…Is a special little treasure I love to share with wine lovers who might just like a little horizon broadening. I have certainly underwent my fair share of experiencing new things in the world of wines since joining the industry as only a novice wine lover just over 3 years ago, with no intent to ever use what little I knew to sell wines to others.
One early October morning in 2012 I met Swiss Cellars owner Laurent Crolla for a short coffee and about a part-time seasonal warehouse assistant position, because working with wine as a side gig didn’t sound so bad, right?
Crolla strongly suggested that I stick around after the holiday season, if I would be interested in a sales position with the company when one became available, simply because of good communication skills and having shared my previous travel history to and enjoyment of Napa Valley, California, the Rhine River Valley of Germany and Switzerland and the few wines of each respective place I’d tried and learned about.
I learned something immensely valuable that’s stuck with me since that day. Crolla told me not to fear the lack of certification credentials or win snob swagger, but rather to simply learn about the wines, the places they come from and the stories of the people that make them…basically, humanize this artisan product and share their stories with others.
Swiss Cellars after all, has always enjoyed the focus on family and community-based wines and wineries where the names and hands of those tending the vines and producing the wine are known, accountable and passionate about their work.
Furthering the respect and education I have for wine, as Swiss Cellars previously represented Peterson Winery from Sonoma County, California I had the pleasure of meeting Fred Peterson on a visit to Wisconsin. He explained how he strove to make wines as nature had prepared the grapes to do so, without manipulation.
Now, I had always enjoyed the beauty of wine as a snapshot and a consumable time capsule of the place(s) and time as per the conditions and craft work of when it was created and by whom. Peterson’s addition of the respect for no manipulation was a previous oversight in my appreciation. Learning about the vineyards and their growing season through harvest and production lends more information and changes that time capsule of even the exact same wine from year to year.
Peterson explained that growing conditions of the climate including temperature, precipitation and sun availability influence what nature allows to be harvested and that sometimes, it has characteristic differences from one year to the next. His goal, was to utilize those grapes each year in the best way they perform for how nature presented them. He explained the larger the brand, the production capacity and the budget, the more tempting it is to increase additives, alter fermentation aspects and basically do whatever necessary to make sure that what ends up sealed in the bottle tastes exactly the same as the previous year’s vintage.
Since that conversation with Peterson, I’ve even further enjoyed the stories of the small producers and cherish them with greater respect when a fantastic acclaim is bestowed upon these wineries. It’s with this respect and interest that I enjoy discovering new wines I have never encountered and then sharing them with others. One of those such producers and places happens to be Greece, so for the 4th Wine of our Swissmas, I have decided to share it with all of you.
Domaine Skouras Zoe White
Dom. Skouras Zoe White: Avg. Retail $12-$15 ABV: 12.5%
The little time or focus devoted to the wines from Greece on a worldwide level pales to the quality of some of the enjoyable bottles coming from the Mediterranean nation. The Zoe White is one of those very easy to spend some time and a few dollars on acquiring for yourself and friends.
The blend of Roditis and Moscofilero grapes produces a soft blossom nose, a wave of jasmine and mild lemon zest that washes across the palate and a refreshing crisp and tame acidic finish. As one other writer suggested (and I whole-heartedly agree) this is the wine that helps you reminisce to your beach, no matter what the season or the place you’re enjoying it.
Treat yourself and your family and friends to a bottle of Zoe White this holiday season, or gift is on to someone. Zoe White can be found at:
Consumer Beverage, Ray’s Liquor & Downer Avenue Wine in the Milwaukee area. Uncorkt and the Racine Yacht Club in Southeastern Wisconsin. In Madison and South Central Wisconsin at Table Wine, Cork N Bottle, Cambridge Cooler, Bushel & Peck’s, Plaka Taverna, Concourse Hotel, Stoughton Spirits, Steve’s locations in Madison and Hy-Vee supermarkets. In Northeast Wisconsin find it at Main Street Market, Colonial Fine Wine and in Appleton at Woodman’s or Apollon restaurant.