Wine Club Release July 2026

Diletta Tonello was raised surrounded by vines in the Monti Lessini, a striking mountainous plateau and winegrowing region in northern Italy, located between Verona and Vicenza.  A fourth generation wine grower, she is particularly dedicated to the local indigenous varietal of Durello.  A wonderful grape for sparkling wines because of its high acid (she makes those as well, and we sell one of them too!) it also makes a wonderful still wine that we’re sharing here.  A nicely rich and very dry white with wonderful acidity and a very lingering finish, notes of dried apricot, peach and peach skin dominate the mid-palate, this is a wine that is lovely on its own and would also pair well with chicken or pork dishes, and antipasti.

Tonello is a multi generational family operation, with Diletta spearheading the current generation while still working with her father and grandfather.  Their family has grown grapes and made wine since the 1930s, and focused on their own production and sales starting in 1985, when Diletta’s father Antionio started Cantina Tonello.  The focus of the Cantina has been on the local grapes of Durello and Garganega.  Diletta officially joined the company in 2014, and since 2022 has also been the President of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Lessini Durello, working to share the story of the region and its indigenous grape with the world.

Learn more at http://vinitonello.com/en/

Brooks was founded by Jimi Brooks in 1998, and when he passed unexpectedly in 2004 his 8 year old son Pascal became the youngest winery owner in the country.  Jimi’s sister Janie Brooks Heuck took over leadership of the company, and friends and family banded together to keep the winery going as a living tribute to Jimi.  Brooks remains family owned, and is primarily led by women.  A certified biodynamic estate, the focus is on Pinot Noir for the red and Riesling for the white, though they grow and produce quite a range of other wines.  Today we are sharing the Rosé of Pinot Noir—a vibrant, crisp rosé in a beautiful pale salmon color, with lovely notes of fuji apple, strawberry and lemon on the palate, with juicy acid and freshness.  Very refreshing, especially in warm weather!

Learn more at brookswine.com

Sancerre is a Washington favorite, and it was definitely my grandmother’s favorite, who lived in Washington for 63 of her almost 93 years.  While the region is primarily known for its white, which is probably 85% of its production, I remember being out to dinner with my grandmother and there was a red Sancerre on the menu, and she was absolutely delighted, having never had it before.  While all white Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc, all red Sancerre is Pinot Noir, as those are the only two grapes allowed in the appellation. 

The appellation is named after a tiny hilltop town, and the vineyards surround it in the rolling hills of the southeastern Loire Valley. Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy has a family heritage dating back to the 16th century in the commune of Verdigny, making wine for almost that long, though it was not until after World War 2 that they began expanding their production to accommodate increasing demand from outside the family.  Hippolyte and his three sons began bottling under their own label, and the current generation is Hippolyte’s granddaughter Julie Guiard.  It was Julie’s uncle Michel, one of Hippolyte’s sons, who crafted this Sancerre Rouge for Kermit Lynch, their importer since 1983. 

Aged in tradition demi-muids, a 600 liter barrel, larger than the traditional barrique, and bottled unfiltered, this is a lovely richer style of Pinot Noir, medium bodied with a lovely earthiness, and subtle fruit.  Very light traditional notes of tart cherry, with undertones of blood orange, this is a wine that would benefit from a light decanting if consumed in the next year or two, which I don’t often recommend for Pinot Noir.  It will open beautifully in the glass, and complement a variety of cuisines, from heavier fish to lighter meats, and all sorts of cheeses.