Cheers to the Moms!
We love celebrating our moms! Although they deserve our appreciation every day, sometimes we want to show them a little extra love and gratitude.
So for Mother’s Day, let’s toast the mothers with three incredible wines from some of our favorite producers (if we’re lucky, they’ll share!) Cheers, moms, we love you!
The Goddess
This one-of-a-kind 2018 Stilianou 'Great Mother' Red is named after the mother goddess of the ancient Minoans, and the symbol of the Earth’s fertility and reproduction. Giannis Stilianou and his teenage son tend 3 hectares of organic indigenous grapes near Heraklion, the capital of the island of Crete. During the winemaking process, Giannis macerates the intensely dark Mandilaria grape on its skins for only one day, mellowing out the intense tea-like tannins to create a light bodied and easy-drinking red wine. Enjoy Great Mother slightly chilled and experience aromas of a wooded forest and salted plums. Pair with lamb burgers topped with olives, onions, and feta.
The Queen
The winery Forlorn Hope always achieves playfulness in their wine while maintaining layered complexity. Their 2018 Forlorn Hope, Queen of the Sierra White Blend has honeyed notes of hazelnuts, lemon custard, and Pacific Ocean sea spray. All estate-grown grapes vines, including Chardonnay, Vermentino, Verdelho and Picpoul, are grown atop limestone soil, which imparts a stony minerality to the wine. Extended maturation in neutral oak barrels yields aromas of buttered corn. On a recent Zoom call with Forlorn Hope, winemaker Danielle Shehab referred to this wine as ‘the perfect bottle for Mom.’ Many moms do love a buttery Chardonnay, which this bottle suits, but there are also many moms who prefer a dry Sauvignon Blanc, and this wine fits that taste too thanks to its fresh, zippy acidity. Whatever her taste, Mom will love Queen White! Try pairing Queen to a buttery lobster roll, corn on the cob, and grilled, peppery zucchini.
The Nonna
The Gurrieri family currently grows 15 hectares of organic vines in the town of Vittoria in western Sicily. 2019 Gurrieri, Sicilia Rosato 'Donna Grazia' is named after their matriarch, Lady Grace, and is a watermelon-hued blend of Nero D’Avola and Frappato. The Nero D’Avola is grown on rocky, dark soil, while the Frappato vines are grown on sandy, pebbly stones. These differing grapes and soil types provide a yin and yang of flavors in the lovely Donna Grazia. The Nero D’Avola imparts bold depth, and notes of spices and cinnamon, while the Frappato delivers a beachy, pink-lemonade fruitiness. The finish is slightly salty and zesty like a freshly picked Sicilian orange. Try pairing this gorgeous rosé with shellfish, sushi, or anything fried, like arancini or salty potato chips.
Cheers to all the moms! We appreciate you!