Author Archives: mcginnessalex

August Beer Club: Iowa

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Memba Berries
Marto Brewing Co.
Member Berries
Sioux City, Iowa

Oh I memba! Kettle sour brewed with raspberries, blackberries, and cherries. Featuring a medium mouthfeel with moderate acidity, while remaining balanced with a massive amount of the three fruits. Contains lactose.

BeerStyles: Sour, Tart & Funky
Style: Fruited Sour
ABV: 6.8%

Smell of Money
Marto Brewing Co.
Smell of Money – DDH Sabro
Sioux City, Iowa

Smell that? That’s the smell of money, and hops are expensive! This Hazy double dry hopped DIPA (Double India Pale Ale) showcases double dried Sabro hops with notes of coconut, apricot and citrus.

BeerStyles: Hoppy & Bitter
Style: Hazy Double IPA
ABV: 7.9%

 

ABOUT THE BREWERY:
Marto Brewing Co. is an Iowa craft brewery and taproom featuring world class beer and wood fire food. They have a passion for brewing a wide range of beer styles, and will experiment with just about any flavor in search of the next best beer. At Marto Brewing Co., you will find the classics alongside new modern styles, but their favorites reside in their hazy IPAs, wild fermented sours, and massive barrel-aged stouts.  Marto’s lineup changes often, with some tried and true staples that are always on tap. You don’t want to miss their selections!

Smell of Money and Member Berries

August Sweet Club: Iowa

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Sweet Wine ClubStella Rosa BlueberryStella Rosa®️ Wines
Blueberry
Piedmont, Italy

NECTAR WINE STYLE

Stella Rosa Blueberry is their winery’s newest flavor, and is a proprietary blend of several red grape varietals. The wine is combined with flavors of natural blueberry distillates & purées, making it undeniably irresistible. Its sweet and succulent blueberry taste will elevate your mood and your wine-tasting expectations.

Region: Piedmont, Italy
Analysis: 5% alcohol / volume

Food Pairing Recommendations: This flavor pairs well with fresh fruits, BBQ chicken, charcuterie, cheesecake, and cinnamon roll coffee cake.

Blueberry Frosé

Photo credit: Stella Rosa Wines

BLUEBERRY FROSÉ
Cool off this summer with a refreshing frosé! Check out this fun way to switch up Stella Rosa Blueberry Wine.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bottle Stella Rosa Blueberry
2 1/3 cups frozen blueberries, divided
¼ cup lemon juice
2 oz. vodka
fresh blueberries (for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.Pour wine into ice cube trays and freeze for 6 to 8 hours until almost frozen solid Note: wine will not freeze completely
2. In a blender, pulse together wine ice cubes, vodka, 2 cups frozen blueberries, and lemon juice.
3. Divide frosé among 4 glasses. Garnish with a handful of fresh blueberries and enjoy!
© Recipe courtesy of Stella Rosa Wines

Stella Rosa WatermelonStella Rosa®️ Wines
Watermelon
Piedmont, Italy

NECTAR WINE STYLE

Stella Rosa Watermelon is a new, and exclusive, addition to the winery’s semi-sparkling collection. Featuring a proprietary blend of several white grape varietals, including White Moscato (an indigenous grape variety from Piedmont, Italy), and a touch of Barbera for color. Its crisp, refreshing taste showcases the natural flavors of watermelon, created using a distillation process of Italian fruits grown in southern Italy. The semi-dry character is a perfect compliment to Brunch and light appetizers.

Region: Piedmont, Italy
Analysis: 5.5% alcohol /volume

Food Pairing Recommendations: This flavor pairs wonderfully with light salads, such as Greek or Caesar, as well as salty appetizers like Edamame or Jalapeño poppers. For dessert, you can pair it with coconut cream pie!

Stella Rosa Watermelon

Photo credit: Stella Rosa Wines

SPICY STELLA ROSA RITA

A little sweet, a little spicy! Try this fun cocktail at home with this month’s Stella Rosa Watermelon Wine.

