May is the perfect month to get outside, take a breath of fresh air and enjoy a glass of wine.
J. Bedford
Sips
TeamWine has two new members. Dirk & Tiffany have joined the group, giving us six palates to help guide your wine choices. We know you don’t particularly feel sorry for us that we get together once a month to drink wine, but we do take our task seriously. We consider the time of year and what you may be planning where wine may be involved, when selecting wines for tasting. We think about the holidays, events or other things that may attract your attention, and we try to fit the wine to them. Of course, season of year also comes into play, as we are not likely to recommend a big, bold red in August, or a light, fruity white in the depth of winter.
Enough about TeamWine, here’s what we considered for your enjoyment in May! Both wines were purchased at vomFASS in Madison.
The white we selected was a 2024 Baskoli Txakoli Hondarrabi Zuri (11.5% abv $25) from the Basque region of Northern Spain. Hondarrabi Zuri is the dominant white grape of Spain’s Basque Country, making the region’s slightly spritzy Txacoli wines. This wine is produced by the Riboli Family Wines using grapes from their own 17-hectare vineyard. The vineyard is situated in a location that provides excellent sunshine and protection from the sea breeze, contributing to the wine’s unique terroir. This wine is a crisp, 100% Hondarrabi Zuri white wine featuring pale yellow color with hints of green and a slightly noticeable effervescence. We had aromas of everything from pear, green apple, and citrus (lime) blossom to bubble gum and mandarin orange. We all remarked on the high acidity, a refreshing taste, and a long, aromatic finish. Surprisingly, the wine had a pleasant soft body. I commented on how smoothly it poured. This wine paired well with the olives, the tinned fish, especially the salmon, and the hummus. We felt this would be the perfect wine for Easter (keep in mind for next year) as we felt it would match well with ham with all the extras. If you go, buy more than one bottle though, as we think you’ll really enjoy it!
Our red was another very pleasing surprise. Anne de Joyeuse 2023 Orchis Malbec (13% abv $12.99) from the Limoux (Languedoc-Roussillon) region of southern France. Since 1929, Anne de Joyeuse winery has been crafting wine in the shadows of the Pyrenees. Their goal is to capture the terroir of the region in their bottles. These Malbec grapes go through a cold maceration and then half the wine is matured in stainless, while the other half matures in oak barrels.
To read the remainder of this premium article and other premium articles in their entirety, pick up the Julien’s Journal May 2026 issue. Single issues are available in print for free at area newsstands, or you can click here to read the entire article for free in the digital version of the magazine.
Article & photo by John B. Donovan
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