Christian Drouhin, Cidre du Poiré, 375ml 

A spontaneous combustion of pear magic.  Refreshing, courageous, a good start/middle/end to any day. Even for non pear fans thanks to the gentle funk.

A blend of 5 pear types: Plant de Blanc, Muscadet, Tricotin, Avenelle & Poire de Grise

Unfiltered, just pears.

 Vin Jaune d’Arbois, Jacques Puffeney, 2006

For only 14%, this vin jaune has decidedly strong weight to it and no flab. Toast, nuts, caramelled honey (is that a thing?) lingering acidity to balance, giving great mouthfeel. Not for the fainhearted.

A rare wine, made only the very best years, of Savagnin aged between 6-8 years in foudre before being aged further in bottle.

BARBARESCO, Produttori del Barbaresco, 2011

The Queen is in good form. Classic co-operative Produttori del Barbaresco offers a shining example of elegance, a ruby of Piedmont. Nearly herbaceous aromatics, surprisingly structured yet subtle. Climbs the walls of your mouth, builds energy the longer it’s open. Detailed.

Domaine Grand Guilhem “Fitou”, 2014

A blend of indigenous vines in Languedoc, averaging around 60 years old: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre. Grown in the hot, dry sun on gentle slopes. From the oldest AOC in Languedoc (Corbieres), considered a royal wine of the 17th & 18th century.

Concentrated, intense body, prunes, nuts and rugged caress. Let it air for an hour before drinking, definitely will age well over several years. No added sulfites.

Vermouth di Torino, “Rosso”, Alessio 

Banned by the church in the Dark Ages as it was considered a self-serving tonic that drew people away from religion as the keeper of knowledge. Considered a luxury wine. Originally created by Girolamo Ruscelli (alias Alessio Piemontese), this vermouth has made been modeled after his recipe and is one of my go-to when feeling sickly. Seamless concoction of herbs and roots, perfect all on its own. Way better than Echinacea.