< Tasting Notes

Club Title
- April 2026

Small Blurb.
Cheers!

(**NOTE - Links are embedded in each winemaker’s names to direct you to their respective websites. Know thy vintner!**)

UNICO ZELO 'Alluvium' Fiano 2021 *‍ ‍Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Brendan Carter and Laura Blanden founded Unico Zelo in 2012 with a singular mission: to champion Italian grape varieties grown in Australia, spotlighting the remarkable potential these Mediterranean grapes show when planted in their adopted homeland. Brendan arrived in Adelaide in 2010 after working at Veuve Clicquot, bringing a foundation in traditional method sparkling production that would inform his meticulous approach to winemaking. Laura joined shortly after, and together they quickly established themselves as leaders in Australia's natural wine movement. Just two years after founding the winery, they jointly won Australia's coveted Young Gun of Wine Award, with judges praising how they had recalibrated the potential for new varieties and unglamorous sites. Their focus on Fiano in particular has drawn international acclaim, with Decanter awarding their recent vintages scores of 94 and 97 points and naming one of their Fianos among Australia's top wines.

Alluvium comes from Unico Zelo's grafted vineyard in Birdwood in the Northern Adelaide Hills, the highest and coolest of their three Fiano sites at 500 meters above sea level. The vineyard was grafted over from Sauvignon Blanc to Fiano in 2015, planted in alluvial quartz-shot clay soils that give the wine its name and mineral backbone. The Adelaide Hills' cool climate allows for slow, extended ripening that maintains phenolic development while preserving vibrant acidity. After hand harvest, the fruit undergoes 48 hours of skin contact in the crusher before pressing. Wild fermentation happens in stainless steel tanks, and the wine is racked off gross lees post-ferment, bottled at 12.5% alcohol with no filtration. Brendan describes this as their most classic Fiano in style, referencing how Italians sometimes call Fiano the Riesling of the South for its lean mineral profile and electric tension.

NERD ALERT!! - The decision to graft existing Sauvignon Blanc vines over to Fiano rather than replanting demonstrates both pragmatism and vision. Grafting preserves the established root system while changing the variety above ground, allowing the vines to produce quality fruit much sooner than newly planted vines would. The quartz-shot clay soils provide excellent drainage while the clay component retains just enough water to sustain dry-farmed vines through Australia's hot summers. This combination of free-draining minerality and water retention creates the tension that defines Alluvium's character.

Grape(s) - 100% Fiano

Flavors - Grapefruit, lime zest, jasmine tea, guava, and kaffir lime. The palate is all crackling acidity and clean mineral structure with a laser-like precision.

Serving - Serve well-chilled with oysters, ceviche, grilled whole fish, or anything involving citrus and herbs. The wine's mineral intensity and high acidity make it perfect for cutting through rich or fatty preparations while its texture prevents it from feeling austere.

Album Pairing - STEREOLAB - ‘Dots and Loops’ - 1997 * Like Alluvium, this album takes familiar elements and reconfigures them into something unexpected and brilliant. The motorik grooves, vintage synths, and layered textures create a sound that feels both retro and futuristic, much like growing an ancient Italian grape in the Australian high country. The precision and clarity in the production mirrors the wine's laser-like focus, while the underlying warmth keeps it from feeling cold or clinical. Both prove that blending different traditions can yield something more interesting than strict adherence to either one alone.

CALVEZ BOBINET 'Hanami' Cabernet Franc 2023 * Saumur, Loire Valley, France
Sébastien Bobinet represents the eighth generation of his family to make wine in Saumur, though his path to the family business took some detours. Growing up surrounded by vines and wine in the heart of the Loire Valley, he helped his grandfather in the vineyard and cellar from age seven. After spending time in a wine lab and even working in glass-making, Sébastien returned to take over the family vineyards in 2002, starting with less than two hectares. He quickly embraced organic farming under the influence of natural wine pioneer Olivier Cousin, expanding the estate to its current 6.5 hectares planted to Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Pineau d'Aunis, and Gamay. In 2011, his partner Émeline Calvez joined the domaine, bringing her training as a sommelier and a year spent traveling France working harvest with natural wine growers. Émeline now handles the winemaking in their impressive cave cellar dug 500 meters deep into Saumur's soft limestone cliffs, where the stable 12-degree temperature allows for minimal intervention vinification.

Hanami, named after the Japanese cherry blossom festival, was created in 2012 as Sébastien and Émeline's answer to the question of what an early-drinking, aromatic Loire Cabernet Franc should taste like. The wine comes from a blend of several different Cabernet Franc parcels planted on Saumur's characteristic tuffeau limestone soils, all farmed organically without chemical inputs. The 2023 vintage employs a mix of carbonic and pellicular maceration, combining whole bunch and destemmed fruit to preserve freshness and fluidity. The wine ferments with indigenous yeasts and ages in concrete tanks, bottled at 12% alcohol without fining or filtration. This is their vin de soif, designed to preserve the aromas of fresh grape juice in a light, direct, immediately pleasurable package.

