CELEBRATING NEW YEAR'S EVE THE NATURAL WAY
While you can never go wrong with Champagne to celebrate New Year’s Eve with, there are other options! And since we all make resolutions to be healthier next year, why not start the year with some Natural Wines? That way you can wake up on January 1st already making steps towards your resolution. Here are some Piquettes and Pet-Nats that you can enjoy ringing in your New Year.
2021 Deux Punx California Piquette, Napa, CA. - $15.99 per bottle
The fun part about Piquettes is you get to use anything you want in them. And Deux Punx sure did that, a combination of Muscat, Roussanne, Marsanne, Chardonnay, Carignan, Barbera, Picpoul, Assyrtiko, Pinot Gris and Zinfandel, this is a savory sparkling wine. White peach and lemon peel up front give the wine a zippiness. Savory black tea and chamomile bring along some depth. Peach and black tea create a savory finish.
2021 Ampelos Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Piquette, Lompoc, CA.- $18.99 per bottle
Taking dehydrated Grenache and Syrah grapes and bringing them back to life, this is a Piquette with some dark fruit characteristics. Dried figs and dark cherries coat the palate and bring a richness that you wouldn’t expect from a wine typically known for its light flavors. Light minerality and hints of vegetal notes cut down on the richness of fruit bringing the profile back to the norm.
Mas Goma La Planta Brut Cava, Penedes, Spain.- $21.99 per bottle
Made with 60% Macabeu and 40% Xarel-o this is a bright and crisp Cava. Lively minerality up front spikes the taste buds and get them charged up for what’s coming next. Notes of white peach along with subtle nectarine flavors bring some fruit to the wine before the minerality from before comes back a little more subdued than before. There are light notes of toasted nuttiness and yeast that results in a dry, crisp finish.
2021 Bietighofer Rusco Grande Casino, Pfalz, Germany.- $34.99 per bottle
A Lambrusco style wine from Germany? Why the heck not?!! A blend of Dornfelder and Cab Franc this cuvee has rich black plums and vibrant cola spice with cherries. A subtle vegetal note leads to light strawberry fruit. This is a really well-balanced wine; there is some sweet fruit characteristics, but at no time does your palate feel like it.
2021 Nibiru Ancestrale Gelber Muskateller Pet-Nat, Kamptal, Austria.- $33.99 per bottle
This no dosage Gelber Muskateller spends 24-hour skin contact before being pressed, final fermentation happens in the bottle, and it was disgorged in February of 2022. If you’re looking for a wine to have a ton of rich fruity characteristics but still be dry, this is the wine for you. Berry fruit with honeydew and honey melon coat your palate and soak into the taste buds. White jasmine and bright minerality lead to a dry finish which is a little surprising with how much fruit there is up front in this wine. This is a happy middle ground for people who like sweet wine and people who like dry wines.