“It is like the indie rock of the early 80′s,” said Steve Matthiasson, in reference to the collective sigh away from the big wines that had come to define California.  After 15 years of Parker dominance, there emerged a “new wave” of young winemakers–Dan Petroski, Gram Tatomer, Matthew Rorick, Arnot-Roberts–, who are now Matthiasson’s age or younger.  ”We just did our 10th vintage,” he said, “but ten years ago, there was no seed.  In Napa, there was Abe [Schoener] and me.  We didn’t know about Arnot-Roberts in the other valley.”  Much like the hardcore movement that drew a line from punk bands in the late 70′s to Indie bands in the mid-80′s, these innovative vintners were acting independently, struggling to pursue personal expressions.

Matthiasson, who’d recently read Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991, drew a comparison.

“The underground’s musical diversity meant there was no stylistic bandwagon for the media to latch on to, so the record-buying public had to find things there on a band-by-band basis, rather than buying into a bunch of talk about a ‘new sound’,” writes Azerrad.

“Foucault talks about conditions of possibility that have nothing to do with individuals, but with conditions that allow individuals to launch change,” said Matthiasson, who then laughed, apologized for the diversion and explained that he’d studied philosophy in college.  And just as Azerrad makes the same argument on page twelve of Our Band Could Be Your Life, writing, “It’s not surprising that the indie movement largely started in Southern California– after all, it had the infrastructure…”, one could say the same of the underground wine movement in California.

In reflecting back on the first round of winemakers in California, Steve said, “Warren Winiarski [of Stag's Leap], talks about the concept of individuality and balance…” of making wines like snowflakes with unique geometric structures, as opposed to Rorschach tests. “The wines that originally put California on the map were derivative of Europe.  Paul Mason was all about Burgundy.”  However, in the 1980s and ’90s, the second round of vintners “hated green acidic wines that have to age,” and so they launched the next 15 years of ripe, rich wines.  ”I give them a lot of props for that, but it took over with no room for expression.”

Matthiasson in the vineyard during the harvesting of Ribolla Gialla

And while Matthiasson and Schoener were some of the first to launch round three, making wildly different wines that reflected their individual visions, there’s been a small succession of young vintners who are keen to follow their own intuitions.  ”I feel proud, having opened the door to allow this to form,” said Steve.  ”My doing my white wine gave him [Dan Petroski] the confidence to do his, which is all about delicacy and restraint.”

Not attributing the evolution to winemakers only, Steve also gives props to the new guard of sommeliers.  No longer a mere extension of the Captain Waiter, sommeliers now come from a crop of intelligent, thoughtful individuals who “are opening doors and allowing us to follow our passions,” said Matthiasson.  While visiting the NYC market last week, he encountered “multiple sommeliers who would say that California is the most exciting wine region in the world now.”

And though the market was initially closed to the Matthiassons’ efforts, “they weren’t interested in our wines,” said Steve of the conventional press, he and his wife Jill reached out to bloggers, treating them like real press by inviting them to tastings and dinners.

“Jill and I  make wine within the context of egalitarianism,” he added.  While Jill handles the business end of Matthiasson Wines, she also sells their fruits from organic orchards at the local farmer’s market, crafts preserves, and writes the Matthiasson Vineyard blog.  ”We view wine as food.  Mondavi talked about wine having a gracious place at the table.  He was mortified by what has happened in the 2000′s.  Most people don’t understand him, which is a tragedy because he was a visionary.”

To read more about the Matthiassons’ practices and vision, stay tuned for Part II.

On a recent visit to Matthew Rorick’s winery, we tasted a Verdelho that had been picked from Dewitt Vineyard in Amador City on August 15^th, a week earlier than last year, when the grapes had been picked a week earlier than the year before that.  Tasting a Verdelho that had been picked at 19 brix, we witnessed a transparency and a minerality that’s never been expressed by this grape.  The Pinot Gris sourced from Tegan Passalacqua’s vineyard in Lodi had a density and roundness that speaks to the sand soils and warmer climate of the region, and the Merlot (that’s right Merlot) that we tasted from Napa had the lightness and herbaceousness that can only come from the coaxing by a thoughtful renegade whose picking decisions could very well be a decade ahead his time.

