Alli Lanphear Vineyard & Winery Siegerrebe 2024

The vibe: Hey clubbers, happy March! Are we feeling the early spring vibes? We’ve got a pretty stacked event lineup this month at the shop featuring six winemakers with a focus on women in wine and our March club lineup follows suit - all the wines this month are made by women! Our first bottle comes from a winemaker we debuted in the club last year, Rebecca Alli Lanphear. As a bonus if you’re lucky enough to make it on club pickup day you’ll get to know her firsthand! We had the pleasure of visiting her winery on Vashon Island a few months ago and let us tell you - what a gem. The Puget Sound AVA stretches across half the length of Washington and all the way to the west Cascades but only about twenty wineries actually grow grapes within the region. Rebecca focuses on varieties like this one, Siegerrebe, a German varietal well suited to growing in the coldest and wettest wine region in the state. Her wines are fresh, lively and incredibly poised with balanced acidity from the slow-ripening growing season. She only makes a handful of cases of each release, so we’re happy to have gotten our hands on enough for the club!

The winemaker: Rebecca and Damon Lanphear have been growing organic food together on Vashon Island since 2000. During this time they deepened their understanding of slow, natural fermentation processes producing wines, cider, and mead all from fruits and honey locally sourced including Chasselas grapes from an old vineyard planted on Vashon in the 1980s. To better educate themselves they traveled through France, mostly Alsace, and Burgundy, and spent time in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, studying how small scale winegrowers crafted their wines and drew inspiration from the ancient winegrowing region of the Republic of Georgia They applied their learnings and began planting in 2007, over time developing a natural winemaking style true to what makes Puget Sound wines unique. 

The geeky details: With a harvest date of September 14, 2024; the blush grape, Siegerrebe, is noted for its ultra-early ripening date. The grapes were de-stemmed, crushed and left to ferment on the skins for three weeks in the ambient fall temperatures.  After fermentation the must was pressed by hand using a traditional basket press and further aged under natural flor in neutral tanks.  The unfiltered low alcohol wine was bottled in December of 2025. 

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: This Siegerrebe has delicate floral notes but remains dry and light on its feet - pair it with equally delicate dishes like mango salad or spicy dishes with some heat, or try it as a pairing with dessert!

Album pairing: Santino Surfers - Santino Surfers

Margins Wine ‘Friendship Bracelet’ NV

The vibe: This month we’ve got not one but two (or three if you subscribe to the funky fourth bottle club) bottles from Margins Wine. Megan Bell has been a champion of natural wine in California for ten years and one of the first to openly acknowledge the headwinds facing independent, first-generation farmers and winemakers. She recently shared the sad news that Margins will be closing and this past harvest was her last. It’s an unfortunate reality and one that is affecting every indy winemaker at the moment. There are too many layers to unpack in a single club writeup but we encourage you to support small wineries by drinking their wine! This wine is especially easy to support since it goes down so so easy. Somewhere between a textural rosé and a very light red, this bottle drinks great with a chill and pairs shockingly well with seafood, from sushi to teriyaki salmon. From Megan: “This wine was named by our dear harvest intern Kathleen to commemorate the wonderful friendship we built during our time working harvest together. It was an immensely difficult season of both of our lives. And there was also much laughter, joy, learning, teamwork, acceptance of change, and beckoning of hope.”

The winemaker: Margins Wine is a small winemaking project of Megan Bell, a winemaker living and working in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Prior to settling on the central coast of California, Megan received her BS in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis and apprenticed in wineries and vineyards in Napa, the Livermore Valley, the Willamette Valley, Central Otago (NZ), and the Loire Valley (France).

The geeky details: 34% Sagrantino, 30% Chenin blanc, 17% Mourvèdre, 10% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Franc and Merlot were destemmed and cofermented. The Sagrantino, Chenin, blanc, and Mourvèdre were destemmed and vinified separately, then all the cuvées were blended shortly before bottling.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: We paired this with a chirashi bowl and it…kinda worked great?! Tons of fruit upfront end with a quick lifted finish, refreshing the palate. Anything you’d drink a bright plum wine with, this is the wine.

Album pairing: Juando - Wind Flow

Margins Wine ‘Guardian Vital’ NV

The vibe: Megan Bell’s Margin Wines get their name from the underrepresented regions, vineyards and varietals they’re made from. Though this blend is made up of more household name varietals than some of her others, Guardian Vital speaks to the people behind the scenes that make wines like this possible. People living on the margins of society, often at risk of abuse and unsafe working conditions. Now more than ever, this wine highlights the reality the agricultural industry faces in a changing economic landscape. By buying wine you’re not only supporting the winemaker, you’re supporting a whole network of folks from harvest interns to tractor drivers. From Megan: “The Guardian Vital label is a new open-source label project (a la Brutal) in collaboration with Líderes Campesinas to raise awareness of vineyard workers' safety and rights. In order to gain permission to use this label, a strict checklist of both organic farming and responsible vineyard labor practices must be satisfied. Líderes Campesinas is an advocacy organization built “on the long legacy of women using organizing, outreach, and grassroots mobilization to improve the lives of farmworker communities.” They “organize to create healthier working conditions, safer environments, and engaged women leaders.” By drawing consumer attention to the inequities and lack of protections for vineyard workers, we can ignite conversations and enact meaningful change, inspiring a new era of labor rights in the wine industry.”

The winemaker: Margins Wine is a small winemaking project of Megan Bell, a winemaker living and working in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Prior to settling on the central coast of California, Megan received her BS in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis and apprenticed in wineries and vineyards in Napa, the Livermore Valley, the Willamette Valley, Central Otago (NZ), and the Loire Valley (France).

The geeky details: 34% Grenache, 33% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot. The Cabernet Franc and Merlot were destemmed and cofermented. The Grenache was destemmed and vinified separately, then the two cuvées were blended shortly before bottling. The Cabernet Franc/Merlot was fermented on skins for five days and aged in neutral oak for eight months. The Grenache was fermented on skins for seven days and aged in neutral oak for 9.5 months.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Put on this Anticuada record by Pantera Blue, seriously we’ll wait for it to start. Ok light a candle or two. Now we’re fancy. This album is good right? Setting the mood? Ok now are you hungry? Shoot, we forgot to tell you to put this bottle in the fridge ahead of time. Maybe you did anyway, but regardless it doesn’t need a huge chill. Just a light one. What were we talking about again? Oh yeah what’s for dinner? Honestly, this bottle is the Swiss Army knife of chilled reds - pick a protein (ideally something with some char or grilled goodness) and go to town. Or skip dinner and pair it with creme brûlée because my god doesn’t this album feel like that vibe? Bops on bops. Enjoy.

Album pairing: Pantera Blue - Anticuada

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Margins Wine ‘Millefiori’ 2023

The vibe: This is another unconventional blending from Margins Wines that explores the deep end of the light red wine profile with tons of murky depth below the surface but somehow you float above it all like a flamingo floaty. From Megan: “I’ve been getting a lot of joy from creating unconventional blends over the last few years. It really is a privilege to get to play with tasting trials of different proportions of varietals that are not often blended together.”

The winemaker: Margins Wine is a small winemaking project of Megan Bell, a winemaker living and working in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Prior to settling on the central coast of California, Megan received her BS in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis and apprenticed in wineries and vineyards in Napa, the Livermore Valley, the Willamette Valley, Central Otago (NZ), and the Loire Valley (France).

The geeky details: 50% Mourvèdre (San Benito County), 50% Merlot (Santa Clara Valley). 100% destemmed. Fermented and aged separately and blended right before bottling.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: This is a medium bodied red with a nervy twang, which is just wine speak for a red that hits a little more lifted than its body suggests. This blend is Rhone meets Bordeaux, so the classic French dishes would be the traditional way to go, or you could throw a smash burger at it. You know which one we’re going with.

Album pairing: Savana Funk - Behind the Eyes

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EASYYYY

Kobal Wine Blaufrankisch ‘Roots’ 2024

The vibe: New vintage Blaufrankisch from Kobal! We were lucky enough to host Spela Kobal herself last week for a winemaker tasting before we all scooted down to Portland for the Wild Bunch festival (which, highly recommend - where else can you try 400 wines in one sitting). We’ve been big fans of Spela and Bojan’s wines for the past couple years, and this ‘Roots’ Blaufrankisch is so good we had to put the new vintage in the club! This varietal is typically found in Austria, though thought to possibly be from Slovenia originally. It should age gracefully over the next five years, but it’s drinking beautifully right now and is the perfect dry red for these last few cold and damp days before spring sets in. Na zdravje!

The winemaker: Bojan and Spela Kobal produce wine in the Haloze appellation in Štajerska Slovenia, considered one of the top wine-growing sites in Europe since Roman times. Here, old vines root deep into marl slopes and absorb minerality, a signature profile of these wines. Kobal itself is a tiny garage winery, a project of Bojan’s outside of his day job as winemaker at Pullus (another fantastic Slovenian winery). He has a passion for indigenous varietals that rarely make their way out of the country, much less to our shores. Lucky us that their wines made it here!

The geeky details: 100% Blaufränkisch, hand-picked and de-stemmed, then skin macerated for 3 weeks. Spontaneous fermentation. Matured in used barrique barrels for 6 months where it finished malolactic fermentation. Bottled un-fined and unfiltered.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Open this up and let it breathe a little, it’ll open up nicely and come into its structure a bit. Dishes with a smoky, spicy or balsamic disposition will do well here. The classic Slovenian pairing would be sausage or dumplings!

Album pairing: Huw Marc Bennett - Tresilian Bay

Judith Beck Weissburgunder 2024

The vibe: Weissburgunder! One might sound out this varietal under one’s breath and think hmm that word sounds kinda like White Burgundy, maybe it’s Chardonnay? Which would obviously be a 100% hypothetical example, and a conclusion one could be forgiven for assuming. Needless to say, Weissburgunder is not Chardonnay, it is…drumroll please…Pinot Blanc! Austrian Pinot Blanc to be specific. This wine (and its red-hued stable mate for you XS-tier subscribers) is from Austria’s Judith Beck, a third-generation farmer-winemaker and a new producer to our shelves! In fact, all 5 of this month’s club wines are new producers to the shop! Even more exciting, Judith Beck is a new producer to Washington State, part of the Portland-based Austrian portfolio, High Five Selections. We are incredibly pumped to be partnering with High Five to bring in a ton of fresh Austrian wines over the next few weeks as they arrive, since Austria is in our opinion one of the most criminally underrated regions for wine, and offers some of the best value around. As with the rest of the High Five portfolio, Judith’s wines represent the best of the natural wine scene in Austria. Approachable, pure, expressive, textural (all her white wines have degrees of skin contact), and above all, extremely unique, especially if you’re just beginning your Austrian wine journey. Prost! Zum Wohl!

The winemaker: From High Five Selections: Judith Beck is a third-generation farmer and winemaker in Gols, Burgenland, on the northeastern side of Lake Neusiedl. While simultaneously studying at university (a short-lived stint, she only lasted a few months), it became clear to Judith that farming and winemaking were exactly what she wanted to be doing and after years of working alongside her father, she took the helm of the Beck winery in 2004. Judith’s father, Matthias, was one of the founding members of the Pannobile association, a group of 7 neighboring wineries in Gols that, in 1994, formed in order to create a higher standard of wines for this part of Burgenland. Today, the group is 8 wineries strong, and they work closely together, consulting with each other, tasting together, and generally putting forth wines that really represent Gols and the surrounding vineyards. At the time that Judith joined her father, nearly all farming in Burgenland was conventional, but by the early 2000s, the Pannobile growers were very interested in ways that they could work more ecologically and sustainably. It’s important to understand the large role that Lake Neusiedl has on this part of Burgenland. At 22 miles long and about 6.5 miles wide, the lake offers humidity and keeps temperatures moderate throughout Burgenland’s surrounding vineyards. Sitting across the Austrian-Hungarian border and along the Pannonian Plain, the lake also fuels wind for most of the year. As a result, powdery mildew and botrytis pressure is fairly common in Judith’s vines, and she uses various tea sprays from plants such as yarrow, nettle, and horsetail to help mitigate mildew issues.

Historically Burgenland was a white wine region, but the red wine boom of the 80s completely changed the makeup of the vines and most people pulled out their white varieties in favor of zweigelt, and later blaufränkisch. In fact, for a long time, farmers tore their vines out every 20 years or so, replanting with new, fresh plants, so old vines are rare here, if they even exist. Judith is wonderfully creative and forward-thinking and has garnered a beloved following all over the world. She’s a beacon for energetic, playful wines in Burgenland, working fastidiously in the vines and cellar.

The geeky details: 100% Weissburgunder aka Pinot Blanc, hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed. Fermentation is spontaneous and takes place in old acacia casks before aging on the lees for 5-6 months.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Lobster rolls! Risotto! Any umami or spicy dishes with lots of complexity - this wine will cut right through all of this and round out the meal with a bit of body and a nice hit of acid.

Album pairing: Sault - Chapter 1

Richaud Marcel ‘Bulbille’ 2024

The vibe: We’re throwing some heavy hitters into the club this month, y’all. We’re sharing not one but two new arrivals from Domaine Richaud, widely considered to be one of the best producers in the appellation Cairanne in the Rhône Valley, and a formative member of the Association des Vins Naturels, a collective of winemakers formed decades ago to elevate the natural wine movement in France, inspiring a generation of winemakers to follow in their footsteps, continuing to this day. Whew, so he’s a big deal and knows how to make wine. So what’s it like? Uh, delicious. My notes *ahem* read: “bRIGHT TaNGY StrAWBERRY KiWI JUIce” and I stand by that. This is an insanely drinkable Rhône blend, featherlight in body but with a depth and elegance that comes only at the crossroads of healthy old vines at the hands of a capable winemaker with an aversion to sulfite additions. This bottle is trouble. Throw it in the fridge to take the edge off, then crack it open and try not to drink it all. Or do. You probably should.

The winemaker: Domaine Richaud is widely considered to be the finest producer in the appellation Cairanne and has elevated this village to one of the best terroirs in the Côtes-du-Rhône. Marcel Richaud, fifth generation grower, founded the estate in 1974 after making the decision from an early age to become an independent producer, estate bottling his wines rather than selling to the coop. Marcel was just 19 when he began farming his aunt’s vines and slowly created a following for his wines. Over time, he took back much of the land his father farmed before him. Of course this path was a risk in the 1970s, but Marcel is no stranger to risk being an avid hang glider even now into his 70s! In the 1990s, Richaud became a member of the Association des Vins Naturels and emerged as both one of the leaders of the natural wine movement and an influential advocate for the elevation of Cairanne to full appellation status. Today, Marcel along with his children Thomas and Claire continue to produce lifted, beautiful expressions of the southern Rhône. In the same forwarding thinking and adaptive spirit as their their father, Thomas and Claire acquired high elevation parcels near the Dentelles de Montmirail where they have planted grape varieties such as Counoise, Consult and Albarino which they believe bring added freshness to their wines as they face the continual challenges of climate change. 

The geeky details: 55% Counoise, 30% Cinsault, 15% Grenache, old vines up to 40+ years. Carbonic maceration in concrete.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Light and thirst-quenching, this is pretty much perfect pizza and/or smash burger wine. A real chill and grill scenario - throw a chill on it and throw something on the (proverbial) grill - it’s still freezing outside. A cheeky paella situation also comes to mind with this wine!

Album pairing: Free Whenever - Ascension

Richaud Marcel ‘La Source’ 2024

The vibe: Grenache lovers, this is your bottle. A good Grenache should have a ton of bright, juicy, bursting red fruit. Strawberry, raspberry, cherry, and some herby garrigue underneath it all. More pop tart than stewed fruit. Fruit picked off the tree, rather than out of a trail mix bag. A lot of wines made from Grenache, and Rhône reds in general, fall short when it comes to freshness and drinkability. Part of this is due to climate change - hotter growing seasons means more ripeness, means more sugar, means more alcohol, more tannins and more extraction. With ‘La Source’ freshness is retained, partly thanks supporting acts from Carignan, Syrah and Counoise which all come together to harmonize as backup singers to the Grenache. Or maybe they’re backup dancers. Regardless, no notes on this performance. Especially considering these vines only had a few years of practice. This is proof that young vines can make magic too. The kids are all right.

The winemaker: Domaine Richaud is widely considered to be the finest producer in the appellation Cairanne and has elevated this village to one of the best terroirs in the Côtes-du-Rhône. Marcel Richaud, fifth generation grower, founded the estate in 1974 after making the decision from an early age to become an independent producer, estate bottling his wines rather than selling to the coop. Marcel was just 19 when he began farming his aunt’s vines and slowly created a following for his wines. Over time, he took back much of the land his father farmed before him. Of course this path was a risk in the 1970s, but Marcel is no stranger to risk being an avid hang glider even now into his 70s! In the 1990s, Richaud became a member of the Association des Vins Naturels and emerged as both one of the leaders of the natural wine movement and an influential advocate for the elevation of Cairanne to full appellation status. Today, Marcel along with his children Thomas and Claire continue to produce lifted, beautiful expressions of the southern Rhône. In the same forwarding thinking and adaptive spirit as their their father, Thomas and Claire acquired high elevation parcels near the Dentelles de Montmirail where they have planted grape varieties such as Counoise, Consult and Albarino which they believe bring added freshness to their wines as they face the continual challenges of climate change. 

The geeky details: 75% Grenache, 15% Carignan, 5% Syrah, 5% Counoise. Two to seven year old vines, 10 day fermentation in concrete.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Rosemary and thyme smothered meats and veggies will play nicely with the medium body and herby undertones here. Subtle spices on the finish should complement rustic, earthy dishes with red meat or mushrooms.

Album pairing: Offthewally - Surfer

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Matic Wines Pinot Gris Skin Contact 2024

The vibe: Pinot Gris skin contact! It’s all the rage these days, but just like other orange wine styles it has a deep history in its place of origin, in northern Italy where it is known as ‘Ramato’ or copper wine. Borders being fuzzy and all, this Slovenian wine is made much in the same way that it has always been in both Italy and in Slovenia. This is a fruit-driven skin contact wine that can’t decide if it’s a rosé or something a little more textural, making it the perfect late-winter-almost-spring-just-around-the-corner taste of what’s to come, with melon and white cherry notes taking center stage.

The winemaker: Štajerska is a hilly, predominantly white wine area in north-eastern Slovenia, bordering Austria and Hungary. Befitting its location it has a rich and varied history, with styles and varieties both of itself and of its neighbours. It is here that Matija Žerjav - known as Matic to his friends - farms nine hectares of old, organic family vineyards and makes wine in a cellar dating back to 1852. “We work only with what nature gives us,” says Matic, “so no chemicals in our wines.” These are pure, vibrant, honest expressions of time and place from one of Slovenia’s most exciting young talents.

The geeky details:Dry farmed, biodynamic Pinot Gris, left on the skins for 48 hours before pressing.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Chicken and fish-based dishes for sure, but there’s enough structure here to back up bolder, spicier foods like chipotle steak tacos.

Album pairing: Sababa 5 & Yurika Hanashima - Kokoro

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EASYYYYYY

Judith Beck ‘Beck INK’ 2022

The vibe: This red is just easyyyyy. In keeping with her other wines, Judith Beck abstains from putting anything weird in this wine, letting the grapes speak for themselves. St Laurent is a varietal that you’ll easily pick up on once you know what to look for. For me, it displays green and red notes, in a tomato leaf kind of way. Somewhat savory, and very herbaceous. Zweigelt is also prominent here, lending its characteristic brambly, bright notes to round out the profile. This is exactly what the Burgenland is known for, and from one of its best producers no less!

The winemaker: From High Five Selections: Judith Beck is a third-generation farmer and winemaker in Gols, Burgenland, on the northeastern side of Lake Neusiedl. While simultaneously studying at university (a short-lived stint, she only lasted a few months), it became clear to Judith that farming and winemaking were exactly what she wanted to be doing and after years of working alongside her father, she took the helm of the Beck winery in 2004. Judith’s father, Matthias, was one of the founding members of the Pannobile association, a group of 7 neighboring wineries in Gols that, in 1994, formed in order to create a higher standard of wines for this part of Burgenland. Today, the group is 8 wineries strong, and they work closely together, consulting with each other, tasting together, and generally putting forth wines that really represent Gols and the surrounding vineyards. At the time that Judith joined her father, nearly all farming in Burgenland was conventional, but by the early 2000s, the Pannobile growers were very interested in ways that they could work more ecologically and sustainably. It’s important to understand the large role that Lake Neusiedl has on this part of Burgenland. At 22 miles long and about 6.5 miles wide, the lake offers humidity and keeps temperatures moderate throughout Burgenland’s surrounding vineyards. Sitting across the Austrian-Hungarian border and along the Pannonian Plain, the lake also fuels wind for most of the year. As a result, powdery mildew and botrytis pressure is fairly common in Judith’s vines, and she uses various tea sprays from plants such as yarrow, nettle, and horsetail to help mitigate mildew issues.

Historically Burgenland was a white wine region, but the red wine boom of the 80s completely changed the makeup of the vines and most people pulled out their white varieties in favor of zweigelt, and later blaufränkisch. In fact, for a long time, farmers tore their vines out every 20 years or so, replanting with new, fresh plants, so old vines are rare here, if they even exist. Judith is wonderfully creative and forward-thinking and has garnered a beloved following all over the world. She’s a beacon for energetic, playful wines in Burgenland, working fastidiously in the vines and cellar.

The geeky details: A blend of St. Laurent and Zweigelt hand-harvested and spontaneously fermented in stainless steel tanks, bottled unfined, unfiltered and with no additional sulfites.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: If we’re talking traditional pairings, your Wiener schnitzel and roasted pork dishes are pretty much made to go with this. Otherwise, basically anything charred, grilled or smoked!

Album pairing: Santino Surfers - Santino Surfers

Les Haute Terres Rouge 'Panorama' 2023

The vibe: Happy New Year Petite clubbers! What a wild ride this last year has been, eh? We’re so thankful you’re riding shotgun with us, we couldn’t ask for better company. Personally, the past few weeks have been a bit of a blur (no thanks to, ahem, copious glasses of sparkling wine) so we’re going back to basics with this month’s wine selection to focus on a single category of wines that probably most of you are in the mood for these dark and dreary days. Red wine! It’s popular for a reason, and hey, as much as we like to showcase full bodied whites and textural skin contacts, we think this month is worthy of an all-red showdown. First up, we’ve got this full bodied beauty from down under, Southwest France that is. Les Haute Terres is a winery in the Langeudoc on the boundary of the Limoux appellation, a region made famous for its fizzy crémant de Limoux. In fact, we drank so much of this winery’s crémant over the holidays we blew through the entire Washington allocation. Whoopsie. Thankfully there is more of this beauty in stock and boy is it good. We think Merlot gets a bad rap but in reality it’s just another grape! Actually, that does it a disservice. It’s a gorgeous grape. This is a classic Bordeaux blend with Merlot taking the top notes of violets, underpinned by crunchy, stemmy Cab Franc and a dash of acid from Cab Sauv. There’s a reason this combination just works. Serve it at cellar temp with your favorite hearty stew or whip up a fancy midwinter steak. Go ahead and get classy with it. She’s kind of a classy wine! 

The winemaker: Les Hautes Terres is located on the very western edge of the Languedoc in the tiny village of Roquetaillade. Here on the boundary of the Limoux appellation, Geneviève and Gilles Azam live and work at the very top of a 600m summit that is surrounded by an amphitheater of vineyards. The fossil filled clay-limestone and sandstone slopes offer countless expositions and unique microclimates, perfect for crafting honest wines that showcase this unique terroir. For nearly 20 years Geneviève and Gilles have been slowly building the Domaine, which is now over 30 hectares. All the Domaine’s vineyards are farmed organically, the grapes hand harvested, and all wines ferment spontaneously using only native yeasts. Vinification and élevage for both sparkling and still wines are in used demi-muids and foudres. Apart from minimal sulfur additions, there are no enological additions to the wines.

The geeky details: 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The different grape varieties are harvested and whole cluster fermented separately in a combination of large concrete and stainless-steel tanks. Whole cluster maceration lasts 5-10 days depending on the grape variety, after which the grapes are pressed and transferred back to large concrete and stainless-steel tanks to complete fermentation and further aging for at least 6 months.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Merlot’s mellow, easy tannins complement ratatouille or braised meats.

Album pairing: The Offline - La Couleur de La Mer

Lo-Fi Cabernet Franc Santa Barbera County 2024

The vibe: Carbonic Cab Franc! You know how the wine glass emoji on your iPhone is red wine? We think this wine is what’s in that glass. Ok so that’s a large claim and there’s a *chance* it’s actually Josh, but just know, when we send that emoji this is what we mean. Crack it open. Get it in your glass. Swirl and let that classic Cabernet Franc aroma hit your nostrils like a fresh bottle of your favorite perfume. Playing favorites with varietals can get messy quick and it’s obviously hard to choose but little Cabby F is up there for us. This wine utilizes carbonic maceration (whole cluster, sealed fermentation) á la Beaujolais to achieve a juicy, crunchy lil ripper of a red. Light-medium bodied but with a level of depth you don’t encounter very often with carbonic reds, especially not this side of the Loire. Serve it with a light chill and notice how it opens up over the course of the evening. This is emoji wine. In the absolute best way. By the way, bonus points for the label. We like our wines like we like our music, analog.

