Pressed for Thought

We are still enjoying some summer-like days, but the thing about fall is the scent in the air of decomposing leaves, harvest bonfires, the caramelized aroma of roasting vegetables and toasting spices, the yeasty richness of warming bread, and we are drawn to cozy up inside a bit more. I find myself looking up new recipes for using my stocks for stews and hearty soups or sauces.  It is with this in mind that I think about pairings this month.   

Coincidentally, we have a holiday coming, which remains a favorite for so many as we gather around the table with friends and family to celebrate the abundance that harvest has provided.  This year, I am saving a big bag of my pressings from a new wine—Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, to make a harvest sauce.  I learned this sauce from a chef in Seattle years ago, and it is divine on a simple beef tenderloin.   

It is with these flavors in mind that I make my November picks, and here they are. 

Responsible Indulgence—Wine Notes 

While it gets more difficult to find great wines that are under $20, they do exist.  Follow Eric Asimov in the New York Times for loads of suggestions. I work hard to keep the shop stocked with them, too.  I get it,  I want to enjoy wine every day, so a selection of solid, value wines that will satisfy and elevate my meal or snack is a must.  Here are my picks for November: 

21 Thirst Cinsault is a “natural” wine from Radford Dale in Stellenbosch.  It is a fun, playful, fruity little number that is ideally suited for your Turkey Day Celebrations with crunchy dark cherry notes and a grippy finish.  It acts the same way cranberry sauce would for the turkey, providing sweet tart flavors and loads of fruit. This may seem like a departure from their other wines, but it has the very same quality that we have come to expect from this producer, just a youthful package! 

(I put natural in quotation marks because the winery uses that term to describe the wine, but in truth there is not a clear definition or any regulation within the industry designating that category.  What is generally accepted is wines that are fermented with native yeast, complete all fermentation and bottling with little or no additives, and are left unfiltered when bottled.) 

If you are seeking something a bit more refined, but still a light to medium bodied red for your autumnal menu, try the 2021 Foretal Beaujolais Villages.  This is not a new one for us, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a new vintage, and it is consistent is style and quality.  The Foretal has always been a very good value because of the quality of the wine.  It has finesse that exceeds its modest price point.  The aromatics and flavors of cherry, berry, and thyme are balanced with a hint of acidity and just enough grip to make this complex and more compelling than other Gamay’s in the under $20 category. Yes, great for your Thanksgiving day menu, but just an altogether, year-round red that is food flexible and delicious on its own. 

Sometimes, we want a fuller red, so I include one of those as well.  The 2022 Produttori Manduna Electric Bee Primitivo will give you the intensity you seek.  Primitivo is the “sister” grape of American Red Zinfandel, and in fact it shares much the same DNA; evidence supports that both grapes come to us from Croatia, where they are called Tribidrag. What I love about this wine is the balance of acidity that allows for the abundant fruit on the midpalate.   

Strawberry, raspberry, tobacco and spice, all delivered in a deep dark garnet colored wine with loads of body and intensity.  It would pair well with roasted pork loin, eggplant parmesan, ribs, or just a nice piece of Taleggio and a stick of dry sausage. (That’s what we grew up calling salami our here!) 

For something cold in the value range, I suggest the 2023 Guipiere L’Escailler.  From one of the highest acid grapes on planet earth, Gros Plant! (a.k.a. Folle Blanche, also known as Muscadet).  This amazing wine is sourced from 40 year old vines planted in the mica-schist soils of the Pays Nantais where the Loire river spills into the Atlantic ocean. Bone-dry with crisp acids and pure minerality, this is one of the purest, raciest shellfish partners of the world. It is so good with fresh seafood, so follow our friends at Eating with the Ecosystem for suggestions on what is seasonally available and get your local fish at our Aquidneck Grower’s Market. Oysters are always a good pick for this varietal. 

