Chatham Wine & Liquor
Fine selections from around the world – and around the corner
Sparkle for the New Year
Champagnes & Sparkling Wines
We bring you a dazzling selection of Champagne and sparkling wine to help you celebrate the New Year or any festive occasion. The best thing is that no matter your budget, a delicious sparkler is within reach. From Champagne to Alsace to Germany to Spain to the US, there are wonderful choices for everyone.
There does happen to be a shortage of the main Champagne brands this year, but we are able to offer some delicious "Grower" Champagnes which are sparkling wines crafted by grape growers and their families. It embodies those who grow grapes in their own vineyards and produce cuvées that reflect their distinct vineyards and style. Some that we carry are:
Vilmart et Cie (Grower)
This champagne offers up a complex and wide open bouquet of pear, apple, lovely minerality, brioche and a topnote of hazelnut. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied and frothy, with a good core, lovely mineral drive, fine focus and grip and a long, youthfully complex finish. [93 Pts. Wine Spectator]
$74.99
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Claude Genet Blanc de Blanc Chouilly - Champagne (Grower)
Vibrant citrus fruit and mineral aromas. Tangy, focused and stony on the palate, offering intense lemon/lime and quince flavors and a deeper honeydew quality that comes up with air. Finishes with resonating mineral and lemon zest notes. More lithe and feminine this would be a great Champagne to pair with oysters or minimally adorned shellfish. [90 Pts. IWC]
$55.99
Brundlmayer Brut Reserve
Brilliant light yellow, pleasant toasty and yeasty and mineral aromas, a touch of honey, creamy and yet crisp on the palate yet with persisting fruity and mineral elements Fresh but well integrated acidity and a long soft finish. [91 Pts. Wine Advocate]
$48.99
Bollinger - Champagne
A beautiful aromatic complexity on the nose. with ripe fruit and spice and hints of roasted apples, apple compote and peaches. On the palate a subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity ; bubbles like velvet ; notes of pear, brioche and walnut.
$67.99
J.L. Vergnon Blanc de Blanc Conversation Grand Cru - Champagne (Grower)
A champagne of tremendous breadth and real character. A vinous and powerful Blanc de Blanc with
a beautifully well-layered nose that combines notes of green apple, yeast, spice, brioche and a range of floral elements. It has full-bodied flavors and a beautifully long and complex finish. [93 Pts. Vinous]
$48.99
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Francos Baur Cremant d'Alsace - Alsace-Lorraine
A biodynamic French sparkler made of 100% Pinot Blanc in some vintages, or it may be a blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. It is creamy and fresh in style, with gorgeous pear, white peach and croissant notes. It’s dry, but not too dry. An elegant value.
$19.99
Desire Petit Cremant de Jura - Cote de Jura
From the Jura region in the foothills of the Alps, 100% Chardonnay. A unique and refreshing Jura sparkling wine. The bouquet enchants with nuts and spices. Light but zesty on the palate with lovely acidity and flavors of spiced apple, toast, nutmeg, and oyster shells.
$22.99
It also comes in Rose made from Pinot Noir with a bouquet of cranberry, red current and a raspberry. Light and fruity with an after bite of lingering .sour cherry.
$22.99
Hild Elbling Sekt - Germany
The spunky sparkler is from the obscure Elbling grape grown in the Upper Mosel. Made in the traditional method, it is aged on its lees for nine months giving it extra creaminess. Juicy, tropical fruit, white flowers and chalk.
$20.99
Brand Pet Nat 2020
Pet-nat refers to the method of fermentation. Unlike the traditional method of a second fermentation in the bottle, there is only one fermentation in the bottle which makes for a lighter, fresher wine. This sparkler is half Silvaner and half Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and it clocks in at a mere 10% alcohol. It’s ultra-light and tastes like sea spray with bubbles, showing a fresh mineral core and unquestionable cut. Biodynamically farmed grapes.
