CLASSIC CLUB
Red 1 – 2019 Neleman 'Nucli' Organic Red, Valencia, Spain
Organically Grown
50% Tempranillo, 50% Bobal
Sustainability is the key word for Neleman and it is reflected in every process of their winemaking. They even plant a tree in Parque Natural de las Hoces del Cabriel in Valencia for every 173 bottles they produce, which helps to reduce CO2 emissions, increases biodiversity and restores the local landscape to its more natural state. Further, they only use natural cork to seal their bottles and try to collect the corks for reuse. All bottles are fitted with a rotating cork, something you don’t see often.
Nucli is the Catalan word for core. It's the essence of a good wine. The Bobal adds spicy aromas and dark color. Tempranillo provides juicy aromas of raspberries and red cherries with notes of leather and oak. Chill the bottle slightly for the best experience.
Food pairings: Tapas and friends
Red 2 – 2019 Grifalco 'Gricos' Aglianico del Vulture DOC, Basilicata, Italy
Certified Organic
100% Aglianico
Aglianico is a grape almost exclusively found in Southern Italy in Campania and Basilicata. A young wine like this is known for it's strikingly savory flavors of leather, white pepper, black fruits and cured meat. For those of us who are a fan of rustic, earth-driven wines, Aglianico is a star.
Aglianico del Vulture is specifically from the hills surrounding the volcano Vulture and Grifalco is an excellent producer. Sourcing grapes from four different vineyards, Gricos is their everyday barbecue wine. Made from younger vines, but nonetheless meaty and substantial, the wine is purposefully made to be more forward and drinkable younger. Shows plentiful crisp red fruit, mineral and floral aromas, with pepper and an undergrowth background.
Food pairings: Drink with beef, lamb, cheeses or substantial pasta dishes
White – 2020 Centopassi 'Giato' Grillo - Catarratto, Sicilia Superiore DOC, Sicily, Italy
Organically Grown Grapes
60% Grillo, 40% Catarratto
Notes from wine importer Oliver McCrum:
‘I Cento Passi,’ the Hundred Steps, is an anti-Mafia film made in 2000, and Centopassi wines are grown in vineyards confiscated from convicted Mafiosi, some of them notorious (such as Salvatore ’Toto’ Riina). In other words the mere existence of this estate is a renunciation of the Mafia, and of the terrible effect that the Mafia has had on the people of Sicily for generations. We are proud to support Centopassi and Libera Terra, the organization behind it.
Centopassi’s grapes come from various vineyards in the high Belice Corleonese Plateau, near the town of Corleone, south of Palermo. ‘Giato’ is the name of the area around the ancient Greek theatre on Mount Jato. Grillo and Catarratto are widely grown in western Sicily, most commonly used in Marsala. This wine shows brisk, flavorful hints of herbs, apple and mandarin orange. Shockingly good for the money.
Food Pairing: White fish with citrus and olive oil
White 2 – 2020 Viña Progreso 'Experimental Overground' Viognier, Rio de la Plata, Uruguay
100% Viognier
Gabriel Pisano is one of our favorite winemakers from Uruguay. He was born in the vineyard, and his personality is that of an explorer. After studying oenology at Uruguayan Vine & Wine School, Gabriel traveled the world learning to make with with world famous winemakers in the famed regions of Sonoma, California; Priorat, Spain and Apalta, Chile. Upon his return to Uruguay, Gabriel brought with him new winemaking techniques and a love for the world’s varietals available outside Uruguay.
The wine is dry, delicate and aromatic. Its delicious acidity has flavors of citrus, figs, nectarines and pineapple. The long finish has notes of orange peel and soft pepper.
Food Pairing: Perfect as an appetizer. Serve with roasted fish, shellfish, artichoke hearts and goat cheeses.
COLLECTORS CLUB
Red 1 – 2017 De Novo 'Earth' Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, California
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
The grapes for De Novo's North Coast wine are sourced from small vineyards in California's Dry Creek, Alexander Valley, Mendocino and Lake County. Harvested, crushed, fermented, aged and blended with the utmost care, Earth was born of a dream to build a more sustainable future.
A velvety purple color invites you to this classic Cabernet blend. Your nose is greeted by dark stone fruit aromas with a hint of toasted vanilla oak. A harmony of palate sensations follows: Warm mouth-feel, earthiness of elderberry, ripe flavors of black cherry, a hint of plum, a whisper of black licorice and balanced oak with structured tannins.
Food pairing: Steaks, burgers, beef short ribs, lamb, portobello mushrooms and hard cheeses
Red 2 – 2018 Siete Fincas 'Secreto' Petit Verdot Reserva, Mendoza, Argentina
100% Petit Verdot
Siete Fincas is a family winery created by Edgardo Stallocca in 2000 to continue the viticultural tradition his grandfather, Juan Stallocca, began in Mendoza in 1904. From the “siete fincas” or “seven lands” where Juan Stallocca once stood, Edgardo is transforming his family heritage into hand-crafted, premium wines.
