LOW ROAD WHITE

2016 Santa Winery Santorini Assyrtiko $14

Assyrtiko is the flagship grape from the Greek Island of Santorini. If you’ve never heard of it, you’re still cool. Because of the area’s high winds, they train the vines to grow low to the ground in “koulara” (looks like little baskets to us) to protect the grapes. The island is immune from phylloxera so they never had to rip out and plant American roots like most of the rest of the world. When the vines become too old, they clip off the plant, keep the rootstock, and connect new vines, so many of the roots are hundreds of years old. Robert Parker gave it 90 points and says that you should have it with food. We say Στην υγειά σας!

2016 Scacciadiavoli Grechetto $12.50

You may have enjoyed the Club’s High Road Sangrantino from the same producer a couple years ago (remember the Devil banisher?) This is their summer wine which boasts easy drinking and the right amount of fruit to acidity. Serve it slightly warmer than fridge temp (42-46 degrees) to get the full complexity. Or, hey, put it on ice. Because, August. Can’t decide? Add a bottle or four and try it both ways. You can afford this fun.

LOW ROAD RED

HIGH ROAD WHITE

HIGH ROAD RED

2015 Alpha Xinomavro “Hedgehog Vineyard” $18.23

August couldn’t get here quickly enough. Medium light color with cherry and pepper, this makes the perfect summer drinker. We vetted this at our Taste! fundraiser this year and easily beat the other (ahem, more expensive) Xinomavro. We recommend confidence when you’re serving this for your wine loving guests, but skip serving it alongside a big Cali Cab or Zin (it may seem thin or it may outshine your big wines - both happened at our table.) We like it best with an excellent lunch or with a meat and cheese appetizer.

2014 Crocus L’Atelier $15

Sound familiar? It’s the Low Road version of last year’s High Road. Paul Hobbs is known for traveling the world and identifying potentially legendary wine regions (see the High Road Red from Armenia) and bringing them up to world class standards, most famously Malbec in Argentina. But in Cahors, the Malbec-famous French region, he needed only team up with a legendary Cahors family and add some polish and worldwide appeal. The traditional rustic earthiness remains. Go ahead, drop that knowledge.

2016 Alain Normand Pouilly Fuisse $22.90

This white Burgundy makes smiles. Winemaker inherits vineyard, Corby and Jeff meet her, the Club celebrates. She strives to keep a pure interpretation of the wine with minimal oak... but sometimes a little.  The Low Road version of this has been our house wine for the last few months. And “oops!” every once in a while.... similar labels... Sarah opens one of these high roads “mistakenly” and. Damn. We. Are. Impressed.

2016 NALS MARGREID “SIRMIAN PINOT BIANCO $26.83 

Yes, it’s a repeat - a killer repeat. Same wine, new vintage, scored even higher than last year’s vintage with a James Suckling score of 95. Full bodied, silky smooth on the palate and beautifully colored. It’s like curling up with your favorite re-run.

2015 Yacoubian Hobbs Dry Areni $28.13

One km away from these vines sits the world’s oldest-known wine production facility (4000 B.C.)  But since writing wasn’t invented until a few centuries later, they didn’t discover any wine reviews, so it is hard to know how good the wine was (THIS SENTENCE NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN BETTER) From the 1930s to early ‘90s, while California transitioned into a world-class wine region, Armenian production was all but halted by Soviet Rule, but the area still contains the same excellent soil, indigenous grapes, and good climate that it has had forever.  Paul Hobbs entered this partnership 10 years ago and this is the second vintage released.  Made in 100% stainless steel, this is a great way to be introduced to the ancient Areni grape in it’s purest form.

2012 Toliani Valdisanti $26.75

French grapes, made in Italy, 75% Cabernet, 20% Sangiovese, 5% Cab Franc - waaaaay Super Tuscan. Club member Dan found this at a restaurant in Napa - pause to raise a glass to that guy. Purist say “Wha? Bordeaux varietals in Tuscany - no fair!” Santa Ray Wine Club say “If this Italian Cab is wrong, we don’t want to be right. Love will keep us together.”