Wines for Giving

*Scott Atkinson, wine manager at the PIGGLY WIGGLY IN CRESTLINE, recommends some great wine finds with a Back to School twist.*
**Wines for Giving**
Charity isn’t necessarily a simple and straightforward thing, or at least it doesn’t have to be. There is the simple act of giving something to someone, that is straightforward charity. But there is also leading by example, giving of time and energy, and not taking something so that others may have it. The wines chosen for this issue are great examples of charity, in whatever form they have chosen.

Jarman Chardonnay
After seeing how Alzheimer’s and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease) affected their loved ones, the folks at Holman Ranch decided to champion the charities affiliated with those afflictions for donations. Proceeds from every bottle of Jarman go directly to research on curing these diseases. That is wonderful, but so is the wine. A delicious, balanced, California Chardonnay.*Try this with Coq au Vin.*

Tibero Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo
Cristina Tiberio and her brother Antonio are resurrecting lost and forgotten grapes to make fantastic wines. They also believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. With that mindset they have become a go-to resource for other farmers in the Abruzzo who are serious about making world class wines from indigenous grapes. This Cerasuolo d’Aburzzo is an amazing rosé which can deal with Southern heat, but is also delicious for when the weather gets cooler.
*Pairs wonderfully alongside a simple green salad with grilled salmon and a garlicky dressing.*

Stolpman La Cuadrilla
Peter Stolpman was giving the vineyard workers a hard time for not drinking the wine they had helped to make. It was harvest and the atmosphere was joyous. Their response? Simple, this wine does not go with our food. It was then and there that the Stolpman family brought the workers into the fold and they created La Cuadrilla together. And La Cuadrilla is the workers wine. They created it, so the proceeds go to them.
*This wine also goes great with Mexican food. One of the rare red wines that can handle the heat and spice.*

Bedrock Zinfandel
Morgan Twain-Peterson was born into a great winemaking situation, but he took nothing for granted. After his dad, Joel, sold Ravenswood, Morgan suggested that they could dream it all up again. The Bedrock project is the result of this dream. The wisdom, experience, and talent of the father are born again in the son who has worked his tail off to ensure the legacy of California Zinfandel. They are going back to all of the vineyards and protecting them for generations to come… all the while they are making some profound wines.
*Try this the next time you do BBQ ribs and fries.*