Kathryn's Wines_Q4

Kathryn's Wines Quarterly Club

Winter 2025

The Crossing

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Fall 2025: The Crossing

WINES

ART

SOUNDTRACK

SAVOR

Art

Aaron Wiesenfeld

The visual inspiration for The Crossing comes from painter Aron Wiesenfeld, whose dreamlike worlds capture the quiet space between movement and stillness. His solitary figures, often standing at thresholds or caught in fading light, echo the mood of the season — reflective, mysterious, and beautifully human.

About the Artist

The Artist

Aron Wiesenfeld

Stillness Between Worlds

About the Artist

Aron Wiesenfeld is a painter whose scenes feel like half-dreams — solitary figures walking through twilight forests or standing at thresholds. His work hides stories in the edges, mixing nostalgia, mystery, and a haunting quiet that lingers. This season’s moodboard pulls from the work of Aron Wiesenfeld, whose paintings live in that magical in-between — dusk and dawn, movement and pause. They’re moody but warm, much like the wines in The Crossing.

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Fall 2025: The Crossing

For Nights that Linger Longer

Monte Rio Côt (Malbec), Lodi 2023

Domaine Grand Crémant du Jura Zéro Dosage NV

Domaine Ansen Geierstein Riesling 2022

Tenuta la Piccola 'Nero di Cio' Lambrusco 2023

Sebastien Besson Nouveau Beaujolais-Villages 2025

Stekar Sivi Pinot (Pinot Gris Skin Contact) 2023

Map

Fall 2025: The Crossing

Cook slow. Sip slower.

Creamy Parsnip Soup

Baked Brie with Pecans

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Sage Roasted Pheasant

Dry Brined Turkey

Mushroom Sausage Ragu

Venison Carpaccio

Domaine Grand Crémant du Jura Zéro Dosage NV

Tasting Notes

Winemaker

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Monte Rio Côt (Malbec), Lodi 2023

Tasting Notes

Winemaker

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Tenuta la Piccola 'Nero di Cio' Lambrusco 2023

Tasting Notes

Winemaker

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Domaine Ansen Geierstein Riesling 2022

Tasting Notes

Winemaker

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Stekar Sivi Pinot (Pinot Gris Skin Contact) 2023

Tasting Notes

Winemaker

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Sebastien Besson Nouveau Beaujolais-Villages 2025

Tasting Notes

Winemaker

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Winemaker

Monte Rio Cellars

Sonoma, California

About the Winemaker

Mr. Cappiello got his start in restaurants, his wine career began in 2002 as a Sommelier at Tribeca Grill. As time progressed his roles changed to Wine Director and restaurant owner over the next 15 years. Through connections with countless winemakers and after meeting his current business partner Pax Mahle, the transition to Winemaker was a natural progression for Cappiello. He still serves as Wine Director of Walnut Street Café in Philadelphia. He is Food & Wine host for Playboy and founding member of Winemakers & Sommeliers for California Wildfire Relief. His 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry, and Sommelier career has given him access to four of the worlds greatest wine cellars. All have been recipients of Wine Spectators "Grand Award"; TriBeCa Grill, Veritas, GILT, and Pearl & Ash. Mr. Cappiello was named "Sommelier of the Year 2014" by Food & Wine Magazine, "Wine Person of the Year 2014" by Imbibe Magazine, and "Sommelier of the Year 2015" by Eater National. His winemaking career started in 2018, under the watchful eye of Pax Mahle. Monte Rio focuses on heritage and classic California varieties. Wines are made naturally with no additives and farmed with organic practices. Mr. Cappiello and Mr Mahle collaborate on two wineries; Skull Wines and the Piquette Project.

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Winemaker

Domaine Grand

Jura, France

About the Winemaker

Situated in Passenans in the heart of the Jura, Domaine Grand is a family estate now led by Emmanuel Grand and his partner Nathalie Morin, herself born into a winemaking family in Arbois. In 2015 they took the reins and refocused the estate, reducing vineyard size to sharpen quality and committing fully to organic farming, with conversion underway by 2018 and certification achieved shortly thereafter. Their 9.5-hectare vineyard spans clay and limestone marl soils and is planted to Chardonnay, Savagnin, Trousseau and Pinot Noir — all worked by hand, organically, and vinified with a light touch to express terroir with clarity and authenticity. At Domaine Grand they combine respect for Jura’s deep winemaking traditions (such as barrel aging, vin sous voile, and lees work) with a fresh, precise vision — producing wines that are serene yet vibrant, rooted yet modern. Their mission: to let the soil, vine and vintage speak for themselves, crafting wines that capture the mineral energy and natural freshness of Jura — while inviting enjoyment now and promise for the cellar.

