Vine Path Blog 6/2:The Chillable Red

Jun 8

A “trend” that is here to stay….

Here we are - June in Boston. The weather is just about as good as it get with the longest days of the year and prime time for enjoying a meal or glass al fresco. Flowers are in bloom, sun shines over the Charles and that brutal humidity is not here yet. And so I present to you the “chillable red” to accompany you this month for leisurely meals and hangouts!

Gone are the days that you’d get the stink eye from wine aficionados if you keep your red wines in a cold fridge. Of course - you have to know which wines are best served chilled because it would be a waste if you chilled wines of a certain structure. The best wines to chill are lighter, fruit forward wines with little to no tannin.

I’ll never forget hearing the story that Kid Rock dinned at a bar that I used to be a regular of and asked for ice in his extremely expensive Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. That may not have been the best move as it masks the gorgeous tannins and oak notes that wine style is known for. He could’ve ordered a chilled light, French Carignan that would’ve tasted better and been a fraction of the price.

Though I strongly believe that at the end of the day you should drink your wine however the heck you want! So all power to him.

My suggestion is to throw these wines in the fridge about 40 minutes before serving - or if you already kept the bottle in the fridge - take it out 25 minutes before consuming. Cheers!

Julia and Josef tending to the vineyards

Nibiru - 2019 Grundstein

The name NIBIRU comes from Sumerian mythology, as the name of a planet that wonders through our solar system every 3,600 years. They felt that the name reflects the philosophy and style of their wines since Nibiru is supposedly the only planet that orbits the sun in the opposite direction of the other planets. The winery was started by Josef Schenter and Julia Nather in 2015 using only organic vineyards in the Kamptal region of North Western Austria.

The “Grundstein” is made 100% with the grape Blauer Portugieser. Perhaps a lesser known grape grown mostly in Austria, Germany and Hungary - the name is misleading as it is now thought to be indigenous of the area. There is a tale now thought to be untrue that says an Austrian man brought cuttings of the grape from Port, Portugal resulting in such a name. This arcane producer calls “Grundstein” their fundament wine showcasing their uncomplicated, honest and down to earth style. The pomegranate gummy candy notes mixed with an ever so light, smoke element makes this wine so much fun!

Ferretti Vini - 2019 Caveriol Ros -

Don’t be fooled by the cork on this guy - this wine is sparkling! Caveriol Ros is made by the Ferretti sisters, Elisa and Denise in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy as an ode to old school Lambrusco- made in the “Metodo Ancestral” (aka Pét Nat) and so it is bottled before it’s done fermenting so that the bubbles magically form. Thank goodness for chemistry. Tremendously thirst quenching and tastes like dark juicy plums and pomegranates. Its dense texture is contrasted by the playful, chilled fizz. This wine is electrifying! Reminiscent of cherry-cola with a dark tart plum finish.

Two Shepherds - 2021 Wiley Carbonic Carignan

Two Shepherds was started by William Allen, who was a well known Rhône wine enthusiast and blogger and later joined by his partner Karen Daenen, a wine industry veteran. In their own words, William and Karen’s philosophy about wine is to embrace how wines were made for hundreds of years, before the use of chemicals and flavor manipulations. They develop long-term relationships with grape growers that are “unsung heroes” of California predominantly in the northern part of the state.

The 2021 was a tough vintage for the Trimble Vineyard that “Wiley” comes from. There was 75% less crop than a normal vintage due to drought. For the grapes that made it - the wine was vinified in true carbonic maceration fashion - all the grapes were put into a sealed tank for 2 and a half weeks while the intracellular fermentation began. It is these intracellular fermentations that result in those candied cherry flavors that make the wine so tasty.

One of the reasons Carignan is one of my favorite grapes is how it hits so many tones: fruity, meaty, spicy, herbal. So satisfying.

The wine is named after William and Karen’s kitten that they say has grown from a kitten to king of the farm - much like this Carignan’s vintage is slightly more serious though still playful. Only 175 cases of this wine were produced!

William is nicknamed “insane master of small lots,” since their total production is quite small (3200 cases a year ) but they make about 15 different wines each vintage including some that are only from 1 barrel.

Valfaccenda - 2021 Vindabeive

Valfaccenda is unapologetically Roero - a region that is often overlooked as it lies in close proximity to Barbaresco and Barolo in Piedmont. Those days have been changing with emerging producers such as Valfaccenda led by husband and wife team - Luca and Carolina who are part of an independent wine movement. They are taking the no frills approach to making wine from the restored Arneis and Nebbiolo family vineyards grown on steep slopes with sandy soils.

Vindabeive was introduced to me as a “picnic” Nebbiolo. I can’t help but find it amusing to see Nebbiolo in this light. It’s like seeing an elegant, professional in their weekend-casual attire. It looks strange at first but it’s refreshing!

The grapes in this wine are from their younger, less exposed vines and the juicy character comes from the fact that this wines goes through carbonic maceration - the same technique used in Wiley!

I get a creaminess to this wine that is accented by watermelon and cherry notes reminding me of a fruity sherbet. What can be more perfect around this time of year?

Mariana Moreno