Wines of the Middle Sea - April 27, 12-5pm
What: 2022 Vina Skaramuga Posip; $22
Where: Korcula Island, Dalmatia, Croatia
Grapes: Posip
Pošip is an incredibly old indigenous Croatian varietal dating back to the 4th century BC, originally from the island of Korčula, where the Skaramuča family sources the grapes today. Croatia, of course, is a great source of summer white wine to be paired with very fresh seafood! Vina Skaramuga has planted their vineyard on Inland locations on the Island of Korčula, which is mostly flat and approximately 300 meters above sea level. It is characterized by red soil with clay stones over a limestone base. Their agricultural practice is organic. They dry farm, with minimal inputs. The Posip is hand harvested followed by a couple days of skin maceration and controlled cold fermentation between 16° C - 18° C in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation is done through high-grade (noncommercial) yeasts. The wine is aged for 8 months in stainless steel tanks, and coarsely fined and filtered before bottling. This Pošip has a light-golden color, and loaded with bright aromas of melon and dried herbs. Its salty freshness and tremendous minerality invites you to keep on sipping. Serve chilled with oysters, shrimp, or mussels.
What: 2022 Peyrasol Les Commandeurs; $25
Where: Cotes de Provence, Provence, France
Grapes: 40% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 10% Rolle
Peyrassol was founded by the Knights Templar, hence the ‘Commandeurs’ in the name. The Templars were known for building stout forts and establishing vineyards wherever they went, the wine meant for the soldiers and to fortify pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The vines are planted in the clay and limestone soil of inland valleys. A beautiful copper-salmon glow comes from this limpid liquid as it is poured. Aromatics of wet raspberries, and freshly picked Meyer Lemon say that this is spring in a bottle. This is a delicate, precise and gorgeous Rose. The wine is completely DRY, being true to its French Rose roots. The finish is long and fresh, leaving the imbiber with the joyful combination of gooseberry and raspberries ripened by Provence sunshine. Enjoy with salad Nicoise, Moroccan style chicken with orange, or chicken terrine.
What: 2022 Tenuta delle Terre Nere; $23
Where: Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy
Grapes: 95% Nerello Mascalese, 5% Nerello Cappuccio
Terre Nere is a perennial favorite at Winestone, and one of the first Etna Rosso that Patrick was proud to bring in and continue to include in the portfolio. The indigenous Nerello grapes are grown on the slopes of this famed, venerable, and still active (smoking) volcano. Mt. Etna is on Sicily’s eastern coast, and though it is only miles from the Mediterranean the high altitude offers a cool near alpine climate. The combination of well-draining and mineral rich soil makes for concentrated flavor in the wines. A hallmark of Etna Rosso is its surprisingly light to medium body, relative to its flavor concentration. Enjoy aromas of brambly blackberry, wild strawberry, black currant, dried herbs and graphite. You’ll taste an elegantly structured wine with bright fruit flavor and underlying earthiness. This wine is a great match for your Italian pasta and red sauce with lots of garlic, tomato, herb and olive oil. It can certainly hold its own alongside a variety of meats and/or cheeses.
What: 2022 Gai’a Monograph Agiorgitiko; $15
Where: Nemea, Greece
Grapes: Agiorgitiko
Agiorgitiko is Greek wines’ great ‘full-bodied red’ contribution to the world of wine. It has been championed by one of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, Gai’a Estate (pronounced Yay-ya), which was established in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos. Their mission was to capture the best that Greece’s indigenous grapes have to offer by merging traditional viticultural and production methods with innovative techniques. The estate is named after “Mother Earth,” in honor of the unique terroir that gives birth to these world-class wines. The grapes for the Monograph Agiorgitiko come from vineyards located on the hills of the Nemea wine region, at an altitude of 1,800 ft. The climate is moderately cool at this mid-level elevation, resulting in grapes that are concentrated in flavor with well-developed tannins and balanced acidity. A delightful introduction to the Agiorgitiko varietal, this red-purple wine has a fruit-forward, medium bodied palate, ripe with flavors of cherry, pomegranate and a hint of butterscotch. It is easy-going with smooth, soft tannins and a fruity finish. This red is an excellent accompaniment to spicy foods and red meat dishes.
