Wine Archives - Page 2 of 16

Pairing Books & Wine

Jennifer Simonson

Jennifer is a writer, photographer and wine enthusiast who publishes a blog called Bookworm, in which she pairs wine with books. It combines two of her favorite pastimes and is intended to make both reading and sipping wine more enjoyable. She recently received her WSET Level 3 in Wines certification through France 44 Wine & Spirits Education. She lives in Linden Hills and enjoys running around the city lakes, gardening, cooking and making art.

Have you ever noticed how your most memorable conversations about wine and about literature can sound much the same? Think about some descriptors you might use to tell a friend about a recent wine discovery or an immersive new novel, and observe the overlap. Intriguing, complex, provocative, vibrant, gripping, lingering.

While reading tends to be a solitary activity, we come together in book clubs seeking an exchange of ideas. As humans we crave this connection – one that occurs so naturally when we share a bottle of wine, as well. At their best, both pastimes allow for engaging discussion, laughter, mild disagreement, and fresh insight.

So, why not combine the two? I pair wine with books (not unlike food pairing) in hopes of creating an experience that elevates my enjoyment of both. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, even graphic novels and cookbooks are all candidates for a pairing. If you are hosting a book club and are wondering what to pour, you can try it, too. Here’s a guide to find that “perfect” wine partner for your book.

Truthfully, most books will pair wonderfully with several wines. We all have different preferences, and an outstanding pairing for one person might not work for another. You will have the most success if you let curiosity and creativity be your guides.

A straightforward starting point is to consider the literary genre, the author, or the author’s intent. For example, if the book is a mystery, I might look for a complex wine that would require all of my senses to discover its various aromas and flavors. Or, if the novel is an author’s debut, pair it with a wine from a new or up-and-coming winemaker. Is the story intended to uplift? Then, perhaps, bubbles are appropriate.

Another approach is to think about which elements in a book are essential to the story and/or resonate mostly strongly with you. Noteworthy considerations are the characters and their relationships, the point of view, and the setting. Ask yourself if you learned anything new or surprising, and think about your overall impression after finishing the book. There’s pairing potential in each of these details.

For example, in Hernan Diaz’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Trust, four characters tell the same story, each from his or her own perspective. I paired this book with Chardonnay, a grape variety that is as malleable as this story. Chardonnay can taste very different, depending upon the winemaker telling its “story.” This pairing’s success is less about a specific bottle of Chardonnay – any of your favorites will do – and more about how winemakers shape it to achieve specific results on the nose and palate.

And lastly, remember not every pairing needs to be congruent. It can be interesting to seek out contrast. For example, can a grief-filled novel be balanced with a bright and fruity wine? The decision is up to you. Sometimes I taste several wines before settling on the just the right one.

The search for new and interesting connections between fine wine and literature is a process of discovery. Happily, with so many wines to taste and books to read, the possibilities are truly endless. For more pairing ideas, visit my Bookworm Blog. Each monthly post includes a complete book review, a wine tasting note, and a detailed explanation about why the pairing works.

So You Think You Hate Chardonnay…

Ty Robinson

Ty (he/him) started his career in the wine and spirits industry 14 years ago right here at France 44! He took some time away to get a Masters in Gastronomy and since, has worked in every facet of the industry, from restaurants to retail. Ty is a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers of America. He returned to France 44 in the Fall of 2023 and is happy to have been welcomed back. His favorite wines are Chenin Blanc, Syrah and anything from Germany or Austria.

So you think you hate Chardonnay… So did I. Chardonnay is a grape that has no one true “style.” It’s a chameleon in the wine world. It can range in style from enamel ripping acidic to rich, luxurious and buttery. I feel like Americans have a skewed vision of Chardonnay because here in The States, we have become known for the big rich buttery popcorn laden Chardonnays that our moms all drank growing up. But that is only the beginning of the story for Chardonnay.

Chardonnay is one of the most famous varietals in the world, and rightfully so. It can really be made in so many styles that there is one that will certainly suit you. I always thought I hated the varietal until I came back to the store and have been able to taste different iterations and styles of the grape. I have since come to love the varietal and differences between the many styles of Chardonnay.

Chardonnay is grown across the globe with the main producers being France (Burgundy) and the USA (California and Oregon mostly). What makes Chardonnay unique is the the way winemakers can stylistically manipulate the grapes to produce a range of expressions.

Within Burgundy, you can see bright high acid fruity expressions with no oak (Chablis) AND rich, oily and textural versions that have almost a honeyed tropical fruit note (Meursault).

Oak barrels commonly used to age Chardonnay wine

The story is similar stateside, where our classic California Chardonnays range from rich and buttery, reminiscent of movie theater popcorn, to unoaked varieties that are bright and zippy, with driving acidity and minerality.

Oregon chardonnays tend to be more like Burgundy as they can’t get quite the same level of ripeness as in California, and they generally utilize oak in their winemaking with a lighter hand.

