June Wine Notes 

Flavors continue to head toward the summer table with stunning salad greens, herbs, and radishes that we are all enjoying from the farmer’s market.  We have all cleaned off the grill and the patio, so there is a char on our meats, fishes, veggies, and baguettes!  These changes call for wines ideally suited for lighter foods with intensity of flavor, so I have selected wines with a similar profile.  I hope you enjoy!

Here is my list of June suggestions. There are plenty of these wines, so if you see something you want to try, please let me know!!

To begin, some good values that allow us to enjoy often and without too much fuss. The 23 Isle Saint Pierre Rouge is great for those looking for a lighter wine in body and in ABV with just 12.5% this Bordeaux Style Blend from the Southwest of France will satisfy while keeping you light on your feet!  The grapes are farmed organically, and the wine is produced simply and honestly to achieve a typical Rhone style of fruit and spicy wine.  Additionally, the wine has structure and complexity. Brambly fruit, summer berries, pepper and fennel aromatics a flavors will add to your meal.  You will feel the grippy tannins if you have this one solo, so enjoy it with some grilled meats. 

The Value three pack includes a couple of choices if you are seeking a cold wine.  The two I selected drink like a glass of fresh, crisp summer fruit with mouth watering freshness and acidity.  The 21 Belisario “Cabraccio” Verdicchio di Matelica is not new to the wine club, but one worth revisiting in its new vintage.  It has stunning aromas of green apple, radish, and floral notes of jasmine and lily, and it finishes with loads of minerality and a suggestion of lemon peel.  Similarly, the 22 Gavoty, La Cigale Rosé from the Cotes de Provence gives both fruit and acidity generously in a refreshing and easy drinking rosé.  It will lift your meal and your spirits!  Both wines are easy to enjoy on their own, but will elevate a light summer meal like salad, fish, or cheeses. 

The Value six pack gives a few more options for choice.  To begin with an additional white wine,  the 21 Josselin Bouet Muscadet “Selon Moi,” which translates “according to me.”  This is Josselin Bouet’s vision for a great Muscadet that is delicate and powerful with finesse and style.  Bouet re-acquired his grandparents vineyard years after they sold, having learned his craft.  It is a story that warms my heart, and his wines bring a smile to my face with each sip.  The grape is Melon de Bourgogne, and don’t let the place suggest that this is anything like a Muscat.  Muscadet is a region in the Loire, known for fresh, mineral driven wines that have a salinity on the finish that will remind you of the ocean water!  Enjoy this juicy, fresh wine and its flavors ripe melon and pear with some mussels & frites or pesto pasta, or just some fresh mozzarella stretched on some charred baguette slices! 

For additional Value reds, I included to varying styles, but both make me think of sunshine in a glass. The 21 Vera de Estanas Bobal—yes, this is the name of the grape—which comes to us the south of Spain and is crafted from old Bobal vines averaging 50 years of age (some of them up to 100 years) The vineyard is located in the heart of Utiel-Requena on clay-calcareous soils. The wine is fermented in concrete tanks and raised in a mix of concrete and old American oak barrels. This 100% Bobal is medium-bodied and shows a mix of bright black and red fruits, spice, and minerals, while maintaining moderate alcohol and high acidity. The result is a red wine that’s friendly with a wide variety of meats, especially game – a traditional pairing is Gazpacho Manchego, and Valencian paella made with rabbit or chicken. 

The second red that invokes the warmth of the sun for me, is the 22 Camp Zinfandel from The North Coast in California.  This is a new regional reference that encompasses Napa, Sonoma and beyond, but these grapes come from Potter Valley from two vineyards that the folks at Hobo Wine Company have a long history with.  The wine has warmth, bold fruit and structure while remaining medium bodied and fresh.  It is certified organic, fermented in concrete and aged in neutral oak.  I love the brambly fruit on this and that hint of spice that is unique to Red Zin. It is lush without overwhelming the palate.  Enjoy it with a burger this weekend! 

For an elevated experience, go to the Select level for wines with more complexity and depth.  What makes these wines more interesting and more expensive is the layers of flavors that can only come from techniques in the vineyard and the winery that take time, craft, and investment.  All of this results in secondary and tertiary flavors that make the wines more complex, more thought provoking, and more pleasing. 

