Responsible Indulgence--August 2024
Pressed for Thought
From the Field to the Table
The rising cost of wine has been on my mind. Inflation is hitting our wallets and affecting our decisions; the impact is real, and I feel it in my choices as I continue to try to run the shop. As both a winemaker and a retailer I am deeply concerned about good wine remaining an affordable option for consumers and a sustainable approach for producers.
Good is the operative word, here, as I am not willing to compromise on the components of what I consider good wine. It bears repeating that wines need to be made with an ethical consciousness in regards to the environment and all the people involved in the project from the field to the table, also with a steadfast commitment to quality of flavor and style, and priced fairly. That is a tall order when everything is getting more expensive from labor costs to supplies to transportation. At every step, the cost is higher, and the consumer ultimately pays the price. That said, I am committed to supporting the wine makers who share my ethos, and I believe there is a value in that.
This means digging a little deeper to find wines that are sometimes more esoteric grapes, sourced from surprising locations, or made creatively in production to keep costs in control. Yes, this often means international wines, as the realities of cost in the US are challenging. For more on this challenge, read Eric Asimov’s latest column in the New York Times. He helps to flesh out why the differential exists, as well as why we need to support domestic wineries despite the disparity. His argument is a good reminder that there are wonderful wines out there that we have yet to discover both here and abroad and that good wine is worth the added cost.
All of this is ultimately a reminder that I have to be a good wine monger. I have to continue to source interesting, delicious wines that reflect fairness of price for you, while supporting the winemakers that I believe are making good wine. Wine is a source of pleasure, it provides beauty, elevates a meal, enhances a shared moment with friends and lovers, and and it offers us a connection, education, and joy. I want to continue to enjoy it, and hope you do, too, despite the rising costs.
What does this mean for you? Well, some of your favorites may be a bit more expensive, but understanding why makes it easier to consider is it is worth that extra cost. That said, you can stay in your price point if you go boldly in new directions—try some Eastern European wines, enjoy lesser-known grapes or blend from your favorite region, try an unknown producer, and enjoy the journey. We can be inspired and excited by all the options because in the end, they are all delicious!
Cheers, Maria
Responsible Indulgence—August Wine Notes
August heat is real, and in our neck of the woods, it has also been intensely humid. This weather makes me want lighter foods and the wines to pair with them. The great thing is that the farmers are very accommodating! Tomatoes, green beans, summer squash...oh my! All of these veggies make our culinary options boundless, but they tend to want wines that are brighter and a little lighter on their feet. Don’t despair, my cab loving friends, I have a couple full bodied reds in there to elevate the steaks on the grill!
The Value Wines for August come from both new and old world, and range in style though all attendant to the foods of the season, i.e. not requiring turning on the oven or more cooking time than lighting the grill! To begin with you have two chardonnays to try on for size. Both are crisp and lean styles, ideal for summer menus, and both are from lesser known regions, so represent a good value. The 2022 Albamar Chardonnay, from Chile, is fresh and crisp with notes of peach and pear, with mouthwatering brightness, and a lingering minerality. It is expressive and tastes of sunshine.
To learn something about chardonnay’s and terroir, you might consider inviting a couple of friends to join you in a side-by-side tasting of the Albamar and the second white in the Value Six, the contrast will surprise you. The 2021 Verizet Vire Clesse is from an area of Burgundy that is known for generous wines, and this one is consistent with that style. It is arguably more complex that the Chilean, so give a moment to consider which you prefer. (yes, you can love them both—totally allowed and encouraged!) The Burgundy is fragrant, floral and citrus notes coexist with tree fruits, exotic fruits and saline. It has both a full mouth feel and a surprising thirst-quenching character. Both Chardonnays would pair well with that lobster roll that you have been thinking about!
