Domaine South Presents
The Dinner Party : Under the Sea
Natural Wines from Jenny & Francois with Special Importer Guest: Phil Sareil
September 10, 2026 5:30 PM
Meet Your Host: Phil Sareil
A true pioneer of the American natural wine movement, Phil Sareil’s journey in wine began in 1987 at the legendary Kermit Lynch shop in Berkeley, California. By 1988, he was helping introduce iconic low-intervention producers like Marcel Lapierre to U.S. palates. As a founding partner and senior sales executive at Jenny & François Selections, Phil has spent decades championing small-production, soulful terroirs. He is widely credited with being one of the earliest advocates for the vibrant, mineral-forward natural wines of Central and Eastern Europe—introducing American wine lovers to now-celebrated growers from Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. We are thrilled to welcome Phil as he shares his deep expertise, incredible stories, and a meticulously curated lineup of dynamic, low-intervention wines.
2024 Poderi Del Leone Pinot Grigio, Veneto
Smoked Maine Trout, Smoked Trout Roe, Egg Yolk Jam, Sourdough Toast, Fresh
Dill
2023 Domaine Christian Rinner Pinot Noir, Alsace
Olive Oil Poached Scottish Salmon, Red Cabbage, Juniper & Orange Beurre
Rouge
2022 Thibault Ducroux Morgon, Beaujolais
Charred Octopus, Chorizo, Smoky Corona Beans
2021 Poderi Del Leone Valpolicella Ripasso, Veneto
Grilled Sarde a Beccafico (Fresh Portuguese Sardines Stuffed with Breadcrumbs,
Pine Nuts & Currants), Valpolicella & Shallot Glaze
2024 Chateau Tire Pe Diem, Bordeaux
Lotte à l'Américaine – Monkfish, Cognac, Bordeaux, Heirloom Tomato, Carolina
Gold Rice
Pavlova – Crème Diplomate, Ube Pearls, Key Lime Foam
$125 per person plus tax and gratuity
Reservations Required
256.759.9952
The Wines
2024 Poderi Del Leone Pinot Grigio, Veneto, Italy
Pinot Grigio found its paradise in Venice mainland, where our vines drain their nourishment from Caranto soil, a compact maritime clay stratification with calcareous nodules, which started forming in the Pleistocene era (don’t try to count back, it was between 11 thousand and 2,5 million years ago).
This wine is white, but Pinot Grigio actually looks pink. After the grapes are pressed, we take the skins off the juice before they start to release their colour. Our Pinot Grigio is rich, dry and savoury, with fruity aromas of fresh pears and apples, mixed with floral nuances. It’s a diplomatic wine. It gets along with fish, white meat, and vegetables… And if you prefer to pair with something else, it will work anyway.
2023 Domaine Christian Rinner Pinot Noir, Alsace, France $42.99
Pinot Noir fermented whole-cluster using native yeast, and aged for 11 months in large foudre before bottling unfined and unfiltered. This is Alsatian Pinot Noir at its best: light, bright and energetic with dark plummy fruit.
Soil: Loess (gravelly loan)
Vinification: This wine is whole cluster fermented in large foudre, using only indigenous yeast. It spends about 11 months in elevage in foudre and is racked once in spring. Sulfur is never added to this wine and it is unfiltered.
2022 Thibault Ducroux Morgon, Beaujolais, France $30.99
Thibault Ducroux is one of those winemakers who has been enticed by the vine from practically a toddler’s age: the son of a Beaujolais grower, he recalls how quickly he became passionate while learning the basics of the trade in his father’s cellar. His desire to understand more about vine-growing led him to study a classical viticulture-enology course in the region, but the real game-changer came when he discovered the works of Jules Chauvet, the ingenious 20th-century research chemist, winemaker and négociant venerated as the father of the French natural wine movement.
A new wine using grapes from two vineyards that Thibault farms in the Morgon cru.
Grape: Gamay
Vineyard: Les Charmes (60 year-old vines) and Corcelette (80-year old vines) on granite and schist. Farmed organically by Thibault himself
Making of: The grapes are hand-harvested and then undergo the traditional whole-bunch carbonic maceration. Spontaneous fermentation, aging on fine lees in concrete tanks for 8 months. No fining, no filtration, max. 2ppm of SO2 added at bottling.
Personality: juicy and youthful yet elevated take on Morgon.
2021 Poderi Del Leone Valpolicella Ripasso, Veneto, Italy $32.99
Not one, but two fermentations. That’s how Valpolicella Ripasso is made.
How? It all starts with fresh Valpolicella wine and the remaining lees of Amarone, still juicy and full of yeasts right after the fermentation. Pour the two together and a second fermentation starts. It lasts for 15 to 20 days.
The wine is then aged in French oak for around 24 months.
The result is a more structured and rounded wine, with a rich black cherry bouquet, a milder acidity, a more velvety yet dry taste. Harmonious, dry and velvety
2024 Chateau Tire Pe Diem, Bordeaux, France $
100% Merlot from Bordeaux. Wonderful mix of red fruits (currants) and darker fruits like ripe plums, cedar/sandalwood, along with a savory earthiness that reminds me of dry-cured black olives. Completely different from modern California Merlot wines, so don't let that discourage you from trying (if you're not a fan of those). Make sure to let this wine sit out for 30 minutes or so to let all the flavors and aromas better integrate.
"Vinification Method: Grapes are harvested by hand and destemmed. Each plot is harvested and fermented separately. The grapes undergo a short 8 to 12 day cool maceration for a soft extraction. The wine is aged for eight to ten months in concrete tanks, after which the wine is bottled without systematic filtration.
Tasting Note: Ruby in the glass with shimmering purple highlights. This youthful wine has a bright nose of fresh red fruit backed by a dusting of cedar infused minerality. Buoyant and fruity on the palate the Tire Pé Diem is packed with juicy red currant, crushed plum and sweet herbs. This is a pretty red with an easy fruity profile and a lingering finish.
$125 Per Person
256.759.9952 to Reserve