White: Lunae, Vermentino, Colli di Luni, Liguria, Italy, 2023
Lunae, a renowned winery in the Liguria region, has been producing the outstanding white wine, Etichetta Nera, made from Vermentino grapes for three generations. This white Vermentino from the Lunae winery has been awarded with the prestigious DOC certification. The vineyards, located in Castelnuovo Magra and Ortonovo in the La Spezia province, have pebbly soils full of stones, ideal for the perfect development of the grapes. The Guyot method is used for cultivation and the grapes are hand-harvested in mid-September and placed in wooden boxes for a brief period. The wine-making process begins within 48 hours in stainless steel tanks, followed by a 48-hour maceration on the skins before racking off. The fermentation takes place in steel tanks and the wine is aged in special tanks, ensuring purity and clarity until March, or even April.
Red (chilled): Elisa Guerin, Gamay, Beaujolais Villages, Burgundy, France, 2023
Elisa Guérin offers a fresh perspective on Moulin-à-Vent, showcasing the nobility of Gamay grapes. Her wines are not only joyous and bursting with flavors of violet, cherry, and roses, but also bold and harmonious, with hints of undergrowth and steeped black tea that provide tannins and structure. The Guérin family's vineyards reintroduce a prestigious terroir that even the most knowledgeable Beaujolais consumers will appreciate. The wine is made from organic grapes sourced from two different growers in cool regions, with careful pruning to maintain a density of 10,000 per hectare. One vineyard features blue schist and limestone with a northern slope, while the other has granitic sandy soil and a high southeast exposure at 400m. The grapes undergo whole cluster carbonic maceration and are aged in stainless steel for one winter.
