April Wine Club: Think Spring!

This month, the wine club heads into spring. We’re drinking refreshing whites from Austria, Sicily, and Oregon along with food-friendly reds from Argentina, France, Portugal, and Spain. 

Weingut Soellner, “Wogenrain” Grüner Veltliner 2022

Country: Austria
Region: Wagram, Niederösterreich
Grape: Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner is the classic Austrian grape, featuring fresh fruit flavors and often a little spice. From a fifth-generation farmer, Wogengrain is an older German term for the “gentle slopes” of the Wagram region, where Toni and Daniela Söllner now farm biodynamically. This wine is aged in oak foudres (extra-large barrels), imparting a softer texture while maintaining its fresh character. Wogengrain would be my pick to BYOB at Tiny Thai or Pho Dang this month.

Featured in: The Taste

Ciello Bianco Catarratto 2022

Country: Italy
Region: Sciliy
Grape: Cataratto

Cataratto—one of my favorite grapes to pronounce—is a grape indigenous to Sicily, known for its organic soils. This organic white wine from the Vesco family is produced with a short maceration, where the white grape skins mix with the pressed juice before fermentation. This process gives the finished product a bit of color and tannic grip. Ciello’s Catarratto has a golden hue and notes of almonds, apricot, and quince—perfect for a picnic! 

Featured in: The Taste, Oh So Thirsty

Vignobles Builliat Morgon Nature 2018

Country: France
Region: Morgon, Beaujolais, Burgundy
Grape: Gamay

Depending on who you ask, Beaujolais is either a region next to Burgundy or a subregion within Burgundy. Personally, I like to think of Beaujolais as Burgundy’s fun-loving cousin. But where almost all red wine produced in Burgundy proper is Pinot Noir, Beaujolais is known for the Gamay grape. Gamay often produces a lighter red wine that you can serve slightly chilled. You’ll pick up red and black fruit flavors but also some earthier notes that give this wine depth.

Morgon is one of the ten “crus” of Beaujolais, areas known for their top-tier growing conditions. Builliat’s Morgon is a rich but silky wine that you could easily mistake for a classic red Burgundy. But now that you know it’s Beaujolais–have a little fun and enjoy it with a great meal!

Featured in: The Treat

Fossil & Fawn Only Always 2022

Country: United States
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Grape: Field blend of Auxerrois, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer

“Only Always” is Fossil & Fawn’s homage to the field blends of Alsace, France and Austria. This wine is produced from Auxerrois, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer grapes farmed together in the South Salem Hills of Oregon. This blend of grapes and the aging process, featuring both neutral French oak and newer Oregon oak, produces an aromatic white wine with herb and spice notes including ginger and plum. 

Either of the wines in this month’s Treat would make an excellent eclipse-watching wine paired with cheese and charcuterie, or you could try them with some roasted or braised meats. A meal I made recently, One-Pan Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms and roasted spring-dug parsnips, would make a lovely pairing. 

Featured in: The Treat

Quinta de Santiago Vinho Verde 2022

Country: Portugal
Region: Vinho Verde
Grape: 40% Arinto, 30% Trajadura, 30% Loureiro

Vinho Verde is a perfect wine for spring, with fresh flavors and a little fizz. Featuring fresh lemon and grapefruit peel flavors, this wine comes from the Santiago family, who have farmed in the same place since 1899 but only began bottling their own wine in this century. Santiago’s Vinho Verde is surprisingly complex and mineral-driven, making it a great wine to enjoy as an apertivo or paired with lighter dishes. 

Featured in: Oh So Thirsty

Bueyes “Retinto” Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Country: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Bueyes’ Retinto is a fresh, approachable Cabernet Sauvignon from an organic family winery in Argentina. The name, Bueyes, and picture on the bottle refer to the oxen the winemaker’s father used to farm after immigrating from Italy to Argentina. With notes of green pepper, berries, and plum, this wine would pair well with comfort food like a burger (meat or veggie) or pizza. 

Featured in: Oh So Thirsty

Bodegas 1808 Rioja 2020

Country: Spain
Region: Rioja Alavesa
Grape: Tempranillo

My notes on this bottle say, “food wine!” but that’s not just because it tastes good. This Rioja’s flavors, acidity, and tannins are all in balance. It’s an excellent introduction to the Tempranillo grape and a classic example of a young, fresh Rioja. The 1808 winery has over 140 years of history, and the Martinez family now farms biodynamically, focusing on small production, high-quality wines. This wine exhibits fresh berry flavors paired with layers of lavender, vanilla, and coffee and is a great match for almost anything tomato or pasta-based. 

Featured in: Oh So Thirsty