“Wine to me is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture. It’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.” – Robert Mondavi
TeamWine met with Thanksgiving on our minds. Yes, it was early, but it’s never too early to begin to think about and stock up on the wines you wish to serve to family or friends. Both wines were purchased at Roux & Lucia on Grandview in Dubuque. If you’ve not stopped by, you’re missing not only a delicious menu, but a very nice selection of wines curated by EJ Droessler. Please note that the price listed below is the price you’d pay to consume it in the establishment. A 35% discount is applied if you purchase the wine for take-out. TeamWine deviated slightly from our typical red and white, to selecting an orange hued wine and a rosé. The colors certainly highlight fall, but TeamWine thought they would go well with almost anything you might want to serve for the Thanksgiving meal. Or they would fit in with a meal if you were taking along a bottle to present to the hostess/host.
Sips
We began with a Toad Hollow Vineyard – The Orange Toad (11.5% abv $34). This non-vintage wine is a blend of Chenin Blanc 64%, Orange Muscat 14%, Grenache Gris 9%, Pinot Gris 8%, and Grenache Blanc 5%. Toad Hollow Winery is in Healdsburg, California and has been turning out wine since 1993. Frankie Williams is president and “Fearless Leader” assuming the role after her husband and founder passed away in 2007. TeamWine picked up on the slight orange color right away. Aromas were mild, but included dried apricot, white flower blossom, green apple and a hint of fall spices. The body was light to medium with a bright, tart, but pleasant acidity. We found it very refreshing. We all felt this would be a perfect opening wine as it went well with our cheeses and tinned fish and would likely pair nicely with almost any salad. This wine did not match well with any of our sweets. The Toad Hollow Winery is all about friends and fellowship and they hope their wines help create that ambiance wherever they are enjoyed.
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