The one white we've been waiting on
08.02.2024
2021 Guillemain Reuilly Pinot Gris
Lowest Online Price Globally: $29.39 (Click HERE to see)
winestore. Price: $17.99 (net)
SAVE 38%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
We've been waiting on this one for over a year.
We first tasted the Guillemain Pinot Gris back in February 2023 at one of the worlds largest wine trade shows. It was an absolute show stopper, the price was beyond right, and the packaging was insane (I love wax on a bottle that costs less than $20!).
Sadly, the winery didn't have any to sell us. They don't make much, and it was sold out (why we got to taste it when there was none to sell is a different conversation for a different time 😂).
So we waited...and waited...and waited...and we were finally given the opportunity to buy this gem!
Guillemain is from one of the hottest new winemaking wizards in France, Antoine de Lafarge - and I'm not even remotely kidding when I tell you this will be one of the best white wines you drink in 2024.
Why is this wine so good?
Reuilly is one of those lesser known Loire Valley appellations that are rapidly becoming important, since Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé are getting expensive and harder to find. While Sauvignon Blanc covers most of the 500 acres or so of the place, a little bit of Pinot Gris is grown here. Because the de la Farge vineyard sits on Kimmeridgien Clay, the soil underneath Chablis and Sancerre, there is a nerve and minerality to this wine that makes it racy and refreshing.
Some friends of mine have made a point recently that due to Sancerre prices, they are looking for something that is "like a Sancerre." You know, similar flavor profile and excitement that doesn't break the bank?
That's where this wine comes in.
Sadly we have just 168 cases of this wine available until next year. So we'll drink it, enjoy it...and then start waiting again. 😂
It's supposed to be HOT today. So you know what I'm drinking tonight!!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call DUNWOODY @ Coming Soon!
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
10 year old Bordeaux for $24.99 😳
07.31.2024
2014 Gazin Roquencourt
Release Price: $50.00
winestore. Price: $24.99 (net)
SAVE 50%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
The fine folks from the Bonnie family (you can read more about them here) approached us in January with an offer.
Would we be interested in some 10 year old Bordeaux from their Chateau Gazin Rocquencourt estate that we could retail for $24.99 per bottle? Of course we were, but we had to taste it first.
If you love red wine with some age on it, this is going to be for you!
Aging wine is tons of fun - when it works. I have many a bottle in my wine fridge that I have held onto for just a bit too long, and now the wine just isn’t great anymore (at least to me).
The 2014 Gazin Rocquencourt is not in that camp. It is in an awesome place right now, and the winery took the care of holding the wine for us for the last 10 years 😂. The harsh red wine tannins from a young wine have all but disappeared, but the fruit is still all there - leaving you with a wine bursting with flavor, but smooth as silk.
It also doesn’t hurt that we can also bring it to you for $24.99. Current vintages from this estate currently retail around $65 (HERE).
Like much of the best of Bordeaux, Chateau Gazin Rocquencourt has proven itself over centuries. The elegant mansion was built in 1660 but the estate’s origins go back to the Middle Ages, and it can reasonably be called one of the oldest wine estates in the great commune of Léognan, the beating heart of Graves. Like its name suggests, the region’s crucial vineyards are full of gravel, as with Gazin Roquencourt’s hilltop site, and the estate benefits even more by sharing the winemaking team of Malartic-Lagravière (my new fave wine).
As it happens with some deals, this was a closeout and what we got is all we are getting.
We have just 112 cases of the 750ml bottles and 10 six packs of magnums for all of NC.
So get while the gettin' is good!
Chances of me drinking one tonight are pretty close to 100%!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call DUNWOODY @ Coming Soon!
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
Cary Potet Burgundy is BACK after 3 years!!
07.30.2024
2022 Cary Potet Bourgogne
Release Price: $30.00
winestore. Price: $19.99 (net)
SAVE 33%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
Last time we had this wine in stock was January of 2021, and we have been begging for Chateau de Cary Potet to send us more ever since!
Well, FINALLY they had a crop that they felt was worthy of their wine, and their new 2022 Bourgogne Pinot Noir is out!
Much like Sancerre, the upward trajectory of Burgundy prices has started to give me vertigo. So it is extremely refreshing when you find a wine like Cary Potet Bourgogne Pinot Noir delivering the goods for only $19.99 per bottle. (Pro tip: Open the wine and put it in your fridge for 15-20 minutes before serving - it's a game changer :)
The wine was one of the breakout Pinot Noir stars for us nearly 3 years ago, and we are excited to see it take off again!