The winemaker: A winery that has taken on this aesthetic in both technique and name is Lo-Fi Wines out of Santa Barbara County, California. Lo-Fi’s ethos is to embrace the unpredictable and uncontrollable factors in vintage and vinification, much like an audiophile derives pleasure from the clicks, pops, and hiss of their favorite vinyl record. The duo behind Lo-Fi, Mike Roth and Craig Winchester, make wines without frills or fillers. Wines that are simple, hand-crafted, and an honest expression of what a grape can offer. Lo-Fi is marked by easy drinking, low alcohol, neutral barrel—if any—oak, native yeasts, little or no sulfur, or other interventions that hide the fruit or the vintage that spawned it. Nothing added and nothing is taken away. They are leading the way for a new generation of California winemakers that aren’t seeking points or collectors, but getting back to the roots of what makes wine exciting and enjoyable.

The geeky details: 100% Cabernet Franc. Whole cluster, 12-day carbonic maceration. Juice was periodically drained during fermentation, then tanks fully drained and pressed. Free run and press wine blended post-fermentation. Aged in large wood and concrete tanks.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: This juicy, cozy red deserves an equally cozy beef stew, spaghetti and meatballs or roasted red peppers and eggplant.

Album pairing: Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio

Luddite ‘Saboteur’ Red Blend 2021

The vibe: Here’s something we haven’t had in the club yet - a South African wine! Obviously, there’s a ton of political, societal and economic history in this part of the world and this wine is a bit of a symbol of growth and restoration. Luddite Wines was founded with the goal of creating natural wines that express the South African terroir and they have more than achieved that. Call us Luddites because just as the 19th century English textile workers fought against the Industrial Revolution, we believe this wine and others like it are the pinnacle of winemaking. No need to introduce new technologies or complicated stabilization processes or nasty additives. Winemaking shouldn’t require newfangled approaches to a process that has existed since literally forever. This is drinking great right now and we’re so excited to offer it in the club.

The winemaker: Niels and Penny met at Elsenburg Agricultural College and quickly decided to dive head first into the wine industry. Sadly, these were the darkest days of Apartheid and things were not so simple. With a horrible regime nearly defeated, but fighting to the bitter end, South Africa offered virtually no opportunity to prosper. So, the couple was forced to leave their homeland in 1990 in search of greener pastures. Niels was fortunate during this time to make wine in France, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and Greece, while Penny worked alongside him in the vineyards. They returned to South Africa in 1995 and worked 8 vintages at Beaumont, before moving up the hill to a 16 hectare patch of land. The clearing and planting process took 10 years and in the end, Luddite was one of the first to plant Shiraz in Both River, and their minimal intervention wines are shining examples of what is possible in this region. Their daughter Alice makes wine alongside them today and we had the great pleasure of meeting her a couple months back. Truly a mom and pop (and daughter) operation!

The geeky details: Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Noir and Mourvèdre were all fermented in small batches in open bins. Most of the Shiraz was fermented in stainless steel tanks with regular pump overs. All the components were pressed directly into barrel and aged separately. Some of the batches did malolactic fermentation in barrel which gives a fuller mouth feel and structure. This vintage was in barrel for 12 months with 20% new French Oak. A small portion of the Grenache Noir is from the 2022 vintage which lifts the freshness and red fruit spectrum of this wine.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Barbecue in the winter?? Call us crazy but this would go great with smoky, charred skewers and grilled meat. Not feeling like stepping outside to grill? Try spiced sausage and meat pies.

Album pairing: Kabza De Small - The Konka Mixtape

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Bodegas Krontiaras ‘Mikron’ Malbec 2024

The vibe: Another first in the club - wine from Argentina! Not sure how it took us this long but it’s been worth the wait. Mendoza is almost synonymous with Malbec, in fact odds are you’ll find more Malbecs from Argentina in your average shop than from Cahors, where the grape originated. Though originally used in blends, Malbec thrives in the high-altitude, sunny Andean climate and was unaffected by Phylloxera epidemics so there is plenty of it. This wine comes from a biodynamic, family owned winery with high elevation plantings at 1000 meters. Unlike most other Mendoza Malbecs that rely on oak to lend depth, this Malbec sees no oak and leans on its fruit and terroir for its depth. It’s so easy to drink, and it’s the perfect wine for midwinter dinner pairings.

The winemaker: Bodegas Krontiras was created in 2004 by Constantinos Krontiras and Silvina Macipe-Krontiras. Their love for Argentina and their passion for good wine gave birth to a family owned, organic and biodynamic project whose wines offer a distinguished natural expression of the Mendoza terroir.

Producer notes from Krontiras Wines:

"Right in the middle of the hills of Luján de Cuyo, in the province of Mendoza, out of sight from the world, there is a winery where, Constantino and Silvina Krontiras, nested their love for wine. The sacred geometry of the location gently embraces the fruit of its biodynamic vineyards from which our wines are born, as a pure expression of terroir. The winery is naturally integrated with our Lunlunta vineyard. The building architecture is inspired by biodynamic principles based on ancient “sacred geometry”. We apply the golden ratio φ (1.618) and π (3.14) to create an excellent environment for winemaking and aging. Natural insulating materials such as straw, have been used to save energy, making sure that the use of natural resources is truly rational."

The geeky details: 100% hand-harvested Malbec, fermented without oak. 10+ year old vines planted at 3000 feet.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Leaner cuts of red meat and grilled veggies are always a go-to pairing for Argentinian Malbec. Go for the full effect and whip up some asado and Chimichurri!

Album pairing: Tame Impala - Currents

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Pomalo Wine Co. Plavina

The vibe: Don’t tell anyone but this is secretly the wine we’re sipping on while writing the club notes this month. It’s just that good. Despite the beachy scene on the label, this is actually the perfect red for literally any occasion, 365 days a year. We love a light red moment to take a pause from reds with “Big T” tannin energy. Hailing from Croatia’s temperate Dalmatian coast, this is a single varietal Plavina, an indigenous Croatian grape often overlooked for its more robust peers like Plavac Mali. It’s an incredible example of a coastal light-bodied chillable red that can be served with a light chill (or just leave it outside for a bit)!

The winemaker: In Croatia, ”pomalo” is rooted in the coastal and island lifestyle and the general state of mind of the Dalmatians. It means to slow down and take it easy, something we should all be doing this year! To capture this lifestyle in liquid form, Pomalo teamed up with a few local growers to find hidden and underexposed varietals along the Dalmatian coast, to produce some of the best natural Hrvatska expressions. The goal was simple: to showcase indigenous Croatian grapes, produced naturally and through fresh and authentic expressions that can be universally enjoyed amongst locals and tourists, wine geeks and casual wine drinkers alike.

The geeky details:  100% Plavina. Maceration for 10 days then pressed midway through fermentation. After fermentation has finished, the wine is allowed to naturally settle for one week and then racked. Wine receives a light filtration at bottling and minimal sulphur addition at bottling.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: This would be the perfect refreshing pairing for heartier foods like a smash burger or Balkan beef kebab. If you want to stay on the lighter side, a grilled halloumi salad or roasted beetroot!

Album pairing: TABLE - 01 DISC - EP

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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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

Union Sacre 'Nouvelle' Dry Sylvaner 2024

The vibe: Sylvaner?? I hardly know her! Wait but seriously, who is she? We’re so glad you asked. Sylvaner is one of our favorite niche varietals hailing from Alsace, France but rarely grown outside this region. Rancho Sisquoc, the preeminent Santa Maria Valley vineyard for Sylvaner fruit, has been owned by the same family of cattle ranchers since 1850! You may have noticed this bottle’s slender shape and long neck, and in fact, all Union Sacre bottles share this physique, owing inspiration to the elongated bottles of Alsace. With an American and French winemaker duo at the helm, Union Sacre wines are an homage to the union of two backgrounds and two terroirs. The result is an unmistakably Alsatian-coded white wine with plenty of buzzing acidity, lime leaf citrus notes, flinty minerality and a kiss of asian pear sweetness on the finish.

The winemaker: The founders of Union Sacré wines, Philip Muzzy and Xavier Arnaudin, are two unassuming friends from opposite sides of the world that met making wine in the Central Coast.  Xavier has an oenology degree from France, and Philip is a self-taught designer from Michigan. After becoming fast friends working for wineries that shared facilities, Philip asked Xavier to help him make a Riesling for his wedding. The two set off on this adventure and it was a SMASH HIT! They had quite a bit of wine left over, so they sold it off. This little project went so well they decided to run with it and continue to make wine together.

The geeky details: 100% Sylvaner. Straight to press press then fermented in stainless steel tank on fine lees. Aged in neutral French oak barrels and 500 liter puncheons. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: This crispy, acid-driven white will complement complex dishes with savory, spicy, or umami notes and will wash down salty shellfish, grilled fish, and even the dreaded asparagus (notoriously difficult to pair wine with!).

Album pairing: Parcels - LOVED

Dalia ‘Splet’ 2022

The vibe: SPLET. Fun to say, even more fun to drink! Translating from Serbian, splet describes a tangle or snarl. While we haven’t spoken to winemaker Kristina Lukić about the meaning behind this name, it is a great word to describe this wine and indeed her overall influence in winemaking, coming from a global winemaking background, then returning to Serbia to make wines informed by her experiences, blending international and local varietals to create something entirely new. The blend in the bottle before you is a tangle of the familiar and the exotic. Gamay Noir makes up the majority of the pressed juice here, an homage to Kristina’s time making wine in Beaujolais (and psst, the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner pairing). Blended in is the Serbian varietal, Vranac (with a soft “c” like “nats”). With Vranac lending its strength and structure, this combo makes for an epic balance of thirst-quenching crunchy red fruit, with a bit of soft tannic texture and bolder riper flavors tilting the scale toward medium-full body. This wine is so crazy good and we bet it’ll pair up excellently with any potluck spread, friendsgiving, or uncle’s empty glass. It’s a crowd pleaser, just drink it!

The winemaker: The young winemaker Kristina Lukić at Vinarija Dalia, started learning how to make wine in Italy. After completing her studies in viticulture and oenology at the University of Udine, during which she completed her first two harvests in Sardinia and in Beaujolais, she started her journey around the world to enrich her cultural and professional knowledge. Kristina’s dream was to always go back to her homeland, and apply and share her experiences and knowledge with the local people, and in 2021 she opened Dalia in the village of Smedovac. On an influential level, Kristina’s presence and influence is having a wider impact on the local community. The emergence of Dalia has empowered female producers in the region to take the reins and follow in the footsteps of the region and now the presence of women in these villages is very strong, from business management to work in the vineyard.

The geeky details: 80% Gamay, 20% Vranac. Hand harvested in early October, fermented with indigenous yeasts in open vessels; macerated for 2 weeks. Aged for 10 months in used Serbian and French oak barrels of 225l. Unfined, unfiltered and minimal sulfur addition used at bottling.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: As suggested, this wine will cozy up to basically any Thanksgiving spread you throw at it. Gamay is the de facto grape of the month for good reason!

Album pairing: Kassa Overall - CREAM

Bura-Mrgudić 'Basina Plavac' 2022

The vibe: We’ve been on an Eastern European kick since last month’s Slovenian wine theme (ok, we’re always on that kick so sue us). We couldn’t stop with Serbia, so here, this is a coastal Croatian red that will blow your speedo off (or scarf, it’s freezing outside I just checked, hi it’s Nick). Plavac Mali is a traditional red grape grown in Dalmatia, Croatia’s coastal peninsula. Growing on steep slopes facing the Adriatic with southern exposure and hot, dry summers, these grapes are big, bold and ripe. Traditionally, plavac would have been harvested and bottled as such, but here, grape are picked a bit earlier from younger vines and therefore the wine is softer and more elegant, with a modern touch of freshness. On the palate, a rich and earthy profile with incredible complexity follows with fig and blueberry fruit with a touch of salty, kelpy brine. Truly a unique experience and if you close your eyes you can almost hear the Dalmatian pelicans.

The winemaker:  Located on the steep 45 degree Southern slopes of Pelješac Peninsula known for its big reds, Bura vineyards produce the most unique, delicious and prestigious wine to ever come out of the Dalmatian Coast. As much as there is talk about all the different wineries and winemakers in Croatia, no other winemaker stands out more than Niko Bura and his sacred Bura Dingač. Niko Bura’s vineyards are fully organic and are the truest expression of the microclimate and land of Croatia’s southern Dalmatian coast. The Bura family has one of the longest traditions of winemaking in Dingač and Croatia as a whole, spanning over sixteen generations -- since the year 1410!

The geeky details: 100% plavac mali. Dry farmed, organic vineyards. Manual harvest, slightly raisinated grapes, destemmed, naturally fermented in open vats with manual punchdowns, 6 days maceration. 10 months in 225-liter used French oak barrels, one year in bottles before release.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Looks up some traditional Croatian recipes to try out! Dishes with lots of herbs will bring out these notes in the Plavac Mali. Perhaps counterintuitively, fish would be an incredible pairing here, given the umami finish on this wine!

Album pairing: Bonobo - The North Borders

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Léo Dirringer ‘Virose’ 2024

The vibe: With the Alsace-inspired Union Sacre Sylvaner in the lineup this month, it’s only fitting that we pop in an orange wine from Alsace proper! This is an orange wine of Gewürztraminer, a tricky grape to pronounce but incredibly easy to drink. This is one of the most common of the noble Alsatian varietals (Union Sacre also makes one!) and for good reason. Packed to the gills with bursting lychee, hibiscus and donut peach notes, this is a total flavor bomb and one of our favorite expressions of this varietal. With just a few days’ skin contact, it remains light on its feet and beautifully poised, which is more than we can say for ourselves every time we open a bottle. This one goes down easy!

The winemaker: Dambach-la-Ville is an ancient fortified village on the eastern slopes of the Voges in north eastern France. The 4th generation to farm here, Léo brings a new vision and methodology to his family domaine. Working to maintain sustainability and affordability, he shows that additive-free, non conventional winemaking can be a viable option in this traditionally farmed and historically hallowed enclave. Léo studied in Montpellier, then went on to Switzerland to study Oenology. It was there that he began to drink the natural wines that would eventually turn his head and heart to dream of a new future for the family estate. It was in 2017 that Leo persuaded his parents to convert the domaine to organic viticulture, and he began to take over from them at the same time, creating his own range of natural wines alongside the more traditional wines of the estate. He has held firm to his vision of farming and vinification with chemical-free, traditional techniques, all cuvées are wild fermented, unfiltered and are sulphur free. In Léo’s own words he “tries to make fresh, digestible and fluid wines” and we'd have to say he succeeds in doing just that.

The geeky details: 100% Gewürztraminer from the granite soils of Dambach la Ville, Alsace. Maceration for 3 days in destemmed harvests, followed by maturation in concrete vat for 8 months without sulfur additions.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Sichuan food with spicy, numbing notes. Spicy trout with chili sauce. Moroccan chicken. Tandoori!

Album pairing: Earth Boys - Mythic Music

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Alfredo Maestro ‘Almate’

The vibe: Spanish red wine! It seems almost every Spanish red wine we’ve been trying has been well suited to this time of the year. These wines are warming and spicy, and with no shortage of coastline and rugged mountains, it’s not too hard to find examples that also retain freshness and tension. It’s this balance that drew us to Alfredo Maestro’s ‘Almate,’ the first wine that he ever made (named after himself: Al-Ma-Te) in Duero. This wine is sourced from several plots of Tinto Fino aka Tempranillo, located at elevations ranging from 700 to 1,000 meters (high elevation = fresh wine!). This is a super clean, classic Spanish red, especially impressive when you consider that Alfredo doesn’t add a drop of sulfites. We’ll salud to that!

The winemaker: Alfredo’s ascendance is unique to Alfredo.  His family came to the winemaking town Peñafiel, Ribera del Duero from the Basque Country.  Having grown up amongst the vines, Alfredo had a great interest in wine, and, through encouragement from friends, he started making his own wine in 1998.  That same year he planted his first vineyard on the Rio Duraton near his home.  From the beginning he farmed organically.  In the cellar, Alfredo was working literally “by-the-book”, teaching himself enology from a book and using every trick in it to make a “correct” Ribera del Duero wine: yeasts, acid, enzymes, tannins, color-enhancers, etc. were just some of the techniques utilized.  In search of serious “purple-ness”, this is how many of the modern Ribera del Duero’s of today are produced.  In the early 2000’s Alfredo had a revelation.  He questioned why as an organic farmer use chemicals to make the finished wine; he wanted to work as naturally in the winery as he did in the vineyard, in his words - "to better tell the story of the land." Alfredo began eliminating exogenous products, and in 2003 he began making wine without any additives whatsoever, including sulfur.

The geeky details: This cuvée is made from fruit sourced from various plots of Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), of varying vine ages located, in Valtiendas at 1,000 meters elevation, as well as Peñafiel, at 700 meters. The wine is fermented in steel vat with 15-20 days of maceration and 50-100% stem inclusion depending on vintage, and raised over winter with one racking: unfined, unfiltered, and no added SO2.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Manchego cheese! Spicy Spanish charcuterie meats! This is a somewhat powerful wine (in profile, not in punch), and will stand up to rich and savory dishes with smoke or char.

Album pairing: Jackson Mathod - Come on Now EP

Kobal Bajta ‘Belo’ 2022

The vibe: Alright y’all get excited because this month we’re going with a theme! This month we are featuring three wines from the country of Slovenia! Not only is Slovenia an ancient winemaking region predating Roman influence by centuries (yeah, like extremely ancient winemaking) but these wines are also absolutely perfect for this time of the year. This month we’re featuring two dry “white” wines and a red. White in air quotes because as is typical to this neck of the woods, white wines from Slovenia often have skin contact, lending a richer, more textural profile. These wines are sometimes referred to amber wines and can drink closer to a red than a white, requiring just a slight chill at most. This wine is a perfect intro into this style, leaning closer to a sunlight yellow color than a true orange. That light color extends to the palate, which delicately suggests notes of baking spice and apricots. This is not a shouty orange wine with aromatics and tangy zest, this is a gentle kiss of nutmeg and jasmine, the perfect wine to ease into cooler days ahead. 

The winemaker: Bojan Kobal produces wine in the Haloze appellation in Štajerska Slovenia, considered one of the top wine-growing sites in Europe since Roman times. Here, old vines root deep into marl slopes and absorb minerality, a signature profile of these wines. Kobal itself is a tiny garage winery, a project of Bojan’s outside of his day job as winemaker at Pullus (another fantastic Slovenian winery). He has a passion for indigenous varietals that rarely make their way out of the country, much less to our shores. Lucky us that his wines made it here!

The geeky details: Laški Riesling (Welschreisling), Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc. Hand-picked grapes went through extended maceration and natural barrel fermentation. All varieties were fermented separately with no added yeasts and seeing 48 days of skin maceration. Matured on lees in used barrique barrels for 2 years. The final blend was made in a stainless steel tank and bottled without fining or filtering. 

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: With its delicate aromatics and light texture this skin contact is well suited to herby roast chicken or spicy Thai curry and light enough to not overpower appetizers. 

Album pairing: Adekunle Gold - Tequila Ever After

Guerila Retro White 2021

The vibe: Now we move southwest across Slovenia from the lower Styria down into the Vipava Valley near the sea. This coastline is home to Italy and Croatia and produces incredibly unique wines with an undeniable sense of place and terroir. White wines from this region often have a Mediterranean herbaceousness that really comes through with skin contact. This wine in particular is in a region that straddles both alpine and Mediterranean climates, with vineyards planted atop steep mountain tops where the temperature is cooler, and is considered one of the most desirable regions in Slovenia for cultivating vineyards. Retro white is an ode to the traditional style of wine made in the Vipava Valley, a field blend of varietals planted alongside each other, harvested together and fermented together, known locally as ‘Vipavec.’ Two weeks of skin contact amps up the aromatics and complex notes of dried flowers and herbs, with an exotic honey-drenched fruity finish. 

The winemaker: Zmagoslav Petrič was born in 1956 to a peasant family, the same year his father Jožef received an award for reviving the grape varietal Pinela. Coincidence or fate? In 2005, after a career in another field, Guerrila was born and vineyards were planted with old local and native varietals. In total there are now 22 hectares of vineyards, with all of the work taking place in accordance with the natural cycles of the biodynamic calendar. 

The geeky details: Rebula, Zelen, Pinela, Malvazija (field blend – unfixed percentages). Manual harvest of vineyard selection biodynamically grown grapes sorted in the vineyard. All varieties are harvested and fermented at the same time, with a two-week maceration of the grape mash and spontaneous fermentation occurring with indigenous yeast. Mild pressing and one-year maturation of the wine in large traditional neutral oak barrels in which the process of malolactic fermentation takes place. The wine matures on its own lees without flow for one year. Bottling with minimal addition of sulphur without filtration.

Serve: With a light chill. 

Food pairing: Treat this “white” almost like a light red! Serve it around 50F and let it open up throughout the course of the evening. This is a complex, bolder skin contact wine and should pair with equally bold and rich dishes. Moroccan or Ethiopian cuisine for example. I’ve also been dreaming about a crab risotto I had recently and may or may not attempt to recreate it myself and pair with this wine! 

Album pairing: French Swimming Club - From Paris

Korenika & Moskon Refosk 2019

The vibe: Ahh Refosk (or Refosco if you’re in Italy). This is such a classically fall-coded red grape. This is a red of depth and body, with pepper and smoke and earth, lifted by bright acidity and popping with currant and raspberry and dried cherry notes. It is a very dark skinned grape, considered to be one of the oldest varieties originating between the karst and coastal Slovenia. With this wine, we’ve moved even further south into Istria, the southwestern tip of Slovenia directly bordering the Adriatic Sea to the west and Croatia to the south. This to us is the ultimate expression of red wine from this region, a classic example of true old world winemaking, and a compelling excuse to book a trip to visit ASAP! 

The winemaker: Korenika & Moškon is Slovenia’s largest Demeter certified winery at just 25 hectares! Family owned and operated, they have been recovering and naturalizing their winemaking ethos since the early 1980’s. Situated in Istria on a rolling hillside with an enviable view of the Adriatic, their vines – and olive trees! – stretch from the salt-soaked coastline to higher hinterland. Through minimal intervention practices in the vineyards and cellar, they show us what this picturesque region is capable of. 

The geeky details: Grown on sandstone with plenty of marine sediment, the grapes are left for four days of cold maceration to extract soft, inviting tannins, before sitting on lees for 20 months to mature.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Red meat red meat! Honestly any roasted dish is going to pair incredibly with this, depending on your vibe. Roasted eggplant, seared salmon, grilled ribs, the list goes on! 

Album pairing: Loure - Westside Movements

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Libertine Wine ‘You Are Still Alive’ Pét Nat 2022

The vibe: Sparkling Tempranillo rosé from the Willamette Valley?? Ok so this doesn’t totally fit in with the Slovenian theme for this month’s core bottles but hey, we couldn’t resist a cuvée named ‘You Are Still Alive’ and a label like that on this haunted month of October 2025. This is a fun and slightly funky, carefree interpretation of Spain’s iconic red grape. It kind of breaks your brain with its spice and lingering cherry raspberry finish reminding you that, yes this is still Tempranillo, just in chuggable form! A reference to the 2020 pandemic, the first year the wine was released, You Are Still Alive is what this wine serves to remind us and we are thankful for it! 

The winemaker: Winemaker Alex Nealy owned a very prestigious wine and cheese shop when one day while riding on a bus he realized that he always reeked of pungent cheese. He had a decision to make and we all benefit that he’s decided to focus on wine! Alex is part of the new wave of natural, non interventionist winemakers in the Willamette Valley whose passion is experimenting and expanding the possibility of new varietals in Oregon.

The geeky details: The wine is 100% Tempranillo - a long way from its home in Rioja! From grapes grown at the prestigious Dion Vineyard in the Chehalam Mountain AVA. The grapes are fermented with native vineyard yeasts and aged in neutral oak barrels with no additives except a smidge of sulfite as a preservative. Unfiltered and unfined.

Serve: With a chill. 

Food pairing: Throw out all your classic sparkling rosé pairings and treat this like a light spicy red. Personally, we’d go with chorizo, paella or smoky barbecue! 

Album pairing: Tar Blanche - Granada School of Motion

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EASYYYYYY

Miles Garrett Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

The vibe: We couldn’t resist popping another Miles Garrett wine in the club as a bonus this month after last month’s memorable trip to his gorgeous property in Humboldt County in northern California’s remote wilderness. We also couldn’t resist watching ‘Murder Mountain’ on Netflix after getting back and boy are we glad we waited until after the trip was over. That wilderness is as gorgeous as it is extremely cut off from humanity but hey, that’s what makes healthy grapes! Speaking of healthy, this 2018 library cab has aged incredibly well, tasting like a cab with many more years under its belt while retaining so much crunchy red fruit up front. We chalk that up to Miles’ restraint in the sulfite department and quality, fruitful vineyards. Crack this one open and savor it all night long, it’ll open up beautifully over a couple hours. 

