Valdobbiadene, located in the heart of the Prosecco Superiore hills, is a land renowned for its winemaking excellence. The Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin (DOCG) Valdobbiadene represents the pinnacle of Italian winemaking tradition and art, celebrated for its refined and high-quality sparkling wines.

The hills of Valdobbiadene have long been recognized for their beauty and the quality of their wines. Over time, techniques of cultivation and production of wine have been perfected, laying the foundations for the production of Valdobbiadene DOCG as we know it today: obtaining recognition and fame at an international level, culminating in 2009 with the recognition of DOCG, and in 2019 the recognition as a UNESCO heritage site.

The Rebuli winery, located in this prestigious region, began producing sparkling wine in the 1980s and has since evolved and innovated without ever losing sight of their roots, their connection with nature and the fruits it has provided. In the cellar, grapes are pressed off the skins and fermented in stainless steel tanks. After fermentation, the wines rest in the autoclaves of the cellar, where they adopt the Martinotti method (also known as the Charmat method). This technique, which involves a re-fermentation in an autoclave for at least 90 days (up to 180 days for the most prized selections), is the beating heart of production. It is through this method that sparkling wines get an inimitable complexity and finesse. 

Their Extra Dry Prosecco is a gorgeous straw yellow color with a persistent mousse. Fruity notes of golden apple and Bosc pears float on a delicate citrus background. The wine is well balanced with fine acidity and minerality, combined with freshness and complexity. The finish is long and persistent. Only 500 cases made. 

A note on dryness levels—“extra dry” is a misnomer. The dryness classification used to use only “dry” and “sweet” to describe wines. As time went by, consumers wanted wines even dryer than the “dry” label, bringing us “extra dry.” As time went by, consumers wanted wines even dryer than the “extra dry” label, bringing us “brut,” and, eventually, “extra brut.” This means that “extra dry” wines conversely have a higher degree of residual sugars than “brut” wines. Extra dry Prosecco has between 12-17 grams per liter of residual sugars. This doesn’t mean the wine tastes sweet, but rather, it has a lushness to the palate you won’t get from extra brut. 

Pair this extra dry Prosecco with hors d’oeuvres, spicy seafood, fresh fruit, and light tea cakes. Pair with this sweet and tangy Lemon Yogurt Cheesecake from NYT Cooking.

100% Glera

Paolo Marion, a third generation winemaker, began managing family-owned vineyards with his brother, Massimo, in 1999. Their father had produced grapes to sell in bulk. Paolo studied oenology at the School of Winemaking in Conegliano, one of the most renowned in Italy. Together they made the conversion to organic farming, and in 2003, Paolo founded his own company and invested in new winemaking equipment to produce high quality wines made with the Charmat method. He created his own brand - Terre dei Buth - and began distributing his bottled wine in 2017. He earned the nickname "Prosecco Genius" from British wine writer Matthew Jukes. 

Terre" means “lands" and "Buth" means “bud" in a Venetian dialect, hence the name "Land of buds”; you can see buds of every type come out from the characteristic gravely soil of the vineyard during Spring.

Glera is the traditional grape of Italian Prosecco, providing notes of green apple and pear alongside floral honeysuckle, with distinct acidity; Raboso is an indigenous red grape to the Venetian region, well known for its hints of red berries and its smooth taste. This bottle uses both grapes to great effect, vinifying in the traditional Charmat method. After picking, grapes are soft-pressed. Primary fermentation is completed in about 10 days, then additional fermentation takes place for 5-6 months in stainless steel tanks. This bottle of bright pink bubbles shows delicate aromas of strawberry and raspberry. The palate is lively and juicy, with hints of gooseberry and redcurrant. Gently effervescent, pair this Italian frizzante with summer salads, light pasta dishes and anything served outside. 

90% Glera, 10% Raboso

Lionel Osmin & Cie was the brainchild of a group of like-minded friends who loved wines from the South of France. They created a quality négociant offering a selection of wines from throughout the region, instead of limiting themselves to one or two sub-regions. With Lionel Osmin as the driving force, the team crafts wines from the Juranćon, Cahors, Gaillac, Bergerac and Marcillac AOCs—lesser-known yet high quality regions from southern France under one umbrella. 

Jurançon is the best-kept secret in France: the region’s dry white wines have a combination of electric vibrancy married to a seductive richness that’s exceptionally rare outside big-money white Bordeaux. Lionel Osmin’s 2021 Cami Salié is a gorgeous example of the region, with beautiful complexity and an enthralling combination of ripeness and vibrancy.

The wine opens with pretty, layered aromas of toasted honey, lanolin, white and yellow flowers, Meyer lemon, almond cake, yellow peach, vanilla bean and allspice. Smooth and bone-dry on the palate, juicy acidity and flavors of orange marmalade lead into caramel, fresh tangerine, honeydew melon, lime zest and honeysuckle. A great food wine, this is the perfect accompaniment to grilled shrimp, fresh pesto with pasta, or any cheese plate.

80% Gros Manseng, 20% Petit Manseng

The Maresh family settled in the Willamette Valley in 1959, when Jim and Loie Maresh purchased a farm on Worden Hill Road and began growing plums, cherries, and hazelnuts. Encouraged by early Oregon wine pioneers David Lett and Dick Erath, Jim and Loie shifted from orchard farming to viticulture, planting the Maresh Vineyard in 1970 in front of their iconic red barn, making it one of the first five vineyards in Oregon. In the late 1970s, their son-in-law, Fred Arterberry, began making wine under his own label. After Fred’s early passing, his son Jim Maresh Jr., raised on the family farm and trained in the vineyard from a young age, launched Arterberry Maresh in 2005, in honor of both family names. As Jim states, “Farming in the Dundee Hills since 1969 has its perks, one of which is our long term relationships with some of the best wine grape farmers in the area” and beyond—hence the Tan Fruit side project. 

Tan Fruit Chardonnay Petite Tan Fruit 2022

Willamette Valley, Oregon

$24.99, $22.49 for Wine Club Members

Jim Maresh started the Tan Fruit Wine project in order to benefit from access to other great vineyard sites in the neighborhood. The wines are made in a similar fashion to Arterberry Maresh, with emphasis on refreshment and complexity over richness.

“Maresh’s "ode to Petit Chablis," this new 2022 Petite Chardonnay from Tan Fruit is meant for casual, early drinking. Grapes are sourced from the Willamette, Umpqua and Columbia Valley appellations, and it contains some Washington fruit (30%). It was matured for 10 months in stainless steel and bottled under screw cap. "There needs to be wine like this," Jim says emphatically. "You don't have to think about it. I can drink a glass a day, sometimes out of a water glass with an ice cube, and ease my mind." The Petite Chardonnay has soft aromas of flint, marzipan and fresh bread accenting a core of white peach. The light-bodied palate balances a concentrated core of stone fruit with bright, gently tangy acidity, and it has a long, nutty finish. A great value and introduction to Oregon Chardonnay, I suspect it will show up on savvy sommeliers' by-the-glass lists. 90 Points.” The Wine Advocate

Pair this Chardonnay with spring dishes such as lemon and herbs roast chicken, grilled shrimp, pasta salads, ricotta and peas crostini, and poached salmon with dill yogurt.

100% Chardonnay

Arterberry Maresh Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2023

Dundee Hills, Oregon
 

$36.99, $33.29 for Wine Club Members

This Pinot Noir, sourced from a blend of Maresh Vineyard and neighboring Dundee Hills sites, comes from dry-farmed vines of Pommard and Wädenswil clones, planted between 1970 and 1974. Growing on Jory soils at  500 to 800 feet above sea level, the high elevation vineyard’s fruits benefits from long hang times and gentle southeast exposure. Slightly warmer and drier than surrounding microclimates, these balanced volcanic, silty-clay-loam soils both retain moisture and drain well. Maresh’s winemaking is all about minimal intervention. Hand-harvested, the grapes are destemmed in 1¼ ton lots and undergo spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. The lots are gently pressed in a half-ton wood bladder press and settle 2-4 weeks before being transferred in just 5–10% new French oak for up to 18 month aging process. Restrained extraction techniques and a preference for neutral French oak helps to highlight the purity of old vine fruit. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

“Dynamic yet sleek, with brisk acidity framed by vibrant cherry, cranberry, green tea and dusky spice flavors that zip along the snappy finish. Drink now through 2033. 1,880 cases made. 93 Points.” Wine Spectator

Food pairings for this Pinot are broad, spanning from seared duck to miso-glazed salmon, from beets and chèvre salad to roasted poultry and pork with herbs.

100% Pinot Noir
 

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Mother's Day Olive Oil Special



This Sicilian extra virgin olive oil comes to us courtesy of natural winemaking phenom Arianna Occhipinti, from olive trees grown on her estate—a family tradition that dates back to the 17th Century.

When Arianna Occhipinti began to produce wine in Vittoria, she soon came across the centuries-old trees of the Piraino district in Chiaramonte Gulfi. In addition to wine, she also began to produce oil, the production of which marks the end of the grape harvest and the beginning of autumn every year. Panta Rei is produced from the Tonda Ilbeia variety. The olives come from trees that are several hundred years old and have been cultivated using the umbrella net system. The olives are harvested by hand in the second half of October and the oil is extracted in a continuous cold cycle. The robust oil is stored in stainless steel containers and is suitable for both cooking and enjoying as a finishing oil.



Occhipinti Olive Oil 1.5L 

Sicily, Italy

$49.99, $44.99 for Wine Club Members

NORMALLY $65.99

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Friday Tasting

 

Scenic Valley Winery

Meet the Winemaker with Gabriel Jagle

Willamette Valley, Oregon

Friday, May 9th, 3-5:30 pm 

Upcoming Tastings

Scenic Valley Winery of Willamette Valley, Oregon–Meet the Winemaker
with Gabriel Jagle
Friday, May 9th, 3-5:30 pm 

Ruggeri Corsini Wines of Piedmont, Italy
With Ben Reece
Friday, May 16th 3-5:30pm 

Esja Winery–Woodinville Washington
Meet the Winemaker with Tanya Bjornsson
Friday, May 23rd 3-5:30

Kiley Imports 
with Jared Baily
Friday, May 30th, 3-5:30

All tastings $5 fee. Wine Club Members receive one free tasting per membership at every event.

CLICK FOR MORE INFO
 

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Email: ted@sjwinemerchants.com