This single varietal wine has an intense red-purple color and robust structure with subtle aromas of black cherries, blackberries and raspberries. Hints of wild sage, chocolate and tobacco that come from its twelve-month aging in French oak barrels, this is an unctuous and particularly unique wine.
Food pairing: Red meats, cured cheeses, pasta bolognese and stews
White – 2020 Fleuriet Frères Renaissance 'Magie des Caillottes' Sancerre, Loire Valley, France
100% Sauvignon Blanc
The Fleuriet family took over this under-performing Sancerre estate a few years ago and are now elevating it to new heights. Fermented in concrete tank and then aged 50% in used oak for complexity, focus, and richness
The chalky, sea-shell, soils show up right away on the nose, where you're greeted by a big burst of salty stone and cool white fruits (peach, citrus). The palate sizzles with fresh white peach, lime, lemon, citrus pith and flint flavors. The texture is a bit luxurious, but laser sharp in focus and the finish pops in a big way with a burst of white citrus pulp and pith, chalk and a hint of chamomile. Anyone who loves classic, focused, great with food but also fun to just drink Sancerre is going to adore this.
Food pairing: Oysters or seafood with lemon, arugula salad, goat cheese
PINOT CLUB
Pinot 1 – 2018 Domaine Chevrot Hautes-Cotes de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Organically Grown
100% Pinot Noir
The grapes for Hautes-Cotes de Beaune are grown to the west of, and at higher altitudes to the main vineyard areas. This altitude creates a more delicate style of Pinot Noir. The Chevrots have been making wine in the village of Maranges since 1830, and today the winery is run by two brothers, Pablo and Vincent Chevrot. Their goal is to make wines that reflect their terroir and the vintage, which means as little tinkering in the cellar as possible. The brothers never add enzymes, acidify or chaptalize and they do not see any sulfur until bottling.
Classic Burgundy on the nose with floral and cherry notes, nutmeg and white pepper. This wine is honest and crisp with great tension and fine tannins.
Food pairing: Flank steak with shallots
Pinot 2 – 2018 Stephen Ross Estate Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, California
100% Pinot Noir
The Edna Valley is located in the South Central Coast of California a few miles southeast of the town of San Luis Obispo. The cool ocean breezes make this the perfect climate for Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. Grown on the estate in the Stone Corral Vineyard. Classic Burgundian methods of winemaking were used in making this wine; open top stainless steel fermenters, punch downs by hand, pressed with a modern stainless steel basket press, aged in French oak barrels and put into bottle with a clarifying filtration.
Beautiful deep ruby red color, transparent and dense. Bright notes of fresh rose blossom, some cedar forest and dried cherry aromas. Youthful, with a good balance of acidity and moderate alcohol, ripe blue fruit notes on the palate, lingering fine tannins on the finish.
93 PTS - WINE ENTHUSIAST, 90 PTS - WINE & SPIRITS
Food pairing: Grilled salmon or lamb lollipops
ORGANIC CLUB
Red 1 – 2019 Neleman 'Nucli' Organic Red, Valencia, Spain
Organically Grown
50% Tempranillo, 50% Bobal
Sustainability is the key word for Neleman and it is reflected in every process of their winemaking. They even plant a tree in Parque Natural de las Hoces del Cabriel in Valencia for every 173 bottles they produce, which helps to reduce CO2 emissions, increases biodiversity and restores the local landscape to its more natural state. Further, they only use natural cork to seal their bottles and try to collect the corks for reuse. All bottles are fitted with a rotating cork, something you don’t see often.
Nucli is the Catalan word for core. It's the essence of a good wine. The Bobal adds spicy aromas and dark color. Tempranillo provides juicy aromas of raspberries and red cherries with notes of leather and oak. Chill the bottle slightly for the best experience.
Food pairings: Tapas and friends
Red 2 – 2019 Preston Farm & Winery Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma
Certified Organic
94% Zinfandel, 6% Mourvedre
Preston Farm and Winery is a family-operated, organic property in Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Valley. The estate winery features a tasting room, farm store, and bakery with a wood-fired oven. Estate-pressed olive oil and cured olives, sourdough loaves, pickles, and produce from the farm are available for purchase along with the wines. Definitely worth a visit the next time you're in Sonoma.
This wine is aromatically alive with intense red and dark berry notes accented by cedar, dried tobacco leaf and some dark pepper. A burst of blood orange flavor arrives to complement the same aromatic notes on the palate, building to a quenching, mineral finish. This years blend is anchored by vines planted in 1910 and 1940, alchemically transformed to a wine that rewards both contemplation and outright hedonistic enjoyment.
