December 2021 | Red Club
Welcome to the December Red Club from MYSA Natural Wine!
A note from our founder:
Happy Holidays Friends!
I had a blast putting together this month's wines and hope you love them! These wines really scream the holidays to me and I hope you have some lovely pairings for them!
Rev is a total departure from what you know about Old Westminster and is gorgeously complex. Spatburgunder is one of my favorite styles for the holidays and Schmitt makes one that's so beautiful. Rufete is a grape you've likely had before, but didn't know it since it's a grape used in Port. Finally Sergio's Rosso is a perfect balance to these other wines and very food friendly.
Enjoy and Happy New Year!
Holly Berrigan - Founder, MYSA Natural Wine
- Rev - Old Westminster
- Rheinhessen Spätburgunder - Weingut Schmitt
- Rvfian Rvfete - Microbio
- Rosso - Sergio Drago
- Wine Evaluation Sheet
Rev - Old Westminster
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Maryland - USA
Description:
A unique red blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, and Petit Verdot. Deep ruby in color with elegant aromas of cedar, smoke, herbs, and blackberry. Aged in oak barrels for up to 36 months. Drink now or store in cellar for up to 5 years! Medium-bodied with fruity and smoky notes.
Pairings: Stew, Soft Cheese, Pork
Serving Temperature: 50°- 55°
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."
Rheinhessen Spätburgunder - Weingut Schmitt
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Rheinhessen - Germany
Description:
A juicy and medium-bodied Pinot Noir with tons of dark fruit, red currant, and hints of spicy notes. A pleasant and smooth finish on the palate. Fruit forward with dark cherry and cassis with hints of earth.
Pairings: Oily Fish, Cheese Boards, Pizza
Serving Instructions: 50°- 55°
About Weingut Schmitt 
"If Rheinhessen is at the epicenter of a new wave in German winemaking—one full of young energy that emphasizes high-quality, natural methods—then husband and wife Daniel and Bianka Schmitt are at the epicenter of Rheinhessen.
Rheinhessen is the largest wine growing region in Germany, and has been largely associated with bulk production. However, in recent years, the region’s reputation has begun to shift as a new generation of younger, more innovative growers are reducing yields and honing in on the largely undervalued terroir of this region. Bianka and Daniel epitomize this new wave of German winemakers, working hard to produce wines of the highest quality with as little intervention as possible."
Rvfian Rvfete - Microbio
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Castilla y Leon - Spain
Description:A grape unknown to most, Rufete, can be mostly found in Northern Spain and Portugal. Piegage by hands and feet! As for aging, the wine spends time in Burgundy barrels for 9-10 months. Great acidity with floral and sour cherry notes. Pure fruity and fresh fun!
Pairings: BBQ, Grilled Meat, Cheese Plate
Serving Temperature: 50°- 55°
About Microbio
Welcome to the República Independiente del Verdejo under President Ismael Gozalo. Many know him for his work at Ossian, one of the more respectable houses in Rueda, where he was the winegrower and maker since founding it in 2004. Ismael’s family owns some of the oldest (between 100-200 years old) ungrafted pre-phylloxera vines, most of which in the town of Nieva, province of Segovia between 800-900 meters of altitud. Characterized by it’s sandy soils, these head trained vines have never seen any chemicals over the different generations that have cared for them. Though outside of the D.O. for never budging to the region’s modern and manipulative techniques, to this day Ossian remains one of the few organic producers in Rueda. Today, under the Pago de Carraovejas umbrella, Ossian continues to make some of the more interesting wines of the region but Ismael took his talent elsewhere, bringing his family’s most prized vineyards with him.
Rosso - Sergio Drago
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Sicily - Italy
Description:
An elegant Sicilian blend of both Nero d'Avola and Syrah. Syrah brings the tannin while the Nero d'Avola contributes to the vibrant freshness of this wine. Aromas of ripe red fruit with earth and hints of sea salt. Fresh acidity on the palate with a hint of minerality on the finish. Medium-bodied with a strong presence of juicy tannins.
Pairings: Smoked Meats, Soft Cheese, Charcuterie
Serving Temperature: 50°- 55
About Sergio Drago
Sergio Drago is slowly becoming one of the most popular winemakers in the northwestern area of Sicily. He's creating fresh new wines that are becoming the star of the show. Currently, Sergio had two hectares in Alcamo, located between Marsala and Palermo. This area is essential in the growth of the native Sicilian grape, Catarratto. The wines are organic and no intervention is made in the cellar and vineyard.
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!
