March Playlist
March 2025 Playlist
To-do list:
Step 1 - Pick up March Wine Club wines.
Step 2 - Click the graphic for our March playlist, and pour a glass of wine.
Step 3 - Kick back and enjoy, you deserve it!
Wine Club March
Women’s History Month – like International Women’s Day - is a celebration of the lives and contributions of women, as well as drawing attention to sex and gender inequalities and advocating for their elimination. It was meant to highlight individuals and achievements ignored by the establishment and subsequently lost to history due to sexism – overt, subtle, institutionalized, or other. In 2025, this celebration is particularly apt, as American cultural, educational, and political institutions race to scrub these highlighted people and their accomplishments from their public media.
So, this month’s blog will be used to highlight the works of accomplished women. We’ll start with the wines, both of which are made by women – the excellent results of which you can taste in your glass!
March Wines
Parés Baltà Blanc de Pacs Penedès
Parés Baltà lies in the heart of Penedes, inland between Tarragona and Barcelona. Vines on this estate were first planted in 1790 – and some of these still exist. Today, the estate is owned by brothers Joan and Josep, who are the 3rd generation of the Cusiné family. The wine is made by two women who married into the family; María Elena Jiménez married Joan, and Marta Casas married Josep. They both studied enology at the University of Tarragona before taking over winemaking duties at the winery. The women added new (sometimes old) techniques (e.g. amphora), and a concern with reviving local grapes. Viticulture is biodynamic and organic, and production features minimal intervention.
The Blanc de Pacs was the first wine ever produced at Pares Balta, almost 40 years ago – about 20 years before María Elena and Marta came to the winery. This vintage contains the classic blend of Parellada (42%), Macabeu (34%), and Xarel·lo (24%). The grapes were fermented in stainless steel via native yeasts. Minimal sulfur is added. The resulting wine is a gorgeous, fresh mix of white flowers, apples, hints of peach and melon, plus some wet-stone minerality.
Giovanna Tantini La Rocca Bardolino DOC
This estate is located in Verona, off the southern end of Lake Garda, an area in which wine production pre-dates the Romans. This land has been family-owned since the early 20th century, but the winery was only built in 2002. Just prior, Giovanna left her law practice to start making wine on the family estate. Bardolino is a name for reds from this region – centered around the town of Bardolino – using the local grapes, and it is a style that Giovanna is interested in promoting.
The wine is made from Corvina and Rondinella from Bardolino. The grapes were hand-harvested and vinified separately. The bulk of the wine is rested in stainless, while a smaller portion spends several months in oak. The result is elegant and delightful. It has notes of sour cherry, wood berries, vanilla, sandalwood, rose petals, and anise, in a smooth, lighter-body style.
Honoring Women
While enjoying your wine made by these women, spend a little time recognizing the achievements of a few Spanish and Italian women who came before them.
Josefina Castellví was born in 1935 in Barcelona. She is an oceanographer, biologist, and prolific writer. Her work on marine bacteriology led her to Antarctica in 1984; at that time, she was the first Spaniard to participate in an international expedition to Antarctica. Following a decade of scholarship, she led Spain’s Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base as its lead oceanographer. Her scholarly accomplishments are many and led to numerous honors and awards. She also has a landform named for her: Castellvi Peak on Hurd Peninsula, on Livingston Island in Antarctica.
A compatriot of Castellvi – though not one of Catalan origin – was also especially successful in the world of oceanography. Angeles Alvariño was born in 1916 in Serantes, Spain, and became a biologist and oceanographer. Early in her career, she was not allowed to do research aboard Spanish naval vessels due to a prohibition against women, but she became the first female scientist aboard Spanish and British research vessels. She spent much of her research time on the water investigating zooplankton; she discovered 22 new species of them. A further two plankton were named for her by others, as was a ship for scientific exploration. She received numerous awards and accolades in life and was the subject of a Google Doodle.
These two Spanish scientists are linked by their substantial accomplishments in oceanography, but also through recognition by their respective regions of Spain; Alvariño was awarded the Great Silver Medal of Galicia, while Castellví received the Creu de Sant Jordi – Catalunya’s highest civil distinction.
