Fall blew by in a flash, and here we are getting ready for Christmas already. Here are some of the wines we’ve enjoyed this fall from Halloween to Thanksgiving, featuring two stellar gems from Côtes du Roussillon, France, and notes from the winemaker!
First of all, fall doesn’t really feel like fall down here in Houston. Maybe a few gorgeous days between stifling heat, torrential downpours, and all-of-a-sudden-the-air-hurts-my-face, and then the heat shows up again a day later. So…we’ve been drinking a lot of Prosecco, Cava, and other sparkling wines. The wine above is Freixenet Cava from Spain used to make Mummy Wrapped Wine Bottles, and we happily drank these cute things around Halloween. For more Halloween wines we enjoyed this fall, read Trick or Treak Yo Self: A Candy & Wine Pairing and Halloween Wine: Casillero del Diablo.
On Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving, we enjoyed Prosecco (shocker, right?), La Crema Chardonnay, and Two Hands Wines Gnarly Dudes Shiraz. Prosecco was paired perfectly well with hors d’oeuvres and hugging friends/family as they walked in, and the Chardonnay and Shiraz were perfect with Thanksgiving dinner. Also, read my review of Two Hands Wines Gnarly Dudes Shiraz here: A Gnarly Dudes Lebowski Halloween.
M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Blanc 2017
Côtes du Roussillon, France
Sheila’s Notes: This blend of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Macabeo, and Vermentino drinks like a red wine, which is perfect for those in-between season days when I want white and red. Stellar by itself, but we also paired it with roasted pork loin, potatoes, and brussel sprouts. Absolutely delicious!
Wine Making Notes from the Winemaker: Each of the four varieties that comprise this wine, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Macabeo, and Vermentino, are carefully vinified at low, even temperatures. The juice is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and aged in those tanks. After a long maceration of two to three weeks, the wine is aged on the fine lees and then racked from vat to vat which naturally clarifies the wine. The wine is then carefully blended prior to bottling.
Tasting Notes from the Winemaker: Each of the varietals in the blend offers up their unique flavors to combine a refreshing and crisp wine with “high-resolution” of flavors. The Grenache gives the wine a citrus attack with hints of lime rind and adds medium body, a roundness and hint of melon in the mid-palate. The Macabeo supplies the crisp mineral flavors with an almost saline note in the lingering finish. It is WAY better than Sauvignon Blanc and much more unique and rare.
M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge 2017
Côtes du Roussillon, France
Sheila’s Notes: A lovely red blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan! We paired this wine with black pepper and onion turkey meatballs, green beans, rice, and Sunday housework.
Wine Making Notes from the Winemaker: Each of the three varieties that comprise this wine, Syrah, Grenache,and Carignan are carefully vinified at low, even temperatures. The juice is fermented in cement vats and aged in those vats. After a long maceration of two to three weeks, the wine is racked from vat to vat which naturally clarifies the wine. The wine is then carefully blended and aged prior to bottling.
Tasting Notes from the Winemaker: The dominant Syrah grape gives this wine dark and violet hues with the unmistakable blue fruit flavors of plum and blackberry. Ethereal notes of spices, herbs and mocha linger in the background while hints of black cherry and dark chocolate are woven into a mouth filling wine. It has medium to full body, but has an elegance and power that is rarely found in a wine of this price.The smooth and lingering finish has soft tannins and a velvet touch.
And last but certainly not least, fall for us means visits to the Texas Renaissance Festival just north of Houston. One of my favorite Texas wineries, Messina Hof, makes crowd pleasing blends exclusively for the festival, and we always seek them out during our visits. This year we enjoyed Royal Masquerade Cuvee White, White Knight, and one of my go-to wines, Unoaked Chardonnay. Read about my Wine Hunting at Texas Renaissance Festival here.
So what’s in your glass this fine fall?