Wine With Wanda

Sip This: Hey French is a Fine Italian Wine That Will Make You Giggle!

I jokingly call the Pasqua brothers the “Bad Boys of Verona." In reality, Alessandro and Riccardo are absolute gentlemen, but they do love to shake things up. Many people in the wine world talk about experimentation and innovation, but the Pasquas actually do it. Their cheekily named wine, Hey French, You Could Have Made This But You Didn’t ($40), is a perfect example of their wicked sense of humor and commitment to crafting fine wine. 

A blend of mostly Garganega, rounded out with Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon, Hey French is a multi-vintage wine and combines 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017 – considered the four best vintages of the last decade. The grapes were sourced from the easternmost section of Soave Classico, on the Veronese side of Monte Calvarina. 

You can taste the influence of the rich volcanic soils in this beautifully textured vino. This is no wimpy white wine. Hey French has vibrant flavors of golden apple, quince, lemon zest, chamomile, and a hint of tropical fruit and almond. A touch of salinity really brings the fruit flavors alive and the minerality is tangible. The finish is delightfully long. 

Wondering about the vinification? According to Pasqua, “For each year selected, the vinification of white grapes takes place with maceration on the skins for about 10 hours. Later, alcoholic fermentation is activated with selected yeasts at low temperatures. A partial malolactic fermentation follows with approximately 10% of the product in barriques. The process continues with aging in second-use wood for about 6 months. Then the wine is placed in steel tanks for further refinement.”

Hey French is a cheeky tribute to the French winemakers and regions that inspire the Pasqua brothers. The quirky label was created by French-Cuban artist CB Hoyo. How do the French feel about Hey French? Alessandro Pasqua said, “Luckily, there are many who enjoy a good joke! The first account to take this wine was a Michelin-starred French restaurant!”

I love a creative and beautifully crafted wine with a sense of humor, and Hey French is a winner. The photo of yours truly with the Pasqua brothers is from 2019. Looking forward to tasting again with them one day! 

The Secret's in the Soil: A Tasting of Limestone and Volcanic Riesling from Alsace

When that Riesling feeling hits, no other sip will do. I recently opened a beautiful bottle produced by a 9th generation family winery in Alsace: Domaine Sipp Mack Riesling Grand Cru Rosacker 2015 ($49). Located in the northeast of France, Alsace is one of the world’s most geologically diverse wine regions. 13 distinct soil types have been identified in Alsace and each imparts a distinct fingerprint on the flavor of the wines. The grapes for Domaine Sipp Mack Riesling grew in limestone soil, which imbues the wines with vibrant lemony flavors and snappy minerality. This is a dry Riesling but the fruit sings. In addition to Meyer lemon, I taste white peach, a hint of honeycomb, and a kiss of salinity. 

My adventures in Riesling from Alsace continued with Wolfberger Riesling Grand Cru Rangen 2016 ($57). Rangen is Alsace's southernmost Grand Cru and the only one located on volcanic soils. Rangen’s mineral-rich soils enrich the grapes with an elegant intensity. Rangen means slope in Old German and some of the vineyards are so steep that they are harvested by rappelling down. Wolfberger Riesling Grand Cru is a more muscular, yet very refined, dry Riesling with power, tension, and the bold minerality one expects from volcanic soils. Flavors of preserved lemon, grapefruit, and pear mesh nicely with hints of savory herbs and soft mint. This a Riesling that will age beautifully!

 

 

Stay Safe, Sip Well: Sparkling Wines for Trying Times

2021 has finally arrived, and it’s a new year like no other. Let’s face it; the world remains in turmoil, and people are suffering. I’m approaching this new chapter with cautious optimism, and I look forward to the day that we can hug, travel, and spend time together again. These long months of social distancing have not been easy, but time at home has also been a blessing. Time to read, relax, and just be still. Time to really think about my life and the people in it. Long phone chats and Zoom happy hours have strengthened my relationships with the most important people in my life. There’s no event to rush off to, no plane to catch. There’s time now.

Time at home has also changed my relationship with wine. As a wine writer, most of my professional tasting experiences revolved around a rollercoaster of wine events. It had become entirely normal to attend several tastings a week, sometimes 3-4 events a day. It was exhilarating and exhausting. Now that I taste wine at home, I don’t feel rushed. I do miss the camaraderie, but drinking at my own pace has improved my tasting skills. The best wines often need time to evolve in the glass, and being able to take that journey of taste from the comfort of my sofa, has reminded me why I love wine so much.

More than anything, I’ve learned not to wait for a special occasion to open a beautiful bottle of wine. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? And the right wine can add a bit of magic to a long day at home. I know that we just wrapped up the holiday season, and many bottles of bubbly were popped on New Year’s Eve. But why wait? I’m a big fan of sparkling wine and pop open a bottle at least twice a week. I may be wearing black yoga pants instead of a little black dress, but bubbly adds a touch of glamour to takeout and Netflix.

I’m such a fan of sparkling wine that I recently moderated a panel, New York Bubblies for New Year’s Eve, for the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. It featured sparkling wines from five great New York producers: Buttonwood Grove Winery, Channing Daughters Winery, Damiani Wine Cellars, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard/Standing Stone Vineyards, and Lakewood Vineyards. When it comes to sparkling wine, NY really does have it all: Pét-Nat, traditional method, local hybrid grapes and international varieties. Click here to learn more and watch the tasting. 

I’ve also had the pleasure of sipping some fantastic Champagnes over the past few months. If you’re looking to treat yourself, I highly recommend sips from Champagne Ayala, Champagne Leclerc Briant, and Champagne Lanson. Stay safe and drink well!