WWMD: Von Winning wines

What would Margaret drink?

Margaret Pearman is a certified sommelier under the Court of Master Sommeliers and is responsible for curating the award-winning wine list at Charlie’s Coastal Bistro. Here is her sipping suggestion for August:

Von Winning Wines

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a tasting featuring Skurnik Wines’ Austrian and German portfolio. Skurnik is based in the New York area and has been the go-to importer when it comes to these wines. The band of producers was on its last stop of the cross-country tour, stopping in New York, San Francisco, Austin and Charleston. Committed to the cause, they had driven from Atlanta after their 6 a.m. flight was abruptly canceled.

In a world where nothing is for sure, the tasting left me with an important message as to how we are going to continue keeping the wines we love in our glasses. We are going to need to look to new places to replace the classics. Climate change is drastically changing the map of growing regions worldwide.

The wines of German producer Von Winning give perfect examples. The winery adheres to the same practices as the producers of the Cote D’Or (Burgundy) with special attention to allow the grapes to speak for themselves. If you have grown to love the Sauvignon Blanc from Loire called Sancerre, it is going to be very difficult to keep up the habit. There simply was not much made in 2020, and even less in 2021.

Hailing from the Pfalz region, the Sauvignon Blanc II is taut with tension yet offers ripe aromas of passion fruit and gooseberry ($25-30). Red Burgundy is an obsession for some, but the prices have nearly tripled in the last five years. The Pinot Noir Royale is light yet has a juicy roundness, all for around $40 retail. Be adventurous!