UNDERGROUND WINE SOCIETY: September
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The Explorer/Aficionado
White/Orange/Rosé
Detorri Renosu Bianco
Grapes: Vermentino, Moscato
Region: Romangia, Sardegna, Italy
Food Pairing: We recommend pairing Renosu Bianco to well-structured fish dishes,creamy risottos or assorted medium-aged cheeses. It is also ideal with tempura, vegetable quiches, legume creams with seafood and not overly spiced Thai cuisine.
Wine Notes: The wine is fermented and aged in concrete vats with no added yeast, additives, or supplements. The wine’s chemicalmakeup was not adjusted, nor was it filtred, clarified, or aged in oak. The concept of Renosu, which in our local language mean sandy, is not new, but traditional. The grapes are harvested by hand and quality-selected on a sorting table, then de-stemmed but not pressed. Maceration takes place in open concrete vats without using starters or sulphites.
About the Winery: "“We are a family of sheepherders and farmers who have been making authentic, distinctive, terroir-expressive wine since the early 1900s. The wines were always sold in demijohns, until 1981, when Paolo began bottling a portion of the production. Tenute Dettori is located in the extreme north-west corner of Sardinia, in the Romangia del Logudoro area, the “golden place” between Sassari and Castelsardo, where we are meticulous stewards of the “Badde Nigolosu” cru. This historic hinterland is the classic home of the Cannonau grape, where it flourishes on the high hillslopes that form a natural theatre facing the Gulf of Asinara at only 4 kilometres from the sea. Here, at Badde Nigolosu, Tenute Dettori cultivates solely ancient clones native to Sardinia, tending them in accord with the tenets of biodynamic agriculture.”
Domaine de la Combe “Vendage Nocturne”
Grapes: 100% Melon Blanc
Region: Loire Valley, France
Food Pairing: Hailing from the western Loire, this light bodied yet tasty white wine pairs well with a variety of seafood, fruits de mers, mussels, simply cooked fish.
Wine Notes: Thanks to being almost completely surrounded by the Sèvre river, this 9-hectare estate benefits from a unique micro-climate and Pierre-Henri is able to select the best plot for each style of wine. To create a wine which best accentuates the vibrancy of Melon de Bourgogne (Melon Blanc) he chose ‘La Cantire’, a fully organic, north-facing plot with schist soil. Grapes were harvested in the cool of the night (again for maximum freshness) and cool macerated on their skins for 12 hours. Once pressed, fermentation was carried out using yeasts naturally present on the grape skins. Unlike the richer style of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie (which is bottled in the Spring after harvest), Vendange Nocturne is bottled in early December with no lees ageing and is naturally lower in alcohol (11%). Pierre-Henri’s decision to name the variety - Melon Blanc - on the label means the wine can only be classified as a Vin de France, even though it originates from one of the best sites in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine.
About the Winery: Domaine de la Combe (formerly Domaine les Grands Presbytères) in the village of Saint-Fiâcre, is nestled in the cradle of the Muscadet appellation between the two rivers of Sèvre and Maine. The slopes of these river valleys give the vines unique exposure. After centuries of erosion they grow on a terroir of schist, gneiss and mineral rich orthogneiss, a soil composition that means Saint-Fiâcre is considered one of the best sites for Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. Wines are made from vines of different ages. The oldest were planted in 1950s - a rarity in an area where most are dug up after 40 years - whilst the most recent plantings date from 2016. Not only are new vines being planted when necessary, but the planting density is being increased from 7,000 to 7,700 vines per hectare to force the roots deeper into the rocky soils. After working in vineyards across the world, Pierre-Henri Gadais returned to his family's domaine in 2016 to take over from his father, Christophe, who had taken it over from the previous owner - Nelly Marzelleau - in 2009. Passionate about the expression of terroir and protecting the environment, Pierre-Henri is in the process of converting the vineyard to fully organic viticulture, aiming for full certification by 2021.
