2.5 & 2.6

For a printable PDF of this weekend’s notes, click here!

Ferrando Erbaluce di Caluso 2020

Origin: Piedmont, Italy
Retail: $22.95 | Sale $20.65

Luigi Ferrando has long been the leading producer of wines from the Canavese region where his family’s winemaking tradition goes back to 1900. Like many of our producers, he has strong ties to his local region. His attachment and commitment run deep, and have led him to collaborate with other wine growers and academics. Together, they are responsible for discovering and preserving local grape varieties and traditions that might otherwise have been lost. Luigi’s sons, Roberto and Andrea, now work with him on the estate (Roberto) and in the family’s vinoteca (Andrea) located in the heart of the city of Ivrea, the commercial hub of the Canavese region. Thus, the continuation of the Ferrando tradition has been enabled with fresh, dry, mineral-driven wine. 

100% Erbaluce

La Montagnette Côtes-du-Rhône Villages 2019

Origin: Rhône, France
Retail: $16.95 | Sale $15.25

Montagnette is produced at Les Vignerons D'Estezargues, a small Southern Rhone Cooperative located in the Gard Departement, west of Villeneuve-Les-Avignon. They are a unique co-op because each vineyard is farmed sustainably and the wines are bottled separately for each estate. The yields in the vineyards are not high because the soil is very arid in this particular region. The co-op's commitment to environmentally respectful viticulture and to non-interventionist winemaking made it possible to follow the "Terra Vitis" charter: no cultured yeasts, no filtration, no fining, no enzymes, no SO2 on the grapes at harvest (or during the vinification), only a little bit for bottling. 50% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. No cultured yeasts, vegan, no filtering, fining or enzymes.Domaine la Montagnette has been practicing organic agriculture. Beautifully balanced with fresh raspberry and cherry aromatics. Leading to a dense and juicy mid-palate and a black pepper finish. 

50% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre

Antonio Lopes Ribeiro 2015

Origin: Central Coast, California
Retail:
$25.95 | Sale $23.35

Born on the schistous slopes, amongst the stones, rock roses, thyme and rosemary flowers. Pure, authentic, complex and elegant, these wines are the perfect expression of a landscape which is World Heritage of Humanity. Located in upper Douro, there are schist soils with some clay outcrops. The vinification process consists of co-fermentation with indigenous yeasts in traditional granite press (lagar). 10% Touriga Franca, 60% Touriga-Nacional, 10% Tinta-Barroca, 10% Tinta-Roriz & 10% Sousao. From 30-40 year old vines planted on 15ha of schist soils. Hand harvested, de-stemmed, followed by spontaneous fermentation in traditional "lagar" for one week. Aged in stainless steel for two years. Lush black fruit flavors with velvety tannins.

Touriga Francesca | Tinta Barroca | Tinta Roriz