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Spring Tasting 2024

Beth Kuchynka • May 15, 2024

Amazing

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Last weekend's wine event was truly fantastic! It was wonderful to witness such a turnout of wine enthusiasts eager to indulge in tastings. The weather couldn't have been more cooperative, setting the perfect tone for what felt like the inaugural day of summer. Amidst plentiful wine and engaging conversations, many of you discovered newfound favorites destined to grace tables in the coming months. The event received high praise for its exceptional selection of wines, tasty passed snacks and generous discounts. Some feedback we received was the suggestion for bar tables, noted. Thanks to our staff and the educators who came out and helped make this such a success.


Mark your calendars - our Fall Tasting will be October 19th!


Below are the selection of wines tasted with notes and pricing. If you are interested in purchasing, please be in touch.


Table Elliott

1 - 2020 Shaya Habis   $35

Made of 100% organic, old vine (up to 95 years old) Verdejo in Rueda, Spain. The estate grown grapes are hand-harvested and pressed to neutral French oak barrels where it ferments and ages for seven months. The estate grown grapes are hand-harvested and pressed to neutral French oak barrels where it ferments and ages for seven months. Golden color with bold aromas of ripe pears, peaches and notes of lemon peel. Pronounced minerality from the old vines and toasted notes from the oak aging make this Verdejo truly spectacular.


2 - 2023 Domaine Fondreche Rose    $20       

This rose is a blend of organically grown Cinsault (50%), Syrah (20%), Grenache (20%) and Mourvedre (10%) in Ventoux, France. The grapes are pressed under nitrogen which eliminates the need for sulphites in the winemaking process. Beautifully intense notes of melon, tangerine and citrus with a roundness that is tied up nicely with a strong mineral finish.


3 - 2022 Domaine Michel Goubard et Fils Bourgogne Rouge Mont Avril        $27       

Made of sustainably grown Pinot Noir in Cote Chalonnaise region of Burgundy, France. Aged in cement tanks for 12 months this wine offers plenty of bright, cherry fruit on the nose, and soft, supple tannins on the palate.


4 - 2022 Jeff Carrel Les Darons Languedoc  $17

Made of organically grown Grenache (70%), Syrah (25%), and Carignan (5%) in Languedoc, France. The Grenache and Syrah are vinified together and then blended with the Carignan where they all age in cement tanks before bottling. Packed with dark fruit aromas and delicious spices, the wine’s mineral streak maintains a tension and balance to the denser fruit. Silky mature tannins round out the palate.


Table Ben

1 - 2021 Tremat Vinell Frizzante  $28

This is the kind of 'col fondo' Prosecco that the locals normally keep for themselves. Unfined, unfiltered, no added sulfites, clean dry and beautiful. We will talk about the names of the grapes in person. Pronunciation party! Organic.


2 - 2022 Kobal Roots Sauvignon Blanc $28

Slovenia may sound strange but it's a quick hike from Italy and has a longer wine heritage. Steely, balanced tropical notes, minerality and mouthwatering acidity. Organic.


3 - 2021 Tibaldi Barbera d'Alba  $28

The sisters Monica & Daniella took over their family vines a few years ago and are making stunning, clean un-oaked Barbera that sings like a bird. Clean and bright. Organic.


4 - 2021 Domaine L'Astre Pelroge Rouge  $28

 From just outside of Bourdeaux proper in the Dordogne Valley. Classic Bordeaux made of Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon. It is juicy and friendly and really tells the tale of the land. Organic.

 

Table Jesse

1 - 2022 Bisson Frizzante Glera $24   

Lugano collaborates with his friend Eli Spagnol from Torre Zecchei in Valdobbiadene. Hand-harvested from steep hillside vineyards, this wine is made with precise temperature control to maintain its delicacy and freshness. With only 2 grams per liter of residual sugar, it's a bone-dry alternative to typical Proseccos.


2 - 2022 Hermanos mesa Tenerife  'Marmajuelo'       $36       

Mount Teide, towering at 3700 meters, reigns supreme as the highest peak in the Atlantic Ocean's island chain, casting its shadow over Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. Llocal Marmajuelo grape thrive in Tenerife's volcanic soils, particularly in the Güímar valley around 400 meters above sea level. Fermented and aged in stainless steel for six months, this wine shines with a leaner profile and a refreshing 12.5% alcohol content.

