / “Cuvée de Réserve Blanc de Blancs” / Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne, France (June 2019)
NV AUBRY BRUT 1ER CRU ▶ 100 Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, et al. / Jouy-les-Reims, Champagne, France (July 2019)
2015 ULYSSE COLLIN EXTRA BRUT ▶ 235 Chardonnay / “Les Pierrières” / Vert-Toulon, Champagne, France (March 2019)
2014 ULYSSE COLLIN EXTRA BRUT ▶ 295 Chardonnay / “Les Enfers” / Cogny, Champagne, France (March 2019)
2015 ULYSSE COLLIN EXTRA BRUT ▶ 235 Pinot Noir / “Les Maillons” / Barbonne-Fayel, Champagne, France (March 2019)
The Collin family is credited with being the first recorded family of “Grower Champagne”. After his father sold and leased their vineyards in the 80’s, Olivier Collin went to law school (after falling in love with wine via Burgundy) to get them back. Now, his Champagnes are founded on the model of single site expressions to showcase their own little corner of Coteaux du Morin.
2015 THIBAUT-JANISSON BRUT ▶ 59 Pinot Noir / “Blanc de Noirs” / (VA + NY), USA
NV LAHERTE FRÈRES BRUT ▶ 62 (375ML)Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir / “Ultradition” / Champagne, France
NV LUIS PATO BRUTO (ROSÉ) ▶ 52 Baga / (Bairrada,) Portugal
2018 LOS BERMEJOS BRUT NATURE (ROSÉ) ▶ 88 Listan Negro / Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
NV POL ROGER BRUT ▶ 120 Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier / “White Foil” / Champagne, France
NV MOUSSÉ FILS BRUT ▶ 108 Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir / “L’Or d’Eugène - Perpetuelle Blanc de Noirs” / Cuisles, Champagne, France (May 2019)
2015 ORGO BRUT ▶ 69 Mtsvane (fermented in Qvevri, but without skin contact) / Kakheti, Georgia
2017 KARANIKA BRUT ▶ 68 Xinomavro, Assyrtiko / ‘Cuvée Spéciale’ / Amyntaion, Greece (December 2018)
NV VAL DE MER BRUT NATURE (ROSÉ) ▶ 57 Pinot Noir / (Tonnerre, Yonne - that’s a fancy way of saying “Burgundy, near Chablis”) French Sparkling Wine, France
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NV ERIC RODEZ BRUT GRAND CRU ▶ 125 Pinot Noir / “Blanc de Noirs” (an excellent example of something smelling like a red wine when it’s actually a white) / Ambonnay, Champagne, France
2013 MOUSSÉ FILS EXTRA BRUT ▶ 215 Pinot Meunier / “Special Club Lieu dit Les Fortes Terres” / Cuisles, Champagne, France (November 2017)
2009 LOUIS ROEDERER BRUT NATURE ▶ 188 Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay / “Philippe Starck” / (Cumières) Champagne, France (2016)
NV EGLY-OURIET BRUT 1ER CRU ▶ 170 Pinot Meunier / “Les Vignes De Vrigny” / Vrigny, Champagne, France (July 2019)
NV MARC HÉBRART BRUT 1ER CRU (ROSÉ) ▶ 140 Chardonnay, Pinot Noir / Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Champagne, France (January 2019)
NV R. POUILLON ET FILS BRUT 1ER CRU (ROSÉ) ▶ 140 Pinot Noir / “Rosé de Macération” / Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Champagne, France (Spring 2019)
PÉTILLANT NATURELFeeling hip.
2019 RED TAIL RIDGE ▶ 59 Riesling / RTR Vineyard / Finger Lakes, NY, USA
2019 BORDERLESS WINE ALLIANCE ▶ 68 Viognier, Grenache Blanc / “Leb Nat Gold” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2019 OLD WESTMINSTER WINERY ▶ 69 Chardonnay / Cool Ridge Vineyard / MD, USA
2019 BORDERLESS WINE ALLIANCE ▶ 74 Syrah, Obaideh / “Leb Nat Ruby” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
SPARKLING REDFeeling red.
NV CLETO CHIARLI ▶ 40 Lambrusco Grasparossa / “Centenario - Amabile” (think “amiable,” “affable,” or, plainly speaking, sweet - but not super sweet) / Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
2018 PODERE FIORINI ▶ 40 Lambrusco Grasparossa / “Terre al Sole” / Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
SPARKLING PERRYFeeling pear? You probably should be. Made from the fruit of the oldest trees on Bordelet’s property, some of which are as old as 300 years and have never seen any chemical treatments, this is the Platonic Ideal of pear - one’s brain recognizes the flavor as vividly and unmistakably pear without having ever tasted any pear which compares.