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: A closely guarded secret! ;)

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: With its crunchy fresh fruit giving way to a classic rich cab profile, we’d pair this wine with hearty stews or lamb curry. If you’re pairing with apps, this wine would complement sharp cheddar, aged gouda and even blue cheese, with its mellow fruity notes. 

Album pairing: El Michels Affair - Yeti Season

Semillas Farm Winery ‘Colors Everywhere’ 2023

The vibe: With the first official day of fall just a week away (holy moly, already??) we’re taking a look at three wines that are difficult to put into existing, well-defined categories. These are real genre-defiers, wines that are transitional, fluid in their disposition and perfect for this time of year where sunny days seem to be fewer and far between and the rain is just starting to roll in. Hunker down with this first bottle from a new producer to us, Semillas Farm Winery. Self-described by winemaker Sterling Whitted as a dry tropical red, it’s actually a blend of both red and white varietals with skin maceration (so, red meets orange??). Again, we don’t need to put a definition on it because it’s absolutely delicious. The fruit hits like a textural rosé, with aromatics and subtle structure from the orange wine and a pleasant herbaceous, almost Amari-like finish that pairs perfectly with the early fall air.

The winemaker: Winemaker Sterling Whitted worked stints at Owen Roe, Cameron and Teutonic Wine Company while studying for an advanced enology degree at Oregon State University. Since then he has founded Holden Wine Company, followed by Semillas Farm Winery, and draws from his experiences traveling to Italy, Georgia and Ecuador and the people behind the wine and culture in each country.

The geeky details: From the winemaker: This was something that began as an experiment that I am extremely stoked on how it turned out. During the pandemic when I took a bit of time away from winemaking and went back to school, through OSU I hit the Galapagos and and the rest of Ecuador for a Food systems trip and came up with the idea of attempting to make a wine that goes well with Latin food, Tostones, etc. My mom is from Puerto Rico and that just kinda sounded like a fun project. So instead of making a chillable red through the means of just pressing early. This is a blend of Pommard (fermented as a red, Caroline Vineyard, Yamhill Carlton AVA) Riesling  (J.Wrigley Vineyard, McMinnville AVA, and Orange Sauvignon (Roxboro, Columbia Valley) with about 3 weeks on the skins. Essentially it is a dry tropical Red. It went over super well down here. 

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Herb-crusted chicken, seasonal produce like butter squash and sweet potatoes, light Italian-inspired pastas.

Album pairing: Bruno Pernadas - Those Who Throw Objects at the Crocodiles Will Be Asked to Retrieve Them

Stagiaire Wine 'Sultana of Swat' 2023

The vibe: Yes yes YES. Not sure how it’s taken us this long to discover Stagiaire Wine but we had to get a bottle of this insane Carignan in the club immediately to share with y’all before it runs out. In last month’s pickup we talked about the French term ‘buvabilité’ to describe the drinkable quality of Philippe Tessier’s ‘Grain Noir’ and it absolutely applies here too, which makes sense given winemaker Bren Mayeaux’s timing apprenticing (or, staging) in France. This being an old vine Carignan (120 year old vines), it gives Southern France or even Ardeche; the wines of Le Mazel immediately come to mind, and not just because of their preference for bottling under crown cap rather than cork. This wine screams ‘drink me right now!’ Wines like this are the perfect example of a layered, complex wine made in a style that is anything but complex to understand. You understand the assignment, don’t you? Throw a chill on this, crack it open with friends or drink the whole bottle. It’s here for a good time and not a long time and we’re absolutely here for that.

The winemaker: Stagiaire Wine is the brainchild of New Orleans native Brent Mayeaux. The project takes its name from Brent’s time spent as an apprentice - or stagiaire - at various wineries around the world at the beginning of his career. He began by working under more conventionally-minded winemakers in California, but it was during experiences in Australia and then France, where his head was turned towards natural wine by the likes of luminaries such as Philippe Bonard in the Jura and Gareth Belton of Gentle Folk in the Adelaide Hills. Mayeaux returned to California in 2018 armed with a more European sensibility around winemaking and the role of the vineyard. He now makes wine in a former industrial space on Treasure Island, a reclaimed piece of land in the middle of the San Francisco Bay.

The geeky details: Organically farmed 100-120 year old (!!) Carignan vines from Hopland, Mendocino County. Whole cluster maceration for 10 days followed by pressing, fermentation in tank and aging in neutral barrels for one year.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Carignan is a classic food wine and this one should be no different. The brambly, herby and subtly earthy profile should pair up nicely with roasted or grilled veggies like pumpkin, eggplant or mushrooms. Serve it with anything seasoned with five spice or fresh herbs.

Album pairing: Felipe Gordon - Natural Born Climber EP

Ezio Cerruti ‘Rifol’ Pét Nat 2021

The vibe: In this part of Italy’s Piemonte region, Nebbiolo takes a backseat to Moscato. While most producers here make wine in large quantities and in an industrialized, profit-focused fashion, Ezio Cerruti is known for his dedication to biodynamic farming, despite being surrounded by industrial vineyards. These 60 year old vines are planted on steep hillsides at 1,300 feet in clay and limestone soils. If ever there was a terroir Moscato, this is it. Because of his neighbors and their market saturation, Moscato often gets a bad rep for being a sweet wine lacking character or finesse. Here, we see what’s possible when a winemaker dedicates themselves to crafting expressive wines with little intervention, which includes leaving the wine un-disgorged, ‘col fondo’ style. You’ll find lees and sediment at the bottom of the bottle, which is what lends the cloudy appearance, complex aroma and bread-like richness that you find in the best col fondo proseccos.

The winemaker: Ezio Cerruti grew up among the Moscato vines of Castiglione Tinella, a place he has always called home. He began his winemaking journey in a cooperative, learning from the shared wisdom of the community. Inspired to push beyond expectations, he acquired a 1,000-year-old estate, determined to craft a more refined and expressive version of Castiglione Tinella Moscato. In a region dominated by industrially farmed vineyards and large-scale Asti Spumante production, Ezio is an outlier—an organic island surrounded by conventional farming.

The geeky details: 100% hand-harvested Moscato, spontaneous fermentation in concrete tanks and aged 7 months in concrete before re-fermentation in bottle. No disgorgement of lees, making for a vibrant col fondo!

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: The aromatics and crispness here will make an excellent pairing for Thai and Indian cuisine, curries, and spiced dishes. Or, treat it like an aperitif, served with soft cheeses. Or a dessert pairing! Fresh fruit and ice cream or lemon tarts.

Album pairing: El Michels Affair - Yeti Season

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Semillas Farm Winery ‘Skin Maceration’ Chardonnay 2023

The vibe: Winemaker Sterling Whitted describes the nose as smelling like “one of those oranges that people put cloves into” and we have to agree with him there. This is one of the most unique orange wine profiles we’ve experienced in recent memory, and we drink a lot of orange wine! Prominent notes of stone fruit pith and skins, apricot nectar, subtle tropical notes and even some sage. Underscored what is a discernible but ambiguous savory component. It’s like an autumnal charcuterie board slipped off the sailboat deck into the setting sun over Hawaii. Or at least that’s where I’d like to be while drinking it.

The winemaker: Winemaker Sterling Whitted worked stints at Owen Roe, Cameron and Teutonic Wine Company while studying for an advanced enology degree at Oregon State University. Since then he has founded Holden Wine Company, followed by Semillas Farm Winery, and draws from his experiences traveling to Italy, Georgia and Ecuador and the people behind the wine and culture in each country.

The geeky details: Just 48 cases made. 100% Chardonnay with 21 days on skins and stems, only foot treading.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: This is a complex wine with lots of different notes! Try pairing it with light dishes like a fresh fall harvest salad or light meat or tofu based dishes with subtle umami flavors. It could even be a great nightcap wine to go alongside your pumpkin pie and vanilla bean ice cream.

Album pairing: Various Artists - Beach Disco Sessions Vol. 2

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EASYYYYY

Casa Aurora ‘La Nave’ 2023

The vibe: Finally, an excuse to share this wine in the club! Since we are (very nearly) officially in red wine weather territory, it’s time to start easing back into the familiar soft tannins of a fuller-bodied red. This wine is right where we’ve been lately (mentally, spiritually, all the above) and offers up a superb constellation of dark red and blue fruit, earthy soil tones, some cigar smoke and light spices on the finish, all coming in at a quaffable 13% alcohol. Though technically not classified as an official Bierzo Tinto due to the remote location of these old bush vines, wines from this region are a great example of why we recommend Spanish reds this time of year - they’re fresh, lively, and they’re the perfect transitional wine to ease into bigger reds in the winter months.

The winemaker: Casa Aurora is German Blanco's homage to his great-grandmother, one of the first female miners in Spain, who raised him in Albares de la Ribera, a small village in Leon. Here, in a tiny hamlet just outside the Bierzo DO, German makes pure wines from micro-vineyards that dot the landscape, and are usually planted with very old vines of a variety of different grapes. The higher altitude and the iron-rich clay soils of the area give these mountain wines a great balance between a soft mouthfeel and firm tannins.  There is also a fair amount of granitic rocks in the terroir, which are probably responsible for the floral, distinctive aromas you find in his wines.

The geeky details: 90% Mencia, 10% Garnacha, Tintoera & Palomino. 46 year old bush vines. Aged for 9 months in oak foudres, neutral barrels, stainless steel and flex eggs.

Serve: Cellar temp.

Food pairing: Paella, obviously. If you don’t have a paella pan (honestly fair) we’d go for chorizo pasta, charred steak or a hearty Spanish-inspired stew.

Album pairing: Kraak & Smaak - Scirocco EP

Francesca Castaldi 'Lucia' Vino Bianco 2023

The vibe: Erbaluce! No, we didn’t sneeze into the keyboard. This is a rarely encountered Piedmontese varietal (pronounced air-bah-loo-chay). Fun to say, even more fun to drink. Piedmont is legendary for their red wines; Barolo and Barbaresco are household names, and command premiums (though whether that’s earned or not is very case by case). There are plenty of obscure varietals here though, especially white varietals, that remain relative underdogs. Originally dating back to the 17th century for use in sweet wines, Erbaluce, also known as Greco Novarese, is yet to be fully genetically traced back to its grape ancestors, though it’s similar to Arneis. Legend has it there was a goddess called Erbaluce, the love child of the Sun and the Dawn. The goddess wept tears, which caused the soil to produce Piedmont’s first Erbaluce vines. No one knows if the legend is true or not but one thing is for sure, Erbaluce is delicious! Naturally high in acid, especially in cooler years, this wine is the perfect food wine to pair with savory or spicy dishes and it’s so friggin’ refreshing, which we can appreciate this time of year!

The winemaker: Azienda Francesca Castaldi is a small estate based in the Alto Piedmonte’s Fara DOC. This is the first slope heading north from Novara that starts the Alto Piedmonte region. The Castaldi family has been farming this region since the 1700’s, but it was Francesca’s father Pierino who really threw his passion and innovations into the vineyards and wines. He was a smart and tenacious man. After World War II he managed to build his first tractor- naming it “Nobody’s son” because he built it by putting together recovery parts he took from other machines. In 1997, his daughter Francesca took over the family vineyards and started a project of renewal. In the vineyards, she changed the vineyard plots from the traditional pergola pruning system to Guyot, which was in line with some more modern growing techniques happening in other regions of Italy and beyond. She then eliminated all use of chemicals and fertilizers and is now practicing organic viticulture.

The geeky details: 100% Erbaluce (aka Greco Novarese). Harvest started during the first days of September, the grapes were hand-picked and collected in baskets. Fermentations are conducted in stainless steel tanks and the aging process happens in neutral wood barrels.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Seafood risotto! Clam spaghetti! Bucatini all’amatriciana!

Album pairing: Sven Wunder - Late Again

Domaine Philippe Tessier 'Grain Noir' VdF Rouge 2024

The vibe: You could be forgiven if Cour-Cheverny isn’t the first appellation that comes to your mind at Loire Valley trivia night. A relatively small outpost, it’s been home to some of the most formative natural winemakers to grace the French scene (see: Clos du Tue-Boeuf). Among these ranks, one would certainly place Domaine Philippe Tessier highly, as their wines have guided the region’s now-trademark “buvabilité.” This is a (very) French term for, basically glou glou, or drinkability. It goes beyond that though, because a wine can’t just be easy to drink. It has to be enjoyable too, a perfect harmony of depth, alcohol, tannins and acidity lending a sessionable quality. And boy, is this a sessionable red. It’s the perfect example of the fresh, downright nutritious, terroir-meets-crunchy-fruit Loire Valley light reds. Roger Tessier passed his winery to his son Philippe, who has since handed the reins to his son Simon Tessier. The 2024 vintage marks the 3rd release since his taking over and ‘Grain Noir’ is the first release inspired by his father’s ‘Coganis’ which had a cult like following. It was an extremely limited run due to a tiny harvest and we managed to claim the allocation just for you clubbers. Lucky you.

The winemaker: Domaine Philippe Tessier began in 1960 when Philippe’s father, Roger Tessier, began planting vines among his asparagus farm. In 1981, Philippe joined his father and eventually took over the domaine expanding it to 24 hectares spread over two appellations, Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny. After 15 years of traditional viticulture, Philippe began transitioning the vineyards to strict organic viticulture. By 1998 the domaine was farming using only organic methods and in 2002 became Ecocert certified. Today the domaine has been handed down once again, with Philippe’s son Simon Tessier now taking hold of the reins. After completing his studies in 2019 Simon returned home to work alongside his father, and by 2020 the domaine was essentially his. 

The geeky details: 60% Gamay, 20% Pineau D'Aunis, 20% Cot (Malbec).

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: On a scale from smash burger to duck confit, how much time do you have?

Album pairing: Surprise Chef - Education & Recreation

Miles Garrett ‘Amarillo’ Pét Nat 2023

The vibe: We shared Mr. Garrett’s Chardonnay in the club back in May when his wines first arrived to the Seattle market and TBH we’ve been obsessed with them ever since. Located in a remote region of Humboldt County, California, Miles does all his own farming and winemaking himself, with assistance from friends and family during harvest. His approach to winemaking is guided by nature, always using native yeast for fermentation, and abstaining from any filtration or sulfur additions in an effort to allow the terroir and fruit to do the talking. This pét nat is a collab between three white varietals, with a brief skins-on co-ferment lending texture and depth in the form of a bright, bubbly, light orange wine. Like every other MG bottle we’ve tasted, Amarillo strays from varietal typicity and status quo, defying all expectations in favor of letting the wine express its true nature. It’s like nothing else and we stand by our original statement. We’re obsessed.

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: 65% Riesling, 25% Gewürztraminer, 10% Sauvignon Blanc cofermented on skins for 4 days, bottled during fermentation to capture bubbles, ancestral method. No S02 additions or filtration or any other modifications.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Hoo boy. Salty, crunchy, cheesy, creamy, spicy, zesty, sweet, savory. Pick your combo. A Thai curry with lots of coconut milk. An aged cheddar grilled cheese sando. Tinned fish with bread and EVOO. A lemon meringue pie!!

Album pairing: Thee Sacred Souls - Got a Story to Tell

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Franc Kačičnik 'Skinzy’ 2022

The vibe: SKINZY. One of our favorite adjectives for a wine that has a kiss of texture and grip without going full bore into the tannic realm. This wine from a tiny vineyard in Slovenia gets its skinsy nature from a few weeks of skin contact (that’ll do it) and is representative of an ancestral style in Eastern Europe and the Balkans in general, being neither a white wine nor a proper amber-hued orange. This skinsy nature is exactly what makes it so irresistibly refreshing and aromatic, with fleeting whiffs of white flowers and nectarine skins followed by tongue-tickling acidity, peachy sweetness, savory umami and even a touch of herby brine. It’s as complex as its blend (every grape in the vineyard goes into the vat) but remains light on its feet and refreshing as hell.

The winemaker: Posestvo Bela gora (White hill estate) is a small family-owned vineyard and winery that is producing vibrant and authentic wines from Štajerska grape varieties. Radojko Pelengic and his wife Martina have a small 1-hectare vineyard planted on the hill in the region of Štajerska, northeastern Slovenia. The winery was planted in 1950 by Martina’s grandfather, Franc Kačičnik, whose name is on the wine bottles today. Franc was a local constable and prominent figure in the village whose portraits adorn the walls of the small cottage and estate and inspired the design you see on the labels. The oldest plants are more than 70 years old as the vineyard was never replanted, which is extremely rare in Slovenia.

The geeky details: Field Blend - unfixed %s of all indigenous varietals in Dramlje vineyards: the varieties are mixed, Chasselas both white and red, Traminer, Riesling, Javor, Welschriesling, Šipon, Kraljevina, Ranfol, Miška, etc. Manual harvest of totally clean, healthy grapes, de-stemmed, all co-fermented and macerated on the skins in small open vats for the entire fermentation (approx. 3 weeks) then pressed into inox and settled down for 4 months until bottling. Bottled with very little sulfur addition and without filtration.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: If you’re feeling adventurous you could try your hand at Balkan grill, pizzas or dumplings! More internationally, this would pair great with teriyaki or curry glazed salmon. Sweet/savory desserts would also pair perfectly.

Album pairing: Tuamie - Repeated Sequence of Events

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EASYYYY

Francesca Castaldi ‘Pianazzi’ Nebbiolo 2023

The vibe: We had to put another of Francesca’s beautiful wines from Alto-Piemonte in the club for you easy-drinkers! This Nebbiolo is a reminder that Italian reds don’t have to be big scary tannin monsters. In fact, Pianazzi is the gentlest wine Francesca makes, shying away from maximum extraction and mouth-drying astringency in favor of a quick 5 day maceration lending a chillable, bright and cheery demeanor. Tons of cranberry and raspberries up front, with subtle white pepper and some very delicate tannins lingering on the finish. It’s the perfect summer cooldown to pair with an alfresco salumi board.

The winemaker: Azienda Francesca Castaldi is a small estate based in the Alto Piedmonte’s Fara DOC. This is the first slope heading north from Novara that starts the Alto Piedmonte region. The Castaldi family has been farming this region since the 1700’s, but it was Francesca’s father Pierino who really threw his passion and innovations into the vineyards and wines. He was a smart and tenacious man. After World War II he managed to build his first tractor- naming it “Nobody’s son” because he built it by putting together recovery parts he took from other machines. In 1997, his daughter Francesca took over the family vineyards and started a project of renewal. In the vineyards, she changed the vineyard plots from the traditional pergola pruning system to Guyot, which was in line with some more modern growing techniques happening in other regions of Italy and beyond. She then eliminated all use of chemicals and fertilizers and is now practicing organic viticulture.

The geeky details: Grapes are handpicked in late September. Short maceration on the skins (5 days) with alcoholic fermentation followed by malolactic. All vinification happens in stainless steel. 

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Salumi! The acidity in this wine would also be a great fit for tomato or vinaigrette-forward dishes as well as anything spicy that might need a mouth cooldown.

Album pairing: Dorothy Ashby - Afro-Harping

Domaine La Piffaudière ‘Touraine Pif’ 2024

The vibe: Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc! We’ve never had a Savvy B in the wine club (*cue audience gasp*). Not that it isn’t worthy or that we’re a no-Sauv-zone. It just feels like it’s all we ever get asked for when really, really, what people are asking for is something like a Sauvignon Blanc, and that’s usually what we recommend. You’ll want something light, not too dense. Something crisp, but not too racy. Something refreshing, but not thin as water. Maybe some perfume and grass on the nose, but not grandma’s potpourri drop-kicked across a John Deere convention. Balance people, balance and finesse. Bonus points if it’s native yeast, unfiltered, and slightly, ever so delicately textured. By the end of that checklist, you’ve weeded out about 98% of Sauv Blancs. The rest, needless to say are incredible, and that includes this one! Hailing from the land of Savvy B, the Loire Valley. This bottle is from winemaker Olivier Bellanger, who focuses solely on making natural wines using the common grapes of the region. All that to say, this is one seriously dialed and ALIVE Savvy B. It’s the perfect time of the year to debut it in the club and we can’t stop crushing. Savvy B season 4ever.

The winemaker: Olivier Bellanger grew up in Month Sur Cher, a scant hour east of Tours in the center Loire. He obtained his agricultural diploma in 2000, and spent the next 8 years working for various domaines in the Loire, notably Philippe Tessier. In 2008 he got the opportunity to buy 6 hectares of vineyards in Thesée near his native village. He immediately converted them to organic farming and now farms about 10 ha.

The geeky details: 100% Sauvignon Blanc from AOC Touraine. Organic farming. 5-35 year old vines on clay, flint, sand and limestone. Aged 6 months in tank before bottling unfiltered.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: This wine’s got some subtle pyrazines (highly recommend going down a Google rabbit hole on that one if you’re not familiar). The long and short of it is that this component enhances delicate flavors in lighter dishes. Think veggie-based appetizers and plates with briny, tart, acid-based dressings and sauces. Some Szechuan smacked rice vinegar cucumber salad for example. Or maybe grill-roasted veggies tossed with a balsamic glaze and fresh herbs. Go crazy and splash some malt vinegar over your fish and chips. Shake it up! No, really, give this bottle a lil inverted spin, all the good stuff is down there.

Album pairing: Janko Nilovic feat. The Soul Surfers - Maze of Sounds

Lasalde Elkartea ‘Balea’ Txakoli Rosado 2024

The vibe: If you were in the club this time last year (thank you so very much), you’ll recall receiving this very bottle and hopefully you loved it! We loved it so much we’re dropping the fresh new vintage in this month’s selection, the first wine we’ve shared multiple vintages of in the club! This new release improves on an already near-perfect bottle from last year’s vintage, making it well worthy of a double-take. Bursting with even more red fruit this year, and a subtle blink-and-you’ll-miss-it salinity, this Rosado Txakoli (pronounced 'choco-lee') is exactly what we want to drink this time of year. Call it an aperitif or call it a porch pounder, this is a session-able rosado from Basque Country, land of our favorite dry sidras and Txakoli wine, lightly sparkling, effervescent wines often compared to Vinho Verde but with a very distinct Spanish twist. The proximity to the ocean often leaves grapes crusted with salt, and you pick up on that here underneath a mouth-watering tartness. It’s just so good. Salud!

The winemaker: One of the original 10 growers to build the Getariako Txakolina DOP in 1990, Lasalde Elkartea is mere miles from the Bay of Biscaye and is dedicated to producing honest, traditional wines using indigenous Basque varieties. Lurdes Zubizarreta and her son Iker Eizmendi run the estate as well as an ever-growing flock of sheep.

The geeky details: 40% Hondarrabi Beltza (red) and 60% Hondarrabi Zuri (white). Stainless steel fermentation, unaged. Bottled while still young to capture residual CO2 for a slight effervescence upon opening. 

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: SeafooOOOOoooDD. Pintxos/tapas of the sea, ceviche, oysters!!!!! Anything salty or savory or charcuterie-adjacent. Fruit-based deserts could also be a fun pairing!

Album pairing: Lexx - Rhythm of Love

Sylvain Bock ‘Agathe de Blouge’ 2023

The vibe: New producer alert! Sylvain Bock is a relative newcomer to the French winemaking scene, part of a new wave of natural winemakers, many based in Ardéche, focused on bringing winemaking back to its roots (so to speak) with a farmer-first approach and minimal intervention in the cellar. Though we’re debuting his wines in the club this month, he’s been on our radar for some time as he’s worked alongside the legend, Gerald Oustric at Le Mazel. Sylvain takes a similar approach, focusing on drinkability, freshness and purity of fruit, the wines serving as a liquid magnifying glass into each season’s yields and growing conditions, rather than an attempt at controlling nature. Blends can be and often are shifted around to bring balance, rather than taking more invasive measures as conventionally practiced. Here, we have a blend of volcanic basalt soil Syrah with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc providing a welcome herbaceous lift.

A note on BGE:

Syrah can sometimes fall victim to ~Big Grape Energy~, or BGE for short. BGE is becoming more and more prolific as the earth continues to swelter away summer after summer. Not so with this Syrah, as Sylvain refers to Ardéche as the North of the South of France, allowing for longer ripening seasons and cooler microclimates. It’s definitely Syrah, and it’s got the telltale black pepper and violet-floral-meets-smoked-meat profile, but the big scary BGE is hiding under the bed. It’s slumbering away, its snores barely audible in the background of your light red-hued dreamscape.

The winemaker: Sylvain Bock is based in the southern Ardéchoise town of Alba-la-Romaine where he has been running his domaine since 2010. After years of experience working with local legend Gerald Oustric of Le Mazel he set off on his own and has now amassed 7 hectares of organically certified vines planted nearby to his cellar. Over the years he has learned how to get the best from these plots, and now will most often opt to ferment the grapes on their stems ensuring a perfect balance of fruit, freshness and drinkability, often belying the ‘glou glou’ traits commonly associated with carbonic maceration. Other work in the cellar is minimal, with élevage taking place in a mixture of cuve and barrique, and wines bottled with no additions.

