Montefresco, so named for its ideal position on a hill caressed by constant gentle breezes, produces classic wines from pure Italian varieties. Enjoy these accessible, brightly flavored wines by the glass, as a house wine, or as a delicious and budget-friendly gift.
New Jersey
ORR
At a bar in San Francisco in 1998, Erica Orr met winemaker Aaron Pott, who convinced her to leave her lab tech job at UCSF to work the harvest with Cathy Corison; she was immediately hooked. In the following years, Erica honed her craft working at some of the best wineries in the world: Domaine Dujac, Rudd Estate, Cain Vineyard and Yering Station. In 2005, she settled in Washington to started an independent winemaking consulting and enology business, where she continues to help great wineries rack up 90+ point scores and Wine Spectator accolades (Baer, Mark Ryan , Guardian Cellars, Sparkman).
In 2013, Erica sourced neglected fruit from heritage vineyards to create a wine all her own. Finding and sourcing a small parcel of Chenin Blanc, in 2013 Erica released the inaugural and limited release of Orr Wines– 116 cases of old vine Chenin Blanc. The wine is a blend of two old vineyards, Rothrock vineyard in the Yakima Valley of Prosser, and Upland vineyard on Snipes Mountain in Sunnyside. Rothrock was planted in 1970 and is a south facing site, 855 feet above sea level with a 15% slope. The shallow topsoil is very fine sand and silt loam on top of basalt bedrock. Upland has incredibly wild and diverse soils. Owned by the Newhouse family this parcel of Chenin Blanc was planted in 1979 on a 25% slope, 1000 foot elevation, facing southwest with a nice view of Mt. Adams.
The Chenin Blanc grapes are always hand-picked and whole cluster pressed. The juices settle in tank overnight and are racked clean to fill neutral old French oak barrels and stainless steel drums. Nothing is inoculated – the nuanced dynamics of native yeast fermentations add complexity. After the sugar has completely fermented, SO2 is added to prevent malolactic fermentation. Lees stirring lends fullness and body to the mouth. In the spring, the wines from the two vineyard lots are blended together, lightly fined and filtered before bottling. Natural corks are used, each one screened for TCA and other off-aromas by Portacork’s “dry soak method”.
Massanois is incredibly excited to welcome this talented, young winemaker to its portfolio with the release of the second vintage of Orr Wines Chenin Blanc – 2014. We can’t wait for you to taste these excellent and singular Washington State wines.
PASQUALE PELISSERO
Pasquale Pelissero is a tiny, family-owned winery started in a garage by “Papa” Pasquale, one of the first producers in Neive to bottle and sell his own wines. While a conservative wine producer, Pasquale was always open to new winemaking and cellar management techniques. The vineyards are truly a treasure and are often visited by other producers from the area. The cellar sits close to the top of the Bricco San Giuliano hill, completely surrounded by Pelissero vineyards. Since the death of Pasquale in 2007, daughter Ornella has carried on the family tradition, doing everything on her own in the vineyards and cellar, her sole innovation being the acquisition of a temperature-controlled fermentation tank. Their Bricco San Giuliano Barbaresco comes from an 8-hectare parcel at about 400 meters above seal level and is aged exclusively in large botte, whereas the Dolcetto, with its plum fruit and intriguing hints of flint and smoke, is aged in stainless steel. One of the most historical and beautiful places in Neive, the winery’s annual production is only around 15,000 bottles.
The estate is a member of a newly formed consortium of Langhe producers called “Biotipicità,” founded by producers who all adhere to the “lotta integrata,” an Italian regulation governing sustainable farming methods.
PRIMR
Primary Wine Co. stands for purity. With honest, genuine, straightforward flavors and a back-to-basics approach to wine. These are wines that are enjoyable from the first to the last sip. Savor our classic California wines in the spirit of all things simple and good.
JMR
The Roger family comes from a long line of winegrowers from the village of Bué. The first texts that mention the family name date back to the early 17th century. Jean-Max Roger took over the four hectares of vines left to him by his parents in the early 1970s and expanded the estate to its current size, 26 hectares. Beginning in 2004, two of his three sons, Etienne and Thibault, came back to work at the estate after various professional experiences in France and abroad. Today, the estate covers a surface area of 26 hectares in the Sancerre AOC, along the Loire River. It also includes 5 hectares of vines located in the Menetou-Salon AOC area of production where the first plantations date back to 1981. They produce white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc as well as reds and rosés made from Pinot Noir. They also sell Pouilly-Fumé, a neighbouring appellation located opposite Sancerre on the left bank of the Loire.
Wines of the Times
“Our No. 1 bottle was the fragrant, lively 2010 Cuvée le Charnay Menetou-Salon from Jean-Max Roger.”
Eric Asimov, “In the Orbit of Sancerre” – NYT
GUIDOB
Barbera is the “workhorse” of the Piedmont region in Northern Italy: malleable, it can be made in a great range of styles, from fresh and juicy to rich and oak-laced, but it is also affordable. For this reason, it had long been the most popular “table wine” of the region, and that appeal held true for Americans as well, who enjoy its fruity, velvety texture, medium body and delicate tannins. Massanois had long been a source for some of the most compelling Barbera d’Asti sold in the USA, but we found that we were representing a winery that had outgrown us significantly. And so, we embarked upon a hunt for the next great, affordable Barbera d’Asti. We lined up blind-tasting panels with multiple wines and, hands down, the unknown Barbera, sent to us by an enologist friend of one of our favorite Barolo producers, won the competition, taking first place in an initial round and then outstripping the competition after getting 30 minutes of oxygen. We knew we had found our guy, and then tasted his crisp, clean, pure apricot delight Moscato d’Asti, which confirmed our selection.
Cascina Guido Berta is ideally situated in the midst of what is considered “The Golden Triangle” of the Asti appellation, in the town of San Marzano Oliveto in Piedmont, well known for its fabulous Barbera wines, as well as the charming Moscato d’Asti. Guido Berta’s parents chose to return to an agricultural existence and bought the 25-hectare farm in order to grow grapes. In 1997, after growing up on the property, Guido took over direction of the estate, establishing his cellar where he would start to make his own wines. With vines averaging 35 years old, he grows mostly Barbera and Moscato, with small plantations of Nebbiolo and Chardonnay.
Now working out of a freshly-minted winemaking cellar on the property, Guido Berta works according to the sustainable agriculture dictates of the lotta integrata, however he has already started the process of converting all his vineyards to organic farming. Already, one can see the results of this natural agriculture in the vigor of his vines and the lush carpet of fertile grasses and legumes between rows. While more labor intensive and risk-prone, Guido feels strongly that the vineyards must be pure, given that he himself is working in them every day, not to mention his young children.
A precious, family-owned and -run Monferrato estate, producing artisanal, well-priced wines from the classic varieties of this storied region: Cascina Guido Berta.