2023 Summer Kickoff

Thu, Jun 01, 23

May is on its way out, and what a glorious end to the month and start of summer! The abundant sunshine and warmer temps are perfect for outdoor activities, and are just right for cold white (and pink!) wines. The classes that are planned for June and July will feature summertime wines, but there were several that were poured in the April and May classes that are great for summer, as well.

Here's a round-up of class favorites that pair beautifully with warm, sunny days and meals featuring everything from salads to seafood to turkey burgers, chicken, antipasto platters, and all things summer yummy.

Acrobat Pinot Gris

This was poured in Dave's "Tour of the Pacific Northwest" classes. Acrobat Winery is in Oregon, and the grapes for their wines are sourced from vineyards around the state. Pinot Gris is the same grape as Pinot Grigio, so you can count on this wine to be bright and clean.

It has a beautiful medium-bodied mouthfeel and the flavor notes pop with apple, pear, orange blossom, and a lovely minerality. A hidden gem. Check it out!

Another wine poured in Dave's "Tour of the Pacific Northwest" class was the Eroica Riesling. It's a special offering from Chateau Ste. Michelle. Michelle, the state's largest winery and one that's been dedicated to producing world class Rieslings for nearly half a century.

Eroica is a collaboration between Dr. Loosen in the Mosel Valley in Germany and Chateau Ste. Michelle. Ernst Loosen travels the world to promote quality Riesling, and after discovering Chateau Ste. Michelle's Cold Creek Vineyard Riesling in the 1990s, he approached them about working together to craft an exceptional Riesling.

Since its introduction in 1999, every vintage of the Eroica has scored 90+ points with critics from around the world.

It's an off-dry Riesling bursting with citrus and floral notes described as "exuberant."

From my "French Favorites" classes, a great summertime (or any time) white that we tasted was the Laurent Miquel Pere et Fils Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is bone dry and light, but with an elegant fruitiness and a crisp finish. The wine is not only delicious, but very affordable. The winery is based in Languedoc in the south of France, where 8 generations of the Miquel family have been making wine. They know what they're doing, and this is a can't-go-wrong Sauvignon Blanc.

Another standout from the "French Favorites" class was the Chateau Pigoudet Rose. It's another very affordable and very delicious wine. Made from a blend of grapes--Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah--and grown and produced in Provence, the heart of rose country, the wine is the classic pale pink of Provencal roses. On the nose and the palate the wine shines with peach, apricot, and lychee, and it finishes with a lovely acidic note. Don't let the rather plain label deter you. It's a winner!

In the "Sparkling Wines for Any and All Occasions" class on May 24, I poured the Gruet Brut Rose.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir grown in New Mexico, where Gruet has been making exceptional sparkling wines in the traditional "methode champenoise" for nearly 40 years. This one is lovely. It has a nice floral nose with hints of strawberry, raspberry and cherry that carry over to the palate.

It's a bubbly you want to come back to again and again and that would make for any occasion.

For those who love reds even through the warmest days of summer, Dave poured a great selection in his class, "Same Grape, Different Country."

One that was on the lighter side is a Garnacha from Spain that is a delight any time of year. It'sthe Tres Picos Garnacha from Borsao, a longtime favorite of Exit 9 customers.

The winery is in Zaragoza in the north-central part of Spain, and is 100% Garnacha from vines that range in age from 35 to 60 years old. Fermented in stainless steel, the wine ages in French oak for 5 months, creating a wine that has a great concentration of ripe red fruit on the nose and notes of blackberry and plum on the palate with a soft, silky tannic finish.

Cheers to all things summer, and we hope to see you in the store and in our upcoming Wineology classes!

By Dominique De Vito