Presqu’ile 2018 Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay
Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Santa Maria Valley, California
Food Pairing: Lobster Pasta
Wine Notes: The 2018 Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay displays the complexity and poise we have come to expect from the deep, sandy soils of western Santa Maria Valley. We employ traditional, natural techniques - native yeast fermentation, native malolactic conversion and sur lie aging. Practices which elevate and enhance the distinctive character of this region, accenting its fine balance between richness and vivacity. 11 months in oak (25% neutral French oak/75% Austrian fudera) and 6 months in stainless steel.
About the Winery: Four generations of our family have been farming land in Arkansas and Louisiana for nearly a century. A love of the land, combined with a shared reverence for great wine and a desire to create something meaningful and enduring, led us to establish Presqu'ile. In 2007, we undertook extensive research to find the best land possible suited to growing Pinot Noir. The adventure spanned from Oregon to the Russian River and ultimately landed in the Santa Maria Valley, where we acquired 200 acres of land to establish what is now Presqu’ile Winery.
Venica Ronco Delle Cime
Grapes: 100% Friulano del Collio
Region: Friuli, Italy
Food Pairing: Very versatile: cured raw ham, cow’s and goat’s milk cheeses, fried eggs with grated truffle. Tagliolini with tomato and swordfish. Risotto with porcini mushrooms and a generous sprinkling of parsley.
Wine Notes: Grapes harvested by hand and destemmed between 9 and 27 September 2021. The grapes are then macerated for 18/24 hours at a temperature of 11°/12° C in special containers, protected from oxygen with innovative systems by recycling their own fermentation carbon dioxide, in order to reduce the intake of antioxidants. The must ferments and matures on the lees for 6 months partly in large 20/27 HL wooden barrels and partly in steel containers.The grapes are then macerated for 18/24 hours at a temperature of 11°/12° C in special containers, protected from oxygen with innovative systems by recycling their own fermentation carbon dioxide, in order to reduce the intake of antioxidants. The must ferments and matures on the lees for 6 months partly in large 20/27 HL wooden barrels and partly in steel containers. The wine is then blended and bottled at full moons between March and June 2022.
About the Winery: From 1930 to today, through a series of harmonious generational changes, more than 90 years of passion, sacrifice and success have elapsed, in a synergistic relationship between the fascinating Collio and the constant love of the land, the vineyards and their grapes. Venica&Venica is a family enterprise with 40 hectares of vineyards all located in a D.O.C. production area called the COLLIO.
DOMAINE DE COURBISSAC Les Traverses Rosé
Grapes: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah
Region: Minervois, France
Food Pairing: Tomato Basil Pasta
Wine Notes: A hint of honey with balanced acidity and a bright finish.
About the Winery: At 250–350 meters above sea level, Domaine de Courbissac benefits from its location near La Montagne Noire, the southern edge of the Massif Central and the terminus of the Cévennes. At the far western border of the Languedoc, Minervois has a semi-continental climate, especially as you approach the northern boundary of the appellation. While the growing season is warm and dry – as the wide, rocky and parched local river beds can attest – winter brings plenty of precipitation to recharge the soils and sustain the vines through the growing season. Daytime temperature in summer are moderated by the influence of the mountains allowing the grapes to reach ripeness in sync with their physiological maturity..
Casal de Ventozela “Contatto”
Grapes: Avesso
Region: Vinho Verde
Food Pairing: light pasta and rice dishes, especially with seafood
Wine Notes: The aromas are lightly honeyed, offering notes of almond and yellow peaches steeped in sherry. Fully dry, the wine has an astringent catch at that back — from the skin contact, naturally — and savory, faintly fruity flavors suggesting dried apricots and salt. The acidity is modest, but the wine has nice structure.
