Ros of Lambrusco, Paltrinieri Radice, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, NV

Wine Type: Sparkling Ros

Grape: Lambrusco
Producer: Paltrinieri
Cuve: Radici
Region: Emilia- Romagna
Country: Italy
Vintage: Non-vintage
Notes: This wine comes from the same part of Italy as the famous Parmesan
Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma! Although many styles of Lambrusco are made
in a fruity, sweet and dark red style, this wine is bone dry, savory, and pink in
color. It is an ideal pairing with cured and smoked meats (including our hams), and
with cheeses (especially aged, hard cheeses). This wine is super delicious, but be
careful! Its for your more open-minded guests only.
Nerello Mascalese, Murgo Brut, Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy, 2008
Wine Type: Sparkling Wine
Grape: Nerello Mascalese (neh-reh-low mass-kah-lay-say)
Producer: Murgo
Cuve: Brut (this just means the wine is not sweet)
Region: Mt. Etna, Sicily
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2008
Notes: This is a wine region were incredibly excited about! Mt. Etna is a large,
active volcano in the northeastern corner of Sicily. Every few years or so it erupts,
occasionally destroying vineyards, making this one of the most high risk wine
growing regions in the world. This sparkling wine is made in the same style of
French Champagne and Spanish Cava, but from the important local grape Nerello
Mascalese. This wine is a perfect way to start the meal as an aperitif, but will pair
beautifully with all of our seafood options, fried chicken, or pork. Unlike the
Lambrusco, this is very approachable for any of your guests who are looking for a
great sparkling wine.
Chardonnay, Pierre Gimonnet & Fils, Cuve Cuis 1er Cru Champagne, France, NV
Wine Type: Sparkling Wine
Grape: Chardonnay
Producer: Pierre Gimonnet (Pee-air gi-mo-nay)
Cuve: Cuis 1er Cru (Cuis- pronounced kwee - is the village in Champagne where
the grapes are grown. 1er Cru means that it comes from highly esteemed
vineyards.
Region: Champagne
Country: France
Vintage: NV

Notes: The Champagne region in France is dominated by very large companies

that typically buy their grapes to produce millions of bottles of wine every year.
However, there are some Grower-producers (like Gimonnet) who still produce
wines from grapes they have grown themselves. These producers represent a
return to small scale, artisanally produced wines that are driven by the desire to
produce quality wines at the expense of quantity. This is a really special wineperfect to toast at the beginning of the meal, or to enjoy with seafood of all kinds.
Perfect for date night!
Riesling Kabinett, August Kesseler, R, Pfalz, Germany, 2014
Wine Type: White Wine
Grape: Riesling
Producer: August Kesseler
Cuve: R
Region: Pfalz (pronounced fall-tz)
Country: Germany
Vintage: 2014
Travis Notes: The German Kabinett (pronounced kaa-bin-et) is meant to be a
very light bodied, low- alcohol, and usually slightly sweet style of wine. As we
know, the riesling grape comes in all sorts of styles and sweetness levels, but this
slightly off-dry style is the one our guests are most likely to think of when they see
the word riesling on our wine list. At just 10% alcohol, its a great lunch wine, and
will pair beautifully with seafood- especially ceviche, or anything with pronounced
spiciness. Great with curry fish and chips! Perfect for your guests who want a little
sugar in their wine!

Pigato, Vigneto Ca Da Rena, Riviera Ligure di Ponente, Liguria, Italy, 2013

Wine Type: White Wine
Grape: Pigato (AKA Vermentino)
Producer: Ca da Rena
Cuve:
Region: Liguria
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2013
Travis Notes: Liguria, also known as the Italian Riviera, is on the Mediterranean
coast in northwestern Italy, and is an absolutely gorgeous part of the world. It is
also home to one of the busiest seaports in Europe, which naturally means lots of
great seafood. This wine- made from the local Pigato grape, is designed
specifically to go with delicious fresh fish. This wine tastes lightly peachy, and
honey-suckelly, and could be compared to Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and
Albarino. Texas gets very little of this wine, so when our bottles are gone, theyre
gone forever!

Savagnin, Domaine du Pelican, Savagnin Ouille, Arbois, Jura, France, 2013

Grape: Savagnin (pronounced Sah-Vah-nin)
Producer: Domaine du Pelican
Cuve: Ouille (pronounced wheel
Region: Arbois (our-bwa) , Jura (jur-ah)
Country: France
Vintage: 2013
Notes: Subtly aromatic variety (notes of lemon zest, mandarin, mango, soft spice
and gentle oak). On the palate, the wine has lively acidity with citrus fruits, tropical
hints, hazelnut and spice.
Food Pairing: Gulf Fish, Pork Belly, Pork Chop