For the Select 3 pack, the wines exhibit elegance, intensity of flavor and freshness.   The 22 La Fraghe Bardolino is a blend of Corvina and Rondinella.  The grapes are vinified separately in stainless steel, which maintains freshness, but given daily pump overs to provide texture and to flesh out the fruit flavors.  It goes through malolactic but remains very light on the palate. It is fruity, but ultimately it is the brightness of acidity that makes this an ideal summer wine. Think of raspberries and cranberries, candied lemon and sea salt. The wine is well suited for charcuterie, charred fish on the grill, or a lemon risotto with seared sea scallops. 

The 22 Clos de Rocs--Macon Loche is classic white Burgundy. This is Chardonnay for everyone, even the nay-sayers. It is fresh and elegant, with alluring aromas of apple, pear, melon, citrus, and saline. The soils of Macon Loche are densely limestone rich and the resulting wines are lean, earthy, and mineral driven. I will take the time to make a quiche Lorraine for this one! 

For that afternoon salad, pop open the 22 Gavoty, Grand Classique Cotes de Provence Rosé. It has bright acidity and soft berry fruitiness. It is so pleasant, fresh, refreshing, and easy to drink. I never tire of rosé, and all too often I defend the wines against that suggest this is only a seasonal drink. This rosé is a perfect example of a pink wine that will satisfy on a wide variety of occasions because of its subtle complexity, but it is an ideal wine for our summer flavors. It would be great with a pile of those summer vegetables that are now coming our way. I am going to sauté asparagus and toss it in an omelet with a salad dressed in a lemon vinaigrette.  

I could do something similar with the 22 Sa Raja “Tarra Noa” Vermentino from Sardinia. The tropical fruit aromatics on this wine will rock your world. Straw yellow in the glass with delicate notes of myrtle, grass, pineapple, citrus, and sea water. It is complex and compelling with a substantial body and texture. I would keep the dish simple to let this wine shine; it is calling for a light pesto or aglio oilio with some fresh lemon juice 

Saraja is a relatively new project on the northern coast of Sardinia, the collaborative work of five winemakers with a wealth of experience making exceptional wines. I have also included the 22 Sa Raja Cannonau di Saregna, which is 100% Grenache (called Cannonau regionally) sourced from low lying vineyards in the Romangia region. The soils are shallow and range from clay to sand, so these vines work hard and the result is an intense, perfumed, earthy wine with spice and gentle grippy tannins. For this, lamb is ideal. 

The 21 Hither & Yon Touriga National and Tempranillo would also work nicely with that lamb, either in a ragu or on chops on the grill. 60 % Touriga & 40 % Tempranillo from McLaren Vale in Australia, where the brothers Richard and Malcolm Leask continue the legacy created by their parents. This wine is rich in flavor with raspberry, anise, and dark tart dried cherry, and fresh mint and sage. That lamb is a good fit, but also a steak on the grill would dance nicely with this wine, whose name also invites you to  

If you are seeking a more elevated experience, there are always options that will illustrate what a truly premium wine is and why it is worth splurging on. Many of you have told me that you would not know the difference between a $25 dollar bottle and a $75 bottle, but I beg to differ. Trust me, you will! While I want all the wines in the shop to taste good, there is no denying that a premium price tag is going to result in a wine that gives you more. 

That may not always be what you are looking for, but if you splurge you are will get a wine that will have greater complexity, depth of flavor, and structure. It should always be pleasant, yes, but it should also make me stop and focus. These wines ask a little more from us, too, inviting us to contemplate, to slow down for a moment and recognize the unique experience that this glass of wine provides. 

According to long time member and my good friend, Colin, “it simply brings about a little more joy.” I couldn’t agree more. In truth, I believe these wines provide the special occasion, giving the moment itself depth and character, something memorable that will heighten the romance and intensify the beauty of your exchange. I don’t mean romance in the singular sense that it has come to mean in our present world—that of love, I mean, but rather the philosophical notion of the Romantics who valued emotional and sensory awareness as a movement toward subjective thought. What all of this means for me is that the wine becomes an integral part of the moment, we interact with the wine, and it connects us to the person or people with whom we share it. For these moments, I splurge, nothing too crazy, but wines that are roughly $50-$100, and it is worth it! 

