April Featured Wines – Marisco Vineyards 2018 The Ned Pinot Gris & Marisco Vineyards 2016 The Ned Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand

2018 The Ned Pinot Gris ($14) is instantly recognizable with its skin-contact giving a delicate salmon pink color. The highly fragranced nose bursts with aromas of apples, lychees, lime blossoms and a touch of honey. The acidity on the palate is crisp but not searing and is balanced by a dry, chalky-textured mouthfeel that finishes with a zing of lime zest. This Pinot Gris can become your best friend when enjoyed on its own, but it also pairs well with your favorite fish dish accompanied with a fresh watermelon salad. Alcohol: 14%

2016 The Ned Pinot Noir ($20) is a classic New Zealand Pinot Noir and has less acidity. It is a balanced wine. It is deep red cherry in color, with a herbaceous nose and red fruits aromas. This wine is light bodied, offering rich notes of red cherries, red currants and cranberries. This is a crowd-pleasing Pinot Noir. It is light and dry to enjoy it on its own or paired with ham, pork or white meats. Easily this is a food-friendly wine. Alcohol: 13.5%

February Featured Wines – 2014 Willm Pinot Gris Reserve, Alsace & 2011 Philippine de Saint Cyrille Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone Valley

Willm

2014 Willm Pinot Gris Reserve, Alsace                 $14

This month’s selection is 2014 Willm Pinot Gris Reserve. This is a full-bodied wine with a flavorful bouquet of lime, meyer lemon, green apple, pear, and white peach. It has great structure with a round feel in the mouth and long on the finish. Be sure to serve well chilled with rich fish – salmon and tuna – and mature hard cheeses. Alcohol: 12.5%

 

Philippine de Saint-Cyrille

2011 Philippine de Saint Cyrille Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone                     $23

The producer, Philippine de Saint-Cyrille, is well-known for selecting grapes from among the best wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape Appellation d’Origine Contrôlé (AOC.) The Rhone blend, Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, is full-bodied and well-balanced. This is a great pairing for hearty roasts and a variety of cheeses. Wine Spectator gave this very affordable Chateauneuf-du-Pape a 91.