Drink up!
By David Setley
Ahhh, spring. Flowers are blooming. Birds and butterflies have returned to decorate the skies. When the weather cooperates, it’s quite beautiful! Though I don’t typically encourage you to judge a wine by its label, many winemakers have gone to great expense to decorate the fruits of their labor with beautiful labels and bottles. I’m dedicating this article to providing suggestions of beautiful wines: those that are delicious on the palate and pleasing to the eye.
Let’s begin with a wine from Spain called Galerna Garnacha, produced by a female winemaker named Ruth Fernandez. This red wine has the classic aroma profile of the varietal – cherries and violets – and an equally lovely flavor. The tannins are soft and the palate is long-lasting. The 100% Garnacha grapes used are organically grown with no chemical herbicides or pesticides. There are less than 100 parts per million (ppm) sulfites in this wine, as no sulfites are added to those naturally occurring in the grapes. The label itself is absolutely lovely, featuring soft flowers. As a long-time business professor, I always told students to strive for a win-win scenario. The Galerna Garnacha is a win-win-win wine scenario!
Moving on to Italy, the Allumea wines are absolutely beautiful. These wines have become incredibly popular and feature labels that would make the recipient feel like they’ve just received a bouquet of flowers and wine all in one. Allumea is derived from the Italian word for “enlightenment.” These wines are produced with biodiversity and sustainability as the driving force. The Allumea Grillo-Chardonnay is a white blend (70% Grillo, 30% Chardonnay) from Sicily. The flavor and aroma are dry, mildly citrus, and tropical, without the buttery oaky notes common in California Chardonnay. The Allumea Nero d’Avola – Merlot Blend is equally perfect for those who enjoy a rich, full-bodied red wine. This wine has the intense flavor and aroma of black cherries, coffee, and chocolate with notes of Italian baking spices. Finally, from the Abruzzo region of Central Italy, comes the Allumea Rosso Terre di Chieti, a 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo red wine. If your preference is a lighter-bodied red with flavors of red berries, plums, and pepper, this is a clear winner. The soft, well-structured tannins make it the perfect choice for meat dishes, lasagna, Italian cheeses, or mushrooms. All three Allumea wines are organic, with minimal sulfites and minimal intervention. In addition, all three are vegan-friendly and feature a beautiful label with multi-colored flowers and butterflies.
Speaking of butterflies, the Lobetia wines from Castilla, Spain all feature a beautiful butterfly on the label and equally beautiful wines in the bottle. The Lobetia Tempranillo-Petit Verdot red blend is a classic Spanish red with a rich dark garnet color and earthy notes of soil, tobacco leaf, and smoke. If you are a birdwatcher, try the Zorzal Garnacha from Navarra, Spain. This is a classic Spanish wine featuring a dark ruby color and the aroma of black raspberries, leather, and rich soil. This wine is easy to find, just look for the colorful cute bird on the label! When your guests ask how you learned of this great wine, tell them a little birdie told you.
The Montinore Estate Vivacé Prosecco and Vivacé Prosecco Extra Brut Rose are both wonderful sparkling wines from the Veneto of Northern Italy with beautiful springy labels. Vivacé is Italian for “in a brisk and spirited manner.” That word beautifully describes this crisp, aromatic sparkling wine produced from organic grapes grown in the company’s vineyards within the Prosecco D.O.C. Montinore is among the wine industry’s leaders in biodynamic and organic wine production.
Encantado is a new wine from the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. The RavasqueIra Vineyards winemakers – David Baverstock and Vasco Rosa Santos – have created a beautiful wine that leverages the grapes of the region. This wine is a blend of Syrah, Touriga Franca, and Alicante Bouschet. Wines made of Alicante Bouschet have become my passion. You may recall my top wine of 2023 was Cartuxa from this same region and was created by blending Alicante Bouschet with other grapes from the appellation. Encantado is a deep, dark red color with a surprising smoothness. If you like rich flavorful dry red wines that are just as pleasant to drink in warm weather as in cooler months, this could be your new favorite. The label on the bottle is just as much a treat as the wine itself. The artist has created a fantasy woodland with butterflies, birds, and even a fox peeking out of a notch in the tree. Pour a glass of this beautiful wine and gaze at the label. It’s like a visit to the art gallery.
As you can see, sometimes a beautiful wine has a beautiful bottle/label. I hope these recommendations help with finding a beautiful wine for your spring entertaining. As always, if you have questions or comments, contact me at dsetley@passionvines.com or stop by the Somers Point store. Until next time, Happy Wining!
David Setley is enjoying his retirement from higher education as a wine educator and certified sommelier at Passion Vines in Somers Point, New Jersey.
