< Tasting Notes

Wines for the Giving of Thanks
- November 2025

Life is filled with uncertainty. But infinite beauty abounds as well. Let us all raise a glass and celebrate the people in our lives that make it all okay.
And - since sparkling wine on Thanksgiving is a tradition here at QABS - let that glass be filled with bubbles.

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

CAN SUMOI ‘Ancestral’ Montònega 2023 * Catalunya, Spain
Can Sumoi sits in the Serra del Montmell at 600 m above sea level and is led by winemakers Pepe Raventós and Francesc Escala—both associated with pioneering natural-wine practices in Catalunya. The project emphasizes biodiversity (site, forest, vineyard), organic/biodynamic farming, indigenous varieties (like Montònega) and minimalist vinification. The philosophy: keep it crisp, keep it real.

Ancestral Montònega is a sparkling born of mountain altitude and minimal intervention. The vines—40 to 60 years old—root in poor, stony soils that restrict vigor and amplify minerality. After hand-harvest, spontaneous fermentation begins in tank, then the wine is bottled mid-ferment so it finishes in chamber—giving fine bubbles and natural effervescence. With residual sugar <0.8 g/L and total sulfur ≈14-30 mg/L, the result is a refreshingly dry, lively sparkler that retains orchard fruit charm, mountain herbs and crisp acidity.

Grape(s) - 100% Montònega

Flavors - A shimmering pale gold with fine bubbles. Aromas of white peach, green apple, jasmine and white flowers, with a faint herbal touch of rosemary and sea spray. On the palate: crisp citrus, green almond, saline minerality, light cream-texture from bottle second fermentation, finishing dry and vibrant.

Serving - Serve chilled. Pair with oysters or sea urchin, grilled scallops with herb butter, or even fresh ricotta with lemon and thyme. Ideal for late afternoon on a garden terrace, sunshine fading, glasses clinking, the world slowing for a moment.

Album Pairing - THE VELVET UNDERGROUND – ‘Loaded’ - 1970 * There’s a gentle paradox here: ‘Loaded’ is loose yet meticulous, earthy yet transcendent—much like this ancestral sparkler from Catalunya’s limestone slopes. Lou Reed’s honeyed drawl over jangling rhythm guitars feels like sunlight through fizzing bubbles: grounded, human, and timelessly cool. Tracks like ‘Sweet Jane’ and ‘Rock & Roll’ shimmer with effortless lift and melodic ease, perfectly matching the Montònega’s fine bead and clean citrus line. Both remind us that true brightness doesn’t need polish—it just needs soul.

ANTONIO MAZZELLA ‘Per’ e Palummo’ 2024 * Ischia DOC, Campania, Italy
The Cantine Antonio Mazzella estate is on Ischia, managed by the Mazzella family for multiple generations. They work with native varieties of the island—Piedirosso among them—on marginal vineyards only reachable by ancient paths. Their farming values biodiversity, minimal intervention and terroir-first expression. The ‘Per’ e Palummo’ bottling captures the estate’s ethos: local variety, volcanic site, modest winemaking, and drinkable personality. No specific diversity-highlight in public sources was found, but their commitment to local heritage and family legacy is clear.

‘Per’ e Palummo’ is an evocative island red that fuses Mediterranean light with volcanic soil tension. The grapes come from steep terraces on Ischia, farmed sustainably by the Mazzella family, rooted in pumice and tuff soils that impart minerality and lift. Native fermentation and stainless steel aging preserve purity of fruit and the vibrant, uphill acidity this variety offers. The wine offers bright red fruit framed in savory herbs, volcanic dust and refined structure rather than new-oak sweetness. A wine that can be chilled slightly and enjoyed young, yet carries depth for a few years in cellar.

NERD ALERT!! - Where the hell is Ischia?!? - Ischia is basically the geologic rebel of the Bay of Naples. A volcanic island that rose from the sea about 150,000 years ago, Ischia now doubles as a Mediterranean Eden for grapes. Its soils are pure mineral; pumice, tuff, and volcanic sand dominate the terroir and keep wines zippy and salty even under full southern sun. The vineyards are terraced into cliffs so steep that some grapes still travel by mule! Proof that good things (and good acidity) come to those who climb.

Grape(s) - 100% Piedirosso

Flavors - Bright ruby colour with violet highlights. Aromas of fresh plums, red cherries, raspberries, dried thyme and baking spice. The palate is medium-bodied with lively acidity, fine silky tannins and a soft mineral finish with a hint of saline lift.

Serving - Serve with Ischian rabbit (Coniglio all’Ischitana), the most classic of Thanksgiving dishes. You were planning Coniglio for this year, right? Would be just as delightful with a smoked ham and sweet potatoes too. Or go full escapist and enjoy at the seaside table in your mind, breeze coming from the water, glass mid-chilled, while the sun dips into the Mediterranean.

** AUDIOPHILE LP OF THE MONTH CLUB VINYL**

Album Pairing - IRIS DEMENT – ‘Infamous Angel’ - 1992 * Both this wine and this album speak unwaveringly in the quiet language of truth. ‘Infamous Angel’ carries a homespun grace; filled to the brim with unvarnished vocals, raw emotion, and the steady heartbeat of faith and place. It’s the musical equivalent of this Piedirosso’s persistent sense of origin, with it’s volcanic hum and sea-salt lift. Simple, soulful, and deeply rooted. Put on ‘Let the Mystery Be’ as you pour. The wine’s red-fruit warmth and mineral rhythm dance beguilingly with DeMent’s gentle, grounded, and unshakably sincere voice. It’s not about polish, but presence and deep self-awareness. two humble creations made radiant by their honesty.