Though this domaine’s claim to fame is Montagny, they have traditionally produced Pinot Noir as well, and the new owners have applied their centuries’ long experience to craft delicate, gentle red Burgundy.
This 100% Pinot Noir is organic, hand-harvested and the wine sees mostly used oak with long settling in tanks to preserve those delicacies: roses, strawberries, and bright bing cherries. It's all things I love about Pinot Noir wrapped up into one!
As always, we are very thankful for your support. We work hard to try and earn your business each and every day, and I promise we do not take it for granted.
I know what I'm drinking tonight!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call DUNWOODY @ Coming Soon!
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
It's all in the details....
07.25.2024
2021 Details Sauvignon Blanc
Release Price: $25.00 (Click HERE to see)
winestore. Price: $17.99 (net)
SAVE 28%
Second Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder We Open at 9am Thursday - Saturday!
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
I have to come out here at the start and say unfortunately we are not the lowest price in the US on this wine. We are only the second lowest price. Someone in MO has us beaten by $1. I just had to get that off my chest. 😁
That said, even at the second lowest price in the US, this wine is just plain awesome.
“Details by Sinegal” is the official name of this wine and owner David Sinegal (think Costco) bought this historic Napa estate ten years ago, though its vineyards date back to the 1880s. The winery consultants are a who’s who: David Abreu, Michel Rolland and Philippe Melka. The vineyard manager is Trevor Antognini who most recently managed Peter Michael and Sloan. 100% Sauvignon Blanc, this is mostly from Wildwood Vineyard, one of Sonoma Valley’s oldest and most esteemed sites.
One thing I love in the wine business is when someone with the same pricing mindset I have (in this case the founder of Costco) starts a winery and while sparing absolutely no expense they stay true to their idea of trying to give consumers the biggest bang for their buck. Honestly, Sauvignon Blanc of this quality I have seen from other producers in the $35-$45 range.
For Sauvignon Blanc lovers this is a no brainer. But I get what some of the rest of you are saying. You know, "I don't like Sauvignon Blanc". In that case, I just recommend you come into the store to try it. The quality is high enough on this one that I think anyone will enjoy!
To that end, we'll have it on the machine through Sunday for just $0.01 per taste. Because nothing really costs a penny anymore and maybe more things should!
So stop by and give it a try...it's almost the weekend!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call DUNWOODY @ Coming Soon!
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
Our #1 Rosé For $9.99 - Because we had to! 👀
07.17.2024
2023 Larme en Rose
Release Price: $20.00
SALE Price: $9.99 (net)
SAVE 50%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
SALE runs Wednesday July 17th - Sunday July 21st, 2024
Reminder We Open at 9am Thursday - Saturday!
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
I've been reading more about the "dog days" of summer lately. Long story short? The end of July has been hot since pretty much the beginning of time. 😂
Not only did the Romans coin the phrase "days of the dog star" or "dog days", they also knew that one of the most important weapons against the heat was a nice glass of pink wine.
So in order to try and combat the heat...and celebrate our best selling rosé...and cheer on how wineries like this are still churning out $9.99 hits in a world of $10 Starbucks drinks - we're putting Larme en Rose on sale through Sunday!
Why is the wine so special?
Well, if you stick around the wine business long enough, you’ll have seen it all. Where once wine coolers were cooler than Liebfraumilch, now hard seltzer is hot (served cold). White Zin was once de rigeur, though it was never French; it was from the good ol’ US of A. But then that became too sweet and the category died. Or seemed to. Because then rosé rose up like a zombie eager for fresh meat, though the current iteration of the pink stuff is more often French than not. Provence is the epicenter of it and the French have figured out how we like it: dry, pale pink, light and refreshing.
I know what I'm drinking tonight...right when I get home!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call DUNWOODY @ Coming Soon!
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
Our Best Selling Prosecco Has Returned! 🎇
07.16.2024
Raphael dal Bo "Raffaello" Prosecco
Release Price: $15.00
winestore. Price: $11.99 (net)
SAVE 20%
Lowest Online Price in the US!
*Curbside Pickup Always Available!*
In a current environment where even 1+ million case Prosecco operations like La Marca have had to increase their prices to nearly $14 per bottle at Total Wine, Raffaello Prosecco has proven to be maybe the best value Prosecco on the planet.
That may also explain why it is so hard to keep in stock!
It's been out of stock since late February - and we are happy to report Raffaello has come back in stock and all is right in the world (well, at least if you like Prosecco 😂).
