Responsible Indulgence--Wine Notes January 2025
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