Wines We're Loving
Susan’s Pick
2020 Matthieu Barret ‘Petit Ours’ Côte du Rhône feels like more of a friend than a wine. This may have something to do with the adorable bear on its label, the wine aptly named ‘Petit Ours,’ or ‘Little Bear,’ which is the nickname of the kind-eyed and good-natured winemaker, Matthieu Barret. ‘Petit Ours’ is 100% Syrah from leased organic and biodynamic vineyards in Visan, about an hour south of Cornas in the Northern Rhône. The palate is light, jumpy and vibrant, with soaring aromatics of black pepper, ripe raspberries, and lavender. I like to make cacio e pepe for a weeknight pasta dish, but was having a hard time finding a red wine that pairs well to the peppery and salty pasta dish. Enter Syrah! Thanks to Matthieu’s mellow and low-tannin Syrah, ‘Petit Ours’ elevated my pasta game and is a fantastic pairing … like a true friend should be!
August’s Pick
When snowstorms give way to spring showers and birds begin chattering outside my window every morning, I start to crave springtime hikes with apples, cheddar, and wine in my backpack. The 2021 Oyster River Morphos Pét-Nat is perfect for this time of year with its tart, floral, yeasty, and funky apple notes that are reminiscent of Spring. Morphos hails from Warren, Maine where Brian and Allie Smith make unstuffy natural wines from cold hardy grapes like Seyval Blanc and Cayuga that are picked early, fermented with indigenious yeasts and then bottled. A secondary fermentation happens in the bottle to create those tart frothy bubbles. My memories of Morphos involve harvesting there a few years ago with rabbits and cows for company. So go out into the world with this pét-nat and have your own springtime adventures!