Venica/Ratti Wine Tasting

Thursday, April 17th | 5-8pm

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Venica/Ratti Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Venica & Venica 'Jesera' Pinot Grigio, Collio 2023

- Ratti 'Battaglione' Barbera d'Asti' 2023

- Venica & Venica Merlot, Collio 2021

Price: $21.00

From 1930 to today, through a series of harmonious generational changes, more than 90 years of passion, sacrifice and success have elapsed, in a synergistic relationship between the fascinating Collio and the constant love of the land, the vineyards and their grapes. Venica & Venica is a family enterprise with 40 hectares of vineyards all located in a D.O.C. production area called the COLLIO.

Cantina Ratti has been a pivotal name in Barolo wine making since Renato Ratti founded the estate in the 1960s. After studying winemaking in Alba and gaining international experience, Renato returned to Piedmont to redefine Barolo’s production, implementing modern techniques that improved the wine's elegance and longevity. His innovations, including the creation of the Marcenasco Barolo and the design of the Albeisa bottle, cemented his influence. Today, under the leadership of his son Pietro, the winery continues to uphold its legacy, blending tradition, sustainability, and innovation in its wines.

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Wineries:
- Venica & Venica
- Cantina Ratti
Importer: Breakthru Beverages
Rep.: Joan Tom

Spanish Wine Tasting

Thursday, April 10th | 5-8pm

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Spanish Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Martinsancho, Verdejo, Rueda 2021

- Diaz Bayo, Ribera del Duero 2021

- Bodega Lanzaga, Rioja 2022

Price: $20

Martínsancho is Ángel Rodríguez’ mid 19th-century vineyard in the Rueda. This special vineyard and Ángel himself are responsible for the preservation of Rueda’s indigenous Verdejo grape. Planted in 1972, cuttings from this special vineyard were used in 1976 to establish a 10.11 ha (25-acre) vineyard planted in the traditional head-pruned fashion and dry-farmed. Low yield “Verdejo” produces wines with a delicate floral nose, viscosity, a long finish.

For more than ten generations, the Díaz Bayo family has been dedicated to the cultivation of the land in the Ribera del Duero. The tradition of vineyard cultivation in the municipality of Fuentelcésped dates back to 1177. Familia Díaz Bayo vineyards were planted in the valley of the Nava stream, an ideal spot due to the sunny slopes, abundant loose soil and pebbles.

Led by visionary winemaker Telmo Rodríguez, Bodega Lanzaga is reshaping what defines Rioja by crafting human-scale, terroir-driven wines. Embracing the village-based winemaking traditions of Rioja’s history, Telmo Rodríguez founded his flagship project, Bodega Lanzaga, in 1998 with a radical mission to focus on small-parcel, small-production wines from places that authentically reflect the true essence of Rioja.

Wineries:

- Bodega Martinsancho

- Bodega Diaz Bayo

- Bodega Lanzaga

Importer: Breakthru Beverages

Rep.: Joan Tom

Cardedu Wine Tasting

Thursday, April 3rd | 5-8pm

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Cardedu Wine Tasting

Wines:

- 2022 Vermentino di Sardegna ‘Nuo’

- 2022 Monica di Sardegna ‘Praja’

- 2020 Cannonau di Sardegna ‘Caladu’

Price: $18.00

Sergio Loi is a 4th generation traditional Sardinian producer, whose family winery from the early 1900s has always practiced no chemical farming and minimum intervention in the cellar. The Cardedu [car-DAY-do] vineyards are located on the island’s sparsely populated southeast coast, where soils are crumbling granite near the coast and schist in ragged-dry cliffs around Jerzu.

Sardinian producers are now catching up in popularity to those of Italy’s other large island, Sicilia. One difference that remains is that Sardinia remains more ‘lost in time.’ Cardedu balances on that edge of being traditional but also thoughtful, especially considering today’s warmer climate.

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Winery: Cardedu

Importer: Martine's Wines

Rep: Adam Brunsen

Hedges Wine Tasting

Thursday, March 27th | 5-8pm

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Hedges Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Hedges Red Blend

- Hedges Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain

- Hedges Syrah

Price: $25.00

Led by a passion for authenticity and a deep connection to the land they call home, the Hedges Family epitomizes the modern wine estate. A blend of rich cultural upbringings and a shared love for creating beautiful wine converge at the heart of bucolic Red Mountain, fostering a true homegrown approach to farming and viticulture. Hedges Family Estate unites past and present, evolving tradition for generations to come.

