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
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
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