Raphael dal Bo is a real guy, born and raised in Conegliano, the beating heart of Prosecco, the place that still produces the indisputably best version of the Glera grape that gives us this absolutely cheery bubbly. That certainly explains why he was the first to receive organic certification for his Organic Prosecco and why he remains solely focused upon Prosecco still today.
But what is up with Prosecco in general?
After decades as an only vaguely popular international wine, in 2009 Prosecco was redefined; its lesser regions becoming DOCs and its more specialized areas, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene and Colli Asolani, gaining DOCG status. There was plenty of good news in that: no more would lesser areas be available for bottling as Prosecco, and Italy could go to war against other countries (like Australia) labeling their white wines as Prosecco. For Australian producers (and others), Prosecco was a grape, not a place. Concomitant with these changes, Italy had re-titled the grape as Glera, thus mooting any possibility of other countries insisting that they were just naming their wines Prosecco as a varietal designation. Maybe it helped, but Prosecco blew up, internationally speaking.
This labeling scheme was good lawyering stuff, for sure. But the larger issue is that Prosecco is now rather complicated, if it is more protected and (theoretically at least), more controlled and likely to be of higher quality. Prosecco producers also began labeling their wines by sugar levels: Raffaello’s Extra Dry (made of 100% Glera) has about the same amount of sugar in it as most Champagnes, so it’s not sweet. But Prosecco of old was generally dry and the higher end DOCG stuff remains so. Confused yet? You should be. This is all wine law in full frontal evolution and it’s anybody’s guess if this makes Prosecco sexier or more popular than it already is. That said, it's still the first choice for most folks.
I know what I'm drinking tonight! Ice cold with maybe an extra ice cube for good measure!
To order you can:
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
Should $6.99 White Wine Taste This Good?!? 👀
07.10.2024
2022 La Petite Gargotte Blanc
Release Price: $14.99
SALE Price: $6.99 (net)
SAVE 53%
Lowest Online Price in the US!
Sale runs Wednesday July 10th - Sunday July 14th, 2024
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
When the temps get over 95 degrees this wine starts to move like lightning, but when the temps get that high AND we put it on sale for $6.99 it is basically a perfect storm. There is just something about an ice cold, crisp, dry white wine on a warm summer afternoon that hits just right 😁
(If we're being honest it also hits just right like at 8pm on the couch watching the latest episode of that Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Documentary on Netflix (it's all anyone is talking about!), but it can work any which way!)
So why do we love this wine so much?
The Comte Tolosan region is a defined area (the wine trade calls them IGPs or Géographique Protégée) that encompasses famed wine regions: Jurancon, Cahors and Armagnac, but the wines so named are either blends of the better-known areas or blends that include wines from outside those spots though still in Southwest France. Typically, the white wines are based upon neutral grapes like Ugni Blanc, Colombard, and Folle Blanche, or more aromatic grapes like Petit Manseng or Gros Manseng. While few of these grapes have distinctive personalities, if you put them into a harmonious blend (like we have here), they can be really charming and waaaaaaaaaay over deliver for the price point.
So leave work a little early today, grab a bottle, and start the "weekend" right. Wednesday is the start of the weekend, right? 😂
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
If you know, you know...and I think you know! 😎
07.06.2024
Domaine Vellas "Mata'Or"
Release Price: $20.00
winestore. Price: $12.99 (net)
SAVE 35%
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday!
Full July 4th SALE Lineup: HERE
July 4th Features:
Lerys "Tradition"
Canterperdrix Anthologie
SWIMBAD Rosé
Maison Belliac
Florets Gigondas
Balcon sur la Mer
Pocapita
Top 5 Selling Items: HERE
Lowest Online Prices in the USA!
'Tis the final two days of our July 4th Sale, and did we save the best feature wine for last?
Like I said in the subject line, when it comes to Mata'Or - if you know, you know.
There may be no bigger crowd favorite than Mata'Or from Domaine Vellas.
We have featured this wine in just two e-mails in 4 years, and it went bonkers from there.
I know of no other wine we carry that we have mentioned just two times that sells this fast...
Why is this wine so popular?!
In our opinion, the people at Domaine Vellas are turning out some of the most exciting value wines in France, and Mata' Or is a perfect example.
Among the diverse operations the Vellas family manages on their estates in Languedoc and Roussillon is an equestrian center and a “Manades” or farm where they breed Camargue bulls, bred solely for the "course camarguaise" (Camargue style of bullfighting). It’s not the bloody affair that we associate with bullfighting (at least, that’s the goal). In the arena, the bull gives chase with a dozen “razeteurs” (Camargue bullfighters) who try to remove a cockade that has been attached between its horns with strings. It's not for the faint of heart. The wine too is a big, bold blend from the highly regarded Costiere de Nimes AOP – horns not included.
