June Featured Wines – Mary Taylor Christophe Avi Rose Agenais & Domaine d’Ansignan Les Grenadines, France

May 31, 2025 · by ·

If you follow the meteorological seasonal calendar, summer starts Sunday, June 1. Many restaurants switch house wines to lighter ones once summer arrives. Our June wines will reflect that same change. This is when I slip in a rose and also a red that is served slightly chilled. No surprise these wines are French but from different regions. Both wines are grown using biodynamic agriculture based on organic farming.

The rose, Mary Taylor’s 2024 Christophe Avi Rose Agenais, is from southwest France. Agenais is a small area in a region that overlaps with several other small regions. We have featured Mary Taylor’s Buzet which is produced in one of these regions by that name. This cluster of small regions is about 80 miles from Bordeaux. It is said Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grow wild in the Agenais region. The thought is in the 17th century these two varietals crossed to create Cabernet Sauvignon. This rose is a blend of Cabernet Franc (20%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) which make it a crisp and dry wine.

The red selection, 2023 Domaine d’Ansignan Les Grenadines, is from Côtes Catalanes, an IGP wine region in the southeast in Languedoc-Roussillon. Part of Cotes Catalanes is in the Pyrenees. This wine is a blend of Syrah (12%), Grenache (43%), Carignan (12%), Macabeo(9%) and Lledoner Pelut (24% known as “Hairy Grenache.”) The estate on which these grapes are grown is high in the Pyrenees, on the edge of the historic region, Occitania. Domaine d’Ansignan is a partnership between winemakers, Sebastien Calduch and Jeff Carrel whose mission is to preserve the art and tradition of winemaking in harmony with nature.

2024 Mary Taylor Christophe Avi Rose Agenais, France $12

This rose is a fresh blend of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon. The nose suggests red currants, fresh cherry, tangy watermelon, orange blossom and lime leaf. It feels generous in the middle and finishes with dusty minerality and a nice sense of grip. It’s refreshingly dry and has a nice weight to stand up to robust foods. Alcohol: 12.9%

2023 Domaine d’Ansignan Les Grenadines, France $18

This is a red blend of 5 varietals. It is cherry in color. On the nose it brings red currant, pomegranate juice, and strawberry aromas.It has a fresh and bright palate. Serve with a slight chill. Excellent with white meats such as pork and poultry. Perfect for drinking outside in warm weather.
Alcohol: 13%

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November Featured Wines – 2022 Darting, Riesling Durkheimer Nonnengarten Kabinett, Germany & 2022 Chateau de Campuget, Costieres de Nimes Traditional Red, France

November 1, 2024 · by ·

Everyone has their own Thanksgiving dinner traditions but turkey is primarliy the star of the show. What makes wine selection difficult are things like how the turkey is cooked and go withs like sauerkraut. Most menus have lots of starches so contrasting flavors often work against each other. Typical wine recommendations are Riesling, Chardonnay (unoaked), Pinot Noir and Gamay. These options offer lighter body options for both white and red wine.

Our selections are a Kabinett Riesling and a Syrah and Grenache Rhone blend. 2022 Darting Riesling Durkheimer Nonnengarten Kabinett is an off-dry. Kabbinett Rieslings are the most dry. They are also the lightest but still aromatic. At 10% it is a low alcohol wine. It is in a liter bottle so you have more to share!

2022 Chateau de Campuget, Costieres de Nimes Traditional Rouge is the red selection. This wine takes us slightly away from traditional Thanksgiving red wine.
Syrah gives this wine body and Grenache adds softness and fruit. The beauty is this wine is very pleasing when young. It does age well but enjoying it now will give you a fresh red. It is suggested to serve slightly chilled, not refrigerated. Just put by the back door for Mother Nature to chill to 60 degrees.

2022 Darting, Riesling Durkheimer Nonnengarten Kabinett, Germany $19

This Kabinett Riesling has a beautiful freshness featuring herbal notes that overlay the yellow apple and ripe peach flavors. Straightforward but the overall effect is sold and firm. Alcohol: 10%

2022 Chateau de Campuget, Costieres de Nimes Traditional Red, France $13

This traditional red is a blend of 70% Syrah & 30% Grenache. On the nose is ripe fruit. On the palate it is round with smooth tannins. Very pleasant as a young wine but ages well. Alcohol: 13%

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July Featured Wines – Comtesse Marion Viognier & Comtesse Marion Pinot Noir, Pays d’Oc, France

July 1, 2024 · by ·

Our July selection is from Comtesse Marion whose vineyards are outside of Vias near the Mediterranean coast. Their wines carry the Pays d’Oc designation since they meet specific production standards that are authorized for the Languedoc-Roussillon region. The Vic family is a five generation wine producer that uses sustainable methods without herbicides or pesticides.

