The end of May heralds a changing of the seasons. In the Southern Hemisphere, the grapes of the 2024 harvest are in the wineries, while in the Northern Hemisphere those vineyard owners who made it through the spring of 2024 without a blanket of killing frost breath sighs of relief.
Mentally, there is a change, too, with the Memorial Day weekend holiday. Those who view wine selection as being very seasonal are celebrating with chilled whites and pinks, while those of us who enjoy all wines in all seasons continue to pull corks on lusty reds.
The estate scene above is a photo by Aaron Watson that celebrates the full greenery of the Early Mountain Vineyards in Virginia’s Piedmont region.
NV Domaine Bousquet “Lo Ca” Uco Valley Chardonnay ($14). The aim here is a low-alcohol wine – 7.5% – but that is achieved by delivering one that is also very tart, like a puckery apple cider.
2021 Yalumba “Samuele’s Collection” Eden Valley Viognier ($22). Interesting viscosity with complex tropical fruit flavors and notes of fruit peel and savory edges.
2020 Yalumba “The Virgilius” Eden Valley Viognier ($53). A more-substantial wine with honeyed flavors, a little spicy and more weight on the palate.
2022 Early Mountain Vineyard Virginia Petit Manseng ($65). Quite nice with lovely tart, juicy fruitiness – almost tangerine – with peppery notes and hints of fresh oak.
2021 Odette Estate Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay ($78). Very floral, creamy without being too toasty, nice bitters and hints of tannins around the edges with a satiny, crisp finish.
2023 Gassier Côtes de Provence Rosé ($20). Very refreshing and flavorful with good fruit essence – sweet herbs, wild strawberries, citrus peel – and somewhat lean with a crisp, lengthy finish.
2022 Cleto Chiarli “Vecchia Modena” Lambrusco Gasparosa di Castelvecchio Secco ($18). Creamy fragrances and texture with crisp but not tart cranberry flavors and lots of frothy creaminess in the finish – delightful.
2021 Cleto Chiarli “del Fondatore” Lambrusco di Sorbara Secco ($21). Light, tart berry flavors, lots of fizz, rich and intense – great with food.
NV CrossKeys Vineyard Virginia Blanc de Noirs ($37). A slightly tart, slightly game bubbly with flavors of crisp apples – quite enjoyable.
NV Voga Prosecco ($15). Good, green-fruit flavors, but it fades a bit in the finish.
NV Domaine Bousquet “Lo Ca” Uco Valley Malbec ($14). As with the Chardonnay (see above), the low alcohol – 9.5% – comes with a very tart structure, although the fruit flavors are fresh and attractive.
2020 Abeja Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($68). A light presentation of Cab with lovely deep blackberry and cassis flavors but on a leaner Sangiovese-like structural frame – different, but good different.
Prices listed are generally SRP or from wine-searcher.com. As more wineries are now shipping direct-to-consumer, check the winery website if you can’t find a bottle in your retail store.
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