INGREDIENTS

For Drink:
5 oz. Stella Rosa Watermelon, chilled
1½ oz. Jose Cuervo Tequila Blanco
¾ oz. lime juice
2 oz. watermelon juice
1 jalapeño, sliced
For Rim:
1 tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tbsp. chili powder
Lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place jalapeño slices in a jar with tequila and let sit for 15 minutes for the spice to infuse the tequila.
2. Remove the jalapeño slices & set aside.
3. Mix salt and chili powder together on a separate plate. Smear the rim of the glass with a lime wedge then dip it into the salt-chili powder mixture to coat the rim.
4. Add a handful of ice to the glass.
5. In a cocktail shaker, add the juices & infused tequila; shake vigorously.
6. Strain the mixture into the glass.
7. Top off with Stella Rosa Watermelon, garnish with a Watermelon slice, and enjoy!
© Recipe courtesy of Stella Rosa Wines

Stella RosaWINEMAKING:
The grapes are harvested, pressed, centrifuged, and then held as a cold juice at 28 degrees Fahrenheit. The juice is fermented at various intervals throughout the year, which allows the wine to remain fresh and delicate throughout the entire fermenting process. The Stella Rosa family uses this technique to capture the fresh flavors of natural blueberry distillates & purées for their Blueberry wine, and an off-dry Rosé, busting with fresh flavors for their Watermelon wine. Both Stella Rosa Blueberry and Watermelon contain natural carbonation. The juice is fermented in Charmat-style, pressurized tanks, and as the alcohol is created, so is the carbonation. Once the desired sweetness is achieved, the wine is centrifuged and bottled. The alcohol level stays at approximately 5% and contains 6-10% residual sugar. Its natural acidity and low pH strike the perfect balance with the wine’s natural sweetness. 

ABOUT STELLA ROSA:
It all started in 1917, when the Riboli family founded Los Angeles’ historic San Antonio Winery. Back then, Los Angeles was the prime location for wine growing in all of California. For some time, the wine industry reigned as one of Southern California’s most economically significant and popular industries of that time. After surviving Prohibition and about a century later, the Riboli family has continued its artisan winemaking tradition through four generations. From within the tasting rooms of San Antonio Winery, customers repeatedly requested a sweeter, light, refreshing wine. The Riboli family took this unique opportunity to create a new semi-sweet, semi-sparkling wine style, which today, they are a leader of. And so, Stella Rosa was born.

our-story-mapMADE AND IMPORTED FROM ITALY:
To create the Stella Rosa wines, their family chose the region of Asti, a province in Piedmont, Italy, as the source for its aromatic grapes. The area of Asti has particular significance to the Riboli family, as it is the birthplace of their family matriarch, Maddalena Riboli. Their first Stella Rosa wine was Moscato D’Asti, which has become a flagship of this line. Soon after, Stella Rosa Rosso was created – the brand’s first semi-sweet, semi-sparkling red wine blend, and first wine of its kind to be brought to America from Asti. The rapid phenomenal successes of these two wines began the lineage of Stella Rosa, which now boasts over 20 distinctive flavors.

WineStyles’ Wine and Cheese Pairing: Sweet wines from our ‘Nectar’ section pair well with strong cheeses, such as a blue cheese. Learn more about our wine and cheese pairings here.

Love the Sweet life?
“Wine” not try our Sweet Club! 

Click here to learn more >

Sweet Club

August Bubbly Club: Iowa

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Bubbly Wine ClubDSC_0588-EditPOE Wines
NV Ultraviolet Sparkling Rosé
Napa, California

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

NV Ultraviolet Sparkling Rosé is a base of 85% Coombsville Cabernet Franc Rosé, made from the grapes that go into POE’s Ultraviolet Cabernet Sauvignon. The remaining 15% is French Colombard from Mendocino.  This sparkling rosé has aromatics of lemon blossoms and strawberry, the palate shows lovely minerality and fine bubbles, with underripe strawberry, peach, and orange peel, with a lingering bright grapefruit on the finish.

WINEMAKING:
POE had been making Champagne method sparkling wines for six years, when they decided to make a playful, fruit driven California sparkling wine, by utilizing the Charmant method.  As opposed to fermenting in the bottle, POE takes their sparkling base and instigates a second fermentation in stainless steel, utilizing yeast and sugar.  This is the same process as the Champagne method, but in a different vessel.  The fermentation is kept cold, and lasts seven weeks.  After a few months of rest, they bottle under cork.

