April 2021 | 6 Bottle Club
Welcome to the April 6 Bottle Club from MYSA Natural Wine!
A note from our founder:
Spring is here! This season always feels to me like the most versatile time of the year for wine because it's crisp, but getting warm, everything is blooming, and the options are endless! This month you have a great mix to get through different occasions with a chillable red, and a white that deserves a gorgeous meal to go with it, versatile oranges and roses, as well as the first piquette of the year! These should definitely get you started for successful Spring pairings.
- Holly Berrigan, Founder, MYSA Natural Wine
- Giandon Orange - Il Farnetto
- Grotta di Sole - Clos Marfisi
- Provincia di Pavia Rosso - Castello di Stefanago
- Take it Easy - Old Westminster
- Pinke Pinke Rosé - Weingut Schlossmuhlenhof
- Deu Pinote - Bojo du Luar
- Wine Evaluation Sheet
Giandon Orange - Il Farneto
Emiglia-Romagna - Italy
Description:
Spending almost 3 weeks on the skins, this orange wine is a tad bit funky, very aromatic, and textured. Made with 100% Malvasia grapes, this wine gives notes of tropical fruit, peach iced tea, stone fruit, floral, and crisp red apple. Starts off a bit waxy but ends with tons of tropical fruit. A yummy expression of an Italian Malvasia. Try this wine out with unhealthy food! This wine is chill and will play nicely with kebab, pizza, tacos, or any other fried food.
Pairings: Pizza, Tacos, Grilled Chicken
Serving Temperature: 48°- 52°
About Il Farneto 
At Broc Cellars, all of our wines are made using spontaneous fermentation, a process that means we only use native yeasts and bacteria that exist on the grapes in order to make wine. We don’t add anything – this includes nutrients, yeast, bacteria, enzymes, tannins or other popular fermentation agents. Sulphur is a naturally occurring element in all wine, the amount found can vary. We add little to no S02, depending on the wine and style. The grapes that we work with are grown without using synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers. - Broc Cellars
Grotta di Sole - Clos Marfisi
Patrimonio - France
Description:
A thought provoking wine and one of the best representations of what we would enjoy sipping in early Spring. Comes from the French island, Corsica. Produced by a brother and sister duo, who are 5th generation winemakers. On the nose, citrus, creaminess, lemon meringue, tart green apple, and a touch of minerality. Lovely and round on the palate. The texture and feel is light and bright yet still complex. Medium acidity. Best paired with a lemony dish, such as a crisp arugula salad drizzled with a lemon vinaigrette and topped with salmon. You could also try lemon roasted chicken, asparagus, a soft cheese board. Stay away from fried foods, pizza, fries, or even ham. Play with the fact that this has a really nice acidic backbone, is complex, and it's not just your regular Glou Glou!
Pairings: Pasta, Lean Fish, Cured Meat
Serving Temperature: 48°-52°
About Clos Marfisi 
If you aren’t familiar with Corsica, the main event is Patrimonio. This AOC covers 400ha with half of them being owned by the two largest producers, and the other half split up amongst 30 smaller growers. If you haven’t already guessed, Clos Marfisi is part of the latter. Brother and sister, Mathieu and Julie are fifth generation at the helm of this estate, having taken over from their father, Touissant, when Julie returned in 2001, and her brother in 2012, from having careers elsewhere in France.
Now, we thought that we had seen it all in terms of limestone, but Corsica takes the cake. Clos Marfisi’s vineyards (which Touissant planted about 40-50 years ago) rise up from the Mediterranean with southern and western exposures on steep slopes that are practically white with large chunks of broken up limestone. Seriously impressive. Equally impressive is the fact that they never gave into outside pressure and the entirety of the estate is planted to local varieties, so you won’t find any Grenache here. Their father is still very active in the vineyards, and is the main reason that this estate has never been touched by pesticides or herbicides, which were shunned for one reason or another by previous generations of vignerons on the island. This commitment to organics continues and the estate will be certified Bio by the 2018 vintage. Vestiges of the old guard remain in the cellar as well where native yeasts have always been used for fermentations, and sulfur levels are kept to a minimum.