LES ERRANCES ‘Tohu Bohu’ Pét-Nat 2023 * Anjou, Loire Valley, France
Warren and Maïté Perrocheau are the hands behind Les Errances. Based in Rablay-sur-Layon (Anjou), they focus on biodynamic or organic farming, low-intervention cellar work, and resurrecting old-vine parcels of Chenin Blanc and Grolleau on slate/loam soils. Their ‘Tohu Bohu’ wine expresses natural energy: whole-cluster, spontaneous ferment, minimal SO₂, and bottle-fermented pét-nat. The project is both playful and serious — inviting drinkers into natural wine fun while grounding each bottle in a sense of place and old vines. No overt diversity statement appears in public sources, but their farm-centric ethic and biodynamic orientation align with new-wave natural-wine values.

‘Tohu Bohu’ (loosely: ‘Chaos and Bustle’) is built for joyous fizz. The grapes are picked from old-vine parcels on slate-rich soils in the Loire’s Anjou zone, then pressed directly (with only a brief whole-cluster skin contact for Grolleau) into concrete, spontaneously fermenting. Early bottling allows the wine to finish in bottle (pét-nat style) with minimal sulfur, no disgorgement, and a lively bead. The result: a sparkling that feels light, wild, and pure — coloured by old vines, energized by natural ferment, and perfect for the moment. While easy to drink, it layers complexity (old vines + slate soils + natural method) for those who linger.

NERD ALERT - Pét-Nat?? Let’s discuss… - Short for pétillant naturel (French for “naturally sparkling”), pét-nat is the original rebel of the fizz world. Unlike Champagne, which ferments twice, pét-nat finishes its first fermentation inside the bottle. No sugar. No dosage. Just pure, unfiltered bubbly magic. The result? A little cloudier, a little wilder, and often capped like a beer instead of corked. It’s the fizzy equivalent of a live recording: spontaneous, slightly unpredictable, and all the more alive because of it.

Grape(s) - 50% Grolleau, 50% Chenin Blanc

Flavors - A pale rose-grenadine colour with fine lively bubbles. Aromas of raspberry, red cherry, mango blush, elderflower, and a fresh lime peel edge. On the palate, crisp green apple acidity and tangy citrus open into red-berried depth; there’s a playful mousse, a whiff of slate dust, and a finish that balances fruit-forward charm with mineral lift and refined sparkle.

Serving - Serve chilled, ideally in a wide rim glass to feel the bead and aroma. Pair with salty grilled prawns, a light goat-cheese tart, or maybe even oven-roasted turkey with cranberry and stuffing. Best served with loved ones and laughter.

Album Pairing - PHOENIX – ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’ - 2009 * A classic French pairing: this pét-nat’s fizzy vitality meets Phoenix’s crystalline pop craftsmanship. Did you know Phoenix is a French band? Well they are. And the band’s blend of punchy drums, shimmering synths, and clean guitar lines so perfectly prop up the red fruit crunch and white fruit aromatic zing of our dear friend ‘Tohu Bohu’. Both are proof that the French can turn understatement into rhythmically radiant artistic brilliance. Indulge blissfully in this pairing’s high-tempo celebration of elegance. Kinetic. Alive. Joyous.

DRINK WINES NOT LABELS Pinot Nero 2023 * Langhe, Piedmont, Italy
The project ‘Drink Wines Not Labels’ was launched in 2019 by Alessandro Salvano, a young Piedmontese vigneron who rejects branding excess in favour of purity. He farms organically with his family’s inherited parcels adjacent to his uncle’s vineyards in Montelupo Albese. His ethos centres on site, vine age, low-intervention cellar work and championing lesser-known expressions of Langhe terroir. With the Pinot Nero, he channels whole-cluster ferment, native yeasts, and minimal oak—letting the hillside and soil articulate the wine’s voice. His label may read “Drink Wines Not Labels,” but the depth here speaks loudly.

This Pinot Nero is a reinterpretation of Nebbiolo country through a more delicate, fine-boned Pinot lens. The Montelupo Albese vineyards—lean soils, moderate elevation, cool nights—give the fruit finesse rather than force. Whole-cluster fermentation adds lift, stem-driven spice and structure; aging in large neutral oak ensures the varietal voice is clear, not masked. Minimal intervention, unfiltered bottling, and low added sulfur amplify authenticity. The result is a wine that is expressive now, elegant with age, and invites food with grace.

NERD ALERT - Pinot Nero?? Is that different from Pinot Noir?? - No. Wines and grape names are confusing. One grape often has many names, depending on country of origin. Insert shrugging emoji.

Grape(s) - 100% Pinot Nero

Flavors - Ruby-red with delicate garnet edges. On the nose: ripe red cherry, wild strawberry, forest undergrowth and a hint of tea leaves. The palate is lively: peony petal opens into cranberry and pomegranate seed, followed by subtle pepper spice and mineral freshness. Silky tannins carry the fruit through to a long finish with lifted acidity and forest floor impressions.

Serving - Can be served slightly chilled, if so inclined, to highlight the acidity and freshness. Pair with seared duck breast, mushroom risotto with thyme, or tagliata di manzo with arugula and Parmigiano. Ideal serving setting: Thursday night dinner, candles low, good record spinning, wine glass in hand, conversation thoughtful but still easy.

Album Pairing - JONWAYNE – ‘Rap Album Two’ - 2017 * Minimal, meditative, anti-labels, and quietly commanding, ‘Rap Album Two’ mirrors this Pinot Nero’s stripped-down confidence. Jonwayne’s dusty loops and hushed delivery echo the wine’s restraint. Each line and flavor is deliberate, nothing is ever extraneous, nothing is wasted. Both are self-made statements that reject flash in favor of depth. Is honesty in craft the real luxury these days? Let this pairing be exhibit A. Pour a glass, press play, and let the stillness between beats breathe like the space between sips.

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.