The Velvet 48 Wine Club

This Quarter's Wine Club Selections

               MIXED(Sparkling/White/Red)                                            

NV Marc Hebrart Rosé Champagne, Premier Cru

Sourced entirely from the Premier Cru village of Mareuil-Sur-Aÿ, these pink bubbles bring nothing but joy. Starting in 1964, this grower producer (meaning they grow all the grapes for their wines, rather than purchasing grapes like larger Champagne houses do) consistently puts out wines that please both the intellectual and the casual drinker. As is becoming more common in smaller Champagne houses, Hebrart prints the disgorgement date on their back labels, with this bottling coming from October of 2022. Juicy and bright but still delicate and chalky, each glass is bursting with flavors of ripe strawberry and raspberry, orange peel, and almond. Vibrant and fresh, this is a champagne for any occasion, not just celebrations. With the surge in Champagne demand reaching worldwide highs, I recommend stocking up if you love it as much as we do!
Varieties: 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir
$125/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $81.25

2022 Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Blanc, Paso Robles 

Tablas Creek is a pioneer of California’s Rhone movement. Founded in 1989, it is the culmination of a friendship between two of the international wine communi- ty’s leading families dating back to 1967: the Perrin family of Chateau de Beau- castel and the Haas family of Vineyard Brands. After a four-year search, the partners chose Paso Robles, California for its many similarities to the Southern Rhone and began the lengthy process of importing vine cuttings, building a grapevine nursery, and creating an estate vineyard from the ground up.
The Patelin de Tablas Blanc is a blend of seven white Rhône and Rhone-adjacent varieties. Like many white wines from the Southern Rhône, it is based on the crisp acids and rich mouthfeel of Grenache Blanc, with Viognier for floral, tropi- cal aromatics and luscious stone fruit flavors, Roussanne and Marsanne for structure and spice, and additions of Vermentino, Picpoul, and Bourboulenc for brightness and texture. This wine was bottled on May 9th!! It’s as fresh as it gets! 

Varieties: 49% Grenache Blanc, 22% Viognier, 10% Marsanne, 10% Vermentino, 4% Rousanne, 4% Picpoul Blanc, 2% Bourboulenc
$50/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $32.50

 2021 Flora Springs Soliloquy, Napa Valley 

 Talk about a unique wine! First, you’ve got a blend that includes both Sauv Blanc and Chardonnay but also throws in a dollop of Malvasia! Who even grows that in Napa? Well, Flora Springs does, for the sole purpose of using it in their Solilo- quy to enhance aromatics and taste. Now the other unique quality of this wine is that the Sauvignon Blanc clone used is the Soliloquy clone, produced only by Flora Springs. In 1989, Flora Springs noticed some unique qualities in their Oakville SB vineyard. Taking some samples up to the experts at UC Davis, it was eventually certified as a entirely unique clone of the varietal and known only to exist in this one vineyard! That’s a pretty rare thing to learn in a region where every vine was imported from somewhere else. Embracing the notion of having this unicorn varietal clone, Flora Springs has always saught to use it to create a compelling white you relaly can’t find anywhere else. With only 650 cases produced, and a focus on restaurants, you also can’t buy this wine anywhere else. Perfect with roast chicken, lighter sauced pastas or your next picnic, Solilioquy really stands out in the world of white wines.

Varieties: 73% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Chardonnay, 15% Malvasia 

$90/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $58.50

2021 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir, Russian River Selection 

 This is really cool. I mean, what other wine club includes Williams Selyem in their selections?! Here’s the scoop: a few years ago Williams Selyem, one of the pioneers and still reigning champs of Pinot in Sonoma, decided they wanted to have more restaurant presence with their wines. Selling for years to only those on their mailing list (a list with a wait list just to join), they had enjoyed much success with their appellation and single vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays (although they also dabble in Zin, Syrah, Cab and dessert wines). But those wines are much too expensive for restaurants to pour by the glass, even those with the most elevated wine and culinary programs. So, they peeled off some fruit from a few of their best vineyards and the “Russian River Selection” was born, available exclusively to restaurants (and probably a few friends). Sourced not only from their own estate vineyard, they pull fruit from both the Drake vineyard and Rochioli! Crazy! Get some in your cellar now, while you can!
Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
$100/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $65

