Can we really be this close to the 4th of July? You could blame it on the late start to the season, but really, when has the 4th of July ever felt as though it arrived right on time?
If you feel the need to ponder these questions, we highly encourage you to do so while enjoying a nice glass of wine – preferably from this week’s sale wine – listed below!
Check out this week’s selections – and we hope to see you in our downtown Minneapolis store soon.
Remember to keep up with our Events page to be among the first to know what we’ll be serving during our in-store wine tastings every weekend!
Gerard Bertrand Saint Chinian 2011
Languedoc, France
The complex aromas of black olives and blackberry come from the carefully controlled extraction performed during vinification. Its full, fat body on the palate lends it a remarkable elegance. The long-lasting rich, fleshy bouquet reveals notes of roasted coffee, blackcurrant and prunes.
Sale $11.99/bottle
Reg. $22.99/bottle
Sainte Leocadie Minervois Rouge 2016
Languedoc, France
This delicious bistro red is made by partial carbonic macerartion and traditional stomping of the grapes. Aromas of dried thyme and lavender are prevalent, adding complexity to the juicy plum, cherry and wild raspberry flavors. Creamy but firm, with gripping tannins and a cocoa-dusted finish. This is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Carignan.
Sale $10.99/bottle
Reg. $12.99/bottle
Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Rose 2018
Languedoc, France
Deeply vinous, yet immensely refreshing, it delivers the brambly garrigue and earthy, peppery spice from the brush-covered bluffs of the top grape-growing area in the Languedoc, plus a juicy burst of wild strawberry and lingering salinity that inspire sip after sip.
Sale $15.99/bottle
Reg. $17.99/bottle
Vajra Rosato 2018
Piedmont, Italy
90 Points Vinous
Bright pink. Intense, mineral-accented aromas of red berries and fresh flowers, with a herbal undertone. Classically dry and vibrant rose that closes long and crisp, with nicely persistent notes of herbs and red fruit.
Sale $17.99/bottle
Reg. $19.99/bottle
Bodega Norton Malbec D.O.C. 2015
Mendoza, Argentina
92 Points Wine Spectator
This refined and powerful red features concentrated red plum, raspberry and boysenberry flavors. Offers lilting spiciness midpalate, with a finish that features licorice and dried ginger accents.
Sale $14.99/bottle
Reg. $17.99/bottle
Hofer Gruner Veltliner Liter 2017
Weinviertel, Austria
The 2017 vintage for Gruner Veltliner in Austria was excellent, so we have to imagine that this always consistently delicious liter bottle offering from H & M Hofer will be among the best they've ever made. Lemon lime citrus with a slightly spritzy pizazz, it'a almost as fun to open as it is to drink. The Hofer family farm their 20 hectare estate organically in the small village of Auersthal, on the northern edge of Vienna's suburbs. Inexpensive liter bottles of Gruner Veltliner abound but they are rarely this good and made with such care and attention.
Sale $18.99/Liter
Reg. $22.99/Liter
Hofer Zweigelt Liter 2017
Weinviertel, Austria
The most popular red wine in Austria, Zweigelt is to Austria perhaps what Dornfelder is to Germany and Beaujolais is to France--an all-purpose workhorse that is as at home with a roasted chicken as it is with a hamburger. The 2017 has a cool-weather character, lean and high-toned, with freshness to spare. The perfect zippy red that can take a chill for summer picnics.
Sale $17.99/Liter
Reg. $21.99/Liter
Heidi Schrock Gelber Muskateller 2017
Burgenland, Austria
This 2017 Muskateller has a mere (and welcome) 12.5% alc and a little “natural wine” flavor; it’s juicy, leesy and dry, more the linden and chamomile aspects of Muscat and less of the orange blossom. It actually tastes more like Savignin than like Muscat, fluffy and sort of tightly rich, like bright colors on an overcast day; intense fennel and physalis. Soulful, original, and please don’t drink it too cold. -notes from Importer Terry Theise.
Sale $22.99/bottle
Reg. $25.99/bottle
Arcanum Il Fauno di Arcanum 2015
Tuscany, Italy
93 Points Wine Advocate
The 2015 Il Fauno di Arcanum is a robust and thickly layered blend of 59% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. This wine offers terrific value, especially to those who prize soft richness and concentration in their blended Tuscan reds. This beautiful, medium to full-bodied wine would pair seamlessly with grilled or roasted meats. The warmth and sheer exuberance of the vintage will put a big smile on your face.
Sale $24.99/bottle
Reg. $34.99/bottle