New Wines - Week of 4/27!

Our mission of rounding out our world wines collection continues!

Aime Boucher Vouvray, Loire FR '18
Vouvray is the classic French Chenin Blanc region. This one is a nice mix of fruity and floral, with some light honey notes. This Vouvray has some skin contact, characteristic of orange wines. It's off-dry, not quite medium sweet, at 12% ABV. Perfect with Asian food. (21)

Radley & Finch Chenin Blanc, Western Cape SA '19
Chenin Blanc is the most prominent white grape grown in South Africa. (The most prominent black grape is Pinotage.) This Chenin Blanc is slightly drier than a Vouvray, and demonstrates the grape's natural lemon and peach flavors. (19)

Monte Rio Dry White Zinfandel, CA '18
Here we have an organic, bone-dry White Zinfandel from the Suisun Valley, just east of Napa. It's fermented in concrete, then matured in old oak barrels for some light oxidative flavors (honey, nut.) Goes well with barbecue. (18)

Maris Biodynamic Minervois GSM, France '17
If you're not familiar with biodynamic farming, it's like organic-plus. This is a Syrah and Grenache blend from Minervois which, along with the Rhone Valley, is one of France's star regions for those varietals. Look for black fruit flavors, some spice (black pepper and a little licorice), and light earthy notes. (24)

Bridge Lane White Merlot, NY '18
How do you make a White Merlot? Same as any other white - keep it away from the skins. Instead of Merlot's usual black plum flavors, look for citrus, green fruit, and even herbaceous aromas like grass! (18)

Teutonic 'Candied Mushroom' Riesling, Willamette OR '19
Teutonic calls this their best Riesling ever. Despite the name, and despite the fact that the Riesling grapes have been botrytised, it's a dry Riesling with lots of earthy, mushroomy umami flavors. Pair it with savory foods, pair it with sweet foods - it's a very versatile wine. (36)

Field Recording "Fiction" Red, Paso Robles CA '17
A returning favorite! This is a full-bodied red blend - a Zinfandel base with a Rhone-style GSM blend thrown in to round it out. Look for cooked black and red fruit, some vanilla and licorice, and - at almost 14% ABV - a nice alcoholic kick! (23)

This Post Brought To You By The Letter G

This post has been brought to you today by the letter G – which stands for Gruner Veltliner, Gewurztraminer, and Gigondas.

Gruner Veltliner is a delightful white grape with lime and green fruit flavors, and also some herbaceous notes in the background, like green bell pepper. The great allure of Gruner Veltliner, however, is its fizzy POP! on the palate. It’s not a carbonated wine – the fizziness actually comes from the grape’s high acidity.

On our shelves:

Stadt Krems Gruner Veltliner, Austria - $15

Don’t let the unwieldy name scare you off. Gewurztraminer (geh-VURTZ-truh-mee-ner) is a delightful wine that is friendly to Moscato drinkers. Famously, the aroma most commonly associated with Gewurz is lychee, a bright semi-tropical fruit often associated with Thai cuisine. (My favorite Thai restaurant in Charlotte, Aroy Thai on Independence, serves lychee candies in a great big bowl.) You’ll also find some nice floral notes in it, particularly rose essence. And though the wine may seem a little sweet, it actually has only a little residual sugar in it. It’s just that fruity.

On our shelves:

Heinz Eifel ‘Shine’ Gewurztraminer, Rheinhessen DE ’17 - $20

And finally, the big guy – Gigondas. This is a Rhône Valley appellation that is cousin to Côtes-du-Rhône and Chateauneuf du Papes. But where those two lean toward the refined, Gigondas is a heavy-hitter. Made from the Rhône’s famous GSM blend (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre), this guy slams you with big strawberry and blackberry flavors.

On our shelves:

Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas, Rhône FR ’17 - $49 (1 bottle left!)

Chateau de Saint Cosme “Les Claux” Gigondas, Rhône FR ’17 - $84  $59

All About Tempranillo!

What do the wines of Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Catalunya have in common? The Tempranillo grape!

