Wines for Mom on Mother's Day

It’s time to celebrate all of the moms out there who bring so much love and joy into the world! And what better way to do that than to pop a cork and enjoy a beautiful glass of wine either with your mom or in honor of her. Let’s talk about some perfect wines for Mother’s Day!

My mom is awesome! She is a kind, loving, caring woman who is devoted to her family and who would do anything for us. Having been born and raised in Oklahoma attending Southern Baptist churches, she is a devout Christian who grew up “clean”, refraining completely from swearing, smoking, or drinking alcohol of any kind. And that continues to this day, with the rare exception of a couple of sips of champagne or wine I have seen her take in her later years as she lets down her hair and gets jiggy!

So, while I have never had the joy of sitting down and sharing a bottle of wine with her, I certainly honor her every Mother’s Day by raising a glass of wine and toasting “the best mom in the world”. And when I do, I always choose a wine worthy of my mom and the occasion – no cutting corners on this important day! I have four beautiful wines that are perfect for celebrating Mother’s Day.

These four wines have three things in common. First, they are all from Oregon and more specifically, the Willamette Valley region. Second, they are all perfect wines for Spring – light and refreshing, easy drinking, and surprisingly complex and unique in character. Lastly, they are all small production wines which means they aren’t widely available. That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find them – it just means you might have to try a bit harder than usual!

I recently tasted these wines during a happy hour we hosted with some of our wonderful new neighbors who just moved in down the street from us here in Lakewood Ranch, FL and the results of the tasting were unanimous – everyone loved the wines and the bottles were drained by the end of the night! Here's a bit more information on these beauties:

• 2020 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris Willamette Valley Oregon ($19). This winery specializes in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wine made from these two grape varieties. They also produce a wide range of single bottlings of other wines, both red and white. One of my favorites is their Pinot Gris, which happens to be Oregon’s leading white variety. This wine is smooth and sleek, with notes of citrus peel, mandarin oranges, and green apples. Medium-bodied, it has nice refreshing acidity and would pair beautifully with a cheese and fruit plate enjoyed al fresco in the warm Spring sunshine. Available on-line from the winery and in smaller boutique wine stores.

• 2020 Adelsheim Artist Series Pinot Noir Rose, Willamette Valley Oregon ($28). I absolutely love all Adelsheim wines – they are consistently good and reasonably priced for the quality as well. They specialize in Pinot Noir wines (they make over 10 bottlings that range in price from $35 to $300 a bottle), and each year they make a rose from select Pinot Noir grapes. I’d describe this wine as “sunshine in a bottle” – it’s a light and lively rose with hints of peach and strawberries on the nose and in the mouth. Soft acidity rounds out this light-bodied rose. It would pair perfectly with a fresh heirloom tomato and burrata salad. The 2021 vintage of this wine is available on-line from the winery: limited availability elsewhere at small boutique wine shops.

• David Paige Wines Pinot Blanc PRG Vineyard, Eola Amity Hills Oregon ($28). Light gold in color, this wine has scents of tropical fruit on the nose. Tight and lean, the wine has bright acidity and tastes of pineapple, lemons, and limes with citrus fruit notes on the long finish. It’s a beautifully balanced wine with nice structure and would pair nicely with simply grilled fish with a butter and lemon sauce on the side. Available on-line from the winery and in smaller boutique wine stores.

• 2018 Authentique Wine Cellars Leisure White Pinot Noir Ketter Estate Vineyard, Eola Amity Hills Oregon ($40). This limited bottling is only available in small wine stores and will take some work to find, but it’s worth the effort. Juice from all grapes, whether white or red, is clear – the color of red wines comes from the skins of the wine which are combined with the juice during fermentation. But you can make white wine out of any grape, and more wineries are now producing “white” versions of traditional red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. I think the most successful of these wines are those made from the Pinot Noir grape, which has subtle fruit flavors that are drawn out and shine with limited contact with the skins during fermentation. This gorgeous wine has a light copper color (it looks more like a really light rose than a white wine) and a beautiful nose that smells of kiwi, white peach, and lemongrass. In the mouth, this wine shows tangerine, peach, and strawberry flavors. It has a nice depth of flavor and is unique in every way. If you are lucky enough to find it, grab a few bottles – you won’t regret it!

So, cheers to all of the great moms out there – we love you!

And a final note for our friends from Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota who are reading this blog – all four of these wines (including the White Pinot Noir!) are available locally at Fine Wine and Tasting on Lakewood Ranch Main Street, with some currently being poured at their tasting bar!

Me and my mom in Minnesota - 2021