Photo courtesy of the New York Times.

Dear Friends,

Like most of you, we spend November and December in a tizzy—it's our busiest time of the year, by far. January is typically a calm light at the end of the tunnel, but not so in 2020.

If you haven't read Eric Asimov's latest 20 Under $20 column, check it out here. Like Asimov, we're waiting to hear the results of a long-debated dispute between two airline giants that could greatly affect the way we drink wine.

While we are anxious for this ordeal to be over and done with—ideally without any additional tariffs—we haven't stopped seeking out and drinking excellent bottles.

Eat, drink and be merry with these selections—while not every cuvée listed in the article is available at the moment, we've secured most of them!  

One note: in a few spots, I’ve made a prudent substitution. These will all be for a similar wine from the same producer, and are often made because there’s little or no hope of getting Eric’s top pick.

 

Take advantage of our special discounting:

• buy any 6-11 bottles and get 10% off or
• but any 12 or more bottles and get 15% off 

We hope this special pricing will encourage many of you to make yourselves acquainted with some of Eric's choices. To order, please just email me at valerie.pimpinelli@flatiron-wines.com with your selections and quantity of each wine requested.

As soon as this article is published, the wines will almost immediately disappear from the marketplace. This is your chance to beat the rush and get the wines at a nice discount.

These wines are NOT available in our online store. The only way to order these wines is by sending an email to valerie.pimpinelli@flatiron-wines.com. This offer expires the evening of Tuesday, February 4th. Please allow 24-48 hours for confirmation, as we typically receive an overwhelming response. 

Matthiasson Tendu California Red Wine 2018

was $19.99; now $16.99

From one of California's top growers, Steve Matthiasson, who prizes responsible farming. A not-so obvious natural wine made from three red Italian grapes that never actually get together in Italy: Aglianico, Montepulciano, and Barbera. It's a wine that Steve designed to be the ultimate party wine—gulpable, fruity but not simple, deeply pleasurable.

 

Luyt Pipeño Carrizal Chile País Familia Ernesto Soto 2019 (1L)

was $18.99; now $16.14

This wine is remarkable not just for its unique flavor, but also for its incredibly old vines—over 250 years old! Pipeño is a traditional style of Chilean wine made from the País grape, which was originally planted by Spanish missionaries to produce Communion wine. It's fresh, peppery, typically lower in alcohol and juicy. 

 

Poderi Colla Dolcetto d’Alba Pian Balbo 2017

was $18.99; now $16.14

The Colla family has been making wine in Piedmont for hundreds of years. While Piedmont may be better known for its Nebbiolo, the "little grapes" (Dolcetto, Barbera, Freisa) are its secret weapons, as well as the typical choice of the locals. Colla's Dolcetto is bright and aromatic, with dark-hued fruit tones and just a whiff of tannin.

 

Domaine Alary Cairanne Vieille Vignes 2016

was $19.99; now $16.99

While the Brunote cuvée is unavailable with the importer, we are able to offer the 2016 Vieille Vigne selection from Domaine Alary. It's a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan, from 45 year old, organically farmed vines. The Alary family has been in the Rhône Valley since the reign of Louis XIV, and this Cairanne is eminently classic—dark, brambly fruit, a bit of spice, a plush texture and nice, stony minerality. 

 

Marietta Cellars North Coast Román Zinfandel 2017

was $19.99; now $16.99

Marietta Cellars is committed to maintaining the integrity of their old, historical vineyards in Sonoma, and has remained a family run winery in a state where those are few and far between. Named after a longstanding employee, the Ramón Zinfandel is classic Cali style, without going over the top. Its rich, plummy fruit and velvety smooth texture is comfort in a glass, with notes of flowers and ripe, red berry fruit.

 

Fattoria Rodáno Chianti Classico 2017

was $17.99; now $15.29

We adore simple, unadorned Sangiovese, and if we can find a Chianti Classico for less than $20, we consider it an absolute win. The Rodáno estate was planted to wine grapes nearly 400 years ago, and in the intervening centuries, tradition has reigned supreme. Classic, bright red cherry fruit mingles with Tuscan hillside herbs for a style of wine we could drink forever. Better yet, it's made by an (organically-farming) artisanal producer in a sea of industrial concerns.

