Featured Wines for July – 2023 J.P. Chenet Sauvignon Blanc & 2022 Josephine Dubois Pinot Noir, France

July 12, 2025 · by ·

This month we are featuring wines that are part of Les Grands Chais de France, a partnership of wine-growers in France with over 7400 acres of vineyards and a man named Joseph Helfrich who is connected to both “brands.” The white is 2023 J.P. Chenet Sauvignon Blanc. It is considered a Vin de France. This designation allows winemakers more flexibility in terms of grape varieties and winemaking techniques, as it doesn’t require specific regional appellations.Vin de France wines are not bound by the strict rules of specific French wine regions (like Bordeaux or Burgundy). J.P. Chenet has become the most appreciated brand of French wine in the world since their wines meet consumer needs in different markets. All of the wines except our wine are bottled in a unqiue bottle with a tilted neck. Our red selection is 2022 Josephine Dubois Pinot Noir. This wine is branded as Vin de Bourgogne since it is produced in the Burgundy Appellation. It is considered a Grand Reserve which means it has undergone a long period of aging. Pinot Noir wines from California, Oregon and Washington State have gained great recognition but the varietal is primarly associated with Burgundy.

2023 J.P. Chenet Sauvignon Blanc, France $15

This Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and zesty, full of freshness and aromas. Th color is golden with green highlights. Aromas are citrus fruit, lemon and grapefruit. This is a highly aromatic & light wine. It is the perfect compliment for fish or any seafood. Alcohol: 10.5%

2022 Josephine Dubois Pinot Noir, France $18

This is a crowd pleasing Pinot Noir. It is bright ruby in color and a nose rich with aromas of red fruits such as raspberry, red currants and wild strawberry. On the palate, it is juicy and round with nice fruit, light tannins, and great elegance.Alcohol: 13%

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Featured Wines for November – Vina Falernia – Pedro Ximinex & Pinot Noir Reserva, Equi Valley Chile

November 1, 2020 · by ·

Vina Falernia Pedro Ximinex $11

This wine is pale straw yellow in color. It has a brilliant, very attractive nose with floral and tropical fruit flavors. This is a nice medium body with balance of acidity and an attractive minerality, coupled with a long, crisp and refreshing finish. Enjoy chilled as an aperitif and with appetizers, salads, white meats and seafood. Alcohol: 13%

Vina Falernia Pinot Noir Reserva $13

The wine has a delicate aroma of black cherry, raspberry and strawberry, with well integrated French oak. This is a medium bodied wine with elegant and silky tannins on the palate. It pairs well with grilled river fish, spiced duck, light pizza or even most roasted vegetable dishes. This is a very versatile wine. Alcohol: 14%

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April Featured Wines – Marisco Vineyards 2018 The Ned Pinot Gris & Marisco Vineyards 2016 The Ned Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand

April 1, 2019 · by ·

2018 The Ned Pinot Gris ($14) is instantly recognizable with its skin-contact giving a delicate salmon pink color. The highly fragranced nose bursts with aromas of apples, lychees, lime blossoms and a touch of honey. The acidity on the palate is crisp but not searing and is balanced by a dry, chalky-textured mouthfeel that finishes with a zing of lime zest. This Pinot Gris can become your best friend when enjoyed on its own, but it also pairs well with your favorite fish dish accompanied with a fresh watermelon salad. Alcohol: 14%

2016 The Ned Pinot Noir ($20) is a classic New Zealand Pinot Noir and has less acidity. It is a balanced wine. It is deep red cherry in color, with a herbaceous nose and red fruits aromas. This wine is light bodied, offering rich notes of red cherries, red currants and cranberries. This is a crowd-pleasing Pinot Noir. It is light and dry to enjoy it on its own or paired with ham, pork or white meats. Easily this is a food-friendly wine. Alcohol: 13.5%

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August Featured Wines – 2016 Seaside Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Coastal South Island New Zealand & 2014 Seaside Cellars Pinot Noir, Coastal South Island, New Zealand

August 1, 2017 · by ·

2016 Seaside Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand                      $14

The Sauvignon Blanc grapes for this wine are used from Coastal vineyards on the South Island. This wine has fresh flavorful style and a clean crisp palate with ripe tropical fruits. It has mouth-watering acidity and hints of mineral taste. Wine Spectator gave this Sauvignon Blanc 87. Serve well chilled for a refreshing summer white wine. Alcohol: 13%

 