About the Winery: Casal de Ventozela consists of 45 ha of sustainably farmed vineyards in the heart of the Vinho Verde region. The vines are located in 2 sub-Vale do Ave and Vale do Covado. The estate is a family run business, with a strong focus on the environment and a genuine passion for wine and nature. Ventozela has a noble history dating back to 1874. A century later, it was acquired by the current director of the company, Jose Ferrera Cortinhas, who was responsible for resurrecting the estate following the April 25 revolution in 1974. The winery first started selling its grapes and in 2008, its first wines were bottled.
Rousseau Frères Touraine Noble Joué
Grapes: 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Gris, 30% Pinot Noir
Region: Loire Valley, France
Food Pairing: It can be matched with fish in sauce, white meat, couscous, exotic dishes and grill too
Wine Notes: Immediately pressed, the grapes give a grey wine, called “Partridge eye pink”. Wine has been made in bio-control without addition of sulfur. Alcoholic fermentation for 3 weeks. Maturing on fine lees for 4 months.
About the Winery: Located in Touraine, in Esvres between the Cher and Indre river, Bernard and Michel Rousseau cultivate 19 ha of grapevine, mostly in the appellation Touraine Noble Joue. Winegrowers for 4 generations and attached to our wine growing region, we cultivate our vineyard on the integrated agriculture principle. Grapevines are planted with grass to preserve the biologocal life of the soil, the grape processings are low-dose and in biocontrol in order to maintain the ecological balance. We associate tradition, modernity and creativity in the respect of our wine growing region to elaborate our wines.
Mingaco
Grapes: 100% Moscatel of Alexandria
Region: Itata, Chile
Food Pairing: Spicy Foods, Potatoes, Mexican Food
Wine Notes: The grapes were harvested by hand and destemmed, then fermented outside under an oak tree in an open-top fiberglass tank without temperature control. Maceration on the skins for 12 days: the duration of fermentation.
After fermentation completed, the wine was pressed into 6-year-old American oak barrels in their adobe cellar to
rest on its lees for 11 months. Bottled without fining or filtering.
About the Winery: Daniela De Pablo, Pablo Pedreros, and their children Luan and Mayra are the family behind Mingaco, a regenerative farm and winery in the village of Checura along the Itata river. They work with old vines of Moscatel (Muscat of Alexandria, to be specific], Cinsault, and País, some of the traditional varieties that have been present in Itata for many hundreds of years. These vines, planted 30-years- ago by Pablo, his father and his grandfather, were farmed traditionally until the 80s and 90s, when conventional (read, industrial) agriculture arrived in the Itata Valley. After watching the health of the vines decline, Pablo decided to move towards organic farming methods in 2010, and eventually moved further towards polyculture, regenerative agriculture and, in 2017, biodynamic treatments.
Reds
Bodegas Iranzo “Spartico”
Grapes: 85% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Valencia, Spain
Food Pairing: Grilled meats, charred ribs, lamb, Basque meat or egg pintxos, wood-fired salami pizza, Spanish chorizo charcuterie with aged sheep milk Manchego, and tangy goat cheese.
Wine Notes: All of the production is obtained from the Estate FINCA CAÑADA HONDA. The production area includes lime soils which are ideal for obtaining colorful wines. Also the sand textures of these lime soils benefit the ripening of the grapes. The vineyard is situated 800 – 850 meters above sea level with an N / SE orientation resulting in maximum sunlight exposure. The wine making process without the use of sulfur means that the hygienic conditions have to been extreme during harvest season. The grapes are harvested solely by hand in small crates. Every effort is made to avoid breakage and bacteria attacks. The wine deposits are filled very briefly so as not to delay the delicate fermentation process. All elements that come in contact with this no sulfite added wine are subject to the most extreme hygienically conditions.
