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Aligoté, Lee Campbell and a $12.50 Wine Coaster You’ll Want
In this week’s round-up: two standout wine stories worth your time and two nights out worth putting on the calendar now.
First up, we’re going deep on a grape we love so very much with The Winemaker Who Took a Chance on Single-Vineyard Aligoté, Sylvain Pataille’s stubborn devotion to the variety reshaped how we think about Marsannay. Then, over at Borgo, Lee Campbell proves she’s been setting New York’s wine agenda long before “natural” was a buzzword and this profile is the perfect entry point.
On the events front, Rhodora’s End of Summer Block Party is back next Saturday, with grills, frozen drinks, DJs and ice cream on a closed-off Willoughby Street to benefit One Love Community Fridge. And next Tuesday, Chef Nando Chang of Miami’s Itamae AO lands at Penny for a one-night-only Nikkei menu alongside one of the city’s best wine lists.
Plus: a $12.50 stainless steel wine coaster you’ll end up buying in twos, an essential wine newsletter to add to your inbox and a West Coast wine club you’ll want to be on the waitlist for.
Plus plus: Stelle Wine Co. is hosting their 1st portfolio tasting on Monday, September 8th at The Malin in SoHo and they’re looking for industry folks to help pour! If you’re interested, DM them on Instagram or email them at [email protected].
The Winemaker Who Took a Chance on Single-Vineyard Aligoté
When the world dismissed Aligoté, Sylvain Pataille doubled down, farming it organically since 2007 and biodynamically since 2008. He insisted on single-vineyard bottling’s that changed both the grapes reputation and the way we think about Marsannay.
“When I have an idea, I can be pretty stubborn,” Pataille says. “Everyone was tearing them out and I said to myself … it’s our history, it’s our DNA in Marsannay. These vines, they’re magnificent.”
Borgo’s Lee Campbell Just Wants Wine to Be Itself
Long before natural wine was a buzzword, Lee Campbell championed small-scale, minimal-intervention producers and helped shape what New York drinks today. At Borgo, her list blends discovery and intention, highlighting bottles and winemakers who deserve a bigger stage. Lee is a name every wine lover should know and this profile is a perfect introduction.
Rhodora Block Party
Rhodora’s 4th End of Summer Block Party is back on Saturday, August 23rd! They’re shutting down Willoughby for grilling, frozen drinks, DJs and special ice cream, all to raise funds for One Love Community Fridge. This is easily one of the best block parties and surely one not to miss.
Itamae AO x Penny
Chef Nando Chang of Miami’s Itamae AO, known for its Nikkei cuisine blending Peruvian and Japanese traditions, is hosting a one-night-only à la carte menu at Penny in New York, home to one of the city’s best wine lists.
“Not so sweet now, am I?”
Other News & Other Stuff & Other Reads
Weekly wine rec: In keeping in theme with this week’s featured article, we’re drinking Sylvain Pataille’s Bourgogne Aligoté.
A product we love and think you’ll love: This stainless steel wine coaster. At $12.50, it’s the kind of little addition to the dinner table that makes you wonder why you didn’t have it already.
A newsletter we love: Not Drinking Poison by Aaron Ayscough. This newsletter is essential reading for anyone interested about wine.
Random news/update: Thanks to a reader suggestion (thank you, Mel!), we’ll be adding a weekly newsletter spotlighting a recent, or sometimes past, SWURL article. Coming soon! Ish!
A wine club you should know: West Coast Wine Club, launching this fall, spotlights standout domestic wines from small, often overlooked producers in Washington, Oregon, and California. Check them out here!