2017 ERIC BORDELET ▶ 50 Up to 20 Varieties of Pear / “Granite” / Normandy, France
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SAVORY WHITES
Meet “airroir” which is what happens when what blows around the vineyard meets terroir. It’s the school of thought that something like a salty seabreeze can make your wines savory.
Of course, so can age, winemaking and (though the jury is “officially” still out on this one we’re gonna go ahead and say it) the dirt the vines are growing in can, too. So, volcanoes = savory.
2018 ÀNIMA NEGRA ▶ 48 Callet, Premsal / “Quibia” / Vi de la Terra Illes Balears, Mallorca, Spain
2018 DONKEY & GOAT ▶ 79 Clairette / Barsotti Vineyard / El Dorado Co., California, USA
NV EQUIPO NAVAZOS ▶ 35 (375ML) Palomino Fino / “En Rama” / (The OG of savory and salty, from the white sand soils just north of Jerez) / Manzanilla - Sanlucar de Barrameda, Andalucia, Spain
2019 LOS BERMEJOS ▶ 56 Diego / “Seco” / Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
2019 SCLAVOS WINES ▶ 68 Robola / “Vino Di Sasso” / Robola of Cephalonia, Cephalonia, Greece
2018 ALVEAR ▶ 42 Pedro Ximenez / “3 Miradas” / Montilla-Moriles, Andalusia, Spain
2017 LOUIS ANTOINE LUYT ▶ 60 (Don’t believe everything that you smell, this wine starts off all flowers and peaches, but turns distinctly saline & savory on the palate) Moscatel et al. / “Gorda Blanca - Cuvée Benoît” / Bio Bio Valley, Chile
2016 COLLE TROTTA ▶ 54 Passerina / “Q500” / Colline Pescaresi, Abruzzo, Italy
2018 UNICO ZELO ▶ 43 Fiano / “Jade & Jasper” / Riverland, South Australia, Australia
2015 DANIEL-ETIENNE DEFAIX ▶ 90 Chardonnay / “Vieilles Vignes” / Chablis, Burgundy, France
2018 AZORES WINE COMPANY ▶ 71 Arinto dos Açores, Verdelho / “Branco Vulcânico” / (Pico) Azores, Portugal
2017 MICHEL AUTRAN ▶ 75 Chenin Blanc / “Les Enfers Tranquilles” / Vouvray, Loire Valley, France
2012 FORLON HOPE ▶ 75 Semillon / “Nacré” - YountMill Vineyard / Napa Valley, CA, USA
2017 FATTORIA LA MONACESCA ▶ 44 Verdicchio / Verdicchio di Matelica, Marche, Italy
2018 LUIS SEABRA VINHOS ▶ 68 Rabigato et al. / “Xisto Ilimitado” / Cima Corgo, Douro, Portugal
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2017 HERRI MINA ▶ 75 Gros Manseng, Petit Corbu, Petit Manseng / Irouleguy, Pays Basque, Sud Ouest, France
When the winemaker at Petrus gets homesick and wants to make some white wine that tastes like rocks. Bonus points if you can say Irouleguy five times fast.
2017 ENOTECA BISSON ▶ 53 Bianchetta Genovese / “U Pastine” / Portofino, Liguria, Italy
2019 OLD WESTMINSTER WINERY ▶ 60 Viognier (But it’s Viognier, isn’t that floral? Sure. But there’s salt here, too. Fleur de Sel, maybe.) / Cool Ridge Vineyard / MD, USA
2018 LUIGI FERRANDO ▶ 43 Erbaluce / “La Torrazza” / Erbaluce di Caluso, Piedmont, Italy
2018 CLAUDIO VIO ▶ 58 Pigato / Riviera di Ligure Ponente, Liguria, Italy
2016 VIÑATIGO ▶ 60 Gual / Ycoden-Daute-Isora, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
2017 TAVIGNANO ▶ 49 Verdicchio / “Misco” / Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Marche, Italy
2012 DOMAINE DE MONTBOURGEAU ▶ 92 Chardonnay / “Cuveé Speciale” / l’Etoile, Jura, France
2017 TERROIR HISTÓRIC ▶ 65 (A project from Terror al Limit, proving once again, that white wine is serious business in Priorat) Garnaxta Blanca, Macabeu / “Blanc” / Priorat, Spain
2015 SUAVIA ▶ 65 Trebbiano di Soave (aka Verdicchio) / “Massifitti” / Bianco Veronese, Veneto, Italy
2001 KALIN CELLARS ▶ 99 Semillon / Livermore Valley, California, USA
2012 ECONOMOU ▶ 98 Vilana, Thrapsathiri / Sitia, Crete, Greece
-- A Salty Mantra --
Gone with the wind into the fermenter. What blows together goes together.
Fossilized sea bed as a thread.