2018 Switchback Ridge Merlot, Napa Valley

 Located all the way up in Calistoga, Switchback Ridge is one of those Napa wineries that you rarely see on wine lists and in retail shops. Almost all of their production is sold to their mailing list of collectors. However, we managed to wrangle a small parcel of the outstanding 2018 Merlot from them. At only a thousand case production, this wine was grown exclusively on the Peterson Family Vineyard. While the winery began in 1999, the vineyard land has been in the Peterson family for over a hundred years. But this is Merlot from up in Calistoga and is made by the rock star winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. As much a Cab drinker’s Merlot as there ever was, this is a wine you could pop now but give it a couple years in the cellar and it will be even better.
Varieties: 91% Merlot; 9% Cabernet Sauvignon
$100/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $65

2019 Justin Isosceles, Paso Robles 

The iconic flagship wine of Justin!!
Justin and Deborah Baldwin acquired their land in 1981 and planted 72 acres in vineyards that same year. Initially they were wine growers, selling to other wineries. Then, in 1987, they harvested their first grapes bottled under the Justin label. Justin Winery concentrates on two Bordeaux styled red wines: Isoscleles, which is a 100% estate blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and Justification, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. From the winery: “Very aromatic and complex with ripe black cherry and cassis fruit, vanilla, cinnamon, and licorice spice with sweet tobacco, cedar, leather, and camphor notes. Full-bodied with ripe complex black cherry, boysenberry, cassis, and blackberry fruit on entry with baking spice. Dusty tannins appear on the midpalate with cedar, dried tobacco leaf, and saddle leather as it progresses. The 2019 Isosceles is a bold wine with ripe fruit and attractive savory elements, which balance each other perfectly. This wine is rich and complex enough to be enjoyed on its own, but is a perfect match with a classic filet mignon with traditional sides.”
Varieties: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot 

$110/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $71.50

                                 ALL RED                 

2021 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir, Russian River Selection

This is really cool. I mean, what other wine club includes Williams Selyem in their selections?! Here’s the scoop: a few years ago Williams Selyem, one of the pioneers and still reigning champs of Pinot in Sonoma, decided they wanted to have more restaurant presence with their wines. Selling for years to only those on their mailing list (a list with a wait list just to join), they had enjoyed much success with their appellation and single vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays (although they also dabble in Zin, Syrah, Cab and dessert wines). But those wines are much too expensive for restaurants to pour by the glass, even those with the most elevated wine and culinary programs. So, they peeled off some fruit from a few of their best vineyards and the “Russian River Selection” was born, available exclusively to restaurants (and probably a few friends). Sourced not only from their own estate vineyard, they pull fruit from both the Drake vineyard and Rochioli! Crazy! Get some in your cellar now, while you can!
Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
$100/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $65

2018 Switchback Ridge Merlot, Napa Valley

Located all the way up in Calistoga, Switchback Ridge is one of those Napa wineries that you rarely see on wine lists and in retail shops. Almost all of their production is sold to their mailing list of collectors. However, we managed to wrangle a small parcel of the outstanding 2018 Merlot from them. At only a thousand case production, this wine was grown exclusively on the Peterson Family Vineyard. While the winery began in 1999, the vineyard land has been in the Peterson family for over a hundred years. But this is Merlot from up in Calistoga and is made by the rock star winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. As much a Cab drinker’s Merlot as there ever was, this is a wine you could pop now but give it a couple years in the cellar and it will be even better.
Varieties: 91% Merlot; 9% Cabernet Sauvignon
$100/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $65

