Natty: December 2025

Poggio la Noce

Gigino 2021

Sangiovese

Tuscany, Italy

With fun labels and varying bottle shapes, Poggio la Noce loves to embrace the eclectic on the surface while remaining rooted in tradition with what lies underneath. Focussing on sangiovese from the rolling hills of Tuscany just outside of Florence, a team of seven works tirelessly to create the best wine from what they have while respecting the earth. 

Sangiovese comes in all shapes and sizes, and Poggio la Noce is a shape and size we are excited about. The majority of their sangiovese based wines are blended with other varietals to create a sense of place and tell a story of every vineyard. However, this Gigino that we have this month is 100% sangiovese. The layers of complexity and concentration that are shown in this wine are remarkable and are equivalent to many Chiantis’ of higher stature while not lying within the Chianti DOCG. It is gems like these that make us excited to continue tasting and showcasing wines from all over the world.

“The farming has always been fully organic with many practices biodynamic too, but that philosophy of nurturing the nature around us transcends the caring for the plants and encompasses our entire little ecosystem on this hillside and valley”. From their website, this quote captures the foundation of their philosophy in a more eloquent way than could be replicated by us. Attention to every detail from length of skin maceration to making sure the flowers next to the vines are healthy are what make this wine a unique wine that no one else could replicate.

Pairing: Classic Thanksgiving Turkey

Fun fact: One of Poggio la Noce’s vineyards is named Vigna I Tulipani due to the hundreds of wild tulips that bloom there every spring.

Manni Nössing

Kerner 2022

Alto Adige, Italy

With the world of wine ever-changing, new techniques being discovered, old varieties rediscovered and new grapes being made, we are enthralled by the vastness of what we don’t know. We have been under the impression that kerner was a grape that is all too easy to overlook. That is until we tried Manni Nössing’s version. Tartness hits the palate that fades into a chablisien chalkiness mixed with an alsatian richness. A complexity that we didn’t know could be coaxed from a relatively new grape variety. 

Kerner is a crossing of riesling and schiava. A head scratcher considering riesling is a white grape but schiava is red. Kerner was created in 1929, which is quite young in the wine world considering Pinot Noir is hundreds if not thousands of years old at this point. This wine shows all the good that can happen with kerner, a unique texture, good acidity, complexity and ever changing in the glass. 

Manni Nössing is a producer from Alto Adige in Italy. Although kerner was originally created in Germany it has made its way to various parts of Europe. This kerner is an example of what a “natty” wine can be and how even though there is a staunch focus on sustainability, it is made in a clean style with none of that funk or fault. A wine that points to the future but remains true to ideals of quality and human touch.

Pairing: Classic Shrimp Scampi

Fun fact: Manni is known as “Mr. Kerner” in his little area of Italy.

Le Briseau

Mama Mouchi 2023

Pineau d’Aunis

Loire, France

“Quelle bête est-ce la?” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. For those of you who would have to google translate that, it means “what beast is this?” It’s a question we urge you to think about when tasting this wine (or just pop and enjoy). Upon first sip what struck us most is the concentration and sapidity that is wrapped by lovely fruit and a quirky nature. What beast is this indeed?

This wine is made of Pineau d’Aunis, typically known for its lighter body and fruit forward flavors. To add to the distinct nature of this wine, it is partially made with destemmed fruit and partial semi-carbonic maceration (the technique used in a lot of beaujolais that gives it a fruity and “poppy” style). Yet through all of that is a distinct refined tannin and savory that supports the wine and gives it depth. 

Amongst all of the care that goes into the wine itself, there is a winemaker that cares deeply of the vines themselves making sure they are healthy and producing only the highest quality fruit. Organic in practice and extremely low sulfur additions are paramount ideals of Nathalie Heredia, proprietor of Le Briseau. We are tantalized and we hope you are too. Quelle bête est-ce la indeed.

Pairing: Hamburgers (Tavern Style)

Fun fact: Per the name, in his comédie-ballet Le Bourgeois gentilhomme, the French playwright and actor Molière invented the word Mamamouchi, an imaginary Turkish title that Monsieur Jourdain is gulled into thinking the son of the Grand Turk confers upon him. If you want to get REALLY geeky about it, learn more here.