| Top of the Cyclone Free Rangers, They’re coming to take me away, ha ha. They’re coming to take me away ho ho, he he, ha ha, to the funny farm where life is… Oh, hey. Didn’t see you reading there. I don’t recall precisely whether is was this Napoleon XIV novelty hit from the ‘60s or “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” or perhaps a track from Weird Al’s first record that led to Dad asking me if I had ever heard of Tom Lehrer. But that was when I learned that Dad was also a bit of a nerd and we bonded over the academically absurd notions explored in song by the absolutely legendary Lehrer. Since my grade school interest in Duran Duran and Dad’s cassettes of Burl Ives and Edith Piaf were never going to get together, it was nice that we could respect each other’s taste in comedy songwriting. I have no idea what this has to do with anything else, but I thought this a more entertaining anecdote than yet another loosely-hinged rambling about how I’m barely holding it together out here at street level. Another week, another wine deal. Not my smoothest all-time segue, but hopefully you’ll let it slide for the profound quality and scarcity of the bottles detailed below. It’s no secret around these parts that we enjoy Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as much as or more than any other bottled juice, especially when one starts to play with the quality per dollar equation. I have also been quite verbose for many moons about the magic of the wines produced by Maggie Harrison under her Antica Terra label and by Kelley Fox’s eponymous project. These awesome grape artists source and grow only the finest berries from specific sites, and vinify their fruit with the purest of intent to some of the most glorious results currently achieved on Earth. Unfortunately, Antica Terra is well on its way to being a true cult wine in that the supply is next to nothing and demand far outstrips its tiny total production. Luckily Maggie is both an artist and an unrelenting perfectionist, and some of the juice that doesn’t perfectly fit the profile of one of her regular releases often goes into a second label called Coriolis. Luckily for the rest of us, much like a mediocre Radiohead record, Coriolis Pinot Noir is still better than most others’ best efforts and top bottles. This is only a slightly better kept secret than that the winemaker for Kara Pinot Noir Composition– also out of Oregon- is Bertrand de Villaine, who also makes the most famous, sought after, and one of the priciest Pinot Noir in Burgundy, Domaine Romanée Conti. What follows represents our coolest/rarest Oregon 6-pack offers ever, and some of the best drinking per dollar wine currently available in the known universe. Our Kelley 101 6-pack starts with 2 bottles of Kellley Fox Mirabai Pinot Noir 2021, her intro level endlessly elegant Pinot styled for drinking in its youth. One each of her bright and fresh Kelley Fox Gruner 2021, and deeply Burgundian single vineyard Chardonnay(s) Kelley Fox Chardonnay Durant 2021 and Kelley Fox Chardonnay Dux 2021. This pack is capped with her beguiling medium sweet vermouth which was born from her 2020 Pinot Noir base and collaboration with Stephanie Sprinkle, Kelley Fox Vermouth. Serve chilled before and/or after a meal and you’ll likely soon be wondering where the contents of that bottle went (luckily we just secured the last 2 cases in New York). $199 this week only (usually $246), while supplies last! Our Secret Pinot(s) 6-pack contains 2 bottles each of Kelley Fox Mirabai Pinot Noir 2021 as well as 2 bottles each of the deep, delicious, and age-worthy Coriolis Pinot Noir 2019, and Kara Pinot Noir Compsotion 2019. I really can’t say enough about the quality, intent, and execution of this trio, as each is a bottle I actively collect and regularly enjoy. Simply put, if these do not float your boat, you are likely not a Pinot person. These are also the sort of bottles one can quietly slip into a blind tasting of Red Burgundy 3 or 4 times the price and really piss off your Francophile friends. $229 this week only ($286 retail), while supplies last! And for those of you who are also already in the Kelley Fox fan club, we put together the Advanced Kelley 6-pack, which starts with the aforementioned Kelley Fox Mirabai Pinot Noir ‘21, Kelley Fox Chard Durant ‘21, and Kelley Fox Chard Dux ’21, as well as a bottle of the profoundly rare and otherworldly Kelley Fox Pinot Noir Maresh Liminal ’21, born of the old vines block planted in 1970 in the Maresh Vineyard. We cap this last pack off with the otherwise sold out Kelley Fox Ahurani Pinot Noir 2017– a drier woodsier affair from younger vines at Momtazi Vineyard- and the subtly rustic but deeply balanced Kelley Fox Pinot Noir Momtazi 2015. $299 this week only ($356 retail), while supplies last! (!) Click here for hidden sale page (!) sale: retail: Kelley 101: $199 $246 Secret Pinot(s): $229 $286 Advanced Kelley: $299 $365 *** Online exclusive! *** *** This week only! *** Cheers, Jack Proprietor Free Range Wine & Spirits P.S. Free Range E-mail Archive |
