Welcome to the second release of the Vineyard Cellar Select Club! We're back at it in the new year and I wanted to kick things off with two wines that just might convince you January is better wet. Or damp, at least! Both selections this month hail from California and are each limited production wines from smaller, artisan producers.

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January Selections 

2023 County Line Vineyards Anderson Valley Chardonnay   &   2023 Matthiasson Napa Valley Schiopettino

County Line Vineyards is the sister label to Radio-Couteau and follows the same low-intervention practices in the winery. The fruit is sourced from coastal, cool-climate sites in both Mendocino and Sonoma counties that are farmed by friends who follow the same sustainable, low-intervention philosophy. Their bottling of Anderson Valley Chardonnay is made from 100% organically-grown Chardonnay that is hand-crafted in the costal village of Sebastapol where it is aged in a combination of stainless-steel tanks and neutral French-oak barrels. The resulting wine echos the coastal California climate where crisp cool mornings bleed into warm sunny afternoons. The 2023 vintage offers heady aromas of orchard blossom, lemon, thyme, and verbena with hints of lemon curd and apple pie filling in the background. On the palate, rich stone and orchard fruit flavors are tempered by bursts of tangy pineapple and guava that are complimented by ripe mandarin orange, lemongrass and savory herbs.

Matthiasson is the eponymous winery lead by Steve Matthiasson, the Somm's choice of Napa Valley winemakers and farmers. He is known for his more restrained, old-school style that is more reminiscent of top-tier Bordeaux or Brunello than Napa Cab. While he does bottles the usual suspects (top tip - his Cab Franc and 'Phoenix Vineyard' Cabernet are excellent!) he also went and planted some obscure Italian varieties. This is one of those, a very limited production bottling of 100% Schiopettino, a grape usually only found in Italy's north-east Friuli region. It's darkly colored but fresh and vibrant on the palate thanks to some lively, fresh acidity. On the palate, flavors of dark cherry, smoke, leather, black currant and raspberry lead the charge with notes of white strawberry and dried savory herbs making appearances.