Chardonnay, Domaine Simon Bize, Savigny-les-Beaune, Burgundy, France, 2011

Wine Type: White Wine
Grape: Chardonnay
Producer: Simon Bize (pronounced sea-moan beez)
Cuve:
Region: Burgundy
Country: France
Vintage: 2013
Travis Notes: Burgundy is considered the spiritual home for the world-famous
Chardonnay grape. Having produced wines for thousands of years, it is has the
worlds most thoroughly scrutinized vineyards. Chardonnay from Burgundy is
usually very full bodied, with ripe apple flavors, toasty oak notes, and an amazing
rocky mineral notes. Though not inexpensive, they are among the most complex
and interesting wines in the world! Perfect with richer seafood, especially when
cooked in butter (scallops, lobster), or with roasted chicken, or pork dishes. Great
for guests who love big, buttery styles Chardonnay.
Rose of Grolleau & Gamay, Chateau Soucheri, Cuvee LAstree, Loire Valley, France
2014
Grape:
Grolleau (pronounced grow-low) and Gamay
Producer: Chateau Soucherie (sha-toe sue-sure-e)
Cuve: Cuve LAstre
Region: Loire Valley
Country: France
Vintage: 2014
Notes: This bone-dry ros is lighter in body than many of our other pink options.
Bright raspberry flavors, with rose, pepper, and some spiciness. Great by itself, or
with food!

Food Pairing:Steak Tartare, Scallop Crudo, Mussels, Roasted Beets

Syrah, Jeriko Cellars, Mendocino County, California, 2009
Wine Type: Red Wine
Grape: Syrah
Producer: Jeriko Cellars
Cuve: Reserve
Region: Mendocino County
Country: California
Vintage: 2009
Travis Notes: This full bodied, powerful style of Syrah comes from Mendocino
County in Northern California. It smells like black cherries, black plums, dark
coffee, and roasted meats. On the palate, it is full in body and really rich! This is a
burger / steak wine- but will also do well with other heavy proteins (lamb, venison,
etc). Perfect for lovers of California Cabernet, or Australian Shiraz.
Gamay, Marcel Lapierre Morgon, Beaujolais, France, 2013
Wine Type: Red Wine
Grape: Gamay
Producer: Marcel Lapierre (mar-cell la-pee-air)
Cuve:
Region: Morgon, Beaujolais
Country: France
Vintage: 2013
Travis Notes: This wine is so good! Its one of the few wines I buy every single year
as soon as it comes out. Marcel Lapierre is one of the top producers of this part
of France, devoting himself to making of red wines from the Gamay grape. Gamay
is perfect for Pinot Noir lovers- the wines are light bodied, with tart raspberry and
cranberry flavors, violets, and black pepper. Sell it alongside fish or heavier
proteins, itll work well with either.
Grenache, Clos des Brusquieres, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2012
Wine Type: Red Wine
Grape: Mostly Grenache (pronou
Producer: Clos des Brusquieres (pronounced: klo - deh - brus-kwee-air)
Cuve:
Region: Chateauneuf du Pape (pronounced: shaa-toe -neuf du pop)
Country: France
Vintage: 2012
Travis Notes: The wine region of Chateauneuf du Pape literally translates to new
house of the Pope, a reference to a brief time in history when the papacy was
relocated from Rome to this part of southern France. Today, it is the most
important area in the world for the amazing Grenache. Grenache is another grape

that shares similar characteristics with Pinot Noir, except that it is fuller in body,
and has more pronounced fruit flavors (strawberry, red plum, and cherry) and less
pronounced acidity, making it appear sweeter. Amazing with Beef, Lamb, Duck,
Pork and pretty much any rich protein.
Merlot / Syrah, Ca Marcanda Promis,Tuscany, Italy, 2013
Wine Type: Red Wine
Grape: Merlot and Syrah (and a little bit of Sangiovese)
Producer: Ca Marcanda
Cuve: Promis (pronounced proh-meess)
Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2013
Travis Notes: Possibly the most full bodied and powerful wine on our whole wine
list, this tastes like blackberries, black currants, and black cherry, with pipe
tobacco, leather, and earth flavors. This is definitely a wine to serve with our steak
entrees.
For our guests who come in looking for California Cabernet or French Bordeaux,
this wine is a no-brainer.
Syrah, Caves Julien Cecillon, Babylone ,St. Joseph, Rhone Valley, France, 2013
Wine Type: Red Wine
Grape: Syrah
Producer:
Caves Julien Cecillon (pronounced: kaav julien seh-si-on)
Cuve: Babylone
Region: St. Joseph (pronounced: saint jo-seff), Rhone Valley
Country: France
Vintage: 2013
Travis Notes: I didnt know anything about this producer until my friend Benjy told
me about a another friend of his from Houston who had married a French man
and started making wine with him in the Rhone Valley. After getting a bottle and
tasting the wine, we were super excited to get some in for Down House! This is a
very classic style of Syrah from France- meaning it is very peppery and meaty. It
kind of tastes like steak au poivre (steak rubbed with black peppercorns) in glass.
Its perfect for any guest that asks for an earthy, dry red wine.