The holiday season is upon us and with so many things to cross off your list, let’s tackle the most important item first: What are you drinking on Thanksgiving?!? Traditionalists will reach for the colorfully labeled Beaujolais at the end of the aisle but long gone are the days when Georges Duboeuf was the only producer in the Nouveau Wine world. Thankfully there are several local winemakers injecting new life into the fresh and funky style of wine that pairs so beautifully with turkey and sweet potatoes!
There is something to be said for the purity of Nouveau wines; always the first to be released in a new vintage and a sneak peak of the greatness resting in bottle before release in the years ahead. Carbonic maceration is the foundation of this winemaking style. Without destemming or crushing the grape clusters, they are allowed to begin fermentation naturally and undergo a gentle extraction of delicate color and soft tannins. Candied fruit aromas, refreshing acidity, and moderate to low alcohol levels combine for an incredibly food-friendly wine. After all, in a day usually filled with grazing while enjoying a parade or a football game leading up to an all-out eating event, it is nice to enjoy something light-bodied and lighthearted alongside a lovingly prepared meal. Michael Cruse is one such producer embracing the traditional technique and I am so happy to offer his limited-production Valdiguié 'Nouveau' to you today!
Michael Cruse was born and raised in Northern California and prides himself on producing wines that are unabashedly Californian. Michael came to the wine business through his love of science. His moment of enlightenment was attending a lecture at Cal Berkeley by none other than Terry Leighton of Kalin Cellars! This eventually led Michael to several different winery positions in order to really learn the basics. After several years of working for others, Michael felt the pull to stand out on his own and to create wines that reflected his vision and admiration for California. Michael set forth with a few partners to set up shop in an industrial warehouse in Petaluma where he built a custom crush facility and launched his Champagne-inspired sparkling wine project, Ultramarine, in 2008. Today, his portfolio spans still and sparkling production and his wines are coveted by restaurants and connoisseurs across the nation. This refreshing take on Valdiguié will delight with any meal; pairs with oyster stuffing, roasted brussels sprouts, squash gratin, and crispy tofu!
The Valdiguié is sourced from a vineyard just outside of Napa in the Suisun Valley. This relatively cool, hillside site produces a light, fruity Valdiguié. The clusters were left whole and underwent nine days of carbonic maceration before being gently pressed into small oak barrels. After thirty days the wine was transferred to a stainless steel tank before bottling. Bright ruby red in color, the nose is serious and wild. Crushed raspberries, roses, wet earth and tar dominate the palate with just a hint of marshmallow candy (think circus peanuts!), the signature of any 100% carbonic wine.
