Michael Kirkendoll 5/1/24 Michael Kirkendoll 5/1/24

April 2024 Wine Club

Wine Club, April 2024

• Chateau Pegau, Pink Pegau 2023
• Raul Perez, Ultrea Saint-Jacques 2021
• Peay, ‘La Bruma’ Syrah 2018

WINES

Wine Club Selections, April 2024

• Château Pégau, Pink Pégau 2023
• Raul Perez, Ultra Saint-Jacques 2021
• Peay, ‘La Bruma’ Syrah 2018

Michael Kirkendoll 4/5/24 Michael Kirkendoll 4/5/24

March 2024 Wine Club

Wine Club, March 2024

• Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco 2019
• E. Pira e Figli (Chiara Boschis), Barolo ‘Mosconi’ 2019

WINES

Wine Club Selections, March 2024

• Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco 2019
• E. Pira e Figli (Chiara Boschis), Barolo ‘Mosconi’ 2019

Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco 2019
100% Nebbiolo / Piemonte, Italy

Founded in 1958, the Produttori del Barbaresco represents perhaps the best cooperative of winegrowers in the world. Today, the 'produttori' consists of 51 grower/members who farm 100 hecatres of the finest vineyard sites in Barbaresco. Each vintage, the nebbiolo grapes from these vineyards are brought to the winery located in the heart of the commune of Barbaresco, where they undergo a traditional vinification. This 'blended' Barbaresco is the flagship of the cooperative, and is produced in each vintage. It represents a benchmark for the region as a whole, and routinely scores 95+ points in critic tastings. One of the reasons for this exceptional quality and consistency is that the growers of the Produttori hold grapes in many of the top crus, which are both made into single-vineyard bottlings in smaller qualities, and are used in the classic Barbaresco. This represents one of my favorite go-to wines in any vintage. In a great vintage like 2019, it is the kind of wine to buy in bulk, as it has tremendous aging potential, while delivering fantastic drinkability in its youth.

The wine undergoes a fairly long maceration of 24 days in stainless steel tanks. It is then aged in large oak casks. Lovely right now, the wine has the potential to age and improve over the next 20 years. Nebbiolo is a powerful, tannic, and high-acid grape that often demands food. While the wines of Barbaresco are often fresher and a bit lighter and a touch easier to drink alone than there counterparts in Barolo, they still really are enhanced by the right pairings. This is a versatile wine that can go well with classic pastas, and both white meat and red meat dishes. However, for the best experiences, try and pair it with classics of the region: gnocchi or agnolotti with a sauce that is either based on braised pork or veal or brown butter; mushrooms/truffles; braised pork dishes; grilled pork chops or grass-fed steak; aromatic soft cheeses.

Drink: now-2045

E. Pira e Figli (Chiara Boschis), Barolo 'Mosconi' 2019
100% Nebbiolo / Piemonte, Italy

Chiara Boschis is the 'force of nature' owner and winemaker at E. Pira e Figli, located directly in the center of the commune of Barolo. She has become one of my favorite winemakers in the world, and every time I visit with her, I am further enchanted by the wines. Chiara comes from a family with deep roots in Barolo and ties to some of the region's most historic estates. As a young woman in the early 1980s, she convinced her parents to help her get a loan to buy the E. Pira e Figli estate as the owners had no offspring to pass it on to upon their retirement. Chiara quickly became a star. This was a time of massive upheaval in Barolo. A new movement towards modern winemaking styles was making waves, and the group of young winemakers pushing these trends where called 'The Barolo Boys'. Chiara was the one woman in the group of rebels, who were looking at changing the production and marketing of the wines in the region. The so-called 'Barolo Wars' pitted this young group against traditional stalwarts.

Historically, Barolo was a wine so tannic, so acidic, so powerful, that it need 10, 15, even 20 years of bottle age before it could really be enjoyed. The traditional viticultural and vinicultural processes included no pruning in the vineyard, incredibly long and slow macerations, and long aging in giant Slavonian oak botti. The young modernists wanted to try and create Barolo that not only would drink well in its youth, but also would age, and would perhaps even be appreciated by the growing wine markets in the United States that craved 'hedonistic' wines with ripe fruit and higher alcohol. 'The Barolo Boys' began green harvesting (cutting bunches off the vine mid-summer to concentrate flavor into the remaining grapes), and perhaps most controversial of all, started aging some or even entire portions of their wine in 250-liter French oak barriques as in Bordeaux. In the beginning, this battle produced wines that were in stark contrast. Over time, as is often the case, both sides began to see the benefits in both methodologies. While there are a handful of producers in each camp that remain 'hardcore' in their styles and principles, the majority of producers have come to a middle-ground. Nearly all winemakers in Barolo now green-harvest as it controls yields and producers higher-quality grapes. Most of the modernists now use a portion of older or larger barrels, while many of the traditionalists are working cleaner to produce wines with freshness and a drinkability in their youth.

The wines of Chiara Boschis, are simultaneously meditative, structured, and powerful like the traditional wines of Barolo, while still demonstrating an almost 'hedonistic' sense of pleasure. Her skill in the cellar is immense, but perhaps the most important characteristic in her wines is the quality of her farming and the incredible terroir that she works in. Chiara was the first producer to certify organic in the Barolo region. She farms seven of the most important single vineyard crus in the region, including Mosconi and Ravera di Monforte in Monforte d'Alabe, Cannubi, Terlo, and Liste in Barolo, and Gabutti and Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba. From these vineyards, she produces four Nebbiolo-based wines: • Langhe Nebbiolo (from the Ravera di Monforte cru)

• Barolo 'Via Nuova' (a traditional blend of 5 crus)

• Barolo 'Cannubi' (single vineyard bottling)

• Barolo 'Mosconi' (single vineyard bottling)

The 'Mosconi' cru presented here represents, perhaps, my favorite cru in all of Barolo, and is home not only to this wine, but to the illustrious Barolo 'Percristina' of Domenico Clerico which is one of my favorite wines in the world. 'Mosconi' is a small vineyard in the commune of Monforte d'Alba at the souhtern edge of the Barolo zone. This area produces some of the most structured and powerful wines in all of Barolo, due to a combination of the heavy clay soil which is also rich in calcium carbonate and iron. The wine is powerful and structured with a redish-brown color, generous floral aromas wrapped in dried fruits and spices, with a long, persistent finish, fantastic acid, and chewy tannins.

Is it ready to drink now? Probably not. If you have patience, you will certainly be rewarded. Try and hold off until at least 2026 to really get into this wine. That said, the aging potential here is immense and if stored properly it will easily hold to 2050. When you open it, open it with food and share it with loved ones and good friends. This is a wine for big flavors: ribeye, bison steaks, aged cheeses, or classic Brasato al Barolo (braised veal/beef in barolo wine sauce).

Drink: 2026-2050+

Michael Kirkendoll 3/1/24 Michael Kirkendoll 3/1/24

February 2024 Wine Club

Wine Club, February 2024

• Mayacamas, Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

WINES

Wine Club Selections, February 2024

• Mayacamas, Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, California)

When it comes to Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, wines tend to fall in one of 3 camps:

1) High-priced ‘cult’ wines from extreme mountain sites with extraordinary concentration, high alcohol, and intense power.
2) Lower-priced concentrated and jammy wines from the hot valley floor of Napa Valley
3) Terroir-driven cabernets from single vineyards/communes that express elegance along with power–yes, often expensive.
4) Classic cabernets made with longer agings, older barrels, and older vines that produce a more Bordeaux-like style–very elegant and extremely ageworthy with minerality and acidity–yes, also expensive.

While the taste for many consumers is for the giant wines from category 1 and 2, my preference is for the wines of categories 3 and 4, with a special love for the most classic and traditional productions. That is what Mayacamas is. If 100 sommeliers were asked to choose the 10 most historic and traditional producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, no list will be completed that does not have Mayacamas on it. The winery (which is still in use) was first built in 1889. After the financial upheaval of the first half of the 20th Century, the estate was purchased in 1941 and renamed Mayacamas. The Travers family bought the estate in 1968 and the wines made here ever since have continued in a traditional fashion, using large barrels for fermentation, extended agings in mostly old oak barrels. Grapes come from vineyard at nearly 2,000 ft. elevation on Mount Veeder, getting cooling air from both San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Ocean. This helps preserve acidity, as does the traditional early picking done at Mount Veeder, which helps insure that these wines have potential to age. That said, they are not shy, and still show the dark fruit qualities, spice, and power that make Cabernet Sauvignon what it is, they are just shown without the overpowering influences of lots of new French oak.

This is an amazing place and I am thrilled to share this wine with you. It is among my favorites in all of California.

Drink: Yes, you can drink now. BUT, this wine has massive aging potential and will continue ‘improving’ for at least 15 years and will drink perfectly until 2045-2050!
Serving temperature: 58º-60º
Food pairings: Classic big red cuisine: steaks, burgers, pork chops - but also works with roasted meats and game.

Michael Kirkendoll 2/1/24 Michael Kirkendoll 2/1/24

January 2024 Wine Club

Wine Club, January 2024

• Sandhi, Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2021
• Domaine de la Cote, ‘Bloom’s Field’ Pinot Noir 2021

WINES

Wine Club Selections, January 2024

• Sandhi, Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2021 (Santa Barbara County, California)
• Domaine de la Côte, ‘Blooms Field’ Pinot Noir 2019 (Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California)

The two wines featured in this month’s wine club are the result of my recent visit to Santa Barbara County, where I was visiting with some of the top producers and wineries in the area and learning more about this extraordinary wine region. My trip focused on the wines of the Sta. Rita Hills, just over 30 minutes from Santa Barbara. This is a magical place with a climate, terroir, and energy that is truly unique in the American viticultural landscape. I have read about the ‘transverse mountains’ (mountain ranges that run West-East instead of North-South) that define the general geography here, but standing on the high elevation vineyards here and feeling the cold breeze blowing through the corridor from the Pacific Ocean just 7-10 miles away really drives home both the challenges and the excitement of winemaking here.

These two wines are made by the same team of extraordinary winemakers and human beings: Sashi Moorman and Rajat Parr. Together, they have become a true force in the winemaking industry, working hard on regenerative farming practices, and producing American wines that truly speak to terroir. Sashi is a classic winemaker who works on a number of projects, both with Raj and with other companies, that all have his stamp of authentic, honest, and precise winemaking. Raj was previously one of the world’s great sommeliers with a reputation as one of the best blind tasters anyone has ever seen. Together, they purchased the Domaine de la Côte Estate on the far western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills in 2013, after Sashi planted the vineyards in 2007 to select California heritage clones of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This vineyard area of just 40 acres sits on top of diatomaceous earth and silex that were formerly seabeds. This kind of soil provides distinct minerality to the wines here, and is different from the mostly sandy soils that cover Santa Barbara County and the Sta. Rita Hills. The diatomaceous earth pops in and out of very select vineyards and offers an immediate sensation on tasting. It is so cool here, that the temperature during the growing season for the 2023 vintage never got above 75ºF! The Sta. Rita Hills are fascinating in that for every one mile you progress inland (to the East), the high temperature rises 1º F. As the AVA itself is some 20 miles long from West-East, this results in vineyards with extraordinary climatic differences. Many of the vineyards on the far East edges will grow grapes ranging from Syrah and Grenache to traditional Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc as opposed to the Eastern sites that focus primarily on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

I fell in love with the energy of the wines here. They are bright, expressive, and have tremendous emotion behind them. I was able to visit and test at nearly a dozen estates, and the overall quality is extraordinary. That said, the wines of Domaine de la Côte are truly on another level and are some of the great wines made in the United States.

Sandhi, Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2021
(Santa Barbara County, California)
100% Chardonnay

Drink: Now-2028
Serving temperature: 50º-55º
Food pairings: Fish, oysters, mussels, roast chicken, sautéed mushrooms, cheese, roast pork, salads

Domaine de la Côte, ‘Bloom’s Field’ Pinot Noir 2021
(Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California)
100% Pinot Noir

‘Bloom’s Field’ is one of the 6 single vineyards that make up the Domaine de la Côte property. It came to ‘fame’ through the 2014 film Somm III which created a blind tasting event pitting Pinot Noir from New World countries (USA, Australia, etc) agains classic Burgundian Pinots. The tasting panel selected the 2014 vintage of Bloom’s Field as the best of the best, tying for to marks with one of Burgundy’s most classic producers, Marquis d’Angerville. While this doesn’t mean it is the ‘best’ Pinot Noir in the world, what the film confirmed was that delicious, pure, and elevated Pinot Noir was being produced outside of the grape’s original home. Production here is miniscule with just 650 cases produced from this vineyard. The grapes undergo whole cluster fermentation and the wine is aged for 12 months in 30% new French oak. It is tremendous in every way and will absolutely improve with several more years in the bottle.

