The Local Cellar

17/06/2024

I’m not done yet…Haro, La Rioja Spain - what a cute town!! It is small and quaint, but also houses some of the oldest wine bodegas (warehouses) in the province. We arrived by train into the Haro Station direct from San Sebastián; instead of reverting back to Bilbao then south by train or bus from there. I like to time save where possible during the travelling portion when vacationing. There is only 2 taxi drivers in the town and I had set up thru WhatsApp on the train for Jose to pick us up from the station and bring us to our airbnb in the town centre. Our place was comfortable on the 3rd floor on a small street (all the streets are tight and small), and it had large windows that opened up and looked directly at the main town square. We arrived at 530pm and there were really only a few places open for a pre-dinner bevy because as you should know, many of the small towns really do do siestas like they say from 4pm till 7pm. So if you’re hungry, you’ll be s.o.l until then; however, you could always go to the mercado for some snacks. By 8pm all the tapa bars and restaurants had opened up, two hands worth. It is so great to see the community come out and feast. There were so many ‘older’ couples out enjoying their time together, conversing with friends over wine and food. One of our favourite restaurants on the whole trip was here. It was a tapa bar called, Bar Harmony that specializes in grilled tapas - super delicious! Another must visit town for the books! 🍷. rioja

03/06/2024

Herdade do Esporão 1267 - I can’t say how happy I was to experience this winery and the people who are passionate to be a part of it. If you don’t know this wine, I suggest right now to go out and find it (I will be ordering some in promptly when I return). The Reserve line of white are most compatible to; dare a I say, French Chardonnay. It is delicious! Herdade do Esporão is one of the oldest wine tourism locations in Portugal.The Herdade do Esporão’s commitment to the preservation of biodiversity and sustainable development can be seen first hand. The winery is completely fully sustainable with no use of any chemical in the fining or filtering nor in the viticulture process. And, majority of everything is grown on site for its world renowned Michelin star restaurant. And, I can agree, it is pretty amazing!

13/03/2024

A dynamic masterclass by .

It was so interesting to see how a wine, Campofiorin, at $25, can develop so well over so many years. Being able to try the same wine 4x over from 1999, 2007, 2012, and 2020 side by side makes for a good education lesson, especially when the development is so consistent year after year.

Masi is known for their wines made in a 'appassimento' style. Appassimento is the technique of drying freshly harvested grapes to concentrate their flavours and sugars before fermentation. A painstaking historical method lies behind Amarone, Masi’s raison d’être, where grapes spend up to 120 days spread out on shallow bamboo trays, slowly drying in the winery, or the vineyards.

The Masi story begins in 1772, when the Boscaini family carried out their first harvest in the prestigious vineyards in “Vajo dei Masi”, a valley in the heart of the Valpolicella Classica region.  In 1964, Campofiorin was the first in a new category of wines, reinventing the technique of double fermentation and continually updating it.

The 2020 vintage will be hitting shelves soon with a new look and slight change to its component. But still, the same style will show.

04/03/2024

After a busy wine week, , it was so nice to have a night in with a delicious Italian meal that went ever so nicely with the theme country at the festival - Italy.

Thank you, , for the relaxing and much needed restful evening.

I had one day back in the store when i returned, and I was eager to order some of my favorite wines I tried that I can't wait to share with you.

Stay tuned for updates when they arrive!

31/01/2024

A very well executioned tasting put on by .

Thank you for inviting me to sit on this educational seminar. What a great way to enjoy 3 major wines made so differently from one another.

Catena Alta Zapata 2020
Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza in 1902. His grandson, Nicolás Catena, is known as the man who revolutionized Argentine wine and introduced high altitude Malbec to the world. The Historic Catena Zapata vineyards are planted with the Catena family’s proprietary selection of malbec plants: the Catena Cuttings.

Catena Alta is an assemblage of historic rows within the Catena family Estate vineyards.

The nose is elegant and complex with ripe red and black berry fruits, notes of violets and lavender and a touch of leather, spice and vanilla flavors. The palate is full and rich with soft and sweet tannins and a silky, smooth structure. Multiple layers of rich cassis, black currant and blackberries are interwoven with hints of licorice and black pepper.

Nicasia Zapata Vineyard 2020
Located in the far southerly growing region of Altamira in La Consulta, the Nicasia vineyard is the only planting of the special Catena Selection of Malbec cuttings in this traditional area for Malbec.

Ripe black-and-red currant, raspberries and an elegant touch of french oak. Very complex and expressive palate, with a creamy violet flavor with ripe blueberries, cassis, vanilla and spice cake.

Catena Zapata Argentino 2020
Ten centuries of life, death and rebirth.
The epic tale of the noble Malbec grape is like no other, and the label for Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino pays tribute to the variety’s history in France and its rise in Argentina.

The nose offers cassis, blueberries and violets, along with a strong suggestion of soil It combines density and sweetness on the one hand, saline flavors of mocha, dark berries, spice, and minerals; a palate-staining finish dominated by sweet black and blue fruits.

19/01/2024

A fresh, fruity representation of Gevrey with bright cherries and subtle musky game notes. The wine is sleek and delicately juicy on the palate. It carries a lovely length along the finish.

31/12/2023

Another special wine of 2023.

This one is Chenonceaux 2020.

It is a real treat to have such a tasteful and eloquently made sauvignon blanc from Touraine in the Loire Valley. At a fraction of the price as its neighbour's down the valley, it does a darn good job at showing its true colors.

Beautiful aromatics of exotic fruit, passion fruit, citrus lemon, white flower, and mineral. It is complex and elegant all in one. There is a min 12 months again on the lees to give it ripeness and weight.