The geeky details: Two-thirds Syrah and one-third Sauvignon Blanc. After a five-day whole-bunch maceration, the wine underwent a brief élevage in stainless steel, preserving its lively character.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Wowowow so this wine is pretty complex in its notes but also light enough that you could throw a lot at it. Being spicy and meaty, the classic Syrah pairings usually have bold, strong flavors like spicy, gamey, herby, grilled dishes, which could totally work here. You don’t have to go big or go home though because, well this wine isn’t big! BBQ fare and lighter plates like seafoods and tart vinaigrette-based salads would be equally at home next to this bottle.

Album pairing: Adrian Quesada - Boleros Psicodélicos II

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Dorcha Carbonic Frankinja 2023

The vibe: Frankinja! Possibly an even cooler-sounding version of the grape varietal Blaufränkisch, also known as Frankovka in Czech or Franconia in Italy. Lots of fun names for the same funky grape, choose your favorite! It’s one of our favorite varietals for its light to medium bodied, earthy, blue-fruited demeanor and a bright and sometimes racy acidity. This one has the carbonic treatment, akin to a Beaujolais. Read more in the geeky details below but basically, the grapes do what the label depicts. Fermentation begins within each individual grape before bursting at a certain level of alcohol. Speaking of alcohol, this one is low at right around 11%. Throw it in the fridge for a bit and try not to glug it all in one sitting. Or do. You do you, boo.

The winemaker: Located in Ritoznoj in Štajerska, Dorcha is the brainchild of Izidor (Dorcha) Vehovar. He is the 3rd generation of his family to continue the path of viticulture and winemaking, and is intent on a new direction, a friendlier path. A farmer without a conventional view of wine production, a winemaker who is following the local tradition of producing pure, vibrant wines. Gaining from some fresh perspective from his relatively-new neighbor in the village (Nick Gee, Heaps Good Wine Co.), he is now adding to his family's tradition by making exciting wines made naturally with a modern twist. Farming is done with the greatest respect for the land, with entirely sustainable viticulture, and all under Slovenia’s strict integrative farming requirements, with no use of pesticides or herbicides in the vineyards.

The geeky details: Handpicked. Whole bunches filled directly into tank. Tank filled with carbon dioxide gas and sealed. Pressed off skins after 32 days, last 15% of fermentation finished in tank.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: BBQ wine! Anything smoked, seared or grilled would pair up real nice with this crushable chiller. Sliding scale though - you could ratchet up the fancy or dial it down. Treat this wine like a vibe enhancer. What’s the vibe? You decide!

Album pairing: L’Eclair - Cloud Drifter

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EASYYYY

Victor Sornin Beaujolais Rosé

The vibe: We’ve had Beaujolais of the red variety from Victor Sornin in the club before, and seeing as it’s rosé weather currently we thought we’d check out the domaine’s lighter expression this month. This cuvée is named after Victor, son and apprentice of Fred Sornin, who together run the estate as 9th and 10th generation farmers and winemakers. This release, as with all of the Victor Sornin releases, is Fred’s tribute to natural winemaking methods, and reflects the new generation of winemakers as his son is involved in making it - including drawing the label! We love a light rosé that drinks with more layered, juicy depth than its color suggests. Behind this light rosé is a bright, crunchy fruit bomb, dry profile and zippy acidity providing great tension and balance. This one goes down way too easy with a big chill!

The winemaker: Fred Sornin is the 9th generation winemaker at this estate based in the Regnie Cru. His vines are between 50 and 60 years old. Named after the winemaker’s son Victor, this bottle is a special project with the focus of building upon their existing organic winemaking to make wines that are as natural as possible using the best grapes. Victor participates with Frédéric in all aspects of winemaking. He is a true apprentice, learning at the side of his Papa so he too can one day make great wines on his own.

The geeky details: The Sornins have access to very old Gamay vines (40+ years), densely planted (10,000 vines/hectare) to sandy granitic soils. The fields are tended by sheep, and their droppings are the only fertilizer these vineyards will ever see. Everything is hand-harvested, as befits an Organic winery, and Nature is allowed to run its course with indigenous yeasts doing their work in stainless tanks. The wine then stays in tank until Spring, at which time it’s bottled unfined and with just a light filtering.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: We’ve been digging the premixed salads at Trader Joes a little too much lately - for when it’s too hot out to cook inside (or outside, for that matter). If you’re feeling extra fancy I suppose you could whip up a fruit salad or strawberry balsamic situation from scratch, and it would go brilliantly with this lil rosé number.

Album pairing: Lapa Dula - Agua EP

Josmeyer ‘Mise du Printemps’ Pinot Blanc 2023

The vibe: We love a Pinot Blanc and Josmeyer keeps blowing our minds with this one. Hailing from Colmar in the Alsace region of northern France, Domain Josmeyer benefits from being in a microclimate uniquely suited for winemaking in one of the lowest annual rainfall regions in the whole of France. Alsace is one of our favorite regions for crispy whites with lots of acid and mineral structure, and this wine is no different. Fun fact, Alsace has strict labeling rules and requirements like much of the rest of France but in the case of Pinot Blanc, what you’re usually drinking is blended with Pinot Auxerrois, and it’s actually legal under AOC Alsace appellation rules for a 100% Auxerrois to be labeled as Pinot Blanc. Make it make sense. All you have to know about this wine is it’s delicious and exactly what you want when the temperature outside would get you a speeding ticket on i5. It’s straight up hydrating, just drink it! 

The winemaker: Cushioned between the rolling vineyards of Wintzenheim in Alsace, Domaine Josmeyer has been making wines for five generations dating back to 1854. The 25-hectare estate is spread across 90 plots, spanning several Grand Cru sites. Today sisters Céline and Isabelle run the Domaine and have been practicing biodynamics since 2000. 

The geeky details: Pinot Auxerrois & Pinot Blanc, hand-picked; whole bunch pressing; fermentation with indigenous yeasts in century-old tuns; aging on lees until bottling in spring.

Serve: With a chill. 

Food pairing: Shellfishhh! Or hit it with a soft cheese. Lighter dishes with subtle flavors is the name of the game here. 

Album pairing: Tour-Maubourg - Floating on Silence

Folicello ‘Buffo’ Rosato Frizzante 2023

The vibe: Everybody loves a good Lambrusco. While sometimes hard to come by, we like to consider ourselves somewhat of a fine Lambrusco purveyor here at Petite. We’ve got our favorites, and in the ranks is Folicello, a producer in the heart of Lambrusco country, Emilia Romagna in northern Italy. What makes a good Lambrusco? Plenty of fruit, a just-off-dry demeanor, brambly depth and a viney untamed quality that is hard to put into words. Being a wild varietal, the best Lambruscos embrace this foxy character. And boy are they refreshing. This ‘rosato’ is actually a direct-pressing, meaning the juice comes out closer to white rather than a red. What you get in the bottle is ever so light and has this tangy and tart one-two punch with heaps of thirst-quenching acid. 

The winemaker: Folicello is a husband and wife team, Marco and Antonella, who started their winemaking journey in the early ‘80s with the intent of giving light to a healthy, joyous glass of wine for themselves and their friends. Today, their cellar is accompanied by a small lab where they make jams and other organic grape products, and a smaller cellar for vinegar production, a staple of Emilia Romagna. They embrace native varietals to the region, and practice regenerative and self-sufficient farming and energy usage. There is no sulfur usage at any stage of production, even at bottling. 

The geeky details: Blend of two Lambrusco varietals, Sorbara and Salamino, planted to clay and limestone. Direct press juice followed by bottle fermentation. No S02 additions at any point during farming or winemaking. 

Serve: With a chill. 

Food pairing: With its fantastic acidity and bright red fruit, pair this bubbly up with some salumi or prosciutto or a gnocchi pasta with grape tomatoes and heaps of Parmigiana. These are all produced in the Emilia Romagna region and as we know, what grows together (everyone say it) goes together! 

Album pairing: Mestizo Beat - Jaraguá

Little Crow Vineyards ‘Picker’s Red’ 2023

The vibe: Popping with red fruit and some cheeky tang underpinned by crunchy, leafy underbrush notes, this “Picker’s Red” could only be the product of farmer-first approach to winemaking. You see, Jess Miller is a vigneron, being that she is a winemaker who spends her days working with plants in a vineyard. In exchange for her labors, Jess is given a little bit of fruit sourced from a half-acre organically farmed parcel of Pinot Noir in Eola-Amity Hills. This Pinot Noir is high elevation and achieves full phenolic ripeness while retaining fresh acidity and crunch. This ultra high quality red juice is then blended in barrel with rosé from Pinot Noir organically grown in the coastal Chehalem Mountain range. Originally an accident, this ‘Picker’s Red’ blend of red and rosé Pinot Noir is immensely refreshing and chill able and it’s right here in front of you just in time for the incoming heatwave. Glug glug! 

The winemaker: Little Crow Vineyards is a one-woman operation started in 2016 square in the middle of the Willamette Valley. A farmer first, Jessica Miller does all the biodynamic farming herself, taking great care in cultivating the fruit that goes into her wines. She learned winemaking firsthand from friends in Europe, and it shows in this delightfully bright expression, feeling more like a Beaujolais than a Willamette Valley Pinot. 

The geeky details: A blend of Pinot Noir from two vineyards, Hollow Oak and Coast Range. This vintage spent a little more time in barrel giving it a little more body and “oomph’. 

Serve: With a light chill. 

Food pairing: Drink with a steak, chill and drink with a salad. Or drink it on its own, just drink it now! 

Album pairing: The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Out on the Coast

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Oyster River Winegrowers 'Morphos' Pét Nat 2024

The vibe: Cloudy pét nat party juice from Maine! The heck?! This is one funky bottle for are you adventurous guys and gals. A blend of two hybrid varietals, Cayuga and Seyval, this wine is very much a product of its place. These varietals were developed to ripen early and remain rot resistant, perfect for a cold, wet climate like Maine. And because of this cool climate, less acid converts to sugar on the vine, lending higher acid in bottle as well as a crushably-low ABV. This drinks like our favorite Alsatian white wines, with its acid, flinty minerality and touch of floral, peachy notes. 

The winemaker: Brian Smith makes pre-industrial wines and considers himself “nature’s assistant’ rather than winemaker. There is no refrigeration use during the winemaking process, and most fermentations are spontaneous, playing out over the course of several months. In addition to French-American hybrid varietals, they also have apple orchards which they harvest to make natural ciders.

The geeky details: A blend of Cayuga and Seyval grapes from Fingerlakes region in New York. Certified Organic farming, white clay and limestone soil with a lot of flint. 50-year old vines, hand harvested, no added S02. Bottled during the end of active fermentation, this wine continues to ferment in the bottle leaving it dry, cloudy, yeasty, and full of life, with a natural effervescence. 

Serve: With a chill. 

Food pairing: Refreshing and tart like an apple, the zingy acidity here will cut through fat and would be amazing with seafood, soft cheeses or practically anything fried. 

Album pairing: Reykjavik606 - Divorce From New York Presents This Ain’t Jazz No More

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EASYYYY

Human Cellars 'Sayar Mah' 2023

The vibe: In Myanmar, ’Sayar Mah’ is a term given to highly respected women who are kind leaders and innovators. Bryan, the winemaker at Human Cellars, met Mah Nwe Nwe Lwin during his 9 years in Myanmar, a small-scale rice farmer who inspired the name on this bottle. This is just one of many stories Bryan has from his years traveling countries like Thailand, Africa and Latin America, and speaking with him you understand the thoughtful approach he takes with each of his wines is learned from his experience working with farmers across the globe. This Pinot Noir Gamay Noir blend is svelte and easy, but not at all one dimensional. It prickles with tart red fruit and a distant but lingering spiciness. It goes great with a chill and it’s one of our favorite Willamette Valley light reds at the moment. 

The winemaker: Bryan and Emily created Human Cellars after more than 20 years of wandering the earth. Firstly working with underprivileged farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin American and later in wineries in France and Germany, they crossed paths with exceptional people who overcame adversity through uncompromising perseverance and passion. 

The geeky details: 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Gamay Noir. Aged in neutral oak barrels and crafted with bare minimum intervention, in respect of "Sayar Mahs" around the world.

Serve: With a light chill. 

Food pairing: Mannnn this would be so good with so many dishes. Charcoal chicken skewers with peanut sauce. Neapolitan pizza with blackened crust. Spiced chicken mole enchiladas?? Anything with a char or salty/savory/spicy element. Let us know what you whip up! 

Album pairing: Sunbörn - Sunbörn

Miles Garrett Chardonnay 2023

The vibe: Let’s go, y’all! Sunny Seattle days are finally upon us and that means it’s white wine weather again. We’ve got a real treat kicking off the club this month with a very fresh and zippy Chardonnay from Miles Garrett in Humboldt County, CA. Now some of y’all might consider yourselves members of the ABC party (Anything But Chardonnay) and look, we’re not trying to petition you but, well maybe we are a *little* bit. If you say all Chardonnay is oaky and buttery, we say try THIS. This Chard is refreshing and goes down like a Caprisun after a kickball tournament. The fruit comes from a plot in Willow Creek, cooled by ocean breezes at night with a long growing season, meaning more crisp acidity at harvest. And, because there are no sulfites added, the wine remains fresh and pure. Yes yes yes!

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% Chardonnay from Peach Tree Lane Vineyard in Willow Creek. Certified Organic, dry farmed with cover crop and fertilized by farm animals. Pressed whole cluster, fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged in 80% in stainless steel and 20 % in neutral french oak barrels for 11 months. No filtration and no other modifications or additions. No SO2 addition.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Chardonnay is a classic pairing for richer seafood dishes with buttery, creamy sauces. Since this has some bright acidity and citrus notes, it would also be amazing with spicy/umami components like sushi, seaweed salad or a fresh spicy tuna salad/poke bowl situation.

Album pairing: Southern Energy - Southern Energy Ensemble & Black Fire

Duo Terra Orange 2023

The vibe: Keeping things on the lighter side, this is a brand-spankin-new orange wine combining California and Portuguese fruit! A collaboration between Deux Punx in Napa, CA and Quinta do Montalto in Lisbon, Portugal, this wine combines fruit from both countries, merging native varieties and natural practices into something entirely new! Duo Terra (two lands) is a bold meeting of grapes and minds, fusing beachy California vibes with Portuguese tradition and terroir. It’s the perfect picnic popper with its aromas of dried pineapple and orange blossom and a grippy yet refreshing palate with bold peach skin notes and a touch of herbal tea.

The winemaker:

Deux Punx was founded by Dan Schaaf and Aaron Olson, two wine addicted ex-punks, in April of 2008. They utilize the facilities of Punk Dog Wineries, a shared space in the River East Neighborhood in Napa, which lends itself to the minimalist and experimental style of winemaking they capture in their wines. All of their wines are produced in the same manner – native fermentation, minimal so2, neutral oak, and ambient temperatures. Their philosophy is to let the raw materials from the vineyards express their true nature, embracing the differences between sites and vintages. Deux Punx believes wine is meant to be shared and enjoyed, not cellared and ignored. We can get down with that!

Quinta do Montalto not only dates back to the year 1880 (five generations) but is one of very few wineries that makes a beautiful local wine from the 1100s in the same traditional way it has always been made. Now, this wine lies within the DOC of Medieval de Ourém Encostas d'Aire. In general, their wines are labeled Vinho Regional Lisboa, because they are in farthest-north area of Lisboa (previously Estremadura), between the villages of Ourém and the famed Fátima (where the Blessed Virgin Mary was said to appear to three children in 1917). Montalto is perched in the middle of 50 hectares of certified organic land, and just 15 hectares are vineyards--the rest is dedicated to fruit, gardens, and forest. All of their native varieties are beautifully illustrative of the grapes and area, as they use native yeasts for the fermentation of their Medieval and red wines, very neutral oak, and light filtering methods. Montalto wines are pure, expressive, an incredible value, and a wonderful representation of what the region is known for.

The geeky details: Malvasia, Assyrtiko, Picpoul, Sémillon, Bourboulenc and Fiano from CA with Siria and Fernão Pires from Lisboa, PT.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Coastal fare. Umami flavors. Spicy or fruity sauces. A big bowl of cantaloupe sprinkled with Tajin. Mini shrimp rolls with a side of tangy plum sauce.

Album pairing: Chaos In The CBD - Midnight in Peckham EP

Two Shepherds Pinot Meunier Hopkins Ranch Russian River Valley 2022

The vibe: Pinot Meunier! We love this red grape so much. Typically found in sparkling wines like Champagne, it’s less commonly made into still red wines. But when done well, it’s sublime. Those same punchy black cherry, raspberry notes that it lends to sparkling wines come out in full force here. This is a juicy red! We’re excited to debut Two Shepherds in the club, a winemaker we’ve admired for some time for producing light bodied yet nuanced and layered wines - just our cup of tea. The grapes in this bottle in particular come from the oldest planting in the Russian River, a lucky encounter when the winemakers were buying their goats, Chabi and Chou.

The winemaker: Two Shepherds was founded by William Allen, a garagiste for years before moving into commercial production in 2010 and joined by his partner and wine industry veteran, Karen Daenen in 2015. Two Shepherds’ first harvest back in 2010 was native yeast and neutral barrel, and they’ve kept that ethos to date. Specializing in Rhone varieties, they soon adopted other fun varietals as they grew their sourcing, keeping each release limited to 25-400 case small lots. The Two Shepherds farm is home to 3 mini donkeys, 5 goats, 6 chickens, 2 dogs and 3 cats, and now 2 Kune-Kune herbivore lady pigs. When one of the wines matches their personality, they get a wine named after them.

The geeky details: 100% Pinot Meunier from 45 year old vines in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma. Native yeast, low sulfur, 10 months in neutral barrel.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Cookout vibes! Smokey charred ribs or roasted duck and grilled veggies. Anything herb-roasted. You could even throw some truffle-heavy dishes at this!

Album pairing: Underground Canopy - Séquences EP

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Revel Cider ‘Soif’ 2022

The vibe: This month’s funky fourth bottle is really unique. Not only is it a fruit salad cider combining farm-grown and foraged fruits, it’s all the way from Ontario, Canada! This bottle is what sparkling rosé tasting notes describe but can only aspire to actually taste like. It’s a liquid Venn diagram of Toronto’s bountiful produce scene, where cider maker Tariq Ahmed has immersed himself since 2014, and where his obsession started while living on an organic vegetable farm.

The winemaker: Tariq Ahmed started Revel Cider in 2014 during an internship at Manorun Organic Farm in Ontario after discovering an old wine press at the farm. Since then he has been taking the province’s produce and transforming it into bright wild-fermented bottles that capture Ontario’s growing season. He opened a brick and mortar tasting room

The geeky details: Two spontaneously fermented ciders aged on cherries and strawberries and almost one ton of red wine skins (Maréchal Foch) for an extra month of skin contact. Zero sugar, wild fermented.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Hmmmmmm! Desserts with a tart/tangy cherry/cranberry component would rock. Spring salad with a fruity dressing. This might sound weird but pork tacos might be incredible washed down with this.

Album pairing: Lagartijeando - 7 Caminos

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EASYYYY

Duo Terra Red 2023

The vibe: We couldn’t help but pop another bottle of Duo Terra in the mix this month. Taking the same approach is their orange wine, this blend of red and white fruit is the result of both California-grown and Portuguese-grown grapes, blended by Deux Punx in California. The result is a juicy, tart, cranberry-sauce-meets-plum-skins light red wine that is both familiar and infinitely nostalgic, like a bottle you’ve had before but can’t quite place. The Portuguese call this feeling Saudade, and that’s exactly what you’ll feel when it’s finished. Good thing there’s more where that came from!

The winemaker:

Deux Punx was founded by Dan Schaaf and Aaron Olson, two wine addicted ex-punks, in April of 2008. They utilize the facilities of Punk Dog Wineries, a shared space in the River East Neighborhood in Napa, which lends itself to the minimalist and experimental style of winemaking they capture in their wines. All of their wines are produced in the same manner – native fermentation, minimal so2, neutral oak, and ambient temperatures. Their philosophy is to let the raw materials from the vineyards express their true nature, embracing the differences between sites and vintages. Deux Punx believes wine is meant to be shared and enjoyed, not cellared and ignored. We can get down with that!

Quinta do Montalto not only dates back to the year 1880 (five generations) but is one of very few wineries that makes a beautiful local wine from the 1100s in the same traditional way it has always been made. Now, this wine lies within the DOC of Medieval de Ourém Encostas d'Aire. In general, their wines are labeled Vinho Regional Lisboa, because they are in farthest-north area of Lisboa (previously Estremadura), between the villages of Ourém and the famed Fátima (where the Blessed Virgin Mary was said to appear to three children in 1917). Montalto is perched in the middle of 50 hectares of certified organic land, and just 15 hectares are vineyards--the rest is dedicated to fruit, gardens, and forest. All of their native varieties are beautifully illustrative of the grapes and area, as they use native yeasts for the fermentation of their Medieval and red wines, very neutral oak, and light filtering methods. Montalto wines are pure, expressive, an incredible value, and a wonderful representation of what the region is known for.

The geeky details: Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from CA with Tinta Amarela, Castelão, Arinto from Lisbon, Portugal.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Again, cookout vibes! Throw a lil chill on this guy, crack the cap and glug it down with some BBQ. Fish over an open grill, Portuguese style. Or hit the Sunday farmer’s market and throw your produce haul on the Foreman.

Album pairing: Hidden Spheres - Waiting EP

Alli Lanphear Vineyard & Winery Siegerrebe 2019

The vibe: Hey clubbers, how we doing? We good? We hanging in there? It feels like winter’s been hanging on extra long but we’re finally getting some glimpses of spring and boy did we earn it! Channeling that spring energy, we’re starting off this month’s selection with a REAL fun skin contact Siegerrebe from Alli Lanphear Vineyard. This is a hyper-local wine (maybe the most local wine we’ve ever had at Petite??) made just across the water on Vashon Island. Vashon sits squarely in the Puget Sound AVA, which stretches to the north and south of Seattle and includes island wineries all the way over to wineries situated west of the Cascades. If you’ve never heard of this AVA, you’re not alone! We recently tried a handful of wines from producers in this emerging wine region and hope to share more with y’all soon. As climate change barrels along, this region is well suited to growing certain varietals that prefer cold, wet springs and long ripening periods, just like this Siegerrebe, which is rarely seen outside of Germany but turns out is perfect for these conditions. 

The winemaker: Rebecca and Damon Lanphear have been growing organic food together on Vashon Island since 2000. During this time they deepened their understanding of slow, natural fermentation processes producing wines, cider, and mead all from fruits and honey locally sourced including Chasselas grapes from an old vineyard planted on Vashon in the 1980s. To better educate themselves they traveled through France, mostly Alsace, and Burgundy, and spent time in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, studying how small scale winegrowers crafted their wines and drew inspiration from the ancient winegrowing region of the Republic of Georgia They applied their learnings and began planting in 2007, over time developing a natural winemaking style true to what makes Puget Sound wines unique. 

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Siegerrebe is a cross between Madeleine and Gewürztraminer grapes, making it a delicately floral and aromatic grape, perfect for either an aperitif wine before a meal, or a dessert course wine. Otherwise, spicy and umami flavors go hand in hand with wines like this. 

Album pairing: Polyrhythmics - Filter System

Troon ‘Druid’s’ Red 2023

The vibe: We discovered Troon at a tasting earlier this year and have been looking forward to sharing their wines with y’all for a hot minute! First of all, any winery that begins a tasting by unfurling a geological map of Oregon’s soil history is a going to have our full, undivided attention. The Troon winery (and farm) is in Applegate Valley, which for the uninitiated is in southern Oregon, close to the border with California. Little known fact, Oregon actually has the shortest geologic history of any state in the contiguous US. While it’s the shortest history, it’s one of the most eventful. That history is why there are so many mountain ranges and volcanoes dotting the landscape. The Applegate Valley lies at the base of the Klamath Mountains, the oldest known geological region of Oregon, dating back 400 million years. A good terroir wine is basically just rock juice, and Troon wines are definitely terroir wines! The Druid’s wines are a first generation release from new plantings on the Troon estate, focused on freshness and moderate alcohol, and reflect the diversity of the biodynamic plantings of Southern French varietals. These wines are indeed inspired by wines from the Rhône valley, blended to overlap textures and flavor profiles to reflect each year’s unique vintage. Rock juice! 

The winemaker: Troon Vineyard is Oregon’s only Demeter Biodynamic and Regenerative Organic Certified winery and farm, and it is one of four farms in the world to be Regenerative Organic Gold Certified. And it’s exactly as you pictured. Cider apples, veggie gardens, hay fields, honeybees, sheep, chickens and of course grapevines call the Troon farm home.

The geeky details:  30% syrah, 27% grenache, 20% cinsault, 19% mourvèdre, and 4% carignan. Several of the lots were fermented with a percentage of their stems intact (whole cluster), and for the first time in 2023, we were able to use some new concrete fermenters, such that 25% of this blend was fermented and aged in concrete.

