Staff Picks

On the nose: smoke, lemon, ginger, toasted bread, white flowers; the palate reflects the flor-aging with savory/umami notes giving way to orchard fruit, delicate green herbs, & subtle hints of honey. The finish is long & graceful…

Family operated since 1670, vines up to 100 years old, currently led by Eva Clüsserath. Riesling from 2 steep-sloped sites in middle Mosel. Slate, green fruit, delicate flowers, fresh herbs, apple, lime, dry finish. Native yeast fermentation.

Sanzay is a Clos Rougeard neighbor; both have pieces of the same vineyard, “Les Poyeux." Mushrooms, damp-earth wrapped around pure fruit make for umami-goodness. Tree bark & wet stones play minor notes in the background. Soft, chewy tannins. Organic.

Organically farmed, single vineyard. 10 days carbonic maceration, then de-stemmed & fermented on skins another 4 days; aged in neutral french oak for 10 months. Soft & smooth w/ strawberry/rhubarb, anise, lavender. Slightly chill for a classy summer red.

Single-vineyard, hand-harvested, de-stemmed, aged in neutral french oak for 10 months. Tart cranberry, lavender, forest floor on the nose. Mouth-watering acidity, red fruits & cranberry, savory/earthy notes on the palate.

Single-vineyard, hand-harvested, natural yeast ferment in neutral French oak. Aged on the lees for 8 months. Full & lush fruit gives way to salty-sea influenced minerality, wet stones, crisp apple. Finishes with a touch of toast. Very pretty.

Sunshine in a bottle.

Sourced from multiple vineyards in Santa Barbara County, including some estate owned, this go-to Pinot mingles notes of clove and anise with strawberry and raspberry. It’s a versatile, food-friendly red at a pretty nice price.

Biodynamic sparkler from Alsace made from Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Auxerrois, & Chardonnay. Silky, floral, limestone-chalky, touch of leafy, tropical notes emerge, then subtle toast on the finish.

See note below.

Biodynamic blend of Spätburgunder, Dornfelder, & Portugeiser from Remstal, Germany. 40-60 year old vines. Unfiltered, unfined, low SO2. Herbal, earthy, wild strawberry, silky tannins.

For the math lover? Hand-harvested Garnacha Blanca from 60+ yr old vines; 6 months in French oak. Apples, pear, melon; lightly creamy texture with lemony acidity & hints of herbs. Pair w/fish, veggie pasta, chicken, pork loin w/rosemary & thyme...

Light & dry Piedmont red. Crunchy red fruit: cranberries, plums, cherries; light tannins, lots of minerality. Food friendly.

Rustic, red cherries, earthy mins & dry tannins on the finish; fermented in French oak for 14 days, 6 mos in stainless.

Biodynamic Chardonnay put into a copper cauldron with 25 spices heated over a wood fire, then put into barrels with 1/3 Marc de Franche-Comté (brandy) & aged for 5 years. Lush, honeyed, heady flowers just on the other side of full bloom. Delicious.

Hand-harvested Nebbiolo from the Mottalciata Vineyard, on soils of sand, gravel, & volcanic rock. Fermented in cement. Delicious, easy-drinking red, with earthy aromatics, low-toned fruit, & a zesty finish. Pizza, pasta, etc.

A friendly farmer-fizz made of 90% Pinot Noir & 10% Chardonnay, aged 2 years on the lees, bottled with 9g dosage. Rich & ripe flavors of apricots, apples, & pears. Easy-peasy crowd-pleaser.

Mostly old-vine Grenache w/small amounts of Syrah, Cab, & Merlot. Aged 12 months in American & Eastern oak (30% new). Soft, full-bodied, black plum & cherry, dried flowers & spice. Nice, lifted finish w/smooth tannins.

100% Merlot mostly from an old plot of over 100 year-old vines. Blended in an underground glass-lined tank followed by 12 months in barrel. Soft ripe fruit, structured, balanced–crowd-pleaser.

Organic, dry (sugar less than 2g/L) Prosecco from 100% Glera grown at the foot of the Dolomites. Delicate flowers, pears, crisp green apple. Have as aperitif, with sushi, fresh veggies and mild cheeses. Etc.

Aromatic blend of Malvasia del Lazio, Malvasia di Candia, & Trebbiano Toscano from low-yielding vines. White flowers, tropical fruit, fresh melon, a little almond on the finish.