December 2025 Wine Club
Cros des Calades ‘Auriana’
The vibe: Grenache! That is the grape of the month in this club pickup, and we’re excited to get to know it. To be honest, this one probably requires less introduction than other varietals we’ve poured at the shop. It does after all hold second place for most widely planted grape in the world back in 2000, with plantings in Spain and France accounting for the vast majority. Here, we start off soft, light and bright, with some refreshing holiday bubbles from Cros des Calades. This is a classic Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, and we pick up on the telltale notes of cherry with some brighter floral and citrus aromas. Being a pét nat, this wine has delicate bubbles and a hint of brioche on the finish, along with some incredible minerality.
The winemaker: Cros des Calades is the innovative project of Florence and Benoît Chazallon, renowned for their work at Château de la Selve. Their wines champion the essence of Ardeche and southern Rhône’s unique terroirs by sourcing grapes from five neighbouring organic vineyards, each adding distinctive character to their wines. The vineyard’s diverse terroirs—from the cooler, clay-limestone soils, near the Cévennes to the warm Mediterranean climate—create ideal conditions for expressive, easy-drinking wines across various styles. The name "Cros des Calades" reflects a deep sense of place, derived from the Ardèche dialect meaning "pathway in the gorge"—a tribute to the region’s striking, mountainous landscape where these vines flourish.
The geeky details: 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Cinsault - vines averaging 30 years old. Naturally sparkling pétillant naturel method made from direct pressing followed by complete fermentation with indigenous yeasts in open stainless steel tanks. Bottled with residual carbonation.
Serve: With a chill.
Food pairing: Anything salty, fatty, spicy or savory! That doesn’t narrow it down much but seriously this will pair well with a ton. Think harvest salads, grilled veggies, oysters (!!) even fruit-based desserts!
Album pairing: French Swimming Club - Wine Bar EP
Davide Xodo Tai Rosso 2020
The vibe: Earlier, we mentioned Spain and France as being home to most of the Grenache plantings in the world. Any guesses as to third place? It’s Italy! Also, fourth place is China, which is pretty cool - we’ll let you know if we can get some of that in. But back to Italy. So Italy being Italy, this one single grape has about a million names depending on where it’s growing. Cannonau is the most common, especially in Sardinia. Alicante if you’re in Tuscany. Vernaccia Nera if you’re being extra mysterious. And this right here is Tai Rosso. But it’s Grenache, at least physiologically. Tai Rosso is native to Veneto, where this wine is made. Specifically, in the hills above the village of Nanto. Winemaker Davide Xodo follows all the natural winemaking practices and farms his 3.5 hectares himself, and it is clear the attention with which this wine was made. Limestone terroir, cool growing conditions and healthy vines come together in the glass with this incredibly pure and fruity expression of Grenache. A touch lighter than your typical Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Spanish Garnacha but a million times more depth and tension. This is a really special Grenache. Ahem, Tai Rosso.
The winemaker: In northern Italy’s Veneto region, outside a sleepy town by the name of Nanto, the winemaker Davide Xodo is realizing a lifelong dream. Having worked for a decade and a half in this region as a technical cellar whizz (see: oenologist) and vinification consultant, Davide has finally secured some land and a cellar of his own not far from his childhood home. Three and a half hectares of vines are dedicated to the typical varieties of this area where Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and the Adriatic Sea all seem to converge – a combination of international grapes like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and local ones like Glera, Garganega, and Malvasia Istriana. Farming is practicing organic meanwhile cellarwork is low-intervention with spontaneous fermentation, utilizing only native yeasts, no fining or filtration, no chaptalization or funny business, and no SO2 unless a particular vintage absolutely demands a touch at bottling.
The geeky details: 100% Tai Rosso (Grenache). Spontaneous vinification and maceration for 14 days, without temperature control. Subsequent aging of 6 months in fiberglass. Bottled without filtration.
Serve: With a light chill.
Food pairing: Pork Milanese is almost too obvious a pairing here. The light, bright red fruit and tangy acid will cut through any heartier, fattier or fried dishes like buttah! Italian sausage, or pancetta too. Pork-based dishes and fried/fatty foods are the name of the game here. Sorry we don’t have any healthier recs, lol.
Album pairing: Stefano Torossi - Feelings
Domaine La Réméjeanne Côtes du Rhône ‘Les Chèvrefeuilles’ 2022
The vibe: Named after the honeysuckle tree, this wine is heftier versus Davide Xodo’s Tai Rosso, but remains beautifully poised and delicate, with nuanced notes peeking out from every corner of the palate. Those familiar with French reds will instantly recognize the region this wine hails from, the Côtes du Rhône. If you’ve heard of a GSM blend, that’s exactly what this wine is - Grenache being the first letter in this acronym. Usually synonymous with big tannic reds, this GSM is refreshingly, well fresh! It’s a lively if not intoxicating witches brew of raspberry, violets, thyme, white pepper, and a silky texture and spicy finish with some powdery just-licked-a-limestone tannins rounding everything out. This zero sulfur GSM is so well suited to the holidays and its a total crowd pleaser, a world away from your generic mass-volume Côtes du Rhônes.
