Responsible Indulgence—January Wine Notes 

It is a new year, and I don’t care what is going on in the world, it brings me hope, excitement, and optimism to see the turn of the new year.  Let’s imagine the very best that is possible and plan for it. 

With that in mind, I picked some wines that will call on me to cook, to join with friends, to celebrate life, and to imagine the best life we can live.  “You may call me a dreamer, but I am not the only one...” 

I recently had a meal that reminded me that joining at a table, welcomed to nourish, to indulge, to enjoy and to smile while we eat together is just about the most basic and the most wonderful thing we can do. So, with that spirit in mind, I selected wines for the table.  I will share my suggestions for pairing, but let me know what you cook with these wines.  I need inspiration, too. If you are on social media, post your meal masterpieces on IG and tag us @newportwinenchz. 

Cheers, Maria 

As always, the Value 3Pack is fun to select.  It is not necessarily easy to find 3 wines at this price point that will make you tilt your head slightly to the left and say, “wow, this is actually really good,” but that is my goal.  I am pleased with my efforts this month, with three wines that will please you and give you some inspiration to cook.  The 2020 Jouclary Rosé from Cabardès which is in the southwest of France, is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault. It is that soft salmon color wine that invites you to sip away, but it will surprise you with its flavor and depth.  It is robust in flavor with a touch of strawberry and pomegranate, and it has a fresh, clean citrus finish that will likely make you long for summer but also appreciate its capacity for a winter meal. 

The 2020 Hugl Gruner Veltliner will lift your spirits with its fresh lime and apple notes. It makes me feel as if I just bit into a crisp green apple, and the snap of its skin releases a zesty, appealing spray of juicy that is lip smacking. It has a surprising intensity, so be prepared for that. It is a white that is well suited for more intense flavors, and pairs wonderfully with fish, but wants some backbone, so to speak. I suggest some roasted black sea bass, but grilling will work well, if you can get out in the cold!  

If it is red you seek, the 2019 Aplanta Tinto from the south of Portugal will warm the soul and your palate. It comes from a rustic community, Maurao, which is agrarian and quite untouched by modern culture. The grapes are sourced from a community vineyard, which links the people of Aldeia da Luz. The varietals are Aragones and Alicante Bouschet, planted in sandy, loam soil, just 250m above the sea level. There is a freshness to this abundantly flavored wine that I would argue is the effect of its proximity to water. The gentle ferment, and cold soak preserve the freshness. It is dark red in color and has lush aromatics of berry and plum, touch of pepper and spice, which in combination with its freshness makes for a complex and appealing red, ideally suited for red meats or bean stews. I think it would be great with a spicey chili. 

Rounding out the Value Picks for January, I added the 2018 Owen Roe, Mirth Chardonnay. Mirth, by definition means happiness often associated with laughter, and the movement of the bird on the label bespeak this cheerfulness. The wine also has a bright cherry quality to it, with a fresh, crisp expression of chardonnay. There is no oak on this one, folks, so give a chance to show you what unadulterated chardonnay tastes like. You will be surprised by flavors of quince and green apple, maybe a touch of pineapple. It would be great with a pot of fondue! 

The two reds in the additional value level are both selected for the spice they offer. These two wines are an example of how you can get a similar character from two vastly different wine in terms of style. The 2019 Curator Red is from the Swartland of South Africa, located in a granite outcropping of a mountain range. Despite the low yields and challenging growing conditions, Adi Badenhorst has a unique ability to craft a very drinkable and satisfying red wine at a great value. This is a Shriaz, Mouvedre, Pinotage, and Cinsault blend, combining to make a supremely drinkable, full body red with straightforward character and a touch of spice on the finish that gives the wine a gentle complexity. The 2019 Vegas Altas Tempranillo shares that spice, but in a medium body red that is rich in black fruits, plush on the palate and refreshing. Both of these wines avoid oak, so they have soft tannins, which make them both wonderfully sippable with or without food. That said, I would suggest a pairing of beef or mushroom stew, a gratin of kale and potatoes, or a simple charcuterie platter. 

