Fontina Val d’Aosta
Semi-Soft Cheese
Divina Market
Marinated Olives with Sicilian HerbsOctober Sweet Club: Iowa
Pitulé
Moscato d’Asti DOCG
Piedmont, Italy
NECTAR WINE STYLE
Pitulé Moscato d’Asti is a classic semi-sweet sparkling wine. It is yellow straw in color with gold reflections. It is deliciously sweet with bright, fruity grape flavors, a refreshing, yet delicate honey and peach finish, and a slight spritz.
- Varietal: 100% Moscato
- Appellation: Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Piedmont, Italy
- Vinification: Grapes are gently pressed and the juice is kept cold to prevent total fermentation. This retains a small amount of residual sugar in the wine.
- Food Pairing: Classic wine for desserts and fruit. Served chilled.
- Critical Acclaim: 90 pts. James Suckling – 2020
WineStyles’ Wine and Cheese Pairing: Sweet wines from our ‘Nectar’ section will pair well with any rich, soft cheeses such as a goat’s milk cheese. Learn more about our wine and cheese pairings here.
ABOUT THE WINERY:
Pitulé is produced by the Sperone family who have been making affordable premium wines for four generations. In 1911, Antonio Sperone opened a small wine shop in Torino where he sold bulk wine directly to consumers. Unsatisfied with the quality and price of the local wine, Antonio started his own winery in Puglia and built a bottling facility in Torino. He was soon able to offer his customers quality wines at prices everyone could afford. Sadly, it was destroyed when the city was bombed in WWII. The winery in Puglia survived the war and enabled Antonio’s grandson Giacomo to open a new facility in 1965 near Milan where he produced vermouth, sparkling wines, spirits and fine wines. In 1983, the family purchased 75 acres of prime vineyards in Piedmont and built the current winery in the small town of Mombaruzzo just outside Monferrato.
Information and photos © Pitulé – All Rights Reserved.
Bitch Wines
Bubbly Sparkling Rosé
Penedes, Spain
NECTAR WINE STYLE
With hues of Honeycrisp apple and scarlet, this wine has a strawberry mousse and a petillant style of bubbles that are slightly softer than traditional sparklers. There are notes of sweet red berries and a red cherry conserve on the nose. The palate highlights flavors of strawberry jam with the added depth of red cherries and currants. The fruit sweetness is balanced with the crisp refreshing tang of the bubbles.
- Blend: Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel-lo, Carignan
- Elaboration: Skin Contact Method. According to Methode Ancestrale – a traditional method of making sparkling wine that is, in fact, the world’s most ancient. The wine is bottled before the primary fermentation is finished, delivering a lower pressure, lightly sparkling wine in the petillant style. The wine is finished without the addition of secondary yeasts or sugars.
WineStyles’ Wine and Cheese Pairing: Sweet wines from our ‘Nectar’ section will pair well with an herbal cheese. Learn more about our wine and cheese pairings here.
ABOUT THE WINERY:
“After a fateful trip to Australia in the late 90’s, Dan Phillips was hooked on Grenache. There to publish a story about Shiraz for Food & Wine, shortly after, Dan invested his life savings in a container of Shiraz and was off and running. Grenache soon took over his life. Dan purchased all the Australian Grenache he could from Northern Barossa. This was around the early 2000’s when Grenache was looked down upon, mainly because people associated Grenache with White Grenache, a grape used to make cheap, sweeter wines. Stuck with 1000’s of cases of Grenache-labeled wine that he could not sell, Dan had a problem. Not one to shrink from a challenge, he enlisted the help of world-famous font designer, Jeff Keedy to help produce a new brand for his beloved Grenache. After hours of brainstorming (and numerous bottles of wine) Jeff seized on an idea of Dan’s to call his new brand, Bitch. According to Dan, “Bitch is an ugly sounding, and looking, harsh word. His (Jeff’s) challenge was to make it beautiful. He decided to create a custom font for Bitch.” The Bitch font was created (left) as well as the dagger in the heart logo, which Dan believes is just as responsible for the success of the brand as the word. The word was left to exist on its own to allow consumers to bring their own experience to it. To sum it all up, Dan says, “Bitch is a verb, to bitch about life, which is our logo, the dagger in the heart, and the essence of wine drinking as it is the essence of blues music and life itself. It is WHY we drink wine. As I say, ‘life’s a bitch and then we drink.’” – Grape Expectations
Information and photos © Grape Expectations and the Grateful Palate – All Rights Reserved.
