Noisy Water Winery

An Old World wine, also known as Primitivo in Italy, Noisy Water’s 2017 Winemaker’s Select Zinfandel has a profile that appeals to dry and not-so-dry drinkers alike. With a nose that boast hints of blueberry and dark cherry with a little bit of cinnamon and clove spiciness, this Zinfandel invites you deeper into the world of dry reds without being overbearing. The tannin structure is smooth, medium to full-bodied, with a dry finish of black currant, soft smoke, and the barest suggestion of cacao. 

“In the mirror-like relationship between wine and human beings, Zinfandel owned more reflective properties than any other grape… capable of expressing almost any philosophical position or psychological function. As a result, its own ‘true’ nature might never be known.”

--David Darlington, author of “Angels Visits: An Inquiry into the Mystery of Zinfandel”
 

In this instance, “green” also refers to “new” and Nuevo Verde is our winemaker’s take on Vinho Verde, a dry white wine that has increased in popularity in the last ten to fifteen years. While the term “Vinho Verde” (“green wine”)  typically refers to wines produced in a certain region in northern Portugal, it also means wine produced from an early harvest and drunk young, with little or no aging. This gives the wine a crisp and refreshing “young” finish. It is typically a blend of white wine grapes, not a particular varietal, a can be enjoyed with a meal or by itself. 

“When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But, why wonder, why wonder?
I'm green and it'll do fine
It's beautiful and I think it's what I want to be”
--Andrew Bird, sung by Kermit the Frog

Because it is a fairly neutral grape, most of its flavor derives from the terroir in which it is grown and the way in which it is aged, which enables the winemaker to showcase their skills in bringing out the grapes’ full potential. At the peak of its popularity in the late ‘80s, some winemakers got a little carried away with aging Chardonnay in oak, which gave it a characteristic with which it has become synonymous. However, the type and amount of oak aging, or none at all, can be the winemaker’s touch in bringing out the best of Chardonnay.

“Everyone can commit to 20 minutes, especially if there’s a glass of Chardonnay afterwards.” 
—Kate Winslet

At that point, I knew nothing about wine varietals; about acidity or tannins; about blends or bouquets or body; or what made wines sweet or dry. All I knew was that I really, REALLY liked what was in the glass. And I kept coming back.

Eventually, I kept coming back so much that they put me on the payroll. And while I've learned so much about wines in the years since and expanded my palate to enjoy drier wines (red as well as white), there remains a spot in my heart for my first Noisy Water love, Jo Mamma's White.

“Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter, sermons and soda water the day after.”
 – Lord Byron

Amor En Fuego is literally translated as “love on fire”. And if you love red chile, chocolate, and wine, you’ll understand how this wine got its name. With hints of berries and toasted marshmallow on the nose, and a rich velvety middle of milk chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla, finishing with a spicy red chile kick (but not too spicy!), this wine is a perfect complement to an appetizer course loaded with fruits and cheeses or as a dessert with a rich cheesecake or anything sweet and creamy like tres leches cake. Or pair it with something dark and chocolatey, like brownies.

“To love is to burn, to be on fire.”
— Jane Austen

My husband came to an appreciate dry, tannic red wines much sooner than myself who had graduated from Moscato to Sauvignon Blanc, but he urged me continually to expand my horizons. However, my palate hadn't quite attained the level of appreciation for strong tannins that his had; consequently, I often retreated to my safety zone of dry white wines and concluded that I wasn't cut out to enjoy dry reds. Then, in 2018, Noisy Water Winery released their Mourvèdre.

A grape that originated in Spain and is now grown in France, Australia, and the United States. Mourvèdre – a wine I had never heard of, and like all wines in the Noisy Water catalog, I had to learn about it. Which meant drinking it. 

“The best way to learn about wine is in the drinking.”
- Alexis Lichine, American wine dealer and writer (1913–1989)

Notes of dark cherry, leather, and a hint of pepper fill the nose, suggesting a truly dry, tannic experience, but then one sip and… surprise! Like the grumpy old man who’s really all heart under that gruff exterior, El Cabron Viejo glides like velvet over the palate to an astonishingly mellow finish. Even novice wine drinkers who typically shy away from anything dry and heavy on tannins will be able to appreciate the smoothness of this blend. It’s a great place for them to start exploring dry, full-bodied red wines.

“Nobody would do anything if they knew what they were in for.”
- Amarante Cordova in “The Milagro Beanfield War”

Introduced by Noisy Water Winery in 2013, Run for the Rosé heralded a renaissance in rosé appreciation. After a decline in popularity in the 1980s and ‘90s, rosé wines began to enjoy a resurgence, climaxing in 2015 as a “mainstream wine”, rivaling red and white wines in the amount of shelf space they occupied in wine stores and supermarkets. And they ran the gamut from bone-dry to tooth-achingly sweet. I simply never considered that rosé had such an extensive variety of flavor profiles and levels of sweetness and dryness in my early days of wine drinking. Even Noisy Water’s catalog of wines includes a total of seven rosés and everyone, from Moscato aficionados to true dry lovers, is sure to find a rosé to suit his or her personal taste.

A semi-sweet rosé that evokes a true feel of summer which, in Ruidoso, includes weekend afternoons at nearby Ruidoso Downs racetrack, Run for the Rosé offers a respite from the hottest days of the year. A touch of floral on the nose and a refreshing orchard peach finish with a hint of honeyed almond, this rosé deserves a place in just about everyone’s wine fridge. Pair it with good friends and a cheese and fruit platter on a sunny summer afternoon in the backyard. Or relax on our back deck at The Cellar Uncorked with a bottle of Run for the Rose and recall carefree summer days that you wished would never end.

And when you’re in the homestretch of a long day, you’ll be sure to find this wine in the winner’s circle!

“And it’s high time you joined in the dance.”
-“Run for the Roses” by Dan Fogelberg

Although we at Noisy Water Winery take the actual making of our wines very seriously, it's important to remember how to have fun. And one thing we do take seriously is having fun. Tighty Whitey White is nothing if not fun... one look at the label will tell you that!

Produced since 2014, Tighty Whitey White is one of those wines that can claim the title of being an All-Around wine. It's one of our takes on Pinot Grigio: dry, but not too dry, so it appeals to palates across the spectrum. It's crisp, but not sharp; fruity, but not overly sweet. Honey, a hint of spice, a burst of orchard fresh peach make it smooth but refreshing. What better way to encourage sweet wine drinkers who are a little intimidated by dry wines to venture into new territory?

I love wine, but I'm not a scientist; I can't tell you a lot about the process of making wine, but I can tell you why I like it. And I like Tighty Whitey because it doesn't make you work too hard to find out what it pairs with best. It's a wine you can feel comfortable with, like your favorite pair of shoes or sweats. It's as easy to sip as a complement to a briny, seafood entree as it is to enjoy with a snack of chips and salsa while relaxing on the back porch on a summer night. While it screams “summertime in a glass”, who couldn't use a glassful of summer in the dead of winter, along with a bowl of popcorn?

So when you've had one of “those” days – when all you want is to just shrug off the outer shell and strip down to just being yourself after spending the day being everything to everyone around you – Tighty Whitey White's got you. Even if you prefer boxers.

Cheers,
Amy