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August 2025 Newsletter
Receive our Monthly Newsletter and Special Promotions. Stay up to date on new arrivals, sales, and events at our Berkeley shop.

August 2025 Newsletter
Table of Contents
- Whites and Reds of Provence by Anthony Lynch
- Summer Values by Tom Wolf
- Three Ways to Rosé by Allyson Noman
- The Everyday Magic of Loire Reds by Dustin Soiseth
- Arretxea In Irouléguy by Chris Santini
- Revelations From Italy by Tom Wolf
- Montalcino by Anthony Lynch
The Alpilles are a miniature mountain range characterized by rugged limestone outcrops, old olive groves, and rocky vine rows lit by a sky so magnific...

Dominique Hauvette
Buy this collection 4 bottles
Wines in this Collection

2019 Alpilles Rouge “Cornaline”
France | Provence
After seven years, the 2019 is in its sweet spot, evoking sumptuous fruits like sour plum and fig, which make this cuvée distinctly Provençal.

2022 Côtes de Provence “Blanc de Blancs”
France | Provence
This gorgeous blend of Vermentino, Ugni Blanc, Sémillon, and Clairette is both fleshy and mineral-driven.

2024 Méditerranée Blanc
France | Provence
A 50/50 assemblage of Ugni Blanc and Vermentino, the two varieties meld together to create a white that breaks the mold entirely for what we’ve come to expect from this magical stretch of Provençal coastline.

2020 Bandol Rouge
France | Provence
Here is a full-bodied dose of Terrebrune terroir you can enjoy over the next thirty years.
It’s the kind of wine I keep on hand in case of impromptu visits from friends, potlucks, or backyard barbecues. Everyone loves it, and how could you...

Valdobbiadene
Buy this collection 5 bottles
Wines in this Collection

Prosecco Superiore Brut
Italy | Veneto
With its light and elegant notes of citrus and orchard fruit, this is one of the stand-out, exquisitely crafted wines of this region.

2024 Alsace Blanc
France | Alsace
A bargain introduction to Alsace features, vinified dry for versatile everyday pleasure.

2024 Custoza “Greoto”
Italy | Veneto
A dry white with an intriguing aroma. You can drink it in good-sized swallows while floating on an inner tube.

2024 Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge
France | Southern Rhône
We aimed for maximum drinkability: plenty of hedonistic purple-tinged fruit, along with a hint of wild herbs and lovely lavender and violet notes.

2024 Monferrato Rosso
Italy | Piedmont
A quintessential house wine from Piemonte’s less-traveled side.
They say there are many paths to God, and I say the same is true of rosé. It’s certainly become an exalted cultural phenomenon, and for good r...

Bandol rosé
They say there are many paths to God, and I say the same is true of rosé. It’s certainly become an exalted cultural phenomenon, and for good reason. Whether you’re in search of something ethereal, light, grand, dignified, or simply seeking joy, a rosé exists for you. For devotees and curious skeptics alike, the three very different bottles below—one classic, and two that toe opposing lines—are all excellent standards of practice.
Buy this collection 3 bottles
Wines in this Collection

2024 Bandol Rosé
France | Provence
Crisp and characterful, and loaded with Provençal complexity, it’s a balanced blend of structured Mourvèdre with equal parts Cinsault, a more delicate variety, and fruit-forward Grenache.

2024 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
France | Loire
Citrusy aromatics, bracing salinity, and a mineral backbone make it a mouthwatering match for tangy, fresh-herb-laden soups like tom kha gai or pho.

2024 Tavel Rosé
France | Southern Rhône
Stony, spicy, and dense, it evokes red berries, watermelon, and garrigue and offers a beautiful accompaniment to a wide range of dishes.
Served cool, it balances bright cranberry fruit with a pleasing earthiness that I love in Loire reds, and the finish is clean and refreshing. It�...

Buy this collection 3 bottles
Wines in this Collection

2024 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
France | Loire
This red is 100% Pineau d’Aunis, an indigenous red grape we hold dear to our collective hearts because of its mystifying aromatics and bright, juicy texture.

2023 Reuilly Pinot Noir
France | Loire
Gently perfumed and full of fresh berries with the bright, stony finish typical of wines from Reuilly

2021 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
France | Loire
With floral aromas and fine-grained tannins, it already showcases its charms.
Oh, how far Irouléguy, the hidden gem of French Basque country, has come! Once upon a time, not so long ago, a local joke went something like this: �...

The hills of Irouléguy
Oh, how far Irouléguy, the hidden gem of French Basque country, has come! Once upon a time, not so long ago, a local joke went something like this: “How do you say vinegar in Basque? Irouléguy!” Vines covered hardly any ground, and you could count the growers on a single hand. Enter the Riouspeyrous family in 1989 and their ambitious project of Domaine Arretxea, to revive what they knew was an ancient tradition of making wines unlike any other from these steep slopes, as strong in character as the local culture and as unique and mysterious as the Basque language itself. Today, the hills of Irouléguy are alive and busy with vines and growers, the wines revered and allocated and fought over, thanks in large part to the vision and labor of our favorite Basque estate. Merci beaucoup, or rather, Milesker anitz, Arretxea!
Buy this collection 2 bottles
Wines in this Collection

2022 Irouléguy Blanc “Hegoxuri”
France | Southwest
Any lover of whites from Chablis or the Loire should try this white made of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu.

