While I fully support breaking all the “rules” of wine and encourage you drink whatever brings you joy with your food, for this wine club, I do pay attention to the seasonal shifts in our eating and our menus while making selections.  We are in New England, where we embrace the seasonal changes.  It is a test of our resilience and adaptability, it offers a reset, and it provides an opportunity to try something new or return to it.  Also, I listen to all of you, and most often I hear that you want wines that will warm us up and stand up to the richer flavors on the table.

Value Wines—Yes there still some wines that I think are great values, and to me that means a solid, well made wine that remains under $20.  These are our everyday wines that are satisfying and affordable, and may even surprise you with quality and complexity.

22 Domaine de Majas Blanc is a blend of Rolle/Vermentino, Macabao, and Carignan Blanc from the south of France. The combination creates a complex aroma of ripe yellow apple, fresh cut thyme and lemon grass, lemon peel and ocean air. The wine has a weighty texture that is balanced by acidity and salinity. I love the combination of this wine with an exceptional dry Monteray Jack cheese from Central Coast Creamery in California--they harmonize in a beautiful way. You could try it also with seared scallops!

23 Castle Rock Chardonnay is one of a long and growing list of wines put out by owner Greg Popovich and his winemaker MeghanDaniels Rech.  Greg opened the winery in 1994 with the aim of producing well made wines sustainably and at affordable price points.  He has succeeded.  In 2020 Meghan joined the team and I think the wines truly express her style—elegant and flavorful, California ripeness tamed to nuanced expression of aroma and flavor.  This Chardonnay is judiciously oaked, so all the texture without any impeding, tertiary flavors that have turned you off to oak in the past.  The wine has loads of ripe apple, crisp pear, pineapple notes with a touch of citrus and loads of minerality.  Try it with a pan roasted chicken.  For a great recipe try “How to Dress an Egg,” by Ned Baldwin & Peter Kaminsky.3

23 Atlantique Rosé from Bordeaux is an exceptional value for the quality.  It is a rosé that will offer the refreshment of a cold wine while the balance of intensity of flavor to stand up to winter meals.  This is another negotiant, which is the French designation for someone who sources their grapes.  This is one way that winemakers are controlling costs—vineyards are expensive and not easy to care for.  That said, many, like the folks at Castle Rock and the winemaker at Atlantique, source grapes from responsible sustainable growers and make delicious wines. This rosé is fresh and light, but with 85% Cabernet Franc it is flavorful and has a touch of tannins for texture, which makes it ideal for the colder months.  It is great for the New Year’s resolution salad that you are likely enjoying today!

23 Pas Saint Martin “Sous le Tilleul,” Grolleau is for those of you who still seek a lighter bodied red, despite the shift to wool sweaters!  The cuvée “Sous le Tilleul” takes its name from the linden trees surrounding the vineyard. It is produced from Grolleau Noir, a centuries old grape type native to the Loire. The Grolleau is early for picking in theharvest, this maintains a particular lighter style, with higher acidity and a potential alcohol of 11.5%. The grapes remain whole-clusters and are fermented that way, using a semi-carbonic method (like Beaujolais). The maceration lasts 5 to 6 days and the wine is a 50/50 blend of free run and press juice. The result is a light, fresh red that will surprise you with its depth of flavor and food friendly style.  I recommend this one with a spicy dish, ramen, or bowl of French onion soup.

2020 Chateau Haut Mondain. In keeping with the no rules philosophy of 2025, we give you permission to love the traditional Bordeaux of old. This is a structured red, mostly Merlot which provides loads of fruit and soft edges, but with both Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc for texture and depth of flavor. It is classic in style, but forward thinking in production. Sustainably grown with respect for the environment means that classic Bordeaux is a bold wine, but balanced with tannins and acidity. What is truly bold about this wine is the value price tag! Enjoy it with a burger 🍔 and a good friend midweek while taking a break from all those resolutions!