The Select Level wines for January also come from a short list of wines that will provide a partner for the more hearty winter dishes on your table, while also lifting our spirits with a surprising freshness or flavor of the sun. For starters, I have included one of my favorite summer releases, 2020 Chateau Mesclanes “Romane” Cote de Provence Rosé. It is a classic Provençal style rosé made from twenty year old vines at the base of a hill that overlooks this beautiful estate. The wine is made from 70% Grenache, so it is no surprise that it offers a good winter rosé, with a bit more texture and depth, as well as structure. I am fan of grenache in all it instantiations because the grape is flavorful without weight. Remember that rosé is just a very light body red with short maceration, so take it out of the fridge twenty minutes before you want to enjoy it and let it come up to temperature a little. It will show more of itself this way. Enjoy it with an easy one pot braised chicken—pick up some NY Shuk Prevered Lemon Paste and deglaze the pan with it for a delicious fresh sauce. 

The 2019 Cheveau Macon-Solutre-Pouilly is the singular white that I included this month (don’t fret “white only” members, we gave you a surprise treat in those boxes!). This is a special treat, arguably the most elegant of Chardonnays out of the stunning Cheveau portfolio. This single vineyard is in the home village of the Cheveau family, which provides an opportunity to taste the place where they live. All of their wines are wonderful, but this vibrant, precise wine has excellent minerality and length, a full body despite seeing no oak during its elevage. It gives you time pause for thought, sip it slowly and imagine the sloping hills of the Maconnais. If you have a minute, check out this video, for a glimpse into this beautiful world: https://www.madrose.com/burgundy/maconnais/. 

Having had a few requests for more reds than whites, this month, I decided to go ahead to comply with your requests and provide four wonderfully diverse reds for your winter table. If you were to ask me for a good versatile red for a winter meal, but you didn’t know what you would be having. Here are a few I would suggest because of two things. One, the flexibility of the wines, they allow for a wide variety of pairings. This is not to suggest that they lack unique character, but rather that they are medium bodied wines, impactful flavors of dark red and clack fruits, balanced with acidity but relatively low (and this is the second thing they share) to medium tannins, so they can pair with a lot of different winter meals. In fact, they share some of the flavor characters of the foods we are eating now—higher fat, greater concentration of strong flavors, more cooked fruits and vegetables, rather than fresh, more stewed meats, fishes, and legumes. With that in mind, here is my short list. (You can probably imagine me walking around the store doing this...) 

Ok, to begin on the lighter side of things, the 2019 Hubert Lignier Passetoutgrain represents the benchmark for wines in this category. It is Burgundy, but these grapes come from Morey-Saint-Denis in a site called Aux Poirelots, and it is a 60/40 blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir. Think finesse, fruity and intensity. This house produces wines of depth, and this is their entry point wine. They wany you to love it, so you will invest in their much pricier Pinots. The 2021 Car Car Glou Glou Akashita, from Birichino offers similar depth and in an equally throw-backable wine. (Yes, I think I just made up an adjective, but I think you get it.). 100% Carignane is old vine fruit produced with carbonic maceration, which produces a fruity and playful wine that is easy to drink, but does not lack seriousness or complexity. For a bit more weight and tannins, the 2020 DeForville Langhe Nebbiolo will not disappoint. This wine, I feel goes with so many different dishes, from salads, to roasted vegetable tagine, to a pan seared salmon filet or beef filet, you really cannot go wrong. It has wonderfully intense red and black fruits, while remaining lively on the palate because of its acidity. I would not call it high acid, but it is there and gives the wine freshness. The wines of Barbaresco notoriously are lighter than their cousins from Barolo...I might call it finesse or elegance over strength. But those adjectives don’t do the distinction justice. I love them both, but I would argue that the intensity of Barbaresco is in flavor not body. To give you a bigger, more muscular wine to chew on this January, I included Chris Brockway’s newest child to be added to my shelves, 2020 Le Clairet. It is a Bordeaux Blend from California, and it is brilliantly executed. 