Our visit made clear that there’s a buzz on the west coast that’s making its way east.  Working against the traditional path of expansion and exchange, there are a number of winemakers who are laying tracks from west to east, bringing us one of the palate’s most valued commodities–terroir driven wines.  Joining the ranks of cult-crafters such as Kevin Kelley of Salinia Wines, Steve Matthiasson and Carroll Kemp of Red Car Wines, Matthew Rorick of Forlorn Hope is shifting the potential of California wine on its axis.  Recently named one of five “Winemakers to Watch 2013” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Rorick is one to follow his palate first, leaving the market to charge his wake.

After making wines in and around Napa for the past 10 years, Rorick set out to pursue his own label.  Making fewer than 1,000 cases in 2011, of 15 different bottlings, Matthew fitfully coined the phrase “Rare Creatures” because by the time one took notice, the inventory had long vanished. With a list of wines on his website that reads like a world wide Bowie tour–SOLDOUT–Rorick is simultaneously prone to experimentation while seemingly risk adverse.  Crafting wines that are varietal correct, Rorick seeks the Old World, the dejected and the near extinct.  From the 90 vines of St Laurent at Ricci Vineyards in Carneros to the 167 cases of “Suspiro del Moro” Alta Mesa Alvarelhão, harvested from 2.5 acres in the Silvaspoons Vineyard, Rorick is carefully redefining California wines through resurrection, and NOT conducting Frankenstein experiments.

The great part of tasting with Matthew is that there is no blueprint that he is trying to follow, nor any ego that he is trying to puff up. Humble and honest about what he knows and more importantly, about what knowledge he lacks, Matthew Rorick is both the perfect student, and one of our greatest teachers, for he knows how to extract potential from a varietal with a sense of place.

100% Petite Sirah guided through fermentation at the hands of Matthew Rorick, the Forlorn Hope Les Deux Mathieux is farmed at the Tenbrink Vineyard in Suisun Valley.  In time to warm the heart and palate this winter season, the 2007 vintage has just arrived and so last night we uncorked a bottle to compare with the previous vintage, 2006.

A year that stressed vines and their caretakers, 2006 offered a long growing season in Napa, with heat peaks mid-summer and cooler temps in August-October.  Being that Suisun Valley is east of Napa, where the days are warmer and the afternoons cooled by the breezes from Suisun Bay, the Petite Sirah tannins were fully ripened, and the fruit complex and offering great acidity.

Napa’s 2007 on the other hand got off to a cold start and stayed cool and somewhat dry during the summer, leading to lower yields and smaller clusters and concentrated berries.  And because Rorick is a one-man operation who silently coaxes the fruit’s potential, these two bottles were crafted with his ear to the ground, his actions no more than a vessel to support the transition of fruit to wine.

Hand-harvested and whole cluster fermented with natural yeast, both vintages aged for 18 months in neutral barrels before being bottled by hand.  With only 97 cases of each vintage produced, they are indeed rare creatures from the maker, Matthew Rorick.

The Forlorn Hope Les Deux Mathieux 2006 is beautiful out of the bottle.  A symphony of fresh aromas with purple flowers, black plum and cherry fruit sets the stage for a palate so clean with bright acidity that’s balancing but never searing.  Rich, dark slate seats the fruit as it recedes, giving way to integrated tannins and warm spices that linger long on the palate.

The Forlorn Hope Les Deux Mathieux 2007 offers bolder tannins that settle with time and dark wild berry fruit.  With scents of black plum skin, sandalwood and black pepper spice, the fruit here is bigger and wilder, and the velvety tannins with more grip.  As with the previous vintage, the spicy finish warms the palate, and by day three, the 2007 vintage closely mirrors the 2006.

–––––––

Our 2012 harvest launched with an amazingly early pick of Verdelho from the Vista Luna Vineyard.  Intense flavors, bright acidity, absolutely unique soils, Verdelho Submarine.

Three weeks in to the 2012 harvest, and we’re all smiles here at FH-HQ. All of the fruit brought in thus far has shown flavor development well in advance of sugar accumulation. Big flavors, bright acidity, and lower alcohols? Yeah, we’re all smiles.

All of our Verdelho has been picked; some is close to finishing fermentation already (!). We’ve begun experimenting with different sites for this variety, this year taking fruit not only from our friends the DeWitts in Amador but also from Vista Luna (Markus Bokisch) and Silvaspoons (Ron Silva). Verdelho continues to demonstrate its affinity for California soils and climate, and we’re looking forward to exploring the differences in site in our finished wines.