Tempranillo is an unusual grape in that it has both red fruit flavors (strawberry, cherry, raspberry) and black fruit flavors (blackberry, blueberry, black plum.) Structurally, it's like Cabernet Sauvignon, with medium acid and mouth-drying tannins. It normally takes American oak, which can lend vanilla, dill, and even coconut flavors. When it's young ('Joven,' in Spain) it's bright and fruity, and mostly doesn't register any oak. As it spends more time in oak ('Crianza' wines) it develops those vanilla and dill notes, and if it's given time to age in-bottle ('Reserva' and 'Gran Reserva'), it takes on rich leather and tobacco notes that make for an incredibly complex wine.

Our current list of Tempranillo based wines:

JOVEN:

Orlegi di Luberri Rioja $24

Trinidad del Conde de Hervias Rioja $35

Conde de Hervias Rioja $42

Aster Finca el Otero Ribera del Duero $50

CRIANZA:

Vina Real Crianza Rioja $22

Vina Sastre Crianza Ribera del Duero $34

RESERVA/GRAN RESERVA:

Remelluri Reserva Rioja $35

Luberri Gran Reserva Rioja $45

Remelluri Granja Gran Reserva Rioja $64  

Clearance Sale!

30% Off All These Wines! (We've only got one bottle left of each ...!)

SPARKLING
Waris Larmiander Porte de Bas Champagne $129  $90
Tarlant Rose Zero Champagne $90  $63

GRENACHE, SYRAH & GSM BLENDS
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Les Claux  $120 $84
Segries Lirac Syrah $25  $18

PINOT NOIR
JK Carriere Pinot Noir  $60  $42

SPANISH WINES
Envinate Benje Tinto $30  $21

CABS, MERLOTS, & CAB BLENDS
Chateau Musar '98 Lebanese Cab Blend $62  $43

WHITE BLENDS

PETITE SIRAH
Once & Future Petite Sirah  $67  $47

TROUSSEAU NOIR
Jolie Laide Trousseau Noir  $35   $25

ZINFANDEL
Once & Future Zinfandel  $55  $39

GAMAY/BEAUJOLAIS
Dutraive Chenas $49 $34
Julien Sunier Regnie  $30  $21

BARBERA
Idlewild Barbera $36   $25

NATURAL WINES
Cornelissen Munjebel  $56  $39

ITALIAN WINES
Girolamo Russo Etna Rosso  $48  $34

Riesling cont., French Pinot Noir, and More!

Greetings from Quarantine Island - we hope you're staying safe and healthy!

Our week of Riesling continues, with 20% off all bottles. In addition to our house Riesling (Good Karma, from Finger Lakes NY), we also have a few bottles of the delicious Vibrations ($28), which is an Alsace AOC Riesling. Alsace, in northern France, is the home of some of the world's best Rieslings. They generally tend to be dry in style, with floral notes and stone fruit. If you're looking for something off-dry, why not the Maximin Grunhaus Monopol Riesling ($22) from Mosel, Germany? The very slight sweet notes in this Qualitatswein do an excellent job of offsetting Riesling's naturally high acid.

If you're in the mood for something else, maybe a red, all our bottles that are $50 or more are still 20% off. Looking for a quality French Pinot Noir? Why not the Maison Harbour Gevery Chambertin? The average price for this wine on Vivino is $89 ... and we have it for $71 before the discount! Gevrey-Chambertin is one of the two most famous Burgundy villages for Pinot Noir, along with Nuits-Saint-Georges. In addition to delicious strawberry and cherry notes, you'll also find the earthiness that fine-quality Burgundy is known for.

Last but not least - if you have any questions about our wines or even wine in general, please feel free to call or come by. If we haven't met yet, I'm Tommy Trull, the new wine director for Seaboard. I love to talk wine and cheese (and movies and classical music and theatre, if you're into such things.)

Take care, and we appreciate your support!

- Tommy

Our Week of Riesling!

Riesling is one of the most versatile (and misunderstood) grapes on the planet - and this week (4/13 to 4/19/20), all our Rieslings are 20% off!