About the Winery: Since 1994, Bodegas Iranzo has exclusively produced Spanish organic wines, making it one of the oldest-established vineyards in Spain to apply this European organic regulation. Located in the Utiel-Requena DO region near Valencia, Bodegas Iranzo produces the Oldest Estate Bottled Wines in Spain, with the first recorded written evidence of the vineyard estate Cañada Honda, owned by the Iranzo Perez–Duque family dating back to 1335 as granted by King Pedro I of Castilla. Traditional artisan organic wine making craft passed on for family generations combined with organic agriculture on lime-crusted sandy soils within a National Reserve Park = superb Spanish organic wines.
Caruso e Mini “Terre de Giumara”
Grapes: Frappato, Nerello Mascalese
Region: Sicily, Italy
Food Pairing: Can perfectly matched both fish and meat; can also be paired to medium-aged cheeses.
Wine Notes: Carefully picked up by hand. Maceration and fermentation of the destemmed grapes in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature of 25°C for 15-20 days. Malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. 30% in barrique of 225 litres for 4 months. The rest in stainless steel tanks for 8 months.
About the Winery: Located on Sicily’s western-most coast near the town of Marsala, Caruso & Minini boasts a history that harks back to the late 1800’s when Antonio Caruso bought the company to grow grapes for the nearby Marsala factories. The company was passed through subsequent generations until Nino Caruso finally decided to begin making and bottling his own wine in the mid 1900’s. In 2004, Stefano Caruso joined forces with Mario Minini of Lombardy to launch the present-day winery, producing wines from indigenous Sicilian varietals such as Catarratto, Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Inzolia, and Nerello Mascalese. Today, Stefano’s daughter Giovanna works closely with her father to head up this historic winery.
Casa Castillo Vino de Finca
Grapes: 75% Monastrell, 25% Garnacha
Region: Jumilla, Spain
Food Pairing: Pairs well with just about any hearty and meaty dish, from hamburgers and pizza to short ribs, veal, pork, lamb, sausage, game and other meats, especially grilled meats.
Wine Notes: Everything is harvested by hand and brought promptly to the cellar for sorting and fermentation. Fermentations are in stainless steel tanks, concrete vats, or stone lagars. Pigeage is done by foot, and whole clusters are increasingly used – up to 50% in the Pie Franco. Aging follows in concrete, foudre, and 500L French oak demi-muids. Hand harvested, partially destemmed, natural yeast fermentation in concrete vats
About the Winery: José Maria is a third-generation owner and operator of Casa Castillo, a farm that began as a rosemary plantation but one that has evolved into the preeminent estate in the DO of Jumilla. While the smell of rosemary still lingers in the air, the pale, rocky soils surrounding his house and cellar are now planted with vines and almond orchards. When José Maria’s grandfather purchased Casa Castillo in 1941, there was already a winery, cellar, and some scattered vineyards on the property dating to the 1870s, established by French refugees fleeing the plight of phylloxera in their native land. In 1985 José and his father began to replant the vineyards and expand them with the goal of making wine on the property. In 1991 they bottled their first commercial vintage.
Deliquente Hell
Grapes: 35% Montepulciano, 35% Sangiovese, 15% Touriga Nacional & 15% Preito Picudio
Region: Riverland, Austrailia
Food Pairing: Pasta, pizza, BBQ, Salt and Vinegar Pringles – whatever, it’s a wine for all seasons.
Wine Notes: Picked early and treated simply, the fruit was handpicked and destemmed into one tonne open fermenters. Gentle hand plunging, post primary ferment the wine was pressed off to old oak for malo and maturation for about 8 months. Racked, and a touch of SO2 added, we then blended just prior to bottling. This wine is very much in a natty style red vibe – but with more depth, savouriness and interest. The Montepulciano brings rustic red fruit and the meaty tannin and backbone, while the Portuguese varieties elevate the aromatics with a lovely floral lift and acidity that keeps everything playful.
