These days, it’s hard to figure out how best to share the interesting and amazing wines that I have the privilege to enjoy. Wines that resonate with me that I think others would enjoy. Back in the day, you’d do an Instagram post with great photography and it would get tons of views and some conversation. Now you have to dance, have a full blown conversation, or do whatever the theme of the day is. I still just want to talk to people about wine. I don’t want to have to dance. So, I’m talking about and sharing some great wines from the past month here, most of which feature 2 pillars that are important to me – family-owned wineries and those that emphasize sustainability. This isn’t everything we drank, but these are worth spreading the word…
2019 Thomas Fogarty Chardonnay, Langley Hill Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA
Price: $68 (Current 2021 vintage is $85)
The 2 Pillars: Yes! Family owned and practicing a mix of organic, sustainable, and bio-dynamic practices, with a healthy touch of intuition and things that make sense.
How: Enjoyed at home with a shrimp and mushroom pasta. There was a ripeness and weight that went well with the rich sauce, but also “some” acidity that provided some relied front the richness.
Why it Made the Cut: Chardonnay is one of my fave varietals, but I don’t love them all. The Langley Hill vineyard is a single vineyard that is blessed with higher elevation, ocean proximity, and a significant a diurnal shift (difference between high and low temperatures which gives us both ripeness and acidity). It’s a really gorgeous wine with that gives me some hedonism and some structure.
Tidbit: As I’ve discovered from experiences in the Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Barbara, Livermore Valley, and more, I have a true love for the regions in California’s Central Coast. The Santa Cruz Mountains was one that flew under the radar for me, but no longer! The SCM region is quite special due to the AVA’s coastal climate, steep terrain, and diverse soils that results in some truly fine wines.
2022 Robert Biale ‘Black Chicken’ Zinfandel, Napa Valley, CA
Price: $60 for a regular bottle. Mine was a half bottle.
The 2 Pillars: Yes and Yes. I’m particularly intrigued by their biodiversity efforts, including the use of barn owls.
How: I enjoyed solo in the hot tub during an uncharacteristically cool (for this time of year) evening.
Why it Made the Cut: This is a Zinfandel with character – and with alcohol under 15%, which isn’t always easy to do with Zin. It’s both fruit-forward and savory and is far from a one-trick fruit pony. Rich and almost comforting, it belongs in the hot tub.
Tidbit: I haven’t always loved Zinfandel. I just tossed them aside as high-alcohol fruit bombs without character. But like so many things, I wasn’t drinking the right ones. Attending ZinEx (a festival dedicated solely to Zinfandel) a couple of years ago really opened my eyes to the versatility of America’s grape. I actually sat next to Bob Biale during dinner and learned even more! What’s more, this flagship wine has a cool bac story. Back in the 1940s, 14-year-old Aldo Biale helped his mother make ends meet by selling to insider Napans–along with eggs and produce–some of the family’s homemade Zinfandel. Over the old “party line” phone system, the code words “a Black Chicken” signified a jug of bootleg wine…and kept nosy neighbors and the authorities from finding out about Aldo’s underground Zinfandel operation!
NV Pierre Gerbais ‘Grains de Celles’ Champagne, Celles-sur-Ource, Aube, Champagne, France
Price: $76
The 2 Pillars: Yes and yes. Certified sustainable by and Haute Valeur Environmentale and helmed by Aurélien Gerbais, who represents the fourth generation.
How: Sitting in our wine room with Mr. Corkscrew talking and planning. These kids…
Why it Made the Cut: A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, from Kimmeridgian soils reminiscent of Bourgogne, I was surprised when I learned that this was an Extra Brut wine. I’m not a fan of austere bubbly, but this was not that! The creamy texture, rich, ripe apples, and balanced acidity made this a treat to drink. It certainly flowed with the conversation.
Tidbit: The vineyard was converted to organic in the 1990s after Aurélien’s grandmother almost died from an infection due to pesticides and fungicides that she got while working in the vineyards.
2019 Benovia Tilton Hill Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA
Price: $70
The 2 Pillars: Yes. Family owned (co-owner and winemaker Mike Sullivan is a fifth-generation Californian who grew up in Sonoma County and has wine in his veins!) and so many under the radar sustainable practices (organic composts, habitats for beneficial insects and animals, solar panels as afr as you can see, and more.
How: Enjoyed al fresco at home with jambalaya. The andouille sausage needed this extra oomph from this Pinot!
Why it Made the Cut: The Tilton Hill vineyard is located just three ridges inland from the very cool Pacific Ocean. Due to maritime breezes and all the fog, temperatures here rarely exceed 75 degrees in the summer. A “moody” Pinot, it showed some tannin, dark fruit, black tea, pepper, earthiness. It’s a vibe!
