Pairings for August 22 at McCauley Family Farm:

White

 

Domaine Maestracci 2014 E Prove—This is one of the more interesting wines I've tried in awhile.  The grape here is Vermentino, a Mediterranean grape variety that originated in Northern Italy.  Today it is the most important grape on the French Island of Corsica. The proximity to the ocean and the extreme daily temperature variations make ideal growing conditions for Vermentino, producing intensely flavorful wines. Domaine Maestracci is located high in the foothills of the Mont Grossu Mountains on a unique granite plateau known as “U vino di E Prove” or “the wine of the Prove”. It is here that some of the most aromatic wines of Corsica are produced. With a steely citrus note, aromas of fresh peaches, a crisp acidic backbone, the “E Prove” Blanc, makes an ideal partner for many different foods.  There is a salty, briny character and a slight nutty tone that linger on the rich finish. $25.98

 

Venica & Venica 2014 Sauvignon Blanc 'Ronco del Cero’—Located in Fruili, Italy, this estate has been family owned since 1930. The vineyards are a patchwork in the surrounding hills, surrounded by forest and co-planted amidst fruit trees to create a organic, integrated, and sustainable take on agriculture. 'Ronco del Cero' is the name of the hill that the estate first grew Sauvignon on.  Grapes from seven different vineyards are picked by hand, fermented for a month, and then macerated for a day at cool temperatures before pressing to preserve the complex aromatics.  This is a very fruit forward and aromatic take on Sauvignon.  Like the reds of the region, Friuli seems to capture the best of Sauvignon without taking on the extremely high acidity and aromatics that can be off putting to some.  Look for grapefruit, passionfruit, honey suckle, herbs, and a touch of anise in the finish.  The wines of the region are great food wines, and pair well with a wide variety of dishes. $38.98

 

Occhipinti 2014 SP68 Bianco—Arianna Occhipinti is one of the leaders of the natural wine making movement. Vineyards are cultivated organically, fermentation occurs only with indigenous yeasts, long periods of skin contact are used, and only minimal doses of sulfur are added along the way. What this makes for in the end is a fun, individualistic, interesting, and most of all delicious bottle of wine! Hailing from Siciliy, this white blend of the native Albanello and Zibibo (aka Muscat of Alexandria), was harvested early enough to maintain high natural acidity and fermented bone-dry, all steel aged and bottled young.  This wine is rich on the nose and palate, with bold spring wild flower aromatics. The palate starts off almost like a White Burgundy, with buttery honeysuckle and excellent viscosity.  A touch of nuttiness on the finish lingers on the finish, along with the indefinable element of skin contact. Such a good food wine! Like many of my favorites, this wine speaks of both a place and bears the mark of the maker: it is distinctively both Sicily and Occhipinti. $44.98
 

 

 

Red

Regis Bouvier 2014 Bourgogne Rouge—Régis Bouvier in Marsannay achieves a rare hat trick in Burgundy, the mastering of all three colors–red, white and rosé, through reasonable yields and high quality terroirs. Bouvier makes the best Burgundian rosé that we have ever tasted, his whites are delicious, with their own particular character completely unlike other Chardonnays from Burgundy, and his reds are his crowning achievement, managing to be wild and exciting while refined and elegant at the same time. On the nose find soft aromas of tart cherry, raspberry, and a touch of earthiness and minerality.  These continue to the light to medium bodied palate, where this wine offers the great charm of Burgundy at a relatively modest price. $28.98

 

Il Colle 2013 Rosso di Montalcino—While many know the joys of Brunello, that most exquisite Tuscan example of the Sangiovese grape in action, many are also familiar with how pricey Brunellos often get. In many cases Brunello’s younger brother, the Rosso di Montalcino, can be a terrific and amazingly affordable stand-in. Typically the second wine from each estate is released slightly earlier, and is sometimes made from younger vines, but other than that the same expertise brought to the high-end wine is also applied lovingly to these approachable and delicious younger wines. We recently discovered this fantastically delicate example from a very small family producer. It shows notes of raspberries, plums, currants and cherries with hints of iris, lavender, violet, licorice, myrtle and rhubarb. An incredibly complex wine with all the definition of a Brunello, but for half the cost! $38.98

 

Guglierame 2012 Ormeasco di Pornassio—The AA Guglierame Winery, currently run by brothers and sister, Raffaele, Agostino and Elisa Guglierame, comprises approximately 2.5 hectares of vineyards, passed down from generation to generation, by the Marquises of Clavesana. The cultivation of the Ormeasco vine was introduced in 1299 with the Statute of the Gestores Universitatis Pornaxi drafted by the Notary Gandalini. Ormeasco wine has received recognition by being accorded its own D.O.C status, called Ormeasco di Pornassio. Ormeasco wine has a dry, slightly bitter taste which, combined with its aroma, makes it extremely pleasant. It is still today produced in the ancient wine cellars of the Mediaeval Castle of Pornassio, using traditional methods and aged in oak barrels of medium capacity to improve its quality, which is optimised with ageing. With a ruby red colour, vinous aroma and dry, pleasant and slightly bitter flavour, fairly full-bodied, it is a wine that goes well, served at room temperature, with game, roasts and meat in general.  $46.98

Bubbly

 

A+M Tissot NV Cremant de Jura—We've already had great success with a Chardonnay from the Tissot family this year, so we thought we'd feature their sparkling wine for this dinner. The estate is certified biodynamic by both ECOCERT and Demeter. Crafted of a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Poulsard, and Trousseau, this wine offers a very Champagne-esque character at a fraction of the price. The wine opens with the classic toasty brioche character of fine champagne, with apple, white flowers and a little bit of oxidation coming into play. Enjoy with appetizers, the main course, and dessert! $36.98

 

Beer

 

Ayinger Bräu-Weisse—Ayinger is one of the top breweries in Germany, and this multiple gold medal winner shows why. Wheat beer has always been known as an elixir or tonic, especially if the brewer's yeast was left in the bottled beer. A very popular beer style, in Germany and around the world. Delicious lemon and vanilla scented wheat beer with yeast. This is an aristocratic beer with a champagne sparkle and a beautifully sustained head. With the pale color of mountain honey and tart refreshing palate, it is a "brut" beer with the delicious, complex fruitiness of extra-dry champagne. Bottle conditioned and top fermented, it is a benchmark for this style of beer. The nose is fruity-spicy, herbaceous with lots of flowers, and fruit. With such a creamy head, you can build miniature mountains that resemble the Alps. Pour slowly, fill your glass half full and swirl the bottle on the table to put the yeast in suspension. Please note this is one 17oz bottle. $4.98