wines for an urban autumn When I caught myself longing for the warmth of the sun, at the same time as giddying about the chance to wear a scarf, the reality of fall sets in. As the seasonal ingredients on Chef Andrew Zimmerman’s menu make the transition from sweet corns to mushrooms, the wine list undergoes a similar evolution in style. Aside from our usual efforts made to highlight wines that are produced using organic, biodynamic and sustainable agricultural practices, the current wines-by-the-glass program replicates our desire to grab on to the best parts of both seasons. As usual, this collection of wines reflects our commitment to quality, value, and the promotion of lesser-known grape varietals and regions with an emphasis on small production wineries and the classics. On top of all this, a sprinkle of warmth and spices to get you use to the idea that foliage is only around the corner. Arthur Hon U sommelier & beverage director Bringing Your Own? Our corkage fee is $25/bottle. We kindly ask that you not bring wine that is offered on our list. One bottle limit per table and no large format, please. table of contents section | page | the wine geeks’ soap box features & notables features & notables 1 | wines by the glass apéritif wines by the glass 1 sake 日本酒 1 champagne + sparkling | sparkling cider 2 white | rosé + flor | red 3 stickies 4 digestif | vin de liqueur | madeira 4 jerez de la frontera & montilla-moriles 5 port 5 | libations from the bar cocktails libations 1 beers 3 non-alcoholic 3 | wines by the bottle iconoclast iconoclast 1 table of contents section | page | wines by the bottle champagne + sparkling sparkling 1 white Austria white wines 1 Germany 3 Italy 5 Greece | Hungary | Croatia + Slovenia 7 Spain | Portugal 8 – 9 France 10 South Africa | New Zealand | Australia | South America 15 United States 17 sake 日本酒 sake 1 orange + rosé orange + rosé 1 red Austria | Germany red wines 1 – 2 Italy 3 Greece | Bosnia + Croatia + Slovenia | Lebanon 7 Spain | Portugal 8 – 11 France 12 South Africa | New Zealand | Australia 15 – 16 South America | Canada 17 United States 18 large format large 1 sweet sweet 1 features & notables | the wine geeks’ soap box Arthur Hon U sommelier & beverage director Lee Anderson h assistant sommelier features & notables | the wine geeks’ soap box 2007 Sepia celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. So, do I. To mark this momentous occasion of “double-ten,” I have choosen ten wines from the 2007 vintage that reflect my growth and personal point of view in wine. The price for each of them, of course, is one hundred dolloars. Have to be cheeky here. | sparkling 07 Gramona Gran Reserva Brut Nature III Lustros, Cava-Penedès, Spain (Xarel-lo/Macabeo) | whit 07 FX Pichler Sauvignon Blanc Smaragd, Oberloiben, Wachau, Austria 07 Savennières Clos du Papillon, Domaine des Baumard, Loire, France (Chenin Blanc) | red 07 Montenidoli Sono Montenidoli, Toscana, Italy (Sangiovese) 07 La Stoppa Macchiona, Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (Babera/Bonarda) 07 Ocone Anàstasi, Aglianico del Taburno, Campania, Italy (Aglianico) 07 Domaine Skouras Megas Oenos, Peloponnese, Greece (Aghiorghitiko/Cabernet Sauvignon) 07 Adega Regional de Colares Ramisco Arenae, Colares, Portugal 500 ml 07 Viña von Siebenthal Montelìg, Aconcagua Valley, Chile (Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère) 07 Pax Cuvée Moriah, Sonoma County, California (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre) features & notables | 1 features & notables | the wine geeks’ soap box cliffsnotes: the pet project I’m the daughter of a diplomat and grew up in four different countries. My friends were the children of aid workers, embassy staff, and the occasional politicians. As adults, they customarily followed the footsteps of their parents. But me? Not so much. I chose wine. Family and tradition are major influences in French wine making. Most vintners are born into families that have been making wine—including great wine—in the same places and with the same methods for generations. But there are renegades among them, who have a yen for experimentation. What would happen if they redirect their passion away from the paths that have set before them? I’m drawn to such wines. They remind me of my family’s itch for regular infusions of new experiences. Lee Anderson h assistant sommelier 05 Trio Infernal No.1/3, Combier/Fisher/Gerin, Priorat, Spain (Garnatxa/Carinyena) 89 Three well established winemakers from southern France formed the partnership of Trio Infernal. Laurent Combier of Crozes-Hermitage, Peter Fischer of Provence, and Jean-Michel Gerin of Côte-Rôtie joined forces to create wines in the notable Spanish wine region of Priorat. Their wines are tradition-bound while being innovative and provocative. They combined the flamboyant and fruit-forward excitement of modern winemaking with the complexity and