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2018 CREMISAN CELLARS ▶ 45 Dabouki / “Star of Bethlehem” / West Bank, Palestine
2018 TURASAN ▶ 44 Emir / Cappadocia, Central Anatolia, Turkey
2017 CHAMLIJA ▶ 40 Papaskarasi / “Blanc de Noir” / Thrace, Turkey
2018 CREMISAN CELLARS ▶ 47 Hamdani, Jandali / “Star of Bethlehem” / West Bank, Palestine
2018 DOMAINE DES TOURELLES ▶ 42 Viogner, et al. / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2018 MASSAYA ▶ 52 Obaideh, et al. / “Massaya Blanc” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2018 MUSAR ▶ 49 Viognier, Vermentino, Chardonnay / “Jeune” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2017 COUVENT ROUGE ▶ 44 Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2012 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 125 Obaideh, Merwah / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2010 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 120 Obaideh, Merwah / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2003 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 165 Obaideh, Merwah / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2000 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 165 Obaideh, Merwah / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1997 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 210 Obaideh, Merwah / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1990 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 320 Obaideh, Merwah / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1989 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 575 Obaideh, Merwah / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1981 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 590 Obaideh, Merwah / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
LEVANT / MIDDLE EAST WHITES
Winemaking in the Middle East dates to at least 5000BC. It’s some of the most ancient wine in the world, and among the most underrepresented in the country today.
Sometimes it’s pushing grapes in an underground fermenter, sometimes it’s making wine in a modern method, but these are all wines to be explored.
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A LOVE LET TER TO CHÂTEAU MUSAR
In the village of Ghazir, 15 miles from Beirut, one of the world’s greatest, most bewitching, and fabled wine estates was founded in 1930 by a man named Gaston Hochar. Descended from French ‘Preux Chevaliers,’ the Hochar family traces its roots in Lebanon to the time of the Crusades. Gaston’s wines found favor among the French administrators during the period of the Mandate for Syria and Lebanon following WWI. Particularly impressed was one Major Ronald Barton - stationed in the region during the Second World War. That Barton became great friends with Hochar, and that he was a part of the family that owns Château Langoa-Barton and Château Léoville-Barton, would have a pronounced effect on the future of Château Musar.
Serge Hochar, Gaston’s eldest son, was born in 1939. When, at the age of 20, he took the lead as winemaker at Musar he told his father “I want to make the wine my way, I want it to be known world-wide - and I want you to quit!” Though he became a dedicated student of Emile Peynaud at the University of Bordeaux, Serge gradually set about disregarding most everything his mentor had taught him when he undertook to produce the wines he was determined should be known world-wide. Leaving aside the technical, ‘clean’ style he had learned in school, Serge instead crafted wines which were natural long before natural was Natty. Twenty years after he began on his quest, he succeeded in achieving the fame he sought for his estate.
With Lebanon already engulfed in its lengthy civil war, he traveled to England, bringing his wines to the 1979 Bristol Wine Fair. It was there that Michael Broadbent, of Christie’s, first tried the wines of Château Musar - it was the 1967 vintage which Serge had brought with him, and which Broadbent was to later declare the ‘find of the Fair.’ By 1984, Serge was declared Decanter’s first ever ‘Man of the Year’ in large part for the perseverance he (and others at the winery and throughout the country) had shown in the face of Lebanon’s Civil War. Throughout the 15 years of that war, Musar missed only one vintage, 1976, when fighting in the Bekaa Valley - the site of Musar’s (and +-90% of Lebanon’s) vines, made it impossible to produce any wine. Another vintage, 1984, the trucks which normally bring the grapes from the Bekaa to the winery in Ghazir in a matter of little more than an hour, were forced by fighting and roadblocks to drive in the opposite direction and load the grapes onto a ship which then sailed north to Beirut, and from there by truck again to the winery. By then, the grapes had already begun to ferment and the wine (exotic and port-like) has never been released commercially though it may be the most fabled wine of Serge’s remarkable career. Serge always claimed it was a “great wine, but not Musar.”
Serge Hochar died in 2014 - the estate now run by his sons, Gaston & Marc, newphew Ralph, brother Ronald, and his spiritual ‘third son’ winemaker & viticulturalist Tarek Sakr. He was a man of limitless energy and his wines reflect his irrepressible character. Serge often called Musar Blanc his ‘fullest bodied red wine.’ Exotic and long-lived, it is made from the indigenous Merwah and Obaideh varieties. Serge told a story (one among MANY) about opening a bottle once when receiving visitors, decanting it, finding that it wasn’t showing well, pulling another bottle, and forgetting the first sitting in the decanter in his cellar. He happened upon it the next day and “the wine had come to life. It was vibrant, beautiful. It had come back to life. It was a miracle, really a miracle! And life is a miracle!”
Yes, it is, Serge. Yes, it is. And thanks for reminding us.