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October Bubbly Club Iowa
Schlossgut Diel
Pinot de Diel Brut
Nahe, Germany
BUBBLY WINE STYLE
This wine is lively, stimulating and rich. It’s the “Ouverture” of their sparkling wine range. It impresses with a playful scent of mint and lime zest with an elegant body and fine perlage. It is pure drinking pleasure and completes the existing “Collection den Diel” almost perfectly.
Varietal: Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Riesling (co-planted and co-fermented)
Analysis: 12% alcohol / volume
Region: Nahe, Germany
Vineyard: Various estate sites
Soil Type: Slate and Quartzite
Production: Gentle whole grape pressing, fermentation and storage in stainless steel tanks, classic bottle fermentation and long aging on the lees.
Drinking Maturity: 1-10 years after disgorgement
Serving Temperature: 46.4ºF – 50ºF
WINEMAKING NOTES:
“The new member of the Collection de Diel is made from white and Pinot Noir grapes, aged in stainless steel tanks and bottled in classic champagne bottles. It is a bottle fermentation par excellence, like all Diel sparkling wines, and sits on the yeast for around 1.5 to 2 years. That’s what makes it so tingling, light as a feather and exhilarating. Let yourself be surprised and, above all, seduced. By the way, it will celebrate its world premiere at our Summer Garden Festival 2022!” – Diel
ABOUT SCHLOSSGUT DIEL WINERY:
Now in their seventh generation of winemaking, Schlossgut Diel is a winery in the Nahe region of Germany, known for their award-winning sparkling wines – considered one of the best in Germany. They live for their wine, taking craftsmanship, precision, joy of discovery and enjoyment in harmony with family and tradition. Caroline Diel is the seventh generation winemaker and first woman at the venerable Schlossgut, having assumed the reigns together with her husband Sylvian Taurisson-Diel in 2019. Learn more here.
Photos and Information © Schlossgut Diel – All Rights Reserved
Learn more about our Bubbly Club >
October Collector’s Wine Club: Iowa
Sean Minor Wines
2021 Sangiacomo
Roberts Road Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast, California
Deep ruby garnet hue with aromas of fresh blueberries, cranberry, dark cherry, violet and forest floor. On entry, the dark fruit characteristics provide a perfectly balanced mouth feel that carries through the mid-palate, creating a rich and lingering finish with delicate spice and hints of vanilla nuances.
Analysis: 14.5% alcohol / volume
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2021
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Closure: Cork
Always Invited: Pizza Night, Dinner Parties & Beach Bonfires
Accolades: 90 Pts. Wine & Spirits Year’s Best US Pinot Noir; 93 Pts. Wine Enthusiast
WINEMAKING NOTES:
“Located at the base of Sonoma Mountain at the far northern edge of the Petaluma Gap, the vineyard stays in the fog until mid-day. This provides an excellent opportunity for a long growing season which allows the grapes to mature slowly and evenly, resulting in extraordinary balance. Single vineyard blend of Dijon 777 and Pommard clones from carefully selected blocks within the vineyard. All grapes are hand-picked at night and early mornings to keep the fruit at optimal temperatures. The fruit is cold-soaked and left to naturally ferment. Once the wine is fermented dry it is racked to barrels for completion of malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged 10 months in 100% French medium toast oak barrels of which 50% are new.” – Sean Minor Wines
ABOUT SEAN MINOR WINES:
Sean Minor Wines was founded in 2005 by Sean and Nicole Minor, husband and wife team, and is still family-owned and operated to this day. Originally named Four Bears Winery, after their four children. Just as children grow, so did we, but their commitment to crafting delicious, affordable wines remains as strong as ever. Learn more about their story here.
Photos and information © Sean Minor Wines – All Rights Reserved.