2021 Irouléguy Rouge “Cuvée Haitza”
France | Southwest
A black wine made from steep inclines planted to Tannat and some Cabernet Sauvignon, it demands patience while its dense, mouth-coating tannins slowly release their clutching grip.
This was my wine revelation of 2024 and I spent every opportunity last year, both in public and in private, proselytizing for it. Hailing from the bas...

Benito Favaro
Buy this collection 2 bottles
Wines in this Collection

2023 Erbaluce di Caluso “Le Chiusure”
Italy | Piedmont
Hailing from the northern edge of Piedmont, at the foot of the Alps, this gorgeous bottle courses with energy and bursts open with notes of citrus, pear, white flowers, and a faintly saline finish.

2022 Rosso di Salina
Italy | Sicily
This rosso translates the island’s eruptive nature with a vibrant energy, offering otherworldly red fruit seasoned with smoky, peppery nuances that recall the ashy volcanic soil.
It is so pristinely balanced, open-knit, and expressive right now that it would almost be a shame to save it for later. Who says fancy wine has&n...

John Benda
Buy this collection 2 bottles
Wines in this Collection

2022 Rosso di Montalcino
Italy | Tuscany
The perfume of rose petals and vivid red berry fruit, along with the delicate, fine-grained tannin, make this a truly special Rosso.

2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Phenomena”
Italy | Tuscany
All the depth, concentration, and intensity imaginable are densely packed into a tight, firm, chewy package.
30 Years with La Famille Faury
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of our partnership with the Faury family. They’ve cultivated the northern Rhône’s steep, fabled hillsides since the end of World War II, when Jean Faury settled in the tiny hamlet of La Ribaudy and planted his land to vines and orchards. It wasn’t until 1979, when his son Philippe took over, that the family’s focus shifted to winemaking and expanding their vineyard holdings. Since then, the Faurys’ raison d’être has been to masterfully express the distinct soil in which their vines root…
Shop the Sale >
Whites and Reds of Provence
by Anthony Lynch
The Alpilles are a miniature mountain range characterized by rugged limestone outcrops, old olive groves, and rocky vine rows lit by a sky so magnificent it inspired the most productive period of Van Gogh’s career during his year-long stint in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Another notable resident of Saint-Rémy is Dominique Hauvette, who arrived four decades ago, acquired some vineyard land, and set out on the road to becoming a legend of Provençal wine…
2019 Alpilles Rouge “Cornaline” • Domaine Hauvette 2022 Côtes de Provence “Blanc de Blancs” • Clos Saint-Joseph 2024 Méditerranée Blanc • Clos Sainte Magdeleine 2020 Bandol Rouge • Domaine de Terrebrune
Summer Values
by Tom Wolf
It’s the kind of wine I keep on hand in case of impromptu visits from friends, potlucks, or backyard barbecues. Everyone loves it, and how could you not...
Three Ways to Rosé
by Allyson Noman
They say there are many paths to God, and I say the same is true of rosé. It’s certainly become an exalted cultural phenomenon, and for good reason. Whether you’re in search of something ethereal, light, grand, dignified, or simply seeking joy, a rosé exists for you...
The Everyday Magic of Loire Reds
by Dustin Soiseth
Served cool, it balances bright cranberry fruit with a pleasing earthiness that I love in Loire reds, and the finish is clean and refreshing. It’s always a good idea to know what the locals are drinking...
Arretxea In Irouléguy
by Chris Santini
Oh, how far Irouléguy, the hidden gem of French Basque country, has come! Once upon a time, not so long ago, a local joke went something like this: “How do you say vinegar in Basque? Irouléguy!” Vines covered hardly any ground, and you could count the growers on a single hand. Enter the Riouspeyrous family in 1989 and their ambitious project of Domaine Arretxea, to revive what they knew was an ancient tradition of making wines unlike any other from these steep slopes, as strong in character as the local culture and as unique and mysterious as the Basque language itself. Today, the hills of Irouléguy are alive and busy with vines and growers…
2022 Irouléguy Blanc “Hegoxuri” • Maison Arretxea 2021 Irouléguy Rouge “Cuvée Haitza” • Maison Arretxea
Revelations From Italy
by Tom Wolf
This was my wine revelation of 2024 and I spent every opportunity last year, both in public and in private, proselytizing for it. Hailing from the base of the Italian Alps, this bianco achieves a balance, vitality, and texture that you find only in that country’s greatest white wines, and it proves that Piemonte…
2023 Erbaluce di Caluso “Le Chiusure” • Cantina Favaro 2022 Rosso di Salina • Vignedimare
Montalcino
by Anthony Lynch
It is so pristinely balanced, open-knit, and expressive right now that it would almost be a shame to save it for later. Who says fancy wine has to age? The regal, brooding perfume of Tuscan underbrush, sweet spices, and woodsmoke offer a moment of luxury that one would be remiss not to seize today…
2022 Rosso di Montalcino • J.G. Benda 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Phenomena” • Sesti
Where the newsletter started

Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch