2019 CORVERS-KUTER BAIKEN VINEYARD – RHEINGAU, GERMANY
Riesling
Winemaking details: The Baiken Vineyard has Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) status, and is perched on a steep hillside above the Rhine River with nutrient poor mica and quarts soils, and is certified organic. The grapes are hand harvested and fermented with native yeasts for a slow and cold fermentation to preserve delicate aromas. After fermentation the wine rests on its lees in stainless steel before bottling. Unfined/Unfiltered.
Color: Pale straw
Bouquet: Meyer lemon, tar, grapefruit pith, lime oil, white nectarine, light mint.
Palate: This is a zesty and zippy dry Riesling that is long and mouthwatering. It has a slight creaminess from the time spent on lees, leading to a lovely texture and mouthfeel. Bright and refreshing yet full of flavor, this wine is a great food wine. Try it with most types of mild or rich cheeses, miso black cod, fresh (local Dungeness) crab tagliatelle, or cheesy polenta with roasted seasonal veggies.
While this wine is tasting great now, Rieslings are known to age well and this wine would hold up for 5-7 years.
Further information can be found here: http://www.corvers-kauter.de/en
2018 VITTORIA PORTELLI – SICILY, ITALY
Frappato
Winemaking details: The Portelli family has been farming and making wine on Sicily in the town of Vittoria since the 1860s. The estate is now organic certified, and they only grow the grape varietals Frappato and Nero d’Avola. This Frappato was planted in 1982 on clay volcanic soils, and is hand harvested and fermented with indigenous yeasts in steel tank. It is then pressed once dry and aged in steel on its fine lees for 9 months before bottling.
Color: Pale Ruby
Bouquet: Wild herbs, cranberries, hibiscus, red currant, prosciutto, tobacco, light baking spices, pepper.
Palate: This is a relatively lighter expression of Frappato, with bright acidity and crunchy red and blue fruits. It still has structure to it, with soft grainy tannins and a smooth finish. It is easy to drink and quite quaffable, with an underlying savory note and lingering spice. This wine would pair nicely with grilled quail, a fresh pasta with roasted bell pepper and sundried tomato, or traditional pancetta. Serve this wine at room temp, or put it in the fridge for 15 minutes before enjoying.
This thirst-quenching red is meant to be enjoyed relatively young - consume within 3-4 years
Further information can be found here: https://www.kermitlynch.com/our-wines/portelli/