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2018 IMMICH-BATTERIEBERG ▶ 60 Riesling / “C.A.I. Kabinett” / Mosel, Germany
2017 ROBERT WEIL ▶ 65 Riesling / Kiedricher “Trocken” / Rheingau, Germany
2017 FRANZ HIRTZBERGER ▶ 84 Riesling / “Steinterrassen Federspiel” / Wachau, Austria
2018 JERMANN ▶ 64 Pinot Grigio / Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
2017 DO FERRIERO ▶ 60 Albariño / Val do Salnés, Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain
2018 LUCIEN CROCHET ▶ 70 Sauvignon Blanc / Sancerre, Loire, France
2018 DOMAINE LAROCHE ▶ 77 Chardonnay / “Saint Martin” / Chablis, Burgundy, France
2017 DOMAINE BERTHET-RAYNE ▶ 82 Grenache Blanc, et al. / Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe, Rhône, France
2016 CHÂTEAU CARBONNIEUX ▶ 105 Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon / Grand Cru Classé de Graves / Pessac-Leognan, Graves, Bordeaux, France
2018 WEINGUT EMMERICH KNOLL ▶ 85 Grüner Veltliner / Ried Kreutles “Federspiel” / Wachau, Austria
2016 WEINGUT EMMERICH KNOLL ▶ 129 Grüner Veltliner / Ried Loibenberg “Smaragd” / Wachau, Austria
Federspiel is light and bright, like the wings of a bird (“falconry” - the literal translation is : feder = feather, spiel = play) and Smaragd is the richer, heavier style, named for the small lizard found sunning itself in the vineyards in Austria.
2017 DOMAINE WEINBACH ▶ 75 Gewurztraminer / Alsace, France
2014 STONY HILL ▶ 125 Chardonnay / Napa Valley, CA, USA
2010 PIERRE MOREY ▶ 140 Chardonnay / Meursault, Burgundy, France
2016 LIQUID FARM ▶ 99 Chardonnay / “La Hermana” / Santa Maria Valley, CA, USA
2015 MICHEL LAFARGE ▶ 147 Chardonnay / Meursault, Burgundy, France
#UNAPOLOGETICALLYCLASSICWHITEWINESNo one has ever used this hashtag, and maybe no one ever will. Classic wines don’t come equipped with the transitive powers of street-cred. But they are delicious. These are benchmarks.
There’s a good chance you know these wines, or at least the styles, but there’s a reason for that. 50,000,000 Elvis fans, and all.
“The Real McCoy”
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2019 HILD ▶ 43 Elbling / “Trocken” / Obermosel, Mosel, Germany
2019 OLD WESTMINSTER WINERY ▶ 40 Piquette, Grüner Veltliner, Vidal Blanc / “Blinded by the Light” / MD, USA
2019 LYRARAKIS ▶ 55 Dafni / “Psarades” / Crete, Greece
Dafni, once nearly extinct, comes from the Greek for “laurel” or “bayleaf” when you smell the wine, you’ll see why. The Lyrarakis family is credited with saving the variety from oblivion - we’ll tell them you say “thank you.”
2018 BENCZE ▶ 68 Chenin Blanc / (Balatonmelléki) Balaton-felvidék, Transdanubia (notice not one of these perplexing words is ‘Tokaj’), Hungary
2016 TEUTONIC WINE COMPANY ▶ 62 Silvaner / David Hill Vineyard / Willamette Valley, OR, USA
2011 VINO BUDIMIR ▶ 49 Riesling / “Margus Margi” / Zupa, Serbia
2017 DIRTY & ROWDY ▶ 77 Viognier / Alder Springs Vineyard / Mendocino, CA, USA
2017 BARBOURSVILLE VINEYARDS ▶ 49 Vermentino / “Reserve” / Virginia, USA
2018 EDMUNDS ST JOHN ▶ 54 Clairette, Grenache Blanc / “Heart of Gold” / El Dorado Co, CA, USA
2018 ALDO GIACOMI ▶ 45 Passerina / “Zahir” / Offida, Marche, Italy
2013 LES HÉRETIERS DU COMTE LAFON ▶ 75 Chardonnay / “Clos du Four” / Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine, Burgundy, France
2017 BERNARD OTT ▶ 74 Welschriesling, et al. / “Gemischter Satz” / Wagram, Austria
2018 CHÂTEAU FEUILLET ▶ 60 Petite Arvine / Valle d’Aoste, Italy
2014 CHÂTEAU SIMONE ▶ 120 Clairette, et al. / Palette, Provence, France
2017 ESPORÃO ▶ 60 Antão Vaz, Arinto, Roupeiro / “Reserva” / Alentejo, Portugal
2016 MICHAEL SHAPS ▶ 69 Petite Manseng / Monticello, VA, USA
#UNICORNWINES (WHITE WINE EDITION)What makes a wine a unicorn wine? That all depends. Sometimes it’s scarcity, some people may say it’s price (but that’s not very interesting, is it?), and sometimes it’s just because a wine is...well, maybe kind of weird.