The winemaker: Domaine La Réméjeanne is a family-owned property located in the small high-altitude village of Sabran, nestled in dramatic hills divided between forests of green oak and sun-soaked vineyards. Olivier Klein is the head of the domaine, overseeing an estate that is certified organic, with vines all at high altitudes between 200 and 320 meters. This is a much cooler climate than most of the Southern Rhône, giving the wines a freshness and liveliness not often encountered in the region. Olivier is an extremely conscientious winemaker, using very hands-off traditional methods to clearly express this gorgeous terroir. All the grapes are hand-harvested, undergoing long slow fermentations with indigenous yeasts before being aged in concrete or older wood.
The geeky details: A combination of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan, as well as some Marselan (from some old vines of a rarely seen crossing Olivier Klein likes for the acidity it brings to the blend). The grapes are sorted and mostly destemmed before natural fermentation in concrete tanks. The Carignan grapes, however, undergo carbonic maceration. There is little or no sulphur used during vinification, and the wine then spends a year in concrete before bottling.
Serve: Cellar temp.
Food pairing: Cassoulet! Any stew though would be an epic pairing for this wine. If you’re vegetarian, a hearty lentil stew with lots of mushrooms and potatoes. Nighty night.
Album pairing: Jungle by Night - Livingstone
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WHAT THE FUNK?!
Franz R. Weninger Rózsa ‘Petsovits’ 2023
The vibe: This is a wild card, but that’s why you’re here, right?? Think of this wine as a Hungarian GSM blend with both international and regional varietals, and a lighter body versus your typical Rhone red. Still with us? Good. This wine comes from one of our favorite winemakers from this region, with wines from both sides of the Austria-Hungary border. There’s a whole bunch of history there which we dive into a bit in the section below, but the long and short of this wine is that it is blended from grapes on both sides of the border, just as his family and others in this region had always blended wines before it was divided in two. This is a dark and brooding rosé or a light red, depending on your outlook. It is juicy and floral and fresh and alive and all the things we love in a fun and funky bottle.
The winemaker: The story of Franz Weninger's wines is above all, the story of Austria and Hungary's shared history (and border). Working between both countries, Franz's family history stretches back to when the Austro-Hungarian empire was a single nation. His grandmother Rózsa Petsovits (the namesake for this delicious rosé) was born in Horitschon, Hungary a year before the town became part of Austria instead. Meanwhile, the nearby town of Sopron remained under Hungarian rule, and just like that this historic winemaking region was divided between two nations. Today Franz makes wines on both sides of the border, offering a uniquely delicious take on the terroir here. These are wines that celebrate their shared winemaking history, bringing together varieties and vineyards that were once part of the same nation.
The geeky details: Syrah, Blaufränkisch & Merlot. Biodynamic, native yeast, fermented/aged in old oak. Bottled unfiltered.
Serve: With a light chill.
Food pairing: Schnitzel! Goulash! Spätzle!
Album pairing: KOFFIE - Kokon EP
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EASYYYYY
Miles Garrett Merlot 2018
The vibe: This is our fourth Miles Garret wine in the club, that must be a record! Obviously, we’re big fans. And after visiting his Humboldt County estate to help out with harvest a couple of months ago, it solidified things for us even more. His pristine, organic wilderness winery stands out among a sea of conventionally-farmed mass-produced wineries throughout California, though none of them reach quite as far north as this. Benefitting from a cooling morning marine layer and healthy soils, each of his wines demonstrate what is possible when you let the fruit take the reins and show its full potential in the cellar. This Merlot is a library release, benefitting from additional years in cellar storage for you to enjoy. Let this one breathe for a little bit and it will reward you! You’ve never had a Merlot like this, trust us.
The winemaker: Miles Garett makes natural wine in Humboldt County with a focus on minimal intervention and never adds sulfites or any other additives during any part of the process. Everything is done by hand by him and his family, friends and volunteers. The resulting wines are honest and expressive yet light and extremely drinkable, reminiscent of California wines of the 70s, when temperatures were lower and wines had higher acid and lower levels of tannins. Growing grapes in a relatively remote area also means he avoids overspray from neighbors, and being in a cooler microclimate means all his wines have bright acidity and crunchy fruity tones.
The geeky details: 100% Merlot from Willow Creek vineyards in Humboldt County in California. Certified organic vineyard, own rooted and dry farmed. Zero additions in the cellar.
Serve: Cellar temp.
Food pairing: So this is gonna sounds crazy, but pizza?? We made pizza in Miles’ Tuscan-style pizza oven when we visited his winery and that may bias this pairing a bit but a fresh wood fired pizza sizzling away next to this bottle would kind of be an impeccable vibe. Heftier dishes would also be right at home with this Merlot, of course!
Album pairing: St-Amour & cezanne - home. EP