CLASSIC CLUB
Cantine Locci Zuddas Winery of Sardinia
This small family owned winery has a vineyard area of about 35 hectares (86 acres) where the main typical grapes of Sardinia are grown: Vermentino, Monica, Cannonau, Moscato, Nasco, Malvasian and Nuragus. Located in the municipality of Ussana in the Lower Campidano area of Cagliari, in clayey-sandy soils ventilated by the breeze that arrives from the sea a few kilometers away. Check it out in maps - we are excited to have all of our Classic Club wines this month from such a small winery in this exotic location off the coast of Italy. Saluti!
Red 1 – 2020 Locci Zuddas 'Estu' Monica, Sardinia, Italy
100% Monica
Monica is a grape variety found exclusively on the island Sardinia. Despite its relatively unknown status, it is one of the island's most common varieties, and makes simple wines designed for everyday drinking. To maintain a good quality of grapes, the bunches are selected before the ripening process. Once perfect ripeness is achieved, they are fermented in steel tanks for 10 days and a minimum aging of 8 months in concrete before bottling.
Aromas of small red fruits with notes of Mediterranean scrub, myrtle, and strawberry tree. Rich and medium-bodied, with velvety tannins and moderate freshness.
Food pairings: Pastas, roast pig & lamb, rich meat soups and Pecorino cheese.
Red 2 – 2021 Locci Zuddas 'Mezzaluna' Isola dei Nuraghi Carrignano IGT, Sardinia, Italy
100% Carignan
The vineyards are located in Sulcis, the area most suitable for this grape variety, cultivated on sandy, bush-trained soils. The average age of the vines is 70 years, where the very low yield guarantees high quality grapes. Fermented in steel tanks and aged for 8 months in French oak.
Intense and elegant on the nose with a pleasant hint of red fruits, spices and Mediterranean herbs. Round and smooth with good structure and excellent balance. The fruity and spicy notes are noticeable.
Food pairings: Pastas, roast pig & lamb, rich meat soups and Pecorino cheese, also try grilled Tuna.
White 1 – 2021 Locci Zuddas 'Tramuntana' Vermentino, Sardinia, Italy
100% Vermentino
The vineyards are located in the hills of Medio Campidano, not far from the city of Cagliari. Fermented in steel tanks at low temperature for 15 days and and aged for 4 months steel with frequent battonage.
Aromas of ripe apple, pear and guava and white peach, with a tropical note in the background. The palate is soft and elegant with noticeable minerality. Fresh & lively.
Food pairings: Fish dishes and raw seafood.
White 2 – 2021 Locci Zuddas 'Anna' Isola dei Nuraghi IGT, Sardinia, Italy
Vermentino, Nasco and Malvasia
Anna is the product of a blend of indigenous Sardinian grapes, created to showcase the best expression of the territory. The combination of these varieties gives rise to a wine with interesting aromatic complexity. Fermented in steel tanks at low temperatures for 15 days and an 8-month aging in steel with frequent batonnage.
Aromas of ripe apple, pear, white peach, flowers and honey with a touch of Mediterranean scrub. Full, round and fresh on the palate with noticeable minerality.
Food pairings: Great with fish dishes, also makes an interesting aperitif.
COLLECTORS CLUB
Red 1 – 2017 Westerly Fletcher's Red, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
"Very dark in the glass, this is a very rich blend offering aromas of brown sugar, cassis and hints of black pepper. Thick tannins frame the sip, where those gooey black-fruit flavors meet with fudge and roasted Concord grape elements." – Matt Kettmann, Wine Enthusiast
Food Pairing: Fire up the grill!
Red 2 – 2016 Chateau Mazeyres 'Le Seuil de Mazeyras' Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
Organically Grown
65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc
Château Mazeyres is in one of the smallest Gironde appellations, Pomerol, widely recognized for the aromatic intensity of its wines and the typical features of its terroir. 2016 will be remembered as an improbable, ultimately rare vintage shaped by contrasts. It was characterised by an extremely damp spring that was followed by a particularly dry summer.