We’ve also brought in our second vintage of Trousseau gris — ok, well, it’s really our first. Last year our nursery project with Roger King yielded a scant 7 gallons of wine; this year, we’ll have something along the lines of a barrel and a half. Hand harvested, whole-cluster fermented, and just pressed yesterday, the juice is roughly three-quarters finished with fermentation and (so far) doesn’t display the slight tint of gris that last year’s wine did… though it’s still early days. Stay tuned!

And new this year, we’re honored to begin working with Pinot Gris from Tegan Passalacqua’s Kirschenman Vineyard. Most of this fruit was given a long repose post-pick as whole clusters, then trod, then pressed; a small portion was sent directly to press. We’re excited to have two distinct iterations of the same fruit: one slightly pink, one completely white.

Ryan Looper and Brian Pilliod took a trip to California, and here’s Ryan’s take on meeting Matthew Rorick:

Matthew Rorick is the wine equivalent of Patrick Swayze in Road House: A badass philosopher with great hair who challenges the norm.

As an “outlier” in California, Rorick is beginning to get the attention he deserves, because the texture of California wine is changing.  With the relevance of Ribolla Gialla, Trousseau Gris and Noir, and Gamay Noir gaining traction, there will certainly be more plantings of these and other alternative varietals in the years to come.

As Rorick walked onto the deck overlooking the fiery twilight haze of San Francisco, he immediately seemed like an old friend.  As he, Brian Pilliod and I proceeded to kill a bottle of wine, Matthew talked about the vineyards he works with, while sharing his perspective on wine.  And while I had imagined that he would recount the age-old “discovery of Natural wine” story of sleeping in cars and tasting unsulphured wines through the countryside or at Parisian Bar-a-Vins, (echoing “the gang of five are the shit”), this was not the case at all.

This year’s harvest at Forlorn Hope

It turns out that Matthew had gravitated to unadjusted and pure wines through a personal and aesthetic process that began by questioning the status quo.  He is the conductor and the vineyards are his orchestras; the raising of his baton at the right moments is what keeps them in harmony.

The wines of Forlorn Hope are of a new breed, exploring the boundaries beyond Pinot, Chardonnay and Cabernet, while searching out rare (existing) plantings in single sites, and vinifying them with almost no intervention.  These wines express the possibilities of California, through vineyards that are unadorned and encouraged to find their own balance.

And though we later had a memorable evening out on the town with friends at Michel Mina and Rich Table, it was those first few minutes on the deck with Matthew that meant the most to me.  With a new understanding of his wines, I caught hold of an exciting vision for the future.

You can read what Matthew chooses not to do in the winery here, but most important to me is what he does do.  He is a torchbearer for the rebellious grape growers and winemakers in California, blazing a path not yet taken.

See what I mean?  It is a little Road House.

I advise you to follow Matthew on twitter here.

Set to task, dedicated to choosing our very most favoritest wines, we set a very strict set of criteria…we want outrageous quality for the cash, of course, but we also require craft winemaking, juice that speaks of where it comes from and that inexplicable, intangible, expression of something extraordinary.Our staff picks of the year are titillating, intellectual stimulating, and definitely remarkable…unforgettable, even. So, we are memorializing our favorites of the year in this year end rewind.

So, without further ado, the LUSH Wines of the Year, 2011. Ha. No, silly, you have to come to the tasting to get a sneak peek and a secret sip…

Sundays with LUSH: Staff Picks

12.18.11

Veterans

Jess T. -
NV Domaine Berthet-Bondet Cremant du Jura, Jura, France – Chardonnay and Savagnin
The Jura. Nestled alongside the Swiss border, this is the sort of picturesque terrain that beckons travelers with views of both the wooded Jura Mountains and the snow-capped French Alps. Archeologists have found vines that date back over 5,000 years; making this some the oldest wine country in France. However, this little nook of grape goodness only accounts for about 1% of the total French wine production. On parallel with Burgundy, the similar suspects Pinot Noir and Chardonnay make their presence known, though more obscure varietals, like Trousseau, Poulsard, and Savagnin do not go unrepresented.

It is in the Jura that the eminent vin jaune and vin de paille are produced. Chateau-Chalon is a legendary exponent vin jaune, a unique style in which fermented juice is left to age in sealed wooden barrels for six years. During this time a flor develops, think similar to fino sherry, but unfortified. This quirky number is meant to age, and generally has appropriately dynamic price tag. For vin de paille, grapes are left to dry either hung from rafters in heated buildings, or by using wire mesh/wicker trays. Clusters will eventually shrivel up into highly concentrated, near raisins, which are pressed to produce sweet wine of amber color and extreme longevity.