Two days left in the sale - let's do this!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
$7.99 - The July 4th Sale Rolls On! 🔥🇺🇸🎇
07.05.2024
2022 Pocapita Rioja
Release Price: $15.00
winestore. Price: $7.99 (net)
SAVE 47%
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday!
Full July 4th SALE Lineup: HERE
July 4th Features: Lerys "Tradition", Canterperdrix Anthologie, SWIMBAD Rosé, Maison Belliac, Florets Gigondas, Balcon sur la Mer
Top 5 Selling Items: HERE
Lowest Online Prices in the USA!
We hope you all had a wonderful July 4th Holiday!
Here at winestore., the July 4th sale continues through Sunday, and our feature today is one of my all time value plays.
Rioja, Spain’s oldest and best-known red wine quality region, is undergoing a massive change, all of it good. New upstarts are challenging the old guard - and Bodegas Lo Nuevo is right in the mix. Their wonderful Rioja wines reflect the character of old vines from ancient vineyards, honestly and correctly made. Pocapita offers 100% Tempranillo, powerful, compact, and oh so easy drinking.
So if you're into wines that outdrink their price point, we may be in a back up the truck type of situation here! For me, Pocapita offers the perfect compliment to some of the deeper and darker reds in my lineup (I'm looking at you, Carmita). It's also at the price where I can grab a case, drink at home, bring over to friends to cook out etc.
People seeking delicious value unite!
TGIF!
To order you can:
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
The Top 5 Selling Items From Our 2024 July 4th Sale 💥 !
07.02.2024
The Top 5 Items From Our July 4th Sale
*Please note our stores will be closed on July 4th, 2024 - but the sale prices will all be active on our website all day!*
July 4th SALE runs through July 7th, 2024
Full July 4th SALE Lineup: HERE
July 4th Features: Lerys "Tradition", Canterperdrix Anthologie, SWIMBAD Rosé, Maison Belliac, Florets Gigondas, Balcon sur la Mer
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
I have to admit, I kinda like lists that show me what other people are buying.
I'm not saying it is the determining factor when I'm looking for a new bike helmet for our kids, or researching which sprinkler is the best for my yard - but it is nice to know what my peers are deeming as their favorites and their vote is their pocketbook.
So here you have, in order, the top 5 selling items of our July 4th sale. These are the wines your peers are buying up in the most volume...for what it's worth!
I think, based on the top 3, that it has been hot outside 😂
Quick note - ALL of these sale items are offered to you at the lowest online prices in the USA. Boom! (that was a big firework going off, just fyi)
#1
2022 Maison Belliac Chardonnay
Release Price: $25.00
SALE Price: $9.99 (net)
SAVE 60%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
When the French decided to build the Canal du Midi, they unsurprisingly chose a portion of the Pays d’Oc that is flatter and less mountainous than much of the regional landscape. The climate is different, needless to say, but not so very different from sunny California, and the wine has some of that same buttery character that West Coast Chardonnay exemplifies.
#2
2022 Cape Charles Sauvignon Blanc
Release Price: $25.00
SALE Price: $9.99 (net)
SAVE 60%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
After killing it with the AVERÆN project in Oregon, the Banshee gang is hard at work again in France. They’ve grabbed some vineyards in Gascony and we’re smart enough to snag some of their early efforts. There’s not a lot of Sauvignon Blanc grown in these spots, but what is there produces wines like this one: poised, more bright melon and citrus - just the way it should be.
#3
2023 SWIMBAD Rosé
Release Price: $15.00
SALE Price: $7.99 (net)
SAVE 47%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Rosé is the tipple of the tempting whether we are in Touraine, Tempe, Tuscaloosa, Tuscany or Saint-Tropez. Provence, the archetypal French vacationland, is the poster child for what modern rosé ought to be. Pale, quenching, lip-smacking.
#4
2022 Les Peyrautins Pinot Noir
Release Price: $20.00
SALE Price: $9.99 (net)
SAVE 50%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
You have been told that Pinot Noir is the most finicky of grapes; indeed, it’s supposed to be the “heartbreak grape.” The statement is not false but it’s also not completely true. To make great Pinot Noir is bloody difficult and to do it consistently is virtually impossible, unless you’re in some famous place. But that’s true of most grapes. It’s true that Pinot Noir grown in the wrong place is pretty dreadful, maybe more dreadful than most other grapes. But the middle ground has plenty of wealth to it – you need a friendly place for grape growing but not too friendly. With France’s Pays d’Oc, there are places where it’s easy to ripen grapes and areas that offer just enough challenge to coax Pinot Noir into showing its friendly and compelling side. This is an ideal example.