22 Mucci Valentino Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is for those seeking big flavor but also freshness.  This Montepulciano from the Northeast of Italy.  It has a dark red, ruby color, with light fresh violet aromas and nuances of berry and fig, fennel, and tomato paste.  This is 100% Montepulciano, the grape, not the Tuscan town, and while they are similar, this wine has a deeper, inkling quality.  I like this one with pizza or pasta, but it is also great with red meats.

Select Wines—Sometimes you want something with more complexity of flavor, or an elevated experience that will expand your knowledge. It is worth it!

21 Chidaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc come to us from the Loire, from the Touraine region, where Francois Chidaine vineyards now include 45 hectares of grapes—most of which is Chenin Blanc, of course, but a small parcel is dedicated to Sauvignon.  The vineyard is farmed biodynamically, which involves a incredible amount of work.  I will be devoting some time to this conversation in our new series coming up, so watch your emails for dates, if you are curious about farming biodynamically, we will discuss the details and its impact on the wine.  This wine is classically produced and has a taste of the Loire.  It is elegant, with mineral and citrus well balanced and nuanced herb and floral aromas.  Serve this with pan roasted fish, or a fondue!

21 Verizet Macon-Lugny is an example of classic Maconnais Chardonnay.  The region, in the southern most part of Burgundy is know for producing very high quality Chardonnay that is flavorful, deep fruit flavors with bright acidity and highly defined minerality on the finish.  The climate of Macon is unique in its southern location, providing ripeness from increased heat form the sun.  It also boasts some rolling hills which provides variety of crops that lend itself to a healthy ecosystem.  Ripeness gives a more opulent expression and therefore what we call a “friendlier” wine.  This chardonnay will envelope you.  Enjoy it with lighter roasted meats and vegetables.  I may make a nice winter ratatouille and get a baguette!

23 Pallus &/or 2023 Saint Madeleine…It is getting more difficult to find enough current rosé for the  growing number of wine club members, so January (and likely until the 24 release) I have two options for rosé at the select level.  Get in early to choose for yourself.  The truth is the wines are from different places, but quite similar.  These are food wines.  Some rosé is for aperitif, but not these. There is a depth of flavor, berry, cherry, and cirtus balanced with herbal notes, jasmine, and salinity to make your mouth water.  These wines can handle your cheese and charcuterie, but even better try them with Asian dishes, they can handle spice if you feel like roasting some poblanos, or any lighter roasted meats.

21 Prunelle da Navacelle Beaujolais, Gamay is a new one for the shop, and I absolutely love it.  I am a fan of Gamay, as you all know, but in the winter, I too crave a more full bodied expression. They do exist, and can surprise us with their warmth and richness.  This one comes from a new wine maker in the emerging region of Beaujolais Lantinie.  Prunelle de Navacelle is producing a small amount of wine at her family’s Chateau du Basty.  She farms regenetvely to encourage biodiversity and to respect the earth in efforts to fight climate change.  Her wine is make from three parcels, all 80 year old vines grown in granite and clay soils.  Native yeasts and natural fermentations result in authentic wine  that is elegant and she calls it “transparent.”  The wine is rich on the palate for a Gamay, so enjoy it with a traditional gratin, accompanied by a salad with a dijon vinaigrette.  Simple, perfect, and so satisfying.

21 Conti Spanna Colline Novaresi is 100% Nebbiolo.  The sisters Elena, Anna, and Paola are following the traditional methods of wine making established by their father in the 70’s when he bang making wine on the family’s single hectare lot in the Boca, DOC.  The wine is made naturally, aged in neutral oak, with minimal intervention.  The result is a lively, elegant wine, the fruit is dark cherry and brambly berry with a little animal quality that makes it very interesting.  I found the tannins very supple, and enjoyed this with a Bolognese lasagne.

21 Hobo Dry Creek Zinfandel is part of a larger project in Sonoma started by a team of people who are committed to all of the principals that I am constantly preaching about—sustainability, responsibly, quality and ethics.  I love what they are doing.  In addition to being morally good, their wines are exceptionally good tasting.  This Zinfandel is a perfect example of what I think is an under appreciated grape.  It is rich but balanced Red Zinfandel with classic notes of brambly summer berries, black pepper, violet notes all in a smooth, soft supple wine that will allure you with its depth of color and win you over with the lasting smile it will leave on the finish.  Yes, fruit forward but not a fruit bomb, much more layered and nuanced than that! Try it with a bowl of curry, I suggest trying Bee Wilson’s Chicken Curry in The Secret of Cooking.4 She makes it simple and the result is delicious, and the combination is so wonderful!