Unicorns aren’t necessarily ‘better’ than horses, but they’re certainly rarer. And weirder.
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2018 MURGO ▶ 41 Rosé / Nerello Mascalese / Etna, Sicily, Italy
2019 DOMAINE DE FONTSAINTE ▶ 48 Rosé / Grenache Gris, et al. / “Gris de Gris” / Corbières, Languedoc, France
2018 MUSAR ▶ 50 Rosé / Cinsault, Mourvedre / “Jeune” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2018 AZIENDA AGRICOLA CALABRETTA ▶ 44 Rosé / Nerello Mascalese / Terre Siciliane (Etna), Sicily, Italy
2018 LOS BERMEJOS ▶ 52 Rosé / Listan Negro / Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
2018 MAÇANITA VINHOS ▶ 49 Rosé / Touriga Nacional / “em Rosé” / Douro, Portugal
2018 DOMAINE DE LA MORDORÉE ▶ 60 Rosé / Grenache, et al. / “La Reine des Bois” / Tavel, Rhône, France
2017 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 115 Rosé / Obaideh, Merwah, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2019 JUTTA AMBROSITSCH ▶ 58 Dark Rosé (Or is it a light red? Which would you prefer? That’s what it is, but this vintage it’s really more of a light red) / Blaufrankisch, et al. / “Rakete” / Roter Gemischter Satz, Vienna, Austria
ROSÉ The wines on this and the following page start off one color, but over time, whether it’s because of skin contact or air, or maybe even just because they feel like it, wind up another.
ORANGE + AMBER
2018 GOLDEN CLUSTER ▶ 50 Orange(ish) / Müller Thurgau / “Müller? Müller? Müller? Müller?” (This might be the only Ferris Bueller’s Day Off reference on the list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t also the best Ferri’s Bueller’s Day Off reference on the list) / Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR, USA
2015 DOMAINE DE BEUDON ▶ 79 Orange / Fendant / “Cuvée Antique” / Valais, Switzerland
2018 FORADORI ▶ 115 Orange / Nosiola / “Fontanasanta” / Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
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2016 PAOLO BEA ▶ 99 Orange / Grechetto, et al. / “Santa Chiara” / (Montefalco,) Umbria, Italy
2015 ZIDARICH ▶ 140 Orange / Vitovska / “Kamen” / Venezia Giulia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
2019 TELIANI VALLEY ▶ 60 Amber (Or Orange, just don’t call it that in Georgia - they prefer “amber” which is, frankly, altogether more dignified) Kisi / “Glekhuri Kisi Qvevri” / Kakheti, Georgia
WE’RE STARTING OFF THE RED WINES WITH A SELECTION OF PINOT NOIRS FROM WHERE, EXACTLY?
2018 HOFGUT FALKENSTEIN ▶ 60 Spätburgunder (AKA Pinot Noir, but if you’re looking for a wine that’s more of a gentle caress and less of an electric jolt of acidity, look elsewhere) / “Niedermenniger Herrenberg” / Niedermennig, Saar, Mosel, Germany
2009 RENÉ GEOFFROY ▶ 150 Pinot Noir / “Cumières Rouge” / Coteaux Champenoise, Cumières, Champagne (NO BUBBLES, and yes, it’s red), France
2015 GROSJEAN FRÈRES ▶ 69 Pinot Noir / “Vigne Tzeriat” / Vallée d’Aoste, Italy
2016 CAMBRIDGE ROAD ▶ 69 Pinot Noir (& Syrah) / “Animus” / Martinborough, North Island, New Zealand
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,Than are dreamt of in just Burgundy, Oregon, and California.
Which is not to knock any of the established heavy-hitters - the anonymous monks of the Middle Ages who turned the altogether average-looking topography of Burgundy into Musigny, Clos St. Jacques, and all the Chambertins should genuinely be considered for sainthood. And same for the pioneers in California and Oregon. But these wines aren’t trying to be those, and it would be dishonest if they did try.
But if the whole thing about Pinot Noir is its ability to convey something about a place - maybe these places have something interesting to say, too. And maybe it’s something you haven’t heard before.
And now, for something completely different...
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-- Shall I compare thee to a smoky fire?