Winery: Hedges Family Estate, Red Mountain, Washington

Distributor: Breakthru Beverages

Rep: Joan Tom

Giornata Wine Tasting

Thursday, March 20th | 5-8pm

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Giornata Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Giornata Orangotango Paso Robles 2023

- Giornata 'Il Campo' Rosso Paso Robles 2023

- Giornata Barbera Paso Robles 2023

Price: $21.00

The journey in creating Giornata started with a dream to create wines from Italian grapes grown in California employing the sensibility and philosophy of Italian winemaking. We work with the same grape vines (clonal material) as the best producers in Italy. The Central Coast of California possesses many of the attributes of the top wine growing regions of Italy.

Our winemaking style leans more Italian than Californian in that we favor wines with balance and subtlety rather than intensity and extraction. We pick our grapes at lower sugar levels and handle our must gently in the cellar, thus resulting in wines that belong on the Italian dinner table possessing both ample acidity and tannin. Traveling to Italy on a regular basis, we continue to receive feedback on our efforts while researching Italian winemaking and viticultural methods.

Winery: Giornata Wines

Distributor: Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants

Rep.: Michael Melgoza

Italian Islands Tasting

Thursday, March 13th | 5-8pm

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Italian Islands Tasting

Wines:

- Jankara Vermentino di Gullura Superiore

- Santadi Cannonau di Sardegna

- Zabu Nero d'Avola, Sicily

Price: $21.00

Jankara: Founded in 2006, Jankara is located in the prestigious Vena di San Leonardo area, with vineyards in two of the most sought-after “Grand Crus” in Sardinia: Mamoiada and Gallura. It is owned by the Spanu and Empson families, who recently acquired a stake in the boutique winery. The two families strive for high-quality expressions of the island’s one-of-a-kind terroir, with its rugged terrain, pristine sea and granite formations, working with one of Italy’s most important enologists, Gianni Menotti. At the same time, the two families remain hands on through every step of the production process and beyond. “We are 100% family operated.

Santadi: The Cantina di Santadi Winery is located in the Sulcis area, in South-western Sardinia, just a few miles as the crow flies from the dazzling beaches and white sand dunes of Porto Pino. It was established in 1960, and after some start-up difficulties, a new management gave it a decisive boost, driven by strong determination which fanned enthusiasm and passion. Thus the Winery embarked on an ambitious programme, adopting new strategies and clear targets, streamlining its operations and issuing coherent guidelines to its member grape growers.

Vigneti Zabù was founded in 2007 in Sambuca di Sicilia. Its main goal is to showcase Sicily’s native varieties, such as Nerello Mascalese and Nero d’Avola, bringing them international recognition. Sambuca di Sicilia is an uncontaminated corner of Sicily, with ancient vineyards that mirror millennia-old traditions.The unique microclimate, with significant temperature variations even in summer, and a lake, creates ideal conditions for producing exceptional wines.

Wineries: Jankara Sardegna, Cantina di Santadi Sardegna, Vigneti Zabu Sicily

Importer: Breakthru Beverages CA

Rep.: Joan Tom

Madson Wine Tasting

Thursday, March 6th | 5-8pm

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Madson Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Madson Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains 2023

- Madson Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 2022

- Madson Kessler-Haak Vineyard Syrah, Sta. Rita Hills 2022

Price: $25.00

It all started with one tiny, old Chardonnay Vineyard that needed a farmer in 2016. It was a side hustle to make a little wine for our friends and family. We farmed the vineyard, made the grapes into wine and what we made was beyond the level of quality that we had hoped for. Slowly we began increasing the stakes by farming additional vineyard plots. A few years later we farm over 30 small vineyards around the Santa Cruz Mountains, using only organic practices. We make the wine in our cellar using only native yeasts. We believe that the wines showcase our unique coastal and mountainous California terroir.