Collector Wines—Focus on a Vintner—Steve Matthiasson

22 Matthiasson “Village” Cabernet Sauvignon & 22 Lunda Vista Chardonnay

There are many reasons why I like these wines—the quality, the flavor, the vintner’s commitment to making honest wines, to name a few.  It is more than just that, Steve Matthiasson is a person of generous spirit.  When I decided to expand on Tipsy Rose a few years ago, I reach out to Steve to ask if he had advice on where to source grapes.  It seemed to me that I should ask people who make wine that I admire and like to drink, and he not only gave me a contact but was happy to share with me advice on the harvest and winemaking as I embarked on my journey.  There are few people in this industry that I admire and appreciate as much as Steve and his wife Jill.  They do it right on all counts—good people and great wine.

The 22 Lunda Vista Chardonnay is made from grapes grown on their own vineyard just behind their home in Napa.  Here are the winemaker’s notes:

In 2011 we leased the Linda Vista Chardonnay vineyard behind our house and started farming it ourselves. We immediately converted it to organic farming and got busy re-invigorating the beautiful old vines. The West Oak Knoll area where we live is one of the classic Chardonnay spots in Napa, going back to the 60s, when the climate here was considered too cool for full-bodied reds. The cool winds and marine origin clay soils preserve zesty acidity and freshness, while the Napa sun provides richness and ripeness. Leasing the vineyard, taking it organic, and farming it ourselves gave us the control to feel comfortable producing a challenging and iconic variety like Chardonnay, where crafting “balance” means walking a razor’s edge in a genre with such iconic examples.

The wine has lively citrus notes, golden apple,  white peaches, and melon, and it has a refreshing crisp, clean finish.  I love the wet stone notes on the finish, that make me crave roasted fish, and inspire me to fill a roasting pan with onions, Yukon golds and some cured black olives, lay a piece of fresh cod on top drizzle with olive oil and roast!

The 22 Village Napa Cab has become the Matthaisson entry level Cabernet, and while it is still reasonably priced for Napa that means in the mid-fifties, this wine is worth the investment.  The reality of Napa Cabernet is that it is driven by real estate prices.  The grapes are expensive because the land is expensive, but it is also ideally suited for growing Cab.  That means that the best grapes are coming from these sites, and they warrant the cost.  So, when you feel like grabbing a delicious cab that doesn’t break the bank and is ready to enjoy now, this is your wine.

The wine is made from grapes from a wide variety of Napa Valley organic vineyards.  All harvested in small lots, with twice daily punch downs, for mild extraction and preserving freshness.  The Matthaisson’s like more high-toned style wines, and that means they pair better with foods.  The nose  prepares you for the brambly fruits that follow on the palate with hints of herbs and minerals, a little leather and pencil shavings (yes, I am a pencil girl, so I love this element).  The soft tannins make it easy to enjoy youthful, but it will reward you if you choose to age it.  Try it with a pan seared rib eye!

Cheers, to a wine filled 2025 inspiring you to Eat Drink & Think,

Maria

Slow down, we move too fast…

Here we are into the last month of the year, and in what seems like a blink of an eye, the year is nearly over.  With each passing year, I feel I say this with even greater surprise. The only way to slow down time, is to slow down ourselves, so that is what I must do.  Sit longer with a friend, talking of ideas, nibbling on foods that far exceed the needs of nutrients and sipping on delights that bring joy and pause for thought. 

These notes are an exercise in slow delights.  Each month, I forage through the offerings available for your selections, contemplate the wines that will best fit into the club and that will elevate your meals, snacks, and shared or quiet moments.  This month, I also tasked myself with helping you to slow down.  It is a self-serving exercise, I admit it, but it is also one of the gifts of food and wine. Perhaps, it is the most rewarding gift. It makes us stop and think about what to eat, what to pair, how to prepare, and then cook, serve, and enjoy.