Elena Cornaro Piscopia was born in Venice in 1646. She was a polymath with skills in multiple instruments, languages, and subjects. Her learned activities were known by her contemporaries, and she was allowed to attend the University of Padua. There, she earned the Magistra et Doctrix Philosophiae (Teacher and Doctor of Philosophy), the world’s first (known) doctorate awarded to a woman. The university responded to her achievement by then prohibiting women from receiving doctorates. Elena is the topic of many murals and statues, and in 2019 she was celebrated with a Google Doodle.
Laura Bassi was born in Bologna in 1711. Like Elena Piscopia, she went to the University of Padua; there, she became the 2nd woman to be awarded a PhD by that institution – at the age of 20. While only the 2nd woman to hold the title of PhD, she became the 1st salaried professor. She taught Newtonian Physics and was one of the university’s highest-paid professors. She was a prolific researcher and author and gained numerous accolades and awards. The Bassi Crater on Venus is named after her, and she was honored with a Google Doodle in 2021.
Those are four women with great accomplishments. And, here is a handy chart. I have included Zodiac information just for fun, of course. But, look at that! I am also a Cancer born in the year of the pig 😊. I also do not have a Google Doodle ☹
Happy February & Go Birds!
Hello Wine Club… and Go Birds!
February’s wines are from Lebanon’s Domaine des Tourelles winery, and I have been struggling to write this post. Why should it be so difficult? Well, where do we start? Ancient, modern, somewhere in-between? The actuality is that Lebanon is always “somewhere in-between”. It is a country whose population rolls with the (many, many) punches that come its way.
While the history of viticulture and wine-making in Lebanon is not as ancient as, say, Georgia, Armenia, or Turkey, this mountainous land, with its rocky coasts and fertile valleys, has long been home to wine. It is Lebanon – by way of the Phoenicians – that resulted in the proliferation of wine across the Mediterranean to North Africa, Spain, Italy… and ultimately across Europe by the actions of the Roman Empire.
The great commercial ports of Byblos, Sidon, and – especially – Tyre actively traded and plied all types of products around the Mediterranean, most notably throughout the 1st millennium. The practice is vividly preserved in the many Phoenician shipwrecks recovered around the Mediterranean coastline whose lodes included scads of wine-bearing amphora.
This wine was highly valued. Some of it came from non-Phoenician lands to its East; wine of Helbun, outside of Damascus, was a favorite of Persian and Babylonian kings that was traded out of the port at Tyre. Others were locally-made in Phoenica. Wine was produced in quantity near ancient Sidon – at Tell al-Burak, and the fragrant wines of Byblos were likely also locally produced.
The City of Baal (Baalbek) in the very fertile Bekaa Valley later became a veritable “breadbox” for Rome and was associated with wine and Bacchus, particularly after its annexation to the Roman Republic and later temple-building in the Roman Empire.
Following a millennium of turmoil and chaos wrought by invaders and earthquakes, the Bekaa again became a hub for viticulture. While still under Ottoman occupation, François-Eugène Brun opened Domaine des Tourelles; in operation since 1868, it is Lebanon’s oldest commercial winery.
François-Eugène was succeeded by, first, Louis- and then Pierre- Brun. Today, the winery is co-owned by Fawzi Issa and Emile Issa al-Khoury; she is related to the Brun family.
Like most Lebanese wineries, they also prioritize Lebanon’s national drink: arak. Sales of arak outweigh those of the Domaines wines. Their Arak Brun is a nod to the Domaines founding Brun family – and it is delicious. It is carried around the Middle East, and I was able to buy it on the shelves of a liquor store in Erbil, Iraq. Find it if you can.
You can definitely find their wine – as it is this month’s Wine Club offering.
Domaine des Tourelles Bekaa Valley Vieilles Vignes White
This is a 50/50 blend of 100 year-old Merwah and 50 year-old Obeideh. Both are grown at high altitude – 1400m for the former, 1100m for the latter. The grapes are hand harvested and separately fermented with wild yeast. The wine is then blended and put in stainless steel.
The wine is aromatic with a nose of apple orchards and scrubby herb. There are tree fruits, fresh mint, and resin on the minerally and savory palate. The wine finishes with notes of dried figs and green almonds.
Domaine des Tourelles Bekaa Valley Cinsault Vieilles Vignes
This wine is made with 100% Cinsault from vines over 1000m elevation and over 50 years old. Grapes are hand harvested and wild-yeast fermented in concrete vats, with 10 days on skins. The wine is finished in neutral oak barrels.
The wine has ripe cherry and plum in the mouth with hints of star anise and all spice, and some evergreen needles. It is a fresh, juicy wine with great acidity and structure.
Obeideh, Merwah, and Cinsault - together, these grapes exemplify Lebanese wine with the use of indigenous grapes and imported French varietals. Lebanon’s wine scene continues to adapt and evolve its use of new and old grape, techniques, and influences, but that is a story for another day.
Happy New Year!!!
Happy New Year! This first month of 2025 we have two spectacular wines from one great producer: William Heritage Winery in Mullica Hill, NJ.
Bill (William) & Penni Heritage started the winery in 2001 on family lands. These had formerly been orchards of apples and peaches, but these were replaced with grapevines. I am so glad they were! The Heritage’s land is well-suited to grape-growing (more on that below), and the wines are well made. That quality is recognized by their peers as William Heritage Winery has twice been named Winery of the Year (2011, 2014) by the Garden State Wine Growers Association. Their wines have also rated highly with reviewers, including Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, the Wine Enthusiast, and Wine & Spirits. I believe it was in 2014 that I first tasted their wines, and was very, very impressed.
This month, we are offering you two of their estate-grown red wines:
William Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Outer Coastal Plains, NJ
The Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from 3 areas in the vineyard, all sustainably grown. The juice was fermented on the skins. The wine was aged 11 months in French oak, of which 9% was new.
The resulting wine is elegant and tasty. Fruits are forest-y, with raspberry and currant. There are hints of eucalyptus, which is my favorite style for cab sauv. The mouth has cherry, a bit of graphite, and some herbs.
William Heritage Syrah 2022, Outer Coastal Plains, NJ
The Syrah comes from one area of the vineyard and is also sustainably grown. Like the Cab, the wine was aged 11 months in French oak, of which15% was new.
The Syrah has dark fruit notes of blue and back berries, a little black olive, Syrah’s typical smokey meats, and is brightened by field herbs. In a word – wonderful.
Concerned about the quality of New Jersey wine? Don’t be.
American wine produced on the East Coast has been gaining traction with both critics and consumers over the last decade or two; foremost among these is that from the Finger Lakes region in New York, but other parts of New York and areas in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia have also received deserved accolades. Philadelphia is surrounded by several notable wine-growing regions, including the Lehigh Valley – best known for Jet-favorite Galen Glen Winery. Another excellent wine growing region can be found east of the Delaware and across the Ben, Walt, and Betsy Bridges. All of these wine areas share something in common: recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA) appellations.
Among the many AVAs on the East coast are the Finger Lakes AVA, the Lehigh Valley AVA, and the Outer Coastal Plains AVA of New Jersey – the appellation of William Heritage Winery .
AVAs work the same as appellations in other countries, such as France’s AOC or Italy’s DOC. The AVA designates a grape-growing region by the unique features of climate, geography, and production that distinguish it from its surroundings.
The Outer Coastal Plains AVA was named In 2006 – the year that Lucy the Elephant was first struck by lighting. It stretches from Cape May, past Lucy, to just north of Asbury Park, encompassing the pine barrens and most of the Atlantic coast. In other words, it is very, very Jersey.
Pine barrens soils are GREAT for growing. They have well-draining sandy particles and ample plant matter for nutrients. Those sandy soils help retain heat; that, along with the Outer Coastal Plains’ temperature tempering via the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay, helps ensure around 200 frost-free days of growing per year. All of this is great for Cabernet Sauvignon and for Syrah – both of which love sandy soils. In it, they grow a little bit lighter and fruitier, which is parlayed into the glass.
But, don’t take my word for how good these wines are, you can try them yourselves. And, the fine folks at William Heritage Winery are offering all of our wine club members a gift card to their tasting room!
So, grab your gift card and head over to their Mullica Hill winery and tasting room. But, I figured you may as well make a day of it. So I’ve created an itinerary of great places to stop in- and around- the pine barrens and the AVA – last stop is wine. Just watch out for those Jersey Devils!
Outer Coastal Plains AVA roadtrip!
Emilio Carranza Monument - Captain Emilio Carranza Rodríguez was a Mexican aviator who died when his plane crashed in the pine barrens in 1928 on his way back to Mexico. His flight had been for goodwill between Mexico and the US, and he was greeted by many dignitaries during his trip – including then-US president, Calvin Coolidge. A monument was erected at the site of his crash, which can be found in Tabernacle, just off Carranza road. There is a large parking lot, so you can stop, enjoy the fresh air and do some hiking. There are several, easy to navigate trails through pine forest.
Blueberry shakes at Sofia’s Supreme Subs in Hammonton – slake your thirst with the amazing blueberry shake at this small, roadside stand on the White Horse Pike. If you need more than a shake, the subs are also excellent. And fries!
New Gretna Renault champagne bottle- In te 1920s, the Renault Winery erected 80, 24-foot tall, concrete champagne bottles across the US as part of an advertising campaign. At the time, Renault was renowned for their sparkling wine. A few of these still exist, though repainted and evolved over time. Find one on Route 9 in New Gretna.
Tree Monument of Richland – When a 235-year old tree died, instead of cutting it down chainsaw artist Gary Heitz carved into it the history of the town of Richland. It stands today – as art and history – in Sawmill Park on Route 40 in Richland.
Sweet Amalia Market – the amazing Sweet Amalia Market on Route 40 in Newfield is run by Sisterly Love Collective members and friends of Jet, Lisa Calvo and Melissa McGrath. Whether you just want some oysters on the half shell, or one of Chef Melissa’s award-winning sandwiches, it is worth the drive and the wait (until they re-open in March!).
William Heritage Winery – your final destination! Taste and enjoy!
December Wine Club – All About the Bubbly
Click above for December’s playlist.
Well friends, the day has come. We can finally offer Franciacorta to our special members. I. Am. Crying.
If you have ever been to one of my sparkling wine tastings, then you know my absolute love for Franciacorta. I love its flavor and freshness, its price, and the memories it evokes for me.
Franciacorta is Italy’s sparkling wine, par excellence. Like its more-famous neighbor, Champagne, Franciacorta has rules that govern origin, varietal, quality, and style. The DOCG (denominazione di origine controllata e garantita) classification – Italy’s highest - was reached in 1995, which applies strict standards to its production. In fact, many of its regulations exceed those of Champagne, though its production is 1/10 that of its French counterpart
The wine region is situated in the middle of Lombardy. There are 5 DOCG spread across this Lakes region, and Franciacorta sits near the center, bordering Lake Iseo. Pinot Nero, Chardonnay, and Pinot Bianco (50% max- and now up to 10% Erbamat) from vineyards within this region are the only grapes allowed. Production follows the méthode champenoise, with long months of bottle aging sur lees. Those requirements range from 18 months on lees for the spumante level, to at least 60 months for riserva classification. By contrast, Champagne aging requirements span 15-36 months – though many houses surpass these minimum standards.
Despite the high standards required for Franciacorta that meet or surpass those for Champagne, prices for the former rarely reach the astronomical levels of the latter. A really excellent Franciacorta can be bought for $40-$50, and $30 still garners a high-quality bottle. And, for me, Franciacorta aways outclasses its Champagne complement. I cannot get enough of its elegant, long-lasting bubbles, and typical, beautiful notes of citrus, pear, almond, and toast.