For a white with a bit more body and texture, the 2023 Pedro Martinez Alesanco Blanco is my pick for fall.  While the wine is more full-bodied, it is still crisp and fresh, and yes, dry.  Remember, dry and fruity can coexist, but usually, when they do, the wine is more complex, richer in style.  The wine is made with a blend of Viura, White Tempranillo, Malvasia, and Sauvignon Blanc.  All of these are aromatic grapes, so expect a wonderfully perfumed nose—and enjoy it!  It is as surprising on the palate with green apple, pear, lemon peel, and exotic fruits, but also wet stone and oyster shells. Pairs well with shellfish, quiches, cheese, and salads. 

I could not resist squeezing a sparkling in for you.  Don’t worry, you can grab a rosé if you like, we have one ready for you and always encourage pairing a rosé with Thanksgiving and just about any other meal! This time of year calls for celebration, and one cannot possibly do that without bubbles.  Often value priced bubbles can leave one feeling, well, flat, but not the Mary Taylor, Sophia Bresscia Veneto Frizzante!  

Mary Taylor is the importer, but she works very closely with her winemakers to provide an outlet for them to export the wines.  She also provides us a very economical way to enjoy delicious wine!  Here are her notes, “Frizzante wine is a lower pressure than Spumante. The bubbles are a result of the addition of tirage – in this case 15-25 g/l concentrated grape must is added as part of the liqueur d’expedition before secondary fermentation. From the foothills of the Alps on the east side of the province of Vicenza, vineyards planted upwards of 30 years ago bear fruit of the Glera and Garganega grapes. The winery works sustainably, and in concert with the local eco-system. Grasses and flowers grow between the rows. Sofia Brescia is a name given to honor to previous generation of wine growers, many of who were women that have been forgotten by historical naming conventions.”  The wine is fresh, soft citrus notes and pear, and is delightful on its own, but will saddle up to some chunked up Parmigiano and thinly sliced Prosciutto. 

At the Select level, where we have a bit more flexibility and what is likely the best values of quality for the price, I always have a hard time narrowing down the suggestions. So many wines, so little time!  To begin with, I return to a perennial favorite, Ginny Povall, who never disappoints me.  Ginny has been in the shop, so you have likely met her and tried her South African wines. She makes beautiful wine, full stop, and her 2018 Botanica Semillon is a favorite of mine because of its elegant style, texture and body.  This is an ideal white for Chardonnay drinkers, as it shares some stylistic character. You will note flavors of peach, lemon, and beeswax, with a suggestion of earl grey tea.  On the finish there is abundant minerality that expresses itself in a saline flavor.  Enjoy this one with roasted vegetables, gratins, and lighter meats. 

For a white on the lighter side, try the 23 Prodittori di Manduria "Alice" Verdeca, a native grape to Puglia.  This wine is bright, fresh, and bursting with citrus and exotic fruits.  It is an alluring aromatic white that would pair well with richer dishes, as it would cut through the fat to refresh the palate. I am thinking about Chicken Pot Pie! 

I have given you all the option of a sparkling wine, but I can’t resist including a rosé, particularly one so well suited for Turkey.  The 2023 Manarine Rosé is a blend of Grenache (60%), and  Mourvèdre and Syrah, which comprise the remaining 40%.  It is a direct to press rosé, which means that the grapes were picked with the intention of making rosé, the grapes go directly into the press upon arrival that the winery. The result is a wine of intention and the quality is unmistakable.  It is smooth, flavorful and aromatic, with berry notes, earthy aromas, and an elegant structure. The real value of this method of wine making is in the wine’s lasting power.  Direct to Press typically results in a wine that continues to improve with age, as is the case with the Manarine.  It would be a wonderful accompaniment to your turkey! 