3 - 2020 Domaine Saint-Cyr Chénas "les blémonts"  $30     

Raphael Saint-Cyr, fourth-generation vigneron at Domaine Saint-Cyr, honors his family's winemaking legacy rooted in Anse, Beaujolais. Since 2008, he's expanded vineyards into prestigious crus like Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent, transitioning the 23-hectare estate to certified organic viticulture. Domaine Saint-Cyr now ranks among Beaujolais' largest organic domains. With a focus on overlooked appellations, Raphael aims to uplift Chénas, notably cultivating Les Blémonts vineyard with friend Paul-Henri Thillardon. Since 2019, all cru Beaujolais undergo cold carbonic fermentation, native yeast fermentation, and minimal sulfur usage.


4 - 2022 Broc Cellars 'koukou' Cabernet Franc  $32

A renowned natural winery based in Berkeley. At Broc, they prioritize native fermentations and the use of organically grown grapes, emphasizing authenticity in their winemaking process. One standout from their collection is the KouKou. Organic, whole cluster fermentation. This method effectively captures the inherent brightness and freshness of the grape, resulting in a wine that's both distinctive and expressive.


Table Eric

1 - Domaine La Pascerette des Vignes 2021 Millet Lamartine Le Creux d'Arban Blanc $28             

From the soul of the southern Bourgogne, this integrated small farm in the Mâconnaise established their Domaine Pascerette ("sheperdess") in 2013, farming 6.8 hectares west of the longest limestone range in the region.  100% organic old vines Chardonnay aged 11 months on the lees in neutral barrels.


2 - Clos de Maurice Coquette 2022 Saumur Rosé  $22           

Biodynamic Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, grown in clay and limestone soils, direct press and fermented in stainless.  The Hardouin family has farmed vineyards here since the late 1700's, partnering with the great vigneron Nicholas Reau in 2017. 

 
3 - Limited Addition Field Blend Cabernet Franc 2022 Willamette Valley $25           

Bree & Chad Stock are two of the most exciting and influential young winemakers working in the Willamette Valley today. Rather than focusing on a single site or AVA, they work across terroirs and varietals, championing their diversity and potential. Old vine Cabernet Franc is blended with younger vines, all from the Eola Springs vineyard, fermented 70% whole cluster and aged 10 months in neutral barrels.


4 - Armour Wines Heliotrope Syrah 2022 Royal Slope AVA $40         

Tyler and Sarah Armour started making wines in Wenatchee in 2020, sourcing fruit from select vineyards in Washington state to produce delicious, low intervention wines that reflect a new wave in WA. Fruit from Lawrence Vineyards Frenchman Hills ridge site is fermented whole cluster and aged 10 months in neutral French oak and sandstone jarres. Deeply concentrated and packed with true varietal character while still showing great fruit and acidity.

Purchase Tickets

Champagne Tasting 2024

By Beth Kuchynka • November 18, 2024
 Below are the wines poured at this year's Annual Champagne Tasting. Please reach out with interest.

Fall Tasting 2024

By Beth Kuchynka • October 29, 2024
Success!

Refresh! Spring Linens.

By Beth Kuchynka • April 18, 2024
Spring Cleaning?
several glasses of champagne are lined up in a row

Why Champagne?

By Beth Kuchynka • October 31, 2023
Really there is so much to know.
a man with glasses and a mustache is drinking a glass of wine

Fall Wine Tasting Extravaganza

By Beth Kuchynka • October 17, 2022
Fall Wine Extravaganza Join us for an afternoon of delicious wines! Unlike our tastings of the past, this will be more like what we call a "trade" tasting. Each rep will be stationed at a table with 4 of their wines - a mix of chilled whites/roses and reds. You are welcome to mingle, pose questions to the reps, bounce back and forth and taste at your own pace. We'll provide solo cups to encourage you to pace yourself and spit. We'll have staff passing bites of food to pair. We'll be joined by Eric, Jesse and Ken in the Coupeville Rec Hall. This will give us all plenty of room to spread out. There will be discounts offered, lots of conversations had and as much education as you would like. This is a standing, social tasting. Wine club members enjoy discounted ticket pricing as well as deeper discounts on orders at the event. Join one of our wine clubs before the event to take advantage of these extra discounts. You don't want to miss this one! A great opportunity to taste before you buy, restock your wine rack and choose a few special bottles for the upcoming holiday season. Saturday 29 October 3 - 5 Coupeville Rec Hall tickets are required Non-wine Club member Wine Club member
a close up of a plate of food with tomatoes and mozzarella on a table .

