We've got so much deliciousness for you: a crisp white, a dry pink, a chilled red, a big bold blend, a delicately sweet sparkling pink wine, and our favorite wine cooler (yes, we said wine cooler). You're gonna want each and every one of them for your next cookout, no joke, they're all delicious, and they're all made from organically grown grapes.
Poderi Cellario Langhe Favorita 2017
You might know the Favorita grape by another name, that is Vermentino. Poderi Cellario is in Piedmont, more specifically in the Langhe, where Italy's most famous Nebbiolo wines are grown, but they specialize in Dolcetto, as their land is mostly in Dogliani. Their Favorita is crisp and fine. Raised in stainless steel and bottled with minimal sulfur additions and no fining or filtering, it is made with minimal intervention, and it's purity is evident in the glass. Serve it chilled, of course, and you've got an ideal summer sipper.
Francois Chidaine Touraine Rosé 2018
Chidaine is a name to know. His most famous wines, from Vouvray and Montlouis, are among the finest whites in the world, but he has a small property in Touraine where he makes extraordinarily reasonably priced wines that deserve more attention. His 2018 rosé is a blend of Grolleau, Pinot Noir and Gamay, and it is delicious. Tart red fruits as well as subtle floral and herbal notes combine beautifully, before it turns mineral and crisp on the finish.
Beurer Rot Trocken 2017
Most Americans have never tasted a German red wine. There are probably a few reasons for this, but one might be that excellent dry red wine from Germany can get pretty pricey. Beurer is a small biodynamic grower in Baden-Wurttemberg and we are psyched that we can offer this delicious blend for $20. A blend of Spatburgunder (aka Pinot Noir), Dornfelder, Cabernet Dorio and Portugieser, it is juicy and spicy up front, with gentle tannins and vivacious acids. It is the perfect kind of red to serve with a slight chill.
Precedent Zinfandel 'Evangelho Vineyard' 2016
This wine is not inexpensive, but when you look at what everyone else charges when they make a wine from Evangelho, it is suddenly in the realm of spectacular bargains. Planted in 1890, the Evangelho vineyard is one of the oldest in California, and it is an important and unique part of America's viticultural heritage. It is mainly planted to Zinfandel, but as typical of these ancient plantings, it is mixed with many other grapes, here Mataro (aka Mourvedre), Carignane and even some white grapes like Palomino and Muscat. Dense, thick and textured, this bold old dog is intense! Rich dark fruits are at the fore, but myriad spicy notes provide lots of counterpoint. What is so gratifying, is the fresh acidity and long pure finish; this is not a hot or sticky Zin, and a second glass is perhaps far too easy to approach.
Stephane Serol 'Turbullent' NV
From a high density planting of Gamay, comes one of the most interesting sparkling wines you'll ever taste. This wine is made in the "ancestrale style" or in the parlance of our day, it is a "pet nat". That is, unlike Champagne, only one fermentation occurs. The wine is bottled while still fermenting, finishing the process in the bottle to capture carbon dioxide and make a bubbly wine. A little grapey, but in a most delectable way, one will also find notes of raspberry, blackberry, herbs and flowers. Delicately sweet, but finessed and fresh, this level of gulpability is uncommon; if you're having friends over you'll need two.
Ramona Grapefruit
We didn't expect to like this stuff, let alone love it. A blend of organic Moscato with and Sicilian grapefuit juice, this stuff pretty much tastes like the most deliciously sweet grapefruit you've ever tasted. Nuff said. If you like grapefruit, you gotta try it.