Drink: 2028-2035
Serving temperature: 54º-58º
Food pairings: Grilled or roasted meats, sauces with red fruit, Tandoori chicken, Salmon/Halibut, Sushi, Wild Mushrooms

Michael Kirkendoll 1/1/24 Michael Kirkendoll 1/1/24

December 2023 Wine Club

Wine Club, December 2023

• Joseph Drouhin, Savigny-Les-Beaune 2019
• Vilmart & Cie, Grand Cellier NV

WINES

Wine Club Selections, December 2023

• Joseph Drouhin, Savigny-Les-Beaune 2019, Burgundy, France
• Vilmart & Cie, Grand Cellier NV, Champagne, France

Joseph Drouhin, Savigny-Les-Beaune 2019, Burgundy, France
100% Pinot Noir

Drink: Now-2028
Serving temperature: 58º-60º
Food pairings: Lean meat, poultry, boeuf bourguignon, soft cheeses, fatty fish, mushrooms

Vilmart & Cie, Grand Cellier NV, Champagne, France
70% Chardonnay / 30% Pinot Noir

Drink: Now- 2030
Serving Temp: 40º-44º (fridge or cool cellar)
Food Pairings: Camembert and brie, fried chicken, oysters, almond cake, seafood, beef tenderloin

Michael Kirkendoll 12/1/23 Michael Kirkendoll 12/1/23

November Wine Club

Wine Club, November 2023

• Giacomo Fenocchio, Barolo ‘Bussia’ 2019
• Tommaso Bussola, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018

WINES

Wine Club Selections, November 2023

• Giacomo Fenocchio, Barolo ‘Bussia’ 2019, Piemonte, Italy
• Tommaso Bussola, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018, Veneto, Italy

Giacomo Fenocchio, Barolo 'Bussia' 2019, Piemonte, Italy
100% Nebbiolo

Founded in 1864, the Giacomo Fenocchio estate is among the oldest in Barolo. Their vineyards cover just 14 total hectares in the Langhe, with premiere Barolo sites in the crus of Castellero, Villero (Castiglione Falletto), Cannubi (Barolo), and Bussia (Monforte d'Alba). Stallworts of traditional winemaking, they exemplify the old school of Barolo and the wines often need considerable time in bottle to fully express themselves.

The famed 'Bussia' MGA is the most prestigious (and largest) cru in the Barolo zone of Monforte d'Alba. This southern edge of Barolo traditionally produces some of the most structured and powerful wines of the region. The 'Bussia' cru itself is actually best understood as a large site with many smaller single crus that make up the whole. Fenocchio's 5 hectares are in the the prestigious subzone of Bussia Sottana. The soil is classic Marl of Sant'Agata with a mix of clay and chalk and notable presence of iron. This is a wine that has become one the very top expressions of the Bussia vineyard, rivaling the great wines of Aldo Conterno and Mascarello.

The traditional process is intense at Giacomo Fenocchio. A long maceration without added yeast of 40 days leads to the strong tannins that fill the final wine. Aging of 30 months in large Slavonian oak casks of up to 50 hl, followed by maturation in bottle. This is a big wine! Deep garnet in color with a gorgeous aroma of spices, rose, and licorice. Very dry and full-bodied, the wine can be austere in its youth but has a long and persistent finish. It is classic Barolo in its desire for time, and patience will be rewarded. The 2019 Barolo vintage is sensational, and Pane e Vino received the only case of this wine in the state of Kansas. I am thrilled to share it with you.

Drink: If you open this wine now, you must let it breathe slowly for several hours. Best after 2030 and will age beautifully until at least 2045.
Serving temperature: 60º-64º F
Food pairings: Braised pork, grilled meat, prime rib, roast and stews, rich/hearty dishes and food with nice fat and salt content.

Tommaso Bussola, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018, Veneto, Italy
35% Corvina – 30% Corvinone - 30% Rondinella - 5% Molinara

If asked what wine I want to drink in the cold, dark days of winter, I will almost immediately respond joyously with the word, 'Amarone'. No wine on the planet has the richness, warmth, concentration, and intensity of a beautiful Amarone. Powerful, high in alcohol, and full of flavors and aromas ranging from cherry to chocolate to tobacco, they can be haunting and mesmorizing, and always put a smile on my face.

I visited the region once back in 2014, enjoying the opportunity to taste at arguably the greatest producer in the region, Giuseppe Quintarelli. He had passed a few years prior and I tasted with his son, enjoying some of the finest sips of wine I've ever had. Just prior to his passing, he was asked who would be the one to carry on and take the reins for the region. He replied instatnly with the name Tommaso Bussola. Bussola makes incredible wines with sustainable farming practices in the hills around Negrar, the central hub of the Valpolicella region.

Few wines are as complex and require as much effort to produce as Amarone. The grapes used in the wines of this region are Corvinone, Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara. The most special part of the process, is that the wines under the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG are required to be made using the appasimento process. Producers will keep the top grapes on the vine for an extended period of time, concentrating the sugars and ripenss. After picking the grapes, usually near the end of October, the grapes are then laid in bins or on mats where they dry for 4 months. In this drying process, the grapes shrivel like raisings, losing up to 60% of their water content. This concentrates the sugars even more. In many cases, this process is used to make sweet wines such as Vin Santo. However, in Amarone, the wines are powerful and dry with some residual sugar. The dried grapes are taken in January and placed in tanks. After 15 days of maceration, fermentation is started and continues for a remarkable 50 days, during which the juice is pumped over and the cap is pressed and submerged multiple times. The resulting wine is drained and the gross lees (large yeast/sediment) is decanted off and the wine rests for a short period in stainless steel tanks. It is then moved into a mix of barrels, including used 500L tonneaux, 225L barriques, and 25HL botti where it ages for 4 years! Finally, the wine is bottled and stored for another 6 months before release. The resulting wine, because of the high sugar content, is almost always between 15%-17% abv—among the highest alcohol levels of any wine.

Amarone is special wine that lends itself beautifully to fatty foods that like sauces with fruit such as duck and lamb. It is also brilliant with a fatty ribeye. These are wines that can be incredibly meditative and should be enjoyed slowly, and are especially magical by a warm fire shared with those you love.

Drink: Can drink now or hold for 15 years.
Serving Temp: Amarone is best served slightly warmer than most other wines at around 65ºF. If serving from the cellar, let it warm in the glass.
Food Pairings: Duck, lamb, fatty steaks, cheese, chocolate. Works wonderfully in conjunction with cherry or balsamic glazes/syrups.

Michael Kirkendoll 11/3/23 Michael Kirkendoll 11/3/23

October Wine Club

Wine Club, October 2023

• Bruno Giacosa, Spumante Extra Brut 2019, Lombardy, Italy
• Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes, 'Cuvée des Ambassades' 2020, Côte de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France
• Giovanni Manzone, Langhe Nebbiolo 'Il Crutin' 2020, Piemonte, Italy

WINES

Wine Club Selections, October 2023

• Bruno Giacosa, Spumante Extra Brut 2019, Lombardy, Italy
• Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes, 'Cuvée des Ambassades' 2020,
Côte de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France
• Giovanni Manzone, Langhe Nebbiolo 'Il Crutin' 2020, Piemonte, Italy

Bruno Giacosa, Spumante Extra Brut 2019, Lombardy, Italy

In Piemonte, the names Conterno, Mascarello, and Giacosa loom over all others for their long history of incredible wines and adherance to tradition. The estate of Bruno Giacosa has produced perhaps the most important wines in Barbaresco since the 1960s. The family was making wines decades earlier, and when Bruno took over, the estate became famous for its breathtaking single vineyard and red-label Barbarescos. Bruno Giacosa died in 2018 and the estate is now in the extremely capable hands of his daughter, Bruna.

While nearly all of Giacosa's production focuses on the prestigious wines of Piemonte, they also produce a spectacular vintage sparkling wine from the nearby province of Lombardy. Made in the traditional Champagne method, this wines comes from 100% Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) grown on the hills around Pavia. The wine was bottled in May of 2019 and rested on its yeast for 30 months. Disgrogement took place in December of 2022. It is extremely floral and complex on the nose. Fantastic almond and brioche notes followed by a lovely mix of tart red fruit, citrus, and crisp acidity. Extra Brut is the term indicating very low Residual Sugar, and as such the wine drinks quite dry. As a vintage sparkling wine, this is a wine that can be enjoyed now or age for 5-7 years.

Drink this wine in a standard white wine glass or tulip-shaped glass – not in a coupe or flute! The larger glass will allow the aromas to open and express more clearly.

Drink: Drink now and over next 5-7 years.
Serving Temperature: 40º-43ºF - fridge cold
Food Pairings: Yes - Sparkling wine is not just for celebration but is a brilliant choice for food pairings. Pinot Noir-based bubbles like this are fantastic with fish, white meat, and tart cheeses. Desserts such as fruit tarts and crème brulée also are lovely!

Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes, 'Cuvée des Ambassades' 2020, Côte de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France

Of all the wines for the Thanksgiving table, there is perhaps no wine that fits this meal better than Cru Beaujolais. Not the vapid, bubble-gum flavored Beaujolais Nouveau, but the complex, spicy, fruity wines from any of the 10 Cru villages in the Beaujolais region. These wines are made from 100% Gamay grapes that grow on the mostly granite hills that make up the best terroir of the region. On the bottle, these Crus are always listed, and are essentially the names of the primary villages: Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chenas, Moulin-a-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly. Grapes for Cru Beaujolais must come from inside the boundaries of these villages. Beaujolais Villages or regular Beaujolais are wines from much less ideal soils and altitudes that produce simple wines without the complexity and depth of Cru Beaujolais.

The Côte de Brouilly Cru is situated inside the larger Brouilly Cru in the southern portion of the Beaujolias Region. Here, the granite is a special 'blue' volcanic granite that is found in some of the most prestigious single vineyards in the region, such as the Côte de Py vineyard in the Morgon Cru. The Côte de Brouilly is at higher elevation which helps support fine, silky tannins and bright acidity that helps these wines to age. Often, the wines here take a few extra years in the bottle to fully express their potential.

Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes is a brilliant, singularly-focused producer that puts all of their energy into this singular wine. The winemaking is traditional, with fermentation in cement vats and aging in old foudres. The wine comes from just 12 acres of vines located at the highest point of Mont Brouilly—nearly 1,600 feet. Beautiful, classic Beaujolais notes of raspberry, sour cherry, and spice with a persistent stoney minerality.

Drink: Drink now and over next 10 years.
Serving Temperature: 55ºF - It's okay to chill this down a bit as well.
Food Pairings: Beaujolais is amazingly food friendly. All poultry, duck, fish, cheese, even lightly grilled protein (especially lamb) and vegetables.

Giovanni Manzone, Langhe Nebbiolo 'Il Crutin' 2020, Piemonte, Italy

Another wine from my friends at the estate of Giovanni Manzone! In Piemonte, Nebbiolo is the grape of the 'King and Queen' (Barolo and Barbaresco). However, producers can only make these wines in the very small areas designated for Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG, and typically only from their oldest vines on the absolute best hillside locations. That leaves a lot of other terroir for not just Barbera and Dolcetto, but to plant more Nebbiolo for a younger, fresher version of the 'big ones' often referred to as 'Baby Barolo'. These wines are given the more broad DOC identifyer of either Langhe Nebbiolo DOC or Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC.

'Il Crutin' is an historical house located in the heart of the Gramolere cru where the Manzone's make one of their top Barolos. While Barolo would typically undergo a long fermentation and maceration (30 days), in order to preserve the freshness of these wines and allow them to drink when young, the Langhe Nebbiolo typically undergoes a much shorter fermentation and maceration. Manzone's Il Crutin undergoes a 7 day fermentation followed by 15 days of maceration in steel. The other way winemakers turn Langhe Nebbiolo into an early drinking wine is the ageing process. In Barolo, wines must age in oak for a minimum of 2 years. As a DOC, the 'Langhe' heading covers a range of grapes and has far fewer specific guidelines. Winemakers have a lot of flexibility in how they age these wines. For Manzone, the Langhe Nebbiolo ages for 6 months in large neutral oak casks and then moves into stainless steel tanks to settle. The wine is bottled under a waning moon and released 18 months after harvest. Just a few thousand bottles of this wine are made each year.