For reds, the seasonal table calls for intensity, but I still want to keep those wines fresh and balanced, so you can enjoy them with food.  To begin with, I am offering a lighter style Cabernet Franc from the Loire.  2023 Lame Delisle Boucard Cab Franc, Nom de Zeus! Is a young vines CF made in stainless steel for a brighter and fresher style.  The complexity is there and all the expected Cabernet Franc flavors—blackberry, red fruits, barnyard (yes this is good, not Brett), peppered notes, and loose earth.  Another wonder of organic production and farming, simply made, for a unique style and a delicious wine.  This one can stand alone as a fun cocktail red, even serve it with a chill. 

For a bit more full bodied, and a traditional style the 2022 Mary Taylor, Anna Sarda Coteaux de Cabrerisse comes to us from Anne Sarda, in the south west of France in the Languedoc region of France.  It is 100% Carignan from 50+ year old vines, all dry farmed, hand harvested, and minimally treated in the winery.  Wine from the Languedoc consistently confirm for me the value of this region.  Surely, the region was previously known for quantity over quality, but that has changed!  These are true vignerons, growers and winemakers, who take great pride in the wines.   

What is more, Mary Taylor is investing her energy into bringing these small producers to us with enthusiasm!  Importer's notes on the wine: “Our winemaker Anne Sarda and her team do their vineyard work by hand.  Carignan vines, up to 60 years old, grow as bush vines at 130 meters altitude, necessitating hand harvest and producing low yields of 30 hl/ha.  The climate is dry and the vines struggle in their stony soils – too stony to even plant cover crops.  It is a wild and rural landscape, yet strikingly beautiful and natural. No pesticides, no herbicides, and no irrigation are employed.  The estate is HVE Level 3 Certified. After the intense labor in the vineyards, Anne works with a delicate touch in the cellar.  Spontaneous fermentation by native, ambient yeasts takes place in large concrete tanks, followed by 10 days’ maceration, then aging in old concrete vessels that are at least 60 (and up to 105 years!) old.  The wine is not fined, just lightly filtered and an infinitesimal 2 g/hl of sulfur is added right before bottling. 

Saint Laurent de la Cabrerisse is one of the 5 municipalities that qualify for the small Coteaux de Cabrerisse IGP.  Anne’s rendition of it – expressing all the character of those old Carignan vines on stony soils – is intense and pure.” Mary is doing some great things for both the winemakers and the consumers. 

Don’t resist Merlot!  I feel a personal commitment to advocate for this poor grape that one movie set on a trajectory doomed for oblivion.  The irony of the film, of course, is that Paul Giamatti’s character enjoys a bottle of Merlot at the end of the film, but as with much irony, it was lost on most.  That said, it has encouraged California Merlot producers to up their game.  The beauty of the varietal is its versatility.  It has all the fruit of a pinot with the structure and grip of a Cabernet.  It can pair well with tomato, as with a Super Tuscan, or accompany a standing rib roast, or throw down with a South African Braai, as is the case with the 2020 Big Flower Merlot.  It is another example of Ginny Povall’s winemaking acumen.  The wine drinks like a $45 bottle, but retails for only $28!!  It is a wine that you should always have on hand, so buy 6 extra and keep them in stock for a moment when friends pop in. 

For those seeking a bolder red expression, you may want to try the newest option for the club—Big, Bold, Beautiful! This is a 6 pack of delicious bold reds at the Select Level, designed just for those seeking that style.  This month, we included P&R Green, Bodega Ceron El Tiempo Que,  Fram Shiraz, Dancing Crow Cabernet Sauvignon, Broc The Perfect Red, and Owen Roe, Ex Umbris Syrah.  The wines are balanced, of course, but more full bodied and very satisfying.  Let me know if you would like to switch to this for a month, or add it to your current subscription.  With the right foods, you can drink them all year round, but they are particularly good this time of year.  It is like wrapping up in a big blanket! 

There are two more wines, for those feeling the impulse to splurge a little.  For the Collector Level, I selected two Spanish wines that will elevate your fall meals.  Arguably, Spain still offers us great values for wines that are both elegant and rustic for under $75.  While this may seem like a lot of money, consider that you get six four-ounce glasses of wine from a bottle, which means that you are paying a little more than $12 per glass.  By any standard, that is still affordable, albeit a luxurious one.  The wines are truly remarkable and worth a splurge now and again. 

