November 2025 Newsletter Wines

Our favorite wines for November. Some are savory, some are spicy, some of them are fresh and zesty because there's always room at the table for a refreshing palate cleanser. All of them are perfect wines for the coming holiday feasts. Don't forget to take a peak at our holiday Oregon Pinot Noir Samplers too. Extra special wines at extra special prices!

 

Domaine de l’Idylle Cruet 2024    $20
Cruet is one of Savoie’s several workaday winemaking villages, and home to the Domaine de l’Idylle, one of L&E’s favorite sources of crisp, satisfying wines from indigenous Savoie varieties, most prominent among them the breezy Jacquerre grape. The Tiollier family has made these wines for six generations, in vineyards looking up at snow-capped alps and bright blue skies. Since 2020 they’ve done their work organically, but the character of the Cruet remains as it has always been, fermented and aged in stainless steel, a crisp, light, frank wine that gives aromas of green apple, lemon zest, mountain herbs and blossoms. The palate is light and brisk, with notes of apple (again) and pear, with a core of slate minerality and floral essences that linger on the finish. Serve this as an appetizer, with river trout or shellfish, or go local and dial up a Savoyard raclette. 

 

Emile Balland Vin de Pays de Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc En Attendant Les Beaux Jours 2024     $21
It is easy to imagine clarity in a visual sense. We are used to thinking of picture clarity or the quality of eyesight with simple metrics that measure the sharpness of what we see. This scale actually applies to all our senses. We hear things with varying degrees of definition. We also smell and taste and feel things with different degrees of clarity. Those last three senses all engage with wine, and the best wines smell, taste, and feel sharper. Emile Balland’s wine from the Sancerre-adjacent region of the Coteaux du Giennois always comes across clear and vivid in all three senses. There's a nose of tangerine, gooseberry, and ruby grapefruit, with white pepper and basil too. The palate is medium weight, with the sort of acidic tension that reminds us of the cables holding up the Fremont bridge. Flavors this year are very citrus-fruity, with racy, green apple notes too. Tangerine and lemon linger on the finish. This delightful wine is named "Waiting for the Beautiful Days" because 2024 was a cold, wet, and frosty vintage in the Loire. Thanks to Emile Balland’s hard work, we don’t have to wait for the beautiful wine.

 

Gilbert Chon Muscadet Sevre et Maine Les Salines 2024    $15
The Chon family has been making wine in Muscadet since 1670. While most people in America have to consult a DNA test to know what their family was doing thirteen generations ago, Marine Chon and Arnaud Madec-Chon have only to look out the window to their vineyards. Today, the family farms about 70 hectares of vines in and around the city of Nantes, and they make some of the purest, cleanest-cut Muscadet available, and offer the most deliciousness per dime we are aware of remaining in the Loire river region. Les Salines means the salt pans, in honor of the Pay Nantais’ other historically important industry, salt production. Throughout much of the middle ages and Renaissance, France’s near monopoly on Europe’s supply of salt was one of the unsung cornerstones of the country’s wealth, and much of that salt came from the area where the Loire meets the sea. There is a salty lilt to the wine too, alongside aromas of meyer lemon, tangerine zest, peach pit, yellow rose and flint. The palate features fleshy pears and apples, minerals, and plenty of salinity that lingers through the crisp and crunchy finish. Shellfish are an easy choice for this one, but not the only choice.

 

Amity Vineyards Willamette Valley Estate Riesling 2010    $18
Myron Redford spent 40 years quietly making delicious wines in Amity, at the northern edge of the Eola Hills. Even after his retirement in 2014, the folks at Amity Vineyards have continued to impress with high quality, low cost wines for all seasons, but this particular wine is a rare treat. Myron always held back some of each vintage to age, and now we can offer this cellar selection dry Riesling from the stupendous 2010 vintage. After 15 years we think this one is just about perfect, and we can’t think of anything better to pair with a Thanksgiving meal, or any other meal made from hearty autumnal fare. Riesling – when properly aged – offers perhaps the most complex flavors of any wine grape of any color. This one has aromas of peach, roasted pear and apricot, honeycomb, saffron, and curry spices. The palate is broad, full bodied, with rich peach and glazed pineapple, orange peel, toasted sesame, and a touch of salt on the decidedly crisp but elegant finish. This is the white wine of the newsletter!