About the Winery: Delinquente makes small batch, minimal intervention wines from Southern Italian grape varieties grown in the Riverland, South Australia. We were born and raised in the Riverland, surrounded by vineyards and the mighty Murray River. Delinquente is our attempt at making the best wine we can from the place we grew up. Organically grown, minimal intervention, honest, hand-made wines that not only are great fun to drink, but represent the sun, the red dirt and uniquely Australian terroir of the Riverland.
Inkarri Red Blend
Grapes: 43% Tannat, 35% Cabernet Franc, 22% Malbec
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
Food Pairing: Grilled meats and game, mature cheese.
Wine Notes: Vinification process is very respectful to the grapes. Traditional maceration. Cold soaking is performed until the
natural fermentation starts. Excraction process is very gentle, lasts about 15 days. Temperatures are controlled
between 78-86ºF. Aged in a 35hl French oak barrels for 12 months
About the Winery: The Inkarri brand is produced by Proviva Winery, based in the heart of Mendoza, Argentina. Proviva embodies the quest for a wine identity that is both original and authentic. Their estate-grown wines are produced exclusively from organic and Biodynamic vineyards located in the best terroirs of Mendoza. The resulting varietal wines are the purest expression of the region’s outstanding calcareous soils. Organic and Biodynamic agriculture guarantee a viticulture with no inputs, where vines authentically express the character of place. Inkarri wines are produced from the organic and Biodynamic vineyards in the small village of Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo, “the home of Malbec.” Agrelo’s terroir is considered to be some of the best in Mendoza for the production of complex red wines made from Malbec. Based in the western foothills of the Andes mountains, the wine-producing zone of Agrelo slopes upward from the town, with slopes reaching more than 3,000 Feet (1000m) above sea level. The region has a dry, desert-like climate, situated in the rain shadow of the Andes. Warm, sunny days are followed by much cooler nights due to cold winds that flow from the snow-capped Andes. This desirable diurnal shift of temperatures extends the ripening period and produces wines with balanced acidity and complex flavor profiles.
Le Morette Bardolino Classico
Grapes: Corvina 65%, Rondinella 30% and Molinara 5%
Region: Bardolino, Italy
Food Pairing: Bardolino is, by its very nature, a fine wine for the entire meal that brings out the best character of braised and roasted meats, as well as grilled beef or wild boar. Recommended serving temperature of 16° C. Uncork bottle immediately before serving.
Wine Notes: Bardolino Classico’s pale ruby color captures attention and then its harmonious and captivating aromas and lingering flavours deliver a wine that is as memorable as it is enjoyable. Well Balanced flavours are dry and spicy with a slightly bitter finish. In stainless steel tanks, under controlled temperature at 26°C, with an 8 day maceration with skin contact.
About the Winery:The Morette – Valerio Zenato farm today is one of the most dynamic areas of production of Lugana DOC. Its headquarters are in San Benedetto di Lugana, in the thin belt that divides the southern bank of Lake Garda and the Frassino Lake, which is an important naturalistic site and natural reserve.
The farm is developed over 30 hectares of vineyards divided in three estates, two in San Benedetto di Lugana and one near the Sirmione Palace, in the agricultural area nearest to Lake Garda. Here there are the toughest plots of land, that sometimes force grapevines to limit conditions, particularly for water supplies. Nevertheless this is the zone of “first territorial cru”, the one where white wines of greater structure are produced and which are characterized by a strong minerality. Our company philosophy is based on the solid bond with the territory the balance of which is guaranteed particularly by the use of organic amendments and substances of natural origin. Each phase of production, from the grapevine up to harvest and winemaking, is followed personally and with care by the family, as a guarantee of a production with a strong personality.
Montsecano Refugio 2020
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Region: Las Dichas, Casablanca
Food Pairing: Medium Rare Steak with Black Cherry Reduction
Wine Notes: This 100% bio-dynamic hand harvested, single vineyard Pinot Noir is fermented in concrete egg. The wine shows bright raspberry, strawberry jam, with rose petals, violets, and a light component of baking bread. The wine is extremely vibrant with a light, glassy, soft , and smooth mid-palate. The light tannin cradles the wine and lends itself to the refreshing acidity with a long, jam influenced finish.
