Back to top
Off
Dear Wine Club Members...

Through the sudden passing of my brother and former St. Julian President, David Braganini, I suddenly became involved in all aspects of this great and iconic company. Many of you don’t know me but I have been involved in the ownership and management of St. Julian in different capacities for several years. I worked here full time in the 1970s, was a director, and was my brother Dave’s partner in the Mountain Road Estate Vineyard.

Pictures of the winery go back nearly 1oo years. As I look into the faces of those photos, I am filled with memories of my brothers, father and grandfather who worked tirelessly, not only to support St. Julian but the Michigan wine industry as a whole. I watched those who came before me and I am excited to take over where they left off. On June 1, 2019, the control and ownership of St. Julian transitioned to my branch of the family and we officially began our stewardship of this great, Michigan landmark company. Together with my family and our great employees, we will start the next chapter in the story of St. Julian.

As I meet more and more of you, I gain a growing appreciation of this select and special segment of our customer base. Your continued loyalty and support are key proponents in many of the decisions we are making as we continue to plant more fruit, experiment with new wines, and introduce creative blends. Your willingness to advance with us in the pursuit of Lake Michigan Shore excellence allows our winemaking staff to lead our local industry rather than follow it and I wanted each of you to know how important you are.

Following an icon such as my brother Dave into the industry that he created, is full of challenges, many of which take time to learn. It is also full of opportunity, and we have worked hard at St. Julian for the last 3 years to improve our products, process, and facilities so that we can serve you better. All of our retail facilities have been updated and with the addition of our Rockford and Troy locations, we now have exposure throughout the population centers of Michigan. We are also in the second phase of a complete plant and cellar upgrade that will allow us to continue growing and pushing the envelope with new and creative products and continue to introduce our products to new markets outstate.

We are in a very select company being family owned for 98 years and with over one million gallons of storage, one of the largest wineries in the world. Thank you for coming along with us as we prepare for the celebration of our 100 Year Anniversary in 2021!

-John Braganini, St. Julian President

WINES THAT GIVE A DAMN.

At St. Julian, we believe in the importance of caring passionately…. in giving a damn about our community. We are excited to be introducing a new series of wines designed to benefit different charities that speak to us. The first wines in this line are the SECOND CHANCE wines. Our team, as well as many of you, are fierce animal lovers which makes our first charity an easy choice. A portion of the proceeds from these wines will be donated to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, an organization providing animals a second chance at finding a loving home.

SECOND CHANCE DRY is a delicious white blend made with Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Vignoles. Together, these varietals create juicy tropical flavors, bright acidity and a refreshing finish. Dry wine drinkers will love its bright and crisp flavors of apple, peach, pear, and lemon. This is a wine that begs to be enjoyed with anything you would put a splash of lemon on; think pesto, fresh seafood, shrimp cocktail, and Ceasar salad.

SECOND CHANCE SWEET is a white blend made from Traminette and Valvin Muscat grapes. The Traminette gives a nice floral aroma, with flavors of lychee and fresh acidity. The Valvin Muscat adds peach and apricot notes. Like the dry version, the varieties are aged separately in stainless steel to retain the fresh aromas and flavors of the grapes. They are then blended together to create the perfect semi-sweet wine (7.5% RS). Second Chance Sweet is perfect with spicy and salty foods. We love adding frozen grapes or peaches to the glass to keep it at the perfect chilled temperature.

Second Chance Wines poolside
SWEET NANCIE CHERRY
Sweet Nancie Cherry Wine Bottle Poolside

At St. Julian, we love creating delicious new wines for our sweet drinkers and we are excited for the latest creation! The Sweet Nancie line of sparkling wines are some of the most awarded and popular wines; and we have once again introduced a new version exclusively for members.; Sweet Nancie Sparkling Cherry! People just love bubbles, not only because they are festive, but also because they are refreshing and awaken your taste buds, and Winemaker Nancie loves bubbles!

Made 100% from Montmorency tart cherries grown at Ed Oxley Farms in Lawton, Sweet Nancie Cherry is a beautiful deep pink color. We chose to use this variety of cherry because Montmorency cherries are truly “the cherry with more.” They are on- trend with a sweet and sour taste profile, and are full of healthy nutrients. The bubbles came from a second fermentation of the cherry wine. It was placed in a pressurized tank, called a charmat tank, along with a little more yeast and sugar. The yeast converted the sugar during this second fermentation and bubbles were created as a result. These bubbles were trapped in the wine creating a delicious sweet sparkling ( 9% Residual Sugar) with great acidity.

Sparkling wines go perfect with anything crunchy and salty. Pair Sweet Nancie Cherry with things like popcorn, potato chips, fried chicken, French fries and charcuterie boards. We love this wine for being festive and casual all at the same time. After all, every day should be celebrated!

ASK THE WINEMAKER

& our Winemaker, Nancie Oxley will answer.

