Wine Wednesday | December 25th, 2024

Selected by Raymond Brown

Producer: Finca Suarez
Year: 2021
Varietal: Chardonnay
Price: $23.99

Color: Gold
Location: Argentina, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Altamira
Additional tags: Organic, Biodynamic

Tasting notes: Fresh, ripe stone fruits with perfect acidity. Notes of citrus and well-balanced minerality.
Nose: Delicate apple, peach, and a ‘wet-stone’ note that brings balance.
Food pairing: Whole slow-roasted chicken.

What makes this wine special?
Unbelievable Chardonnay that holds its own against some of the best Chablis, at a fraction of the price.”

Selected by José Valverde

Producer: Vadio "Perpetuum Espumante"
Year: NV
Varietal: 60% Bical; 30% Baga; 10% Cercial
Price: $28.96

Color: White Sparkling
Location: Bairrada, Portugal
Additional tags: Sparkling

Tasting notes: On the palate, the wine is creamy and rich, with well-balanced acidity and a profound depth of flavor.
Nose: The wine's aroma boasts remarkable complexity and elegance, a result of its aging in Solera. It is characterized by dried fruits, hints of candied fruit, and a subtle saline quality.
Food pairing: It pairs great with charcuterie, aged cheeses (such as Manchego or Brie), and grilled seafood like octopus or scallops. It also pairs well with roasted poultry, such as duck with a fruit glaze, and earthy sautéed mushrooms.

What makes this wine special?
I chose this wine because of Vadio’s innovative approach to sparkling wine production. Since 2007, they have been aging their base wines using a Solera system, with 13 vintages in the blend. This method adds remarkable depth and complexity to their sparkling wines, making them a standout expression of the region’s history and craftsmanship.

Additional information
Luís Patrão is widely regarded as Portugal's master of sparkling wines, crafting each wine to an exceptional standard of quality.

Selected by Jaton Gunter

Producer: Paul Jaboulet Aine
Year: 2018
Varietal: Viognier
Price: $16.99

Color: White
Location: France, Northern Rhone, Condrieu
Additional tags: White wine, full-body

Tasting notes: Apricots, white peach, jasmine, pear, lime spritz & elegant mouth-feel & fresh minerality on the finish.
Nose: Jasmine, apricots, green herbs, almonds, pears, white flowers & fresh lime spritz.
Food pairing: Seabass, oysters, salmon, Thai food, and triple cream cheeses

What makes this wine special?
This wine is a beast. It matches powerful fruit along with great acid and minerality. Also, this wine is not only about the fruit! There's a plethora of complexities, from herbs to floral to earth notes. A beautiful wine.

Meet the Experts

Raymond Brown

Experience: Certified Sommelier, CMS-A
Background: Raymond Brown is a Certified Sommelier through The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. Through his career which spans over a decade, he has honed his skills in some of the most prestigious restaurants and hotels across the globe, from his time in the vineyards of France to the bustling wine-centric restaurants of New York City and Miami. His international experience has endowed him with a profound appreciation for the cultural and historical contexts that shape each bottle of wine.

Want to get in touch?
linkedIn.com/in/PairedByRGB
instagram.com/raybrownstagram

José Valverde

Experience: WSET Advanced
Background: With over a decade in wine and hospitality, José has led beverage programs, managed inventory, and driven wine sales at prominent venues like Flora Bar and Barcelona Wine Bar. Known for exceeding sales targets, streamlining operations, and delivering top-tier guest experiences, he specializes in training staff and enhancing team knowledge. His background includes WSET and Spanish Wine Educator certifications, alongside project management training, equipping him to manage both client-facing service and backend operations in a global wine environment. Fluent in Spanish, he brings strong communication and organizational skills to every role.

Want to get in touch?
instagram.com/jjvalverde

Jaton Gunter

Experience: Certified Sommelier with close to 20 years in Wine
Background: Jaton started off as a blogger before becoming a private buyer for clients. Later, he became a Certified Sommelier, worked in Union Square at Wine/Restaurant, wrote and published a wine book called "Fruit In Glass" (2017), was nominated for "Sommelier Of The Year" (Wine & Culture Fest - made it to the top 5 finalists), collaborated with Chef Armando Tam on the cookbook "It's A Vibe" (Wine-pairings for each recipe), and became Wine Director at Calabash Restaurant and part owner of in-house Wine Bar (2024). Currently, he owns a publishing company and is working on his next wine book.

Want to get in touch?
winestealoftheweek.blogspot.com
medium.com/@jatongunter
youtube.com/@jatongunter
x.com/JatonGunter
instagram.com/jatongunter

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