Grande Fior di Latte

By Beth Kuchynka • July 6, 2022
Grande Fior di Latte Pasteurized Cow's milk fresh Mozzarella - Wisconsin - USA It's summer and we want to encourage you to eat your weight in fresh mozzarella. Fresh, whole milk, well made mozzarella that is light and delicate. The touch of tang from cheese cultures, the stretch and melt point perfection are why we love this mozzarella over all others. It truly is the flower of the milk! Stop in the shop and mention this post, we'll give you a sweet discount... From the dairy, Our milk is collected daily from cows at dedicated Grande producer dairy farms that have committed to our Producers Assuring Consumers of Excellence (PACE) program to ensure quality, animal well-being and environmental best practices are in place as well as proper employee management and labor practices. After milking, it is quick cooled and taken directly to our nearby state-of-the-art facilities, where our cheese artisans craft it to bring out that great Grande taste. The story, Grande’s story began in 1891, in the small Sicilian village of Montelepre, Italy, where founder Filippo Candela was then born. It was in this warm, agriculturally rich region where he learned the art of making fine Italian cheese. In 1925, shortly after marrying his wife Provvidenza, Filippo moved from the economic instability of post-war Italy to America in search of better opportunities. Initially purchasing a small dairy farm and orchard, he moved to Wisconsin to pursue his passion for cheese making. Speaking only a few words of English, he met an Italian cheese buyer from the Old World. This meeting sowed the seeds of a new cheese company formed by Filippo and a handful of family and friends. They named it Grande – a fitting name as the Italian word for ‘greatness’ – and its authentic cheeses soon became favorites with Italian immigrant families across the United States. A few ways to enjoy your mozz, Caprese Salad PIZZA! Top grilled vegetables A simple appetizer of Mozz with fresh pesto, your favorite vinegar, your favorite EVOO, the list goes on!
a close up of a piece of cheese on a table

Onetik Bleu des Basques

By Beth Kuchynka • June 1, 2022
Onetik Bleu Des Basques Pasteurized Sheep - Onetik - Midi-Pyrenees, France It's true! Not all blue cheeses are the same, this couldn't be more true of this personal favorite. Most people who detest blue cheese have only experienced strong, often bitter (cheap) blue cheese. An artisanal blue such as this one is a game changer. It's a delicate, rich, toothsome blue expression. You are encouraged to come try it. Located in a small village at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountans, Macaye Onetik has been making delicious cheese for over 30 years. The goal being to preserve and share the bounty of the Basque heritage. The quality of the milk is the most important process of this cheese. Transhumance - the traditional grazing methods of moving livestock in a seasonal cycle is practiced. Three ancient breeds of sheep traditionally kept by Basque farmers are used. Black-Face Manech [manèche] Red-Face Manech Basco-Bearnaise Made with great skill and care the cheeses are crafted and aged at Onetik. This blue has a natural rind (always the strongest in flavor, eating it is a personal choice) and is aged for 2.5 months. It's creamy paste is lined with fine blue veins that give way to a delicate nutty punch of blue. Not over salted this can sometimes present sweet. We love to enjoy this in place of dessert with a glass of Muscat Beaumes de Venise. We carry other Onetik cheeses but this Blue is a treat. When you see it in the case, don't hesitate in bringing some home with you. It will change the way you feel about blue cheese! "Today marks my 10th year as a cheese maker at Onetik and it's still a pleasure to work with this noble ingredient. Milk collected at the beginning, the middle or the end of the animal's lactation period does not behave the same way. We must employ all our skills during the different steps of cheese making from the delivery of the milk until the cheese is sent to the cellars. The high quality of the milk provided by our farmers is what allows us to prepare our cheese under the best conditions, so they develop aroma and taste, so they sing, you know? Today, our cheese makers set themselves apart from the competition through the meticulous care taken by all of us at Onetik cheese dairy. We each contribute our experience towards one goal: to make our cheeses a showpiece of the Basque Country. There is one important thing I learned at the start of my work: cheese is a living thing, and that's certainly true! In my occupation it's important to remain humble and respect cheese: that's the key." Kayet Gastellu Cheesemaker at Onet
a piece of organic cheese from cowgirl creamery