Through all our wine team tastings, I have found that I love unoaked Chardonnay or Chardonnays that use oak in a well-integrated, not overbearing manner. Recently I have been loving the Alois Lageder Gaun Chardonnay from Italy. It sees some oak but it’s there for structure and imparts no flavor components to the wine. Beautifully bright and acidic with aromas of apple and lemon peel, this Chardonnay is light and easy to drink with enough complexity to keep you coming back for another sip.

I also have been loving the Martin Woods Chardonnay. The winemaker lets the purity of the fruit shine through and uses minimal oak (and what he does use is neutral) to create a wine that is reminiscent of Chablis. Bright, fresh, high in acid and a lovely mineral tone to keep the wine zippy.

For oaked Chardonnay, my favorite of late has been the Becker “Schweigener” Chardonnay from the Pfalz in Germany. This Chardonnay is big and bold, much like its California brethren, but it uses oak only to create a rich, mouthfeel and a creamy texture. Beautiful, lush and well made, it made me appreciate what oak can do for Chardonnay.

So get out of your comfort zone – pick up a bottle of Chardonnay and learn about the diverse wines this grape can produce!

alois bergundy buttery california chardonnay oak oaked oregon pfalz wine

Along the Alsatian Wine Road

Julie Drysdale

Julie is a France 44 WSET 2 and WSET 3 graduate who lives in Golden Valley with her husband Mike. They have 3 adult children who enjoy tagging along on their mom’s wine travel adventures whenever they can.

The first week of June, our great friends’ son got married in a castle in the Netherlands. Since no trip to Europe should go without a wine tangent, northeastern France called. In my WSET classes, we learned about important wine regions all over the world, including Alsace AOC, which is described as a sunny little haven on the border between France and Germany, between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine. The Vosges Mountains block the rain from the north, and the eastern slopes forms the stunning 90-mile Alsatian Wine Road. The region offers the best of two countries & two cultures in many many stunning glasses of wine.

We started our trip in Strasbourg. We explored the city in the afternoon – the Old Town, the Cathedral and Museum — then our wine adventure started with happy hour at a local wine bar.

As a bit of background – Alsace is the region of the Riesling. If you think of Riesling as a sweet wine, this is the region to prove you wrong and offer some of the world’s most stunning examples of dry riesling. But it’s also so much more than that.

The four ‘noble grapes’ of Alsace are: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer, and Muscat. But vin d’Alsace can also be made from Sylvaner, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chasselas and Auxerois. And there is Chardonnay grown in the area for Cremant d’alsace (sparkling). Cremant came on the scene in Alsace about 20 years ago, and it’s made in the same method used to produce Champagne. All this to say, it’s a robust wine region, full of innovation.

Our first tastes of wine in Alsace were two crémants: a Pinot Noir and a Grand Cru (designated wine classification) Pinot Gris. Both were excellent. In particular, the Pinot Gris was intensely fruity and full bodied – likely due to the Alsatian sun and Grand Cru vineyard location. The Pinot Noir was full of cherry notes – somewhat like an Oregon or burgundy Pinot Noir, but more fruit driven and less earthy/woodsy. We had dinner at a place called L’eveil de Sens – recommended by a fellow WSET buddy – with another bottle of Pinot Noir! Though this is largely a region of white wine, Pinot Noir is still prevalent and very good!

The next day we took an Alsace Wine Discovery Tour with a company called Ophorous. Our guide, Maxime, was a well-traveled young man with Ukrainian and Portuguese passports and many, many stories. He explained that Alsace has gone back and forth between the French and German borders for centuries. In fact, during World War II, Germany annexed Alsace and declared the Alsatian people to be de facto German citizens who fought for Nazi Germany – a fact that the Alsatians are, understandably, quite sensitive about. Maxime also introduced us to a grape called Klevener de Heiiigenstein. Fromthe vineyard we could see the Vosges Mountains, the Rhine river and the Black Forest in Germany.

Most of our tour time in Alsace was spent in a little town called Barr. We visited the Vincent Stoeffler winery, a small family winery that doesn’t export much, but makes a lot of really interesting wines from the noble and other Alsace grapes. In addition to the regional basics such as Crémant, and Riesling – they make orange wine with Pinot Gris and another orange wine from Gewürztraminer grapes. The latter is said to be a great pairing with Indian food! We also visited Domaine Zeyssolff much bigger and more commercial winery – though still most of their wine is consumed in Alsace. We tasted a very similar line-up of wines from the noble grapes plus a Crémant. Crémant is popular here and clearly was a favorite amongst our tour group! In fact Crémant today makes up 25% of the wine production in Alsace.

All of the wines we tasted were unique, delicious and unexpected. The Muscat and Pinot Gris lean toward stone fruit aromas and flavors. The Riesling is smooth and dry with notes of apple and lemon. Many of the wines made from Muscat, Gewurtraminer and Pinot Gris were notably aromatic, a characteristic brought out by the sunny climate in the region. Everything we sampled had excellent pairing possibilities – many would go great with Indian or Indonesian food.

