WINE CLUB | CHEESE CLUB

January is all about new. New year. New resolutions. Giving new things a chance. So this month, we’re bringing you a lineup of new world wines to match all that energy.

The terms “old world” and “new world” are sometimes used in a stuffy-enough way that they *almost* take the fun out of drinking wine. Let’s demystify it in a little 101 with some serious generalizations for the sake of brevity.

The “old world” means wines that comes from Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa. They tend to bring a focus on terroir (the location, soil, climate, etc.), less intervention by the producer (they often follow centuries-old winemaking processes and regulations), flavor profiles that are meant for food (charming table wines), and loads of value for the $$ (you know we keep our eyes on that prize for you).

The “new world” means wines that come from the Americas, New Zealand, and Australia. They might focus more on the grape varieties than the location where they’re grown, exist in cultures where wine isn’t a given on every dinner table every night, and the quality ones can get expensive pretty quickly because of things like alcohol taxes and grape yields.

Another big difference between the old and new world is the wine itself. Old world wines tend to be of the laid-back variety with lower alcohol, higher acidity (that squeaky-teeth feeling), lighter body (picture the consistency of iced tea), and a bit more earthy flavors. New world wines tend towards louder personalities with higher alcohol, lower acidity, more body (picture the consistency of milk), and fruitier flavors.

Whatever your tastes, you should know that there are absolutely stunning wines throughout both “worlds” and stellar, experienced winemakers pushing the entire industry forward. And if you’ve always preferred one world vs. the other, here’s your chance to try something new.

Happy 2023!

The Halfseas Team

ALL CLUB MEMBERS GET TO ENJOY THESE 3 BOTTLES:

NV Flegenheimer ‘Out of the Park’ Sparkling Shiraz

Grape: Shiraz (aka Syrah)
Region: McLaren Vale, Australia
Retail: $19
Pronunciation: “shur-RAZZ”

In the late 1800s, Benjamin Hammershlag’s great great grandfather moved from Germany to Brooklyn, New York and fell in love. He married into the Flegenheimer family and joined the family wine merchant biz in the good ol’ days before Prohibition. When alcohol was outlawed, things kind of, um, went to shit for their line of work. Three generations later, Benjamin decided to revive the family vision. And wow, is he making good wine from his high-altitude vineyard in South Australia.

Whenever there’s sparkling wine in our monthly lineup, it seems like a good time for a quick refresher that “NV” stands for “non-vintage”. It’s very typical to see this with sparkling wine, and it indicates that the grapes in this wine were picked in multiple years (aka vintages). If they had all been harvested in the same year, you’d see a specific vintage (like 2019, 2020, etc.) instead of NV. Either way, drink it :)

Drinking & pairing ideas: This would be smashing with some crispy Peking duck and fried rice. Serve a little chilled.

2022 Viña Echeverría ‘No Es Pituko!’ País Rosé

Grape: País
Region: Maule Valley, Chile
Retail: $24
Pronunciation: “pie-YEESE”

The Echeverría family has been making wine since 1740 when they moved from the Spanish Basque Country to a small vineyard almost smack in the middle of Chile. Their lovingly-made wine won them enough fans that they became the first boutique family shop to sell wine to Harrods in London. “No es Pituko” is Chilean slang for “it ain’t fancy.” But, yeesh, is it delicious. The País grape has been in Chile for a very long time — first recorded around the time the Spaniards showed up.

Drinking & pairing ideas: This natural wine can be a little funky (in the best way) and gets even prettier after airing out for a bit. Serve chilled and with a spread of garlicky hummus, salty feta, marinated olives, crisp veggies, warm pita, and any other trimmings that get you going.

2019 Golden Cluster Dionystic ‘Alberto’ Iberian Red

Grapes: Tempranillo and "other Iberian grapes” (gotta love it)
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Retail: $32
Pronunciation: “temp-rah-NEE-yo”

This story is best told directly from the winemaker, Jeff Vejr: “My first harvest job was picking grapes and running trucks full of grape bins to wineries throughout Oregon. It was a crash course in ‘the wine life’. Alberto was the first guy to show me how to identify grapes on the vine, the first guy to show me how to pick grapes (I did, ok), the first guy to show me how to strap down bins, and how to not ride the brakes. This wine is named after him.”

Drinking & pairing ideas: Let’s go for some smoky, new-world BBQ with this one! Serve with lots of drippy sauce and all those American fixins.

6-BOTTLE MEMBERS ALSO GET TO ENJOY THESE 3 BOTTLES:

2018 Disruption Riesling

Grape: Riesling
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
Retail: $15
Pronunciation: “REESE-ling”

Oh Riesling, let us count the ways that we love you. This bottle is coming to us from Andrew Latta, one of the most celebrated young winemakers in Washington state. To top it off (yes, pun intended), the artwork on all of Disruption’s bottles is done by artists who have collaborated with Urban Artworks, a non-profit in Seattle that connects young people with emerging artists to create public art in communities across the city. Learn more here.

Drinking & pairing ideas: Serve chilled with your favorite Thai takeout — especially dishes that are loaded with lemongrass and garlic. And don’t be afraid of a little (or a lot of) spice! The slight sweetness in this wine will cool things down and make magic.

2021 L'Umami Pinot Noir

Grape: Pinot Noir
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Retail: $22

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir has been rocking the boat since it won a top three spot in 1979 at the Gault-Millau French Wine Olympiades (a prestigious, historically snooty tasting) and beat some red Burgundies. A shocking travesty for France, but a proud moment for American winemakers in the PNW. Our rainy, grey weather has proved to be the perfect climate for this cool-weather grape, and it’s fun to see it showcased so beautifully in this bottle from Oregon.

Drinking & pairing ideas: A cozy, blustery night with a hot bowl of mushroom soup, crusty bread, and crisp salad sprinkled with salty cheese.

2021 Passionate Wines 'Via Revolucionaria'

Grape: Criolla Grande
Region: Valle de Uco, Argentina
Retail: $20
Pronunciation: “kree-OH-lah GRAHN-day”

Matias Michelini loves soccer, wine, and breaking the rules. Think of him as a well-respected bad boy who’s also a nerdy perfectionist. He’s constantly experimenting with funky, unique grapes or finding new ways to make wine with traditional grapes. Enter Criolla Grande — it’s typically used for rosé, but Matias makes it shine here as an absurdly delicious and juicy red.

Drinking & pairing ideas: Teriyaki salmon and charred shishito peppers over a bowl of rice. Serve a little chilled for the best time.

Looking for past lineups? We got you.

REMINDERS

• As always, our food suggestions are just starting points. Wine is nostalgic and we’re big fans of making what you like, drinking what you like, and not giving a damn if they “go” together.

• Email us at info@halfseaswine.com to buy more single bottles or a 12-bottle case with special pricing.

• Come see us at Halfseas, your charming little neighborhood wine shop tucked inside Brimmer & Heeltap. Open Wednesday through Sunday 12 - 9pm.

• Wine pairs best with friends. Tell your friends.