'Il Crutin' is a beautiful example of Langhe Nebbiolo that is ready to drink now and will continue aging over 5-10 years. More delicate than Barolo, the wine presents lovely red fruit, classic Nebbiolo tannnin, albeit softer, a spicy finish, and elegant rose notes. This is a gorgeous wine with food, like all Nebbiolo, but is easy enough to drink on its own. Drink this while you wait for your Barolos to come of age!

Drink: now and over the next 10 years
Serving temperature: 58º-62ºF
Food pairings: Red meat pasta sauces, cheese, roast chicken, Thanksgiving!

Michael Kirkendoll 11/3/23 Michael Kirkendoll 11/3/23

September Wine Club

Wine Club, September 2023

Oddero, Langhe Riesling 2022
Max Ferd. Richter, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2022
Luigi Giordano, Barbaresco ‘Cavana’ 2020

WINES

2021 Oddero, Langhe Riesling, Piemonte, Italy
2022 Max Ferd. Richter, Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany
2020 Luigi Giordano, Barbaresco ‘Cavana’, Piemonte, Italy

CONTRATTO
Blanc de Blancs 'Pas Dosé' 2016, Alta Langa DOC, Italy

100% Chardonnay

Sadly, when asked about Sparkling Wine from Italy, most people are familiar with just Prosecco. While the wines of Prosecco are delicious, they are a far cry from the prestigious bubbles of Champagne and other parts of the world making wines following the 'Champagne Method'. In Italy, there are actually two regions which produce Sparkling Wine that must be made in the method champennois to qualify for DOC/DOCG status. The most famous of these is Franciacorta but perhaps the most exciting is the Alta Langa DOCG. Established as a DOCG in 2011, it was actually the first region in Italy to make traditional method sparkling wine back in the mid-19th century. The appellation name is reserved exclusively for the production of sparkling wine and stretches through the provinces of Cuneo, Asti, and Alessandria, just to the South and East of Barolo and Barbaresco. Production rules here are strict and the requirements include:

· wines must be produced using the 'traditional method' (2nd fermentation in the bottle)

· grapes must be 90% Chardonnay or Pinot Noir (or a blend of the two

· up to 10% of the grapes may be local/indigenous white grapes

· vineyards must be at an elevation of at least 250m (820ft)

· minimum of 30 months aging on lees / riserva must age for a minimum of 36 months

· all wines must be single vintage (in Champagne, non-vintage wines may have reserve wines from other vintages)

In 1867 Contratto was the first producer in the region to produce these 'traditional method' sparkling wines. The estate was family owned until 1993 and was purchased by the great Piemontese producer Giorgio Rivetti of La Spinetta in 2011. The cellar at Contratto is official a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known as the 'Wine Cathedral'—entirely excavated by hand and covering 5,000 square meters with a depth up to 38 meters underground! These are joyous sparkling wines that 'know they are Italian'! They are just as delicious as their French counterparts but they lack the prentention. On our travels through Piemonte last June, almost every meal was started effortless with bubbles from the Alta Langa.

The wine presented here is the 2016 Blanc de Blancs 'Pas Dosé'. 100% Chardonnay grapes are used and the wine undergoes 40 months of aging on lees! An extremely generous and floral nose is accompanied by notes of hazelnut and exotic fruits.

A note on glassware
Do not serve this wine a coup or in a flute! In fact, save the coupes just for cocktails, and the flutes - reserve them for Kir or a big party. Champagne and high-quality Sparkling Wine needs to be treated more like a wine and should be served in a glass that allows the aromas and the bubbles to speak. For wines like this, if you want a more traditional style glass, opt for a tulip-shaped Champagne glass, or serve them in traditional wine glasses with bowls that allow the aromas to open and provide just enough width to allow the bubbles to percolate.

The Champagne Method
The Champagne Method/Traditional Method/method champennois/metodo classico is used to make almost all of the world's prestigious sparkling wines. Below is the method with some descriptions of differences in certain steps.

1. Make a still wine: Grapes (which grapes are controlled by local laws) are harvested and brought back to the winery where still wines are made following normal practices. They will likely be aged either in steel tanks or in wood for about 9 months before the real process of creating a sparkling wine begins. The wine here will likely only be 7%-9% abv.

2. Assemblage: The winemakers will create the blend for the planned wine based on the house style or the vintage. In the case of a vintage wine, all of the grapes and juice must come from the same vintage harvest. In the case of a non-vintage wine, producers often use a base or reserve wine that holds still wine from previous vintages to be blended with new vintages, creating a uniform style year after year. Some producers, such as Pierre Peters, have a reserve wine system going back as far as 20 years.

3. Tirage: The blended wine, now called the cuvée, is bottled and the liqueur de tirage is added. The liqueur de tirage is a combination of sugar and yeast that is added into the bottle. The bottle is covered with a traditional crown cap (or now in some cases cork is being used), and laid in the cellar to age.

4. Aging on lees: Lees is the word used to describe the dead yeast cells that are created through the process of alcoholic fermentation. In alcoholic fermentation, yeast eats sugar, converting it into both ethyl alcohol and Carbon Dioxide. In normal winemaking, the CO2 is expelled into the air while the sugar is converted into the alcohol. In the case of sparkling wine, the crown cap on the bottle prohibits the CO2 from escaping. Instead, it stays in the bottle, carbonating the liquid as the sugar is converted into alcohol, raising the wine's abv to 11.5%-14%. In Champagne, this aging must happen for a mimimun of 15 months for non-vintage wines and 36 months for vintage wines (although it is often much longer). In Alta Langa DOCG, the required minimum is 30 months as all wines are vintage.

5. Riddling/Rémouage: Riddling is the amazing process of taking the dead yeast cells and moving them to the neck of the bottle. Traditionally this was done by hand in a pupitre–an A-frame piece of wood with holes in which the necks of the bottles are held. A 'riddler' is the highly-trained cellar worker who will give each bottle light corner turns that slowly move the bottles from a horizontal position to a near vertical position, allowing the yeast to collect near the cap. By hand, this process can take 4-6 weeks. Skilled riddlers can do as many as 40,000 bottles a day. Sadly, the practice is dying and only a few Champagne houses still employ riddlers. Today there is a device called 'gyropallette' that holds hundreds of bottles and it moves them in a cradle accomplishing the task in 7-10 days as it works 24/7.

6. Digorgement: With aging and riddling complete, the dead yeast/lees is now at the end of the bottle neck. The bottles are moved carefully in a vertical position (pointed down) so that the yeast remains as the cap and the neck is frozen in a super cold nitrogen bath freezing just the area where the lees have collected. A machine is used (a few wineries still do this by hand) that quickly pops off the crown cap and the frozen lees are expelled by the pressure in the bottle. A touch of wine may be lost here as well.

7. Dosage/Liqueur d'expédition: As this point, the winery makes the decision of the final style for the wine. Will it be fully dry or will it be slightly sweet? The liqueur d'expédition is a blend of the original still wine with an added amount of sugar. This is added back into the bottle and the traditional cork and cage are applied. The wine is laid down to settle and perhaps age longer at the cellar, and is then ready for release and consumption.

Dosage amounts

Brut Nature/Pas Dosage/Pas Dosé: 0-3g/L sugar added
Extra Brut: 0-6g/L sugar added
Brut: 0g-12g/L sugar added (normal is around 8g/L)
Extra Dry/Extra Sec: 12-17g/L sugar added
Sec: 17-32g/L sugar added
Demi-Sec: 32-50g/L sugar added
Doux: >50g/L sugar added

Serve at 40º-43ºF
Drink: now-2030
Food pairings: Wonderful on its own or with cheese, charcuterie, seafood.

CARMELO PATTI
2018 Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

100% Malbec

A disclaimer: Malbec is not one of my favorite grapes. I typically find it underwhelming and rather boring. So, when I find one that excites me or highlights something new and interesting, it sticks out! Carmelo Patti has been making almost artisanal wine in Mendoza for decades. He truly is one of the pioneers here and has avoided the trends and influences have made Argentinian Malbec into both a consumer favorite and critical darling. These trends include the extensive (and often excessive) use of new oak, conventional farming practices to increase yields, and broad sourcing of grapes from less than ideal plots. Instead, Carmelo Patti continues making wine from premiere vineyard sites with limited interventions both in the vineyard and the cellar. This includes perhaps his most unique trait which is the holding back of wines in the cellar until they reach a bottle age that he feels allows the wines to express themselves. Most Argentinian Malbecs will be released to the market within 2 years of harvest. Patti holds his wines back for an average of 5 years before releasing them, allowing them to come to the world already possessing a sense of maturity. In the case of his Cabernet Sauvignon, it can even be 10 years!

In the case of his Malbec, the wine comes from vineyards in the Lujan de Cuyo GI of Mendoza. This historic area is home to some of the most acclaimed wines of the country, and sits at an average of 1,000m (3,300ft) in elevation, with its highest points at 1,300m. While not as high as the Uco Valley, these vines are much older here and offer greater structure and concentration. The wine is fermented with native yeast and aged in concrete for 12 months and is then moved into used oak barrels for 12 more months. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and stored at the winery typically for another 3 years until it is deemed 'ready' for the market.

I enjoy this wine because of its roundness. Malbec is often very direct and can too easily be described as 'smooth'. This wine has a certain volume that blends its silky tannins and richness together on the palate. Flavors and aromas are classic rather than modern: red currants, a touch of wet earth, subtle dried fruit notes, a touch of smoke, and elegant baking spices. A nice but not aggressive amount of acid adds backbone and support.

Drink now. Can hold for another 10 years.
Serving Temperature: 60º-65ºF
Food Pairings: Burgers, grilled meat, roasted lamb.

Tenuta San Guido
2021 ‘Guidalberto’, Bolgheri DOC, Toscana IGT

80% Cabernet, 20% Merlot

Few producers in Italy can claim a level of true significance and consistent excellence to rival Tenuta San Guido. The Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta came to Maremma on the West coast of Tuscany in the 1940s and took the bold step to plant Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Few could see the significance this decision would have a few decades later. For over 20 years, the wine made here was simply a family product and passion. However, in 1968, the landscape of Italian wine was changed forever with the official release of Sassicaia, and the creation of the 'Super-Tuscan'.

Della Rocchetta's vision of planting French grapes in Tuscany was remarkable. The soil type on his estate reminded him of the gravel, pebble, and clay soils of Bordeaux, and the style of these wines was what he was looking for. Sassicaia has become one of the most important and consistently great wines in the world. Today is is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and is the only wine whose vineyard itself is its own DOC (Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC). It is expensive, ageworthy, and iconic.

In the years after Sassicaia, the Maremma region of Tuscany has become home to the Bolgheri DOC where producers make wines from French varietals with a clear Tuscan flare. The proximity of the sea to the West (just 40 meters from some vineyards) and the low coastal mountains to the east creates an incredible microclimate both in terms of weather conditions and overall terroir. The best wines from here are truly among the top versions of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah in the world and rival those of the French and Californian superstars (often at a fraction of the price). Most producers make a top wine that showcases their oldest vines or a pure single-varietal expression as well as a medium priced ($50-$100btl) wine that expresses the complete essence of the estate. Many also have entry level wines that offer incredible value and deliciousness under $30btl.

In 2000, Tenuta San Guido released its first 'second wine': Guidalberto. Designed to be more approachable when young and more affordable, the wine has its own style and profile and is really a perfect introduction to the Sassicaia style. Rather than using the Cabernet Franc, Guidalberto is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (60% and 40% respectively). The softness of the Merlot calms the powerful Bolgheri Cabernet and makes this wine pure pleasure. Aging is in a mix of new and 2nd/3rd passage oak, which includes a small percentage of American oak. The 2021 vintage is absolutely stunning, and considered by many to be the best vintage of this wine every made. Red fruits from the Merlot mix effortlessly with ripe blackberry and cassis, and the intense spice of Bolgheri Cabernet is everpresent. Chocolate, and blueberry round the wine out. Earthy without funk, the wine is truly classic.

In May, we enjoyed an epic lunch at Enoteca San Guido, the Michelin recommended restaurant owned by Tenuta San Guido. The 5-course meal included each of their 3 wines: Le Difese, Guidalberto, and Sassicaia. Sassicaia is, of course, tremendous, but the Guidalberto was the surprise of the day. It rivaled the Sassicaia and on the day, was the better wine. The Sassicaia will likely suprass it with time, but the immediacy and effortless way the Guidalberto passes across the palate is astonishing. It is a thrilling wine.

Drink: Now-2035
Serving Temp: 60º-65ºF - it's nice to taste this wine just above cellar temp and let it warm in the glass.
Food Pairings: Hearty pasta sauces (wild boar), fatty cuts of meat (ribeye), hard cheeses, fois gras, chocolate.

