CLASSIC CLUB
Red 1 – 2022 Bosco del Merlo 'Nono Miglio' Cabernet Sauvignon, Venezia, Italy
Cabernet Sauvignon
Bosco del Merlo Wines encapsulate the philosophy and passion of the Paladin family: a family that has always combined tradition and innovation, with the aim of achieving an oenological quality capable of expressing the uniqueness and nuances of the territory.
This stainless steel fermented Cabernet is distinguished by its enchanting brilliant red color and by its delicious scent with distinct hints of pepper, cloves and violet. The flavor is austere, full-blooded and velvety.
Food pairings: Great for barbecue, burgers or chicken
Red 2 – 2018 A Pie de Tierra 'Fuerza Bruta' Garnacha, Madrid, Spain
Organic
100% Garnacha
Formed in 2015, Pie de Terra is one part Aitor Paul, a Madrid sommelier, and one part David Villamiel, a Méntrida winegrower. The latter is especially well known for their outstanding work of bringing the full expression of the granitic soils of Sierra de Gredos (in the greater Madrid DO) to the glass with their stellar wines.
The grapes for this wine come from 60-year old vines growing in decomposed granite soil amongst oaks, willows, and ash. Fermented whole-cluster for 35 days, resulting in a light, translucent wine. Aged in large Galician chestnut foudres.
This wine has a lively, fresh nose of red and black raspberry that carries into the palate where it’s joined by hints of earth and dried twigs. Light in body, yet with enough grainy tannins to remain serious. It further develops with time, the opened bottle making for joyous second-day drinking with added hints of warm spices.
Food pairings: Fish stews, cheese, cured meats and picnics
White 1 – 2023 Marichal Reserve Collection Albariño, Canelones, Uruguay
100% Albariño
Albariño is a white grape originally from Galicia, Spain. In Uruguay, it is an exciting new varietal, very well adapted to the climate and soil.
This fresh wine presents aromas of lemon and grapefruit intertwined with delicate floral notes and a distinct mineral character evoking wet stones. It is balanced with great texture and a refreshing finish.
Food pairings: An ideal pairing for seafood dishes or a delightful aperitif choice.
White 2 – 2019 Abadía de Tortoreos Condado Do Tea, Rias Baixas, Spain
Organic
80% Albariño, 15% Treixadura, and 5% Loureiro
The father and son team of Enrique and Jose Felix produce wines on micro-parcels in the Minho Valley that have been family owned for over 100 years. The vineyards are in Setados, a small area near As Neves in what is known as the Condado de Tea subzone, which is known for very minerally and precise wines.
Aromas include honeysuckle, white flowers, gardenia, and Meyer Lemon. Flavors include honeydew melon, white peaches, strawberries, and a hint of cherry. There is a medium to full body, perfect balance and acidity, very saturated and refreshing across the palate, and a rich minerally finish.
Food pairings: Fish, seafood, paellas, tapas, Thai spiced dishes
COLLECTORS CLUB
Red 1 – 2020 Avennia Gravura, Columbia Valley, Washington
57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc
Winemaker Notes: The 2020 Avennia Gravura features notes of plum, black cherry, red currants, licorice, violet petals, pomegranate, cocoa powder, and pencil shavings. This wine has a firmly knit structure, and beautiful long finish, with dark red fruits, milk chocolate, river stones, toasted vanilla, and a touch of savory herbs.
"Leading off the Bordeaux blends from this great estate, the 2020 Gravura offers attractive mulled red and black cherry fruits, some spicy, savory herbs, and sandalwood notes, medium body, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. It's another impeccably made 2020 from Chris Peterson with lots to love." – Jeb Dunnuck (93 Points)
Food pairings: Grilled steaks, lamb lollipops, duck and game meats
Red 2 – 2020 Avennia Justine, Yakima Valley, Washington
60% Grenache, 23% Mourvedre, 17% Syrah
Winemaker Notes: Justine reflects our belief that Washington is capable of producing world class blends of grape varieties traditional to the Southern Rhône region of France. The name is inspired by one of the great heroines of recent literature, who also sprung from the imagination of the Mediterranean. Dark, seductive, complex, with a chasm of depth: The Justine is a great reflection of Avennia’s mission of expression, and Washington’s generous terroir.
Showing a medium-dark garnet color, this wine starts with a beautiful nose of dark raspberry, pomegranate, and orange zest, and desert herbs. The palate is seamless and complex, with dark red fruits, violets, licorice pastille, and wet clay. This wine always shows well on release, and can age for a decade plus in the cellar.
