Let’s Talk About the ‘Art on the Vine’ Wine
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Let’s Talk About the ‘Art on the Vine’ Wine

 

Art on the Vine wines
Some of the 2018 Art on the Vine wines

Art on the Vine, our auction of faculty artwork and wine tasting, is this Friday. Auction artwork continues to pour in from our generous and talented faculty, which you can check out here. But, let’s take a minute to talk about the wine.

Wine tasting events in the summer are as ubiquitous as barbeques and beach days, which is fine by us.

But, Art on the Vine is different.

Well Crafted Beverage, an importer of unique and estate driven wines into the US, has curated a selection of wines from around the world for our Art on the Vine event. They specialize in importing artisan, biodynamic, and organic wines. The wines come from small artisanal vineyards, accompanied by fascinating stories and personalities. “We travel to source our own wines with the hope of bringing a face and a story to the wine world here in the States.”

“The selected wines are hard-to-find, made by artisan producers, and mirror and pair with the art on display for the evening.” —Tony Acampora, Sommelier for Art on the Vine

Tony Acampora pouring wine at our 2017 Art on the Vine
Tony Acampora of Well Crafted Beverage at our 2017 Art on the Vine

The 10 wines – three red, three white, three sparklers, one sweet – take the palette palate on a journey from light to bold. Here are Acampora’s selections for the evening:

Signat Brut Rose Cava of Pinot Noir and Grenache. Catalonia, Spain:
In the beautiful hills that surround Barcelona, Cava is the traditional Sparkling Wine made in the Champagne Methode. The Signat Brut Rose is a blend of Pinot Noir and Grenache. The color is obtained from a brief maceration of the must with the skins. After fermentation, the wine is aged on the lees for 15-20 months. The Signat Brut Rose has a gorgeous cranberry red color in the glass. On the palate, it is fruity, but dry and perfectly rounded. The fine bubbles lead to an elegant, crisp finish.
Pairs well with: fresh fruits, salads, grilled fish, turkey and fish.

Antonio Facchin Rosato of Raboso di Piave. Veneto, Italy:
A fourth generation winery and still all in the family, the team at Antonio Facchin make traditional Italian wines seldom seen in the international wine marketplace. The grape Raboso is a local delicacy. A perfect hors d’oeuvres wine, this wine is elegant and light with subtle notes of raspberries and cream.
Pairs well with: cheese and charcuterie, fresh fruit.

Costers del Sio Petit Sios Blanco of Viognier, Chardonnay and Muscat 2017. Catalonia, Spain:
Costers Del Sio produce inspiring and unique wines, often using blends not considered by less creative wine makers. This is a Viognier lovers Viognier as it drinks with fresh minerality and floral lift but also has a round and persistent body due to the blend with the Chardonnay grape.
Pairs well with: spicy cuisine, white fish.

Artwork recommendation: While viewing Bryan Jernigan’s Balance of Spring, imagine that you’re standing in the beautiful, rolling hills of northeast Spain, sipping this fresh, floral white wine.

Bryan Jernigan's Balance of Spring
Bryan Jernigan’s Balance of Spring

Rivers Edge Pinot Gris 2016. Elkton, Oregon:
Located on the edge of the Umpqua River in Oregon, River’s Edge Winery produces very limited releases of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The wine has a fruit forward nose of pear, a focused lemon/lime flavor on the palate, and refreshing acidity on the finish. This wine was made in a traditional Alsatian style, having been aged in old oak barrels for seven months.
Pairs well with: spicy cuisine, poultry or pork dishes, blue cheese.

Alfaro Family Vineyards and Winery Estate Chardonnay 2016. Santa Cruz Mountains, California:
Richard Alfaro produces some of the best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in California but is still under the radar in the east coast due to his small production. His Estate Chardonnay is perfectly balanced between fruit, acidity, and body. Using mainly old French oak barrels, this wine is fresh and crisp but also has spiced vanilla and apple pie notes.
Paris well with: creamy pastas, pork tenderloin, grilled fish.

Artwork recommendation: The golden colors in Delna Dastur’s Estuary pair well while sipping this crisp California Chardonnay.

Delna Dastur's Estuary
Delna Dastur’s Estuary

Quinta Picouto de Cima Vinho Verde of Espadeiro. 2017. Vinho Verde, Portugal:
An often misunderstood wine region, Vinho Verde is host to some of Portugal’s oldest wine sites. Quinta Picouto de Cima is located in a UNESCO heritage site and they produce traditional Vinho Verde that is much more refined and elegant than the more fruity versions we see in the grocery stores here. This wine has beautiful minerality and salinity, reminding us of the ocean nearby. It’s the perfect summer wine.
Pairs well with: ceviche, fresh fish, shellfish, and fresh fruits.

Crosarola Valpolicella Ripasso of Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella. 2015. Veneto, Italy:
Crosarola is a small winery just outside of Verona. Often referred to as a “Baby Amarone,” this Ripasso Valpolicella is made in an ultra traditional style blending Valpolicella wine with reserved grape skins from the production of Amarone wine where the grapes are left to dry and raisin in the sun. The result is a stunning, elegant red wine with generous fruit and a medium to full bodied structure.
Pairs well with: cheese and charcuterie, pasta, grilled meats.

Remhoogte Estate Chronicle Cape Blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinotage. 2015. Stellenbosch, South Africa:
The Remhoogte Estate dates back to the 1800’s and currently boasts some of the Western Cape’s finest wines. As with the majority of the wines chosen for Art on the Vine, this is winery is also a small family farm.

Just as wine drinkers refer to Bordeaux Blends or Rhone Blends, many wine makers in South Africa have taken pride in coining the term “Cape Blend” as the wines include the indigenous Pinotage grape.

The Chronicle is meant to be a reflection of the wine farm in its entirety, showcasing all of the red grapes of the farm and only using the best rows of those particular vineyards. The wine has spiced red fruit upon entry with a full mid palate. Firm refined tannins lead into a finish that smacks of dark chocolate.
Pairs well with: grilled meats, heartier dishes, stews, cigars.

Avarizza Reserve Malbec 2015. Mendoza, Argentina:
While we are used to all kinds of mass-produced Malbecs flooding into the American marketplace from Argentina, it is easy often to lose sight of what makes Argentine Malbec so special. This Reserve wine from Avarizza reminds us of what great Mendoza Malbec should be. Plush and smooth with a deep, dark chocolate color this wine is full of silky tannins and black currant fruit.
Pairs well with: grilled meats, chocolate. 

Cantine Bonelli Bonarda Amabile 2017. Emilia Romagna, Italy:
Cantine Bonelli produce very traditional, regional wines in Emilia Romagna known as “Amabile” or “lovable” wines. The wine is red but has a slight effervescence and is ever so slightly off dry.
This is the perfect after dinner palate cleanser and is a perfect fit as well for pizza.

Artwork recommendation: While viewing Teresa Oaxaca’s Cornucopia, sip on this surprising, fun, and slightly effervescent red wine.

Teresa Oaxaca's Cornucopia
Teresa Oaxaca’s Cornucopia

Ready to taste these wines for yourself?

Get your tickets to Art on the Vine, Friday, June 8, 7:30–10:30 pm in the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

 

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