As examples of the elegant rusticity (or is it rustic elegance?), I offer two reds: The 2022 Envinate Lousas Vina de Aldea and the 2022 Comando G. To explain, the heat of Spain, along with its rugged terrain has historically produced wine that reflects the character of the terroir.  That said, in the 90’s and into the 2000’s, many Spanish winemakers committed themselves to redefining the reputation by elevating the stye and quality of the Grenache to compete with the wines of France and Italy. These wines have not lost their identity but rather illustrate wines that can compete on the world stage.   

Comando G comes from a vineyard high in the Sierra de Gredos, discovered and cultivated by two friends, Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia, who created the project in 2008.  They sought out largely inaccessible vineyards with great promise, and they began making Grenache with elegance and finesse.  Biodynamic farming, high altitude granite and slate soils, mild climate with good humidity all contribute to the quality and character of the wine. These are surprisingly aromatic wines, concentrated and bold, but with a freshness that balances the fruit.  

The 2022 Envinate Lousas Vinas de Aldea is from the Ribera Sacra and is a blend of several grapes, including Grenache.  It has been described as both ‘burly and refined,”  due to the combination of soils, climate, and winemaking techniques. The 60+ year old vines contribute to the complexity of flavors.  Like its partner, Comando G, the wine comes from a more obscure place in the corners of Spain and is the result of friendship.  Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and Jose Martinez formed a winemaking project and Envinate is the result of that work.  Their aim is to make pure and authentic wines that express the terroir but to do so with precision and finesse.  They have achieved their goal. 

These wine deserves a moment to open up, so decant if you can.  Enjoy it with stewed meats, or make a pot of Caldo Gallego and enjoy! 

Whatever calls you to eat and drink this month, I hope this has given you a little something to think about. 

Cheers, Maria 

I selected the wines for October with gathering together and sharing a meal in mind, jumping on the Come Over October campaign, celebrating friendship and connection that Karen McNeil has initiated. 

To make that easy to do, we have six value wines that are solid, well-made wines, that make it easy to enjoy a glass with friends.  The 2023 Zestos Rosado is dry and fresh, made from old vines Garnacha.  The wine is elegant, smooth and fresh.  It has a lovely mineral element that shows itself as salinity.  It has a vibrancy, likely because of the cold mountain nights.  The weather is extreme and the elevation 2625 ft, but it is these conditions that give the wine its aromatics and character.  There are strawberries and pomegranate coupled with fresh cherry and grapefruit pith. The finish is crisp, so the wine lends itself to rich dishes like the fig, ricotta bruschetta that I mentioned above.  

Keeping it chilled, the 2022 Panoro Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is dry, fresh, and aromatic, which means that the aromas on the nose and on the palate are pronounced.  When you lean into this glass, you will be confronted with fruit, floral, and citrus notes.  It will bring a smile to your face. You cannot help wanting to take a sip.  The balance of pear, apricot with lemon and orange peel, opens up to a jasmine freshness with just a hint of mint.  This wine makes we want a simple risotto with lemon zest and grilled prawns. 

For a little more full-bodied white, try the 2022 Pullus Halozan, which is a blend of Welschriesling, Riesling, Chardonnay, Furmint, and Pinot Blanc.  This may sound like a lot, but it is a typical blend for Slovenia, and it is intended to enjoy with local seafood.  In addition to the liter bottle, which affords you an extra glass, this wine is meant to share with friends. It is, simply put, a crowd pleaser, as it should be.  Blends give winemakers a lot to work with.  This one has five varietals, each with its own character, bringing the wine into harmony.  It is fascinating when you begin to blend and see what each grape brings to the composition.  You just have to pour a glass and enjoy it with lighter meats, risotto, cheese and charcuterie. 