Where: Korcula Island, Dalmatia, Croatia
Grapes: Posip
Pošip is an incredibly old indigenous Croatian varietal dating back to the 4th century BC, originally from the island of Korčula, where the Skaramuča family sources the grapes today. Croatia, of course, is a great source of summer white wine to be paired with very fresh seafood! Vina Skaramuga has planted their vineyard on Inland locations on the Island of Korčula, which is mostly flat and approximately 300 meters above sea level. It is characterized by red soil with clay stones over a limestone base. Their agricultural practice is organic. They dry farm, with minimal inputs. The Posip is hand harvested followed by a couple days of skin maceration and controlled cold fermentation between 16° C - 18° C in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation is done through high-grade (noncommercial) yeasts. The wine is aged for 8 months in stainless steel tanks, and coarsely fined and filtered before bottling. This Pošip has a light-golden color, and loaded with bright aromas of melon and dried herbs. Its salty freshness and tremendous minerality invites you to keep on sipping. Serve chilled with oysters, shrimp, or mussels.
What: 2022 Peyrasol Les Commandeurs; $25
Where: Cotes de Provence, Provence, France
Grapes: 40% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 10% Rolle
Peyrassol was founded by the Knights Templar, hence the ‘Commandeurs’ in the name. The Templars were known for building stout forts and establishing vineyards wherever they went, the wine meant for the soldiers and to fortify pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The vines are planted in the clay and limestone soil of inland valleys. A beautiful copper-salmon glow comes from this limpid liquid as it is poured. Aromatics of wet raspberries, and freshly picked Meyer Lemon say that this is spring in a bottle. This is a delicate, precise and gorgeous Rose. The wine is completely DRY, being true to its French Rose roots. The finish is long and fresh, leaving the imbiber with the joyful combination of gooseberry and raspberries ripened by Provence sunshine. Enjoy with salad Nicoise, Moroccan style chicken with orange, or chicken terrine.
What: 2022 Tenuta delle Terre Nere; $23
Where: Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy
Grapes: 95% Nerello Mascalese, 5% Nerello Cappuccio
Terre Nere is a perennial favorite at Winestone, and one of the first Etna Rosso that Patrick was proud to bring in and continue to include in the portfolio. The indigenous Nerello grapes are grown on the slopes of this famed, venerable, and still active (smoking) volcano. Mt. Etna is on Sicily’s eastern coast, and though it is only miles from the Mediterranean the high altitude offers a cool near alpine climate. The combination of well-draining and mineral rich soil makes for concentrated flavor in the wines. A hallmark of Etna Rosso is its surprisingly light to medium body, relative to its flavor concentration. Enjoy aromas of brambly blackberry, wild strawberry, black currant, dried herbs and graphite. You’ll taste an elegantly structured wine with bright fruit flavor and underlying earthiness. This wine is a great match for your Italian pasta and red sauce with lots of garlic, tomato, herb and olive oil. It can certainly hold its own alongside a variety of meats and/or cheeses.
What: 2022 Gai’a Monograph Agiorgitiko; $15
Where: Nemea, Greece
Grapes: Agiorgitiko
Agiorgitiko is Greek wines’ great ‘full-bodied red’ contribution to the world of wine. It has been championed by one of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine revolution, Gai’a Estate (pronounced Yay-ya), which was established in 1994 by Leon Karatsalos and winemaker Yiannis Paraskevopoulos. Their mission was to capture the best that Greece’s indigenous grapes have to offer by merging traditional viticultural and production methods with innovative techniques. The estate is named after “Mother Earth,” in honor of the unique terroir that gives birth to these world-class wines. The grapes for the Monograph Agiorgitiko come from vineyards located on the hills of the Nemea wine region, at an altitude of 1,800 ft. The climate is moderately cool at this mid-level elevation, resulting in grapes that are concentrated in flavor with well-developed tannins and balanced acidity. A delightful introduction to the Agiorgitiko varietal, this red-purple wine has a fruit-forward, medium bodied palate, ripe with flavors of cherry, pomegranate and a hint of butterscotch. It is easy-going with smooth, soft tannins and a fruity finish. This red is an excellent accompaniment to spicy foods and red meat dishes.