Responsible Indulgence--March 2022
Eat Drink Think
It is March, and I can’t help feeling some excitement for Spring. I know I am a little early, but I have been a hurry most of my life, so why change now? Part of what is wonderful about living in New England is the changing seasons. It doesn’t ever get old for me. Yes, I love all four seasons, and with equal fervor: truly, I love them all. That said, winter sometimes overstays his welcome. I am eager to open windows, pack up hats and gloves, and get out into the dirt. With that comes an entirely new set of fresh flavors for the table—and that is the true gift of our changing seasons. We want new flavors and styles of cooking for each. Isn’t that glorious? With crocus popping up, asparagus will be soon to follow, baby artichokes, spring peas, so the question is, what do we drink with the onset of Spring? I want wines that taste of the aromas of spring—freshness, red and blue fruits, and a little sticks and stems with the minerality of fresh running water from the winter thaw. Ok, we don’t need to pack up our sweaters just yet, but it is happening, and these wines will help to hasten it!
The Super Value 3 pack always gives me a chance to think about great values. Wines that are easy, approachable, but delicious, organic, well made, and affordable for everyday drinking. This month, I found all of that in an obvious spot, Portugal. 2020 Cabriz Rosé, 2020 Azevedo Loureiro Alvarinho, and 2019 Esteva, Douro, all come to us from Portugal, where we can still find some supreme values. Wines made with a conscious effort to elevate the meal and go easy on the wallet. These three wines speak of freshness and intensity. The rosé is bright and refreshing, ideal for an aperitif; the white offers a surprising richness on the palate that would pair great with egg dishes; and the red is rustic and intense, which makes it ideal for meats and roasted vegetables.
The additional Value wines include another white wine that will pair beautifully with spring meals like pasta and peas or quiche and salad, the 2020 Gunderloch, Hasselback Dry Riesling will even stand up to those challenging vegetables like asparagus and spring greens. These vegetables can often be astringent and acidic, which is hard to pair, but not impossible, and Riesling is a versatile grape with bold flavor, a full mouth feel and the wonderful addition of a bracing acidity. This one is fermented dry, so don’t make that face—it is delicious. (Repeat after Sam I am, “I do like them, I do like green eggs and ham!”)
If you are still feeling the last blasts of winter coolness, you may prefer to stick with red a bit longer, and I picked two that offer intensity of flavor and some warmth. The 2018 Pres’quil Syrah is a real treat at the Value level, but I got a great deal on it thanks to our club’s volume. (That’s right, get more people to join and I can do more for you...tell two friends to join!) This Syrah is made at a family run winery in Santa Barbara County, and they have a gentle touch with a grape that is not always easy to control. This one is supple, fruity with good acidity and structure. It is a delicious glass of wine for a cheese and charcuterie platter, grilled and roasted meats, particularly lamb. Grab some chops from Martha at WIndmist and marinate in olive oil, balsamic, and loads of rosemary, and throw them on the grill for a couple of minutes on each side.
If pasta is more your style this weekend, grab the 2018 San Ferdinando Il Gargaiolo Chianti, the name is a mouthful but the wine is easy on the palate. This Sangiovese blend has bold flavors of brambly fruit, good acidity to balance the fruit and brighten your food, and supple tannins on the finish. I am going to enjoy this with some eggplant parmesan that my friend kindly gifted me this weekend. The wine will love all the salt and fat in that dish, and because of its fruit and acidity it will pair perfectly with the think baked gravy (that’s New England Italian for “tomato sauce”).
At the Select Level the wines offer a little more complexity and an elevated style. It is ideal to have a few of each level, so you can pull of what is appropriate for your moment. To begin with, a wine that is to begin with...an ideal aperitif or great while you are cooking, the 2020 Monticello Rosé from Rioja is fresh with loads of candied citrus and a touch of herbal earthiness. It will cleanse the palate, so it is refreshed and ready for supper. The savory quality of this wine is where you see its complexity. It would go well with cheeses, salads, or light fish dishes as well.
Both of the whites are on my immediate favorite list because they absolutely taste of spring, which makes me this of TS Eliot’s The Wasteland, “breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain.” That is what I smell right now when I step out into the fresh air. It is an aromatic mix of rainwater, soil, budding bulbs, and fertile ground. It is a bit dramatic, I admit, but what can I say, it makes me hungry and thirsty.
