Newport Wine Cellar & Gourmet—Wine Club

Don’t pack those sweaters up just yet….

As many of you already know, I have enrolled in a wine program in New York, and I am happily finding that I am reinvigorated to eat, drink, and think.  This mantra has been with me since I began this project fourteen years ago, and it still represents what I aspire to do myself while I inspire all of you to do so, too.  Foraging for wonderful wines, researching new foods, and learning about the how’s and why’s of production is all a lot of fun, but I cannot do this alone.  I need the wine makers who work so hard in the vineyard and in the winery to produce delicious wine responsibly and sustainably. I need the importers who continue to also curate these wines and who are willing to invest the time, effort, and cost in getting these wines into our glasses and onto our tables.  And, I need all of you to support this system that privileges quality and an ethics of production over quantity and bottom line.  It is admittedly, antithetical to most business approaches, but I believe it is, simply put, the right thing to do for the health of our planet and our bodies.  

There is something that naturally happens within this system, and that is the development of relationships.  The wines are good because the quality and the value are there, but more than that the relationships that result improve our quality of life. To buy wine within this system, to support it form all aspects, we must trust one another, and that process builds relationships. That inspires me.  Perhaps, I am preaching to the choir, but it is so important that it warrants repeating because you deserve recognition for supporting this system.  You are advocates for these winemakers and the mongers who represent them. 

I recently began a series of wine classes, Makers & Mongers, we have been meeting virtually, but in May, I will add an in-person component.  Save the Date—Makers & Mongers #3: Rosé.  It is time to return to these wonderful pink wines, so we will talk about how they are made and the foods to enjoy with them, which tasting a few different styles.  I hope you will join us.  As Club Members, you will have first dibs to the 12 in person spaces.  I will begin with the two wines included in May’s Club wines, and add a few that are arriving imminently.  Friday, May 20th 6pm.  

Now, for our club choices for May.   With Spring dishes adding more subtle flavors and salads and fresh vegetables on the mind, I have put together a list of wines that should excite your palate! 

For the Value 3 pack, I went for flavor intensity delivered in slightly more gentle expression. The 2020 St Preignan Cabernet Sauvignon is a prime example of such a style.  The flavor intensity of this wine full of brambly black fruits which are so pleasant and inviting, but the wine is not overly lush, which is largely do to the pond that provides water to the land.  In a region that is typically sun drenched and starved for water resources, Philippe and Pierre Pastor has the good fortune of access to water.  This 5th generation wine family has tended these grapes gently both in the field and in the winery, and that reserve of touch results in a very pleasant lighter expression on the palate.  This is a wonderful wine as we all clean off the grill and start to fire it up.  It is all about the char, so mushroom steak or flank steak, cheers! 

2014 Fable Mountain Jackel Bird White is a rare treat at this price point.   You have had the wines of Tremayne Smith before as part of this club, so you already know how delicious his wines are.  This is a blend of Old Swartland Chenin Blanc with Elgin Chardonnay and a Grenache Blanc, and a pinch of Viognier from Voor Paardeberg.  This is an intentional and interesting blend with an oxidative and reductive approach, cold soak skin contact and clean ferments.  The wine is naturally fermented on the lees with 70% in large oak and 30% in concrete egg.  The result is abundant aromatics and a complex wine with golden orchard fruits, ripe peaches, crisp golden delicious apples, a touch of apricot and raisin, and loads of texture.  All the while the wine has a zippy acidity to balance this fruit out.  This would pair really well with all those challenging spring vegetables but could also handle roasted meats and stews.  I might make a coq au vin for this one, using white wine for the dish instead of red. 

2021 Mary Taylor, Christophe Avi Rosé Agenais.  To round out the wines for the Value 3, I included an equally interesting rosé from this micro-negotiant, Mary Taylor.  Mary’s project is to represent small, independent wineries, who would not likely be able to compete in a global market.  She gives them label recognition by lending her name, and therefore her ethos, to the label.   She is all about terroir and gives winemakers a dominant space on that label, as well.  This biodynamic pink wine from Agenais, and established IGP in 2011, captures the typicity of the wine of the Southwest of France.  The sandy and limestone soils contribute to a very gentle wine, soft, approachable with a nice blend of summer berry and brine-like salinity.  Enjoy it with some oysters or a fresh, tart goat cheese and some sea salt crackers. 

