Responsible Indulgence--Come Over October Wine Notes
I selected the wines for October with gathering together and sharing a meal in mind, jumping on the Come Over October campaign, celebrating friendship and connection that Karen McNeil has initiated.
To make that easy to do, we have six value wines that are solid, well-made wines, that make it easy to enjoy a glass with friends. The 2023 Zestos Rosado is dry and fresh, made from old vines Garnacha. The wine is elegant, smooth and fresh. It has a lovely mineral element that shows itself as salinity. It has a vibrancy, likely because of the cold mountain nights. The weather is extreme and the elevation 2625 ft, but it is these conditions that give the wine its aromatics and character. There are strawberries and pomegranate coupled with fresh cherry and grapefruit pith. The finish is crisp, so the wine lends itself to rich dishes like the fig, ricotta bruschetta that I mentioned above.
Keeping it chilled, the 2022 Panoro Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is dry, fresh, and aromatic, which means that the aromas on the nose and on the palate are pronounced. When you lean into this glass, you will be confronted with fruit, floral, and citrus notes. It will bring a smile to your face. You cannot help wanting to take a sip. The balance of pear, apricot with lemon and orange peel, opens up to a jasmine freshness with just a hint of mint. This wine makes we want a simple risotto with lemon zest and grilled prawns.
For a little more full-bodied white, try the 2022 Pullus Halozan, which is a blend of Welschriesling, Riesling, Chardonnay, Furmint, and Pinot Blanc. This may sound like a lot, but it is a typical blend for Slovenia, and it is intended to enjoy with local seafood. In addition to the liter bottle, which affords you an extra glass, this wine is meant to share with friends. It is, simply put, a crowd pleaser, as it should be. Blends give winemakers a lot to work with. This one has five varietals, each with its own character, bringing the wine into harmony. It is fascinating when you begin to blend and see what each grape brings to the composition. You just have to pour a glass and enjoy it with lighter meats, risotto, cheese and charcuterie.
For reds, it is getting a little cooler at night, so I am leaning into reds with a bit more intensity. I try to select reds from lighter to more full-bodied, so the 2022 Zillamina Red from a Spanish Coop that began in 1932. They are pioneers in certified organic production and now have more than 600 hectares in production. Their red is 100% Monastrell and has a vibrant ruby red color, which compels you to lean in and inhale. The aroma, for me, is all sunshine, warmth and dusty thyme, with berry and red cherry notes. The earth and spice follow on the palate, which gives the wine a layered flavor profile that far exceeds its modest price point. It is structured and powerful without weight. Yes, I love this wine. Try it with a tapas menu, with which it will shine!
For a more full bodied expression, grab one of two Cabernet Sauvignon’s included in this month’s selections. As of late, there are more requests for full-bodied reds. It is the pendulum swinging back, and it is happening with some modicum of balance, which is to say that there appears to be a correction from the Robert Parker days. Your palates are more refined then that, and you are seeking bold without “bowl you over.” You have two options at the value level: 2020 Castle Rock Cabernet Sauvignon from California and the 202 La Mayne Turon from Bordeaux. Ideally, invite some friends and try them side by side, it is an opportunity to learn. They are both solid, value wines with interesting flavors, good intensity, and delicious, bold wines. That said, they are different. The French wine is leaner, with more acidity, and the California wine is smoother, more fruit forward, riper on the midpalate, more plum where the French is more brambly fruit, but also earthy and good tannins on the finish. I like them both, so you decide, and tell me what you ate with them...I would vote for a steak on an open fire grill.
For the Select wines, I first included the 2023 Tipsy Rose Rosé of Pinot Noir because I have had wonderful response to the wine, and I am eager to share it with you. It is a food rosé, meaning that it is more substantial in flavor and body. It is a direct to press rosé made with 100% Pinot Noir from Carneros, Napa, where Pinot likes to grow because of the cool winds off of the San Pablo Bay. The flavors and aromas of fresh black cherries, raspberry, citrus and a hint of fennel are balanced with a smooth midpalate, from the malolactic ferment. This gives the wine texture and fleshiness. I would enjoy this with some chunked parmesan and thinly sliced prosciutto.
For whites this fall, try the 2023 Cheveau Macon-Fuisse for a Chardonnay that will no doubt, rock your world. Don’t say it, do not say you don’t like Chardonnay. Chill this, open it and be prepared for the “Sam, I am.” Moment, and you will laugh and admitthat I might be on to something! The weight of the fruit—apples, melon, pear, pineapple, and lemon—is offset by stony minerality and crisp, fresh salinity. There is a supple mouth feel and a savory finish. Just touched judiciously with oak, the wine reveals this with a hint of vanilla and its texture that neutral barrels impart. I would enjoy this one with a pan-seared salmon.