Contrary to popular belief, Rieslings are not usually sweet wines. Most range from dry or off-dry to (sometimes) medium sweet. Moreover, what sweetness you might find in Riesling serves a purpose. The grape tends to favor cool climates like Alsace in northeastern France and a trio of cities in southwestern Germany. These cool climates mean a shorter ripening season, which means higher acid levels, which can mean sour notes in the wine. For this reason, winemakers use a variety of techniques to bring out some sweetness in the wine - not to turn it into a dessert, but to balance out those high acid levels. (A nice illustration of how this works is the difference between drinking lemon juice and lemonade.)

Our Rieslings come from several different areas, ranging from Alsace and Mosel to Finger Lakes, NY. Come see us this week, and take home a delicious, refreshing Riesling!

Introduction to Nebbiolo!

What if a highly complex Pinot Noir had the body and structure of a Syrah? You'd likely have in your hands something very close to a Nebbiolo. Born in northeastern Italy's famed Piemonte region, this is the grape that has become famous for its Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG wines.

But where Barolos and Barbarescos can demand very high prices, Piemonte also produces some very fine quality Nebbiolo wines for a fraction of the cost. These two above are quite affordable entryways into the world of Nebbiolo - the Carlin is $25 and the Langhe is $18!

Nebbiolo has pronounced red fruit flavors like cherry and strawberry, but is supported by very high tannins and acid, which make this wine perfect for aging. In bottle, Nebbiolos can develop earthy, leathery notes that make for a very complex drinking experience. However, Nebbiolos can also be enjoyed young. They're fruity and powerful, and can stand up to any dish you put on your table - especially rich Italian dishes, whether they're creamy like a Carbonara or brightly acidic like a Bolognese.

Come try out a Nebbiolo - I promise you'll be glad you did!

UPDATE: The Langhe has already sold out (holy cow!) But the Carlin is still available!

Redesign, New Deals, and More!

Hi all! I hope everyone is staying happy, healthy, and … well, not-bored.

So … we’re taking this time to redesign our wine bottle list. The mission is to bring in all the major varietals from the world regions where they thrive – and all at affordable prices. Specifically, I hope to fill out some New World regions like South Africa, Australia, and Chile, just as I hope to broaden the scope of some Old World regions. Moreover, I’m a firm believer that a higher price tag does not necessarily mean a better quality wine.

This will definitely mean some wine deals coming up on outgoing bottles, so stay tuned.

But I’m also hoping to hear from you about what you’d like to see on the wall – what countries? What varietals or blends? What wine styles would you like to see us carry by the glass?

Let me know by commenting below, or just shoot me an email at tommy@seaboardbrewing.com.

Stay safe, my friends!

Featured Wine: Hallet Sauternes, 2018

Ever had a Sauternes? It's one of the most interesting whites to come out of France's famed Bordeaux region. Sauternes is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, but with a catch - the grapes are allowed to go through a process called botrytis, or 'noble rot,' after which the grape's flavors, sugars, and acids are highly concentrated. The resulting wine is delectably sweet enough to rival a great Port, and richly flavored enough to rival Hungary's famous Tokaij Aszu. Sauternes is a perfect dessert wine, powerful enough to stand up to your favorite sweety-treats. 375 mL, $24.

Current Bottle List

updated 5/4/20
(check the clearance list at the bottom of the menu!)

SPARKLING AND ROSE

CHAMPAGNE

          Waris Larmandier Particules Crayeuses - $74

          Waris Larmandier Racine - $69

CAVA

          Avinyo ‘Ticota’ Gran Reserva - $37

          Los Monteros Cava - $24

CREMANT

          Aimery Cremant - $19

PROSECCO

          Coste Petrai Prosecco - $18

MOSCATO

          Rinaldi Moscato d’Asti - $25

 La Perlina Moscato - $24

         

