Uncorked: A wine for every palate this Father’s Day

Wine choices for Father’s Day are going to be a challenge.

There’s no single, surefire wine that will please everyone. As wine exposure and education continue to mount, it’s just as likely that dads would want a crispy white as a big, burly red.

This week, the Father’s Day wine shopping list drops the stereotypes about a wine having specific gender appeal, and lists wines enjoyed in the last month that would be a great way to celebrate with dad on Sunday.

For the wine geek dad who will relish something different and embrace the story behind it, consider C. Elizabeth. The husband-wife team of Dave and Christi Ficeli realized they both shared a fondness for wines aged in American oak.

“We found a lot of things we liked in Australian and California cabernet,” Dave said. “Certain wines had a nuance, a spice, a flavor and an acid we couldn’t quite describe. It came down to it being American oak.”

With just four vintages under their belts, the C. Elizabeth Game Farm Vineyard of Oakville in Napa Valley, California, has dialed in the distinct impression of American oak. They’ve used barrels from Missouri and Minnesota, some old ones from Virginia and Pennsylvania, and have “played around with the toast levels and the head toast.”

They even turned to a few used barrels from Silver Oak, another Napa winery known for American oak usage.

“Initially, when Christi and Dave said they wanted to use American oak, it threw me a little bit,” winemaker Bill Nancarrow said. “But after awhile, I thought it was really cool. They didn’t want to replicate anything.

“My role was to get the characteristics they liked in some other wines into this wine,” he said. “I thought it was a cool challenge that would make the wine unique from the get-go. There are a lot of Napa cabernet out here doing pretty similar things; the American oak is one thing that makes this wine stand apart from other Napa cabernet.”

Tasted as part of a virtual Zoom event that featured each vintage they’ve produced, the C. Elizabeth 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 ($150 per bottle) were elegant and loaded with flavor. They showcased the best of the Oakville appellation, but it was the 2016 that was a showstopper. Flavors of cassis and blackberry were framed by a smoothed-out mid-palate loaded with deep fruit flavors, cinnamon stick and an herbal note with a lengthy finish.

Look for a future column on C. Elizabeth and an in-depth look at their charitable causes.

When it comes to red blends, Lunelli Ziggurat Montefalco Rosso 2015 ($22) consisted of sangiovese and merlot, and was from Montefalco, where the sagrantino grape has flourished in vineyards. It had flavors of cherry, chocolate and cola, and was a rich, palate pleaser.

From coast to coast, Italy has been on an impressive run lately. Each Zoom tasting has seemed to highlight the best a region has to offer. A trio here are paired with a lunch or dinner idea.

From Tuscany, the Tenuta di Biserno Insoglio 2018 ($45.99) provided instant gratification.

It’s a mouth-filling experience with blackberry pie, cocoa powder and vanilla flavors. Don’t limit pairings to traditional pasta dishes either. While a charcuterie board of speck, soppressata, mortadella and prosciutto meats with robusto and Parmesan-Reggiano cheeses is ideal, grilled Moroccan meatballs or an herb-crusted and grilled pork tenderloin also could work.

There’s a charm to well-made nebbiolo wine from Piedmont. Juicy fruit flavors, balsamic, herbal notes and even a tar-like aroma are a few characteristics that can emerge. It’s a wine that can be enjoyed with a serious veal chop dinner or sitting by the pool with crusty bread and olive oil on a warm summer day.

Michele Chiarlo Tortoniano Barolo 2014 ($59.99) straddles that line so well. There are cranberry and cherry flavors with an anise note on the finish.

Grilled steaks, twice-baked potatoes, sauteed asparagus and Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2015 ($74.99) for Sunday night’s dinner would showcase the best of this Tuscan sangiovese and its red berry flavors.

If the Father’s Day celebration has a large number of guests, consider Dough Wines. It’s the first wine brand from the James Beard Foundation. A Zoom tasting with its four brand ambassadors included Greg Wade, the head baker at Publican Quality Bread in Chicago.

“Pre-pandemic, we were serving 100 restaurants and retailers; we’ve been building that back up post-pandemic,” Wade said. “Our business model is built off sourdough fermentation, which is healthy, delicious and the best way to make bread.”

The Dough Sauvignon Blanc North Coast 2019 ($18.99) was sourced from Napa and Sonoma County. It had tropical fruit flavors with a fresh-cut grass note. It would be great with soft white cheeses, or even for the final days of King Salmon season. The Dough Wines Oregon Pinot Noir 2019 ($21.99) has darker fruit flavors and a wet-earth note.

“We like to think each glass bottle and conversation can be a catalyst for good,” said Victoria Jordan Rodriguez, director of sponsor relations at the James Beard Foundation.

This Father’s Day, any of these wines could be the catalyst for a memorable day.

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.

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