 

Mendes & Symington Contacto Loureiro 2024     $23
Anselmo Mendes made a name for himself with gently skin-contacted Alvarinho in Vinho Verde’s northernmost sub-region, Monção e Melgaço. Anselmo was among the first growers to attract attention to Vinho Verde for quality wines far superior to the bargain-basement, fizzy sippers that populate the lower shelves of grocery shelves. Indeed, he attracted the attention of the Symington family, one of Portugal’s most important winemaking enterprises with outposts in nearly every corner of the country. Together, they have expanded the range of the Contacto line to include more of Vinho Verde’s native varieties. Loureiro is the most common variety in the region, generally playing the largest part of a blend, but capable of standing by itself. Aromas begin with lime and green apple, white blossoms and white peaches, a bit of granite infused soil and ocean-derived salt. The palate is lean but creamy like lime curd with accents of apple and mirabelle plum and stone-ground minerality. More lime zest bursts with an acidic snap on the finish. Serve with white bean stews, cod fillets dressed in citrusy sauces, and seafood pastas.

 

Herencia Altés Terra Alta Garnatxa Blanca 2024     $18
The Terra Alta region in Catalonia is not trying to mislead you with the title, this is high ground in the coastal mountains, where vines enjoy constant sunshine and near constant wind, two ingredients that generally lead to healthy, well balanced grapes at harvest. Nuria Altés grew up among vineyards here, and founded Herencia Altés with her husband Rafa De Haan to continue the family tradition that goes back as far as records are kept. Among their 50 hectares of vines, some of the oldest and most prized are their Garnatxa Blanca vines, which they consider the flagship of the winery. This entry-tier cuvee is made from soft pressed grapes, aged in steel to preserve freshness. The aroma is intense, showing a crisper and zestier face of white Grenache than the French type. Orange, lemon curd, sea salt and granitic minerality show through, before the palate arrives lively but full and creamy, with lemon, Rainier cherry, and spring blossoms. The finish comes with all sorts of citrus zest. Serve this with roasted fish, roasted birds, and roasted potatoes.

 

Leo Erazo Itata Pais Revolver 2024     $19
The Itata Valley in Chile has a surprising claim to fame as the home of the oldest commercially viable grape vines found anywhere on earth. Itata is a paradise for grape vines, who feel all the benefits of both nearby mountains and ocean. Since Itata is well south of Chile’s more cosmopolitan regions, invasive “modern” grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are still rare, and people like Leo Erazo have come to preserve and champion the region’s greatest treasure: 150-300 year old Pais and Muscat vines that produce wines like no other in the world, leaking out their ears with volcanic minerality and bracing fresh fruit flavors. Leo believes that the best dry-farmed ancient vineyards found in the Itata Valley require as little stylizing as possible to showcase the deep expression of their terroirs, and that terroir shines in this elegant Pais, with aromas of licorice, red cherry, raspberries, and smoky soil. The palate offers more juicy red berries, dusty tannins and feathery acidity and a long, pleasant, clay-scented finish. This little triumph will keep good company with squash, yams, and poultry of all sizes. 