OTHER SPARKLING

          Amrita Cuvee A Sparkling Rose - $20

          Francois Montand Sparkling - $15

ROSE

          Bohigas Sparkling Rose - $20

 Canadel Bandol Rose - $37

          Ameztoi Rubentis Txakolina Rose - $25

          Mirabello Rose - $24 (temporarily out of stock)

          SR 262 Sparkling Rose - $20

          Colombe Rose - $20

          Monte Rio Dry White Zinfandel - $19

          Radley & Finch Rose - $19 (temporarily out of stock)
       Isle St. Pierre Rose - $19
       Es Okay 'Orange' Rose - SALE $24 save $2
          Zoe Rose (Greece) - $18
          Prisma Rose (Chile) - $18

WHITES

CHARDONNAY

France
          Bouchard Pouilly-Fuisse - $39

       Leroux Bourgogne - $35

          Brocard Chablis - $25

          Milou Chardonnay - $25

          Thevenet & Fils Macon-Villages - $20

USA

       Lingua France ‘Sisters’ Chardonnay - $62

          Massican ‘Hyde’ Chardonnay - $49

          Scribe ‘Pet Nat’ Chardonnay - $38

          Poppy Chardonnay - $27

          Alexana Chardonnay - $24

          Long Meadow Ranch ‘Farmstead’ Chardonnay - SALE $21 save $3

         

Chile

       San Elias Chardonnay - $18

  

SAUVIGNON BLANC

France

       Millet Sancerre - $29

          Le Grand St Vincent Touraine - $27

          Mary Taylor Bordeaux Blanc - $20

USA

          Round Pond Sauvignon Blanc - $24

Chile

       Prisma Sauvignon Blanc - $15

Australia & New Zealand

          Hunky Dory Sauvignon Blanc - $18

Lebanon
       Chateau Musar '04 - SALE $65 save $5

PINOT GRIGIO

Italy

       Mannara Pinot Grigio - $25

          Bocelli Pinot Grigio - $18

USA

          Teutonic Pinot Gris - $24

          Illahe Pinot Gris - $22

RIESLING

France

       Vibrations Riesling - $28

Germany

       Maximin Grunhaus Abtsberg - SALE $56 save $13

          Keller Riesling RR - $32

 Max. Richter Zeppelin - $24

          Keller Riesling von der Fels - $39

          Lucashof Riesling - $19

USA

       Teutonic Candied Mushroom Riesling - $36

          Good Karma Finger Lakes - $24

          Brooks Riesling - $22

CHENIN BLANC & SEMILLON

France

          Boucher Vouvray - $21

          Lamothe Bordeaux Blanc - $17

         

S Africa

       Radley & Finch Chenin Blanc - $19

GEWURZTRAMINER, VIOGNIER, & ALBARINO

          Shine Gewurztraminer - $20

          Raft Viognier - SALE $26 save $6

          Soverribas Albarino - $45

          Dandelion Albarino - $25

GARGANEGA (SOAVE)

          Pra Staforte Soave - $25

OTHER WHITES

          Colares Malvasia - $55

          Remelluri Rioja Blanco - $60

          Pelican Poulsard - SALE $39 save $11

          Ostatu Gran Reserva Malvasia - $36

          Gerberas Macabeo - $18

          Bridge Lane White Merlot - $19

          Heinrich Naked White - $22

          Belle Pente Belle Ouiseau - $34

          Jolie Laide Trousseau Gris - $34

          Idlewild ‘The Bee’ White Blend- SALE $24 save $2

          Gorrondona Txakolina White - $24

          Broadbent Vinho Verde - $18

          Aphros Loureira Vinho Verde - $22

          Comte Leloup Muscadet ’05 - $29  
          Comte Leloup ’10, ’12 - $30

          Martha Stoumen Post Flirtation (Natural White) - $30
          Girolamo Russo Nerina White - SALE $31 save $9

         

         

