Spring has Sprung!
As we emerge from our winter slumber into the gradually warming days of April, it’s a great time to start sipping something refreshing to celebrate spring’s rebirth. From light reds to rosés and orange wines, all the way to a special Brew for Ukraine beer from Oxbow, and a new Maine cider offering, we’ve got the supplies you need to relax after those first few days of hard work in the garden or muddy hikes on the trail.
Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose NV (Napa Valley, California) | $32.99
This well balanced multi-vintage brut rosé is made from 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay grown from Schramsberg’s select California cool-climate vineyards. Fun fact: Hugh Davies, current CEO/President and second-generation family of Schramsberg is a Bowdoin grad! Live spring to the fullest with this sparkly pink from one of the U.S.’s best-known bubble makers. Just one sniff of the strawberry and apricot scents and you’ll be ready to kick back to welcome back migrating songbirds and the first green shoots in the garden. The bubbles on this beauty are tight and there is a zesty apple and citrus finish to accompany the raspberry, strawberry, and cherry flavors. Consider sipping this with a seaside picnic with the freshness of ocean spray filling your nostrils.
Fontanafredda “Gavi del Comune di Gavi” 2020 (Piedmont, Italy) | $21.99
This winery was founded in 1858 by Count Emanuele Alberto di Mirafiori. Today, more than 150 years later, the estate continues to produce wines of the highest caliber, thanks to the respect of the land, passion for vinicultural tradition, and the use of innovative technology. This Gavi is a straw yellow colored white wine featuring Cortese grapes, an Italian variety known for making crisp, acidic wines. A whiff of this wine will conjure images of apples, pears, and honey. The flavor starts off with apple, melon, and minerals with a citrusy finish. A light summer wine for eating with fresh fish dishes.
Day Wines ‘Vin de Days’ L’Orange 2021 (Willamette Valley, Oregon) | $25.99
Founded by winemaker and owner Brianne Day, Day Wines produces boutique artisanal bottlings made from fruit sourced exclusively from a small group of Oregon growers who utilize Biodynamic, Organic and/or Sustainable vineyard practices. The Vin de Days L’Orange is a blend of Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris and is a perfect entry into the world of orange wines – white wines fermented with skin and seed contact to create a funky orange hue. This aromatic wine has a nose that includes orange, tropical fruits like mango, and tree fruits like peach and dried apricot and when tasting, you’ll find a citrusy and inviting farmhouse funk associated with these naturally made wines. Summer can’t come soon enough so we recommend enjoying this wine as you bask in the fresh air of crisp spring afternoons.
Sanctum Bubamara 2017 (Podravje, Slovenia) | $21.99
In the mid-12th century, French Carthusian monks settled in this northeast region of Slovenia and planted it with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines. The Podkubovšek family, starting with Vlado and his son, Marko, has always cherished and been proud of this local heritage, hence the fact that all of their wines are made in a traditional style, where the vines and the microclimate speak for themselves. All of the grapes are strictly hand-picked and vinified with minimal intervention in the winemaking process. This single-vineyard Hiša (house) red is a barrel selection of Pinot Noir with a small addition of cool-climate Syrah. Cracking a bottle of this wine open reveals aromas of red berries like raspberry and red cherry. As you dive into this wine, prepare to be greeted by peppery, earthy flavors. The best of this medium-bodied wine will be brought out when served alongside goulashes, sausages, or pulled pork. Perfect for the year’s first barbecue!
Faust Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Napa Valley, California) | $56.99
This modern Napa Valley Cab comes from Faust’s Coombsville Estate and is dark and bold in the glass. Look for aromas of menthol, tobacco, and oaky vanilla when you bring the glass up to your nose. You’ll want to let this bottle sit open for a little bit to truly enjoy the velvety dark fruit flavors with hints of chocolate and baking spices. This is a lush and decadent red that you might even consider keeping in your cellar for a few years. Perfect pairing for a celebratory steak or a fancy cheese party.
Absolem Ciders (Winthrop, Maine)
We discovered this new entry to the Maine cider scene this winter and can’t wait to share a few of their super ciders with you. Concocted on their 50-acre farm in Winthrop, Absolem’s ciders are inspired by old-world wine techniques, a sense of place, encouraging new traditions, and experimentation. Named for the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland and featuring a clean and exciting butterfly-inspired logo, could there be a better way to celebrate the rebirth of spring than exiting your winter cocoon with a glass of this cider in hand?
- Float Away, Traditional Dry Cider 2021 | $10.99/bottle
Inspired by a history of cider in New England and an even longer history of cider making in Normandy, France, this traditionally dry cider is fermented with native yeasts using antique and heirloom apples. Aged in stainless and oak for 8 months, experience powerful fruit notes from New England apples combined with dry rustic flavors reminiscent of classic Normandy ciders. Look out for this instant classic! - Bembel, Apfelwein-Style Cider 2021 | $10.99/bottle
A dry cider inspired by the tart apfelwein commonly enjoyed in Frankfurt, Germany. The name ‘bembel’ is derived from the earthenware pitchers that cider is poured from into tall kölsch-like glassware. This sipper is fresh, tart, and crispy. - Roses Red, Rose Cider + Barbera 2021 | $10.99/bottle
Inspired by Brachetto and northern Italian frizzante, get ready for this sparkling cider/wine creation. Roses Red is a blend of cider aged in neutral French oak for eight months with a Barbera wine aged on lees for eight months. This tasty sparkling cider-wine features a combination of deep woodland berry flavors and apple blossom aromas. We’ll be including this rockstar in all our spring and summer plans.
Prices subject to change after this posting.