To round out the Value wines, I went with good shoulder season crowd pleasers that are “just right,” neither too big nor too light for the seasonal food shifts.  For a medium bodied white, try the 2020 J Mourat Chenin de Jardin, a 100% organic Chenin Blanc made by a third-generation wine growing family with deep roots in the Loire and a larger global awareness.  There is a surprising green tint to the gold-colored wine that invokes spring. It is that electric color of the trees in their earliest stage of growth.   The wine is intensely flavored with white peach, apricot and citrus curb with bright refreshing acidity.  It is ideal for the start of the meal with light hors d’oeuvres or with a fish dish. 

For the reds, if you are seeking something with lighter meats or vegetable dishes, grab the 2018 Domaine de la Lyre Côtes du Rhone Rouge.  This is a new vintage of a perennial favorite here at the shop.  This is a frequent go-to bottle for me because it is so easy and food flexible.  The fruit is bright and fresh, medium bodied, and good flavor intensity with a touch of bramble but mostly lighter fruits like blueberry, plum, and fig.  It also has a nice herbal note and a touch of spice.  I made a vegetable tagine the other night and this wine was ideally suited for it.  Just the wine, some vegetable stew and some toasted ciabatta from the grocery store, and it was heaven. 

If you are thinking about red meat, or something richer, go for the 2019 Bacchus Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is a new one for the shop, and we are happy to find it.  It is not often that you find a value Cab with this much character.  The project was started by David Gordon, a New York somm, who wanted to provide just that—value and quality with character.  It is medium to full bodied with ripe plum and black currant and a touch of mint for freshness.  There is a gesture toward a jammy note but not at all out of balance. This is a solid California Cab for the buck and would be great with a burger! 

The Select wines have been similarly selected for that shoulder season table.  I think of this like my unwillingness to put away my last cashmere sweater!  So, here’s my attempt to cling to that. To start, the 2020 Winery of Good Hope, Mountainside Syrah, which is my personal favorite for this winery.  The hand harvested mountainside fruit has the benefit of cool evenings and morning to allow for a longer hang time and a less sun stress.  The fruit is ripe, but fresh, not dried.  The grapes are destemmed, so you get more berry and less bitter earthiness.  And the gentle cold fermentation and press give the wine a more subtle nuanced flavor.  It will call you in with its spice and herbal aromatics, but win you over with its freshness and elegance.  Impactful black fruits on this one would make it a good partner for anything on the grill, but I am thinking about sausage and peppers! 

2017 Pi Grenache Blanc is a fun label making a playful use of the most popular number that is unique and irrational like the wine in the bottle.  It is a white made from Garnacha Blaca in Aragon Spain in Calatayud.  It has a wonderful balance of body and freshness, lemon curd and fresh white fruits on the nose, blended with butter and honey.  The palate is rich and a touch oily, but balanced by sustained acid structure and a long herbaceous finish.  I want some roasted fish with this bold white. 

2021 Domaine Fontsainte Gris de Gris, Corbieres Rosé is not new to the shop, but this vintage is hot off the presses.  It has the berry notes that I remember from years past, but the wine is a bit dryer in its expression this year.  It has a softness and body that suggests a little less acidity than previous vintages, but not at all a loss.  The wine is delicious and smooth, and is great on its own but it was wonderful with some zucchini pancakes that I made with ratatouille.   

For another unique white, try the 2020 Chai Duchet Macon Berry Story.  Made in Viré in Bourgogne at a small family run winery created in 2013 by Alexis Duchet and his parents.  Alexis is a seventh generation wine maker to work his family’s land in the Haut-Maconnais.  After many generations of cooperative wine production, Alexis set up his own winery to make label and his wines are truly remarkable.  The berry Story is the tale of his conversion to fully organic in the vineyard, which has meant planting nettle and clover to wean the grapes off any dependency on fertilizers.  The wine is delicghtful from the first sip, and you will continue to sip with delight.  It is fermented naturally in stainless steel and so the fruit—apples and stone fruits—are still crisp and the aromas abundant.  There is a lemon curd freshness and a chalky minerality that I love.  I am going to pair this tonight with a vegetable pho that I am making the stock for as I write this.  I suspect it will pair beautifully with the umami of that dish. 