Premiere Napa Valley
Ghost Block & Markham Vineyards
Auction 21, Lot. No. 2
2015 Red Blend
Napa Valley, California
This sustainably produced wine is a masterpiece by Andrew Hoxsey and Bryan Del Bondio. These good friends are sharing what is now their 9th Premier Napa Valley collaboration from Ghost Block Estate and Markham’s Yountville Estate – situated across from each other on the southern end of the Rutherford bench. Their winemaking teams work their magic with each of the five Bordeaux varieties to highlight the beauty of the 2015 vintage.
Varietal: Noble Red Blend – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec
Grapes: 100% sourced from Napa Green Certified Land or California Certified Organic Farms
Region: Napa Valley
Cases Produced: 20
ABOUT THE WINERY:
Premiere Napa Valley wines tell the stories of the soils, microclimates and remarkable personalities which make up the mosaic of Napa Valley. They represent the quality and innovation for which America’s leading wine region has become known and are among the world’s rarest wines. Learn more here.
Photos, video and information © Premiere Napa Valley – All Rights Reserved.
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Learn more about our quarterly Collectors Club > click here
Giustini Avoglia Primitivo Puglia
Stuffed Aubergine Italian Style
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 small aubergines (eggplants)
- ½ cup stale bread, crumbled
- pinch of oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium clove garlic, minced
- 12 grape tomatoes, washed and diced
- 1 tbsp capers, halved
- a handful of fresh basil, hand-torn
- extra virgin olive oil
- breadcrumbs for topping
DIRECTIONS:
- Wash and slice the eggplants in half lengthwise, leaving the stem intact.
- Using a small knife, cut lengthwise and widthwise in a grid pattern then use a teaspoon to scoop out the aubergine flesh in a medium bowl.
- Drizzle the 8 halves with e.v.o. oil, season with salt and place in a baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F
- Dip the stale bread in water, add 1 Tbsp e.v.o. oil and a pinch of oregano, then crumble it using your hands.
- Add it to the cubed aubergines, together with the minced garlic, the halved capers, the diced tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, 2-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and the hand-torn basil and mix.
- With a table spoon fill the aubergine halves.
- Sprinkle with bread crumbs, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add a basil leaf.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until fork tender and golden top.
© Recipe and Photo courtesy of Sugar Love Spices. All rights reserved.
OCTOBER WINE CLUB:
Tenuta Giustini Winery
Avoglia
Primitivo
Puglia, Italy
BOLD WINE STYLE
Ruby red color with violet hues. On the nose, the wine highlights red berry fruits, blackberry and plum. It is soft and harmonious in taste.
WINE DETAILS:
- Varietal: Primitivo
- Appellation: Puglia IGP
- Analysis: 13.5% alcohol / volume
- Production Area: San Giorgio Ionico (TA), Salento, Puglia
- Vine Training: Bilateral Guyot
- Average Age of Vines: 10-15 years old
- Soil: Medium textured with a good fertility
- Harvest: First 10 days of September
- Vinification: Thermo-controlled maceration and alcoholic fermentation with selected yeasts for about 10 days.
- Aging: In stainless steel tanks
- Serving Recommendation: Savory first courses, red meats and medium-aged cheese
- Serving Temperature: 57.2ºF-60.8ºF
- Longevity: 3 years
ABOUT TENUTA GIUSTINI WINERY:
Tenuta Giustini Wines is lead by Giuseppe Papadopoli together with his sons, Salvatore and Fedrico. Guiseppe is the heart of the company and applies the experience of four generations of growing the highest quality of grapes in his vineyards. Salvatore is a young and passionate enologis with the desire to experiment and extract the best juice from his father’s work. Federico, on the other hand, is the cellar master and running all the daily operations. Giustini is a family-owned winery that is committed to continuous improvement and its passion for wine. The winery is located in San Giorgio, a small village that is part of the Primitivo di Manduria DOC wine region and each family member plays an important role in the winery’s success. Learn more here.
Information & Photos © Tenuta Giustini Winery – All Rights Reserved.
Join our WINE CLUB and enjoy these amazing wines and pairing recipes each month. Plus, you’ll receive 10% off all retail wine purchases!
