Presenting Firstleaf for wine lovers!

A sample shipment of wines from the Firstleaf wine club.

Good news! Sunset has a new wine club. It’s called Firstleaf—in wine terms, a vineyard’s first growing season, a time of promise and potential. And in terms of wine, our new club also offers enormous potential for bringing great bottles into your life for exceptional prices.

These will be small-production wines exclusive to our members, from the best wine regions all over the world. The starting point is a half-case every two months. But from there, it gets interesting: You can rate the bottles you’ve gotten, and your future wines will be tailored to your taste. You can even change how often you get shipments—spreading them out or speeding them up.

I’m especially excited about our first set of bottles, which I personally chose:

Long Meadow Ranch 2013 Sauvignon Blanc (Rutherford, Napa Valley)

A crisp, fresh white loaded with citrus and some tropical notes, layered with the herbal, grassy character that makes Sauv Blanc so interesting.

Wente 2014 Riva Ranch Chardonnay (Arroyo Seco, Monterey)

A Chard with lovely balance—just enough toast, butter, and vanilla on the rich palate, with excellent acidity to keep the package bright. Think lemon brûlée served in an apple orchard just after a rain.

Hawthorne Grove 2013 Pinot Noir (Monterey County)

A complex mix of dark cherry, loam, and spice is wrapped in pretty floral aromas with a hit of black pepper.

Argiano 2013 NC Rosso (Toscano IGT)

Tangy, briary berry flavors with hints of vanilla and spice take on distinct Italian character with dusty, earthy notes.

St. Hallett 2013 “Faith” Shiraz (Barossa, South Australia)

Exotic spices lurk under generous and juicy black fruit and briary berry flavors with haunting tobacco and anise carrying through the finish.

Owl Ridge 2012 “Tyto” Red (Alexander Valley)

Forest aromas—cedar and pine—lead into spicy dried fruit, cassis, and fresh berry flavors on the palate, carried by a firm tannin structure.