Michael Kirkendoll 9/1/23 Michael Kirkendoll 9/1/23

August Wine Club

Wine Club, August 2023

Contratto, Blanc de Blancs ‘Pas Dosé’ 2016
Carmelo Patti, Malbec 2018
Tenuta San Guido, ‘Guidalberto’ 2021

WINES

2016 Contratto, Blanc de Blancs ‘Pas Dosé’, Alta Langa DOCG
2018 Carmelo Patti, Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
2021 Tenuta San Guido, ‘Guidalberto’ 2021, Bolgheri DOC, Tuscany, Italy

CONTRATTO
Blanc de Blancs 'Pas Dosé' 2016, Alta Langa DOC, Italy

100% Chardonnay

· wines must be produced using the 'traditional method' (2nd fermentation in the bottle)

· grapes must be 90% Chardonnay or Pinot Noir (or a blend of the two

· up to 10% of the grapes may be local/indigenous white grapes

· vineyards must be at an elevation of at least 250m (820ft)

· minimum of 30 months aging on lees / riserva must age for a minimum of 36 months

· all wines must be single vintage (in Champagne, non-vintage wines may have reserve wines from other vintages)

Dosage amounts

Serve at 40º-43ºF
Drink: now-2030
Food pairings: Wonderful on its own or with cheese, charcuterie, seafood.

CARMELO PATTI
2018 Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

100% Malbec

Drink now. Can hold for another 10 years.
Serving Temperature: 60º-65ºF
Food Pairings: Burgers, grilled meat, roasted lamb.

Tenuta San Guido
2021 ‘Guidalberto’, Bolgheri DOC, Toscana IGT

80% Cabernet, 20% Merlot

Michael Kirkendoll 8/4/23 Michael Kirkendoll 8/4/23

July Wine Club

Wine Club, June 2023

Smith-Madrone, Riesling 2018
Marcel Lapierre, Morgon, 2021
La Rioja Alta, ‘Viña Ardanza’ Reserva 2016

WINES

2018 Smith-Madrone, Riesling, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, California
2021 Marcel Lapierre, Morgon, Beaujolais, France
2016 La Rioja Alta, ‘Viña Ardanza’ Reserva, La Rioja, Spain

SMITH-MADRONE
2018 Riesling, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, California

100% Riesling

For more information on Smith-Madrone, please read our June Wine Club post to learn a bit about this iconic producer. However, I will say here that I am overjoyed that these wines are now available in the State of Kansas! Smith-Madrone has been a ‘darling’ for sommeliers for over 30 years, but most people outside of California and few other markets are relatively unfamiliar with this producer. And while I am a huge fan of their Cabernet Sauvignon, it is really this Riesling that sets Smith-Madrone apart.

Riesling is perhaps the most under appreciated varietal in the United States. The assumption from the general public that it is always sweet and lacks depth and complexity is simply a falsehood. Riesling is one of the world’s noble grapes and is maybe the most exciting varietal in the world for sommeliers when it comes to food and wine pairing. While Germany is regarded as the home of Riesling, there are hamlets around the world where the grape also has incredible success. Napa Valley rarely gets spoken of as one of these places. However, Smith-Madrone, who planted their Riesling vines in their beginning along with Cabernet Sauvignon, is the great exception. This Riesling is completely dry and filled with depth, minerality, finesse, and fantastic persistence. Present is the characteristic Riesling acid, but here we also see ripe and sweet citrus notes ranging from lemons to oranges, and beautiful floral aromas. The 2018 vintage is the current release for this wine and it is built for a long life!

Serve at 45º-48º
Can drink now, BUT…. Riesling has tremendous aging potential because of its fantastic acidity. This wine has the potential to develop for as long as 20-30 years….my advice–drink this bottle and then buy a lot more to keep in your cellar!
Food pairings: all the classic white wine dishes are great here from salads to seafood. Also - pork tenderloin, roast chicken, sushi, oysters, clam chowder.

MARCEL LAPIERRE
2021 Morgon, Beaujolais, France

100% Gamay

It is possible that the wines of Marcel Lapierre are my favorite in the world. They are just so damn delicious and so versatile! Marcel Lapierre is part of a generation of French winemakers that started the natural wine revolution in the 1970s. Their understanding of the importance of a diverse ecosystem to provide nutrients and energy to the vines, and then the ability to the grapes and wine evolve naturally with limited intervention from manmade chemicals seems obvious. However, it requires commitment and precision both in the vineyard and in the cellar to make wines of quality and character while limiting the use of chemicals and manmade compounds. One of the issues with the ‘natural wine movement’ is that too many winemakers us the marketing opportunities of the ‘natural’ moniker while not having the raw materials or skills to truly make outstanding wine. These include the right sites, high-quality and/or old vines, and exceptional, clean, and scientifically-sound wine making. At Marcel Lapierre, all of these issues are moot.

Located in the Beaujolais village of Morgon, one of the 10 Crus of the Beaujolais Appellation, Marcel Lapierre has vineyards with the best exposition, vines averaging 45 years in age, and a cellar that is pristine. Their wines, made with 100% Gamay grapes as required by the AOC, are among the most structured and expressive of all of Beaujolais.

A word on Beaujolais
The wines of Beaujolais have been maligned in much of the world by the marketing phenomenon that was and is Beaujolais Nouveau. Beaujolais Nouveau is the quickly made and released wine that hits the market on the 3rd Thursday of November each year, from grapes harvested just a few months prior. These wines, candied and filled with bubblegum notes, are not the wines that exemplify Beaujolais or the noble Gamay grape. Rather, the wines from the 10 cru villages (Saint. Amour, Juliénas, Fleurie, Chenas, Moulin-a-Vent, Chiroubles, Morgon, Brouilly, Côtes-de-Brouilly, Régnié) raise Gamay to its fullest potential as a fine wine with tremendous fruit, spice, finesse, and depth. These are some of the most food-friendly red wines on the planet and are pure happiness in a glass.

The Morgon of Marcel Lapierre is now made by his son Matthieu and daughter Camille who follow in their father’s footsteps, making wines with organic farming practices in the vineyard and natural, non-interventionist techniques in the cellar. The final wines are bottles with either very low or zero sulfite additions, no added sugars, and no filtration. The grapes are brought to winery where the whole clusters are placed in large oak vats to begin the alcoholic fermentation. However, in Beaujolais, this is done by Carbonic Maceration—a process in which the tanks are sealed and a layer of CO2 forms above the clusters as the weight of the bunches presses the grapes slowly. Following the fermentation, the clusters are slowly crushed and the juice is moved into used wood barrels for 12 months aging. The wine is bottled with no sulfur addition (or very minimal in the case of some of the exported wine) and held at the winery before release. The final wine is an example of some of the most delicious, and interesting wine on the planet. Full of red fruits that range from sour cherry, to raspberry, to strawberry, spices from cinnamon to cardamum, and a range of floral, earthy, and mineral notes. The combination of bright acid and fine tannins make give the wine a beautiful mouthfeel and long, finish.

On my visit to the estate in June 2023, I observed a winery and community of people with a spirit and joy for the wines, the earth, and hospitality. Our tasting included not only the low-sulfite Morgon, but also the zero sulfite version which was fascinating to taste side by side. In addition, we enjoyed their special cuvées including the single vineyard wine from the Côte-du-Py and a 2010 Morgon. I simply love everything this wine is. It does not pretend. It just is…delicious.

Serve at 55º-58º - you can actually chill this wine a touch if you like but it is definitely best at cellar temp or a little below.
Drink now or hold up to 10 years.
Food Pairing: Everything! This wine goes with any fish (especially fatty fish like salmon) and ranges all the way to chicken, roast pork, lamb, tenderloin steaks, burgers, pizza, hard/soft cheese, and more!

LA RIOJA ALTA
2016 ‘Viña Ardanza’ Reserva

80% Tempranillo, 20 % Grenache

La Rioja Alta produces some of the most exciting wines in all of Spain. Located in Haro, the capital of the Rioja DO (Denominacion de Origen) La Rioja Alta creates a perfect balance between tradition and modernity in the region. The dominant grape in the region, as in Ribera del Duero, is Tempranillo—spicy, high acid, and complex. As is customary here, the wines are aged in American oak which provides hallmark aromas of coconut and dill that support the fruit and mineral structure of the wines. The region’s warmth helps produce wines of richness and ripeness, while the cooling breezes that enter the Ebro valley help support the acid that gives the wines their longevity.

In the Rioja, wines are traditional identified by three markers for the amount of time they age in oak barrels. They are:
Crianza: aged a minimum of 12 months in oak and 6 months in bottle (2 years total required) before release
Reserva: aged a minimum of 12 months in oak and 6 months in bottle (3 years total required) before release
Gran Reserva: aged a minimum of 24 months in oak and 24 months in bottle (5 years total required) before release

La Rioja Alta’s aging process goes beyond the required minimums, spending 36 months in oak for the Tempranillo and 30 months in oak for the Garnacha. The oak protocol at La Rioja Alta sets them in a more traditional camp, using 4-year old American oak barrels for the Tempranillo and 2nd or 3rd passage oak for the Garnache. What results here is a wine that is almost perfect on release with fantastic potential to age and develop.

The 2016 vintage was tremendous, and this wine is a showstopper right out of the bottle. A huge bouquet with spice and red fruit jumps out of the glass. Hints of cigar and smoked meat combine with lovely toast notes, cedar, and dried coconut. On the palate, the acid and tannin hit simultaneously, integrating with a rich and round mouthfeel. The finish is long with new flavors of earth and spice revealing themselves every second. As the wine ages, more and more of these earthy elements appear, revealing forrest floor, dried leaves, and cured meat.

Serve at 58º-65ºF
Drink now or hold up to 15 years.
Food Pairing: This wine begs for smoked and cured meat, hard cheeses, and anything off the grill.

Michael Kirkendoll 8/4/23 Michael Kirkendoll 8/4/23

June Wine Club

Wine Club, June 2023

Lamole di Lamole, Chianti Classico ‘Maggiole’ 2021
Viette, Langhe Nebbiolo ‘Perbacco’ 2021
Smith-Madrone, Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

WINES

2021 Lamole di Lamole, Chianti Classico ‘Maggiolo’, Tuscany, Italy
2021 Vietti, Langhe Nebbiolo ‘Perbacco’, Piemonte, Italy
2019 Smith-Madrone, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, CA

LAMOLE DI LAMOLE
2021 ‘Maggiolo’ Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy

Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

With an elevation of 650m above sea level, the highest elevation in Chianti Classico, and the highest range that Sangiovese can legally grow in Tuscany, the village of Lamole represents one of the most unique microclimates in Tuscany. Vineyards here are often planted on terraces and the soil itself is unique to the region, with large sandstone boulders called 'Macigno toscano’ mixed with schist, galestro stone, and albarese limestone. The wines here are highly perfumed and elegant, and many say they are the only Chianti Classico wines that are truly identifiable geographically in a blind tasting.

Aromas of blackberries and blueberries surprise here where you expect more bright cherry. Sweet spices and flowers round it out and on the palette, marked acidity is complemented with fine and integrated tannins and additional red fruit components plus a bit of cocoa.

Serve at 58º-62ºF
Drink now. This wine can be cellared for up to 10 years, but is truly a gem right now.
Food pairings: Traditional Italian foods are perfect, so think about tomato-sauce based pastas, pizzas, beans, and roasted meats or vegetables. This is a lighter and more aromatic style of Chianti, so intensely grilled or smoked meats might be better paired with slightly bigger styles, but don’t hesitate to drink this with a lovely grilled ribeye.

VIETTI
2021 Langhe Nebbiolo ‘Perbacco’

100% Nebbiolo

Vietti is one of the truly great domains in all of Piemonte. Their Barolos include some of the most sought-after and long-lived wines in the region, most notably their single vineyard Ravera cru. Founded over 150 years ago by Carlo Vietti, the estate was recently named winery of the year by Antonio Galloni of Vinous. The estate was family-owned until 2016, with the Vietti family finally handing over full control in 2023 to the new owners.

In Piemonte, the Nebbiolo grape is supreme. Langhe Nebbiolo or and Nebbiolo d’Alba are often referred to as ‘baby Barolo’. In truth, this moniker doesn’t really capture the wine for what it truly is. So often, the big Nebbiolo wines of Barolo and Barbaresco are so tannic and powerful that they don’t showcase the best of the grape until they have several years of bottle age. Langhe Nebbiolo is produced in such a way as to take the powerful Nebbiolo grape and highlight its acid and fruit qualities while preserving the tannic structure, but offering the final wine in a way that makes it absolutely delicious on release. Many of the best Langhe Nebbiolos still possess the potential to age for even a decade or more.

