Windham Wines is so pleased to offer this local wine made from grapes planted and tended by long-time customer-friend, Shabir Kamal. Shabir is married to Hannah Thurber whose family has been farming at Lilac Ridge Farm since 1937. The property is now managed by third-generation farmers, Ross and Amanda Thurber, who converted to organic farming […]
We have a lot of regions and styles to cover in our wine journey together. As I was considering where to head after the February clubs, I was discouraged by some industry articles that pointed to trends in California that are recurring in other wine regions as well, namely, wineries being purchased by nouveau-wealthy people for whom a vineyard is a hobby-investment and the tension between wine industry interests and environmental concerns in developing wine regions. In a somewhat circuitous route, these led me to pay attention to and want to celebrate some really interesting producers from California’s Central Coast region whose fingernails are dirty from work in the vineyards and who are engaging in environmentally sensitive practices in both the vineyard and the cellar.
Looking for a wine to share with your Valentine? Windham Wines has some recommendations! Sparkling Graham Beck, Sparkling Rosé—A perennial WW favorite as cellarmaster Pieter Ferreira continues his quest for “the perfect bubble,” – a small mousse to carry a gentle flavors with elegance. Graham Beck sparkling (Brut) was served both at Nelson Mandela’s and […]
Folk Machine, Pinot Noir, Central Coast, 2013–$19.99 Another wine selected as a customer favorite, from the California garagistes tasting on October 21st. Beautiful dark cherry fruit aromas are complemented by clean, woodsy smells of dried leaves and piney resin. This was one of the first of the new wave of California wines with which we […]
Birichino, Vin Gris, Central Coast, 2013– $15.99 Admittedly, we love rosé. Historically, we have tried to squirrel away a few bottles of rosé at home to enjoy on those evenings when we crave the memories of the warmth of the sun on our skin and light after 5:30 p.m. Mercifully, it has finally become acceptable […]
The “tasting team” at Windham Wines recommends the following wines to welcome companions to your Thanksgiving table. We offer suggestions of sparkling, white, rosé and red, providing you with some color surrounding each wine. As the quintessential “American” holiday, we were particularly attentive to including at least one US wine within each category. Some of […]
In the past 1-2 years, we have been getting some terrific new US wines available to us in Vermont—California producers Arnot-Roberts, Bedrock, Birichino, Broc Cellars, Copain, Dashe Cellars, Donkey and Goat, Forlorn Hope, Porter Creek, and Salinia and, from Oregon, Montebruno. Here, we focus on two new California red wines and one from Oregon. 2012, Birichino, […]
2012 Birichino, Malvasia Bianca, Monterey– $15.99 Though Birichino is a new producer, the winemakers, Alex Krause and John Locke, have been making wine with others for years. Most notably, they spent years with Randall Grahm at Bonny Doon which has strongly influenced their approach to producing wine. According to Alex, we “make wines that we […]