As president of the Patrimonio AOC, Mathieu has a clear vision for where the estate is headed, and we like what we are seeing. Their commitment to honoring the past while shaping their own future is incredibly exciting to us.
- Selection Massale
Provincia di Pavia Rosso - Castello di Stefanago
Lombardy - Italy
Description:
A medium-bodied Italian blend of Barbera, and Merlot. A really interesting, daily drinking, easy price point red wine for pairing with food! On the nose, it has tons of fruit such as red cherry and plum, floral, earthy and herbaceous notes. A pretty rustic wine. Structured and feels more like an expression of Merlot than Barbera. The perfect go to wine for a heavier than usual dish or even perfect as an Italian table wine! Pair with eggplant parmesan, or other general Italian food such as Lasagna.This is the stealth natural wine you bring to a dinner party where the guests are afraid of natural wine, so you let everyone try it and BOOM, you shock your guests with how good natural wine is!
Pairings: Blue Cheese, Pasta, Grilled Meat
Serving Temperature: 50°- 55°
About Castello di Stefanago
Castello di Stefanago is the result of generations of grapes: The Baruffaldis have strived to maintain respect for the terroir as well as the earth in their winemaking. The winery is located in Lombardy in the Oltrepo Pavese hills at between 320 and 470 meters above sea level. The cellars are in the castle which still remains from the fourteenth century in the center of the property, around which there are about eighteen hectares of vines and 135 hectares of meadows, forests, orchards, and arable land.
Antonio and Giacomo Baruffaldi have long followed organic farming, striving to achieve healthy, natural grapes, which are harvested at the appropriate level of maturity and reflect the terroir on which they are grown. In the cellar, the Baruffaldis keep in mind the natural inclinations of each must, of the natural evolution of each cuvé, using barrels of various woods and sizes. The vineyard currently produces Riesling Renano, Pinot Grigio, Müller-Thurgau, Chardonnay, Croatina (Bonarda), Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlo, Uva Rara, and Pinot Nero. - Savio Soares
Take it Easy - Old Westminster
Maryland - USA
Description:
Save this for a warm day! A very unique Chambourcin rosé blended with piquette blanc AND piquette rouge. Making it a co-ferment, piquette, wine blend! Low in alcohol and hazy pink color. Aromas of tart bright red cherry, herbs, and raspberry vinegar. Tastes like sea breeze, white cherry, sage and gooseberry. A simple, lean, fun to drink wine made for sunny outdoor moments. Pairing wise, do chips on the beach!
Pairings: Spicy Food, Picnic Food, Asian Food
Serving Temperature: 45°- 50°
About Old Westminster 
"The Baker family, established in 1985, didn’t always know they would spend their lives making wine together.
Jay & Virginia, founders of the family, always dreamed of working with their children and preserving their farm. In 2008, all three of their children – Drew, Lisa and Ashli – were away at college, and they found themselves empty nesters. It was time to either put their land to work, or move on.
Upon discovering that grapevines have an affinity for rocky soil, elevation, abundant sunshine and a steady year-round breeze – all characteristics of their land – the family explored the idea of planting a vineyard and starting a winery together.
Today, Jay & Virginia support their children in the family’s wine business. And, as you can imagine, they’re enjoying the view. Not just of the flourishing vineyard, but also of the energy and determination they see in Drew, Lisa and Ashli building this great thing together. They love their children’s synergy and their ambition to put Maryland wine on the world map.
Drew is Old Westminster’s vigneron. At age 22 he planted the first 7,600 grape vines on the family farm. Each year he travels the world studying his craft and honing his skills. Drew is an entrepreneur and a leader; he pours his energy into growing great American wines on the family’s Maryland farm. The second in line is Lisa (27), Old Westminster’s talented winemaker. Lisa, a chemist by education, has been crafting some of the best wines in Maryland since she was 23 years old; wines that are not only a pleasure to drink, but also reflect the region’s unique geologies and climate. Her experience making wine stretches from the hills of northern Maryland to Sonoma, California. She loves exercising her passion for science through the art of crafting delicious wines. Then to tie it all together, there’s Ashli, the youngest. She’s Old Westminster’s “people person”. She’s passionate about building an exceptional, wine-centered experience at the Tasting Room by sharing the stories of our wines, connecting visitors with their local farmers and making sure everyone leaves with a smile.