As with all wines from Troon, no additives, acid or sugar adjustments, enzymes, or sulfur additions are used at crush. Primary fermentation occurs spontaneously with indigenous/native yeasts and bacteria in open-top bins or vats outside (and now in concrete tanks as well!). The wine is handled gently during fermentation with just one punch-down or foot-treading per day for roughly three to four weeks. The wine is then pressed off to age in neutral French oak barrels or concrete for approximately ten months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered, with a small dose of sulfur added at bottling. 

Serve: With a light chill. 

Food pairing: This red is a chill guy, and should be served as such. Chill it down and wash down some pizza, burgers, or BBQ with it. You could also pair it up with some less-spicy more-savory Asian dishes. 

Album pairing: The Alan Parsons Project - Ammonia Avenue

Osa Major Carignan Sierra Foothills 2022

The vibe: I just realized (hi, it’s Nick) all three bottles this month are from new producers to the shop! We’re excited to debut Osa Major in the club this month as it’s a one woman show and the wines she’s making are representative of the light, crunchy, juicy styles we love so much but rarely see coming out of California. Emily Fernwood makes all of her wines thoughtfully and intentionally, especially when it comes to the fruit. The bottle before you is 100% Carignan, a red grape of Spanish origin that is commonly found in southern French blends. The fruit is grown in the Sierra Foothills at Tyee Vineyards, a new site for this vintage due to early season frosts and drought at the previous site. It’s got all this crunchy red fruit up front, which eases you into its supple tannic depths and a lingering finish reminiscent of much bigger wines. It’s giving leather and pomegranate and plum skins and some subtle tobacco leaf, with a helping of tangy acidity. It’s complex yet oh so easy to drink. Yes please.

The winemaker: Osa Major Wines is a one woman enterprise - from trucking grapes to selling bottles and everything in between. Winemaker and owner Emily Fernwood spent the years after college traveling and working harvest gigs the world over, from California and Oregon to Australia and New Zealand, until founding Osa Major Wines in 2020. As a Bay Area native, the time was right to return home and explore the incredible variety of geology and history that can be found in the vineyards in some of California’s unique known and lesser known wine regions, while crafting wines that explore a lighter and brighter side of California winemaking.

The geeky details: From Osa Major: This pick was the textbook example of perfect grapes - not a blemish to be found, perfect chemistry, smooth fermentation, and wild deep fruit all the way through. Tyee Vineyard is a new addition to the portfolio this year, after early season frosts and drought dramatically reduced crop yeilds at our previous Carignan site. Though nearly opposite in every way (young, on sloping iron rich igneous soil) it shows strong varietal similarities with previous vintages, showing that Carignan, when vinified in a straghtforward way, has a strong identity wherever it is planted.

Serve: Cellar temp or with a light chill. 

Food pairing: We paired this with a steak teriyaki bowl and it was excellent. Charred and grilled is the name of the game here, this wine can handle heartier flavors. 

Album pairing: LEISURE - Sunsetter

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Buddy Buddy ‘Butterfly Kisses’ Chenin Blanc 2022

The vibe: Ok so not sure how we’ve NEVER had a wine from Cassidy Miller in the club, it’s time to change that! We hosted Cassidy at Petite a couple months ago and tasted through all her wines and hot diggity darn they are fun bottles. Her labels, done by her artist friend Laura Burke, and cuvée names come from the pet names of her ferments or the emotions around each vintage. With her background in design and photography, her experience in wine was rooted in sharing wine in tasting and community, and it reflects in the wines she makes. They are expressive and captivating but above all, they’re immensely drinkable. This porch pounder weighs in at a featherweight 11% ABV. Despite that, it’s one of the most memorable Chenins we’ve had, with a ton of lemongrass, bright pear, zesty citrus and a kiss of umami/savory notes. It’s young, wild and free and we love it. Fun fact, this Chenin Blanc was the first all grape wine that Cassidy made following her first vintage of solely apple, pear and grape co-ferments.

The winemaker: Cassidy Miller comes from a background in fashion design and photography, her first connective experiences with wines were at tasting rooms and wine bars throughout the Bay Area. In 2020 she was working for a winemaker in the North Bay and had a fast opportunity to make her own wine and at their recommendation she opted to start a label right off. As a young project built in the wild and uncertain times of the early ‘20s Bay Area wine scene, Cassidy ties her vision to one of conscious exploration. She sources fruit from organic and biodynamic sites, in relatively close proximity to her Berkley facility. Predominantly Clarksburg, Lodi, Solano, and Mendocino.

The geeky details: 100% Chenin Blanc from Wilson Vineyard - Woods Ranch in Clarksburg, CA. The Wilson family has been farming land in Clarksburg for four generations. Deep alluvial mix of clay and some sand, washed down the river and into the Delta. Planted in 1998 and farmed organically. Warm days followed by cool nights, sitting right alongside the Delta waterway. Prior to pressing the grapes were gently foot tread. After pressing, they were allowed time to settle in the tank overnight before racking to neutral french oak to ferment in barrel. 8 months in barrel before bottling. Spontaneously fermented, unfined, unfiltered.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Stone fruit desserts, pineapple cake, seafood, blue cheese, fried chicken?! Maybe not in that order :) 

Album pairing: BusCrates - Blasting Off

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Josep i Pau ‘Cosmos’ Brut Nature 2018

The vibe: Spanish Champagne! This Brut Nature comes from a tiny winery in the Penedés region of Catalunya, near Barcelona. It’s basically a Champagne, forgoing Spanish varietals in favor of a 50/50 split blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It’s dry and bright, and it’s got a healthy dose of minerality, making it a great food pairing. More on that below!

The winemaker: Josep i Pau is made by Rosell Miir, a tiny family winery based in the Penedès region of Catalunya, near Barcelona. The name is a reference to Pau the son and Josep the father, who run the winery together and collaborated on this project. The vineyards at Rosell Miir are farmed organically and the wines are made in a low-intervention, chemical-free manner. 

The geeky details: 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay. Traditional method sparkling (aka Champagne method). Semi-disgorged. 

Serve: With a chill. 

Food pairing: This is Catalonian Champagne, soooo a fresh, bright seafood dish would be the perfect pairing. You could also totally throw this at some pastries. Speaking of breakfast wine, this would be an epic grapefruit mimosa base.

Album pairing: Arnau Obiols - Faith / San Diago

Madson Wines Chardonnay 2023

The vibe: Real OG clubbers will recall this isn’t our first Madson wine in the club. That cuvée was a Gamay Noir, which we included in last year’s October pickup. Recently, we tried more Madson wines and had the great pleasure of meeting winemaker Cole Thomas. Cole farms over 30 (!!) organic vineyards, across the Santa Cruz Mountains region and beyond. Every varietal imaginable, all ripening at different rates, with land requiring different methods of care. It’s no wonder he goes surfing in Mexico after harvest to chill out. Back to the bottle you’ve got chilling in the fridge. This Chardonnay is friggin’ awesome! It shows the cool, coastal terroir of the Santa Cruz Mountains with its freshness and bright, zesty acidity. It’s a masterfully blended expression of the many micro climates in this diverse region. Bright, flinty and saline are the notes here. More Chablis than California, this is one cool Chardonnay.

The winemaker: Winemaker and founder Cole Thomas worked as an organic vegetable farmer, edible landscaper, and manager of the Demeter Seed Library prior to his career in wine. He discovered natural winemaking techniques while working in New Zealand for Prophet’s Rock and Amisfield Winery in 2017. He returned to the Santa Cruz Mountains to launch Madison Wines in Spring 2018 and continues to follow natural winemaking techniques to make California wines that express terroir with poise and concentration. 

The geeky details: From Cole: We produce Chardonnay at Madson by crushing the fruit to start and allowing 1 hour of skin maceration. We then press extremely gently to only extract the best juice from the berries and avoid harsh tannin and higher pressures. Our extraction yields are slightly lower to prioritize the quality of the juice. From here we move the juice to neutral oak barrels pre-fermentation. Multiple fermentations in the barrels result in added layers of flavor and complexity. Once the wine is dry, we top the barrels and age the wine sur-lie for 9 months. The following summer we move the wine to stainless for 2 additional months to re-tighten and finish elevage before bottling. Please expect some solids and tartrates in the bottle. Enjoy now or cellar 5-8 years for savoring at its peak.

Serve: Chilled.

Food pairing: Oysterssss, lobster rolls, tangy vinaigrettes and punchy, high acid cheeses.

Album pairing: Underground Canopy - Uncut Gems

Ram Cellars ‘Sparkle Pony’ Pét Nat 2023

The vibe: Ah, another favorite winemaker of ours! Vivianne Kennedy is an exceptional human and talented winemaker based in Portland, OR. And if you made it to this week’s tasting at Petite you understand why we always love having her over to share her wine! Just like Viv, her bottles have so much personality and verve! This Sparkle Pony is a riot, with tons of crunchy complexity, yet light enough to go down easy. Pro-tip, this is the ultimate pizza wine. Now that I’m thinking about it (hi, it’s Nick) I don’t think we’ve had a proper sparkling red in the club yet! Well take this as your sign that spring is around the corner and no one is stopping you from drinking like it’s 65 and sunny!

The winemaker: Viv launched RAM Cellars in 2014. She’s been making wine in the Pacific Northwest since 2012. She came into the light as herself and came out as a transgender woman in 2018. In 2019, she launched our VIV Label in an effort to raise funds for other queer and transgender folks through a $3 donation made per bottle sold. Viv loves making, sharing, and connecting over wine, as well as time with Aidan and their family pets.

The geeky details: 50% Cinsault, 30% Malbec, and 20% Counoise. Fermentation completed in bottle, à la Pétillant Naturel.

Serve: Chilled.

Food pairing: Pizza, obv. Anything with a cheesy, meaty, or smoked component is the name of the game here. Barbecue, charcuterie, baba ganoush, hell this would make a phenomenal dessert pairing. Drizzle a little Graza olive oil over your ice cream and sprankle some salt flakes? MMM.

Album pairing: Air - Moon Safari

Quinta de Santiago & Mira do Ó Minho Tinto 'Sou' 2021

The vibe: Red Vinho Verde! This Portuguese wine region is known for its light and refreshing white wines but Vinho Verde also produces some awesome light red wines. Typically these wines are a field blend of everything and the kitchen sink, including red and white varietals and can vary wildly in terms of quality. This bottle is the product of a collaboration between Quinta de Santiago and Mira do Ó, two rockstar winemakers drawn together for their love of rock music and obscure, nearly forgotten native red varietals. Sou (Son) is Portuguese for “I Am.” A joint project with Santiago (S) Nuno Mira do Ó (O) and rock & roll (think U-shaped hand gesture seen in the front row). A blend of white and red varietals farmed organically, this wine is both authentic and rebellious, and it definitely rocks.

The winemaker: A family winery since 1899, Quinta de Santiago in the heart of Vinho Verde is now in its fourth generation led by Joana Santiago. She and her family tend to the vineyards personally, ensuring all work is done manually and with ecologically responsible methods. The Santiago family farm was established in 1899, though it mainly produced olive oil, grains, meat and dairy. In 2009, at the insistence of the 86 year old matriarch, Mariazinha, they established a boutique winery focusing on small-production wines. Mariazhina’s granddaughter Joana now heads up the team at Quinta de Santiago. Like her grandmother, she’s dedicated to expressing their unique terroir through the lens of remarkable local varietal wines.

The geeky details: 70% Alvarelhão, with the remainder made up of Pedral, Borraçal, Cainho, Alvarinho & Vinhão. 40% whole cluster. 11 Months in used oak barrels on the lees. 12 Months in bottle.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: With its racy acidity, this makes a natural pairing for Portuguese-inspired seafood, pasta with crunchy, fresh tomatoes or a salad with a ton of tangy goat cheese.

Album pairing: Free Whenever - The Movement EP

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Deux Punx De La Soif Orange 'L'inattendu' 2022

The vibe: Last month’s funky fourth bottle was a really fun orange wine from Slovenia. We’re staying on theme this month and sharing another really fun orange from a little closer to home. This is an absolutely bonkers blend of Chardonnay, Malvasia, Assyrtico, Picpoul, Bourboulenc and Semillon, and like a good cocktail recipe, each varietal serves a purpose in crafting the perfect blend of notes. We like to invert the bottle slightly to incorporate the lees and sediment at the bottom, though it’s totally personal preference! The lees, or spent yeast, bring an umami component to ride alongside the acid, subtle white florals, and citrus zest.

The winemaker: Deux Punx was founded by Dan Schaaf and Aaron Olson, two wine addicted ex-punks, in April of 2008. They utilize the facilities of Punk Dog Wineries, a shared space in the River East Neighborhood in Napa, which lends itself to the minimalist and experimental style of winemaking they capture in their wines. All of their wines are produced in the same manner – native fermentation, minimal so2, neutral oak, and ambient temperatures. Their philosophy is to let the raw materials from the vineyards express their true nature, embracing the differences between sites and vintages. Deux Punx believes wine is meant to be shared and enjoyed, not cellared and ignored. We can get down with that!

The geeky details: Chardonnay, Malvasia, Assyrtico, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Semillon. Organic + gravel / loam soils at Wheeler Vineyards, volcanic soils/regenerative farming at the two vineyards; Malvasia, Assyrtiko. Bourboulenc, Semillon and Picpoul came in together and were crushed and co-fermented together on the skins with daily punch downs for roughly three weeks. The Chardonnay was crushed and also macerated on skins for 3 weeks. Both lots were aged in barrel for 7 months then blended 3 weeks prior to bottling.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: With its orange creamsicle notes and soft tannins, this orange is surprisingly quite delicate. Pair it with light dishes like apps before your mains, or finish with it as a dessert pairing.

Album pairing: Cymande - Cymande

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Domaine De La Piffaudiere 'Mon Tout Rouge' 2022

The vibe: Pineau d’Aunis, y’all! How have we never had this grape in the club? That’s changing, we promise. While we’ve only had a handful of Pineau d’Aunis bottles in the shop, it’s quickly become one of our very favorite red varietals. Hailing from the Loire Valley, wines made from this varietal are wildly expressive for being so light. Also known as Chenin Noir, DNA testing has confirmed it is neither related to Pinot Noir noir Chenin. It actually gets its name from the French word “pin” and refers to the pine cone shape of the clusters. So what is it like? It’s sort of like if Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc had a baby, with the light, terroir-driven profile of Pinot and the lightly spicy, white-pepper-meets-bell-pepper notes Cab Franc is famous for. It’s so perfectly balanced, with its low tannins and easygoing chillable personality, with enough depth and nuance to keep you double-pouring glass after glass.

The winemaker: Olivier Bellanger grew up in Monthou sur Cher, a scant hour east of Tours in the center Loire. He obtained his agricultural diploma in 2000, and spent the next 8 years working for various domaines in the Loire, notably Philippe Tessier. In 2008 he got the opportunity to buy 6 hectares of vineyards in Thesée near his native village. He immediately converted them to organic farming. The land was affordable partly because there were no associated buildings, so it was only later that he secured a cellar. He vinifies in a friend’s winery where he rents space. He now farms about 10 hectares, and sells some fruit to other wineries to keep his cash flow reasonable. He is committed to local grapes and deplores the regulations that reward ripping up old vine native varieties that are not in fashion, or not allowed in the regional appellation. His own wines of course are a real labor of love. He’s still fine-tuning his blends and adapting to vintage conditions. The results are always exciting and convincing. And delicious.

The geeky details: Grapes are manually harvested to ensure healthy bunches, and only wild yeasts are used to ferment. In the cellar, he uses only fiberglass or big old wooden casks, no new oak here (yay!).

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Woooo, well. The bottle’s already gone. Probably heat up some leftovers and drink some water? Banh Mi would be an insane pairing, if you  have some wine left.

Album pairing: Psychè - Psychè

Selvanova ‘Terre del Volturno’ Sparkling Rosato 2022

The vibe: Is it February already?? This year is flying by. This month we’ve got, dare we say, a *sexy* lineup of wines. Seemed on theme with Valentine’s Day, plus who doesn’t love an excuse for some sexy wines. Kicking things off we have a rosato pét nat from a new producer to the shop, Selvanova. Located in Campania, Italy, this winery is dedicated to advancing and providing social services in their region, symbolized by the raft in their logo. In fact, the beautiful painting on their label was made by a young painter trained at the artistic lab at the Aquilone Rehabilitation Day Center, a mental health cooperative. The colorful settlements depicted in the label line the river of the Volturno, the namesake for the cuvée. Selvanova is home to olive trees in addition to vines, all grown with a philosophy of low intervention sustainability.

The winemaker: Selvanova was founded in 1997 by Dr. Antonio Buono. The property, located in Castel Campagnano in the central part of Campania, was once a Buffalo farm. The entire property is over 100 acres with about 25 planted to grapes. In addition to winemaking, they press their own olive oil with olives grown on the property, make their own cheese from animals they raise, and grow a variety of different fruits and vegetables. The view from Selvanova’s hillside vineyards includes Monte Matese Mountain Range in the east and the Monte Taburno Range in the west. Their 25 acres of vines slopes gently downward from winery facility towards the banks of the Volturno river. The river provides a unique microclimate for the area, keeping the summers cool and the winters mild.

The geeky details: The grapes are destemmed before a short maceration period of a few hours leading to the wines beautiful dark pink hue. The fermentation is done without the use of commercial yeasts in stainless steel tanks and aged for 4 months. After 4 months, the wine is bottled with the original must added so the secondary fermentation can take place in the bottle.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: You could go so many ways with this! Class it up with some lobster rolls? Charcuterie? Valentine’s Day in bed breakfast wine? Prosciutto pizza? Of course Campania is known for seafood, this would go great with a clam pasta or calamari.

Album pairing: Pellegrino & Zodyaco - Koinè

Grape Ink ‘Red Wine’ 2023

The vibe: Sexy wine? This bottle is straight up scandalous. Nelly Furtado wrote ‘Promiscuous’ about this bottle. Not to get weird but we really, really like this wine. We’ve been down with Grape Ink since day one, so when a new vintage hits the shelves we kinda make a big deal about it. This bottle is made even more special as it’s extremely limited and available for Petite club members only! That’s right, brag to your wine friends about this (or better yet, share it with them). We’re digging this light expression of Pinot Noir, Trousseau and Mondeuse, picked from Jarad’s own farmstead plots in the hills above Portland. This wine is an ode to French alpine-style wines. A cool microclimate and long ripening season means these are the last picks of the year, lending a light yet immensely expressive profile, a true terroir wine.

The winemaker: Jarad Hadi is both a talented winemaker and a poet, an unfair combination if you ask us. Born in the Willamette, he studied viniculture in Bordeaux before returning to craft wines of his own alongside his wife Giulia, who paints his labels. He grows some fruit on his property, as well as farms for his neighbors and growers across the Willamette, focusing on grape varieties suited to the ever-warming climate. You can tell his wines stem from a true farmer-first approach in their linearity and expressiveness of terroir. Jarad crafts truly singular, one-of-a-kind wines.

The geeky details: *top secret*

Just kidding. From Jarad:

Pinot Noir(40%) Mondeuse (35%) Trousseau(25%)

The red wine was the last harvest of our home vineyard in North Plains planted to Trousseau, Pinot Noir and Mondeuse. In 2023 I noticed that the harvest was ripening unevenly which made me think back to some moments when I was learning under the winemaker of Chareau Y'quem Sandrine Garbay which she taught me that grapes in Sauterne were harvested cluster by cluster not parcel by parcel with this in mind I decided to do the same in our own vineyard. It was a rigorous process in which I scoured the vineyard 3 times only choosing the grapes that were ripe leaving the under ripe grapes on the vine to further mature on the plant. Grape Ink 2023 Red wine is an expression of the last pick that occurred in October although the grapes remained on the vines the longest these were the clusters that had the hardest time to ripen. With that being said... The resulting wine was lower in alcohol and lighter in style which I saw as a perfect opportunity for a shorter elevage and an earlier release. This wine came from listening to the season and what the vineyard had to say. 

Fermentation: Field Blend of the vineyard - 100% Full Cluster in old neutral barrels that I popped the heads open.

Elevage: 10 months in Neutral Barrel (Pièce Bourguignonne 228l)

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: These are mountain varietals, pair them with mountain food! Think, less trail mix, more French alps ski chalet cafeteria. Roast meat cuts, chicken with morel mushroom, creamy goats milk cheeses, lamb, cheese fondue, or a tartiflette if you’re feeling fancy.

Album pairing: Fabiano do Nascimento & Sam Gendel - The Room

Domaine de Roche Noire Saint-Amour ‘Aux Terres de Guinchay’ 2023

The vibe: The smallest of the ten Crus of Beaujolais, Saint-Amour produces some of the most complex Gamays in the region, leaning into dark fruit, minerality and deep notes of violet. Maybe it’s the love in the air, but we’re really feeling this particular bottle. It has all of the notes above, plus some hints of cherry, raspberry and chocolate. Gamays from Saint-Amour are often seen as the perfect Valentine’s Day wine, and we’ll agree with that. While lighter Beaujolais might be better suited to late summer/early fall and early harvest releases, this expression has enough structure and dynamicism to warm you (and a buddy) even on the coldest night. 

The winemaker: Domaine de la Roche is a project born in December 2019 thanks to the vision of two friends: Mathieu, who represents the fifth generation of winemakers who have always tended the vineyards that now belong to the domaine, and Charles, a dear friend they met in Germany. Mathieu and Charles are part of the new generation of Beaujolais winemakers and produce lively, lively, drinkable wines. They cultivate 7.5 hectares of vines mainly in the Lantignié area, where the vines they work with are between 30 and 100 years old! They also cultivate 0.5 hectares of Régnié Cru. All their sites are organically farmed and are in the process of obtaining certification. 

The geeky details: 100% Gamay Noir from Saint-Amour at an elevation of 335m, carbonic maceration, aging in stainless steel.

Serve: Cellar temp or a light chill.

Food pairing: Gamay is a perfect pairing for poultry or seafood-based dishes. This particular bottle has a touch more structure, making it the perfect candidate for something heartier like a veggie ratatouille, braised beef, or a beef ragu.

Album pairing: Marcos Valle - Nova Bossa Nova

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Dorcha 'Oranžna' 2023

The vibe: There are those who argue orange wines are only appropriate for summertime drinking. Personally, we believe that orange wines are perfect year-round, as they offer additional complexity, texture and body over their direct-press white wine counterparts. Also, those orange wines with citrus notes are especially appealing this time of year. Has anyone else been shucking and slamming clementines nonstop since the holidays? Just us? Oranžna translates to, you guessed it, orange! That is not only the color of this wine but also the profile. We get lots of juicy tangerine zest, mild tannins, and some subtle spice on the finish. Štajerska is region that is known for it’s highly aromatic varietals and tremendous balance of aromatics and freshness, due to the wonderfully cool climate in the hills. You end up with a deeply complex, subtly funky, and immensely quaffable orange wine.

The winemaker: Located in Ritoznoj in Štajerska, Dorcha is the brainchild of Izidor (Dorcha) Vehovar. He is the 3rd generation of his family to continue the path of viticulture and winemaking, and is intent on a new direction, a friendlier path. A farmer without a conventional view of wine production, a winemaker who is following the local tradition of producing pure, vibrant wines. Gaining from some fresh perspective from his relatively-new neighbor in the village (Nick Gee, Heaps Good Wine Co.), he is now adding to his family's tradition by making exciting wines made naturally with a modern twist. Farming is done with the greatest respect for the land, with entirely sustainable viticulture, and all under Slovenia’s strict integrative farming requirements, with no use of pesticides or herbicides in the vineyards.

The geeky details: Gelber Muskateller 50%, Traminer 50%. Each variety is hand-picked and processed separately. Destemmed into small open top fermenters. Spontaneous fermentation with native yeast. Pressed off skins after the completion of alcoholic fermentation (approx. 21 days). Aging on fine lees in tank for 5 months.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Orange wines go great with spicy foods and rich dishes with  umami notes. We want to pair this with banh mi or a big bowl of vermicelli. It would also complement a fruit-forward salad or could be the perfect dessert course accompaniment.

Album pairing: Vaudou Game - FINTOU

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EASYYYYY

Donkey & Goat Dommen Vineyard Pinot Meunier 2023

The vibe: Pinot Meunier?? Isn’t that a champagne grape? That’s where you normally find it, where it lends its bright red fruit, albeit from direct-press white juice. This Pinot Meunier comes from one of the oldest continuously farmed areas in the Russian River Valley AVA and it is not a blanc de noir. This wine is most certainly red! The Dommen Family Vineyard has been in continuous production for over 100 years. Donkey & Goat, based in Berkeley, makes an elegant yet immediately drinkable expression with heaps of fresh, perfectly ripe fruit - a cascade of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries and huckleberries.

The winemaker: Donkey & Goat is celebrated for being amongst a handful of pioneers in the natural wine community because in 2004 they were unique for their ecological principles driving decisions in both the vineyard and the cellar and ten years later for promoting transparency, being one of the first to list ingredients on their label. The founding winemakers spent a year with the inimitable Eric Texier in 2002 studying the art of crafting natural wines in the Rhone Valley before co-founding Donkey & Goat in 2004 in San Francisco.

The geeky details: 100% Pinot Meunier from Dommen Vineyard in Russian River at an elevation of 300ft. Wild yeast fermentation in wood vat for 14 days.