And because of the dry, sunny, climate, Alsace has long been a pioneer of organic farming so most of the wines we had were organic!

As with much of Europe, many of the wines in Alsace are hard to find outside the region, harder still outside of France, and seldom in the U.S. So my goal was not only to enjoy the wines in Alsace, but also to find comparable bottles I could buy back home.

The Alsatian wines we usually see here in the U.S. and at France 44 – big names such as Trimbach and Hugel – export much greater volumes. In fact, we heard that Trimbach exports nearly 90% of their volume!

We rented a car and drove south where we visited some of these larger wineries. Trimbach is in the magical small town of Ribeauville and Hugel is in another delightful village called Riquewehr. Riquewehr is known for its lineup of wineries right in the main part of town – you can walk from winery to winery to taste. We tasted at a place called Dopff, which was credited with starting the Crémant movement in Alsace. We spotted the Albert Boxler winery, which makes some very good wines that are exported to the US and sometimes available at France 44 (I love their Edelzwicker).

If at this point, as I hope you are, you’re convinced and ready to try some Alsacian wine, here are a few favorites you can find at France 44:

Gustave Lorentz Cremant d'Alsace Brut NV

Shop Now: $29.99

Trimbach Pinot Blanc Alsace 2022

Shop Now - $27.00

Bott-Geyl Alsace Metiss 2022

This white blend is crisp and approachable. On the nose, it unveils a bouquet of ripe fruits and citrus, interwoven with hints of white blossoms. On the palate, it is light and invigorating, with a harmonious acidity that accentuates its fruity essence.

Shop Now: $21.99

Our final stop on the journey was to see the town of Colmar. No wine tasting here, but we did spot a full Trimbach line up I the window of a wineshop – including their iconic Clos St. Hune Riesling available for a mere 289 Euros! Colmar also has a claim to fame as the inspiration for the buildings and town in the gorgeous Miyazaki Japanese Anime film Howl’s Moving Castle.

Leaving Alsace, we headed toward Metz, France via a beautiful drive through the Vosges Mountains. We’d hoped to visit Maison Lelievres – winemaker David Lelièvre was recently at France 44 for a pop-up tasting. But unfortunately, rain and time got in the way of this plan!

From there – on to Luxembourg and our ultimate destination the wedding in Maastricht Netherlands. Overall, I would highly recommend a visit to Alsace and Lorraine. The countryside and towns are beautiful, sun-drenched but not scorching, and an excellent area to try an array of interesting and mostly reasonably priced white wines!

A Beginner’s Guide to Wine Tasting

TK Mehlhaff

TK (she/her) is part of our wonderful wine team and has her WSET Level 2 Certification in Wines. Thank god, wine is gluten free! TK is proudly Deaf & an LGTBQ ally, and can communicate with you either in sign language or with her phone's text notes. She enjoys learning about wines and how they pair with food, and off duty, is a dog mama and loves to spoil her fur baby, Marv.

Whether you’re new to wine or already a fan, learning how to properly taste wine can open a whole new world of aromas, flavors, and experiences. Here’s an easy guide to help you get started with wine tasting.

First, I encourage you to taste a variety of wines, made in different places and made from different grape varietals.

Start by understanding the four main components of wine tasting: appearance, aroma, taste, and finish. Assessing each of these on their own, and as they relate to each other, will help you better enjoy and understand wine. Try both red and white wines to see how they differ. Notice the differences in sweetness, acidity, and body.

Let’s start.

Pour a little wine into your glass and look at the color and clarity. Tilt the glass against a white background (can be piece of white paper) to see the color better. Is it pale in color? Is it opaque or translucent? Swirl the wine gently and watch the “legs” or “tears” form. Legs or tears tell you that the wine is fuller bodied, which also often tells you it has a higher alcohol content.

Swirl the wine in your glass to release the aromas and take a few quick sniffs. Try to pick out the different scents. Fruits, flowers, spices, or herbs are common aromas. Some wines might also have aromas from the barrels in which they were aged. Aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, or toasted bread can tell you that the wine was aged in oak barrels. Fresher floral and fruit aromas often tell you that the wine was aged in stainless steel.

Now, take a small sip and let the wine cover your tongue. Pay attention to the first flavors you taste, then notice how they change, and which flavors linger. Think about the balance between sweetness and acidity. Does your mouth water? Does the wine dry the sides of your mouth? These clues can tell you about the dryness of the wine, the tannins in the wine, the body of the wine. Take notes! There’s no right answers, it’s all personal preference.

Once you have a good sense for your wine tastes, try tasting wine with different foods to see how they go together. Notice how the flavors of the wine and food change and enhance each other. This can make both the wine and the food taste better. There are general rules for wines & foods that go well together; i.e. fatty foods and acidic wines, sweeter wines and sweeter foods, but again, there’s no one right answer.

