Wine Club November 2025: A Toast to Thanks

• Varietal: 100% Riesling
• Region: Mosel, Germany
• Taste: Fresh, orchard-fruit driven: peach, raspberry, elderflower blossom
• Elevage: 2 to 4 months in old German oak “Fuder”
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Light dishes, sushi

The estate of Max Ferdinand Richter has been owned by the Richter family for more than 300 years. Today this enterprise, owned and run by winemaker Dirk Richter, is one of the leading producers of top Rieslings in the heart of the central Mosel area with total holdings of 43 acres and an annual production of about 10,500 cases. Richter produces fine wines that are well known throughout the world. They produce a wide variety of wines from estate-grown grapes that reflect the individual style of each single vineyard. The terroir of their steep vineyard sites is generally fresh weathering grey slate.

• Varietal: 100% Albarino
• Region: Canelones, Uruguay
• Taste: Lemon zest, minerals, salinty
• Elevage: Aged on the lees in stainless steel for 5 months
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Seafood, salads

FAAA! Albariño is made by third generation winemaker Santiago Deicas in the Juanico subregion of Canelones, Uruguay. The Deicas Family moved to South America from the Alpine town of Bormio, Italy and founded their winery in 1978. They first started planting Albariño in 2009 and now have approximately 12 acres of Albariño under vine. Juanico is a coastal region that benefits from a temperate climate and well drained soils that allow for a slow ripening period which enables the fruit to develop a natural acidity and salinity.

• Varietal: 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir
• Region: Champagne, France
• Taste: Red fruits, hazelnuts and almonds
• Elevage: Six g/L dosage, aged and blended in neutral barrels
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Poultry, mild cheeses

Champagne Voirin-Jumel is a family-owned grower-champagne estate (Récoltant-Manipulant) located in the Grand Cru village of Cramant in the Côte des Blancs. The house was formally established after the marriage of Gilles Voirin and Françoise Jumel in the early 1970s, building on vineyard holdings from both families. Today siblings Patrick and Alice Voirin (with Patrick managing viticulture & winemaking and Alice overseeing sales and marketing) carry forward the tradition. Their vineyards span roughly 11-13 hectares across multiple villages including Cramant, Chouilly, Avize, Oger and others, enabling them to craft terroir-driven wines with varietal purity and place-specific character. Key hallmarks of their style include separate vinification of each parcel, malolactic fermentation in most lots, relatively low dosage, and ageing of base wines for at least 3-4 years before release – all of which allow the chalky Côte des Blancs terroir to express itself clearly in the glass.

• Varietal: 100% Gamay Noir
• Region: Santa Lucia Highlands, CA
• Taste: Bright red fruits (cranberry, cherry) with peppery/spicy notes
• Elevage: 90% whole cluster fermentation, aged in used oak and stainless steel
• Serve: Cellar Temperature
• Pairings: Everything on the Thanksgiving table

After ten years of studying the history, geography, climate and geology of the Monterey Bay area through their P’tit Paysan and La Marea labels, Ian and Heather Brand started I. Brand & Family to showcase the truly unique vineyard blocks in the region- Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey, and San Benito- which they believe will define their region. These wines are made with special regard for site, intended to intensely showcase place, and each site was selected because of its special location, match of variety to place, and relationship with the history and/or future of the region.

• Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc
• Region: Saumur-Champigny, Loire Valley, France
• Taste: Bright red fruit character: cherry, raspberry, hints of violet
• Elevage: 100% de-stemmed, native yeast, half in 2-3 year old barrels, other half in oak
• Serve: Slightly chilled
• Pairings: Herb roasted chicken or turkey, charcuterie, ham

Domaine Arnaud Lambert is one of the leading modern estates in the Loire Valley, celebrated for its precise, terroir-driven expressions of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Based in Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg and Brézé, the domaine encompasses vineyards once managed by the historic Château de Brézé, combining both family holdings and leased parcels. Arnaud Lambert farms organically and biodynamically, emphasizing minimal intervention to let each site speak clearly through the wines. His meticulous approach – gentle extraction, restrained oak, and thoughtful élevage in a mix of neutral barrels, cement, and stainless steel – results in wines of purity, energy, and remarkable transparency. Today, Lambert is widely regarded as a key figure in the new generation redefining Saumur and Saumur-Champigny as sources of elegant, age-worthy Loire wines.

• Varietal: 54% Grenache, 27% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 4% Counoise
• Region: Central Coast, CA
• Taste: Cherries, plums, black pepper, herbs  
• Elevage: Aged about 10-11 months in predominantly concrete cask, neutral barrels and a handful of once- and twice-used barrels/puncheons
• Serve: Cellar Temperature
• Pairings: Herb-roasted poultry, vegetable sides

After ten years of studying the history, geography, climate and geology of the Monterey Bay area through their P’tit Paysan and La Marea labels, Ian and Heather Brand started I. Brand & Family to showcase the truly unique vineyard blocks in the region- Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey, and San Benito- which they believe will define their region. These wines are made with special regard for site, intended to intensely showcase place, and each site was selected because of its special location, match of variety to place, and relationship with the history and/or future of the region.

• Varietal: 100% Syrah
• Region: IGP Collines Rhodaniennes, Northern Rhone, France
• Taste: Cassis, roasted game, dark chocolate, smoke and soil/earthy tones
• Elevage: Fermentation partly in stainless steel & some neutral vessels, limited new oak
• Serve: Cellar Temperature
• Pairings: Roasted red meats, stews, aged cheeses

Domaine Vincent Paris is a small but highly regarded estate based in Cornas, in France’s Northern Rhône Valley. Vincent Paris, a nephew of the legendary Cornas winemaker Robert Michel, established his own domaine in the late 1990s and quickly gained recognition for producing Syrah of precision, purity, and balance. The estate covers roughly eight hectares of vineyards, most of them steeply terraced on granite soils within Cornas, with additional plots in Saint-Joseph and the surrounding Collines Rhodaniennes. Farming is certified organic, and Vincent practices minimal intervention in both the vineyard and cellar – favoring whole-cluster fermentation, gentle extraction, and restrained use of oak. His wines, including the approachable “Sélection Syrah,” display the hallmark energy, dark fruit, and savory minerality that define the best of the Northern Rhône, while maintaining a sense of elegance and lift that has made Paris one of the region’s most respected modern voices.