$26.99
Louis Roederer Anderson Valley - California
This is an assertive, flavorful and robust wine, with a medium to full body, a mouthfilling texture and fine-beaded bubbles. A creamy viscosity and wonderful layers of butter, apple, vanilla and ginger make for a delicious palate. [93 Pts. Wine Enthusiast]
$27.99
Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc - The Finger Lakes
Dry and crisp with lots of complexity. On the nose key lime pie with the mix of citrus, pastry and baking spices.With its vibrant, fruitful and crisp nature, this sparkling wine is fresh, structured and refined.
$35.99
Gran Sarao Cava - Spain
Yeasty touches in a fruity background of ripe apple, banana and pineapple. Good mouth feeling, with a light touch of sweetness, harmonious, fresh, elegant, tempting and with character.
$10.99
Famiglia Carafoli Nicchia Lambrusco - Italy
A sparkling, mildly sweet red with a full, red ruby color and fruity fragrance. From the Emilia-Romagna, a region famed for its lovely Lambruscos which are making a great comeback from the formerly insipid and one dimensional examples of yesteryear. The Nicchia pairs great with desserts and also with charcuterie plates, its mild sweetness being a foil for the salty fattiness of the meat.
$14.99
Veuve de Vernay Brut- France
An incredible value. A brut that is fresh and delicate, revealing apricot, peach flavors. An elegant wine, well- balanced and pleasant that truly stands out against all other bargain sparklers.
$11.99
Charles Cazanova Brut Tete de Cuvée - France, Champagne
This Champagne offers an array of flavors, including toasted brioche, Gala apple, lemon zest, graphite and ginger, with a touch of honey. Elegant, but with good intensity and a moderate, nut-tinged finish. [92 Pts. Wine Spectator]
$32.99
Gruet Brut - USA
This Brut is from a family winery in Arizona where the soil is similar to that of Champagne. It shows lemon and sweet Wonder Bread aromas on the nose. The palate starts frothy but quickly mellows, and carries ripe lemon and white peach flavors to the yeasty, citrus finish.
$15.99
Holiday Feasts
Christmas Day and New Years Eve call for celebratory wines to enjoy with the traditional meals.
Roast duck for the holiday? What goes better than a beautiful Burgundy, that ultimate expression of Pinot Noir. We recommend Louis Latour Marsannay 2018. Supple and sensuous, it's fresh with bright cherry fruit and hints of spices. Medium to full-bodied, it has silky tannins and a pretty finish.
$28.99
Christmas Ham? Most are served glazed which calls for a red wine with lots of fruit. We recommend the Hudson-Chatham Winery Baco Noir, which is medium bodied, tart and clean which is a great foil for the saltiness of the ham and sweetness of the glaze. It has red cherry, raspberry and cranberry notes with some cedar and tobacco on the finish.
$35.99
Prime Rib is always a favorite for Christmas and New Years. The best wine to choose depends upon the sauce.
If you are serving it with a wine reduction we recommend a Cabernet Sauvignon. Try Oberon from Napa Valley2019 . Ripe and supple, with a lush texture, it has lingering black cherry, dark berry and cassis flavors with warm, spicy notes of toasted oak.
$23.99.
If your choice is a traditional English gravy, a fine Bordeaux would go well. The L'Ormes de Rauzan Gassies 2016, the second wine of the famed estate Rauzan Gassie in Margaux, is a classic left bank Bordeaux, full-bodied with ripe cassis flavors, notes of violet, vanilla and sandalwood, followed by a firm, dry yet elegant finish.
$24.99
Horseradish sauce is a favorite among prime rib lovers, and, in this case, try a more intense wine such as an Argentinian Blend. The Decero Owl and the Dust Devil 2017 is a single vineyard blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Tannat. The structure of the wine is silky. The Malbec has an aromatic quality and the wine has a fine backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon with an exceptionally rich core of Petit Verdot and Tannat which provide depth of character.
$29.99
We here at Chatham Wine & Liquor wish you all a very Happy Holiday and toast you, our customers, for your support and appreciation.