For reds, it is getting a little cooler at night, so I am leaning into reds with a bit more intensity.  I try to select reds from lighter to more full-bodied, so the 2022 Zillamina Red from a Spanish Coop that began in 1932.  They are pioneers in certified organic production and now have more than 600 hectares in production.  Their red is 100% Monastrell and has a vibrant ruby red color, which compels you to lean in and inhale.  The aroma, for me, is all sunshine, warmth and dusty thyme, with berry and red cherry notes.  The earth and spice follow on the palate, which gives the wine a layered flavor profile that far exceeds its modest price point.  It is structured and powerful without weight.  Yes, I love this wine.  Try it with a tapas menu, with which it will shine! 

For a more full bodied expression, grab one of two Cabernet Sauvignon’s included in this month’s selections.  As of late, there are more requests for full-bodied reds.  It is the pendulum swinging back, and it is happening with some modicum of balance, which is to say that there appears to be a correction from the Robert Parker days.  Your palates are more refined then that, and you are seeking bold without “bowl you over.” You have two options at the value level: 2020 Castle Rock Cabernet Sauvignon from California  and the 202 La Mayne Turon from Bordeaux. Ideally, invite some friends and try them side by side, it is an opportunity to learn.  They are both solid, value wines with interesting flavors, good intensity, and delicious, bold wines.  That said, they are different. The French wine is leaner, with more acidity, and the California wine is smoother, more fruit forward, riper on the midpalate, more plum where the French is more brambly fruit, but also earthy and good tannins on the finish.  I like them both, so you decide, and tell me what you ate with them...I would vote for a steak on an open fire grill. 

For the Select wines, I first included the 2023 Tipsy Rose Rosé of Pinot Noir because I have had wonderful response to the wine, and I am eager to share it with you.  It is a food rosé, meaning that it is more substantial in flavor and body.  It is a direct to press rosé made with 100% Pinot Noir from Carneros, Napa, where Pinot likes to grow because of the cool winds off of the San Pablo Bay. The flavors and aromas of fresh black cherries, raspberry, citrus and a hint of fennel are balanced with a smooth midpalate, from the malolactic ferment. This gives the wine texture and fleshiness.  I would enjoy this with some chunked parmesan and thinly sliced prosciutto. 

For whites this fall, try the 2023 Cheveau Macon-Fuisse for a  Chardonnay that will no doubt, rock your world.  Don’t say it, do not say you don’t like Chardonnay.  Chill this, open it and be prepared for the “Sam, I am.” Moment, and you will laugh and admitthat I might be on to something!  The weight of the fruit—apples, melon, pear, pineapple, and lemon—is offset by stony minerality and crisp, fresh salinity.  There is a supple mouth feel and a savory finish. Just touched judiciously with oak, the wine reveals this with a hint of vanilla and its texture that neutral barrels impart.  I would enjoy this one with a pan-seared salmon.  

If you are thinking leaner in style, grab the 2022 dell’ Angelo Greco di Tartufo Riserva.  It is elegant and intense.  The family holds over 5 hectares, exclusively growing Greco grapes in 2 plots that are located above ancient sulfur mines.  Their soils are rich in minerals and sulphureous materials that give the wines particular characteristics. The family has chosen to work with a low environmental impact, respectful of nature and the healthiness of the soil: for example, weeding is not practiced and all activities in the vineyard are performed manually. The grapes undergo soft pressing and fermentation on indigenous yeasts at low temperature, so as to preserve the integrity of the aromas. Without clarification, it is left to mature naturally in stainless steel containers for 3-4 months before bottling.  The result is a white, stone fruits, pear and citrus with wet stone (I know that sounds weird, but it’s the best way to describe minerality), and if sunshine had a flavor, this is it!  The wine is power without weight.  Enjoy this with roasted lighter meats, grilled fish, white beans with escarole. 