ABOUT POE WINES:
Samantha Sheehan founded POE in 2009 after being inspired by the wines she tasted in Burgundy and Champagne.  The goal was not to replicate Burgundy, but rather create alluring, vineyard specific, age-worthy wines revealing the beautiful terroir of California.  There is minimal intervention, judicious use of sulfur, and never any additives. POE produces traditional Champagne method sparkling wines, Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a nouveau from Pinot Noir.  Each wine is made in very limited quantities, and sold directly from the winery and to high-end restaurants around the country. 

Owner/Winemaker Sam Poe Sheehan

POE Vineyards© POE Wines

Bubbly Wine ClubBodkin Sparkling Sauv BlancBodkin Wines
Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc
Healdsburg, California

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

Bodkin Wines is proud to release the fourth cuvée of California’s first Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc. This unique and stylish twist on Sauvignon Blanc has a core of racy crispness driven by lively acidity, accented with lemon-lime aromas (no cat grass — no worries) and citrus-passion fruit flavors. The pronounced citrus tones team with a note of toasted hazelnuts to accent the enchantingly plush mouth feel of the wine. The wine is called Cuvée Agincourt in reference to the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years War. In 1415 where the English army comprised largely of archers armed with Bodkin pointed arrows beat back a French army much more numerous and comprised of the nation’s high nobility.

VARIETY: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
ALCOHOL: 11.5%
DOSAGE: Brut

ABOUT BODKIN WINES:
Bodkin Wines was founded by Chris Christensen, an Iowa native, in 2011. His passion for aromatic wines and winemaking led him to create America’s first Sauvignon Blanc with bubbles. In 2013, Andrew Chambers, an Oregon native, joined the brand and they purchased 24 tons and made 1,100 cases of their award-winning Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc. Since that time, Bodkin Wines has produced over 15 varietals of wine, eleven of which were scored at 90 points or higher by Wine Enthusiast. They are consistently growing, year after year, but are determined to keep their presence small and unique. Bodkin Wines is still 100% owned by both Chris and Andrew, two guys living and working hard in Sonoma County.

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Screen Shot 2020-07-20 at 6.38.33 PM© Bodkin Wines

August Cheese Club: Iowa

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cheese_club_logo-1240x1240Abondance CheeseAbondance AOP Rodolphe Le Meunier Haute-Savoie, France

Abondance, is a semi-hard, traditionally French, mountain cheese produced in the Abondance Valley of Haute Savoie, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The cheese is made exclusively from unpasteurized cow’s milk sourced from its own breed of cattle, Abondance, as well as Taurine and Montbéliarde. Abondance features a slightly grainy and creamy paste with floral, vegetal, and nutty aromas. On the palate, there’s a beautiful balance of sweetness to acidity; it tastes intensely fruity and buttery with a hazelnut flavor.  Before eating, remove the natural rind its gray layer underneath. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Abondance cheese pairs wonderfully with a dry white wine from the Savoie region; or a light red, such as a Gamay Beaujolais or a light Pinot Noir.  Additionally, this cheese pairs well a crisp, pale lager or a kolsch. WINESTYLES: Crisp and Fruity BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean PRODUCTION: Abondance cheese has had an Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) designation since 1990.  AOC designations were created to ensure products with long histories and strong senses of terroir will guard their identity and uniqueness in the marketplace. With this designation, a cheese producer cannot call a cheese Abondance if it is not made within the confines of a singular region, or according to traditional methods and specifications, similar to wine AOCs like Bordeaux, Bourgogne, and Champagne. Abondance was originally made by monks at the Abbaye d’Abondance (Abondance Abbey) in the 12th century. In the late 1300s, the monks were the official supplier of cheeses to the Avignon popes. This rich, ivory-yellow cheese is made in the area’s mountain chalets from batches of raw milk that combine morning milk with milk from the previous evening. The milk is heated in a copper cauldron to 90° F to warm the curd that is formed, without cooking it. The curd is then cut, drained, put into a round wooden mold, and pressed for a day with a weight on it. It is then salted either by hand, or soaked in brine, then cave aged on spruce planks for six months at a temperature of 54° F and a humidity level of 95%. The cheese is brushed with brine and turned while aging.

