presented by Joshua Terrell from Sunrise Wines
Cantina San Biagio Vecchio Tasso Barbasso
The foundation of Cantina San Biagio Vecchio rests in the scenic, yellow-sand hills of Oriolo dei Fichi, located near Faenza in the historical Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Founded on a small parcel of land historically managed by the village parish priest, the estate is led today by husband-and-wife team Andrea Balducci and Lucia Ziniti. Driven by a low-intervention mindset, they cultivate ancient and indigenous grapes completely free of systemic chemical treatments. This specific ancestral-method sparkling selection comes from a southwest-facing vineyard planted back in 1985 at roughly 190 meters above sea level, drawing clean, site-specific characteristics from the sandy-clay soils.
This frizzante is an energetic, traditional bottle-fermented white wine that offers a wonderfully rustic “vin de soif” style. Sourced from manual selection harvests, the grape juice is softly pressed using a pneumatic press and undergoes spontaneous static decantation before being aged for 8 months in stainless steel tanks with no added sulfur or filtration. In the spring following harvest, it undergoes its second fermentation natively inside the bottle and is released intentionally without disgorging, leaving a natural layer of fine lees that creates a charmingly cloudy appearance. In the glass, it yields a lively, fine effervescence.
Appellation: IGT Ravenna Frizzante, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Grapes: 100% Trebbiano – ABV: 12%
Tasting notes: Energetic, crisp, and cloudy. It delivers refreshing aromas of citrus rind and green orchard fruit over a bone-dry, mineral-driven palate with a refreshing, texturally fine sparkle.
Pairing: Best enjoyed well-chilled at 8–10°C. It serves as a fantastic welcoming aperitif, or paired alongside light fish carpaccio, steamed shellfish, or local fried seafood bites.
Producer: Cantina San Biagio Vecchio
Les Vignerons du Castelas Resplido Tavel Rosé
Formed in 1952, Les Vignerons du Castelas represents a proud cooperative association of winemaking families located in Rochefort-du-Gard within the southern Rhône Valley. The “Resplido” (which translates to “rebirth” in traditional Provençal dialect) cuvée tells a poetic tale of preservation. It pays direct homage to an ancient, historic property completely replanted and salvaged by one of the cooperative’s founding members in the early 2000s when the plot was destined for complete uprooting. Thriving on classic clay-limestone hillsides under a sun-drenched Mediterranean climate, these vines dig into dense soils to build an intense structural style of rosé that historically sets the cruise lines of the region apart.
The “Resplido” bottling stands as a serious, food-friendly snapshot of Tavel—the historic French appellation legally dedicated exclusively to crafting robust rosé. Hand-harvested in the cool of early morning to lock in freshness, the whole clusters undergo a slow skin-contact maceration for up to 18 hours, drawing out a deep coral-pink hue before undergoing a long, cool fermentation and short aging inside concrete vats. It displays a vibrant deep pink color with bluish flickers in the glass.
Appellation: Tavel AOP, Southern Rhône Valley, France
Grapes: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah – ABV: 14% – 14.5%
Tasting notes: Deeply colored, rich, and structured. It balances bold, juicy aromas of wild strawberry and cherry against an ample, dry mid-palate that finishes with a crisp mineral lift and blood orange zest.
Pairing: Serve chilled at 10–12°C. Built intentionally for the dinner table, it matches beautifully with brothy mussels, grilled salmon steaks, herb-roasted chicken, or summer roasted vegetables.
Producer: Les Vignerons du Castelas
El Lagar de Isilla Roble 122 dias
The historic heritage of Bodegas El Lagar de Isilla spans deep into the ancient winemaking tradition of Ribera del Duero, dating back to their historic 15th-century underground cellar located beneath the town of Aranda de Duero. Today, managed meticulously by the Zapatero Pinto family at their main facility in La Vid, Burgos, the winery blends deep respect for local history with modern eco-precision. This specific “122 Días” bottling represents the youngest and most vibrant red wine produced at the estate, gathering its fruit from estate vineyards planted across clay and sandy-gravel soils. The name refers explicitly to the precise 4-month (122 days) aging period the juice spends resting quietly inside fine oak casks.
This red is a highly expressive and forward-leaning style of Tempranillo designed to showcase maximum fruit purity with a balanced wood integration. Under the direction of winemaker Aurelio García, the hand-picked fruit undergoes a 5-day cold pre-fermentation maceration before being fermented cleanly inside stainless steel deposits using autochthonous yeasts. Following malolactic fermentation, it ages for 122 days in a combination of 60% French and 40% American oak barrels
Appellation: Ribera del Duero DO, Castilla y León, Spain
Grapes: 92% Tempranillo (Tinta del País), 4% Albillo Mayor, 4% Merlot – ABV: 14%
Tasting notes: Vibrant, fruit-forward, and spicy. It shows off direct aromas of wild blackberry, dark plum, and vanilla spice, leading into a juicy, smooth palate with supple tannins and a clean hint of wild mint.
Pairing: Best served at 15–17°C. It serves as an ultimate companion to traditional wood-fired roasts, grilled red meats, pork sausages, or hearty Spanish lentil stews.
Producer: Bodegas El Lagar de Isilla
Domingo Molina Hermanos Malbec
Perched at extreme altitudes in the remote Calchaquí Valleys of Salta, Argentina, Bodega Domingo Molina is a boutique family estate operating at the limits of viticulture. Run by brothers Osvaldo and Rafael Domingo, the winery thrives in the high-altitude terrain of the Cafayate Valley, with vineyards sitting roughly 2,000 meters above sea level. Here, the vines are exposed to more than 300 days of intense mountain sunshine per year, balanced by a wide diurnal temperature drop that freezes the valley at night. This unique microclimate forces the grapes to develop remarkably thick skins, yielding deep color, exceptional structure, and an intensely concentrated fruit profile.
The “Hermanos” bottling is an intensely focused and pure expression of mountain Malbec that deliberately avoids any oak contact to let the true voice of the Calchaquí terroir speak unmasked. Cultivated on rocky and sandy soils using a dripping irrigation system, the grapes are entirely hand-harvested in late March. Fermentation occurs slowly over 12 days inside concrete tanks using selected native yeasts, followed by a total 20-day post-fermentation maceration to lock in rich varietal phenolic extraction.
Appellation: Cafayate Valley, Salta, Calchaquí Valleys, Argentina
Grapes: 100% Malbec – ABV: 13.5% – 14.5%
Tasting notes: Intense, peppery, and deeply fruit-driven. It showcases bold, pungent aromas of fresh black plum, bramble, and cracked black pepper, resolving into a fleshy palate with velvety tannins and zero oak interference.
Pairing: Best enjoyed at a standard cellar temperature of 16–18°C. This concentrated red acts as a perfect match for a traditional Argentine asado, charcoal-grilled beef ribeyes, rich venison dishes, or provolone cheese empanadas.
Producer: Bodega Domingo Molina
