Limited hours September 18th

We will close at 12:00 noon on Monday September 18th!

We will be open from 10 am – 12:00 noon on Monday September 18th.  All employees will be participating and volunteering in The Oconee Cellar Charity Golf Classic to benefit The Spencer Bradley Foundation for mental health.  If you would like to donate to this great cause and foundation, please click here. 

Thanks for understanding!  We will be open normal hours the rest of the week!

Staff of The Oconee Cellar

 

 

Allocated Bourbon Drawing

ALLOCATED BOURBON DRAWING AT THE OCONEE CELLAR!
On Saturday, August 19th, at exactly 8:00 AM costumers will line up by the front doors and draw a number. #1 has 5 minutes to purchase one bottle from our allocated bourbon collection as well as the opportunity to purchase a second bottle from our Oconee Cellar store picks. There are over 50 bottles to choose from including an Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year, a Pappy Van Winkle 12 year, and a Pappy Van Winkle 15 year. Pricing will be announced the morning of, so please don’t ask ahead of time. Good Luck!

Closed Sunday for Easter

We will be closed Sunday April 9th for Easter.  We will be open Saturday April 8th until 8 pm so stock up for Easter and Masters Sunday today!

Allocated Bourbon Raffle

ALLOCATED BOURBON DRAWING!
At 8:00 AM Saturday August 20th at The Oconee Cellar everyone in line picks a #. #1 has 5 minutes to purchase one bottle of these allocated bourbons and so on until they are gone. If you want a bonus pick, you must purchase our newest store pick (George Dickel 18 year Single Barrel). Over 60 bottles to choose from including a Pappy Van Winkle 10 year, 12 year, and 15 year. Pricing will be announced that morning only so please don’t ask ahead of time. Good Luck!

 

20th Anniversary Sale!

Click on the image above to see what’s on Sale!

#46 in Top 100 on Sale Now!

Il Poggione Rosso di Montalcino 2015

#46 in Top 100 for 2017

91 Rating Wine Spectator

Bright, delicate and vibrant, with berry and floral flavors. Accents of earth, tobacco and spice add interest as they linger on the finish. Well-rounded and long. Drink now through 2023. 16,666 cases made.

 

Regular Price $ 26.99    

Reward Card Price $ 21.99  Save $5 per bottle!

New Location for Oconee Cellar Now Open!

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The Oconee Cellar has finally made the move to their new location, which will ensure that they continue their ranking as “The Best Wine & Spirits Store in Georgia’s Lake Country”. 15 years to the day, The Oconee Cellar moved to their new location on the other side of the Publix Supermarket next to Subway. As soon as you walk into the store, you will notice a much more user friendly, wide open floor plan, beautiful LED lighting, new tiled floors, highly visible glassed in wine cellar, walk-in beer cave, and much more!

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“We have been talking with Publix for over 2 years trying to make this move happen, and on November 1st it finally became a reality. I believe it is a real positive for The Oconee Cellar and my customers. We were able to fix all the things that troubled us in the old location and really use my 18 years of experience to create an improved consumer-friendly shopping experience. I am so happy and proud of the new store.”, says owner Matt Garofalo.
“It took a lot of great people to make this project a reality. From my realtor Ted Baker, my builder
Ed Blume, interior decorator Maryln Alea, the entire Oconee Cellar staff, my wife Daniela, my parents, my architect Steve Kippels, and so many more, I am eternally grateful for all their contributions.”, states Matt.
Stop by their new store and see why The Oconee Cellar seems to be well on their way to 20 more years of continued success in The Lake Oconee area.

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February Wine Club Selections 2016

February 2016
Michel Gassier Wines

With encyclopedic knowledge of the wines and terroirs of the Rhône
as well as his native Costieres de Nîmes, Michel Gassier is a restless and
innovative vigneron. Usually inquisitive personalities like Michel start as
outsiders, enfants terribles, iconoclasts. Such is not the case with Michel,
whose family has been growing grapes and making wine in the Costieres de
Nîmes for four generations. Together with his wife Tina, they are helping
to establish a new level of quality for Costieres de Nîmes without forsaking
the uniqueness of their terroir.

cercius

They have achieved this through nurturing their land, farming organically,
promoting biodiversity, and respecting their employees as much as their
vines. They are proponents of indigenous varieties and taking advantage of
the diversity of climats to make wines that are dense and pure but elegantly
balanced. Cercius is made in partnership with Eric Solomon and Philippe
Cambie from several sites throughout the Rhône valley. Nostre Païs is the
epitome of the terroir of the Costieres de Nîmes while Lou Coucardié
represents the aspirations of Michel and Tina through conversation with
the land and its history.

Cercius 2012 Cotes du Rhone   $ 13.99

91 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

 A joint venture between Gassier, Philippe Cambie, and importer Eric Solomon, the 2012 Cercius Vieilles Vignes is a year in, year out ridiculous value that also drinks well past its humble price point. Comprised of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah that was aged for 6 months in concrete, it has loads of raspberry, licorice, mineral and Provencal herbs as well as a soft, supple and silky textured feel on the palate. Coming from old Grenache vines (70-90 years in age) located on the Plateau de Domazan – which lies on the right bank of the Rhone river, just west of Avignon and bottled unfined and unfiltered, it is a quintessential Cotes du Rhone that will deliver the goods for 4-5 years, possibly longer. The leading estate in the potential rich Costieres de Nimes region, these knockout wines are made by the talented Michel Gassier, who is leading the way in this appellation and showing what’s possible when you focus on quality. Both the 2011s (which are as good, if not better than his 2010s) and 2012s are incredibly strong here. (JD)  (12/2013)