The Francesco Rinaldi wines are a perfect example of a truly special wine experience, when you get wrapped up in a meal, engrossed in conversation, and pulled into the glass by that alluring swirling, aromatic juice. The winery was established by the Rinaldi family in the 19th century and has been maintained with the same traditional methods and care ever since. Located in the Piedmont, in the north of Italy, and more specifically in Barolo, where the Rinaldi’s argue, the best Nebbiolo is grown. 

The family has over time acquired more property and now grows their grapes in three distinct soils and aspects, drawing on the varied terroir, from chalky to sandy to clay. The family believes that the balance of all three brings harmony to the wine, giving the full experience of the Barolo area.  

While Nebbiolo is the reigning king of the grapes of the Piedmont, there are others, including Barbera, Dolcetto and Grignolino. In the interest of learning, I decided to include one for your consideration. The grape has not always gotten the respect that I think it deserves. When done well, it is a delightful and flavorful, light bodied red with high acidity and tannin. It can miss the mark when not allowed to grow to full ripeness, but the Rinaldi’s give care to this balance. The 21 Fancesco Rinaldi Grignolino d’Asti comes from the Montaldo Scarampi vineyard, and it is fermented and aged in stainless steel. 

The wine is a light ruby color that is brilliant and alluring. The delicate aromatics range from summer berries to light floral notes and the flavor is fresh and subtle. In the rising interest of chillable reds, this wine will be popular at all the summer galas! I would enjoy it with cheeses and fruits, cured meats, or veal dishes. 

When seeking something more intense, the 18 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo, DOCG, will provide a depth of flavor that is rarely matched. This is a premium price, indeed, but still for the region a relative value. It is made from grapes from all three of the vineyard holdings—La Morra, Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, which gives complex character to the wine. The vines range in age from 40 to 50 year old vines in sandy, chalky, and clay soils. After slow maceration and fermentation for approximately a month, the wine is pressed and co-fermented in large capacity Slovonian oak barrels for three years or more.  

The wine has a capacity for making me smile even as I write about it. It is aromatically ample, so you begin to taste it as you pour it into the glass. I recommend decanting an hour before you enjoy it, as the ‘18 is still youthful. The flavors—dark cherry, raspberry, licorice, tomato paste, char...and many more, have all started to meld, but will continue to do so as the wine ages. I recommend enjoying one and then buying a few to lay down for future enjoyment. 

The wine strikes a balance between subtle aromatics, depth of flavor, and rigid tannins, so don’t overwhelm it with heavy or too-rich foods. I have always felt the best meal for Barolo is osso bucco and Milanese risotto. 

However you come together with friends and wine, I hope these will help to elevate your senses, drowning out the chaos and the noise of the world and allowing you to focus and experience the beauty and romance of the moment. 

Cheers, Maria 

For me there is almost nothing better than pesto pasta, and this year, I learned that the early spring basil is the best for this dish. The leaves are still fragile and the floor is subtle and fresh. It is a quick summer meal that can be produced in the time it takes to boil pasta.

This recipe is for 1 pound of pasta and serves 4

1. bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add a tablespoon of salt

2. meanwhile, toast a small handful of pine nuts (yes, I have the Spanish ones at the shop, and it makes a difference!)

3. put a large clove of garlic, the toasted pine nuts, 2 tablespoons of butter (yes!), 2 full cups of fresh basil, a pinch of salt into a blender, turn it one and drizzle in olive oil to your desired texture. (Figure you need a 1/2 cup of oil at least, but you may use a little more or less depending on how much basil you stuffed into the cups.) Note: I use a Vitamin because I like my pesto like a paste. If your prefer a rougher chop, use a mortar & pestle or a food processor. If you do so, add a squeeze of lemon to prevent your basil from browning. With the Vitamin, the heat from the blender will do the same thing for you.

4. Add your pasta to the boiling water & “cook till done” (this instruction is on nearly every one of my mother’s handwritten recipes & it always makes me smile & think, “Mom, what does that mean???” You will know.)

5. Don’t drain the pasta, instead scoop it out with a sieve to get some of the pasta water. Toss with your pesto with your pasta and a handful of grated parmigiana.

6. Open a delicious mineral driven white wine like the Ca de Sopra Albana from Emilia Romagna & enjoy the magic!

Note: you do not need all that pesto. One batch usually covers two pounds of pasta for me, but it is also great on tomatoes and mozzarella, rubbed on a roasted chicken, added to salad dressing, or on a toasted piece of charred baguette. It keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks.