Happy New Year!
I hope everyone is looking forward to the year ahead. It is also a time to look back over the past year and savor special moments. Perhaps it was food and wine shared with friends, a memorable trip, or a big celebration.
In this January 2025 issue of Bottle Talk, I am looking back and sharing four wines that I especially enjoyed in 2024 and recommend.
- Sparkling Wine Recommendation
- White Wine Recommendation
- Red Wine Recommendation #1
- Red Wine Recommendation #2
Conte Vistarino, Tenuta Di Rocca de Giorgi, Pinot Nero, Brut Rose Sparkling, Italy, Alc. 12.5%
Conte Vistarino is a 2041-acre wine producer based in the Oltrepò Pavese region of Lombardy. In 1850, Count Augusto Giorgi di Vistarino was the first person to plant Pinot Noir in the area by importing the shoots directly from France and, thus, giving rise to this region’s tremendous sparkling wine tradition.
Count Giorgi di Vistarino, son of Augusto, continued the legacy, always aiming for excellence. Today, his niece, Ottavia Giorgi di Vistarino, carries on this legacy of leading the family business. Approximately 346 acres are devoted to cultivating Pinot Noir for the estate’s signature Traditional Method sparkling wine.
I drank this wine all summer, captivated by its sensual softness, good acidity, and fresh red fruit flavors. In the glass, it’s a pale pink with fine and persistent bubbles and an aroma and palate of red raspberry, wild strawberry, and white peach. It has an enveloping and well-balanced finish. This wine is great alone or pairs well with mushrooms, aged cheeses, and BBQ. It may only be found in fine wine shops and might have to be specially ordered.
These four wines were amongst my favorites in 2024.
Nino Negri, Ca’Brione Alpi Retiche di Sondrio 2022, Lombardy, Italy, Alc. 13%
Like the previous one, another of my favorite wines is from the Italian region of Lombardy. Ca’Brione is an alpine white wine created by the producer in 1986. This white wine is a blend of four grapes, including the red great varietal Nebbiolo (10%) along with 30 % each of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Incrocio Manzoni, a native grape to the region.
The soil’s geological origins go back to when the African and European plates collided, forming the Alps. This resulted in various soil types, which lend minerality and elegance to this wine. The wine has a golden straw hue with pear, apple, and white peach aroma. The palate is the same with a hint of citrus, a medium to full body with a bit of weightiness and structure in the mouth, and a pleasant long finish. It pairs well with cured meats, hard and mature cheeses, and creamy pasta dishes.
Panther Ridge Pinot Noir, 2021 Petaluma Gap, California, Alc. 14.1%
I was in Sonoma in June of this year and had the opportunity to visit this amazing vineyard perched on a mountain hillside in the Petaluma Gap AVA of California. Founder and owner Suzanne Farver was our host, and she welcomed my husband Ron and me with a glass of her delicious Pinot Noir Rose wine (see last issue of Bottle Talk for details).
We enjoyed sipping the refreshingly crisp, fruity beverage on that hot Californian afternoon. But it was the two hours we spent getting to know Suzanne and her yummy red Pinot Noir while gazing over vines from the picture window at the back of her house that made the visit memorable and unique.
Suzanne oversees every aspect of her wine production and hires experts where needed. Panther Ridge Pinot is made from certified organic grapes farmed biodynamically and harvested by hand. The 2021 Pinot Noir has aromas of fresh cut red roses, black cherry, and hints of cinnamon spice. It is structured with an intense and elegant palate of blackberry and cherry, dark chocolate, black tea, and a wealth of rich yet soft tannin before a long finish.
You can order it directly from the Panther Ridge Vineyard website. We had a mixed case of Panther Ridge wine shipped home, and we think about that lovely afternoon with Suzanne whenever we drink a bottle.
La Cartuja Llicorella, Priorat (Catalonia), 2021, DOC. Alc.14.5%
I discovered this wine one afternoon while shopping for a wine to pour at a Spanish-themed wine tasting. I needed something besides the Rioja Tempranillo grape-based wines I planned to pour. Upon tasting this wine at home, I was immediately enamored with its juicy red fruit and full body, and soon it was a house staple.
Priorat is just south of Penedes and Barcelona. During medieval times, “La Cartuja” was the name given to a large area of today’s Catalonia region governed by the Carthusian monks. These monks were responsible for much of the region’s agrarian development, including viticulture.
Priorat has the status of Denomination de Origen Calificada, the highest tier of quality in the Spanish appellation system. La Cartuja stands out from other regional wines for its approachable character, moderate alcohol, and soft tannins. The wine blends two grape varietals, 70% Garnacha and 30% Mazuelo (Cariñena), and has an earthy and leathery aroma with blackberry and fig notes. The palate is rich, intense, and powerful with dried fruit, herbs, and juicy black and red fruit flavors. Bold tannins smooth out in the long finish. Cartuja pairs well with roast pork, pizza, and grilled lamb.
