| Well Free Rangers, Space and Time Continue… You see what I did there? Achieved title in line one. I am surprised as you are. Like Big Country’s “In a Big Country“. Which isn’t quite as great a song as Talking Heads’ “The Big Country”. The titular reference was really about bands whose name is also the title of a song, and the album on which it resides: the trifecta. But that Big Country record was titled The Crossing. I suppose “Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath from their Black Sabbath record would be a more direct connection, though achieving title in line one would be more like Weezer’s “The World has Turned and Left me Here”, or the Beatles’ “Yesterday”. I’m just working this out now. We’re on this journey together. And I loved Journey’s Frontiers album as a kid. Dark days in so many ways, but still so much and so many out there by which to be inspired. Not necessarily Journey Live at Budakon, but no judgment if that’s still your thing here in the future. … Wait, what’s the score here? This week’s online only sale will feature a trio of 6-packs! First, is one of our Magical Mystery 6-packs @ $199, which is an opportunity to pick up some old and rare wine at well below market value. These packs are drawn from bottles lost and found in the considerable depths of our cellar, from my unruly personal collection, and past auction purchases, randomly packed in Free Range bottle carriers. These bottles could be literally anything. All wines are at least a few years since harvest, and many are 20+ years in bottle. These bottles are almost entirely red, and lean heavily toward new world fruit sources (OR, CA, WA), though not always new world styles. Absolutely none of these are cast-offs, and the vast majority were originally purchased with personal consumption in mind, but as we’ve discussed, I own way too much wine. * If you would like a mystery bottle of whiskey, white wine, and/or dessert wine in your 6-pack, please mention in the notes at checkout! Second, because of the sell-out success of our previous Best of the Top Shelf 6-pack, we’ve put together a Best of Mid-Shelf 6-pack, which includes some of our most intriguing wine per dollar spent at about half the price of its Top Shelf counterpart. This pack begins with a Chardonnay old world vs new world battle royal: Domaine Leflaive Macon Verze Les Chiens 2018 (a classic lighter style white Burgundy by a legendary house) and Brittan Vineyards Chardonnay 2015 (a medium rich, beautifully balanced Oregon white by a favored producer from that region). Paolo Bea Santa Chiara 2016 is a well known light, floral skin contact white (orange) wine by one of Italy’s leading natural wine producers. Hubert Lignier Gevrey Chambertin Regnard 2017 is classic red Burgundy (100% Pinot Noir) which is firm, dry, and balanced; this is not pushover delicate Pinot. Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva 2007 is one of the finest Tempranillo based wines of whose existence we are aware. The 2007 is well into its peak ringing window, but far from the end of its life. Pax Syrah Griffin’s Lair 2010 is a powerful American cool-climate red that shares more characteristics Northern Rhone Syrah than most other domestic bottlings of this varietal. It currently shows deep dark furry berry fruit, great concentration without any real sweetness; deeply savory, black tapenade, dry thyme, and a wistful memory of distant cedar smoke.  Lastly, here’s another incarnation of our Best of the Top Shelf 6-pack, filled with deities and legends. Dom. Michel Lafarge Meursault 2018 is a classic white Burgundy (100% Chardonnay) by a natural producer that leads with great depth of minerality, with vibrant acidity, and great depth of character; clean but long and meandering, full of life. Hansjorg Rebholz is another natural producer whose whites are pure of fruit and chiseled, and was the first to introduce my palate to possibilities of the often banal Pinot Blanc grape, though it’s his bold and bright Riselings for which he is most known. Your 6-pack will include either Rebholz GG Pinot Blanc Sonnenschein 2012 *OR* Rebholz GG Riesling Kastanienbusch 2012. If you have a strong preference, please say so in the notes at checkout. Josko Gravner Ribolla Gialla 2011 is the flagship wine by the grandaddy of the natural wine movement. This skin contact white spends years underground in amphora casks to clarify, and while there is absolutely nothing else like these (though many try), it is still quite food friendly. Evening Land Pinot Noir Occidental 2011 is CA Pinot Noir of deeply Burgundian qualities, dense (by Pinot standards) and deeply savory. R. Ampeau Volnay Santenots 2001 is a Premier Cru red Burgundy from an important lieu dit by a legendary producer. At 21 years since harvest, this red is showing surprisingly fresh, quite dry, very long finish, and seems nowhere near the end of its life. The longevity of these wines continues to impress us. Shafer Vineyards is a Napa CA classic, known mostly for their Cabernet, but it has always been their Syrah that most interests my palate. Shafer Relentless Syrah 2004 is an 80/20 blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah. It’s dark and brooding, and while there is some sweet but brambly berry fruit at its core it is entangled with bitter chocolate, spicy oak, and rustic tannins. A truly ponderous beast. (!) Click here for the hidden sale page (!) sale: retail: Magical Mystery 6-pack: $199 $289-359 * limit 2 per person If you would like a mystery bottle of whiskey, white wine, and/or dessert wine in your 6-pack, please mention in the notes at checkout! sale: retail: Best of Mid-Shelf 6-pack: $299 $443 sale: retail: Best of Top Shelf 6-pack $499 $742 *** Online exclusive! *** *** This week only! *** Cheers, Jack Proprietor Free Range Wine & Spirits P.S. Free Range E-mail Archive |
