W I N E C L U B S E L E C T I O N S

F E B R U A R Y 2 O 2 1 F R O M T H E E D I T O R S

Greetings Club Members!

We're mixing it up this month. Excited? You should be. ALL tiers for their white selection this month will be receiving ! From either Austria or Germany, all of these bottles can be held on to for a bit in your cellar (or for a lot if you're Tier 3).

And now, on to the reds!

Tier 1: We've got a lovely Côtes-du-Rhône for you that just can't stop reminding us of Grandma's homemade red berry jam. Yuum.

Tier 2, you're getting Zweigelt! From an ex European BMX champion gone guru. We can't make this stuff up.

Tier 3 members, aside from your age-worthy Riesling, you're receiving a lovely Blaufränkisch from Willamette Valley, Oregon that we promise will stimulate your taste buds as it just keeps getting better and better with every sip.

As always, thank you for being a part of the Proof family!

Cheers, Jess and Megan

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Salomon Undhof Von den Terrassen Kremstal Riesling 2018 (White)

Producer: Salomon Undhof Region: Niederösterreich, Austria Appellation: Kremstal

Grape: Riesling : 2018 Farming: Sustainable Aging: Stainless steel with native yeasts

Tasting Notes: Pale straw yellow in color, the nose is a lovely arrangement of rose petals, violet, green apples, orange peel, pear and peach. The palate mimics the nose but also demonstrates flavors of apricot, stone and honey. This is so refreshing, dry and very drinkable, but yet elegant, with great acidity, balance and harmony throughout.

Terroir & a Biodynamic Way of Life: Fraternal twins Bert and Fay Salomon are the ninth generation to take over their family’s historic , a pillar of quality in the Wachau Valley since 1792. They are one of the oldest family-owned in Austria. They literally have almost 230 years of wine-making history! Like their father, Fay and Bert believe that great are made from living soils and don’t "wear makeup". Their belief: the path to a beautiful bottle is through meticulous, environmentally conscious care in the and thoughtful work in the cellar. Cover crops are grown between rows to maintain vital soils and encourage biodiversity, and under-vine management is done manually, without the use of sprays (there has been no use of herbicides in more than a decade). Sheep’s wool is hung to repel hungry deer from the nearby forrest and natural pheromones are used to prevent destruction by a local butterfly. Situated in the picturesque town of Stein on the Danube River, all the are harvested traditionally by hand only. The Von den Terrassen Riesling comes from the younger Riesling vines, up to 25-years-old, planted on primary rock (gneiss) terraces.

Seasonal pairing: In general, pair lighter, crisper with delicate (or raw) fish. Try some sushi with this one.

Recommended drink window: Drink now through 2023.

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Mas de Libian Côtes-du-Rhône Bout d'Zan 2019 (Red)

Producer: Mas de Libian Region: Rhone Valley, France Appellation: Côtes-du-Rhône AOC

Grapes: 75% , 25% Vintage: 2019 Farming: Biodynamic & organic Aging: Nine months in large barrels

Tasting Notes: The "Bout d'Zan" translates to "bit of Zan" which playfully uses Jean-Pierre's childhood nickname referring to his small frame and tanned skin. A great rustic red, this is full of bright, juicy, concentrated red and black fruit flavors of cherry, blackberry and red berry jam, grounded in contrasting earthy tones. There's a peppery spice to it, along with licorice and leather notes on both the nose and the palate. A swish of the wine reveals an appealing texture and a great mouthfeel. It's fresh and inviting and the perfect introduction to this awesome Rhône producer.

Terroir: A mosaic of different including clay-limestone, river rocks and sand. is done entirely by hand with very careful sorting, cluster by cluster. The Thibon family acquired the Libian property in 1670, and in 1970 Jean-Pierre Thibon decided to wholly focus on wine production. Since then the estate has grown to 25 hectares of and eight hectares of nourishing land planted to olive trees, vegetable and flower gardens, and grains to support the organic and biodynamic . The Mediterranean climate there enjoys hot, dry summers, little rainfall and mild winters, which helps contribute to the richer and brighter Côtes-du-Rhônes.

Seasonal pairing: Spiced Marinated Lamb Chops with grilled vegetables. Or a simple slice of pizza.

Recommended drink window: This will age nicely through 2027 but can (very easily) be drunken now.

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Eva Fricke Riesling Lorch Trocken 2018 (White)

Producer: Eva Fricke Country: Germany Appellation: Rheingau

Grape: Riesling Vintage: 2018 Farming: Organic Aging: Seven months on the lees

Tasting Notes: This cuvée is quite impressive for a dry Riesling (7.5 g/l residual sugar, also "trocken" means dry in German) with a light petrol note in the nose up front that gives way to peach, citrus and minerals. The palate is light and silky, but also juicy, with moderate acidity, a dense structure and a flavor profile that matches the nose. It incorporates wet slate, pear, grapefruit and a mineral-salty finish, which is harmonious, insanely long and so inviting. So much so that you might just feel the corners of your mouth rise before taking another sip. Only 25 cases of this were imported into the U.S. (!)