Thou art more liquid and more drinkable:
Rough decants may raise thine perfume higher,
And granite’s part hath equal say as iron...--
2013 THIERRY TISSOT ▶ 52 Mondeuse / “Mataret” / Bugey, Savoie, France
2015 CELLIER DES CRAY - ADRIEN BERLIOZ ▶ 69 Mondeuse / “Cuvée Rosa” / Vin de Savoie (Chignin), France
2016 FRANÇOIS VILLARD ▶ 52 Syrah / “l’Appel des Sereines” / Vin de France, France
2018 ELISABETTA FORADORI ▶ 70 Teroldego / Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy
2018 J.L. CHAVE SÉLECTION ▶ 60 Grenache, Syrah / “Mon Coeur” (AKA ‘my heart’ AKA ‘albi’) / Côtes-du-Rhône, France
2017 ÀNIMA NEGRA ▶ 62 Callet, Mantonegro, Syrah / “AN/2” / Vi de la Terra Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
2017 DOMAINE LE SANG DES CAILLOUX ▶ 82 Grenache, Syrah, et al. / “Cuvée Doucinello” / Vacqueyras, Rhône, France
2018 ARNOT-ROBERTS ▶ 92 Syrah / Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, CA, USA
2016 JEAN-CLAUDE MARSANNE ▶ 68 Syrah / Saint-Joseph, Rhône, France
2016 DOMAINE JEAN-LOUIS CHAVE ▶ 155 Syrah / Saint-Joseph, Rhône, France
2014 I VIGNERI - SALVO FOTI ▶ 125 Nerello Mascalese / “Vinupetra Rosso” / Etna, Sicily, Italy
SMOKY REDS
There’s more than just one grape sitting around the campfire.
But if we’re being honest, there’s a lot of Syrah at this party - which might be part of why it’s such a damn fine party.
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2013 CLOS SARON ▶ 120 Syrah / “Stone Soup” / Sierra Foothills, CA, USA
Gideon & his partner, Saron (for whom their winery is named), work in the Sierra Foothills to make wines with minimal intervention. Hailing from Israel, Gideon’s path has had a few twists and turns, from painting in Paris to joining a cult, and then making wine in California. Look for another wine from his younger days, under the label,“Taken from Granite”, later in the list.
2019 FIELD RECORDINGS ▶ 45 Zinfandel, et al. (And we do mean et al., literally 10 varieties in this “Field” blend) / “Fiction Red” / Paso Robles, CA, USA
2015 PAOLO BEA ▶ 115 Sangiovese, Sagrantino, Montepulciano / “San Valentino” / (Montefalco) Umbria Rosso IGT, Italy
2016 PIERRE GAILLARD ▶ 99 Syrah / Cornas, Rhône, France
2017 DOMAINE PEGAU ▶ 130 Grenache, et al. / “Cuvée Réservée” / Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe, Rhône, France
2019 TENSLEY ▶ 90 Syrah / Colson Canyon Vineyard / Santa Barbara Co., CA, USA
2004 DOMAINE ECONOUMOU ▶ 140 Liatiko, Mandilaria / Oikonomoy / Sitia, Crete, Greece
2006 E. GUIGAL ▶ 725 Syrah, Viognier / La Mouline / Côte Rôtie, Rhône, France
2013 LUIGI TECCE ▶ 155 Aglianico / “Poliphemo” / Taurasi, Campania, Italy
2015 DOMAINE DE TRÉVALLON ▶ 160 Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon / Alpilles, Provence, France
-- ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT
FOREST FIRES.--
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LEVANT / MIDDLE EAST REDS
Whether it’s on the abrupt rise of Cyprus from the Mediterranean Sea, the surprisingly humid regions along the Israeli coast, or the high-elevation Bekaa Valley sandwiched between two massive mountain ranges in eastern Lebanon, the vine has a long - seriously long, like thousands of years, and then a few thousand more - history in this part of the world, and in a lot of cases, it’s only just now being rediscovered.
2016 CHAMLIJA ▶ 46 Papaskarasi / Thrace, Turkey
2017 DOMAINE DES TOURELLES ▶ 40 Cinsault / “Vieilles Vignes” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2018 MUSAR ▶ 48 Cinsault, Cabnernet Sauvignon / “Jeune” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2015 CHÂTEAU KSARA ▶ 48 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot / “Château” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2018 DAR RICHI ▶ 55 Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sangiovese / “Hanan” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2018 CREMISAN WINE ESTATE ▶ 56 Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Baladi / “Star of Bethlehem” / West Bank, Palestine
2016 GALIL MOUNTAIN WINERY ▶ 45 Barbera, et al. / “Ela” / Upper Galilee, Israel
2012 COUVENT ROUGE ▶ 54 Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2014 DOMAINE WARDY ▶ 66 Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot / “Château les Cèdres” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2015 MASSAYA ▶ 88 Grenache, Mourvèdre / “Cap Est” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2016 MUSAR ▶ 72 Cinsault, Grenache, Cabnernet Sauvignon / “Hochar Pere & Fils” / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2014 CHÂTEAU KEFRAYA ▶ 67 Cabernet Sauvignon, et al. / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2016 GALIL MOUNTAIN WINERY ▶ 64 Syrah, Petit Verdot, Merlot / “Meron” / Galilee, Israel
-- KEEP SCROLLING, MORE MUSAR AWAITS
--
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2013 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 130 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2003 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 179 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2001 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 169 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2000 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 165 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1998 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 175 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1997 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 200 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1997 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 425 (1.5L) Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1981 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 575 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
1969 CHÂTEAU MUSAR ▶ 700 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault / Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
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“THE GODFATHER” REDSO.K. Maybe not everyone likes “The Godfather,” but, what’s the saying? You can please some of the people all of the time, but you’ll never be able to convince all of the people all of the time that “The Godfather” is a perfect movie even though it is? Something like that. Suffice to say, it’s a classic, and so are these.