Tidbit: Benovia was unknown to me until a post-Covid 2021 trip to Healdsburg. I didn’t even realize that it was Mike Sullivan that farmed one of the vineyards that has given me so many wines to swoon over – Martaella Vineyard. So I was thrilled to finally taste wines from the person responsible for farming such a phenomenal vineyard. As I found out, I loved Tilton Hill too. Let’s just say that I invested in several bottles to go home with me!
2021 Peake Ranch Chardonnay, Peake Ranch Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills, CA
Price: The suggested retail price is $60, but I caught a lucky break and picked it up for $22!
The 2 Pillars: Family owned. While there is discussion about “vine health” I wasn’t able to find much information about their actual sustainability practices.
How: Watching hoops (Thing 2 has been a big OKC fan for a few years now).
Why it Made the Cut: Cause it was dangerous! Lemon curd, orange cream, yellow apples, and minerals, this gave me all the stuff I enjoy in a Chardonnay. I like a little richness balanced by a touch of acidity.
Tidbit: The Peake Ranch Vineyard surrounding the winery was previously home to the Sandford Winery, owned by pioneering vintner Robert Sandford. They are literally in the spot where my beloved Sta. Rita Hills got its start.
2023 Hager Matthias Blanc de Noir, Kamptal, Austria
Price: $22
The 2 Pillars: Yes! Organic and Demeter certified biodynamic. Matthias actually took over the 12-hectare land and the family business at an early age.
How: We enjoyed with a quick chef salad featuring refrigerator leftovers.
Why it Made the Cut: If you’ve been round these parts, you know that I have a soft spot for Austrian wine. Plus, I’ve been intrigued by red grapes vinified as white wines. In this case, the grapes of the red wine variety Zweigelt were pressed immediately and fermented in steel tanks. So we end up with a white wine with a touch of pink color. Light, bone dry and tart berry fruits, this is perfect with a summer salad. And only 11.5% alcohol.
2020 Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir, Nunes Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA
Price: $66
The 2 Pillars: Family owned and operated. There are limited references to minimalist winemaking, but beyond that, I couldn’t find any info about sustainable practices.
How: We enjoyed with pork loin and finished off the bottle while chilling in the wine room.
Why it Made the Cut: A “bigger” Pinot Noir, that can easily be drunk on its own, but also happy to hang out with pork. Smooth and plush, with juicy black plums that you’d find in the height of summer, along with warming spices, and soft tannins. It definitely goes down almost too easy.
Tidbit: Carneros Pinot Noir is what got me into wine. But for my first real foray into Sonoma, my initial introduction was Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir and I was all in.
Winzer Krems Edition Chremisa Grüner Veltliner, Niederosterreich, Austria
Price: $25
The 2 Pillars: Winzer Krems adheres to the standards set by Sustainable Austria, a program that evaluates wineries on their environmental, social, and economic practices. But, not family-owned. Rather, it is a cooperative, owned by 900 winegrowers who cultivate grapes in the Krems and surrounding wine-growing regions.
How: For ‘Meatless Monday’ we used the tomatoes and herbs from the garden and made a tomato flatbread with mixed greens salad. For some reason, I find that I tend to pickle more stuff in summer.
Why it Made the Cut: If you’re a fan of Austrian wine, you’re probably a fan of Gruner Veltliner. And i definitely am. But Gruner can be off-putting for some due to its bracing acidity. This one, while it had bright acidity, also had body and roundness that would appeal to so many folks. It almost had a richness to it. I really loved this one.
Tidbit: I actually visited Winzer Krems several years ago and had such an amazing visit there.
Two Chicks Vodka Elderflower & Pear Canned Cocktail
Price: $12 for a 4-pack
The 2 Pillars: It’s a canned beverage, so I’m assuming no one the sustainability front. But Two Chicks is a women-owned, founded and run company.
How: Enjoyed on a hot day by the pool with some cheddar cheese popcorn.
Why it Made the Cut: I’ve tried a few canned beverages (wine and cocktails) here and there with mixed results. It’s actually killing me that some airlines seem to be trying to switch from bottled wine to can wine. Please stop. BUT, last year, the folks from Two Chicks sent me a sample of several flavors of their canned cocktails and both Mr. Corkscrew and I loved! So I went back in and bought more.
NV Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne, France
Price: $66. This is the current price at TW, but I’ve gotten deals around $55 too.
The 2 Pillars: Bollinger is one of the rare Grande Marque houses to be owned, controlled, and managed by the same family since it was founded. B Corp certified, Bollinger employs a number of practices that show its commitment to its people and its land.
How: A Sunday Funday with Becca of my Vino Rules, who lets me chill at her place to escape the madness of mine. And she cooks for me!
Why it Made the Cut: I mean, it’s good enough for James Bond. But also, as a wine judge for Houston Rodeo Uncorked! Wine Competition, I was thrilled when the results were announced and this Bollinger was awarded the top wine, earning Grand Champion Best of Show. As one of the judges on the super panel for this year that chose the ultimate winners, I was relieved that we’d chosen such a fantastic wine.
Tidbit: The last wine on the month!
See y’all next month.
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