Winery: Madson Wines

Distributor: Vintage 59 Wines & Spirits

Rep: Andrew Cox

Pier Paolo Grasso Wine Tasting

Thursday, February 27th | 5-8pm

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Pier Paolo Grasso Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Pier Paolo Grasso 'Moroso' Arneis 2022

- Pier Paolo Grasso 'Morosa Barbera d'Alba 2021

- Pier Paolo Grasso 'Riva' Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

Price: $18

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In the picturesque countryside of Barbaresco, Italy, Pier Paolo Grasso founded a renowned winery in 2000. Born into a rural family, he developed a deep connection to the land, tending fields, vineyards, and animals from a young age. His family's legacy of winemaking inspired him to dream of creating a company solely dedicated to crafting exceptional wines. Starting with few vineyards and a small cellar at home, Pier Paolo's perseverance paid off over the years. His vineyards expanded, and the cellar grew with subsequent extensions. However, the real transformation came when he met his future wife, Sara, who shared his passion for winemaking and brought a more delicate and natural approach to their vineyard practices. Today, Pier Paolo "speaks" to his vines, embracing a profound understanding of their needs. With the support of his devoted team and the guidance of a knowledgeable wine expert, he continually strives for excellence while prioritizing the well-being of the final product and environmental preservation. From a humble dream to a flourishing winery, Pier Paolo Grasso's journey exemplifies the harmonious fusion of passion, tradition, and innovation.

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Winery: Pier Paolo Grasso
Importer: Copa Fina CA
Rep.: Patrick Cress

Sparkling Wine Tasting

Thursday, February 13th | 5-8pm

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Sparkling Wine Tasting

- Maison Veuve Amiot, Crémant de Loire 'Elisa'

- Bortolomiol, Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut Ius Naturae 2023

- Mont Marcal, Cava Brut Rose, Metodo Tradicional 2021

Price: $18

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Maison Amiot

As a widow, Elisabeth Amiot took over the destiny of the family business in 1884, deciding that her wine

would become the greatest in the Loire. From vineyard to bottling, the house controls the entire process

of developing traditional method wines: selection, assembling, bottling, fermentation in the bottle, aging

in the cellars, disgorging and labelling. Veuve Amiot has increased its underground network by more than

1 km, making in total 6 km of underground facilities at the forefront of technology, where prestigious wines

await their visitors.

Bortolomiol

This is the legacy left by Giuliano to his wife Ottavia and their daughters Maria Elena, Elvira, Luisa and Giuliana, who with a “natural” instinct have not only maintained what their father built up but have also taken on new challenges to ensure the revolution does not come to an end.
Bortolomiol is a strong and tight-knit family made up entirely of women: the mother, the soul and linchpin of this company, and the sisters, the beating heart, who guide and support the family business in the continual challenges to achieve quality, efficiency and effectiveness with an outlook that is always competitive.

Mont Marcal

Our Mont Marçal wines and cavas range is closely linked to the image of transition between the foundation of the company and its dynamic evolution towards the demands of the market close to our customers, is synonymous with tradition, innovation and courage.
We are characterized by the desire to stay anchored to the past, but always keeping our eyes open to a constantly changing future to provide a small touch of regeneration and modernity. Our aim is to produce wines achievable to the tastes of different customer segments.

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Wineries: Maison Veuve Amiot, Bortolomiol, Mont Marcal
Importer: Breakthru Beverages
Rep.: Joan Tom

Sauvignon Blanc Wine Tasting

Thursday, February 6th | 5-8pm

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Sauvignon Blanc Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Band of Vintners, Napa Valley 2023

- Tokara, Reserve Collection, South Africa 2023

- Saint Clair Family Estate, Marlborough, New Zealand 2023

Price: $21.00

Band of Vintners was formed in 2014 by seven wine industry friends at a tasting group led by Dan Petroski. Their collective goal of producing one wine that provided exceptional value from Napa Valley became the anthem for Band of Vintners.
Today the Band is led by two intrepid young winemakers and a Master Sommelier. Committed to continuing the tradition of tasting the world’s greatest wines together, we are striving to redefine what great wine can be. We believe in sustainable practices and producing wines that are within reach for everyone so we’ve joined forces to get our wines out to the world.

Tokara - Nestled on the upper slopes of the Simonsberg mountain, our vineyard and olive grove overlook two of mother nature’s most awe-inspiring sights, False Bay and Table Mountain.
Because of our unique location, the climate, geography and soils combine to produce perfect grapes. These grapes are then hand-picked and gently transported to our state-of-the-art cellar, where our exceptionally skilled winemakers transform the fruit into award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc wines.

Saint Clair Family Estate is owned by Neal and Judy Ibbotson
Neal and Judy have been viticulture pioneers in Marlborough since 1978. The grapes from their vineyard were originally supplied to local wine companies, however they wanted to showcase the quality they had achieved in their vineyards through to the finished wine as well. This desire is what led to the establishment of Saint Clair Family Estate in 1994.

