Joe's Winos Wine Club april 2016

Maysara "Autees"

pinot blanc 2014

Pinot Blanc is the beautiful and less explored variant of the Pinot Noir vine. Genetically identical to Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc is the result in slight mutations in the vine resulting in a white skinned grape. The profile of Pinot Blanc is uniquely different than Pinot Gris with a more lush mouth feel and fruit profile all to its own. Maysara offers a subtle, elegant expression of Pinot Blanc from the McMinnville AVA of Oregon's Willamette Valley. More akin to the high mineral, floral style of Alsace, this rose gold colored Pinot Blanc offers notes of lime leaf, white flowers, white peach, jasmine, flint and a hint of salty ocean breeze to the nose. The palate is fleshy with bright orange peel, jasmine tea, juicy tart clementine, and plenty of minerality.

Pairings:

Sushi, Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe, simple salads with lemon and olive oil.

Domaine Pech Rome

Tempranillo 2013

Located in the Languedoc Roussillon region of Southern France, this unusual planting of Tempranillo is the result of a series of test plantings in the 1980's to find a varietal less prone to mold than the native Carignan grape. It was during this same series of test orchestrated by the French National Agronomy Research Institute (INRA) that the hybrid Marselan (a very popular grape here at Joe's) was created. This 35 year old Tempranillo undergoes partial carbonic maceration (most of the juice is fermented while still in the grape) to keep the tannins under control and then aged 12 months before release. At this unique site, the natural spice notes of the Tempranillo grape are expressed through the Herb de Provence characteristics in the soils of Mediterranean France. The result is magical. The nose is thick and heady with roasted meat, purple flowers, lavender, spice box, fresh garden herbs, and hoisin sauce. The palate is lush and herbaceous paired with cassis, nutmeg and dried flowers. There is still plenty of tannin regardless of the carbonic maceration. Regardless of this varietal's ability to replace Carignan, we all benefited from the experiment.

PAIRINGS:

Grilled meats, Korean BBQ (specifically Bulgogi), Fajitas, Braised Chicken Thighs