Events
TASTING SCHEDULE
Sunday, December 3rd: Mendocino County
Every bottle of wine is a gamble. There are ways of minimizing risk, of course, and some experts rarely bet wrong. But as long as natural wine prides itself on resisting commercial imperatives to uniformity and predictability, there will always be a margin of error, and in some ways that’s kind of the point. I like being right as much as the next person, but these wines are alive, and missing the mark from time to time keeps things interesting. In the worst case, you’re a little disappointed; in the best, the opposite happens. You’re still wrong, but in the best possible way: you’re surprised. That's what it was like tasting Dan Marioni’s wines for the first time, especially “Fields,” a rich blend of red fruit from Mendocino County. Having gotten used to writing off anything domestic that could be described as “jammy,” or “powerful,” or "containing Petit Sirah," every part of me was prepared to hate it. But in the end, I couldn’t. Here was a wine that smelled like root beer and wild mushroom, tasted like clove-infused raspberry jam, and was every bit as expressive and compelling as some of my favorite bottles from France, Italy, or Spain. In this way, “Fields” is as sobering as it is intoxicating — a humbling reminder that there is always more to learn, discover, and look forward to. Join us this Sunday to taste “Fields” and four other gems from California’s North Coast. Skeptics welcome. <3 The lineup: - Unturned Stone Mendocino Ridge Chardonnay 2021 - Populis "Macerated White" 2022 - Broc Cellars "Amore Bianco" 2022 - Slow Dance "Frizzante" 2022 - Marioni "Fields" 2019 Sunday 12/3 ~ 2pm/5pm ~ $15 |
Sunday, November 19th: Thanksgiving Wine Picks
The holidays are officially upon us and I get the impression that some of you are slightly stressed. And having personally already lost several hours to turkey logistics alone, I don’t blame you. In deciding what to pour for this tasting, I had to return to the drawing board several times, mostly because I still don’t really know what I’m making for Thanksgiving, when I’m making it, or who exactly I’m serving it to. In the absence of a menu or a guest list, I felt adrift. How can you make careful drink plans without these most basic of details? After much fretting, I decided that you simply can’t — and now I am free. So my message to you all this week is the following: do not worry about the wine at Thanksgiving. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to come up with a perfect pairing; it isn't worth it. Just drink things that'll stand up to an indulgent feast without weighing you down. Naturally, we've got plenty of Beaujolais that fits the bill, but the shop is bursting with other options as well. Swing by on Sunday to sip these contenders while you shop:- Thierry Hesnault Pétillant Naturel 2022 (Plantet, Chenin)
- Marioni Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Terpin Quinto Quarto Bianco Sivi 2022 (Pinot Grigio)
- Michel Guignier ‘La Bonne Pioche’ 2021 (Gamay)
- Absentee Flaws 2020
Sunday, 11/19 - 2PM to 5PM - $15