Much different than its 2021 vintage, this one is sure to make you smile.

The Davault family is six generations on at Domaine de la Chaise, and it's 57 hectares of hillsides at Saint Georges sur Cher. The style is fresh and ripe, almost New World, until you taste the balance and intensity of this sauvignon that brings you back to the Loire.

One of the seven European vineyards, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the vineyards unfold as far as the eye can see. Only fifty winegrowers passionately produce top of the range wines, the development of which requires precise and binding technical specifications, and marketing authorization subject to rigorous qualitative validation.

30/12/2023

Creativity feeds the mind.

I started making these neat little hand-written tasting cards for staff to prepare for holiday customer shoppers interested in champagne.

At 430 a.m. one morning, I thought I would elaborate and get even more crafty. So, I created a template double-sided with a near bottle sketch one one side and tasting notes of the top sellers from freshest to fullest on the other.

27/12/2023

Not done yet.

This is def one of my favourite whites for the year.

100% Chenin Blanc ages 12 months on its lees. Aromas of lime flower, aniseed, grapefruit and strong minerality. Ample with good viscosity and a sprightly finish, combined with good freshness, finesse, and a particularly high aromatic persistence. There is beautiful texture and weight with a lovely lingering finish.

Known as the Montrachet of the Loire Valley, the Savennières is a dry white wine. Exclusively made from Chenin Blanc, it is blessed with extraordinary ageing potential. The schist and purple sandstone soil here lend it a very unusual character with an intense, powerful minerality. This is a rich, fine, extremely elegant wine that is well-balanced on the palate, with complex aromas of fruit (white peaches) and florals, developing into dried fruit notes over time. Over the past few years, semi-dry Savennnières wines that were once very popular are beginning to be produced once more. The Savennières land produces two crus: the Savennières Roche-aux-Moines and the Savennières Coulée de Serrant, which are difficult to tell apart as both are very similar in terms of character and quality.

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas to all and to all a fabulous holiday time with loved ones near and far.

23/12/2023

Third up on my list for the most enjoyed wines of 2023.



Pierre Troupel Chateauneuf du Pape 2020

This wine is quite the treat for a Chateauneuf. Aromas of garrigue, bay leaf, dark berry fruit, spiced cherry, wild berry, pepper, and cured meat. The palate is rich and dense but not overly so. Very layered and complex. For price to value, this CdP ticks all the right boxes. It has power while restrained by beauty. 50% Grenache 50% Syrah.

The family estate consists of 11 hectares (27 acres) in the finest terroirs of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

An imposing ground with huge pebbles
The estate’s terroirs are located on a stony plateau and are sandy or chalky, depending on the plot. The soils of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are covered with large pebbles that are heated by the sun and release steady gentle warmth through the day.

This wine is a tribute to the grandfather of the owner: Sophie Kessler-Matière. Pierre Troupel had bright blue eyes and was making French blue Cheese “Bleu d’Auvergne”.

22/12/2023

Next up:

A fresh and fruity representation of Saumur Cabernet Franc. Aromas of summer-berry bouquet with flavours of red fruit on the palate off-set by ripe, youthful tannins.

Domaine Filliatreau is a large estate of about 50 hectares located near the city of Saumur. The estate is known for its fruity, easy drinking style of Cabernet Franc; in fact it was founder Paul Filliatreau's stylistic shift to stainless steel vinifications with short macerations in the 1970's that made the style popular and in demand in Parisian bistros.

100% Cabernet Franc. This is the classic wine from the estate, the first wine bottled by founder Paul Filliatreau. Today, the wine comes from a mix of parcels on clay-limestone soils. The vines average 35 years old and are certified-organic and in conversion to biodynamics (certification is on track for the 2021 vintage). The wine is aged in steel tank for 6 months.

Get this while you can because there are only 24 bottles left, and that is it!!

21/12/2023

Here it comes, my top favorites of 2023!

And, just like that, Faustino I Rioja Gran Reserva is back on the list for a second year in a row, but this time, the 2011 vintage.

Intense and highly complex aromas. Notes of stewed fruit. Sweet and warm hints from the barrel and spicy nuances in the background (cinnamon). Nice and long on the palate. Slight acidity is offset by the sweet notes of toasted oak and fruit. The wine has a very long finish, marks by hints of stewed fruit and oak.

In the mid-1800s, Eleuterio Martinez Arzok took his first steps toward establishing himself as a producer and merchant of wines from the Rioja region of Spain. Much has changed since then, and the winery he founded has since become known as one of the premier fine wine producers of the Rioja region.

Today, Bodegas Faustino is Rioja's largest exporter of Gran Reserva wines. The winner of numerous awards and gold medals in international competitions and tastings.



#2023

01/12/2023

The last Product Consultant tasting of the year has got to be always the most exciting!

Out of 33 wines, champagnes, and spirits, almost every one hit the mark in some way.

I'm so excited to show you my favorites, plus my own Top 10 (plus) Picks for 2023!

Happy December, here we come! 🍾

23/11/2023

This Is My Jam....

01/11/2023

Looking for something fun to do??! It will involve wine and amazing food, of course!
Check out what Fathom has to offer:

A Taste of FathomCurated by Chef Peter Kim and Sommelier Brad Royale Book Now Join us on November 17th for an unforgettable culinary journey. 'A Taste of Fathom' is an exclusive evening, curated by our Executive Chef, Peter Kim, and our expert Sommelier, Brad Royale. Chef Kim, has put together a 5-c...

16/10/2023

Prepping for an 18 guest birthday dinner with 18 wines from all over the world pulled straight out of hiding from my client's cellar.

This should be a fun one!

The kitty is for support, and the green juice is for strength.

Wah-pow!