past club wines
a running archive of the wines we’ve shared and the reasons we love them
HUNDRED SUNS ‘amphora-aged’ Gamay noir
This wine is so under-the-radar there’s not a single mention of it anywhere online! I had to crop the bottle image out of a photo of my wife from Thanksgiving!
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Oregon’s Willamette Valley is consistently one of the most exciting wine-growing regions on the planet. A turbulent geologic history of floods and volcanoes makes this some of the richest and most diverse soil in the world. Long sunny summer days, cool nights, and electric, experimental Portland energy. It’s most famous for Pinot Noir, but you’d be really missing out if that’s all you tasted from here.
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Gamay Noir is my GORL. She has naturally low tannin (meaning less bitter and less mouth-drying) and is dramatically fruity with a tart lil kick. Structurally, Gamay is more similar to a white wine, which is why it’s gulped by the ton in bistros across France. Beaujolais is the region that put Gamay on the map. They set the bar and still do but Oregon gets style points for sure!
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Where do I even begin? Renée and Grant are the husband and wife dream team behind Hundred Suns. [The name of the winery refers to the roughly 100 days it takes for grapes to ripen.] They are dear friends, amazing neighbors, and BRILLIANT winemakers. Grant spent over a decade making some of the highest awarded Pinot Noirs in the New World at Beaux Freres before starting this project. The pair make wine intuitively, with no road map and no hard rules. Each year is an experiment and 2021 was one of the best.
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As if Gamay grown in Oregon wasn’t exciting enough - this one is aged in Amphora! Amphorae (the plural) are the earliest known wine vessels. Made of terra-cotta and sealed with straw and pine resin, these jars have been keeping wine safe and tasty since 2000 BCE. Why use them today? Terra cotta is porous (like oak barrels) but does not impart it’s own flavor to the wine (unlike oak barrels, which can make wine taste like buttered popcorn or vanilla extract). It’s a way to let the wine breath while it’s aging, giving it a softer, more velvety texture and earthy flavors like crushed gravel and potting soil. In all? Expect flavors like red cherry, blueberry, licorice spice, and old-growth rainforest. Hell yeah!
Altolandon ‘Mil Historias’ White Blend
I tasted this and was BLOWN AWAY! This wine punches way above its weight class. Beautifully aromatic, complex, textured, and OH YES DARLING: JUICY.
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Manchuela sits high on a windy plateau in central Spain, at nearly 1,100 meters above sea level, making Altolandon one of the highest-elevation wineries in the country. Hot days, cold nights, poor rocky soils, and constant wind make organic farming easier than in wetter coastal regions. La Mancha is famous for cheap, corporate, mass-produced wine so it was a BLESSING to discover Altolandon’s beautifully grown bangers changing the game!
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BABY LOVES A BLEND! Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris make up the majority giving her a full body, silky texture, and waxy, honey character. Chardonnay keeps things tight with that tart lemon freshness. Muscat à Petits Grains (the full name of this form of Muscat) and Viognier bring the aromatics. Flowers! Peaches! Apricots! It all works together so freaking well! THIS IS WHAT EXCELLENT WINEMAKING TASTES LIKE!
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Altolandon was founded in 1998 by Rosalía Molina, an enologist, and her husband Manolo Garrote, a vineyard manager, with a shared mission to revive winemaking in their overlooked region. From the start, they farmed organically, expanded slowly plot by plot, and committed to low-impact, regenerative practices. Rosalía runs the cellar, Manolo runs the vines, and together they’ve built a quietly radical estate rooted in balance, patience, and respect for the land. Makes me wanna cry!
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I JUST LOVE IT WHEN A WINE SURPRISES ME! I’m not usually a huge fan of Viognier or Muscat but here I go again being totally delighted by them both! Turns out, in the hands of an expert there’s not a single grape that’s not delicious. This blend has it all and kept me coming to the glass for more, always discovering something new until it was gone way too fast.
Renzo Castella ‘Sori della Rivolia’ Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba DOCG
The long name is because the Italian government declared this the best place in the world to grow this particular grape and I deeply agree.
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Diano d’Alba is high in the Langhe hills of Piedmont, overlooking Barolo country and guarded by the snowcapped Alps. The vineyards are surrounded by hazelnut groves and medieval towers and Dolcetto LOVES IT HERE. The Italian government is very much on the same page - Diano d’Alba has been certified (DOCG) as the very best place to grow Dolcetto in the world. WELL THEN!