Serve: Cellar temp

Food pairing: Smoked brisket, cumin lamb ribs, berry pie.

Album pairing: Tim Bernardes - Mil Coisas Invisíveis

Valdibella ‘Ninfa’ 2021

The vibe: Happy New Year, y’all! It’s a new year and as always, we are debuting brand new bottles in the club that have never hit the shop shelves! This first bottle is from a wine cooperative that we know and love, Validbella. We’ve stocked a couple other cuveés from these guys but this one is new to us and we couldn’t wait to share it. The Ninfa is an orange wine made from a rare variation of Catarratto called Extra Lucido, which has soft skins and a more delicate profile. It has plenty of color and tea-like tannin structure, and an incredibly aromatic profile of dried apricots and ginger underscored by a slightly savory marine influence. It’s the perfect winter white to start off this month’s lineup. Drink it like a chilled red - it doesn’t need to be cold cold. 

The winemaker: Valdibella is a cooperative farmed by ten organic farms operating in Camporeale, a Sicilian village in the province of Palermo. Valdibella’s members work with native grape varietals and other crops typical of Sicily, cultivated with respect to nature and the biodiversity of the land. 

The geeky details: 100% Catarratto from one of Valdibella’s oldest vineyards. Slow and gradual ripening followed by hand harvesting and de-stemming. Fermented on the skins for 12 days followed by aging on the lees until spring. Bottled without added sulphites. 

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: A warm winter salad with roasted chicken and/or veggies with subtle spices and top it with balsamic vinegar. Chef’s kiss. Seafood and light chicken or root veggie-based dishes are also a safe bet. 

Album pairing: HATAMITSUNAMI - All That Glisters…

Terra Vita Vinum ‘Large Soif!’ Rouge 2020

The vibe: For anyone who made it out to our ‘CAB-ALT-DELETE’ four-part tasting series in November, you experienced firsthand how geeky we like to get with single varietal and single region tastings. Our Cab Franc exploration in particular was a study in Loire Valley terroir - we opened 5 bottles from across the Loire, all Cab Franc expressions, with the only variable being the vineyard site and the winemaker’s decisions in the cellar. This bottle is a spiritual extension of that tasting, seeing as it is from the Anjou region in central Loire. This is a volcanic region, known for its soils comprised of black schist (the village rooftops are all black here, as opposed to limestone further east). Here we have an explosion of crunchy, juicy fruit, with high-toned perfume on the nose and raspberry, blackcurrant, and grape crush soda underscoring a medium-bodied palate and refreshing acidity. With a name like ‘Large Soif’ or ‘Be Thirsty’, inspired by the phrase coined by Michelin chef Paul Bocuse, an influential figure in the winemakers’ early careers, the assignment is clear here. This is a refreshing thirst-quencher. Wine can be as serious as you want it to be, but at the end of the day it should be drinkable, and this is our current desert island bottle. There we said it. We’re drinking this for dayssss. 

The winemaker: Terra Vita Vinum is Bénédicte and Luc’s project, dedicated to biodynamic farming with everything done by hand. Out of 40ha of land at the domaine, 30 of which are planted to vines. The remaining 10ha grow wildflowers and other native plants to boost the domaine’s biodiversity, following the methodology of Jules Guyot, who in 1860 wrote that “the genius of wine was in the vine.” Vine care comes first, followed by careful and clean practices in the winery, allowing them to abstain from sulphur use and express greater purity of fruit. 

The geeky details: 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Gamay. The grapes are naturally cultivated without chemical weeding. Short macerations and partial whole-bunch fermentation preserve the fruit’s vibrancy. Aged for 6 months in stainless steel, the wine is unfiltered and minimally sulfured, ensuring its authenticity and freshness.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Glug it with savory, salty, greasy, or spicy foods! 

Album pairing: James Brown - Grits & Soul (Instrumentals) 

Human Cellars ‘l’influence du Bouys’ 2023

The vibe: Guided by the philosophy that human, vineyard and nature have equal influence on each other and cannot be separated into traditional singular roles, the wines of Human Cellars are pure, honest expressions and, ultimately extensions of the people and places that form them. We’re excited to debut their wines in the club, starting with this incredible, incredible Willamette Valley Gamay. Shout it from the rooftops, Gamay Noir is the new Pinot! No shade to Pinot, but its cousin from Beaujolais is still a relative underdog in these parts and we love an underdog. Here we get tons of dark fruit like blackberry and blueberry, accompanied by black tea and dried, crunchy forest floor. An energetic through line of acidity buttons it all up and leaves your lips smacking for more. A touch of Viognier adds finesse and levity to this structured and deeply complex (yet quaffable) red.

The winemaker: Bryan and Emily created Human Cellars after more than 20 years of wandering the earth. Firstly working with underprivileged farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin American and later in wineries in France and Germany, they crossed paths with exceptional people who overcame adversity through uncompromising perseverance and passion. 

The geeky details: 96% Gamay and 4% Viognier. Low-input organic farming, bare minimum winemaking practices and micro-doses of sulfur allow the grapes to express the Eola Amity Hills terroir with no background-noise. Fermented in small lots and aged 50% in stainless steel tanks and 50% in neutral French oak barrels. A splash of Viognier was added to bring a touch of eloquence to this bold wine. 

Serve: Cellar temp or with a slight chill.

Food pairing: Whip out the charcuterie board y’all. Baked Camembert would be crazyyy. Salami and prosciutto too. For mains, this earthy, terroir-driven profile would make a great pairing for lentil stew or a hearty truffle pasta with spicy chorizo sausage. 

Album pairing: SuperParka - quatro (expanded)

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Domaine les Terres Promises 'Anachronie' 2023

The vibe: Where to start here. This is such a unique red for so many reasons but the most obvious is evident once poured. That’s not a red, that’s a….is it a red? It’s not a rosé. Maybe it’s somewhere in-between, but it doesn’t matter. It’s delicious. This Cinsault hails from Jean-Christophe Comor’s Domaine in Provence, southern France. In a land of lighter-than-water rosés and Bandol cut-with-a-knife reds, this raucous and racy rosé-not-rosé is a truly refreshing take on one of our favorite varietals of southern France. When in fact previous vintages have been true rosés and labeled as such, we prefer this darker, more textural expression, especially this time of year. It’s bursting with fruit and acidity, yet possesses plenty of grip. And with no sulfur additions, this wine is honest and pure in its delivery of fruit and terroir. We love to see it.

The winemaker: Jean-Christophe Comor’s Domaine is so perfectly situated, he named it Terres Promises, or The Promised Lands. In fact, the land, though situated in the Coteaux Varois of Provence, is entirely unique for the region, residing both at high elevation at 400m and inland 30km from the Mediterranean coastline. This permits the coveted lengthy ripening season, allowing for retention of racy acidity in his wines, a relatively uncommon attribute in Provençal reds. This acidity meshes elegantly with undertones of garrigue, the leafy scrubland underbrush typical to this neck of the woods, and results in a unique expression that we can’t get enough of. 

The geeky details: 100% high altitude Cinsault vines at 400m on Jurassic Dolomitic limestone terroir. Organically farmed and hand harvested. Whole cluster carbonic maceration. Pressed after 12 days. Fermentation finishes in demi-muid in an underground stone cellar for at least 6 months.  

Serve: With a light chill. 

Food pairing: Aside from the classic Cinsault pairing of escargot (which, let’s be honest where are you finding that) this would go great with braised and roasted chicken or pork, smoked seafoods like mussels or salmon, a hearty stew, or anything ~herb-crusted~.

Album pairing: The New Mastersounds - This Is What We Do

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EASYYYY

Cros des Calades 'Dolmen' 2022

The vibe: We’re big fans of Cros des Calades, as evidenced by our tasting this week. There’s something about all of their cuveés that makes them all so easy and effortless, yet they abstain from becoming one dimensional. Who knows how they do it. Guess that’s why they’re winemakers and we’re wine drinkers! ‘Dolmen’ is a skin contact white with a fairly long duration maceration. Despite the time on its skins though, it still drinks fairly light, with a dry and spicy finish and subtle aromatics. This is the perfect food pairing wine if you’re grabbing takeout with spicy or umami components, or whipping up a ramen or even more strongly flavored dishes. Mushroom-based dishes would go great with this as well. More on that down below! 

The winemaker: Cros des Calades is a new project from Benoit and Florence of Château de la Selve in Ardèche, France. The vines of this wild Ardechois terroir, arguably one of the least-tamed in France, are planted to rocky, rolling hillsides and peppered between national parks featuring steep, swimmable river gorges where French adventure-seekers come for their summer holidays. In terms of wine, the Ardèche is akin to the Cotes du Rhone, but more fun. There’s far less pressure here to hit certain marks of ‘typicity’, so the region has fostered winemakers like Benoit and Florence who make something fundamentally new out of local varietals. 

The geeky details: 30% Viognier, 70% Sauvignon blanc. Clay-Limestone Soils between the Rhône and les Cévennes/ 30 year old vines on average. Fermented with native yeasts during a 20-day maceration, followed by 6 months in stainless steel.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Mushroom risotto, miso ramen, 3-star pad see ew, any umami or spicy dishes. You can really ramp up the flavors with this one so don’t be afraid to throw it at more powerful dishes! 

Album pairing: Houis - Outgrown

Bojo do Luar ‘Azal’ Pét-Nat

The vibe: We kick things off in this last month of 2024 (already??) with a feisty and fun little number from Vinho Verde, Portugal. Vinho Verde is well known for its lightly effervescent white wines but it’s also home to some incredible wines of all other shades. Seeing as we’re fast approaching New Years, this bubbly bottle was perfect to throw in the mix. Made of the rare and unique grape varietal, Azal, it’s comparable to Chenin and Petit Manseng, with a little more aromatics. Very few wines are made from this varietal, but it’s easy to fall in love with. Subtle notes of white pepper and coastal wildflowers greet the nose, with creamy apricot notes on the palate. If you really want to wow your friends at New Years, this rare varietal skin contact amphora-fermented pét-nat checks alllll the boxes.

The winemaker: Bojo do Luar is a collaborative project between Savio Soares and Fernando Paiva, a biodynamic producer who has been experimenting with adding ground chestnut flowers to the grapes and must prior to fermentation as an alternative to using sulfites. Savio saw this as an opportunity to use the traditional autochthonous varietals of Northern Portugal, with natural high levels of acidity, and apply his knowledge and experience of many decades working with French producers. Together with two local young men, with experience and knowledge of regional viticulture, who were open to experiment new methods in the vineyard and cellar, the Bojo do Luar project started to take shape. The soils are fertilized with self-made organic compost, blended with chicken and cow’s manure. In the middle of the rows, a variety of beneficial herbs, recommended by Mr. Paiva, were sewn to further enrich the soils at the beginning of springtime and autumn.

The geeky details: The grapes for this Pet Nat were fermented with skin-contact at a lower temperature,  (10ºC) in large format amphoras (1000L-1500L) for four weeks. Before the fermentation ended the mass was pressed and bottled (unfiltered) with around 15mg of residual sugar to finish the fermentation in the bottle.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Crudo scallops, or fish 'Grelhado na Brasa' (cooked over hot embers)

Album pairing: Reuben Vaun Smith - Land of Music

Johan Vineyards ‘Murmuration’ 2021

The vibe: “Murmuration refers to the phenomenon that results when hundreds, sometimes thousands, of starlings fly in swooping, intricately coordinated patterns through the sky. When we witness this magnificent event in the vineyard, it reminds us that a great ‘blend’ is a collective reflection of the sum of all parts, as opposed to any one part on its own.” We would argue this beautiful blend is much more than the sum of its parts. Combining a smorgasbord of varietals while remaining poised and balanced is something we’ve come to love about the entire Johan portfolio. Cabernet Franc, Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent collide in the glass to bring a complex and terroir-driven nose, chased down with a tart, bright and immensely fresh palate that reflects the best of what the newly established Van Duzer AVA has to offer.

The winemaker: Johan Vineyards resides on 85 acres of gently sloping estate vineyards in the heart of the Willamette Valley. These vineyards are blessed with afternoon ocean breezes and cool evening temperatures that are ideal for ripening Burgundian varietals. Elevations range from approximately 180 to 380 feet. Soils are Helvetia, Steiwer, and Santiam silts which were formed primarily from ancient marine sedimentary rock. Johan Vineyards is passionate about making premium wines that showcase the estate vineyards. If one starts with excellent grapes, handles the fruit carefully, and intervenes in the wine making process only when necessary, the wine should be great.

The geeky details: From the winemaker: “2021 was a wonderful growing season, with low disease pressure, average yields and perfect clusters - which led to concentrated, fresh and complex wines across all clones and varieties at Johan. The 2021 vintage is a blend of 1/3 Cabernet Franc and the remaining 2/3 consisting of our Austrian red grapes – Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, & St. Laurent. In 2021, these red varieties had very similar fruit profiles and we thought they would play nicely together – and hey, we were right!”

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Anything with slightly earthy flavors like mushrooms or lentils, or tomato-based dishes with some tangy acid!

Album pairing: Theodor - Holocene

Devium 'French Creek Vineyard' Yakima Valley 2021

The vibe: This is the Washington wine we’ve been looking for! We’re not sure how it took us this long to discover Keith Johnson’s wines but we’re so glad we did and we are excited to share them with you! Keith takes an unconventional approach when it comes to Washington winemaking, working with higher elevation, north-facing vineyards and whole clusters in neutral oak to achieve fresh, low alcohol wines that are true to their terroir and an honest representation of the fruit. These are exciting wines because they eschew the norms of conventional Washington winemaking. They are true to themselves, while remaining balanced and pure.

The winemaker: Keith Johnson of Sleight of Hand fame started his own project winery a few years back by utilizing a great fruit source, the ‘French Creek Vineyard.’ This is a south-facing site that has some relatively old vines and is planted to a range of varietals, from Chardonnay to high density plantings of Rhone red grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. He now works with several vineyard sites, mostly high elevation, north-facing plots to allow long ripening seasons and fresh, low alcohol fruit.

The geeky details: A Rhone style blend made of 61% Mourvedre, 36% Syrah, 3% Grenache Blanc. Minimalist winemaking exploring the outer edges of Washington Wine. Whole cluster, foot crushed, native yeast, minimal SO2, neutral barrels, unfined & unfiltered.

Serve: Cellar temp or a very light chill

Food pairing: Root veggie based dishes and stews, herbed sausage, even fish dishes would go great as this isn’t the biggest red.

Album pairing: Lawne - Attic

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WHAT THE FUNK?!

Ram Cellars ‘Forbidden Cats’ Rosé

The vibe: Another Washington bottle! We’re showing some love to our producers close to home (it’s been a rough year for wine sales) and Vivianne Kennedy of Ram Cellars deserves allll the love. Not only is she a badass winemaker with a ton of great wine, she also happens to be one of the few prominent transgender members of the wine community. This rosé is super fun, textural, tangy and subtly funky and perfect for winter with all its grip and complexity. Apricots, honeydew, lilies, petrichor, and echoes of lime greet the noise while cantaloupe, nectarine, tangelo, lime zest, polished river rock, lychee, and cherry await in-glass.

The winemaker: Viv launched RAM Cellars in 2014. She’s been making wine in the Pacific Northwest since 2012. She came into the light as herself and came out as a transgender woman in 2018. In 2019, she launched our VIV Label in an effort to raise funds for other queer and transgender folks through a $3 donation made per bottle sold. Viv loves making, sharing, and connecting over wine, as well as time with Aidan and their family pets.

The geeky details: 100% Cinsault rosé from Bosma Estate Vineyard

Columbia Valley, Washington. Native yeast fermentation, unfiltered, minimal sulfur additions.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Vivianne recommends grilled veggies, sauteed mushrooms, paella, roast duck, shrimp Pad Thai, hummus and flatbread, and warm spring days in the sun with the ones you love!

Album pairing:  HYUKOH & Sunset Rollercoaster - AAA

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EASSYYYY

Kermit Lynch d'Estézargues Côtes du Rhône Villages 2023

The vibe: This is an awesome (and easy) collaborative Rhône blend from pioneering natural wine importer Kermit Lynch and one of the first biodynamic vigneron cooperatives in France, Les Vignerons d’Estézargues. Featuring the same rocky alluvial soils as Châteauneuf-du-Pape across the Rhône, the endless expanse of galets roulés (the polished river rocks our friend on the label is dancing across) are ideal terroir for producing wines in this sun-baked region as they retain temperature. This is a plump yet juicy Rhône red that can be sipped casually with a slight chill but also has enough weight for any hearty food pairings you might throw its way.

The winemaker: Located just across the river from Avignon and founded in 1965, Estézargues has championed sustainable and organic viticulture and natural winemaking for decades, making it a rare exception in the world of co-ops. They work closely with their growers, emphasizing organic farming, and manage their cellar with a judicious use of low-intervention techniques: nothing is inoculated, sulfur is kept to a bare minimum, and the wines are bottled without filtration.

The geeky details: 56% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 7% Carignan, 2% Cinsault from 40 year old vines in alluvial soil. Aged in concrete tank for 10-12 months. Certified organic.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Burgers, pizza, grilled meats, dress it up or dress it down!

Album pairing: IAMNOBODI - DND EP

Lightwell Survey Wines ‘Colorwave’ 2022

The vibe: This month we’ve got some really special bottles lined up (hi, it’s Nick - I think after this last week we’ve had we’ve earned it). Every bottle this month is from a winemaker we’ve never worked with before, so that is pretty dang exciting. In addition to that, this bottle right here came all the way from the state of Virginia, for the first time ever. That’s right, Virginian wine is in Washington, people! And you tasted it here first! For you east coast folks, it may come as no surprise that Virginia actually has quite an established viniculture scene. In fact, it holds the title of being the birthplace of wine in this country. New settlers in Virginia who wanted to be a part of the community were required to plant several rows of vines - after all, entire global powers had been built with wine as their central currency and export. Unfortunately, European vitis vinifera didn’t fair well and they saw little success in the beginning. However after several decades of experimentation, a new hybrid grape was born in Virginia: Norton (a personal favorite of Thomas Jefferson’s). There’s a ton of history to unpack here, but the long and short of it is - there are a ton of hybrid varietals in this wine, and they were developed to thrive in Virginia! This wine is a genre-bending blend of red and white varietals, presenting as somewhere between orange and rosè, with a complex but effortless palate leaning more toward a full white wine. This is the perfect mid-seasonal-shift wine for when the sun peaks out from behind the clouds after a downpour and a rainbow unfolds on the horizon. It would also make a great pre-dinner or first course Thanksgiving wine. It’s wine from Virginia, and it’s in your glass! 

The winemaker: Lightwell Survey is a Virginia winery shining a new light on the traditional wine-scape. Their small batches of lively reds, dense whites and unique combinations of the two come with no preconceived descriptions or traditional aspirations. They aim for a bullseye yet prefer to land slightly off center. Started in the fall of 2015 with the first harvest in partnership with Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, VA, their wines will continue to delve into traditional and not so familiar territory as they bring wines to market. Formed by partners Sebastian Zutant, Ben Jordan, Jay Zutant, Julian Caustrita, and John DeNapoli.

The geeky details: Combination of direct press and whole cluster fermentation (three weeks on skins) on Vidal, two day skin maceration on Traminette, no SO2 on the fruit, Chambourcin on the skins for eight days, then pressed and combined with everything else in a big co-fermented varietal soup. It finished primary and malo in tank and aged on lees until bottling.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Foods with heat or punchy flavors like fish in curry sauce, hard cheeses, pork. 

Album pairing: Kokoroko - Get The Message EP

La Grange du Nord ‘Kalamite’ 2021

The vibe: If you recall last month’s lineup, you may (fondly, hopefully) recall the ethereal grape Grolleau from Damien Menut and our rambling on about how it’s the perfect grape for the perfect fall wine. Well, that led to an exploration of Grolleau from other producers, including a fantastic cuvée from La Grange aux Belles, which happens to be the winery where this bottle’s winemaker got his start. That was a rather backward way to say, we are very excited to be working with La Grange du Nord and this is the first bottle we are sharing with y’all! We tasted this at a recent trade tasting and while most of the event was a blur, this bottle stood out the most. We’ll blame Thanksgiving dinner on our mind but it’s giving spiced cranberry sauce and allspice dram. But seriously, if this wine was a candle scent we’d be burning it in the shop for the month of November. It’s got a metric TON of spicy complexity and fleeting whiffs of herbaceousness, bright red fruit, and light crunchy acid. Did we mention the spices though? Such a perplexingly nuanced profile for such a light, quaffable red. All of the wines this month are Thanksgiving wines but this one, man…

The winemaker: Agneray was born in the département du Nord, in the Hauts-de-France region of France bordering Belgium. He spent years in Paris studying literature and frequenting wine bars. His interest in wine brought him to Loire to work with La Grange aux Belles before settling in Sabran, the Gard, to pursue his own winemaking in 2013. His enthusiasm for arts and culture is apparent on his wine labels, referring to Faulkner and Alain Bashung. Starting with a plot of 3 hectares (named the Saint-Pons), the domain now extends to 8.5 hectares of vines in production. A team of  four work the domain on a regular basis: Arouna, an apprentice, Alexis, a part time worker who is also developing a market garden with a hen house,  Fred and his sister Delphine. All together they are actively building a shed to store their vineyard equipment, and plan to complete a wine making cellar within 5 years. 

The geeky details: 40% Cinsault, 40% Syrah, 20% Grenache. Grapes macerate whole-cluster for 7 days prior to pressing and spontaneous fermentation in a combination of fiberglass/stainless steel tank. Bottled after a short maturation unfined, unfiltered, no additional SO2. 12.5%ABV

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: STUFFING, CRANBERRY SAUCE, BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Album pairing: Blank - Nowadays Records Birthday Mix

La Dernière Goutte ‘Moonwalk’ Gamay Noir

The vibe: No November wine club lineup is complete without at least one proper Gamay. While everyone knows Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of the month, the third Thursday of November is a pretty big deal too. Beaujolais Nouveau Day celebrates the release of France’s most popular vin de primeur (early wine). These wines are bottled and sold within just a few weeks of harvest. Since they see less time on the skins before pressing, these wines are light, fruity and effortless. They also happen to make perfect Thanksgiving pairings. This wine isn’t technically a Beaujolais Nouveau as those haven’t been released yet, but it fits the theme and it is an absolute stunner, plus we’ve been wanting to bring in this wine forever. Cyrille Vuillod’s La Dernière Goutte bottle aesthetic is unmistakable on the shelf, with catchy label designs and that signature light red Gamay glow - the only grape he grows. This is one of the best Gamays we’ve ever had, like period. So now it’s yours. Do with it what you will. But we suggest pairing it with IKEA meatballs and lingonberry sauce like we did. Mashed potatoes optional, but recommended. 

The winemaker: Cyrille Vuillod has headed up La Derniere Goutte since 2012. Before launching himself into winemaking, Cyrille worked as a ski instructor in his native Hautes-Alpes region. He always loved wine purely out of the enjoyment he took in drinking it, and he worked for years in Beaujolais doing harvests for friends to earn extra money in his off-season. He finally decided to take up the métier of vigneron full-time. He dedicated himself to a three-year apprenticeship of sorts in the cellar of Jean-Claude Lapalu, an extremely respected figure in the world of natural wine and someone whose experimental and boundary-pushing spirit has rubbed off on Cyrille. In 2011, Cyrille produced a first vintage of his own in Lapalu’s cellar, and since then he has been producing at his own place on the edge of Brouilly. Cyrille works just under 5 ha and has always farmed organically without certification. In fact, he chose to use the organically permitted sprays in his first three years of farming, but has since forgone their use completely. Now Cyrille also works biodynamically. Cyrille farms a patchwork of parcels around Vaux-en-Beaujolais filled with gnarly old vines on pink granitic sand, flint, and clay.

The geeky details: 100% Gamay. Each individual parcel is macerated semi-carbonically over periods ranging from 10-15 days. Everything is basket pressed, and the juice undergoes an élevage in different containers including used barrique and ceramic tank for 9 months before bottling without fining, filtration, or sulfitage.  

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: IKEA cafeteria fare. Seriously.

Album pairing: Blue Material - Reasonings 

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WHAT THE FUNK?! 

Nibiru ‘Tradition’ Red NV

The vibe: Obviously we’re keeping this Thanksgiving wine theme going, but let’s make it Austrian. This is a crunchy, juicy blend of Zweigelt and Merlot, packed with ripe red and black fruit, vibrant herbaceousness and crunchy acidity, with slightly funky, earthy undertones. It also sees over three years in barrel before bottling, so this is a liter than can hang with the big kids. You could bring this to Thanksgiving dinner and your uncle who has a wine cellar would probably drink it. Probably. They named the winery Nibiru after an ancient Sumerian myth about Planet X (more on that in the section below), so it’s got an edgy side. They’re probably playing into the fact that low intervention wines in Austria go against the grain in terms of the conventional, chemical-ridden wines the Kamptal region was known for back in the 1980s. They were adding antifreeze to their wines among other things which like, why? Yuck. Anyway, this wine is totally natural and represents the best of what Austria has to offer these days. It’s so good. 

