July 2026 Wine Club
Happy July, everyone! We’ve got a special lineup this month featuring new and (very) old vintages from one of our favorite winemaking sites located in California’s Humboldt County. Those of you who have been in the club for awhile are probably already somewhat familiar with Miles Garrett and his wines, but if you’re not, here’s a quick introduction.
Miles Garrett makes wine in Humboldt County’s Willow Creek, about 45 minutes inland from Eureka. We made the trek down for his 2025 harvest and can confirm it is a rugged, naturally stunning and exceptionally intact landscape due to its remoteness and makes for the perfect site for natural winemaking. The relatively warm days are balanced by a cool night air and morning marine layer that makes its way over the coastal ranges to settle over vines, keeping ripening in check. This microclimate impresses a unique terroir to the wines here, which all retain tons of fresh acidity and zippiness, even after years of aging. Speaking of which, we’re throwing in a couple library wines this month from Hardesty Cellars, the previous winery at this site before Miles moved in.
Hardesty Cellars was born out of Chad Hardesty’s mission to create natural wines that are true to the terroir of the region and not manipulated in any way, similar to Miles’ approach. In fact, these vines are the same as those that Miles works today - their BDX blend is the very same fruit found in Miles’ ‘Far North,’ separated by 15 years. Chad learned natural winemaking from Tony Coturri, one of California’s natural winemaking greats, which explains why after 15 years these wines have aged incredibly, fermented with native yeast and without the use of any sulfites or additives. These wines are a treat to drink not only because they’ve retained so much freshness and purity after all these years but because they’re a glimpse into the early years of natural winemaking in California, an era when it wasn’t nearly as widespread and bottles are hard to come by as opposed to established international winemaking regions with a history of low intervention. All that to say, we’re incredibly delighted to share these wines with you this month and hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Fire up the grill and put a chill on these, then end the night with that Hardesty ‘BDX’ for a real showstopper and impress your friends with your obscure Humboldt County knowledge!
Miles Garrett ‘Far North’ White Blend 2025
The geeky details: Blend of Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. All direct pressed without skin contact, then separately aged on lees for 10 months in stainless barrels. Low production of only 3 barrels total. Blended at bottling. This wine was originally intended to be a sparkling wine but Miles liked it as a still wine, and we agree!
Serve: With a chill.
Food pairing: This bright, acid-driven white will pair well with salty, savory, fatty and spicy foods! Seafood paella, Thai-inspired dishes, fried chicken and prosciutto-wrapped melon!
Album pairing: The Offline - Révisé
Miles Garrett ‘Far North’ Red Blend 2024
The geeky details: Same varietals and site as Hardesty ‘BDX:’ Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Whole cluster, semi-carbonic fermentation.
Serve: With a light chill.
Food pairing: This is the ultimate chillable red because it’s got plenty of refreshing acid behind that fruity depth. Wash down grilled fare, burgers, ribs, anything smoky or charred with this red. Or, do what we did when we visited Miles and whip up some homemade pizza!
Album pairing: Jembaa Groove - We Ourselves
Hardesty Cellars ‘BDX’ 2010
The geeky details: Same varietals and site as Miles Garrett ‘Far North:’ Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Whole cluster, semi-carbonic fermentation. Fermented in open top bins for 2 weeks. Daily punch downs by hand. Only naturally occurring yeast (spontaneous fermentation). No sulfites are added. Aging: Neutral, used French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling unfiltered and unfined.
Serve: Cellar temp.
Food pairing: Despite retaining some fruity “crunch” this is a fuller bodied red through and through and has some bold tannins to back it up. Use this bottle as the final course pairing or an evening nightcap. Think hearty, savory dishes like steak, duck or pork roast.
Album pairing: Xavier Omär & Sango - Moments Spent Loving You
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WHAT THE FUNK?!
Miles Garrett Sangiovese Pét Nat 2025
The geeky details: 100% Sangiovese, bottled during primary fermentation to capture bubbles. Topped with Pinot Noir after disgorgement resulting in a lightly frizzante sparkling red Sangiovese!
Serve: With a chill.
Food pairing: This is basically Humboldt Lambrusco! Pair this with pizza (obviously), charcuterie, or Korean BBQ!
Album pairing: Kaytranada - 99.9%
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EASYYYY
Hardesty Cellars Sangiovese 2010
The geeky details: Native yeast spontaneous fermentation, 2 weeks skin contact and pressed in traditional basket press. Aged 22 months in neutral French oak and bottled without filtration or fining.
Serve: Cellar temp.
Food pairing: This Sangiovese is a little brighter than the BDX and has some fun tomato-driven vegetal notes on the nose. Pair this with a Margherita pizza, or herb-heavy pasta dishes!
Album pairing: Akofa Akoussah - Akofa Akoussah