2014 Seaside Cellars Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand                             $14

For this Pinot Noir grapes are used from a number of South Island coastal vineyards.This wine is elegant  and cool with savory characteristics, bittersweet chocolate and notes of dark cherries and strawberries. It is fragrant, soft and flavorful with hints of earthiness. This vintage received 90 from Wine Spectator as a Top Value Elegant Wine. This a a medium weight wine perfect for summer foods. Alcohol: 12.5%

 

 

 

 

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Featured Wines for November – 2015 Willm Gewurztraminer Reserve, Alsace, France & 2014 Cloudline Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon

November 1, 2016 · by ·

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2015 Willm Gewurztraminer Reserve, Alsace, France   $14

2015 Willm Gewurztraminer Reserve from Alsace, France is the white we are featuring since it is right at home with Thanksgiving’s sage-rubbed turkey and stuffing. “Gewurz” means “spicy” in the language of Alsace and Gewurztraminer wines are characteristically  aromatic, spicy, sometimes off-dry with hints of lychees and nutmeg. The Willm Gewurztraminer is a little more delicate than other Gewurztraminers but it has a rich aromatic palette with an explosion of exotic fruits, flowers, citrus and spices. It has a medium body with a richness that stands up to the mixture of spices and herbs used at Thanksgiving. Alcohol: 13%

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2014 Cloudline Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon    $19

2014 Cloudline Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon is our featured red for November. People pretty traditionally serve Pinot Noir at Thanksgiving since it is a lighter bodied red with a soft palate. It is a good match for poultry but deciding what Pinot Noir varietal profile to select may be challenging. Cloudline is produced in the Willamette Valley where a cooler climate produces Pinot Noir grapes that offer a delicacy and transparency unlike California Pinot Noir that gets a deeper richness from a warmer climate. With 2014 Cloudline Pinot Noir you get a stellar year and a good value with a wine that brings forward notes of dark berries, black cherries and crushed red fruits.  The wine has good complexity yet a soft palate. This is a perfect “turkey” wine. Alcohol: 13.5%

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December’s Featured Wines – 2014 Vinum Cellars Chardonnay & 2014 Vinum Cellars Pinot Noir, Monterey, California

December 1, 2015 · by ·

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2014 Vinum Cellars Chardonnay, Monterey, California $15

2014 Vinum Cellars Chardonnay is rich and layered wine that relies on the natural acidity from the acidity of the Santa Lucia Highland fruit. This Chardonnay has a medium straw color with aromas of lemon custard, rich vanilla, cream and toasted oak notes. The palate is generous with it’s layered tropical notes of mango, papaya and pineapple which then transitions into silky rich custard and caramel toffee notes and does so in an integrated fashion.This wine pairs well with lobster or crab served with drawn butter and lemon. Try it with grilled wild King Salmon, wilted greens and roasted fingerling potatoes.

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2014 Vinum Cellars Pinot Noir, Monterey, California  $15

2014 Vinum Pinot Noir is a vibrant, medium garnet in color. It has aromas of black and rainier cherries with slight earth and black pepper notes. The palate is full with ripe cranberry, sweet and sour cherry flavors and is wrapped in exotic spice flavors such as star anise and cinnamon and fold into a blanket of integrated French oak, vanilla finish. This wine pairs well with many entrees but try it with duck or pork where the cooking method uses lots of black pepper.

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June Featured Wines – 2014 Chateau La Graviere, Entre-Deux-Mers, France & 2013 Bouchard Aine & Fils Pinot Noir, Beaune, France

June 1, 2015 · by ·

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2014 Chateau La Graviere, Entre-Deux-Mers, France                 $11

The region’s name, which means “between two seas,” refers to its location between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Entre-Deux-Mers is best known for inexpensive dry white wines.  This is a medium dry white wine with Semillion used to soften Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is fruity with a great nose. While not a huge white Bordeaux this is a very pleasant wine for summer entertaining. Drink without food but this is a good food wine with summer’s fresh vegetables and seafood. Alcohol: 12.5%

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 2013 Bouchard Aine & Fils Pinot Noir, South of France           $11

This is a deliciously fruit-forward Pinot Noir from the South of France produced by the Bouchard family –   one of France’s great wine merchant families.  This wine is characterized by its aromatic complexity and mild tannins. It is brilliant cherry red and has red fruit aromas, cherry, kirsch with notes of lime and mint. There is a lot of fruit and a delicate note of wood. This is a well balanced wine that can be served with lighter summer meals from the grill. Alcohol: 13%

Both of these wines are examples of the quality and value Bishop’s Stock offers. Neither wine is a “heavy hitter” but each show good quality for the varietals.

