It's the time of year to sip on something cold and refreshing, and we couldn't be happier to pop the corks on these four chilled darlings.
Coto de Gomariz, Ribeiro DO, 'La Flor y La Abeja' 2017 A varietal Treixadura, La Flor y La Abeja (The Flower and The Bee), is something unique at Craft and Cru. Treixadura is an important grape in Ribeiro, where this wine is grown and made, but it is found all over Galicia, as well as over the border in Portugal, where it plays a significant role in Vinho Verde. The 2017 La Flor y La Abeja is fermented without inoculation in stainless steel tanks and bottled unfiltered. Fruity and crisp, with notes of ripe citrus and hints of pithy bitterness, it is soft yet focused and fresh. Domaine Ostertag, Alsace AOP, 'Les Vieilles Vignes de Sylvaner' 2017 One of Alsace's most celebrated estates, Domaine Ostertag makes a bevy of classic wines from the region's typical cultivars, but they have a carved out a quirky niche with their old-vine Sylvaner, a grape much more commonly found in Germany. Join us for a first taste of the new vintage of this biodynamically grown, naturally fermented icon; we are excited. Argyros, Santorini PDO, 'Assyrtiko' 2017 Another new vintage, another first taste; this wine is consistently one of our favorite bottles from Greece, and we cannot wait to see what's up with the 2017. From old vines, fermented and aged in stainless steel, Argyros' Assyrtiko is reliably tart and mineral, usually notably herbal and saline, full and powerful yet fresh and lively. There is a reason why Assyrtiko is celebrated; done right, it makes some of the world's finest warm-climate dry white wines. Crotta di Vegneron, Vallee D'Aoste, DOC Muller Thurgau 2018 The last vintage of this wine sold out in a heartbeat. We're on mission to introduce every single one of you to the 2018 before it's gone. The Vallee D'Aoste (or Val D'Aosta) is Italy's smallest region, so small that it is not sub-divided into provinces like every other region. Smack up against the French border, in the shadow of the highest peaks of Europe, the vineyards of Aosta are isolated, steep and limited in size and number. The work that goes into a bottle of fine Aostano wine is necessarily tremendous, making the price of this beautiful Muller Thurgau remarkable. La Crotta di Vegneron is a cooperative of 70 small growers contributing grapes to the production of 18 different wines. There is never much of any of their cuvees, and but this time around we have a bit more of their Muller Thurgau. A cross of Riesling and Silvaner, Muller Thurgau is very well adapted to cool climates, and in the Val d'Aosta it makes one of the more exotically perfumed white wine styles. Expressive and open-knit, we love it for its intense fruitiness and delectable floral, spicy and herbal side. Significant minerality and acidity keep it lively and vibrant through the finish, where echoes of the exuberantly fruity bouquet reverberate. From any region, this wine would represent great value, but from Aosta, it is an incredible bargain.
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