TWO

Flonheim, Rheinhessen, Germany 

Vin de LaGamba is a project started by Alanna de LaGamba, a Canadian winemaker working out of Germany. In her early 20s she traveled to intern at Martin Wormer's family winery in Rheinhessen and never left. If you're a 4 bottle member, you might remember his barrel aged Pinot Noir from December's Wine Club that was dedicated to her called 'Cuvee Alanna'. 

Alanna takes a playful approach to winemaking. The past 2 vintages she's made a single red, explosively sparkling cuvée, also named 'Frauen Power' that she referred to as 'sports drink'. She made silly, 'cautionary' videos of friends popping open bottles because of said previously mentioned explosive quality. Since then, she's perfected the technique and your bottle shouldn't explode on you.

'Frauen Power', for those who might not be familiar with German, directly translastes to 'Woman Power'. It's about female empowerment. The wine has notes of herbs, red berries, cream soda and vanilla ice cream. I would recommend getting it ice cold and drinking it during the day.

Sete, Languedoc, France

Mylène started making wine in 2008 with her parcels of vines that are very much in the wild – thyme, rosemary, lavender, scrub oak and juniper are dense on the hillsides. Although there is a sense of these wild herbs and plants in her wine they do not dominate, nor are her wines too cooked considering how Mediterranean the climate is. Mylène's wines really speak of the place they come from and with her delicate touch achieve wonderful things.

 

This is what is called a Blanc de Noir, meaning 'white from red', i.e. a white wine made from red grapes. It's 90% Grenache Noir and 10% Black Muscat. Blanc de Noir wines are most commonly seen in Champagne, using Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier to make the sparkling white wine we all know and love. Increasingly we're seeing still wines made in experimental fashions from natural winemakers. For me, these wines are consistnelt some of my favorite. They truly offer a best of both worlds scenario. In this case there are notes of sweet jasmine on the nose. Then you get tons of ripe red fruits, white peach and light tannin, with a green/herby undertone. Medium acidity keeps it fresh and balances the sugary white tea notes. 

FOUR

Catalunya, Spain

From the back of the bottle, translated by Google Translate: "Place in the rugged Mediterranean landscape, megalithic monuments and temporal ponds in a protected natural space. We are Barbara, Joan Carles, his family and friends. They are the vineyards and the wines, born to respect and value the land and its biodiversity. Granitic terrain."

This is the premier project from a husband and wife team (and apparently their friends & family). By day he works as a fireman and seasonally as a winemaker. They are passionate about low-intervention winemaking. 

This is a very light red that is all about summer. Very slightly effervescent, it will bring you good times and tons of fun. 

Sierra Foothills, California, USA 

Mountain Misery was a winemaking project that is near and dear to my heart. Started by Shiva Osteen and Valley Lee in the Sierra Foothills where they both grew up, it is deeply Californian. They don't export outside the state, and have a committment to California winemaking unlike almost any winemakers I know. In 2021 they decided to part ways and are now pursuing individual winemaking projects that we can't wait to see come to fruition in the year to come. Feral Blush was their first rose and they knocked it out of the park.  

From Shiva: "Feral Blush is essentially Cabernet [Sauvignon] that has been foot tread in the press (basically direct press) and then macerated with white [grape] skins...mostly Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Semillon. that sat for like 10 days and then we pressed again and barrel aged the wine."

It tastes like guava, orange citrus, pineapple and summer. Brilliant acidity and pleasant structure. Perfect afternoon rose to share with friends.