All of these producers, work with as little manipulation as possible to produce wines that celebrate the natural expression of the grape. This means that they do not add enzymes, nutrients, yeast, tannins or any other popular supplements (a long list that would shock you) to the wine. This requires careful work in the vineyard, so that the grapes are properly ripe for harvesting. It is the work in the vineyard, many wine makers would argue that makes for great wine, but understanding that is not just luck, it takes attention and knowledge, trial and error, and a commitment to be good to the earth. The result is wine that is authentic, true to place, and naturally expressive. 

I want to talk more about these ideas, so I am going to begin a series of wine classes virtually. The idea is a conversation about wine with wine makers, wine mongers, chefs, writers, and all of you. Let’s learn a little while we sip and chat about wine. 

With that in mind, the Collector Level is a 3pack this month, selected with the idea of demystifying Burgundy. I know you all appreciate these wines and already know a lot about them, but I want to talk about what it is that makes them so special and often elusive? With that question in mind, I have three wines in your box (and, yes, all members are invited to buy these wines & join in the class at no cost). We begin with the 2017 Terres De Velle Bourgogne Côte D’Or Chardonnay, 2018 Philippe Et Arnaud Dubreuil Hautes -Cotes de Beaune Rouge, & 2018 Domaine Jean Guiton Bourgogne Côte D’Or Rouge. I would like to focus on two intertwined concepts when we talk about these wines—terroir and la lutte raisonnée. All three of these houses produce wines that are true to their place, and this means more than simply tasting like Burgundy. It means that they respect the growing conditions, adapt to climatic weather challenges, and make wine that is authentically expressive of the varietal grown in that particular soil. This leads me to the concept of la lutte raissonée, which is French for using common sense, or working with reasonable thinking. Having talked with these wine makers, this means that you work in harmony with the weather and climate, so you produce the best wine you can without force or manipulation. The wines are precise, elegant, and expressive, and they are also approachable, friendly, and incredibly satisfying. Join me in talking about why! 

All Club Members are Welcome to Join 

1st NWCG Wine Webinar of 2022: Find Your Way Through Burgundy 

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.  

When: Jan 27, 2022 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)  

Please register in advance for this meeting: 

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqduipqDksHdCOMTlLoMiRrpsMyou4yVxg  

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Let me know if you want to order more of the wines, or if you know someone who would like to join us. The great fun is in getting many perspectives. 

This Webinar is designed  to introduce you to the wines of Burgundy. All too often customers say that Burgundy is confusing and even intimidating. We aim to take that intimidation away for you. Our focus for the Wine Webinar on Burgundy is the conecpts of terroi & la lutte raisonnée. The discussion is hosted by Maria Chiancola of Newport Wine Cellar with her guest, importer, Pascal Schildt, of Pascal Schildt Imports & Mosaic Distribution. 

We will offer maps, winery and winemaker history’s, information regarding the climate, soil, exposure, and culture, as well as talking about techniques of vinification and viticulture. We will spend some time demystifying the label, and we will explain the place over producer philosophy of the region. You will see that these iconic wines are approachable and worth getting excited about! 

WATCH FOR MORE WEBINARS!! Follow us @newportwinenchz 

Your Wine Lady is ready to chat. I hope you will join me!

It is amazing the plans that have been born among friends over a glass, or perhaps a bottle of wine.  We a have all done it,  (You have done it, right?)  planned a fabulous vacation, fantasized about a meal, a dress, or a relationship.  I recall picking the flowers for a friend's wedding before she even met her now husband, and all over a glass of Domaine Tempier Rosé.  We love to dream, and wine provokes us to do so in the most wonderful of ways.  My dream was to make wine, and I talked about it for a long time with my friend Nicole Abiouness, who is a remarkable wine maker and a dear friend with whom I often fantasize about all sorts of things while sharing some wine.  Today, she helped me actualize that dream.

