Happy Monday, y’all.
Yes, it’s a bit uncommon for me to slide into your inbox this early in the week, but I couldn’t resist indulging in today’s excitement.
For context, a total solar eclipse is when the moon completely blocks the sun from a specific location on Earth. Folks across the Midwest will travel to places like Terra Haute, Indiana; Bowling Green, Ohio; and Bloomington, Indiana to witness the marvel of the sun crossing paths with the moon.
Me, myself? I’ll be in Chicago, indoors getting work done, and not staring at the sun.
But don’t pity me, please! I’ve got an astigmatism, so it’s probably for the best.
When I think about the definition of a total solar eclipse, it seems that it doesn’t relate to wine. So I took a step back, tightened my thinking cap, and broke down what was about to happen today: two BIG forces crossing paths to give us an incredible yet very chaotic experience. The sun and the moon provide us with light, warmth, and beauty to enjoy so many other things that inhabit this earth. And what kind of wines can do something similar our palates?
BLENDS!
It’s a stretch, but work with me here! ;-)
When it isn’t made with a single varietal, a wine usually has many different grapes coming together to work in perfect harmony.
Whether you’re enjoying a red blend, a rosé, Champagne, or a glass of funky orange wine, there can be several grape varietals that make the deliciousness of that wine possible.
According to scientists, this total eclipse will follow the path of totality–a 100-mile path that stretches from Texas to Maine. And while many of us don’t have direct access to wines from these places, there’s still a way to enjoy a makeshift wine eclipse.
Here are 10 blends you can explore during today’s total solar eclipse and beyond.
FIELD Recordings SKINS
(34% Chenin Blanc, 18% Pinot Gris, 12% Colombard, 9% Xarel.lo, 8% Verdelho, 6% Vermentino, 3% Trousseau Gris, 3% Semillon, 3% Gewurztraminer, 2% Riesling, 2% Malvasia Bianca - WHEW!)
2022 Chateau Gassier 'Esprit Gassier' Rosé Cotes de Provence
(Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Rolle, percentages unknown)
Les Legendes Bordeaux Blanc
(90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sémillon)
McBride Sisters Collection Red Blend
(24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 22% Pinot Noir, 20% Tempranillo, 12% Syrah)
Segura Viudads Brut Reserva Heredad
(75% Macabeo, 25% Chardonnay)
Champagne Henriot Brut Sovereign
(~45% Pinot Noir, ~40% Chardonnay, ~15% Miller)
House of Brown Red Blend
(50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Tempranillo)
Tank Winery The Alright Fight Club
(85% Grüner Veltliner, 15% Chenin Blanc)
Brown Estate Chaos Theory
(50% Zinfandel, 20.5% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc, 12% Sangiovese)
Maison Noir Horseshoes and Handgrenades
(Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, percentages unknown)
Enjoy your day, and I’ll be back in your inbox on Thursday!
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