Tomme d’Abondance

Comté Fort Saint-Antoine CheeseComté Fort Saint Antoine Marcel Petite Jura, France

Comté Fort Saint Antoine is a semi-firm, unpasteurized, aged, cow’s milk cheese from the Jura and Franche-Comté regions of Eastern France. Century-old techniques are used to make Comté, which is the most produced and consumed cheese in France. Made with unpasteurized cow’s milk, from Montbeliarde Cattle or French Simmental (or crossbreeds of the two), the taste is complex, nutty and caramelized with a lingering, but not sharp, flavor. The combination of sweetness and saltiness give this cheese an intriguing flavor. This mature Comté is firm but supple, with a buttery and oily texture. It is traditionally sold in huge blocks and matures for a year before it is ready for sale. The natural cave atmosphere of the fort allows this longer aged Comté to have a rich, nutty, fruitier and more flowery taste than its younger aged counterparts. Considered one of the finest cheeses in the world, a wedge of Comte reveals a pale yellow interior and a texture that can vary from silky, flabby to crystalline. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Comté Cheese is very versatile and pairs beautifully with a Chablis (Chardonnay), a Champagne, or a Pinot Noir. It also pairs well with a light lager, a blonde ale, or a pilsner. WINESTYLES: Silky, Bubbly and Mellow BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean PRODUCTION: In 1966, Marcel Petite discovered a defunct military fort in a forest of Haut Doubs, at 3600 feet altitude. The fort’s structure of cut and vaulted stone, covered with a thick layer of soil, providing ideal conditions for “affinage lent” (slow maturing). Petite realized that his Comté cheeses should be aged in their natural environment, near the mountain cheese dairies where they are made. This hard mountain cheese is matured to perfection in the silence and darkness of special caves where the cheese gets its unique taste, texture and color. There are several maturing cellars in the region where Comté is ripened for a minimum of 4 months to 18 or 24 months. Comté generally will get its name from the cellar where it was ripened, such as Comté Fort Saint-Antoine. Today, over 100,000 wheels are ripened for 10 to 20 months, in the Cathedral of Marcel Petite Comté. Comté was one of the first few kinds of cheese to receive an AOC status in 1958. It is one of the most popular AOC cheeses in France with around 40,000 tons of annual production.
Comté Cheese Production

© Comté Marcel Petite

Comté Production

© Comté Marcel Petite

 

Monthly Cheese ClubDon’t let your Wine Club go home alone! Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!

If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club!  Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely!  Click to learn more >

Winery Spotlight Series: August 12, 2020

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Goldschmidt-Vineyards-Logo

Goldschmidt Napa Oakville

Winemaker Virtual Tasting Event on Zoom and Facebook LIVE

Goldschmidt Vineyards

Wednesday, August 12th at 6:00pm CST / 7:00pm EST

Zoom Facebook LivePlease join us for our August Winery Spotlight tasting event on Zoom, featuring Goldschmidt Vineyards from California.  Our special guest will be Owner and Winemaker, Nick Goldschmidt. 

Nick will be tasting through 7 different wines from Goldschmidt Vineyards, starting with their Chardonnay, two different Sauvignon Blancs, Merlot, and ending with three different Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignons.  Be sure to RSVP at your local WineStyles location or on Eventbrite.  Pre-order your wines in advance at your local participating WineStyles location and taste alongside Nick with a front seat on Zoom!  Or watch on our Facebook LIVE event.

 

Goldschmidt Wines

 

Goldschmid

ABOUT GOLDSCHMIDT VINEYARDS

Yolyn and Nick Goldschmidt are owner/vintners, and Nick is the winemaker. The winery offices are located in Healdsburg, California. Goldschmidt Vineyards is a vehicle by which Nick and Yolyn present their innovative way of wine making and wine presentation. There are two brands under their portfolio – the prestigious Goldschmidt Vineyard label and the international Forefathers label. The Goldschmidt Vineyard label is a program designed to showcase single vineyard source wines from both the Alexander Valley and Napa Valley Oakville appellations. The goal is create wines that highlight the distinct characters, benefits and attributes derived from these site specific harvests. Goldschmidt Vineyards Cabernets are crafted with the best possible resources to achieve exceptional richness, quality and balance – the hallmarks of world-class wines.

