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June 2022: A Sicilian summer and high-acid white wines

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  • By Kevin Nguyen
  • Posted in Wine Share
June 2022: A Sicilian summer and high-acid white wines

Hey Stranger,

For the month of June, we are taking our standard members to Sicily and preparing our Deluxe members for a hot summer with a full white wine share.

The June 2022 Standard “Stranger” Share:

 

This month, we are taking you to Sicily! Sicily is an ancient wine producing region and it was said that Julius Caesar loved to drink wines from the volcanic island. Sicily is home to the iconic fortified Marsala wine but you’ll also find crisp, racy white wines made from grapes like Carricante and rich, full-bodied reds made from grapes like Nerello Mascelese. The breezy island climate lowers the risk of disease in the vineyards, thus making it much easier for natural winemakers to work organically and with low intervention. Sicily is one of our favorite wine regions in the world and we are thrilled to share with you the wines we found.

 

2020 I Vigneri Salvo Foti "Aurora" Etna Bianco Superiore 

When you mention the Mount Etna wines, you can’t not speak about Salvo Foti. A native to Catania, an ancient port city at the foothills of the volcano, Salvo started the I Vigneri project, named after “Maestranzi dei Vigneri” an association of vineyard workers that has existed in Etna since 1435. Today, I Vigneri is an association between Salvo Foti, local vine experts and grape growers. Not only is the estate aesthetically breathtaking but it’s uplifting the community by pulling in local talent and giving them a vested interest to create great wines in a region that is economically challenging for its residents, especially farmers. The “Aurora” is 90% Carricante and 10% Minella, both indigenous to the Etna region. Carricante is known for its acidity while Minella is known for its aromatic intrigue. Both come together to create a stunning white wine with notes of lemon marmalade, peaches, flint, kumquat, and butterscotch. Pair this with whole-roasted branzino or grilled herb-crusted pork chops. 

 

2019 Aldo Viola "Saignée" Terre Siciliane Rosso

Aldo Viola resides in the western side of Sicily in the village of Alcamo. He was born into a winemaking family and followed into the family trade by attending enology school in Marsala. After graduating he became the first enologist of the Centopassi cooperative - an entity that uses land formerly owned by the Corleonesi mafia. Given the mafia’s reputation for punishing those who use their formerly held turf, Aldo quickly made a name for himself. His bravery and nerves of steel to stand up to the mafia makes the courage to ferment spontaneously and use little-to-no sulfur look tame in comparison! The “Saignée” wine is an equal blend of Nerello Mascalese, Perricone, and Syrah. Nerello Mascalese adds the structure and smokiness while Perricone and Syrah seductive spice aromatics. Together, this rich red wine has notes of dark red currants, boysenberry, plum, and tomato. Pair this with Kansas-style BBQ, campfire chili, or any grilled chunk of meat. 

 

 

The June 2022 Deluxe “Not a Stranger” Share:

 

We are balancing out the previous month’s all red wine line-up with an entirely white wine selection. As the summer heat sinks in, we find ourselves reaching for high-acid zippy white wines from cool climate regions. Each vintage, winemakers strive for the right balance between ripeness and freshness. The following bottles are unified by their perfect harmony of acidity and ripe, luscious fruit!

 

2020 Les Vignes Herbel “Rue aux Loups”

Les Vignes Herbel is a newcomer to the Anjou natural wine scene and is making waves with their playful yet precise wines. Led by Nadege Lelandais, the winery has been practicing organically and biodynamically from their start in 2005. Nadege is a staunch advocate for these sustainable agricultural methods and believes “it is up to us to choose the society we want to build, and the world we will leave to our children.” The “Rue aux Loups” is 100% Chenin Blanc from 100 year-old vines. It’s a powerful wine with elegance - a wine you want to open with dinner after a hard day of work. It has notes of golden apples, pear, lemon, and eucalyptus. Pair this with whole-grilled fish or with pasta alle vongole.

 

2017 Durrmann “Cuvee Nature” Kastelberg Grand Cru Riesling

Domaine Durrmann is located in the town of Andlau in Alsace, France. Founded in 1979 by two enterprising winemakers, neither of whom came from winemaking families, Durrmann has a reputation for being an iconoclast in the region. They believe in “agro-ecology,” a philosophy that views the farm as an ecosystem and they practice this by balancing their various flora, fruit trees for juice and spirits, and grass for sheep. The “Cuvee Nature” is 100% Riesling from the Grand Cru site of Kastelberg. The 2017 vintage was their first vintage adding no sulfur to their prized wine and was met with some resistance to the administering body. The wine is cloudy and has notes of apple pie, grilled lemons, roasted ginger, and honeysuckle. Pair with Vietnamese turmeric and dill fish or anything heavily spiced. 

 

2017 Weingut Werlitsch “Ex Vero II” Steirerland White

Werlitsch is located in the lush, hilly countryside of Styria, Austria. The Werlitsch winery is helmed by Ewald Tscheppe who took over the family farm at the age 26.  He is a part of a band of 5 legendary biodynamic producers called “Schmeke das Leben” translating to “taste of life.” All of them reside in Styria and are fiercely committed to low-intervention work in order to showcase the precise freshness and aromatic brilliance of the region. The “Ex Vero II” is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay that are spontaneously fermented and aged for 2 years in large oak barrels.  The wine is like a breath of fresh air and will immediately take you to the hills in the Sound of Music. This wine has notes of green apple, pineapples, and white mountain flowers. Pair with your best cheese board or drink it after a summer storm.

 

We hope you enjoy. Don’t be a Stranger and join our wine share here!