It is not typical of me to include three whites, but it is fall, and the flavors on our table in this shoulder season call for Chenin Blanc, so I am compelled to do this, just this once.  I hope you will indulge me.  If you must have three reds, ask, we will accommodate your request!  Trust me, though, you will want this South African Chenin Blanc produced by Craig and Carla Hawkins in the sandstone soils of the Piketberg. The Testalonga It has a richness that s alluring and very satisfying.  It is a food wine but let the wine shine by accompanying it with a simple dish, some hard cheeses and charcuterie.  In keeping with Chenin Blanc, it has a rising acidity that makes in incredibly food-flexible and friendly.  It would be lovely with a spatchcocked chicken grilled with tomatillo salsa!  Put a little char on that chicken! 

The reds are both intense without a heavy hand, which is a balance that I seek always.  This sounds obvious, but it is not easy to accomplish.  Depth of flavor and intensity come from the ripeness of the grape, so knowing when to pick is vital to the success of balance.  Often, winemakers are tempted by increased ripeness to get more flavor and more intensity, but that can lead to heaviness on the palate.  Good growers and winemakers know their varietal and how to coax out of the grape intensity and satisfying, complex flavors, while keeping a freshness on the wine so we can continue to sip.   

The 2021 Vigneti Massa Terra Rosso is red ruby to the eye, with aromas of plum, violet, berries, and cherry.  There are ample tannins for structure, but the wine remains smooth and accessible. There is a soft spice and black currant on the finish that make you pause and think for a moment. Similarly, the 2022 Davanture Cote Chalonaise has a core flavor of cherry and blackberry that is balanced with spice and pepper, soft round tannins and ample acidity.  Both Barbera and Pinot Noir are considered medium bodied reds, but it is the intensity of flavor and the depth of layered flavor—fruit, spice, earth, and acidity, that give character to these wines.  They are committed to quality, and it shows! 

These wines are food flexible because of their build and intensity of flavors, but I am thinking about a roasted pork loin with a mixed roasted fall vegetable platter—squash, brussels, mushroom, and root vegetables with just olive oil and salt.  

For the Collector Wines are both from one remarkable winemaker, whose story is as compelling as his wines.  Guillaume Guiton, the son of Jean Guiton, is the wine maker now, and he has followed in his father’s tradition of making wines that are true to place.  I met Guillaume with Pascal Schildt, the importer of his wines.  Pascal’s enthusiasm for the Guiton wines is contagious and rightfully so.  Here are the notes from Pascal’s website about the Domaine: 

Jean Guiton tended vines for several producers as an “ouvrier,” until he has the opportunity to buy some vineyards in Ladoix and Aloxe-Corton and start making wine on his parents property in Bligny-Les_Beaune in 1973. Domaine Jean Guiton was born. In 1987, a second opportunity allowed Jean to purchase more vineyards, this time in Savigny, Beaune and Pernand-Vergelesses and soon thereafter in Volnay and Pommard too.  Jean’s son, Guillaume, is at the helm of the Domaine today and the 2nd generation producing wines for his family’s estate. He joined the family business in 1998 (fresh out of the Lycée Viticole de Beaune) and took over the reigns of the Domaine completely in 2009. Jean embraces a lean style of winemaking (no pigéage), while maintaining great structure. Though the vineyards are not certified organic, the entire property is farmed without the use of systemic herbicides or pesticides.  The Domaine consists of 12 hectares of vineyards dotted around the following villages (comprising Village and 1er Cru appellations): Bligny-Les-Beaune, Volnay, Pommard, Beaune, Savigny-les-Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses and Ladoix. Total production is only around 5,400 cases from 12 appellations. They produce mostly red wines (95%), exclusively from Pinot Noir, with a bit of Aligoté as well as Chardonnay for his Haute-Côtes-de-Beaune white. 

The wines are precise and balanced and have something at the core that reflects Guillames spirit of adventure and generosity. Enjoy these with regional specialties like scallops st. Jaques, roasted duck au poivre, and au gratin potatoes.   

Enjoy the aroma of fall in the air, cheers, Maria