Guest speaker Nick Goldschmidt, Owner and Winemaker

me hi rez

Owner and Winemaker, Nick Goldschmidt

Nick Goldschmidt was born and educated in New Zealand and trained in Australia.  In 1989, after spending 18 months of winemaking in Australia, New Zealand, California and South America, Nick returned to California with an amazing range of winemaking experience.  In 1990, Nick and his wife Yolyn settled down in Healdsburg, California becoming Simi’s Chief Winemaker and then Vice President in 1996.  In 1998 Nick and Yolyn established their own line of wines with the release of Goldschmidt Vineyards and Forefathers, with the goal of focusing on site specific vineyards from around the world. Having produced so many world-class wines around the globe, Nick knew exactly the vineyard sites he would choose for his wines.  The wines are all single vineyards, 100% varietal, handcraft, small production artisan wines. Learn more about Nick’s background here.

Joined periodically in the field by their five children, the Goldschmidt expertise is being passed down to the next generation, as evidenced in the wines released under the labels Chelsea Goldschmidt, Hilary Goldschmidt and Katherine Goldschmidt.

“Winemaking has been a passion that has fueled our dreams and enriched our lives. Even our children have become involved, whether by pitching in during harvest and crush or by helping pack “dad’s” bags as I head off to New Zealand and Argentina several times a year” – Nick Goldschmidt

Goldschmidt Family Photo

Goldschmidt Family

 

Let’s Taste, Learn and Enjoy® together! 

Contact your local WineStyles to RSVP for this tasting event.

Goldschmidt Vineyards
California

Cheers!

WineStyles.com

napa-valley-goldschmidt-vineyards

Winery Spotlight Tasting Event: July 22, 2020

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Cline Family Cellars

Fred and Nancy Cline

Virtual Wine Tasting Event on Zoom

Cline Family Cellars

Wednesday, July 22 at 6:00pm CST / 7:00pm EST

Zoom logoPlease join us for this month’s Winery Spotlight tasting event on Zoom, featuring Cline Cellars from Sonoma, California.  Special guests include Charlie Tsegeletos, winemaker of Cline Cellars and Megan Cline, Certified Sommelier and daughter of Fred and Nancy Cline. 

Charlie and Megan will be tasting through 6 different wines from Cline Cellars, starting with their Farmhouse White, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Ancient Vineyards Mourvedre, Sonoma Syrah and ending with Cline’s Cabernet Sauvignon.  Be sure to RSVP at your local WineStyles location or on Eventbrite.  Pre-order your wines in advance at your local participating WineStyles location and taste alongside Charlie and Megan on Zoom!

Cline Cellars Wine Tasting

Virtual Wine Tasting Cline Cellars

ABOUT CLINE CELLARS

Built on a passion for winemaking and rooted in respect for the land, Cline Cellars is a family-owned and operated winery in Sonoma, California. In 1982, Fred Cline started making his first vintages from original plantings of Mourvedre, Zinfandel and Carignan, some of which dated back to the 1880’s. As one of the original Rhône Rangers, he began planting varietals that included vineyards dedicated to Syrah, Viognier and Marsanne and Roussanne.  Fred and his wife Nancy have continued to plant vineyards across Sonoma County.

Guest speaker Charlie Tsegeletos, Winemaker

Winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos

Charlie Tsegeletos, Winemaker

Charlie was born to be a winemaker. There was always wine in his Greek/Italian household in northern California, and his great-grandfather made wine in Guerneville in the 1930s. Charlie graduated from UC Davis in 1979 with a degree in Agricultural Science and Management/Plant Science, and honed his craft at Hacienda Wine Cellars, D’Agostini Winery, and Glen Ellen Winery. Since joining Cline Cellars in 2002, he has created legendary Zinfandels, distinctive Rhône-style wines, and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Merlot and Chardonnay. Charlie loves making wines that express the unique qualities of California fruit, and their specific sense of place. His mission is the creation of wines that surprise and delight the senses. Learn more about Cline’s Winemakers here.

