Dear May,
Your flowers are stunning. Seriously, how are the trees that were so barren months ago filled with these enormous pink petals? Walking around while the sun is shining and a light breeze blows the scent of budding lilacs our way just brings us joy.
Even as the sun sets and the evening air gets a little cooler, we’re comfortable and content to sit outside on the porch with cheese and crackers, exchanging tales with friends over a bottle of wine. OK, two bottles. But we especially love Stolpman Vineyards Love You Bunches ($20) Sangiovese, bold in cranberry and strawberry notes, and best served chilled.
Made by a process called carbonic maceration, the grapes ferment whole, uncrushed in a sealed tank, producing a refreshingly acidic, low tannin wine. This gets bottled early to seal in the fresh juiciness, much like another favorite crushable red: Beaujolais Nouveau, released each fall with a celebration in France.
Sangiovese is the most widely planted grape in Italy and is fairly rare outside its home country. Tom Stolpman planted 10 acres of Sangiovese in Santa Barbara County, California back in the 90s and has been making this delightful porch pounder since 2013. The name is “a pun for the gentle ‘loving’ treatment of the whole grape bunches to keep the grapes intact through fermentation.”
Love you bunches,
Beth + Naomi, the gals of Witty Pairs
Witty Pairs 