Cider

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2017 Haykin Family “Jonathan” Cider (750mL) $25

Daniel and Talia Haykin started Haykin Family Cider as hobbyists. Inspired by their love of Sparkling wine, they sought to make a similar beverage out of apples. Now, their ciders- with tiny bubbles and locally-sourced apples- are award-winning crowd pleasers. They are based out of Aurora, Colorado, and know their apple growers, press their own fruit and bottle in-house to create their “effervescent apple wine.”

Made from Apples grown by the Ela Family Farm in Hotchkiss, Colorado, the Jonathan is an intensely flavored American heirloom, with a powerful combination of tart and sweet. This cider showcases bold red apple character alongside pomegranate notes, with a refreshing acidic bite and a touch of sweetness.

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Bubbly

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2014 Murgo Brut Rosé, Sicily, Italy $47

For more than 100 years, the Scammacca del Murgo family has cared for olive and fruit trees from which they crafted fine olive oils and jams, and nurtured native Sicilian grapes under the looming shadow of the still active volcano, Mount Etna. Yet it’s only been since 1980 that the baron Emanuele Scammacca del Murgo transformed the farm into a modern agricultural estate. After a long and illustrious career as a diplomat with important postings as Italy’s ambassador to the Vatican, Brussels and Moscow as well as Assistant Secretary of State in Italy’s Foreign office, the baron came home to focus on his ancestral lands with the help of his eight sons, who are all involved in the family business. With 30 hectares of vineyards, located on three farms, Murgo saw its first bottling of Etna Rosso in 1982, and their first vintage of Brut sparkling in 1990. Fresh and refined, this sparkling has aromas of small red berry, yellow wild flower, tangerine and baking spice. The creamy, thirst quenching palate doles out strawberry, red cherry and orange zest framed in crisp acidity and a lively, elegant finish.

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Rosé

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2017 Loimer, Rose, Niederosterreich, Austria $32

Fred Loimer’s wines are among the very best examples of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling in Austria. He began practicing biodynamics in 2006 and is a founding member of Respekt, a certifying body for biodynamic viticulture. His estate near the village of Langenlois in the Kamptal region includes several prestigious single-vineyards and his winery is a model of modern efficiency. Loimer rosé comes from biodynamically-farmed vineyards near the village of Langenlois in the Kamptal region. Whole clusters of Zweigelt and Pinot Noir are macerated on their skins for up to 48 hours, then fermented dry with indigenous yeasts and aged in stainless-steel tanks for four months before bottling.

Zweigelt gives this rosé a soft and fruity character with aromas and flavors of red cherries, plums, and Red Delicious apples. Pinot Noir contributes to the wine’s aromatics, lending floral and herbal aromas in addition to refreshing acidity.

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White

2016 Enfield Citrine Chardonnay, California $26

Winemaker John Lockwood is producing world class wines from California, having been influenced by talented winemakers such as Ted Lemon at Littorai, and Ehren Jordan at Failla. His style is unique, but you can see a little of his past in the personality of his wines. This 100% Chardonnay is farmed organically from the Rorrick Vineyard, Haynes Vineyard, and Heron Lake Vineyard, all within the Sierra Foothills. Three different soils and terroir that come together in this blend with balance and complexity. Production is miniscule with only 8 barrels being produced.  The Citrine Chardonnay is powerful and pure, but shows restraint and lift with its structure. Pretty notes of dried apple, quince, and lemon find harmony with vanillin oak influence and a rocky minerality that adds punctuation on the finish.

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2016 Arndorfer 'Vorgeschmack' White, Niederösterreich, Austria $32

Martin Arndorfer comes from a long line of winemakers, and he grew up in the vineyards and cellar of his parent’s estate. Anna Stieninger is the daughter of Karl Steininger, one of the most respected winemakers in Austria. They are a wine power couple. Both born with a genetic love and a nurtured appreciation for for Riesling and Grüner Veltliner grapes. Arndorfer Estate is located in the northern reaches where wine can grow, only 15 kilometers south it is considered too cold, and the land is dedicated to grain. This cool weather is important for the distinctive style of Arndorfer and soil and climate help the grapes develop a unique regional expression. "Vorgeschmack" is German for "appetizer", and for Martin and Anna this is what they call their "welcome wine". A blend of 80% Grüner Veltliner and 20% Riesling, this is a deliciously fruity wine meant to bring people together and go with salads and light dishes.

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Red

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2016 Luberri ‘Orlegi’ Rioja, Spain $25

Owned by Florentino Martínez Monje, Luberri is located in Elciego in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. Florentino farms 35 hectares of old vines located principally between the villages of Elciego and Laguardia. A farmer at heart, Florentino has a passion for working in the vineyard. All the plots are farmed with minimal treatment of the soils and Florentino keeps his yields low. He made a name for himself by resurrecting the traditional style of semi-carbonic Rioja, and the Orlegi is a return to the traditional light, fruit-forward wines of Rioja Alavesa. Utilizing whole-cluster fermentation for some of the grapes and indigenous yeasts, this is a classic, young Tempranillo from Rioja for everyday drinking. The carbonic maceration technique leads to a bright, berry-fruited profile that many don’t necessarily associate with Rioja, but makes this wine dangerously drinkable. Insanely food-friendly, this lighter example of Rioja can pair with anything from vegetable dishes, pasta with red sauce, and savory meats like lamb and pork.

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2017 Scar of the Sea Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, California $43

Scar of the Sea was started by Mikey Giugni and Michael Brughelli, two friends that met while studying winemaking at Cal Poly. They had a shared interest in making wines with a sense of place, with the sea being the central focus. As winemakers the sea is important in Santa Barbara  because it provides the fog that moderates the temperature and allows the area to be perfect for wine grapes. As Central Californians the sea is a central part of their lives, and everyone's life, providing the background for all of life's activities. So when Mikey was was studying winemaking in Tasmania and saw an old church sign that said "Scar of the Sea" he knew he had found the perfect name for his winery. Nevermind the sign actually said "Star of the Sea", a brand was born, and they have been making phenomenal wines ever since. It also doesn't hurt that they are two of the nicest guys in the wine industry. And although they regularly are awarded huge scores in all the major wine publications, they remain humble and gracious. Just good people making good wines. This wine is a blend from a few different vineyards in the Santa Barbara area and shows beautiful flavors of cherry, mint, rose petals and spice. 

2015 Domaine de la Garrelière, Gamay 'Sans Tra La La', Touraine, France $50

Pascale and Francois Plouzeau make good wines, or rather, they know that good vines make good wines. So when they took over the domaine in 1985 they quickly converted the vineyards to biodynamics, dialed back the fancy winemaking, and started to do things a little more "traditionally". Once bottled, the Plouzeaus hire local artists to design the labels that reflect the wine but also the spirit in which it was made. And Gamay Sans Tra La La is exactly that. Gamay but without the... "nonsense"; no added yeasts or sulphur, minimal winemaking intervention, just organic Gamay grapes left to naturally ferment. It is fresh, lively, full of flavour and, above all, delicious. Good for drinking anytime, anywhere. The French would call this a ‘gouleyant’ wine, meaning that it is gluggable.
 

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