fireside wines.
release 30. november 2024.
fireside wines.
release 30, november 2024.
fireside wines. release 30, november 2024
You have to carry the fire.
I don't know how to.
Yes, you do.
Is the fire real? The fire?
Yes it is.
Where is it? I don't know where it is.
Yes you do. It's inside you. It always was there. I can see it.
― Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Open these wines. Cook these recipes. Invite friends and family to enjoy them with you. Start a fire in the hearth or out in the pit, or on the TV if that’s all you have. When you open these wines, the election will probably be over, and the dust of a highly contentious season will have begun to settle. But our ancient need for authentic human connection and warmth will be exactly the same. Let’s put down our phones, embrace somebody close to us, and pop that bottle. - Jackson
CHEF PARTNER: Manny Rodriguez Our Crunchy Red Fruit wine club members are in for a serious treat for our 30th release! Our friend @chefmannyrodriguez is sharing some of his favorite recipes, paired with club wines. His Tita’s mole recipe might make you cry, and I’m currently making a grocery list to attempt birria 🤤 🌮
About Chef Manny:
“For Chef Manny, cooking began simply in his southern California home at the age of six, but has since burgeoned into a wildly creative and exquisite expression of love, beauty, and excellence. As a first generation Mexican American, his earliest culinary
inspirations came from generational recipes bursting with the rich flavors of Mexican cuisine. Yet, after attending the Art Institute of Santa Monica for Culinary Studies, he began to extend his creative exploration into every other genre of food and now crafts
diverse menus filled with intricacy and imagination.
Whether you relish his traditional Baja Street Food or are immersed in a multi-course fine-dining experience, you will savor the flavors of innovative brilliance and will feel the heartbeat of generous hospitality in every bite. To partake in one of Chef Manny’s meals is truly is to be enveloped into a holistic experience of both welcome and delight.”
Pere Mata “l’Origen” Cava Gran Reserva 2018
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Grapes: 60% Macabeu, 40% Xarello
ABV: 12%
Region: Penedès, Catalonia, Spain
Winemaker: Pere Mata
Viniculture: Organically-farmed, hand-worked vineyards
Winemaking: after primary fermentation and bottle fermentation this Cava is aged six years on its fine lees
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“This is your ideal holiday sparkling wine–we hope you like it and want to get some more!”
Jackson’s Notes:
We bring you stunningly good Cava from a tiny, high-quality winery high in the hills above Barcelona. This magical juice is a far cry from the cheap, mass-produced Cava found on many grocery store shelves. Pere Mata is the name of the winemaker, who farms his own tiny 5-hectare plot organically, opting to do everything by hand–a more expensive yet quality-minded approach.
“L’Origen” is a Gran Reserva and spends six whole years aging on its lees, giving it complexity and a creamy texture. This has bubbles that rival anything in Champagne, with their fine bead and crisp presence. Flavor wise, this is more quince, golden apple and root vegetable. This wine finishes utterly dry and bracing. This is your ideal holiday sparkling wine–we hope you like it and want to get some more!
Food Pairing: Ensalada de Nochebuena/NYE Salad by Manny Rodriguez
Music: “Testimony” by Orion’s Belte and XTHALIA
Description: groovy, jammy, intriguing and fun.
Cantina Terlan Pinot Grigio 2023
Grapes: 100% Pinot Grigio
ABV: 13.5% ABV
Region: Alto Adige, Italy
Winemaker: Rudi Kofler
Viniculture: organically and sustainably-farmed vineyards from around Alto-Adige
Winemaking: Manual harvest and selection of the grapes; gentle pressing and clarification of the must; slow fermentation at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, aging on the lees in steel tanks for 5-7 months.
“pleasantly profound red apple skin bitterness.”
Jackson’s Notes:
“oh no not Pinot Grigio,” you might be thinking. Well let this be the wine to show you what this grape is capable of. Cantina Terlan makes some of Italy’s best and most consistent white wines high in the steep valleys of Alto Adige tucked against the Swiss-Austrian border.
It’s because of this alpine altitude (1200-2700 ft above sea level) that Terlan’s white wines achieve a level of tension unlike the lowland wines. This is a co-op winery that brings dozens of growers together, but at a level of quality that few co-ops are capable of. This Pinot Grigio shows the textured, rich weight of classic Italian expressions, but brings a pleasantly profound red apple skin bitterness on the palate, buoyed by stony mineral sensations and crisp, tart acidity on the finish.
Food Pairing: Rajas con Queso / Sweet Corn Tamale” by Manny Rodriguez
Description: corn is rich, creamy and textural, and really loves a pinot grigio’s lush and full palate.