Drew, Lisa, and Ashli are young, smart and eager to jettison every negative stereotype ever leveled against Maryland wine, and replace them with wines of renown, forging a new reputation for wine in the Old Line State."
Pinke Pinke Rosé - Weingut Schlossmuhlenhof
Rheinhessen - Germany
Description:
Rosé season is on the way and this brand new wine from Weingut Schlossmuhlenhof is perfect for the deviled eggs you'll soon be making and hopeful picnics you'll be taking! Super gorgeous pink in color. A co-ferment white and red wine made into a rosé. A day of maceration and 10% was whole cluster. On the nose, very aromatic with citrus, cherry, raspberry, and cranberry. YUM on the palate! Citrus notes such as zesty lime, bright red cherry, and cranberry, with some complexity. Pair with BBQ, sausages, or salad with strawberries. A porch pounder glou glou for sure!
Pairings: Young Cheese, Antipasti, Deviled Eggs
Serving Temperature: 45°- 50°
About Weingut Schlossmuhlenhof
They follow what they call, ‘ecologically healthy’ farming practices, with the intent on capturing the fruity expression of the Rheinhessen style. The vineyards are worked heavily in August to reduced yields (green harvesting), cutting nearly 1/2 of their fruit. Grapes are vinified to preserve freshness while revealing depth and concentration. Considering the size of the harvest, they are experts at doing just that. The cellar does not abide by natural law. Selected yeasts, electronically monitored steel tanks, pumps and SO2 are used judiciously to hone the wine to purity and freshness.
Knowing their soils for so long (mostly limestone combinations), the family does capture a clear minerality and a distinct spirit from each varietal, from parcels as small as .4ha. The Michel’s final act (perhaps their expertise) in the cellar, brings multiple tanks together, each with their strongest asset to form deliciously drinking, full flavored wines with a direct link to the Rhienhessen region. Provided the Michel’s continue in this way, there will be no shortage of this kind of wine along the Rhine, for the generations to come. - Savio Soares
Deu Pinote - Bojo du Luar
Vinho Verde - Portugal
Description:
All of the varietals are fermented in stainless steel other than the Arinto grape, which is fermented in concrete. Ground chestnut flowers are used in fermentation to help stabilize the procedure. A super light and refreshing red that we recommend chilling for around 30-40 minutes before serving. Tons of bright red fruit such as cherries on the nose, a touch of jamminess, and vegetal notes such as green pepper. Taste wise it's very crushable! A Glou Glou wine with low tannin. Under ripe fruit with pepper notes on the palate. Have this red with food you would typically pair with a white. Try with fish, Asian food, or a slightly spicy Pad Thai.
Pairings: Lamb, Burgers, Grilled Vegetables
Serving Temperature: 48°- 52°
About Bojo do Luar
The Bojo do Luar project came to life during a trip Savio made to the Vinho Verde region. Here he met Fernando Paiva, a biodynamic producer who has been experimenting with adding ground chestnut flowers to the grapes and must before fermentation began. Meanwhile he’s halted using SO2 altogether since 2017.
Fernando is a regional reference for non-interventionist winemaking. He was the first Portuguese producer to acquire the DEMETER certification and through him Savio met another producer, Antonio Sousa, who practiced biodynamic viticulture, but still used traditional and conventional winemaking methods in the cellar.
Savio was undeterred and saw this as an opportunity: to use the traditional autochthonous varietals of Northern Portugal, and apply his knowledge and experience of many decades working with French producers, mainly in Burgundy and Loire.
With Antonio’s winemaking experience and openness to experiment using a non-intervention approach in the cellar, the Bojo do Luar wines started to take shape. The region has a mostly cool temperate climate throughout Spring, then very warm days, and cool nights until the harvest in September. Five red grape varietals and three whites were chosen for their natural high levels of tartaric acids and low PH. -Savio Soares Selections
Wine Evaluation Sheet
Want to have some fun evaluating and taking note on your wine? Check out our natural wine tasting sheets we made special for the club!
