August 2026 VDV Select Wine Club
The August 2026 Wine Club
Alois Lageder Vigneti delle Dolomiti Misto Mare Bianco
The Profile: Sourced from steep, high-altitude mountain plots undergoing biodynamic conversion in the Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT of South Tyrol, Italy, sixth-generation vigneron Alois Clemens Lageder crafts this polyphonic white field blend from over 15 co-fermented varieties to celebrate true vineyard biodiversity. It is good for anchoring an outdoor summer gathering or showing white wine enthusiasts how alpine freshness and complex varietal harmony intersect. Pairs with fresh herb-crusted river trout, mountain fontina cheese, wild ramp pesto pasta, or pan-seared sea bass. In the glass, it presents a luminous light straw hue with a delicate blush, opening with lifted aromas of fuzzy white peach, blooming jasmine, and lemon zest before driving across the palate with brisk citrus acidity, weightless textural glide, and a clean, sea-spray mineral finish.
Domaine Maison Cheverny Blanc
The Profile: Farmed on the sun-dappled siliceous clay soils of Cheverny AOC in France's Loire Valley, Domaine Maison crafts this 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay blend to showcase the region's historic dual-varietal synergy. The Sauvignon brings high-wire aromatic energy while the Chardonnay adds silken mid-palate weight, deliberately vinified without heavy oak intervention to keep the fruit raw and transparent. It is good for replacing heavy, oaky Chardonnays with a bright, texturally dynamic alternative that elevates simple weeknight meals. Pairs with warm Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese, oysters on the half shell, or pan-seared scallops in lemon-herb beurre blanc. You'll fall in love with its pale-gold brilliance and fragrant bouquet of lychee, lime blossom, and white peach, leading into a succulent, rounded mouthfeel anchored by a driving beam of chalky, tongue-tingling acidity.
Fabulas "Fortitudo" Cerasuolo di Montepulciano
The Profile: Tucked 602 meters high in Pretoro within Abruzzo’s Majella National Park, the biodynamic Fabulas estate crafts this 100% Montepulciano rosé (Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOP) under intense day-to-night temperature swings, relying on native sheep for natural weed control and vineyard health. It is good for bridging the gap between red and white wine drinkers or serving as a deeply complex, chillable summer red for adventurous palates. Pairs with wood-fired pizza Margherita, grilled octopus, rustic pork charcuterie, or tomato-simmered fish stew. Pouring a brilliant, luminous cherry-pink color, it wafts scents of wild pomegranate, sour red berries, and dried rose petals, flooding the mouth with juicy dark-fruit crunch, subtle structural grip, and a long, savory, mountain-born mineral finish.
Lomas de Llahuen Gustavo Riffo Pipeño Tinto
The Profile: Championing Chile’s ancient viticultural heritage, third-generation winemaker Gustavo Riffo crafts this traditional Pipeño tinto from 100% País vines—some over 200 years old—dry-farmed in the granitic clay soils of Portezuelo, Itata Valley. Hand-harvested and fermented naturally with minimal cellar interference, it is good for natural wine enthusiasts craving an authentic, low-intervention heritage red that shines when served with a light chill. Pairs with rustic Chilean pork empanadas, achiote-rubbed chicken skewers, smoked sausage, or grilled wild mushrooms. Translucent ruby in the glass, it leaps out with crunchy red currant, wild cranberry, and crushed scrub-oak herbs, moving weightlessly across the mouth with fine, dusty tannins and a dry, granite-driven mineral snap.
