July 2025
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.
Domaine La Décelle 2020 Valréas Reserve • Southern Rhône, France • Reg $21.99 | 25% OFF = $16.49
Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre blend from Côtes du Rhône Villages Valréas. Pleasant nose of black cherries, dark raspberries with spicy, earthy, herbal notes. Flavors add in dark plums and a note of licorice. Elegant, complex, and at the same time super easy to like. Delicious acidity. Smooth, earthy finish. Beautiful Rhône wine. Tells you why people love wines from this part of France!
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 July Picks — with summer in mind!
Moulin de la Roque 2023 Bandol Rosé • Provence, France • Reg $29.99 | Mixed Case $23.99
Blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault from a Bandol cooperative formed in 1950. Superb nose. Earthy, mineral, strawberries. Flavors are different: raspberries, cherries on the mid-palate, white peach, dried apricot, cranberries to the finish. It’s like a curveball. Fun. Takes you on its trajectory…. Photo: Nicolas, cooperative winegrower
Weingut Sattlerhof 2019 Sauvignon Blanc • Gamlitz, Austria • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
11 kms from the border to Slovenia = main area in Austria where SB is grown. Very herbal on the nose. Flinty, citrus, wild grasses. Flavors of citrus, lime, a little grapefruit, tart apples, minerals. Pretty full-bodied for Sauvignon Blanc. 2018! Still has a lot of life. Fun wine.
Andrew Will 2021 Two Blondes Merlot • Yakima Valley, Washington • Reg $41.99 | Mixed Case $33.59
On the nose ripe plums, dark fruit. Smooth, velvety, medium-bodied. Flavors of black plums, blackberries, dark chocolate with some earthy tones. Smooth tannins on the long finish.
Mas des Bressades 2023 Costières de Nîmes Blanc • Southern Rhône, France • Reg $18.99 | Mixed Case $15.19
Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marianne, Viognier. Nose = white peach, floral notes & almonds. Flavors add in dried apricots, note of pears, with citrus on the finish. (The Marsanne is big!!) Creamy texture. Fuller-bodied. Absolutely great wine. Enjoyed with Ling-cod over saffron rice with fresh garlic spears & grilled Turkish olives.
Van Duzer 2021 Pinot Noir • Willamette Valley, Oregon • Reg $39.99 | Mixed Case $31.99
Earthy with dark raspberries, black cherries, some spicy notes. Fantastic acidity. Super complex. Flavors = red & black raspberries, cherries, tag berries. Smooth. Lovely. Nice, long, spicy, fun finish. Drink this holiday season. Don't think it will get better. Delicious. And note the beautiful, festive label.
Pertinace 2021 Barbera D'Alba • Piedmont, Italy • Reg $22.99 | Mixed Case $18.39
100% Barbera. Herbal notes on the nose with blue & black fruit. Flavors of dark chocolate, espresso then the acidity kicks in, and the fruits shows up: dark plums, blackberries. Fresh finish. Beautiful wine. A little spicy. Yum.
Cepa 21 2022 Hito Tempranillo • Ribera del Duero, Spain • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
100% Tempranillo from the high, desert plateau of northcentral Spain. Red plums, red fruit, raspberries on the nose. Note of herbs. “Super exciting nose, actually”. Reds plums, lots of black cherries, blackberries. Fresh, pleasantly fruity, Spanish food wine. Great red for grilled meats! Crazy-good price for Ribera del Duero.
Cedergreen 2021 Petit Verdot • Columbia Valley, Washington • Reg $45.99 | Mixed Case $36.79
100% Petit Verdot from Art Den Hoed’s Painted Hills Vineyard (Columbia Valley). “Fine-grained minerality and aromatic, high desert herbs plunge into a velvet core of violets, plum, and dark cherry. Power, indelible darkness, and dust. Only 71 cases produced.” —Kevin Cedergreen, winemaker.
Mission La Caminade 2020 Rouge • Cahors, France • Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99
85% Malbec & 15% Malbec – classic red blend from Cahors. Plums, soft spice (nutmeg, hint of lavender), earth on the nose. Lots of yellow, red, dark plums on the palate with red & black cherries, blackberries. Earthy, fresh on the finish. So delightful. Medium-bodied+. Drink now. Burgers, salmon, steak, pork chops. Totally delicious & easy to like.
Photo: La Caminade co-owner/winemaker Hervé Chauvin
Uggiano 2023 Vermentino • Tuscany, Italy • Reg $17.99 | Mixed Case $14.39
100% Vermentino. Unoaked, pleasant easy-drinking with lovely soft fruits and flowers on the nose. Nuance of white stone fruit on the palate with a tiny note of white melon, but it's not at all sweet. It's a beautiful, savory, minerally white that is pleasant and refreshing.