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Dolcetto translates to the “little sweet one” but is actually never made into a sweet wine. The world of wine is ancient AND silly! It’s historically been considered a lesser grape compared to Nebbiolo, which makes the famously baller Barolo and Barbaresco wines. But it’s Dolcetto that’s often drunk at the dinner tables in this region. Grown well (and this one very much is) it’s JUST AS GOOD as great Nebbiolos (fight me) and frankly deserves your attention.
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The Castella family has been in this region for generations. Renzo is famously unpretentious and does not give a damn about marketing or hype which makes him even more of a legend in my book. The wine tells the story and frankly speaks volumes.
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She smells bold but drinks smooth as silk with black cherry, violet, dark chocolate, and spice. This wine is passed around sommelier circles and whispered rather than shouted about, lest we let too many people in on the secret and then can no longer afford it. Let’s drink it while we still can!
SERODES & KOVAC ‘CAZOT ORANGE’ grenaches
The most versatile and interesting orange wine I tried all year! You deserve a lil grown-up peach snapple for making it through the Summer.
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Roussillon is its own world. This corner of Mediterranean France is defined by Catalan culture - a rebellious, romantic, rustic seaside vibe that I am frankly obsessed with (Barcelona is also Catalan). Locals think of themselves as Catalan first and French (or Spanish) second. Think sleepy stone villages, cork oak forests, and crumbling castles, all surrounded by rolling hills of vines. The dry, sunny climate makes organic farming a bit easier, so even tiny family vineyards can grow excellent fruit without chemicals. Wine here feels ancient. Probably because they’ve been doing it for thousands of years.
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Grenache is originally from Spain, where it's called Garnacha. This grape is genetically unstable, and mutated over the years to create several different variations. Garnacha Blanca is the albino variation, (yes, the same kind humans and animals get). Garnacha Gris (grey) is the light-skinned version. Both Spanish and French winemakers have made use of all 3 variations of Garnacha for all 4 styles of wine (plus dessert wine!) for hundreds of years. NEAT! That’s because Garnacha is VERSATILE! It has naturally low tannin, making juicy, fruity wines with rich, silky textures.
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Boris Kovac grew up in the vineyards of Serbia, son of a famed winemaker and professor. He wanted to be a painter, but the vines have him in their clutches and now he makes his art with wine. David Serodes comes from a long line of winemakers in southern France, though his family lost their vineyards during World War II. He set out to reclaim that tradition, learning every corner of the wine world from labs to cellars to soils. The two met in wine school and became fast friends. Today they make flavorful, honest, distinct wines in defiance of industrial sameness.
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LET ME JUST SAY. This might be the most versatile orange wine I’ve tried! She’s full bodied, so expect a thick n lovely texture with just a bit of grip, like a light black tea. She’s got mandarin orange and peach snapple and fancy dried flower blend and whatever peach rings would taste like if they weren’t sweet. What’s not to love! This goldilocks wine honestly pairs with everything under the sun, but it’ll really blow your mind with a rich fish dish (Almondine? Scampi? Yes!) or a simple bowl of slow-cooked beans with fresh herbs. Use a ton of oil or butter in either because you deserve it.
LA VALLE DEL SOLE PASSERINA
A truly elegant bottle of coastal Italian liquid sunshine. Just because you’ve never heard of Passerina doesn’t mean she doesn’t matter!
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Offida is a hilltop medieval village shadowed by the Sibillini and Laga mountain ranges and cooled by salty breezes from the Adriatic Sea. It’s been famous since Roman times for wine growing and lace-making (both extremely sexy) and now, as then, the focus is on small, family-run wineries.
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Passerina is my GIRL. She’s indigenous to La Marche and evolved over millennia to THRIVE there. Her natural high-acid and need for late season heat means she’s not phased by warmer summers. OH TO BE SO RESILIENT AND ZESTY.
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Sisters Alessia & Valeria Nicola own and run this small winery with their father. They started farming organically in 1989, presumably because they know what’s up. WAY TO GO LADIES.
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Bright, zippy, and bone dry. Think lemon peel, fresh wild herbs, and a touch of sea salt. It’s made in concrete tanks so not even a hint of oak. Pairs with pools, oysters, fried sardines, and PO BOYS BABY. Serve chilled and try to remember to share.
Villa di Corlo ‘Rolfshark’ Lambrusco
The woman who makes this wine earned herself the title “The Queen of Lambrusco.” Honestly what else do you need to know? It’s sparkly, dry, pink wine made by a QUEEN OF WINE.
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Add Emilia Romagna to your bucket list THIS INSTANT. It’s Italy’s food capital and yes it is where ALL of the following are from: Parmigiano-Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto di Parma, and lasagna bolognese. And the wine alongside those goodies in the fields and on the tables? Just one, babes: LAMBRUSCO.
