New Wines Now Hitting The Market Every Week

The release of wines, which once occurred in fall and spring, is now due to myriad factors that have to do with their aging, their seasonal interest (like roses) and the ebb and flow of supply in the market. Here are some very good ones I’ve discovered recently.

DOMAINE MONTROSE SALAMANDRE 2019 ($24). Despite the fact that Bernard and Olivier Coste make only 8,000 of Salamandre, it is remarkably low priced. Its appellation is Côtes de Thongue in the South of France, and is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Syrah, vinified separately then blended at the end of winter before aging for 18 months in barrel. The Syrah adds measurably to the fruitiness of the wine while the Cabernet provides tannic structure, so this is a fine red wine for beef, lamb or pork.

CHÂTEAU DES ADOUZES FAUGÈRES PINOT NOIR 2019 ($13). The château is located in the village of Roquessels with the Faugères AOP, where wines are made from Carignan and Grenache, to which the chateau adds 30% Syrah. These are the kind of provincial French wines we’re seeing more of in the U.S. market after years when loftier châteaux boosted their prices without distinctive quality. This bottling has nuance, a peppery touch and excellent fruit, ideal for simple cookery, stews, beans and burgers.

ABADIA RETUERTA SELLECIÓN ESPECIAL 2017 ($40). Composed of 77% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Garnacha, Selección Especial is the first wine from this prestigious Spanish vintner in which the best wines of the vintage are selected and blended together from 54 distinct plots. Abadia’s vineyards largely avoided 2017’s frost problem in the Duero region, and its modern technology allowed enologist Angel Anocíbar Beloqui to produce a beautiful, elegant red that is ready to drink right now, with plenty of texture and layers of flavor.

OLIVIER COSTE CARIGNAN BLANC 2022 ($23). You almost never see a 100% white Carignan, which is a red grape from the Languédoc, so you may call it an oddity or a real find. Generally Carignan is a sturdy varietal, so even as a white wine it had minerality and floral bouquet, so it makes a lovely aperitif as well as a simple accompaniment to simple seafood.

SMALL VINES TBH VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2018 ($55). Organic vineyards are the basis for this estate, planted in 2009, that enjoys coastal cooling from Sebastopol’s winds in Sonoma. The wine is barrel fermented and unfined, giving it an early but not overpowering flavor of the oak. The alcohol is 13.6%, and this is to be enjoyed with shellfish, both raw and cooked, as well as with mild cheeses.

MOUNT VEEDER CHARDONNAY 2021 ($50). Los Carneros is said to be one of the best terroirs for Chardonnay, and this bottling, from Giovannoni Ranch, shows why in its fine structure and layers of flavors with good acid. Yields were lower that year but the juice more intense, and the wine is 14.5% alcohol, so you must like that kind of boldness in your Chardonnay. It goes especially well with oily fishes like blues and sardines.

CONDE VALDEMAR CRIANZA 2018 ($20). Another good buy for a very good Spanish wine made with 89% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo and 4$ Graciano grapes from Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta that would rank with much more expensive red wines. They are easy enough to drink in warm weather but are every bit as delicious with roast meats later in the year and ideal for an array of tapas.

JOSEPH PHELPS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 ($90). Not without good reason, Joseph Phelps has been called an iconic Napa Valley vintner, set in Oak Knolls. This vintage was the first to come from the El Venedito vineyard. It spent 18 months in 48% new oak, both French and American, and it’s got a long life ahead of it. The tannins have softened a bit, and the fruit emerged, but I’d wait a year or two for its fullness and balance to blossom.