June Wine (and pairings)

A peek into my wine club!

Hello! If you are just picking up the Grape to Table newsletter, thanks so much for joining to learn more about wine, food, and life. We have just wrapped up my origin story (click here to read), and we are diving into fun content focused on meaningful time at the table with delicious wine and food. For now, my newsletter is free and you can find all the content by clicking here – basically a little Grape to Table website created by the great folks at Substack. As always I really appreciate when you hit the like button at the bottom as it helps get this newsletter in front of more people :) and spread the joy of wine and food! 

This is my bonus edition of the newsletter where I fill you in on my current (June!) wine club offerings, which I think you will enjoy even if you have no interest in signing up for the club and/or don’t live in Charleston. It’s a nice little look into wines that I think pair well with this time of the year (early summer in my neck of the woods) and the stories behind them AND pairing ideas. Perhaps you can even find these wines at your own local wine shop! I will include the brass tacks about my wine club below in case you are interested in signing up. But feel free to scroll down to my June wine picks if you are just here for the reading!

I am honored to host my wine club out of Wine & Company (a bottle shop and wine bar) at 441 Meeting Street, corner of Meeting and Spring, in downtown Charleston, SC. That’s where you will pick up your wine if you sign up :)

About the wine… this is a wine club that celebrates the magic of wine and food through an exploration of small, family-run wineries and detailed pairing suggestions! I definitely draw heavily from the old world (Europe!) with an occasional new world gem thrown into the mix. All of the wines are sustainably farmed with some producers going the extra mile with organic and biodynamic practices. 

The GTT wine club is $70/month for 3 bottles that are available for pick-up on the first of each month. You can choose between my seasonal mix, all white, or all red.  But the seasonal mix is the MOST popular option for good reason!!

Most importantly – wine club is a great way to learn about new grape varieties and styles that you might not reach for yourself! If you want to join: sign up is easy and secure by clicking here!

Cheers!

Now about June’s seasonal mix offerings:

Barbara Fores Blanc
Grape: Garnacha Blanca 
Region: Terra Alta, Spain (southwest of Barcelona)
Story: If you have not heard of Terra Alta, rest assured you are not alone. This region has a long history (identified to be exceptional  by the same monks who founded the more famous Priorat region),but honestly this is my first wine from the region, and man is it delicious!  Barbara Fores (the daughter of a wine merchant) began bottling wine with her son in the late 1800’s and the estate and vineyards remain in the family today. Carme Ferrer (the current owner and great granddaughter of Barbara Fores) produces less than 6000 cases annually. Farming is organic and regenerative and is focused on increasing biodiversity in and around the vineyards
Pairing:  There’s a theme to my pairing this month that unfolded naturally with the abundance of local produce…most (if not all pairings) will feature a protein with some sort of delicious “salad” (with a loose definition of salad here – ie – mostly not involving lettuce!). So for this minerally white I propose pan roasted local fish with a peach & tomato salad – basically just peaches and tomatoes tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper and scattered atop some decadent Burrata or Mozzarella if you cannot find Burrata! Garnish with some torn basil leaves and drizzle of nice Balsamic Vinegar – yum! P.S. 1) Counter Cheese Mongers has some terrific Mozz and Burrata right now. 2) There’s a great article in this month’s Charleston magazine on peaches! 

Rosé Weszeli
Grapes: 80% Zweigelt 20% Cabernet Franc 
Region: Kamptal, Austria 
Story: This winery goes wayyyy back; the foundation was laid in 1679!  Davis Weszeli took over the winery in 2011 and since then has combined the old family knowledge with his own philosophy and has put the vineyard at the center of his work. The vineyards are cultivated according to biodynamic principles, and in his best vineyards, he increasingly relies on horses rather than tractors! While the Kamptal region and Weszeli are famed for Gruner Veltliner and Riesling, I have also long loved their rosé. It is made from the Austrian grape Zweigelt blended with a bit of Cabernet Franc! 
Pairing: To me this rosé tastes of watermelon with a touch of nice sea salt, and so I cannot resist going with that pairing! How about grilled pork chops alongside the now classic watermelon and feta salad with some cucumbers thrown in for good measure. And some basil/mint would also be quite nice! 

Jean Paul Brun “Ronsay” Beaujolais 
Grape: Gamay 
Region: Beaujolais, France 
Story:  Jean-Paul Brun started Terres Dorées in 1979 in the southern Beaujolais, an area which is slightly warmer and more limestone-driven than the granite bedrock of the northern Beaujolais. Farming is organic; harvest is by hand; grapes are well-ripened but not over-ripened, so alcohol levels are generally modest. Basically all the things we are looking for in a Beaujolais producer! Ronsay is a newer wine from him from younger vines.
Flavor/Pairing: This is a fun chilled red for summer! Think bright, fresh, crunchy red fruit and a minerally backbone. I propose a hanger steak with a snap pea salad. Perhaps snap peas, cucumbers, and farro garnished with local goat cheese crumbles and some more of that basil I keep talking about :) I could also imagine a nice chimichurri for the steak!