 

When René Devine started selling barrels of wine to passing merchants in 1936, he was selling the sort of rich, full bodied and sun soaked wines that caused a sensation in Paris when railroads first connected the city to the vineyards of southern France. René’s granddaughter Agnes runs the domaine today with her husband Bertrand Burle, and they look for balance in the wines. Balance between intensity and finesse, between fruit and savory earth, between the present and the future. They have the highest organic certification available and work as sustainably as possible. Font Sarade means ‘dry district’ in the Provençal dialect, and the grapes struggle even in normal years, so sustainable practices are always part of the conversation. The 2022 edition begins with notes of dried fruits like black cherry, plum and currant. There’s a touch of cherrywood smoke and the garrigue notes: lavender, rosemary, and dusty earth. The palate is full bodied with a stewed mash of black and red berries, plum compote and cordial, with a touch of cola on the finish woven through elegant and slow arriving tannins. A hearty wine for hearty winter foods.

 

Plaisance Penavayre Vin de France Negret Pounjut 2022     $21
Southwest France is a beautiful tapestry of what local winemakers officially call “modest” grapes. These are the dozens of very local varieties that have survived from ancient times, persevered through the commercial era and even thrived in Bordeaux’s long shadow. Growers like Marc Penavayre have preserved this native stock of vines with quiet dignity, and in places like Fronton – just outside Occitania’s capital city of Toulouse – he makes one of the southwest’s iconic wines from the Negret grape introduced by Roman soldiers thousands of years ago. The Pounjut is a particular clone of Negret that offers the same deep black fruit and peppery earth, but in a lighter structured wine and at low alcohol levels that remind us of a delicate red from Jura or the Loire. Here we get aromas of wild Maine blueberry and blackberry, iron-rich clay and violets with a dash off pepper. The palate is clean and clear, with strong fresh fruit notes framed by gentle tannins that build slowly towards the finish that lingers with earth and pepper. Serve this with simply prepared pork dishes, mushroomy stews, and charcuterie spreads. 

 

Tedeschi Valpolicella Lucchine 2021    $17
Lorenzo Tedeschi has passed the day-to-day operation of the family winery on to his three children, Antonietta, Sabrina, and Riccardo, but he still drinks a bottle of the Lucchine every day. Lorenzo made Tedeschi into a household name when he developed the now-iconic Capitel Monte Olmi Amarone in the 1960s. While that is just one of several Corvina-based Amarones Tedeschi produces alongside an impressive range of complex, heady Ripassos, the simple, steel-aged Lucchine might be the family’s favorite wine. It is certainly the most versatile, fit for all sorts of dishes from simple cheese plates to wintery meatball pastas, even Cioppino. The nose gives strawberry, cherry, rose petal and cinnamon stick; the palate follows up with a bowl of juicy cherries, orange peel, strawberries and cream. Like so many Valpolicella Rossos, there’s plenty of acidity but the texture is medium bodied, with no sharp edges. Zest and fresh berries linger on the finish.

 

Antica Enotria Puglia Rosso Nellamiaterra 2023     $21
Raffaele, with his wife Addolorata, came to Puglia in the 1990s with the dream of starting an organic farm, one that would produce wines with “the taste of the earth” in them. They found a ruined, 17th century farm outside the city of Foggia and founded Antica Enotria to make some of Puglia’s most Puglian-flavored wine and vegetable preserves. The farm is dedicated to the “zero-mile” principle of production. They use only their own grapes, and every part of the winemaking process happens on the property. Nellamiaterra means “from my land”, a simple, hearty blend of the local Nero di Troia grape with Sangiovese. The wine is aged in stainless steel to preserve the sun-drenched, wind-swept terroir of Puglia. It smells of dried plums and raisins, orange oil and coffee beans with dusty soil. The palate is medium bodied, filled with stewy fruit flavors, leather and coffee and cocoa powder, rich and spicy flavors fit for rich, earthy stews, roast meats, and aged cheeses.