Typically, Langhe Nebbiolo DOC is produced from Nebbiolo grapes grown either outside the major zones of Barolo or Barbaresco, or from vineyard sites not suited to these ‘superstar’ wines. The Langhe DOC allows grapes to come from anywhere within the large Langhe zone. Vietti, like a few other great producers, chooses Nebbiolo grapes from prestigious vineyards both in Barolo and Barbaresco, and then completes a traditional long fermentation of nearly a month. The wine is then aged 18-20 months in a mix or barriques and large barrels. The nose is classic Nebbiolo with cassis, cherry, raspberry, rose, and tea aromas. Notes of spice and toast round the wine out. It can be powerful in its youth and soften much like a Barolo with several years in the bottle.

Serve at 60º-63º F
Drinking now and over the next 10 years.
Food Pairing: Hearty stew, wild game, roasted red meats and sharp, aged cheeses.

SMITH-MADRONE
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc

Founded in 1972, Smith-Madrone is an iconic producer in Napa Valley, even if they remain relatively less well-known than many of the larger producers in the region. Family owned and operated by Stuart and Charles Smith, the estate produces wines of incredible class and quality on Spring Mountain. Spring Mountain is an iconic area in the Mayacamas Mountain Range that forms the Western boundary of Napa Valley. Vineyards at this estate range from 1,300 to 2,000 feet in elevation and are planted not only to Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, but also to Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and arguable the most important Riesling in the region.

In general, Napa Valley Cabernet falls into one of three camps:
1) Highly concentrated, powerful wines with juicy fruit, high alcohol, ripe tannins, and a distinct presence of new oak
2) Dusty, woven wines with power, earthiness, and black fruits with pepper and spice
3) Wines with a strong mineral quality, higher acid, and ripe but not overripe fruit.

Smith-Madrone, being located on Spring Mountain tends to produce Cabernet with a more pronounced acid profile from the elevation. In addition, their practice of dry-farming (not irrigating the vines after they come of age) helps to produce a more complex and mineral-driven style. The fruits have a complex balance of ripeness and earthiness, likely attributed again to the elevation which keeps the grapes cooler and allows them to ripen more slowly than on the valley floor. While the use of new French oak is truly essential for aging high-quality Cabernet, Smith-Madrone carefully balances the new and used oak profile in their wines. This vintage spends 18 months in oak, 55% of which is new. The blending of Cabernet Franc helps to provide more floral and earthy aromas in the wine. While there is no doubt an intense amount of pleasure and immediacy to the hedonistic ripe style found from many of the Cult producers and valley floor Cabernets, I have a soft spot for wines produced in the Smith-Madrone style with a more restrained use of new oak and higher acid. There is an elegance in this Cabernet that speaks to the way most of the wines here were made in the 1980s and 1990s.

Spring Mountain was significantly impacted by the 2020 Glass Fire. Photos can be seen below of the fire at Smith-Madrone.

Serve at 60º-63º F
Drinking now and over the next 15 years
Food Pairing: Steaks, smoked and grilled meat, blue cheese, and even lighter

Michael Kirkendoll 7/7/23 Michael Kirkendoll 7/7/23

May Wine Club

Wine Club, May 2023

Domaine du Pégau, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 2020
Archery Summit, Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2021

WINES

2020 Domaine du Pégau, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée, France
2021 Archery Summit, Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon

DOMAINE DU PEGAU
2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cuvée Réservée

Grenache (80%) / Syrah (6%) / Mourvèdre (4%) / Other (10%)

Of all the world’s fine wines, my longest obsession has been with this of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Powerful, spicy, elegant, and decadent, these wines are among the most captivating in the world. While living in New York in 2002, the wines from this spectacular region were the very first I purchased for my own collection, and were the wines on the table at my first dates with my future wife.

The AOC of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a small area in France’s Southern Rhône Valley, and was the first French AOC established in 1936. The region is one of the most unique and historic in the world. Located just north of the Papal city of Avignon, the region’s name translates to ‘New Castle of the Pope’. In the 13th Century, the papacy moved briefly from the Vatican to Avignon, and the wines from ‘just north’ were favorites of the bishops. Today, this region covers just 10 square miles with around 7,500 acres of vines owned by just over 300 producers. Compare this with Napa Valley’s 45,000 acres of vines and you see how small and special this little area is! The wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are primarily blends of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, but there are actually 18 different grape varieties that are permitted for use in the region’s wines. Grenache is a dark skinned grape known for high alcohol content, and aromas of ripe red berries, plums, spices, herbs, white pepper, and leather. Syrah produces more purple-colored juice and offers black and blue fruits with notes of black pepper and chocolate. Mourvèdre, often used in smaller percentages, is another late-ripening and high-alcohol grape that adds blackberry aromas along with high tannins. The most common other grapes include Cinsault and Counoise, as well as the white grapes Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. The grapes are grown most often in so-called ‘bush vines’ where each plant acts like an individual tree with no trellising. Grapes are harvested by hand, and usually a mix of destemmed and whole-cluster fruit is used for fermentation. Aging takes place in a range of vessels from cement tanks, to small barriques, to traditional large barrels. The final blending is different from producer-to-producers and ranges from 100% Grenache in the case of the legendary Château Rayas, to blends of 3-4 grapes, to the blend of all 13 traditional varietals as is found in Château Beaucastel.

The most unique aspect of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is its legendary terroir. The soil here is a blend of dry sands, limestone and clay, and the famous galets stones—large rounded stones that cover entire vineyards with an iron-rich clay subsoil. These soils help to hold heat and moisture to allow the late-ripening varietals here to fully ripen, and force the vines to dig deep to reach the nutrient-rich sub-layers and water reserves that provide the incredible structure and minerality in the wines.

Domaine du Pegau is one of the most important producers in the region and is today operated by Laurence Féraud, the daughter of the estate’s founder. They make three distinct Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines: the classic Cuvée Réservée, aged in the traditional manner with large oak barrels and 2 years aging, a special Cuvée Laurence with 4 years aging, and their collectible cult-wine Cuvée da Capo that can cost over $1,000 per bottle and has only been produced 8 times. They also make of Côtes-du-Rhône wines and some Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. The estate is humble, and on my visit to CdP in 2011, we stumbled upon their cellar in the town of Châteauneuf which was essentially a garage on a side street. We strolled in for a tasting with a man smoking a cigarette and wearing a white tank top and were blown away at the quality of every wine—from the €4 vin de table to the Cuvée Laurence. This has been one of my favorite wine in the world ever since and I am thrilled to offer it to you!

This wine is from the tremendous 2020 vintage and features a blend of mostly Grenache (80%), with Syrah (6%), Mourvèdre (4%), and then 10% of the wine coming from the other minor grapes of CdP. The wine is whole-cluster fermented and then aged in large used foudres. A stunning Châteauneuf with tremendous power and spice, and rich, ripe red fruit and herbal notes.

Serve at 62º-65ºF
Can drink now, but will be best starting in 2025. Will be at its peak 2030-2040 and likely can be held all the way to 2050!
Food pairings: This is a big, spicy, and high alcohol wine so fatty foods are great, as is anything with a hint of grill smoke. Leaner meats when seasoned well with spicy herbs like oregano and rosemary or the full complement of herbs-de-provence. Rich stews like Boeuf Bourguignon work wonderfully as well. Big, slightly pungent cheeses also work wonderfully. The complexity of the wine requires depth and complexity in the food.

ARCHERY SUMMIT
2021 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

100% Pinot Noir

I am very excited to offer that I will be the only place in Kansas that will carry Archery Summit for at least the next 4-6 months! I have worked very hard with the winery and the Kansas wholesaler to get the wines registered here, and have been given the entirety of the state’s small allocation for the time being, meaning just a few cases of this wine will likely be available, and I am thrilled to share these bottles with my club members!

Archery Summit has been among my favorite Oregon producers for nearly two decades. Not only do they make some the most objectively delicious and special pinot in the Willamette Valley, but they were one of the first wineries in Oregon that I visited many years ago. I have had opportunities to enjoy their wines on many occasions, including bottles with more than 20 years of age, and have found them to always be exciting and energizing wines. They have a certain depth and magic that sometimes is better felt than described! They remain one of three wineries that I personally belong to their wine club.

Archery Summit is located just outside of the town of Dundee in the heart of the Willamette Valley. The property rises up above the valley with a beautiful collection of vineyards with different aspect and elevations, both surrounding the Archery Summit estate and in the prestigious Arcus vineyard in the Eastern part of Dundee Hills AVA. The most dominant soil type in the Dundee Hills is the classic volcanic Jory soil. This soil is rich in iron and clay and has a deep reddish color. It gives Dundee Hills Pinots fantastic spice, beautiful cherry notes, and lots of minerality. The second soil we find is a sandy sedimentary soil that adds power and structure. The texture is like talcum-powder and it tends to be very dry, forcing vines to go very deep for nutrients and water. Wines from sedimentary areas tend to be more austere and can take a bit of extra aging or time to open up. Making wines like the Dundee Hills Pinot with a blend of both of these soil types gives us the best of both worlds.

The vineyard management and winemaking at Archery Summit is top-tier. The vineyards are truly spectacular in their beauty and are all farmed sustainably with LIVE (Low Input Viticulture & Enology) certification. In the cellar, the Dundee Hills Pinot is fermented in a mix of stainless steel, cement, and open-top tanks. 15% of the fruit is whole-clusters. Fermentation starts after a 4-5 day cold soak which helps to extract additional polyphenols and gives the wine its beautiful color and expressive mouthfeel. During fermentation, the wine is pumped over twice a day for the first half and then a combination of pumping over and pushing down of the cap is used to continue extracting color and tannin from the grapes and encouraging phenolic expression. The wine is pressed and aged for about 8 months in mostly used barrels, and then is racked and filtered, and finally bottled.

2021 was a magical vintage in the Willamette Vally and was much needed following the Oregon fires of 2020 that eliminated almost the entire Pinot Noir production. The 2021 vintage was marked by abnormally hot weather, including days reaching as high as 116ºF in parts of the area. The heat helped intensify the ripening of the grapes, and the vines were able to source fantastic water deep underground to survive. Because of the heat and dryness, ripening was early and harvest was a bit earlier. In addition, this limited yields focusing energy into the best bunches. What resulted were wines with fantastic ripeness that were buoyed by cold nights in September that preserved the essential acidity for great Pinot Noir.

The Archery Summit Dundee Hills Pinot is a standout and features a gorgeous nose with bright maraschino cherry notes mingled with cardamum, cocoa, and blossoms. On the palate, the fruit is ripe and elegant, with excellent acidity and a tannins that are fully integrated into every drop. The hallmark minerality and spice of the Jory soil lingers in the mouth on the finish, resulting in an almost perfect expression of Oregon Pinot Noir. This wine was recently awarded 97 points from Decanter and was one of 50 wines worldwide to be named Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards. This is a wine of pure pleasure that can be drunk now, or held for 10 years.

Serve at 58º-62º F
Drinking beautifully now. Will continue developing for 10 years.
Food Pairing: Soft cheeses, wild duck, roast pork or chicken, sous-vide tenderloin steaks, salmon in red wine sauce, chocolate-covered cherries.

Michael Kirkendoll 5/11/23 Michael Kirkendoll 5/11/23

April Wine Club

Wine Club, April 2023

Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg, ‘Cistercian’ Rosé, Austria, 2022
Piedrasassi, Sta. Rita Hills Syrah, Santa Barbara Co., CA, 2019
Andrew Will, ‘Ciel du Cheval’, Red Mountain, Washington

WINES

2022 Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg, ‘Cistercian’ Rosé, Austria
2019 Piedrasassi, Sta. Rita Hills Syrah, Santa Barbara County, California
2017 Andrew Will, ‘Ciel du Cheval’, Red Mountain, Washington

SCHLOSSKELLEREI GOBELSBURG
2022 ‘Cistercian’ Rosé, Austria

Zweigelt, St. Laurent, Pinot Noir

As the weather warms, sometimes nothing is better than I crisp and refreshing rosé. And when the rosé is as delicious and elegant as this one from Austria, everyone will be happy! Schloss Gobelsburg is one of the oldest wineries in Austria, dating back to the 12th Century! The estate has been both privately owned and held by the Cistercian order of monks at various times throughout its history. The Cistercians started in the Burgundy region of France and spread their agricultural work throughout Europe. Their work in agriculture, and in particular in winemaking and brewing, laid the groundwork for some of the most important wines and regions of the modern age. The Gobelsburg estate makes a few different lines of wines. The ‘Schloss Gobelsburg’ wines are the estates premium bottlings, and are all single vineyard explorations of some of Austria’s finest terroirs. The ‘Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg’ wines are the estates classics. The labels picture the castle and church, and the wines represented include both native varietal wines, such as Grüner Veltliner, as well as lovely blends of native red grapes and Pinot Noir, which was brought to Austria in the 20th Century.