Write down your thoughts about each wine you taste. Note the name, year, and producer, as well as what you liked or didn’t like about it. Over time, this will help you understand your preferences and will help you ask the right questions in restaurants and wine shops.

Taste with others! Discuss what you see, smell, and taste. Compare and contrast your opinions on each wine. Learn from each other! Make it a group activity.

Join wine classes, workshops, or tastings at France 44 to learn more. Talk to wine team at France 44, sommeliers, or other wine lovers, to get tips and recommendations. Wine tasting is a journey, and there’s always more to learn and it is ALWAYS okay to ask questions!

By following these simple steps, you’ll start to appreciate the art of wine tasting. So, pour yourself a glass, take your time, and enjoy discovering the world of wine. Cheers!

Now, we’ll guide you through a tasting of a couple great wines.

We recommend starting with a Chardonnay. Known for its versatility and range of flavors, Chardonnay can offer a variety of tasting experiences. You’ll often find notes of green apple, pear, and citrus in unoaked versions, while oaked Chardonnays might have hints of butter, vanilla, and caramel. This wine pairs beautifully with dishes like grilled chicken, seafood, and creamy pasta, making it an excellent choice for both tasting and pairing. Give it a try and see why Chardonnay is a favorite among wine enthusiasts!

You also need to try red wine, and we recommend starting with a Cabernet Sauvignon. Known for its rich flavors and deep complexity, Cabernet Sauvignon offers bold tastes of dark fruits like blackberries and plums, with hints of spices and vanilla. This wine pairs wonderfully with rich foods like steak, lamb, and strong cheeses. Give it a try and see why Cabernet Sauvignon is a favorite among wine lovers!

Tassajara Cabernet Sauvignon | $14.99

The wine is deep in color and offers a complex aroma. You will detect aromas of elderberry and dried berries. As it opens, herbal notes like oregano and anise also come through, adding to its complexity. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with well-structured tannins that give it a smooth texture. The taste features dark fruits, like elderberries, with a hint of herbs. This wine pairs well with hearty dishes such as wild game and mushrooms, which complement its dark fruit and herbal notes.

The Season for Chillable Reds

Three bottles of red wine on a sunny sidewalk next to a picnic basket

Jennifer Simonson

It’s nearly summertime, which means I’m craving easy-drinking wines to enjoy at the lake, on a picnic, or with friends in the backyard. While you can’t go wrong with bright and fruity rosé, did you know that some red wines can be equally as refreshing? The key is to choose the right wine and to serve it chilled to intensify its freshness.

The great news is that “chillable” red wine need not be expensive. Red wines that are fruity, light- to medium-bodied, with low tannin and high acidity, are great candidates to be chilled. Consider Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Zweigelt, Dolcetto, Lambrusco, and some red blends.

I generally refrigerate chillable red wine for several hours, moving them to the countertop 30 minutes before I intend to serve. If the wine seems muted, it might be too cold, so give it some time to warm up in your glass. Feel free to experiment and see what temperature brings out the best aromas and flavors in your favorite wine. Light-bodied reds should be served at 55 F, whereas the range for ‘chillable’ reds is slightly cooler, around 50-55 F. (And you might be surprised to learn that the recommended serving temperature for medium- and full-bodied red wine is a somewhat cool “room temperature” of 59-64 F.)

Chillable reds are delicious on their own, but they’re also extremely food-friendly because of their fruity character and high acidity. There’s no need to be fussy with your pairings – it’s summertime after all! Think about meals that come together easily and incorporate fresh vegetables and grilled foods or picnic fare such as pasta salads, cheeses and charcuterie. One of my favorites pairings with a chillable red is the fennel salami sandwich and potato chips from the France 44 Cheese Shop.

The wines I recommend below are made with care, but they’re not wines for cellaring – these youthful wines are drinking beautifully right now! In this line up, the first wine has the most broad appeal, the second is for adventurous drinkers, and the third offers a surprising twist on a familiar grape.

The Crowd Pleaser: Three Wine Co. ‘Faux Pas’ Red, Contra Coast, California 2023

This juicy wine strikes the perfect summertime balance between ripe and tart fruit. On the nose find red cherry, red raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, red currant, plus a touch of baking spice. With light body, high acidity and low tannin, this wine can be paired with just about anything. Buy a case for your next patio party on a hot summer day – everyone will be happy!

The wine is a blend of 59% Carignan, 33% Zinfandel, 6% Petit Syrah, and 2% Mataro.

Three Wine Co. is a family-run, sustainable winery. Winemaker Matt Cline and his wife Erin, who runs the tasting room, work primarily with California’s historic, pre-prohibition varietals, including Zinfandel, Mataro, and Carignan. Cline utilizes blending in his winemaking to find “a perfect balance between the grapes.”

