winter wines + procrastination

i should be studying.

wset diploma

I’m 2 days out from my D1 exam for WSET Diploma. As of this very moment, I feel…okay?! Not in the confident sense…more in the I’m aware that this is a thing that will happen sense. Truth be told, I’ve been reading the D1 text religiously since June of this year and I’m tired of looking at it. I’ve probably read those 230 pages about six times over the course of six months and I don’t think there’s any more studying I can do that would be beneficial to me at this point.

Regardless, my brain is still telling me to crack the book open or run a few flashcards. 🤷🏽‍♀️ such is life.

As dry and technical as the D1 text is, it really piqued my interest for winemaking. There are just so many variables in the vineyard and the winery that can significantly alter the finished wine and I think that’s both so interesting and so scary. Studying viticulture and vinification has really enriched my understanding of both from a consumer and a buyer perspective. I’ve been able to ask visiting winemakers some very specific questions, which has helped me understand how and why they do what they do.

winter wines

As the Northern Hemisphere has shifted into cooler months and we’re finally (?) seeing winter weather here in ATL, consumers’ tastes are shifting from white and rosé to red wines. I totally get it - we love a lil more structure in our wines when the weather cools down. But I don’t think we should totally write off white and rosé wines until the spring - they’re just as tasty now as they were in the dead of summer!

Here are a few wines that I’ve been digging lately that I think are worth your attention:

Domaine Arsac “Les Amandières” Viognier

This is Viognier like I’ve never had it before - fresh and lively. I don’t typically like Viognier but I love this one. I was fortunate to taste this wine twice before buying it for the shop. I was even more fortunate to have a conversation with Sébastien Arsac, winemaker at Domaine Arsac, who told me all about the challenges of making low-intervention wine while facing climate change. Hint: it’s not easy.

The domaine is located in Ardèche in the southern Rhône Valley. It is certified organic, grown on volcanic soil, unfined, unfiltered, and aged in amphora. Sébastien said that he uses the lees as a form of preservative in the wine, limiting his need to use SO2. So cool! This wine with some seafood…chef’s kiss.

Chalmers Heathcote Rosato

If you want a winter rosé, this is your wine. It has beautiful weight on the palate, supported by savoury herbal notes and bright red fruit. It’s a blend of Aglianico, Nero d’Avola, and Sagrantino - side note: I love what is happening with Italian varieties in Australian wine. And Chalmers is largely to thank for that. They can tell you the story much better than I can, so feel free to read about it here.

This has been a really popular wine for the shop - it’s been encouraging seeing customers buy rosé even though it’s not summer.

Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Carmenère

When I first started at my job, one of my (many) goals was to find a quality Carmenère (pronounced karmen-AIR). I’d had many when I was a flight attendant - I worked trips to Santiago, Chile on occasion and always came home with a few bottles of Carmenère. So I knew they were out there.

Then this wine showed up. I was lucky enough to taste the current vintage (2021) as well as a 2015 (from a double magnum, may I add). Both were incredible. If you are sleeping on Chilean wine, it’s time to wake up. My only tasting note for the 2015 was OMG. Literally all I wrote down.

It’s big and spicy, but well-integrated. Black cherries, black plum, and a slight grilled bell pepper note. Fine tannins. This wine could easily replace the tried and true Napa Cab at the holiday table. This would also be a fantastic wine to start a cellar with - it’s affordable and definitely has all the structure to carry it for a decade, at least.

For those of you in the metro ATL area:

If you’re interested in any of the wines above, send me a reply to the email newsletter and let me know!

Here’s to the holidays,

- jade