Three lively, chillable wines to welcome spring
With spring on the calendar and occasionally in the air, here are three lively, chillable and delicious wines to celebrate the season.
A chillable red
Grenache, Andrè Brunel (Vin de Pays, France) 2024: It’s a decidedly Chicago-like climate in France’s Chateauneuf-du-Pape region: broiling summers, frigid winters and a wind so prominent, it has a name — Le Mistral. As insurance against fickle Mother Nature, producers plant up to 18 grape varieties, blended each year according to surviving crop, house style and market demand. Those studying for a sommelier exam are advised to know all 18, but the rest of us can remember a shorthand for the most-planted grapes: GSM or Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.
Even with the region’s centuries of esteem, U.S. drinkers are scared of blends. While few drinkers today remember California’s jug wines, blended for easy enjoyment, “varietal wines” — wines made of one grape variety — are the current shelf bullies, grabbing sales from classic multi-grape styles.
Enter Fabrice Brunel, Domaine Andrè Brunel’s eighth-generation owner. From his master’s degree in business and a decade of consulting industries, including luxury clothing, Fabrice knows the importance of a label. So, along with his plump and complex Chateauneuf-du-Papes (ranging in price from $60 to about $300), Brunel offers this yummy and affordable Grenache (gren-AHSH).
The wine’s limpid pink-purple color hints at its berry-licious flavors and easy-to-enjoy tannin. Following his father’s pattern, Fabrice avoids oak barrels, allowing the grape’s juiciness to shine. No oak also keeps prices low; at $13.99 this is quality at extra value. Enjoy it with a delicate chill as a red wine cocktail and with south-of-France (and Chicagoland) cuisine, including sausage, roasted poultry, rich cheese and pissaladière, a flatbread loaded with onions, olives and anchovies. (Distributed by Burke Beverage, McCook. Widely available in wine shops, about $13.99)
A Glou Glou for you
“Premier Cuvèe” Blanc, Chateau Haut-Grelot (Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux) 2023: France’s Bordeaux region is even older than Chateauneuf, with viticulture introduced by Romans in the 1st century. U.S. producers often pay homage to Bordeaux’s red blend (another must-know for any wine exam), producing wines based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. But for white wine, Robert Mondavi’s 1968 release of Fumè Blanc, made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, along with New Zealand 100% Sauvignons, squelched interest in Bordeaux’s white blend based on Sauvignon and Semillon. This bright, refreshing Haut-Grelot might change that.
Shimmering in color, the addition of 10% Semillon softens Sauvignon’s hard edges with a whisper of sweetness. The soft palate, coupled with easy herbal and citrus complexity, make it a refreshing aperitif and complement to light seafood and poultry, salads, spicy cuisine and even that famously wine-unfriendly springtime veggie — asparagus! Add a splash of soda water for a glou glou (“glug glug”) to beat the heat that we know is on the way. (The distributor Acorvina, at this time, does business almost exclusively with In Fine Spirits in Chicago, which offers the wine for $16.)
Be the first to enjoy
Chardonnay, The Paring (Santa Barbara County, CA) 2022: Chardonnay is both the world’s top-selling white varietal and one with its own haters — ABC, or the Anything but Chardonnay club. The grape’s blessings are also its curse. It grows anywhere: in cold climes, ripening to lean minerality; in warm vineyards, achieving nearly mango fruitiness. Like a great actress, Chardonnay accepts many roles, including elegant Champagne, richly oaked complexity, and mass-produced, more-or-less drinkable quaffs, crowding a retailer’s bottom shelves.
For California Chardonnay at its best, seek out the rich, round and refreshing The Paring Chardonnay. In the glass, the delicate color of midspring sunshine foretells a light hand with oak, combining stainless steel with neutral and new barrels. Santa Barbara’s cool protects acidity. Low yield concentrates flavor. For a cocktail, it’s “ready to pop and pour,” as the producer advises. For meals, try it with seafood, poultry and light meats prepared with butter, even Indian cuisine prepared with ghee. (Distributed by Maverick Beverage Co., Elmhurst. While the 2022 vintage is slim in availability, the 2023 is expected in May, SRP $25. Ask your wine merchant to put in an order!)
• Mary Ross is an Advanced Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers), a Certified Wine Educator (Society of Wine Educators) and a recipient of Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award of Excellence.” Write to her at food@dailyherald.com.