The Leth family established their winery in the town of Fels am Wagram in the 1960's and have become prominent leaders in the movement toward quality winemaking in the Wagram region of northern Austria. They completed conversion to organic viticulture in 2021, having ended chemical inputs well before that time. Strangely, they made their name in the states with their regional specialty roter veltliner, doubtless because it was the first one in the market. Here we have a single vineyard grüner veltliner from a terraced vineyard with stony loess soils typical of this part of Austria. They let the juice sit on the skins for twelve hours to kick off the natural fermentation, before moving to large neutral acacia barrels for textural refinement. This is a fine, middleweight version of Austria's favorite grape, with yellow apple, melon, light herbal/spice notes, and precise balance. It will continue to age for a few more years, if you're not in a hurry, though it's really great right now. Perfect for pesto, salmon, or grilled sausages.

After years traveling and working in cellars, Ben Riccardi recognized there had been a substantial shift in the quality of Finger Lakes wines, and decided it was time to make his way back home. Since his first vintage in 2014, Osmote Wines have been made with purchased grapes, but in 2018 Ben and his partner Brittnie settled on a 31-acre farm along Seneca Lake, where they are working to revitalize the land through regenerative farming, in preparation of planting their own vineyards. The farm also has a small orchard, several gardens, a small herd of pasture-raised pigs, and a guest space you can rent. While Ben loves working with chardonnay and cabernet franc, he sees hybrids as an important part of the history and future of the region. De chaunac is an older French-American hybrid that Ben sources from vines planted in 1973. To coax more character from the grapes, he ferments the wine on pre-pressed clusters of chardonnay. The resulting wine is a chipper, low-alcohol, chill-able red, perfect for porch afternoons or later in the evening when things are winding down. Definitely serve cold and enjoy how refreshing this playful red can be!

In a land rich with almost ten centuries of winemaking history, Celler Vega Aixalà stands out because it has restored grape farming to a corner of Conca de Barberà from which this practice had disappeared. Founded in 2003 by Eva Vega after recovering and rebuilding her grandfather’s old vineyard, she grew up watching how wine was traditionally made. Located on the outskirts of Vilanova de Prades, Vega Aixala is surrounded by three mountain ranges: Serra de la Llena, Serra de Prades, and Serra del Montsant. These mountains create a natural barrier against rains coming in from the coast, regulating the area by preventing excessive humidity and facilitating organic farming. Hand-harvesting is a must on the steep hillsides, where the poor slate soils are similar to those found in Priorat (llicorella). There is no use of any chemical products, artificial fertilizers, added sulfur, nor is there any fining. "Mas de Monné" is a field blend of grapes typical of the region, aged in French oak barrels for a few months before bottling.