Wine Club December 2025: Holiday Cheer Collection

• Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
• Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
• Taste: Citrus peel, apple, pear, brioche
• Elevage: Méthode traditionnelle, extended lees aging, 3-5 grams/L dosage
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Oysters, lightly fried dishes, creamy cheeses

Argyle Winery, founded in 1987 in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, is one of the region’s benchmarks for méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine. They farm their estate vineyards with a strong sustainability focus and hold LIVE certification, emphasizing soil health, biodiversity, and low-impact farming. In the cellar, Argyle works with long lees aging and precise, low-dosage bottlings to highlight purity, minerality, and vineyard character. While not certified organic, their farming is environmentally conscious, and they use sulfur at traditional, minimal levels expected for premium sparkling wine.

• Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
• Region: Santa Barbara County, California
• Taste: Citrus blossom, white peach, sality, lime zest
• Elevage: Fermented and aged in stainless steel
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Seafood, salads, vegetables, light pasta dishes

Diatom is a Santa Barbara-area label from winemaker Greg Brewer – a winemaker known for his minimalist, terroir-driven approach. With Diatom, his goal is to present Chardonnay in the leanest, purest form possible: no oak influence, no malolactic fermentation, and little intervention – just the natural expression of fruit, site and vintage. The name “Diatom” is inspired by diatomaceous earth (fossilized plankton) found in soils of the Central Coast, reflecting the winemaker’s focus on “place.” 

In the cellar, the grapes are fermented at low temperatures in small stainless-steel tanks, then aged in stainless steel, preserving bright acidity, mineral identity, and freshness rather than oak-driven richness. The result is Chardonnay that feels fresh, saline, and coastal – a white that’s built for seafood, citrus, and lighter fare, with a sense of place that evokes the breezy, near-ocean vineyards of Santa Barbara County.

• Varietal: Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer 
• Region: Alsace, France
• Taste: Red fruits, hazelnuts and almonds
• Elevage: Fermented and aged in old neutral French oak barrels
• Serve: Chilled
• Pairings: Alpine cheeses, seafood, poultry, salads

The house behind this wine, Domaine Kuentz‑Bas, traces its roots back to 1795, with its modern identity shaped after a family union in 1895. Today the estate sits in Husseren-les-Châteaux on high slopes in Alsace and remains committed to traditional, terroir-driven wine – focusing on clarity, freshness, and expressiveness rather than heavy manipulation. Their vineyards are farmed organically, and under the current winemaker the wines are made with minimal intervention: the 2024 Alsace Blanc is fermented and aged in old, neutral oak foudres to preserve purity and let the soil and grapes speak through. The result is a white that feels light, bright and rooted in Alsace’s sense of place – an elegant, versatile wine meant to drink with food, friends, and enjoyment rather than pomp.

• Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
• Region: Loire Valley, France
• Taste: Red cherry, strawberry, raspberry, subtle spice
• Elevage: Fermented and aged in stainless steel
• Serve: Slightly chilled
• Pairings: Roasted or grilled poultry, charcuterie, pork or game

Domaine du Salvard has been a family-owned estate in the Loire since 1898, now run by brothers Emmanuel and Thierry Delaille. Their vineyards lie on clay-and-sand soils around Cheverny, and they focus on sustainable, low-yield farming to preserve purity and freshness in their wines. The “Unique Pinot Noir” is crafted to be a light, elegant red wine – vinified gently in stainless steel, giving a vibrant, fruit-driven, terroir-reflective expression of Loire Valley Pinot Noir rather than an oak-heavy or overly extracted style.

• Varietal: 90% Sangiovese, 5% Alicante, 5% Ciliegiolo
• Region: Morellino di Scansano DOCG, Italy
• Taste: Sour cherry, wild berries, herbs
• Elevage: Fermented and aged in stainless steel
• Serve: Slightly chilled
• Pairings: Roasted pork, tomato-based pasta dishes, mushrooms

Fattoria Le Pupille is a respected Tuscan estate in Maremma – a coastal, sun-warmed corner of southern Tuscany – well known for bringing visibility to Morellino di Scansano and for producing wines that balance Tuscan tradition with bright Mediterranean character. Their Morellino di Scansano wines reflect the climate and soils of the region: breezy coastal vineyards, sun-kissed ripening, and a slightly warmer, more fruit-driven interpretation of Sangiovese. For their 2024 Morellino, the estate opts for stainless-steel vinification and no heavy oak, choosing freshness and fruit clarity over heavy extraction and wood influence. The result is a wine that feels approachable, vibrant, and food-friendly – ideal for sharing with friends and pairing with rustic, hearty Italian fare.

• Varietal: 88% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc
• Region: Lalande‑de‑Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
• Taste: Ripe blackberry, black cherry, dark plum, subtle violet / floral note  
• Elevage: Aged 12-15 months in French oak barriques (with a proportion of new oak balanced to avoid overpowering the fruit)
• Serve: Cellar Temperature
• Pairings: Grilled lamb, beef stew, mushroom dishes

Château Belles-Graves is a family-owned estate in Lalande-de-Pomerol, currently run by the descendants of the Theallet family on about 17 hectares. Their vineyards average roughly forty years old and sit on slopes of clay-and-gravel soils – composed of flint, quartz, and mica – which help produce wines marked by mineral depth, dark fruit, and supple texture. 

At harvest, grapes are still picked by hand, sorted carefully in the cellar, and undergo long maceration to bring out richness and complexity. Their winemaking aims to respect the natural character of the vineyard: oak aging (in French barriques) is used, but with a mindful balance so wood doesn’t dominate. The result is a wine that marries the generosity of ripe Merlot fruit with elegant structure and enough depth to age gracefully – delivering Bordeaux character and classic right-bank charm without pretension.

• Varietal: 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah
• Region: Côtes Catalanes IGP, Roussillon, France
• Taste: Ripe blackberry, blueberry compote, baking spice, cocoa / dark chocolate
• Elevage: Aged primarily in large French oak foudres with a portion in concrete; minimal new oak
• Serve: Cellar Temperature
• Pairings: Grilled meat, braised, meat, stews, aged cheese

Domaine Lafage is a family-run estate based just outside Perpignan in the sun-soaked Roussillon, where Jean-Marc and Éliane Lafage craft expressive, Mediterranean-influenced wines. Their vineyards span a wide range of elevations and soil types, allowing them to focus on old-vine Grenache that thrives in the region’s windy, dry climate. Lafage farms sustainably, using low-intervention practices that protect the natural environment and preserve the character of their old vines. In the cellar, they emphasize gentle handling and balanced oak to highlight fruit purity and the warm, spicy personality of the region.