I am determined to get my carefully curated selection of wines into your hands. The easiest way to do that is to tell you about the wonderful wines that my winemakers craft. Here are my notes on the December Selections. Check out the wine club & indulge responsibly with me: Indulgence Wine Club
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December Wine Notes
It is the holiday season, so let the festivities begin! It is the time to put out the lights, dress the tree, get your poinsettia, and entertain. Join friends and family around the table, take a bite, and raise glass to what has been yet another year in our journeys. I hope it has been a fruitful for you, and that you enter this season with joy. I have selected wines that are easy and approachable, so you can confidently grab a bottle for whatever the occasion.
Wishing you and yours a relaxing, joyful, and indulgent holiday season.
I am grateful for your friendship and for your business,
cheers, Maria
Value Case $150
Holiday Survival Kit
Le Berceau Blanquette de Limoux, one cannot properly celebrate without bubbles, in fact a holiday without them, is like a birthday without a cake! This perennial favorite is still the best value for delicious sparkling wine that I have come across in the eleven years that I have been looking. It is a Chardonnay Mauzac blend, fermented traditionally, just like Champagne, but from the southwest of France—so this one is a super value. It has soft stone fruit, a good vinous feel in the mouth, elegant and abundant bubbles that dance across your palate, and then nice citrus notes to cleanse your mouth, preparing it for the next bite. Maybe that will be a gougère, or some of Simmons Farm Goat Cheese, or a caramelized leek tart. I am getting hungry writing these notes!
Chateau Jouclary Chardonnay, The Wines of Jouclary have been on my shelves from day one because they are a terrific value and delicious, reliable wines. This Chardonnay is no exception. For those who love this grape, you will recognize the tropical fruit, the minerality and the lean finish. For those who claim that Chardonnay is not for them, well this one will challenge you. At Jouclary the white grapes grow at lower elevations and all harvesting is done in the cool of the early morning, to avoid oxidation. They want a light fresh Chardonnay. The wine has some skin contact before going to press, then rests on the lees for several months before bottling, which give the wine a wonderful intensity and texture. It is a great cheese Chardonnay and would be lovely with a fresh goat cheese and some of our lemon salted shortbread.
Atlantique Sauvignon Blanc, Fabrice Gouraud makes this lovely and classic Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire, near the west coast on the banks of the Loire, where some of the very best SB comes from. It has wonderful aromatics, and vibrant and zesty fruit and citrus flavors. Drouet Frères supply the fabulous Sauvignon grapes that are harvested at full maturity. Slow and gentle pressing follows the first phase of skin maceration to extract the aromatic compounds contained in the skins. Light racking after fermentation in stainless steel tanks between 13°C and 15°C for 18 days. It would make a refreshing aperitif, but also would complement a Caesar salad beautifully.
Millet Gascogne Blanc, This winery is largely devoted to Armagnac production, but they also make a fair bit of still wines, including this Ugni Blanc/Columbard blend. Francis Dèche, owner, follows in the footsteps of five generations and they have a policy of quality: traditional grape varieties, vineyard cultivation with respect to the environment and constant development in the methods and means of wine making. Francis and his daughter, Laurence, work closely together, and the wine is lively and fresh with floral notes and citrus finish. It is wonderful with light goat cheeses, can handle asparagus, and delightful with fish dishes or vegetable stews.
Radley & Finch Chenin Blanc, Don’t dismiss this playful label, the wine is legit and down right. delicious. I am a big fan of Chenin Blanc, a grape that is often overlooked. This Chenin comes from Western Cape region of South Africa, and Thenis Kruger is the wine maker for the project. The wine is largely naturally fermented and undergoes a long slow cold fermentation to ensure a complex and compelling Chenin. It has some weight, rich aromatics, and a balanced combination of stone fruit and light citrus notes are followed up by a touch of spice. The wine would be lovely with roasted pork tenderloin and a fresh chimichurri sauce.
Peyressol La Croix Rosé. I am so happy that some of this rosé has lingered into the winter months. I am happy to continue to enjoy rosé all year long. Yes, in the summer it cools us, but in the winter it offers a refreshing backdrop to richer foods that need balancing. This rosé has a texture that lends itself to winter dishes, like a winter minestrone, for example. It is a blend of organically grown and harvested Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah, and has a soft berry notes on the front palate, followed by citrus and minerality. Enjoy it on its own or with anything from salads to lighter roasted meats.
Millet Gascogne Rouge. Like its partner, the red from Millet is as carefully made, steeped in traditions of now six generations of wine making. The red is a country red, a touch wild but not heavy handed at all. Instead, it is fresh and balanced. It is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and has the classic Bordeaux flavors—brambly fruit, touch of green, a little cigar box, and a bit of spice on the finish. While it is not a big red, it is flavorful, which is why I selected it for the December box. It can handle roasted red meats, but can also serve as a cocktail red with cheeses and richer hors d’oeuvres.
Chateau Grand Rousseau Rouge. This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc offers a richer more extracted example of a Bordeaux red. It is a much more full bodied red that will age well for the next 7-10 years, though would be good now with a little air. The thermo treatment of the Cabernet Franc extracts maximum color, flavor and tannins, which gives this wine its body and its structure. Interestingly, the flavor profile is very similar to the Millet, but the drinking experience is quite different. This one would be ideal for a Beef Bourguignon.
Forty Ounce Red. When in the mood for a gentle, aromatic, juicy playful red, grab this 40! This cuvée is a Gamay from Gaillac in Southwest France. The Gamay preserves a nice acidity due to the proximity of the Tarn River, despite the warm climate that is characteristic of the Gaillac region. Olivier David of Clément Terms is a 7th generation independent grower. The vineyard is sustainably farmed and in conversion to ‘HVE’ certification (Haute Valeure Environnementale). It is fun, but also a seriously good wine. I want a roasted chicken and some Brussels sprouts to accompany this one.