Giustini Avoglia Fiano Puglia Italy
Creamy Seafood Chowder
INGREDIENTS:
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 stalk celery sliced
- 1 carrot sliced
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and cubed
- ½ cup corn
- 5 cups broth seafood or chicken
- ½ cup white wine
- 8 ounces white fish cut into chunks (cod/salmon/tilapia/haddock)
- 8 ounces scallops
- 12 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined
- 6 ½ ounce chopped clams canned, drained
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon parsley
DIRECTIONS:
-
Cook onion in butter until tender. Add flour, Old Bay® seasoning and thyme and cook 2-3 minutes.
-
Add carrot, celery, potato, corn, broth and wine & bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
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Stir in seafood and cream. Cook until fish is fully cooked and flaky and potatoes are tender, about 8-10 minutes.
-
Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
© Recipe and Photo courtesy of Spend with Pennies. All rights reserved.
OCTOBER WINE CLUB:
Tenuta Giustini Winery
Avoglia
Fiano Puglia IGP
Puglia, Italy
CRISP WINE STYLE
Straw yellow in color with a floral aroma and notes of white pulp fruit. This wine has a fresh and prolonged taste.
WINE DETAILS:
- Varietal: Fiano
- Appellation: Puglia IGP, Italy
- Analysis: 12% alcohol / volume
- Production Area: San Giorgio Ionico (TA), Salento, Puglia
- Vine Training: Bilateral Guyot
- Average Age of Vines: 10-15 years old
- Soil: Medium textured with a good fertility
- Harvest: First 10 days of September
- Vinification: Destemming and soft pressing of the grapes, without any maceration. The alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 60.8ºF.
- Aging: In stainless steel tanks
- Serving Recommendation: Seafood starters, vegetarian dishes, soft cheese
- Serving Temperature: 50ºF-53.6ºF
- Longevity: 2 years
ABOUT TENUTA GIUSTINI WINERY:
Tenuta Giustini Winery is a family-owned winery that is located in San Giorgio, a small village that is part of the Primitivo di Manduria DOC region. For four generations, the Papadopli family has been passing down traditions, experience and passion for wine. Giustini Winery is led by Giuseppe Papadopoli and his sons Salvatore and Federico. Each family member plays an important role in the winery’s success. Learn more here.
Information & Photos © Giustini Wines – All Rights Reserved.
Join our WINE CLUB and enjoy these amazing wines and pairing recipes each month. Plus, you’ll receive 10% off all retail wine purchases!
October Wine Club Pairing Recipe
Mushroom Risotto
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup Aborio rice
- ¼ cup shallots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup white wine
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon parsley
DIRECTIONS:
-
Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a large skillet or frying pan and bring to medium high heat, add shallots and cook until translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Add Arborio rice & mushrooms, stir to coat rice and mushrooms with oil.
-
Increase heat to high, add white wine. Let rice and mushrooms absorb the wine while the wine cooks off (2-4 minutes). Reduce heat back to medium high.
-
Add about half the chicken stock. As the rice absorbs the stock continue adding stock gradually. Stir constantly. *Preferably, your chicken stock is in a sauce pan and warmed for best results and a shorter cooking time.
-
Continue cooking until the rice is almost all the way cooked through, it should be al dente with a firm center (approx. 15-20 min).
-
When rice is cooked, reduce heat to low. Add butter and stir, then gently stir in the Parmesan cheese reserving some for topping the risotto.
© Recipe courtesy of Bake it with Love.
OCTOBER WINE CLUB:
Tenuta Giustini Winery
Avoglia
Susumaniello Puglia IGP
Puglia, Italy
MELLOW WINE STYLE
Ruby red color with violet hues. Fragrant notes of red berried fruit, cherry, raspberry, currant. Fruity and velvety taste.
WINE DETAILS:
- Varietal: Susumaniello
- Appellation: Puglia IGP, Italy
- Analysis: 13% alcohol / volume
- Production Area: San Giorgio Ionico (TA), Salento, Puglia
- Vine Training: Bilateral Guyot
- Average Age of Vines: 10-15 years old
- Soil: Medium textured with a good fertility
- Harvest: Second half of September
- Vinification: Destemming and maceration of the grapes for 6-8 days, alcoholic fermentation with selected yeasts at a controlled temperature of 71.6º-75.2ºF
- Aging: In stainless steel tanks
- Serving Recommendation: Italian style starters, white meat, mushroom risotto
- Serving Temperature: 57.2ºF-60.8ºF
- Longevity: 3 years
ABOUT TENUTA GIUSTINI WINERY:
Tenuta Giustini Winery is a family-owned winery that is committed to continuous improvement and its passion for wine. The winery is located in a unique terroir near the sea and is led by Giuseppe Papadopoli and his sons Salvatore and Federico. Each family member plays an important role in the winery’s success.
In 1991, after spending years handling vineyards for some of the most productive companies in the area, Giuseppe Papadopoli sensed that the Apulian wine market was changing. He decided it was time for his family to take on a new adventure. The purchase of their first hectares marked a turning point, the name of that contrada (district) is Giustini. By careful and manual selection of Negroamaro grapes, they created their first label named Vecchio Sogno (meaning old dream). It was their grandfather’s dream to have his own winery one day. It marks the transition from commodity to brand, from the economics of bulk to the direct relationship with the end consumer. In 2015, Giustini found their winery home in San Giorgio, Italy – a dream come true. Today, they continue their indissoluble connection with their land and the indigenous varieties they cultivate. Giustini’s goal is to preserve the grapes’ characteristics in order to enhance and never distort. Minimum interventions in the vineyard and targeted refinements in the cellar give their wines the aroma and scents of the grapes from which they come to life. Learn more here.
Information & Photo © Giustini Wines – All Rights Reserved.
Join our WINE CLUB and enjoy these amazing wines and pairing recipes each month. Plus, you’ll receive 10% off all retail wine purchases!
September Beer Club: Iowa
Empyrean Brewing Co.
Split Stave
Barrel Aged Weizenbock
Lincoln, Nebraska
Split Stave is a bourbon-barrel-aged Weizenbock flavored with cacao, then blended with a strong Vanilla Cream Ale and brewed with pineapple and cherries. This ice cream-themed treat is meant to be enjoyed year-round. No spoon required.
ABV: 8.6% alcohol / volume
IBU: 18
Style: Bock – Weizenbock
Beer Style at WineStyles: Malty
ABOUT EMPYREAN BREWING CO.:
Empyrean Brewing Co., established in 1990, is a Nebraska-based craft brewery with a rich history of crafting high-quality, innovative beers. With a commitment to community and creativity, they offer a diverse range of flavors, constantly pushing the boundaries of brewing. Their passion for exceptional beer and dedication to their local roots define their identity as a pioneering and dynamic brewery. Learn more about the their story here, and follow them on Untappd.
Photos and information © Empyrean Brewing – All Rights Reserved.
Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple
Belgian Quad
Ertvelde, Belgium
An exceptional quadruple amber. The particular rich and complex taste palette and the full head are also found in the Gulden Graak 9000 Quadruple. The sweet notes of caramel are, however, reserved for the Gulden Draak Classic.
The brewery’s new recipe, based on 4 different mat varieties, gives the Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple a deep golden-amber color and a slightly fruity aroma. Together with the soft and slightly sweet taste, this provides a beautifully rounded bouquet with notes of dried fruit.
This beer is a high fermentation beer with secondary fermentation. For the secondary fermentation use is made of a wine yeast that not only contributes to the unparalleled taste, but also ensures a long-term shelf life with taste evolution.
The legend of the Gulden Draak (gilded dragon) is centuries old. The odyssey of this mystic beast begins in northern Scandinavia on the prow of a Viking ship, and after a long and winding journey, ends at the top of the Ghent Belfry. It has watched over the city for almost 700 years now and is an inextricable part of the Ghent identity: headstrong, unconventional, resolute, powerful and independent. Learn more >
ABV: 10.5% alcohol / volume
IBU: 25
Style: Belgian Quad
Beer Style at WineStyles: Fruity & Spicy
ABOUT BROUWERIJ VAN STEENBERGE:
Brouwerij Van Steenberge, founded in 1784, is a Belgian brewery deeply rooted in tradition and quality. Known for their diverse range of ales, including the renowned “Augustijn” and “Gulden Draak,” they combine centuries-old expertise with modern techniques. Committed to sustainability, the brewery continues to produce exceptional beers while respecting its heritage and the environment. Learn more about the their story here, and follow them on Untappd.