What makes a wine bubbly?   Krista J. in Jacksonville, FL

Why BUBBLES of course! Sparkling wines are very popular and no longer used strictly for special occasions. At St. Julian, we love to celebrate every day and drink bubbles all the time! Sparkling wine is special in that it has an extra step in the process. Wine is made when yeast eats the sugar in the grape juice in a process known as fermentation. This process produces alcohol and gas carbon dioxide. It’s the carbon dioxide trapped in the wine that makes bubbles. In order to make sparkling wine, two fermentations need to happen; one to make the wine and the other to make the bubbles. This can be done in a number of ways. Here at St. Julian we primarily use two ways to make our sparkling wines.

The first is the Traditional Method or Methode Champenoise. This is the way that fine sparkling wines have been made for centuries and how traditional Champagne is made. During this process still, base wine is put into a bottle (fermentation #1) and topped with more yeast and sugar before closing the bottle. The yeast and sugar react once again to create more alcohol and carbon dioxide (fermentation #2). The bubbles are trapped in the bottle, carbonating the wine. This is how our Braganini Reserve Blanc de Blanc is made.

The second method used to produce bubblies is called Charmat or Tank Method. This is how the very popular Italian Processo is made. During this method, base wines are added with sugar and yeast in a big pressurized tank. Instead of the second fermentation taking place in individual bottles, it takes place in these tanks. As the Co2 is released from the fermentation, the bubbles are trapped in the wine and then bottled under pressure.

We have two new delicious sparkling wines for August Wine Club that are made using the Charmat Method. The first is the newest in the Sweet Nancie line; Sparkling Sweet Nancie Cherry made from local Lawton cherries. The second is a dry sparkling Rose’ made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chambourcin. Both of these wines I’m extremely excited about and I know you will love. They promise to make your day a celebration!

Nancie Oxley, Winemaker
Wine Club in Tuscany, Italy!

Fun Times and Great Wine. 

Wine Club Members in Tuscany

This past April, 45 Wine Club Members, Winemaker Nancie Oxley and Wine Club Director Cassandra Pone’ had the great joy of exploring Tuscany together. Not only were fantastic memories created, but bonds of friendship were forged and strengthened. This is at the very heart of Wine Club!

Sunny Portugal!

MARCH 13 - March 22, 2020

On MARCH 13 through March 22, 2020 - Join Winemaker Nancie Oxley, as she personally travels around sunny Portugal! Explore the wine regions of this beautiful coastal country known for its olive trees, country estates, and spectacular shoreline. Tour the cork farm where St. Julian gets its corks and learn about this very important local industry. Ancient castles, groves of lemon & almond trees, delicious local cuisine and world-class wines await you on this once in a lifetime trip! $3,200 includes airfare!


Join us for an informational meeting about this amazing experience. The tour and travel representatives will be on hand to answer all your questions.

Portugal Trip Informational Meeting
Tuesday, August 27th • 
6 pm
St. Julian Winery, Paw Paw

Email Wineclub@stjulian.com to RSVP

Not able to make the meeting but would like to know more? Check out the links and contact information below. The last day to guarantee pricing is September 10th, 2019.

Details available by contacting info@sealandairtravel.com or call 269-657-5529

Wine Classes in Portugal
2019 WINE & HARVEST FESTIVAL

SEPTEMBER 6TH, 7TH & 8TH

Wine and Harvest Festival in Paw Paw is just around the corner and we are excited to see you for this fun filled weekend! We have spoken with several of our members who already have their hotel rooms reserved and are making plans to meet up with friends. There is SO MUCH going on around town that we wanted to give you a rundown of the St. Julian Wine Club Exclusive Happenings to help with your planning. In addition to the St. Julian main tent, we will have a Wine Club VIP area in the newly renovated Apollo space at the winery. The VIP area will be open on each day at the times listed below for active members only. Please know that we have a limited amount of space and admittance will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Last year we had more people than space, and we apologize for any inconvenience. We will do our best to accommodate members that wish to visit, but we cannot guarantee admittance. A lot depends on the weather and the number of visitors. A complete list of festival events taking place around town can be found at www.wineandharvestfestival.com.

FRIDAY

VIP WINE CLUB Tastings  - Apollo Room 12-5 pm: Stop in and enjoy a limited amount of complimentary tastes while relaxing in the Apollo. Additional pours available for purchase.

WINE CLUB VIP Barrel Tasting with Winemaker Nancie Apollo 5:30 Join Nanice for a trip to the barrel cellar as she “thieves” some port and sherry from the barrels. We will start taking names at 5 pm on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited.

Saturday 

VIP WINE CLUB Tastings - Apollo Room 12-5 pm

WINE CLUB VIP Barrel Tasting with Winemaker Nancie Apollo 5:30

SUNDAY

VIP WINE CLUB Tastings - Apollo Room 12-4 pm

People enjoying St. Julian Wine & Harvest Festival
WINE CLUB IMPROVEMENTS
New benefits for you to enjoy

We hope you love your Wine Club Membership and all the great fun we have together. Each year, we work hard to continue to elevate our wine program to bring only the highest quality wines for you to enjoy. Your support has allowed us to offer more delicious blends and single varietal wines, and design more opportunities to come together over wine experiences. We cannot thank you enough for your support and for being a part of the St. Julian Wine Club family.