This rosé is a blend of two native Austrian grapes, Zweigelt and St. Laurent, along with Pinot Noir. These grapes all grow along the Danube river in areas that are too cool to ripen these red grapes fully. This allows the estate to focus on making a very high-quality rosé exclusively from these grapes, rather than simply ‘bleeding off the juice’ and concentrating what remains for bigger reds. The wine is light pink in color and possesses fantastic crispness and acidity. Aromas of peaches, melon, tart raspberries, and flowers dance along with zippy acidity. Absolute drinking pleasure.

Serve cold to chilled: 40º-48º
Drink now
Food pairings: Lovely by itself on a warm afternoon or with a light summer salad, fresh vegetables, or soft cheeses. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to put an ice cube in it by the pool!

PIEDRASASSI
2019 Sta. Rita Hills Syrah, Santa Barbara County, California

100% Syrah

Syrah is presently undergoing a revolution in California. For years, some of the most dense, powerful, and ripe wines coming from the state where made with Syrah grapes, left to ripen under the warm California sun. A new generation of winemakers is looking backwards and eastwards, trying to create an American version of Syrah that speaks a closer language to the Syrahs made in places like St. Joseph and Hermitage in the Northern Rhône Valley. One of these winemakers is Sashi Moorman, who, along with Raj Parr and Pax Mahle, is quickly becoming one of the most respected and sought-after winemakers and consultants in the United States. Sashi’s wines are always nothing short of beautiful. In the case of this wine, he is working with the Piedrasassi family who happen to own vineyards in some of the most important parcels of land in California’s Central Coast. In Santa Barbara County, the Santa Rita Hills have become a kind of ‘Goldilocks zone’ for the production of primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that can be truly breathtaking. The addition of Syrah to this region has been absolutely incredible. The Sta. Rita Hills is a small AVA that sits in an East-West valley just a few miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. This is unique as most of California’s wine regions lie in North-South valleys (Napa Valley being the most famous). The geological effect of this is that the cool breezes from the Pacific get sucked in and race across the valley, swirling and bouncing off the mountains and hills on each side. This breeze is essential in cooling down the berries as they bask in glorious sunlight of the area. In addition, the soil of the Sta. Rita Hills is one of the most unique and special on earth. The area is home to the highest density of Diatomaceous earth on the planet. This white sedimentary rock is very high in silica, and helps give the wines of this region, whether Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Syrah, an absolutely singular minerality. Diatomaceous earth is very special in that it retains water very well and once it reaches a point of saturation, the water is able to pass through. This is very important in drought-ridden California, and the rock helps to limit how much irrigation is needed, while preserving the nutrients and ‘struggle’ required for excellent winemaking. This is the same rock used to make the trendy bathmats today!

The sorongon family owned the estate, and has been most noted for their artisanal breads using heritage grains. With a production of just 188 cases, this special wine comes from two organic vineyards in Sta. Rita Hills. These two vineyards are both at nearly 2,000ft. above sea level, and located on opposite sides of the valley–one faces north while the other is extremely high and facing south-east. Fermentation is 70% whole-clusters, and fermentation is on indigenous yeast. The wine is aged 18 months in neutral French oak. The wine has an absolutely alluring aroma of smoky flavors with berries meat, olives, and bacon fat all mingling alongside tannins that are both gritty and integrated. A long finish. The wine is immediate and appreciable right away but will continue aging beautifully for a decade. I love the heart in this wine, and am excited to share it with you.

Serve at 58º-62º F
Drinking beautifully now. Will continue developing for 5-10 years.
Food Pairing: Get out the smoker! Any smoked meats, burgers, grilled food. Rich cheeses. Cured meats and sausages.

Andrew Will
2017 ‘Ciel du Cheval’, Red Mountain, Washington

Merlot (50%) / Cabernet Franc (50%)

Washington’s reputation as a wine-growing center in the United States continues to grow almost exponentially. This vast area of largely high desert vineyard areas produces some of the most exceptional big red wines in the country—and with exceptional value! Among the most important and impressive producers in the entire state is Andrew Will Winery. Founded in 1989, Andrew Will has been at the forefront of the Washington wine scene. They source their fruit from some of the absolute finest vineyard sites in the Red Mountain, Yakima, and Horse Heaven Hills AVAs—all sub-AVAs for the larger Columbia Valley. From these pristine sites, they make some of the most sublime Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc based wines in the entire county.

The ‘Ciel du Cheval’ vineyard covers just over 100 acres with multiple producers owning vines. The vineyard itself is made up of deposits of gravel and large stones with significant amounts of calcium carbonate. These properties help give the wines from this vineyard a fantastic amount of richness, depth, and earthiness. This wine is often considered a New World version of Bordeaux’s Château Cheval Blanc—the Right Bank legend made up of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The 2017 vintage is equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and is tremendously complex and a wine built for immediate enjoyment as well as long cellaring. Notes of ripe plums, blackberries, and currants, meld with red flowers, pencil lead, tobacco, and wet earth. Supported by strong but soft tannins and a long finish. The wine changes with each minute of air it breathes in. While distinct and never a ‘replica’ of Bordeaux, this wine is, for me, what I long for in big American reds.

Serve at 60ºF.
Drink: Drink now but will continue improving and evolving for up to 20 years!
Food pairings: Any grilled meat, roasted lamb with cherry sauce, smoked duck, bacon-wrapped scallops, fig compote. Just drink it!

Michael Kirkendoll 4/7/23 Michael Kirkendoll 4/7/23

March Wine Club

Wine Club, March 2023

Lopez de Heredia, Viña Tondnia Reserva, 2011
Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2019
Château Pégau, Cuvée Maclura, 2020

WINES

2011 Lopez de Heredia, Viña Tondonia, Reserva, La Rioja, Spain
2021 Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
2020 Château Pégau, ‘Cuvée Maclura’, Côtes-du-Rhône, France

LOPEZ DE HEREDIA
2011 Viña Tondonia, Reserva, La Rioja, Spain

Tempranillo (70%) – Garnacho (20%) – Graciano/Mazuelo (10%)

Over the past 3 months, we have offered the full range of wines from Lopez de Heredia, featuring their 2014 'Cubillo' Crianza, 2011 'Bosconia' Reserva, and finally their prestige wine, the 2011 'Viña Tondonia'. For over 145 years, this estate has been a benchmark in La Rioja and the wine is now made by Maria Lopez de Heredia, the great-great-grandaughter of the estate's founder. All of the wines here are magical and absolutely traditional. Fermentation is done in 140+ year old wood vats, and aging takes place for extended periods of time in American oak barrels which are made in the estate's own cooperage. The 'Viña Tondonia' is their prestigious single vineyard located at a bend in the Ebro river just on the edge of Haro, the center for wine production in La Rioja and a few hundred meters from the estate itself. The soil here is a mix of alluvial sand and limestone with lots of poplar trees, dotted with square plots of vines growing as 'gobelets' (individual plants/bushes rather than vines tied to a trellis system).

The Tondonia vineyard is the source for all of the fruit for the estate's top wines, including the rare Gran Reservas which have only been produced 20 times in 140 years, despite the estate's aging regimen that technically makes all of their wines Gran Reservas. The general rule for a Gran Reserva wine in La Rioja is that it much undergo at least 5 years of total aging, with a minimum of 2 years in oak. The standard is 3 years in oak and 2 years of bottle aging. Following the fermentation in the oak vats on wild/native yeasts, ‘Viña Tondonia’ ages for an incredible 6 years in American oak barrels allowing for a slow oxidative process to develop an incredible depth of flavor and aroma in the wine, plus additional time in bottle in the estate’s cellars. Each year, the wine is racked twice meaning it is moved from one barrel to another, and there is traditional fining done using egg whites that help to bind large particles that can be easily filtered out. This aging protocol is remarkable and is one of the things that contributes to the very long life and ageability of the ‘Viña Tondonia’. As a point of reference, the Gran Reserva when it is made, ages for 10 years in oak barrels and might stay at the estate for another 5 or 10 before release! The 2011 vintage is the CURRENT release for the Tondonia Reserva.

I adore this wine for its depth and incredible warmth. It always feels special to enjoy it with friends, whether sipping alone or with some grilled/smoked meat, charcuterie, or aged cheese. I recently had the opportunity to share a bottle of 1991 Tondonia Reserva around a fire pit with a cigar (a very rare thing for me) and new friends and it was nothing short of extraordinary.

Like all red wines from La Rioja, the primary grape here is Tempranillo blended and supported by the other primary red grapes of the region Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano. Tempranillo is famous for its red fruit profile and outstanding acidity and tannic structure. The aging in American oak lends these wines hallmark aromas of coconut and dill that bring a fantastic roundness to the other sweet spices that come from the extended aging. You will not find the powerful vanilla notes here as the barrels are all well-used. Instead, the wines fruit profile turns more to dried and dessicated instead of ripe and we note a pronounced sense of earthiness, dried flowers, smoke, tobacco, leather, and game qualities. This is definitely a wine for meditation that can be perfectly enjoyed today or held for 30 years in good conditions. I encourage you to take an opportunity and purchase extra bottles to keep in the cellar. Enjoy one now, and taste others as the wine continues to develop. You will not be disappointed!

Serve just above cellar temperature 58º-62ºF
Drink: will drink beautifully right now but will continue to age for at least 30 years.
Food pairings: see above

CLOS DU VAL
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

Cabernet Sauvignon with small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec

One of the most historic estates in Napa Vally, Clos du Val produces classically-styled Cabernet Sauvignon in the Stags Leap District. Founded in 1972, the estate was founded, and the inaugural 1972 vintage was among the 6 California red wines selected for the famous 'Judgment of Paris' Blind Tasting held in 1976. This benchmark wine sets a standard against which other Cabernet Sauvignons continue to be measured. The wine is an expression of the French influences here, featuring Cabernet Sauvignon blended with small percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Aged for 16 months in a mix of new and neutral French oak, the wine exemplifies what I consider 'classic' Napa Valley style: ripe black fruit along with notes of plum and blueberries; freshness and acidity alongside the firm tannins rather than just jamminess; touches of cedar, baking spice, and savory herbs. I love this producer and think these wines are delicious now, but will continue to improve for a few years and drink beautifully for at least a decade.

Serve at 60º-65º F
Can drink now but best after 2024. Hold 10-20 years.
Food Pairing: Big wines call for big food. Steak, juicy burgers, grilled vegetables. This wine can also go with slightly leaner meats like pork chops or rack of lamb.

CHÂTEAU PÉGAU
2020 ‘Cuvée Maclura’, Côtes-du-Rhône, France

Grenache (60%) / Syrah (20%) / Mourvedre (10%) / Cinsault (10%)

Château Pégau and Domaine du Pégau produce some of the most storied wines in France's Southern Rhône Valley. This region is the home of some the world's finest Grenache, primarily used in the famous GSM (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) Blends of the Côtes-du-Rhône and the mighty Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The estate is operated by Laurence Ferrand, the daughter of the founder. Wines are all organic and made with a special care and attention. The purchase of Château Pégau was recent (2012) and it is there that they produce their Côtes-du-Rhône and Rosé wines. The Domaine du Pégau, where the Châteauneuf is made, is like walking into your neighbors home-brew operation in the garage. The caveau is located on a side street in the town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and when I visited in 2011, an old Frenchman in a white tank top met us, smoking a cigarette. We then enjoyed a tasting of some truly astonishing wines, and the domaine has been one of my favorites ever since. While the estates premiere wines are the three profound Châteauneuf-du-Pape cuvées (2 of which are on the menu here), their Côtes-du-Rhône are among the best everyday wines of the region. The 'Cuvée Maclura' is a blend of Grenache (60%), Syrah (20%), Mourvèdre (10%), and Cinsault (10%). It has a very generous nose and the ripeness of the fruit is evident immediately. Aromas of cassis and licorice are met on the palate by smooth tannins. The wine is fresh with a bright 'aliveness' and is fermented on natural yeasts, entirely whole-cluster, and aged for one year in a neutral tank rather than oak.

