Perfect wines for COVID times

Wine brings people together. Bringing people together in a physical sense has been challenging for most of 2020. In the middle of a pandemic with many people unable to enjoy a bottle of wine with friends in their favorite restaurants, they’re finding camaraderie over bottles at home via virtual tastings. 

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The Dessak family has always loved food. That passion led them to open Golden Rind Cheese & Wine in south Fort Myers. From left: Peter, Daun, Jeff and Alex Dessak.

It’s something the team at Golden Rind Cheese & Wine in Fort Myers has been doing for months. The bi-monthly Facebook Live tastings not only offer themed cheese and wine pairings, but also support local charities. A portion of sales from each tasting is donated back to community organizations. Ask any charity leader who has had to cancel fundraisers due to COVID-19 concerns and they will likely tell you that every bit helps.

Golden Rind co-owner Peter Dessak is also donating a little time in helping me with this month’s wine picks. He calls his suggestions “great go-to, everyday wines.” I fill in the blanks with wines that give back, have names appropriate for the season and are just plain good for welcoming fall. 

Peter's Picks:

SLO Jams Sauvignon Blanc

From SLO Down Wines, I recently spent time with the winemaker, Brandon Allen, and it was a real treat. He’s a super artistic guy who creates labels that are full of whimsy and fun like Send Nudes Rose and Sexual Chocolate. They are also some seriously great wines. Most are from California, but this Washington State sauvignon blanc is a perfect example of his style. With notes of grapefruit, peach, lime and apple, it’s perfect for really any day in Southwest Florida, paired with seafood or a nice goat cheese. ($23.99)

Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon

This is another wine on my perpetual all-time favorite list. It is consistently one of the best wines anywhere at this price point, drinking like other selections that cost twice as much. A friend turned us on to this at a dinner party, and we’ve been hooked ever since. A classic Paso Robles cabernet, it’s big and smooth, with lots of bright fruit, vanilla, oak and chocolate. It goes great with salamis, beef, and cow’s milk cheeses like Gruyere and Comte. ($53.99)

Alanera Rosso Veronese

I love this wine from Northern Italy; it’s a great value for the money. We pride ourselves on curating an eclectic selection of wine as well as cheese, however, because of the crazy COVID times, we have been focusing a little more on affordable items. This is a so-called baby Amarone, meaning some of the grapes it’s made with have been partially dried to concentrate the flavors. It results in a wine that has notes of spice, cherries, tobacco, oak and coffee. It has a lot going on, it’s delicious, and goes great with medium aged cheeses, beef and pasta. ($13.99)

Gina's Picks:

Dan Chapin

Chronic Cellars Purple Paradise, 2018

I always love the colorful labels, creative names, and wine blends that the folks from Chronic Cellars produce. This is a zinfandel-based blend with some petite sirah, syrah and grenache from Paso Robles. The result is a velvety wine, full of blackberry and cocoa with a slight hint of mint on the finish. The wine is near perfect with ribs and the skull on the label almost begs to make an appearance at your Halloween parties. ($15)

Graham Beck Brut Zero 2012

Since we’re talking about giving back in this issue and I love bubbles, I could not resist this sparkler. The South African winery is dedicated to not only taking care of the planet but also people, spearheading numerous educational and social initiatives. This special cuvee is only made in the best years. Mostly pinot noir, it’s pure yet complex; no dosage or sugar is added during secondary fermentation, when the bubbles form. The hue is slightly orange, the palate has brioche and stone fruit and the finish has the right amount of salinity to have you craving oysters. Yum. ($30)

Wrath Syrah

Although the word “wrath” in this scenario refers more to nature, the name and the stark label seems like another wine well suited for a more sophisticated Halloween gathering. It’s also pretty unique. There is not much syrah planted in the Santa Lucia Highlands and it doesn’t taste like those you’ve likely had from well-known California grape growing regions a few hours north (Napa and Sonoma). This is masculine, a little rustic, with fleshy dark fruit that only gets better the longer it is open. ($39)