power of old vines. No. 1/3 is an intense red with notes of fig, prune and dark cherry. The palate is full-bodied with a wonderfully spicy edge. Hints of vanilla from oak barrels make a welcome appearance on a lengthy finish! features & notables | 2 features & notables | the wine geeks’ soap box cliffsnotes continued 14 Val de Loire Grolleau Clau de Nell, Anne Claude Leflaive, Loire, Frace 116 The late Anne-Claude Leflaive ran Domaine Leflaive, a landmark producer in the prized Burgundy commune of Puligny-Montrachet. She pioneered the now widespread practice of biodynamic viticulture, ran a wine school, and never worried about getting her hands dirty. In 2008, Anne-Claude acquired the Clau de Nell estate in the Loire Valley as a project to promote biodynamic practices across France. This bottling of Grolleau is a beautiful offering of bright aromas of black raspberry and blackberry followed by fresh violets, minerals and black tea leaf which unwind slowly and exquisitely on the palate. Sadly, 2014 was the last vintage made by Anne-Claude; she passed away in 2015. 14 Résonance Pinot Noir Résonance Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton District, Willamette Valley 137 Résonance balances tradition and technology in the vinification process. This project focuses on the purest terroir expression of Oregon’s Yamhill-Carlton District AVA. Résonance Vineyard is of the oldest dry-farmed vineyards in the Willamette Valley. This is the first offering of the iconic Burgundy house Louis Jadot outside of Burgundy. Jacques Lardière, the world-renowned winemaker of Louis Jadot, handcrafted the bottles at Résonance. Notably pale, this Pinot Noir is delicately perfumed, relatively light and herbal, subtle and savory. It finishes bone dry. features & notables | 3 seasonal selection | wines by the glass seasonal selection | wines by the glass apéritif Niepoort Dry White Port 10 06 Atzori, Vernaccia di Oristano, Sardegna, Italy (Vernaccia di Oristano) 13 Château d’Orignac Pineau des Charentes, Cognac 14 Rare Wine Company Malmsey Madeira New York Special Reserve 15 René Geoffroy Ratafia, Aÿ, Champagne 16 Bodegas Tradicion Palo Cortado VORS Sherry 30-years 17 | by the bottle Los Infantes de Orleans Borbóns Manzanilla Sherry 375 ml 30 sake | 日本酒 Shower of Blossoms 花吹雪 小鼔| Junmai Daiginjo U Nishiyama Shuzo, Hyogo Prefecture 13 Mutemuka 無手無冠 | Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu U Mutemuka Shuzo, Kochi Prefecture 15 Shichida 七田 | Junmai U Tenzan Shuzo, Saga Prefecture 17 U Please find sommelier’s insight in section: Sake, Wines by The Bottle. wines by the glass | 1 seasonal selection | wines by the glass champagne + sparkling NV Jansz Brut Premium Cuvée, Tamar Valley, Tasmania, Australia (Chardonnay/Pinot Noir & Meunier) 14 09 Stony Brook Vineyards Lyle – Cap Classique, Franschhoek, South Africa (Chardonnay/Pinot Noir) 16 NV Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve, Kamptal, Austria (Grüner Veltliner/Pinot Noir/Riesling) 18 NV Jean-Marc Sélèque Brut Solessence, Pierry, Champagne (Chardonnay/Pinot Meunier/Pinot Noir) U 20 13 The Bolney Estate Blanc de Blancs Brut, Sussex, England (Chardonnay) 23 NV Bruno Paillard Brut Rosé Première Cuvée, Reims, Champagne (Pinot Noir/Chardonnay) 25 U Denotes RM Champagne. Please find sommelier’s insight in section: Champagne + Sparkling, Wines by The Bottle. sparkling cider 15 Stefan Vetter Apfelperlwein Méthode Rurale, Franken, Germany 14 wines by the glass | 2 seasonal selection | wines by the glass white 13 Domaine Glinavos, Zitsa, Epirus, Greece (Debina) 14 14 Hajszan Neumann Gemischter Satz Nußberg, Wien, Austria (Grüner Veltliner/Pinot Blanc/Traminer) 16 14 Bordeaux Le Sec de Rayne-Vigneau, Château de Rayne-Vigneau, France (Sauvignon Blanc) 17 03 Riesling Grand Cru Rangen, Château d’Orschwihr, Alsace, France 18 09 Brokenwood Sémillon Oakey Creek Vineyard, Hunter Valley, New South Wales 19 15 Pieropan Calvarino, Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy (Garganega) 19 13 Greywacke Chardonnay, Marlborough, New Zealand 22 rosé 15 Côtes de Provence Cru Classé, Clos Cibonne, France (Tibouren/Grenache) 16 red 15 Pinot Meunier Trocken Heitlinger, Baden, Germany 14 11 Zlatan Otok Plavac, Hvar, Dalmacija, Croatia (Plavac Mali) 16 14 Garage Wine Company Cabernet Franc Lot 62 – La Higuera Vineyard, Maule Valley, Chile 18 10 Còlpetrone, Sagrantino di Montefalco, Umbria, Italy (Sagrantino) 19 06 Quinta da Boavista Terras de Tavares, Dão, Portugal (Jaen/Touriga Nacional) 20 98 Casa Juan Señor de Lesmos Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain (Tempranillo/Mazuelo) 22 12 Côteaux Varois-en-Provence Titien de Margüi, Château Margüi, France (Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon) 22 wines by the glass | 3 seasonal selection | wines by the glass stickies NV Viñedo de los Vientos Alcyone, Atlant, Uruguay (Tannat) 14 14 Emilio Bulfon Moscato Rosa, delle