The Wines of This Week's Tasting:
Save 20 to 50% on Selected Excellent Wines
February 25, 2026
Mix any twelve of these wines at their case prices
White
Two Overlooked White Burgundy Steals
Beautifully Balanced Bourgogne
2022 Francois Carillon Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay
Jancis Robinson “Cask sample. Light stony lemon aroma. Tight, beautifully dry, long and refined at this level. The aftertaste has a lovely creamy side to balance the dry texture and freshness."
Alan Meadows, Burghound Outstanding “Here too there is plenty of citrus influence to the aromas of mostly petrol and Granny Smith apple. The racy and attractively textured flavors possess fine mid-palate density while concluding in a markedly dry but not especially austere finale. This is quite good for its level and worth checking out for value.” Was $56, now $45, Case $39
Solid Classic Chablis
2022 Roland l’Avantareux Chablis VV
Tasted last week, it has fleshed out round with class and depth.
Aroma: Heady and racy fleshy and fruity, mineral; Mouth: Bright and rounded clean fine acid good character, with a bright fine edge; Very Good – Excellent
Not at all austere, it has come together and moderated since Neal Martin’s review
Neal Martin Vinous “aged 25% in barrel and 75% in stainless steel. It has a more austere but refreshingly energetic bouquet with green apple and fresh lime aromas. The palate is well-balanced, with a subtle reduction and good depth for its class. The 2022 has a taut line of acidity with hints of walnut and chai on the finish. It is a well-crafted Chablis Village that will age in bottle.” Was $50, now $39, Case $34
An Elegant Companion to Spicier Asian Dishes
2022 Weinbach Geurztraminer Altenbourg
Wine Advocate “Very clear, delicate and aromatic on the nose, with floral and tropical fruit aromas and spicy notes representing the clay and limestone soils of the terroir below the grand cru Furstentum, Weinbach's 2022 Altenbourg Gewurztraminer is a ripe, rich and concentrated, very intense yet also precise and zesty wine with great complexity and a stimulating, refreshing and spicy finish. This well-structured Gewürztraminer already drinks beautifully, especially with spicy dishes. “ Limited Was $72, Now $578, Case $49
Red
An elite Burgundian producer puts his talent to a top cru of Beaujolais
2020 Thibault Liger-Belair Moulin a Vent Vielles Vignes
76- to 101-year-old vines. Organic. Aged 15 months in barrel.
Vinous "It has quite a precocious bouquet with raspberry coulis, blueberry and violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet ripe red cherry fruit laced with orange peel, just a touch of spice on the finish. Fine."
Burghound “a whiff of animale present on the notably ripe and expressive red and black cherry aromas that are cut with spice and earth hints. The medium weight flavors are rich to the point of being plush yet with no lack of punch and power that carries over to the firm, indeed almost meaty, finale that displays good length. While the nose may not be for everyone, I like the balance as well as the development potential.” Three cases Was $44, Now $37, Case $32
South Africa makes goes to Oregon’s premier vineyards
2022 Hamilton Russell Oregon Zena Crown Pinot Noir
Hamilton Russell has been making this single-vineyard wine for several years now. It has more depth and dark fruit than their South African wines. This starts out closed, but blooms in the decanter savory and poised, it has years ahead of it Excellent
Vinous “wafts with a spicy mix of peppery florals, cedar shavings and dried black cherries. Both savory and sweet, it shows chalky mineral tones and nuances of tart citrus and sour cherries. The finish is medium in length and concentration with edgy tannins that resonate.” Was $95 Now $59, Case of 6 only 49.99
Burgundy Goes to California
2020 Long Meadow Ranch Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Was
Anderson Valley’s northern end close to the cooling Pacific makes for dark fruited deep rich wines, Pinots that have a gravitas and depth many other Californians do not. The winemaker is Stephane Vivier, native Burgundian, and former winemaker at DRC owner Aubert de Vilaine’s Hyde Vineyard,
“This has a beautiful energy, with sliced strawberries, lemon blossoms and stems. Medium-bodied with a crisp and delicious finish. Drinks beautifully.” JS
“This wine has complex, very stylish, floral, and mineral notes accented by intense red fruit. The entry is elegant, showing earth, spice, and again, red fruit to balance it all. There is adequate acidity, minerality, along with flesh and succulence of fruit on top. The detailed flavors, intricacy, and precision of the Long Meadow Ranch are here, showing throughout the palate and opening to a very long and complex finish.” – Stephane Vivier
Four cases only Was $56, Now $35, Case $29.95
Cabernet Franc from a top Loire estate
2021 Thierry Germain Roches Neuves Saumur Champigny Terres Chaudes
Germain is a disciple of Charly Foucault of Clos Rougeard. He makes organic , biodynamic wines of wines of purity and finesse with moderate rounded tannins.Recent Cellar tracker notes were enthusiastic.
“This was really singing. Very nice cab franc that could even have been mistaken for a Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Has sweet fruit but balanced with a nice acidity and some white pepper and eucalyptus. Perfect drinking window now, not sure it will (need to) get better than this.”
Berries and cream, berries and cream, that's the first thing I thought when I sniffed this wine, like a big bowl of yogurt and mixed berries. This is quite dark, a pretty deep ruby. Also notes of green stems and earth. On the palate, quite exciting! Fresh and juicy with light tannins, and a pretty long finish that's half fruity and half stemmy. I did not decant, but with all the sediment in here, that would've been wise. Only 12.5% ABV, very well balanced.” Three cases only Was $49, Now $29.95. case 25.95
Inglenook’s most accessible Cab at its drinking peak
2018 Niebaum Pennino Cabernet Sauvignon 1882
From selected plots of the Inglenook Estate in Rutherford, this is the estate’s most accessible wine. I tasted it on winery visit to Federal last fall:
Aroma: very dark, , savory , rather heady rich and full; Mouth: clean lifted nice mid-grade cab, dense rather full layered and clean, smooth somewhat lush, herbal nutty in the mid mouth lighter finish, good length; Very Good - Excellent
Wine Advocate (tasted five years ago) “100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon 1882 displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and lively, pure notes of crushed black and red plums, wild blueberries and cassis plus suggestions of dried mint, red roses, cedar and wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate is crunchy and refreshing, delivering just enough red and black fruit flavors and an invigorating finish.”
Was $64, now $49 case $42
Len Rothenberg
Some in stock now . All will be by the tasting.
Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve here: order@federalwine.com
Please pass this on to any friends who are wine enthusiasts!
- Len Rothenberg
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downtown on orders more than $75;
in Greater Boston on orders more than $199
