Fun new arrivals by vintners!

This week we bring you two new arrivals to the Portland Bottle Shop wine wall. There is a super unique white blend from here in the Willamette Valley and a fresh summer red from Austria. We hope you enjoy! Cheers!

2019 Shiba Wichern Willamette Blanc, $18
Grapes: Blend of Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes: Akiko Shiba studied in Germany before moving to our famed Willamette Valley, where she produces Pinot Noir primarily. Lucky for us, she stumbled upon a block of Auxerrois, a relatively obscure grape grown mainly in France, where it is typically used as a blending grape. Shiba blends hers too but places the Auxerrois front and center, deftly highlighting what is usually a background player.

The blanc is medium-bodied with a nice mouthfeel, prominent minerality, and fresh acidity. The juice is fermented in large Acacia barrels, imparting a subtle and uniquely wooded mid-tone on the palate. So interesting and delicious!!

Christina Winery Red, $24
Grapes: 100% St. Laurent

Tasting Notes: Charming new bottle of Austrian red with dark berried and spicy red/blue fruits. This wine shines with a slight chill (no more than 20 minutes in the fridge). It pairs perfectly with grilled veggies and salsa verde and is a great one to enjoy in honor of #nationalredwineday!

New wines from the Cotes du Rhone!

This week we are spotlighting two new arrivals from Domaine la Remejeanne. The winery is located in the Southern Rhone Valley in France and is run by a father and son team.

Remejeanne is certified organic and uses sustainable farming practices to make their outstanding whites and reds. These wines are both fun, elegant and well outperforms the price.

2019 Domaine la Remejeanne Les Chevrefeuilles Blanc Cotes du Rhone, $21
Grapes: Blend of Clairette, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc

Tasting Notes: Medium/Light bodied, pleasantly textured, delicate aromas of pear and citrus. It presents a fresh and lemony nose. On the palate, it opens lemon and tangerine zest with a touch of saline on the finish. Superb!

2019 Domaine la Remejeanne Cotes du Rhone "un Air”, $18
Grapes: Blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 15% Syrah and 15% Tibouren

Tasting Notes: Lively on the palate, with light ruby color. The nose has ripe red fruits with notes of wild strawberries and violets. Crunchy, fresh and fine, and supremely food-friendly.

Great wines for warm weather foods!

This week we are offering two suggestions that will make great accompaniments for summer-friendly foods. Think charcuterie and cheese, grilled veggies, fresh salads, and things straight from the grill.

These outstanding European wines will help you beat the late summer heat. We hope you enjoy! Cheers!

2019 Pago Casa Gran Bianco, $15
Grapes: 100% Malvasia

Tasting Notes: Sustainably farmed, organic, and vegan Spanish white wine. Crisp acidity, with beautiful floral aromas and a tangy lime-aide. Surprisingly fun value wine!

Boffalora ‘Pietrisco’ Valtellina Superiore, $38
Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

Tasting Notes: Intense aromas of red cherry, roses, leather and tar. Zippy acidity and a firmly tannic structured finish- this wine is absolutely superb.

August Case of the Month

We are very excited to bring you August's Case of the Month! This case has a mix of new arrivals that are perfect for summer sipping. 

Standouts include a super tasty Willamette Valley white blend made predominantly from the lesser-known variety 'Auxerrois' (pronounced Ax-err-wah), a fantastic fruity Austrian red by Christina Winery and an elegant bottle of 100% Poulsard from the Jura region in eastern France.

We hope you enjoy the great mix this month! Cheers!

Sparkling, Whites and Rosé

(Italy) 2020 Tintero Langhe Rosé
Grapes: 100% Barbera

Notes: Spritzy, citrusy, and tart red berries in this fun bottle from Piedmont in Northern Italy.

(France) 2020 L’Arnaude Rosé
Grapes: Blend of Grenache and Syrah

Notes: This rosé comes from a tiny appellation on the Southern coast of France called Var. It is medium-bodied, with fresh and zippy acidity, finishing with a nicely rounded mouth texture. Superb!

