COMMON CENTS CLUB February 2021 | 6-bottle line up

2018 Prà Otto Soave Classico : Garganega Region: Veneto, Retail: $17.99 / bottle or $176 / case (that’s $14.66 / bottle if you buy 12) Pronunciation: “swah-vay”, “gar-GAN-neh-gah”

The Soave region has been growing since the Romans were around, and with its meandering expanse from the Dolomite mountains to the Adriatic Sea, it’s a stunning and somewhat hidden gem.

The are perched up on the volcanic hills that surround the village, so the community is really closely connected to the . This bottle is named after the winemaker’s dog Otto, and it’s one of those fresh, delicious wines that we all need to get us through this final stage of winter (we’re almost there!).

Drinking & pairing ideas*: Try it alongside some citrus-roasted chicken with tiny boiled ​ potatoes covered in lots of herbs, or a big bowl of linguine and clams.

2016 Ktima Kir-Yianni Yianakohori Hills Grapes: Xinomavro, , Region: Naousa, Greece Retail: $19.99 / bottle or $193 / case (that’s $16.08 / bottle if you buy 12) Pronunciation: Xinomavro is “ksee-NO-mah-vroh”. We’ll give you a break on the rest.

We’re so excited to get to share a Greek wine in this month’s line up. The Boutaris family runs the Kir-Yianni with vineyards that sit on both sides of the beautiful Vermio Mountains, between Northern Greece and Macedonia.

For all you Nebbiolo lovers out there, the main grape here might taste a little familiar — it’s often called the Barolo of Greece.

Drinking & pairing ideas: This would be so good with some cozy brisket or braised lamb and a ​ balsamic-y salad. If you feel like pulling out the , this wine will only get better with some extra time to relax and open up. After all, who among us doesn’t?

2018 Planet Oregon Grape: Pinot Noir Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon Retail: $20.99 / bottle or $202 / case (that’s $16.83 / bottle if you buy 12)

This bottle of Pinot Noir from Soter Vineyards hails from our stunning southern neighbor, the Willamette Valley. The winemaker, Tony, has been making wine for over 50 years(!). He started in Napa in the ‘70s before moving up to the PNW in the ‘90s, and has been instrumental in bringing global recognition to this area of Oregon that many say is one of the most promising wine regions in the US.

And, in case you need another reason to open this guy up, you can feel charitable knowing that the winery donates a portion of all sales of this wine to the Oregon Environmental Council.

Drinking & pairing ideas: We’re drooling a little thinking about this paired with roasted ​ salmon, duck bao buns, or solo as an aperitif — there’s no shame in pairing with a glass.

2018 Gabbas Vermentino di Sardegna “Manzanile” Grape: Vermentino Region: , Italy Retail: $21.99 / bottle or $210 / case (that’s $17.50 / bottle if you buy 12)

Let’s now head to the dreamy, rugged Mediterranean island of Sardinia and pretend we’re sitting on a sandy, breezy beach, with a glass of cold in hand. If we wander over to the Gabbas property (a topped-off glass of wine still in hand, of course), we’ll find vineyards sitting among the olive groves, all cared for by Giuseppe Gabbas, a retired lawyer who’s revered as one of the best winemakers on the island. Yeah, the wanderlust is hitting us hard, too.

Drinking & pairing ideas: Shrimp cocktail, an overzealous cheese plate (kidding! we support ​ cheese plates of all kinds!), or some lightly charred, herby veggies topped with grated parmesan.

NV Cantina Paltrinieri “Sant'Agata” Lambrusco di Sorbara Secco Grape: Lambrusco di Sorbara Region: Emilia-Romagna, Italy Retail: $15.99 / bottle or $157 / case (that’s $13.08 / bottle if you buy 12) Pronunciation: “lam-broo-sko”

Wife-and-husband duo Barbara & Alberto Paltrinieri are fourth-generation winemakers in the lush, clay-roof-filled Emilia-Romagna region that sits between Venice, Milan, and Florence. We’re always on the lookout for excellent sparkling red wines to share with you, and this refreshing bottle of dry (aka not sweet) Lambrusco is exactly what the doctor ordered.

A quick note here — “NV” stands for non-, which just means that the grapes that went into this bottle weren’t all picked in the same year. A 2018 “vintage”, for example, would mean that all the grapes were picked in 2018. This is very common with sparkling wines, including .

Drinking & pairing ideas: This would be a super fun weekend brunch pairing. Try it with a ​ saucy sausage hash, chilaquiles, smoked fish, or leftover pizza. Serve chilled.

2015 Barone Cornacchia d'Abruzzo Grape: Montepulciano Region: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy Retail: $21.99 / bottle or $210 / case (that’s $17.50 / bottle if you buy 12) Pronunciation: “mon-teh-pull-cha-no da-brootz-oh”

Barone Cornacchia is a working farm on property that’s been around since the 1500s. Today, the wine is made by brother-sister team Filippo and Caterina Cornacchia, who have worked hard to modernize the winery and earn organic certification, which has helped them gain international recognition. With that much history and heart, this is one to chew on.

Drinking & pairing ideas: We’d highly recommend starting with a glass while you sear a simple ​ salt-and-pepper steak — just make sure to save some to go with the steak. Or, if you’re less meat-inclined, prioritize some self love and have this with eggplant parmesan.

*As always, our food suggestions are just starting points. Wine is nostalgic and we’re big fans of making what you like, drinking what you like, and not giving a damn if they “go” together.