Vassie - The Wine Guy
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View All Newsletters Vol.05-011224

The Holidays Are Over

The wild energy that pushed us along through November and December has gone, and now we’re facing the deeper parts of Winter. But, these long and cold, cold nights need not be feared, but embraced.

I love nothing as much as cooking heartwarming foods with my loved ones, and having the perfect wine to go with it. The combination seemingly melts away the cold.

I’m excited to share three wines and three dishes that I think will pair perfectly.

Happy New Year!   And Happy New Wine!

 

$38.99    %ABV

The Antonutti Winery from Lombardy Italy immediately came to mind when thinking of rich Winter wines. This Northern region creeps up towards to snow capped peaks of the Alps. And when that first winter chill hits, you just want something warm, savory, and filling. The “Poppone” wine is a Merlot and Pignolo red blend, where the grapes are dried in the same style as Amarone.

The resulting grapes are then pressed and fermented creating a rich and silky wine, with bold cherry and plum flavors, with a structural trunk of dark fruits and firm yet supple tannins.

The dish I would pair with this is Frico; a potato pancake filled with onions and cheese, fried in a pan. It is typically filled with Montasio cheese, but I think a young Asiago and a bunch of Grana Padano would also be delicious.

 

Danilo Thomain’s vines grow at the second highest winegrowing zone in the Valle D’Aosta. His scant 12 acres in planted in what is called The “Enfer d’Arvier”. The Hell of Arvier. The vineyards of the Enfer d’Arvier appellation are situated in an amphitheater-shaped site on steep slopes, which receives ample sun. The shape of this “bowl” of vineyards effectively concentrates the heat of the sun, thus giving this place its name.

This wine is made of Petite Rouge; a spry red with high acidity and mild tannins. It is like a wilder mountain cousin of Cru Beaujolais. Its bright wild berry fruits are fresh and lithe on the palate, and its rustic earthy edge makes it compelling and infinitely compatible with food in my opinion.

My partner dish with this will be a baked Fontina cheese and mushroom pasta with roasted chicken. The perfect creamy, savory casserole that can feed a large group of friends.

$42.99     13.5%ABV

$39.99     12.5%ABV

Foradori is arguably the most famous wine producer in Trentino, especially if you prefer red wines. At the helm is Elizabetta Foradori. She is a champion of biodynamic grape growing, and natural wine making techniques. Her Teraldego wines are world class with few challengers.   Fermented in a mix of concrete and oak, this wine has soft alluring tannins, and is highly aromatic. It expresses aromas of cherry, dried fruits, and violets, with flavors of cherry, blackberry, pomegranate, and touches of pepper, and cinnamon.

The dish I would make with this would be Speck and Spaetzl with peas.

Trentino is just across the border from Austria and shares with it many culinary dishes. Speck is a smoked proscuito that will be mixed in with the soft spaetzl dumplings, fresh peas, and grated Asiago cheese.

Wine Sale Every Monday all wines 10% off.

Free Friday Wine tastings from 5-7pm

Wine events TBA as they are established

   

Good wine is not an optical pleasure, it is an inward emotion .
-Henry James

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