(California) 2020 Three by Wade California White Wine
Grapes: 95% Chenin Blanc, 5% Viognier

Notes: Super fun California white blend from iconic NBA basketball player Dwayne Wade. (Somewhat surprisingly) this bottle is both unique and delicious! Zesty lemon, juicy tropical fruits, and aromas of white flowers with a nice tangy finish. 

(Italy) 2019 Casale Marchese Frascati Superiore
Grapes: Blend of Malvasia and Trebbiano

Notes: A cool Italian white blend that showcases both grapes harmoniously. The Malvasia imparts floral aromas and a subtle stone-fruitiness, while the Trebbiano provides a lean and mineral drivel backbone.   

(France) 2019 Cochonnet Melon 1L
Grapes: 100% Melon de Bourgogne

Notes: Sustainably farmed liter bottle of summery white from southern France. Nicely textured, balanced, easy-going and food-friendly.

(Oregon) 2019 Shiba Wichern WV White Blend
Grapes: Blend of Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir

Notes: Love this new arrival to the shop and currently cannot recommend it to patrons enough! The blend of local white grape juice is fermented in large Acacia wood barrels, imparting unique wooded aromas and a lightly wooded texture to the wine. Overall, it is medium-bodied and fresh, with prominent minerality and pleasant acidity. 

Reds

(Spain) 2018 Litrona Tinto 1L
Grapes: 100% Sumoll

Notes: Crunchy tart red berry fruit, forward black pepper, tight charred wood finish. Great BBQ wine! 

(Italy) 2017 Mani di Luna ‘Checcarello’
Grapes: Blend of Sangiovese and Barbera

Notes: You want wine for pizza and pasta, alas- look no further- this Italian red screams for a hot tomato. Ripe red and blue fruit, excellent density, pleasant tannic structure- yet smooth on the palate and very food-friendly. 

(Austria) 2020 Christina St. Laurent
Grapes: 100% St. Laurent

Notes: Sustainably farmed and vegan. Great approachable summer red. Aromas of forest herbs balanced against bright, tangy red fruit notes. Fun picnic wine to be enjoyed with charcuterie and other salty snacks. 

(Oregon) 2018 Day Winery WV' Deep Blue'
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir

Notes: James Beard Award-winning vintners. Classic Willamette Valley Pinot Noir flavors: Earthy, lovely blue fruit tones, and a touch peppery in the finish. Boooooom. 

(France) 2018 Domaine Ligier Arbois
Grapes: 100% Poulsard

Notes: Poulsard is a pinot noir-like grape and is only grown in Jura, a small appellation in eastern France. This bottle is outstanding and well out-performs the price. Lush raspberry and pluot, lavender aromas, soft grippy textured tannic finish. It's terrific. 

(France) 2015 Chateau Lafond Fronsac
Grapes: Blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc

Notes: Dense black hue, charming aromas of baked cherries, black currants, and bright herbs. Licorice and leather on the palate- fleshy textured, and ready to drink!

July Case of the Month

This month we are focusing our case on easy drinking and tasty wines for summertime relaxing. Of particular note is a very cool Northern Italian grape called 'Gavi,' an all-natural and sustainably farmed Liter bottle of Spanish Rosé, an exquisite Calabrian red blend made predominantly for the grape Nerello Mascalese. We hope you enjoy this great mix this month! Cheers!

Sparkling, White and Rosé

(Spain) 2020 Ameztoi ‘Rubentis’ Txakolina Rosé
Grapes: Indigenous Basque Blend

Notes: (Arguably) the Bottle Shop's staff favorite Summer wine! Classic Basque 'Txakolina' (pronounced cha-ko-leena) pink is the perfect wine for a picnic or general lazy summer day drinking. This wine is light-bodied, with green strawberry, tart citrus, and just a touch effervescent- so not full-on sparkling, but has a pleasant, gently bubbly and refreshing mouthfeel.