When we open a bottle of wine, prepare a meal, we step away from our tasks, work, responsibilities and we use our senses for joy, nurturing, and satisfaction.  I love the cut of the foil, the squeak of the cork screw (or the crack of the breaking seal on a screw top), the pop of the cork, the splash of the wine into my glass, as I watch the wave of color curl into its resting place and inhale the aromatics. I smile, sip, and swallow, exhaling to receive the full impact of the aroma and bouquet.  All senses alert and alighted! 

Is the 59th Street Bridge playing in your head, yet?  “Slow down, you move to fast.  You got to make the moment last.  Just kickin’ down the cobblestones. Looking for love and feelin’ groovy.” Thanks Simon & Garfunkel for that one! 

Enjoy December, the sunshine is so bright and the air brisk.  It is a time to enjoy our friends, reflect on the year, gather together and show our gratitude for each other.  I hope these wines give you the opportunity for all of that, as well as a quiet moment, perhaps at the stove stirring. 

Cheers, Maria 

Risotto—A Stirring Meditation 

I am not so good at stillness, but I am good at making risotto, which requires that you stand in one place and stir without stopping, watching the rice cooking in a simmer of broth, continuously moving a wooden spoon through the simmering liquid to ensure the creaminess of the sauce that surrounds each piece of perfectly cooked rice.  If that isn’t a practice of slowing down and being present, then I don’t know what is!  Here is one of my favorite recipes for the holiday season.   

Roasted Beet Risotto 

This is adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe.  I don’t remember where I originally found it, but I have made my tweaks, and you should make your own! 

6 medium size red beets with the greens 

2 shallots 

1 clove garlic, roasted 

2 cups Carnaroli rice (Arborio also great), rinsed 

½ cup dry white wine 

2-3 cups vegetable stock (chicken also works) 

½ cup red wine, optional 

2 tablespoons butter 

1 cup grated parmesan 

1. Place whole beets in an oven proof dish about an about an inch of water, cover, and place a whole head of garlic in there, too.  Roast at 375 for 45 minutes. (Tip:  use a serrated knife to cut off the top of the garlic, so you can easily squeeze out the roasted cloves when done.) 

2. Rough chop the beet greens, and reserve. 

3. Remove the beets, use a paring knife to peel. The skins sort of slide off, easily. Cut the beets into 1/2inch cubes. (Yes, they can stain, so use a board that is easy to wash.) Reserve the roasting liquid.  It is usually a bright red, so you can add it to the risotto for color. 

4.  Squeeze the garlic head to release the roasted garlic paste. 

5. Heat stock in a stock pot.  Simmer is hot enough. 

6. Put a few tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan, heated over medium heat.  (Tip: always heat your pan first, then add your fat, heat that through before adding any ingredients.) 

7. Reduce the pan to low and add finely diced shallots.  (Yes, an onion works fine, I just like the intensity of shallots.) Cover and sweat the allium of your choice for 8 minutes or until translucent. 

8. Add a clove of the roasted garlic, or more to taste. Using the wooden spoon to break it up, it will melt into the shallots. 

9. Raise the heat to medium-high, add your risotto rice and stir, using your wooden spoon. (This is an important step, as it is creating the foundation for the creaminess of your risotto, so give it some love.) 

10. You will see the rice begin to become translucent, with a white center after about 5 minutes.  At this point, add the white wine and stir.  It will sizzle and then get absorbed by the rice. (Some Italians have questioned this step, but I like the punch the acidity of the wine gives the dish. You decide for yourself) 

11. Now, you will add ¼ cup of your hot stock and stir until it has been absorbed by the rice. Continue to add the stock at ¼ cup increments. I usually need all of the stock, and it takes about 30 minutes.  (Yes, Stand, Stir, and just inhale the aromatics that are swirling around you. When asked if someone can step in, politely decline and enjoy your meditative moment.  Also, enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that your own way of stirring makes the dish uniquely your own 😉) 

12. When the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked but still has a bite, add the red wine, the chopped beet greens, butter, salt and pepper to your taste, and finely grated parmigiana.  Stir a bit more to combine.  It should be creamy. 

