July 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.
Nova Vita 2021 Project K • Adelaide Hills, Australia • Reg $19.99 | 25% OFF = $14.99
Crazy-fun blend of 56% Shiraz / 43% Pinot Noir. Nose = spicy red berries with an herbal note. Lighter-bodied. Flavors = red & black raspberries, black cherries. Spicy & herbal notes through the light finish. Chill if it’s warm for a refreshing summer sipper! With dinner? Grilled chicken, spicy Asian, burgers, Friday night pizza & more. Steal of the month!!
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 — made with high summer in mind. Fingers crossed we’ll get to high summer this year!!
Bartholomew 2025 Rosé of Carménère• Red Mountain, Washington • Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99
100% Carmémère. Floral on the nose with herbs & red fruit. Flavors of raspberries & pomegranate. Well-balanced. Soft on the mid-palate. Long, citrusy, dry finish with herbal notes. Great wine. Great value. Perfect with everything off the grill!
Michel Laroche 2023 Chablis• Burgundy, France • Reg $39.99 | Mixed Case $31.99
100% Chardonnay. Lots of stone fruit, a little floral on the nose. Stone fruit, cantaloupe, citrus, clay-limestone on the palate. Then almonds on the finish! Wow!! Delicious & playful.
Kiona 2022 Lemberger • Red Mountain, Washington • Reg $21.99 | Mixed Case $17.59
100% Lemberger = Blaufränkisch. The nose is just killing it! Like you kicked the soccer ball into the raspberry patch and when you fish it out, you have to eat a few. Kind of earthy, kind of smokey. Super sexy. Palate changes: blackberry, plums. (If you like Pflaumenmousse [German plum butter, like apple butter but with plums] in a non-sweet way?? This is your wine.) Medium+ bodied. Such a feat for WA State! Not super dry. Not super acidic. But superb balance. Jens: What a wine!! Don’t miss this one.
Mulderbosch 2023 Chenin Blanc • Stellenbosch, South Africa • Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99
100% Chenin Blanc. Nose: white flowers, ripe green pears and green apples. Really well balanced. Great acidity. Flavors add in peach, honeydew melon and then citrus on the finish. Enjoyed with Lemon, chickpea, lamb patties. Great with fish. Great to sip.
Friedrich Becker 2023 Pinot Blanc • Pfalz, Germany • Reg $28.99 | Mixed Case $23.19
"From grapes planted on chalky, clay/limestone soils in vineyards that straddle the Franco/German border. ... This bright and lively Pinot Blanc weighs in at approximately 12.5% alcohol, with notes of white flowers, pear, tangerine and wet stones on the nose. It finishes with clean, mineral notes and great complexity." –importer notes.
Photo: “Harvest 2019 is underway!”
Barão de Vilar 2024 Douro Red Reserva • Douro Valley, Portugal • Reg $17.99 | Mixed Case $14.39
Local blend of Tinta Roriz & Tinto Cão. Beautiful nose. Deep, rich, dark fruit. A little herbal. Purple plums, blackberries, blueberries. Some special spicy notes. This wine could easily cost $30!
El Coto 2025 Verdejo • Rioja, Spain • Reg $18.99 | Mixed Case $15.19
100% Verdejo. Pink grapefruit with peaches, nectarines and floral notes on the nose. Super pleasant acidity. Minerals, citrus, lime, grapefruit on the palate with stone fruits again. Long, earthy finish with seashells and a note of salinity. Winery says to pair with seafood paella!
EZY TGR 2024 Pinot Noir • Willamette Valley, Oregon • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
100% Pinot Noir. Herbal, earthy, and dark fruit (black raspberries, black cherries) on the nose. Palate adds in dark plums and more earth. Medium to lighter in body. Bright, fresh finish with soft tannins. Drink now. Great food wine. Salmon, tuna, chicken, pork chops.
Pictured: owners-winemakers Ksenija and John House
Mirabeau La Folie Sparkling Rosé • Provence, France • Reg $25.99 | Mixed Case $20.79
Blend of Négrette, Colombard, Syrah, Grenache, Rolle. Nose = crisp fall morning after a rain. Flavors = red berries, raspberries, wild-forest-strawberries, grapefruit rind, citrus. Bubbles = mousse. Fantastic acidity & texture. So delicious. Fun summer wine!
Domaine de Marcé 2024 Touraine-Oisly • Loire Valley, France • Reg $22.99 | Mixed Case $18.39
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Nose of grapefruit, lemon & some white floral notes. Flavors of grapefruit, guava with a lemon rind acidity. Fresh, yet subdued. Lime, minerals, stone fruit, clementines. Softer in style, but still good acidity. Really delicious wine! Perfect with our local oysters on the half-shell.