Wines to Drink with Loved Ones
It’s the season when we’re hunkered down, bundled up, and snuggling in. Here are some wines we recommend opening to share with your Valentines and your Palentines during the winter months.
Ronco Calino Franciacorta Brut (Santa Barbara, California, USA) | $19.99
For those unfamiliar with this beauty, Franciacorta is a sparkling wine from northern Italy using the same method and grapes as Champagne. Hailing from this hidden oasis, the blend is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir-grown pebble-rich glacial soils. The grapes are chilled and gently pressed before fermenting in stainless steel tanks with a small amount of Chardonnay seeing French Oak. The wine is matured a minimum of 30 months on the lees and has a low dosage resulting in a structured, dry wine with scents of apple and red fruits. The Ronco Calino is an excellent option when you are looking to try something new and familiar at the same time.
Love You Bunches Orange (Santa Barbara, California, USA) | $26.99
This orange wine features Pinot Gris, Orange Muscat, Semillon from older vines, and Gewurztraminer to add color, texture, and spices. Each bunch of grapes is kept intact for the first week of fermentation. This process extracts skin color and texture while keeping the wine delicate and fresh without the tannin or coarseness sometimes associated with orange wines. This wine is citrusy and thirst-quenching with ripe, tropical aromas. Imagine you’re basking in the Santa Barbara sunshine pouring out of this bottle and into your glass.
Luna Gaia Logistilla Nerello Mascalese (Sicily, Italy) | $16.99
A wine with a bittersweet love story. Logistilla is one of three fairies in “Orlando Furioso”, symbolizing wisdom and virtue. The front label of this bottle represents Orlando finding his and Angela’s incised names, becoming overwhelmed with pain for his lost love. The grape is made of the harder-to-find Nerello Mascalese and it is primarily grown on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. It’s light-bodied and the flavors reflect the earthiness of the volcanic soils with red fruit and a bit of spice. It could be compared to a Pinot Noir, light-bodied Zinfandel, or a Schiava. Certified biodynamic and organic. Would be delicious with meatballs and spaghetti.
Cardamaro Amaro (Canelli d’Asti, Italy) | $27.99
This aperitif wine drinks like a combination of an Amaro and an Oloroso Sherry. The wine base is Moscato infused with Cardoon, Blessed Thistle (two artichoke relatives), and other botanicals that are then rested in new oak barrels for at least 6 months. The result is an Amaro with nutty, delicately sweet spice notes. Would be delicious paired with Tiramisu. Once opened, will hold for a few months in the refrigerator.
Prices subject to change after this posting. Please call for the most up-to-date information at 207-443-1402.