October 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.
Serre dei Roveri 2023 Nebbiolo d'Alba • Piedmont, Italy • Reg $21.99 | 25% OFF = $16.49
100% Nebbiolo. Aged 12 months in oak. Crushed stone, cherries, minerals, faint note of cinnamon. Red berries, red cherries. Little black cherry and still a note of stone on the palate. Pleasantly fine tannins on the finish. Great Nebbiolo d'Alba - especially for the price! Nebbiolo pairs beautifully with gamey meats and mushrooms, especially truffles which are harvested in Piedmont.
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 October Picks — made with early fall in mind!
Kellerei Bozen 2024 Weissburgunder • Alto Adige, Italy • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
Weissburgunder = Pinot Bianco. Floral (jasmine), crushed rocks, note of apples on the nose. Soft acidity… then flavors of apples, pears (that grow in the valley near the grapes), yellow plums, and nectarines on the fresh, but soft finish.
Bavencoff 2022 Bourgogne Rouge • Burgundy, France • Reg $31.99 | Mixed Case $25.59
100% Pinot Noir. Mmmmmmm. Earthy, herbal nose with dark cherries and marionberries. Flavors of black cherries, black raspberries, red plums. Well-balanced. Great acidity. Fresh, fun finish. 12.5% alcohol. Just a terrific Burgundy for this price. Pictured: Yvan Bavencoff, oenologist based in Beaune.
Dönnhoff 2023 Riesling • Nahe, Germany • Reg $35.99 | Mixed Case $28.79
Riesling is a great wine to have in your back pocket for wine pairings because it goes with everything! From a rich, baked ham to spicy dishes to tart, vinegar-y sauerkraut with sausages... Riesling tastes great!
"Green apples, pear drops, and chamomile are in play here. Lightly off-dry with some softness and a fruity finish, but some pretty acidity crunch." —James Suckling.
Domaine Le Galantin 2024 Bandol Rosé • Provence, France • Reg $32.99 | Mixed Case $26.39
Traditional Bandol blend of Mourvèdre 62%, Cinsault 21%, Grenache 17%. Organic. Natural wine. Indigenous yeasts. "Classic Provençal rosé with expressive tree-fruit and citrus aromas (peach, nectarine, grapefruit, dried orange zest), enhanced by a touch of spice." –winery's notes. The 2024 was awarded 95 Points and a Gold Medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025.
Champagne Jacquart NV Mosaique Brut • Champagne, France • Reg $71.99 | Mixed Case $57.59
Blend of Chardonnay (40%), Pinot Noir (35%), Pinot Meunier (25%) including 25% to 35% of reserve wines. Matures at least 3 years on the lees in bottles then at least at least 3 months in cellar after disgorging. "Nose : Fresh and delicate, with notes of white fruits, pear and peach, fresh apricot and white flowers with roses. Dried fruit aromas reveal it is starting to mature. Palate : Lush, generous and creamy. Beautiful exuberance driven by white fruits and lemon zest notes on the finish." –winemaker's notes.
Andrew Will 2023 Two Blondes Semillon Cuvée Lucia • Yakima Valley, Washington • Reg $26.99 | Mixed Case $21.59
Very floral on the nose: acacia, white flowers, orange blossoms. Zippy for a semillon, but well-balanced. Citrus on the palate at the beginning then ripe Bosc pair, a little apple, followed by a pretty dry finish. Great fish wine. Poultry would be good too.
Pictured: Chris Camarda, founder & winemaker, until his son, Will, took over.
Gota Azahar 2024 Vinho Verde • Vinho Verde, Portugal • Reg $20.99 | Mixed Case $16.79
Fancy Vinho Verde. Suspend your disbelief, because this wine is killer! Blend: Loureiro (35%) Pedernã (25%), Trajadura (25%) and Azal (15%) from granite soils. Aged on the lees for more complexity & body. Nose of fresh ocean, seashells with fresh lime & citrus. Palate is much more complex: tropical fruit (mango), citrus, lime. Good acidity (but not effervescence). Finish returns to the sea.
Tenuta La Viola 2022 Sangiovese Superiore Oddone • Emilia-Romagna, Italy • Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19
100% Sangiovese. Soft nose of spicy, earthy cherries. Note of violets. Smooth. Lighter in body. Soft acidity. Very soft tannins on the fresh finish. Good sushi red. Good antipasti wine. Good spicy halibut curry wine. Good with mild white fish (if you want a red).
Compton Family 2022 Pinot Noir • Willamette Valley, Oregon • Reg $27.99 | Mixed Case $22.39
100% Pinot Noir. Aromas of roses, red berries, red cherries. Medium- to lighter in body. Raspberries, red cherries on the palate. Fantastic Pinot.
Tahbilk 2018 Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre • Victoria, Australia • $25.99 | Mixed Case $20.79
A blend of 42% Grenache, 36% Shiraz, 22% Mourvèdre. The varietals spend 12-18 months in a mix of neutral & new French & American oak. Nose of black raspberries, black cherries, licorice, with a scruffy herbal component reminiscent of Southern Rhône (which makes this wine!). Add in plummy notes on the palate. Acidity is fantastic. Absolutely delicious wine. This vintage is 2018, and it still can age! It just plays with you on the palate. Complex but fresh. Spicy notes on the finish. You're gonna be wowed. The winery suggests pairing this wine with a chargrilled Angus Eye Fillet Steak.