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

Buona Notte – ‘Mortadella’ 2022

The vibe: Sooooo we start off this wine club with a fun one that doesn’t really fit well into an existing wine category. Sounds familiar, right? I thought this would be a great “white” to debut this time of year because it’s a skinsy, textured, acid-driven feisty little thing with lots of tension and fun mouthfeel. But also, don’t overthink it. ‘Mortadella’ is a hodgepodge blend of all of the white grapes Buona Notte works with, and they all see 1-2 weeks of skin contact, lending some great aromatics and minerality. The extended extraction from macerating the grapes really showcases what I think makes the Columbia Gorge such an exciting microclimate for natural growers. You get this incredible minerality from the varied soil types which include volcanic, lahar, loess, silt and sand. It’s also much cooler compared to even a few miles east, which elongates the ripening period and allows complex flavors to mature and acid to remain high. Yes yes yes!

The winemaker: Graham Markel learned how to cook at his mother’s Tuscan culinary school at an early age, lending an Italian influence to his wines. For seven years he worked at the acclaimed Antica Terra Winery under Maggie Harrison and Hiyu Wine Farm’s Nate Ready. He learned many things from them, number one being to think deeply about winemaking and how to add beauty to every step of the process. 

The geeky details: A blend of Organic Gruner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Moscato, all between one and two weeks of skin contact. Grapes sourced from multiple sites in the Columbia Gorge AVA. Aged in neutral French oak before bottling. 

Serve: Chilled

Food pairing: I meann… Mortadella anyone? Grab some Italian meats like prosciutto, Calabrese salami, Capicola, get together a whole smorgasbord and see what pairs best. I’d even pair this with an Italian sausage hotdog. Being acid-driven, this wine will pair great with anything higher in fat like cheese and pastries. And of course seafood pairings would go excellent with this.

Album pairing: Kano - New York Cake  

Domaine Saint-Cyr - 'La Galoche' Rosé 2022

The vibe: One of two Beaujolais this month because you can never have too much Beaujolais! While Domaine Saint-Cyr makes some incredible Beaujolais Rouge, this bottle takes a lighter approach with a direct pressing of gamay after harvest, minimizing the time the skins are in contact with the juice. Located at the southern edge of Beajolais in Anse, the vineyard terroir is composed mostly of clay and limestone soil, which shines through in this expression. The mineral-forward profile combined with great ripe strawberries and raspberries and a slight hit of effervescence makes this rosé an easy peasy pick for the smattering of sunny days we’re beginning to see. “La Galoche” is named after a small stream that runs by the property and I honestly can’t picture a more idyllic setting to be drinking this wine in. 

The winemaker: Raphaël Saint-Cyr is the fourth-generation vigneron at the Domaine Saint-Cyr, which was created by his great-grandfather, Pierre Saint-Cyr. Having seen his grandfather and uncle get sick from the chemicals used to treat their vines, Raphaël converted the entire 23-hectare domaine to certified organic viticulture, making it one of the largest organic domaines in the Beaujolais. He has two adorable horses that help him harvest named Simba and El Suegno.

The geeky details: 100% Gamay. Direct press followed by complete malolactic fermentation. Aged in stainless steel for 4 months before bottling. 

Serve: Chilled.

Food pairing: Roasted veggies, salad with strawberries and melon, farmer’s market bread and brie, poke bowls?!

Album pairing: Khruangbin - A LA Sala

Séléné - 'Cuvée de Printemps' AOC Beaujolais 2022

The vibe: Let your hair down. Kick your feet up. Light some incense and break out the cheese platter. “Printemps” means springtime in French and this chill red is perfect no matter what this Seattle weather is doing. The Beaujolais region is a personal favorite of mine as they’ve always been the underdog to Burgundy (they’re literally underneath it) and so they take great pride in what they release. It’s also where the Gang of Four introduced biodynamic winemaking to the contemporary wine industry and set the scene for the current state of natural wine. There’s a ton of history there that I could dig into but the long and short of it is if you’re a fan of mineral-driven, fruit forward, less-is-more approach to tannins and extraction this bottle is gonna be an instant hit. It literally made me say “woahh” with wine in my mouth. 

The geeky details: 100% Gamay. Whole cluster partial carbonic maceration. Six months in concrete before bottling. 

Serve: With a light chill.   

Food pairing: wood fired prosciutto pizza, pulled pork sando with a side of potato salad, hard aged cheeses 

Album pairing: Fanga – Natural Juice 

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WHAT THE FUNK?! 

Andrea Calek - 'A Toi Nous' NV

The vibe: First of all, thank you for bequeathing me with your trust to source the funkiest natty in all the lands. I had so much fun choosing the first funky bottle kick off the club – and though it wasn’t easy I think this bottle shines above the rest. For those unfamiliar with Andrea Calek and his wines, I’m super excited to debut this as his first bottle in the shop. Calek has a reputation for taking a hands-off approach to his wines (even by natural wine standards). But this is a good thing! Just look him up and you’ll find articles with titles like “Andrea Calek Is a Lazy Bum and That’s Why His Wines Are So Good.” His wines are alive and untamed, yet elegant in their own right. ‘A Toi Nous’ translates to ‘here’s to you’, a phrase often used when someone is drinking excessively. Which, let’s be honest, could happen pretty quickly with a bottle this slurpable. It’s quaffable. It’s fruity. It’s expressive. It’s FUNKY. And it’s singing right now. I’ve been loving wines from this region of Ardeche, and I’m toasting you right now from Le Mazel – the neighboring winery to Andrea’s. When I return, I’ll have lots of stories to share (and maybe a bottle or two) so come stop by and we’ll catch up!

The winemaker: Andrea Calek was born and raised in Czechoslovakia. Just down the road from his winery is Le Mazel, the acclaimed winery where so many Ardeche winemakers cut their teeth and where he learned winemaking before starting his own endeavor. His life partner, Stephana now runs the winemaking for the most part as he has taken a step back in recent years.

The geeky details: 90% Syrah, 10% Grenache (36 year old vines) planted on clay-limestone. Certified organic, biodynamic. Vinification: Complete process completed by gravity, native fermentation in fiberglass, on the skins for 18 days with 8-month elevage in steel. 

Serve: With a light chill. 

Food pairing: Idk why but I want to get takeout with this. Nachos from Matador. Pad See Ew from Sen Noodle. Cookies Country Chicken sando. Or oooh would go great with a pie from Delancey.

Album pairing: The Funk Ark - From the Rooftops