#5
2020 Canteperdrix Anthologie Vacqueyras
Release Price: $50.00
SALE Price: $17.99 (net)
SAVE 64%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Anthologie Vacqueyras an expression of Grenache and Syrah from one of the first villages within the Cotes du Rhone Villages to be labeled on its own (Gigondas was the first). Like other areas of the eastern side of the southern Rhone, Mount Ventoux looms large above it and allows cooler air to drain towards the valley (and Vacqueyras) below. But Vacqueyras is closer in resemblance to the rich decadence of Gigondas.
When it is this hot, this is what I drink...🔥
06.30.2024
2022 Florensac Picpoul "Le Sélection"
Release Price: $25.00
SALE Price: $14.99 (net)
July 4th SALE runs through July 7th, 2024
Full July 4th SALE Lineup: HERE
July 4th Features: Lerys "Tradition", Canterperdrix Anthologie, SWIMBAD Rosé, Maison Belliac, Florets Gigondas
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Our July 4th Sale is rolling on, and today we are again offering a top flight wine at the lowest price ever offered in the United States.
That is just how we roll!
Anywhoooo - It is so hot right now that I just really need a crisp, refreshing white wine. Or I need to move to Asheville 😁
And when it is this hot, and when I need crisp and refreshing, I most always turn to the grape Picpoul.
Here’s what you should know about Picpoul: it’s never bad, sometimes good...and then every now and again you stumble across one like this, that is really something special.
Let’s think about this for a second: lots of grapes (I’m looking at you, Pinot Noir) are sometimes good, rarely great and often dull. So there’s a lot to be said for grapes that never stink. Just saying, though I haven’t usually cared about Picpoul. But I want to be clear about my POV; about the time I decided I was no longer going to think about the Picpoul grape and didn’t think it could age, I tasted a Picpoul de Pinet that was six years old and it was utterly delicious. That’s the thing about wine: if you’re paying attention, you’re constantly learning how little you know.
If crisp, dry and delicious white wine is your thing, and it definitely is mine, then this deserves a spot in your July 4th rotation. Your taste buds will thank you!
July 4th at around 3pm in the heat of the day? I know what I'll be drinking!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
The best wine in the July 4th Sale? 👀
06.29.2024
2021 Domaine Florets "Alliance" Gigondas
Release Price: 40 €
SALE Price: $24.99 (net)
July 4th SALE runs through July 7th, 2024
Full July 4th SALE Lineup: HERE
July 4th Features: Lerys "Tradition", Canterperdrix Anthologie, SWIMBAD Rosé, Maison Belliac
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder we open at 9am today!
We would not be doing our job if we did not highlight what may be the best wine in the whole July 4th lineup, especially when it's being offered for the first time under $25.00 (as far as we can tell, the first time anywhere!).
While $24.99 is not my Tuesday night price point, it definitely is in my weekend / special occasion price point...and to find quality like this for $25 is like getting on the interstate to the beach on a holiday weekend and there being no traffic - it can happen, but it is RARE.
The back story here?
There is nothing worse than buying a super expensive wine, sitting on it to let it “age” for a few years, and then when you open it the wine is terrible.
On the flip side of that coin, I absolutely love when some $20-$30 wines just keep getting better with age, and really outperform their price point. 2004 Mas Doix Salanques is still one of those wines for me. I bought it for $25 per bottle and almost 20 years later the wine is still absolutely crazy delicious.
The wine we have for you today will be one of those superstars, in my humble opinion.
At one of the world’s largest wine trade shows in Paris last year we tasted through hundreds and hundreds of wines over several days (someone has to do it 😂).
We found Domaine des Florets “Alliance”, a Grenache and Syrah blend from Gigondas, at a random tasting station, and honestly after sharing 3 bottles with different friends over the last few days, I think it may be the best of the best we bought on that trip.
I tasted this wine next to 2010 Marcoux Vieilles Vignes Chateauneuf du Pape at one point (and that Marcoux was one of my all timers and nearly 5x the price of this wine) and I think the Alliance was better.
