Best Case Wines

08/27/2026

WHAT I'M DRINKING TONIGHT. Robert here, with a delicious, seasonal NYT recipe for a chicken stir-fry that uses the beautiful eggplant and Thai basil now flourishing in our garden. The wine: 2019 Domaine Charles Baur Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Pfersigberg. Winemaker Arnaud Baur and his father both feel that some sweetness is an essential component to what the Gewurztraminer grape has to offer, and I have come around to this idea, even though in most circumstances I avoid sweet wines. Here, the sweetness, and the weight of the grape, lend a counterbalance to the sharp spice of the possibly Asian fare on the table. Wishing you all, in these crazy times, shared meals with good food, good people, and good wines. Cheers!

08/14/2026

WHAT I'M DRINKING TONIGHT. Robert here. Sometimes you want something simple and reliably satisfying -- like baked potatoes topped with cheese, bacon, broccoli, mushrooms, chives. Tonight's wines: two from our friends at Iconic Wine : the 2022 Heroine Chardonnay from Bunker Hill Vineyard in Sonoma Mountain, and the 2022 "One Shot" red blend. Chardonnay is the world's favorite wine grape for a reason. When it is really good -- in so many various incarnations -- there's nothing like it. This one shows old-vine concentration; complexity from long, slow fermentation; and remarkable bright acidity. The red blend, from co-fermented Montepulciano and Cinsault and Pinot Gris grapes, offers fresh berry notes and mineral overtones, and in these sweltering days, the wine happily takes a 20-minute chill in the fridge. Winemaker Birk O'Halloran guides these wines from grape to bottle with a light, judicious hand, and the wines always showcase balance and finesse. Bravo !

07/24/2026

CHAMPAGNE FRIDAY! Robert here. We're making a simple dinner of pork tenderloin and lots of veg from our garden and other local producers, but it is Friday, and . . . You know what that means! We are thrilled with this latest vintage wine from our friends at Vollereaux Champ. 50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Meunier; 3g/l "extra brut" dosage; 9+ years on the lees: it is a breathtaking wine of nimble grace and taut mineral complexity with lovely yellow-fruit character. Yes, please!

07/20/2026

WHAT I'M DRINKING NOW. Robert here, with a The New York Times recipe for a seasonal, farro-based grain bowl using produce from our garden (kale, radish, mint) and the farmers market (cucumber, mushrooms, scallions, fennel bulb and fronds) and halloumi cheese from Crete ("Is there anything tastier than burnt cheese?" asked the Better Half.) Soooo satisfying and delicious.
The wine? 2025 Gigondas Blanc from our good friends at Pierre Amadieu. The Gigondas appellation, long renowned for its hearty red wines, started allowing a white version only in 2023. Old-vine Clairette (70%) gives the wine a saline minerality, and the addition of Roussanne, Marsanne, and Viognier round out the body and floral aromatics of this lovely white. A real treat. Cheers!

06/29/2026

Robert here. My Better Half decrees that it is THE SUMMER OF SPRITZ!
Why are spritzes so en vogue? Because they are tasty, light, and lower-alcohol: super-refreshing in times of heat. She and I just returned from Europe, where recorded temperatures were documented to be 12% hotter than contemporaneously experienced in Hell. Every eatery in Rome offered its own promo pricing on the trendy Aperol Spritz.
Now back in Iowa, where unfortunately it appears that oppressive temperatures have followed us home, we offer three alternative recipes to help you through the heat. Start with a quality sparkling wine (chez nous, we use the inexpensive Les Vins Breban - Vins de Provence&Vins de Corse Baron de Bréban, OR the Ca Ca' Furlan Prosecco, or the Prince Alexandre Crémant de Loire).
Our three spritzy suggestions: (1) Limoncello spritz (limoncello, fizzy wine, and sparkling water, with lemon and [in our case] sprigs of mint); (2) Hugo spritz (elderflower liqueur, fizzy wine, mint, lime, and sparkling water; and (3): an homage to our uniquely American version: the Amber Spritz (fizzy wine with California's Amber Vermouth).
In each case, these late-afternoon beverages offer an opportunity to let go the cares of the day and to enjoy a moment of calm reflection before facing the tasks of tomorrow.
ALSO! I hadn't planned, in this already long-winded post, to put forth our dinner menu tonight, but the The New York Times recipe for "Greek salad with Sardines and Beans" was great! Colors, textures, flavors, all harmonized to delicious result. Cheers!

06/19/2026