November Featured Wines – 2022 Darting, Riesling Durkheimer Nonnengarten Kabinett, Germany & 2022 Chateau de Campuget, Costieres de Nimes Traditional Red, France

Everyone has their own Thanksgiving dinner traditions but turkey is primarliy the star of the show. What makes wine selection difficult are things like how the turkey is cooked and go withs like sauerkraut. Most menus have lots of starches so contrasting flavors often work against each other. Typical wine recommendations are Riesling, Chardonnay (unoaked), Pinot Noir and Gamay. These options offer lighter body options for both white and red wine.

Our selections are a Kabinett Riesling and a Syrah and Grenache Rhone blend. 2022 Darting Riesling Durkheimer Nonnengarten Kabinett is an off-dry. Kabbinett Rieslings are the most dry. They are also the lightest but still aromatic. At 10% it is a low alcohol wine. It is in a liter bottle so you have more to share!

2022 Chateau de Campuget, Costieres de Nimes Traditional Rouge is the red selection. This wine takes us slightly away from traditional Thanksgiving red wine.
Syrah gives this wine body and Grenache adds softness and fruit. The beauty is this wine is very pleasing when young. It does age well but enjoying it now will give you a fresh red. It is suggested to serve slightly chilled, not refrigerated. Just put by the back door for Mother Nature to chill to 60 degrees.

2022 Darting, Riesling Durkheimer Nonnengarten Kabinett, Germany $19

This Kabinett Riesling has a beautiful freshness featuring herbal notes that overlay the yellow apple and ripe peach flavors. Straightforward but the overall effect is sold and firm. Alcohol: 10%

2022 Chateau de Campuget, Costieres de Nimes Traditional Red, France $13

This traditional red is a blend of 70% Syrah & 30% Grenache. On the nose is ripe fruit. On the palate it is round with smooth tannins. Very pleasant as a young wine but ages well. Alcohol: 13%

Festive Wine Tasting

Michelle Coleman from Prestige-Ledroit Distributing will be at Bishop’s Stock from 2 to 4 during Snow Hill’s Dickens Christmas celebration offering complimentary tastes of festive holiday wines. Featured will be St. Lorenz Gluhwein from Germany. This is a delicious blend of red wine and spices – not unlike mulled wine. Also being offered will be tastes of December wine club selections.

Wines of the Month – 2012 Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rose, Germany & 2011 Sledgehammer Zinfandel, California

label on Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rose2012 Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rose, Pfalz, Germany $12

The Villa Wolf Rosé de Pinot Noir is a true rosé, made with a brief maceration before pressing to extract a lovely salmon color. It is light and refreshing, with bright berry and fruit flavors and a clean, zippy finish. This is a lovely wine for sipping as the weather warms plus it is a great wine to pair with the season’s fresh seafood. Alcohol 11.5%

 

label on Sledgehammer Zinfandel2011 Sledgehammer Zinfandel, California North Coast $13

This is a big, bold, spicy and as the producer says “loud” wine. It pairs perfectly with grilled beef and all hearty meats hot off the grill. It has an abundance of raspberry and sweet baking spices, chocolate and espresso aromas lead to a secondary layer of fruit – blueberry and black cherry with vanilla. The palate reflects the nose – it supplies generous fruit, has a supple texture and fine cocoa tannins lingering on the finish. Alcohol: 14.5%

 

 

 

Wines of the Month – Dr. L Sparking Riesling & Made by G Sparkling Gamay

Featured Wines for December – Dr. L Sparkling Riesling from Mosel,  Germany & Made by G Sparkling Gamay, from Beaujolais, France

 

Label from Dr. L Sparkling Riesling

 Dr. L Sparkling Riesling, Mosel, Germany                        $18

Dr. L Sparkling Riesling is 100% pure Riesling. It is made using the Charmat method, where the second fermentation is done in a pressurized tank to keep the bubbles in the wine. This method produces bright, clean sparkling wines in a more affordable way. As is usual with Riesling — especially from a cool climate like Germany’s — a juicy touch of sweetness was left in the wine to balance the naturally brisk acidity. What you end up with is a refreshing, fruit-driven sparkler that’s a pleasure to drink any time. Sparklers are always a great choice for sushi but this one is especially nice. Alcohol: 12.0%

 

 

Label of Made by G SParkling Gamay featured by Bishop's Stock

  Made by G Sparkling Gamay, Beaujolais,   France            $23

December’s  red selection is Made by G, a sparkling Gamay from Beaujolais, France. This wine was produced from 25 year old Gamay vines. The color is very rich. While this wine is just a little off-dry, it has a natural sweetness that comes from the grapes being picked at top ripeness. There is no residual sugar. The nose is fresh and fruity with aromas of fresh grape. On the palate this sparkling bursts with startlingly bright, succulent, strawberry-like fruit. I was hesitant to select this for the wine club but after I tried it my mouth said “yes”! We served it as an aperitif at Thanksgiving and will likely serve it again at Christmas – if the supply lasts. The distributor gets an allocation of the wine so it is not always available.