Joe's Winos Wine Club MARCH 2017

KLINKER

BRICK WINERY ALBARIÑO 2015

Albariño is finally venturing out from its native home in Galicia and into the new world! It seemed like a natural fit. In Northwest Spain, cold Atlantic breezes balance out warm summers allowing this crisp varietal to express a note of fresh salt air. The earliest plantings of Albariño in California were on the southern tip of Napa Valley at the edge of San Pablo Bay's tidal flats where the ocean's influence was apparent in the wine's profile. These early experiments were hit a miss and soon, more inland plantings yielded much more exciting results. Shifting focus from marine influence to the beautiful tropical profile and crisp acidity, Klinker Brick's Lodi plantings of Albariño show the polished results of how an old world varietal can truly thrive in California. Bold lemon zest, pear and kumquat introduce a unique medley of apricot, prickly pear, jasmine, beeswax, wild flowers, wet stone and a dash of salt. The palate is juicy and almost full bodied with plenty of salty mineral notes alongside lemon, baked pear and white pepper with a floral, tart finish. Don't serve this too cold. If it's been in the fridge all day, give it 15 minutes to warm up.

Pairings:

Asian Pear and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese, Pizza with a zesty Pesto

CHATEAU PEYBONHOMME LES TOURS

CÔTES DE BORDEAUX 2014

Legend has it that a group of refugees, known as Les Bons Hommes or "The Good Men" fleeing the Cathars in 13th century France sought refuge on a hill (pey) resulting in the slightly untranslatable Pey-Bonhomme. This Bordeaux is Demeter Certified Biodynamic which is extremely unique for the region. Mildew and other pests plague Bordeaux and many growers have responded with chemical solutions. The flaw in this approach is a loss in the microbiology of the vineyard's soils. Various microbes and fungi serve as the translators of a region's terroir. These are aerobic organisms and pesticides wipe them out. Biodynamics takes particular note of maintaining an aerobic environment in their vineyards resulting in vastly more expressive wines. The Blaye sits on Bordeaux's "right bank" and grows primarily Merlot blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Beydonhomme Les Tour's Cru de Presige offers ample plum, pomegranate syrup, saddle leather, and nutmeg backed by subtle cigar box, sweet tobacco, cedar and dried dark roses. This medium to light bodied blend has considerable tannins that bookend the entire wave of tart red fruit, leather, and dried herbs returning with a distinctive cocktail bitters finish.

PAIRINGS:

Shepherd’s Pie, French Lentils With Garlic and Thyme, Savoury Pithiviers