2019 Justin Isosceles, Paso Robles  

The iconic flagship wine of Justin!!
Justin and Deborah Baldwin acquired their land in 1981 and planted 72 acres in vineyards that same year. Initially they were wine growers, selling to other wineries. Then, in 1987, they harvested their first grapes bottled under the Justin label. Justin Winery concentrates on two Bordeaux styled red wines: Isoscleles, which is a 100% estate blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and Justification, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. From the winery: “Very aromatic and complex with ripe black cherry and cassis fruit, vanilla, cinnamon, and licorice spice with sweet tobacco, cedar, leather, and camphor notes. Full-bodied with ripe complex black cherry, boysenberry, cassis, and blackberry fruit on entry with baking spice. Dusty tannins appear on the midpalate with cedar, dried tobacco leaf, and saddle leather as it progresses. The 2019 Isosceles is a bold wine with ripe fruit and attractive savory elements, which balance each other perfectly. This wine is rich and complex enough to be enjoyed on its own, but is a perfect match with a classic filet mignon with traditional sides.”
Varieties: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot 

$110/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $71.50

2020 Maison Foucher, Chinon, Loire Valley 

Chosen due to its popularity by the glass at Velvet 48, the Maison Foucher Chinon really straddles the line between old world rustic and new world fruit, while still retaining the characteristics that make it singularly Cabernet Franc. Maison Foucher was established in 1921 at the heart of the Loire Valley, between Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre by the dynamic Paulin Lebrun. Originally a Cooper (I like this guy already), he started growing his business by selling wine in his own barrels to local cafés and restaurants. This is one of those wines that I knew was a winner the moment I tasted it. The quality for the price was truly remarkable and it held the trait that I always search for: it's a compelling wine. You can't help but like it and the price makes you like it even more...

Varieties: 100% Cabernet Franc 

$45/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $29.25

2016 Spring Valley Vineyard 'Fredrick', Walla Walla Valley, WA 

Let's not mince words. It's the elephant in the room.... That label sucks. Thank goodness the wine behind it is delicious! Spring Valley is dedicated to making solely reds and each wine is named after a family member who has contributed to the success of the winery. Their top wine, Uriah (named after the founder) is Merlot based and considered one of the top wines in Washington. This Cabernet focused blend is complex and richly textured but the bottle age that comes with it being from the 2016 vintage means it's drinking really beautifully now. I'm frequently drawn to picking wines that have already been aged for you and this is one of them. A spiffy little restaurant price doesn't hurt in the equation either. Pop a bottle with steak or a burger, turn the label away and enjoy!

Varieties: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc
$80/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $52 

2015 Muga 'Prado Enea', Gran Reserva Rioja, Spain

One of Muga's absolute top wines, Prado Enea, is sought after for it's power, complexity and age worthiness. This is a beast of a wine. Muga carefully selects individual grape clusters to be a part of this wine. Muga carefully selects individual grape clusters to be a part of this wine and it is aged for 36 months in oak before bottling and then aged for at least an additional 36 months before release. Founded in 1932, The Bodegas Muga outstanding feature is that it always. uses the finest materials, combining tradition with the latest advances in winemaking so as always to give its wines the very best quality without losing authenticity. 

"Reserved and polished, this is a Prado Enea with great class and focus. It's so aromatic, with plum, peach, cherry and character. Salted olives, too. Medium-to full-bodied with very fine tannins and a long, fresh finish. Elegance with power here. Give it three or four years to open, but already impressive." - James Suckling
97 Points James Suckling, 97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate! #53 on Wine Spectator's 2022 Top 100 Wines!

Varieties: Tempranillo, Grenache, Mazuelo (Carignan) & Graciano                                       $175/bottle, 35% Off Club Re-Purchase: $113.75 

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Send us an email with your club preference (ALL RED or MIXED) and your t-shirt size and we'll get you all signed up!

EMAIL:

wineclub@velvet48.com