Autumnal Wines from Jill Mott

From Jill:

WELCOME FALL!

There’s no doubt. The equinox happens, the leaves begin to fall, we feel the slight chill in the air and our tastes morph. These wines appreciate this feeling and will inspire autumnal dishes, game nights, and so much more!

TIBERI IL MUSTICCO ROSE PET NAT 2018

Talk about a rare sparkling wine – this comes from a native Umbrian (central Italian) varietal called Gamay del Trasimeno that tastes like nothing you’d experience in France as the core is lighter all around and more aromatic. The small addition of Ciliegiolo, another autochthonous grape from Umbria, adds a deeper hue than you’re typical rosé. The combination makes for a blasphemously good sipper whether it’s a Sunday brunch, a romantic, chill night in or a celebratory affair. The mosquito on the label makes it very appropriate for Minnesota. Thankfully, we’re almost out of those woods.  No sulphur added. Unfiltered. Purity in bubbles!

GEORGAS FAMILY RETSINA OF MESOGIA 

I never thought I’d say this in my 19 years of working with Greek wines but you MUST try this Retsina! I’ve never had one that spoke to historical tradition and was actually tasty! Centuries ago, resin was added to wine (and sometimes the corks that sealed amphora) to preserve/protect the wine, acting much like hops do in beer today safeguarding against bacteria. Wine in those times rarely tasted good and was often adulterated with anything from sea water to myrrh to honey and/or in this case, resin.

Georgas Family is located in Spata just east of Athens, where the soils are calcareous clay loam and the dry-farmed vines tended to biodynamically. This is the real deal: artisanal juice from the Savatiano grape, produced without sulphur, with up to a week of skin contact. Anything you grill or roast, especially with rosemary will pair exceptionally well with this. Prepare yourself for a bounty of aromatics and don’t let the rosemary/sage-like nature fool you – this is history in a bottle and will be served at the University of Minnesota’s Pre-Modern Food Lab!

ROAGNA DOLCETTO D’ALBA 2016 

If any grape speaks of pasta, heartier fare, pizza, and the like, it’s Dolcetto. Let’s face it, the jovial nature makes us ask for more than a glass and when we find the serious players, they’re worth taking note of (and buying two bottles instead of one!). Roagna makes traditional, low intervention, low sulphur wines that experience skin macerations of upwards of 100 days in large oak casks which is almost unheard of in today’s Dolcetto-making world. The color is shimmering and of a ruby meets rose nature; the nose is brimming with bright, real red fruits and a mouth feel to please any palate (supple tannins + avid but integrated acidity). This can definitely be enjoyed solo but LOVES a fall dish.

* All fruit is from within the region of Barbaresco.
Cheers,
Jill

 

Originally aired Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019 on the Morning Show with Emily Reese


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