Music: “Beholder” by Sincerely
Description: it sounds like a midwest emo band listened to too much Explosions in the Sky and guess what, it’s AWESOME. Take this heartfelt recc from an early 00s emo kid. - Jackson
Frog's Leap "Flycatcher" Red Wine 2022
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Grapes: 33% Zinfandel, 31% Petite Sirah, 22% Merlot, 14% Syrah
ABV: 13.6%
Region: California, USA (mostly Napa Valley)
Winemaker: John Williams, Rory Williams, Pablo Polanco
Viniculture: Frog’s Leap farms organically and regeneratively and has since the 1970s. They were doing it before it was cool.
Winemaking notes from Frog’s Leap: All lots were destemmed, crushed lightly, and fermented in stainless steel at our home in Rutherford With the broad array of sources, picking started on September 6th but didn' t finish until October 18th. After finishing their fermentations, the Flycatcher lots were aged in a combination of 2- to 5-year-old oak barrels for 8 months, with two gentle rackings. No new oak was used in Flycatcher.
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“We've never been big fans of being normal or business-as-usual” - Frog’s Leap
Jackson’s Notes:
Wine Summary: Chilled red wine? From one of Napa’s most traditional, old-school properties? Stranger things have happened. Since the 1970s John Williams and his family have been making ageworthy, balanced reds from Napa Valley, trends be damned. It’s this history of immovability that makes the inaugaural cuvée of Flycatcher so interesting. But when you think of their house style: acid-driven, balanced, elegant...it starts to make sense that they’d debut a wine like this.
Flycatcher is a cross-regional field blend pulled from Lodi, Carneros and Mendocino. It has the brambly fruit of Zinfandel, the silkiness of Merlot, and the wild gaminess of Petite Sirah. This is a juicy, delightful red and is perfect with a slight chill on it–enjoy it with tacos of any kind!
I particularly loves these notes from Frog’s Leap: We've never been big fans of being normal or business-as-usual at Frog's Leap,and we've spent years finding ways to innovate and push boundaries. Whether with organic farming, dry farming, social responsibility, or climate awareness, we feel that our commitment to diversity and resilience in all aspects of our business helps us make better wine, sustain our community, and better tell the stories of the people and places that we find fascinating. Flycatcher is our newest effort to keep that spirit going-we hope you enjoy it!
Food Pairing: “Tacos de Pescado Ensenada Style” by Manny Rodriguez
Description: honestly any tacos would be great with this chilled, delicious red–but we thought fish tacos would be a fun way to contrast this juiciness.
Music: “How Lucky” by John Prine
Description: Frog’s Leap, to me, has always occupied that role of folksy, free-wheeling uncle in the world of California wine. And guess what’s crackling from the speakers of your black sheep uncle’s paint-chipped 1981 Toyota 4x4 pickup? Probably John Prine.
Wine 4: Margón “Primeur” Prieto Picudo 2021
Grapes: 100% Prieto Picudo
ABV: 12%
Region: León, Spain
Winemaker: Raúl Pérez
Viniculture: Dry Farmed, naturally-tended vines, no chemical additions
Winemaking: De-stemmed fruit, Extended maceration after fermentation, Hand harvested, Indigenous yeast fermented, Large format barrel aged, Open-top Wood Vat Fermented, Skin contact
“a deep red wine with a plush, generous middle”
Wine Summary:
Raúl Pérez has had wines in several Crunchy Red Fruit boxes. It makes sense because the transparency and excellence that he pursues in the vineyard and winery are values we also hold dear. He’s championed many rare Spanish grapes, often bringing them back from the brink of extinction. His bar for quality is very high and we love supporting him.
This wine is quite the anomaly–it’s made from Prieto Picudo, a grape that’s very sparsely planted in Spain, and not seen anywhere else in the world. It reminds you a bit of Gamay’s floral quality and litheness, but with an intense, Malbec-like smoke and spice. On the palate this is firmly medium-bodied, bringing lovely texture and subtly grippy tannins. It finishes bold, bright and snappy–a wine for more robust smoked white meat dishes or balsamic glazed roasted vegetables. I can’t wait to try Manny’s Birria with it!
Notes from Importer Beaune Imports: Produced from the rare Prieto Picudo varietal, which is indigenous to this area just outside of León. Both estate vineyards and purchased fruit make up this delicious cuvée. This varietal sports tight-knit bunches with elongated berries which combined with its uniquely low head-pruned vines, make for an intriguing vineyard panorama.
