To Start

Sandwiches

choice of house cut fries or mixed greens

Entrées

Sweets

Stickies

Madeira & Digestif

Port

Vin de Liqueur

Always the Bridesmaids

In the glittering lights of Champagne, both as a prestigious wine region and a global brand, it is hard to believe that something could be overlooked. Yet, the brightest lights do cast the darkest shadows. As one of the principle styles of Champagne, Blanc de Noirs represents the most unique and playful approach to sparkling production, yet it is woefully outshined by its peers. The concept of making a colorless wine out of dark-skinned grapes is not exclusive to Champagne, but it is lawfully defined here originally. The combination of lively acidity and minerality, incorporated with the generous flavors that can only come from utilizing Pinot Noir and Meunier, gives Blanc de Noirs the luring twinkle that is hard to ignore

Sparkling BLanc de Noirs

Champagne Blanc de Noirs

Beyond Riesling: Weissburgunder

One of my most memorable home-cooked meals with wine is the lunch I had at the estate of Ökonomierat Rebholz in Pfalz, Germany. The lunch served was a simple regional veal/pork meatballs and dumplings soup with fresh bread and salads. We sat in the courtyard of the winery with the wisteria in full bloom, swaying in the wind, while we were basking in the warm, early-spring sun. The wine to accompany the meal was their Weißburgunder. The gentleness of the texture and the lively flavors of lemon curd, fresh orchard fruits, and brioche, just went so well with the soup, the afternoon sun, and the company. This memory aside, I consider Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) from Germany a much more exciting expression of this otherwise subdued varietal. Gone with the muted flavors and texture, in with the animated acidity and layers of complexity

Pleasure, Guilty Not

I binge eat. I watch The Golden Girls. And I am proud to admit I enjoy drinking popular Californian wines. Just to be clear, there is nothing sinful about these established brands. In fact, they are all significant and well-crafted in their own rights. Personal preferences and trends might not always align. When they do, however, the examples can be unexpectedly satisfying. The ability to always evaluate wines based on their merits sets the foundation of what I do professionally. There is no shame in reminding myself of that, especially when pleasure derives from it.

White

Red

Cliffsnotes: Outside the Box of Gamay

Beaujolais Nouveau seems to be two loaded words. Some may sneer at the sound – comment on its reputation for underdeveloped and quaffable character. But Beaujolais is so much more than just Beaujolais Nouveau. Gamay, the prima donna of Beaujolais, is a thin-skinned grape that produces a gamut of reds. They range from light and zippy (think Beaujolais Nouveau) to something more serious (think Cru Beaujolais) with structure and deeper fruit notes and minerality. These wines are the perfect stepping stone from the summer whites and rosés to your winter wine world. With this thought in mind, and to think outside the box, here are few alternative ideas based on the same classic harmony between Gamay and everything this time of year. Each of them has its own flash of pizzazz and just enough pluck to make you forget the chill outside

Seasonal Selection | Wines by the Glass

Apéritif

By the Bottle

Sake

Champagne + Sparkling

By the Bottle

Sparkling Cider

White

Rosé + Flor

Red

Stickies

Digestif

Vin de Liqueur

Madeira

Jerez de La Frontera & Montilla-moriles

By the Bottle

Port

Seasonal Selection | Libations from the Bar

Cocktails

Beers

Non-alcoholic

Wines by the Bottle

The format of our Wines-by-The-Bottle selection is designed to encourage your interaction with our staff. Just say the words, we are ready to assist you in discovering something different and new

Iconoclasts | Wines by the Bottle

This is not a section of misfits. This is a collective of producers marching to their own drumbeats and perfect what are true to their crafts. This is an unintended counter culture to today's mainstream wine world in a noble pursuit of balance. This is a band of cultish rock stars with the humblest hearts. Most of all, this is a selection of wines with loads of personalities, yet never dazzle, only glimmer

The Land of Castles, Apples, and Weekend Vine Growers

Tucked away in the serene northeastern corner of Italy surrounded by the Dolomites, the landscape of SüdtirolAlto Adige is one of the most otherworldly. Known as the land of castles—300-plus castles within 3000 square miles—and the European capital of apples, Südtirol is the sunniest place in the continental Europe. Sits in the valley carved out by glaciers, with majority of the best vineyard land positioned on very steep and narrow slopes, the average size vineyard ownership is about 2 acres per farmer – a size too small to be a full-time vine grower. Behind its scenic and dramatic panorama, the white wines produced here rival some of the best in the world. Regrettably, even with their exceptional quality and longevity, these wines are also the least well-known in the US. Created at the historical estate of Cantina Terlan, Terlano, a classic regional white blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, is the most iconic noble white wine in Südtirol-Alto Adige

