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WI N E F L I G H T W E D N E S D A Y: Wein Strohmeier

Franz Strohmeier is a visionary, philosophical OG natural winemaker from the Steiermark region of Styria, the “Green Heart” of Austria. His “Trauben Liebe & Zeit” line of wines translates to “Grapes, Love & Time” which encapsulates a unique vision of handsoff farming & wine-making. His lush vineyards are a brilliant autonomous system of biodiversity that Strohmeier views as a holistic being he can (carefully) let be- this means, for example, no pruning and letting sickness in the vines run its course on its own- planting trees in place of vines he removes. This takes a tremendous amount of humility, curiosity, knowledge, confidence, hope.. we think you can taste a bit of that in each of these wines.

Roter Frizzante, NV No. 3
Zweigelt

Unpruned Zweigelt grown on steep clay-opok soils ferments spontaneously 6 months and a second time in the bottle: unfined, unfiltered, without disgorgement and sulfur. This lends to gentle big bubbles, ripe red fruit and spicy nuance, a mouthwatering acidity to long dreamy finish.

Cat Silver NV

“Cat Silver” is what the Strohmeier’s have lovingly named the shiny silicate stones that dot the soil throughout their vineyards. An appropriate name for this cuvée, a blend of all the grapes of the domaine: White grapes (Sauvignon blanc, Pinot blanc, Chardonnay, Bronner, Muscaris, Büten-Muskateller) as well red grapes (Souvignier gris) and dark grapes (Zweigelt, Blauer Wildbacher, Cabernet Jura, Merlot, Rösler, Regent). Some skin contact, some direct press- a hazy peachy peppercorn mineral treasure.

Trauben, Liebe, Zeit No. 3 NV
Blauer Wildbacher

This deep, ink-blue red made with old Blauer Wildbacher vines grown on steep slopes planted in the 1980s by Franz’ father. Hand selected grapes macerate for 4 weeks, then are pressed softly to spend 2 years in 500 liter wooden barrels. A red so deep it turns blue and then black, drinking pure color itself - just grapes, love, time.

Big bowl of greens w/ your pizza?

Open at 5

W I N E F L I G H T W E D N E S D A Y: Macabeo de Mendall - Alicia & Laureano Serres

This week we’ll taste some Macabeo. Two from Tarragona firework Laureano Serres of Mendall— one of the masterminds of the Brutal!!!! movement and an embodiment of natural wine whimsy & Catalan natural wine culture— along with a Pet-Nat release from his daughter Alicia Serres. In the dusty town of Pinell de Brai, in Terra Alta, Laureano has been making unfiltered, often wild wines from organic grapes grown in high-altitude thin north-facing clay-limestone catalan soils since the late 90s. As for the wines, they speak for themselves: sometimes volatile, a bit confrontational, deeply alive, and always inspired. What soothes a heatwave more than the crisp aromatics & minerality of Macabeo, contemplating Catalonia with a giant?

Alicia Serres, Pet Nat 2023

Alicia is following in the family footsteps, after inheriting family vineyards in Pinell, some coming from her great grandfather. Here’s a wine from her second vintage, a 100 percent mineral forward macabeo pet-nat that while deeply soulful like her fathers’, has a noted poise and control to it.

Mendall, Abeurador 2022

Macabeo from forty five year old vines planted some 450 metres above sea level in Vilalba dels Arcs. Pressed directly, before a short ageing in vat, it carries a slight spritz but retains a beautiful tension, refreshing with cleansing notes of green citrus, sea salt and Mediterranean herbs.

Mendall, La Plana de Guiu 2023

Macabeo from young vines on the highest plain of the Terra Alta at over five hundred metres above sea level. Around half the grapes were pressed directly, whilst the balance was macerated for four days, before being pressed to vats and terracotta amphorae for a short rest. Pale straw-yellow in the glass, a gentle spritz carries delicate notes of flowers, citrus and chalk.

Pistachio financier - strawberry rhubarb jam, creme anglaise, market fruit (here raspberries, tonight green gage and mirabelle plums)

This one. This one is a good one.

Good day for a marg 🌞

W I N E F L I G H T W E D N E S D A Y: FRENCH SKIN CONTACT

M Sauvignon, Vini Viti Vici 2022
Sauvignon Blanc

Nicolas Vauthier works in the lesser known northern appellations of Burgundy, continuing a passion for wine that found him running one of the first natural wine bars in France (“Aux Crieurs du Vin”), to working in the cellar with legends like Philippe Pacalet. A vigneron of little intervention, but also skillful craft, making soft and juicy wines from bought fruit through carbonic macerations and brief elevage times. We’re starting the flight with this funky vegetal high acid cloudy maceration of Sauvignon, a salty pear and citrus delight.

