February 2026
WINE OF THE MONTH
Every month we give a little spotlight time to a hidden treasure, a wine we think you should meet (and hopefully fall in love with). To encourage the introduction, we offer the wine at 25% OFF the bottle price for the given month.
Bodega Calle 2022 Dharma Red Blend•Mendoza, Argentina • Reg $21.99 | 25% OFF = $16.49
Malbec 60%, Cabernet Franc 40%. Plums, black raspberries, spice, roasted herbs. Flavors add in a smoky note. Long finish. Medium- to full-bodied. Valentine’s date? This is your wine.
JENS’ TOP PICKS
Every month Portalis owner Jens Strecker picks 8-12 wines that he thinks are outstanding … for any reason he chooses. Here are his February Picks — made with love in mind.
Champagne R. Dumont NV Rosé Brut • Champagne, France • Reg $81.99 | Mixed Case $65.59
Tasting notes coming soon…
Dopff & Irion Cremant d'Alsace Rosé • Alsace, France • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
100% Pinot Noir. From the winery: “Brilliant, salmon-pink… red and black berries, wild strawberries, red currant, fresh thyme, discreet roasted notes, brioche and tarragon.” Terrific, celebratory bubbly!
This wine ranks as an All-Time Fav! Great price for a beautifully done pink bubbly!
Orr 2023 Old Vine Chenin Blanc • Columbia Valley, Washington • Reg $34.99 | Mixed Case $27.99
“…green-gold in color with aromas of honeydew melon and pear and straw. It's fresh, crisp, and dry with a clean mineral finish. I craft this wine thinking about the pairing with seafood and shellfish.” —Erica Orr’s (pictured right) tasting notes. 290 cases produced. Perfect oyster wine!
JM Brocard 2023 Chablis Saint Claire • Burgundy, France • Reg $34.99 | Mixed Case $27.99
"This wine opens with top notes of apricot, reveals a heart of clementine, and finishes with a citrusy finale. Recommended pairings: Seafood casserole, salmon quenelle, cheese (Comté, Roquefort)." —winery notes.
Dog Point 2020 Pinot Noir • Marlborough, New Zealand • Reg $34.99 | Mixed Case $27.99
100% Pinot Noir. Nose is incredible. Juniper berries (= a rich, deep, earthy smell like walking through an evergreen forest), huckleberries, red & black raspberries. Absolutely killer nose! Seriously. Beautiful. With depth. Stunning. Flavors add in dark cherries, earth and spice. Phenomenal acidity. The finish is unbelievable. Goes on and on. Reminiscent of Burgundy because of the earth. Brilliant. Jens: one of the best Pinots I’ve had in a long time.
Domaine Le Galantin 2024 Bandol Rosé • Provence, France • Reg $32.99 | Mixed Case $26.39
Bandol (crème de la crème of French rosé) blend of Mourvèdre 62%, Cinsault 21%, Grenache 17%. Organic. Natural wine. Indigenous yeasts. Céline and Jérôme Pascal (a brother-sister team) run the winery. Jérôme is pictured above (right in the middle) with his 2021 harvest team.
"Classic Provençal rosé with expressive tree-fruit and citrus aromas (peach, nectarine, grapefruit, dried orange zest), enhanced by a touch of spice. On the palate, the attack is round and fresh, the wine is structured and complex, with citrus and red fruit notes. Persistent, salivating finish that combines finesse and character." –winery's notes.
The 2024 was awarded 95 Points and a Gold Medal in the Decanter World
Domaine Bois de Boursan 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Tradition Rouge • Southern Rhône, France • Reg $82.99 | Mixed Case $66.39
Classic house. Terrific, crowd-pleaser red for a fancy wine. Ready to drink.
Blend = 65% Grenache Noir, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre plus other traditional varieties per the winemaker's wish. Vines are 40-80 years old. Dark fruit flavors with garrigue (traditional from the area), sort of "wild" according to the winery notes. Sounds fun to me! –Jens
Franco Pacenti 2018 Antonluca Brunello di Montalcino • Tuscany, Italy • Reg $82.99 | Mixed Case $66.39
Winery’s notes: Grapes: 100% Sangiovese. Aging: Can be 3 - 5 years in oak. Bottle-aging: 4-6 months. Colour: Intense garnet red colour. Bouquet: The wine displays an intense and powerful character, exhibiting a complex array of aromas. Its fruity notes, reminiscent of blackberries and blueberries, are enhanced by subtle hints of chocolate. Taste: Soft tannins, good acidity, harmonious and elegant. Pairing: Red meat, game and cheese.
Yalumba 2022 Old Bush Vine Grenache • Barossa Valley, Australia • Reg $25.99 | Mixed Case $20.79
This Grenache is light and juicy with notes of cherries, raspberries & a hint of spice. Soft tannins, so almost no tannic pull. Serving something spicy and want a red wine? Perfect.
Domaine du Séminaire 2022 Côtes du Rhône • Southern Rhône, France • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
Grenache, Syrah, Carignan. Wonderful nose: soft garrigue, tiny, wild strawberries, raspberries, soft earth. Old-school, delicious, soft, medium-bodied, smooth, spicy-herbal, black raspberries, black cherries on the palate. Blackberries on the finish. Just what a Côtes du Rhône used to taste like before it started getting hotter. Amazing wine. Absolutely killer!! Winery suggests enjoying this wine with some black truffles on brioche.
Weingut Bastgen 2021 Blauschiefer Riesling • Mosel, Germany • Reg $26.99 | Mixed Case $21.59
100% Riesling. Aromas of pineapple and lime with some floral notes. Beautiful acidity and minerality on the palate. Flavors of Meyer lemon, pineapple and lime. Great weight all the way to the crisp, minerally finish. Great example from the Mosel. And a good price, too, for this style wine. Could be much more.
Pollerhof 2024 Grüner Veltliner • Niederöstereich, Austria• Reg $21.99 | Mixed Case $17.59
100% Grüner Veltliner. Herbal, spicy (white pepper) nose with yellow plums. Flavors add in apples, pears. Acidity is killer. Soft white pepper note & citrus on the finish. 1-liter = $16.49 for an equivalent 750ml bottle = great value!