2019 Domaine La Luminaille Rasteau Luminaris is a brand new one to the shop, and I am betting on her to be best in show for May.  There is always one that everyone gravitates toward, the reasons for which vary, but this wine has a certain X factor that I am confident everyone will love. There is a balance of flamboyance from the Grenache (40%), intensity and gamay quality for the Mouvedre (20%) and Syrah (15%), and a freshness that comes from the Carignan (15%).  Julie Paolucci, the wine maker, aimed at a wine that would “taste like Rasteau,” and the result is a wine that tastes of the parched stony soil, ripe fruits, cooling winds, and ripe fruits of the region. The balance of ripe and fresh, dark fruit and cracked pepper, gamay meat and herbs de Provence make my mouth water 

2020 Lyrarakis Plakoura Vineyard, Madilari. This is a new one for us and an interesting find.  Made from an indigenous Greek Grape that has particularly low yield grown at a high altitude with optimum aspect.  There is a combination of ocean breeze on a sun scorched hillside and the result is a rip, abundant red with equal freshness and deep flavor of red and black fruits. This one has the structure to age, should you want to tuck it away, but it is showing nicely right now.  I suggest you make some local fare with this grilled fish, feta, and lots of lemon! 

The two Collector wines this month come from one winery in Napa, Failla (pronounced Fay-La), where Ehren Jordan works his magic.  While they have become known for Ehron’s Pinot, Syrah and Chardonnay are especially important to the winery.  Sourcing the fruit from such venerable Napa locations as Hudson Vineyard, Haynes, and Olivet Road, and these two wines are among my favorites form my California inventory.  The 2019 Failla Russian River Chardonnay is sourced from the Reuling Vineyard in Russian River Valley AVA. It is a unique spot, situated at the spine that divides Laguna de Santa Rosa from the Green Valley.  The vineyard is picturesque and produces gorgeous Chardonnay grapes.  The wine maintains freshness of green apple and white peach with a touch of melon and ripe exotic fruits.  There is a creaminess that comes across like lemon curd.  I want to roast some salmon, make a fresh salad with tart berries, goat’s milk cheese, and thinly sliced pears and some candied pecans, add a zippy viagrette and a glass of this Chardonnay! 

The 2020 Failla Haynes Syrah comes from the Coombsville AVA on a site planted in 1966 by Pat and Duncan Haynes.   It has been farmed on original rootstock and grown on a bed of volcanic alluvial soils. Syrah was Ehren first grape, so it is particularly special, and this wine is exceptional because it has layers of complex flavors that come together seamlessly in a bold, delicious, balanced wine with character.  There are both red and black fruits, pomegranate and cranberry, but also fig and plum, bramble, but also so much herb and chalky minerality for texture, tannins for structure and a wonderful gammy quality that suggests lamb, which is what I will make to enjoy with it!  

EAT DRINK THINK 

Responsible Indulgence—NWCG Wine Club 

April 2022 Wine Notes 

Spring has arrived, and it is just in the nick of time.  Don’t pack up all your sweaters just yet, Mother Nature is not that simple.  We can still enjoy a few more days of cool weather, there will be sun and warmth, and rain, and wet, cooler windy days, as the transition into a new season is neither easy nor quick.  April is the cruelest month, teasing us with blue sun filled skies but cool temps and then heavy rains that soak our earth and prepare our gardens.  Yes, May flowers, green grass, vegetable shoots, tomatoes in August, they all depend on this month of torturous teasing unpredictable weather, so layer up and think variety.  This is my theme for April—so the wines in this month’s selections range from fresh and crisp to dark and brooding, and everything in between.  

To begin with, the wines of Tintero were just released, and this is a treat for you Super Value 3 pack folks. This is a family owned and run winery that is now run by the fourth generation in the same traditional methods of local production.  Marco Tintero and his wife Cinzia run the estate now in the heart of Moscato country.  While the majority of their plantings are devoted to the Moscato grape, they also make a handful of other wines with the same devotion to light, fresh, and delightful wines.  Included in that are the three wines featured in my Value Three Pack.  This is a real treat.  These wines are released in the US and disappear quickly!  All of the wines are non-vintage due to regulations in the region. 