Photos and information © Brouwerij Van Steenberge – All Rights Reserved.
Avery Brewing
Tweak
Barrel Aged Coffee Stout
Boulder, Colorado
Sweet and boozy with caramel notes in the barrel aged goodness.
ABV: 13.1% alcohol / volume
IBU: N/A
Style: Stout – Imperial / Double Coffee
Beer Style at WineStyles: Dark
ABOUT AVERY BREWING:
Avery Brewing Co., established in 1993, is a Colorado-based craft brewery celebrated for its bold and innovative beers. With a fusion of artistry and science, they craft a diverse lineup, including the iconic “White Rascal” and barrel-aged creations. Embracing creativity, sustainability, and community, Avery Brewing continues to push boundaries while staying true to their passion for exceptional beer. Learn more about the their story here, and follow them on Untappd.
Photos and information © Avery Brewing – All Rights Reserved.
Hoppin’ Frog
B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher
Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout
Akron, Ohio
This Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout will crush you like no other! This is the grand-daddy of all stout styles, with an intensely deep roasted and full bodied flavor. A robust hop character adds a refreshing balance.
ABV: 9.4% alcohol / volume
IBU: 60
Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
Beer Style at WineStyles: Dark
ABOUT HOPPIN’ FROG:
Hoppin’ Frog Brewery, founded in 2006, is an Ohio-based brewery known for its commitment to crafting extraordinary beers with uncompromising quality. They offer a wide range of styles, including the popular “B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher” stout, using inventive techniques. Dedicated to flavor and innovation, the brewery has garnered numerous awards and a loyal following for its distinctive and flavorful brews.. Learn more about the team behind the beers here, and follow them on Untappd.
Photos and information © Hoppin’ Frog – All Rights Reserved.
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September Cheese Club: Iowa
Nettle Meadow Artisan Cheese
Fig and Honey Fromage Frais
Thurman, New York
Fromage Frais is a light and fluffy combination of cow’s and goat’s milk. The flavor is fresh, clean and mild – the cow’s milk provides sweetness, while goat’s milk adds a refreshing lemon-y finish. Nettle Meadow’s high quality milk and ingredients are what really makes this an exemplary fresh cheese. Use as a spread on bagels and sandwiches, salads or as a dip for crudités. Likewise, try experimenting with it as a filling for stuffed French toast, crêpes, blintzes, chicken breasts, ravioli, or pierogies.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
For wine, pair this cheese with this month’s Wine Club Heron Hill Riesling. For beer, look for a crisp pilsner.
WINESTYLES: Crisp
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
NETTLE MEADOW ARTISAN CHEESE:
Nettle Meadow Sanctuary Farm is home to over 130 farm sanctuary animals and a cheese company in Thurman, New York. Originally founded in 1990, it is now owned and operated by Lorraine Lambiase and Sheila Flanagan. Today, Nettle Meadow is a dairy farm and cheese company renowned for its exquisite handcrafted cheeses. With a focus on sustainable and humane practices, they specialize in goat and sheep milk creations. Through their passion for quality and environmental responsibility, they have created a diverse range of award-winning cheeses that reflect their commitment to artisanal excellence. Learn more >
Information © Nettle Meadow Artisan Cheese & Zuercher & Co. – All Rights Reserved.
Fromager d’Affinois
Le Fromager
Rhône-Alpes, France
Similar in appearance to a brie cheese, both the white rind and the creamy interior of Le Fromager are milder in flavor. Made by ultra-filtration, a relatively modern process that claims a very high percentage of nutrients and butterfat from the milk during the making of the cheese. The ultra-filtration gives the cheese a silky-satin texture that many connoisseurs really enjoy. In addition, the cheese has a clean, rich and creamy taste. It’s a crowd pleaser for sure!