White

Alberto Nanclares

An economist from the Basque region turned vine grower in the Green Spain, Alberto is a newcomer to a tradition-laden Rìas Baixas, a terrain that produces one of the most iconic white wines in the world. Began with conventional farming techniques, Alberto quickly abandoned these practices due to unsatisfactory results, and never looked back. His drive to produce classic and age-worthy Albariño let him to reject common regional viticultural practices, which could have compromised his belief in the true expression of this noble varietal. In any case, the wines of Alberto Nanclares are tenacious and tasty, too

White

Red

Provence Through a Painter's Eyes

My earliest encounters to Provence were through the paintings of Cézanne and Van Gogh. To the mind of an eight-year-old, their landscapes of this sun-drenched terrain were not only entrancing but also fervent. The striking shades of blues and yellows on their canvas captured my then youthful emotions in the same way Provençal wines did during my visit last fall. While the varying hues of melon, peach and rose dominate the spectrum of wines in Provence, it was their reds and whites that made the deeper impression along with aged rosés. I found these wines revealed a genuine Provençal viewpoint not that different from the distinct impressions seen through Cézanne's and Van Gogh's eyes. Though these wines still yet to gain popularity, I couldn't help but glee with the hope that more people will soon share my enthusiasm for this different and striking side of Provence. Just like how the rugged color patches of Cézanne and Van Gogh eventually became recognized

White

Red

Domaine Guiberteau

Romain Guiberteau is the paradigm of the student has surpassed the teachers. A third generate vigneron in an overlooked appellation along the famous Loire River, Romain's grandfather served as the town mayor and leader in the local grower association before and after World War II. In order to continue the expansion of the estate in the 1990s, Romain's father abandoned his law practices and joined the family business. After Romain's return from college, he carried the domaine to a different level, which led to a renewed interest in Saumur among the wine professionals. Exceptional Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc are no longer the monopolies of its more famous neighboring appellations. Romain's wine solidified the notion that great wines come from everywhere – even in the shadows of those came before us

White

Scholium Project: If Dr. Jekyll Had Been a Winemaker…

If there were a mathematics of human personalities, the algorithm for Abe Schoener, winemaker of Scholium Project, would be Mad Scientist plus Rock Star, multiplied by the air of a Dandy, and all compounded by a healthy dose of Passion and Humility. Abe's wines reflect his dedication and belief in the terroir of Californian vineyards that "are distinguished sometimes by being ignored." The best way to experience the Scholium Project is by total immersion, letting your sense of adventure erase any preconceptions. Afterward, you will think, this is what I would have tasted if Dr. Jekyll had been a winemaker

White

The Eyrie Vineyards: Willamette Valley in A Time Capsule

Within the ever-growing popularity of Oregon wines, The Eyrie Vineyards has stood the test of time. Founded by David Lett, whom planted Willamette Valley's first Pinot Noir vine in 1965, Eyrie has always been a pioneer in growing the grapes without the use of insecticides, herbicides or systemic fungicides. The results yield wine with a clear voice of the land and of the vintage. In 2005, Jason Lett, David's son, took over his father as the winemaker & vineyard manager, and continues his family's pioneering legacy. David's notes on the weather of each vintage offer a rare glimpse back in time for the following library selection

Red

Champagne + Sparkling | Wines by the Bottle

Spreading the Gospel About "Farmer Fizz": RM Champagnes

Récoltant – Manipultant; what does that mean exactly? The very thought of deciphering Champagne alone can be daunting. But why don't you see the big name, familiar Champagne names on our wine list? Who are these Champagne producers, with names that you do not recognize? Simply put, they are "grower-producer" Champagnes, where the grapes are grown and then made in to the wine by the same person the grower/winemaker. These great Champagnes in the wine world are what "farm-to-table" food and restaurants are in the United States. These wines are an expression of the passion of the grower who produces them. As a result, we want to continue to deliver that delicacy by serving them in a way that is uncommon for Champagnes: in bigger wine glasses to show off the aromas and creaminess that make these wines so fantastic

