Copyright© Vino Venue 2021 August 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 August Virtual Tasting August’s Wine Club Virtual Tasting will be Friday 8/27 at 7:00pm. Drew Nenow, Winemaker and Production Manager of ONX Wines will be the guest host. Wine #12 ONX Wines “Indie Riot“ and Wine #14 ONX Wines “Mad Crush“ are the August club selections that will be featured, as we explore the Templeton Gap District of Paso Robles. If you selected either wine, you’ll be emailed a zoom invite on Thursday 8/26. 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 variety 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 2020 Pine Ridge Vineyards CHENIN BLANC VIOGNIER, California 4 and 6 bottle levels $18 (member price $16) 80% Chenin Blanc, 20% Viognier 11.7% ABV Founded in 1978 by Gary Andrus in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, Pine Ridge is now synonomous with Cabernet Sauvignon of power and elegance. In 1995, they created an experimental white blend of Chenin Blanc and Viognier, sold at their tasting room only. It became an immediate sensation, because it’s nice to sip a crisp chilled white as a break from the brawny reds, especially during the warm summers in Napa. The Chenin Blanc was harvested in Clarksburg, a cooler area in the Sacramento River Delta. The Viognier is from Lodi, a warmer area in the Central Valley. The Chenin Blanc brings high acid, citrus, dry honey and golden apple. The Viognier contributes plush body, floral and peach flavors. Aged in stainless to preserve the pure fruit. This is an off-dry wine. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy this unique and versatile blend with just about anything from the sea, including fresh sushi rolls, raw oysters, citrusy ceviche, Mexican shrimp and avocado tostada, shrimp fried rice, tuna and avocado tartare, smoked salmon stuffed eggs, crispy crab cakes, and flash fried calamari. This is also the perfect pour for dishes with a bit of heat like Pad Thai, pulled pork tacos with candied jalapeño, Thai curries, honey sriracha glazed chicken wings, New Orleans Jambalaya and Chorizo burgers topped with caramelized sweet onion, fried egg and smoky bacon. Or simply savor a glass with Bûcheron, Crottin, or Brillat‐Savarin. Copyright© Vino Venue 2021 2020 Weingut Fürst ELBLING, Mosel, Germany 1-Liter Bottle 4 and 6 bottle levels $21 (member price $18) 100% Elbling 13.0% ABV Elbling has been grown in Germany since Roman times. It was Germany’s most planted variety until the early 20th century, when the world’s thirst for wines with sweetness increased, and people moved from Elbling to Riesling. The Fürst family has grown grapes on their estate since the 13th century. 70% of their Elbling vines are over 20 years old. Almost all the Elbling in Germany today can be found in Mosel, although coïncidentally, this grape is called Albana in Romagna, and we featured Celli Vini Albana in July club! It’s a thick- skinned grape, hence the darker color of the juice. Puckery lime, zesty lemon, yellow peach, white flowers. This is a dry wine that was aged in stainless steel. Packaged in a 1-liter bottle. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Try this unique white with spicy Sichuan cuisine, Thai red curry beef over rice, cured fish with nutty sesame noodles, Indian coconut curry chicken with apricot couscous, grilled shrimp with a squeeze of lemon juice and sliced avocados, spicy stir fry, lemongrass chicken with sticky rice, classic bánh mì, sesame chicken with crispy vegetable tempura, shrimp and mango tacos topped with cilantro crema, and chili-lime and cumin rubbed halibut with a citrusy slaw. After dinner, enjoy a glass of this aromatic white with hard goat cheeses, aged cheeses, sliced strawberries or a caramelized pear and blue cheese tart. 2018 Albert Bichot CHARDONNAY, Mâcon-Villages, Mâconnaise, Burgundy, France 4 and 6 bottle levels $21 (member price $18) 100% Chardonnay 13.0% ABV We’ve featured Albert Bichot’s wines throughout the years at VV, both in club and on the shelves. They are a negociant that has become a darling of Decanter magazine because of their value. The Bichot family has been in Burgundy since 1350, and founded their wine business in 1831. The vineyard for their Mâcon-Villages is in the Mâconnaise, between Côte de Beaune and Beaujolais. The climate is slightly less harsh there than in Côte de Beaune. Clay and sand soil overlying limestone bedrock. Eight months aging (20% neutral French oak, 80% stainless steel). Lemon zest, tangy green apple, honeysuckle blossoms, chalky minerality. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: This chardonnay is the perfect match for shellfish, seafood and white meats in cream sauce. Try a glass with shrimp drizzled with garlic butter sauce, scallop bisque topped with crème fraîche, trout with asparagus, maple teriyaki glazed salmon with couscous and pineapple chutney, chicken in white wine sauce over wild mushroom risotto, creamy pasta Alfredo topped with blackened chicken, and pork chops over toasted polenta with Brie and sautéed mushrooms. This chardonnay is also the perfect partner for full-flavored cheeses like Tete de Moine, creamy Camembert, Halloumi and Brillat‐Savarin. Copyright© Vino Venue 2021 Sparkling Wines NV Col di Luna “Flora“ SPARKLING GLERA, Prosecco, Veneto, Italy 4 and 6 bottle levels $21 (member price $18) 100% Glera 11.0% ABV Flora is different than mass market Prosecco. Single vineyard, from Cappella Maggiore, in the foothills of the Dolomites, next to Valdobbiadene. Family owned, tiny production. Native yeasts are used, and with just 2 grams/liter of RS, Flora is bone dry. The alcohol is modest, because they harvest the grapes earlier in the season. Unfined and unfiltered, aged on the lees for 6 months. Zippy citrus, green apple, alpine flowers. Crown cap closure. Linguine with Clams - serves 4 Ingredients: -- 2 tbsp kosher salt, plus more for serving -- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving -- 12 garlic cloves, divided -- 1/3 cup dry white wine -- 4 oz sourdough bread, cut into 1/2 inch pieces -- 2 lbs littleneck clams (about 24), scrubbed -- 2 tbsp + ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving -- 12 oz linguine -- 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest -- ½ cup finely chopped parsley -- 2 oil-packed anchovy filets (optional) -- 2 tbsp unsalted butter Instructions: Bring 2 tbsp kosher salt and 10 cups of water into a boil in a large pot. In a food processor, pulse 3 garlic cloves until chopped. Add bread, and pulse until fine bread crumbs form. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add breadcrumb mixture and heat, stirring often until crumbs are crisp and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, add lemon zest, season with salt, toss to combine. Set aside. Wipe out Dutch oven. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, very thinly slice the remaining 9 garlic cloves. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in Dutch oven. Cook garlic, stirring often until edges are golden (about 2-3 minutes). Add anchoves (if using) and ½ cup red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring until garlic is golden and anchovies dissolved. Stir in wine, and cook until only a couple of tbsp of liquid are left. Add the clams and toss to combine. Cover Dutch oven and cook until the clams open (about 5-7 minutes). Uncover pot, transfer clams to a bowl, leaving liquid in Dutch oven. If any clams are still closed, cover pot, and give them a few more minutes. If they are still closed, discard. Cover clams with foil. Cook the linguine for 5 minutes in the boiling water, then scoop out 2 cups pasta water. Using tongs, transfer the linguine to the pot with clam liquid. Add 1 cup pasta water and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly – adding more pasta water if needed – until the pasta is al dente, and the sauce is glossy and clinging to the linguine (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat. Add parsley and butter, stirring until butter is melted. Sprinkle 1/3 of breadcrumbs on linguine and toss to combine. Add more breadcrumbs as needed depending on how much liquid is on the bottom of the pot. You want the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the sauce, but not make it dry. Add extra salt if needed. Top linguine with clams, breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes and olive oil. Serve immediately. Copyright© Vino Venue 2021 NV Domaine Saint Vincent SPARKLING ROSÉ OF PINOT NOIR, American Wine 4 and 6 bottle levels $21 (member price $18) 100% Pinot Noir 12.0% ABV Domaine Saint Vincent is new to the market. It’s another label from the folks at Gruet, one of the U.S.A.’s legacy traditional method sparkling wine producers since 1984, from vineyards south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Domaine Saint Vincent represents a more playful label than the traditional label of Gruet. It’s labeled as American Wine. While all the fruit is currently from New Mexico, they are reserving the right to source fruit from elsewhere in the future.