Wine is not just about taste; it is also about place, associations, memory. I drank Franciacorta in Albenga at the wedding of my closest friend (see pic). I drank it at another wedding in Montalcino. I had it at my own wedding in Philadelphia. I’ve also drunk Franciacorta to celebrate the end of a dig season in Orbetello, my birthday in Fiumicino, New Year’s Eve wherever I may be. I certainly have it on every anniversary. I drink it in celebration, sometimes in commemoration, and sometimes in condolence. For me, Franciacorta is a necessary part of life’s most meaningful moments. That is another reason that this wine club offering is so special. Not only do we get to offer you Franciacorta, but Contadi Castaldi is the first one I ever tasted. I was on the way to Aleppo via Milan, and my husband (Evan) and I went beforehand to Lake Garda. We celebrated my departure at lunch, with a bottle of Contadi Castaldi.
Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta Brut NV
● 80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Nero, 10% Pinot Bianco
● Initial aging in steel and barrique, with 20-26 months on lees
● Fresh and lively, with layers of citrus, honeysuckle, and laurel.
Yes, there *is* a second wine. While I am beyond excited about the Franciacorta, I musn’t overlook the Cava!
Cava is to Spain as Franciacorta is to Italy: its highest quality sparkling-wine made in the méthode champenoise. Cava has DO (Denominación de Origen), which – excluding the estate-based Vino de Pago – is the penultimate classification for Spanish wine. Requirements are thus a bit looser. Its historical home lies in Catalonia, particularly the Penedés region between Barcelona and Tarragona. Macabeo, Xarel.lo, and Parellada are the three main grapes used, though a few others are allowed – including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wine must be aged on lees, with requirements ranging from 9 months for the “Cava” designation, 15 months for “Reserva Cava”, to 30 months for “Gran Reserva Cava”.
As does Franciacorta, Cava has excellent value. Prime, vintage bottlings can be quite expensive. But, $30 can buy a very good bottle, particularly of an NV (non-vintage) wine.
This bottle is also special to me. It is our house label – Sojourner. The image on the label is, of course, the beautiful mural painted on the garden wall, courtesy of Carlos (Calo) Rosa and the Mural Arts Program. I have long admired Mural Arts and the amazing murals that decorate our neighborhoods. I had no idea we would be so lucky as to have Calo Rosa be our artist. Calo is from San Salvador, and the vivid, vibrant, ‘‘Antes de la Lluvia’’ that he painted in our garden (and that graces the Cava label) is permeated by his stated Latin American “urban-tropical” and street art influences. Not only that, Calo is a wonderful person; I feel rewarded to have worked with him and to have met him and his family.
Sojourner Cava, Penedés
● Macabeo, Xarel.lo, and Parellada
● 12 months on lees
● Crisp and bubbly, notes of toasted nuts, light brioche, pear, lime zest.
Carlos Lopez Rosa
Born in San Salvador, lives and works in Philadelphia.
From a family of artists with diverse media including graphic design, Brazilian percussion, oil painting, and cake-making. He holds a degree in Fine and Visual Arts from the Centro Nacional de Artes (CENAR) and a degree in graphic design from Don Bosco University.
November is weird, but it is almost always sunny in Philadelphia, & features a feast day!
November in Philly is a little weird.
Is it cold? Is it warm? It is almost always sunny, and it features a feast day: Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving or Day-in-which-we-watch-tv-and-Eat-a-big-Meal). For many, this day is also a great excuse to drink a lot of good wine.
Growing up, my family’s table did not have alcohol, so no wine. We had a fairly traditional Thanksgiving meal: roast turkey with sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, a weird carrot Ambrosia-y salad, and homemade noodles. I don’t know, maybe the last two weren’t traditional. It was followed up with pumpkin pie, and my mom graciously made me lemon meringue since I really, really do not like pumpkin pie.
My Thanksgiving is much different now. I don’t exactly know how it started, but our dinner consists of Shabu Shabu with beef and shrimp, mashed potatoes (for Geri), mac n’ cheese (for Ali), all kinds of chips (for Adi), and crudité (for health!). It also features wine.