The Tastemaker: Angelo Negro Unfiltered Vino Rosso, Piedmont, Italy 2022

In the carefree spirit of summertime, this expressive red wine made from 100% Brachetto is a sensory adventure. It’s fermented with indigenous yeast in stainless steel and then aged for 5+ months on the lees of Arneis, a white grape variety native to Piedmont. It’s unfiltered and might appear a bit hazy.

Pronounced floral and fruity aromas jump from the glass – think rose petal, hibiscus, violet, fresh strawberry, raspberry, sour cherry, red fruit punch and orange peel. The acid is refreshingly high, but this wine has a bit more body and texture than the ‘Faux Pas,’ as well as an enjoyably, long finish.

Serve this wine to impress your most curious friends. It’s aromatic, intriguing and complex, but remains easy drinking. It’s a wine you’ll reach for all summer long, and I think it pairs perfectly with wood-fired pizza. Recommended serving temperature is 50-59 F.

The Negro estate, which dates to 1670, practices organic viticulture in the Roero subregion of Piedmont. Winemaker Angelo Negro works exclusively with the region’s native grapes, including Arneis, and Nebbiolo.

The Curveball: Blue Quail Old Vine Zinfandel, Potter Valley, California 2022

Most of us are familiar with full-bodied, rich and jammy California Zinfandel. But what happens to the wine when those Zinfandel grapes are grown in a cooler climate? The wine becomes almost “Beaujolais-esque,” like this one from Blue Quail exhibiting a lighter body, elevated acidity and medium alcohol at 13%.

The climate in Mendocino County’s Potter Valley AVA is cool with high diurnal range. Grapes ripen slowly during warm days, but cool nights preserve their acidity. They can hang on the vine longer under these conditions and develop a full flavor.

The fruity character of this dry wine is more candied than the previous two, but that sweetness is balanced with freshness. On the nose and palate, look for cherry vanilla cola, strawberry jam, cranberry, blackberry, and a bit of black peppercorn and earth. Of the three wines, this one can withstand the heartiest food pairing.

The McFadden Family planted these Zinfandel vines in 1971, and they’re some of the oldest in Potter Valley. The organic grapes are whole cluster pressed and fermented in oak.

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The Best Summer Spritz – A Mother’s Day Reflection by Melissa & Tom

Melissa Waskiewicz

Melissa (she/her) is our Systems Manager, Curbside Program Manager, and our resident Cider Pro. She is a Certified Cider Professional, and is particularly interested in ciders that are made with a lot of crab apples. In her spare time, Melissa is an avid reader who is always looking for good book recommendations.

Tom Schneider

Tom (he/him) is on France 44's Spirits Team. He loves doing side-by-side comparisons of different wild agave mezcals. If he wasn’t working at France 44, he’d probably be a bouncer like Swayze in Roadhouse. He and his wife have a three-legged Pitty mix named Pickles. He’s also extremely colorblind.

Make Mom a Spritz this Mother’s Day!

“Mother’s Day is upon us and I’m sure you are looking for ways to celebrate the women in your life. As a Mom, I can assure you that we do not want cleaning supplies! A bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers are fine. Most of us, however, want to have a little fun and drink some cocktails! For a lively celebration and a cocktail that goes GREAT with a home-made Sunday brunch, consider a bubbly spritz! Spritzes come in every shape and size and can be classic, low-alcohol, and no-alcohol. Mothers make the world go ‘round and they should be celebrated accordingly. Below is your guide to spritzes to make sure you give that special person in your life the toast they deserve!” – Melissa

The Spritz is a quintessential celebratory cocktail. There is no one way to make this classic cocktail, but we do have some simple guidelines and ratios that will allow you to spruce up your Mother’s Day spritzes to help celebrate that special person in your life this weekend!

The Mimosa

1 Part Orange Juice

3 Parts Dry Sparkling Wine or Dry Sparkling Cider for a lower ABV option

The Mimosa is the most classic brunch cocktail. Traditionally made from orange juice and sparkling wine, it’s refreshing and light, perfect for a bottomless brunch. We love to switch up the sparkling wine for sparkling cider, and play around with the fruit juices. Switch to peach juice and you’ve got yourself a classic Bellini, or go with Melissa’s favorite: Chinola Mango Liqueur & Seattle Dry Cider!

The Aperol Spritz

1 Part Seltzer

2 Parts Aperol

3 Parts Sparkling Wine

The Aperol Spritz is perhaps among the most popular cocktails at the moment. It’s a refreshing balance of bitter and sweet and will transport you straight to a busy Italian piazza. The traditional recipe calls for a 1:2:3 ratio of seltzer : Aperol : Sparkling wine. The While Aperol is a fantastic product, we also like to substitute other aperitivos such as Cappelletti (similar flavor, but wine based), Cap Corse Blanc (a more citrus–forward alternative), or a lighter amaro such as Cardamaro to provide a more digestive punch.

Lastly, if you are looking for an alternative to alcohol, you can substitute club soda or tonic water for the sparkling wine base. Products such as Ghia (an NA Campari alternative) and Giffard Aperitif (an NA Aperol alternative) are also great substitutes!

