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Earn style points and glory by choosing the right wine
Published
9 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersBy Colleen Helm Explore Big Sky Contributor
Now that we’ve had our first polar vortex, you can start thinking about changing up your wine game.
Nothing says winter like the Italian red wine varietal called nebbiolo. A perfect match with stews, mushrooms, local game meats and the occasional chunk of wild boar, nebbiolo never fails to deliver. Named for the “nebbia,” or fog that rolls into Italy’s Piedmont region come harvest time, the nebbiolo grape can range from a simple wine, lightly chilled for an après ski spent in the sun, to the full on tar and roses flavor profile of a barolo, which is made exclusively from nebbiolo grapes.
Two of my favorites are Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo and Damilano Lecinquevigne Barolo. The Produttori comes from a small co-op founded in 1958 with 19 small growers and has grown to 52 members. Finding nebbiolo this good at a decent price is unheard of, and this wine is lively with earthy, berry fruit that floats atop fine tannins with great acidity.
If you have a bit more cash to spend, the Damilano Lecinquevigne Barolo is astonishing. Sourced from five vineyards, the intense notes of rose, leather, tobacco and violet make it a good wine from what’s considered the best barolo year in history, 2010. As an added bonus, both of these wines go easy on the alcohol so you’ll never miss a big powder day.
When the temperatures drop, we move from lighter dining fare to more substantial foods and we need what I like to call “winter whites” to pair with that type of cuisine. This winter, step out of the chardonnay box and go with something different like viognier, roussanne or marsanne. These heavyweight whites are famous in the northern Rhone region of France and are known for the highly sought-after wines they produce. Weight-wise, they can easily fill in where chardonnay left off without clubbing you over the head with oak flavor.
My favorite inexpensive white is the Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Rhone Blanc that has the weighty viognier grape at its core, complemented by roussanne. It’s a mineral-driven wine with flavors of white flowers, anjou pear and lemon curd, and is a freewheeling white Rhone with attitude.
If you want something with a bit more backbone, then Rotie Cellars Northern White should fit the bill. Done in a French style from Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, Rotie’s 100 percent marsanne is all wet-stone minerality with notes of lemon peel and white peach, and a creamy texture on top of a honeydew melon finish. Can you say shrimp poached in butter?
Colleen Helm bought Bozeman’s Vino per Tutti in 2012 after spending more than 20 years in the finance industry, and earned her Certified Sommelier designation in 2014. She started cooking and tasting wine at an early age and lived in both Italy and Germany for a number of years, gaining Italian citizenship and a healthy appreciation for European wine and beer.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
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15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
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Verge Theater
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Area parents are encouraged to bring their young children to Symphony Storytime with a Bassoon which will be presented at the Bozeman Public Library’s Community Room during
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Area parents are encouraged to bring their young children to Symphony Storytime with a Bassoon which will be presented at the Bozeman Public Library’s Community Room during their regular Toddler and Preschool Storytime on Wednesday, March 20, at 10:15 a.m. The free program, presented by the Bozeman Symphony is especially for children ages 3 to 5. Children will be able to listen to Montana Shakespeare in the Parks actor Emma Rather, who will be joined by Bozeman Symphony Bassoonist Sam Macken. The goal of the program is to encourage a love of music, literacy, and discovery. Additional programs are scheduled at the Library on April 10 and June 12. For more information, visit www.bozemansymphony.org or call 406-585-9774.
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(Wednesday) 10:15 am - 10:45 am
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Bozeman Public Library
626 E. Main St, Bozeman, MT