You can read more about the estate in a cool blog post we found from just about a week ago HERE. As far as I can tell this guy Jérôme Rathle bought the estate in 2021 after making a small fortune in sustainability services, and completely revamped the whole operation. Apparently he knows how to make wine as well, because his first attempt out of the gate is insane.
I honestly think anyone who drinks red wine will love this stuff, and we could not be more excited to bring it to you for $24.99.
I know what I'm drinking this weekend!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
The perfect rosé for the pool, 🏖️ or 🚤 - On Sale for $7.99!
06.27.2024
2023 SWIMBAD Rosé
Release Price: $15.00
SALE Price: $7.99 (net)
SAVE 47%
July 4th SALE runs through July 7th, 2024
Full July 4th SALE Lineup: HERE
July 4th Features: Lerys "Tradition", Canterperdrix Anthologie
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday!
It is way too hot not to feature our single best selling summertime rosé - which happens to be on sale for $7.99 per bottle.
My father in law said yesterday that he ordered a sandwich at Jersey Mike's. After the meal price, and the random tip they ask for at the register point of sale screen, the total came to over $15.
Things have officially gotten out of control.
That's why I am glad there are wines like SWIMBAD in the world. I can basically get two bottles of delicious rose, that will float in the ocean with me while I try to keep cool, all for apparently less than a sandwich at Jersey Mike's. Also know this - we will never ask you for a tip at the cash register. Full stop.
What do we know about SWIMBAD Rosé?
- The wine is delicious, and at this price point, it is right in my budget sweet spot.
- The PET bottle is perfect for all things summertime. It can't break (I literally tested it and threw one across the parking lot - and yes some people gave me a look 😳), and it fits perfectly in a cooler for the beach, lake or right by the pool.
- It also fits well in beach bags, swimsuit pockets, and in a koozie (yeah, I tried it...you never know, right?)
I think this online review kinda sums up my feelings perfectly:
I'm chilling one for late this afternoon, turning up this song, and cruising into the evening!
Side note - that song has to be top 3 of all time!
Let's do this!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
From $50 down to $17.99 - Let's do this! 🇺🇸
06.26.2024
2020 Canteperdrix Anthologie
Release Price: $50.00 (Click HERE to see)
SALE Price: $17.99 (net)
SAVE 64%
July 4th SALE runs through July 7th, 2024
Full July 4th SALE Lineup: HERE
July 4th Features: Lerys "Tradition"
Lowest Online Price in the US!
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday through Saturday!
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
The dirty little secret in the wine business is that there is relatively little difference in the vinification methods between $25 wines and $250 wines…sometimes you’re just paying for overhead.
So anytime we come across a co-op that has access to some insane vineyard sites, uses top flight barrels, and yet keeps prices reasonable - we’re gonna take a hard look. Some of the best wines in the world started as a Co-op. Ever heard of Clos Erasmus or L’Ermita? 👀
Enter Vignerons de Saint Marc - Canteperdrix.
We tasted some of their lineup back in 2023, and the Vinsobres and Vacqueyras were absolute show stoppers. I mean, the others were really good - but these two were really good.
So now layer in the fact that we absolutely LOVE a good deal, and we can't help ourselves when it comes to lowering prices. That means we can get this bottle of wine to you - a bottle of wine that Vivino says has an avg purchase price of over $49 - we can get it to you for $17.99 per bottle.
I'm not going to say anymore. This is one of those where you just say "yes".
We ready?
To order you can:
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
First time ever at $9.99...👀
06.25.2024
2021 Domaine Lerys "Tradition"
Release Price: $20.00
SALE Price: $9.99 (net)
July 4th SALE runs through July 7th, 2024
Full July 4th SALE Lineup: HERE
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
Should we kick off the "feature wine" set for our July 4th Specials with an absolute show stopper?
I think yes.
Last year we told you that Domaine Lerys "Tradition" would be one of the best sub $15 wines you would try in 2023. I think you all agreed based on sales - but now we can bring this to you for the first time ever at $9.99 per bottle...and cue the fireworks!!
What's up with the wine?
The family estate Domaine Lérys was founded in 1861 in Villeneuve les Corbières, with vineyards planted on steep schist soils, not such a different landscape from what you find in Spain’s Priorat. In that rough and difficult Spanish place, plants struggle for survival, but Fitou is a bit gentler a place.
The rocks naturally limit excessive competition for the vines, and yields are naturally limited, but it’s not as dry and demanding an environment as Priorat, and the Rhone grapes like Carignan, Grenache and Syrah grown in Fitou are more generous than they are burly. The Lerys Tradition bottling combines 60% Carignan (tangy and almost cranberry like) with dense and deep Grenache.