2023 Comtesse Marion Viognier is 100% Viognier grapes. When deciding between Comtesse Marion Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc, Michelle Coleman, my sales rep, said the Viognier would be a great “go to” summer white. She called it “juicy.” The 2022 Comtesse Pinot Noir is our red selection which is grown on 30 plus year old vines in the rocky, volcanic soils of the region. It is 100% Pinot Noir grapes. I selected the Pinot Noir over other Comtesse Marion reds since French Pinots are a pleasing diversion from more costly US Pinots.

2023 Comtesse Marion Viognier $14

This viognier is bursting with flavors of white peach, pear, and melon. There are hints of lemon zest and blood orange that add wonderful complexity and juiciness to this succulent white, which finishes with a silky texture. Serve with mild, creamy curries, mild spicy pad thai, chicken, pork, and creamy cheeses (as well as some hard cheeses like Gruyère).Alcohol: 13.0%

2022 Comtesse Marion Pinot Noir $15

This gorgeously balanced Pinot Noir shows sublime flavors of fresh wild strawberry, blood orange, and redcherries. It is layered and juicy, with a silky texture that keeps you coming back for more. The importer calls this wine “ethereal and layered, with the texture of pure silk.” This fruit-forward wine is a nice, lower alcohol summer red. Alcohol: 12.5%

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Featured Wines for August – Mary Taylor Gaillac Perle (Nathalie Larroque) & Mary Taylor Buzet (Christophe Avi), Southwest France

July 29, 2023 · by ·

We have featured many Mary Taylor White Label Wines but there a few more on our list. August wines are from 2 small appellations in the Garonne subregion in Southwwest, France – Gaillac and Buzet. Gaillac, believed to be the oldest vineyards in France, is northwest of Toulouse. Buzet is northwest from Gaillac on the left south bank of the Garonne River. If you follow Mary Taylor Wine, you know she searches for producers who grow and process indigenous grapes. Both of these appellations are only now becoming better known in the wine world.

2020 Mary Taylor Gaillac Perle (Nathalie Larroque), Southwest France, $16

This wine is rich and slightly honeyed with a nose of extreme minerals and earth and a balance of raciness and richness on the palate. The word “Perlé” indicates a slight prickle of nearly imperceptible bubbles in the wine. Enjoy on its own as an aperitif. Pair with rich and spicy foods; Indian Vindaloo, Korean spicy pork, mapo tofu, or Thai curries.Alcohol: 13%

This bold and structured wine is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. It displays rich red berry fruit, coffee beans, and tobacco. The unoaked palate is silky and graceful.The wine has ripe tannins and a generous texture that offers a good mix of black fruits and acidity. This a a wine to pair with summer grilled meats. Alcohol: 13.5%

2019 Mary Taylor Buzet (Christophe Avi), Southwest France $17

This bold and structured wine is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. It displays rich red berry fruit, coffee beans, and tobacco. The unoaked palate is silky and graceful. The wine has ripe tannins and a generous texture that offers a good mix of black fruits and acidity. This a a wine to pair with summer grilled meats. Alcohol: 13.5%

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Featured Wines for December – Jean-Louis Cuvée Brut Blanc de Blancs, Burgundy, France & Henry Fessy, Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais, France

December 1, 2020 · by ·

Jean-Louis Cuvée Brut Blanc de Blancs, Burgundy, France $11

This sparkling wine is pale golden in color with delicate bubbles. It has a white fresh fruit bouquet of pear and apple. On the palette it has a clean, fresh attack on your mouth. This has a pleasant taste thanks to being a well-balanced. Enjoy the lovely small bubbles. Celebrate an occasion or just enjoy this festive sparkler. Alcohol: 11.5%

Henry Fessy, Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais, France $14

Beaujolais nouveau is a purple-pink wine reflecting its youth. The method of production means that there is a higher acidity and very little tannin. Nouveau will have very bright, fresh, red fruit flavors, such as cherry, strawberry, and raspberry, along with fruity flavors of banana, grape, fig and pear drop. The wine is recommended to be slightly chilled to 55 °F. Alcohol: 14.5%

