Responsible Indulgence July 2025
Summer flavors demand refreshing wine; Responsible Indulgence delivers!
Hello Summer! The air has been thick in the Northeast, and the summer bustle has been even thicker. As I contemplated the July selections for Responsible Indulgence, I thought about embracing the summer amplitude, joining together with friends, perhaps on a beach, or on a porch at sunset with a summer breeze cooling my sun-kissed skin, with the sounds of summer joy rising up around me like the swell of the ocean waves. In this moment, I want wines that will satisfy my thirst for refreshment.
Perhaps refreshing is synonymous with summer. It is revitalizing, invigorating the palate, as the summer sun and wind does after our long cold winter and rainy spring. There is a warmth in the summer that seems to wring out our bodies and a splash in the ocean resets us. This is precisely what a cold glass of rosé can do for my palate! It acts to cool things off; it’s fruit balancing with the saltiness of summer foods. (I recently heard that the semi colon is falling out of fashion; that idea is complete nonsense!)
Summer also calls for simpler meals. We are on go, so we need to compose meals quickly without a lot of fuss. Our days are full, and with the extended day light, we are packing in the fun. All of this demands refresh and reset wines that will pair with the moment. Yes, reds can do this as well as whites, so for you adamant “red wine drinkers,” fear not, you can be true to your palate and drink red wine all summer while you wear those white jeans! Red made with balance and acidity will refresh you like any other wine—try one with a chill on it! Chillable reds is not necessarily a specific category. All reds should ideally be served at cellar temperature, which is 58 degrees. If you don’t have a place to store wines at this temp, just put the wine in your fridge for thirty minutes prior to enjoying it. Alternatively, put it in your beach cooler with a little ice loosely around it, perhaps also keeping a piece of cheese cool, too! Yes, the chill may turn down the intensity of the wine a touch, but it will leave your palate feeling restored and invigorated!
If you are seeking easy ways to pull together a meal, go to your local farmer’s market and gather some fresh vegetables, fresh fish and pastured raised meats, and fresh breads and cheeses. You need nothing more than a decent knife, a cutting board, perhaps a grill, but always one of the following summer wines.
20 Vispius Red
The Estrada Palacio family work their domain of Northeastern Spain, as they have been for generations in the winemaking world. Two words shine through on the Estrada Palacio website next to their Vispius red, "silky" and "fruity", and I really don't think they could have chosen better adjectives for this gem of a wine! Vispius first showed up on the shelves in 2011, following the family's aim to produce a wine with "international taste", using native Spanish varieties Garnacha and Tempranillo. Fermented in stainless steel and matured in oak aged barrels, the ruby red glass explodes with crunchy berries, fruit flesh, wild herbs. Match this wonder with your oily fish dishes, cured or grilled meats, or even red sauce pastas! Sophie
22/23 Cht de Cranne Blanc
It seems like the love for Bordeaux Blanc is pretty limitless, especially given the endless demand for what is an affordably-produced kind of wine. But with seven generations under their belt, the Lacoste family knows how to make the mundane, special. And so they use 50% Muscadelle and 50% of the rarely used, Sauvignon Gris, a grape related to Sauvignon Blanc but few and far between in recent decades. The nose is less fruity and leans into herbaceous, grassy aromas with a citrus edge. Reflective of the vineyards's terroir, there's a flinty kind of minerality balanced by bright acidity and notes of white peach and rosemary. This full-bodied white will dance alongside your roasted summer chickens. Sophie
23 Le Grand Bouqueteau Rosé
Wine from France's Loire Valley is versatile, usually an option that pairs well with lots of different cuisine. Grown in Loire's sandy soils, this rosé is composed of Cabernet Franc, and so it brings the complexity of a red with the brightness of a white, all to the table. The glass is salmon-hued with a sophisticated palate and a nose of white strawberries and wild herbs. True to Cab Franc, there's a hint of pepper spice enveloped by refreshing acidity. Soft and perfumed, I see this rosé being the perfect porch apertif or buddying up with my grilled tuna steaks. Sophie
23 Flilippo Cassano Calx
This is a certified organic Primitivo that is from Puglia, a region known for this varietal. It is very happy in the soil, which is highlighted by the name, Calx is Latin for Limestone, suggesting the influence of soil on the style of the wine. Filippo uses 30 year old vines for this modestly priced red, and the character of the wine reflect these established vines. It is a light bodied style of this particular grape, putting it squarely in my “refreshing” category.
I think this has to do with the stainless fermentation which preserves freshness. Enjoy it chilled with grilled chicken or vegetables. It loves sheep’s milk cheeses, but it is also a great pizza wine, handling the acid of tomato without a challenge!