 

Hanson Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022     $21
Jason Hanson’s Pinot Noir comes from vineyards in the eastern half of the Willamette Valley, surrounded by berry patches, Christmas tree farms, and wheat. It is a surprising place to find one of the best value and most recognizable Pinot Noirs in Oregon. His vines are farmed organically, and the wines are made simply, without much intervention or new oak, and no additives beyond a dusting of sulfur. Year after year, this humble recipe results in a wine of impressive complexity that stands out in any lineup. Released a full year after most Willamette wineries have already put out their extra special reserve wines, this 2022 vintage Pinot has a spicy nose, with notes of blueberry, orange, red cherry, cinnamon, clove and underbrush. The palate is perfectly balanced with pleasant acidity and dusty tannins framing intense notes of orange and red fruit with a finishing kick of cola. This is a Pinot Noir made for fall feasts, great for large roasted birds, potatoes dauphinois, and casseroles with punchy flavors. 

 

The Winemaker's Barrel: Lizzy Esqueda's Mijita Wine Co.
After growing up in LA and working in restaurants in New York City, Lizzy Esqueda moved to Oregon to learn to make wine in 2013. She sought out her favorite winemakers for understudy but always kept an eye on the vineyard stewards and their integral work toward the end product. In 2021 she stared Mijita to make “bright, textural wines made with grapes that are organically and sustainably farmed.” emphasizing her role as a Latina in the world of fine wine.

Mijita Eola Amity Hills Jubilee Vineyard Gamay Noir 2023    $33
The time is coming very soon when the Willamette Valley will be famous for Gamay. We know this because Gamay like this keeps coming to our attention. Focused, pure, with an elegant array of red and orange fruits with just the right hint of spice that sets great Gamay apart.

Mijita Yakima Valley Weets Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2023   $27
Washington's Yakima Valley is known as one of the premium wine regions of the Pacific Northwest, famous for rich textured, full throttle blends of Bordeaux varieties. This wine is not quite that. There's so much earthy, floral character, delivered with such finesse, that in a blind tasting we would pick this as a French Chinon from Cabernet Franc's homeland without a second thought.

Mijita Eola Amity Hills Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023   $37
From the crest of the Eola Hills, this Pinot Noir is an instant classic of the Willamette Valley. This wine has that magical balance of weight and energy that Pinot Noir is so good at, with a delicious nose of blood orange, red cherry, clay and baking spice.

 

Everyday Pinot Noir Sampler
We've put together a set of six Oregon Pinot Noirs that will satisfy every palate without breaking the bank. Each wine has something different to offer, and we think they're best as a set. Each sampler the following wines, available as a half case (one of each) for $126.90 and a full case (two of each bottle) for $239.70 (additional 5% off).

Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2023
Salem Wine Company Eola Amity Pinot Noir 2024
Belle Pente Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2023
Violin Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022
Goodfellow Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022
McKinley Willamette Valley Pinot Noir “Mesa” 2023

Occasional Pinot Noir Sampler
We've pulled out all the stops for this set of Oregon Pinot Noir. There are some classics in here, and some fresh new faces too! A showstopper as a gift, and an easy choice for the holiday table. Each sampler contains each of the following wines, available as a half case (one of each) for $197.10 and a full case (two of each bottle) for $372.30 (additional 5% off).

Kelley Fox Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Mirabai 2023
Belle Pente Yamhill Carlton Pinot Noir 2022
Patricia Green Ribbon Ridge Estate Pinot Noir Old Vine 2023
Loop de Loop Light Anthology Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
Cameron Dundee Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2023
Hundred Suns Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Old Eight Cut 2023

 

The Works Oregon Pinot Noir 12 Bottle Sampler
Can't decide which sampler to get? Why choose when you can get one of each for the ultimate Oregon Pinot Experience. This sampler contains one bottle each of the following 12 wines, for $306.00

Kelley Fox Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Mirabai 2023
Belle Pente Yamhill Carlton Pinot Noir 2022
Patricia Green Ribbon Ridge Estate Pinot Noir Old Vine 2023
Loop de Loop Light Anthology Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
Cameron Dundee Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2023
Hundred Suns Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Old Eight Cut 2023
Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2023
Salem Wine Company Eola Amity Pinot Noir 2024
Belle Pente Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2023
Violin Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022
Goodfellow Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022
McKinley Willamette Valley Pinot Noir “Mesa” 2023