The best part about Easter is that no matter when it actually falls on the calendar, it beckons and embraces Spring. It is a time to open the windows, set your table with bright colors, and pull the gang out of hibernation for a festive get-together. The wines you choose, naturally, must rise to this occasion; they must meet their match and over-deliver on the fresh and delight-ing scale! If you choose to serve the "traditional" Easter Ham, leg of Lamb, Sunday brunch, or none of the above - we have the answer for both a red and white selection. In fact, these two slam-dunk wines out do them all - and not just on a 'normal' assessment scale either (read: bouquet, flavor, and texture). Oh, no. The best part is that these wines are virtually unknown entities. Your guests (or your host and their guests) will simply be left to sip and enjoy a serious Ah-ha! sample, likely interrupting all other conversation with their delighted revelation and subsequent inquiries about what magic could possibly be before them. Here we go!
Verus Dry Furmint ~ Slovenia
A guest at a recent Pour Favor tasting said that he is more "judgmental" of whites than reds - for him they have a greater risk of disappointment and need to offer something particularly intriguing on the nose to capture his interest and then follow through on the palate. While our own team can agree or disagree with such sentiment, the point is very well taken. This is not an uncommon feeling. Fortunately we have the remedy this Easter: the Verus Dry Furmint will get you fully on board the white wine bandwagon - or absolutely blow you away, if you are already a white wine aficionado!
Here was our play-by-play reaction during our last encounter with this gorgeous, expressive wine:
A touch of smokey petrol leads way to chalk and talc, clean earth - wow, like spring rain on gravel; kind of ocean-spray minerality; no - it's the aftermath of a monsoon! Fresh rain and wet earth, stones and cut grass - and that's just the nose! [Insert Taste...] Wow, the palate is just as bright - I'm getting white peach and a kiwi note with a lot of mouthwatering Granny Smith apple; but all of the dimension from the nose is playing out, too. And, nice, the finish has a really great bite of scallion, too."
And those, friend, are the notes of a woman in love! Such complexity, freshness and familiar notes are more rare than they are regular (good news/bad). Generally speaking, this extraordinary dry white sets a very high bar; but the acidity, weight and dynamic flavor composition are just what we're looking for when it comes time to gather friends for a meal - and in this case, are the makings for a fabulous springtime Easter fest!
Of course, don't get distracted - remember we also promised you lesser-known finds for this great feast... so note that this white takes you to Slovenia! Arguably the only reason the world doesn't yet know Slovenian wines is political. They have, however, been making wines there since before the Romans even got a whiff of the idea. Exploring the Verus Dry Furmint is both a wine lover's and a nature lover's dream. Enjoy!
Domaine Skouras Aghiorgitiko ~ Peloponese
While great white wines (clearly) more than just tickle our fancy, there are equally great reds to behold! And we believe every good host should offer both a "House White" and a "House Red" selection for all to explore at any given meal, let alone a feast. As such, we take you and your guests next to another historic producing region: Peloponese, Greece!
Here Aghiorgitiko (Eye-Oh-Reet-EeK-O (say it fast)) is the flagship red varietal - and Skouras makes a charming, yet enjoyably complex example. An oh-so-slightly lighter-bodied red wine, St. George (aka Aghiorgitiko) wines can deliver a subtle, Old World earthy twist on the more familiar. Skouras respects and nurses this natural tendency, gingerly oaking the wine simply to add texture, and not to detract from the red fruits and other nuances therein. Yes, this is a wine that easily reminds the palate of the incredible, French Pinot Noirs hailing from Burgundy. Subtle herbs and dried earth notes glide across the palate in a smooth, sultry rush of flavor. Incredibly versatile, this is a wine that just gets started at Easter, but will consistently impress and delight you through Thanksgiving!
It's just too fun to get back on the swing set, kick your legs up in the air and take a ride down the slide. Our sandbox is your sandbox! Embrace this opportunity to out do them all. Cheers!