DJ Muggs, Broc Cellars, and Now-Again Records debut Notes & Tones wine and album
Fresh off the success of their Holy Ghost wine and record combo, DJ Muggs of Soul Assassins and Egon, the creator of Now-Again Records, have joined with the Bay area’s acclaimed winery and pioneer of the natural wine movement, Broc Cellars, to introduce their newest wine and album duo, “Notes & Tones.”
The rising popularity of natural wines explains why pairings between the music and wine sectors are in such great demand. Fox Hill Vineyards in Mendocino, California, is a partner of Broc Cellars’, and its founder, Chris Brockway, collaborated with DJ Muggs and Egon to create this unique blend of Tocai Friulano and Trebbiano grapes.
The three collaborated closely to create this modern-day homage to naturally derived, skin-contact wines through conception, fermentation, tasting, blending, and bottling. DJ Muggs and Egon, two prominent members of the natural wine movement, teamed up with Broc Cellars to introduce people who aren’t as well-versed in the style to the potential of natural wine.
When creating the wine for the Notes and Tones album, Brockway worked closely with DJ Muggs and Egon to hone in on the perfect blend. DJ Muggs and Egon were instrumental in every phase of the process, from initial blending to final bottling at the Broc Cellars facility in Berkeley.
Fox Hill Vineyard, found in Menodcino’s Talmage bench, in primarily sandstone rich soil, produces fruit that, when fermented into wine, results in elegant wines with high aromatics and low tannin. This special release is a blend of 60% Tocai Friulano and 40% Trebbiano from this vineyard.
The wine fermented on the skins for six months in sandstone jarres (an amphora) before being basket pressed and returned to the jarres for further aging, as mentioned in a press release. The Notes & Tones blend was fermented with only natural yeasts, as are all of their wines.
At no point in the winemaking process, from fermentation to aging to bottling, was sulfur added. The resulting natural wine is bright and approachable, with notes of mandarin, jackfruit, and white jasmine on the nose and the flavors of freshly picked oranges and a lychee fruit flavor profile.
Notes & Tones is a versatile wine that can be enjoyed at any time of day. To achieve their goal of showcasing the true character of each variety, Broc Cellars uses only organic, locally-grown grapes in all of their wines, including this exclusive private label.
The only title that made sense was the masterwork by legendary jazz drummer Art Taylor. Muggs paired the wine with selections he and Egon cleared from Sun Ra’s pioneering catalog of cosmic jazz. This is truly an excellent joint effort between Soul Assassins and Now-Again.
Notes & Tones will be made available for a strictly limited time beginning on March 7, through broccellars.com, soulassassins.com, and rappcats.com. For folks in California, the wine + vinyl pack will debut simultaneously at release events at Broc Cellars in Berkeley, on March 9, and Rappcats in Los Angeles, on March 11.
Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.
This story was originally published March 7, 2023 at 10:18 AM with the headline "DJ Muggs, Broc Cellars, and Now-Again Records debut Notes & Tones wine and album."