Mother’s Day is this Sunday. I know what you are thinking, “Wait, wasn’t it just Valentine’s Day? Didn’t the holidays like just end?” You are correct. The year is close to half over and you missed most of it slaving away on your computer and scrolling through posts with visions of FOMO dancing in your head. This brings us back to my original statement, it is May and Mother’s day is literally days away.
By now you think you know what Mom wants for Mother’s Day. You are a genius and you Googled, “What to give Mom on Mother’s Day?” Which could be how you ended up here. However, that is doubtful because I know as much about SEO as I know about rocket science. So, now that you Googled you think you know what Mom really wants. You think she wants to go to brunch. You think she wants a scented candle. If you are a wine marketing person, you think she wants sweet pink wine. Newsflash! Moms like red wine too. Pulling a John Oliver here: #feminism #mom
Mom might want a few of the things I mentioned above, but she definitely wants all of the things I’m listing below. Mom wants to sleep in past 8am. Mom wants to drink her coffee in bed alone for one hour. Mom doe not want to tend to anyone’s needs for a full 24 hours. Mom does not want to change a single diaper from 7am-7pm. Mom can’t at 7am anyway because she will be sleeping!
Last and obviously not least, Mom, wants WINE. Lots and lots of wine. Coming in all colors of the rainbow. Mom wants red wine. Mom wants white wine. Mom wants bubbles. Mom wants still wine. Mom wants dry wine. Mom might even want sweet pink wine. Here are some wines that this mom tasted and would love to drink on Mother’s Day or any day of the year for that matter.
Merlot Me Mama
Swanson Vineyards 2013 Napa Valley Merlot: the 2013 vintage, had consistently above average temperatures and dry conditions throughout the year. A successful fruit set was followed by a warm summer that extended into the fall, allowing the grapes to stay on the vine into October, developing concentrated flavors and great tannin structure. Expressive aromas of plums, crushed rip cherry’s and a touch of cassis surround the opaque red-purple hue of this full bodied merlot. On the palate the tannins are powerful and balanced perfectly with the flavors of red fruits, pomegranate, cedar wood and a touch of dried oregano. A wine that will develop gracefully over the next 7-10 years. $32
Single Mom
Silverado Vineyards 2013 SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon: Smooth and elegant, the 2013 SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon offers bold aromas of cherry and raspberry that carry over onto the palate. Sweet black fruit flavors with a layer of lightly toasted oak and cola. This is a full bodied Cabernet with an exquisite core of lush flavor. $125
Meaningful Bottles for Mama
Frank Family Vineyards 2010 Lady Edythe Reserve Brut: Frank Family Vineyards is a leader in the grower-Champagne movement in California, and makes several sparkling wines in the methode Champenoise. The winery just introduced bottle named in honor of owner Rich Frank’s mother, Edythe. Lady Edythe is made with a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Frank’s Lewis Vineyard in Carneros. $110
“Vive la France” Maman
2016 Domaine de Bila-Haut “Les Vignes” Rosé: Blend of 78% Grenache, 14% Cinsault and 8% Syrah from sustainably farmed, mature vineyards in the Agly Valley, rounded out by grapes from Chapoutier’s own organically farmed vineyards in the Roussillon. The Agly River forms the southern border of the Corbières Massif in the foothills of the French Pyrenees. Yields here are typically lower than elsewhere in the Roussillon, Languedoc and southern France in general, resulting in higher quality fruit. With this wine, Chapoutier has set out to create a more delicate, elegant rosé. Grenache supplies crisp mineral flavors with a hint of citrus in the finish. Cinsault delivers red fruit and gentle floral aromas. Syrah lends spice notes, mingled with hints of licorice, anise and leather. $15
Dopff & Irion 2014 Cuvée René Dopff Pinot Blanc: 100 % Pinot Blanc from Alsace, France. Pale-yellow color. Fruity (white plum, peach) and fresh nose, with smoked flavors. Round and soft, well-balanced, with a nice freshness. Fresh fruit aromas. Good matching with starters, white fishes, and cold fish pâté. Perfect wine on its own or with a buffet, specially in summer. $14.99
G.O.T M.O.M
Inspired by the Emmy-award winning HBO drama, the new Game of Thrones these wines were conceived by HBO Global Licensing and Vintage Wine Estates, which brought on acclaimed winemaker Bob Cabral to make the wines including: a Chardonnay, a red blend and a reserve-style Napa Valley Cabernet.