About the Winery: Bodega Montsecano vinifies the grapes it grows in different plots of the Casablanca Valley. Respect for the soil, for its biodiversity, for its people and for the love of what has identity gave rise to this project, which united the passions of an Alsatian vigneron (André Ostertag), a lover of Neruda poetry, and a photographer of Casablanca origins based in Paris for two decades (Julio Donoso). Both came together to interpret this symphony where the instrument is Pinot Noir and the score is the dry coastal terroir of Las Dichas in Casablanca.
Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC
Grapes: 70% Corvina, 15% Corvinone, 10% Rondinella, 5% Molinara
Region: San Pietro in Cariano and Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella
Food Pairing: Roasted Meats and Cheese
Wine Notes: Location of the vineyards: San Pietro in Cariano, Masua/Montecorna. Drying: The grapes dry for around 20 days in order to keep the fruit fresh but more concentrated. Vinification: Pressing and destemming immediately after harvesting. Fermentation with a good maceration and at least two pump-overs per day, racking and cleaning. The re-fermentation on the marc of Amarone in January gives the wine deeper color, structure and alcohol. Aging: 50% in Slavonian oak barrels of 20 and 50 Hl, 50% in barriques, followed by refinement in bottle.
About the Winery: Tradition, commitment and time-honored relationships, forged over almost two centuries of craftsmanship, are the pillars of success at Farina Wines. Located in the heart of Valpolicella Classica, the original historic region of Amarone and Ripasso winemaking in the Veneto, Farina is owned by Claudio and Elena Farina, two cousins who represent the third generation of this winemaking family, with the guidance of Sandro, Claudio's father. The Farina winery is located in San Pietro in Cariano the heart of Valpolicella Classica, the historical, original Valpolicella. Valpolicella Classica is made up of 5 villages: San Pietro in Cariano, Sant'Ambrogio, Fumane, Negrar and Marano. The wines are made from grapes grown on 45 hectares of selected vineyards of Valpolicella Classica, 10 of which belong to the Farina family and 35 that belong to historic, trusted "contributors" who have worked with Farina for many years and are dedicated to growing only the best quality grapes.
My Favorite Neighbor Harvey & Harriet
Grapes: Bordeaux Varietals
Region: Paso Robles, California
Food Pairing: Great for leaner meats like pork loin, skirt steak, and venison.
Wine Notes: Harvey and Harriet is the Bordeaux blend created by Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyard, in an attempt to make a wine that his parents would love and could afford. It is a wine that’s made by hard work, the best vineyard sites, the best barrels, the best team and of course no additives or concentrates. A world class wine for everyone who appreciates high quality without the high price tag.
About the Winery: Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyard and My Favorite Neighbor created this wine in honor of his parents. In a world of overpriced Cabernet blends, Eric’s hardworking, honest, salt-of-the-earth parents would have never been able to drink a decent wine. We believe that every wine-lover needs a case of this in their fridge! This wine is meant to be your every-day drinker. It is perfect to open on a Tuesday night with take-out food, bring over to your neighbor's house to share at a summer potluck, or open a bottle (guilt-free) to enjoy just one glass while cooking dinner for your family.
Passionate Wines Montesco Parral
Grapes: 40% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Bonarda
Region: Uco Valley, Argentina
Food Pairing: Great match for steak, pork, and lamb, as well as fattier fish like salmon and poultry with dark meat. Game meat—like bison, ostrich, and venison—are also a safe bet. In addition to meat pairings, consider foods with richer sauces or more vibrant flavors.
Wine Notes: Fermented in Concrete Tanks with a 15 day post ferment maceration. 12 Months Ageing in used French Oak Barrels.