Terroir: Lorch is the westernmost wine-growing town in the Rheingau region of Germany, near where the Rhein river joins the Nahe river. Eva Fricke organically farms 10 hectares of vineyards in the village of Lorch, about one hour west of Frankfurt and 30 minutes east of the heart of the Mosel Valley. Lorch’s slate- and quartzite-rich slopes offer the perfect climate, aspect, and mineral composition for producing world-class Riesling. Eva is a known Burgundy enthusiast and she vinifies her wines with a noticeably ‘Burgundian’ approach, which can definitely be felt in this cuvée.

Seasonal pairing: Swordfish on the grill, panko-crusted mahi with mango salsa, or a Thai glazed chicken breast.

Recommended drink window: Drink now through 2028.

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Weingut Beurer Zweigelt 2017 (Red)

Producer: Weingut Beurer Region: Wurttemberg, Germany Appellation: Remstal

Grape: Zweigelt Vintage: 2017 Farming: Biodynamic Aging: 11 months in oak

Tasting Notes: An absolute gem from this particularly natural German producer. This wine is clean, lean and crisp with hints of blackberry, plum and other dark fruit on the nose. It actually drinks like a white in terms of crispness. The palate is smooth, a little spicy with a slight sparkle. It's medium-bodied with mild tannins; savory dried herbs round out the finish. It's picture book Zweigelt: pure, elegant, viral and with such great finesse.

Terroir: An ex European BMX (cycling) champion gone natural wine guru, Jochen Beurer is making some killer wines in Swabia, Germany. Jochen is one of the deepest thinkers about the environment beyond the vineyards, integrating bees, vegetation and animals into his vineyards as part of his biodynamic way of life. He is a man who does things very much his own way, and that way yields some of the most remarkable, terroir expressive wines we know. His Zweigelt is planted on the Remstal hills, from vines on the ‘other’ side of valley, on Bunte Mergel (marl, a lime rich clay) soils.

Zweigelt?? It's a crossing of Saint-Laurent (a highly aromatic dark-skinned varietal) with Blaufränkisch (inky magenta in color with aromas of violets, herbs and spices), created in 1922, and is the most widely planted red-wine grape in Austria.

Seasonal pairing: Zweigelt is one of those rare reds that pair well with fish, particularly shellfish. Try pairing it with fish cooked in wine or a tomato-based sauce to really bring out the flavors. Also a great BBQ wine.

Recommended drink window: Drink now through 2024.

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Stein Riesling Palmberg Spätlese Trocken 2018 (White)

Producer: Stein Region: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Appellation: Mosel

Grape: Riesling Vintage: 2018 Farming: Organic Aging: At least 12 months on the lees

Tasting Notes: You're going to sink your teeth into this one. A bone dry (trocken) yet incredibly rich spätlese from one of the steepest vineyards in the world. You really feel the late harvest (spätlese) in this one: honey, sweet apples, pineapple, peach, apricot, dried herbs and lemon peel. On the palate your tongue is coated in another creamy bath of honey, completely integrating ripeness with great acidity with a ruthless cut of minerality. The balance is perfection. This is just simply put a beautiful German Riesling.

Terroir: The Palmberg is Stein's grand cru and a vineyard to measure against any other vineyard in the Mosel. It is an awesome site, an ancient wall of vines filled with ungrafted plantings that are 90+ (!) years old, on their own roots, on a terraced slope perched above the river. While Stein's wines are not widely known in the U.S., he has nothing less than a fanatical following in Europe. Stein specializes in the absurd and the sublime. He farms about 13 acres that have three commonalities: they are not easy to work, they are commercially unknown and, most importantly, Stein loves them. He is more than a winemaker – he is a passionate advocate for the traditional, steep, slate vineyards of the Mosel. Many of the sites are steeper than 45 degrees and can be up to 68 degrees. When it comes to viticulture like this, there are no shortcuts; everything must be done by hand.

Seasonal pairing: Rosemary garlic pork roast with roasted green beans.

Recommended drink window: This will age, easily, for 10-20+ years. The opening of this bottle will be celebration in itself.

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Johan Vineyards Blaufränkisch Estate Willamette Valley 2017 (Red)

Producer: Johan Vineyards Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon Appellation: Van Duzer Corridor AVA

Grapes: Blaufränkisch Vintage: 2017 Farming: Biodynamic Aging: 19 months in neutral, French oak barrels

Tasting Notes: Johan's Estate Blaufränkisch shows a likeness to the iron minerality that defines their but with more nervy acidity and a darker, deeper fruit profile. This is super wet and juicy up front (get your mind out of the gutter) with jammy red fruit and a hint of black pepper on the nose. Let your glass sit for a bit to let the notes of oak and leather come through as the wine continues to open up. Beautiful mouthfeel, medium-bodied, with additional notes of tobacco, vanilla, sour cherry and cranberry as the wine continues to breath. Look for a slight chalkiness at the finish line.

Terroir: Johan's Estate believes that the sense of place and the essence of the farm is best expressed through their deep commitment to biodynamic practices, native-yeast fermentation and minimal intervention in the cellar. The unique growing conditions within their viticultural area yield grapes with really such a compelling expression of Oregon’s sense of place. Their calcareous sedimentary soils mixed with granite contrast their easterly neighbors’ iron-rich volcanic soils. The resulting wines have exotic and complex aromatics with a great balancing acidic structure and tension. The Blaufränkisch vines are around 15 years old.

Seasonal pairing: Bring on the Kiełbasa (Polish sausage) and sauerkraut!

Recommended drink window: Drinking beautifully now.

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