July Wine (and pairings!)

Hello! If you are just picking up the Grape to Table newsletter, thanks so much for joining to learn more about wine, food, and life. There’s lots to read – from my origin story (click here to read) to fun content focused on meaningful time at the table with delicious wine and food. My newsletter is free and you can find all the content by clicking here – basically a little Grape to Table website created by the great folks at Substack. I did realize recently that you only see the various categories of past newsletters if you open this link in a browser (rather than the Substack app). It’s a shame because the categories make it easy to find content you might be interested in…so here are some more embedded links! Click here for Wine Tips. Click here for Recipes. Click here for Q & As. I also now have a real deal website as well: grapetotable.com :) As always I really appreciate when you hit the like button as it helps get the content in front of more people :) and spread the joy of wine and food!

This is my edition of the newsletter where I fill you in on my current wine club offerings and how to sign up, but I think you will enjoy the read even if you have no interest in signing up for the club and/or don’t live in Charleston as it’s a nice little look into wines that I think pair well with this time of the year and the stories behind them AND pairing ideas. Perhaps you can even find these wines at your own local wine shop! I will include the brass tacks about my wine club below in case you are interested in signing up (I do appreciate the support). But feel free to scroll down to my June wine picks if you are just here for the reading!

Wine Club Brass Tacks:

I am honored to host my wine club out of Wine & Company (a bottle shop and wine bar) at 441 Meeting Street, corner of Meeting and Spring, in downtown Charleston, SC. That’s where you will pick up your wine if you sign up. Also keep in mind that wine club makes a great gift for friends/family :) It’s easy for me to set it up for you to just be billed for 2 or 3 or however many months if you want to gift it. And I have a cute certificate for you to give the recipient. Just email me if interested – sarah@grapetotable.com :)

About the wine…this is a wine club that celebrates the magic of wine and food through an exploration of small, family-run wineries and detailed pairing suggestions! I definitely draw heavily from the old world (Europe!) with an occasional new world gem thrown into the mix. All of the wines are sustainably farmed with some producers going the extra mile with organic and biodynamic practices.

The GTT wine club is $70/month for 3 bottles that are available for pick-up on the first of each month. You can choose between my seasonal mix, all white, or all red. But the seasonal mix is the MOST popular option for good reason!!

Most importantly – wine club is a great way to learn about new grape varieties and styles that you might not reach for yourself! If you want to join: sign up is easy and secure by clicking here!

Now about July’s seasonal mix offerings…well needless to say — it’s HOT. But strangely not as hot as the mid-Atlantic?! Fear not: I have the wines to cool you off :)

La Rivolta Bruma Falanghina
Grape: Falanghina
Region: Campania, Italy
Story: The Cotroneo family has been living in the Campania region for several generations. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the grandparents Giovanni and Teresa maintained and cultivated one of the largest agricultural farms in Benevento, which was later divided amongst their eight grandchildren. Paolo Cotroneo joined lands with his brother and launched Fattoria La Rivolta in 1997. They immediately began to organically cultivate the vines, earning certification in 2001. It is now a total family affair that includes two sisters and a cousin! Falanghina is Campania’s signature white grape. Historians believe that Falanghina was introduced to Italy in the 8th century BC. It eventually became THE wine for Roman aristocracy but supposedly not quite how we see it today…it was used to make an unctuous sweet white called Falernian that was cooked with herbs, spices, and sugar! A very interesting history indeed! Its popularity waned over many centuries, and it only experienced a revival in more recent times. And thankfully so!
Pairing: Ok so I have a confession – I bought more cookbooks (haha) … yes I might have a problem! But after writing wine club last month and revisiting some old favorites I could not help but want to buy other books from the same authors. So this pairing is coming atcha from Hettie McKinnon’s new book: Linger. Like all her books it is full of inspiring vegetarian dishes, and while I am not vegetarian I LOVE her ideas!! I might not follow the recipes to a T but often I just get great ideas and pair with a protein of my choice. Case in point, this dish from Linger: Za’atar Potatoes with Cucumbers Feta and Mint…she slices the potatoes and roasts until crispy and then pairs with remaining ingredients for a room temp salad. I love all these flavors, and tis the season for all these ingredients so I am sold! I believe that this Chenin Blanc - esque wine with its fleshy, peachy qualities (and backbone of minerality) will work great with this dish and some pan roasted local fish or shrimp if you prefer! Btw, I have sourced Za’atar from several sources, but I think Burlap & Barrel is my fave!

Domaine de Fenouillet Rosé
Grapes: Cinsault & Syrah
Region: Southern Rhone, France
Story: This is the project of two brothers, Patrick and Vincent Soard, in the Southern Rhône village of Beaumes de Venise. They trace their winemaking roots back to their great-grandfather, but for years grapes were sold to the local co-op. They revitalized their cellar and began bottling their own wine in the late 1980s. Their wines are all outstanding – from red blends to this rosé to their vin doux naturel (a famed dessert wine of the region).
Pairing: Another new cookbook I treated myself to is À Table by Rebekah Pepler. I have touted her newer book Le Sud often in my wine club pairings so I figured why not have her complete collection! À Table brings the same vibe but with a general French focus (rather than honing in on the south like Le Sud). I have to say I love them both equally for their witty writing, beautiful food photography, and lovely recipes. Plus she has terrific cocktail ideas focused on Vermouth! Back to the point…to go with this classic French rosé (dry, pretty, refreshing), I propose a spread of Pepler’s nibbles: French Shrimp Cocktail (serve with remoulade instead of cocktail sauce), Roasted Lemons and Olives, Creme Fraiche Dip (think grownup French Onion dip), and Eggs Mayo with Persillade (basically think hard boiled eggs topped with homemade mayo and persillade, which is essentially pesto with no cheese). And voila you are in France for the afternoon/evening!Pullus Pinot Noir
Grape: Pinot Noir
Region: Štajerska, Slovenia
Story: The winery behind Pullus, Ptujska Klet, is in fact the oldest winery in Slovenia and dates back to 1239. Sadly, in more recent times Slovenia fell under communist rule, and wine quality plummeted. Thankfully, the country is now experiencing a renaissance under democratic rule and with a renewed passion for independent winemaking. The new chapter for Pullus began in 2021 when three employees and close friends—Tine Kek, Maks Kadivec (Head Winemaker), and the late visionary Vinko Mandl — purchased the company and brought Ptujska Klet back into the hands of independent ownership and three local families with a shared commitment to authenticity, regional pride, and quality.
Pairing: I really cannot say enough good things about the whole lineup of Pullus wines, but this Pinot is immensely drinkable! Back to Hettie’s book Linger, the Roasted Carrot Salad with Agrodolce caught my eye, but I vote for subbing eggplant as there is never a shortage of eggplant in our southern summers! And it’s nice to have something that’s somewhat like Caponata (similar flavors) yet different! I am thinking of pan roasted wild salmon as a protein (regular readers know how much I love wild salmon and Pinot Noir!). (Also, I love her take on agrodolce. Some folks keep this sweet-sour sauce super basic, but she sautes onion and garlic in olive oil, then adds red wine vinegar, sugar, raisins, and capers! Honestly it would be delish on so many things!)

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