Perhaps tonight is a salad night, so need something with brighter more dominant acidity? Grab the 2023 Isle Saint Pierre Rosé. This wine reflects the finesse of its fourth-generation wine maker and the distinct flavor unique to a small island in the Rhone River where Julien Henry is able to grow varietals that typically thrive elsewhere in France. The blend is Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Vermentino, Colombard, Petit Verdot, Arinarnoa, Carmenere, Tannat, and Syrah. (Say that five times fast!). It is easier to just sip and enjoy this fresh, fruity, and luscious wine with a panzanella salad and leave the cepage recitation to me.
If you prefer red with those beautiful tomatoes, I suggest the 2022 Le Fraghe Bardolino. This is not a new wine for the shop, but a new vintage of a perennial favorite for summer reds. It tastes of those fresh cherries that I have been gobbling up for the last couple of weeks. Herbal, berry notes, orange peel and spice make this a wonderful wine to accompany tomatoes, but alternatively chill it and enjoy it with a cheese and charcuterie board and call it a night!
If you are grilling tonight, try the 2022 Vignerons Buxy Bourguignons for lighter meats. It is a blend of gamay and pinot nori from Chalonaisse, a region more often know for its Chardonnays (great value!). The color is brilliant and alluring in the glass, the nose is full of red fruit and fresh garden aromas after summer rain. The berry and cherry flavors are balances with herbal notes and just a touch of pepper. This one is so easy to enjoy, you can have a glass on its own while you cook.
If you seek something more full bodied with a steak or some grilled lamb chops, the 2020 Clarine Farm Syrah from the Sierra Foothills has the European style that Hank Beckmeyer and Caroline Hoel were inspired by coupled with the unique vineyard character of El Dorado County where they have planted themselves and their vines. I love their entire line up, but this Syrah is remarkable. dark fruits, leather, gamey meats, and iron, fennel, tomato paste, olive, and just a hint of delicate herbs and violet. I am a fan of Rhone varietals, and this one is particularly delicious and well balanced with under 13%abv!
At the Select Level, the wines gain in complexity but are still approachable and pleasant. For an easy sipping white that would delight both on the beach or accompanying a summer meal at the table the 2020 Valerie Forgues Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine in the Loire Valley will not disappoint you. The gentle work done prior to press is reflected in the elegance of this wine. Green apple, citrus, fresh cut grass and loads of mineralality all comingled with freshness and zippy acidity makes a wonderful wine for sipping. With all the talk of Sancerre dominating the market, other regions offer excellent wines at nearly half the price. I will enjoy this one with a soft, fresh goat cheese and a baguette!
If I am going to shuk some oysters, I’ll grab the 2022 Christina Natzl Gruner Veltliner. This is a Natural Wine, meaning no filtering or fining in the process of wine making, along with teh same minimal intervention that all the wines I select share. Additionally, this is a skin contact white, which means that the juice macerates on the skins for a period of time before going to press. This contributes earthiness to the pear and apple notes of the jucie. The wine is clean, crips and refreshing with a austere minerality. For folks trying to understand natural wines, this is an elevated example!
While I am cheffing up in the kitchen, I will crack open the always joyful 2023 Biricchino Vin Gris. This pale pink, dry rose will appeal first to the eye, then to your olfactory sense with its abundant stone, plummy, fennel and thyme, and then surprise your palate with its richness of texture. Think about slicing some fresh melon, draping it with thinly sliced prosciutto, drizzle with olive oil and cracking fresh black pepper; the flavors will dance nicely together!
The three reds will all provide an alluring option when putting a char on a piece of meat, but think about how much acidity you are looking for. If smooth and bold is your goal, go for the 2020 Brea from Paso Robles. This less oaky style Cabernet is supple and smooth with berry and plum notes that would sing alongside a grilled porkchop! If you throwing something spicier on the grill, like some fresh sausages, consider the 2022 Legado del Moncayo.
This is not new to the club, but this new vintage excited my palate with a freshness that is the result of a cooler growing season. This is an insanely delicious wine for the price. It is the least expensive of the Select Wines, but will stand up to the most costly, without question. It is rich, smooth, and satisfying with berry notes with licorice and spice. I get a little tomato paste and fennel, too, so feel free to pair this with a quick summer marinara or a tomato salad!
