Watermelon & mint salad, a pool lounger under an umbrella, your best friend

On ice, darling

Chad and Bree Stock, a husband-and-wife team, have merged their superpowers and unique backgrounds in wine to create Ltd. +, which emerged as a collaboration with farmers in the area, inspired to develop a diverse and sustainable wine landscape. The wines, often made from less common grape varieties adopting innovative techniques, are changing preconceived notions of Oregon wine.

Where do we start? The whole project is geared toward ensuring Oregon remains a viable wine-growing region through climate change. They’re not only encouraging growers to work with a more diverse spread of grapes that will weather the changing weather, but they’re also ensuring that seasonal workers are employed for longer because these alternative grapes ripen at different times. They’re also active supporters of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities in wine.

Goodness me, this little bottle makes us happy. It’s got personality in a sort of cheeky Shirley Temple way.

Place: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Grapes: Dolcetto, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir
Style: Sassy & fun
Ingredients: Grapes & minimal sulphites

Grilled salmon, dhal, aged hard cheeses

Serve from the fridge or ice bucket

A tale as old as time, women in wine baby! Matilde Poggi’s first harvest, on her family-owned 15th-century farmhouse, happened in 1984. She worked tirelessly at a time when large, quantity-driven firms and cooperatives dominated local production. Rather than following the masses, Matilde chose to concentrate on quality, revamping her vineyards to better express the area’s native grapes. Today, she is one of Italy’s most respected producers, and, in 2013 was elected President of the Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendenti (Italian Federation of Independent Grape Growers or FIVI). More recently, she became the first Italian and first female president of the European equivalent, the European Confederation of Independent Winegrowers (CEVI).

Matilde has three daughters, to whom she’d like to pass on Le Fraghe one day (but we’re volunteering in case her girls don’t want it – wanna come?).

Matilde’s farming & winemaking is certified organic and super low intervention – to the point that it’s often only Matilde herself working on the farm & in the cellar. Her work at FIVI and CEVI, as the voice of small independent wine producers, is invaluable.

Italy isn’t exactly famous for its rosé, but Matilde takes her Chiaretto (chiaro = pale) very seriously. She uses a method called Saignée for this one – which means a portion of the pink juice is poured off from the red wine fermentation, to give a pink wine. This also results in a more concentrated red wine (more concentrated because the remaining fermentation has a higher solid-to-liquid ratio).

Place: Cavaion Veronese, Veneto, Italy
Grape: Corvina, Rondinella
Style: Plucky lil’ pink
Ingredients: Grapes, Bentonite + SO2 (being certified organic in Italy, she's only allowed to use half the sulphur that other producers are allowed. Matilde uses about half of that)

Cheesy risotto, grilled salmon, Thai veggie stir fry

Lightly chilled, please

A tale as old as time, women in wine baby! Matilde Poggi’s first harvest, on her family-owned 15th-century farmhouse, happened in 1984. She worked tirelessly at a time when large, quantity-driven firms and cooperatives dominated local production. Rather than following the masses, Matilde chose to concentrate on quality, revamping her vineyards to better express the area’s native grapes. Today, she is one of Italy’s most respected producers, and, in 2013 was elected President of the Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendenti (Italian Federation of Independent Grape Growers or FIVI). More recently, she became the first Italian and first female president of the European equivalent, the European Confederation of Independent Winegrowers (CEVI).

Matilde has three daughters, to whom she’d like to pass on Le Fraghe one day (but we’re volunteering in case her girls don’t want it – wanna come?).

Matilde’s farming & winemaking is certified organic and super low intervention – to the point that it’s often only Matilde herself working on the farm & in the cellar. Her work at FIVI and CEVI, as the voice of small independent wine producers, is invaluable.

We’ve said it before and we will say it again, we live for an underdog! Bardolino is often compared to Beaujolais, which, as far as the French are concerned, does not always carry the same sex appeal as its neighbour Burgundy (Bardolino is right next to Valpolicella, so it can relate). Yet Beaujolais and Bardolino share some of the most wonderful “quaffing” characteristics. Sadly, some of the best examples are often wildly underappreciated. We’re here to tell you that we’re championing this wine. All. Day. Long.