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Winemaker

Tenuta la Piccola

Montecchio Emilia, Italy

About the Winemaker

Tenuta La Piccola is a family-run estate in Montecchio Emilia, rooted in the legacy of Licinio “Cio” Fontana, whose portrait appears on the label and whose quiet dedication to the land shaped the farm for decades. Today the winery is overseen by his children, who grew up working the vineyards and are committed to preserving both their father’s spirit and the traditions of Emilia-Romagna. After years of studying modern enology and refining their craft with local growers and cooperatives, they returned to the family estate to elevate the fruit they knew best. Their approach blends heritage and contemporary technique: organic farming, careful canopy management, and meticulous selection of Malbo Gentile, Maestri, and Salamino — varieties that uniquely express the zone’s clay-rich soils. In the cellar they favor gentle handling, spontaneous fermentations, and stainless-steel aging to maintain the purity, freshness, and vibrancy that define their Lambrusco. The family’s focus is simple: to craft expressive, authentic wines that honor Cio’s hands-on vineyard philosophy while showcasing a modern, drinkable style. Each bottling is a tribute to their roots, their region, and the generous, convivial spirit of Emilia.

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Winemaker

Domaine Ansen

Alsace, France

About the Winemaker

Daniel Ansen founded Domaine Ansen in 2012 after more than a decade spent working in renowned wine regions across France and abroad. Born and raised in Westhoffen, he grew up among the hills, forests, and limestone ridges that define this pocket of northern Alsace, and his return home marked a deliberate commitment to shaping expressive, terroir-first wines from the landscape that formed him. Before launching his estate, Daniel trained in Burgundy and the Loire Valley, where he absorbed a philosophy of minimal intervention, long aging on lees, and the pursuit of purity above power. When he inherited and reclaimed old family parcels on the slopes north of the village, he began farming everything organically, eventually achieving certification — not as a marketing choice, but as an ethical foundation for the work he wanted to do. Today, Daniel farms roughly 8 hectares of vines spread across sandstone, clay-limestone, and the dramatic limestone knoll known as Geierstein. His approach is meticulous yet understated: hand-harvesting, slow pressing, native-yeast fermentations, minimal sulfur, and long, quiet élevage in stainless steel or old foudres depending on the personality of the vintage. He is known among Alsatian growers for his thoughtful, almost scholarly precision — a winemaker who works alone much of the time, moving deliberately through his rows and letting each vineyard dictate its own logic. Over the last decade, Daniel has become one of the most compelling voices of a new wave in northern Alsace: growers producing wines that are dry, tensile, and vibrantly mineral, deeply connected to place and shaped by intuition rather than formula. Geierstein, in particular, is considered his flagship — a Riesling that captures both the intellectual clarity and emotional restraint that define Daniel’s style.