Game of Thrones 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Master winemaker Bob Cabral has summoned his legendary skills to craft a wine worthy of the Iron Throne. Sourced from the finest winegrowing kingdoms of the land, it is as complex as the tales and histories it acclaims. Revel in the winemaker’s art, for winter is here.
Winemaking The individual lots of wine were racked at the completion of malolactic fermentation in the winter following harvest. Each lot was then aged separately until late fall of 2016 when the components were thoughtfully evaluated and each was meticulously selected for its individual contribution to the overall painstakingly handcrafted blend. $49.99
Hot Haute Mom
Haute Couture French Bubbles: the newest sparkling wine from the Boisset Collection unites the two quintessentially French worlds of fine wine and high fashion. Haute Couture is the ultimate expression of style, with grapes sourced from the finest terroirs throughout France.
It is a sophisticated expression of time-honored French sparkling winemaking expertise in a bottle with a refreshingly modern, textured design that evokes the iconic world of the most unique fashion houses. $29.99
Granola Mama
Landmark Vineyards 2015 Overlook Chardonnay: Aromatic with ripe fruit of lemon, green apple with crème caramel and toasty oak. The palate is rich and textured with ripe fruit and lemon tart on entry, subtle herbal notes with mandarin orange join on the mid-palate with lingering complex fruit and toasted elements lingering on the long, crisp, refreshing finish.$25
The good folks over at Landmark Vineyards invited me to attend an event kicking off their 2017 Summer Schedule. I couldn’t make it so they sent me the picnic basket below (click or swipe right for pic). It came with a bottle of of the Landmark Vineyards 2015 Overlook Chardonnay, two plastic wine glasses, a blanket, a wine key, and a cheese board. When I opened the care package I thought, “Man, this would make a great gift for Mom!”
Can Can Mama
Pam’s Cuties: This lively Un-Oaked Chardonnay from Rubin Family of Wines is perfect for a backyard BBQ. Refreshingly fruity and light-bodied with a touch of sweetness, this wine is bursting with flavors of Golden Delicious apples, Asian pears and tangerine blossoms.
WINE IN CAN BENEFITS:
Ideal for any outdoor activities
Single-serve, light weight and convenient
Gives your wine the best protection – air-tight, unbreakable, light-proof
Ideal for wine that is best served chilled
Endlessly recyclable with no loss of quality
Less FUSS, More FUN
Kick Ass Mama
2015 Charles Smith “Kung Fu Girl” Columbia Valley Riesling: Citrus blossom, lime leaf, white peach intermingle with mineral that fills the palate. Carries on to a long refreshing finish. The label is inspired by Kill Bill and a guide to help consumers pair the wine with a variety of Asian dishes. $12.99
Charming Mom
I’m currently obsessed with these wine glass charms and the Swarovski crystals are my faves! These magnetic wine charms work by attaching through the glass with two small and very strong magnets that firmly stay in place. Each charm is adorably different and unique so guests will always know which glass is theirs. Simply Charmed magnetic wine charms work on any glassware and even plastic cups.
