Written by David Setley, May 17 2022

Hello, wine friends! Welcome to Time to Wine Down, a new Passion Vines blog feature. For those of you who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting at our Somers Point store location, my name is David Setley. I am a certified sommelier, wine educator, former college administrator, current college adjunct instructor, current businessman, and forever wine enthusiast. The wine part is the most relevant to this blog, although my experience in education has transferred well. 

We have been hosting a weekly Wine Down Thursday informal event at our Somers Point bar, in addition to our regularly scheduled wine and cocktail events. The intent of this blog is to supplement those offerings while diving a bit deeper into aspects of wine: the regions, the varietals, our favorites of the moment, and anything else we can think of.

To start, I thought I’d share a new/revived tradition that we’re incorporating in many of our wine events: welcome wines! A welcome wine, or an aperitif, offers a delicious and inviting way to say “hello” to guests, and to establish a cordial attitude for an evening out or at home. An aperitif is a drink designed to stimulate the appetite and prepare the palate for delicious foods and beverages that are soon to follow. I recently discovered the idea of a welcome wine during a trip to the Finger Lakes wine region when my wife and I happily enjoyed a crisp, light Rkatsiteli upon arrival to a lunch pairing. The host insisted the easiest way to remember the name was to think “our cats are on the telly.” Sure enough, I’ve remembered it since! There are many directions one can go with a welcome wine, but here are a few basic rules:

1. Less is more! Welcome wine is the opening act that should prepare guests for the “headliners” that follow.
2. Lighter is righter. Ok, that’s bad English, but heavy wines are more appropriate during or after dinner. Don’t fill your guests up before you feed them. Think lighter-bodied, lower alcohol, and lower sugar wines.
3. Complement your food and compliment your guests. See? I do know some proper English. Choose a welcome wine that complements what you will be serving. It can be fun to think regionally by serving an Italian aperitif with an Italian meal, or French with French, etc. If you choose not to take a regional approach, consider your pairings. Your welcome wine should create harmony, not dissonance.

Options for welcome wine are limited only by your imagination. For a sparkling welcome wine, any nice, crisp, dry champagne, prosecco, or cava are good options. Bartenura from Piedmont, Italy, a lightly sparkling semi-dry Moscato d’Asti, has become one of my personal favorites. For those of you who have not given Moscato a try in a while, you may enjoy this one.

Rosé wines, such as Château Miraval or Whispering Angel from Provence, France are light and crisp as well. Or, for something with a bit more color and richness, try Proprietà Sperino Rosa del Rosa from Piedmont, Italy or Domaine de Guillaman Rosé from Côtes de Gascogne, France.

Many white wines can also be considered.  Again, think about what wines you will be serving during and after dinner and make a choice that complements your evening. For less than $30, you can offer an outstanding welcome wine light enough to pair beautifully with many options and truly impress your guests. Any of the following embody the variety of directions (viticulturally and geographically) that you can go:

• Jean Biecher & Fils Pinot Gris from Alsace, France
• Dr. Loosen Riesling from Mosel, Germany
• Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand
• Néboa Albariño from Rias Baixas, Spain
• Christian Lauverjat’s Sancerre Perle Blanche from Sancerre in the Loire Valley of France

Lighter tannin red wines deserve consideration as well. An Italian Dolcetto d’Alba pairs well with charcuterie or other traditional Mediterranean appetizers. Domaine AF Gros Moulin-à-Vent en Mortperay, a Gamay from Cote d’Or, France, has smooth, light tannins that pair well with a variety of foods. Consentino’s The Franc from Lodi, California is a lovely lower tannin, higher acidity red wine that can serve as a welcome wine when a red best complements your evening. 

Or, if you’re feeling fancy, consider the Aperol Spritz, which has made a big comeback in Italy. Aperol, based on the Italian slang word for aperitivo, is a bitter liqueur made from rhubarb, an herb named gentian, and other ingredients. To create the Aperol Spritz over ice, add equal parts of Aperol and Prosecco, such as Naonis, with a splash of club soda and an orange slice for garnish. Spritzes can also be made with Campari or, for a different twist, try St. Elder Natural Elderflower Liqueur with a lemon slice with the Prosecco and club soda. 

I hope you enjoyed this first Time to Wine Down blog post and that one of these options served to whet your appetite for a welcome wine. I invite any feedback or suggestions you have for future topics. Feel free to stop in and talk wine (or beer or spirits) with me, or anyone on the Passions Vine team. Until next time, Cheers!