And classics are classics for a reason, right?
2017 DOMAINE CHIGNARD ▶ 61 Gamay / “Les Moriers” / Fleurie, Beaujolais, France
2007 DOMAINE JEAN-MARC & HUGUES PAVELOT ▶ 110 Pinot Noir / 1er Cru Aux Guettes / Savigny-les-Beaune, Burgundy, France
2014 ROBERT CHEVILLON ▶ 150 Pinot Noir/ “Vieilles Vignes” / Nuits-St-Georges, Burgundy, France
1970 PRODUTTORI DI BARBARESCO ▶ 300 Nebbiolo / Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy
2017 MONTINORE ESTATE ▶ 56 Pinot Noir / “Red Cap” / Willamette Valley, OR, USA
2018 FABIO GEA ▶ 115 Barbera / “Green Palma” / Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy
2016 FABIO GEA ▶ 150 Barbera / “Palma” / Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Piedmont, Italy
2016 PRODUTTORI DEL BARBARESCO ▶ 110 Nebbiolo / Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy
2015 G.D. VAJRA ▶ 175 Nebbiolo / Bricco delle Viole / Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
2016 ST. INNOCENT ▶ 90 Pinot Noir / Momtazi Vineyard / McMinnville, Willamette Valley, OR, USA
2016 GIOVANNI CANONICA ▶ 145 Nebbiolo / del Comune di Grinzane Cavour / Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
2016 GIOVANNI CANONICA ▶ 150 Nebbiolo / Paiagallo / Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
2016 FÈLSINA ▶ 69 Sangiovese / ‘Berardenga Riserva’ / Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy
2008 LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA ▶ 94 Tempranillo, et al. / Viña Bosconia / Rioja (Alta), Spain
2017 DOMAINE DE MARCOUX ▶ 134 Grenache, et al. / Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe, Rhône, France
2013 DOMAINE DE LA VIEILLE JULIENNE ▶ 168 Grenache, et al. / “Les Hauts-Lieux” / Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe, Rhône, France
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2015 CHÂTEAU SOCIANDO-MALLET ▶ 120 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc / Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France
2009 RIDGE VINEYARDS ▶ 126 Zinfandel, et al. / “Lytton Springs” / Alexander Valley, Sonoma, CA, USA
2003 KAY BROTHERS ▶ 60 Shiraz / McLaren Vale, SA, Australia
2016 RDV VINEYARDS ▶ 150 Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc / “Rendezvous” / Delaplane, Middleburg, VA, USA
Maybe Virginia isn’t what springs to mind when ‘Godfather’ wines are the order of the day - maybe it should. RdV is crafting instant classics.
2016 RAMEY WINE CELLARS ▶ 98 Cabernet Sauvignon, et al. / “Claret” / Napa Valley, CA, USA
2014 CHÂTEAU PRADEAUX ▶ 96 Mourvedre, Grenache / Bandol, Provence, France
2005 HEITZ CELLAR ▶ 350 Cabernet Sauvignon / Martha’s Vineyard / Oakville, Napa Valley, CA, USA
2015 RUDD ▶ 275 Cabernet Sauvignon, et al. / “Samantha’s Cabernet Sauvignon” / Oakville, Napa Valley, Napa, CA, USA
2015 CLOS MARTINET ▶ 174 Garnatxa (Grenache) / Priorat, Catalonia, Spain
SUBSECTION: “THE OUTSIDERS”Cards on the table - this one’s more about the name of the movie than it is the movie itself. These are wines which left the constraints of their appellation system not so they could run amok and plant whatever grapes they dreamed of and ferment in 365% New French Oak, rather, they left in order to craft pure, honest wines which were truer to historical precedent than the laws allowed. These wines are classic to their cores. If the rules had been different, they’d be Godfathers, but they weren’t, and rules are rules, thus they wound up on the outside, but sometimes the outside’s not a bad place to be.
2017 MONTEVERTINE ▶ 150 Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and just a smidgen of Colorino, maybe, sometimes / “Montevertine” / Toscana IGT (Radda in Chianti), Tuscany, Italy
Just because there is only one outsider here now, doesn’t mean that Montevertine are alone. It does mean that they are the COOLEST, at least momentarily.
