Rainy Days Call for Sunny Wine

It feels like we are still willing the sun into existence… as I spent a very rainy weekend on Lopez Island, I kept thinking “we’re going to have the best May flowers!” And, we better.

This week, we restocked on some of your favorites in the shop and added some new options. Remember, we are still offering free delivery! [If you are a member of Train Seattle, we are offering gym deliveries three days a week as well. Reward yourself for working out with a bottle of wine or three].  

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Some of our favorite things this week… 

Riesling, Josmeyer ‘Le Kottabe’ … $37

Josmeyer converted to organic and biodynamic practices in the 90s under the direction of Christophe Ehrhart, he believes in working in harmony with the land and the result is distinctive, balanced, beautiful wines. This is a dry riesling with grapefruit and lemon oil on the nose, fresh cut herbs and peaches on the palate and a distinct minerality tying it all together. It's everything I love in an Alsatian riesling. A dream pairing with any fish, you could also go crazy and pair this with sauerkraut - an Alsatian specialty.

What to know: organic, biodynamic, wild fermentation

Fun facts:

·      Le Kottabe is from the Greek “O Kottabos”, a game of skill, mixing wine and love. It was practiced in Greece during banquets in the 5th century BC. At the same time, the verticality of the consonants recalls the slender and assertive character of this grape variety.

·      Alsace is a unique region sandwiched on the border of France and Germany. Over the years, it has been claimed by both countries. Currently a part of France, much of the language and cuisine of the area is German. The wine is known for being floral, bright and even a tad spicy.

Crémant d’Alsace, Léon Boesch ‘Zero’ Brut Nature … $29

More Alsace! I couldn’t resist. This is a beautifully balanced sparkler from Alsace. A blend of Riesling and Pinot Blanc aged in giant oak foudres, no sugar has been added and the wine is fermented to dryness. Still, there is a richness here. Ripe pears, bright lemons and a streak of fresh mountain water.

What you need to know: organic, bioodynamic, wild fermentation, minimal intervention.

Fun Facts:

·      Family owned, they've been making wine for over 200 years!

·      This is made in the style of Champagne and is a great alternative to the world's favorite celebratory bottle. This is a wine you could drink on any occasion or for no reason at all.

Skin Contact Grillo, Valdibella ‘Sulle Bucce’ … $26

Sapidity is a word I learned the first time I had this wine. On its own, sapidity is rather vague meaning flavor or savory but when used to describe wine, particularly Sicilian wine, it refers to a distinct, almost salty, minerality. I think this wine has textbook sapidity along with tea tannins, a hint of baking spices, and a lovely blood orange acidity.

What to know: organic, no added sulphites, 12 days skin contact

Fun facts:

·      These folks are fighting the mafia one bottle at a time - no really! They joined the Addiopizzo Committee which is fighting for an economy free of mafia influence in Sicily.

·      This is a coop of farmers that not only makes wine, but also pasta, oils and more. They also work closely with the 'Jonathon' project to help struggling youths enter the work force. There are over 2 million children living in poverty in Italy.

Malbec/Pinot Noir, Fabien Jouves ‘Nectar des Dieux’ … $29

Is it a rosé? A red? Let's split the difference and call it a chillable, crushable, reddish bottle of joy. This blend of Malbec, Cinsault, Grenache and Muscadet is an acid forward (think barely ripe cherries), with a gentle body of raspberries and strawberries. Let's not quibble about what to call it, when we can enjoy it instead. We do recommend enjoying it chilled!

What you need to know: biodynamic, wild fermentation, all done in concrete vats

Fun Facts:

·      Fabien is committed to biodynamic viticulture that respects "life, plant, man, and the environment."

·      Fabien is particularly partial to the Côt or Malbec that is native to his area, his wines reflect all that malbec can be!

Mencía (and friends), Casa Aurora ‘La Nave’ … $19

A red made from old vines in Bierzo (85% Mencía, 15% Garnacha and Palomino) ... the average age of these vines is 65 years which means concentrated fruit and spice. This wine is a pure delight, red and black fruit with notes of licorice and lavender. It is fresh without being sweet, with a subtle tannic structure.

What to know: organic, wild fermentation, aged 13 months in a variety of containers from French oak foudres to flextank eggs, no fining or filtering

Fun facts:

·      The Casa Aurora line from Germán Blanco is a tribute to his grandmother, Aurora García.

·      The main focus of this line is the rescue and recovery of old vines. From the wine maker 'As a general rule, each vineyard that we rescue tends to have a minimum of 25% white grapes (of which the majority is Palomino) and a further 25% Garnacha Tintorera, the rest being made up predominantly of Mencía. We find them like this, we look after them like this and we vinify them like this.'

Missed last week’s release? You can find all the details here.

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Notable Pairings

Blue Cheese x LTD+ Chenin Blanc

If we haven't mentioned enough, we think this wine is stellar. And part of its charm is the diversity of pairings that go with it. Our culinary director / best friend / and genius, Madisyn, paired it with Twin Sisters Whatcom Blue and was blown away. This is a raw milk blue that has been aged for a minimum of 60 days. Its creamy and tangy and brings out the je ne sais quois of noble rot in this dry chenin.

Smoked Oysters x Il Foliccello Bubbles

Madisyn paired the Folicello Bianco with Samish Pearl oysters. These oysters have a full firm meat with fresh notes of cucumber and a really crisp brine that isn't overwhelming.

Paper Cake’s Fruit Loop Cake x Succés Rosé

This was accidental alchemy. Madisyn's husband, Lee, had been threatening to buy the Fruit Loop cake most of the week and on Thursday, at the end of our deliveries, he finally did. To celebrate hanging the last of our custom shelves and delivering our first bottles, we opened the Succés rosé ... and history was made. Snag a bottle from us and then head next door for a slice. If you ask nicely, we'll pick it up for you and deliver it!

We are accepting requests via DM @respiteseattle or email hanley@respitebottleshop.com – this is a great option if you need help with dinner pairings, a host gift or if you are studying for your Somm or WSET certifications.

Thank you! We love you and remember real friends bring wine.