Loyalty Points

What are those points on my account? Many of you have noticed that you have points accumulating on your Wine Club account. As a Wine Club member, you earn 3 points per dollar spent on all your purchases. Login to your account to check your point balance and redeem your points.

  • Earn points on every purchase while your membership is active.
  • Earn 3 points per dollar.
  • The rate of redemption is 1 point =.01 dollars.
  • Earn 1,000 points to redeem a $10 gift code just for drinking your favorite wine! Points can be redeemed online or in the tasting rooms.
  • Some exclusions apply.  May not be used on your quarterly Wine Club shipment.
Large Pours

Sometimes you want to taste many wines and sometimes you just want to enjoy one. Now when you visit the tasting rooms, you can choose to either do 6 complimentary tastes per visit, OR one complimentary large pour of your favorite! * Complimentary tastes are limited to either 1 tasting flight or 1 large pour per person per visit. Complimentary tastes may not be doubled up.

Text Messages

We now offer text message updates! Get tracking information and upcoming club information sent right to your phone. To opt in to this service, simply login to your account at  www.stjulian.com and add your mobile number to your information. You will see below this is a “SMS Permission” dropdown menu. Select OPT IN. It’s that easy!

Summer Recipe Pairings

Food & Wine is truly divine.

SUMMER PEACH & CORN SALAD
SECOND CHANCE DRY + SUMMER PEACH & CORN SALAD

The fruit and citrus of the salad pairs with the crisp, refreshing flavors of the wine.

  • 3 cups cooked quinoa
  • 2 peaches, peeled & chunked
  • 2 cobs of corn, cooked & shucked
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
  • 1 avocado, peeled, cut into chunks
  • Handful of pepitas/pumpkin seeds
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh basil for garnish

Mix all dressing ingredients in a food processor. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use. Put quinoa, corn, tomatoes, chickpeas, peaches and avocado into a bowl. Add the dressing and gently mix until incorporated. Top with salt, pepper and pepitas. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve at room temperature or chilled! It’s also delicious on a bed of arugula!

Muffins
SECOND CHANCE SWEET + GRILL ROASTED CORN MUFFINS

Perfect with all kinds of barbecue, these savory and salty muffins will pair with the sweet stone fruit flavors in the wine.

  • 5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. each of baking powder & salt
  • 1/2 tsp. each of baking soda, black pepper & pinch cayenne
  • 1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 4 large scallions, finely chopped
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream and 4 tbsp. melted butter

Set up the grill for indirect grilling with coals on one side. Heat to 425 degrees (could also use the oven). Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt pepper and cayenne. Stir in the corn, scallions, and bacon. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream and butter. Fold into the dry ingredients. Pour into muffin cups. Place muffin tin on grate opposite the coals. Cover grill and bake for 20 minutes.

Upcoming Fun
WHAT WE'RE DRINKING IN AUGUST

Great Wines for Great Times

VINEYARD SELECT RED

2017 Whiskey Brl Chambourcin, 2016 24 Mo. Aged Cabernet Franc, 2017 Cap Drain #1, 2017 Double Barrel Merlot, 2017 Big Barrel Chancellor, Cock of the Walk

SWEETER HARVEST

Sweet Nancie Cherry, Second Chance Sweet White, 2018 BR LH Vidal Blanc, 2018 BR Porpetto, Sweet Nancie Cherry, 2018 SJ LaCrescent Traminette

PERFECTLY PAIRED

Second Chance Dry White, Sweet Nancie Cherry, SJ Bubbly Dry Rose’, 2018 SJ LaCrescent Traminette, 2017 Whiskey Barrel Chambourcin, 2018 BR LH Vidal Blanc

PERFECTLY PAIRED WHITE

2018 BR Albarino Second Chance Sweet White, 2018 SJ Unoaked Chardonnay, 2018 SJ LaCrescent Traminette, 2018 BR Marsanne, 2018 SJ LaCrescent Traminette

VINEYARD SELECT

SJ Bubbly Dry Rose’, Second Chance Dry White, 2017 Whiskey Barrel Chambourcin, 2018 BR Albarino, 2018 BR Marsanne, 2018 SJ Unoaked Chardonnay

Read about a wine you didn’t receive? See a club that looks more tempting? Wine Club members have access to any wine, in any shipment, if available, and you can change your club you are in. Call to check availability of wines or to change clubs before August’ shipment! ​​​​​​800.732.6002 ext. 785 wineclub@stjulian.com

THIS MONTH'S TASTING NOTES

Explore the flavors and pairings of our wines with our tasting notes.