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Rosé All Day

Ty Robinson

Rosé wine is something that we all know and most of us love. In the last handful of years, rosé has entered its cool kid era. Modern rosé wines are different from generations past in that they are fermented to a dry or just off-dry level of sweetness. Rosé can come from any wine region in the world and can be made from virtually any dark-skinned grape varietal.

There are three different production methods to create a rosé wine. The first and most common is simply the skin contact, or direct press, method. Once the grapes are crushed, they are allowed to sit on the skins for anywhere between 2-48 hours and in that time the juice picks up the rosé color. The longer the wine sits on the skins the darker the color of the final wine. The second method is the saignée method (French for “too bleed”). This is essentially a byproduct of red wine making, when the winemaker bleeds off a portion of the young ferment to make a rosé with a bit fuller body and more tannin. The final method of rosé production is simply the blending of red and white wines together. This is the least common method as in many regions of the world it is illegal to blend red and white wine together. This method is predominantly seen in Champagne, to produce rosé Champagne.

Generally speaking, rosé wines are extremely easy to pair with food. The lighter the rosé the lighter the food that should go with it. Something like our Peyrassol La Croix rosé is delightful for sipping on its own or enjoying with a picnic basket by the lake that is full of cheese and charcuterie from the Cheese Shop. For something with a little more body, the Alexander Valley Vineyards Sangiovese Rosé is absolutely delicious this year. It gives off great aromas of guava, raspberry, and mint, with an overlay of strawberry that translates to the palate. It also has a bit more body than the Peyrassol and would stand up to heartier food such as lamb or roasted chicken. The last rosé that we’re excited to pair is the D’Aqueria Tavel Rosé. This is a 2022 vintage rosé, but it is a style that takes a little while to open up and show its true colors and this wine right now is drinking just beautifully. This Tavel rosé is an absolute perfect match for any food, from barbecue to steak and desserts.

You would be hard pressed to find a bad pairing or occasion to drink a bottle of rosé. Our wine team as always is here to help you find the perfect match for whatever event or meal you may be having. You can also just pick a bottle based on your favorite label and still be satisfied with what is in your glass.

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Earth-Friendly: Wine Beyond the Labels

Mary Certain

Mary is a wine enthusiast and Level 3 WSET graduate. She loves walking around Lake Harriet to admire all the happy pups, cooking with her foodie friends and family, and is extremely competitive about jigsaw puzzles.

Wine may technically be a luxury item vs. a necessity, but for many (myself included) it greatly contributes to the enjoyment of life, and is not something I’m looking to cut out. So, with our wine habit here to stay, how can we reduce the environmental impact of our consumption? As with most goals that seem too big or unclear, the important thing is to get started, do the best we can, and keep going!

Buzzwords (Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainably grown, Eco-friendly, etc.) can be a helpful place to start, but can also be redundant or confusing. Beyond that, many wines are made using the same conscientious techniques, and yet for one reason or another they don’t use these terms overtly. The following are a few other pieces I think about when seeking a wine that will be better for the Earth (and taste better, too!)

Vineyard Care

This encompasses everything from water use to pest control to soil stewardship, and beyond. Grape vines take years to mature and are high-maintenance to keep in healthy condition, annually producing the best possible fruit.

So, I say the single best indicator of a sustainable wine is a wine-maker’s enthusiasm for the site and soil where their grapes are grown. When they have pride in the land they tend, they are judicious with their resources, cautious with interventions, and careful in how they manage the fruit once picked. They take a long-view approach and do what is best for the earth, because that same ground will continue to grow the vines for future years and they know exactly how special it is.

Love of the land and masterful winemaking knowledge translates to a delightful bottle in Christina Gruner’s Veltliner Austria 2022.

(Full disclosure; I happened to meet Christina recently and can vouch that she is a lovely gracious person as well as being a passionately responsible winemaker!)

Barrels

Using oak barrels to ferment and age wine is a longstanding tradition, but mature oak trees are a slow-growing resource and add significant cost as well. By using neutral (previously used) barrels for their wine, a winemaker can take advantage of the benefits of oak, allowing it to soften and gain complexity, but without imparting oaky flavor notes.

This means the hard work of growing healthy grapes in the vineyard isn’t overshadowed by the wood and they are able to reuse existing barrels. Win(e)-win(e)! Queen of Sierra Amber Calaveras County 2023 uses only neutral oak for barrels (as do all wines from Forlorn Hope).

Packaging

This is where we as consumers have the most direct impact! Aside from packaging being a source of waste, the weight of heavy glass bottles is relatively high compared to alternatives and the space required to ship is double.

If you’re serving wine for a large gathering, consider a boxed wine. The quality and range of options in boxes is constantly increasing as more people are appreciating this flexible option. And if serving a boxed wine feels too informal, simply transfer it into a lovely pitcher or carafe. Bandit Pinot Grigio from California is a great choice and a crowd pleaser!

