Young Winos of LA

For nearly half a decade, the Young Winos have been edutoxicating the discerning twenty-somethings of Los Angeles and beyond through our weekly meetings, boozy events, written reviews, and online videos.  Now, as we approach our five year anniversary, the Winos are pleased to introduce wine2wino, our first ever wine shipment club!

Every two months, we’ll be offering up a package of unique and delicious wines, which have been carefully selected by the illustrious trio of LA honchos: Jordan, Jason and Jesse.  Each package will include two extremely interesting wines and will cost $40, shipping included.  This isn’t a traditional “wine club” where you sign up once and keep receiving the shipments whether you want them or not.  In the Young Winos version, you never have any obligation to buy — you simply check out what’s being offered in that month’s package, and then decide if you want to order or not.  No hassles, no obligations, no surprise shipments.

For our first package ever, we’re celebrating the impending arrival of summer with two dynamic French bottles that pair perfectly with sunny days, warm evenings, and decadent outdoor drinking. Included in this $40 package are two impressive bottles: the most refreshing rosé we’ve had in a while, and a medium-bodied red tasting of earth, dried fruit, and class.  (Click here to be taken to the secure wine2wino order page!)

Bottle #1 is the 2009 Château du Rouët “Estérelle” rosé (Côtes de Provence).  This is one of those beautiful pale rosés from the south of France that simply pairs with everything. The importer literally suggests drinking it with “a bountiful picnic” — in other words, basically any food you can think of. We tasted this wine when it was very cold, and the nose burst forth with notes of bakery, melon, cherry, and strawberry. Jordan smelled some rose water as well, and Jesse picked up some mandarin orange. The palate was clean and crisp, offering a refreshing lineup of watermelon, grapefruit, and tart red berries, along with a pleasant touch of that funky French herbalness that Jesse is such a fan of. What struck us the most about this wine is its freshness: totally dry and totally balanced, this pink beauty is the perfect antidote for too many summer days spent drinking those syrupy, over-ripe rosés that dominate the supermarket aisles. Made up of 50% Carignan, 20% Cinsaut, 20% Grenache and 10% Tibourenc, this is a fresh, svelte rosé from the region where rosé is king.

Bottle #2 is the 2006 Domaine de Labarthe rouge from the southern French region of Gaillac.  No one wants to drink heavy, full-bodied reds in the summertime, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop drinking reds with character just because it’s getting warm out. This medium-bodied little French devil serves up all of the flavor and complexity of your favorite Rhone blend without all the heavy tannins. We immediately appreciated the big, country-style nose — Jason smelled some oregano, and Jesse got pine cones. Jordan enjoyed the earthy palate, which was full of understated, long-lasting flavors of raisins, black currant, dried herbs, and aged rum. Spicy and a little bit tart, this is also a versatile food wine, and will perfectly compliment the diverse flavors of summer cooking, from grilled vegetables to burgers and kebabs. The grape varieties making up the blend are as esoteric as the flare-bottomed bottle: 60% Fer-Servadou, 20% Duras, and 20% Syrah. The LA trio swiftly surmised that this was a smooth, serious red for scandalous summer sipping.

Our first ever wine2wino offering can be yours for the deliciously low price of $40, shipping included.  And the best part is that, unlike other wine clubs, there’s never any expectation or obligation to buy anything again, ever!

To order your package, click here.  Enjoy!