$92.00
$112.00
Explorers' Seasonal Value Pack: Spring Palette - Hues Of The World
Great Wines Don't Have to be Expensive!
While the warming temperatures this time of year are always welcome, it is, arguably, the riotous blossoms of color that Spring is most famous for. The newly emerging green foliage is stunning in its own right, but the flowers with their sheer awe-inspiring intensity usually take best in show. The masses of yellows: daffodils, buttercups, and forsythia; twinkling pastel pinks: tulips, carnations, and cherries; raucous reds: roses, crabapples, and azaleas; bodacious blues: grape hyacinth, scilla, and delphinium; and passionate purples: salvia, iris, and lilac. We often give wine’s color a short shrift. But there is something quite satisfying about the color of certain wines. The pale silvery yellow with a touch of green to a young Riesling; the deep gold of an aged Chardonnay; the beet juice intensity of Cabernet Franc; and the practically impenetrable purple of a Malbec. Try to spend a little time with this pack noticing and admiring the colors and hues before diving into the first sip.
This being an equinoctial release, the pack is divided evenly between white and red wine.
There are three white wines, all three are made from a different single variety. One is from Australia and made from the famous Riesling grape, but is far from its more famous homes of Germany and France. The second white is Assyrtico from Greece but from the mainland instead of the more touristy island of Santorini, and is a bit lighter than those found on the island. The third is Grillo, an island wine from Sicily. Used in Marsala production the grape is finding its way as a varietal wine with immediate appeal.
The three reds not only offer striking differences in color, they are also worlds apart in flavor and intensity. From Hungary we have a Zweigelt which is more commonly found in Austria; this wine is basically somewhere between a rosé and red, and will most certainly take a chill. From the Loire in France we have a blend of Cabernet Franc, Gamay, and Cabernet Sauvignon; a medium-bodied, but juicy red for those of you with a “big thirst.” Finally, from Montsant, a neighbor of the more famous Priorat wine region in Spain, is a more full-bodied blend of Garnacha, Cabernet, and Syrah.
While some folks have had these grapes or wines from these places before, others have not, or maybe these particular bottles are new to you. This is the point of the Explorers' Packs: to try something you haven't had before - whether it is a wine you are completely unfamiliar with or whether the wine is a from a familiar grape or place but perhaps from an unfamiliar wine-maker; these packs aim to offer something different.
This Explorers' Pack is discounted at over 15% off regular prices. No further discounts apply.
|
Stamnaki (Denthis) 2022 PGI Peloponnese Assyrtiko100% Assyrtiko. Lemon, green apple, lemongrass, dried flowers, and a note of saline. Light-bodied and crisp with barely perceptible salty note, and a tangy lemon zest finish. The wine does not go through malolactic fermentation and this keeps the acidity on the zippier side. Excellent for pairing with whitefish, oysters, sardines, etc. |
Pewsey Vale 2022 Riesling Eden Valley100% Riesling. Green apple, lime, pineapple, rosemary nuance, stony, with gentle flowery notes of apple blossoms. Celebrating their 175th year with a remarkable bottling of their estate dry Riesling, this is a spot on example of cooler climate Eden Valley wines. Crisp, bright, and vibrant acidity and minerality. The fruit is beautifully juxtaposed with flowers and light herbal essence. Pair with shellfish, chicken, creamy pastas, and many Asian dishes. |
|
Colosi 2022 Sicilia Grillo100% Grillo. Peach, nectarine, with a bit of tangerine, fresh flowers, and a savory herb like oregano on the full nose. Long a blending grape for Marsala this single varietal version is dry, medium-bodied, and has a long, tactile finish. Great for full-flavored fish dishes or herby fowl of all kinds, as well as herby or creamy past dishes. |
|
|
Kristinus 2021 Zweigelt Siller100% Zweigelt. Red raspberry, cherry juice, pomegranate, black and white pepper, and a trace of celery leaf. This light-bodied "red" from the Hungarian wine district of Balatonboglár is somewhere between a red and a rosé. The term Siller distinguishes the wines made this way. Simply, this is a red wine with a very short maceration period: 2-3 days on the skins. This takes a chill famously and should be your spring (and summer) go to! Juicy and zippy, pair with lighter or simple foods. Organic.
|
Terra Vita Vinum 2020 VdF Large Soif! Rouge
|
|
Mas Marer 2019 Montsant40% Garnacha (Grenache), 30% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Merlot. Red and black berries, currants, cassis, turned earth and a bit of barnyard. Very expressive and intense fruit aromas and flavors on the full-bodied red blend from Sara Perez and Rene Barbier Jr, stars of the Priorat region. This blend from young vines is an affordable way to drink wine from two great wine makers. Pair with hearty fare. |
0 left in stock