If you are thinking leaner in style, grab the 2022 dell’ Angelo Greco di Tartufo Riserva. It is elegant and intense. The family holds over 5 hectares, exclusively growing Greco grapes in 2 plots that are located above ancient sulfur mines. Their soils are rich in minerals and sulphureous materials that give the wines particular characteristics. The family has chosen to work with a low environmental impact, respectful of nature and the healthiness of the soil: for example, weeding is not practiced and all activities in the vineyard are performed manually. The grapes undergo soft pressing and fermentation on indigenous yeasts at low temperature, so as to preserve the integrity of the aromas. Without clarification, it is left to mature naturally in stainless steel containers for 3-4 months before bottling. The result is a white, stone fruits, pear and citrus with wet stone (I know that sounds weird, but it’s the best way to describe minerality), and if sunshine had a flavor, this is it! The wine is power without weight. Enjoy this with roasted lighter meats, grilled fish, white beans with escarole.
It is not typical of me to include three whites, but it is fall, and the flavors on our table in this shoulder season call for Chenin Blanc, so I am compelled to do this, just this once. I hope you will indulge me. If you must have three reds, ask, we will accommodate your request! Trust me, though, you will want this South African Chenin Blanc produced by Craig and Carla Hawkins in the sandstone soils of the Piketberg. The Testalonga It has a richness that s alluring and very satisfying. It is a food wine but let the wine shine by accompanying it with a simple dish, some hard cheeses and charcuterie. In keeping with Chenin Blanc, it has a rising acidity that makes in incredibly food-flexible and friendly. It would be lovely with a spatchcocked chicken grilled with tomatillo salsa! Put a little char on that chicken!
The reds are both intense without a heavy hand, which is a balance that I seek always. This sounds obvious, but it is not easy to accomplish. Depth of flavor and intensity come from the ripeness of the grape, so knowing when to pick is vital to the success of balance. Often, winemakers are tempted by increased ripeness to get more flavor and more intensity, but that can lead to heaviness on the palate. Good growers and winemakers know their varietal and how to coax out of the grape intensity and satisfying, complex flavors, while keeping a freshness on the wine so we can continue to sip.
The 2021 Vigneti Massa Terra Rosso is red ruby to the eye, with aromas of plum, violet, berries, and cherry. There are ample tannins for structure, but the wine remains smooth and accessible. There is a soft spice and black currant on the finish that make you pause and think for a moment. Similarly, the 2022 Davanture Cote Chalonaise has a core flavor of cherry and blackberry that is balanced with spice and pepper, soft round tannins and ample acidity. Both Barbera and Pinot Noir are considered medium bodied reds, but it is the intensity of flavor and the depth of layered flavor—fruit, spice, earth, and acidity, that give character to these wines. They are committed to quality, and it shows!
These wines are food flexible because of their build and intensity of flavors, but I am thinking about a roasted pork loin with a mixed roasted fall vegetable platter—squash, brussels, mushroom, and root vegetables with just olive oil and salt.
For the Collector Wines are both from one remarkable winemaker, whose story is as compelling as his wines. Guillaume Guiton, the son of Jean Guiton, is the wine maker now, and he has followed in his father’s tradition of making wines that are true to place. I met Guillaume with Pascal Schildt, the importer of his wines. Pascal’s enthusiasm for the Guiton wines is contagious and rightfully so. Here are the notes from Pascal’s website about the Domaine:
Jean Guiton tended vines for several producers as an “ouvrier,” until he has the opportunity to buy some vineyards in Ladoix and Aloxe-Corton and start making wine on his parents property in Bligny-Les_Beaune in 1973. Domaine Jean Guiton was born. In 1987, a second opportunity allowed Jean to purchase more vineyards, this time in Savigny, Beaune and Pernand-Vergelesses and soon thereafter in Volnay and Pommard too. Jean’s son, Guillaume, is at the helm of the Domaine today and the 2nd generation producing wines for his family’s estate. He joined the family business in 1998 (fresh out of the Lycée Viticole de Beaune) and took over the reigns of the Domaine completely in 2009. Jean embraces a lean style of winemaking (no pigéage), while maintaining great structure. Though the vineyards are not certified organic, the entire property is farmed without the use of systemic herbicides or pesticides. The Domaine consists of 12 hectares of vineyards dotted around the following villages (comprising Village and 1er Cru appellations): Bligny-Les-Beaune, Volnay, Pommard, Beaune, Savigny-les-Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses and Ladoix. Total production is only around 5,400 cases from 12 appellations. They produce mostly red wines (95%), exclusively from Pinot Noir, with a bit of Aligoté as well as Chardonnay for his Haute-Côtes-de-Beaune white.
The wines are precise and balanced and have something at the core that reflects Guillames spirit of adventure and generosity. Enjoy these with regional specialties like scallops st. Jaques, roasted duck au poivre, and au gratin potatoes.
Enjoy the aroma of fall in the air, cheers, Maria