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Riesling Reflections: Literary Inspirations & Wine Explorations

Jennifer Simonson

Pairing books and wine is not unlike pairing food and wine, in that I look for areas of congruence and/or contrast, always in search of balance. The pairing can be inspired by many things – a character’s personality, the writing style, the author, where the novel takes place, or my final impression after reading a book. Most books have multiple pairing options, and to create your own, simply consider what elements speak most to you.

Below is a summary of a recent pairing that incorporates one of my favorite grape varieties, Riesling. While it’s made in a range of styles from dry to sweet, with its naturally high acidity, Riesling is always refreshing. (Perfect for spring and summer!) If this pairing inspires you to explore more Riesling, consider the additional recommendations at the end of this post.

And visit my Bookworm blog for the complete book review, wine tasting note, and a lengthier explanation about why the pairing is successful.

The Book: North Woods by Daniel Mason

Broadly, this novel is about a home in New England and all of its inhabitants from colonial times to the present day. It’s filled with evocative language, imaginative characters and delightful surprises – and it’s one of the best books I’ve read in years. While the story is dark at times, it’s also humorous and hopeful.

Among the memorable characters are an orchardist, spinster sisters, a painter, a spirit medium, a mother devoted to her schizophrenic son, and an amateur historian. Their emotional lives are rich with longing, delight, absurdity and deceit. While the people in the home come and go, it is a testament to Mason’s skill as a writer that we remain immersed in their stories.

Nature is featured as largely as any of the characters in the book, and the wooded, rural landscape is described with extraordinary attentiveness. The natural world is a constant, albeit evolving, presence. The chapters follow the months and seasons, illuminating the interconnectedness of all living things.

The author links the home’s inhabitants – and the landscape around them – in extraordinary ways, shining a light on the mystery and magnificence of human existence. North Woods is at once a majestic exploration of the centuries and a detailed study of a specific place. Both undergo tremendous change, filling us with curiosity about the past, wonder at the present, and inevitably, hope for the future.

The Wine: Ravines, Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes AVA, 2020

This dry Riesling comes from the Finger Lakes AVA in central New York State, which is known for it’s deep glacial lakes, gorges, waterfalls and woods. In this cold climate, producers Morten and Lisa Hallgren seek to make wines that “embrace mother nature’s variability.”

Floral aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom mingle with lemon zest, lime, fresh apricot, just-ripe pineapple, yellow apple and wet stones. This wine is medium bodied with a citrus-forward palate and refreshing acidity, and it’s absolutely delicious.

Why the Pairing Works

For me, Ravines Dry Riesling evokes the lush, forested environment that Mason describes so eloquently in North Woods. Imagine a New England landscape where “(s)lugs leave hieroglyphs on the beech bark,” and a brook “splits the hillside like a tear in the fabric of the earth.” Just as the seasons are integral to this story, so too is climate to wine producers in the Finger Lakes.

While winter here is generally too cold for Vitis vinifera, the exceptionally deep lakes create a special microclimate that allows for viticulture. (Several of these glacial lakes are deeper than the sea floor!) Large bodies of water cool down and heat up more slowly than the surrounding land, which circulates air and moderates temperatures in the nearby vineyards. The best vineyards in the region are located on the steep-sloped shores of lakes Seneca, Keuka and Cayuga.

This Riesling embodies its extraordinary growing region and pairs perfectly with North Woods, where nature takes center stage.

Other Rieslings to Try

While cold-tolerant, late-budding Riesling thrives in the Finger Lakes, most world-class Riesling comes from Germany. Autumn is long, cool, and generally dry, allowing grapes to reach peak sugar ripeness and to retain acidity. Stylistically, the wines range from dry to very sweet. Riesling is known for its ability to age in the bottle where it develops aromas and flavors of honey and toast, but maintains freshness.

The following two German Rieslings are among my favorites at France 44, and they are quite different from one another:

Reichsrat Von Buhl, Riesling Sekt, Pfalz, 2019

This dry sparkling wine is made using the traditional method, just like Champagne, but it’s produced in the Pfalz from 100% Riesling. The organic grapes are hand harvested, and only the first 50% of the pressing goes into this wine. The base wine is fermented in stainless steel and large oak barrels. Then, it undergoes the traditional second fermentation in bottle, capturing the carbon dioxide, and spends 30 months on the lees.

The lees, which are dead yeast cells, break down and impart texture, richness and notes of brioche. Ripe apple, pear and lemon zest round out the nose and palate, and the bubbles are energetic and refreshing.

I first tasted this wine in a German Wines class at France 44, and I immediately loved it. I was told it’s phenomenal with fried chicken – a pairing I can’t wait to try!

Bruno by Karthäuserhof, Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, 2018

The Karthäuserhof winery in the Mosel is the eighth oldest in the world, dating back to 1335 when Carthusian monks farmed the vineyards. Today, it’s managed by the 7th generation of a family who has owned it since 1811.