Serve at 60ºF.
Drink: Drink now - will hold for 3-5 years
Food pairings: bacon, grilled meats, creamy cheeses, barbecue

Michael Kirkendoll 3/30/23 Michael Kirkendoll 3/30/23

February Wine Club

Wine Club, February 2023

Lopez de Heredia, Viña Bosconia 2011
Trombetta, ‘Gap’s Crown’ Pinot Noir 2014
Pax, Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah 2021

WINES

2011 Lopez de Heredia, Viña Bosconia, Reserva, La Rioja, Spain
2014 Trombetta Family Wines, ‘Gap’s Crown’ Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma
2021 Pax, Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah, Sonoma

LOPEZ DE HEREDIA
2011 Viña Bosconia, Reserva, La Rioja, Spain

Tempranillo (80%) – Garnacho (10%) – Graciano (5%) – Mazuelo (5%)

It is not an exaggeration to say that Lopez de Heredia is among the most important and historic wine producers not only in Spain, but in the entire world. They have been the model for traditional Rioja wines for over 140 years, producing some of the most historic, age worthy, and magical wines on the planet. Founded in 1877 by Don Rafael de Heredia, the estate is now run by his great granddaughters Maria-José (who is also the winemaker) and Mercedes, and has always been family owned and operated. So many things about this producer are truly unique:

They only estate fruit for their wines (most producers in La Rioja purchase fruit from growers or lease land for their grapes).
All of their wines are single vineyard ‘crus’, not blends from different parts of the region.
Aging protocols go far beyond the standards for Spanish DO laws.
All of their wines, including the whites, are fermented in LARGE oak vats as old as 130 years which are continually maintained and repaired by the estates own coopers.
They age all of their wines exclusively in American oak, and for extended periods of time. All of the oak barrels are built in the estates own cooperage which produces some 30,000 new barrels each year!

While the two white wines, Tondonia and Gravonia, are among the rarest and most transcendent whites on the planet, their three red wines represent the model for traditional Rioja winemaking. These three wines, Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia, and Viña Cubillo, offer a deep look into the role of time in winemaking and wine enjoyment. In La Rioja, red wines are generally aged to result in one of three designations: Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva. These indications are a guide to how the wines were aged, and typically explain not only pricing, but quality and longevity. The aging standards for the La Rioja DO are:

Crianza: Minimum 1 year in oak / 2 years total aging
Reserva: Minimum 1 year in oak / Minimum 6 months in bottle / 3 years total aging (typically 2 years in oak and 1 in bottle)
Gran Reserva: Minimum 2 years in oak / minimum 2 years in bottle / 5 years total aging (typically 3 years in oak and 2 in bottle)

Lopez de Heredia ages ALL of their red wines to nearly a Gran Reserva level, but the only wine they put the ‘Gran Reserva’ label on is the Viña Tondonia, and they have only done so 20 times in 140 years! This kind of quality control and desire for a recognition of the truly great vintages makes them incredibly unique in the entire wine world. The Viña Tondonia will regularly spend 5 years aging in wood before spending more time in bottle at the estate prior to release.

Last month, you received the 2014 Viña Cubillo Crianza. The 2011 Viña Bosconia is another single vineyard offering that enjoys an even longer aging in American oak (5 years). Like all of the Heredia wines, the wine is fermented in giant 140+ year-old wood barrels! As wines from Lopez de Heredia age, they take on more earthy notes and hallmark cigar box and dried flowers are present. Outstanding with smoked meat, aged cheeses, or just outside by the firepit!

Serve just above cellar temperature 58º-62ºF
Drink: will drink beautifully right now but will continue to age for at least 10 years.
Food pairings: see above

Trombetta Family Wines
2014 ‘Gap’s Crown’ Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap AVA, Sonoma County, California

Pinot Noir (100%)

Trombetta Family Wines is a fantastic small producer run by the mother-daughter team of Rickey Trombetta and Erica Stancliff. These are wines that express the beauty of cool-climate California Pinot Noir with absolute precision and elegance. Erica Stancliff has acted as head winemaker since 2014 and is a rising star in the California wine industry. Trombetta produces wine from some of the best vineyards in the Petaluma Gap AVA which is a pristine West-East trough in the Coastal Range that draws cool air from the Pacific Ocean. The AVA was officially established in 2017 and is in the southern part of Sonoma County, just 25 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge. These cool winds help the area to have a dramatic diurnal temperature range that can swing 50º in a single day. The area is known mostly for tremendous Pinot Noir, especially at the ‘Gap’s Crown’ vineyard. This vineyard of just over 100 acres is home to some of the greatest Pinot Noirs in all of California.

Serve at 60º F
Drink now or hold for up to 10 years.
Food Pairing: delicious with salmon, duck, lamb, lean red meat, roasted carrots, mushrooms, earthy cheese

PAX
2021 Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah, Sonoma, California

Syrah (100%)

What can I say about this wine, but ‘Yay’! This has been one of my favorites since I first experienced their 100-point 2017 version. The new 2021 vintage has already garnered great praise, with 98-point reviews, and incredible press from critics and sommeliers alike. Pax Mahle makes wines that are just special. His Syrahs are new-world representation of the great Syrahs from the Northern Rhône Valley. Grapes are typically picked slightly underripe which helps to boost the acid and keep the alcohol levels lower than what might be expected from California Syrah. Entirely made with whole-cluster fermentation, and crushed using the traditional pied-de-cuvée (the foot stomp!), there is an incredible complexity to this wine. The Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah is a blend of several of Pax’s top single vineyards and produces a classic and exciting example of the grape. Rich and earthy, with notes of black olives, wild game, black pepper, leather, smoke, sweet cigar, and a gorgeous mix of blackberry, blueberry, and plum. Aromas of purple flowers round it out and the rich body is cut by the bright acid that lifts the wine as it crosses the palate. This is a delicious wine now, but will continue improving for 10-20 years.

Serve at 60ºF.
Drink: now-2040
Food pairings: pepper-crusted steak, tapenade, smoked meat, barbecue, hearty stews

Michael Kirkendoll 2/2/23 Michael Kirkendoll 2/2/23

January Wine Club

Wine Club, January 2023

Lopez de Heredia, Viña Cubillo, 2014
Caparzo, Brunello di Montalcino 2017
Chateau Musar, Rouge 2016

WINES

2014 Lopez de Heredia, Viña Cubillo, Crianza, La Rioja, Spain
2017 Caparzo, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany
2016 Chateau Musar, Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

LOPEZ DE HEREDIA
2014 Viña Cubillo, Crianza, La Rioja, Spain

Tempranillo (65%) – Garnacho (25%) – Graciano/Mazuelo (10%)

They only estate fruit for their wines (most producers in La Rioja purchase fruit from growers or lease land for their grapes).
All of their wines are single vineyard ‘crus’, not blends from different parts of the region.
Aging protocols go far beyond the standards for Spanish DO laws.
All of their wines, including the whites, are fermented in LARGE oak vats as old as 130 years which are continually maintained and repaired by the estates own coopers.
They age all of their wines exclusively in American oak, and for extended periods of time. All of the oak barrels are built in the estates own cooperage which produces some 30,000 new barrels each year!

Crianza: Minimum 1 year in oak / 2 years total aging
Reserva: Minimum 1 year in oak / Minimum 6 months in bottle / 3 years total aging (typically 2 years in oak and 1 in bottle)
Gran Reserva: Minimum 2 years in oak / minimum 2 years in bottle / 5 years total aging (typically 3 years in oak and 2 in bottle)

In the case of this month’s wine, the Viña Cubillo, we are enjoying a remarkable wine that, while labeled a ‘crianza’, ages for 2 years in oak barrels and 2 more in bottle at the estate, making it almost eligible for Gran Reserva status. That said, this 2014 vintage is the CURRENT RELEASE from the estate. The use of old, neutral barrels for this extended period of time helps to produce an amazing earthiness in the wine, combined with beautiful acid and riper fruit components than in the Bosconia or Tondonia. Their are amazing elements of tobacco, dried citrus, and lovely hints of coconut and dill from the oak. This is a wine that can be sipped on alone or enjoyed with any kind of meat from pork to smoked meats or grilled steaks. Some Manchego, olives, jamon, and a cigar wouldn’t be bad either!

Serve just above cellar temperature 58º-62ºF
Drink: will drink beautifully right now but will continue to age. Open this one up soon and come back for more!
Food pairings: see above

CAPARZO
2017 Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Sangiovese Grosso (100%)

Brunello di Montalcino is to Tuscany what Barolo is to Piemonte. In great vintages, Brunello can be one of the world’s most dynamic and age-worthy wines living easily 50 years and beyond. It is also remarkably diverse in style and in variation from vintage to vintage as it is so receptive to different soils, elevations, aspects, and weather. That said, it is, in my opinion, among the most consistent wines/regions for high quality year-in, year-out provided you select wines from the esteemed and historic producers of the region. I am never disappointed in a Brunello, and more often than not, I am enthralled.

Montalcino is a small hill town in Tuscany, about 40 minutes south of Siena. The hills that surround this tiny hamlet hold some 250 wineries in an area of about 90 square miles, of which only 15% is planted to vines. The city of Topeka is just over 60 square miles for a frame of reference. The places where vines grow best are thick with them, rolling up and down slopes facing every direction, all protected in the south by Monte Amiata, a large extinct volcano on which locals can ski in the winter! The soils in Montalcino are extremely varied because they were formed over a number geological ages. The bottoms parts of the hills and valleys tend be loose and sandy, while as you climb, you encounter dense stony bits from decomposed marl (clay) and limestone. These higher parts reach elevations as high 650m, while the lower vineyards are at 120m. This range produces wide swings in ripeness and acidity as the combination of heat and wind can change the constitution of a grape significantly. All of that simply means that, as with most real estate, location matters a great deal. While their is not one ‘best’ site for Brunello, each corner of the region tends to produce a certain style, from the more powerful high elevation wines near Sant’Antimo in the south of the region to the more floral and earthy profile of wines on the north side of the town of Montalcino itself. Many producers will actually have vineyards located in different parts of the region so that they can blend them together and create a wine with all elements. This is what happens in the green label Brunello of Caparzo.

While Caparzo makes a few single-vineyard bottlings from around their property, their base Brunello (the green label) is a tremendous example of classic Brunello style. All Brunello di Montalcino is produced from 100% Sangiovese grapes, locally called Sangiovese Grosso from the clone created by Biondi-Santi in the 1850s. This is a slightly larger version of Sangiovese than we find in Chianti Classico and helps producer richer, more powerful wines. Sangiovese here can be quite tannic and produces higher alcohol wines than in other parts of Tuscany. The hallmark acidity of the grape is its ‘super power’ as this balances the wines and gives them the energy to have such amazing aging potential. In order to be called a Brunello, the wines must age for a minimum of 5 years, of which at least 2 years must be in barrels. Barrels can range from the traditional large Slavonian oak barrels (as big as 5000L) to small French oak barriques of just 250L. This is one of the differences in traditional vs. modern winemaking in this region (and throughout Italy in general).

Caparzo’s Brunello di Montalcino ages in a mix of these larger and smaller barrels for 2-3 years, then is bottled and rests in the cellars until its release. This is classic Brunello with a ruby color and hints of garnet, aromas of cherry and wild berries, firm tannins, bright acidity, and a persistent finish that changes as the wines sits in the glass. A delicious introductory wine to the region and a longtime personal favorite for its incredible quality and value.

Serve at 60-65ºF
Can drink now - will continue improving over the next 7-10 years and will hold for 15
Food pairings: roast meats, game, hard cheese, pasta

CHATEAU MUSAR
2016 Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

Cabernet Sauvignon (33%) – Carignan (33%) – Cinsault (33%)

Amazing wine from Lebanon you ask???? ABSOLUTELY! Chateau Musar is absolutely legendary. Founded in 1930, Chateau Musar is among the leading estates in this incredible country, not well-known in the West for its amazing tradition of winemaking. Wine in the region dates back to Biblical times, and one of the best preserve Roman temples in the world, dedicated to Bacchus, is located in the area. Situated at an average altitude of 1000m above sea level, the Bekaa Valley is the heart of Lebanese wine country. Wines here are noted for their elegance, acidity, and freshness. A mix of Bordeaux varietals, notably Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Rhône varietals such as Carignan, Cinsault, and Grenache, and ancient native grapes make up the bulk of Lebanese wine production.

Chateau Musar has been the leading wine on the export market for several decades. These wines are famous for their longevity and their value. Among my favorite wine memories include drinking 25 year old bottles of Chateau Musar that still taste youthful and alive. The 2016 vintage is a gorgeous wine that slowly opens up over time in the glass or in a decanter. The black fruit aromas mingle with fantastic notes of cedar, figs, mint, and a full cabinet of spices. Open it early and enjoy it with a peppery steak, spicy hummus, olives, herb-crusted lamb, or even on its own!