The winemaker: Named for a Sumerian myth about a planet that goes through our solar system every 3600 years - and the weirdest thing about it is that the planet appears to move the opposite direction as all other planets which probably fuels all the conspiracy theories about it. Josef & Julia named their project Nibiru Wines as a nod to the oppositional, rare mythical planet that seems to symbolize the difference in their approach from the imposing, chemical-ridden, classical past of the Kamptal and their hopes for what may be possible in this region in the future.

The geeky details: Grapes were fermented separately in open-top fermenters for two to four weeks, were pressed into stainless steel for malo, then after malolactic, moved into big fass from Josef’s grandfather’s dugout cellar. The wine has been aging since Nov ’18, so nearly 40 months in a barrel, bottled Feb 2022. 

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Bratwurst, those soup bread bowls, hearty stews, rich cheeses. 

Album pairing: Ginger Rose - Afternoon Delight

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EASYYY

Victor Sornin AOC Beaujolais Villages Rouge 2022

The vibe: You want easy? You got it. This bottle is too perfect for Thanksgiving not to include in this month’s lineup. This is a really cool one to compare to Moonwalk since they’re both Gamays from different regions in Beaujolais. While the Moonwalk is in Brouilly, a region known for fruit-forward quaffable wines, this is from near Morgon, known for granite-centric, mineral-driven wines. See if you can taste these elements! This wine is by Fred Sornin, whose son Victor is learning the ropes to carry on the family legacy into its 10th generation, including designing labels. We think this wine is just as lighthearted as his drawings, with tons of crunchy red fruit. Throw a little chill on it and try not to chug. ;)

The winemaker: Fred Sornin is the 9th generation winemaker at this estate based in the Regnie Cru. His vines are between 50 and 60 years old. Named after the winemaker’s son Victor, this bottle is a special project with the focus of building upon their existing organic winemaking to make wines that are as natural as possible using the best grapes.

The geeky details: 100% Gamay from one of the 5% of the best classified wines in the region. Harvested from a 60-year-old vineyard planted on granitic soil near the Morgon Cru. Fermented with indigenous yeast and aged in concrete tanks to keep it clean and fresh.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Pizza! Light enough to pair with starters, but would also lighten up any heavier courses. Leftover turkey sandwiches? Picnic in November??

Album pairing: The Offline - Les Cigales

Mersel Wine – Bekaa Valley 'Lebnani Abyad' 2022

The vibe: If I asked you where the oldest winemaking region in the world was, where would you guess? Greece? Georgia? Egypt? No one really knows the exact birthplace of wine, but these countries are all early players. Know who else is up there? Lebanon. Wine has existed in Lebanon since 7000 BC or so. Phoenicians were making wine in Lebanon thousands of years ago and even exported a large amount of it to other civilizations like Egypt. The Temple of Bacchus (Bacchus being the Roman God of wine) still stands in Lebanon and is testament to the region’s affinity for the good juice. It’s also the highest elevation wine growing region in the northern hemisphere, with a ton of microclimates and massive diurnal temperature swings similar to Mendoza, Argentina. French Jesuits arrived in the 19th century and brought with them French varietals, which display a unique expression given the area’s terroir and long ripening season. This wine is a skin contact blend of both the indigenous varietal Merwah (a cousin of Semillon) and the well known Sauvignon Blanc. It’s structured and broad on the palate, with tart, savory, and mineral notes converging beautifully, plus a hit of tropical and banana on the nose and finish. A truly beautiful bottle and label, from a beautiful region. 

The winemaker: Eddie Chami is an Australian-Lebanese wine pioneer. He holds a degree in winemaking from UC Davis and after graduation moved to Lebanon and reestablished his grandparents vineyards by 2011. Seeing the Lebanese wine scene evolving to mimic the French scene, and inspired by Greek winemaking which focuses on local varietals, he embraced several native varietals and lets them express themselves based on each individual vineyard site. The resulting wines are both entirely eccentric and effortlessly approachable. He and his wife, Michelle, cofounder of Heya Wines, are in the middle of harvest and winemaking as the region’s conflict rages on. We continue to support these incredible humans through their wines and periodically donate to Red Cross Lebanon and Beit el Baraka, two charities recommended to us by Eddie. If you are able, please consider donating what you can. 

The geeky details: Sauvignon Blanc (60%), Merwah (40%). Indigenous Merwah vines, over 150 year old. Merwah is harvested in the first week of October, it goes a slow ferment on skins for three weeks. It is then pressed and blended with the Sauvignon Blanc. The wines go through MLF naturally, they are racked twice before being bottled in late spring. Sauvignon Blanc picked first week of August, partially destemmed, partially pressed, free-run juice added back on skins in stainless tanks. Punch down occurs twice daily. It ferments for three weeks at 17 degrees celsius. An additional two weeks of maceration is done.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Spicy food! Salty/savory food! Since this has a little more structure it would also go amazing with heartier chicken-based dishes, lamb, roasted veggies, porkchops, even fall stew!

Album pairing: Toufic Farroukh - Villes Invisibles

Damien Menut - ‘Sonnemot’ 2021

The vibe: Grolleauuuuuu. I love you Grolleau. Do you pronounce the double-L as a Y? Who cares! One thing everyone agrees on is it’s delicious. This grape is typically seen as a blending varietal, similar to Pineau d’Aunis. It shines as a single varietal though, with big ol’ red fruit notes, some lighter stone fruit notes, and a slightly stemmy and spicy finish with a hit of olive brine. This producer is new to the Seattle market and they’ve embrace lighter expressions of regional varietals, similar to how wine of yesteryear would’ve been made before climate change warmed everything up. This bottle in particular is super crushable, being only 10.8% ABV. For being so quaffable and light, it’s surprisingly tranquil and elegant if you want to read into it. It’s the only wine bearing its vineyard name, as it packs some serious fruit from vines over 60 years old. It’s just so pretty. Chill it down and enjoy. 

The winemaker: Damien Menut was working at a wine shop in Paris in 2010 and helped out at a harvest, which inevitably led him down the road of acquainting himself with winemaking and taking organic viticulture classes. He finally scored an apprenticeship with legendary natural wine grower Bruno Allen in Thésée, and embraced the vigneron life in 2016 when Bruno retired. His operation is all DIY - hand-harvesting, hand-destemming and hand-pressing, followed by bottling, corking and labeling by hand. No sulfites are used at any stage for any of his wines. As a Breton (native of Brittany), he channels his heritage through the Celtic symbols on his labels. 

The geeky details: 100% Grolleau. Whole cluster fermentation followed by 15 months in old barrels. No sulfur added. 1,100 bottles made total.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Man, this wine is so light and crunchy with a hit of acid, it would make an AMAZING pizza wine, obviously. It would also go so well with spicy asian dishes and would cut right through any heat you throw at it. 

Album pairing: KOKOROKO - EP

Madson - Gamay Noir 2023

The vibe: Another new-to-market producer, this time from the Sta. Rita Hills in California! Gamay Noir is the perfect early fall varietal (it’s also unofficially the ultimate Thanksgiving wine) as it’s light enough to ease you into reds gracefully, but has enough character and subtle minerality to not leave you wanting more. It’s got substance AND finesse. Being from California, this is a somewhat unique expression as Gamay typically prefers cooler climates, but this vintage saw a particularly cold and wet winter followed by an overcast growing season, difficult conditions but which result in a longer hang time on the vines, creating beautifully rich and developed tannins, the perfect combination. It offers a structured palate with hints of cracked black pepper and pomegranate, dried herbs, and wet stone. 

The winemaker: Winemaker and founder Cole Thomas worked as an organic vegetable farmer, edible landscaper, and manager of the Demeter Seed Library prior to his career in wine. He discovered natural winemaking techniques while working in New Zealand for Prophet’s Rock and Amisfield Winery in 2017. He returned to the Santa Cruz Mountains to launch Madison Wines in Spring 2018 and continues to follow natural winemaking techniques to make California wines that express terroir with poise and concentration. 

The geeky details: 100% Gamay Noir, from the Sta. Rita Hills, sandy loam and chalky soils, whole cluster fermentation, carbonic maceration, aged in stainless and neutral oak barrels. 

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Being a little more structured, this should be right at home next to any dishes you’d pair with a medium-bodied red like saucy pastas, meaty mains, and roasts. Or pair it with candles and boardgames. 

Album pairing: Skinshape - Another Side of Skinshape

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WHAT THE FUNK?! 

Les 2 Fauves - ‘Continuum’ 2023

The vibe: My tasting notes on this wine run the gamut from “citrus” to “acid!” to “aliiiive”. And honestly throw “funky” right in there too. This bottle embraces the wild side of natural wines in the best way. It’s electric yet direct. It has tension but doesn’t get frazzled. It performs best under stress. And it shines like a diamond. Ugni Blanc and Villard Blanc, two varietals native to Ardèche and south-central France, come together in a skin-contact blend for 3 days in fiberglass. It’s a light maceration, but just enough to extract some additional complexity and skinsy goodness. Chill it down and drink it quick, it’s best on day one. 

The winemaker: Charles-Henri and Laura Soldan exemplify a true paysan lifestyle and we’re over the moon to represent them. The couple lives here with their young children and Laura’s cousin. They grow a small vegetable garden just by the winery, overlooking the terraced vineyards and the forested hills above a small river (Rivière d’Alune) cutting through the valley. The vineyards slowly descend the slope on larger terraces in a strikingly beautiful part of the Ardèche, close to Le Pont d’Arc on the Ardèche river. They farm 3 hectares on the slopes near their house and winery, with an additional 3 hectares closer to town in the valley.

The geeky details: 50% Ugni Blanc & 50% Villard Blanc (hybrid). 3 day maceration after crushing with aging in fiberglass tank.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: This is wacky one, try it with a spicy dish like curry and see how it goes! Broad-shouldered whites from this region also generally go well with shellfish, grilled fish, and lighter veggie-based dishes and cheeses. 

Album pairing: Voilaaa - C’est Tout 

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EASYYY

Josmeyer -‘Fleur de Lotus’ NV

The vibe: This is a beautifully serene, lightly aromatic expression of a blend of 35-year old grapes from Alsace in Northern France. Balancing fruit and terroir, it eschews regional stereotypes of overly sweet white wines in favor of embracing natural aromatics over residual sugar. Located between Wintzenheim and Turckheim are flat alluvial deposits of the Fecht, rich in clay, sand, silt and pebbles. That earth translates into the glass, leaving rocky deposits on the palate. Despite its refinement it is seriously easy to quaff and at 12.5% ABV you don’t have to feel guilty! 

The winemaker: Domaine Josmeyer has been making wine in Alsace over five generations dating back to 1854. Today, sisters Céline and Isabelle Meyer run the Domaine and have been practicing biodynamics since 2000. The hand-picked grapes are crushed slowly and left to rest in century-old wooden casks where the wines ferment naturally at their own rhythm. The wines are kept on their lees for several months during winter until they’re ready to be bottled and served on your table!

The geeky details: A blend of biodynamically-grown Auxerrois, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, and Riesling. They are harvested by hand and pressed whole using the pneumatic technique (for 5-8 hours), and naturally transfer all their aromas to the must. They are left to ferment spontaneously with no addition of enzymes or yeasts, and without chaptalisation. After a fermentation period which varies from one to four months, they are matured either in hundred-year-old oak barrels or in stainless steel vats, depending on each case.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: The aromatics and mineral texture here will match the creaminess of rice-based dishes, and will also complement asian sauces with sugar, tamarind, or honey.

Album pairing: Feng Suave - EP

Rootdown – Es Okay White 2022

The vibe: We love an autumnal white. Whether or not you’re ready for the season of pumpkin spice Chardonnay (yes that is a real thing at Trader Joe’s) it’s a good excuse to start shifting your gaze toward bigger, textural whites. This bottle is a beautiful blend of direct press (white juice) and skin contact (orange wine) and both lean and fuller-bodied white varietals. In 2022, the winemaker stumbled upon a good amount of Organic Cortese after Pinot Gris and Chenin Blanc fruit got hit hard by frost. It’s by and large Cortese, with smaller amounts of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Chenin Blanc. The result is a kitchen-sink blend of white varietals that all comes together as a medium-bodied alternative to the usual suspects from California. A great cooler-weather white, it balances honeycomb aromatics and Meyer lemon, apricot and loquat drippy juice, and finds a beautiful harmony around a slightly fuller, oily mouthfeel and clean, lean acidity.

The winemaker: Newer to the Seattle market, Rootdown is three unique brands under the leadership of Mike Lucia. Mike started Rootdown in 2014 after working for several iconic Sonoma County wineries and the name refers to the influence of the soil on wine, particularly in organic/low intervention winemaking. Mike has always been more interested in what the vine’s roots are drinking rather than how the sun is interaction directly with the fruit. His wines tend to have low alcohol, high acid, and more delicate, brighter color.

The geeky details: 80% Cortese, 8% Chardonnay, 6% Pinot Gris skin contact, 6% Chenin Blanc in a mix of barrels and eggs.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Fall salads, seafood, light pasta, risotto

Album pairing: Mildlife – Chorus  

Leon Gold – Rosè Gold 2023

The vibe: This textural German rosè is a cheerful blend of Trollinger and Muskat-Trollinger that will blast you off to bramble town. A heckin’ liter of blood orange, zesty orange marmalade, and dusty brambleberries. Muskat-Trollinger is a black grape grown for both wine production and table consumption, which makes it a great candidate for rosè as it is juicy, sweet and not overly tannic, and lends some great color. Speaking of color, hold this up to the light for a second. This is the perfect autumnal rosè; hefty in its hue but not overly dense on the palate, restrained in its structure but doesn’t fall apart as you’re drinking it either. It might even have some slight bubbles in the glass depending on the bottle. It’s the perfect wine for both unseasonably warm fall days and wet, rainy days at home watching reruns.

The winemaker: Leon Gold was fascinated with wine from a young age, growing up next to neighbors with vines. After training in Oenology, he founded his own winery in the Swabia region of Germany, Württemberg to be exact. According to the motto "quality arises in the vineyard and not just in the cellar,” a healthy dose of idealism and perseverance is needed to produce a special quality of wine instead of "Goldgräberstimmung" (digging for gold). Knowing the importance of biological cycles and moon phases, Leon chooses to support the wild balance in the vineyard, forgoing synthetic agents and instead using specially prepared compost. In taking a step back and letting nature run its course, Leon has found his own gold. His vines are healthy and abundant, standing on layers of gypsum keuper, red sandstone, Bunte marl and pebble sandstone. These layers of terroir translate to layers of texture in the glass : the embodiment of independent, living wines.

The geeky details: A thirty-six hour maceration of Trollinger and Muskat-Trollinger from 45 year old vines. Aged in stainless steel. Sandstone and marl soils.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Blackberry strudel, Kürbissuppe pumpkin soup, currywurst?? Treat it like a light red wine rather than a rosè.  

Album pairing: Melodiesinfonie – Softboi

Armour Wines – Carbo Barbo 2022

The vibe: This is the juicy, chillable, Washington-grown wine you’ve been looking for! We’re so excited to share it with you this month. You’ve probably heard our complaints about the state of natural Washington wines (practically nonexistent). Land isn’t cheap here, a lot of it is claimed by large estates with generational wealth, and it’s not a super friendly industry to scrappy upstarts. Those that can secure land face challenges with forever chemicals after years of pesticide and herbicide use, and this makes obtaining Organic certification difficult if not impossible, never mind biodynamic farming. So it’s incredible when a winery like Armour enters the scene with not only classically tasty Syrahs and incredible Gamays, but freakin’ fruit-gushers porch pounders like this. Made with one of our very favorite grapes, Barbera (swoon) this bottle is packed with rich aromas of blackberry syrup, cocoa powder, and fresh herbs. It’s juicy, with ripe blueberry and Luxardo cherry notes as you’d expect from a Barbera and finishes with a slight fizz on the tongue. Carbo Barbo is an instant classic and we’re so happy it’s here!  

The winemaker: Tyler and Sarah Armour produce lo-fi wines in the Wenatchee Valley. They source grapes from select vineyards around Washington State, processing grapes mostly whole-cluster, utilizing natural yeast, and aging the wine in neutral oak barrels.  The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered with little-to-no sulfur added and strive to make fresh and vibrant wines. They are new to the Seattle market, and have been making wine since 2020.

The geeky details: 100% Barbera, whole cluster 2 week carbonic maceration, basket press, 6 months in neutral French Oak.

Serve: With a slight chill.

Food pairing: I want to pair this like a Lambrusco. A charcuterie spread would be right at home next to this bottle. Pizza, barbeque and light grilled foods would also go great with this.

Album pairing: High Hoops – Seasons on Planet Earth

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WHAT THE FUNK?! 

Domaine Riberach – N°20 Rouge 2020

The vibe: You want funky? You got it! This Côtes Catalanes red blend is fairly typical in terms of viticulture and viniculture (farming and wine production). However, it exemplifies the best of southwest French reds that are made sans-soufre (without sulfites) in the Mèthode Nature (natural, low-intervention winemaking). Old cellars and old vines. This combo is legendary in this region when combined with low intervention winemaking for lending a distinctive feral, barnyardy and yes, sometimes manure-like nose to wines. This animalistic quality is actually what interested me (hi, it’s Nick) in natural wine in the first place! You can literally taste the livestock that have cultivated and fertilized this natural terroir for centuries. Some might be turned off by that sure, but you, dear funky wine drinker, appreciate this wild character as a product of generations of careful preservation of the land and the delicate balance of man and nature. It’s also a damn good wine!

The winemaker: Don’t go Google these guys because you’re going to end up booking a night at their estate and before you know it you’re sitting high up in the Pyrenees overlooking the sea at sunset and..UGH. Seriously this estate is gorgeous. Domaine Riberach is situated in the Pyrenees range near Perpignan, just across the border from Spain in SW France. The Bélesta cooperative cellar was founded in 1925, and abandoned when Luc Richard and his wife Karin Pühringer, both architects, fell in love with the derelict building. The former “wine cathedral” has been rehabilitated and since 2006 has been home to the Riberach Wine Estatein association with winemaker Jean-Michel Mailloles. It is a “multiculti” alliance that you can taste in a glass!

The geeky details: 45% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 25% Carignan fermented in barrel.

Serve: Cellar temp or with a slight chill.

Food pairing: Tapas, red meats, stews, chicken. Curry would also go great with this.

Album pairing: Bobbi Humphrey – Fancy Dancer

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EASYYY

Bura-Mrgudić – ‘Basina’ Bjanko 2022

The vibe: Similar to the Rootdown white wine, this is a lightly textural white blend with a touch of body, the perfect way to ease into cooler weather. This wine comes from the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia, one of the oldest regions for wine production. Dating back to 1410, this winery is also one of the longest-running in Croatia. Basina is named after a small local region in Dalmatia, within the village where the Bura family’s Tribidrag grapes are planted. The name comes from an old Illyric settlement at that location, dating back almost 3,000 years. The younger generation chose this name to emphasize that these wines showcase the truly ancient winegrowing traditions in this part of the world. A blend of all the local indigenous varietals, this wine is bright and textured, popping with sunshine, bitter herbs, dry pear and briny minerality. It’s representative of the style of wine Croatians have made for thousands of years, before there were recipes, rules or regulations. As expected, it goes down easyyyy. It’s also the last time it’ll be available in Seattle (at least for now) as the importer is packing up shop, so enjoy this one, it’s special. 

The winemaker: Located on the steep 45 degree Southern slopes of Pelješac Peninsula known for its big reds, Bura vineyards produce the most unique, delicious and prestigious wine to ever come out of the Dalmatian Coast. As much as there is talk about all the different wineries and winemakers in Croatia, no other winemaker stands out more than Niko Bura and his sacred Bura Dingač. Niko Bura’s vineyards are fully organic and are the truest expression of the microclimate and land of Croatia’s southern Dalmatian coast. The Bura family has one of the longest traditions of winemaking in Dingač and Croatia as a whole, spanning over sixteen generations -- since the year 1410!

The geeky details: 70% Rukatac (aka Maraština), 20% Zlatarica, 10% Pošip. Manual harvest, slightly raisinated grapes, destemmed, naturally fermented in open vats with manual punchdowns, 3 days maceration in Stainless steel tank, coarse filtration, 6 months in bottles before release.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Fish! Olive oil! Mediterranean fare!

Album pairing: L’indècis – Second Wind

Poberaj - Pinot Grigio 2022

The vibe: Starting off August with a Washington natural wine! This is such a cool bottle, and it is brand new to Seattle. First of all, make sure to read the winemaker section because the story of Poberaj is just as exciting as the wine itself. This is 100% Pinot Grigio from the Columbia Valley. It is unlike any Pinot Grigio I’ve had on the west coast, and I’m not exaggerating. Again, read the winemaker section and it may make more sense why. This white has some body on it! Honestly, it reminds me more of a full-bodied un-oaked Chardonnay than a Pinot Grigio, with ripe, yellow apple and peach fruit with citrus notes and even a little nutty, sesame action and a slightly oxidative profile. Absolutely bonkers for a Washington white wine and even more impressive for a relative newcomer winery. 

The winemaker: Born to a legendary Olympic kayak coach in Slovenia’s Soča Valley, Jure Poberaj came to the US with his family in 1993. Oh, another fun fact, he’s the nephew of Josko Gravner, one of the world’s great winemakers. Jure and Nina Jimenez own White Salmon Baking Company, a destination in itself bringing wood-fired pizza pilgrims from miles around. They also founded the wine bar, Soča, named after Jure’s homeland, to refresh said pilgrims. While clearing out part of their property in the hills above White Salmon, they began planting Italian varietals, alongside buying up fruit from local growers and partnered with legendary Hood River winery, Hiyu, to produce wines under the Smockshop Band label. New to the Seattle market, I’m elated to be able to share this wine with the club.

The geeky details: 100% Pinot Grigio from Pear Ridge Vineyard on Underwood Mountain in the Columbia Valley (one of our favorite sites!) This fruit is co-planted amongst pear orchards in a fully biodynamic vineyard site. 

Serve: With a chill

Food pairing: Honestly, I’d pair this with anything you’d typically pair with a fuller-bodied white like Chardonnay. Think cheeses, buttery/creamy dishes like pasta or chicken in cream sauce, veggie dishes with bright, fresh flavors, and anything mushroom-related.

Album pairing: DOMi & JD BECK - NOT TiGHT

Lasalde Elkartea - ‘Balea’ Txakolina Rosè

The vibe: Pronounce it like “choco-lina”. Now that we can say it, what is it?? Txakolina is a Basque style of wine, usually lower in alcohol (this one’s only 11%), and typically bottled with a touch of effervescence, similar to a Vinho Verde. Being from a cooler climate with cold nights and whipping Atlantic winds, Txakolina tastes like a cold plunge. Bright, tart and refreshing, with a subtle salty, savory element thanks to the proximity of the vines to the ocean. In fact, you get more sweet, salty ocean air on the nose than fruit. This will transport you to a Spanish seaside cliff on a sunny summer day. 

The winemaker: One of the original 10 growers to build the Getariako Txakolina DOP in 1990, Lasalde Elkartea is mere miles from the Bay of Biscaye and is dedicated to producing honest, traditional wines using indigenous Basque varieties. Lurdes Zubizarreta and her son Iker Eizmendi run the estate as well as an ever-growing flock of sheep.

The geeky details: 40% Hondarrabi Beltza (red) and 60% Hondarrabi Zuri (white). Stainless steel fermentation, unaged. Bottled while still young to capture residual CO2 for a slight effervescence upon opening. 

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Oysters on the half shell, cured meats, anchovies, roasted veggies

Album pairing: LA LOM - The Los Angeles League of Musicians

Domain Milan - ‘Reynard Rebels’ 2022

The vibe: Ah, Domaine Milan! I had the great pleasure of meeting Nathalie Milan at her estate in Provence, which she runs alongside her husband, Thèo. They make some incredible wines, some of which will be available at the shop starting this week, but this wine is a great place to start. Bottling their wines as ‘Vin de France’ rather than under an AOC allows them to break free of regulations and develop cuvèes using grapes that compliment each other, fermenting and aging in concrete to bring out terroir- and fruit-forward elements, and using sulfur sparingly if at all.  All of this adds up to an extremely drinkable (gulpable, even) blend. Merlot, with its big boy tannins, spices and sticky, jammy fruit, is lifted with the bright and mineral-driven Carignan. The end result is quaffable to be sure, but remains structured and elegant. 

The winemaker: Thèo and Nathalie currently run the estate, having inherited decades of chemical-free farming, and their wines shine as a result. In fact, Thèo's father, Henri, was the first natural wine maker of this region and one of the very first to plant white grapes due to the unique blue clay soil composition. The estate has since embraced biodynamics and permaculture to further bolster the health and diversity of the site even further. The prevalence of blue clay soil helps retain water in a dry climate, while cover crops and wild flowers and grasses are permitted to grow among the vines. 

The geeky details: Biodynamic Carignan and Merlot, carbonic maceration. Native yeast fermented and aged 12 months in concrete. 

Serve: With a slight chill.