 

Meinklang Österreich Blaufränkisch 2018

was $19.99; now $16.99

Meinklang is one of the hottest names in natural wine—this Blaufränkisch is grown biodynamically, with minimal SO2 added. The estate's goal is to foster a diverse ecosystem, and there's a certain liveliness to this succulent, velvety wine. Blaufränkish is one of our favorite under-the-radar grapes for its ability to transmit terroir

 

Domaine de la Grosse Pierre Chiroubles “La Grosse Pierre” 2018

was $19.99; now $16.99

Great Cru Beaujolais can be a revelation: with all of its granitic minerality, silky cherry fruit and delicate aromas, these are wines we can't help but keep drinking. To find cru Beaujolais for less than $20 is nearly unheard of—which is why we were so pleased to find Domaine de la Grosse Pierre. With a luminous ruby hue and filigreed floral scents, this is a no-brainer.

 

Viña Zorzal Navarra Garnacha 2017

was $10.99; now $9.34

This is organically farmed Garnacha from old vines on limestone with some clay. This is darkly-fruited but not weighed down, full of freshness and minerality. It's an astounding value for honestly made wine.

 

Ver Sacrum Uco Valley Garnacha-Syrah-Mourvèdre Blend Los Chacayes 2017

was $19.99; now $16.99

Winemaker Eduardo Soler moved from Spain's Sierra de Gredos region, home to outstanding Garnacha wines, to Argentina, but he couldn't leave behind those incredible wines. He decided to focus his new winery on Rhône varietals, and although the 100% Garnacha was not available with the importer, it doesn't get more Rhône-esque than a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Lightly spicy, full of cranberry and cherry fruit, this wine is easy, breezy and very drinkable.

 

Kokkinos Naoussa Xinomavro 2015

was $19.99; now $16.99

Xinomavro is perhaps the king of Greek wine grapes—and this wine from Kokkinos, a winery based in Macedonia, is no exception. It's a grape that's often compared to Nebbiolo, which doesn’t always quite make sense, but it sure does apply here. This is definitely a wine for Barbaresco lovers, very similar in structure and balance of the wine, but framed by signature Greek notes of mint and bay leaf. Lovely.

 

Mateus Nicolau de Almeida Trans Douro Express Douro Cima Corgo 2018

was $19.99; now $16.99

Unfortunately, Mateus Nicolau's Baixo Corgo cuvée is unavailable with the importer, but from just slightly west (in the Cima Corgo region of the Douro Valley), this is a blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, and Tinta Amarela. It's concentrated, and dark-fruited (we get plum and blackberry notes), but with enough acidity to balance everything out. It's fermented in concrete for a smooth, silky texture and round tannins. 

 

Onabay Vineyards North Fork of Long Island Cabernet Franc Côt-Fermented 2016

was $19.99; now $16.99

The pun in the name of this wine is deeply dorky—but we love it anyway. From Long Island, it's a blend of mostly Cabernet Franc, co-fermented with a bit of Malbec (known as Côt in France's Loire Valley). The Cabernet Franc is cooling and herbal, and the Malbec adds a touch of richness and brambly, velvety fruit.

 

Ioppa Colline Novaresi Nebbiolo 2018

was $17.99; now $15.29

Is there anything better than delightful—and affordable—Nebbiolo for drinking now? This charmer is all tangy cherry fruit, silky earth, and mountain fresh air. And it's less than $20 a bottle. The wine comes from Alto Piemonte, in and around the village of Ghemme. Much further north than Barolo or Barbaresco, Alto Piemonte wines have an airy, ethereal structure and light, dancing fruit that is perfect for drinking on its own or alongside almost any meal.

 

Hermanos de Peciña Señorío de P. Peciña Rioja Cosecha 2018

was $15.99; now $13.59

Bodegas Hermanos Peciña is one of our favorite Rioja producers; even though it's a relatively new estate, the wines are classically-inflected, without a ton of new oak to muddy the purity of Tempranillo. It's organically grown, and gently macerated for a plush, lush texture and loads of classic cherry and plum fruit. On the finish, there's some typical Rioja herbaceousness and bright acidity.

 

Monje Tenerife Tinto Tradicional 2016

was $19.99; now $16.99

Wine from the Canary Islands is unlike anything else—these islands are more African than Spanish in terms of geography, for one, and the traditional grapes are rarely seen elsewhere. The Monje family has been making wine on volcanic Tenerife since 1750, farming incredibly old vines on extraordinary terroir. This wine, mostly Listán Negro with a bit of Negramoll and Listán Blanco added for lift, is lightly smoky, a bit herbal, juicy and fresh and utterly unique.

 

That's the haul! 

Again, you can take advantage of the pricing and this list of incredible value by emailing me at valerie.pimpinelli@flatiron-wines.com! 

 

Thanks for your interest! 

 

Cheers,

Valerie