Guest speaker Megan Cline, Certified Sommelier

Megan Cline

Megan Cline, Certified Sommelier

Following in the footsteps of her parents, founders of Cline Cellars, Megan also fell in love with the world of wine. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara and completing her Certified Sommelier training, she returned to Sonoma to work at the family winery. For Megan, it was love at first harvest.  “I like that wine is so much more than a beverage. It’s a combination of place’s history, geography, people, food, climate and traditions.”  Learn more about Megan >

Fred Cline Winemaking

Fred Cline

Grounded in Sustainability

Cline Cellars aims to be stewards of the land, not only through natural and sustainable Green String farming methods, but through an awareness of bringing interconnected systems into harmony. Cline Cellars is proud to be Certified California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery. From grape to glass, the program acknowledges a long-term commitment to sustainable wine growing and business practices.  RSVP to get a taste!

Cline Vineyards Sheep

Let’s Taste, Learn and Enjoy® together! 

Contact your local WineStyles to RSVP for this tasting event.

Cline Cellars
Sonoma County
California

Cheers!

WineStyles.com

Cline Petaluma Gap Vineyard

July Beer Club: Iowa

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Manzana LinTrabanco
Manzana Lin Sidra Natural
Gijón, Asturias, Spain

Manzana Lin is a special, limited production release from Trabanco. This single-site cider is made of Lin apples sourced from the San Pedro de Anes orchard. The juice is fermented with indigenous yeasts and in accordance with the guidelines for “Sidra Natural,” producing a low-alcohol cider that is tart and lacks carbonation. Sidra Natural should be served cold in a wide glass and poured from great height to break up the residual carbonic gas. Only a small amount (one sip’s worth) should be poured into the glass at a time.

BeerStyles: Fruity and Spicy
Style: Sidra Natural (Cider)
ABV: 6%
Apples: 70% Lin with a blend of local apples sourced from the San Pedro de Anes orchard.
Vinification: This cider has been fermented with indigenous yeasts and in accordance to the guidelines for “Naturally Fermented Quality Ciders.”

ABOUT THE CIDERY:

Like most families from the Asturian countryside, the Trabanco Family made their own cider from their own apples, but in 1925 Emilio Trabanco decided to turn this household hobby into a family business; creating Trabanco Cider. Using the best apples of selected varieties and following traditional methods, Trabanco Cider quickly became known throughout the region as the premier natural cider from Asturias. Not much has changed since then, the Trabanco family is still using traditional methods, augmented with modern technologies, to produce exceptional Asturian ciders. From a very young age, all of the members of the family are involved in the production process, from the apple picking and weighing, to operating the press. The family business continues to grow, as their inheritance is passed from one generation to the next.

Asturias Map

Asturias Map by Paul Dangel

Trabanco Orchard

Trabanco Orchard. Photo by Steven Alexander

Isastegi CiderIsastegi
Sagardo Naturala
Tolosa (Isastegi), Spain

Sagardo Naturala, or “natural cider” is from the Basque Country in Spain, where basque ciders have been produced for over 2,000 years.  Golden-green hue in the glass, Isastegi’s Sagardo Naturala has ripe notes of apple on the nose, but lead to an acidic, malted apple on the palate. The finish is crisp and fresh. This cider goes through a completely natural fermentation process in large wooden barrels and is bottled fresh without filtration. Sagardo Naturala is more bitter than most ciders, with only mild residual carbonic acid. It should be served cold in a wide glass and poured from great height to break up the residual carbonic gas. Only a small amount (one sip’s worth) should be poured into the glass at a time.

BeerStyles: Fruity and Spicy
Style: Sagardo Naturala (Natural Cider)
ABV: 6%
Apples: A blend of over a dozen native varietals
Vinification: After fermentation in kupelas (old, large, oak cider barrels) the cider is bottled fresh and without filtration before each shipment.

ABOUT THE CIDERY:

Isastegi is an old family estate located in the town of Tolosa in the Basque Country of Spain. The estate was originally covered by pastures for cattle, with only a few apple trees for the family to make a small amount of cider for itself. In 1983 they decided to switch from livestock to cider output and started selling their cider to the public. Over the years the demand for Isastegi cider has increased and the family’s country house has adapted to the changes. Pastures were replaced by orchards, while renovations added new state-of-the-art pressing and bottling rooms and a larger spaces for the kupelas (old, large, oak cider barrels). Isastegi prides themselves on their local focus and adhere to the strict guidelines of Basque Ciders by using only local apples with no added carbonation or sugars.