Puerta del Viento. This is a new one for the shop & I love it. This from their own website: “Puerta del Viento Wines is the personal project of Jorge and Rosana. They started it in 2009, when they decided to recover 2 family vineyards, one in Pieros, at 550 metres above sea level on alluvial sand and over 80 years old, and the other in Cobrana, at 800 metres of altitude, on slate soils and over 60 years old.
Puerta del Viento Wines works with the 2 native grape varieties of the area, Mencía and Godello from its vineyards with organic certification. All their wines are made without any additives, nor SO2, transmitting the personality of the area with utmost elegance. Puerta del Viento is a natural young wine made with Mencía from their own vineyards, which are over 80 years old. They are manually harvested and placed in 15 to 17-kg boxes. Once in the winery, the grapes are stomped and partially fermented in oak barrels with native yeasts. It is naturally clarified, bottled without filtering and without added sulfites.” I like this one with a selection of charcuterie and some olives and crusty bread.
Radley & Finch Shiraz. Thenis does it again with this yummy Shiraz from the Western Cape region of South Africa. This is a lighter style Shiraz, but still full flavored. It is largely fermented in stainless style which maintains a freshness along with its intensity of fruit. It has a small amount of oaking for structure, but its fruit lends itself to simple fare like burgers and spicy foods.
Lona & Bona. Merena Trere and her son, Max, run their family vineyard and winery 50 kilometers south of Bologna in Emilia Romagna. This Sangiovese is consistent philosophy of simplicity and integrity with which she makes all of her wines. This is a great wine for a roasted pork tenderloin or a mushroom risotto. It has abundant fruit on the front palate, with bright berry notes and touch of herbal salinity on the back. The acidity makes it an ideal food wine, and so much you could enjoy it with from salads to stewed meats. Enjoy it when you seek a medium bodied, super satisfying Italian that has aromas of dried meats.
December Select Wines
NV Collin Cremant de Bourgogne. This is a bone dry Chardonnay, Chenin, Pinot Noir blend sparkling white. It has finesse that far exceeds it humble $25 price point. The fruit on the front palate is balanced by a lively acidity and brightness that gives the wine a refreshing quality. That said, it also has midpalate richness that makes your mouth water. Have a few of these on hand this holiday, so you can celebrate all occasions.
Birichino Bianca. This Malvasia is one of my favorite California whites. I have to gush, I love all parts! I love the label—Michael McDermott strikes again. Yes, this label speaks volumes about the wine maker’s commitment to quality and aesthetics. Malvasia is nothing shy of brilliant. It is a rich white (Ever wonder what unctous means? Well, this is it!). There is a wonderful full mouth feel, apricot on the midpalate, and clean salinity on the finish. It is a crowd pleasing white. Enjoy it with roasted vegetable and meats, a Gouda would sign with it, and a Italian cheesecake paired with it, just might make you swoon.
Gautheron Chablis. If you have not had this Chardonnay, run don’t walk. Nearly everyone that buys a bottle, comes back for 6. Not even joking. I cannot keep it on the shelf. These notes from Ansonia Wines capture it, “Chablis in its classic form, pure and steely, smooth and clean, is still among wine’s great pleasures; and it is on this style of wine that the Domaine Gautheron focuses. Winemaking here is by Cyril Gautheron, who took over from his father not too many years ago. His laser focus resembles his wine. Cyril vinifies all the plots separately — the cuverie is long and holds dozens of stainless steel thanks — and he blends them into wines of remarkable precision and clarity.” Sometimes I buy this one at restaurants, and don’t mind paying the markup! Drink It...full stop, with anything you want😊
Broc Love Red. WINEMAKER’S NOTES: The Love Red grapes were harvested in the second week of September to preserve the grape’s natural acidity. The Carignan and Syrah were both whole cluster fermented and destemmed in concrete and stainless tanks. The Valdiguié went under carbonic fermentation in stainless steel. Aged for 8 months in concrete and neutral French oak barrels. The grapes come from 70 year old vines in Solano County’s Green Valley. This area is tucked between Napa and Suisun Valley. Parenti and Wirth Ranch each provide Syrah and Valdiguié for this blend. The Carignan comes solely from Parenti Vineyard. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Wirth. The grapes of each vineyard grow in clay loam soils and come from mostly dry-farmed and head-pruned vines. 50% Carignan, 36% Valdiguié, 8% Syrah, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. I like this as a cocktail red, so enjoy it with friends and a piece of cheese.
Maithiasson Village Cab #1, Napa Cabernet. Steve and Jill Matthiasson are among the folks out in Napa that are doing it right. They make beautifully balanced wines that are elegant and powerful. This is the newest addition to their portfolio, and it is a spectacular wine. It offers a slightly lower price point to allow people an introduction to their Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has solid and compelling fruit on the midpalate, with lots of brambly berry notes, which I love on a Cab, but it is well balanced with herbal and mineral components like pencil shavings and cedar. They work hard to avoid over extraction with slow fermentations that produced a more delicate expression of Cabernet. You will love this with a pork chop or a mushroom burger.
Botanica Pinot Noir. Ginny Poval’s wines have, for me, the perfect balance of extracted intensity of flavor with a spirited and animated structure. The flavors dance on your palate. There are lots of fresh cherry and wild strawberry notes, some hints of fennel, and spice on the aromatics, a touch of blood orange citrus on the finish that cleanses the palate along with a saline quality which makes the wine ideal for food. I suggest that you enjoy this with a piece of pan seared fish and some roasted vegetables.
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