Breweries, Wine, and Cheese Lifestyle

The Grapevine: The Perfect Wine for September

By Gina Trippi

Are you a seasonal drinker? White wine in the warmer months and red wine when it cools down? That works on opposite ends of the wine spectrum, but what about the months in between? September is one of those “tweeners.”

You might be starting to think about serving white wine with a first course or a seafood salad lunch and saving red for the entrée. But a full-bodied red, except on steak night, still seems a stretch for the table.

Consider a lighter grape made in a lighter style. Pinot noir is made into wine all around the world and can range from a bold Sonoma Coast or Russian River bottle to a lighter Alsatian or New Zealand version. The grape itself is lighter in color and body than cabernet sauvignon, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that the flavors are diluted. Quite the opposite is true!

The pinot noir grape characteristically presents earthy aromas and can include flavors of baked cherries, plums, damp earth, mushrooms, cedar, cigars, chocolate, leather and dry leaves.

Experts tell us that, of the classic grapes, pinot noir is the most difficult to make into wine. It mutates easily in the vineyard and is very sensitive to climate changes and variations in soil composition. This is what makes it a puzzle for a winemaker and a bit of a mystery to us.

Something of a marriage between Burgundy and Oregon, a bottle of German pinot noir is perfect for September.

Cultivation of the pinot noir grape, called Spätburgunder in Germany, dates back to the 9th century. And now, Germany is the third largest producer of pinot noir in the world. But because most of the bottles remain in the country, Forbes magazine called German pinot noir “one of the world’s undiscovered treasures.”

What makes German pinot noir so special? The wine-making region in Baden offers the most diverse soil composition of any other country that produces pinot noir. Marine sedimentary rocks in the soil include limestone, gypsum and sandstone.

We suggest 2019 Lovely Lily Pinot Noir from Shelter Winery in Baden. Shelter is located in a cool microclimate with the Black Forest nearby to keep it that way. Made by the husband-and-wife team of Hans-Bert Espe and Silke Wolf, the wine is named for the old cellar dog who worked in the winery.

With their polished pinot noir, the pair bucks the mass-market trend toward heavy, oak- and alcohol-laden wines. Their farm comprises only a few acres and they make only what the vineyard produces. The cooler climate makes a pinot noir with lower alcohol; Lovely Lily has only 13 percent and higher acidity, making it food-friendly.

Lovely Lily is made with no pesticides and only native yeasts. At this winery, where the philosophy is style and simplicity, harvest is by hand. Cherry and dark red fruit with earthy undertones and a touch of pomegranate acidity on the finish.

Good for “tweener” months. Great all year round.

Gina Trippi is the co-owner of Metro Wines, 169 Charlotte Street in Asheville. Committed to the community, Metro Wines offers big-shop selection with small-shop service. Gina can be reached at gina@metrowinesasheville.com or 828.575.9525.

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