Basque Country

Map by Paul Dangel

Isastegi

Isastegi Cidery

 

July Cheese Club: Iowa

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cheese_club_logo-1240x1240Iberico BonvallisBonvallis – Iberico Cheese Valladolid, Spain

Bonvallis Iberico Cheese is a Manchego-style cheese, one of the most eaten in Spain. An authentic Iberico Cheese must have, by law, a maximum of 50% cow’s milk, a minimum of 15% goat’s milk, and a minimum of 15% sheep’s milk. If these amounts are not specified on the label, the cheese cannot be labeled ‘Iberico’. Bonvallis Iberico Cheese is compact and firm in texture. It features herby, grassy flavors from the goat and ewe milk, and a smooth, creamy texture from the cow’s milk. It is slightly lactic, yet mild and buttery on the palate; making this cheese tasty and aromatic. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Bonvallis Iberico Cheese pairs wonderfully with wines from our Bubbly wine style category, such as a Cava. Additionally, Iberico cheese pairs well with our Fruity & Spicy beers, such as a cider. WINESTYLES: Bubbly BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy PRODUCTION: Located in Valladolid, the capital of Castilla y León, the family-run dairy, Bonvallis, has produced their cheeses since 1984. The region of Castilla y León is well known for its vast production of sheep and blend cheeses, and cured meat products. Long cold winters and dry hot summers are the perfect conditions for manufacturing their products. Bonvallis Iberico can be semi-cured (around 2 months), cured (4-6 months) and aged (over 7 months).

Idizabal DOPAraz Smoked Idiazabal Cheese Basque County, Spain

Smoked Idiazabal by Araz is a traditional, farmhouse, hard cheese made from raw milk of Latxa or Carranza sheep in the Basque and Navarra regions of northern Spain. Named after the village of Idiazabal, the cheese received Spanish D.O. (Denomination of Origin) in 1987, which defines the basic regulations for the product’s manufacturer. Idiazabal is produced in the shape of a cylinder, with a smooth and hard natural rind that is pale yellow to amber in color. The cheese has a compact texture that is dry, but not crumbly, and feels pleasantly oily in the mouth. The rind carries the marks of the wooden moulds in which it was drained and the cheese itself has a characteristic smoky flavor, coming from the fireplaces it is stored near during the summer. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Idiazabal Cheese pairs beautifully with a medium-bodied tempranillo from our Fruity wine style category. It also pairs well with Fruity & Spicy beers, such as a cider or a sour. WINESTYLES: Fruity BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy PRODUCTION: In the summer, the sheep migrate to higher pastures to graze on the blossoming, new grass. During this time, the artisanal cheese makers milk the sheep, make the Idiazabal cheese and leave it in the rafter to mature for a minimum ripening of 2 months. At the end of summer, when the cheese makers return back to the lowlands with their sheep, the cheese has ripened and is ready for sale.

Monthly Cheese ClubDon’t let your Wine Club go home alone! Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!

If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club!  Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely!  Click to learn more >

July Bubbly Club: Iowa

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Bubbly Wine ClubScheid Vineyards - Isabelle SparklingScheid Vineyards
Isabelle Sparkling Cuvée
Monterey, California

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

If you know about the crafting of champagne, you understand it is a special wine that is a labor of love. And that is why Scheid Vineyards’ sparkling cuvée was named for Isabelle Adolphin Pearce, the beloved mother of Founder, Al Scheid. Like the hands-on, no-shortcuts-allowed méthode champenoise way Scheid produces their sparkler, Isabelle was old school through and through. Something “store bought” wasn’t worth nearly as much as something that was lovingly made by hand, whether it was an intricately crocheted afghan, a faux red fur coat for her granddaughter, or her melt-in-your-mouth pot roast. She firmly believed that busy hands make a happy heart and she lived by those words by working hard and taking care of others her entire life. Scheid Vineyards’ Isabelle Sparkling Wine is an elegant and complex cuvée in a brut style, with aromas of green apple, pear and hints of white flowers, honey and brioche. Here’s to Isabelle, much loved and greatly missed.