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2019 ARNOT-ROBERTS ▶ 72 Trousseau / North Coast, CA, USA
2018 DIAMANTIS WINERY ▶ 60 (answers the question “what if Beaujolais were on a mountain in Macedonia?”) Moschomavro / Siatista, Macedonia, Greece
2012 AR.PE.PE ▶ 110 Chiavenasca (Nebbiolo) / Rocca de Piro / Valtellina Superiore, Grumello, Lombardy, Italy
2019 CLOS CIBONNE ▶ 69 Tibouren (Rossese) / “Cuvée Speciale” / Côtes de Provence Cru Classé, Provence, France
2018 PUNTA CRENA ▶ 60 Rossese (Tibouren) / Vigneto Isasco / Riviera Ligure di Ponente, Liguria, Italy
2014 LUIS RODRIGUEZ ▶ 75 Brancellao, Caiño, Ferrol / “A Torna Dos Pasas” / Ribiero, Galicia, Spain
2015 ALBERTO ORTE ▶ 50 Tintilla / “Vara y Pulgar” / Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain
2018 CHONA’S MARANI ▶ 58 Saperavi / Kahketi, Georgia
2018 ARIANNA OCCHIPINTI ▶ 97 Frappato / “Il Frappato” / Terre Siciliane, Sicily, Italy
2018 KEEP WINES ▶ 64 Ciliegiolo / Ripken Vineyard / Lodi, CA, USA
2016 MAMETE PREVOSTINI ▶ 76 Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo) / “Manera” / Valtellina Superiore, Sassella, Lombardy, Italy
2017 GUÍMARO ▶ 58 Mencía, et al. / “Camiño Real” / Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain
2018 LE PIANE ▶ 51 Nebbiolo, Croatina, et al. / “Maggiorina” / Vino Rosso (but it’s actually in Boca, a forgotten, but resurfacing, DOC in northern Piemonte), Italy
2018 DIVISION VILLAGES ▶ 60 Cabernet Franc, et al. / “Béton” / (Applegate & Willamette Valleys) OR, USA
2015 VILLA MELNIK ▶ 48 Shiroka Melnik / “Aplauz - Reserve” / Thracian Valley, Bulgaria
2016 OLD WESTMINSTER WINERY ▶ 69 Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon / “Hilltop Road” / Westminster, MD, USA
“DONNIE DARKO” REDSThe mohawk. The renegade. The abstract art.
Donnie Darko - a great movie, but weird as hell. These wines, maybe they’re a little weird - not necessarily Donnie Darko level weird - maybe just a little unexpected somehow, maybe some of them aren’t for everyone, maybe they just hail from somewhere you’d never expect, but they’re definitely delicious.
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These are wines that just do their own thing. Sometimes that’s simply their way, other times maybe it’s by design.
Sprezzatura: noun - studied carelessness, especially as a characteristic quality or style of art or literature.
2018 CRUSE WINE COMPANY ▶ 82 Carignan / Evangelho Vineyard / Contra Costa County, CA, USA
2016 DOMAINE GIACOMETTI ▶ 45 Nielluccio, Grenache / “Cru des Agriate” / Patrimonio, Corsica, France
2013 LE PIANE ▶ 150 Spanna (Nebbiolo), Vespolina, Croatina / Boca, Piedmont, Italy
2017 UNICO ZELO ▶ 56 Dolcetto / “Cherry Fields” / Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia
2015 PAOLO BEA ▶ 159 Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Sagrantino / “Pipparello” / Montefalco Rosso Riserva, Umbria, Italy
2012 PRIMITIVO QUILES ▶ 44 Monastrell (AKA Mourvedre) / Reserva - “Raspay” / Alicante, Valencia, Spain
The Raspay from Primitivo Quiles is about as traditional as wine can get, so there’s an argument for listing it with the Godfathers, but anything with such mindbending flavors as this is going to feel much more at home among the eccentrics. This is one of the wines that time forgot.
1999 TAKEN FROM GRANITE ▶ 148 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc / “Élégance” / North Yuba - Sierra Foothills, CA, USA
2017 MOVIA ▶ 64 Cabernet Sauvignon / Brda, Primorska, Slovenia
2016 KIR-YIANNI ▶ 65 Xinomavro / “Ramnista” / Naoussa, Macedonia, Greece
2015 VADIO ▶ 61 Baga / Bairrada, Portugal
2017 RADIKON ▶ 89 Merlot, Pignoli / “RS” / Venezia Giulia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
2016 IDLEWILD ▶ 99 Nebbiolo / Fox Hill Vineyard / Mendocino County, CA, USA
1996 PAOLO DA SILVA ▶ 135 Ramisco / “Chitas Reserva” / Colares, Portugal
Come on, you think this guy, who, by all acocounts, was pretty smart, didn’t know what his hair looked like?