(Italy) 2019 Picollo Ernesto Gavi di Gavi
Grapes: 100% Gavi

Notes: Perfectly pleasant, easy-going, tasty and crisp white Italian table wine. Great for pairing with summer meals!

(France) 2019 Domaine Paul Buisse Touraine Sauvignon Blanc
Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Notes: Touraine is one of our favorite Loire Valley appellations! While its terroir is known for producing super tasty whites, it comes to us at a fraction of the price of its neighboring growing regions, like Sancerre or Chinon. This Sauvignon Blanc has classic French tasting notes: medium-bodied, with lean minerality and subtle aromas of granite and lemon pith. Delish!

(Oregon) 2017 St. Innocent' Freedom Hill Vineyard' WV Pinot Blanc
Grapes: 100% Pinot Blanc

Notes: Great old-school Willamette Valley producers. Nicely textured mouthfeel, scents of vanilla cream, and balanced acidity.

(Italy) 2020 Franco Serra Barbera Rosato
Grapes: 100% Barbera

Notes: Fantastic value rosé from Northern Italy in Piedmont. It's organic, sustainably farmed, vegan, unfiltered, unfined and naturally fermented. A tasty medium-bodied, well balanced and approachable Rosé. Boooom.

(Spain) Azul y Garanza Garnatxa Rosé, 1L
Grapes: 100% Garnatxa

Notes: Awesome Liter bottle of pink from Navarra in Northwest Spain. 100% organic 'natural' wine. This is fruit forward with lush ripe strawberry, yet dry - perfect as an aperitif. Great as a spritzer on a hot day! Simply add a splash of bubbly water on the rocks with a twist.

Reds

(Spain) 2019 Bozeto de Exopto Rioja Vino Tinto
Grapes: Blend of Garnatxa and Tempranillo

Notes: Medium-bodied, rich texture, leather, cocoa, plum juice. Great BBQ wine!

(Oregon) 2019 Stafford Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir

Notes: The Stafford Hill wines are all straightforward crowd pleasers at a solid price for the quality. This pinot is a little fruity, a little earthy, and not too serious...in a good way.

(Italy) 2019 Cala Cala Calabretta Vino Rosso
Grapes: 95% Nerello Mascalese, 5% Nerello Cappuccio

Notes: Massimiliano Calabretta is the 4th generation of his family to craft wines on the steep slopes of Mt Etna in Sicily. He follows the centuries-old traditions of the volcanic region, protecting and maintaining the land, using only organic methods and minimal intervention. As a result, the Calabretta wines are exceedingly elegant. This bottle well outperforms the price! Ferric and earthy aromas upfront, with a silty, refined texture and deep leathery undertones. Stellar!

(Washington) 2018 Raza Vineyards 'Occam's Razor' Columbia Valley Red Blend
Grapes: Syrah and Washington red field blend

Notes: Robust Washington red blend with prominent blue and black fruit, well structured yet not too dense. You want to drink this alongside a burger or a steak.

(Italy) 2019 Cantina del Pino Barbera d’Asti
Grapes: 100% Barbera

Notes: Everyone loves a tasty bottle of Barbera. This offering from Cantina del Pino is precisely what you want from the Italian hillside of Asti: fun tart fruit, a fair amount of density, and lively, expressive acidity. So good!

(France) 2019 Famille Balaran Cotes du Tarn Rouges
Grapes: 100% Braucol

Notes: An enjoyable and unique French red. It has a beautiful ruby purple opacity and density but still retains a fresh mouthfeel. Ripe tart plum juice. A great wine to pair with grill-marked meats.

French Rosés

We are excited to share two stellar French rosés that have just arrived at our shop. Both varieties are distinct in style—the Michel Vittan Sancerre rosé is refreshing and crisp with a perfect length. The highly sought Provence rosé from Clos Cibone retains a classic food-friendly approachability.