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Winemaker

Vina Štekar

Goriska Brda, Slovenia

About the Winemaker

Vina Štekar sits in the tiny hillside village of Snežatno in Goriška Brda — a region often described as Slovenia’s “Tuscany” for its rolling hills, stone farmhouses, and ancient terraced vineyards. The Štekar family’s connection to this place reaches back to the 1700s, when the earliest generations farmed mixed crops and kept animals on the same steep slopes they work today. Winemaking remained a part of daily life for centuries, but it wasn’t until the late 1980s, under Jure’s father Emil Štekar, that the estate began bottling its own wine under the family name. By the mid-1990s Emil was among the first in Brda to shift toward low-intervention farming, setting the foundation for what the estate is now known for: soulful, expressive, organically farmed wines with minimal manipulation. Jure Štekar grew up quite literally among the vines and barrels — but his path was shaped as much by curiosity as by inheritance. As a teenager he spent summers working in the cellar and in the fields, gradually absorbing the rhythms of the land: when to pick, how long to macerate, when a ferment needs attention and when it needs to be left alone. He trained first in hospitality, then returned to formal studies in agriculture and viticulture, bringing with him a broader perspective on service, culture, and farming that would later influence his winemaking style. Jure officially took over winemaking responsibilities in the early 2000s, guiding the estate fully into organic certification (achieved in 2006) and pushing further toward a transparent, terroir-first approach. His philosophy is simple but unwavering: clean fruit, patient cellar work, and zero cosmetic winemaking. Jure works exclusively with native yeasts, ferments in a mix of old barrels, large neutral oak, and stainless steel, and bottles the wines unfined, unfiltered, often with little or no sulfur. He is particularly known for helping define the modern Brda style of skin-contact whites, championing extended maceration as a way to echo the region’s traditional methods while bringing structure, energy, and longevity to the wines. The Sivi Pinot is a perfect example — drawn from organically farmed hillside parcels, destemmed and macerated for several weeks before a long, calm élevage, resulting in a wine that is textural, savory, and unmistakably rooted in Brda’s marl (“opoka”) soils. Today Jure is recognized as one of the quiet cultural leaders of natural winemaking in Slovenia — thoughtful, humble, devoted to quality, and deeply tied to the land his family has tended for generations.

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Winemaker

Sébastien Besson

Beaujolais, France

About the Winemaker

Sébastien Besson is the fourth-generation vigneron of the long-established family estate Domaine du Penlois, located in Lancié in the heart of the Beaujolais region. His great-grandfather Benoît planted the estate in the 1920s, and over the decades the vineyard holdings expanded under his father Maxence to roughly 30 hectares of prime Gamay-rich bush vines. In 2012–2014 Sébastien formally joined the family business, bringing fresh energy and a crisp new perspective, while still honouring the deep heritage of vines that were planted on granite-rich terroirs between the crus of Morgon, Fleurie, and Moulin-à-Vent. Respecting the land is central to his philosophy — under his guidance the estate shifted decisively toward organic viticulture, and Sébastien also launched a personal label in 2016 that focuses on low-intervention winemaking using whole-cluster and carbonic fermentations in concrete vats, minimal sulfur additions, and bottling that allows true terroir expression. Because without the soil, the vine, and the vinegrower’s hands, the wine would simply not sing, he says: “Respect for the land, the grapes, and the entire process, is my top priority… Because without these things, I have nothing.” Today Sébastien’s wines are celebrated as part of the new wave of Beaujolais producers: wines of purity, clarity and vibrant energy, rooted in tradition yet shaped by modern sensibility.

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Fall 2025: The Crossing

Maps

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France

Italy

California

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Tenuta La Picola

Montecchio Emilia, Italy

Nestled between Parma and Reggio Emilia, Montecchio Emilia sits on fertile alluvial plains where clay-limestone soils and river-deposited gravel give local varieties both richness and freshness. The interplay of warm Po Valley days, cool evening breezes, and deep agricultural tradition creates expressive Lambrusco with vibrant fruit, natural lift, and a savory, structured edge.

Tenuta La Picola Website

Tasting Notes

Also known as the “Sivi Pinot” (Pinot Gris) in skin‐contact style from Goriška Brda, this wine shows a copper-rose hue — the result of roughly two to four weeks of maceration on the skins. Aromas of dried apricot, peach, baking spice and crushed stone lead, followed by a palate that is medium-bodied, textured yet vibrant, with a subtle phenolic grip and bright acidity. The finish remains long, minerally and compelling, inviting to a variety of food.Pairings:

• Slow-roasted pork shoulder with caramelised shallots, red cabbage and a sage-butter jus
• Rich blue vein cheese on walnut bread, served with a fig compote

Tasting Notes

Also known as “Dosage Zéro”, this sparkling from the Jura is crafted from 100% Chardonnay by the estate Domaine Grand. Aromas of bright citrus, green apple and almond lead the nose. Light to medium in body, crisp and mineral‐driven. A blend of reserve cuvée and current harvest, matured on lees for 2–2.5 years and released as a non‐vintage bottling.Pairings:

