Hiruzta “Parcela Nº 3” 2015 Limited Edition Txakolina  The name Hiruzta means “a three-person harvest” in Basque, referring to winery owners Asensio Rekalde and his sons Txarli and Angel, whose shared dream of creating a winery in Hondarribia is now a reality. Txakoli production in this village dates back to 1186, however the tradition was lost during a long stretch of sieges and battles that took place there in the early 1600’s. PARCELA Nº 3 is a vintage txakoli which reflects the pure character of Hiruzta’s most reserve vineyard. It comes from a very special plot, Plot Nº 3, of the indigenous Hondarrabi Zuri grape. Nº 3 also refers to the number of years this wine aged on its lees. As a result of the lee aging, the wine shows great intensity and aromatic complexity with notes of red apples, grapefruit and orange, dehydrated apricots, etc., while certain notes of kerosene and spices can also be appreciated. This has evolved magnificently in the bottle, drink now! 

Union Champagne NV De Reyve Brut Premier Cru Champagne De Reyve is the flagship label of Union Champagne, an Avize-Based “new-generation” cooperative on a meteoric rise to stardom. Historically, most of the company’s wine has been sold to the region’s iconic houses to be blended into their top luxury brands, a practice which still accounts for a sizable proportion of Union Champagne’s business. As far as cooperatives go this is without question the wealthiest of its kind in the world, let alone the wine trade. With a staggering 615 hectares of Grand Cru vineyard land, 615 hectares of Premier Cru vineyard land, and 135 hectares of “mere mortal” unclassified vineyard land, most of the firm’s acreage lies in the sought-after Côte des Blancs zone, where they farm more Grand Cru acreage than all other Champagne houses combined. The De Reyve Brut Premier Cru comes from the Côte des Blancs Montagne de Reims région. The Côte des Blancs is a mostly eastern-facing slope that owes its name to the color of the grape that is planted: 95% Chardonnay. Pineapple and yellow fruit aromas. The palate is round, with fruity, and citrus notes.

Justin Girardin 2020 Santenay “Les Terrasses de Bievaux”  The Girardin name has been synonymous with elite level Burgundy for 700 years, most recently through the wines of Justin’s uncle, Vincent Girardin, and his father, Jacques Girardin. With the provenance of this family’s holdings and the talent seemingly entrenched in this bloodline, Justin is more than a name to watch – He is without question one of the most exciting young names in the region. Farming here is biodynamic and transparency is the name of the game – Only native yeast is used, and it is rare to experience the influence of new oak in any of Justin’s bottlings. You’ll see a dizzying number of clonal selections in each of their vineyard holdings including this cuvee right here. In old French ‘bievaux’ means ‘beautiful valley.’ The clay-limestone soil here gives elegance to the perfectly-ripe Chardonnay. This is a mineral-driven wine; both well-structured and balanced, with abundant flavors of ripe tree fruits, juicy lemons, and hints of vanilla. Rich and nutty in the long finish; this beautiful wine is reminiscent of a Chassagne-Montrachet. 100% Chardonnay, delicious with creamy pastas.

Château Rozier 2020 Saint Emilion Grand Cru  The Saby family has been making wine in Bordeaux for nine uninterrupted generations now, led by heirs to the family passion Jean-Christophe and Jean-Phillippe. Their winery holdings, centered around Libourne, are comprised of 70 hectares and include Château Rozier (Saint Emilion Grand Cru), Château Bertin (Montagne-Saint-Emilion), and Château Hauchat (Fronsac).  Saby wines receive regular buzz for good reason – these are rich, balanced examples of high level Bordeaux. This 100% Merlot is a beautiful cherry red color that reminds us of garnets. The aroma of the preserved red fruits mixed with the hints of licorice. The aromas of blackberries and blueberries create a softness and assured bouquet on our palate. 

Ermisch 2020 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon  This is Ermisch Family Cellars’ 10th harvest this year. After making wine continuously in Argentina since 1997, Christopher “Kirk” Ermisch decided to try his hand at Oregon’s iconic Pinot Noir after basing his US wine importing business in Bend in 2001. Originally called Erendira’s Rise, the wine sought to showcase the overcoming of a challenge. In this case it was about a new grape in a new region for the winemaker. Fast forward to 2023, it is now about making wine that is professionally well-made, a delight to consumers and a reflection of the terroir of the vineyards, while introducing new varieties.This Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon features fruit from two Oregon parcels, one of which is located in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA. This is very much a hands-on project, and Ermisch can now be found doing most of the work from vineyard pickup to winemaking to bottling, with his daughter, Hannah Ermisch.

Schiavenza 2018 Barolo Serralunga d’Alba  Yes – We are throwing a very proper, very cult Barolo into your Cru Box. The local Piemontese dialect for sharecropper is “schiavenza,” and this much-buzzed-about estate takes its name from the sharecroppers who formerly worked the property’s vineyards during the time that it functioned as a hospital and school as part of the Opera Pia Barolo (you can think of the Opera Pia Barolo as a similar entity to the Hospices du Beaune). Brothers Vittorio and Ugo Alessandria revitalized this property in the mid 1950’s when it was in need of such work, and things are thriving under the current second generation, with farming and winemaking led by son-in-laws Luciano Pira and Walter Anselma. A name like Schiavenza should give one a clue as to the style here; this is a “traditional to the bone” property with a foundation of organic farming and Slovenian botti, nothing more and nothing less. Vineyard holdings have expanded over time, and the estate is made up of ten hectares split between Serralunga and Monforte.  These include the heralded crus Prapò, Bricco Cerretta, and Broglio. Taste Walter’s 2018 Barolo Serralunga and you’ll likely be floored. To achieve this kind of finesse with equal levels of concentration is at the same time astounding and unreal. Traditional winemaking in Barolo is all well!

Thank you for all your support, and happy holidays!