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Cercius Blanc 2012  $13.99 

“a blend of 70% Grenache Blanc and 30% Sauvignon that was aged all in concrete, with plenty of lees contact, the 2012 Cercius Blanc delivers a knockout bouquet of peach, tropical, and pit fruits to go with a core of edgy minerality. Containing a full 40% of declassified Nostre Pais, it delivers an absurd amount of quality for a wine that sells at this price. Full-bodied, rich and gorgeously textured, yet also brilliantly pure and precise, it should be purchased by the case load and consumed over the coming 3-5 years.” WA on the 2012

Connoisseur Club  

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Lagar de Costa Albarino 2013  $24.99

This 100% Albarino from Rias Baixas, Spain is grown in the Atlantic climate with mild temperatures throughout the year in granite soil with good drainage. On the palate you will experience pale lemon-green, medium-intense balsamic, herbal and citric (grapefruit and lemon) flavors and white fruit aromas. Fresh and penetrating on the palate, recurring citric fruit notes as well as white flowers. Unctuous and long.  This wine received an 89 Rating by Robert Parker and a Gold Medal at the Brussels International Contest.  Perfect with almost any seafood and especially mussels or oysters.

Aster Ribera del Duero 2010  $29.99

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100% Tinta del País from the Fuentecojo, Otero Joven and La Cueva estate-owned vineyards surrounding the winery in Anguix, Burgos. They are on silt loam soils located at an altitude close to 780 meters.  They picked the grapes manually, very early in the morning, taking advantage of the cold to preserve the integrity of the clusters until they arrive at the winery sorting table. After destemming, the grapes were crushed and then put in tanks, where alcoholic fermentation took place. 80% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels, with weekly bâttonages for two months. The wine was aged for 22 months in new French oak barrels (70%) and the rest in French oak barrels with two wines.

Flavors of intense dark cherry red; very clean and bright, with a lively ruby-red rim. The nose uncovers intense notes of wild berries and ripe fruit enveloping a rich balsamic core of sweet spices, cocoa, liquorice and mild herb scents. Impressively strong in the mouth, with nerve, a delicate acidity and good balance. Soft, tamed, round tannins give this wine the imprint of Ribera del Duero.

January Wine Club Selections 2016

January 2016

Oconee Wine Club
Tournon Winery by Michel Chapoutier

In 1997, true to his pioneering spirit, Michel Chapoutier set out to explore the terroirs of the oldest continent. He wanted to meet people, people like him with a passionate interest in bringing out the true character of vines. A matter of convictions, too, prompting discovery and observation. He found land awaiting its revelation. Michel Chapoutier’s aim is to invent properties, not to follow the example of others. Michel Chapoutier buys land and joins forces with major winemaking families, playing on their complementary know-how and experience The result is exceptional Shiraz wines, displaying great elegance and mineral purity. In 2002 he joined forces with Ron and Elva Laughton (Jasper Hill) in central Victoria, and at Heathcote, north of Melbourne, on a very unusual, early Cambrian soil. He has also worked with Rick Kinzbrunner on the Giaconda vineyard at Beechworth, in northeast Victoria, on a granite soil. After a brief experimental joint venture with his US importer (Terlato & Chapoutier), Maison M. Chapoutier bought two other Australian vineyards (Shays Flat and Landsborough) in the Victorian Pyrenees and set up the fully owned Domaine Tournon.

Tournon Mathilda Shiraz 2013  $14.99
The wine is entirely aged in cement or stainless steel tanks and it is bottled 12 months later. The wine is brilliant, dark ruby color. The nose is deep with black fruits and pepper aromas with a mouth feel of supple silky tannins.
Rated 89 by Wine Spectator, “Velvety and focused, aiming the plum and black pepper flavors into a lithe structure that settles gently into the long and vivid finish. Best from 2016 through 2019. 4,000 cases imported.”

Tournon Mathilda White Blend 2013 $14.99
The wine is entirely aged in stainless steel tank on lees for 5 months. The color is pale gold with a fresh crisp and fruity with stone fruit in abundance.
Rated 91 Wine Spectator “Stacks a rich parfait of spicy pear and grapefruit flavors over lively acidity, stretching the structure into a supple wrapping. Impressive for the purity and precision of the flavors. Viognier and Marsanne. Drink now through 2020. 1,900 cases imported.”

Connoisseur Club

Mollydooker Winery

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MollyDooker Two Left Feet 2014 Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot  $25.99

A generous array of bright fruit flavour with outstanding depth, gives this wine the approachable and engaging qualities it’s become adored for. Showcasing every character in our flavour spectrum, including raspberry, plum, deep mocha and licorice. All the elements interweave themselves harmoniously throughout each sip and work together in a way that achieves the subtle mouth feel of a truly delightful wine.

Ten Acre Russian River Chardonnay 2013  $31.99

ten acre
Ten Acre is dedicated to producing cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay from some of the most renowned vineyards in the Russian River Valley. As a winery, they work in small lots, with a focus on discovering the personality and distinctive flavors of these great sites. Flavorful, balanced, intense—they strive to let the vineyard personality burst through the wine. Small by design; each wine is hand crafted, barrel-by-barrel.

This expressive wine perfectly personifies the classic style of chardonnay that the cool-climate Russian River Valley is known for. Fruit from several of their single vineyard chardonnay sources was combined to create this well balanced take on the classic Burgundian varietal. The Russian River Valley is famous for the coastal morning fog that slowly burns off throughout the day, lengthening the hang time of chardonnay fruit during the ripening season.

The 2013 Russian River Chardonnay entices with a bouquet of bright tropical notes and vanilla bean. On the palate, lush texture is balanced by crisp acidity. Eleven months in French oak barrels, combined with full malolactic fermentation gives this versatile chardonnay a rich, memorable mouthfeel and finish.