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Wineries: Band of Vintners, Tokara Wine Estate, Saint Clair Family Estate

Importer: Breakthru Beverages

Rep: Joan Tom

Cantine Guidi Wine Tasting

Thursday, January 16th | 5-8pm

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Cantine Guidi Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Cantine Guidi Vernaccia Riserva 2021

- Cantine Guidi 'Bernardo' Red Blend 2021

- Cantine Guidi Chianti Classico 2021

Each tasting includes a small food pairing: $21.00

The Guidi winery was founded in 1929, with the aspiration to grow a family-run business that can stand the test of time – to pass down knowledge, culture, and tradition from generation to generation. From 35 hectares planted across the hills of the Chianti Classico, Montalcino and San Gimignano, their distinctive and refined wines are characterized by a great focus on the search for the best quality. With deep respect to nature, the Guidi family farms organically, supports local sustainability studies and uses only native yeast. All the wines are the expression of the family’s thought and taste, and are characterized by elegance, drinkability, freshness, clean nature, and respect. Today, the winery is run by the 4th generation: brothers Nicola and Giacomo Guidi. The family wants to spread its own style and name and that of Tuscany and Italy all over the world, because loving wine has always meant sharing it with everyone.

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Winery: Cantine Guidi

Rep: Patrick Cress

Importer: Fina Wine Imports

Bocale Wine Tasting

Thursday, January 9th | 5-8pm

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Bocale Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Bocale Trebbiano Spoletino 2023 - Bocale Montefalco Rosso 2021 - Bocale Montefalco Sagrantino 2019

Each tasting includes a small food pairing: $22.00

The Valentini family has been connected to the City of Montefalco by history and personal experiences for over one hundred years.

The background is the special Umbria Region, full of history and culture, where the act of every farmer is full of folk wisdom, simplicity, passion and sacrifice.

The family's philosophy is influenced by the history of men working in fields, surrounded by the rare beauty of it's hilly landscape.

In 2002 , the Valentini tradition continues in the new generation of Valentini revitalizing the environmental and cultural heritage and creating Bocale , a winery built on the old passion for wine passed down through generations.

Bocale in dialect, is a term used to indicate a two-liter mug of wine or olive oil, but also the name by which this family of Montefalco has always been known.

The productions of Montefalco Rosso and Montefalco Sagrantino are authentic expressions of an innovation in the tradition, where the fruits of nature are mixed with the perfection and simplicity of human gestures.

Central elements of the philosophy behind Bocale wine is the respect given to environmental cycles and the handcrafted process that makes the wine such a natural product full of personality.

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Winery: Azienda Agricola Bocale

Importer: Cherio Holding & Trading Company Inc.

Rep.: Andrea Cherio

Sancerre Wine Tasting

Thursday, December 19th | 5-8pm

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Sancerre Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Domaine des Griffes, Sancerre Rose 2023 - Domaine des Griffes Sancerre Blanc 2023 - Claude Riffault 'La Noue' Sancerre Rouge 2021

Each tasting includes a small food pairing: $24.00

Domaine des Griffes is located in the south of France in Nizas . The building and the cellar are located in the heart of the village, the vines are located a few kilometers away.

As an anecdote, the Domaine des Griffes takes its name from the fountain located in the central square of the village where the Domaine building is located. In the south of France, the fountains are called Griffes .

The Domaine des Griffes covers 18 hectares of vines, with an average age of around thirty years and located on the last foothills of the Cévennes. The vines benefit from clay-limestone and basalt soils as well as a Mediterranean climate characterized by maximum sunshine and moderate wind, ideal conditions for producing great wines.

Stéphane Riffault (Claude’s son and now the owner of the estate) is turning out Sancerre bottlings that are the envy of many producers twice his age in the village of Sury-en-Vaux. Stéphane Riffault works on 33 different parcels in 8 different lieu-dits spread across four villages. The 13.5 hectares of vines are plowed, and no synthetic material is used. Starting in 2017, the property has been certified organic by ECOCERT and biodynamic by BIODYVIN. Unlike most Sancerre producers, the entire harvest is carried out by hand, and extensive sorting occurs before the grapes are crushed. Stéphane’s wife, Benedicte, leads the harvest team while Stéphane manages the sorting and press during harvest.

Most of the domaine’s holdings are planted on the soft limestone soil called terres blanches, with some parcels on calliottes and silex. Minor, judicious uses of oak help to add length to the already precise, site-expressive, and vertical bottlings. All the parcels are vinified separately, and except for the rosé, all the wines are bottled unfiltered.

