Our July wine recommendations are perfectly calibrated to fit the joys of the summer season from hot weather to outdoor feasts. Stop in for some summer wine soon.
White and Rosé Wine Recommendations
Ohlzelt, “Leader,” Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal, 2020: $17, 1L
Only our second vintage of this producer, but she—Barbera Ohlzelt– has our attention. I’ve been describing this wine as “pure” since we started with the 2019. The wine is energetic, but with all that energy focused and clear. Every word that comes to mind to describe this says summer sipper: crisp, racy, refreshing, clean—and it’s a liter.
Olivier Tricon, Petit Chablis, 2019 : $18
It took 14.5 years, but we finally found a Petit Chablis good enough to make the shelf at Windham Wines. Apple– but one of those heirloom sweet yet crisp varieties like Cox’s Orange Pippin or Roxbury Russet– and peach fruit, with an elegant and refreshing minerality that is often absent in the Petit Chablis we tried.
Cuturi, Rosa dei Cuturi, Puglia, 2020: $16, organic
Every wine we’ve had made by Camilla Rossi-Chauvenet has been a pleasure. Camilla farms and makes wine from her family vineyard in the Veneto (Massimago) and from the Puglia property they purchased in 2008, Massaria Cuturi 1881.
Made from 100% Negro Amaro, the Rosa dei Cuturi shows dried cranberry and raspberry fruit, a bit of savory thyme and a lifting acidity to finish.
Red Wine Recommendations
Kivelstadt Cellars, KC Labs, Syrah, Mendocino, 2019: $16, organic
KC Labs is part of Kivelstadt Cellars, a subset of wines they refer to as a “playground” for experimenting with grapes, styles, fermentation, aging. This fruit was picked early to keep alcohol low (it’s only 12.35%) and maintain acidity. Fruit was accented by using whole clusters to ferment carbonically.
Winemaker Sam Barron describes his product as a classic ““Vin de Soif”. Pop, drink and enjoy! Look for Blueberry with pepper spice notes. Palate is a little deeper than electric Kool-aid; Bright, purple, it captures the true color of Syrah skins. Light body with tiny tannin, punctuated by acid that pulls everything through.”
Boniperti, Favolalunga, Colline Novaresi, 2016: $18
We have tapped the Favolalunga for our summer red list in the past. It was so good in 2016 that we bought it all and are we glad we did!
A beautiful, light red just in time for the dog days of summer. Nebbiolo is a parent of Vespolina, the grape of the Favolalunga. It shows that heritage with pretty floral notes, but could never be mistaken for a sweet wine given its undercurrent of juniper and eucalyptus.
.
Iapetus, Alluvium,Vermont, rosé, 2020: $27
50% Petite Pearl, 36% Marquette, 9% St. Croix, 5% Piquette
Iapetus is Ethan Joseph’s pet project. The winemaker at Shelburne Vineyard in Vermont, Joseph fermented the Marquette from Shelburne with Petite Pearl from Charlotte first separately, then blended them to finish their primary fermentation and undergo malolactic fermentation.
This is a full-bodied, lush red with raspberry fruit and floral and mineral notes. It’s technically a rosé but, as Deirdre noted above, Marquette has a red pulp. Bottled unfined and unfiltered; 98 cases made.