Copyright© Vino Venue 2021 June 2021 Wine Club Selections • Only one bottle of each wine may be selected • Some bottles only allowed at 6-bottle membership level only • Please use online portal or email your selections BEFORE coming in to the store • A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section is at the end of this document • Bonus Wines: Members get 1st dibs on buying allocated wines June Virtual Tasting June’s Wine Club Virtual Tasting will be Friday 6/25 at 7:00pm. Michael D’Amato - National Sales Manager of Serendipity Imports - will be the guest host. Wine #8 Lunaria Orsogna “Costa di Moro“ Montepulciano and Wine #9 Lunaria Orsogna “Ruminat“ Primivito are the June club selections that will be featured, as we explore Abruzzo – on the Adriatic coast of Italy. If you selected either wine, you’ll be emailed a zoom invite on Thursday 6/24. If you didn’t choose these wines, but still want an invite, please let me know. ABV (Alcohol by Volume) and order of wines The ABV of each wine is listed after the varietal breakdown. The white wines are listed in order of body (lightest body to fullest body), as are the red wines, and the two wines (#13 and #14) for 6-bottle members. Please see the FAQ page for more info. White Wines 2019 Etyeki Kúria WHITE BLEND, Etyek-Buda, North Transdanubia, Hungary 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 60% Királyleányka, 40% Pinot Gris 12.0% ABV Just west of Budapest lies Etyek-Buda, an area of rolling hills and limestone soil that was planted by the Romans. When the Ottoman Empire spread its influence into Hungary in the 1500’s, most of the vines were ripped out, and not replanted until the 1700’s, as the Hungarian government imported German viti & viniculture experts to reestablish their wine industry. I visited Budapest way back in the day, but I was focused more on the local beers than the wines! Etyek-Buda is now known for light crisp whites and sparkling wines. Etyeki Kúria is one of the leading wineries of the region. Királyleányka (“Princess”) is the most popular indigenous variety, and brings white flowers, spice and lemon notes. Pinot Gris provides peach and dried honey. Stainless steel aging. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Summer in a glass, this refreshing white pairs perfectly with pulled chicken barbecue with Alabama white sauce and grilled corn; arugula salad topped with grilled chicken and goat cheese; grilled fish steaks with creamy mushroom risotto; tuna and avocado tartare; honey-glazed chicken wings; flash fried calamari; and crispy crab cakes. Or simply savor this lively white with soft cheeses such as Bûcheron, Crottin, or Brillat‐ Savarin. Copyright© Vino Venue 2021 2018 Silvan Ridge Winery PINOT GRIS, Willamette Valley, Oregon 4 and 6 bottle levels $21 (member price $18) 100% Pinot Gris 13.0% ABV We hosted Pacific Northwest Flight Fest in mid May. One of the biggest retail sellers that day was Silvan Ridge Pinot Gris, which was delicious paired that afternoon with a Dungeness Crab Salad. In 1979, Hinman Vineyards was founded just outside Eugene. Carolyn Chambers bought the winery in 1993, rebranding it Silvan Ridge, in honor of her maiden name. It’s now in the hands of the 2nd generation (Andrew & Julia Stiltner). The area around Eugene is a little warmer than the heart of Willamette Valley, so Silvan Ridge is also able grow Bordeaux varieties, Tempranillo and Pinot Gris. This Pinot Gris sees stainless steel aging, with notes of bosc pear, lime zest, gooseberry with a hint of oyster shell. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Serve this crisp and refreshing white with oysters on the half shell, creole shrimp with garlic and lemon, salmon mousse in cucumber cups, Yukon potato gnocchi with garden pesto, shrimp satay, creamy pasta dishes, roasted salmon with white wine sauce, pan-seared trout with grilled summer squash, quince-glazed pork chops and grilled herb chicken under a brick. This food friendly white is also excellent with classic cheeses like Muenster and Edam or more exotic selections like Garroxta and Caprino Tartufo truffled goat cheese. 2018 Pieropan GARGANEGA, Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy 4 and 6 bottle levels $21 (member price $18) 85% Garganega, 15% Trebbiano di Soave 13.5% ABV There’s a big difference between Soave and Soave Classico. Soave (“Swah-Vay“) can be made from a large area of flat vineyards, and these wines can be insipid, which dragged down the reputation of the area. Soave Classico is a much smaller, hillier area that has been farmed since the Romans. With Classico being reasonably priced, ALWAYS spend a bit extra to purchase Soave CLASSICO! Pieropan is a 4th generation family owned/operated winery, having been established in 1890 in the medieval village of Soave, east of Verona. White flowers, lemon zest, toasted almond. It has a yeasty character brought on by the extended lees aging, which is balanced by bright acidity. Stainless steel. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy this fresh and expressive white with garden tomato, burrata and basil antipasto drizzled with tangy balsamic, tempura seafood, vegetarian lasagna, Thai-style chicken salad with spicy peanut dressing, chicken curry over rice, scallop ceviche with a squeeze of lemon, pressed pancetta, tomato, Mozzarella and arugula panino, crispy fig arancini, flash fried calamari with a creamy citrus herb sauce, fresh sushi and fettuccine tossed with grilled prawns and grated lemon peel. Or simply sip a glass with regional cheeses like Crescenza, Asiago or Pecorino Romano. Copyright© Vino Venue 2021 2017 Yalumba VIOGNIER, Eden Valley, Barossa, South Australia, Australia 4 and 6 bottle levels $23 (member price $20) 100% Viognier 13.5% ABV We’ve featured Yalumba’s wines before in club. They are Australia’s oldest family owned winery, founded in 1849, and have set a quiet example of producing elegant food-friendly wines. The 6th generation of the family now operates the winery. The Barossa region has two parts: the better known warmer western half (Barossa Valley), and the lesser known cooler eastern half (Eden Valley). Viognier can be grown in warmer climates, but thrives in moderate climates. Yalumba’s Eden Valley Viognier is part of their Samuel’s Collection, named after their founder, Samuel Smith. 60% of the juice sees 10 months in neutral French oak, with regular bâtonnage – which explains the creamy texture. The other 40% sees stainless. Ripe yellow peach, apricot, ginger, saffron. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: This exotic white pairs beautifully with grilled seafood, sautéed diver scallops, veal scaloppine, mild Thai curry dishes, mussels meunier, New Orleans jambalaya, lemony grilled chicken with summer veggies, crispy crab cakes with smoked paprika rémoulade, pan-seared scallops tossed with garlic and white wine, and any type of spicy, exotic cuisine from Asian and Indonesian to North African. This flavorful white is also a refreshing companion to a variety of cheeses from the soft and rich, like Camembert and Explorateur, to the stinkiest of washed rind cheeses, such as Epoisses. Rosé Wine 2020 Casas del Bosque ROSÉ OF PINOT NOIR, Casablanca Valley, Chile 4 and 6 bottle levels $18 (member price $16) 100% Pinot Noir 13.0% ABV This single vineyard Rosé is made with Pinot Noir grapes planted on the coolest, westernmost reaches of the Casablanca Valley. Grown on hillside blocks facing from north-east to north-west, the vines were planted between 2006 and 2008. Red iron-rich granitic soils – just 12 miles from the Pacific help explain the freshness. Owned/operated by the Cuneo family. Pale in color. Strawberry, watermelon, grapefruit, hint of minerality. Stainless steel aging. Not a fancy wine; just balanced and delicious. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy this refreshing rosé with smoked fish spread, fresh goat cheese topped salads, vegetable tempura, sushi rolls, grilled romaine salad topped with blue cheese, salmon Niçoise, saucy pulled pork barbecue, grilled burgers topped with garlic aioli, braised pork sliders, bacon and Swiss quiche, truffle oil roasted salmon and crispy seared duck with a cherry‐spiked wine reduction. This picnic-perfect rosé is equally delightful with creamy cheeses, marinated olives and charcuterie. Copyright© Vino Venue 2021 Sparkling Wine 2018 Bodegas Naveran “Brut Nature“ SPARKLING CAVA, Penedes, Spain 4 and 6 bottle levels $21 (member price $18) 40% Macabeo, 30% Parellada, 20% Chardonnay, 10% Xarel-lo 12.0% ABV In the mid 19th century, Pablo Parellada emigrated to Argentina to make his fortune. Upon his return to Spain, he married the daughter of the Marquis of Naveran, Sire of Guernika, and bought the estate upon which the family would settle. Bodegas Naveran’s tagline for this Brut Nature is “the least expensive vintage organic sparkling wine on the planet“. 25-50 year old vines from their estate in the town of Torrelivit in Alt Penedes, just south of Barcelona. Limestone / sandy soil. Brut Nature indicates zero grams residual sugar, so it’s bone-dry. Xarel-lo and Chardonnay contribute body, Macabeo gives aromatic intensity, and Parellada lends acidity. 18 months on the lees for greater complexity and creaminess. Meyer lemon, green apple, bartlett pear, gardenias. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: These bubbles are the perfect aperitif, and just as effortlessly transition to a meal and even dessert. Enjoy this sparkler with roasted halibut over creamy garlic whipped potatoes; mustard-roasted pork loin over butternut squash polenta; panko-crusted chicken over mixed greens with a sliver of Brie; chicken in a rosé cream sauce over wild rice; tomato, basil and mozzarella topped flatbread; pork braised in champagne vinegar with creamy edamame risotto. After dinner enjoy more bubbles with fresh fruit, soft cheeses like Camembert, baked Brie topped with fresh herbs and drizzled with truffle oil, Brillat-Savarin or bloomy-rind goat cheese.