Food pairings: BBQ ribs, roast chicken, grilled veggies, sausages
White – 2019 Ancien Chardonnay, Carneros, California
100% Chardonnay
Winemaker Notes: Our Chardonnay owes it style, depth, and structure to intensely flavored, low yielding, heirloom clones grown at the Toyon Farm on the Napa side of Carneros. We hand-selected the cuttings ourselves, from older vineyards in the Carneros area. These cuttings are reputed to have origins tracing to Paul Masson who imported them from Burgundy in the early 1940’s, from Louis Latour's renowned Corton Charlemagne vineyard. These selections are often referred to as “Old Wente” denoting the sourced mother block in the 1960s.
Rich flavors of ripe apple and honeydew melon greet delicate perfume notes of freesia and citrus blossom. Brighter notes of lime and Meyer lemon match the refreshing acidity of this wine, balanced by a creamy palate and leading to a finish that continues to lengthen as the wine opens up. The lingering finish is framed by mouthwatering minerality as the complex fruit reverberates on the palate.
Food pairings: Lobster, Dungeness crab, dishes with delicate cream sauces and buttery cheeses
PINOT CLUB
Pinot 1 – 2018 Elaine Pinot Noir, Calypte Vineyard, Russian River Valley, California
100% Pinot Noir
Redolent of cherry, plum, violet, cola, white pepper, vanilla, clove, cinnamon and sweet smoke with smooth finish. The fruit was handpicked at night from Calypte Vineyard, hand sorted, cold soaked with 10% whole clusters, fermented with 2x daily punch downs, barrel aged in 30% new French oak for 15 months, bottled unfiltered. Extremely limited production at 112 cases.
Award-winning: 96 Points - Double Gold - North Coast Wine Challenge, Gold - 94 Points - Sunset International Wine Competition, Gold - 92 Points - Orange County Fair Wine Competition, Gold - Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition, Gold - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Food pairings: Grilled salmon, halibut, tuna and fruit-based sauces or chutneys and mushrooms
Pinot 2 – 2020 Ancien Pinot Noir, Carneros, California
100% Pinot Noir
Ancien Wines Carneros Pinot Noir exhibits the mouthcoating texture that sets their Carneros Pinot Noir apart. In its youth is skews more to the spicy end of the spectrum with currants, orange spice and cocoa. Dark cherry and wild berry notes open with time in the glass and characteristic notes of anise. Subtle earth notes, hummus and truffles add interest as well as exotic hibiscus nuances. It is concentrated on the palate, exhibiting the structure of the vintage. The wine finishes long and savory inviting the next sip.
Food pairings: Duck, salmon, mushroom and truffle dishes
ORGANIC CLUB
Red 1 – 2018 A Pie De Tierra 'A Dos Manos' Garnacha, Madrid, Spain
Organic
100% Garnacha
A Dos Manos is a single-varietal red wine made from Garnacha, and it has been aged for 12 months in 225-litre French oak barrels. The wine is created organically from grapes harvested from various plots, with vines between 25 and 45 years old.
This is elegant and fine with a lovely weight of fruit behind it, and a refreshing backbone of acidity. Lovely red fruit flavors - think macerated strawberries, rhubarb and rose petals - and very fine tannins. This is a treat when slightly chilled in warmer weather and dining alfresco
Food pairings: Meat stews, tapas, paella
Red 2 – 2022 Sebastien David 'Hurluberlu' Cabernet Franc, Touraine, France
Organic / Natural
100% Cabernet Franc
Working with the ancient techniques that have been passed down, Sebastien David has been producing stunning Cabernet Franc wines since 1999. Working with whole clusters, David ferments with wild yeasts, employing carbonic maceration for 25 days, followed by a light pressing to preserve the fruit's characteristics. The wines are then bottled without filtration or fining, and virtually no sulfur is added.
Crunchy and quenchable chillable red with red fruits jumping out of the glass. An abundant fruit cornucopia of red snappy cherry, raspberry and tart cranberry. It is a quintessential light drinking "natural" red wine.
Food pairings: Tacos, chips and salsa, bruschetta
White 2 – 2019 Abadía de Tortoreos Condado Do Tea, Rias Baixas, Spain
Organic
80% Albariño, 15% Treixadura, and 5% Loureiro
The father and son team of Enrique and Jose Felix produce wines on micro-parcels in the Minho Valley that have been family owned for over 100 years. The vineyards are in Setados, a small area near As Neves in what is known as the Condado de Tea subzone, which is known for very minerally and precise wines.
