As an example of the incredible wines you'll receive as a Tri Red Club member, here's what was featured in August 2023.
Prima Materia Nebbiolo Carbonico
Prima Materia grows 10 acres of mostly Italian grapes in Lake County, California. Their vineyards lie at around 1500 feet above sea level in volcanic soils between the Mayacamas Mountains and the Mount Konocti volcano, and winemaker Pietro Buttitta, a former chef, aims to highlight the lesser-known Lake County terroir. The Nebbiolo is produced with carbonic fermentation, a process where whole grape bunches are deprived of oxygen initially, producing an enzymatic fermentation. After this, the Nebbiolo ferments with native yeasts on skins and stems for five days, before pressing and finishing with 16 more days of fermentation.
The Nebbiolo Carbonico may look like a rosé but it drinks like a red. Serve it a bit cooler, 50-55F (20 minutes in the refrigerator). It’s light and dry wine, with notes of violet, cranberry and subtle hints of peppercorn, pairing beautifully with a cheese & charcuterie board.
Quinta do Gradil Tinto
The Lisbon wine region in Portugal is a narrow region of low rolling hills that extends north from the capital along the coast with a long history of winemaking. The Quinta do Gradil property is referenced in historical documents as far back as 1492 and has been solely dedicated to winemaking since the mid 1800s. Sitting between the Serra de Montejunto and the Atlantic Ocean the vineyard enjoys a temperate climate with mild summers. The team grows a combination of native grapes and newer varietals, like Tannat, in clay and limestone soils using a blend of traditional and modern practices.
A blend of 50/50 Tannat and Touriga Nacional, fermented in stainless steel vats, with 70% of the lot aged in French oak barrels. The result is aromatically deep yet balanced with notes of balsamic, dark chocolate, blackberry and firm grippy tannins. This wine craves a grilled rib eye, roasted lamb or an aged cheese.
Weinhaus Heger Pinot Noir “Tuniberg”
The Heger family has a curious pattern of training to be physicians but getting pulled back into the family tradition of winemaking. Doctor Max Heger made the transition in 1935, founding the Dr. Heger Estate. His grandson Joachim followed the same path, founding Weinhaus Heger in 1986, and since then he has had a profound effect on how the world interprets the German Spätburgunder, aka Pinot Noir. Heger farms and vinifies in Kaiserstuhl, the warmest and driest area in Germany with its sun-soaked microclimate and steep volcanic slopes produce wines that are more acidic than most German wines.
The Tuniberg is a 100% Pinot Noir that ferments on the skins and ages in neutral oak barrels. The result is both deep and fresh, with black cherry flavors and a clear limestone character from the soils of the Tuniberg subregion. Its elevated acidity and soft tannins pair well with lighter meats like pork or duck but also vegetarian dishes like wild mushrooms and risotto.
