Pairings for July 30 at Aspen Moon Farm:

White

 

Ingrid Groiss 2013 Gemischter-Satz—Passionate, emotional, and determined are three words that Ingrid chooses to describe herself when it comes to wine making. While going to school and pursuing other interests, she realized where her heart truly lie, and decided to carry on the family tradition of making fine wine. While not certified organic or biodynamic, she finds great importance in sustainable cultivation and preserving the natural environment through conscious land use. Gemischter-Satz translates to "mixed set", and is a designation used in Austria to indicate a field blend of many different grape varietals. Here we see 17 different grapes(Chardonnay, Müller Thurgau, Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Grauburgunder, Pinot Blanc, Malvasier, Neuburger, Zierfandler, Rotgipfler, Sämling, Roter Veltliner, Grauer Vöslauer, Hietl Rote, Weiße Vöslauer, and Silberweiße) whose vines average 50 years of age, producing a deep and complex wine. On the nose look for complex, ripe aromas of quince, yellow plum, citrus, tree fruit, and mineral. Find the same pure and lively fruit on the palate with a touch of apricot and a long and bright finish. $31.98

 

Goisot 2012 St. Bris Corps de Garde—Burgundy is a region I love and hate.  I love the wines, the expressions of the simple Chardonny and Pinot Noir grapes.  I hate the ever increasing prices.  In search of better bargains, look to the outskirts of the region. This wine is from St. Bris, which is located near Chablis.  Interestingly enough, wines from St. Bris are only allowed to use the Sauvignon Blanc grape, in stark contrast to the rest of Burgundy.  The Goisot family is practising biodynamic, and I have found all of their wines to offer great value.  This wine comes from two small plots of the ancient Fié Gris grape, an ancestor to the modern Sauvignon.  After hand harvesting, the grapes are pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel at cooler temperatures.  Aging occurs in tank. Look for the signature aromas of Sauvignon in yellow fruits, citrus, and mineral.  On the palate, look for a richness of extraction and a medium body, with citrus, herbs, and mineralty.  If you like Sancerre or Pouilly Fume, this is similar yet different at the same time. $37.98

 

Jolie-Laide 2014 Trousseau Gris—Jolie-Laide literally translates to ‘pretty ugly’ but is more a euphemism to refer to something with unconventional beauty. Winemaker Scott Schultz of Jolie-Laide Wines is one of the small craft winemakers in California working hard to express the beauty of what many consider ‘unconventional grapes’. Scott hails from Chicago and moved to Napa in 2007. Having worked in restaurants for a while, he’s been on most sides of the service-life from working the restaurant floor to sweating in the kitchen. When he moved to Napa, it was to head up the wine program at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon. After years of restaurant work, Scott decided to get more into the winemaking side of things. He volunteered to work a harvest and loved it! He worked at Realm for a few years as cellar master and currently works with Pax Mahle at Wine Gap Wines. He shares winemaking space with Wind Gap, Ryme Cellars, and formerly Arnot-Roberts; all like-minded winemakers searching for beauty in the unconventional. Scott is sourcing grapes from unique vineyard sites all organically or sustainably-farmed. His goal is to highlight these unique sites, producing wines in lighter and fresher styles that are made with very minimal intervention. His wines, and thus the labels, change slightly each year, “like album covers,” as Scott says. Trousseau Gris is a rare variety that had once thrived in California viticulture. It has since been pushed to near extinction, save a few old vines like the near 40 year old planting at Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard. An amazing sight, the Trousseau Gris clusters ripen to a rainbow of all shades pink and purple that is uniquely all its own. The grapes are foot treaded and left on the skins whole cluster for about a week. Usually we would call this a cold soak, but this pushes beyond, just teasing into fermentation. Extending the time on the skins further to maximize extraction while still in its aqueous state. Then pressed, fermented and aged in neutral puncheon and barrel for 6 months. The skins lend a visual touch of their peachy color but more importantly texture, phenolics and aromatic complexity. A veritable high wire act, light and pretty, wildly floral yet savory with a visceral depth. It may not fit into a conventional category, making it seem a bit unfamiliar at first but continues to surprise and delight. A heady blend of pomelo, summer melon, stone fruit, mustard flower, tea and sweet earth all weave with finessed length and elegant palate presence. $42.98

 

 

Red

 

Sottimano 2014 Maté—While quality has always been high at Sottimano, it was the exceptionally well received 2006 vintage that really put them on the international radar.  This estate in Piedmont, Italy is committed to organic viticulture, and they produce a range of Barbaresco single vineyard wines as well as some fun and interesting wines from local indigenous grapes, such as this one. This wine is made of the grape Brachetto, which is normally used to make a slightly sweet sparkling red wine.  In this case, the wine is fermented dry and there is no sparkle at all.  Produced from 35 year old vines, the grapes are fermented by indigenous yeast with the skins for 8 days before pressing.  The resultant wine is aged in stainless steel for 8 months, before being bottle without fining or filtration. With a bright ruby color, aromatics are the key to this wine.  Spices, rose petals, fresh herbs, cherries, honey... the list goes on.  A medium bodied wine with lower tannin and a fair amount of acidity make this wine a great pairing with appetizers and lighter entrees. $29.98

 

Anton Iby 2011 Blaufränkisch Hochäcker—In the middle of the red wine village of Horitschon lies Iby winery. Since the introduction of the appellation Mittelburgenland DAC they have places importance on a natural and organic vineyard management program, because quality starts in the soil and the vines.  For their incomparable wines, management without herbicides and synthetic chemicals, as well as no application of artificial fertilizers. Instead, organic treatments are used to combat disease, and insects are kept at bay with the application of pheromones. When needed, nutrients are supplied by a high-quality cattle dung compost. In the glass, look for a dark ruby garnet with a violet rim, dark core, and 'teardrops' which cling to the sides of the glass with a swirl, which are evidence of a high degree of ripeness and a high extract.   Very clean, clear fruit with pronounced aromas of fully ripe Morello cherries and shades of dark berries.  Dry with a mild acidity, very ripe tannin, very full-bodied and rich. Harmonious and long departure with a pleasant, lingering finish. This is a typical and traditional Blaufränkisch of the highest quality. $35.98

 

 

The deadline for purchasing wine for the Aspen Moon Farm Dinner is

8 PM on Wednesday, July 29.