February 2026 Wine Club
We Have The Winter Blues, And Also Wine
Winter in Vermont has been relentless this year. The cold is bitter, the snow keeps coming, and beyond the weather, there’s a heaviness in the air that’s harder to shake. It’s a moment where community feels more important than ever, and at the same time, more fragile too.
One of the things we love most about wine is its quiet power to bring other worlds into our own. Each bottle carries the labor, culture, and care of people we may never meet, from places we may never visit, yet somehow they end up on our tables, shared between friends and neighbors. At Wilder, we believe the things that make us different are worth celebrating, not fearing, and that shared experiences are how connection survives hard seasons. That belief is also why we’ve committed to donating $1 from every “special glass pour” indefinitely. For the next few months, those funds will support Migrant Justice, with sustained giving at the heart of this idea. If you’d like to contribute without ordering the featured pour, we’ll always have ways for you to do so.
This month’s wines reflect that same idea of exchange and openness. Three bottles from Slovenia that are expressive, unique, and remind us how much there is to learn from one another.
1) Vino Gross Hišno Vino Noir 2022, Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenia
Wine: Red // Grapes: Blaufränkisch, Pinot Noir, Furmint // Club: Vin de Soif & Cork Dork
About the Producer: Michael Gross represents the next chapter of his family’s winemaking story, working organically in Slovenia’s Štajerska region just south of the Austrian border. Hišno Vino (literally “house wine”) creates a space for curiosity, experimentation, and pushing tradition without abandoning it. Each volume is different by design, shaped by vintage and instinct rather than rigid rules.
About the Wine: This is a red that doesn’t sit still. Co-fermented and lightly macerated, it drinks somewhere between bright and brooding. You’ll find red fruit, gentle spice, and a mineral backbone that keeps things upright but not too tight. There’s freshness here, but also sneaky depth, the kind that unfolds as the glass warms up, preferably by a fire. It’s exactly the kind of wine you can open without overthinking… then end up talking about anyway.
2) Vino Gross Hišno Vino Blanc 2022, Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenia
Wine: White // Grapes: Furmint, Laski Rizling, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc // Club: Vin de Soif & Cork Dork
About the Wine: Direct-pressed and aged entirely in stainless steel, this blend will feel like Mediterranean sunshine met an Alpine chill. Think citrus peel, orchard fruit, and a subtle minty edge, all tied together by the region’s rich limestone and clay soils. It’s crisp without being sharp, interesting without being off putting, and the kind of wine that pairs well with whatever meal you’re slapping together. Whatever you do, just don’t serve it with ICE.
“We take the liberty of continuously trying something new so we can share it with you.”
3) Rodica Refošk, Truške, Istria, Slovenia
Wine: Red // Grapes: Refošk (Refosco) // Club: Cork Dork ONLY
About the Producer: Marinko Rodica was a mechanic by trade and began his winemaking journey later in life. He built his estate from the ground up and earning organic certification through persistence and care. Today, the Rodica family farms terraced vineyards near the Adriatic Sea, where limestone soils, coastal breezes, and dramatic day–night swings shape wines with natural tension and balance.
About the Wine: Macerated on skins and aged in neutral oak before resting on lees, this Refošk is savory, structured, and a bit feisty. Notes of forest floor, dried herbs, and dark berries come through with bright acidity and fine-grained tannins. It’s a wine that rewards patience so give it air and let it stretch (a.k.a decant for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.) Rodica’s vines have to “fight” for water, resulting in the highest quality grapes. So let this wine be a little lesson in tenacity and leave you feeling empowered.