Black fruit and flowers on the nose. Soft and smooth in the attack. This wine has a beautiful energy enhanced by real freshness. The finish is vibrant and offers up toasted notes paired with black fruit and licorice. All of this comes together to make a wine that can be enjoyed young and for the next ten years.
Food Pairing: Beef bourgogne, braised beef short ribs, roasts, soft cheeses and pate
White – 2021 Table Eleven Viognier, Quail Valley Vineyard, Los Olivos District, Central Coast
100% Viognier
Table Eleven is a very small family owed winery that began in 2018 by Nicholas and Laurie Nahigian. Passionate about wine, they produce small lots from hand selected vineyards throughout California.
"Very light in the glass, this small-batch bottling offers subdued aromas of honey and lychee on the nose. The palate is more generous, offering ripe pear and sweet-leaning melon and peach flavors, with an earthy kick on the finish." – Matt Kettmann, Wine Enthusiast
Food Pairing: Roast chicken, poached salmon, dishes with Indian spices
PINOT CLUB
Pinot 1 – 2021 J.K. Carriere 'Provocateur' Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
100% Pinot Noir
Winemaker notes: The 2021 vintage presented a reasonably warm growing season with moments of intense heat and yet wines of surprisingly amazing grace. This wine is a collection of the more obvious barrels of the cellar ready for their debut from the get-go. Small-lot wild yeast fermentations in open-top wood and stainless steel tanks. 100% barrel aged for one year in in 6% new French oak. Racked and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The nose presents cherry-raspberry-guava with a hint of warm tan oak spice. The palate portrays movement, starting as fully ripe seductive cherry-peach and moving to darker savory grilled meats, soy and graham. It’s
substantial with a medium-plus attack, good acid linearity, a sweet fruit core and finishing on particularly refined polished tannins. A village level wine playing well above its fighting weight.
Food Pairings: Duck, game meats, nut-crusted trout, roasted root vegetables like beets, yams and artichoke
Pinot 1 – 2017 Ziereisen Estate Blauer Spätburgunder, Baden, Germany
Organic
100% Pinot Noir
Ziereisen is located in the very southern part of Baden in a town called Efringen-Kirchen, directly on the Rhine river at the border of Alsace and Switzerland. The area is called Markgräflerland; another name is the Dreiländereck – the “three country corner”: Basel, Switzerland is the closest city, just 15 kilometers south. The climate is not unlike that of Burgundy.
ORGANIC CLUB
Red 1 – 2021 Cascina Val del Prete 'Serra de Gatti' Barbera d'Alba, Piedmont, Italy
Certified Organic / Biodynamic
100% Barbera
The estate's name, "Valley of the Priest", comes from a local story of Abbot Felice de Grèsy who was forced into exile on the property. The estate as it stands today is presided over by Mario and Maria Carla Roagna and their son, Giovanni. They are committed to natural farming and for traditional work in the cellar, utilizing techniques such as long maceration.
This wine just explodes with juicy, vibrant red fruit. Perfectly ripe, soft and silky with a hint of violet and fennel.
Food Pairing: Beef carpaccio, braised meats. mushroom risotto, blue veined cheeses
Pinot 1 – 2017 Ziereisen Estate Blauer Spätburgunder, Baden, Germany
Organic
100% Pinot Noir
Ziereisen is located in the very southern part of Baden in a town called Efringen-Kirchen, directly on the Rhine river at the border of Alsace and Switzerland. The area is called Markgräflerland; another name is the Dreiländereck – the “three country corner”: Basel, Switzerland is the closest city, just 15 kilometers south. The climate is not unlike that of Burgundy.
White 1 – 2022 McFadden Family 'Blue Quail' Chardonnay, Potter Valley, Mendocino
Organically Grown
100% Chardonnay
Winemaker notes:
Estate-grown at 1,100 feet. At this altitude, nightly temperatures drop 40 degrees allowing the grapes to maintain their acidity. Whole cluster pressed and fermented in stainless steel.
Savvy, succulent, salubrious and scintillating sums up our oak-less Chardonnay. Just picked apples, wildflowers and apricots fill your senses. Flavors of young peaches, juicy pineapple, citrus, white figs and hints of flint lace your palate. Complex, balanced and ready for a party of one or one hundred.
