Wine Club Release June 2026

I met Leon Hill at an Australian Wines event at the Australian Embassy in DC in May of 2025.  I found Leon and his wines charming, and a classic example of melding the traditional and the unusual that certain McLaren Vale winemakers love to do!  It took us a while to get his wines, as they aren’t distributed locally, but we finally managed to bring in his Grenache, Shiraz, Cabernet, and the sparkling Rosé of Lagrein we’re sharing here.  Leon had already had a long career in the wine business when became inspired to make his own organic wine—he realized he had an intolerance to many preservatives and additives present in food and wine, and began distributing Organic wines in South Eastern Australia, then started his own winery in McLaren Vale.  His wines are certified organic in both Australia and the US. This sparkling rosé is simply delightful—made from a grape varietal traditionally found in the Alto Adige in northeastern Italy, it’s fresh and fruity with notes of strawberry and cream on the nose and on the palate, with fresh bubbles and a lingering finish.  Lovely on its own or with fresh fruit, fruit and salad dishes, this is a vegan friendly wine with no preservatives, and at 12.4% alcohol is very easy to drink!

The Basque Country, located along the north coast of Spain near the border with France, along the Bay of Biscay, is an ancient and culturally distinct area with a fierce hold on its independent identity. The North Coast Route of the Camino del Santiago will take you through this area, where you can experience its vibrant culinary scene and delightful wines. Vineyards have been growing in the region for at least 500 years, though the Denominacion de Origen Getariako Txakolina was only established in the 1980’s. Txakoli Zudugarai, a family owned and operated winery, has the only txakoli vineyard located within a natural park in the Basque Country, makes the Antxiola, a delightful example of a classic Txakoli—a light, vibrant white with a light zestiness, green apple and white flower notes to the nose, and lemony notes to the front of the palate, with a light balancing salinity; it’s delicious on its own or with light cuisine—vegetables, fresh fish and seafood. The grapes for this wine are grown in the Landarbide Vineyard, which is inside the Pagoeta Natural Park. The label is a depiction of a fortified home in the area that still stands—it dates back to at least 1555, and was once owned by Admiral Antxiola.

The Santa Rita Hills, located a five hour drive south of San Francisco in Santa Barbara County, is one of the most interesting places for winemaking in California for me, and I can’t wait to get back there and spend more time. I first went there because of Sonja Magdevski, to see her and taste her wines where they were made, though it added four hours of driving to my day—and it was completely worth it. This is an area where new generations of winemakers are exploring the possibilities with land that is more accessible and affordable than it is in more established areas farther north. They’re exploring the subclimates of the hills, experimenting with different exposures on the slopes and different clones of classic grapes and beyond. While Pinot Noir and Chardonnay can grow beautifully here, Rhone varietals and beyond are doing particularly delicious things. Sonja is the winemaker and Clementine Carter (along with other personal projects), and has an energy for life that is gloriously inspiring. She began as a journalist, and that managed to lead her into a passion for viticulture and winemaking. She began as a garagiste and has expanded since then! Her tasting room shares a space with a specialty beer shop and bistro, where you can taste a wide variety of delicious items! This Mourvedre is sourced from two vineyards, Robert Rae Ranch and Christy & Wise, both organically and biodynamically farmed, 100% whole cluster fermentation from indigenous yeast, and spent 45 days on the skins before pressing, and the juice was aged in old barrels. Only 200 cases produced. Beautiful herbaceous notes on the nose with dark fruit notes, great structure to the palate with a light cocoa tinged earthiness. Medium plus bodied with a lingering finish. Sonja’s notes: “Sweet spring violets perfumed our way to the clearing as the cold waves crashed against the shore just beyond the trees. I imagined the mist rising off the warm sand, its memory piercing my skin as the spongy forest floor adopted our steps with ease. We spread out the yellow gingham blanket and laid in the center, the fresh light showering our faces with joy. “This must be the place,” I heard my dear friend call in the distance.” More at www.clementinecarterwines.com