About the Winery: Passionate Wines is the brainchild of Matias Michelini. He is the winemaker, agronomist, and Grand
Poobah of his winery named Passionate Wines. Matias strives to make experimental wines that express terroir. These wines are low production and are drawn from multiple inspirations, regions, and styles. The Via Revolucionaria wines are single vineyard, unconventional wines, fermented with native yeast. He produces a skin macerated Torrontes “Brutal”, an unfiltered Semillon “Hulk”, and a carbonic macerated and fermented Bonarda “Pura”. The Montesco wines are small production wines that focus on place and varietals. Matias continues to experiment with other cuvees with the mantra of producing aeither atypical varietals or classic varietals in non-traditional methods.
The Connoisseur
$98/month
SALVO FOTI-I VIGNERI ETNA BIANCO SUPERIORE "VIGNADIMILO"
Grapes: 100% Carricante
Region: Sicily, Italy
Food Pairing: It pairs well with Fish and Seafood, white Meat, Grilled Vegetables, and soft Goat Cheese.
Wine Notes: The 100% Carricante vine of this small parcel is the fruit of one particular mass wine selection made by salvo foti in over 20 years of activity. The vineyard was planted in part with the ancient Etnean technique of the “Mallet cuttings: or“ Magliuoli ”: direct production, without grafting on American vine ( ungrafted ). Vineyard cultivation is done by hand using natural products. Biotechnologies are not used in winemaking. Transfer and bottling are carried out according to the phases of the moon. VignadiMilo (The Vineyard of Milo)
About the Winery: The Vigneri are all men and women who are originally from Mt. Etna, and many have been working with us for more than 25 years. Knowledge, this direct personal relationship – without intermediaries between us – is fundamental. Started by Salvo Foti, who was born in Catania in 1962. In 1981, he started his oenological career as a consultant for renown Sicilian producers in Agrigento, Ragusa and Trapani. However, his current work is defined by Mt. Etna, where he participated in the birth of winemaking companies that today are leaders in this area.The goal is to make “Human Wines”, carrying winemaking with respect for Humankind and the Environment. The winery is an old Palmento. On Mt. Etna, the Palmento had been used for winemaking for hundreds of years, until up to 30 years ago. “The Palmento is for Etna wines what the amphora for Georgian wines”. A true wine from Mt. Etna must first and foremost be produced in the Palmento. The Palmento does not need electricity or other external energy to work, only the natural force of gravity, human strength and our ingenuity. In the cellar to produce our wines we absolutely DO NOT use plastic containers or plastic resins or plastic fibres.
Grapes: Sangiovese Grosso
Region: Montalcino, Italy
Food Pairing: Angel Hair Bolonese with Harvest Vegetables
Wine Notes: This wine’s fruit is incredibly pure on the palate, and there is no mistaking the Sangiovese for something else. It is medium bodied and ethereal, not flashy or plumped up with Merlot.The tannins are youthful but pleasant. While perhaps not as seriously structured as the Brunello, the Rosso di Montalcino is delightful in its youth. It may also benefit from a few years of aging.
About the Winery:Azienda Agricola La Torre is located near Sant'Angelo in Colle, in the southern part of the Montalcino municipality. The first La Torre Brunello di Montalcino was the 1982 Brunello, which appeared on the market in 1987, eleven years after the estate was purchased. The estate is 36 hectares in size, 5.6 hectares of which is planted as vineyards. The winery produces Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, Ampelio, Rosso Toscano and, in outstanding years, Brunello Riserva. The winery operates on a traditional basis, although its practices respond to developments in know-how and environmental protection. Tradition is never forgotten, and recently-abandoned procedures and practices are given due consideration alongside innovations provided by scientific research.
Farina Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
Grapes: 50% Corvina, 20% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, 10% Molinara, Oseleta and Turchetta
Region: San Pietro in Cariano, Italy
Food Pairing: Excellent paired with game, roasted meats and aged cheeses.
