The Summer of Hunuc Mon, May 15, 23 It's celebration season - weddings, graduations, showers, NBA and Stanley Cup Finals, the Triple Crown and Father's Day on the horizon - so many occasions to share wines with family and friends. Sparkling wines are an obvious and often necessary part of a celebration and we have everything here from a Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne (98 points from Wine Spectator, and the #9 wine for 2022) to many other fine champagnes, cavas, proseccos, and American sparkling wines. We are always happy to help you find just the right ones. It's been unseasonably warm for May, which has turned everything green and been great for enjoying time outdoors. Wines that are made with consideration for the earth are increasingly popular, for good reason.This includes wines from wineries that practice sustainable and organic and even biodynamic viticulture. The store recently got in a trio of wines from Argentina that are standouts in this category.They're from Domaine Bousquet, a family-owned winery in Mendoza. The winery's offerings are all certified organic and vegan, with a focus on biodiversity from the vineyard to production. Exit 9 has carried the Bousquet Black Rock Malbec for years, as well as a selection of their Natural Origins Organic boxed wines. The new wines came in a few weeks ago. They're labeled under Hunuc, and there's a Malbec, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Chardonnay.We sampled the wines in the store a few weeks ago, and as suspected, they were instant winners. They are part of the selection available for tasting in the Wine Attic at the back of the store (open 12-7pm daily--except Wednesday and Sunday evenings), or just grab and go. As a "Sourced and Certified" choice, you save an additional 10% if you mix and match 6 or more of these and any other "Sourced and Certified" wines and spirits.The bottles themselves are elegant, with black labels and gold print. Hunuc is the Argentinian Huarpe culture's god of the sun and the mountains, and the winery chose the name to reflect its inspiration for the fruits from the earth, the mountains, and the sun. The Malbec is medium-bodied with silky tannins. It's plush and juicy, with big red berry aromas and flavor notes and a soft finish.The Cabernet Sauvignon is big and very well balanced. There's red fruit and spice on the nose, notes of prune and vanilla on the palate, and pronounced tannins on the finish.The Chardonnay is bright with a hint of creaminess, yielding with white peach and green apple on the nose and the palate with vanilla undertones that make for a balanced and clean wine.The wines pair beautifully with your favorite summertime foods - Chardonnay for fish, salads, and chicken; Malbec and Cab for grilled meats, antipasto, pizza and subs. With a selection of these wines on hand, you'll be prepared for any and all occasions, from big celebrations to dinner and a movie, inside or out. Oh, and don't forget some bubbly, just in case.Happy late spring! By Dominique De Vito