Champagne + Sparkling

White | Wines by the Bottle

Austria

Germany

Italy

Greece

Hungary

Croatia + Slovenia

Lebanon

Spain

Portugal

Every time I get asked to summarize Sepia's wine program in just a few words, the white wines of Portugal come to mind. For a region known for its fortified and still reds, the whites, however lesser-known than the former two, are just as characteristic and distinguished. These wines demonstrate the mineral-driven backbone of the old world whites plus a healthy dosage of regional personalities. The combination of classic wine region with lesser-known grape varietals and small production wineries encapsulates the stories of Portuguese whites

France

South Africa

New Zealand

Australia

South America

United States

Sake | Wines by the Bottle

Water: The Soul of Sake

Sake is a simple creation. Four ingredients are used in making sake: rice, water, koji (mold), and yeast. Yet, it is the water that gives soul to the final products — the terroir of sake. Pristine and uncomplicated. Water is present in every step of the sake production: steaming of the rice, fermentation, and at the end to bring down the alcohol level. The Japanese take water very seriously as 80% of sake is composed by water. Even the slightest impurities in the water will disqualify it from being used for the sake. It is a true artisanal creation at the highest level. Water from the north to the south of Japan is vastly different; just like the terroir in Burgundy from Côte de Nuits in the north, down to Beaujolais in the south. The production of sake is an ever-evolving process, even as modern technologies have improved the yield and production process. But it is the water in Japan that makes sake what it truly is: pristine, clean, simple and pure

Sake

Mountain Spring

Underground Spring

Estuaries

Orange + Rosé | Wines by the Bottle

Orange, Vin Gris, Rosé and Clairet

Who knew grape skin can be so technical. By definition, Orange Wine is made with light skin grapes in the style of a red wine – pressed grape juice with extended skin contact to extract the polyphenols and tannins. Vin Gris, a whimsical term without any legal description, is typically reserved for the delicately pale rosé made with minimal skin maceration. Then, there is the classic Rosé. A wine utilizes a longer skin maceration than Vin Gris with red grapes to achieve its multiple shades of pink. It could also be created as a by-product of red wine production. Finally, Clairet, a specialty of Bordeaux, recalls the darker pink wine, or rather a very pale red one, that dominated the English palate in the Middle Ages. It, too, is made with plenty of skin contact. Despite all the winemaking obsession with grape skin, there is something very carefree about drinking a bottle of wine with the color somewhere between white and red. A visual message says to only take wine as serious as you wish. Who knew superficiality can be so sensible

Deeper Than Orange and Natural

Biodynamic viticulture is probably the most fashionable phrase in the world of wines right now. But for the practitioners of biodynamic, this is more than just a trend. The concept of "creating a self-contained, selfsustaining ecosystem responsible for creating and maintaining its individual health and vitality without any external or unnatural additions" runs much deeper. And allowing longer skin contact for the white wines to take on the peculiar orange hue or nominal and sometimes none usage of sulfur is only the tip of the iceberg. It is a belief that connects the biodynamic farmers and winemakers to something much more basic, vital, and at times even spiritual – "a fully integrated farming system that addresses the health of the entire property, and maximizes every aspect of the farm." What goes into a bottle of wine is only one simple closure in the biodynamic cycle; the whole process outshines the result

Orange

Older Rosé, What?!

Call it one-man-band wagon, nevertheless, I do believe that rosé with some bottle age can be quite versatile and charming. Of course, there are also rosé created with the intention to be aged after it's been bottled – take Clos Cibonne and Château Simone for examples. Each selection here is checked periodically to make sure the effect of development has not compromised the quality of the wine. Fresh rosé in the summer time is magical; older rosé in the snowy winter can, too, be most surprising

Vin Gris

Rosé

Clairet

Red | Wines by the Bottle

Austria

Germany

Italy

Greece

Bosnia + Croatia + Slovenia

Lebanon

Spain

Portugal

A Viticultural Crossroad Between Tradition and Innovation What really opened my eyes during my visit to Portugal were not the grand dames of Port and Madeira, but the still wines produced by the younger generation of winemakers. Their audacity and passion for the new and experimental combined with Portuguese diverse viticultural climates created bottles that really hit home with the contemporary palate. These handcraft wines yield flavors of supple fruit characters, lively natural acidity, and a complex dosage of minerality. A great gateway point to further explores your own palate

France

Libations

Bar Only Cocktail

Wines by the Glass

Sake

Champagne + Sparkling

White

Rosé

Red

Seasonal Beer