Neither Jean Berthet-Bondet nor his wife Chantal had an explicit family background in the winemaking industry. The domain was purchased in 1984, after 50 years of non-existent wine production, and brought it back to life. It encompasses 10 hectares that span both the Chateau-Chalon and Cotes-de-Jura appellations. Production includes still whites and reds in classic or “sous voile” styles (not topped up, so wine evaporates and a layer of yeast sets of the surface), vin de paille, Grand Cru de vin jaune, eau de vie, Macvin du Jura liqueur; quite the varied range of products to select from.

I adore their Cremant du Jura, a fabulous sparkler blended from Savignin and Chardonnay grapes. Creamy, yet mineral; honeyed nuts, orchard fruits, quince, and orange blossom all seam to float in these tiny, refined bubbles. Underrated, underpriced, and unpretentious, this is exactly the style of bubbly I would drink all day, everyday.

Kim –
Elena Walch Gewurztraminer, Alto Adige, Italy
So. Gewurztraminer. I love it. I have a sweet tooth. Like many young ladies, it was one of the first wines I drank before venturing beyond the land of residual sugar. But that’s what’s so great about this grape. If you need it to be, it can be baby steps into dry mineral and complex wines. I cut my teeth on German Gewurz. But oh man. Italy. They do things to this grape you never thought possible. And I went through so much of my wine loving years not knowing how freaking fantastic their version of this grape is. This wine was enough to make me immediately dabble into the history of where this swoon-worthy version comes from: northern province (Alto Adige) in Italy. Ahem…

Alto Adige has changed hands from the Romans to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and back to the Italians, and it has collected a potpourri of tradition and technique in its viticulture. In fact, German is still spoken and is used for many of the wine names; and for this population, Alto Adige is known as Südtirol.  Here in the mountain slopes and hillsides the indigenous Lagrein thrives and the noble Pinot Noir is at its best on Italian soil. The site is also fabled to be the origin of Traminer grape. It is so mountainous in these parts that only 15% of the land can be cultivated – and this miniscule number represents less than 1% of the wine produced in all of Italy. However, quantity is not the focus in these ancient vineyards – the region boasts the highest proportion of DOC wines in Italy. Much of the exported wine goes to Austria to cater to their need for quality red wine and the little that does make it to the States is scooped up quickly.

But enough about that. How does this damn fine wine taste?  Aromatics are out of control. Quite like standing under a shower of white blossoms, with fresh white peaches, freshly juiced ginger and yuzu fruit, with a single lychee fruit just cracked.  The palate is alive, literally, with bright, prickling acidity, but a lovely play at sweetness that is balanced by very tart and acidic fruits and a bit of jasmine and honeysuckle.

I don’t know much Italian, but I know Mi piace molto! And dammit. Mi piace molto questo vino (I really like this wine!)

Rachel -
Forlorn Hope ‘Sihaya’, California – Ribolla Gialla
Mister Matthew Rorick. The dashing, daring, anthropologist turned enologist, is all about pushing boundaries, playing with the vines, and loving wine.  After taking a departure as the full-time winemaker at Elizabeth Spencer, Rorick has dived straight in to solely producing his own wine. His ‘rare creatures’. Those with just the thinnest slice of hope to succeed. But, ‘success’ has many definitions, and I am all about the taste, the experience, and loving it. And, oh honey, I love this wine.  I am obsessed with the quirky, weird, and on the fringe.

Sihaya is all about a balance of form.  This wine is round in all the right places, lean in others, textured and layered, and delicious.  With extended skin contact and wild fermentation, not to mention bio-dynamic farming, this wine is a peek into the direction winemaking in the U.S. is taking in near future. Get on board.

This wine just floored me upon first sniff.  The aromatics are wildly aggressive, with yellow pear, sweet cream, and lavender blossoms. A dusting of cardamom. The palate is just waves and waves of layered flavors, with lemon curd and caramel, cinnamon, baked pear and juicy pear, stones and salt, coriander.  The texture is beautiful, and tangibly viscous.  Afforded the  7 days of skin contact during fermentation, the tasty morsels in suspension, and the lively acid, this wine suggests that it will absolutely continue to evolve for years.  $26.50

Rachael –
Domaine St. Nicolas  ’Gammes en May’, Fiefs Vendeen, Loire, France – Gamay
This was my perfect wine of the summer. Light and beautifully bright with an enticing minerality and exciting little whiffs of salt-air, this was the red I wanted to sip on the days of 90 degree temperatures and bbqs. We’re in the cold grip of winter now, but this wine still reminds me of warmer times.

