Around Our Table
Milziade Antano Grechetto dei Colli Martani 2021 Umbria, Italy
It's hard to find a Grechetto more approachable than this. Hailing from sunny Umbria, in the South of Italy, one would expect this Greek transplant to be rude and boisterous. Here, tempered by only native yeast and stainless steel, we find this ultra-traditional farmer Grechetto to be full of lively, limpid melon and honeysuckle fruit notes. Its velvet body is buoyed by its vivacious temperament on the palate. Family-owned and with only seven hectare of the family farm under grapevine, this low-intervention, under-the-radar production is sure to be a favorite come this summertime. Pair with grilled spicy shrimp, melon and prosciutto, various Italian goat's and sheep's milk cheeses, vegetables with aioli.
Sax Gruner Veltliner Northeast Austria
Nothing says "springtime" quite like Gruner Veltliner. The bracing, refreshing citrus component, a counterpart of herbal greenness, and an aromatic perfume, it is almost a link between Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. The Sax family has been making wine in the area since 1660, with the current generation's Rudolph in the vineyards and Michael in the winery. In the vineyards, biodiversity and cover crops are used instead of spraying and plowing to deal with pests and other vineyard nuisances. The vibrancy of the vineyard care shines through in the bottle, creating a nuanced and energetic Gruner that punches well above its weight class. Pair with springtime salads, rabbit with mustard, or asparagus hollandaise.
No Es Pituko Viognier 2022 Curico Valley, Chile
Natural wine from Chile? Never heard of it! This lineup of fun, easygoing wines from Evecherria in Chile's Curico Valley are all great representations of their varietals, free from any sort of manipulation while still enjoying an easygoing, clean nature. These are definitely wines that will convert normal people into natural wine lovers. Made from vines planted with French rootstock (a rarity since phylloxera) and farmed to an immaculate degree, the viognier here shines with fresh, ripe apricot notes that is undercut by a distinct mineral feel. With no added sulfites, the unfiltered yeast adds a little more oomph to the body, lending the wine a very giving characteristic. Pair with fresh fish with lemon, sautéed snap peas, salad with feta and walnuts.
Bodegas Ponce Depaula Monastrell Vino de la Tierra de Castilla 2021 Spain
In the Manchuela region, part of Spain that is inland from the more Coastal Valencia, Bobal is the usual suspect in the usually rustic wines that emanate from this large region. Here instead, Bodegas Ponce has used local Monastrell, known in France as Mourvedre, as the subject for this vinous exposition. Bright, cheery, and tender, this elegant counterpart to the usually dark and brooding Mourvedre that issues from the south of France. However, the wine has some depth coaxed out of its humble beginnings by the provenance of Juan Ponce's experience at Telmo Rodriguez, making similarly styled wines. Pair with lamb burgers, pork tenderloin, or duck.
Villeneuve Saumur Champigny 2020 Loire, France
When talking about serious and pure Cabernet Franc, there are a few appellations within France's Loire Valley that deserve recognition among lovers of serious wines. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur-Champigny are among these, but Saumur by far has the best reputation and highest prices. Here, under the watchful practices of the Villeneuve estate, it is easy to see why the pedigree is so famous. Ripe, dark earthy black fruit is the star of the show in this wine, which links the graceful acidity and fruit with a gentle underscoring of Tannin. Ownership of these organically farmed lands was at one time under the aegis of the Foucault family, famed ex-proprietors of the Clos Rougeard production. Again, with the quality maintained here, it's easy to believe. Pair with pork loin, salmon with garlic, green tofu curry, or just a plain charcuterie.
Fuentegalana "Telurico" Syrah Castilla y Leon 2018 Spain
Named after underground electric currents, both manmade and natural, this wine is the perfect homage to the concept of terroir. The base wine of the Finca Fuentegala, located near the Sierra de los Grados, this is a pure expression of Syrah grown at an altitude of over 600 meters, cooled by high winds and warmed by the sun. The miniscule production of 6000 bottles is fermented and aged solely in concrete, adding to the non-interventionist and pure methods used by the winery. The pure, muscly character of the Syrah is markedly different from that of the vines farmed in the famous Rhone valley, but the purity is remarkable, resulting in ripe black fruit and granitic mountain character. Pair with steak au poivre, fra diavolo pastas, or pate.
Around The Estate
François Pinon Vouvray Pétillant Brut 2018 Loire Valley, France
We have an absurd amount of appreciation for the wines from the Pinon domaine. This 6th generation estate is not the most famous estate in the small village of Vouvray but produces arguably the best wines for the money period. This sparkling cuvee from them is a team favorite here at S&L. 100% Chenin Blanc with this wine is ripe and bright while retaining the classic richness we all want from Chenin. There is a small amount of residual sugar in this bottling bringing balance above all else. Pair with goat cheese, roasted chicken, whole baked fish, or pad thai.
Nikolaihof Wachau Gruner Veltliner Zwickl 2020 Niederosterreich, Austria
Gruner & Spring should be acknowledged as just perfection. The varietal even from less acclaimed producers has the perfect ratio of melon and pear flavors accompanied by effervescence and strong minerality. In short the varietal is chuggable. Some of the vineyards in this bottling have been around for the last 1,500 years making them some of the oldest vineyard sites in Europe. This cuvee is grown biodynamically, unfiltered and has some developed creamy texture that we find comforting. Has a green and white pepper spice towards the finish to complete the package. Pair with anything that grows in the ground for spring, or just make some Schnitzel.
Beaujolais-Villages "Authentic" Domaine Fabien Forest 2019 Beaujolais, France
Farmed from plots of young vines in Morgon and Latigné, the complexity of the wine trounces the myth that gamay can have no structure. . Elegance and barnyard, paradoxically paired with a bright tannic structure, lay the groundwork for the bright berry fruit that makes this wine so easy to drink. Good Beaujolais does not need much more to be incredibly fun. Slap a chill on the bottle as it gets warmer out. Pair with cow's milk cheeses and lighter game bird dishes, or even pork and polenta with plenty of Comté!