WELCOME!
Hi there! Thank you for visiting wine-sense online. We hope to be as interactive, passionate, and knowledgeable on this website as we are in person.
Our approach is simple. We keep the seasons in mind and pair to the foods we’re cooking with at each time of year. OK, so we might be over-thinking a bit. But that’s why you love us!
If you’ve shopped in the store, you know our wines move fast and the selection changes often. So be sure to check back frequently for latest finds, our new obsessions, and recently allocated bottles. We’ll also share upcoming events and sales so, you can grab them while they’re in stock. – Samanta
WS•Essentials
“Nurturing Tradition: The Story of Domaine de la Cadette”
In my last newsletter, I emphasized the importance of not only discovering new talented producers but also supporting our existing ones—those whose vintage releases we eagerly anticipate each year. One such producer is Domaine de la Cadette, located in the village of Saint-Père, near a small creek southeast of Vézelay in Burgundy. This region has a long history of winemaking, but estate bottling remains relatively recent. In fact, when Jean and Catherine Montanet planted their first vineyards in 1987, the grapes were initially intended for vinification at their local cooperative cellar, which produced its first bottled vintage in 1990.
“By 1997, the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d’Origines) granted Vézelay its own AOC, a decision that added credibility to the esteemed efforts of the Montanets. They began organic farming in 1999, a bold move considering the significant physical and financial commitment required in a region where most wine is sold in bulk. Feeling constrained at the cooperative and eager to continue their organic practices, the Montanets eventually decided to form their own label, Domaine de la Cadette, taking their vineyards with them. Their son Valentin joined the family business in 2010 and now manages the estate, upholding his parents’ philosophy of organic farming and natural vinification to produce fresh, mineral-driven white and red wines.” K.L.
TASTING NOTES DOMAINE DE LA CADETTE – LA CHATELAINE 2022: In the glass, a pale hue with deep golden highlights captures attention. The ripe, expressive nose offers aromas of white fruit, such as pear and apple, along with candied lemon and a subtle floral note. On the palate, a lively initial impression gives way to a long, mouthwatering saline finish.
LIMITED OFFER: 10% discount on 4 bottles or more.
Regular price: $45. Offer: $40.50 per bottle
Wine and Stuff
Alcohol-Free OPTION
Unified Ferments, Jasmine Green
“Jasmine Green tea has been scented in the traditional style with eight different lots of fresh, whole jasmine buds. The resulting jasmine-laden tea allows us to not only ferment the tea but also the flowers that flavor it. Jasmine Green pairs nicely with saltwater fish, rich, clear broths like pho or consommé, or anything deep and mild, which could benefit from a highly aromatic pairing.”
JANUARY Club•WS | red
The Club is available for pickup as of Thursday, January 8th.
Tuscan Red
A traditional Tuscan Farm, founded in medieval times and mentioned in numerous historical documents. It is located in the heart of the Chianti are…to learn more, join our club!
Food Pairings: Soy Sauce and Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta
Pinot Noir
A beautiful hillside in the Loire Valley with a schist terroir. Part of the plot still needed to be planted, and Bernard Couillaud was curious about which varietals would do well in this area, where the two dominant varietals…to learn more, join our club!
Pairings: White meats
Shiraz
India’s leading premium wine producer and commands a majority market share across the country. In 1999, CEO and Founder Rajeev Samant founded Sula Vineyards to bring quality wine to India...to learn more, join our club!
Food Pairings: Grilled red meats
Cabernet Sauvignon
We weren’t looking for rockstar bottles that cost a fortune. But we had pretty high standards (in our own opinion) and wanted wines we could enjoy with our friends, most of whom were also in the wine industry….to learn more, join our club!
Food Pairings: Burgers
2023 White Burgundy Offer
Domaine FrançoisE & Denis Clair
The wines of Domaine Françoise & Denis Clair have garnered increasing attention in recent vintages for several reasons. Not the least of these is the quality of wines Jean-Baptiste Clair is producing in his late father’s honorable stead. Their plots in Santenay and St. Aubin, abutting Chassagne and Puligny-Montrachet on either side, represent some of the best positions their appellations in the Côtes de Beaune have to offer. A mere 15 total hectares of scattered holdings, it’s clear why supply cannot keep up with demand as the reverence for these wines builds.
The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune bottlings are as close as Jean-Baptiste gets to making entry level wines, though it would be reductive to refer to them as such. Vinified from grapes grown at the top of the golden slopes of Beaune, this is an opportunity to enjoy Pinot Noir and Chardonnay farmed a stone’s throw away from vaunted names like Volnay, Pommard, or Meursault. The elevation makes itself known as an airier, higher-toned character than one might expect from those famous communes, but the personality of the Côtes de Beaune is unmistakable.
Their mouthwatering whites, the range of Saint-Aubin bottlings land on the sharp, mineral-driven side of Chardonnay, but not without weight and resonance. Up front, these are Chablis-drinker’s Beaune: racy, lithe, and hard-edged with a crisp intensity and fruit tones ranging from tart apple and Meyer lemon to juicy orchard fruit, and with even a slight touch of the tropical. On the mid-palate we find a certain golden-fruited succulence, a thread of commonality through each bottling, clearly indicative of the Côte d’Or.