Place: Cavaion Veronese, Veneto, Italy
Grape: Corvina, Rondinella
Style: Bright and light
Ingredients: Grapes + a tiiiiiny bit of SO2 (being certified organic in Italy, she's only allowed to use half the sulphur that other producers are allowed. Matilde uses about half of that)

Our house pickles, picnics and good friends

Enjoy this wine chilled but not ice cold as it’ll hide all the flavours and aromas

The story of Whistler (“Pfeiffer” means “whistler” in German) starts in 1982 when Martin Pfeiffer, a third-generation grape grower and former head vineyard manager at Penfolds, purchased the Heysen estate. In 1994, he planted cuttings of the famous Kalimna 3C Shiraz from Penfolds’ iconic Grange vineyards, and they released their first wines in 1997. The Pfeiffer family has been growing grapes for four generations, starting with Albert Heinrich in the Riverland region. After Martin and his wife Sally retired in 2020, their son Sam took the reins.

When Sam Pfeiffer took over the family estate after his parents retired, he kept the organic and biodynamic practices that they started in 2013 & 2020 respectively. He proudly shares, “We haven’t used a herbicide or pesticide on our patch of dirt since 2013!” More recently, they’ve installed a solar panel system on their barrel storage shed, which not only powers their winery but will eventually let them give some energy back to the grid.

Water is a big deal in Australia, so they’ve decided to add rainwater storage that can hold nearly 50,000 litres. This means Whistler will be completely self-sufficient when it comes to water, without needing to tap into the Murray River.

 

Another hit on the label front! The willow tree that grows next to the dam on the estate where the fruit is sourced; Saturn represents the “other-worldliness” of skin contact wines; and a clay pot reminds us that, while orange wine is recently trendy, it’s a practice that’s been around for a long, long time.

Place: Barossa Valley, Australia
Grapes: Sémillon, Riesling
Style: Summery and sippable
Ingredients: Grapes & minimal sulphites

Miso-glazed salmon, pea & asparagus risotto, a good Gruyère

Serve from the fridge, ice bucket not strictly necessary

Chad and Bree Stock, a husband-and-wife team, have merged their superpowers and unique backgrounds in wine to create Ltd. +, which emerged as a collaboration with farmers in the area, inspired to develop a diverse and sustainable wine landscape. The wines, often made from less common grape varieties adopting innovative techniques, are changing preconceived notions of Oregon wine.

Where do we start? The whole project is geared toward ensuring Oregon remains a viable wine-growing region through climate change. They’re not only encouraging growers to work with a more diverse spread of grapes that will weather the changing weather, but they’re also ensuring that seasonal workers are employed for longer because these alternative grapes ripen at different times. They’re also active supporters of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities in wine.

Okay, kids – we’re gonna get geeky about the science behind the ripening of these grapes: those green, herbaceous flavours often found in Sauvignon Blanc (think bell pepper or gooseberry) come from compounds called methoxypyrazines, which are photodegradable—meaning they break down when exposed to sunlight. In the Willamette Valley, growers remove leaves around the grape clusters, letting the sunshine work its magic, while the cool climate keeps the wine fresh and vibrant. The result? A tropical, sun-kissed Sauvignon Blanc with guava and passionfruit flavours, made even richer by barrel fermentation and ageing on its lees—a fun twist on a classic variety!

Place: Eola Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Style: Exotic & creamy
Ingredients: Grapes & minimal sulphites

Cod with citrus & fennel, or soft, creamy cheese (have you tried the Brillat Savarin on the cheese plate at Crushed?)

Nice & chilled, please

Chad and Bree Stock, a husband-and-wife team, have merged their superpowers and unique backgrounds in wine to create Ltd. +, which emerged as a collaboration with farmers in the area, inspired to develop a diverse and sustainable wine landscape. The wines, often made from less common grape varieties adopting innovative techniques, are changing preconceived notions of Oregon wine.

Where do we start? The whole project is geared toward ensuring Oregon remains a viable wine-growing region through climate change. They’re not only encouraging growers to work with a more diverse spread of grapes that will weather the changing weather, but they’re also ensuring that seasonal workers are employed for longer because these alternative grapes ripen at different times. They’re also active supporters of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities in wine.

 This gorgeous new white blend is a delightful fusion of Willamette Valley's rich history in Pinot Blanc, vibrant present in Chardonnay, and refreshing new energy from Sauvignon Blanc; keeping the conversation about white blends in the Willamette alive.

Place: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc
Style: Vibrant + zesty
Ingredients: Grapes & minimal sulphites