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
A WORD ABOUT TARIFF
Dear Friends,
Since April, the current administration has announced an array of different tariff scenarios for European wines, with some going as high as 200%. These potential charges have caused significant concern among wine producers, importers, distributors, and the rest of the wine & spirits community. As we contemplate the impact, many discussions are taking place about how we can shield you, the consumer, from the increased costs.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
As of August 1, all wines from the EU are subject to a 15% tariff. While wine-sense always stocks a wide selection of amazing domestic wines, our Italian, French, and Spanish producers bring generations of passion and tradition to our shelves that simply can’t be replaced.
WHY ARE THESE TARIFFS SUCH A PROBLEM?
Because we prioritize authenticity, we don’t source wines from large conglomerates with unlimited buying power. Most of our winemakers, importers, and distributors are small companies for whom tariffs pose a significant financial burden. For example, if an importer purchases $200,000 worth of wines from Europe, they’ll incur an additional $30,000 in tariffs upon receiving the shipment at the port. And after they’ve paid this up-front tax, they must pass at least a portion of the cost into the distribution and retail chain.
HOW WILL SHELF PRICES BE AFFECTED?
We faced a similar challenge with slightly lower tariffs back in 2019 and managed to adapt. Once again, we’ll do everything possible to absorb the costs and avoid passing the full 15% increase on to our customers, while still protecting the true value and expectations of the wines we represent. However, some price increases are unavoidable. We’ll strive to keep this process as honest and transparent as possible.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate these changes together.
Wine and Stuff
SEPTEMBER Club•WS | MX
From May until September, we’ll be doing Club•WS|mix, where you can enjoy a little red, a little white, and some rosé!
The Club is available for pickup as of Friday, September 5th.
ALto Adige – Bianco
In the Alpine region of Trentino / Alto Adige. With this wine, he offers an alternative to some of the sophisticated…to learn more, join our club!
Food Pairings: Hot Dogs With Pico de Gallo (see recipe included)
Spanish Red – Rioja
Located 50 kilometers from the historic city of logroño, on the same estate that has retained its cellar right from the beginning, and surrounded by 150 hectares…to learn more, join our club!
Pairings: Grilled red meats
Rhône Valley – Rouge
A region basked in the sun, the Rhône Valley. It was 1946. The story begins…to learn more, join our club!
Food Pairings: Lentil soup with pancetta
Montepulciano
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a full-bodied red wine made from 100% estate-grown…to learn more, join our club!
Food Pairings: Baked pasta dish
Annual Grand Tasting | We’re turning 19!
Mark your calendar! The date for our much-anticipated Annual Grand Tasting is set. As always, our favorite wine portfolios will be here, represented by fabulously passionate people. We’ll be offering deep discounts during the tasting.
Celebrating our 19th year!
This is an outdoor tasting if weather permits
Dry Rieslings like no other! HOFGUT FALKENSTEIN
Ready for some reading?
Erich Weber and his son Johannes have been meticulously cultivating 13 hectares in Konz Valley, a side valley of the Saar River. Their farming methods are rooted in tradition, dating back to 1561 when the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium wine estate was first established. The result is a collection of pure, distinctly dry, and racy wines that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with since their 2016 release.
Using ambient (natural) yeasts, Erich and Johannes allow their musts to ferment in old oak casks located in a deep, cool, and damp cellar with fabulously moldy stone walls. The result is a selection of wines that are either naturally dry (trocken) or off-dry (feinherb). When I visited their vineyards, I really got to experience how cool and damp the cellar was! But the stunning view made it all worthwhile. Their brilliantly-crafted and focused wines have continued to impress me over the years.
If you’re interested in trying these exceptional wines, act fast. I receive a small yearly allocation and they tend to go quickly.
NOTE FROM THE PRODUCER:
“The Webers neither chaptalize nor de-acidify any of their wines (including trocken and feinherb), and thus indicate all of these as Prädikatsweine (Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese), which, pre-1971 Wine Law, were called Naturweine, or “natural wines.” They also shun cultured yeasts and yeast nutrients. (That’s why so few wines fermented dry in the 2018 vintage.) The Webers never use artificial fertilizers and are cautious of over-tilling the soil, two measures that can cause too much vine vigor and eventually lead to rot at harvest time.”