For lighter meats or a summer risotto, the 2021 Orsola Monferrato Rosso from Castello di Tassarolo is ruby red and brilliant in color with wonderfully seductive aromas of ripe cherry and blackberry, fruity and spicy notes that make it ideal for mushrooms if you have been foraging! Another husband and wife team bring us a wine of character and reflective of their unique terrior.
For my collector level, the theme of some-what “off the beaten path” continues. With each year, I find that the trends are so powerful and often not at all new. Perhaps this is because popular items repeat themselves because they are simply that good. This last year could be called the year of Sancerre. It has outperformed chardonnay by a substantial margin. The demand is so high, that the price of Sancerre has increased beyond normal growth, so my advice is to enjoy Sancerre when you can grab it at a reasonable price, but otherwise, try Menetou Salon or Pouilly Fumé--perhaps harder to pronounce, but equally delicious!
That said, I happen to love a few producers from Sancerre and want to continue to enjoy their wines. By way of example, I adore the wines of Lucien Crochet, and you can, too because his wines are spectacular. In keeping with our theme, you are going to try his Sancerre Rouge and Rosé!
2023 Sancerre Rosé
Made exclusively of Pinot Noir harvested from several parcels, a mix of Oxfordian “caillottes” and Kimmeridgian “marne”. This Rosé is made using the direct press method with the whole berries entering the pressoir. The musts ferment in temperature-controlled cuves (85%) as well as a small percentage in older barrels (15%). The fermentation occurs over three weeks. The wines is bottled in the spring of the following year.
2018 La Croix du Roy, Sancerre Rouge
A wine made only in the finest vintages and composed of Pinot Noir harvested from the oldest vines (average age of 50 years) of the domaine. The vineyards are a mix of two terroirs: Oxfordian “caillottes” and Kimmeridgian “marne”. The grapes are entirely destemmed; there is a period of cold maceration; the fermentation extends for three weeks. Remontage and pigeage are practiced. Élevage is done in barrel: a mix of new oak (40%), oak of one year (40%) and oak of two years (20%). The wine is bottled after twenty months of élevage.
Lucien Crochet was formed by the marriage of two winemakers, both from several generations. Neal Rosenthal is responsible for the wines being available in the US, and write about the history of the domain on his website:
“It was Lucien’s marriage to the daughter of Lucien Picard, and the subsequent fusion of the domaines of Lucien Picard and André Crochet (father of Lucien), that created the Domaine Lucien Crochet. Monsieur Picard was one of the very first growers in the Sancerre district to begin bottling his wines and selling them primarily to restaurants in Paris. Lucien Crochet expanded the work of his father-in-law and, over a thirty year period, also expanded the domaine so that it now encompasses 38 hectares of vineyards, almost all of which are located in the village of Bué with smaller holdings in the neighboring villages of Vinon and Crézancy.
Twenty-nine hectares are planted to Sauvignon Blanc and the remaining 9 hectares are planted to Pinot Noir. The soils are clay and limestone from the Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian eras. The vineyards are on slopes of varying severity and run from south-east to south to southwest in their exposure to the sun. Since 1989 the Crochets have practiced lutte raisonée in the vineyards, which are planted to a density of between 6600 (older plantings) to 8700 vines per hectare. The harvest is manual, the soil is worked immediately around the vine but the growth in the rows between the vines remains throughout the growing season.”
The relationship formed between the winemaker and the importer has grown to now a retailer and you, my client. I like to thing that wine brings us all together on a journey from the field to the table.
Happy August, enjoy the final days of summer and the scent of fall in the air.
As always, I enlist your help to grow the wine club. I have an incentive for you! If you enjoy the club, refer a friend and upon their annual monthly commitment, you will recieve a collector 2 pack. You can share it!