Spring! It is always welcome when it arrives, but it seems to appear in fits and starts for several weeks before winning the battle against its predecessor. Spring arrives early in the wine world as the first rosés of 2024 (vintage 2023) start showing up in March. We have 9 new vintage rosés already and an additional 7 from vintage 2022 that we think are tasting as well or better than they did when we last had them in the fall.
We’ve continued to taste new wines and new grapes when the team assembles to assist in making selections about which wines to bring to Windham Wines. It is interesting to reflect on how our wine inventory has changed over the years. When we first opened in 2006, the shop was filled with US, French, Australian, Spanish, and Argentinian wines, mostly full-bodied reds from warm wine-growing regions. Over the first few years, however, it was clear that those who shopped at Windham Wines loved Italian wines, both red and white, for their balance between fruit and freshness. We scurried to learn more, discovering the range of whites from Arneis to Verdicchio and reds from Aglianico to Vespolina. What began as a humbling crash course has turned into a rewarding adventure of discovery. Italy continues to surprise us, and our cosmopolitan customer-friends continue to expect an alternative line-up when they walk through the door—new grapes, new countries, good value.
In March, we tried some new Georgian wines, impressed by a red made from the Saperavi grape and an orange wine made from Khikhvi. Those are now available at Windham Wines. That led me off on a little exploration to count from how many countries do we carry wines (currently 18) and how many varieties might you sample? The latter was a bit trickier since we have many wines made as blends and many of those have splashes of different varieties, but could you really say you tasted a variety if there is less than 10% of it in a blend? I decided against counting a variety unless we have a wine that has at least 85% of that variety in it. Using that measure (and there is only one wine that was counted for a variety that has at least 85% and less than 90%, a Blatina from Herzegovina), our current selection of wines spans 117 varieties. If you are wine curious, there is much to discover at Windham Wines.
We’ve consistently written about how important your support is to so many of the wineries we represent. We know the people behind these small, family-owned and operated vineyards and farms. Many of you have met them through our tastings. You have faces and stories to associate with the wines you enjoy. When you buy a bottle of wine from Windham Wines, you are helping to support these families embedded in their local economies, from Vermont and Maryland to Italy and Cyprus.
Windham Wines remains committed to searching out wines that we believe have value to you. Our goal is to provide you with a selection of wines that you find satisfying, and with service that reflects how much we value your support. Thank you.