Biodynamic, 100% gamay from vineyards not so much kissed as bullied by coastal winds. The effect of these winds keeps the vines low to the ground (as in so low harvesters have to crawl to pick the grapes) and makes them have to fight to produce. A little adversity tends to be just what vines need to produce the most delicious and intensely flavorful grapes. Thierry Michon of Domaine St. Nicolas is so committed to Biodynamic production, that over time he has purchased ‘buffer’ land around his property. These land parcels help prevent chemicals from other winemaker’s fields from drifting onto his vines. Biodynamic practices help bring out the truest expression of terroir in the wine. No interference, just the vines, the soil, that salt-laden ocean air, the climate, all coming through in your glass. $19

Carrie  -
2009 Littorai, Sonoma, California – Pinot Noir
My love affair with Littorai began about 2 years ago when I tried 2008 Littorai Vin Gris, a vintage that was marked by a devastating wildfire in California. The result?  A beautiful rose. So unique, so incredible, demonstrating just how influential grapes truly are to their terroir. This was an awakening moment for me. And since then each bottle of Littorai wine I try produces the same result. An awakening moment where I get it. I get the wine.

So Ted Lemon has been called the Michael Jordan of the wine world by the self proclaimed Prince of Pinot, William “Rusty” Gaffney, M.D.  I kinda have to agree with this statement, although, perhaps he is a bit less known. After he graduated Brown University, Ted (yes, we are on a first name basis) received a fellowship to study winemaking at the Universite de Bourgogne. In France. He apprenticed at some rather impressive estates. And in 1982, when Guy Roulot, winemaker and patriarch of the Domaine Roulot, passed away, Roulot’s widow asked friend and famed winemaker Jacques Seysses for a suggestion on a replacement winemaker. His response… Ted Lemmon.  A 25 year old American. And that is how Ted Lemmon became the first American person to run a Domain in Burgundy.  Dude. Ted Lemon rules. Seriously.
Fast forward a number of years. Ted, now back in California with his wife Heidi, felt that there had to be an untapped region in California that could create the style of wines they had in mind: terroir driven age worthy Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.  After searching sites that led them all the way to the Mexican border and up to Northern California, they settled in the coastal regions of Sonoma, Mendocino and Anderson Valley. At the time these were not Pinot Noir making regions. Now, without question they are.
Backed by the belief that great wine is made in the vineyard, Ted farms organically and biodynamically. The “Les Lamers” is actually a blend of multiple lots from Lemon’s Anderson Valley parcels. These are the grapes that didn’t make the cut to the really expensive wines. And I couldn’t be happier!! Composed of declassified fruit from Cerise and Savoy vineyards and intended for earlier drinking, the 2010 Les Larmes Pinot Noir is to me how Pinot Noir should behave. Dirty yet classy. At the same time.
Kelly –
Valle dell’Acate, Vittoria, Sicily, Italy – Frappato
I seriously heart this wine, and if anyone took a look at my purchases last year (please don’t!) there’s a very good chance I drank at least a case of this wine, and enjoyed every drop of it!  Soft and juicy, this is a perfect wine to drink in the afternoon, with dinner, or at 1am on a Thursday night while pretending to be a rock star* (don’t ask).  Either way, you get the point, it’s so delicious any time of day.  Bright and fresh, with a lingering finish, this is also a great wine to pair with a number of foods.  Pasta with a little spicy sauce?  Done.  Roasted chicken?  You bet.  Going to a byob?  This is your wine.  Try it, you’ll probably love it just as much as I do.  $19.50
Erin –
2010 Altos las Hormigas ‘Las Liebres’, Mendoza, Argentina – Bonarda
2011 was a tumultuous year–one that I will always remember for its worldwide protests, economic crises, “austerity measures,” and also a personal commitment to try and save money, perhaps under a mattress where one of the evil banks couldn’t get it. For this reason, I have selected this delightful, $10 red as my choice of the year. It can’t always be baller bubbles or swanky Savennieres. A girl needs some wine with her meal, and on a Tuesday night, it’s not going to be a $40 bottle. I’m certain that many of you will agree.

