Wine Club: What’s your love language?
We made it through the holidays and before the trees even come down the Valentine’s candies are stocked on the shelves. It’s a love/hate relationship for a lot of people- this obligatory and hallmark instigated focus on your relationship status that screams to the world if you are happy or not- but as most of us know who have done enough trips around the sun…it’s complicated.
Even some of you who are in the most amazing relationship might still sit and pout on Valentine’s day because you got a single rose whereas your coworker who’s been with her BF for two months got a big ass teddy bear wearing a t-shirt that says “I love you bear-y much.” For some it’s the showmanship of their love, for others it is the simple things like a post it note on your coffee cup. But of course- I’m not here to talk about your personal relationships. I've been doing this a long enough time to see how our clients buy wine, what they care about in a wine, and ultimately what makes them happy. And just like relationships every person requires something different. So what are you looking for in a bottle of wine?
You ready?
WINE CLUB • 2 BOTTLES
Marc Plouzeau ‘Perles Sauvage’ Petillant Naturel, Loire France -100% Chenin Blanc
Gifts: Let’s kick it off with the obvious one…Gifts. And what’s more gifty than bubbles! Bubbles always make things feel a bit more special…they are a mark of love for one another’s life milestones; new house, wedding, birthday, etc. They are fun & festive and when it comes to natural wine they don’t seem to kick your a** as much that $11.99 Prosecco from the gas station. Enter Marc Plouzeau’s ‘Perles Sauvage.’ I adore this bubbly- it’s the perfect happy medium for a champagne alternative but without that champagne price. Hailing from the notable region of Chinon in the Loire valley, this estate has been under the reign of the Plouzeau family since 1846 with a full organic conversion in 1999. The Perles Sauvage is produced from all Chenin Blanc - most common white for this winemaking region. A touch of brioche, hazelnut with a zesty finish, this wine might just change your tune of your ‘wine love language'.’
Broc Cellars ‘Le Clairet,’ Berkeley, California - Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan
Acts of Service: This is your every day partner in crime. Your go to. Your ‘always there for you’ wine. We’ve been working with Broc Cellars’ wines since they came to VT and they always seem to hit the spot. They are that ‘Goldilocks’ kind of wine that is just right for any occasion, any person, any time…it makes it easy. They call this wine the perfect red…from the winemaker himself, here is his take. ‘I interpret “perfect red” as to what I think the name is supposed to mean. Something that’s easy to drink but has enough complexity to elevate the wine. Not really going for a cliche, a wine “over-delivers” for what the wines costs, but to be something that’s affordable and “perfect” for what it is and how it’s priced.’
This is it. The Le Clairet is about 95% Cabernet with 5% Carignan (from 145 year old vines!) and no added SO2.
WINE CLUB • 3-4 BOTTLES
Fra I Monti ‘Sempre in Due,’ Lazio, Italy - 100% Maturano (8 days of skin contact)
Touch: Who doesn't want a little skin contact am I right? Especially in the cold dark winter- enter Sempre in Due (meaning always two). The first time I had this wine I was blown away…it had all the right things; structure, fruit, acidity, salinity. It to this day is one of my favorite wines. This new project began in 2018 run by partners Rocco and Benedetto Leone. They acquired a picture perfect vineyard containing old vines of the local varieties; Maturano & Fiano, and a little Semillon & Merlot that was brought by Napoleonic soldiers.
The Sempre in Due is aged in amphorae, no added SO2 and spends 8 days on the skins in an open vat. These wines are fairly new to the states and have very limited quantities. If you’re looking for some skin contact this is your match!
Forlorn Hope ‘Nacré,’ Sierra Foothills, California - 100% Sémillon (2014)
Quality Time: We often get asked about our wine program and why we don’t list the vintage on our wine list. Being that we work with all natural wine and within a bit of price bracket ($15-$50), we are always working with the most current release from our producers. It’s not often that we carry much with more than a couple years of age on it. Except for the Nacré.
Forlorn Hope is the winemaking project of Matthew Rorick. Another one of our longstanding relationships, we have carried numerous wines but always keep coming back to the Nacré. These Sémillon vines were planted in 1950 by the Hoxsey family in the heart of the Napa Valley, grown all organically and dry farmed. This wine is produced in the same fashion as the Sémillons of Australia’s Hunter Valley and is capable of decades of aging. The wine bears the name Nacré -- meaning mother-of-pearl -- as a testament to its affinity for pairing with oysters. Crisp, racy and focused; this wine certainly exemplifies the benefit of quality time spending 6+ years under bottle aging before its release and yet its vivaciousness leaves one wondering if you’ve met the perfect wine…