Staff Picks - What to Drink This Week
Try these special, staff-selected wines!
Division Wine Company, Seeohtoo, Carbonic Red Blend, Oregon - $27.99
After attending our Division Winemaker event, my taste buds were dancing from all of Tom Monroe's delicious 2021 releases. My unexpected favorite was the juicy red blend "Seeohtoo" (CO2 pun), which is vinified using carbonic maceration — a whole cluster fermentation process that amps up a wine's fruitiness while softening its tannins. This blend is 75% Sangiovese and 25% Pinot Noir, and the juicy juice is strawberry forward with subtle spice and earthiness. Meant to be fun, lighthearted and served with a chill, this summertime red is the perfect accompaniment for poolside hotdogs or burgers. Party on!
- Kat
2021 Rousseau Frères Touraine Noble-Joue Rosé - $21.99
Hailing from the smallest appellation in the Loire and comprised of only 80 acres, rosé from the Touraine Noble-Joue AOC is made up of a trifecta of Pinots; 50% Pinot Meunier, to provide structure, 35% Pinot Gris brings fruitiness and 15% Pinot Noir adds finesse. All the grapes are farmed organically by the fourth generation of Rousseau brothers just south of the city of Tours. Highly aromatic with notes of red berries and violets, it makes a great aperitif and pairs perfectly with summer salads and fish!
- Angie
Champagne R. Pouillon Solera Extra Brut, Maeuil-sur-Ay - $96.99
Born as an experiment to highlight exceptional terrior by minimizing vintage variation, this unique Champagne impresses with complexity and refreshment. Thirty percent of each year's blend comes from a solera going back to 1997. The wine instantly offers up bright and zesty ripe orchard fruit combined with vinous oxidative notes highlighting an oyster shell and saline finish. The deft balance of true depth and seamless freshness
is remarkable. A must try for Champagne lovers.
-Dave
2021 Feudo Montoni, Nerello Mascalese, Rosé di Adele - $27.99
Feudo Montoni has quickly become one of the shop's favorite Sicilian wineries. Their history dates back centuries, but the philosophy of viticulture has remained the same. "Our wines are manipulated as little as possible by human intervention," says proprietor Fabio Sireci of his family's methods. The winery is certified organic and they only use indigenous varietals, one of which is Nerello Mascalese. Nerello makes an interesting rose as a red varietal that draws elements of citrus fruit, notably blood orange. The 2021 vintage bottling shows pretty aromas of wild roses and strawberries. The palate has a rich vinous quality to it showing pithy blood orange fruit with fermented orange marmalade balanced with sweet tannin.
Try this wine with walleye fillets and summer vegetables.
-Rob
2019 Tortoise Creek Clarksburg Merlot - $16.99
A great summer grilling wine paired with burgers and smoked meats as well as summer pastas. This wine has a fresh bright nose full of berries and herbs. It is round and full-bodied with rich, ripe flavors of cherry and blackberry. The tannins come in soft on the finish. The grapes are farmed sustainably. This wine does see a little time in a mix of French and American oak, but this does not overpower the fruit's freshness. I think it's time everyone gives Merlot a shot and this is a good one to start with.
-Sean
2019 A La Carte, Pinot Noir, North Coast - $17.99
From cool climate vineyards on California's north coast, this is a perfect choice for the "light red" selection of any gathering. This easy drinking Pinot Noir offers enticing aromas of sweet baking spices that lead to a palate of light juicy cherry, boysenberry, raspberry, red licorice and vanilla lifted by bright acidity. Enjoy as a reception wine alone, with appetizers, or matched with light pasta, chicken or salmon dishes for dinner. Cheers!
-Patrick
2020 Granbazán Etiqueta Amber, Albariño, Riax Baixas (Galicia/Spain) -
(James Suckling 93 points) $29.99
Galicia is the fascinating NW coastal corner of Spain tucked under France and the U.K. with a cooler climate - average temperature 55°F - than hotter Spain. Famous as the end-destination of Santiago de Compostela pilgrims, Galicia is also the source of world-class Albariño grapes resulting in equally delicious wines. Case in point is Granbazán’s Etiqueta Ambar Albariño, the flagship offering of a pioneering winery ahead of its competition. With an aromatic rich nose and the grape’s characteristic honey and peach/ stone fruit profile, this fabulously balanced white wine is overlaid with tropical notes of citrus backed by steely minerality. Enjoy its persistent flavors and long finish; better appreciated when the vine is off-chill. During a once-in-a-lifetime visit to a Galician ocean-side hilltop, our student group experienced fresh sardines grilled over a low open fire while dancing and imbibing the local wines and spirits, inspiring current dreams of a future pilgrimage. But in the meanwhile. . .
- Karen