Food Pairing: Perfect to sip without food, but will pair well with barbecue, Mexican dishes and chile
White – 2020 Centopassi 'Giato' Grillo - Catarratto, Sicilia Superiore DOC, Sicily, Italy
Organically Grown Grapes
60% Grillo, 40% Catarratto
Notes from wine importer Oliver McCrum:
‘I Cento Passi,’ the Hundred Steps, is an anti-Mafia film made in 2000, and Centopassi wines are grown in vineyards confiscated from convicted Mafiosi, some of them notorious (such as Salvatore ’Toto’ Riina). In other words the mere existence of this estate is a renunciation of the Mafia, and of the terrible effect that the Mafia has had on the people of Sicily for generations. We are proud to support Centopassi and Libera Terra, the organization behind it.
Centopassi’s grapes come from various vineyards in the high Belice Corleonese Plateau, near the town of Corleone, south of Palermo. ‘Giato’ is the name of the area around the ancient Greek theatre on Mount Jato. Grillo and Catarratto are widely grown in western Sicily, most commonly used in Marsala. This wine shows brisk, flavorful hints of herbs, apple and mandarin orange. Shockingly good for the money.
Food Pairing: White fish with citrus and olive oil
BUBBLES CLUB
Bubbles 1 – Poderi dei Bricchi Astigiani Brut Blanc de Noirs, Piedmont DOC, Italy
Certified Organic
100% Pint Noir
Poderi dei Bricchi Astigiani is a Piemonte winery owned by the Gaslini Alberti family situated in one of the finest sub-zones of the province of Asti. This sparkling Pinot Noir produced Metodo Classico (Classic or Traditional Method) and aged in the bottle for 24 months on the lees. The first fermentation has the skins pressed off the grapes immediately, so it is bright straw yellow in color.
Fragrant with notes of crunchy fruit – fresh peach and apricot – and bread crust. The fruit is balanced between the acid freshness and the softness of the yeast. There is a pleasant savoriness that shows a remarkable persistence.
Bubbles 2 – Poggi delle Grazie 'Lo Spavaldo' Frizzante Bianco, Verona, Italy
100% Cortese
Poggio del Grazie was founded in 2014. 'Poggio' describes the location of the vineyard situated on gently low sloping hills just south of Lake Garda. On clear days, from the highest point in the vineyard you can see the lake's reflection. 'Le Grazie' refers to a small Chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and located inside the vineyard. This was built by the original owners during the Second World War to give thanks for saving the property from the Allied bombing in the local area.
The love for the land, the desire to improve their products and the willingness to invest in something innovative prompted the owners, after years of research, personnel training, and the meeting with our young winemaker to take the plunge. This wine is modern with aromas of citrus, yeast and bread. Fresh and mineral on the palate with herbs and light almond notes.
NP SOMM CLUB
Red 1 – 2019 Seabold Cellars Mourvedre, Rodnick Farm, Chalone of Monterey County
Organically Grown
100% Mourvedre
Established in 2014 by MS Chris Miller and winemaker Peter Figge, Seabold was founded with the focus of cool-climate wines made as hands-off and traditionally as possible respecting traditional techniques and practices without being beholden to them. They produce non-interventionist, site-specific Burgundy and Rhône varieties, as seen through a California lens.
This wine is made from 30+ year old Mourvedre vines in the limestone, granite and volcanic soils of the Chalone AVA. After fermentation it was aged for 18 months in neutral puncheons. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Fresh and light, with a very appealing red berry fruit character when first opened, the wine becomes more and more serious with aeration. The palate begins to display a telltale savory and smoked meat character, and the structure shows this one is built for the long haul.
Food pairing: Slow braised meats and stews
Red 2 – 2016 Petrichor Les Trois Estate, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma
75% Syrah, 25% Grenache
Petrichor (pet-ri-kor) n. the scent of rain on dry earth.
Petrichor Vineyard is perched high above Russian River Valley atop a westernmost ridge of the Mayacamas Mountains that divide Napa and Sonoma counties. This unique quadrant of Sonoma County boasts a unique well-drained volcanic soil with exposure to the North, West and South and a semi maritime influence distinctively its own. The wine is intensely site driven, displaying vibrant color and aromatics, sturdy tannins and natural acidity.
The Syrah brings its smokey, leathery and meaty side with a hint of spice, while the Grenache lifts this up with its red fruit and floral personality. Altogether light and mineral in style from the volcanic soil.
Food pairing: Charcuterie & cheese, please
White – 2019 Analemma Estate Albariño, Mosier Hills, Columbia Gorge, Oregon
Certified Biodynamic
100% Albariño
Despite similar coastal qualities found between the West Coast of the United States and Northwest Spain, less than one percent of the world’s Albariño is planted here. This is the second vintage of Albariño from Analemma. Biodynamically grown amid cherry orchards, oak forest and grazing pasture.
This wine has a honied, saline quality accompanied by lime and green melon. Its mineral character reminds us of Rias Baixas. Medium bodied with a pale yellow hue, this wine is lifted and refreshing. We recommend serving well chilled.
Food pairing: Dungeness crab, seafood and light fish dishes