Welcome to the latest installment of the Streetcar Monthly Pass. If you’ve already purchased a pass, thank you! If you haven’t, you should check out this page to learn how it works. Below you’ll find some information about each of this month’s six Monthly Pass selections. On to the wines!

 

 

2017 J. Mourat Collection Rouge
appellation: Val de Loire
varieties: pinot noir, cabernet franc, negrette & cabernet sauvignon

 

Vignobles Mourat is situated in the Fiefs Vendéens, located an hour south from Nantes along the central coast of France. This is the westernmost region of the Loire Valley, sitting just 20 km in from the coast and heavily influenced by the maritime climate.  Jérémie Mourat took over his family’s estate from his father in 2000, and has since converted the vineyard work to organic, and begun natural practices in the cellar. His other project has been championing the history and traditions of this lesser-known region, which can trace its roots to the Romans.  Mourat’s vineyards are situated on hillsides of predominantly volcanic and schist-rich soils, perfect for growing red varietals that yield lighter, more mineral-driven wines. This bottling is made of ⅓ pinot noir, ⅓ cabernet franc, and ⅓ negrette and cabernet sauvignon, fermented and aged in stainless steel. Bright, balanced red fruit with a satisfying kick of peppery spice, this is a lovely red for a more herbaceous dish, like chicken thighs roasted with tarragon and grapes.

 

2017 Bacchus "Ginger's Cuvee"
appellation: California
variety: pinot noir

David Gordon has been the wine director at New York City’s Tribeca Grill for the last 30 years. He developed the Bacchus label with the support of several grape-growing friends in California as a way to offer California wines at an affordable price. You may recognize this distinctive floral label from one of our favorites on our casual cart, the Bacchus cabernet. Here is the lighter bodied sibling to that wine named for his daughter Ginger, made of pinot noir sourced from Monterey county on the central coast of California. The fruit is vinified in 50% stainless steel and 50% in neutral oak barrels, then aged 8 months in large neutral oak. Medium bodied and bright, with notes of raspberry, tart cherry, and spice - this pinot noir has plenty of sunny California personality, and makes a great pairing for your next burger night.

 

2017 La Crotta di Vegneron
appellation: Vallee d' Aoste
variety: muller thurgau

Tucked on a high east-west running plateau in the mountainous is the Val d’Aosta, Italy’s smallest and most far-flung appellation in the northwestern corner of the country.  Wine making here is rugged and done entirely by hand, as vines cling to small wind-swept outcrops in the highest altitude vineyards in all of Europe (!). The region’s unique microclimate with little rain and moderate summer temperatures allows optimal maturation and limits the invasion of parasites to the vines, meaning there is little need to chemically treat the vines. Established in 1980, the La Crotta di Vigneron cooperative is now made up of close to 100 contributing growers - who farm a collective total of just 20 hectares, making these wines a true collaborative effort.  The coop produces a handful of wines based on indigenous regional grapes, like this white made of 100% muller thurgau, which does very well in mountainous zones. Explosively aromatic and richly textured with creamy white flower notes and clean acidity, this is an excellent winter white, perfect for complementing heartier dishes like root vegetable gratins or hearty fish chowders.