BELLA WINES 2017 KING FAMILY FARMS METHODE ANCESTRALE SPARKLING CHARDONNAY

NARAMATA BENCH. B.C.

Bella only makes bubbles. Really, really, ridiculously good bubbles! And they only work with Chardonnay and Gamay that come from organically farmed, single vineyard sites. Method Ancestral aka Pétillant Naturel or Pet Nat for short, is a method of making sparkling wine with no intervention. The story goes that back 1531 a group of French monks thought their wine had fully finished fermenting, so they bottled it and put it away for the winter. When they came back to it in the spring though, they found that most of their bottles had exploded. Those that hadn’t had become delicious, intensely flavoured, sparkling wine! As this method is obviously a bit volatile, the traditional method of making bubbles was created and Pet Nat style bubbles took a backseat, until recently when a number of modern winemakers started to bring the style back to life. In 2017 Bella made 6 different Pet Nats! This particular gem smells and tastes like golden apples, ripe Bartlett pears, fresh baked brioche bread and happiness! Less than 500 bottles were made.

TESTALONGA BABY BANDITO 2017 KEEP ON PUNCHIN’ CHENIN BLANC

SWARTLAND, SOUTH AFRICA

Some of the coolest wines that’ve come into the shop over the last few months have been from South Africa, usually in such small quantities though, I couldn’t have dreamed of putting them into the BRICKS 6. Until now that is! We were lucky enough to get our hands on just enough of this deliciousness to include it this month’s pack. And that’s not to say that large quantities of this wine were produced, in fact, in 2016 Testalonga made so little wine that Canada didn’t receive a single bottle. Not one!

There’s sunshine inside! It says so right on the bottle. This Chenin Blanc comes from organically farmed vines that were planted in 1972. This bright, refreshing little number has a lot going on. Aromas of quince, pineapple and a touch of asparagus jump from the glass. The palate is crisp and zesty with flavours of white peaches, yellow watermelon and crushed lemon drop candy with just a hint of chamomile on the finish. The acidity is bracing in a way that whets your palate and makes you thirsty for another sip.

LAURENT MIQUEL 2016 ALBARIÑO

LAGRASSE, FRANCE

When we think of Albariño, we tend to think of Spain, and while most of the Albariño in our market does in fact come from Spain, the grape is believed to have originated in Southern France. Specifically, a town called Cluny, which is just 500kms from Lagrasse. It’s believed that many centuries ago, the monks from Cluny travelled along the fabled route de Santiago de Compostela to Spain and brought clipping of Albariño vines with them.

Not so long ago, Laurent Miquel discovered an ancient Albariño vineyard high in the hills of Lagrasse and thus began his mission to repatriate the grape to its supposed ancestral home. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and spends an extended period of time in contact with the lees. 

This brilliant wine is rather complex, beautifully aromatic and the nose and palate are harmonious with notes of lime pith, key lime pie, fresh pineapple and a flinty, salty minerality that lingers on the finish. This is a Bricks Wine Co. exclusive too, meaning at the time of this intalment of wine club, we’re the only retail store in Calgary to have it on the shelf!

JULES WINES 2017 CÔTE DE PROVENCE ROSÉ

PROVENCE, FRANCE

In the past few years rosé wines have taken our market, and the world for that matter, by storm. In 2014 the New York Post ran a cheeky story stating that by the end of August that year, The Hamptons (New York’s famed vacation hot spot) was due to run out of rosé by Labour Day weekend. How tragic! Lucky for us, we have a plethora of amazing rosé to choose from here in Calgary and shouldn’t run out any time soon, if at all. Ever.

Jules is one of our favourites here at the shop and perfectly embodies the dry, iconic style that Provence is known for. This is a blend of nine grapes including Cinsault, Rolle aka Vermentino and Tibouren. On the nose you’ll find strawberries and cream, rose petals and pink grapefruit. The palate is complex and manages to walk the fine line between luscious and crisp, there’s a creaminess that’s balanced out with fresh, lively acidity. Here you’ll find notes of slightly underripe raspberries, lemon zest, blood oranges, nectarines and tart rhubarb with a subtle hint of white pepper.

CEMBRA CANTINA DI MONTAGNA 2016 PINOT NERO

TRENTINO, ITALY

“Cantina di Montagna” literally translates to “mountain cellar.” It makes sense considering the winery is located higher in the alpine mountains of Trentino than any other winery. Trentino is located in NE Italy and the chilly currents rising up off the mountains make it a great region for growing Pinot Nero aka Pinot Noir and other cool climate varietals.

Cembra is a cooperative, meaning that many different grape growers (about 400) contribute fruit to the project. Cooperatives are very, VERY common in Trentino.

The grapes were harvested by hand in late September and fermentation took place is stainless steal before the wine was transferred to oak barrels where it was aged for about 7 months.

On the nose you’ll find notes of dark fruits like blackberries and plums with a subtle note of crunchy, fallen leaves. Think fall. The palate is bright and juicy though, with flavours of raspberries, red cherries and cola up front that are highlighted with delicate, underlying notes of clove and mushroom.

ALPHA BOX & DICE 2016 TAROT GRENACHE

MCLAREN VALE, AUSTRALIA

Poor Australia’s gotten a bit of a bad rap over the years. People often think that the Aussies are only capable of producing rich, powerful, concentrated reds, but the boys of Alpha Box & Dice are here to prove them wrong!

Run by young brothers Justin and Dylan Fairweather, they describe their winery as “a laboratory for viticultural exploration.”

A few years ago, the brothers stumbled upon a poorly farmed, dilapidated block of Grenache and decided it was on them to breathe fresh life into it. The result is this

beautiful Grenache that’s fresh and bright and almost see-through!

The wine goes through partial Carbonic Maceration, a process most commonly used on Gamay grapes in the Beaujolais region of France. This process gives the wine intense juicy aromas of field strawberries, raspberries and candy apples. The palate is equally as juicy with flavours of ginger, crispy fried sage and pink peppercorns highlighting the freshness of the bright red fruit. Try it chilled.

-Erin Loader