If possible, we would be porch dwellers and spend all of our domestic time outside, particularly now with fall offering us the only opportunity for en plein air peace. Hoping you feel the same way, we’ve installed heaters on our deck and soon, a fireplace – amenities that will (fingers-crossed) stretch sun-basking well into October. So stop by and join us in the fun of feeling punch-drunk after summer by mellowing out on our porch with one of these three beverages in hand, all newbies to our libations menu.
Raisins Gaulois, Vin de France
What’s not to love about a cartoon for a wine label, drawn by famous French cartoonist Siné no less, featuring a man, head tipped back, tongue outstretched to catch droplets of grape juice? Beneath this beguiling image is meaning: Marcel Lapierre transformed the image of Beaujolais by being one of the first winemakers to eschew pesticides and herbicides, making him a titan of renaissance viticulture. Since Marcel’s passing in 2010, his son Mathieu has taken up his father’s torch, taking it one step further by following organic and biodynamic methods. Raisins Gaulois epitomizes the Lapierre’s natural approach to winemaking: a Vin de France, or red table wine, it stars mostly Gamay, a light-bodied grape that resembles pinot noir with its berriness but adds a bit of the spice often found in Syrah or Grenache. As Lapierre intended (and Siné drew), Raisins Gaulois is “gulpable”; light and juicy with pomegranate, berries, black cherries and a hint of spice, we think this is the perfect porch wine for autumn afternoons.
Bugey-Cerdon, La Cueille, Sparkling Rosé
Don’t tell you we told you, but Bugey is one of the best-kept secrets of France. A region perched at the crossroads of Savoie, Burgundy, the Jura and the Rhône, it enjoys the best of all these worlds. In La Cueille – a high-altitude hamlet surrounding the medieval town of Ponsin – Patrick and Catherine Bottex grow several Burgundian grape varietals on the limestone slopes above the Ain River, including the Gamay and Poulsard featured in this intriguing sparkling blend. Refreshing with a touch of sweetness, this rosé boasts bright fruit and a true-to-its-name hue. Low alcohol, it’s a prime pick for loitering on the porch.
Trabanco, Poma Áurea, Sparkling Cider
Nearly a century ago, Emilio Trabanco decided to turn his household brewing hobby in the Asturian countryside of Spain into a business. Not much has changed since then: Trabanco still abides by natural, traditional methods, hand-picking, -sorting and -pressing the apples before fermenting the must, or juice, in 50-year-old chestnut barrels. After bottle-aging for six months, this singular sparkling cider emerges as golden as its name suggests. Dry and crisp, its apple flavors are delicate yet fresh and slightly earthy – an ideal mate for the flavors of fall.
