Joe's Winos Wine Club JANUARY 2018

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J. HOFSTÄTTER

WEIßBURGUNDER PINOT BIANCO 2016

With winter in full swing, we've decided to explore some wines grown in very cool climates and how they uniquely express themselves due to these conditions. Our white this month comes from the incredibly picturesque Alto Adige just south of Austria, at the northern most tip of Italy. Prior to airplanes, this glacial valley was the main access point to the rest of Europe and a region of great interest for military conquests from Ancient Rome to Nazi Germany. The region speaks three languages including Italian and German and grows a unique array of grape varietals reflecting their many cultural influences. Alto Adige Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) is grown in horizontal rows on the steep slopes of the glacial valley. Grapes at these high altitudes have thicker skins to protect themselves from UV rays and lower temperatures. All these factors result in wines of incredible aromatics, acidity and focused character. J. Hofstätter Pinot Blanc offers a gorgeous bouquet of peaches and cream, jasmine, white plum, starfruit, pineapple, honey, and wet stone. The palate is lush and juicy with plenty more tingling peach, bright zippy acidity finishing with a hint of flint.

Pairings:

Seared Ahi Tuna with a slightly spicy salsa, quiche, brie with honey.

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M. DE LIGNY

"LA CLOSERAIE" BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2014

Our cool climate red is sourced from the Chablis region of extreme northern Burgundy. Chablis is actually a broken-off satellite region to the northwest of Burgundy and shares a climate more similar to Champagne than Burgundy. The cool climate and Kimmeridgian limestone soils produce Chardonnay with intense minerality and acidity. The region is so synonymous with Chardonnay that producers cannot legally label Pinot Noir with "Chablis" on the bottle. M. De Ligny owns 8 hectares in Chablis, two of which are Pinot Noir. This tiny parcel produces an incredibly unique wine that, struggling to reach ripening point in a short, cold growing season, results in an wine of bright aromatics, with mouthwatering acidity and velvety light body. Crushed raspberries, rhubarb, plum, pecan shells, sarsaparilla, rose petals, and panna cotta. The palate is very light, bright and tangy with crushed cranberries, raspberry, black tea, and citrusy kumquat. There were only 400 cases of this fringe Pinot Noir made.

PAIRINGS:

Finally a red that matches seafood beautifully! Serve with any fattier, richer fish. Venison burgers (ground venison has been spotted at Sprouts) with a cranberry mustard. Braised Quail.