July 2026 | Terroir Wine Club

Jamie Motley 2021 Peter Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon

The Peter Martin Ray Vineyard is located on Mt. Eden in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Saratoga at 1,400 feet in elevation. This vineyard holds considerable value in the history of the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation as one of the pioneering vineyards dating back to the 1880s. The fruit here has long been praised due to immaculate farming and the guidance of the late Peter Martin Ray. I had forgotten about this producer and bottling until I was fortunate enough to moderate a Big Sur panel featuring this wine; it was the most captivating bottle in the entire panel tasting.

On day one, the wine expresses notes of dark bramble, marionberry, raspberry, and fresh violets with a blooming nose. It is highly elegant with an herbal twist like wild thyme and flinty granite, nostalgic of a Loire Cabernet Franc. As the wine opens up throughout the day, it maintains that vein of old-school rusticity alongside bold fruit. The most remarkable component of this wine is its multi-day trajectory: on day two, the wine feels like a classic Cabernet Sauvignon with cinnamon, rose petal, bacon, leather, and pink peppercorns. And - should you have the patience to wait until day three - it evolves into a classic Bordeaux profile.

For food pairings, depending on the time that you’re drinking it, you have quite a few options! Dishes that come to mind are savory and rich, such as short rib ragu, tagliata, or Korean tempeh. Drink now through 2035 and serve in all-purpose stemware at cellar temperature.

Ca' du Ferra 2023 Luccicante Vermentino

The Ligurian coast is famous for a series of (once small) fishing villages such as Genoa, Cinque Terre, and Portofino - and rightfully so! It’s almost stupid pretty. Also, right after I selected this wine for the club offering, I was watching Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy series and saw it pop up in the Liguria episode. I felt so validated (which we all know is our favorite emotion); it was meant to be!

The Ca' du Ferra spends a very short amount of time on the skins and, after meticulous racking, undergoes a brief aging period in stainless steel. The draw of this wine comes from its warm, saline nose; it smells like a warm summer day by the sea, think fresh sunflowers, pollen, and sea spray with balanced acidity and a warm shortbread finish. Very quickly upon opening, the wine shifts to an almost Chanel No. 5 nose with even more salinity and lemon oil to counterbalance. With time, it shifts substantially to what feels more like a Bordeaux Blanc with lemongrass and lily. The wine stays on this dynamic trajectory well into days two and three, visiting profiles between Bordeaux Blanc, Ligurian Vermentino, and Alsatian Riesling. Due to how energized the wine is currently, I would not hesitate to hold it back two to three years to allow it to settle into its final self.

For food pairings, I would follow the age-old adage of “what grows together goes together.” Here, I would choose seafood crudo, branzino, and an enormous serving of focaccia with pesto. Drink 2028–2033 and serve in all-purpose stemware at refrigeration temperature.

Mangata 2024 Korinthia Savatiano

This Savatiano comes from ~50-year-old vines in biodynamically farmed vineyards in Korinthia. The grapes are fermented natively in stainless steel and aged for seven months on the fine lees. The resulting wine is elegant, refined, and pure, with an oily front palate giving way to sugar snap peas, baby's breath, and a distinct Greek terroir that provides intense salinity on the finish. The wine remains refined and delicate as it weaves between white floral and mineral aromatics, nostalgic of Aligoté or Verdicchio, evoking wild flowers and sea spray. By day two, the wine shows more fruit qualities like lemon oil, passion fruit, and guava, opening up with a bolder and more forward aromatic profile.

For food pairings, I would opt for lighter dishes focusing on fresh spring vegetables, seafood, or goat cheeses. Lovely options include a spring pea crostini, butter lettuce salad, or scallops browned in butter. Due to the tension in the wine, it could benefit from a brief time in the bottle to unwind slightly, but it is showing beautifully right now regardless. Drink now through 2032 and serve in all-purpose stemware at refrigeration temperature