But, the addition of wine does not make it any more traditional – in a historical sense. If we look back to the cultural settings the pilgrims left and the colonial settlements into which they came, they would more likely be drinking genever, rum, and cider.
Nonetheless, traditions evolve and new ones (Shabu Shabu!) get made. And, a lot of wine gets drunk on Thanksgiving.
In honor of that (evolved) wine-drinking tradition, we selected 2 wines that fair well with feasting foods (read more about these wines below):
Negramole, Morgado do Quintao 'Clarete' Algarve, Portugal
Happs Margaret River Pinot Noir, Australia
What do Portuguese and Australian wines have to do with Thanksgiving? Nothing. But they are delicious wines and delicious partners to feasting foods.
While the Portuguese do not have a “Thanksgiving” holiday, Dia de São Martinho occurs every November 11th to honor St. Martin. It is also a celebration of the new wine, and an indispensable food for the day is roasted chestnuts.
Chestnuts (and other shelled nuts) are often featured at Thanksgiving-style feasts in the US – whether simply roasted, sauteed with vegetables, or served in the most important dish of the day – stuffing! The Portuguese drink wine with their chestnuts and this bold wine with fruits and light tannins can hold up to the nutty and fruity chestnuts. So, have chestnuts at your feast and drink your Negra Mole with them. Or, try something new! We have included a recipe for Madeira-Braised Chestnuts and Brussels Sprouts from Aliza Green. Aliza is a noted Philadelphia-based chef, cookbook author, and culinary tour leader; she has one coming up to Portugal next spring. Brussels sprouts are commonly paired with a minerally, zippy, white wine. But, this dish is nutty and creamy, with some spices, and ideal for this complex, flavorful Clarete. Incidentally, the Negra Mole grape is similar to the Tinta Negra grape that goes into Madeira!
Our second wine is from Australia – another country that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. No matter. Australians eat, and they eat well. Roast turkey might be made at Christmas or other feast days, but roast lamb is informally considered Australia’s national dish. Who likes roast lamb? I do! And so does our Happs Margaret River Pinot Noir. Traditionally, Pinot Noir is often paired with roast turkey. This wine, though, has juicier, chewier fruits than many “traditional” Pinot Noir, creating a great pairing with meaty, gamey lamb. Also, the label’s nod to Indigenous Australians is a welcome counterpoint to the colonial centering of the American holiday.
So cheers to (new) traditions!
November Wine Club Wines
Negramole, Morgado do Quintão 'Clarete' Algarve, Portugal
Morgado do Quintão is found in the Algarve region, on Portugal’s southwestern coast. Vines were first planted on this estate in the 1800s, but the modern winery’s first vintage dates to 2016 from revived vines. The estate, through winemaker Joana Maçanita, is interested in reconnecting to historic Algarve winemaking through attention to the land and traditional grapes, and respect to the region’s heritage.
Negramole is a grape that is native to the Algarve, with a possible lineage through Pinot Noir. “Clarete” is a style from the Algarve, using the Negramole grape. These wines have a nice, medium body, offer light tannins, and ample red fruit, and just enough acid to complement a wide range of foods.
This low-intervention wine has grapes that were sustainably grown, hand-harvested, and crushed by foot. Fermentation was in stainless steel, and the wine was aged for 6 months before bottling.
From the winemaker’s notes, the Clarete is:
“… medium bodied with a soft purple hue, on the nose red fruits and berries, in the mouth it is elegant with a touch of spice.”
Happs Margaret River Pinot Noir, Australia
Happs is owned by the Happ family, who founded the estate in 1978. They are located in the Margaret River, in western Australia, south of Perth. Happs, with winemaker Mark Warren are making low-intervention and low-sulfur wines with manual harvest. While utilizing these intensive labor practices, they remain committed to making high-quality and innovative wine that is still accessible to a wide range of people.
Pinot Noir is not a grape that is traditional to the Margaret River but reflects the Happ family’s exploration of new flavors and instinct for innovation. The grapes were hand-harvested, fermentation, and maturation in stainless steel.
Per the winemakers’ notes:
“A pretty aroma where strawberry, cherry, and cranberry fruit characters combine with pretty floral notes and hints of cola, rhubarb, confection, cloves, and all things spicey.