I woke a few minutes before 6 am in a terrible cheap motel near Ukiah, California (sounds good already, doesn't it?), made truly terrible Mr Coffee coffee and drank it, smiling from ear to ear, before ascending the 1800 ft to the top of Eagle Point Ranch, where we tasted and picked about 1 ton of Grenache.  I am beside myself with excitement, even as I write this I am grinning.

It was cold, the crew moved like a swarm through the vineyard, and sun seemed to be pouring over me, as I reached into the bin and tried to grab whatever sticks, leaves and bugs found their way into my bin of perfect grapes.  Suddenly, I felt protective, territorial, and so proud.  These are my grapes, my Grenache, and they are decidedly the most beautiful and perfectly formed Grenache that has ever been witnessed.  "It is really great, really beautiful," I said with conviction to the crew.  They smiled and nodded, and for certain thought I had completely lost my marbles, and I may have.  I thought for a moment, just now, that I should describe the grapes, so you too would smile and nod, but I will restrain myself, if only because I already repeated this offense twice today as I pointed at the fruit and showed other people at the winery.  They, too, smiled and nodded.  They have seen my kind before; the first timer.

I am not embarrassed by it though, on the contrary, I am glowing with the same joy I have after a long arduous run, or the completion of a difficult essay, or the satisfaction of making a really delicious meal. I am exhausted, but not at all tired because I touched the beaner. It was a great day, and I am both gratified and thrilled by that which is yet to come: the fermentation.  I am totally geeking out on all of this, and I don't care who knows it!  (I better publish this before the wine maker's high wears off!)

For those of you who share this dream with me, who love wine and are curious, and for family and friends who love me enough to endure this ridiculous recording of the unfolding of my wine journey, I am grateful for your readership.  I will try to be informative and compelling, without being uncomfortably excited as I detail and record this month for you, but no promises.

Day one: the pick, the sort, and cold soak.

After collecting our fruit from Eagle Point Ranch in Mendocino, we went to the winery to prepare for the arrival of the grapes.  The winery is a "custom crush" facility where about 20 wine makers, who sell their wines commercially make and store their wine.  It is not unlike any winery that you have visited, just that it is communal.  Young wine makers can make wine more affordably this way.  What I loved about it was the community feel and camaraderie.  For example, as I was waiting to sort my grapes (my beautiful, perfect, unique and clearly developmentally advanced Grenache), I had the good fortune of bumping into John Grant, who makes Couloir Wines.  John's wines are so perfectly balanced and carefully crafted.  His pinot's are nuanced, bright and so delicate yet powerful, bespeaking an old world sensibility with a unabashedly new world character. He is a talented wine maker with many years of experience.  John offered me advice and suggestions without hesitation.  He explained what choices he makes about destemming, which was my primary concern, and in the end, he gave me a simple suggestion.  "If you want to do some whole cluster, chew on a stem and see if you like the way it tastes." 

Sound advice, I thought, so I did just that.  It tasted fantastic, which is when I felt certain that I had indeed lost my marbles.  It is a stick, after all!  That said, it tasted fresh, reminded me of spring, and had a slight bitter note, like a cup of warm comforting tea.  Okay, I thought, I like that, so after much consternation, I dismissed my fears and added a small percentage of whole clusters to my small batch of wine.  I will have to wait a year before I know what that will do, but in the end, I felt like I was cooking, tasting the ingredients and deciding what and how much to include in my meal. How bad can this be?

The rest destemmed but left whole berry, the fruit spread evenly, the bin carefully cleaned, a small amount of sulfur added to ensure stability, and some dry ice to cool the grapes, and then the bin was moved to the cold storage room where it will remain in cold soak for 2-5 days.  It was thrilling. I will return to it tomorrow to check on the progress and keep the cap wet and mix it up a little.  A new set of decisions will ensue, more on that then.  In the meantime, I am enjoying a glass of Nicole's 2009 Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir, putting my feet up, and I am still smiling.