The resulting wine shows very fresh berry fruit made possible by the cool autumn nights before harvest. Intriguing earth notes lead into a deep red wine with a plush, generous middle that is held together by soft ripe tannins resolving in a fresh, tense finish.
Food Pairing: Birria Tijuanero by Manny Rodriguez
Description: I thought Birria would be awesome with this earthy, spicy wine that is flavorful without being too heavy!
Music: “C’Est la Vie” by Common Saints
Description: this is the type of music we play while cooking and during dinner–laid back, easy.
Crous St Martin “Les Espaliers” Gigondas 2022
Grapes: 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre
ABV: 14.5%
Region: Gigondas, Southern Rhône Valley, France
Winemaker: Eric Bonnet
Viniculture: these are dry-farmed old vines, grown in the shadow of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountain range.
Winemaking: Hand harvested grapes. 30 day steel vat vinification at up to 28°C, cap punching, a little pumping over, mostly aged in stainless, with a small portion in used 228-litre oak casks raised 15 months. Unfined, unfiltered.
We love Grenache in all its forms, especially when it’s presented so artfully as the centerpiece of a classic Rhône blend. Crous St Martin is a passion project started by Eric Bonnet of Bastide Dominique and his friend (and beloved Rhône consultant) Harry Bosmans.
This one really makes the “wine is sunshine in a bottle” anecdote feel real. It’s the heat of the southern Rhône summer, with its lavender, dried herbs and stony earth. It’s the bite of the northern Mistral wind providing a fresh, tangy finish to balance out the very-ripe fruit. I think you’re going to love how well this wine embodies the best of what southern France has to offer. Ripe strawberry, white pepper, rosemary, orange peel, dried herbs and on and on!
Notes from importer GrapeX: Crous St Martin is a collaboration between Rhone expert Harry Bosmans and Eric Bonnet of Domaine Bastide Saint Dominique. Harry is a household name amongst quality growers in the Rhone Valley and an invaluable resource thanks to his skill on both the production side and on the sales side. Eric’s family has been growing grapes in the north-east corner of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation wines for three generations now, with 120 acres of vines in their name. Eric’s father began work at Bastide Saint Dominique in 1980, quickly establishing the property as an elite player in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Eric, now 39 years old, spent his early winemaking years up North in Burgundy, and that influence still shows in the delicate balance he is able to achieve between power and detail.
Food Pairing: Chicken Mole Poblano by Manny Rodriguez
Description: I love big, fruity wines with a hint of smoke for dishes like mole that definitely have a smoky (poblano) element. Manny’s recipe is doing double duty as pairing for both the Gigondas and the Stanley Groovy red in this release–it’s your excuse to have more people over to eat, drink and be merry!
Music: “I Feel It” by The Allergies
Description: so groovy and instantly loveable.
The Walls Stanley Groovy 2021
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Grapes: 37% Touriga Nacional, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Tinta Roriz, 13% Tinta Cao, 9% Souzão, 4% Mourvédre, 4% Grenache, 4% Counoise
ABV: 14%
Region: Red Mountain, WA
Winemaker: Sally Johnson Blum
Viniculture:
Winemaking notes from The Walls: The 2021 Stanley Groovy Red Blend was fermented in concrete and stainless steel tanks. Maceration ran 18 to 38 days and the wine aged in 20% new French oak large format vessels. This blend is dominated by Portuguese varietals grown in in the Red Mountain AVA.
Wine Quote:
Wine Summary:
A big hit at the wine shop, a favorite of many people visiting Walla Walla, and a wine that really showcases just how offbeat and weird and good Washington wine can be when it breaks the rules. I mean...just look at all those grapes!
The Walls are relative newcomers to the Washington wine scene, but since 2014 they’ve shown that there’s room for fresh wines, ideas and perspectives. This Stanley Groovy is a delicious blend of Portuguese grapes that do really well in Washington’s desert heat. This is loaded with brambly red and black fruit, and is so out of the ordinary that it just might change your opinion of what Washington is capable of!
Stanley Groovy is the character displayed on The Walls' wine labels and the embodiment of our explorative and curious nature.
Food Pairing: Chicken Mole Poblano by Manny Rodriguez
Description: I love big, fruity wines with a hint of smoke for dishes like mole that definitely have a smoky (poblano) element. Manny’s recipe is doing double duty as pairing for both the Gigondas and the Stanley Groovy red in this release–it’s your excuse to have more people over to eat, drink and be merry!
Music: “Three Piece Suit” by Kokoroko (feat. Azekel)
Description: this wine’s all about fun, upbeat vibes and I wanted to bring a song that felt that way too!