NERD ALERT!! - The name Hanami captures exactly what this wine delivers: fleeting beauty meant to be enjoyed in the moment. The Japanese tradition of viewing cherry blossoms celebrates impermanence and the appreciation of transitory perfection, which aligns perfectly with the wine's character as something to drink young while its fruit and floral aromatics are at their peak. The mix of carbonic and pellicular maceration extracts color and aromatics while keeping the tannins soft and approachable, creating a wine that reads as serious Cabernet Franc without demanding cellaring.

Grape(s) - 100% Cabernet Franc

Flavors - Tart cherry, cranberry, peony, fresh herbs, and green pepper. The palate is ethereal and floral with silky tannins and bright, lively acidity.

Serving - Chill it slightly and serve with charcuterie, grilled vegetables, lentil salad, or simple roasted chicken. This is a wine for picnics, terraces, casual gatherings, and any moment when you want something substantial enough to be interesting but light enough to keep pouring.

Album Pairing - THE SMITHS – ‘The Queen Is Dead’ - 1986 * Like Hanami, this album balances darkness and light with remarkable deftness. Johnny Marr's jangly, intricate guitar work provides brightness and propulsion while Morrissey's lyrics explore melancholy and mordant wit, creating something that feels simultaneously uplifting and contemplative. The production has a shimmering, airy quality that mirrors the wine's ethereal character, and both prove that seriousness doesn't require heaviness. The album's springtime-in-Manchester vibe matches Hanami's cherry blossom namesake perfectly.

MILES GARRETT 'Cabernet Sauvignon' 2018 ‍* Willow Creek, Humboldt County, California
Miles Garrett operates one of fewer than ten wineries in Humboldt County's rugged AVA, farming in an alpine climate where the Cascade range meets California's far north coast. This is wine country for pioneers: steep terrain, cool temperatures, and unpredictable growing seasons make grape cultivation a risky endeavor that rewards those willing to work with the land on its own terms. Miles runs the winery as a family operation, working alongside his wife with occasional help from their young daughter. His harvest crew is led by Johanne Rapine, a French woman who has been with him since the winery's beginning. Miles pays high wages and provides accommodations for his seasonal workers, approaching viticulture as a community endeavor rather than extractive industry. His vineyards are certified organic, dry-farmed, and planted on own-rooted vines rather than grafted rootstock, a rarity in California that speaks to the disease-free character of this isolated region.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon comes entirely from Miles's Peach Tree Lane Vineyard, picked earlier than typical California Cabernet to maintain vibrant acidity and what Miles calls early Cabernet characteristics. The grapes were fermented with a mix of whole cluster and destemmed fruit using indigenous yeasts, employing semi-carbonic maceration to preserve brightness and aromatic lift. The wine aged in neutral French oak before bottling without fining or filtration, with no sulfites added at any point. The result shows lightly pyrazinic green notes balanced against juicy dark fruit, all streaked with the high acidity that marks Humboldt County's cool climate heritage. The wines from this region consistently show juniper, sage, and resin aromatics that make perfect sense considering the county's other famous agricultural contribution.

NERD ALERT!! - Humboldt County sits nearly 300 miles north of Napa Valley, closer to the Oregon border than to San Francisco, occupying terrain that most wine professionals assumed was too cool and rugged for quality viticulture. Miles and the handful of other growers working this region are proving otherwise, demonstrating that California's viticultural potential extends far beyond the established appellations. The own-rooted vines are possible here because phylloxera and other soil-borne diseases haven't colonized these isolated valleys, allowing Miles to farm ungrafted vines that express terroir without the interference of rootstock selection.

Grape(s) - 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Flavors - Red currant, blackberry, mulberry, cigar leaf, and light vegetal notes. Medium-bodied with crunchy acidity and structured tannins that prevent this from reading as a fruit bomb.

Serving - The wine's structure and savory character make it ideal for grilled meats, hearty stews, aged cheddar, or mushroom dishes. The acidity keeps it food-friendly despite the concentration, and the mountain herb aromatics pair naturally with preparations that incorporate rosemary, sage, or thyme.