Best enjoyed when the rind starts to bulge, and the center is oozing with rich, buttery aromas. It matches beautifully with crispy, crunchy Lavosh crackers and a bit of quince paste, or fig, prune and walnut log. Its oozy, spreadable texture will make an awesome grilled cheese indulgence.
PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS:
Bubbles are a must to pair with this cheese. It can be as simple as sparkling water or wine, or go all out with Champagne! It will also pair beautifully with this month’s Riesling as well as any crisp and clean beer.
WINESTYLES: Crisp
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
FROMAGER D’AFFINOIS:
Fromager d’Affinois, originating in France, produces exquisite cheeses using traditional craftsmanship combined with modern techniques. With a commitment to quality, they create soft and creamy varieties like Brie and Camembert. The company’s success is attributed to the collaboration between skilled artisans and local dairy farmers, resulting in a range of delectable cheeses that embody French cheese-making expertise. Learn more >
Information © Fromager d’Affinois and Zuercher & Co. – All Rights Reserved.
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
Heron Hill Winery Eclipse Red
Tangy Tomato Pot Roast
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 medium yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and halved
- 6-8 carrots, peeled and halved if thick or left whole if thinner
- 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 lb. boneless beef roast, inside or outside round, blade or cross-rib works well
- 2 cups tomato sauce, or passata
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs, or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
- freshly ground pepper
To thicken:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
To serve:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
-
For Oven Method: Sear meat in an oven safe pot with lid or Dutch oven. Lift out briefly and place vegetables underneath the roast. Add sauce, cover and place into a 325°F oven for 3-4 hours or until the beef is fall-apart tender.
-
For Slow Cooker: Scatter the prepared potatoes, carrots, and onions in the bottom of a slow cooker.
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On the stove top, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef roast on both sides until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. Place beef on top of vegetables in slow cooker.
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In a medium bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over the roast. Scatter the fresh thyme sprigs over-top.
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Place cover on slow cooker and cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until beef is fall-apart tender.
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Remove roast to a cutting board and cut in to slices. Meanwhile, combine cornstarch with water and stir in to gravy with vegetables and let cook for a few minutes until gravy thickens a bit. Taste gravy and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed. Return meat to slow cooker. Gently stir to coat with gravy. Allow to cook a few minutes to re-warm the meat, then remove all to a large platter or bowl to serve. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley.
© Recipe courtesy of Seasons and Suppers. All rights reserved.
SEPTEMBER WINE CLUB:
Heron Hill Winery
Eclipse Red
Finger Lakes, New York
MELLOW WINE STYLE
This medium ruby colored wine shows the beauty of what the Bordeaux varieties can do around New York State in warm vintages. Medium to full intensity on the nose shows a great combination of black and red fruit with blackberry, cassis and raspberry all made more complex with some herbal mint tones and slight cedar notes. The palate is medium-bodied with refreshing acidity and refined, silky tannins with great length.
WINE DETAILS:
- Varietal: 44% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Appellation: New York – grapes sourced from growers in Finger Lakes and Long Island
- Analysis: 13% alcohol / volume
- pH: 3.69
- Total Acid: 5.85 g/L – 0.585%
- Residual Sugar: 0 – Dry
- Aging: 15 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels
- Malo-Lactic Fermentation: 100%
- Free SO2 at Bottling: 32ppm
- Production: 1312 Cases of 12 Bottles
- Winemaker: Jordan Harris
FOOD PAIRING:
This wine would make a wonderful accompaniment to pot roast with roasted seasonal root vegetables in a tomato base. Also great with those steaks and chickens coming off the grill in summer!
WINEMAKER – JORDAN HARRIS
Jordan Harris is best described by three words: passionate, determined and focused. Jordan has always had an incredible passion for all things food and wine. From his education in culinary arts to studying Enology and Viticulture at The Niagara College of Canada, Jordan’s passion has lead him to many successes. He has achieved numerous awards and accolades for his wines. He placed first at the Inter-Rhone Sommelier Challenge, third at the International Challenge in Avignon, France, and was featured in Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers. Jordan joined the team at Heron Hill in 2020 to be closer to his family and embrace the opportunity to work with cool climate fruit in the Finger Lakes.
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