Wine Club July 2025: Born in the USA

• Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris
• Region: Willamette Valley, OR
• Taste: White peach, tropical fruit, citrus
• Elevage: 3 months in stainless steel with weekly lees stirring
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Dungeness crab, grilled peaches, prosciutto

1970 was winding down when our founders, Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol Blosser pulled their ’68 VW Camper up to an abandoned prune orchard some 30 miles southwest of Portland. These moonstruck kids had little farming experience and just a basic knowledge of winemaking. What they did have, in abundance, was a passion for growing the Pinot Noir grape and creating world-class wine. Soon after settling on this extraordinary land, they planted their first vines and clinched their place as pioneers in Oregon’s budding wine industry.

• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Region: Santa Ynez Valley, CA
• Taste: Wet stone, grapefruit, tarragon
• Elevage: Aged in tanks and old barrels for about six months
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Oysters, Thai take-out, salty popcorn

Lieu Dit is a partnership of longtime friends Eric Railsback and Justin Willett. The two met in Santa Barbara while Eric was finishing college and Justin was just beginning his career in winemaking. The two were among a small group of young winemakers and restaurateurs in Santa Barbara unified by a common interest in wine and all its mysteries.

After countless bottles shared together and many trips to France, Railsback and Willett decided to found Lieu Dit in 2011 and focus it solely in the varieties indigenous to the Loire Valley, now grown in Santa Barbara County. The varied micro-climates and marine based soils of Santa Barbara County are ideally suited to this set of grapes. Lieu Dit centers on Sauvignon Blanc and more limited bottlings of Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Rose and produces around 2500 cases annually. Each vintage, the quest for purity, elegance, and balance in every wine is paramount.

• Varietal: 55% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay
• Region: Willamette Valley, OR
• Taste: Crushed raspberry, white peach, and toasted brioche
• French oak barrel for fermentation lasting 4 weeks, disgorged on demand
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Grilled chicken salads, goat cheese, parties!

Founded in 1987 as Oregon’s sparkling wine house, Argyle quickly stood out as a study in contrasts – honoring the deep traditions of wine and embracing innovation and experimentation; proud to be Oregonian and pulling knowledge from winemakers around the world. When common knowledge said a winery could produce great sparkling wine or great still wine Argyle asked “why not both?”, answering the question with acclaimed still and sparkling wines.

Deeply established in the Willamette Valley, yet young at heart, Argyle is led by stand-out winemaker Nate Klostermann, and innovative viticulturist Geoff Hall, who work together to explore and expand the possibilities of modern winemaking. Together they create world-class still and sparkling wines from Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Riesling.

• Varietal: 53% Valdiguié, 14% Carignan, 18% Petite Sirah, 8% Tannat, 3% St. Laurent, 1% Pinot Noir
• Region: North Coast, CA
• Taste: Raspberry tart, sweet summer flowers, bramble
• Elevage: 100% fermented in concrete and 50% aged in concrete tanks and 50% aged in used barrels
• Serve: Slightly Chilled
• Pairings: Wood-fired pizza, spicy fried chicken

Michael Cruse was born and raised in Northern California and prides himself on producing wines that are unabashedly Californian and inherently delicious.  Michael came to the wine business through his love of science.  His moment of enlightenment was attending a lecture at Cal Berkeley by none other than Terry Leighton of Kalin Cellars!  Michael was able to envision a path where his deep knowledge and appreciation for science could take him into the world of wine.

This path led Michael to several positions in order to really learn the basics, including stints in the cellars of Sutter Home winery before eventually moving on to Merryvale in Carneros where he would work his way up to becoming the assistant winemaker.  After several years of working for others, Michael felt the pull to strike out on his own and to create wines that reflected his vision and admiration for California.  Michael set forth with a few partners to set up shop in an industrial warehouse in Petaluma where he built a custom crush facility and launched his Champagne inspired sparkling wine project, Ultramarine, in 2008.  

Michael followed-up Ultramarine with the creation of Cruse Wine Co. in 2013.  Cruse Wine Co. was an opportunity for Michael to showcase fruit driven and satisfying wines that were fresh and pleasurable, but still remained serious at the same time.  Again, being unabashedly Californian.  The roots of the North Coast run deep with Michael, so he chose to focus on sites within Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Contra Costa Counties to create these special wines.  The one thing he didn’t want to do was to create another Pinot Noir or Cabernet, instead he found inspiration in varieties such as Valdiguie, Tannant, Carignan and St Laurent.

• Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
• Region: Ste Rita Hills, CA
• Taste: Black cherry, dried flowers, blood orange
• Elevage: Aged in neutral barrel (15+ year old French oak) for 11+ months
• Serve: Cellar Temperature
• Pairings: Roasted chicken, duck w/cherry glaze, grilled salmon

Situated amongst the beautiful rolling hills of Western Santa Ynez Valley, Melville is dedicated to producing exceptional cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah grown exclusively in their estate vineyards throughout the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. 

Founded in 1989, Melville is a family-owned and operated estate winery with its roots in Sonoma County’s Knights Valley, where Ron Melville grew high-quality and greatly sought-after grapes.

In 1996, Ron’s desire to grow cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah brought Melville Vineyards to the Sta. Rita Hills, located in the Western Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. Today, Ron and his son, Chad Melville, uphold Melville’s tradition as one of the most highly-regarded estates in California.

• Varietal: Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
• Region: USA
• Taste: Ripe cherry, leather   
• Elevage: 10 months in used barrel
• Serve: Cellar Temperature
• Pairings: Burgers, grilled meat, lamb

Garage Wines (Micro-Negociant) focusing on specific terroirs in Oregon by sourcing the best fruit possible from the Willamette Valley region of Oregon to produce wines which show the individuality of their respective sites.

Mainly Oregon fruit with a splash of Washington State make up this All-American Red Wine with a Northwest twist. The Blend: Syrah (OR), Merlot (WA), Cabernet Sauvignon (WA).

• Varietal: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petite Sirah, 4% Malbec, 2% Merlot
• Region: Alexander Valley, CA
• Taste: Black cherry, plums, vanilla cocoa
• Elevage: Fermentation in stainless, aging in stainless and French oak
• Serve: Cellar Temperature
• Pairings: Beef, pork and grilled vegetables

Michael Broadbent trained as an architect before he became a winemaker in England in the 1960s. He knew the importance of structure, balance and beauty well before becoming a Master of Wine. His large legacy of art, whether it be architectural, portraiture, landscapes or technical drawings, gives a clear insight into his attention to detail. This wine is a tribute to the legacy of our favorite Renaissance man – Michael Broadbent, artist, author, musician, auctioneer and architect.

Sourced from multiple vineyards in Alexander Valley, this wine reflects the region’s diverse terroir, with elevations ranging from 134 to 2,200 feet and soils composed of gravel, clay, and loam. The Mediterranean climate, marked by cool, wet winters and dry, warm summers, creates ideal conditions for ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2023 growing season began with a wet winter, followed by a mild, wet spring that supported successful bud break and flowering. A long, dry summer with consistent temperatures, free from extreme heat spikes, allowed for gradual phenolic ripeness, ultimately delaying harvest. The slightly cooler conditions contributed to fresh, vibrant flavor development.