News Blog

Thoughts on Spring from Windham Wines

| Thoughts
Crabapple May 2021

As the leaves unfurl and the grass greens to color our hills and mountains the hue that gives Vermont its name, we have much for which to be grateful. Summer 2021 promises to bring physical reunions with family and friends. That is cause for celebration– and we have some celebratory wines to enhance your festive mood. As always, we have been tasting and have more recommendations below, including rosés. We also have our final two virtual tastings of the winter-spring tasting season before we take our summer break.

Rose and Sparkling Wine Picks from Windham Wines

| Picks

Celebrate being social again — now we can open sparkling wines because we can share a bottle with friends!

Cerro la Barca, Ancestral, Extramadura, 2018: $17, organic — We’ve recommended this before and we still find it consistently delicious. Made from a blend of red (Cabernet Sauvignon) and white (Xarel-lo, Macabeu) grapes, hand-harvested, fermented with wild yeasts, a single fermentation that finishes in the bottle (Methode Ancestrale aka Petillant Naturale

Wine Recommendations for Mud Season

| Picks

Here are a few more wine recommendations to get you through Vermont mud season. Check out our recent 25 for under $25 article for even more selections (see link below).

Town Meeting Day + Sugaring + Mud Season = Spring is en route to Vermont

| Thoughts
Postal Service Truck Mud Season

The snow has mostly melted, the sap is flowing and our roads are erupting or imploding. Spring is imminent. Just to underscore that eventuality, a quintet of red-winged black birds came by the feeders earlier this week. Welcome back harbingers of spring! But all of you humans who migrated somewhere south, you know better than to return during mud season.

Wines to Celebrate Black History Month

| Thoughts
McBride Sisters

February is Black History Month. We’ve included two wines among our recommendations that are made by black winemakers. The McBride Sisters genesis includes a wild story about two half-sisters, one raised in California, the other in New Zealand, who did not know the other existed. Finally at ages 16 and 25, they met. It’s worth a listen. Mouton Noir is a winery started by André Mack, who began his career at Citicorp Investment Services, then followed his wine passion to become a sommelier, including at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry before being tapped to be head sommelier at Per Se.

New Partner: Agricola Farm, Vermont

| Tastings
Agricola Farm

We will be partnering with Agricola Vermont for our virtual tasting with Alto Piemonte producer Gilberto Boniperti. Alessandra Rellini and Stefano Pinna, natives of Lombardy and Piemonte respectively, farm privileging soil health and animal welfare to produce traditional, authentic Italian products. They champion “intensive rotational grazing” that they maintain “favors the consumption of grass and legumes at their sweetest point, and the constant movement of muscles allows for healthier animals and more flavorful and healthy meat.”

Windham Wines Picks for Black History Month

| Picks
McBride Sisters

In honor of Black History Month, we’ve included two wines from black winemakers: the McBride Sisters’ Sauvignon Blanc and Andre Mack’s Mouton Noir (“Horseshoes and Handgrenades”). Enjoy!

25 Under $25 for Winter 2021

| New Arrivals, Picks

Here are 25 wines under $25 to keep you warm and convivial in Winter 2021, starting with white wines.

Durigutti, Cara Sucia, “Legitimo, Blanco, Mendoza, 2019:  $15, organic

Palomino, Pedro Ximenez, Ugniblanc, Chenin, Moscatel Amarillo, Sauvignonasse from an 80-year-old vineyard, organically farmed.