Deferlante Orange, Olivier Cohen 2022
Chenin, Cinsault, Ugni Blanc

Olivier Cohen returns to WFW, with his atypical wines from the hills of Hérault, in the Languedoc. In Argellier the vines in the area spread over several plots in a low valley, and grapes benefit from cool summer nights and sea breezes, lending to slower maturations. The Deferlante range is a collaboration with other organic growers in the area. Where reds in this area tend to be broad-shouldered and sun-drenched and whites heavy and rich, this blend of skin contact clairette and direct pressed cinsault balances stone-fruit acidity and red fruit juice with Cohen’s delicate style.

La Peur de Rouge, Les Temps de Cerises 2022
Chardonnay, Clairette

Le Temps de Cerises is the domain of East-German transplant Axel Prufer, lauded for his biodiverse and “sauvage” forest imbedded and wildflower-strewn vineyards and his unique take on the Languedoc, the deep hot south of France, which blend limestone sunshine with a lightness and joie-de-vivre. “The Fear of Red” is a wild high-altitude Chardonnay, Clairette blend that has carbonic macerations of ripe and overripe fruit harvested at different times. Giving the tropical fruit and grip of a mediterranean orange, but the sleek pleasantness of a Chardonnay, its crunchy, crisp and delicately floral.

Kimchi Pizza - scallion daikon kimchi, mozz, scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds

Back on the menu, open tonight at 5

Have you ever noticed the distinct lines and swirls inside a watermelon?! These sweet red watermelons come to us from Munak Ranch. We portion them then compress them in tomato water, made from tomatoes also from Munak. Find them on the menu now for some much needed refreshment from these hot hot days we’ve been having.

W I N E F L I G H T W E D N E S D A Y: Jean-Marc Dreyer

In the beautiful medieval Alsatian town of Rosheim, Jean-Marc Dreyer started working in his father’s shoes in 2003 - going all biodynamic and making the somewhat unconventional decision to involve skin maceration in most white wines he makes. Today, he’s a vanguard for modern Alsation winemaking, what the region’s capable of producing and what its white varietals can be in the face of uncertain and changing climates. We’re very lucky to share with you two Origin series wines (lauded 10-20 day skin contacts of the domaine’s white varietals) and Anigma Pinot Noir from this emblematic Alsace natural wine maestro!

Origin Auxerrois 2022

Gentle maceration on the skins for about a week outside the cellar, and then aged in old barrels. A wonderful example of the savouriness of Auxerrois: round and toasty, with some of JM’s trademark saline zip at the finish.

Origin Gewurztraminer 2022

That trademark lychee deliciousness and aromatics of Gewurztraminer, but with a depth that comes from its year aging in old foudres. Rose petals and spice on the nose, rich texture on the palate, with a lingering mind-blowing mineral finish.

Enigma Pinot Noir 2022

7 day maceration of pinot noir (again, outside the cellar!) and then aged for 7 months in small barriques. Deep and rich where it needs to be, but with just the right amount of acidity- apparently there’s a mix of just a touch of gamay from good friend Raphael Beysang in the beaujolais for character.

Chocolate cake with vanilla frosting

It’s 100% NOT milk’s-favorite-cookie-vibe, but it is

Open at 5!

New neon! Can’t miss us now

Come close out the weekend with us tonight, service starts at 5

💥

Beautiful toro de oro peppers

Who can guess where they get their name from?

Watermelon + Feta - whipped feta, watermelon compressed in tomato water, mizuna, mint, carta di musica

On tonight!

It’s official! Our humble little restaurant was recognized with a Bib Gourmand designation by the . We don’t do it for the awards but we can’t say it doesn’t feel good to have our passion and hard work acknwledged. Thank you to our team, our farmers and producers, our patrons, and the wonderful LA culinary community for letting us confidently do what we do best.

Back on our BULLsh*t

Presenting…
El Toro - romesco, manchego, roasted toro de oro peppers (namesake ofc), and pine nut gremolata

Summer is cucumber season! We see so many cool varieties of cucumbers at the market this time of year - itachi, lemon, armenian, silver slicer, cucamelon, the list goes on! We’ve swapped our usual persian cucumbers for salt & pepper cucumbers in the PCS. They’re thin-skinned, super crunchy, perfectly sweet, and have the such a gorgeous canary yellow hue.