23 Mary Taylor Aliaga Navarra
100% Tempranillo, which is one of my favorite grapes. It surprises me how often it is undervalued. This wine is no exception; it over delivers in every category. Maria & Carlos Aliaga work together to produce this traditional style Tempranillo in their small winery in the Ribera Baja region, which has a desert climate. They have almost no rainfall and a wind that gives the Mistral a competition! The wine, called Le Cierzo keeps pests and mildew at bay, but also gives the couple some challenges during the growing season. As we so often see, vines that work hard, produce the best wines. This one is charming with juicy fruit aromas and flavors, ripe dark cherry and lingenberries. There is a subtle anise flavor leaning to fennel and a little spice on the finish. Enjoy it with charcuterie and tart goat cheeses, or make a paella if you are feeling ambitious.
23 Flores--Picpoul de Pinet
In the heart of southern France near the town of Pinet, Picpoul is the go-to grape for making crisp, refreshing white wines with a hint of sea breeze. Grapes are harvested at night while it’s cool to keep its aromatic characteristics and bright acidity. It is then destemmed, pressed and fermented in stainless steel. This version of Picpoul from Les Vignerons de Florensac stays true to the local style, with a little extra time on the lees to give it more body. On the nose, it offers salted citrus, lemon, stoney minerality, and a touch of herbs. The taste is bright and zesty, kind of like fresh lemonade with a touch of sea salt and a creamy finish. Picpoul is a natural match for seafood, light salads, or Thai inspired dishes. Matt
I first found Picpoul with Maria's 2023 Tipsy Rose Lip Zinger and have been in love ever since—the citrus backbone and crisp acidity are just too good to be true! I totally agree with Matt in that there's something of a zesty creaminess to this summer refresher. If you like this white, you ought to try the California version! Sophie
23 Lyrarakis Liatiko Queen Red
The Lyrarakis family founded their winery in 1966 and now works with 100 small, independent growers on the isle of Crete, this is in addition to farming their own vineyards. Liatiko is an indigenous Cretan red variety and the most widely-planted grape on the island. It tends to produce lighter-colored wines with floral and delicately spicy notes. This wine is 100% Liatiko, grown in two vineyards in central and eastern Crete. Short maceration and aging are both in stainless steel tanks. Aromas of wild berries, red fruit, and herbal notes fill the glass, while on the palate, the wild berry and herbaceous aspects continue, but also gains a fascinating note of vine-ripened tomato. Enjoy this wine with pizza, pasta, or light fish with romesco. Matt
23 Montemundo Caballito del Diablo Blanco
Self-taught Mario Palacios produces wines with a deep care for the natural world—a fact quite evident if you take a look at the bottle label! From Almansa, Spain, Mario brings us this brilliantly crisp, organic wine, made entirely from Verdejo grapes, all harvested at late, cool hours to keep the white as refreshing as possible (a success in my opinion!). To maintain full aromatics, fermentation takes place for approximately 30 days, and then the wine rests on the lees for three months. The glass is pale yellow with a greenish tint and smells of pineapple and lemon juice. Like the nose, the palate keeps up with the tropical theme and moves from notes of mango to green apple and lime zest. You'd probably catch me sipping on this wine with my summer sushi, but this bottle is also perfect for rice dishes and Rhode Island seafood! Sophie
22 Abbondanza Montepulciano D'Abruzzo
From a family owned and operated vineyard, we get this eccentrically labeled wine with art designed by Los Angeles muralist, Eric Junker. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo comes from Central Italy, and is an easy drinking party pleaser that can even stand a slight chill. Vineyards sit nestled between Abruzzo's National Park and the Adriactic, positioned 200-300 feet above sea level. This medium-bodied red is produced in harmony with nature thanks to a lack of vineyard irrigation and the use of renewable wind energy. The glass is smooth with fine tannins, balanced with ripe notes of cherry and berry. Just as the word "Abbondanza" is celebratory, this wine will make you want to "cheers" all night long!! Sophie
23 Ferdinando Principiano Dolcetto d'Alba
Winemaker Ferdinando first started making wines at the age of 20 years old back in 1993, with little-to-no experience in the vineyard or cellar. He farms his vines organically. His wines tend to be easy drinking and are great examples of place. This easygoing Dolcetto opens with inviting aromas of blueberries, black plum, and a hint of violet, with just a touch of herbs in the background. It’s medium-bodied and fruit-forward, with soft tannins and bright acidity that bring out flavors of black cherry, a bit of licorice, and a slight almond note. It was naturally fermented and briefly aged in neutral oak, keeping the wine fresh and true to the grape. Enjoy it slightly chilled with cured meats, pizza (the ultimate dolcetto pairing), or a simple pasta. It’s a great reminder that not all Piedmont wines need to be aged for years to be delicious. Matt