13. Serve on warmed dishes.  

14. Garnish plates with finely chopped parsley. 

I like this dish on its own, as a main, but it is also wonderful with a tenderloin.  Beef and beets go nicely together. As an option, sear a tuna steak with loads of black pepper on it, or just make a beautiful chicory salad with an anchovy dressing and enjoy the risotto.  I am sure that the two open bottles of wine conveniently opened for your recipe will both pair nicely with your meal. Generally, I serve the same wine that I cook with, as the flavors are already in the dish. 

Mangia! 

Your Wine Notes, Dec. 2024 

Value Wines

If you are seeking a good value, there are  a number of great wines that are still under $20 that are satisfying and delicious.  To begin, if you are like me and want a cold wine regardless of the weather outside, I suggest the  2022 Chateau le Raz Bergerac Blanc.  It is a fresh, fruity, and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc that has a pinch of Semillon that rounds the tangy edges a little.  There is a surprising and very pleasant minerality that balances the fruit.  I would have this one in the fridge at all times, in case someone pops in for a splash to celebrate.  It would be wonderful with some fresh goat cheese, salads, or Asian foods.  If you seek something a bit weightier, grab the 2020 Kuentz Bas Pinot Blanc. 

There are a number of wines that continue to prove to me that you need not pay a premium for quality wines steeped in tradition, and the Kuentz-Bas Wines are among them.  This one is floral and honeyed, but dry and bright, with complex aromas.  It is mouth watering and will complete your meal, even elevate it.  Try it with a fondue, roasted pork, or pan seared fish. 

 If you want cold, but not white, consider the 2023 Pomalo Rosé which will deliver a surprising burst of exciting aromas straight out of the glass, red berries, pink grapefruit, peach, and cherry. It is 100% Blaufrankish, from Slovenia, and it would be wonderful with turkey, if you still have some left over. It is truly a bright, fresh, dry rosé with surprising complexity for its modest price point. Alternatively, I offer a bonus wine this month for all my club members, and bubbles, no less!

Finding a delcious, dry, crisp, refreshing sparkling wine for less that $20 these days is a Christmas miracle in itself, but I found one. You will love it! The NV Casa di Malia Vino Frizzante, Prosecco, from the Veneto, 100% Glera is from a family-owner vineyard, certified organic…seriously, how is this so reasonable? It has a wonderful lemon zest and pear fruit combination with soft, lively bubbles. Enjoy it on its own as you stir that risotto!

 Yes, tis the season for reds, I know, and I have a few of those for you as well. To begin with a medium bodied, spicy little number, the 2022 Chateau de Ruth—Jardin de Ruth is Grenache and Marcelan. It is smooth, easy but not without complexity. Coming from an estate that dates back to the 16th century, it is no surprise that the wine has character. Plum fruit, a little black berry, touch of spice, good tannins and a nice long warming finish. Enjoy this one with lighter meats, charcuterie, and warm winter stews.

The two other reds in the value picks are both more full bodied. The 2018 Victor, Côtes de Castillon is another new wine for us. It is is stylistically traditional to the region with of reserve up front, more fruit on themed plate and supple, well integrated tannins. It has abundant brambly fruit and nuanced flavors of tobacco and leather and spice with some black pepper. This is ideal for game, red meats, or mushroom dishes.

2019 Rodrigo Duoro Red is from northern Portugal, it is rich and intense with

 Select Wines

2023 Marquiliani Rosé 

2020 Kuentz Bas Riesling 

2019 Fram Chenin Blanc 

2022 Domaine du Petit Clocher Anjou Rouge 

2020 Côtes de Berne Moulin à Vent 

2021 Villa S’Anna Chianti Sensi 

 Collector

2023 Clos Sainte Magdeliene Cassis Blanc 

2018 Chateau Pradeaux Rouge