** AUDIOPHILE LP OF THE MONTH CLUB VINYL**

Album Pairing - YEAH YEAH YEAHS – ‘Cool It Down’- 2022 * After nine years away, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs returned with an album that confronts climate crisis, wildfire seasons, and pandemic isolation with unflinching honesty and hard-won maturity. The record was partially made in Los Angeles during wildfire season that left skies red and raining ash, capturing apocalyptic anxiety while refusing to succumb to it. Like this Cabernet Sauvignon from California's rugged north coast, the album shows what happens when artists work in marginal, challenging conditions and emerge with something powerful and uncompromising. Both prove that difficulty can yield depth, that restraint amplifies rather than diminishes impact. The environmental consciousness runs through both: Yeah Yeah Yeahs donated vinyl proceeds to environmental law charity Client Earth, while Miles farms organically in one of California's most ecologically sensitive regions. Karen O's voice moves from ethereal to commanding across these eight tracks, mirroring how the wine shifts from elegant to intense without ever losing its mountain-herb backbone.

JUSTIN GIRARDIN 'Maranges' Vielles Vignes 2022 * Maranges, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France

The Girardin family has cultivated vines in Burgundy since 1570, with Justin representing the thirteenth generation to work the family land. After studying in Beaune and Bordeaux and completing an internship in Tasmania, Justin returned to the domaine in 2013 and officially took over the 17-hectare estate from his father Jacques in 2017. His uncle Vincent Girardin had previously established the family name among Burgundy's elite producers, creating high expectations for Justin to navigate. Rather than chasing his uncle's acclaim through identical methods, Justin has quietly transformed what was once rustic, old-fashioned Santenay into fresh, vibrant, exciting Burgundy that lets terroir speak clearly. His holdings span some of the Côte de Beaune's finest sites in Santenay, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Savigny-les-Beaune, and Maranges. While not officially certified organic, Justin employs many organic techniques out of conviction that healthy vineyards produce wines that genuinely express their origins.

The Maranges Vieilles Vignes comes from 50-year-old vines planted in the Aubuzes climate on the edge of the Santenay vineyard. The name Aubuzes derives from the Gallic word "albucre," meaning whitish clay soil, and the vineyard delivers on that etymology with rich clayey earth covered in pebbles, gravels, and calcareous sands. The southwest-facing slope provides ideal sun exposure while the elevation moderates temperatures. Justin hand-harvests the fruit and sorts it three times: twice in the vineyard and once on a sorting table at the winery. The grapes are destemmed and undergo five days of cold pre-fermentary maceration at 12 degrees Celsius to extract primary aromatics before indigenous yeast fermentation begins. After approximately 20 days of fermentation with gentle extraction, the wine ages for 12 months in French oak barrels from Allier and Vosges, with just 15% new oak to provide structure without overwhelming the fruit.

NERD ALERT!! - Maranges occupies an interesting position in Burgundy's hierarchy as the southernmost appellation of the Côte de Beaune, often overlooked in favor of more famous neighbors like Santenay and Chassagne-Montrachet. This relative obscurity translates to significantly better value, as wines from producers like Justin offer classic Burgundian character at prices well below what comparable quality would cost from more celebrated villages. The 50-year-old vines provide concentration and complexity that younger plantings cannot match, with deeply established root systems accessing minerality from the limestone bedrock while the vine's maturity contributes aromatic complexity.

Grape(s) - 100% Pinot Noir

Flavors - Ruby red with aromas of ripe cherry, raspberry, strawberry, and violet. The palate shows red fruits with delicate wood influence bringing fine structure and a persistent finish

Serving - Classic Burgundy pairings apply: roasted chicken, beef tenderloin, veal, mushroom risotto, or medium-aged cheeses. Serve slightly cool at 16 to 17 degrees Celsius to preserve the wine's elegance and prevent the alcohol from dominating.

Album Pairing - BIG STAR – ‘Third/Sister Lovers’ - 1978 * This album captures the bittersweet beauty of things ending and beginning simultaneously, recorded as the band was falling apart yet creating some of their most enduring work. The stripped-down arrangements and raw emotional honesty mirror the wine's refusal to hide behind excessive oak or winemaking tricks. Alex Chilton's vulnerable vocals and the album's fragile, aching melodies match the Pinot Noir's delicate structure and nuanced fruit, both proving that power doesn't require volume. Like Justin working in the shadow of his acclaimed uncle while forging his own path, Big Star made this record knowing they'd likely never see commercial success, focusing instead on creating something honest and true. Both reward patient attention with layers that reveal themselves slowly.

REMINDERS

• To celebrate our valued club members we offer 20% off all food ordered on the day you pick-up. 

• If you can not pick up on the pick up dates please contact mckay@barmiriam.com and we will hold your allotment offsite and can arrange for a future pick up.

• Email mckay@barmiriam.com to buy more single bottles or a case with special club pricing.

• Queen Anne Bottle Shop is open Tuesday-Saturday from 3:00pm — 8:00pm.

• Wine pairs best with friends. Tell your friends.