The strawberry and cherry flavours carry on to the palate and combine with cranberry, raspberry coulis, pomegranate, purple Jubes, and amaretto elements to produce a wine that is full of fruit and interest. It’s a light to medium bodied wine that is generous in flavour, with subtle oak, restrained acidity, and attractive soft tannin.”
This wine is part of their iSeries wines. These have labels crafted by Indigenous artists and are meant to reflect a strong connection to the land.
Happy October, Jet Wine Club-bers!
Enjoy this month’s Orange and Black (and purple!) wines while contemplating this question: Why do orange and black symbolize Halloween?
Well, I thought maybe the orange of pumpkins and the black of witches’ robes and black cats… but that sounds more like a just-so story. So, is there a reason?
I went online to the ultimate authority on the subject: Martha Stewart. It turns out Martha did not turn to Snoop for help on this, but rather to a Halloween historian – Lesley Bannatyne. According to her, this – like so many card holidays – had a commercial origin. Apparently the first Halloween decorations to be sold in the US (in 1909!) were orange and black. That took off. Well, that is how it got codified, anyway, but what of the original use?
It is well accepted that Halloween grew out of a Celtic fest named Samhain, that was in practice a couple thousand years ago. For the Celts, Samhain occurred on the night of transition to winter. That transition could let souls and the dead pass the earthly borders and so big bonfires were made. Is that the orange? Maybe. Black? Well, that is the color of death, the dark night, shadows… and one factor that links many precursors to modern Halloween is, in fact, death and the honoring of the dead and propitiating the spirits.
From the Celts we get to the Romans, who were influenced by the cultures of their hinterlands. Yes, the Romans had a festival for the dead – Feralia. They gave gifts to the dead to keep them from haunting the living. But was there anything orange? Well, amber was a popular commodity and color – but I don’t think most people were presenting gifts of (luxury) amber in the necropolis. Garments could be dyed orange, and priests and priestesses wore orange robes. Purple – another color associated with Halloween – also colored robes, and these were a real luxury that in time was limited to the emperor. Oh, that gives a reason to mention the Phoenicians! Purple was known as Tyrian Purple due to its association with the Phoenician city of Tyre, located in modern Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea.
So, we have the orange of fire, amber, and garments. We have the black of night and of death. Are these the answers? Let’s think some more about that with this months wines. They are, of course, Orange and Black!
These wines come from one of our favorite vendors, Giacomo, who started his own company, DiLisi Imports!
The wines are both from Vineka, a Puglian winery founded in 2016 by Guglielmo Zito. The focus here is on sustainable winemaking with sourced grapes from local vineyards whose values mirror Zito’s own. These are grapes from happy, healthy vineyards!
Bianco Macerato 2023 is made from 100% Verdeca that is macerated (fermented with the skins) for 20 days. The natural wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation (no inoculation of yeast). Stainless steel production. 6 mos on lees
This is our ORANGE wine (with a purple label!!!!). Why orange? Well “orange” wines are made via skin contact, gaining color and tannin from the skins of the grape. So, just as rose is a red grape made like a white wine – limiting skin contact to reduce both color and tannin – orange wine is a white grape made like a red wine – increasing skin contact to both color and tannin. The degree of each of those depends on the grape – each variety has varying color and tannin content. The relatively rare Verdeca, itself, is a lightly floral and herbal grape with notes of fleshy tree fruits like apple and peach. The skin contact increases the intensity of those flavors, adds some almonds, and also adds a freshness and zest to the mouth feel. In other words, it is delicious.
Negroamaro 2022 is produced from 100% Negroamaro grapes. The wine is macerated in stainless with the addition of locally grown almond skins. To lessen tannins, extraction occurs during fermentation. Like the Bianco, the wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation.
Also like the Bianco, this is truly a Puglian wine. It is our BLACK wine. Negroamaro – variously believed to mean “bitter (amaro) black” or derived as “black (mavro) black” is grown in a tight geographical range focused in Puglia and, particularly, Salento where this
September Wine Club – Oktoberfest, horses, and a zither.