Coming in hot from the market

Pineapple heriloom tomatoes from Munak Ranch and gorgeous toro de oro peppers from Beylik Farm

Peach + Burrata - fish sauce vin, market herbs, crispy shallots, pickled fresnos

Here for a good time, not a long time

Double trouble for late night tonight! starting us off from 7-11p then .io takes over from 11p-2a. Come on by for a good time ;)

Sugar Cube Melon granite with condensed coconut milk and toasted pepitas 🧡✨🍈

Summer at the market in full swing 🌞🍅👩‍🌾

A chilled glass of wine and a pizza on the patio might just make this hot summer day feel like a breezy vacation in Italy…just saying

Open tonight at 5

Summer fruit - strawberry rhubarb compote, blenheim apricots, july flame peaches, salted chantilly, toasted buckwheat, chervil, lil drizz of

W I N E F L I G H T W E D N E S D A Y: SYRAH

Domaine des Miquettes, Ti-Rouge 2022
Syrah

Paul Estève and Chrystelle Vareille make wine in the Ardèche, the Northern Rhone Valley, with some vineyards in the St. Joseph appellations- ground-zero for some of the most venerated expressions of Syrah on Earth. These guys do it their way though- all hand harvest, no sulfites, and inspired by their trips to Georgia, all wines ferment under the earth in clay Amphorae, giving a temperature controlled purity to them. This is a blend of Syrah from the entire domain- an easy going, rhythmic, cool black fruit delight.

Chachacha, Sense Pressa 2022
Syrah, Grenache

To the east, in the prehistoric-like base of the Pyrénées-Orientales in the Hautes-Corbières, is the windy small town of Padern, famous for the wines of Fabrice Monnin and Mazière. A student of his, Marius Long, has begun making wines with Sense Pressa (“no rush” in Catalan)- a beautiful blend of Syrah and Grenache from vineyards nestled between the mountains and the mediterranean. Lovely smooth & silky blackcurrant and blackberry, put the glass to your ear and you can hear the tramontane wind whispering.

Clos de St. Cessieux, Hervé Souhaut 2022
Syrah

Near the storied hills of Hermitage comes the wines of Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet in the St. Joseph appellation of the Northern Rhone. Hervé Souhaut inherited vineyards from his wife’s family, and has been doing natural wine with a remarkable finesse in this iconic site since the 90s. Ancient vineyards, insane south/south-eastern exposure, rocky granitic soils, just the right amount of altitude. A perfect study of St Joseph Syrah’s fatty savoriness & dark red fruit delicateness, with subtle flower finish.

The Tahini Torpedo gets its name from the beautiful red torpedo onions that are braised til jammy that top the lemony, cumin inflected tahini base. The pizza is finished with chermoula, a north african condiment similar to chimichurri but with paprika, toasted coriander, and lemon juice.

Summer in a bowl 🌞

Burrata - sungold tomatoes, bing cherries, white balsamic, mint, tarragon, caraway poppy carta di musica

Humbled to be added to the California .guide. Hats off to our incredible team for their passion and dedication to making what we do its absolute best 🍾

Humbled to be added to the California . Hats off to our incredible team for their passion and dedication to making what we do its absolute best 🍾

W I N E F L I G H T W E D N E S D A Y: Angevins of Anjou Part two

La Buelloise, Domaine de la Grapperie 2022
Chenin Blanc

From Renaud Guettier, the meticulous head of Domaine de la Grapperie in Bueil-en-Touraine comes some of the most beautiful wines coming out of the area. He slowly acquired and tends to old vines—some of which date to the beginning of the 20th century— in a cellar cut out of an old limestone quarry. He makes wines with a manual press, gravity, and ferments in old wooden casks, giving a nuance and depth to every cuvée. This sparkling Chenin comes from some of his younger vines, finishing fermentation in the bottle- a thirst quenching pairing of green apple, minerals, and sea salt.

La Roche, JC Garnier 2022
Chenin Blanc

The wines of Jean-Christophe Garnier, a former sommelier turned wine-maker, have arrived in the US for the first time! A mythic personality of sorts, he farms 60 year old vines in St. Lambert du Lattay and crafts mind-blowing chenins. Rich, lush, with a slight oxidative quality- expressing a bit of that chalky mineral-rich limestone of the region we love- this one is a powerful balanced pear & quince delight, as expressive of Anjou Chenin as it gets.

La Guerrerie, Clos Du Tue Boeuf 2022
Cot, Gamay

The Puzelat Family may need no introduction to many- one of the first domaines to do natural wine in the Loire in the 90s, Jean Marie and Thierry Puzelat, were pioneers of creative winemaking and the “Vin de France” movement- balking against appellation systems and making wines as they see fit. They have a living museum of grape varieties and experiment with a plethora of different fermentation vasks (like Georgian clay qvevri), now managed by Thierry and his daughter Zoe- this is a expressive blend, the Cot giving deep earthy complexity- eucalyptus & spice- while the Gamay brings a crunchy red fruit lift.