At $9.99 per bottle I'm taking 6 home - because these are the types of wines that get me super excited. Proof positive that excellent quality and affordable prices are not mutually exclusive!
I know what I'm drinking tonight!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
Did Someone Say Sancerre Rosé?!?!? 😍
06.18.2024
2023 Domaine des Côtes Blanches Sancerre Rosé
Release Price: $30.00 (Click HERE to see)
winestore. Price: $21.99 (net)
SAVE 27%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday!
Only 112 cases available for all of North Carolina and Georgia until 2025 👀
Summer is in full swing, and that's about the right time for our only Sancerre Rosé of the season to hit!
Sancerre is tough to come by these days. A mix of insane demand, tough growing conditions and the French just wanting to keep it all for themselves, has made it almost impossible to find great, affordable Sancerre in the US.
That said, Domaine des Cotes Blanches has come to our rescue!
The Millet family, the ninth generation owners of this domaine, have long produced Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir Rosé. Among the “white hills”, or “cotes blanches” are also areas of gaillottes, sun-catching warm stones and slate that allow ripening of this delicate grape. In their hands, the grape is fragrant, gentle, and elegant. As with the Millet family’s Sauvignon Blanc, the method is modern: keep the grapes as clean and consistent as possible, ferment in stainless steel at low temperatures and enjoy the wine’s generosity.
I had a bottle of this on Father's Day and while this may not be at my everyday price point, I can imagine nothing finer for a weekend wine with friends on a warm summer day. There is just something about Sancerre, rosé, warm weather, and good people that when they all come together something magical just happens.
Sad part is though that there are only 112 cases of this wine available until next year, so get while the gettin' is good. July 4th is right around the corner!!
I know what I'm drinking tonight!
Let's do this!
To order you can:
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
Chianti Classico from the Goat (Greatest of all Time)...🐐
06.04.2024
2022 Castellare Chianti Classico
Elsewhere in NC: $30.00
winestore. Price: $19.99 (net)
Reminder We Open at 9am Thursday - Saturday!
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
Are we ready for some Chianti from maybe the greatest of all time?
We all have our favorites, even if there are many other deserving producers. But Castellare was one of the first of the “modern” estates in Chianti, established in the 1970s when Chianti and even Italy itself were becoming wines with freshness when they were known for funk, earth and cheap prices.
Castellare arose from four estates, and they brought in some of the brightest minds of the time, not just Emile Peynaud, the professor of Bordeaux, but also Attilio Scienza of the University of Florence. They implemented the first true scientific selection of Sangiovese clones, and introduced new French barriques, and pretty much started crushing it.
Long story short? We have an emotional relationship with Castellare...and they are indeed the 🐐 of Chianti!
If Italian wine is your thing, this is a do not miss type of situation.
I know what I'm drinking tonight!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
#1 Sauvignon Blanc in the Store - $9.99 Through Monday!
05.25.2024
2022 Cape Charles Sauvignon Blanc
Release Price: $25.00
SALE Price: $9.99 (net)
SAVE 60%
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder we open at 9am today!
Full Memorial Day SALE Lineup: HERE
Feature Wines: Rue 37, Granicus, Bleu Blanc Rosé, Brooks Bank
SALE runs through Monday May 27th, 2024
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
Did we decide to take our #1 selling Sauvignon Blanc and put it at the lowest price we have ever been able to offer it - all for Memorial Day Weekend?
We did!
The wine that was out of stock for basically all of 2023 (we could barely get our hands on any), has continued its domination after returning in January 2024.
What makes this wine so great?
The gang behind Valkyrie has pretty much carved a space out for themselves; their California efforts have fueled their successes beyond their humble start-up and now, after killing it with the AVERÆN project in Oregon, they’re hard at work in other parts of the globe.
Their first Cape Charles Sauvignon Blanc hailed from some vineyards in Walla Walla Valley, and now they've turned to Gascony to use its embarrassment of riches in this delicious treat.
Gascony is foie gras, delicious plums and apricots, rich dinners with Armagnac to follow. But the white grapes grown here are not just for great brandy, they have always been consumed as wine too and the last decade or so has seen an embrace of clean, cold winemaking to preserve the aromas of otherwise neutral grapes like Ugni Blanc or Folle Blanche. It’s also seen new plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, a grape that requires no heroic measures to reveal its aromatic riches. What’s fun here is that these same winemaking methods generate something bright, dry and vibrant - needing only an ice bucket and a big glass for full enjoyment.