Food pairing: I’m craving hearty pasta with this. Simple spaghetti and meatballs, or you could try to get your hands on some Cinghiale (boar) and whip up a mean penne ragù.

Album pairing: Reuben Vaun Smith - Bimba Sound

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WHAT THE FUNK?! 

Bodegas Bhilar - Vichingo ‘Peligroso’ Trousseau 2022

The vibe: A Trousseau Rioja?? Yup! Trousseau is native to Jura and the Rhone, but it is SINGING outside of its natural habitat and on the Atlantic coast of Rioja, Spain. I dig this wine so much. It sees extended skin contact for a broad, expressive profile, yet remains so light on its feet and ready to high dive from the tip of your glass straight down your throat. Structured, yet balanced with crisp acidity and rounded out with a lil’ savory, coastal influence. Add a touch of that good funk, and age it in concrete to keep that fruit direct and unadulterated. That’s it. That’s the recipe right there. 

The winemaker: Bodegas Bhilar is a husband and wife team who farm biodynamically. David and Melanie embraced energy independence early on, utilizing solar and wind power to run their operation. Tractors were replaced with horses, and the winery is fully Demeter certified in conversion. Their land is composed of high-altitude, limestone soils, influenced by cool Atlantic winds. Inspired by Jura, they often use grape varietals native to this region of France, as is the case here! 

The geeky details: 100% Trousseau, native yeast fermented in concrete.

Serve: With a slight chill.

Food pairing: Cod fish in tomato sauce, spicy Riojan chorizo, anything with goat cheese

Album pairing: Savana Funk - Raha

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EASYYY

Domaine Ozil - ‘Gourmandise’ 2022

The vibe: You like wine that goes down easy? This is that wine. A recent addition to the shop, I had to give Domaine Ozil some love in the club. I learned of the brothers Ozil when traveling to the Ardèche a few months ago, and since then we’ve gotten to know their lineup intimately. They make some incredible white cuveés and light reds, but this bottle is singing especially beautifully. Mostly Syrah, with some Grenache, it finds a great harmony between classic bold red profiles the region is known for, while remaining low ABV and light on its feet, not the over-extracted tannin bomb you might expect. In fact, it’s downright chillable. Which is exactly how I’d drink it! 

The winemaker: Brothers Jean Daniel & Thomas Ozil are the fourth generation winemakers of Domaine Ozil. Located in Ardéche (in the Rhône), they began producing natural wines in 2013. Prior to that, they used to sell their organically farmed grapes to the local coop but as of 2018, all of their harvest now goes to their own wines. The brothers also grow peaches, olives, vegetables, and lavender, adding to the biodiversity on their estate. Domaine Ozil is certified organic by Bureau Veritas, and their wines are made without the use of added sulfites. 

The geeky details: 70% Syrah, 30% Grenache. Organic/Biodynamic fruit, no added sulfur. Fun fact: this wine is the inverse to its counterpart, ‘Barry,’ which is 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah.

Serve: With a slight chill.

Food pairing: This makes me crave smash burgers, pizza, and one of my favorite meals while I was in the Ardèche, mushroom risotto.

Album pairing: Orions Belte - Mint

Tenuta Nardone –  ‘Pupo Punk’ Greco 2021

The vibe: Y’all asked for it! With this heat wave, I figured now’s the time to debut a sparkling wine in the club, and obviously it had to be a pét nat! Pétillant naturel wines, also referred to as the méthode ancestral, pre-date the champagne method, originating in France in the 1500s. But boy are they having a moment now. These little numbers get their pop naturally as the name suggests, without forced carbonation or dosage. Just bottle the juice under a cap as it’s still fermenting and it’ll continue to bubble away in bottle as the yeast snack until they can’t snack anymore. That’s why pét nats are typically dry, since fermentation is fully completed. That sediment at the bottom is actually dead yeast (aka lees), which impart a unique profile to the wine. In fact, there are whole regions and classic styles based around the profile of lees, like Muscadet or Chablis. This wine in particular has light, frizzante-style bubbles with incredible texture and density. It has a wild side to it to be sure, but it is also poised, with excellent structure and bracing tannins, perfect for washing down whatever savory or spicy dish you might be noshing on. Gently tip the bottle upside down to incorporate the lees, or keep it upright for a couple hours if you prefer a clear glass.

The winemaker: “Wine is meant to be drunk!” Nicola Nardone is the soul of this volcanic estate in Venticano, in the Campania region of Italy. After graduating in viticulture and oenology at the University of Bordeaux, he took over the family business in 2004. He grows grapes typical of the area such as Greco in the case of this pét nat, also Coda di Volpe, Falanghina and Aglianico. All vine work is done completely by hand, and natural flora is embraced, adopting the Organic Forest philosophy of keeping nature as intact as possible. Spontaneous grass grows among the vines and no herbicides or pesticides are used. Nicola also abstains from sulphur use across all of his wines, in stark contrast to the rigid, conventional tradition of Bordeaux school of thought.

The geeky details: 100% Greco. Two days of skin contact, then spontaneously fermented and bottled in the méthode ancestral. No sulphur, no fining or filtering.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: I just watched the first episode of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (I’m late, I know) and in it he visits Naples, the birthplace of pizza and cultural epicenter of Campania. Being from Campania, this wine would pair perfectly with a wood fired margharita. It also has some serious savory, textural, and even briny undertones, which would work well with anything umami, spicy, salty, or sour. I’m thinking pickled veggies, tinned fish, and even harder dishes to pair like kimchi bowls or Szechuan stir fry.

Album pairing: The Clash – London Calling

Kelley Fox  – ‘Nerthus’ 2022

The vibe: I’m inventing a new style of wine called peach wine. It’s not totally orange, it’s not pink, it’s peachy. And it tastes like peaches too! Stonefruit meets powdery minerality in this refreshing peach wine. It’s a made entirely of a “white grape” blend. I use air quotes because Pinot Gris grapes have pink-tinted skins, and since some of these grapes see time on the skins á la orange wine, hey presto we end up with a sunrise-colored hue. That was a lot of fruit-talk, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how stoked I am to debut Kelley Fox to the shop with this month’s wine club. Some of you might be familiar with her – she’s made a name for herself since opening her winery in 2007, and has been at the bleeding edge of the Oregon winemaking scene ever since.

 The winemaker: Kelley Fox has been making wine since 2000, after pivoting from her degrees in Psychology and Biology and pursuing a PhD in Biochemistry. Rather than learning about wine in a classroom setting, she spent time in the vines with winemakers themselves, including her dear friend and inspiration, David Lett of The Eyrie Vineyards. Yeah, that Eyrie. They were the first to plant Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley and first in the US to make Pinot Gris in 1970. With her connections, she is able to source from some of the great vineyards in the Willamette. Everything is hand-harvested, fermentation is spontaneous with natural yeasts and she even plays music for her wines. Her bottles are 100% natural, while remaining composed, refined, and true to the Willamette Valley terroir.

The geeky details: 34% Early Muscat, 34% Pinot gris, 18% Riesling, and 14% Pinot blanc. All fruit is whole cluster pressed after picking, except for a couple of fermenters of skin-contact Pinot gris (one pigeage per day, pressed at dryness). It was allowed to complete malolactic fermentation. Élevage - 5mos stainless tanks until bottling.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Hmmm, peaches?? Peach salad? Pesto peach chicken with burrata. Chips and peach salsa. Or omg a peach cobbler with ice cream.

Album pairing: Peaches & Herb – 2 Hot!

Kobal – Blaufränkisch 2022

The vibe: I assume you’ve already popped the two chillers from this pickup in the fridge (or maybe a cooler!), shouting at Alexa to start a timer until they’re ready. I realize it’s hotter than the inside of a fermenter right now and a red wine is the last thing on your mind. But! This is a realllyyy good red. And we all know how fleeting heat waves are. This is a Blaufränkisch, a varietal mostly grown in Austria, though thought to possibly be from Slovenia, where this winery is based. Slovenians actually have their own word for the grape: Frankovna Crna. It presents as a purply, blackberry-cherry-chocolate trio with woodsy undertones. It’s definitely a year-round drinker as you can pair it with both casual pizzas, roasted chicken or heartier gamey meals. It is best decanted for 45 minutes. And in case you want to grow your cellar, this should age beautifully over the next 5 years. Best enjoyed with company and a cozy meal, or as I first enjoyed it, at a cabin in the San Juans after a summer sunset.

The winemaker: Bojan Kobal produces wine in the Haloze appellation in Štajerska Slovenia, considered one of the top wine-growing sites in Europe since Roman times. Here, old vines root deep into marl slopes and absorb minerality, a signature profile of these wines. Kobal itself is a tiny garage winery, a project of Bojan’s outside of his day job as winemaker at Pullus (another fantastic Slovenian winery). He has a passion for indigenous varietals that rarely make their way out of the country, much less to our shores. Lucky us that his wines made it here!

The geeky details: 100% Blaufränkisch, hand-picked and de-stemmed, then skin macerated for 3 weeks. Spontaneous fermentation. Matured in used barrique barrels for 6 months where it finished malolactic fermentation. Bottled un-fined and unfiltered.

Serve: Cellar temp (60F)

Food pairing: Casual or classy, you decide! Backyard wood-fired pizza, roasted chicken or turkey, grilled chicken salad, burgers and French fries, or gamey stews and bratwurst, potatoes and braised greens.

Album pairing: Don Glori – Don’t Forget to Have Fun

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WHAT THE FUNK?! 

Lares – ‘Chimera’ Pét Nat 2021

The vibe: The label asks “we good?” Yes, yes we are very good. This is a friggin’ fruit salad of a pét nat with apples and grapes oh my! Lares is a form of creative exploration for winemakers Meredith Bell and Luke Wylde. With the main winery, Statera Cellars, focused on making honest and elegant Willamette Valley Chardonnays, this little label lends a space to lean on what they’ve learned over the years and to explore new pathways and make wine in their own way. And this wine is certainly that. Not only is it made with grapes they don’t typically work with, it’s a co-ferment style, meaning multiple varietals and fruit fermented together, then bottled as a pét nat. That’s pretty wild even for the Willamette. And honestly, all things considered I’m not even sure it’s that funky! It’s just so drinkable. The apples lend some lifting acidity and green crunchiness, but they don’t take center stage. Rather, this drinks almost like a prosecco or sparkling dry Riesling. And it just so happens to look like Gatorade. It is wild. It is fun. And it is unique AF.

The winemaker: Statera Cellars is owned and operated by two friends, Meredith Bell and Luke Wylde. They are the first winery in the Willamette to exclusively make Chardonnay – they love the grape and have a mission to showcase its potential and diversity. Using traditional winemaking practices results in wines that are compelling and alive. Lares is a small label focused on working with grapes outside of Chardonnay and creating even more honest and eclectic cuvées.

The geeky details: 50% Pinot Gris, 40% Apples, 10% Riesling. Hand-picked, native yeast fermentation. Unfined and unfiltered fruit wine.

Serve: Cold! 

Food pairing: Cheeese. I’m thinking Camembert. Or stinky blue or brie, which the lifting acidity and fruitiness will compliment.

Album pairing: Reuben Vaun Smith – Da Cuckoo YaYa 

Domaine Les 4 Vents – ‘Les Pitchounettes’ Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2015

The vibe: Alright I’m gonna say something because this is a safe space and I feel like everyone knows where I stand on this anyway. I feel like a lot of French white wines (and honestly rosés, too) are designed to be really…boring? Maybe it’s because I was just in Provence and Ardeche, where reds make up over 90% of wines produced and are bonkers good and the whites and rosés just literally pale in comparison (with a few stellar exceptions, obviously). So when I find an interesting white it really sticks with me and good news - this is a really cool white! It’s a Roussanne, which is one of the few white varietals somewhat common to this part of southern France. It has this je ne sais quoi combo on the palate; citrus and mineral notes, but also an incredible almond-y, honey, dried fruit showdown that makes me want to keep going back for more. If you’ve ever had Vin Jaune wine from Jura, or oxidative wines, you’ll recognize a bit of that profile here. It’s a really cool one and this is all there is, so I wanted to share it with you special folks. Hope you like it.  

The winemaker: Lucie Fourel and Nancy Cellier are sisters, who took over 3.5 hectares from their parents in 2006. In 2015, they inherited the remaining parcels and Lucie spent a few years as an apprentice with several wineries in the Rhone Valley during which time she developed her philosophy and practices for organic and biodynamic farming and natural vinification. 

The geeky details: 100% certified Organic/biodynamic Roussanne from sand and pebble soils. Aged six months in stainless steel tanks. No sulfur use during winemaking, only after bottling with a minimal dose. Fermented using only indigenous yeasts. 

Serve: Chilled

Food pairing: Oxidative wines and wines with this profile can jive with foods that are traditionally trickier to pair like artichokes, raw fish, and could even pair with richer foods. Anything you’d pair nuts or dried fruit with, hard yes. Think salty, nutty cheeses, fruit spreads, even cooked fruit pairings like pork with apple or a side of chutney.  

Album pairing: Berhana - HAN

Fabien Jouves – ‘A Table!!!’ Rosé 2022

The vibe: Since we’re on the topic of interesting whites and rosés from southern France, we had to keep the trend going for bottle #2. This is a blend of Malbec, Merlot, and Tannat. These are all Red Grapes with a capital R, and they pack some serious full-bodied tannins and richness when expressed in a full-fat red wine. “Tannat” is basically “tannin” with a couple letters missing. But here, these grapes are divvied up and some are pressed directly into white juice (saignée method), with the others seeing medium-length skin maceration. The resulting cuvee is basically a white and red blend of the same harvest, which is cool in and of itself. It also means that you get this incredible juiciness from one half, combined with an extracted, fuller, and complex version complimenting each other perfectly. I recently heard a wine described as “pulpy” and while this isn’t a ~chonky~ lava lamp, it definitely has some chewiness and textural goodness to it. It’s an interesting rosé that is also easy to drink and I love it for that.  

The winemaker: Fabien Jouves is from an old farming family in Causse and became a winemaker in 2006 when he created his first cuvée, “Mas del Périé”, on the highest slopes of Cahors. Jouves’ estate, 21 hectares in the junction of Quercy and Cahors, was selected to highlight the many expression of Côt. Reinforcing this is Fabien’s commitment to biodynamic viticulture that respects “life, plant, man, and the environment.” Following biodynamic agriculture adds strength to his terroir by supporting the whole environment from the vines to the animals.

The geeky details: Blend of Malbec, Tannat and Merlot grown biodynamically on clay and limestone soils and hand harvested. Direct press and skin maceration blended after spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak and cement with indigenous yeasts.

Serve: Chilled 

Food pairing: Seafood, grilled veggies, salad with goat cheese and peaches, grilled chicken. 

Album pairing: Kaytranada – Timeless  

Le Mazel – ‘Briand’ Grenache 2018

The vibe: You’re not going to believe me, but this southern French theme was not planned at all. But I’m not mad at it! In fact, it kind of makes for a cool point of comparison. We have two south-central Rhone/Ardeche wines and a Cahors rosé and they are all so unique! This one in particular is from a fairly legendary estate, Le Mazel. I write more about that in the winemaker section below, but that’s only half the story. Grenache is typically somewhat over-extracted in my opinion, especially so in this part of France, where higher average temperatures ripen fruit quickly and convert all the juicy, refreshing acids to sugar, which then gets fermented to alcohol. Like a lot of alcohol. Legs for days, but not exactly what you want when you’re finally busting out your shorts and crocs combo. This grenache isn’t typical. For starters, it undergoes carbonic maceration, similar to a Beaujolais, so it presents as fruit-forward and less abrasively tannic. But this isn’t a young wine. After 10 days maceration, it spends two years (!!) fermenting to dryness at a relatively easygoing 13% ABV. And somehow, after two years it still retains some lively bubbles that present in the glass, just to keep things spicy. I love it. I love this wine. 

The winemaker: Natural wine legends Gérald & Jocelyne Oustric are the hands and minds behind Le Mazel wines. Gerald is one of a distinct group of winemakers that experienced an epiphany after meeting Marcel Lapierre during the 80s. At the time, him and his father were working family vineyards and selling to a co-op. He pulled out of the co-op and transitioned to organic, realizing his vision of making wine with zero additions. He joined forces with his sister Jocelyne, and Le Mazel was born. Since then they have leased land and experience to emergent winemakers such as Sylvain Bock and Andrea Calek and lead a collaborative relationship with the natural wine producers of the south-central Rhone. 

The geeky details: 100% organic Grenache. 10-day whole-bunch carbonic maceration prior to pressing into stainless steel, where the grapes undergo a very slow, long fermentation sans temperature control. The wine is finally fermented to dryness 2 years later. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without any sulfur addition. 

Serve: With a light chill

Food pairing: Pizza, obviously. Also craving a hearty pasta and meatballs. Would also go great in a picnic basket with charcuterie and French cheeses. 

Album pairing: Aura Safari & Jimi Tenor – Sensory Blending

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WHAT THE FUNK?! 

Les Errances – ‘Cartouche’ 2022

The vibe: We’re staying in France, but migrating north to the Loire – Bellevigne-en-Layon to be specific. This wine is a really cool contrast to the Le Mazel. You have a slightly cooler climate, conducive to making lightly extracted, fruit- and terroir-forward reds with great tension and balance. This one is in the funky camp because it has some Volatile Acidity (VA), which in small doses like this I absolutely lose my mind for. Taste that balsamic-esque acidity? It lifts the entire profile and gives it a crunchy, fruity and downright refreshing finish, balanced with a touch of residual sugar to keep it in check. This wine was an instant “yes” from me when I tasted it. If you’re down with the funk, you’re down with this juice.  

The winemaker: Producing organically produced natural wines, Maïté Perrocheau and Warren Truchon founded Les Errances in 2017 after meeting while attending business school. Less Errances translates to “wanderings,” which is.a lovely way to say that there is always more around the bend if you keep wandering down the path. 

The geeky details: Grolleau (70%) and Cabernet Franc (30%). Hand harvested from 60-year-old vines, wild yeast fermentation, matures for 12 months on the lees in previously used barriques, unfiltered and unsulfured. 

Serve: Start with a light chill, let it evolve from there! 

Food pairing: With brambly notes of black raspberry, cranberry and pepper, this wine would pair well with pork rillettes slathered on a buttery baguette. 

Album pairing: Peggy Gou – I Hear You

Weingut Leiner – Riesling 2021 1L

The vibe: Riesling is one of those varietals that gets a lot of undeserved bad press. Like Lambrusco and Moscato, Riesling is generally synonymous with sweet wine. But these are all just grapes, and winemakers can do what they want with them. While we don’t bash sweet wines, fermenting the wine dry lends latitude to the palate and profile of the finished wine. Secondary flavors can rise to the surface and nuances you couldn’t detect before are suddenly exploding from the glass. This Riesling is a whole heckin’ liter of electricity. It’s got acid. It’s got minerality. It’s got that citrus fruit-sedimentary power combo that showcases the best of what Riesling can be. A cooler microclimate ensures a longer ripening period and concentrates the acid and terroir – which is calcium-rich loess deposited by ancient glaciers. It all shines through in this expression and it’s all the better for it. If you weren’t a fan of Riesling before, I’ll bet you are now!

The winemaker: Jurgen took over the winery from his father in 1974, cultivating vines biodynamically since 2005 and attaining Demeter certification in 2011. He personally collects and concocts herbal teas and compost additions for the health and vitality of the vines and places great value on maintaining harmony in the vineyards, aligning natural growing cycles with cosmic cycles and cultivating only when everything is in balance.

The geeky details: 100% Riesling. Biodynamically grown and hand-harvested. Fermented with native yeast in stainless steel. Bottled unfined and unfiltered at a bone-dry 4g/L of residual sugar. 

Serve: Chilled

Food pairing: Dry Riesling goes great with anything spicy or salty. Try Thai foods like curry or Khao Soi or Indian dishes like Biryani and Tandoori. Duck, chicken and pork are all good meat pairings as are seafoods like shrimp and crab.

Album pairing: Melodiesinfonie – Fragments

Succes – ‘Patxanga’ Rosado 2022 

The vibe: Let me tell you, having just visited Catalonia, this region should be on every wine enthusiast’s shortlist. While I (hi, it’s Nick) didn’t venture out to the winemaking regions, wine bars like Bar Brutal and so many others offer an incredible variety of natural wine from all over the region right in the heart of Barcelona. Succes happens to be on their glass list often and for good reason! While the region is known for crowd-pleasing Cavas and cheap rosé, winemakers like Succes are pushing the boundaries using indigenous grapes like, in this case, Trepat. Berry-forward and so crushable, this wine is singing and like the label, makes us dream of watermelon on the beach.  

The winemaker: Albert Canela and Mariona Vendrell started making wine in 2011 when they were just 20. Albert’s family has grown vines in the area for generations, which allows them connections to source organically grown old vine fruit owned by local abuelos.  

The geeky details: 100% Trepat from 40 year-old organic bush-trained vines. Calcareous clay, 400m elevation. Hand-picked and sorted then pressed into stainless steel where it is aged and bottled without sulfur additions. 

Serve: Chilled 

Food pairing: As the label suggests, pair this picnic popper with your beach-bound basket of fresh fruit, bread, cheese, and charcuterie cuts.

Album pairing: SiR – Chasing Summer

Limited Addition – Cabernet Franc Field Blend 2022

The vibe: We have been huge fans of Limited Addition since the shop’s inception. For starters, they’re incredibly (like, seriously extremely) educated and experienced winemakers. More on that below. Leveraging this experience to craft wines that are honest to the time and place they’re from results in some of the purest and most honest and unique expressions in the Willamette Valley. While they do work with a bunch of less common varietals, this Cab Franc is unique for other reasons. For starters, it’s deliciously juicy for having such a textural, full body. Due to the microclimate in the northern Willamette, the fruit undergoes full physical ripening at low alcohol, but with the absence of pyrazines (the compound in certain varietals that causes “green” aromas like bell pepper, grassiness, and herbal aromas). It’s a cab franc with almost pinot-levels of terroir expressiveness. It is blackcurrant. It is tobacco leaf. It is volcanic soil. And it is incredible. 

The winemaker: Bree and Chad Stock bring some serious experience to the Willamette wine scene. Chad (formerly of Minimus, Omero, and Origin) has a BA in Enology and launched his first wine brand “Minimus” in 2011, exploring viticulture and wine production theory across the state of Oregon. He is a top consultant in the state for minimal intervention winemaking. Bree has been a Master of Wine since 2016, holding one of the highest qualifications in the wine industry. For context, there are only 354 Masters of Wine in the world, and Bree is the only woman in the PNW with this achievement. She is also a certified WSET educator and sits on the boards of Assemblage Women in Wine and Demeter Biodynamic.

The geeky details: A blend of 100% Cabernet Franc from old and young vine sites. 70% whole cluster fermentation followed by elevage in mostly new neutral barrels.

Serve: Cellar temp (very light chill)

Food pairing: This wine could go so many ways depending on your vibe. You could chill it down and keep things casual with a juicy smash burger or bbq veggies and smoked meats. This would go amazing with cheeses – goat or pecorino or even some brie. Because it’s not particularly herbal (no pyrazines) it would likely cut through fatty foods nicely, much like lighter acid-driven varietals like pinot or gamay. And if you’re tapping into your classy side, French bistro food would pair incredibly.

Album pairing: Okvsho – A Place Between Us

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WHAT THE FUNK?! 

Azienda Agricola Gaudioso – ‘Gaudioso’ Syrah 2019

The vibe: We love a 12% Syrah. We also love an island red. Gaudioso puts a Sicilian spin on Syrah with this super fun and funky example. It’s in a clear bottle, the winemaker’s signal that this red is ready for drinking RIGHT NOW. Bright red fruit notes of cherry and pomegranate are the high note to the grassy and spiced vanilla undertones. Harvested the final week of August, it maintains a lightness and acidity atypical for reds of this region. You know where we’re going with this…it’s the perfect chillable red for spring in Seattle. If it’s hot out, throw a good chill on it. Overcast? Perfect – it’s still a Syrah! This is one for every occasion, and it keeps things interesting with a swift kick of acid and vibrant fruity tones. 

The winemaker:  Azienda Agricola Gaudioso is a 30ha biodynamic farm located in Partanna, Sicily, with about 7ha under vine. Though they are a younger winery, they come from several generations of Sicilian winemakers. Along with olives grown for oil, they grow both indigenous and French varietals without the use of pesticides or herbicides and follow low intervention winemaking practices in the cellar.  

The geeky details: 100% Syrah planted in 1998 on clay, sandy soil. Spontaneously fermented in stainless steel with just 8 days of skin contact without temperature control. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur additions at bottling (<25mg/l).

Serve: Start with a light chill, see how it evolves as it warms in the glass.

Food pairing: Syrah typically pairs great with intense flavors like grilled meats and vegetables. A hearty Sicilian-inspired stew comes to mind. Eggplant Caponata would probably work too – since this wine is so light in body and alcohol. Muffuletta, mmm. Wait. Arancini! You know what? Just put a whole Sicilian spread together and let me know your findings.

Album pairing: Nu Genea – Bar Mediterraneo