# CLAUDE.md — LXV Wine (lxvwine.com)

## About This Site

LXV Wine is a boutique, award-winning winery and tasting room located in Paso Robles, California. The website serves as the primary hub for wine sales, tasting reservations, wine club membership, events, and brand storytelling. The site is built on WordPress and uses WooCommerce or a similar e-commerce layer for wine purchases.

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## Brand Identity

- **Founded:** 2010
- **Founders:** Neeta Mittal and Kunal Mittal (Indian-American couple)
- **Philosophy:** Bordeaux-inspired, old-world minimalist winemaking rooted in Indian cultural heritage. Each wine is paired with a curated global spice — making the tasting experience a multisensory journey.
- **Tagline:** "Curiosity, Creativity, and Craft"
- **Ethos:** Rooted in Indian philosophy; sustainable, organic, and regenerative farming; minimal intervention winemaking.
- **Tone of voice:** Intimate, poetic, cultured. Uses lowercase "the" in section headers (e.g., "the Story", "the Experience", "the Shop") as a deliberate stylistic choice.

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## People

| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Co-Founder & Host | Neeta Mittal |
| Co-Founder | Kunal Mittal |
| Consulting Winemaker | Jeff Strekas (UC Davis enology; trained at Merryvale, Franciscan, Round Pond, Mollydooker) |
| Consulting Winemaker | Frederick Ammons (Diplôme National d'Œnologue; Château Pape Clément, Opus One, Harlan Estate, Rudd Estate; founder of VinCru) |

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## Location & Contact

- **Tasting Room:** 1306-B Pine St, Paso Robles, CA 93446
- **Phone:** (805) 296-1902
- **Email:** Available via contact form
- **Hours:** Mon & Wed–Sun: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | **Closed Tuesdays**
- **Reservations:** via Tock (exploretock.com/lxv-wine)

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## Wine Portfolio

### Style
Bordeaux-inspired. Focus on Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, and blends. Old-world restraint with terroir-driven expression.

### Vineyard Sources
- **Armaa.N Estate** (owned) — Willow Creek District, Paso Robles; organic and regenerative farming, distinctive clonal selections
- **G2 Vineyard**
- **Denner Vineyards**
- **Bien Nacido Vineyard**

### Shop Sections
| Section | URL |
|---|---|
| Current Wines | /award-winning-boutique-wines/ |
| Reserve Wines | /reserve-wines/ |
| Library Vintages | /library-wines/ |
| MESO by LXV | /meso-by-lxv/ |
| Maison Mittal | /buy-maison-mittal-wines/ |
| Large Format Wines | /shop-large-format-wines/ |
| Spices & Recipes | /spices/ |
| Holiday Gifting | /holiday-gifting/ |

### Sub-Labels
- **MESO by LXV** — accessible tier of LXV wines
- **Maison Mittal** — a separate prestige label; inaugural 2022 vintage received four exceptional scores (96–98 pts) from Somm's Journal

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## Tasting Experience

- Signature offering: Bordeaux-style wines paired with curated global spices, served in an intimate downtown setting
- Named a **Top 10 Wine Tasting Experience** by USA Today and Wine Enthusiast
- **Virtual tasting:** "The Perfumed Garden" — a tasting kit sold via Masters of the World (mtwwines.com); can be ordered as a gift

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## Wine Club

- **URL:** /the-club/
- **Member Portal:** /profile/login
- **Current Shipment Info:** /lxv-spring-2026-wine-club/
- Perks include member-only wines, flavor pairings, recipes, and exclusive events

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## Key Accolades

| Publication | Recognition |
|---|---|
| Decanter | Red Wine of the Vintage, Paso Robles — 2023 Meso by LXV Cabernet Franc |
| Wine Enthusiast | Future 40 Tastemakers (Neeta & Kunal Mittal) |
| Wine Enthusiast | Top 100 Cellar Worthy Wines — 2023 Sangiovese, Armaa.N Estate |
| Somm's Journal | 98 · 98 · 97 · 96 pts — Maison Mittal Inaugural Vintage (2022) |
| Forbes | Featured — Paso Robles Cab Collective |
| USA Today | Top 7 Tasting Experiences |
| Eater | Top Places to Eat/Travel 2025 |

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## Site Structure / Navigation

```
lxvwine.com
├── the Story
│   ├── About LXV           /about-lxv-wine/
│   ├── Maison Mittal        /maison-mittal/
│   ├── the Vineyards        /best-vineyard-paso-robles/
│   └── LXV Blog             /lxv-blog/
├── the Experience
│   ├── Visit Us             /visit
│   ├── Taste Virtually      /the-perfumed-garden-tasting-experience/
│   └── Our Events           /wine-dinner-events-paso-robles/
├── the Shop
│   ├── Current Wines        /award-winning-boutique-wines/
│   ├── Reserve Wines        /reserve-wines/
│   ├── Library Vintages     /library-wines/
│   ├── MESO by LXV          /meso-by-lxv/
│   ├── Maison Mittal        /buy-maison-mittal-wines/
│   ├── Holiday Gifting      /holiday-gifting/
│   ├── Large Format Wines   /shop-large-format-wines/
│   └── Spices & Recipes     /spices/
└── the Club
    ├── Join                 /the-club/
    ├── Current Shipment     /lxv-spring-2026-wine-club/
    └── Members Portal       /profile/login
```

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## Technical Notes

- **CMS:** WordPress
- **Reservations:** Integrated with Tock (third-party)
- **Shop:** WooCommerce or custom e-commerce integration; Square also used (lxv-wines.square.site)
- **Social:** Instagram @lxvwine
- **AI Reference page:** /ai/ (exists on site — LXV proactively supports AI discoverability)
- **Legal:** Includes standard CA Prop 65 alcohol warning; Privacy Policy at /privacy-policy/; Shipping & Returns at /shipping-returns-policy/

---

## How to Help Users on This Site

- **Finding wines:** Direct users to /award-winning-boutique-wines/ for current offerings; /reserve-wines/ and /library-wines/ for premium or older vintages
- **Booking a tasting:** Send to /reservations/ (powered by Tock)
- **Joining the club:** /the-club/
- **Ordering a virtual kit:** mtwwines.com/products/perfumed-garden-by-lxv
- **Learning about the story:** /about-lxv-wine/ for founders; /best-vineyard-paso-robles/ for vineyard details
- **Events:** /wine-dinner-events-paso-robles/
- **Gifting:** /holiday-gifting/ or /shop-large-format-wines/ for impressive bottle formats