Fancy Mama
Gloria’s Flute: In order to bring this design to the tables of wine lovers everywhere, the team at Gloria Ferrer worked with renowned Lehmann Glass of Champagne, France to reproduce Mrs. Ferrer’s coveted custom stemware. Gloria’s Flute is a perfect blend of antique and modern; it combines the long, delicate neck of a flute for a luxuriant hand feel and lavish bubble delivery with a wider coupe-inspired bowl that exalts the aromatics of the wine. $40
“The mere act of holding a glass in my hand remains a pleasure. I love glass and crystal as if they were live materials, and in this creation, I hope to provide collectors with a sensory experience that is so important to me.” – Gloria Ferrer
Birth Year Bottles
I picked the 2015 because that’s the year my twin daughters were born. Pick the year that your children were born or the year the leading lady in your life was born and you are sure to make mama smile.
2015 Jordan Russian River Chardonnay: The inspiration for Jordan Chardonnay has always been Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, but in vintages like 2015, Mother Nature steered us to another Burgundy village. The 2015 Jordan Russian River Chardonnay’s distinct flinty flavors and textures channel a Chablis-like quality that is alluringly subtle, inviting and delicious. $32
2015 Le Roi Des Pierre Sancerre Rosé: Showcasing a lovely salmon color, this rosé offers an expressive nose presenting aromatic notes of pear, peach and blood orange. The supple palate is round and voluptuous, radiating an exquisite balance of orange zest, strawberry and a very elegant thread of minerality on the finish, making this wine a fresh and versatile match for an array of seasonal selections. $27.99
Château Sainte Roseline 2015 Love by Roseline Rosé: 40% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, 20% Syrah, Enjoy this Côtes de Provence wine alone or with fish or light meat. $18
Rutini 2015 Trumpeter Malbec: one of Argentina’s most prestigious wineries. Made from 100% Malbec, Trumpeter Rosé is the newest U.S. release by Winemaker Mariano Di Paola, a Decanter Top-30 world winemaker. $12.99
2015 Ciu Ciu Bacchus Rosso Piceno, Marche, Italy: Whereas Bacchus’ name and composition may be more familiar, Merlettaie gets its name from the antique craftsmanship of lacemaking for which Offida is known. The homage continues with Ciù Ciù’s selection of 100% pecorino, a varietal native to Le Marche. 50% Sangiovese/50% Montepulciano $14
2015 Estate Pinot Noir Cline Cellars in Sonoma, CA: The Sonoma Coast Vineyards are approximately 4 and 8 miles west of the winery. The Lazy C Vineyard is in an area called “The Petaluma Gap” and those vines see cooling coastal wind through much of the growing season. The Lazy P and M ranches are a few miles further north and the vines occupy a number of different facings. The vines are often shrouded in fog which makes for a long cool growing season and maximum flavors. Both of these areas are known for producing outstanding Pinot Noir grapes and wine. $20
Domaine de la Bastide Rouge 2015 Côtes du Rhône AOP: Vincent and Stephanie Boyer’s domaine in Visan contains great historical reference in winemaking and European feudalism. The Bastide property became Benedictine, then a Dominican monastery and continued to grow grapes for wine. Partially destroyed in the French Revolu- tion, it returned to be a winemaking force to be reckoned with when the Boyer family purchased it in 1989. Vincent and Stephanie now live in this historical place with Vincent’s mother and their three little girls. Vincent took over his father’s winemaking legacy and now the couple, both trained oenologists, carries the domaine forward with energy, innovation and focus. The vineyard is now stronger than ever. Vincent hopes to make the farm fully organic in the near future. $16
2015 Terrazas de los Andes Torrontés: The Torrontés white flower aromas such as orange blossom and rose combine harmoniously with its intense fruity notes of pear, mango, and passion fruit. Fruity and sensual with outstanding freshness, this wine features great aromatics and length. $16.99
2015 Camino Roca Altxerri Txakoli The gentle fizz (as is traditional for Txakoli) is just one of the many charming elements to Roca Altxerri. Bone dry with angular but balanced acidity with a plethora of fruit notes including grapefruit and melon with fresh grass and spring flower notes on the nose. Break out the porron! $16.99
Happy Mother’s Day!