We hope you enjoy! Cheers!

2020 Michel Vittan Sancerre Rosé, $27
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes: Crisp acidity and raspberry flavors give this wine an initial zippy and tart sensation underlined by a beautiful mineral texture. It is fruity, zesty, fresh and ready to drink in the warm summer sun!

2020 Clos Cibonne ‘Tentation’, $20
Grapes: Blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 15% Syrah and 15% Tibouren

Tasting Notes: The 2020 harvest in Provence is a top vintage with very high quality, and this bottle is a clear example. Clos Cibonne isn't your typical producer of Provençal pink wine.

They have a family heritage that dates back to 1797, when the Roux family purchased the vineyard estate after the death of its original owner, Jean-Baptiste de Cibon. Year after year, they make some of the best wines in the region.

The 'Tentation' is nicely textured, with balanced acidity and soft fruit and spring flower aroma notes. An enjoyable bottle of pink for just $20! 

Spotlight on Finca Parera Winery

This week, we focus on two new arrivals to our shop from the Spanish winery, Finca Parera, located in the Northeast of Spain in the Penedes region.

Father and son vintners work together on a completely Biodynamic farm that yields all kinds of fruit orchards, grains, olive trees, vineyards and even a pasture of bees.

The wine they produce is distinct. It sits in a space that balances between 'delicious' and 'interesting.' All of their wines are entirely natural, made with minimal intervention and natural yeast fermentation. 

We hope you enjoy these unique selections! Cheers!

Finca Parera Litrona Blanco, $32
Grapes: 100% Xarello Vermell

Tasting Notes: This bottle of Spanish white is destemmed and fermented in cement tanks with the skins for one month before aging for a year then bottling.

The wine has a nice mouth weight. Tastes of tangy green apple and pineapple hit the palate, with aromas of honeycomb and a subtle tannic finish that is well integrated into the pleasant texture of the juice. Fantastic!

This white can be enjoyed on its' own and also stands up to hearty dinner fare. 

Finca Parera Litrona ‘Clos Lentiscus’, $32
Grapes: 100% Sumoll

Tasting Notes: The 'Clos Lentiscus' is made from the indigenous Spanish grape, Sumoll, which tends to be a lighter, tart berry-fruited wine. The winery is using grapes planted in 1939 and uses completely natural wine-making techniques.

It is fermented with natural yeast, unfiltered and sustainably farmed. On the palate, it is tart with raspberry and citrus flower aromas. It finishes with a super crunchy black pepper and forest herb.

Very food-friendly, a fun liter of red!

The Legendary 'Clara C Brut Rosé' Substitutions

This Sellwood neighborhood sparkling wine favorite needs no introduction. It has been the most enjoyed wine at the Portland Bottle Shop over the last ten years. In fact, it may be a bit unbelievable, but our shop has sold more Clara than any other establishment in ALL OF OREGON. Kudos! 

Unfortunately, our beloved bubbly is unavailable right now due to issues importing from Italy. It will be out for at least another couple of months. 

But don't fret- we have brought in two other wines similar to Clara C- both in price point and style that we think you will love. Read on to hear about these great Sparkling Rosé options.

We hope you enjoy! Cheers!

Jacques Pelvas Brut Rosé, $14
Grapes: 100% Grenache

Tasting Notes: The Jacques Pelvas Brut Rosé is a lovely, light and bright bottle of bubbles from the Provence region of Southern France. It has fresh, subtle fruit tones and citrus, with a persistently pleasant effervescence on the palate.

We find this wine very similar to Clara C. Comparatively, it is just a touch leaner, drier, and less fruit-driven. 

Contesse Brut Rosé, $16
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes: The Contesse Brut Rosé is made in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Coming from the same region and using the same grapes as Clara C, it yields a fairly similar wine.

It is bright pink in color, with floral aromas and prominent notes of berries and tropical fruit. It is a bit richer and more 'fruit forward' in style compared to our beloved Clara.