This month we're sticking with the fall theme. Though the days have stayed hot, the nights have cooled and thus we have wines for all occasions. And eventually it HAS TO get colder, right? The wines evoke various fall fruits in my mind -- apples, pears, black cherries, and of course lots of baking spice. 

TWO 

"Tímea Éless was born in Tállya, in the Tokaj region of Hungary. Her grandparents worked the local vines, harvesting and grafting, and her own “love of grapes developed naturally” at a young age. She attended university and left for the city, where she never felt quite at home—thus when the opportunity to take over her grandfather’s 0.3 hectare plot presented itself, she didn’t hesitate. Tímea and her (now) husband proceeded to slowly purchase additional plots in the surrounding area—including those formerly belonging to her family—while she simultaneously studied winemaking and apprenticed under producer Judit Bott.

Producing her first vintages in 2014, Tímea and her family exercise integrated viticulture methods to preserve the vitality of and biodiversity amongst the vines. Biodynamic and sustainable practices hold the upmost importance, and she sees the wines as the ultimate expression of this harmonic rapport with nature." -Funk de Funk (the importer)

Fable Farm Fermentory is a farm-based winery producing aged wines and vinegars, among other herbal elixirs. The fermentory is part of a larger family of organizations working together to steward farmland, develop rural businesses, and promote community experiences. They began our journey in 2008 when they initiated their vegetable CSA. 

Located in the, piemonte, or foothills, of the Green Mountains in Barnard, VT, they’re situated at 1700 feet, atop the Broad Brook watershed. Their farm is a mosaic of fields, forests, and gardens rich with ecological diversity. They work cooperatively with partner farmers and advocates to steward the historic Clark Farm. Now conserved by the Vermont Land Trust, this 450 acre haven is a living legacy of the european settlers who sculpted small farms out of an old-growth wilderness back in the late 1700’s. The farm is now managed by a network of dairy, livestock, vegetable, and fruit enterprises. 

Over the years, they’ve grafted and grown hundreds of cider-specific apple and pear trees in nursery beds peppered around Barnard. And for the next couple of decades, they plan to plant many apple and pear trees, among other tree/shrub crops and herbs throughout the farm.

“Vinous Venus” is a sparkling apple-grape wine. Macerated red grape pomace and fresh red grape clusters are blended with foraged cider. It aged for 2 years in wood barrels. After, a tirage of apple juice (an addition of wine containing unfermented sugars) was added to turn it into a sparkling wine. 

FOUR 

Welcome Domaine Trivel to the United States! This is their first vintage and their first time here in the US. Husband and wife team, Thomas and Sidonie, met at oenology school in 2015. Sidonie previously had studied environmental sciences, but sought to follow in her family's footsteps. Though her family has a history of winemaking in Alsace, they had recently sold their domaine, so the couple settled in Anjou, Loire Valley, not far from Romain Verger (of Thio Noots). 2020 was their first vintage.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc from 40 year old vines. The grapes are destemmed and have a 15 day maceration then spend 6 months in vats. The color of this wine is incredible, a beautiful almost black red. On the palate it's foresty and earthy with gritty tannin and a distinct note of black cherry and blackberries. A perfect fall wine.