September is that strange month in which Munich’s Oktoberfest begins, and in which many Americans celebrate non-eponymously.
History has it that Oktoberfest originated in Munich in October of 1810, as a celebration of a royal wedding. The highlight of the 5-day festival was horse racing – not beer. Horse races as public spectacle are as old as the hills, and chariot racing was part of the early Olympics in the 8th century BC. Earlier still, and before the domesticated horse was widespread, public celebrations in ancient Syria and Iraq in the 3rd and 2nd millennia included acrobats who danced and leapt around a different prestigious equid, the Kunga (an animal whose identification has been my greatest achievement!).
While horse racing is no longer a standard Oktoberfest event, it continued in the Munich wiesn until 1960. Now, the horses are mainly limited to the carousel – which had its debut as a fair ride at the 1818 Oktoberfest.
More than any event with either real or carved horses, though, beer drinking is the main focus in Munich. In 2010, 7.1 million liters of beer were served! While beer is king, other beverages are consumed - including wine; German Reisling is a favorite.
Wine consumption brings us to Austria (home of this month’s wines) and its wiesn, which has an origin in that country’s celebration of “this year’s wine” at Heuriger – replete with wine, food, and folk music. Held roughly the same time as Munich’s more famous fest, Vienna also serves scads of beer. But, the focus is more on traditional- and folk- fun, food, music, and drink. So, local wines have a bigger place here.
Vienna’s festival (the Wiener Wiesn) – the country’s largest – takes place on the Prater, amid its famous amusement park. There were horse races at the Prater at one time, but – as in Bavaria’s fests – the only horses remaining are on carousels. Yet the carousel is not the most famous of the Prater’s rides. That honor goes to another spinning ride – the ferris wheel. The Third Man film raised the profile of the Prater to stardom with its iconic scene set at the Giant Ferris Wheel. The Third Man is considered one of the best movies of all time, and its film score drew strong accolades. Anton Karas is the zither player and composer whose music is featured in the film. He was discovered by the movie’s director in Vienna while he was playing his zither at a Heuriger. After all of his fame, Karas opened his own Heuriger.
This month’s wines (and playlist) will let you recreate your own heuriger or wiesn – the Austrian way. These are traditional grapes from traditional, family-run estates from near Vienna. Pull out your schnitzels, wursts, krauts…
Wines
Ecker Grüner Veltliner
The Ecker family has over 400 years of winemaking experience! The current business is run by the 3rd generation of the family, with 24 hectares of vineyards. These are located just outside of Vienna in the Wagram district of the Niederosterreich region in lower (northern) Austria in which white grapes – and especially gruner veltliner – are paramount. Wagram, on the Danube, has deep loess soils and a Pannonian climate of warm days and cool nights. Together, these traits bring out fruity aromas in sometimes-svelte Grüner Veltliner. This particular bottling is clean, clear, and crisp. The fruity aromas manifest as gruner’s typical citrus, with the addition of some fleshy white fruits. Light aging in wood barrels rounds the mouthfeel.
We are offering this as a whopping 1-liter bottle so you can bring some friends to the party!
Wallner Blaufränkisch
Wait, didn’t we just have a blaufränkisch? Yes, we did. From Slovenia, in June.
While delicious from Slovenia, Austria is the grape’s home. Here, it takes on a rich, brambly fruity quality, sprinkled with fossilized carob. I just made that up – but it does suggest a “minerally cocoa”, I hope.
Wallner is a 5th generation weingut in Sudburgenland, just north of Vienna. Estates in this region are typically small, and Wallner has 8 hectares. The iron-rich soils here are sustainably farmed. This region is fairly cool. The wine is elegant. It has all the forest fruits and gets a little green fig, too. White pepper and a touch of tarragon round it out.
Does your wiesn include sausages? Good, because this will drink beautifully with them.
Cheers! Click above to listen to September's playlist on Spotify.
To read more about the discovery of the Kunga click the above pic of Jill Weber at Installation A.