Having studied and worked in Burgundy (and closely with Olivier Leflaive), it’s easy to see the Burgundian influence in Stéphane’s wines. The mastery of minerality standing shoulder–height with the wood is rarely duplicated in Sancerre. Regardless of his parcels’ exposition (many are south-facing), Riffault’s wines are always crisp and high-cut with a jeweled delineation that speaks to the precision and attention these wines get. These are not your daddy’s (or his daddy, Claude’s)

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Wineries: Domaine des Griffes & Claude Riffault

Importer: Breakthru Beverages

Rep.: Joan Tom

Division Wine Tasting

Thursday, December 5th | 5-8pm

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Division Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Division Wine 'L'Orange' 2023

- Division Wine 'Un' Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregonn 2022

- Division Wine 'Lutte' Gamay, Willamette Valley 2022

Each tasting includes a small food pairing: $23.00

Our passion is working with responsibly-farmed, terroir-expressive vineyards, many of which are organic and/or Biodynamic. Our wines celebrate the varieties we love to drink, like Gamay, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Our approach stands on the opposite side of commercial wine with its safety nets and risk mitigation. For that approach it doesn’t matter what the season, or harvest was like. It’s like following a recipe. We’re very different from that, we don’t follow any path exactly the same way each time. It’s always modified with little changes made up to the last moment to reflect what that year has given us. On the other end of the pendulum is the modern natural wine movement which we feel closer to. Ultimately we’re trying to make the best wine and we leave all the dogma out of it. We’re proud to be winemakers. Maybe it makes us pragmatists. The goal is to make something beautiful. I would hate to lose a beautiful wine because we trampled all over it, and hate to lose because we did nothing. We straddle the middle ground.

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Winery: Division Wine ~ Making Company

Importer: V59 Wines & Spirits

Rep: Andrew Cox

ROCO Wine Tasting

Thursday, November 21th | 5-8pm

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ROCO Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Roco, Gravel Road Chardonnay 2022

- Roco, Gravel Road Pinot Noir 2022

- Roco 'The Stalker' Pinot Noir 2021

Tasting plus food pairing: $23.00

When Rollin Soles and Corby Stonebraker-Soles came to Oregon in the 1980s, they arrived at the leading edge of a movement. But in those early years, the movement we know today hadn’t yet picked up full momentum. The idea of Oregon wine was actively in the making, emerging in real time through the daring efforts of people like Rollin and Corby and a diverse group of entrepreneurs who wanted nothing more than to produce world-class wines in an unproven but promising winegrowing region. They built wineries, developed foundational industry organizations, and worked to establish Oregon as the premier place to make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay outside of Europe.

Now more than 35 years later, ROCO showcases Oregon winemaking at its peak—through a talent that has produced hundreds of 90+ scores from leading industry critics, repeated placement in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the World, and multiple bottlings served in the White House.

Clarity is king in the ROCO cellar. Expertise is an expectation. So we never stop asking questions. We never trust popular ideas. We always test our hunches. Firmly rooted in the science of agriculture and fermentation, we carefully build a vision for what every bottle can be, relying on Rollin’s mastery of the techniques and methods of winemaking and Corby’s instincts as an artist to transform the raw material of beautiful fruit into the exquisite wines you take to your table.

Winery: ROCO Winery

Importer: Santa Margherita USA

Rep: Teresa Cloyd

Firmino Miotti Wine Tasting

Thursday, November 14th | 5-8pm

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Firmino Miotti Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Firmino Miotti Gruajo, Colle Santa Lucia di Breganze 2021

- Firmino Miotti Cabernet, Breganze 2015

- Firmino Miotti Rosso, Breganze 2017

Tasting plus food pairing: $21.00

In Breganze, a town of little more than eight thousand inhabitants in the province of Vicenza, on a hill of volcanic origin, there is a historic family-run winery that has become a real must-see for wine lovers and winegrowing tradition: The Cantina Firmino Miotti.

Firmino, the owner of the winery, took over the reins and took charge of the activity at a young age, in the fifties, after the death of his father. From then on, he has taken care of the business with extreme finesse and attention of the family land, keeping the viticultural traditions of the past handed down to him by his grandfather, while looking towards the modern times, in order to always supply his faithful clientele with products of the highest quality.

The company is known throughout Italy and is now concentrating its effort in the safeguard of varieties of ancient vines of the Breganze area. Gruajo is an example of a ruby wine with garnet nuances that has existed since the eighteenth century.