Wine Notes:Ruby red colour with garnet tinges. Ethereal, spicy, with hints of cherry, sour cherry, raspberry, currants, cocoa and balsamic notes. In the mouth the wine is warm, full, of great structure, fine and balanced.
About the Winery:Our wines are the result of 45 hectares of selected Valpolicella Classica vineyards. Ten owned and 35 owned by historical suppliers, whom we have always considered our absolute "accomplices' ' in the production of our wines. Vineyards that we follow with respect and spasmodic attention, because we are convinced that it is precisely the attention to detail that allows for higher quality and, in particular, that enhances an extraordinary grape such as Corvina. There are two historic vineyards, a veritable crus of Valpolicella. The Montefante vineyard (300 m asl), with its tuffaceous, clayey and calcareous soil and the excellent hilly exposure, represents an ideal habitat for the Corvina destined to our Amarone Montefante reserve. The other cru is the Montecorna vineyard, located on Mount Masua, characterized by an extraordinary calcareous soil.
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Radio-Coteau La Neblina
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Region: Western Sonoma County, California
Food Pairing: Dark Chocolate
Wine Notes:The 2020 La Neblina entices with exuberant red fruit aromatics that burst forth from the glass. Bright Bing cherry, ripe pomegranate, and dried cranberry playfully greet the nose, followed closely by fragrant crushed rose petal. The fruit lingers effortlessly on the palate as a gentle earthy undertone is gracefully revealed. Vibrant acidity and polished tannins further highlight a coastal Pinot Noir that is charmingly approachable and quite difficult to resist.
About the Winery: “The best fertilizer is the farmer’s shadow,” is an old farming adage meaning there’s no substitute for a farmer’s own daily involvement in cultivating the land. A practice we take to heart, we employ a holistic farming platform that envisions the farm as a self-sustaining organism where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Going beyond the vine, we embrace a diverse agrarian platform, utilizing both organic and Biodynamic farming practices to build the health of the soil and the surrounding ecosystem. In acknowledgment of our ongoing commitment to regenerative agriculture, the estate vineyard and farm has been Demeter Certified Biodynamic since 2018.
Grosjean Fumin Vigne Merletta
Grapes: 100% Fumin
Region: DOC Valle d'Aosta, Italy
Food Pairing: It is based paired with medium and long aged cheese like toma and fontina, fondue, game, salami, and soups.
Wine Notes: Fermentation: After total destemming and a 1-2 day cold soak, wine ferments spontaneously in 42-hl tronconic wood vats. Cuvaison lasts 30-40 days since 2014 (15 days prior to 2014). Pressing: Pneumatic pressing. Time on Lees: Wine remains on fine lees until assemblage prior to bottling. Malolactic Fermentation: Spontaneous, in vats following alcoholic fermentation. Élevage: 12-15 months in tronconic oak foudres/botti and Barriques. Press Wine: Blended after malolactic. Fining and Filtration: Unfined and cartridge filtered. Sulfur: Applied during vinification, after
About the Winery: The Grosjean family traces its roots back to the village of Fornet in the high mountain passes known as the Valgrisenche, where they raised cattle. During the summer months, the family cultivated grapes and chestnuts on the slopes at lower altitude, stocking up on wine to supply themselves over the long winters. In 1969, Dauphin Grosjean, the father of the five sons that now collaborate to produce the wines of this estate, was encouraged to present his wine at the local “wine expo”. The exceptional quality of his work was recognized and the entire family became engaged in the expansion of the vineyards and in wine production. The estate has now grown to encompass 7 ha of vineyards, spread between Quart and Saint Christophe. The domaine's holdings include numerous “cru” vineyard sites such as Tzeriat, Rovettaz, Creton and Touren in Quart, plus Tzantè de Bagnere, Merletta and Castello di Pleod in Saint Christophe, which have long been noted as some of the valley's best sites. We invite you to join us in exploring the viticultural bounty
of this often overlooked valley, faithfully shepherded by the Grosjeans from soil to glass.