A French grape and an Italian grape walk into a bar … Mille (French – thousand); Fiori (Italian – flowers). Those of you smart cookies will know that “millie” also means thousand in Italian, “but just go with it.”
So says Megan Bell about her Millefiori wine – a gorgeous blend of 60% Barbera and 40% Negrette.
Bell is known for sourcing grapes on the “margins” – from “underrepresented regions, vineyards and varietals,” and for this red blend Calleri Vineyard in San Benito County was the supplier. The end result is a sumptuous mouthful of flavor – cranberry, unripe blackberry, black pepper, and violets greeting the fortunate imbiber.
The 2022 Millefiori ($29) is a lovely wine. Bell, das wunderkind of winemaking, goes all out to produce wines of interest and quality from grapes on the “margins.”
Bell’s goal to open a tasting room has recently happened. Her “wine cubby” is in a prime spot in the Swift Street Courtyard, so pay her a visit and try her San Benito Millefiori and the dozen or so other wines she makes.
“The space is very compact, so expect a community feel rather than privacy,” Bell says.
Margins Wine, 402 Ingalls St., Suite 18, Santa Cruz, 831-200-3378. Marginswine.com
Saison Cellar and Wine Bar
Newly opened and raring to go is Saison Cellar and Wine Bar in Scotts Valley. This promises to be a great watering hole for residents of the area and for miles around. Saison, owned by sommelier/winemaker Mark Bright, offers a cozy spot for gathering and wine tasting – with signature snacks from Maison Nico, and local specialty cheese boards. Look for couches, dining tables and bar seating, a cozy outdoor space, and a cellar lined with storage wine lockers.
Saison Cellar and Wine Bar, 222 Mt. Hermon Road, Suite I, Scotts Valley, 831-200-8312. Saisoncellarsv.com