Aromas include honeysuckle, white flowers, gardenia, and Meyer Lemon. Flavors include honeydew melon, white peaches, strawberries, and a hint of cherry. There is a medium to full body, perfect balance and acidity, very saturated and refreshing across the palate, and a rich minerally finish.
Food pairings: Fish, seafood, paellas, tapas, Thai spiced dishes
BUBBLES CLUB
Bubbles 1 – 2021 La Lieff Sparkling Rosé, San Luis Obispo County, California
100% Grenache
Winemaker Notes: Our first Sparking Rosé of Grenache is Iris, Greek Goddess of rainbows, who inspires us with her light, joy and loving abundance. Made from 100% Estate Grown Grenache, this beautiful sparkling wine expresses the magic Alamo Creek Ranch Vineyard has to offer.
This beautiful classic style sparkling rosé is refreshing and vibrant. Fresh aromas of both cherries and strawberries compliment bright floral notes of rose petals. This wine is both crisp but also balanced with a light touch of minerality.
Bubbles 2 – 2022 Vin des Potes x Julien Altaber 'Nébuleuse', Burgundy, France
Organic / Biodynamic / Natural
100% Aligote
Le Vin des Potes is the association of two sommeliers, driven by inner-passion for the food and wine culture. Basile and Yoan thought of Le Vin des Potes as a trademark, working hand in hand with winemakers to blend their own wines, extracting the best potential their vineyard has to offer. In this case the winemaker is Julien Altaber in the Cote de Or.
Grapes directly pressed to stainless steel tank, unfined, unfiltered. Ancestral method.
NP SOMM CLUB
Red 1 – 2021 Laurent Fayolle 'Clos Les Cornirets' Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone, France
Certified Organic
100% Syrah
Laurent Fayolle is the 6th generation to run this small family estate in the Northern Rhône village of Gervans. In 2002, when his father and uncle split up the family domaine amongst their children, Laurent took control of 7 hectares of prime heirloom parcels (many over 60 years old) in the granite hills located on the backside of the hill of Hermitage. Along with his light touch in the cellar, he is able to take the incredible organic materials from the complex terroirs he farms and create wines of supreme elegance and refinement. This is “Grand Cru” Crozes at its absolute finest.
Aromatic and precise displaying fresh black and blue fruit, incense and floral scents that pick up olive and exotic spice. It's vibrant, fruit-driven style, offers appealingly sweet cherry-cola, blackberry, mocha, botanical herb and allspice flavors, along with suggestions of licorice and smoky minerals.
Food Pairings: Try Birria tacos, lamb shawarma or Cajun red beans & rice
Red 2 – 2018 Chateau des Landes Cuvée Prestige, Lussac Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France
100% Merlot
Nice strong and deep crimson color. The nose is complex and generous, with notes sweet spices, brioche mixing black fruit scents. The wine is full and strong on the palate, mixing nice tannins coming from the barrels.
"Produced from the oldest vines in the vineyard, this wine has weight while also preserving smoothly textured balance. There is a juicy character to this pure Merlot wine, generous and ready to drink." – Wine Enthusiast (90 Points)
Food Pairings: Try the classic Entrecôte a la Bordelaise - steak in red wine with shallots
White – 2020 Domaine Jean-Pierre Grossot Vaucoupin, Chablis 1er Cru , Burgundy, France
100% Chardonnay
Winemaker Notes: The Chablis Premier Cru Vaucoupin vineyard is a very steep, south-facing slope in the commune of Chichée, on the south side of Fleys. The soil here is about half limestone and half clay. The vines in Grossot’s 1.6ha parcel on the upper part of the slope average 50 years of age. These factors contribute to the full-bodied, powerful and concentrated character of Grossot’s Vaucoupin – as well as great minerality. The grapes are hand-harvested, sorted in the vineyards and again at the winery, and gently pressed in a horizontal pneumatic press to ensure the fullest extraction of flavors and aromas. The juice ferments very slowly at low temperature in stainless steel tanks, and after a first racking, the wine rests in tanks to develop on its lees. Grossot aims to balance the natural power and density of the Vaucoupin vineyard with finesse and soft acidity to produce a superb Chablis 1er Cru. It needs at least three to five years in bottle to be fully enjoyed, but can be cellared for over 10 years.
Food pairings: Oysters on the half shell, smoked salmon & goat cheese, sushi, gruyere cheese