Tasting Flight - 4/23/25

Hello friends!

This week we’re tasting through a line-up of four wines that we’re calling “local specialties”—wines that are quite specific to their place of origin, made from grape varieties that are primarily cultivated in only one winemaking region.

As ever, it's $25 to taste through the flight of four wines. Stop by any time!

Altxor 2023 Txakolina Blanco – We’re starting with a spritzy white from Getariako Txakolina in the Basque Country of northern Spain. The grape here is a local variety called Hondarrabi Zuri, and the expression is zippy and bright with just a touch of effervescence—the classic, refreshing profile of Txakoli wines.

Umathum 2022 “Rosa” Rosé – Next up is a saignée-method rosé from winemaker Umathum in Burgenland, eastern Austria. It’s a blend of Austria’s three main red grape varieties: Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent, and Zweigelt. Biodynamically farmed, hand-harvested, and vinified in stainless steel, this is an expressive rosé made with care and finesse.

Nat Cool 2023 “Drink Me” Bairrada Tinto – This liter-sized bottling from Dirk Niepoort’s easy-drinking Nat Cool project is 100% Baga, a red grape grown primarily in central Portugal. A thick-skinned variety, Baga is capable of producing wines of serious concentration and tannin. With this wine, however, Niepoort presents a different take on the variety—light, juicy, and tart, with low tannin and an easy 12% alcohol.

Fattoria Moretto 2023 Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Secco DOC – We end with another shop favorite: Fattoria Moretto’s Lambrusco Grasparossa from the Emilia-Romagna region of central Italy. The Lambrusco grapes, of which there are six main varieties, are indigenous to Emilia-Romagna and are typically vinified into sparkling red wines. Grasparossa, which is grown around the town of Castelvetro di Modena, is the most tannic of the Lambrusco varieties. Fattoria Moretto’s version is classic—dry and inky, with brambly fruit notes and earthy depth.