Natural Wines & "Orange Wines
So-called natural wines are getting more attention lately as consumers pursue products deemed to be healthier and more authentic. Natural wines are wines made by people who approach their craft with a minimalist philosophy, both in the vineyard and in the winery. The grapes are grown organically, meaning that they are not sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. They may also be grown bio-dynamically which, in addition to no pesticides, involves enhancing the soil with certain organic preparations. It also includes processes and timelines for enriching the soil, planting, pruning, and harvesting based on the phases of the moon and astrological signs.
In the winery, natural wines are made with minimal intervention. Grapes are hand-picked and hand de-stemmed. Only naturally occurring yeasts are used for fermentation, and mechanical processes in the wine making are avoided. Since filtration is rare, there may be a cloudiness to the wine that is harmless. Sulfites are not added and nothing extraneous is added to the juice. Therefore, natural wines are said to be the purest expression of the fruit, the most authentic product of the vineyard.
'Orange' wines, also known as skin-contact white wine, skin-fermented white wine, or amber wine, is a type of wine made from white wine grapes where the grape skins are not removed, as in typical white wine production, and stay in contact with the juice for days or even months. This lends anywhere from an orange tint to a pronounced orange color to the wine. [Click here to read The Polarizing Power of Orange Wine by Eric Asimov in The New York Times]
What Wine to Serve for Thanksgiving?
What wine to serve for Thanksgiving? A perennial question. But, don't fret - there are many, many wines that can complement the meal. The sheer variety of dishes with their sweet and savory tastes debunk the notion of a perfect wine. Instead of searching for the absolute right bottle, think instead of the qualities you need in a wine to get you through the hours of feasting. You need something bright and fresh and lively so that your taste buds don't conk out on you or are overwhelmed with alcohol. We suggest the following selections and be sure to include both red and white.
Reds
Domaine du Clos Fief Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2021
A traditional pairing with Thanksgiving, this Nouveau comes from 50 year old vines from an expert winemaker and will far surpass the fruit bombs from less expensive producers.
$13.99
Domaine Cornu-Camus Bourgogne Savigny-les-Beaune 2019
A smooth, earthy and fruity wine from a region of Burgundy known for value. This wine is lovely and will complement the turkey very well.
$26.99
Raul Perez Ultreia Saint Jacques 2018
Made from the Mencia grape in the Bierzo region of Spain, this juicy red has some spiciness and lift from just the right amount of acidity.
$19.99
Domaine Migot Cote de Toul Pinot Noir 2020
A beautifully dry, precise Pinot with layered notes of raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, forest floor and violets.
$26.99
Trediberri Barbera d'Alba 2019
A delightfully vivid, pure expression of Barbera with a patina of tangy acidity over black cherry, pomegranate red currant flavors. A sateen finish with lingering spiciness.
$18.99
Whites
Willm Gewurtztraminer 2020
Fleshy peach and ripe, juicy pear on the nose get a dose of freshness from the suggestion of a spritz on the palate of this wine. It is slightly off-dry with a fresh and fruity palate
$15.99
Pine Ridge Vineyards Chenin Blanc-Viognier Blend 2020
A vivid and tangy medium bodied with rich, ripe and round characteristics that broaden the flavors and lead to a lingering finish. It shows an abundance of ripe pear, apple and citrus flavors that really wake up the taste buds. A great match for Thanksgiving dinner.
$14.99
Hugel Gentil 2019
A classic, elegant Alsatian white wine, a fresh and juicy white blend of Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Riesling, and Pinot Gris, and a little Gewürztraminer, Muscat Ottonel and Muscat d'Alsace. Generous on the palate with ripe apple, pear, chamomile, grapey and sweet spice flavours.
$15.99
Andre Neveu Sancerre Longues Fins 2020
An herb-accented style, with bracing lemon pith, thyme and chive notes backed by a minerally, tangy finish.
$28.99
Ravines Dry Riesling 2018
A great combination of minerality and citrus and stone fruit flavors from the Finger Lakes. A tiny touch of residual sugar is offset by a tasty tartness.
$16.99