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May Featured Wines – 2017 Maris Rose, Pay D’Oc, France & 2016 Chateau Maris La Touge, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

May 1, 2018 · by ·

2017 Maris Rose, Pay D’Oc, France, $16

2017 Maris Rose, Pay D’Oc, France is a blend of Cinsaut,Grenache and Syrah commonly grown and blended in southern France. This classic combination is used most commonly to make Provence’s famous rosé wines, which display crisp, aromatic flavors of berryfruit and spices. Syrah typically frames the wines with its structure and deep color. Dark fruit flavors such as blueberries and blackberries come from Syrah, while raspberries and earthy aromas come from the Grenache. Cinsaut, often used in the smallest proportion, lifts the aromatics of the wine with its soft, perfumed characteristics. This is a year-round dry wine for duck, seafood, other light meats. Alcohol: 13%

 

2016 Chateau Maris La Touge, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, $17

2016 Chateau Maris La Touge, Languedoc-Roussillon, France is a blend of Syrah and Grenache. It is dark red in color and medium in body with moderate tannins and refreshingly heightened acidity. It has powerful flavors of cherry liqueur, black pepper and intense clove. Overall it has a dry feel but the ripeness of the fruit makes it appear generous and hearty, Overall it has a dry feel but the ripeness of the fruit makes it appear generous and hearty. This is a nice pairing for beef, veal, pork or pasta. Alcohol: 14.5%

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July Featured Wines -2015 Maison Nicolas Sauvignon Blanc & 2015 Maison Nicolas Merlot, Languedoc Roussillon, France

July 1, 2017 · by ·

2015 Maison Nicolas Sauvignon Blanc, Cotes de Gascogne, France                                         $10

This French white has a wonderful smooth balance with crisp acidity that is characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc grapes grown in this region of France. Ripe peach, pear and apple are predominant flavors in this dry wine. Serve icy cold with summer seafood and you will understand why this wine is a great buy from Cotes de Gascogne.Alcohol: 11.5%

 

2015 Maison Nicolas Merlot, Pays d’Oc, France                                                                               $10

This Merlot is a well-balanced single varietal wine that comes from the Vin de Pays d’Oc appellation. It has a rich color and  is packed full of jammy flavors with notes of plum and currant.  This is a round and supple wine with smooth tannins. Consider this wine for  simple summer picnics with chicken and lighter meats.  Alcohol: 12.5%

 

This month we are offering wines produced by Maison Nicolas in Languedoc-Rousillon, France. We have had other wines from this region but they have been classic blends. July’s selections are single varietals – Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot.

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Opening Reception and Wine Tasting for “Winter Abstracts”

January 27, 2017 · by ·

 

Each February Bishop’s Stock’s walls pop with color and energy with Winter Abstracts. Come visit with exhibiting artists and taste wines from California and France.

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Opening Reception and Wine Tasting with C.L. Marshall, Book Signing

November 28, 2016 · by ·

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December’s First Friday Opening Reception includes C.L. Marshall selling and signing his recently released Chesapeake Bay Duck Hunting Tales. Wines from Cotes du Rhone will be offered for tasting.

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Featured Wines for December – 2015 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc & 2013 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage Rouge, Cotes du Rhone, France

December 1, 2016 · by ·

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2015 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc, Cotes du Rhone, France                     $14

This blend from Northern Cotes du Rhone is 65% Viognier, 15% Roussanne, 8% Marsanne, 8% Clairette, 2% Bourboulenc, 2% white Grenache.  The full bodied Viognier  and Roussanne carry this blend but the other grapes provide fruit and depth typical in Rhone blends. This is a bright, clear yellow wine with a fresh nose marked by the distinctive aromas of the Viognier – white flowers, apricot, acacia and white peach. The richness and body make this a well-rounded wine with elegance, strength and balance that is an easy aperitif that can carry guests through a holiday menu.

 

crozes_hermitage-nouv_10_vignette2013 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage Rouge, Cotes du Rhone, France                   $20

E. Guigal uses 100% Syrah in this full-bodied wine. For the holidays this wine gives guests who prefer red wine a nice option to complement a cocktail buffet or a full dinner. This is a dark red wine that has a nose of red fruits, cherry and strawberry with delicate oak. Due to long oak ageing this red and black fruit rich wine has remarkable freshness and refined tannins. According to Robert Parker, now is the time to uncork this wine and enjoy!

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