The 2020 Jurtschitsch, Grüner Veltliner Terrasen has this deceivingly delicate color and light aromatics, but don’t be fooled. This is no wall flower. The wine hits hard right at the front palate with bright expressive stone and exotic fruits, loads of citrus, a supple and alluring mouth feel, and a crips, refreshing finish. This is a new wine for me, and for the Rhode Island market, and I am so pleased it is here! I suspect this one will get us through spring’s teasing, into summer’s heat, it will likely carry on frolicking in the autumn leaves and cleanse our palates after racing down the slopes next winter! But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We still have a spring table to address.
There is another white that made the short list for the Select 6. The 2020 Lieu Dit Melon de Bourgogne, from Bien Nacido Santa Maria Valley is a mineral driven white with a brine quality on the nose. It seriously smells like a fresh rain on a spring day with a hint of freshly popped corn. The wine would be divine with some linguini and clam sauce or just shuck some oysters and enjoy. This project of Justin Willett and Eric Railsback, friends and wine makers, is an effort to celebrate old world wine varietals solely grown in Loire, but they are doing it in California. I love what they are doing together, and the wines are solid and thought provoking.
For reds, I wanted to provide some variety. As this is the shoulder season, we want to wear cotton, but we still need to hold onto the wool, and the same theory holds true for wines. Our palate is seeking refreshing, but our bodies are still hungry for warmth. With that in mind, I choose three distinct reds to satisfy whatever mood you are in. The 2019 Failla Pinot Noir comes from Sonoma Coast, so cool Ocean air moderates warm sunshine, giving the fruit a longer hang time. Ultimately, those conditions are not the only thing at work on this beautiful and delicate Pinot. The wine making follows suit in treating the grapes gently, and the wine is just stunning. It has a light ruby color, inviting berry and earthy notes on the nose, and a well balanced palate with soft front red fruit that is kissed with the slightest earth and spice. I love this for those challenging spring vegetables. It has acid, but the low tannin structure doesn't compete with the astringency of the vegetables. Make a Spring Veg Medley of blistered asparagus, broccoli rabe sautéed with garlic, and some roasted shallots, cut some thickly crusted bread and prepare for a feast.
The other reds are more full flavored and have more body, as well. You will need that. I am still going to pan sear some thick cut pork chops this weekend, and the 2020 Le gras c’est la vie! From Famille de Boel France is the perfect match for that meal. The name speaks for itself, The fat is life! It is the family’s tribute to pork butchers, and I take it to mean that the fat is the best part. It is what gives flavor to meats, sunshine to my toast, and life to even the most austere wine. This Caladoc, Grenache, Carignan blend is intensely flavored with bright red and black fruits, spice and earth. It wants fat, so save salad for after the meal! The 2018 MastroJanni Rooso is 100% Sangiovese, and also has some of the same grip, and will shine when paired with some fat. That doesn’t mean meat, it can also come from cheeses, eggs, cream, and for vegan diners you can rely on nut-based products and everyone’s favorite fat, EVOO!
The Collector's wines come to us from Sicily, and I am super excited that they have returned to the Rhode Island market. COS is a benchmark producer for the Vittoria appellation of Sicily, and beyond. The wines are made with precision and elegance. The winery was founded in 1980 by Giambattista Cilia, Giusto Occhipinti, and Cirino Strano. These three friends took over a winery that dates back to the late 19th century, when phylloxera had yet to effect Sicily and they were producing much wine for Europe and beyond. In the early 80’s, COS showcased the potential of Sicilian wines as terroir driven, complex, and elegant. They come to us from the southern tip of the Island. I expected a more concentrated and rustic expression, and I was quite wrong. The wines are compelling, and I am eager to try all 7 of the cuvees that we received. For your club selections, I picked the 2020 “Rami,” a white that gets a little skin exposure (Orange wine) and the 2017 Cerasuolo di Vittoria, both of which have depth of flavor, surprising freshness, complexity of aromatics and flavors. I would go with regional dishes to allow these to truly shine.
Whatever you are doing as you pour a glass, I hope you will smile as you allow yourself to relax, to be in communion with friends and loved ones, to join in a meal or a celebration, or simply enjoy a glass of wine. It is one of life’s simple pleasures, and I hope you enjoy my selections.
Cheers, Maria