While this estate produces mostly dry wines, this one is sweet. Spätlese means late harvest, so as the grapes hang on the vine they accumulate sugar. The riper grapes produce wines with greater flavor concentration and body, which is immediately evident in this wine.

On the nose and palate, expect ripe fruit like apricot, peach, apple, pear, and pineapple, as well as orange blossom, wet stones and ginger. And while the sweetness is noticeable, it’s perfectly balanced by high acidity and fruity flavors.

At 8.5% ABV, this low-alcohol wine pairs nicely with spicy foods as alcohol tends to exacerbate the burning sensation of chili heat.

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Women in Wine

Winemakers Cris Yagüe Cuevas and Maria Falcón

Nicole Collins-Kwong

Nicole is a wine enthusiast who has completed the WSET 3 certification through France 44 and continues her education with tasting groups and events around town. She adores all wines, especially the unique and unusual styles. When she's not popping corks, Nicole loves to cook, hang with her husband and two boys, and tend to her urban zoo complete with dogs, a cat and chickens!

I recently attended a talk by a prominent importer who specializes in small growers, especially generational family-owned wineries. What struck me most about his talk had nothing to do with the wines, but the casual way he described all winemakers and growers as men. This left a bad taste in my mouth, which was unfortunate, because he was pouring some really great wines!

The phenomenon isn’t entirely surprising, though, given the history of leadership roles passing down from father to son. Or in the absence of a son, son-in-law. Women were typically only allowed to step in when there was a death (check out the book Widow Clicquot about one of the most infamous examples of this). Things are slowly beginning to shift, with daughters taking over more and more.

There’s still a long way to go, though. So, what can we do?

Listen to stories about women in wine: Winesplaining – a podcast hosted by an LA-based sommelier and owner of a female-focused wine shop, the show peels back the layers of the women‘s journeys that are shaping the wine business.
Bolster careers of women who want to BE in wine:
- March 25 is National Women in Wine Day! Created by two female winemakers from California, the celebration aims to support and empower women seeking to enter the wine business. Their website features dozens of accomplished women and their stories, and invites visitors to nominate more. They also offer scholarship and donation resources to help women on their journey.
- Dream Big Darling – a non-profit aiming to help women in the early stages of building their wine careers, they offer education, mentorship, community and access to opportunities.
And perhaps most importantly, drink wine made by women! The wines featured below are all available in the shop. Or ask a staff member for guidance finding MANY additional women-made wines we carry in stock.

Anónimas Wines

Winemakers Cris Yagüe Cuevas and Maria Falcón make Albarino from their home base in the northwest Rias Baixas region of Spain, and also source grapes from other areas of Spain to create highly-rated wines. “Anónimas is a project from the vine to the consumer, a tribute to the anonymous women that should have had their place in history and were never recognized. We collaborate with other women in the world of winegrowers, winemakers and enologists to make these personal wines.”

Anónimas Albariño Os Dunares Rias Baixas 2022 – $25.99

This Albariño is grown less than a mile from the ocean on 30+ year old vines, using sustainable winegrowing processes. No oak aging, unfiltered, this natural wine is dynamic and fun to enjoy on its own or with seafood or Manchego.

Knudsen Vineyards

Page Knudsen Cowles is the owner and managing partner, taking over the family business from her parents, who were some of the first wine pioneers in Oregon in the 1970’s. Fun fact: she also has roots established locally, splitting her time between Minnesota and Oregon.

Knudsen Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 Willamette Valley – $64.99

This fresh-faced Pinot noir brings light body and a good balance of youthful fruit and complex spices with a whisper of oak in the background. The fruit turns pleasantly tart on the palate with suggestions of orange blossom and allspice, supported by crisp acidity and a pleasantly long finish.

Penley Vineyards

Winner of the 2024 Australian Winemaker of the year, Kate Goodman brings a contemporary winemaking style to the Coonawarra valley. She joins sister owners, Ang and Bec Tolley, to round out this award-winning winery full of women in leadership roles. They make bloody good wine, too!

Penley Cabernet Sauvignon Phoenix Coonawarra 2021 – $21.99

This wine shows dominance of spicy cabernet fruit, a dense ripeness with hints of smoky oak and grape tannin. A wine made to enjoy while young, ripe but elegant, distinct Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon characters are evident.

Zulal

Meaning “pure” in Armenia, Zulal is the creation of Aimee Keushguerian, second-generation winemaker who celebrates native Armenian grape varietals. Her story was recently featured in the documentary, “Somm: Cup of Salvation,” a film about Aimee and her father’s journey to make exceptional wines in one of the most historic, and tumultuous, regions in the world.

Zulal Areni 2019 – $24.99

Made from the native Armenian grape Areni, this wine brings aromas of red cherries, plums and black pepper. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with refreshing acidity and concentrated flavors of berries and spices.

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