Wine pairing notes:

• Fly By 2020 North Coast Chardonnay  Voted a “Top 100 Best Buy of 2022” in the Wine Enthusiast, the Fly By North Coast Chardonnay was made to showcase the complexity of flavor, diversity of terroir, and distinct characteristics of California’s top vineyards. Winemaker Trevor Sheehan started his journey to create a top wine collection ten years ago, and Fly By showcases the hedonistic style of North Coast Chardonnay with gorgeous aromas of toasted almonds, green apples and Asian pears on the nose. Rich and creamy on the palette with flavors of apples and stone fruit finishing with lingering notes of Meyer lemon and Creme brulee, Fly By is a perfect pop and pour for any night of the week! 

From Wine Enthusiast, pair with the veggie platter: a Chardonnay with ample acidity to complement the garlicky, lemon-scented hummus and vegetables on your crudité platter.

• Thanisch 2021 Riesling Trocken  The Thanisch family has cultivated wine since the year 1636 and can look back on a history covering almost 400 years. Today the estate is run as a family business in the 11th generation, of which the last four generations were women. The first woman leading the estate was Katharina Thanisch, who was one of the VDP founding members in 1910. Today the estate is managed by Sofia Thanisch. The label is a very Classic Art Nouveau Etiquette from 1901 and depicts the estate, the town of Bernkastel and the Doctor vineyard in the background. This Riesling comes from the steep slopes surrounding the picturesque towns of Bernkastel and Kues in the middle Mosel. Perfumed and lemony fresh, this dry style Riesling has great precision. Ripe apricot and peach notes combined with aromas of meadow flowers exude from the glass. There is a purity to the crisp and concentrated palate and the lingering finish grips with slate minerality. 

From Wine Enthusiast, pair with nachos: a Riesling with a touch of fruity sweetness offsets the spiciness of nachos. Try a nacho recipe featuring shredded meats, queso and tomatillo salsa.

• Alfredo Bertolani NV Lambrusco Emilia Dolce Fiore  This beautiful Lambrusco is the pride of Italian Viticulture! The Bertolani winery was set up in Scandiano in 1925 by Alfredo Bertolani, supported by his passion for grapes and knowledge of the territory. Family-owned by the fourth generation, Bertolani’s respect of territorial characteristics and careful wine making processes produce Lambrusco of great quality. Bertolani’s grapes come from hillside vineyards and foothill areas where soil is fine with high levels of clay and lime, low availability of water and low fertility. Hillside Lambrusco differs greatly from its lowland cousin, both in terms of climate and soil conditions. Lush red fruit mixes perfectly with fresh minerality and bountiful bubbles with a touch of sweetness. 

From Wine Enthusiast, pair with spicy pork sliders: a Lambrusco has the fruity flavors, the mild tannic structure and effervescence to stand up to spice. We like to serve them on potato buns with homemade chipotle mayonnaise.

• Bodegas LAN 2019 Rioja Crianza  Bodegas LAN is a relative newcomer to the Rioja scene, having been founded in 1972. The name “LAN” is an acronym for the three provinces that make up Rioja, Logroño, Alava, and Navarra. LAN produces some of the most consistent, value-driven examples of Rioja on the market, and is also an established leader on the premium side. LAN is legendary for paying growers “more” for top level fruit – With this release you are guaranteed a Rioja that punches way above its humble “Crianza” designation. Intense red cherry color. Aromas of red fruits, strawberry, raspberry and cranberry framed by fine nuances of vanilla and toffee. Silky and structured on the palate, it has a long lasting and satisfying finish.

From Wine Enthusiast, pair with ribs: to balance rich pork ribs, a fruit-forward red wine with soft, integrated tannins, like Tempranillo from Rioja in Spain will pair perfectly.

• Domaine Fond Croze 2018 Côtes du Rhône Villages Vaison-la-Romaine “Shyrus”  Domaine Fond Croze is truly a family business – any and all of the family are likely to be at the cave when you go to visit. Charles Long first purchased land outside Saint Roman de Malegarde after returning from World War I. His son, Raymond, expanded the vineyards once he started full-time in the business and today, Raymond’s sons Bruno (the winemaker) and Daniel (the vineyard manager) are the 3rd generation. This wine has a deep garnet color with purple highlights. The first nose is complex and after a slight aeration it emerges aromas of black berries compote and candied cherry. In the mouth, we detect a beautiful acidity with tannins well present and structured. This wine offers aromas of black fruit and toasty notes on the finish.

From Wine Enthusiast, pair with chili: For a chili made with beef, a full-bodied red wine is perfect. A Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre blend from the Southern Rhône is the best choice. 

• Lorelle 2022 Washington Red Blend  Lorelle is produced from a small, family owned and operated winery. Better known as the people behind Six Peaks Winery, founders, John and Lynn Albin (UC Davis), along with their son, Andrew Albin (OSU), work together to produce Lorelle, which are both true to variety and excellent companions with food. They not only meticulously tend to their own vineyards for this project, but they also source some of the best fruit from the best growers year after year to make wines that are consistently delicious. Made from Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon (Oidos Vineyard) and Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Malbec from Red Mountain (Aquilini Vineyard), with a naked elevage (used barrel), they’ve hit all the marks with this wine.

From Wine Enthusiast, pair with chili: For a chili made with beef, a full-bodied red wine is perfect. Here is a domestic blend to try pairing with!