Cowgirl Creamery Pierce Point

By Beth Kuchynka • May 9, 2022
American Legacy In 1997, we started with a dream shared between two college friends and business partners, Sue Conley and Peggy Smith : To celebrate organic practices and spotlight the craftsmanship of local sustainable agriculture in Marin and Sonoma counties. Today, we’re carrying the torch of the food revolution that started in our backyard. Organic. Farm-to-Table. Delicious, award-winning cheese. The cheese production business is rough. Expensive, time sensitive and licensing to name a few hurdles. Friends Sue and Peggy started in a renovated barn in Northern California, the first operation called Tomales Bay food, with the thought of featuring foods from West Marin. Cowgirl Creamery was launched in 1997. Smith and Conley created a legacy with these specialty cheeses, all made from organic milk and sourced from surrounding dairies committed to farming practices through regenerative agriculture in Northern California’s Sonoma County area. The awards are many over this time – the most recent - Mt Tam triple cream made with cow’s milk sourced from the Straus Family Dairy won a 2021 Good Food Award – we stock this cheese regularly. They produce eight artisanal cheeses plus fresh cottage cheese, fromage blanc and creme fraiche. In 2016 Cowgirl Creamery was sold to Emmi Group, read more here . The result being good thus far, expanded resources and no compromise made in the end product. We are so grateful that these two women pursued their dream and that we get to share these cheeses with you! This month we feature a specialty spring cheese - Pierce Point. It seemed the perfect seasonal cheese to share from this beloved creamery. We hope you enjoy. Limited in the shop this month. Our Pierce Point cheese transports you to the scents and sights of late spring in West Marin on the Northern California Coast. Named for a ranch on the Pt Reyes National Seashore, Pierce Point starts with single-source organic cow's milk from nearby Bivalve Dairy. Each piece is rich with the aromas of the surrounding pastures. The core and paste unite in their journey to deliver all the herbaceousness of our local milk source, accentuated with sprinklings of stunning field flowers, chamomile, calendula, and Thai basil, Pierce Point captures the essence of the season. Read more here .
a row of wine glasses are lined up on a bar .

Orange Wines

By Susan Wenzel • May 9, 2022
 Rosés are Reds and Oranges are…Whites?! Anyone in the know knows bayleaf has a remarkable cache of fine red, white, and rosé wine, but few know much about the luscious orange wines sprinkled inconspicuously around the shop. Orange wines, made from white wine grapes, are an oft overlooked alternative to a savory red which makes them the perfect pairing for strong cheeses, red meat, roasted root veggies, and even curry. Skin is in Maceration is a fancy word for soaking the wine with the grape skins, stems, and seeds to extract color, aroma, and tannins. White wine is exempt from this process which ensures it is typically tannin free and best sipped chilled and fresh. For rosé wine, skin contact is brief, measured in hours, long enough for the red grape skins to impart a hint of tint and a touch of tannins. Orange wine, conversely, is left to soak with the white grape skins for anywhere from several days to many months, resulting in hues from golden straw to deep amber. (Red wine, too, macerates for a similar length of time.) In essence, orange wine is made from white wine grapes in the same manner that red wine is made from red wine grapes. Orange is not the new pink While the preparation process is practically parallel, rosés and oranges are two totally different wines. Rosés, because of their brief soak, are generally light and fresh, and like the aforementioned whites, best schlurped when the weather is hot and the wine is cold. Orange wines are better served cool-ish (think cellar temperature) and are far more thought-provoking than their quaffable cousin. Oranges are a savory sipper with astonishing depth, body, and texture courtesy of the tannins gathered during the lengthier maceration period. Orange you curious? Armed with your newfound knowledge, stop into bayleaf and grab a bottle (or two) of this unique but highly versatile style of wine. (And don’t forget the cheese!)
several bottles of alcohol including pathfinder and king

Alcohol-Free or Sober Curious

By Beth Kuchynka • May 5, 2022
Several weeks ago we had a personal tasting with Tim Crowther Sales Team Manager / Supplier Relations & Development of Prime Wine & Spirits. The tasting featured all non-alcoholic beverages. When Tim first approached me I was skeptical to say the least. His personal passion convinced me to try these – we hope you will too. Below Tim speaks to the why n/a is so exciting now. There are multiple, intertwined answers, personal and pragmatic: Building Prime’s non-alcoholic selection has become a passion project for me. I find myself (and many of my friends) looking for no and low-alcohol drinks that give us the same experience and sense of occasion as we’d get from alcoholic drinks, but without the negative effects that come from alcohol. The pleasure I take in alcoholic drinks, wine and beer especially, has not decreased, but my body’s capacity to process them as I grow older is not what it used to be. I’m clearly not alone in this desire, as the level of interest in quality non-alcoholic products shows no sign of slowing. There are so many reasons for people to choose no and low, from a growing interest in health and wellness, to a reset from two pandemic years of high home consumption; from someone recovering from addiction to a pregnant woman wanting to be included in the party with something other than Martinelli’s. There’s a generational change, as drinking habits shift. This category isn’t an afterthought for Prime. Even though the excitement is real, there’s a disconnect between brands and consumers. People don’t even know there are great new options for them, or they don’t know where to find them; out at a bar, they may not even think to ask if there’s something better than the default fruity, sweet non-alcoholic “mocktail” (a word we really must stop using). And where do you look for a non-alcoholic spirit in a grocery store, anyway? Should it be in the wine department or next to the margarita mix? This is one reason specialty and boutique retailers have been at the vanguard: close and trusting relationships with customers that allow for conversations, like the ones bayleaf is having with its customers as it showcases delicious non-alcoholic options this month. We hope you’ll join us.
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