Staff Picks: What to Drink This Week
What pairs well with inaugurations and impeachments?
Villa degi Olmi Extra Dry Prosecco DOC, $12.99
Perfect everyday bubbles! Holidays are well spent and you left with a dread of long-dark-cold-nights (and looming taxes). Suddenly you’re aware of the cost of every essential luxury (again) and the bargaining is hard on you psyche. How to keep the budget and happiness equilibrated? There is nothing better than to catch sun rays in big juicy bubbles on Sunday morning (or Friday night lights), that crispy tingling of bursts on your nose when a glass is getting close, the anticipation of excitement! Hands down the best Prosecco in town(s) for the money, plenty of apple and pear to dominate the nose and palate, beautiful perlage (Italian word to describe the quality and fizziness) and great mouthfeel. Cheers for finding beauty in simplicity!
-Alexei V.
2018 Pierre Gaillard, St Joseph Rouge $39.99
Now that we have, hopefully, turned the corner on 2020 and all it's shenanigans and are settling into the long Winter of Winter, I find myself primed to jump into the heady world of Syrah. For me, nothing quite matches it's regal combination of rich ripe fruits and truly savory sub plots. These wines are comforting and complex, like a daydream or a waking fantasy. This entry from Pierre Gaillard certainly fills this role. It is purposely made in a well extracted style to give it depth and luscious texture. When freshly opened, briny olive and peppercorn notes are prevalent. Over time, these aspects fade to the background in favor of decadently ripe cassis, blackberry and plum flavors but these are joined in the crescendo by hints of potpuri and licorice.
What more could you want?
-David M.
2018 Jeanne Gaillard 'Terres de Mandrin' Collines Rhodaniennes IGP, France - $16.99
Jeanne Gaillard's first experience in the vineyard came at a young age, and was actually a cleverly conceived punishment by her vintner father Pierre Gaillard. She had gotten into mischief and was sentenced to an afternoon among the vines. The rest is history- she fell in love that day and by 24 years, she had acquired several hectares of her own vines. 'Terres de Mandrin' is France's answer to Robin Hood, and an appropriately mischievous namesake for Jeanne's wine. This is a lovely 100% Syrah bottling grown on the plains of the Drôme around Crozes-Hermitage and on the granite plateaus overlooking the Saint-Joseph. It expresses tart red currants, black currants, and blackberries on the nose and ripe strawberry and raspberries on the palate. It is brambly, chewy, with notes of tobacco, graphite, spice, and baker's chocolate. Try this with heavily seasoned pork shoulder; cumin, pepper, and fennel seed will really make the red and black fruit notes sing.
-Claire
2018 Gil Family Estates "Juan Gil" Blue Label - $39.99
It certainly is cold out there these days and the time for a big, bold, beloved red is now! This rich Spanish blend consists of Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a little bit of Syrah. Hailing from the region of Jumilla to the East, this beautiful wine is destined to fill our bellies and give us warmth through the dreaded Winter months. Please let the Gil Family Estates supply your warmth and comfort this Winter!
-Samuel P.
2018 Mamete Prevostini Botonero IGT Alpi Retiche - $25.99
This 100% Nebbiolo from Lombardy in Northern Italy is an explosion of Alpine freshness. If you love Nebbiolo from Piedmont, give this beauty a try. From the terraced vineyards of Sondino, just south of the Swiss border, at the foot of the Alpine Mountains, this lively expression of the most famous grape from Piedmont is softer and more easy drinking when it's grown in Valtellina. Bright red fruits and punchy acidity makes it the perfect pairing with red sauces, hard cheeses and lighter meat dishes. As we move toward a little more sunlight each day, this is a lovely red to ring in the sunshine!
-Angie
FEW Spirits Breakfast Gin - $37.99
For all your day-drinking needs in this exciting new year, look no further. From the distillers at FEW Spirits in Chicago, this non-traditional gin works perfectly in a French 75, Negroni, or Tom Collins. It features a complex base spirit distilled from barley, wheat, and corn, as well as a number of fairly standard gin botanicals (juniper, lemon, coriander, etc). What sets this expression apart is its inclusion of Earl Grey tea. The bergamot in the tea lends a floral citrus element, while the black tea brings earthiness and some light tannic astringency that balances well with citrus-driven brunch cocktails. Try it in a Gin Toddy to ease into your day: 1/4oz lemon juice, 3/4oz honey, 1 1/2oz Breakfast gin, and ~3oz of hot water. Mix all ingredients in a coffee mug & drop in a thin lemon slice for some enticing aromatics.
-Nick S.
