Join us in our cellar for an unforgettable wine tasting with Cat Fairchild of the iconic, cool climate, Sonoma winery Failla.

Since Failla's first vintage, Ehren Jordan has made exceptional wines using biodynamic practices. Today, Failla has 11 acres of estate vines and has steadily acquired key vineyard sources from the Occidental Ridge, Hirsch, Peay, Savoy, and Platt Vineyards. More recently, Failla has been expanding north to Oregon, where they are now getting fruit from the Seven Springs Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills of the WIllamette Valley. They have also purchased an Oregon winery, Patton Valley Vineyards in Gaston, as well as 30 acres of vineyard land in the Laurelwood District on sandy, windblown basalt soils.

Nestled between the Rhine River and Vosges Mountains lies Alsace, a patchwork quilt of ancient soils. There are over a dozen distinctive soil types, including granite, limestone, volcanic, and sandstone. Each soil creates a different story, optimal for different grape varietals. The Vosges Mountains block the patterns of maritime weather, making Alsace one of the sunniest, driest regions in France. Couple that with cool nights, and you create wines with optimal ripeness balanced by brilliant acidity. The wines of Alsace are all about their aromatics, so it's uncommon to find influence of oak.

90% of production in Alsace is to white wine, with Pinot Noir comprising the last 10%. "Noble Varietals" are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat — and these are the only varietals permitted in in the 51 Grand Crus of Alsace. There is also a large amount of Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, and Muscat grown in the region as well. The fastest growing AOC of production is Crémant d’Alsace, which makes up 22% of total production.

If Gewürztraminer were available as a Yankee Candle, it would be a best seller. Aromatics of lychee, mandarin orange, rose petals, ginger, and spice jump out of a glass of Alsatian Gewürztraminer. Food pairings can be spicy, fruity, rich, or aromatic. Duck curry, savory quiche, Thanksgiving dinner, Sichuan stir fry, and even Waldorf salad are perfectly suited for this versatile wine. The relatively tame levels of acidity let you go wild with spices, without aggravating your palate. Our favorite right now is the Domaine Weinbach Gewürztraminer made from 40-50 year old vines from the “Wolfreben” lieu-dit, located in the Kaysersberg Valley. Biodynamically grown in soils of sand silt on granite pebbles, this wine is complex with a powerful concentration.

If you enjoy dry (trocken) German Riesling, and want to branch out — grab some Alsatian Riesling. Alsace creates Riesling that is also aromatic and expressive with high acidity and steely minerality, but with more florality and a creamier texture because of the warmer and drier climate. Because of it's fuller body, Alsatian Riesling makes an excellent pairing for heavier dishes such as Choucroute (Alsatian dish of sauerkraut, sausages, and potatoes), onion tarts, roasted pork belly, or Pad Thai. We can't get enough of the Barmès-Buecher Clos Sand Riesling, marked by its great focus, nuance and acidity. Clos Sand is a biodynamically farmed vineyard situated near the top of the Grand Cru Steingrübler.

The blending of white varietals is a common practice in Alsace. The term 'Edelzwicker' translates as the blending of noble varietals, and if labled 'Gentil' than it must contain at least 50% Noble Varietals (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat). The Albert Boxler Edelzwicker is perhaps the most harmonious blend you'll come across. This masterpiece of a wine comes from Albert Boxler, a domaine established in 1673 in the ancient village of Niedermorschwihr in the Haut-Rhin. This Edelzwicker is floral, luscious, and medium bodied. It is perfectly paired with soufflé, grilled vegetables, and spicy cuisines such as Chinese, Thai, or Indian.

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