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Lambrusco is actually the name of both the GRAPE that the wine is made from (a red grape - Lambrusco Grasparossa) and the STYLE it’s made into (bubbly, refreshing, pinkish-reddish wine)! HOW FUN!
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Winemaker Antonia Munari is the QUEEN of new wave Lambrusco! She pioneered a hardcore sustainable approach: 100% organic farming, and a winery that's solar-powered and carbon-neutral, eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions as of 2012 (what the FUCK!)
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Lambrusco had a heyday in the US in the 70s and 80s when all things Italian were incredibly trendy. Unfortunately, people’s palates were different then. They preferred their wines basic and sweet. Because of the demand, Lambrusco became a huge industry, and the wines became industrial, mass-produced, and boring-as-hell, which in turn gave Lambrusco a bad name. BUT NOT ANYMORE! There are fantastic, fruity, frothy, FUN Lambruscos to be had if you know where to look (and I do!) This one is dry and peppery with fresh wild strawberry and blackberry candy vibes. Pairs with pizza and pasta!
Maker ‘orange’ skin-contact vermentino
Pride month wine! Terah Bajjalieh, an LGBTQ+ winemaker, keeps it fabulous and fresh with this juicy yet savory lil number. And it’s perfectly fanny pack sized!
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Lodi has played an important role in the history of California. It’s in the hot San Joaquin Valley but is cooled at night by the same foggy pacific breezes and weed smoke as San Francisco, just 90 miles west. The first vineyards were planted by Italian and German immigrants in the 1880s, which is why Lodi has some of the oldest vines on the west coast. Its climate is perfect for grapes and HUGE quantities grow here. You can find every major variety at every quality level, from Bota Box and Sutter Home to incredible independent winemakers who package in cans!
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Vermentino is a lesser known and definitely under-appreciated grape. She’s crisp and fresh with a wild side, like salty ocean spray and resiny Mediterranean herbs. Indigenous to Spain but celebrated in Coastal Italy, she was likely brought to California by Italian immigrants during the gold rush, and WOULDN’T YOU KNOW IT thrives there too.
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Terah Bajjalieh is a native Californian foodie-turned-winemaker. After working in marketing with Master Sommeliers she got her hands dirty, working harvests in Argentina, Spain, New Zealand, France, and Australia, before coming back home to the west coast to show us what she learned. This is the (female-led) wine scene we’ve been waiting for!
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Bright and juicy, with a wild lil savory side! Think fresh lemongrass and thyme, with a big squeeze of OJ and a salty Pacific kiss. Don’t overthink this one, babes! She’s meant to DRINK! Pairs with Thai or Vietnamese food or bike rides or sneaking into movie theaters.
Nono company ‘Jardiner…’ bordeaux blanc
A DELICIOUS modern take on a stuffy grandpa classic! That description probably makes men MAD hahahaha!
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I don’t think there’s a wine region in the world more famous than Bordeaux, France. Every wine textbook I’ve read (a lot) starts with Chapter One: Bordeaux. Why? Honestly, it’s a centuries-long saga of politics, geography, and backroom deals a la Game of Thrones. And also it’s a really excellent lil estuary crossed by rivers and rocky hills which grows INSANELY GREAT grapes. Bordeaux historically and currently cranks out the most famous and expensive wines in the world. They’re mostly the kinds of red wines that oil tycoons keep in their cellar for 18 years before drinking. But! tucked between all that hype, you can find whites like this one: bright, fresh, and rebellious against Bordeaux’s big red reputation.
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This bottle is a 50/50 split of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon — Bordeaux’s classic white duo! Sauv Blanc brings the zip: citrus, green apple, a snap of herbs and mouth-watering high acid. Sémillon smooths it out with rounder textures and soft honey notes. Together they’re like a hot lesbian power couple! Sharp edges softened by a little weight, loud, zippy flavors balanced by softness and depth. SEXYYYYYY I JUST LOVE THIS SHIT
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Jardiner is the brainchild of Vignobles Lacoste’s crew, artisans who believe wine should grow out of the earth, not the boardroom. The “NoNo” name signals their refusal to follow the status quo of industrial farming and winemaking. Like all HJC wines, these folks use minimal chemicals and natural techniques to create pure fruit flavors.
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DANG THIS WINE SURPRISED ME! The label is strange as hell and it’s a Bordeaux Blanc, which doesn’t usually send my tithers into a whizzy. AND YET! In my glass? DELIGHTFUL! It has a lot going on! Waxy, soft texture and alternating soft, melony, wildflower moments and tart, lemony, passionfruit thrills. Fun to chug AND fun to sit with and think about? HELL YEAH! LET’S!