• Creamy parsnip soup with thyme and toasted hazelnuts
• Roast chicken with winter herbs and crispy potatoes
• Raclette or alpine cheeses with warm baguette and cornichons

Tasting Notes

Also known as Malbec, this wine is inspired by the Loire Valley producers of this grape. There it is known as Côt. Aromas of raspberry, leather and baking spice. Light to medium in body, juicy and delicious. First vintage of this wine.Pairings:

• Herb-roasted pheasant with cranberry-port reduction and winter root vegetables
• Braised short-ribs in red wine with parsnip purée and sautéed kale
• Dark chocolate tart with a hint of orange zest and toasted hazelnuts

Domaine Grand

Jura, France

Nestled between Burgundy and Switzerland, the Jura is shaped by steep slopes, cool Alpine air, and ancient marl and limestone soils that yield wines defined by tension, minerality, and freshness. Its unique microclimate and traditional methods — from oxidative styles to long lees aging — create distinctive, terroir-expressive wines found nowhere else in France.

Domaine Grand Website

Monte Rio Cellars

Sonoma, California

Sonoma’s diversity of volcanic, alluvial, and coastal soils, combined with Pacific fog and cool ocean breezes, produces wines with freshness, structure, and nuance. Its varied microclimates—from inland heat to coastal chill—allow an unusually wide range of varieties to thrive, each shaped distinctly by place.

Monte Rio Cellars Website

Domaine Ansen

Alsace, France

Alsace offers a mosaic of limestone, granite, schist, and sandstone soils, creating some of the most terroir-transparent wines in France, especially Riesling. Its dry, sunny climate sheltered by the Vosges Mountains allows for slow, even ripening, resulting in wines that are intensely aromatic, mineral-driven, and precise.

Domaine Ansen Website

Stekar Wines

Goriska Brda, Slovenia

Goriška Brda’s terroir rests on ancient opoka soils—marl and sandstone compressed into mineral-rich layers that encourage deep root penetration and naturally low yields. Combined with a warm Mediterranean climate moderated by Alpine air currents, the region produces wines with pronounced acidity, concentrated fruit, and a distinct savory-mineral edge.

Stekar Website

Tasting Notes

This wine hails from a remarkable limestone-rich south-facing hill just north of Westhoffen in Alsace. Aromas of crisp green apple, lemon-lime and bright orchard fruit lead the nose. Light to medium in body, razor-sharp minerality and clean, electric acidity carry through to a long, mouth-watering finish. This 2022 vintage was gently pressed, fermented naturally in stainless steel, bottled after six months and already showing impressive clarity and drive.Pairings:

• Winter vegetable risotto (celeriac, salsify, porcini) with a drizzle of truffle oil
• Roasted turkey with stuffing

Tasting Notes

Also known as a vibrant Gamay from the Beaujolais-Villages region, this 2025 cuvée by Sébastien Besson comes from 35-year-old bush-vine Gamay on granite soils in Lancié. Aromas of fresh raspberries, tart cherries and violet mingle with subtle stony minerality. Light to medium in body, it’s dazzlingly fresh with lively acidity and pure fruit drive. The whole-cluster carbonic fermentation adds buoyancy and lift while preserving depth and precision.Pairings:

• Venison carpaccio with cranberry-juniper relish and shaved Pecorino
• Winter root vegetable gratin (parsnip, carrot, salsify) with Gruyère and thyme

Sébastien Besson

Beaujolais, France

Beaujolais is defined by its rolling hills of ancient granite, schist, and volcanic soils — a geological patchwork that gives Gamay its signature purity, lift, and mineral tension. The region’s varied elevations, wind exposure, and patchwork of micro-climates allow for wines that range from bright and playful to structured and deeply expressive, making Beaujolais one of France’s most terroir-transparent regions.

Besson Website

Tasting Notes

A lively sparkling red from Emilia-Romagna, this wine blends equal parts Malbo Gentile, Maestri and Salamino. Aromas of ripe blackberries, cherry and violet bloom from the glass. Light to medium in body, bright and effervescent, with a crisp mineral finish that keeps it fresh and drinkable. First release of this vintage.Pairings:

• Wild mushroom & sausage ragù over soft polenta
• Roasted beet & orange salad with toasted walnuts
• Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano with honey & black pepper