The Miotti family has always wanted to remain closely linked to the tradition of the land and to the products of the past to safeguard the typical varieties of the territory that otherwise would have been lost over time.

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Winery: Agricola Firmino Miotti

Importer: Vinum Italia

Rep.: Enrico Guglielmi

Felsina Wine Tasting

Thursday, November 7th | 5-8pm

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Felsina Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Felsina Brut Rosé Vino Spumante di Qualità Metodo Classico

- Felsina Chianti Classico Berardenga 2021

- Felsina Chianti Classico Berardenga Riserva 2020

Tasting plus food pairing: $25.00

Fattoria di Fèlsina has long been one of the great names in Tuscany. Based in the Chianti Classico region, Fèlsina produces one of the finest ranges of age worthy and complex Chianti bottlings in all of Italy. Unlike many of their neighbors, Fèlsina has never succumbed to the temptation to produce “new age” wines from their fine Chianti vineyards, and continues to grow solely Sangiovese here, rather than dabble with international-styled blends that include Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Consequently, their elegant yet intensely flavored Chiantis place them firmly among the top handful of Chianti producers, with the best vintages of their top Riserva Chiantis often approaching Brunello di Montalcino in terms of complexity and potential for longevity.

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Winery: Felsina

Importer Breakthru Beverages

Rep.: Joan Tom

Failla/Day Wine Tasting

Thursday, October 24th | 5-8pm

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Failla/Day Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Failla Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2022

- Failla Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2022

- Day Zinfandel St. Helena 2018

Tasting plus food pairing: $24.00

While Failla's history may be relatively short, its narrative is rich with complexities that trace back to our inaugural vintage release as Failla-Jordan in 1998.

Ehren Jordan, the maestro behind Failla, has a penchant for experimentation, especially with his favorite varietals. He coaxes out their various

incarnations by subjecting them to different climates—ranging from cool to cooler to the coolest—distinct soil types, and diverse rootstock. This relentless pursuit of excellence began with our initial land acquisition in 1998, followed by the planting of five acres of rootstock in 2002, with subsequent grafting of Pinot Noir clones the following year. Influenced by Ehren's viticultural training in France, our eleven acres of Estate vineyards now yield Syrah, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, capturing the quintessence of California's coolest regions.

Day is the Zinfandel project of Ehren Jordan, the winemaker behind such amazing labels as Turley, Neyers, and Failla. When he purchased a St. Helena property back in 2004, he knew he wanted to plant grapes on the hillside. After a few years of pondering, he decided that the locale was ideal for one of his early loves in the vine world - Zinfandel. Ehren established his reputation as a talented vigneron during his tenure at Turley and Day is a return to those roots.

Wineries: Failla Winery, Day Wines

Importer: Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants

Rep: Michael Melgoza

Vigne Chigi Wine Tasting

Thursday, October 17th | 5-8pm

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Vigne Chigi Wine Tasting

Wines:

- Pallagrello Bianco 2018, Vigne Chigi

- Pallagrello Nero 2019, Vigne Chigi

- Casavecchia 2016, Vigne Chigi

Tasting plus food pairing: $18.00

Vigne Chigi is in Northern Campania about ten miles north of Capua and about 30 miles north of Naples. The vineyards are around the town of Pontelatone and have perfectly located south facing slopes in the hilly terrain that also contains a lot of volcanic minerality.

Unique to the area are three very obscure, ancient, and very interesting grape varietals which are Pallagrello Bianco, Pallagrello Nero, and Casavecchia. Despite the similar sounding names, Pallagrello Bianco and Pallagrello Nero share no genetic traits at all but the Pallagrello name comes from what had been a tradition of drying the grapes on straw (paglia) mats before pressing into wine. The wines today are made without drying the grapes as both varietals are already very fully flavored. Casavecchia has even deeper and richer flavors in my opinion which makes this very small area in which these three grapes are grown a very interesting area to find unique wines.

Another interesting part of the history of the area and its grapes was that the Bourbon King Ferdinand IV, who was king of Naples and the two Sicilies, was extremely fond of both wines from the two Pallagrello grapes and of hunting and his hunting dogs. His devotion to his hunting dogs was such that he had portraits painted of them which were then displayed in the palace in Capua which was near to the royal hunting grounds. The images of the various dogs have then been adopted by Vigne Chigi to appear on the labels of their wines.

Winery: Vigne Chigi

Importer: wUst Fine Wine Imports

Rep: Kevion Wenck