presented by Andrew, Robin, Ernest, and Alanna
Terriero Prosecco DOC Treviso
Produced by Francesco Salamon in the historic Prosecco heartland of Treviso within Italy’s Veneto region, this sparkling wine captures the authentic, approachable character of northeastern Italian viticulture. Sourced from estate and local hillside vineyards around Treviso, the vines benefit from a temperate climate influenced by both the Adriatic Sea and the Dolomite foothills, promoting bright natural acidity alongside clean aromatics. This bottling is crafted to highlight pure varietal expression rather than heavy cellar manipulation, honoring the regional tradition of lively, everyday celebratory wines.
Crafted using the traditional Charmat (Martinotti) tank method, the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in pressurized stainless steel autoclaves to preserve fresh orchard fruit aromas and generate a delicate, persistent bead.
Appellation: Prosecco DOC Treviso, Veneto, Italy
Grapes: 100% Glera – ABV: 11.5%
Tasting notes: Crisp, floral, and lively. It offers fresh aromas of green apple, pear, and white peach over a light-bodied palate with fine bubbles, subtle minerality, and a clean, refreshing finish.
Pairing: Best enjoyed well-chilled at 4–8°C (40–46°F) in a tulip or flute glass. It shines as an aperitif or paired with fresh seafood, savory soft cheeses, prosciutto-wrapped melon, and salty hors d’oeuvres.
XCEL Bar Pairing: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bar (paired with Prosecco Rosé) — Bright, lively bubbles and crisp red-berry acidity lift the richness of the chocolate while echoing the bar’s sweet strawberry notes.
Producer: Francesco Salamon (Terriero)
Plymouth Bay Winery Blueberry Bay Wine
Situated along the historic waterfront of Plymouth, Massachusetts, Plymouth Bay Winery specializes in crafting small-batch fruit and grape wines using berries harvested across New England. Operating under a philosophy that celebrates local agricultural bounty outside traditional grape-only conventions, the winery sources ripe regional blueberries to create a distinctive coastal Massachusetts specialty. Rather than mimicking sweet, syrupy dessert cordials, this bottling is intentionally vinified as a dry-to-off-dry table wine designed to appeal to fans of classic red varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Fermented entirely from whole, crushed blueberries without oak aging, the winemaking focuses on retaining natural berry acidity, bright anthocyanin color, and clean fruit character
Appellation: Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Grapes: 100% Fermented Blueberries (Fruit Wine) – ABV: ~11.5% – 12%
Tasting notes: Bright, tangy, and fruit-forward. It displays vibrant aromas of fresh blueberry compote alongside a smooth, medium-light palate with soft tannins and a refreshingly tart berry finish.
Pairing: Serve lightly chilled at 10–13°C (50–55°F), or poured over frozen pineapple chunks as recommended by the winery. At the table, it pairs remarkably well with smoky barbecue burgers, pulled pork, baby back ribs, and pungent blue cheese boards.
XCEL Bar Pairing: Blueberry Crunch Bar — A seamless fruit-on-fruit match where the wine’s natural berry tartness cuts through the bar’s sweetness and highlights its toasted crunch.
Producer: Plymouth Bay Winery
Hoendertande Grenache 2023
Crafted by winemaker Wynand Grobler of De Kleine Wijn Kelder (formerly De Kleine Wijn Koöp) on the Drie Fonteine farm in Tulbagh, this coveted South African red takes its name from the Afrikaans phrase “so skaars soos hoendertande”—”as scarce as hens’ teeth”. The moniker reflects the fierce competition among boutique winemakers for old-vine Grenache Noir parcels across the Western Cape. For the acclaimed 2023 vintage (named Grenache of the Year in the 2026 Platter’s Guide), the fruit was sourced from twenty-year-old bush vines rooted in decomposed granite hillside soils in the Voor-Paardeberg ward of Paarl.
Winemaking is decidedly hands-off and minimal-intervention in a gravity-flow cellar to highlight pure site transparency. Hand-harvested clusters undergo roughly 80% whole-bunch fermentation with native wild yeasts in open-top fermenters, receiving gentle manual punch-downs twice daily for seven days. After basket pressing, the wine matures for 12 months in older, neutral 300-liter and 500-liter French oak barrels without fining, yielding roughly 4,000 bottles.
Appellation: WO Voor-Paardeberg, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa
Grapes: 100% Grenache Noir – ABV: 13.9% – 14%
Tasting notes: Fragrant, pure, and earthy. It features lifted aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry, and wet stone, leading into a light-bodied, energetic palate with fine tannins and a savory, white-pepper finish.
Pairing: Best served slightly cool at 14–16°C (57–61°F). Its bright acidity and savory spice make it an ideal partner for herb-crusted rack of lamb, grilled quail, charcuterie, or roasted mushroom and lentil dishes.
XCEL Bar Pairing: Almond Bliss Bar — Juicy red cherry and strawberry notes bring a “chocolate-covered berry” vibe to the bar, while bright acidity balances the creamy coconut and toasted almond.
Producer: De Kleine Wijn Kelder
R.L. Buller & Son Victoria Tawny NV
Founded in 1921 in the renowned fortified wine region of Rutherglen in Victoria, Australia, Buller Wines (R.L. Buller & Son) is a multi-generational family estate legendary for producing rich Australian “stickies”. Drawing from sun-drenched vineyards across Victoria, the estate specializes in traditional fortified styles shaped by warm continental summers that allow red varietals to reach late-harvest ripeness while retaining balancing acidity. This non-vintage Tawny showcases over a century of fractional blending expertise, combining youthful vibrancy with aged complexity.
Harvested late at 16–18 Baumé just as natural raisining begins on the vine, the grapes are crushed, fermented briefly on skins for 24 hours, and then fortified with high-purity grape brandy spirit to arrest fermentation and preserve natural grape sweetness. The wine is then matured in a modified cask solera system utilizing oak vats and barrels ranging from 125 liters to 25,000 liters, blending bases averaging 5 to 6 years of age.
Appellation: Victoria (Rutherglen), Australia
Grapes: Carina, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Shiraz – ABV: ~17.5% – 18%
Tasting notes: Velvety, nutty, and richly aromatic. It delivers layered scents of dried fig, lavender, and candied orange peel over a luscious palate of plum jam, toffee, and rancio spice with a clean, balanced finish.
Pairing: Serve lightly chilled at 12–15°C (54–59°F) in a small fortified wine glass. It pairs effortlessly with dark chocolate desserts, ganache-stuffed figs, pecan tart, aged Stilton or blue cheese, and toasted walnuts.
XCEL Bar Pairing: Pumpkin Spice Bar — Warm caramel toffee, dried fig, and nutty barrel spice mirror the cozy baking spices in the bar while matching its rich sweetness.
Producer: Buller Wines (R.L. Buller & Son)