Food pairings: Sushi, shellfish, fresh corn, crisp green salads
White 2 – 2020 Domaine de l'Orviel Duche D'Uzes Blanc, Rhone, France
Certified Organic
Viognier, Grenache, Roussanne
From winemaker and owner Adrien Debaud who has been making wines “his wines, his way” which often means by hand, applying traditional methods and paying special attention to the details. His winery and vineyards are located in the cooler climate of the base of the Cévennes mountains, not far from Avignon in the southern Rhone.
This complex white has a full body and immediately grabs you with a rich scent of ripe apricot, vanilla, and a caramel like sensation. The wine has flavors of ripe fruit, elegant Mediterranean herbs, freshly toasted bread, combined with an elegant buttery note and an even more unctuous texture.
Food Pairing: Risotto, scallops in cream sauce, cheese plates
BUBBLES CLUB
Bubbles 1 – The Hermit Ram Ancestral Method, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Organic
60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir
Ancestral method of first fermentation in the bottle. Some extended skin contact on the Chardonnay lends a fuller body and creaminess.
Bubbles 2 – Jean Diot 'Crayons de Vigne' Brut Rosé, Champagne, France
55% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir
Winemaker notes:
The Maison Jean Diot, based in Vinay from day one, carries on the will of its founder by producing several vins de Champagne thanks to the meticulous farming of the vineyards located on the south hills of Epernay and in the Marne’s valley.
A tribute to the Les Crayons plot, whose Pinot Noir grape variety is used for the red wine of the rosé, Crayons de Vigne draw, all in subtlety and such at the mine, its elegant, fine and round blend. A champagne for immediate pleasure, to serve as an aperitif, during the meal or quite simply to enjoy a moment of conviviality.
NP SOMM CLUB
Red 1 – 2016 Badia a Coltibuono 'Montebello' Toscana, Chianti Classico, Italy
Organic
The limestone clay soil in the Monti in Chianti area and the perfect position of the vineyards are the essential factors that provide depth and elegance to Montebello Toscana wine. For some time the company has been engaged in the study and recovery of the ancient varieties typical of these areas through the cultivation of historic vines: Mammolo, Ciliegiolo, Pugnitello, Colorino, Sanforte, Malvasia Nera, Canaiolo, Fogliatonda and Sangiovese.
The harmonious blend of these 9 varietals gives this wine elegance and depth; the intensity and elegance make it pleasurable now but age worthy.
Food Pairings: Game and beef roasted, stewed or grilled, well aged cheeses and chocolate
Red 2 – 2020 Ghiaccio Forte Morellino di Scansano DOCG, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy
Biodynamic
100% Sangiovese (Morellino)
Morellino is the local name for Sangiovese in the coastal region of Maremma where this biodynamic bottling was grown. Oozing energy and grace, this example just knocks it out of the park with its fresh vibrancy, floral aromatics, deep red cherry fruit, and a dusty, crushed rocks minerality that so perfectly embodies Tuscany. Morellino di Scansano is without a doubt one of Tuscany's most delicious hidden gems.
Food Pairings: Beef and veal meatballs, feta brined roast chicken, smoky pasta alla vodka
White – 2021 Andrea Felici Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, Marche, Italy
Organic
100% Verdicchio
The winery of Andrea Felici is located in the Marche region, between Apiro and Cupramontana, the heart of the homeland of Verdicchio. Nestled on a hill at the foot of Mount San Vicino at an altitude of 516 meters above sea level, this is the southwest corner of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi appellation. This winery practices organic viticulture with certification. A blend of young and older vineyards, about half of the harvest ferments on its skins, only during the fermentation process.
"A very fresh-toned, dry and succulent expression of verdicchio, with a mineral lift to the pomelo and green apple aromas. Pure and very elegant on the palate with a pithy, mouthwatering finish. Light but not boring, which shows a gastronomic quality and purity." – James Suckling (92 Points)
Food Pairings: Fish stews, Caprese salad, halibut, pasta alla vongole and fried fish dishes