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Benjamin Taillandier ‘Tharséo’ 2023 We are over the moon about this delightful orange wine from the Minervois. It’s a blend of Muscat D’Alexandrie and Terret Gris from 50-year old vines that Benjamin farms by hand. It tastes like a Peach Snapple in the best way possible: rich stone fruit laced with gentle tea-like tannins and incredible floral and orchard aromas. Serve chilled with papaya salad or cold silken tofu and peanut sauce and drink outside on one of the forecasted sunny days. Clocking in at 10% abv, this wine is at its best the day it’s opened but drinks just fine on day 2 if need be. Jean-Christophe Garnier ‘Les Nouettes’ 2023 Jean-Cristophe Garnier had a long career in the restaurant industry before settling down to make wine in the Loire Valley in 2002. His ‘Les Nouettes’ is a chillable red composed of Grolleau and Pineau d’Aunis, two underdog grapes from the region that we happen to love. This one’s got heady violet aromas, plenty of zippy cherry and raspberry, and an ever-so-slight hit of cracked pepper. We think this wine pairs well with just about anything— try a spring greens frittata, a radicchio salad with tahini dressing or a board of cheeses and crackers and a few friends. Serve chilled, and drink this the day it’s opened for maximum enjoyment. Optional Add-on: Bichi ‘No Sapiens’ 2023 Bichi, based in Tecate, Mexico (Baja California), has been making some of our favorite wines since 2014. A years-long rift between Bichi winemaker Noel Tellez and the grower at No Sapiens vineyard marked the end of this fruitful collaboration for a while. But the band is back together, and we couldn’t be more pleased! This is one of the exciting new Bichi/No Sapiens wines (we have two tasty pet-nats in the shop as well). It’s 100% Dolcetto, and so incredibly complex, unique, chuggable… all the good adjectives. It tastes like a platter of fresh watermelon and raspberries dusted with cinnamon and cocoa powder. It’s a lighter-bodied red that can be served either at cellar temp or lightly chilled. To lean into the Mexican theme, why not whip up a charred shrimp and avocado salad or a spread of chips and salsas? Zero sulfites, this wine tastes great after a night in the fridge.
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