REDS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

France

       Segla Margaux - $61

          Auney Cana Graves - $35

          Chateau Amour Medoc - $23

USA

       Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa) - $120

          Mayacamas ’14 (Napa) - $149
          Mayacamas ’15 (Napa) - $99

          Matthew Wallace (Napa) - $62

          Kith & Kin (Napa) - $39

          Band of Vintners (Napa) - $35

          Broadside (CA) - $32

          Matthiasson Village (CA) - $39

          Requiem (WA) - $24
          Halter Ranch Synthesis (CA) - $22
          Delta Cabernet (CA) - $19

Australia

       Nugan 3^rd Generation - $19

MERLOT

France

       Croix Canon St Emilion - SALE $59 save $10

          Chateau le Puy Emilien - SALE $46 save $13

          Clos St. Andre Pomerol - $55

          Chateau Pilet Rouge - $24

          Chateau Cugat Bordeaux Superieur - $25

USA

      Once & Future Merlot - $69

Mayacamas - $64

Trig Point Merlot - $29

         

PINOT NOIR

France

       Camus Charmes-Chambertin - SALE $114 save $31

          Clerget Vougeot 1^st Cru - SALE $114 save $31

          Lachaux Nuits-St-Georges - SALE $89 save $6

          D’Angerville Volnay Premier Cru - $114

          Domaine du Pelican Trois Cepages - $29

          Bouchard Bourgogne - $28

USA

       Cristom Signature Cuvee Pinot Noir - SALE $127 save $28

          Hirsch Vineyards (East Ridge & West Ridge) Pinot Noir - $99

          La Source Evening Land Pinot Noir - $89

          Raen Sonoma Coast Royal St Robert Pinot Noir - $74

          Memorious Pinot Noir - $74

          Rivers Marie Summa Pinot Noir - $69

          Lioco Saveria Pinot Noir - $70

          Anthill Farms Abbey Harris Pinot Noir - SALE $49 save $11

          Anthill Farms Mendocino County Pinot Noir - $55

          Rivers Marie Pinot Noir - $44

          Whitcraft Winery Pinot Noir - $69

          Lioco Laguna Pinot Noir - $33

          Two Kings Pinot Noir - $30

          Valravn Pinot Noir - $24

          Lingua France ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir - $65

          Big Table Farm Pinot Noir - $72

          Cristom Louise Vineyards Pinot Noir - $69

          Cristom Mt Jefferson Pinot Noir - $37

          Alexana Pinot Noir - $30

Macedonia

       Macedon Pinot Noir - $30

SYRAH

France

       ‘Les Schistes’ Cote-Rotie - $51

          Badel St Joseph Montrond - $34

         

USA

       Favia Syrah - $89

          Peay Syrah - $74

          Shafer ‘Relentless’ Syrah - $71

          Cristom Syrah - SALE $49 save $11

          Stolpman Syrah So Hot - SALE $39 save $6

          Raft Grist Vineyards Syrah - $45

          Raft Weed Vineyards Syrah - $35

          Bedrock Syrah - $27

          Stolpman Hilltops Syrah - $33

          Terre Rouge Syrah - $33

Australia & New Zealand

          Tournon Shiraz - $49

ZINFANDEL

USA

       Turley Old Vine Zinfandel - $44
          Turley Frederick Zinfandel - $37

          Frank Family Zinfandel - $44

          Vine Starr Zinfandel - $39

          Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel - $30

          Three Zinfandel - $20

          Easton Zinfandel - $19

Italy

          Arcangelo Primitivo - $19 (temporarily out of stock)

GAMAY (BEAUJOLAIS)

          Chiroubles - $32

          Brouilly - $47

          Gamayleon - $30

          Chenas - $30

         

GRENACHE

France

       Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape - $79

          Cristia Cotes-du-Rhone - $29

          Maris Biodynamic Minervois - $24

Spain

       Laurel Priorat - $59

          Petit Pissares Priorat - $24

          Pegaso ‘Zeta’ Garnacha - $22

          Gerberas Garnacha - $18

         

USA

          Raft Grenache - $32

          Time Place Grenache - $29

         