Tintero Bianco is a blend of Favorita, Arneis, and Chardonnay that are fermented separately and then blended and completed only when an order is filled.  They do this to maintain freshness.  This wine tastes like fresh spring rain on our first blades of green grass.  It is the joy that I felt yesterday in the warmth of our first truly warm spring day.  The final vinification step is to add a bit of Moscato, which sets off a second fermentation in the bottle, so we get a light frizzante on the wine.  I love this wine chilled with a panino and a salad. 

Tintero Rosato is made by direct press, which means that it is Rosato made with intention.  No disrespect meant to blends or blead offs, you know I love all of those wonderful pink wines, but this is Barbera pressed and made like a white wine.  The color comes from the Barbera skins, and it is the very softest pink.  He adds a little Arneis which provides acid and minerality, and well fresh fruitiness—think apples, stone fruit, but also a touch of honey.  Lastly, a little Moscato, again this gives the orange blossom and freshness.  The result is a lightly frizzante, fresh, complex Rosato that will pair wonderfully with foods, great as an aperitif with cheeses of all sorts, but also could be nice with a roasted pork loin or some grilled artichokes. 

Tintero Rosso varies from vintage to vintage dependent upon what the yields are, but generally includes Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, and Cabernet Sauvignon is some combination and always delivers a delicious approachable, enchanting glass of food friendly wine.  It is fermented after a cold maceration and fermented in stainless, which maintains a freshness, and is bottled unfiltered, which optimizes flavor.  The wine is supple, and has a combination of red and black fruit, berry and cherry with some brambly fruit, likely from the Cab and Nebbiolo.  It also has a backbone that makes it more interesting than its mid-teen price point might suggest. It is wonderful with as a sipping red with a cheese and charcuterie board, great with pizza, but also works well with more complex dishes. 

Sandy Cove Sauvignon Blanc is a new one for the shop.  Admittedly, I am not always keen on SB from New Zealand because I find the grapefruit citrus and acidity too high to be pleasant on the palate, and I find other regions more favorable.  That said, never and always are not in my vocabulary.  When done right that hyper and intense citrus and acidity has enough fruit and minerality and body to carry it off.  Such is the case with this wine.  It is balanced and elegant after its short aging on the lees.  Lees are the sediment thrown off from the yeast cells, which may not sounds super appetizing, but it gives texture and complexity, and richness of flavor to wines.  It gives the wine a complexity but also adds a layer of flavor that invokes bread, toast, cream and stone.  No, I haven’t licked any stones lately, but taste the wine, you will see what I mean! Enjoy this one with a salad and some salmon tartar with some Dijon, or with sushi. 

JiJiJi is a blend of Malbec and Pinot Noir.  A seemingly unusual blend this works.  The result is a balance of vibrancy and robust flavor.  The vineyard is located at 4600 feet above sea level in stony soils, so the vines have worked hard to produce good fruit and takes character and minerality from the stony and calcareous soils.  The wine is easy drinking, smooth, with supple tannins and loads of fruit on the midpalate.  A little lift from acidity on the finish, after red fruits and orange peel and mushrooms dance with cocoa and flint.  This one would like something richer to pair with, so give it some fat and some salt, maybe a burger! 

Jouclary Rouge is a perennial favorite around here, and rightfully so.  It is exemplar of my own ethics of wine.  The wines are made in Cabardes on the southern slopes of Montagne Noir in the most southern outcropping of the Massif Central.  It is a unique climate situated between Atlantic and the Mediterranean.  I often describe this wine as Rhone meets Bordeaux, and they also describe it as a place where there is wind from the west and wind from the east.  That wind helps contribute to a wine that lasts longer on the vine, growing more slowly to complete phenolic ripeness, developing flavors and character.  This is a wine that bespeaks a quality that far outstretches its price.  It is complex, balanced, intense, and elevates a meal.  I love their new label that celebrates the wines power and elegance. Because it has depth of flavor and ripeness of fruit along with long lasting tannins and a lifting acidity, the wine can pair with a wide variety of foods, but I suggest that you pan sear a pork chop in  

For the Select Wines, I want to elevate the game a little, so you will find a bit more complexity and intensity with some possibility for aging.  

D'Alfonso del Sordo estate began its history in 1860 when the winemaker Ludovico D’Alfonso was allowed to begin a vineyard and make wine on the property of a land baron named Antonio Del Sordo. In the early 1900’s, the name D’Alfonoso del Sardo was created when Antonio’s son Giovanni adopted Felice D’Alfonso, thus fusing the two families together. Today, Gianfelice runs the estate with his family and works with a focus on local grape varietals, biodynamic farming, and traditional methods of wine production. This white wine is Catapanus and the grape is Bombino Bianco. It is a rare Italian varietal that is pale straw in color, with tropical fruit and savory notes on the nose. It is bright and lively on the palate with a minerality that suggest savory on the finish. It is a very compelling and satisfying white that would handle all those challenging Spring favors very well, so bring out your veggies for this one. Grill some asparagus, roast some brussels’ and beets, add a crisp salad, and some thick, crusted bread, and enjoy! 

D'Alfonso del Sordo Casteldrione is made from 100% Nero di Trioia, which more than likely you have not heard of. I love that. This is a wonderful wine from Puglia and is medium to full bodied with intense and impactful flavors of blackberries and a little tart cherry, and dried cranberry. The finish is earthy and has moderate tannins, which makes it great for foods that are a little fatty and salty. It is ideal for tomato sauces, so macaroni and meatballs is my go-to for this wine, but burgers, impossible or not, and steaks would definitely work.  

Ostatu Rioja Blanco is 85% Viura/15% Malvasia all old vines grown and vinified organically. Technically the wine is an orange wine, though there is not a color to the juice, but it spends some time on the skins, which gives it body, complexity and tannins. So, for those of you red wine lovers seeking a white that really satisfies, you have found your wine. I recently had a Rioja Blanco and was struck by how much the nose suggested Chardonnay, but the body was so unique. It is dry, full bodied, with richness of texture and depth of flavor—think stone fruit, melon, lemon curd, and also minerals, saline, and lively acidity. This is one you could lay down, but drink this one, and save others. Can you tell I love this wine? Enjoy it with a frittata or some roasted fish, but could handle lighter meats, too. 

Clementine Rosé is admittedly a repeat for the club, but worth revisiting. Truth is that we are still waiting on sufficient rosé for the club, and they are coming but not quite yet. When I found a little stash of this wine still available, I grabbed it because while it is wonderful upon release it maintains a freshness while developing some interesting flavors as it spends a little time in the bottle. It is worth considering how a well-made rosé ages a little. I would not suggest holding on to this for more than a couple of years, but it is offering a more mature expression now that has depth of flavor and a softened acidity that is very pleasant and alluring. Still lots of summer berries with candied lemon peel, but now a shift in the acid makes the citrus more like blood oranges dredged in sea salt. 

 La Clarine Farm Gamay is an example of California doing it old school, all whole cluster, foot-stomped, open top ferment. The wine maker claims to be channeling for Brun, and I commend the efforts. It is delicious. There is an alluring deep color with expressive aromatics—strawberry, tomato leaf, tobacco. It is light on the palate with a smooth richness of texture on the finish, earthy and satisfying. It needs a little air, so give it a little time to open up for you. Serve it chilled with lighter fare, like duck, chicken, or vegetable curries—the fruit is perfect for that spice. Only 119 cases of this made, so enjoy it! 

Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Tinto Mencia comes to us from the esteemed Jose Pastor Selections book, which tells you something about the quality of the wines. Okay, there are endless importers of wine, but only a short list of truly good importers out there, and he is one. There isn’t a bad bottle in the book, full stop. This steep terraced and difficult vineyard is one of the most treacherous to work and most beautiful to see. Pedro Rodrigues is the wine maker who has elevated these wines. He comes from a long line of farmers, and named their winery Guimaro in honor of their grandfather, who’s nickname it was. It means rebel, and the work to return to old-fashioned techniques, reclaiming a Mencia of past is part of this rebel tradition. Pedro works toward organic certification while cultivating traditional varietals. His wines are remarkable, and I am so happy to have them on the shelf and as part of the club. The Tinto is old vines Mencia along with a small amount of co-planted native varietals. All hand harvested and simply treated, with no oak. This joven is meant to be enjoyed now, but will reward you if you held it for a few years. It is lush with loads of red fruit and spice, and a talky slate minerality that gives the wine a very seductive silky texture. Enjoy this with roasted or grilled meats. 

For those of you who enjoy the Collector level, you are in for a treat. 

Brea San Valentino is a remarkable wine with such intensity and depth of flavor that you need to sit down before you drink it. I can tell you that you will love this wine now, but if you can wait, it will get better for about 25 years, at least. They make big Umbrian wines with very long macerations, so the wine needs time. That said, you can decant and enjoy it now. It is 70% Sangiovese with Montepulciano and Sagrantino to round it out. The don’t make a lot, and I get only a case annually, so it went to the club first. It is an exuberant wine with abundance on the nose, spice, black fruit, cedar and sandalwood. There is a gamey-ness to it, the Bea funk, I call it, and it has a compost nature to that smell, always already on the edge, but it is only on the edge. It is the scent of volatility and natural wine, but this wine is meticulously clean. It is ideally suited for full flavored dishes, like osso buco, cassoulet, roasted duck, but you can absolutely create a rich vegetarian kale and gruyere gratin that would be delicious with this wine. 

Vadiaperti Coda de Volpe is the white that I chose to accompany Bea in the April pairing, and it is equally wonderful and complex. Since the end of the 19th century, this wine family has been advocating for the wines of Irpina, an historic region in the north of Campagna, where Fiano originates from. Raffaele Troisi now oversees the production of wine at the family estate, where he continues the work of his father before him. That is to celebrate the single varietal production of Finao and Coda di Volpe. His high-altitude vineyards and pure volcanic soils combine to give the wines their unique terroir driven character. They are fresh with lean precise fruit and finesse, texture, and complexity. This is a serious white. Enjoy it with oysters or shellfish dishes, maybe some fresh ravioli tossed with butter and herbs, pea risotto, or barigoule. 

Need a recipe? Saveur offers this Barigoule recipe, and it is easy and delicious. Would be great with this white! 

Ingredients 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

4 oz. snow peas, trimmed 

1⁄3 cup fresh peas 

6 baby carrots with green tops, tops trimmed to 1″, carrots peeled and halved lengthwise 

1 bunch pencil asparagus secured with a rubber band, trimmed 

1⁄2 tsp. coriander seeds 

1⁄4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil 

10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 

4 bulbs baby fennel, trimmed and halved, or 2 medium fennel, quartered 

4 bulbs spring onions, greens thinly sliced, white onions peeled leaving stem end trimmed and attached, and halved 

4 cups vegetable stock 

10 sprigs thyme 

5 whole black peppercorns 

1 bay leaf 

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 

3 tbsp. sherry vinegar 

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish 

Maldon flake sea salt, for garnish 

Instructions 

Bring a 6-qt. saucepan of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, cook snow peas, peas, carrots, and asparagus until crisp-tender, about 1 minute each for peas, and 2–3 minutes for carrots and asparagus. Transfer vegetables to an ice bath until chilled; drain, discard rubber band from asparagus, and set aside. 

Wipe pan clean and toast coriander seeds over medium-high until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Add 1⁄4 cup oil; cook garlic until golden, 3–4 minutes, and, using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. Cook fennel and white onions until golden, 6–8 minutes; transfer to bowl with garlic. Add sliced onion greens, the stock, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaf, and vanilla bean; simmer until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Strain stock and return to pan; whisk in remaining oil, the vinegar, salt, and pepper, and heat over medium. Stir in all reserved vegetables; cook, covered, until vegetables are heated through, 2–3 minutes. Divide vegetables between bowls and ladle broth over the top; garnish with cilantro sprigs and sea salt. 

I hope that this all inspires you to eat, drink, and think,

Cheers, Maria

Your Wine Lady