Who are they/Where are they located?

Elise Dechannes comes from a Champagne producing family in the tiny and very much under the radar appellation of Les Riceys in the southernmost part of the Aube in France. Elise found success in banking before taking over at the family estate in 2008, pursuing her original passion for winemaking and viticulture.

Elise is equally passionate about organic and biodynamic viticulture, with the utmost respect for nature and biodiversity placed at the forefront of her farming. Since her early days, Elise has kept treatments to a minimum, harvested carefully by hand, and plowed with a horse  in an effort to not compact the soils, allowing the vines to breathe and absorb the natural nutrients.

What are they making?

The Les Riceys region is known for their unique still Pinot Noir rosés, and while Elise does have one in her range of wines, she specializes in Pinot Noir based blanc Champagnes.

Fermentation and aging happens in a mix of stainless steel, oak, sandstone and clay amphorae. Most are bottled without dosage and are vintage-bottled. Through all of her site-specific wines is something ethereal and wildly complex with an elegance that truly shows the intricacies of this particular place. 

Why do we love them?

We’re thrilled to have two of Elise’s Champagnes in the shop at the moment that are considered to be her top cuvée’s. The fist is “Absolue Grès” meaning “sandstone” in French, which achieves its signature freshness through vilification in sandstone amphora. And “Absolue Terre” meaning clay in French, is distinctly different despite both coming from the same parcel, and is aged in clay amphora. They’ve only been available in California for about a year and have already become extremely coveted. Needless to say, quantities are super limited and these go fast. Available now!

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-Michelle-

Taipei, 2015: Kiwi beer exporter Max Gilbert and an American-born Shanghai restauranteur Harn Sun fall in love. Wugu District (conveniently right outside Taipei, where it is illegal to brew beer), 2019: Gilbert and Sun launch Ugly Half Brewing Co., which goes on to become the darling of the Taiwanese craft beer scene.

Ugly Half’s delicious beers are decidedly in conversation with the modern Chinese and Taiwanese beer drinker. Traditionally, the top-selling beer styles in China and Taiwan are super light, super crispy lagers — think Tsingtao and Heineken. But Chinese buying habits are changing. Beer consumers, who are skewing younger, are buying less beer — but more premium beer.

In keeping, Ugly Half’s beers have a lighter, fresher take, with a wry and often culinary twist. Their “Though the Mist I See the Fairyland” Hazy IPA steers clear of the chewy smoothie-like hazies of the past half-decade of American brewing in favor of something more refreshing and tropical. Their ToasTEA, an amber lager, is not only inspired by Taiwanese breakfasts but literally includes them. The brewing team worked with local bakeries to take the discarded crusts that get cut off sandwiches, and threw the crusts into their brew along with Assam black tea, the Taiwanese breakfast beverage of choice.

Most thrilling is the Guava Gose. You may notice this gose has a little present attached to it: a packet of salty-sweet plum powder, which is a pantry staple in Taiwanese and Chinese kitchens. First, take a sip of the beer to taste the gose on its own. Then, sprinkle a little bit of the powder on your hand, and lick it up before taking your next sip. Feel free to “season” to your heart’s content!

-Sara- 

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We've just brought in a whole new rotation of non-alcoholic goodies for Dry January. Whether you're looking to take a full booze break or just swap out some of your nightcaps for something lower proof, there's no need to miss out on the fun.⁠ ⁠

A bottle of Dr. Zero Zero Amarno is recommended if you're looking for something dark and wintry, or have a toast at the bar with our non-alcoholic cocktail, The Yuzu 75. On the go? Try St. Agrestis' just-released Phony Mezcal Negroni, a single serve cocktail that screams "aperitivo hour in Oaxaca."⁠ ⁠ 

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-Sara-

Who are they?

Fabio Motta’s winery is located in the Bolgheri DOC in the province of Livorno, Tuscany. Fabio began working harvests in Tuscany in 2001, soon earning his degree in Agriculture. By 2005, he was recruited by one of Bolgheri’s elite winemakers, Michele Satta, and by 2009, he was marrying Michele’s daughter! His now father-in-law owned a very small but special vineyard, which he entrusted to Fabio and so his own journey as a winemaker began.

What are they making?

Fabio released his first vintage in 2010 at just 30 years old, and almost immediately carved out his place among the latest of the “up and comers” in Tuscany’s already bountiful wine scene. Today, he farms roughly 17 acres of vines, biodynamically. His first vineyard, Le Pievi, is planted with old-vine Bordeaux varietals, Syrah and Sangiovese, Vermentinio, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. In the cellar, he is hands off, only using indigenous yeasts and not fining or filtering, allowing the wines to reflect their unique terroir that’s full of ancient fossils and rich in clay.

Bordeaux varietals in Italy? Yep, you read that right. These wines are referred to as “SuperTuscan’s”, a term coined in the early 80’s to describe a red blend of Tuscany using grapes that are not indigenous to Italy, particularly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.

Why do we love them?

His scale might be small but this allows Fabio to handle every little step of cultivation and winemaking himself. These wines are phenomenal and excel in elegance, complexity, and finesse. Fabio’s wines reflect the true characteristics of the Bolgheri terroir throughout each vintage. A must-try for the Bordeaux and Napa wine lovers that want to try something new with a little Italian flair!

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-Michelle- 

Panettone is recognized for its sweet, brioche-like bread texture. It’s airy, yet somehow moist, and always cylindrical in shape. The original classico is made with raisins and canditi: candied citrus peel.

We have three varieties from the Milanese producers of superior quality confections, Breramilano:

-Pandoro Classico: for the traditionalists, try the simple version without candy or nuts of any sort.  Makes a supremely delicious french toast!

-Panettone Pistachio: for the indulgent with rich chocolate and authentic Italian pistachio cream added to the almighty cake. A luxurious dessert that's ideal with a bitter amaro.

-Limoncello: you can’t get more Italian than this one! 

These Panettone are hand wrapped in gorgeous paper and are great for large dinner parties, or a perfect gift that will always be a welcome addition to the holidays! It’s also an absolute staple at the breakfast table during the holiday season…as well as the afternoon snack table…and don’t forget the just-a-little-late-night-snack…

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