TEMPRANILLO

          Remelluri Granja Rioja - $64

          Aster Ribera del Duero - $50

          Luberri Gran Reserva Rioja - $45

          Conde Hervias Rioja - $42

          Remelluri Reserva - $35

          Trinidad Rioja - $35

          Vina Sastre Ribera del Duero - $34

          Luberri Orlegi Rioja - $24

          Vina Real Crianza Rioja - $22

CARMENERE, MALBEC, & PINOTAGE

          Casa Silva Carmenere - $18

          Atamisque Malbec (Mendoza) - SALE $38 save $11

          Catena Malbec (Mendoza) - $24

          Cedre Marcel Malbec (France) - $25

          Radley & Finch Pinotage - $18

NEBBIOLO & CORVINA

          Fontana Barolo - SALE $70 save $19

          Cavalotto Barolo - $78

          Moccagatta Barbaresco - $60

          Monsecco Gattinara Nebbiolo Blend - $49

          Boniperti ‘Carlin’ Nebbiolo - $23

          Pra Valpolicella Amarone - $75

          Pra Valpolicella Ripasso - $35

          Pra Valpolicella - $25

SANGIOVESE & MONTEPULCIANO

          Casanuovo Brunello di Montalcino - $82

          Castellare Chianti Classico - $29

          Montenidoli Toscano - $24

          Il Ghizzaro Super Tuscan - $20 (temporarily out of stock)

          Fattoria ‘Torbolone’ Super Tuscan - $25

          La Quercia Montepulciano d’Abruzzo - $18

RED BLENDS

          Collina dalla Valle Red Blend - $105

          Bedrock Heritage Red Blend - $50

          Last Trip to Sicily Red Blend - SALE $33 save $9

          Sexual Chocolate Red Blend - $30

          Idlewild ‘The Bird’ Red Blend - $27

          Standout Red Blend - $29

          The Whole Shebang Red Blend - $27

          Parts & Labor Red Blend - $23

          Revelry ‘The Reveler’ Red Blend - $24

          Involuntary Commitment Red Blend - $23

          Fiction Red Blend - $23

          Les Heretiques Red Blend - $18

OTHER REDS

          Migan Tinto (Spain) - SALE $37 save $10

          Martha Stoumen Nero d’Avola (California, Natural Red) - $39

          La Tremendal Monastrell (Spain) - $27

          Aphros Vinhao (Portugal) - $23

          Pena do Lobo (Portugal) - $20

          Unculin Bierzo (Spain) - $19 - new lower price!

          Valceresole (Italy) - $20

          Habit Cab Franc (USA) - $35

          L’Ambert Clos Tue Loup Cab Franc (France) - $29

          Lieu Dit Cab Franc (USA) - SALE $23 save $6

          L’Ambert Terre Rouge Cab Franc (France) - SALE $21 save $4

          Lalalu Cab Franc (USA) - $23

          Gigondas ‘Les Claux’ GSM Blend (France) - $59

          Chateau Simone Palette (France) - $65

          Canadel Bandol Red (France) - $38

          Gorrondona Txakolina Red (Spain) - $30

          Clos Cibonne Tibouren (France) - $28

          Papa Figos Douro (Portugal) - $18

CLEARANCE WINES!!!

Waris-Larmandier Porte de Bas Grand Cru Champagne (France) - $131

Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa) - $120

Casanuova Brunello di Montalcino (Italy) - $82

Shafer ‘Relentless’ Syrah (Napa) - $74

Remelluri Granja Reserva Rioja (Spain) - $65

Lingua France Sisters Chardonnay (Willamette) - $64

Tarlant Zero Brut Nature Rose (France) - $60

Remelluri Rioja Blanco (Spain) - $60

Conde de Hervias Rioja 2009 (Spain) - $42

J.K. Carriere ‘St Dolores Estate’ Pinot Noir (Willamette) - $40

Turley Frederick Vineyard Zinfandel (Napa) - $37

Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas GSM Blend (France) - $33

Raft Grenache Narrow Gate (California) - $32

Domaine du Pelican Savagnin (France) - $30

Envinate Benje Tinto Red (Spain) - $18

Chateau de Segries Lirac Syrah (France)- $15