💰BARGAINS TO BE HAD (plus one baller, hehe) 💰

What’s up winos,

I wonder if there will ever be a Tuesday where I don’t start this email with something along the lines of ‘Big weekend? Yeah, me too’. Maybe it’s time for a lifestyle change? Nah. I’m never going to regret spending my Saturdays deleting bottles like this (at least I think it was this one?). What’s that? I spent my only day off last week at dan’s? Must be something in the water there. Or I need to get a life. Something to stew on.

Enough about my last weekend, more about your next weekend. You should probably spend it getting around these new drops from the Jura, courtesy of Bruno Bienaimé. Monsieur Bienaimé learned the ropes in a certain iconic cellar of a certain iconic Vincent Laval, who should need no introduction unless you’re brand new around here (are you? Omg, hi!). Post-Laval, he set up shop in and around Arlay and Chateau-Chalon, which is some pretty good real estate, dontcha know. The wines have a certain ~je ne sais quoi most commonly found in bottles crafted by Domaine Labet, if you’ve ever had the pleasure. Sadly they’re also priced like Labet, but we threw you an underpriced-Jura-bone in the form of Thibaud Pierson last week, so I don’t want to hear any grousing. We don’t make the rules! Or the prices! Just close your eyes and throw your credit card at it. Then it’s next month’s problem, right? I don’t know how credit cards work.

That’s plenty of expensive shhh to keep you going for a while, let’s head back into bargain territory. Like this spanking new bottling from our very own Domaine Ratte, who graced us with their inimitable presence last week at the Salon. La Regaule is a lovely little addition to their already cracking portfolio, a touch reductive upon first opening, but this quickly blows away to reveal a generous, flinty, ripe bomb of deliciousness. Jura Chardy, why does anyone bother drinking anything else? Oh right. Coz ££££. But this is not ££££, this is like, ££ that drinks like ££££. You know what I mean?

Continuing on the train to bargain town, there’s not much I like more than a well-priced Pinot (why do I only like things that barely exist?), and I’ve got one for you in the form of this delicious new bottling from Westwell. This year’s answer to last year’s Double Pinot, which saw some Meunier thrown in the mix, this one is single varietal, and all the better for it I reckon. ‘23 was a sick vintage in the UK (if nowhere else) and as a result they had enough fruit to make a pure Pinot Noir. It’s truly yum, with glacé cherries bringing the fruit and notes of black tea and earth keeping things broody and complex. Ideal shoulder season wine, which is a term I’m going to coin and continue to use probably for the next two months until the weather makes up its mind, sorry in advance.

Speaking of grapes that are usually priced in the ‘maybe if I marry someone rich’ spectrum, have you got around this banging Nebbiolo yet? Sub £20? I know! I know.

Last bargain I’ve got for you is more a bargain in life experience. Like, you’re not going to regret spending £60, but you will regret missing this. I’m talking about our Beaujolais Day party, i.e. the biggest piss up of the year chez dan’s (which is saying something). A ticket gets you in the door for unlimited Gamay consumption, from a plethora of producers both new and old. PLUS we’ll have our m8s Jumi melting cheese on stuff, which is my favourite cuisine. Good times and next day headaches guaranteed. Better put that PTO request in for Friday (as should I, actually. Thanks for the reminder).

That’s all! Love u!

xoxo

Megan