Appellation: Monterey
Varietal: Cuvée – 51% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir
Analysis: 12.5% alcohol / volume
pH: 3.13
TA: 8.7 g/L
Aging: 100% Stainless Steel
Tirage: 48 months en tirage (on the lees)

VINEYARDS
Great sparkling wine is made from grapes grown in only the coolest climates, where the delicate aromas and natural acidity are preserved. Monterey County, with morning fogs that often linger until mid-day, possesses just the right conditions to place it on par with the best growing regions of the world for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Scheid Vineyards carefully farms specific estate vineyard rows throughout the year that epitomize intensity, complexity and excellent structure. These grapes are carefully hand-harvested into small bins and transported promptly to the winery.

WINEMAKING
‘Isabelle’ is produced in the traditional méthode champenoise. Primary fermentation was done slowly and at cold temperatures to enhance the varietal aromatics and preserve the natural delicate character.  Next, the cuvée was bottled with sugar and yeast, and a secondary fermentation proceeded in the bottle. While fermenting en tirage, carbon dioxide that would normally be released was trapped, producing the sparkle and bubbles. After aging on the lees for 48 months, the wine was riddled—slowly shaken and turned with the angle gradually increased, causing the lees to dislodge and settle in the neck of the bottle. The settled lees were then frozen to form a “plug” and disgorged. The sparkling wine was quickly corked to maintain the effervescence and voilà, Isabelle was born! 

Scheid Vineyards
Scheid Vineyards
By Scheid Vineyards – Explore Vineyards

July Sweet Club: Iowa

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Sweet Wine ClubChambers Rutherglen MuscadelleChambers Rosewood Vineyards
Muscadelle
Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia

Produced from the Muscadelle grape, and previously called Tokay, this blend is comprised of varietals aged between six and ten years old. Amber to gold in color, it shows fresh honeycomb, orange peel and cold leaf-tea on the nose. The palate offers sweet toffee, citrus fruits and honey with a hint of spirit and aged oak spice on the back palate. Muscadelle carries itself with a feline grace as opposed to the powerhouse Muscat persona.

Appellation: Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia
Varietal: Muscadelle
Analysis: 18.3% alc/vol | TA: 4.35 g/L | pH: 3.6
Critical Acclaim: 92 pts Halliday Wine Companion, 91 pts Vinous, 91 pts Wine Spectator, 90 pts/Editors‘ Choice Wine Enthusiast

Chambers Rutherglen MuscatChambers Rosewood Vineyards
Muscat
Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia

Produced from Muscat a Petit Grains, or Brown Muscat as it is more commonly known, this blend is comprised of varietals aged between six and ten years old. Amber gold in color with copper hues, the nose offers fresh raisins, sultanas, lifted spirit and cinnamon oak spices. The palate is rich and silky, its sweet dried fruits balanced by aged oak tannins and bright acidity, providing a clean, rather than cloying, finish.

Appellation: Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia
Varietal: Muscat a Petit Grains
Analysis: 17.7% alc/vol | TA: 4.15 g/L | pH: 3.6
Critical Acclaim: 94 pts Halliday Wine Companion, 92 pts Wine Enthusiast, 91 pts Vinous, 90 pts Wine Spectator

 
Chambers Rosewood Winery

ABOUT THE WINERY:
Since establishment in 1858 in Victoria’s famed Rutherglen region in Australia, winemaking duties at Chambers Rosewood have been handed down from father to son through six generations. Recognized the world over for their complexity, intensity and balance, these Muscats and Muscadelles are a national relic; wines expertly crafted from unctuous material that has matured in the family cellars for more than a century.

Stephen Chambers

Stephen Chambers

WINEMAKING:
In the warm fall climate the grapes ripen and shrivel on the vines producing natural sugar levels in the range of 30-36 degrees Brix. The raisined grapes are then picked, crushed, and this intensely sweet grape juice is fortified with neutral grape spirit. A wood aging program then follows loosely resembling a solar system, lasting, in some cases, for over 100 years.

“This 120-acre estate, now helmed by Stephen Chambers, is one of the most consistent producers of top-class fortified sweet wines in the world.”
Josh Raynolds, Vinous (2016)

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Sweet Club