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Wines of the Month – 2013 Frenzy Sauvignon Blanc, South Island & 2011 Mohua Pinot Noir, Central Otago New Zealand

June 1, 2014 · by ·

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2013 Frenzy Sauvignon Blanc, South Island, New Zealand    $12

2013 Frenzy Sauvignon Blanc is produced by Wilson Daniels, Ltd., from various vineyards on the South Island including the Marlborough region. This wine is intensely aromatic and lively, bursting with flavors of passion fruit, dried herbs, gooseberry and citrus. This is a great value wine that has been on our shelves since we began selling wine. There are quite a few fans. Enjoy chilled as an apéritif or match with fresh seafood. Alcohol: 13%

 

labe from Mohua Pinot Noir

2011 Mohua Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand   $21

2011 Mohua Pinot Noir is produced by Peregrine Wines in Central Otago. It is sourced from vineyards in 3 different sub-regions. This is a soft textured, full flavored Pinot Noir with red fruit flavor – raspberry, cherry and currant. There is a subtle flavor of oak and Asian spice. This very “juicy” wine is perfect with summer foods – grilled salmon or lamb stand out in my mind.

 

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Wines of the Month – 2012 Angeline Sauvignon Blanc & 2011 Baileyana Firepeak Pinot Noir

November 1, 2013 · by ·

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2012 Angeline Sauvignon Blanc, Russina River Valley, California $13

Angeline 2012 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc is produced from three different Russian River Valley vineyards: Dempel, Herrick and Ricioli. The Russian River Valley is known for a coastal influence that often brings fog to the area. One vineyard is located in a slightly warmer part of the appellation which offers rich, ripe fruit character. The other vineyard is in a cooler area which brings nice acidity and a really intense varietal character to the wine. Angeline has a track record for producing savory, delicious Sauvignon Blanc at an inexpensive price. The wine is dry, but rich in honey, papaya and gooseberry flavors, brightened by brisk acidity. This wine received 89 points from Wine Enthusiast. We paired this with halibut baked with light garlic cream for a delicious combination. Alcohol: 13.9%

label for Baileyana Firepeak Pinot Noir 2011 featured at Bishop's Stock

2011 Baileyana Firepeak Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, California  $22

This is a story about how a family’s involvement in the wine industry  has grown over the years. Jack Nivens founded Paragon Vineyard, the family wine business,  in the 1970’s in the Edna Valley.  His wife Catharine caught the bug from him, and planted a few acres in their front yard. Her project grew into what is now Baileyana Winery. Her sons bought more acreage for their Firepeak Vineyard. The wine being featured is a perfect example of  Grand Firepeak Cuvee.  This is a medium-bodied Pinot Noir with  loads of flavor with aromas of dark chocolate, raspberry, dark cherry, blueberry, root beer and a touch of anise following straight through to the palate. Hints of white pepper and spice round it out nicely. The finish is long and filled with bright red fruits. The yield for this 2011 vintage was light  but the rich quality of the grapes make this a lovely wine.  This is a great holiday wine since it pairs with everything – turkey, salmon, pork. Alcohol: 14.5%

 

 

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Wines of the Month – 2012 Mont Gravet Cotes de Gascogne & 2011 Tortoise Creek “Les Oliviers” Pinot Noir

June 1, 2013 · by ·

Featured Wines for June – 2012 Mont Gravet Cotes de Gascogne, France & 2011 Tortoise Creek “Les Oliviers” Pinot Noir, France

label for Mont Gravet Cotes de Gascogne

2012 Mont Gravet Cotes de Gascogne, Gascony, France $10

Mont Gravet is a delicious dry,  fruit forward wine made from Colombard grapes. It has beautiful fragrant aromas of fresh pears and peaches. The wine comes from superb vineyard sites in the Gascony region, near the city of Toulouse.  The name refers to the beautiful rocky hillside vineyards where the grapes are grown. Chilled to 50 degrees this wine is perfect as a summer aperitif or as a pairing with summer’s fresh seafood. Alcohol: 11.5%

 

wine label for Tortoise Creek Pinot Noir

2011 Tortoise Creek “Les Oliviers” Pinot Noir, Limoux, France  $14

This is a charming and elegant Pinot Noir that comes from the cooler wine region of Limoux, close to the Pyrenean Mountains in southwest France. It is deep in color and soft with lovely aromas of raspberries and cherries. This is less “jammy” than its Californian cousins. It is more Burgundian and delicate and is a gorgeous food wine. Works well with roast meats, tuna, salmon and cheeses. Alcohol: 13%

 

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