February 2026
The Month of
Three Anchors
February loosens but doesn’t commit. The wines that mark this moment are best when they’re plainly themselves — each a reference expression of its tradition. This month: a Rueda Verdejo, a Sicilian Nero d’Avola, and a Napa Cab worth the price.
Selections from a past month — availability may have changed.
Our recommendations may include affiliate links. Purchases made through them help support TERROIR at no extra cost to you.
01
The Weekday Wine · Under $20
Bodegas Naia Verdejo 2023
Rueda DO, Spain
Stone fruit and lemon-pie on the nose, with a savory fennel note that anchors the palate. Four months on lees give the wine its creamy texture; the chalk-rich soils of La Seca give the finish its dry, almost flinty snap. Bodegas Naia was founded in 2002 to harness the original Verdejo clone — old-vine parcels at 730–790 meters elevation, well above Rueda’s typical heat. Ninety-one points from Vinous, under twenty dollars. Rueda still has plenty to say.
TASTING NOTES
Ripe stone fruit, fennel, lemon pith, white blossom
PAIRS WITH
Roast chicken with lemon, manchego with quince
GRAPE
Verdejo (100%)
DRINK WINDOW
2024–2027
Vintage Context
Rueda’s 2023 was warm and ripe but cooled by late-season nights that preserved Verdejo’s signature acidity. Naia draws fruit from old-vine parcels at 730–790 meters elevation — high enough that the wine retains the herbal lift the appellation is known for. Four months on lees gives the texture; the chalk gives the snap.
Build the Board
via Murray’s Cheese
A weeknight board for a Spanish white
Manchego (3-month) · Spanish chorizo · Marcona almonds · membrillo · sourdough crisps
02
The Saturday Pour · $20–$50
Feudo Montoni Lagnusa Nero d’Avola 2021
Sicily DOC, Italy
Dark cherry and crushed violet on the nose, with dried herbs and the savory note of Sicilian sun. The palate is full but never heavy: ripe fruit balanced against fine, dusty tannins, and the acidic line keeps the wine moving. Feudo Montoni has farmed this site near Cammarata since 1469; Fabio Sireci is the third generation since the family bought it back. The Lagnusa is their everyday Nero d’Avola — 100% indigenous variety, no oak, just stainless steel and time. Structure with elegance, not strength.
TASTING NOTES
Dark cherry, crushed violet, dried thyme, dusty tannins
PAIRS WITH
Eggplant parmigiana, grilled lamb chops
GRAPE
Nero d’Avola (100%)
DRINK WINDOW
2024–2030
Vintage Context
Sicily’s 2021 was a slow, even ripening year — exactly what Nero d’Avola needs to develop aromatic complexity without losing acidity. Feudo Montoni’s high-altitude vineyards near Cammarata (above 1,800 feet) sit far from the typical Sicilian heat band, and the 2021 vintage rewarded that altitude with concentration and lift in equal measure.
Build the Board
via Murray’s Cheese
A Saturday board for a Sicilian red
Pecorino Romano · soppressata · Castelvetrano olives · sun-dried tomato spread · taralli crackers
03
The Splurge · $50+
Frog’s Leap Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Rutherford, Napa Valley
Black currant and graphite on the nose, with the dusty earth signature of Rutherford. The palate is structured but never overworked: tactile tannins, mouthwatering acidity, layered fruit that doesn’t shout. John Williams has been making Cabernet here since 1981 and farms 200 acres dry-farmed at the historic Red Barn. The Estate Grown is what he wanted Napa Cab to be: a wine of the place, not the marketing department. Ninety-five points Decanter, seventy dollars on sale. The answer to the question “is there a Napa Cab worth the price.”
TASTING NOTES
Black currant, dusty earth, graphite, black olive
PAIRS WITH
Ribeye, aged hard cheeses
GRAPE
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
DRINK WINDOW
2026–2040
Vintage Context
Napa’s 2021 was the second of a four-year drought sequence — punishing for many but ideal for dry-farmed vines that dig deep for water. Smaller berries yielded concentrated character, and the wine spent twenty months in mostly neutral French oak before bottling unfined and unfiltered. Built for the long haul.
Build the Board
via Murray’s Cheese
A celebration board for a serious Cab
Aged Cheddar (clothbound) · prosciutto di Parma · fig jam · Marcona almonds · seeded crackers
Subscribers get a weekly pick that never hits the site — a fourth bottle, every Thursday, in The TERROIR Letter.
“Three wines that speak plainly. Each in the form their tradition asked for.”
— The TERROIR Editorial Desk
Producer Spotlight
Matthiasson Wines
Italian restraint in Cabernet country
Steve and Jill Matthiasson have been making low-alcohol, high-acidity Napa Cab since 2003 — alongside the Italian varieties (Refosco, Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano, Schioppettino) that most of the valley pretends don’t exist. Drinks Business named them in the ‘Five Winemakers Shaping the New California’ in April 2026. Their argument: food-first wines, in a place that mostly forgot.
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