Serve at 60ºF. Decant or pour 30 minutes to 2 hours prior to dinner. Or enjoy from the glass slowly over the evening.
Drink: now-2040.
Food pairings: See above

Michael Kirkendoll 1/2/23 Michael Kirkendoll 1/2/23

December Wine Club

Wine Club, December 2022

Pax, 2021 Lyman Ranch Chenin Blanc, Amador County, CA
Poliziano, 2019 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy
Aldo Conterno, 2018 Barolo ‘Bussia’, Piemonte, Italy

WINES

2021 Pax, Lyman Ranch Chenin Blanc, Amador County, CA
2019 Poliziano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy
2018 Aldo Conterno, Barolo ‘Bussia’, Piemonte, Italy

PAX
2021 Lyman Ranch Chenin Blanc, Amador County, CA

Chenin Blanc (100%)

Pax Mahle has been producing some of the most well-crafted and thoughtful wines in California for over two decades. His eponymous winery in Sebastopol has become one of America’s most celebrated homes for Northern-Rhône-style Syrah, and his work with grapes ranging from Chenin Blanc, to Gamay, to Trousseau have produced some of the most interesting and exciting wines I have enjoyed over the last two years. There is a certain lack of pretension to all of Pax’s wines. The winery itself is a warehouse that is actually a cooperative. About 5 different winemakers use the site to age and produce wines, all in a similar natural style. Grapes tend to be harvested slightly underripe to preserve acidity and keep alcohol levels lower. Fermentations and winemaking are all natural on native yeasts and the vineyards are tended organically. His Chenin Blancs are bright, racy, and filled with a charm that is sure to leave a smile!

Grown in red granitic soils at 1400’within Amador County, this warm mountainous site grows a unique expression of Chenin Blanc. The ferrous soils and exposure ripen these thick-skinned golden grapes quickly and with loads of tropical fruit. The cold foothill nights help the grapes retain their acidity and freshness and we pick early to balance the tropical fruit flavors with all that fresh alpine acidity. Apple, stone fruits, pear, and citrus fill the bouquet and the palate. A long finish and delightful opportunities to age (but why wait!)

Serve chilled (48º)
Drink: now-2026
Food pairings: Salads with goat cheese/fruit, fish, roast chicken, soft cheeses.

POLIZIANO
2019 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy

Prugnolo Gentile (85-95%%) - Colorino/Canaiolo/Merlot (5%-15%)

Montepulciano is one of the most staggeringly exciting hill towns in all of Tuscany. Walking through its ancient arched gate leads up a steep and narrow road lined with shops holding some of the most beautiful wines, charcuterie, art, and leather products in the world. When you enter the top of the town, you are surrounded by a magnificent clock tower, the unfinished edifice of the ancient duomo, and beautiful music from the local conservatory. There are often a handful of Ferraris parked there to stare at as well! Poliziano is one of the oldest and among my very favorite wineries in the region. Still a family-owned estate, they make a range of wines including their classic Vino Nobile di Montepulciano along with several Super-Tuscans and a reserve Vino Nobile called ‘Asinone’. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is the regions answer to Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico. Based on the Sangiovese grape (called Prugnolo Gentile in Montepulciano), the wines are aged 12-18 months in oak (traditionally larger barrels or used oak), and released to market. They tend to drink beautifully anytime during their first 8 years, but have wonderful potential for aging in great vintages—especially the riservas.

This is classic Sangiovese with beautiful aromas of cedar spice, cherry, plums, and herbs, bright acidity, and ripe, juicy fruit on the palate. Absolutely delicious by itself, or enjoy it with anything from burgers to pizza, steaks, fish, cheese, or any number of pasta dishes. This is a wine for pure enjoyment!

Serve at 60º
Drink: now-2030

ALDO CONTERNO
2018 Barolo ‘Bussia’, Piemonte, Italy

Nebbiolo (100%)

Aldo Conterno is among the greatest of the traditional Barolo producers. Their magnificent estate in Monforte d’Alba overlooks the prized single vineyard cru called Bussia. Among the largest crus in Barolo, this vineyard site sits on a bed of clay and calcareous soil that is particularly rich in iron. The wines here can be incredibly powerful and have extremely long aging potential. In a vineyard of Bussia’s size, there are a number of variations in quality. Being one of the oldest producers here, Conterno’s vines are located in the very best sub-sections of the Bussia Cru. In the map below, you will see that there are many sub-crus located inside the larger Bussia. Among these are the Granbussia, Bussia Soprano, Colonnelo, Cicala, and Romirasco, all located in the corner of the vineyard, at the point where the most intense soils come together, and having perfect south/southwest exposure. Conterno makes small bottling from each of the five mentioned sub-crus, but also makes a ‘traditional’ Barolo which uses grapes from each of the 5 subcrus and is called simply ‘Bussia’. This is still a single vineyard cru, but takes the best bits from all of these slightly smaller vineyard areas. Traditional barolos were always made blending vineyards from around the region into a single wine. The single vineyard movement did not begin until the 1970s. Conterno’s use of smaller vineyards inside the larger area remains traditional in the fact that all of his vines are located in this one magical spot!

Following harvest, the grapes are fermented for nearly 30 days in stainless steel before aging in large Slavonian oak barrels for 26 months and another year in bottle at the estate before release. This is beautiful fruit from a gorgeous vintage. Barolo is a wine for patient people. It is extremely powerful with big tannins and powerful acidity—among the reasons for its incredible longevity. On tasting, I was blown away by the depth of flavor in this wine even in its youth. While it is truly delicious now, you will be rewarded by waiting another few years to enjoy this bottle (or come in and buy a second bottle to hold onto!). Rich plums, figs, and dark cherries mingle with aromas of sweet tobacco, roses, and wet asphalt. The tannins coat your mouth and are absorbed by the acid as the wine pulses through the palate and down your throat. The lingering flavors last for many seconds and make your eyes roll back in your head as you contemplate how lucky you are to enjoy wines this beautiful.

Serve at 60ºF. The wine will open up beautiful over several hours in the bottle or in the glass.
Drink: 2025-2040.
Food pairings: Braised beef, roast duck, lamb, pepper-crusted ribeye, cheese, mushroom/truffles, pastas with hearty ragú or even rich cream sauces.

Michael Kirkendoll 12/2/22 Michael Kirkendoll 12/2/22

November Wine Club

Wine Club, November 2022

Vilmart & Cie, Cuvée Rubis Brut Rosé NV, Champagne, France
2004, Château Gaby, Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux, France

WINES

NV Vilmart & Cie, Cuvée Rubis, Brut Rosé, Champagne, France
2002 Château Gaby, Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux, France

Vilmart & Cie, Cuvée Rubis, Brut Rosé NV
Champagne, France

Pinot Noir (90%) / Chardonnay (10%)

A tremendous Grower-Producer, Vilmart & Cie has been crafting top-tier Champagne since the 1890s. All of their Chardonnay is classified Premier Cru in the area of Rilly-la-Montagne. Vilmart & Cie practices environmentally-friendly agriculture, eschewing the use of pesticides and herbicides, which is not the most common thing in the Champagne region. Their wines exude sophistication and elegance and are crafted in a way that is singular to the estate, and, in my opinion, vastly superior to the mass-market Champagne houses. Te Cuvée Rubis Rosé is perhaps the most beautiful sparkling wine I have ever poured into a glass. An incredible salmon color, its bouquet is powerful with notes of wild red fruits like strawberries and raspberries. Gorgeous floral aromas then take hold, and on the palate, a crisp acidity is marked with a roundness that is absolutely special. The bubbles themselves are as fine and delicate as any out there, and the wine deserves to be enjoyed from an elegant glass. Don’t stifle this juice in a small flute! The use of 90% Pinot Noir grapes is notable in that includes a portion of actual finished red wine which contributes to the incredible color. In addition, the base wine for the cuvée is aged for 10 months in oak barrels, lending softness and aromatics. The base wines for the cuvée come from the 2017 and 2018 vintages. The cuvée is assembled, aged, and then bottles with it’s yeast for 3 years before the disgorgement as is the rule for Champagne.

Serve well chilled (43-46º)
Drink: now-2030
Food pairings: This Champagne is an exceptional food wine as well as a celebratory drink. The wine will go with anything from turkey, chicken, or goose, to seafood (notably lightly sautéed shrimp or scallops), a range of cheeses, or desserts provided they aren’t lusciously sweet.

Glassware
The common Champagne flute is finally falling out of favor. It traps the bouquet of these gorgeous wines. Instead, reach for a tulip glass or even pour this into either a standard white wine glass or a large Pinot Noir glass! Treat it like a wine. Enjoy the aromas and let it evolve.

About Champagne
Three grapes are allowed in the production of Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Most wines are a blend of two or all three of these grapes. A base wine is made in the traditional manner. The wine is then bottled and a small amount of yeast and sugar are added into bottle which is sealed with a crown cap. The bottle is then laid down in the cellar where it ages a minimum of 3 years for non-vintage Champagne (which means the base wine comes from multiple vintages). A second fermentation happens and the Carbon Dioxide cannot escape the bottle, thus producing bubbles! When the time is right, the bottle is removed from the cellar and the disgorgement takes place in which the cap is released and the yeast is expelled from the bottle. A small bit of reserve wine is added, along with sugar to the desired level for the wine. The wine is sealed with the traditional cork and wire cage and is either laid down for further aging or is released on the market. Champagne containing all Chardonnay is labeled Blanc de Blancs. Champagne made entire from Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier is labeled Bland de Noirs. Sparkling wines outside of France are often made in the ‘champagne method’ but may not write the word ‘Champagne’ on the bottle. The method will be listed as ‘traditional method’ or some similar phrase. These wines include all Cava from Spain, all Franciacorta from Italy, and most high-end sparkling wines from the United States. Sparkling wines such as Prosecco are traditionally made using the tank or Charmant method in which the second fermentation takes place in large tanks rather than in the bottle.

2004 CHÂTEAU GABY
Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux, France

Merlot (80%) - Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) - Cabernet Franc (10%)

This is the 2nd offering from Château Gaby for the Stem & Flute Society (going with the 2008 from the September offering). Canon-Fronsac is part of the famed Right-Bank in Bordeaux, near the communes of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. While Left Bank Bordeaux wines are known for their powerful and graphite-laded Cabernet Sauvignon based blends, the Right Bank is the home of some of the world’s finest Merlot and Cabernet Franc-based wines in the world. Château Gaby has long been a leading property in the region, making wines since the 1600s. The winemaking and growing is all organic and the Merlot thrives on the clay-rich soil of the region. 2004 was an outstanding vintage that produced a very aromatic wine here. Very delicate and lots of finesse on the palate.

Open at 60º-65ºF and let the wine interact with some oxygen or decant.
Drink: now-2027
Food pairings: Pork chops, hamburgers, steak frites, duck. Can work with a fatty fish like salmon if sauced and seasoned appropriately. Avoid spicy food pairings.

2018 ODDERO
Barbaresco ‘Gallina’, Piemonte, Italy

Nebbiolo (100%)

Despite its moniker as ‘the Queen of Wine’ (or perhaps because of it), Barbaresco tends to hide in the shadow of its ‘big brother’ Barolo. In truth, Barbaresco plays second to fiddle to no wines anywhere in the world. The wines of Barbaresco are just as powerful, elegant, and profound as their neighbors and are among the most expressive examples of Nebbiolo in the world. Located around the three townships of Barbaresco, Neive, and Treiso, the hills of Barbaresco are mixtures of limestone, sand, and clay soils, often with marine fossils lurking near the surface. The best Crus are identified as single vineyard wines, and the Gallina cru counts among them. The Gallina vineyard is located near the town of Neive, and there are several producers who make cru Barbaresco from the site. Oddero is an historic producer in Piemonte and produces a classically elegant Barbaresco here. A 25-day maceration and fermentation lends way to aging in 40hL large oak barrels of French and Austrian oak. The wine has strong tannins, typical of traditional Nebbiolo production. The tannins are met with bright acidity and a gorgeous floral bouquet. Notes of cherries, mocha, and sweet spices integrate with the tannins, creating a fantastic drinking experience.

Serve at 60ºF. The wine will open up beautiful over several hours in the bottle or in the glass.
Drink: now-2040.
Food pairings: A great wine to meditate on! Best wish lean, roasted meats and game, aged cheeses or blue cheeses/roquefort, hearty soups, roasted vegetables.