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. There’s lots to read – from my origin story (click here to read) to 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. I did realize recently that you only see the various categories of past newsletters if you open this link in a browser (rather than the Substack app). It’s a shame because the categories make it easy to find content you might be interested in…so here are some more embedded links! Click here for Wine Tips. Click here for Recipes. Click here for Q & As. As always I really appreciate when you hit the like button as it helps get the content 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 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 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 (I do appreciate the support). But feel free to scroll down to my June wine picks if you are just here for the reading!

Wine Club Brass Tacks:

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. Also keep in mind that wine club makes a great gift for friends/family :) It’s easy for me to set it up for you to just be billed for 2 or 3 or however many months if you want to gift it. And I have a cute certificate for you to give the recipient. Just email me if interested – sarah@grapetotable.com :)

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…

Quinta do Covão Dao Branco
Grapes: 35% Encruzado, 32% Malvasia Fina, 19% Bical, 14% Gouveio
Region: Dão, Portugal
Story: Yes, this is yet another WINNER from importer Mary Taylor. I had the pleasure of attending an all Mary Taylor trade show a few weeks ago and found some new gems to introduce to wine club! This unctuous native white blend is from Dão, Portugal (consider it the less famous sister region to the nearby Douro region). Lucia Ferreira, sister to Mary Taylor’s Douro winemaker, Filipe Ferreira, oversees the viticulture and vinification here. And here’s Mary’s description of these native grapes and what they bring to the blend: “Encruzado is predominantly grown here in the Dão – a sturdy white with good acid structure and minerality. Malvasia Fina has a smokey and waxy charm which comes through on the nose in this wine. Bical is quite fruity and can get tropical if not picked early. Gouveio, more widely planted in the Alentejo region, gives a nuance of anise and white flowers.” Per all Mary Taylor’s imports, the winery practices sustainable farming.
Pairing: This wine has the body to stand up to all sorts of summer fare, but I am thinking total Mediterranean vibes inspired by my purchase way back in the fall of a cookbook called Le Sud that’s all about the south of France (and very summery). There’s so much in here that would go with this wine but how about pan roasting some local fish filets (grouper & trigger are my faves) and then make Rebekah Peppler’s Chickpea Salad (or your own version). Hers calls for a caper and preserved lemon vinaigrette and then tosses chickpeas, radishes, and cucumbers in it. But clearly you could choose your own adventure :)

Domaine Coussin La Croix du Prieur Rosé
Grapes: 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 20% Cinsault
Region: Saint-Victoire, Côtes de Provence, France
Story: Named in the 18th century by Jean-Baptiste Coussin, Château Coussin was acquired by Baptistin Gautier in 1903 and is now managed by his descendants, Olivier and Sophie Sumeire, representing the eighth generation of Provençal winemakers. Chateau Coussin is HVE (High Environmental Value) level 3 certified. This certification, which is a voluntary method based on four environmental topics: biodiversity protection, phytosanitary strategy, fertilization management, and water management.
Pairing: Ok, here we have a truly bonafide Mediterranean rosé so I am once again thinking south of France for inspo. I actually just made a Nicoise-esque salad for dinner, and I am going to keep it up in the rotation all summer. My advice: don’t get hung up on needing all the ingredients. To be honest, mine was simply nice local lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, tuna, and soft boiled eggs. The key is just really having all top notch ingredients, and here in the Lowcountry summer that’s easy!! I got my preserved tuna from my friend’s cheese shop – Counter Cheese Mongers – and it was some of the best I have had!!

Enfield Club Catalanes
Grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
Region: Variety of California regions
Story: John Lockwood began his winemaking career weeding vineyards in Vermont! He found himself drawn to California to work with a guitar guru (not wines), but he eventually ended up at Failla Winery. While there he developed his own side project of Enfield Wine Company. His production grew enough to make Enfield his full time job, but his production is still tiny. He works with small, independent growers to create unique, terroir driven wines with the help of his wife Amy Seese. (Btw, the name of this wine stems from its being inspired by Catalonia, Spain.)
Pairing: Y’all know I usually focus wine club on old world selections as that’s my vibe, but also the new world rarely offers the quality to price ratio that I need. That’s why I was over the moon when this yummy, affordable beauty popped up. I have long loved the pricier Enfield wines, but finally he has produced a nice intro offering! I would love this wine with any grilled meats but especially pork chops! On the side, how about a roasted summer squash “salad” with my fave caper-raisin vinaigrette from the cookbook Six Seasons, which unbelievably I have not mentioned in a hot minute! (It’s another fave book of mine.) You might also enjoy making my potato salad to go with – I just published it in my newsletter!