April 2023
Domaine Léon Boesch
La Cabane 2020
Producer Profile
Eleventh generation winemakers in the heart of Alsace in far northern France. All farming has been done certified biodynamic and organic since 2010 and minimal intervention is used in the winemaking of the domaine's cuvees.
Tasting Notes
On the nose, overwhelming notes of honeysuckle and marmalade. Pear, apple, and bright minerality as well. The honeysuckle and marmalade are even more apparent on the palate. A decent touch of residual sugar is balanced by delicious lemony acid, pulling this full-bodied white together.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent aperitif wine with cheese plates and charcuterie of any type. The touch of sweetness here will complement jams and honey spreads on a board very well.
| The region: Alsace, France |
The style: White, Organic |
The grapes: Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc |
Cantina Zaccagnini
Rosé 2021
Producer Profile
Founded in 1978, Zaccagnini is making some of the freshest and easiest-drinking wines coming out of Abruzzo, a region mostly known for mass-produced red wine from the Montepulciano grape. Montepulciano is used here as well, but in a much more restrained manner to create this rich and layered rosé.
Tasting Notes
Very fresh with not-so-subtle strawberry, raspberry, and watermelon jumping out of the glass. Upon further digging there’s something green and slightly vegetal (in a nice way) as well. Also a hint of pepper. Bright acid, a whisper of sugar, and nice body for a rosé lead to the perfect wine for some warm weather… hopefully…
Pairing Suggestions
Other than some sunshine, this would go really nicely with heavier shrimp dishes or fatty seafood (a nice thick cut of salmon). Something with heavier spice would also compliment the fresh fruit quite well.
| The region: Abruzzo, Italy |
The style: Rosé |
The grapes: Montepulciano |
Margins
Mourvédre 2020
Chill this one down a bit before drinking!
Producer Profile
Margins is the work of winemaker Megan Bell (who we had the pleasure of meeting a couple of weekends ago in Chicago!). She works in the Santa Cruz mountains using grapes from the ‘margins’ of common wine knowledge. Be they lesser-known varietals or common grapes from uncommon locations, she embraces small growers who have a passion for growing excellent fruit via clean, organic methods. All wine is unfiltered with minimal-to-no intervention.
Tasting Notes
Rich raspberry, touch of vanilla, rose petals, and something I can only describe as cherry candy (do with that what you will). The cherry notes really open up as you drink this wine and give way to interesting earthy leather notes and sharp minerality for a red wine.
Pairing Suggestions
Super versatile wine. Braised or grilled meat that isn’t overly fatty would be great but so would more gamey meats like duck, lamb, or venison. This is a wine you really can’t go terribly wrong with - just be sure to put a light chill on it.
| The region: Santa Clara Valley, California |
The style: Red, Natural, Organic |
The grapes: Mourvédre |
Thorne & Daughters
Copper Pot 2021
Producer Profile
This wine was designed to be the every-day wine for a hotel owned by the winemaker's father-in-law. Something fresh and easy to drink. It’s a blend of handpicked Pinot Noir from different parcels around Stellenbosch, all fermented with native yeasts and aged nine months then blended together before bottling. Over time, everyone at the winery/hotel loved the wine so much they began releasing it to the public and haven’t looked back since.
Tasting Notes
Black cherry, pomegranate, red currants, and defining notes of exotic woods and spices that linger all the way through the finish. Something almost cedary, but not quite. Hallmark Pinot Noir acidity persists over the fine, low-key tannins, leading to an easy drinking red from an area known for very big, dense wines.
Pairing Suggestions
This is your Easter wine. Absolutely perfect with a honey-baked-ham and some weird candy out of a plastic egg.
| The region: Western Cape, South Africa |
The style: Red, Organic |
The grapes: Pinot Noir |