One of the things we Lushies do very well is weed out all the crappy stuff at this price point, and bring in only the wines that are interesting, have character, and represent a fantastic value for the price. This bonarda is one of them. A fairly obscure Italian grape (hey, I am still a wine nerd, even at the $10 level!) that made its way to Argentina, this wine is the brainchild of some really fancy Italian winemakers: Marc de Grazia, superstar winemaking consultant Attilio Pagli, Le Terrazze’s owner Antonio Terni, Alberto Antonini of Antinori, and Antonio Moreschalchi. They have mostly focused on producing high end, single vineyard malbec, but this little gem reflects a certain quirkiness, and a tendency to want to introduce something a little different to their customers.

Buoyant red fruits and a hint of herbaceous characteristics prevail, and, unlike many “cheap wines,” the palate has a definitive beginning, middle, and finish. The body is medium weight, with fairly high acid, thus making it an ideal food wine (pizza or Mexican have both worked nicely for me), but the fruit is just juicy enough to appeal to the drinker who just wants a glass or four, no food necessary, thank you. And last but not least, the label is awesome. “Las liebres” means “the hares,” and ever the animal lover, I couldn’t resist. Cheers. $10

Dan –
Kiuchi Brewery Hitachino Nest Beer “XH”, Japan – Sake-Cask Aged Beer
The barrel-aged madness is not only continuing into 2012, but there’s a good chance that it’s hitting the mainstream full force. While the beer nerds might pout and claim that Bourbon County Stout has sold out and that Darkness was too hard to get, there’s others who know some secrets. Specifically, that Hitachino has been brewing their own barrel-aged beauty for almost a decade now. Aged in distilled sake (shochu) casks for three months, the beer has a similar malt profile to their classic Nest beer. But three months of mingling with the fruity rice sugars in the Shochu barrels and a bit of chocolate malt put this squarely into the Belgian strong ale category. A floral and woody nose leads to a rich, beautiful body of concord grapes and dark chocolate. Everything gets wrapped up in a mix of oak and hops that keeps the tongue fresh and ready for another sip. Delightfully, dangerously easy to drink for an 8% beer!

Brent -
Founder’s Porter, Michigan
In today’s craft beer culture there’s such a push to do the experimental, barrel-aged, lactobacillus, brettanomyces, 1000+ I.B.U., or ultra high alcohol beers that it seems that the well crafted, balanced, and easily drinkable beers fall by the wayside. That’s not to say that Three Floyds Dark Lord, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Russian River Consecration, Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA and other large and/or difficult to get beers aren’t excellent, but there is much to be said for a balanced, flavorful, and sessionable beer. Founder’s Porter is an excellent example of exactly that. It’s a moderate 6.5% American Porter that skirts the line between roasty, hoppy, chocolate, and malt so well that it’s a joy to consume with all senses. In a time when Ghost Chilis are making their way into beverages, and people are enjoying things that would have previously been considered infected, it’s nice sometimes to take a step back to the subtly complex tastes of an expertly crafted, well balanced, and absolutely excellent beer. This beer wasn’t chosen to be counter culture, but to showcase a beer that may get overlooked for the rare and extreme. It also has the bonus of never being in short supply!

However, in the meantime, alas, I must unfortunately call a halt to our raucous plans for Friday the 13th and kabosh the launch party until another date.  Do not fear, free wine, beer and snackies will be available when said party commences.  It will be a knee-slapping roof shaking good time.  We’ve got to break the new store in, of course.  So, NO go on the grand opening of Lush West Town this week.  If we do indeed procure said license, I will throw open the doors and welcome the thirsty, the seekers of knowledge and fun.

Please partake in the good times and show your support of our local little wine shop.  We are extremely thrilled to join the West Town neighborhood and the amazing local joints along the way…food, art, and a lively, smart drinking culture.  Pop in and say hi; get to know your Lushes.  And, we LOVE you.

For future reference, all pertinent details below…LUSH West Town, 1412 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL  60642.  312-666-6900.  Holler at rachel@lushwineandspirits.com with questions.

And, for an alternative party plan, join LUSH Roscoe 4-6pm for a vertical Goose Island Bourbon County Stout tasting (06, 07, 08, 09) with a little dash of Matilda and Sophie…good historical lesson, ya know…AND, 6-8pm for a wine tasting with Lagniappe founder Andrew Grossman.  We’ll be tasting the great Dexter Lake mustache clad wine, Forlorn Hope, and some Argentinian juice.

Savvy?  LUSH it up.