These New England wines are perfect for holiday parties—or last-minute gifts
For your friends. Or your family. Or yourself.
It’s wine season, baby – and we’re here to make it easy on you.
We spoke to Wes Narron, the chief wine ambassador (his actual job title) of City Wine Tours, to get the lowdown on New England wines and learn about some of his favorites in Massachusetts.
What we learned: Mass. is home to 25 different wineries, but it’s certainly no California. Narron pointed out that many wineries are set up and pitched to the tourist trade—wines in Mass. are made of fruits such as strawberries and blueberries rather than grapes. In fact, only six or seven wineries around Mass. make the types of wine comparable to those made in California or Oregon, according to Narron. The short growing season and the not-quite-warm-enough temperatures don’t make for hospitable conditions. Luckily, wineries in our state overcome the hurdles and make stuff worth sippin’ on during holiday parties. Here are five of Mass.’s winners.
Wesport Rivers Winery, 2006 Westport Brut RJR
This sparkling wine has been served in three White Houses, meaning it’s made its mark beyond New England. It’s also a decision both Republicans and Democrats can agree on. Narron described the sparkler as a “true vintage French champagne’’ rich with flavors reminiscent of toast, peach marmalade, and candied lemon curd, and has a light-to-medium body. Pair a glass of Brut RJR with any sort of egg or sushi (unlikely but still delicious holiday dishes).
Turtle Creek Winery, 2014 Estate Chardonnay
Winery owner and winemaker Kip Kumler is very serious about making good vino. Kumler appreciates his craft and gives off the “stay off my lawn’’ vibe—he doesn’t have a tasting room or visitor center, leaving no opportunity of tour buses showing up. Point is: Mr. Kumler’s wine is damn tasty. This specific wine is a white burgundy style unoaked chardonnay. It lacks a cream or buttery essence so one can savor the fresh, fruity apple and citrus flavors. “Estate’’ means the winemaker grew the dang grapes themselves at the winery (many Mass. winemakers purchase grapes from west coast vineyards). Pair the 2014 Estate Chardonnay with a turkey dish and/or goat cheese.
Running Brook Vineyards, 2014 Pinot Noir
Similar to a smooth Oregon pinot noir, the Running Brook 2014 is a light and lively red wine with a hint of spiciness and earth (hence the Oregonian similarity) plus a touch of strawberry. Narron commends the winemakers at Running Brook, a couple of Portuguese men, for taking on the task of growing pinot noir grapes, the most notoriously difficult grape to grow due to the constant attention and special conditions required. Since the body is not heavy, this pinot won’t overpower your meal—it’s best paired with ham and/or turkey, classic Christmas feast foods.
Nantucket Vineyard, 2014 Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is like pinot grigio, but more elegant, considering it comes from the same family as pinot grigio. Made right in Nantucket, the 2014 Pinot Gris mixes sweet apple and pear flavors with hints of ripe plums and preserved peaches. Pair a glass with a seafood platter or pasta with a creamy base aka the perfect choice of wine for an Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Still River Winery, Apfel Eis/Apple Ice wine
Narron said if you’re going to try a wine in Mass. not made from grapes, try Still River’s apple ice wine. It’s crisp, has a golden full body flavor, exudes a fresh apple aroma, and has no added sugar. The Apfel Eis truly can’t be more homegrown because aside from being made in a local winery, it’s fermented from a blend of 80 different Mass. apples. Typically, ice wines are produced from frozen grapes left on the vine to frost, which intensifies the sugar content, but winemakers at Still River took advantage of our state’s notoriously good apples. Enjoy a glass alone, with nuts, or served along with dessert (but you don’t want it to be more candied than the sweet served).
City Wine Tours holds two-hour wine tours in the North End, the South End, Back Bay, and Harvard Square. Each tour visits three restaurants, and tastes two wines and an appetizer at each restaurants. The walk between one eatery to the other lasts no more than five to 10 minutes.
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