23 Domaine Pluchot Cote Roannaise Arris
Summer means it's time for chillable reds, so grab this Gamay, perfect for the season, and throw it in the fridge for 30 minutes! Domaine Pluchot grows this wine relatively close to the source of the Loire River and about 90 minutes away from the very reputable Beaujolais Cru de Morgon, so something special stirs in the bottle. Brothers, Edgar and Marc Antoine Pluchot, are responsible for this red, composed from 100% Gamay grapes, all hand harvested and fermented naturally. There's fair structure to this Gamay—On the nose, it's plummy, but on the palate, expect cherry spice too, with something like dark violets or leather. This refreshing gripper of a wine will do you well matched up with a steak or maybe even barbecue ribs. Sophie
19 Fram Chenin Blanc
If you’ve been in and out of the shop, chances are that you’ve stumbled upon a FRAM label. Truly some of the highlight bottles in our South African wine selection, FRAM projects both personality and founder Thinus Krüger's promise to “always sail into uncharted waters, to boldly search for whatever grapes lie behind the next hill, over the next horizon”. This Chenin Blanc comes from the Citursdal Mountains in the Western Cape, and for a grape with French origins, the South African terroir brings out special aromatics with all the racing acidity that you want from a South African white. The glass is balanced with soft notes of honeydew, apricot, and peach and has fresh seafood written all over it. If you haven’t explored Western Cape whites before, this is a perfect pilot wine for you. Sophie
19 Colombera & Garella Cavazucchi Rosso & Cascina Cottignano Bramaterra
If the Alto Piemonte is a new regional experience for you, you are in for a treat!
From the importer’s description: “Cristiano Garella, native wünderkind, is one of the master-keys of the area. He’s
helping wineries here appreciate and reinvest in the vineyards and cellars.
Colombera & Garella, as the name suggests, is his most intimate contribution among the many wineries he collaborates with. The Colombera part is Giacomo, Cristiano’s long-time friend, and Giacomo Colombera’s father, Carlo,
who’s been growing grapes in the area since the early 1990s. Colombera & Garella's winery and vineyards in the Bramaterra and Lessona appellation.
The Cavazucchi bottling (named for the Via Cavazucchi) is in one of Bramaterra’s cru growing areas called La Mensola (see holding too of Noah, Le Pianelle, and Sella). This southern facing hillside is known for old vines on a yellow volcanic sand that’s similar to Lessona’s soils, but a bit less acidic and more porphyritic. The resulting wines are savory / salty like we see in Bramaterra, but with a bit more density to the fruit, and longer - and even more vertical tannins. Of all the Colombera & Garella wines, it’s the one to age. Giacomo and Cristiano bought the vineyard from Andrea Monti Perini (who was briefly imported in the US) in 2019, the same year the three of them made the wine together in the Colombera & Garella label. From the 2020 vintage onward, Colombera & Garella handled everything from vineyard to cellar work.”
This is just the kind of winemaking that we like to support!
The Rosso is 80% Nebbiolo, 10% Croatina and 10% Vespolina grown on southwest facing slopes in La Mesola. The volcanic soil makes the vines work hard for nutirinet and in turn makes wine of exceptional character. The wine is fermented in cement, aged for two years in oak, an additional year in glass lined cement tanks, then finally one year in the bottle before release. It is dense and chewy, dark red fruits and deep intense earthy flavors. It is a traditionally made wine, but it has a bit more brightness that some of the other wines of the region. I read a review that called the wine chiseled, and I though this word was so aptly chosen. This wine bespeaks the intention and purposeful winemaking, it is angular and muscular and lean. I love it. It will reward you, if you lay it down for another 10-15 years, but I opened it and decanted, gave it 20 minutes to open up and enjoyed it with filet, pan seared in butter; yes, I did, and I would do it again!
The Bramaterra is the same cepage, but it is uniquely its own expression. Grown at Cascina Cottignano in the acidic and volcanic soils. It has a leaner structure than the Rosso, which suggest newer oak, but that grippiness is a balanced by the abundant fruit and given lightness by the acidity and hint of floral and peppery notes.
These wines are part of a tradition in the Alto Piemonte that is a result of the soil; it’s high acidity makes for lower alcohol wines. The role of acidity in wine is fascinating and much more complicated than just brightness we experience on the palate. As wine ferments and alcohol rises, the acidity is natural reduced, so starting with higher acid and lower alcohol, the wines are truly unique. They will never taste the same as a Nebbiolo from Barolo, for example.
I hope you enjoy the wines and your summer table with lots of reasons to eat, drink, and think.
Cheers, Maria