Turn that beach music on, and let's open a bottle, am I right?
I know what I'm drinking tonight!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
Winner of the Prisoner Blind Tasting - For $14.99!
05.24.2024
2021 Brooks Bank Cabernet
Release Price: $39.99
Vivino Avg. Price: $19.63 (HERE)
SALE Price: $14.99 (net)
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday
Full Memorial Day SALE Lineup: HERE
Feature Wines: Rue 37, Granicus, Bleu Blanc Rosé
SALE runs through Monday May 27th, 2024
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
Many of you have been echoing the same sentiments I shared with our team at the start of the week. I'm not sure I have ever seen a stronger lineup of high quality wines at these kind of prices before...👀
And while we've had some strong feature wines so far this week, we've saved one of my all time favorites for the Friday before Memorial Day - Brooks Bank Cabernet.
It is:
- Winner of this year's Prisoner Blind Tasing
- Runner up to our Wine of the Year in 2022
- Vivino lists it as the 6th best Cabernet made in Spain at any price point! (HERE)
- Since its release it is the 9th best selling wine in the store all time
I mean - that is a pretty insane lead up, right?
It's only the 7th time we have ever been able to offer this price, and at $14.99 represents Cabernet Sauvignon value that I would put up against any Cab on planet earth at this price.
Why is this wine so good?
When one of the best winemaking teams in Europe get together and gather juice from some of the oldest Cabernet vineyards in Spain (pic here), and age the wine in barrels typically reserved for $100+ wines (pic of the barrel here), and the retail price is set to be less than $40...we take serious interest.
When we can put it on sale for $14.99? It's time to back up the truck.
It is powerful, poised and persuasive Cabernet and to put it frankly, stupid cheap for the money. Honestly, I wish this was one of those things that would never run out of supply.
The Vivino reviews are stellar as well. And the avg reported price from users is nearly $20!
I know what I'm drinking tonight! Let's do this!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662
Don't let other places charge you crazy prices for wine! 🎉
05.22.2024
2022 Granicus Proprietary Red
Release Price: $25.00
SAVE 60%
Reminder we open at 9am Thursday - Saturday
Full Memorial Day SALE Lineup: HERE
Feature Wines: Rue 37
SALE runs Monday May 20th - Monday May 27th, 2024
Lowest Online Price in the USA!
*Curbside Pickup Always Available*
I'm so over how crazy some prices on things have gotten lately. An airport restaurant the other day (and I mean I get things at an airport are more expensive) tried to charge me $5 for a club soda.
I can tell you this though - craziness like that is not gonna happen here at winestore. Our #1 goal is to bring you the best possible wines at the lowest possible prices. It's been our goal since our founding 18 years ago and it remains our #1 goal today.
Case in point? Granicus Proprietary Red.
The producers of Benières, who have created two of our all time best selling wines, know two things well - unrivaled quality, and how to make deals.
So when Granicus launched in 2023 we knew we were in for something special.
So why are we loving it so much? Well, outside of the fact the people behind Granicus are basically a dream team producer of affordable yet outstanding quality wines, we like this wine because....we love wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon 😁.
It’s a place in Mediterranean France that has been important for more than a century but, despite the noise about inexpensive Bordeaux wines, remains the place to shop for value. Though it represents only 10% of France’s vineyard area, production is 42% of the country’s total output. It wasn’t always so, back in 1897, that same area represented only 25% of France’s wine. Most of that was given over to Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan and high-volume grapes. Now producers are trying to figure out the spots where Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and even Pinot Noir can prosper (good luck on that last one). But when you grow these grapes on chalky-clay terroirs, and when you apply Bordeaux techniques to it (fancy stainless steel, new French oak, minute temperature control and the like), you can make a fascinatingly accurate facsimile.
$9.99 per bottle through Monday as part of our Memorial Day Sale. To the restaurant in the airport that charged me $5 for a club soda the other day - please take note! 😂
I know what I'm drinking tonight!
To order you can:
Order ONLINE for IN STORE or CURBSIDE PICKUP / SHIPPING
E-mail us HERE
Call ahead for IN STORE / CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Call ASHEVILLE @ 828-417-7305
Call RALEIGH @ 919-747-9077
Call CHAPEL HILL @ 984-234-0446
Call WILMINGTON @ 910-239-9479
Call MORRISVILLE @ 919-694-5028
Call SOUTHPARK @ 704-442-4024
Call BLAKENEY @ 704-443-2944
Call LAKE NORMAN @ 704-892-5662