Monthly Sips: The Best Wines I Drank in May
One of the most common questions I get is, “What’s your favorite wine?”
Truth is, wine is very situational for me. I rarely revisit the same bottle, which often makes it difficult for me to answer this question.
So, I decided a monthly log of the best bottles I’ve had of late would be a good start.
You can reference this guide when you’re stocking up your cellar or just craving something different. Hopefully, these monthly wine roundups will inspire you to try some new things! Even if you can’t get these exact same bottles, I challenge you to get out of your wine comfort zone and explore a region, grape, or style of wine you have yet to taste.
Monthly Sips: The Best Wines I Drank in May
Here are the best wines I drank in May 2022, in no particular order. You may be able to purchase some of these online, and if so, I’ve included links below.
By the way, some of these links are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using the links provided, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support!
May was a short month for me because I lost my taste for the first two weeks due to Covid, but don’t worry, I was able to make up for that at Pinot Fest (which is why this post is California-heavy and highlights many Anderson Valley wines).
If you end up trying any of these wines, please let me know your thoughts!
Snapshot from our La Vie En Rosé wine tasting event in Pasadena, CA. Middle bottle is the one mentioned here.
Charles Joguet 2020 Chinon rosé, loire valley, france
This lovely wine was part of our lineup at our Pasadena wine tasting event, La Vie En Rosé, earlier this month. And it’s not your average rosé.
Hailing from Chinon in the Loire Valley, this Rosé is made from 100% Cabernet Franc grapes. If you like a juicy pink wine with a fuller body and ability to stand up to a variety of foods, this is the one for you. Because of it’s roundness, I like to call this the red wine lover’s rosé.
Clif Family Wines 2021 Rosé of Grenache, Mendocino County, CA
What a treat this wine was! I’m a sucker for Rosé of Grenache because of its distinct candied strawberry notes, and this one did not disappoint.
Clif Family is the same fam behind Clif Bars, and their small production winery is led by an awesome chef and a female winemaker. They specialize in food and wine pairings, and I’m dying to check out their tasting room experience.
This wine was the perfect patio sipper - light-bodied with red fruits, minerality, and citrus.
Dutcher crossing 2018 Stuhlmuller vineyard chardonnay, alexander valley, ca
I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to stop by Dutcher Crossing’s tasting room in Dry Creek Valley on my way up to Anderson Valley. The winery’s setting is truly one of the most beautiful I’ve seen.
I tasted quite a few of their wines and loved them all, but this Chardonnay was really something special. Perfectly well-balanced, round, and full, with notes of ripe stone fruits, caramel, and butterscotch. Pairs well with soft cheeses like brie or camembert.
Baxter 2018 oppenlander vineyard chardonnay, mendocino, ca
I know Pinot Fest in Anderson Valley was meant to highlight Pinot Noir, but I snuck a taste of this Baxter Chardonnay during the festival and absolutely fell in love. It was one of my favorites from the entire weekend.
I got to chat with the owner and winemaker, Phil Baxter, whose no B.S. approach to winemaking caught my attention. He doesn’t add anything or take anything away from the wine. He allows the wine to naturally ferment (no added yeast), and his use of old, neutral barrels results in a Chablis-style Chardonnay that stands out amongst the others from California.
This might just be one of my favorite Chardonnays of all time.
Smith story 2018 helluva vineyard pinot noir, anderson valley, ca
I’m going out on a limb to say this was my favorite Pinot Noir from Pinot Fest weekend in Anderson Valley. I feel so lucky to have met Ali Smith-Story and taste this wine from a magnum with her.
My love for this wine spiraled into an obsession with the Helluva Vineyard…there must be something special going on here, right? But after tasted another wine or two from this same vineyard, I realized it’s Ali and her husband, Eric, who add a special touch to this wine. Fun fact: Smith Story was the first winery to be funded on KICKSTARTER.
P.S. Their adorable Goldendoodle, Lord Sandwich, is Insta-famous and you can contribute to his non-profit Socks for Sandwich, which donates new socks to those in need.
Toulouse vineyards 2019 petit sirah, redwood valley, ca
I stubbled upon this tiny winery when picking up groceries from the local market in Philo during Pinot Fest weekend. We needed a break from Pinot Noir, so we thought Petit Sirah would do the trick. It was surprisingly delicious for a random market find, and this bottle inspired our trip to the tasting room on our last day in the valley.
Grab this bottle to enjoy with your next charcuterie spread and you will not be disappointed.
And if you find yourself in Anderson Valley, I highly recommend stopping at their beautiful tasting room to try the rest of their lineup and soak up the sweeping valley views.
piazza family wines 2021 carbonic graciano, ballard canyon, ca
This is the ultimate summer BBQ chilled red wine. Winemaker Gretchen Voelcker was kind enough to share this beautiful wine with us for May’s boutique wine shipment and winemaker tasting, and it was a huge hit.
Gretchen uses 100% whole cluster carbonic fermentation to create this vibrant, energetic, aromatic red. This process results in a beautiful acidity, medium body, and notes of red cherries, violets, and cranberries.
Opt in to our next boutique wine shipment and join us for a virtual tasting with the winemaker.
handley cellars 2021 pinot noir blanc handley estate vineyard, anderson valley, ca
Have you ever heard of Pinot Noir Blanc?? It’s a white wine that’s made from black Pinot Noir grapes (yes, the same ones used to make the red wine). The juices are pressed off the skins immediately, avoiding color and tannin extraction, and resulting in a beautiful, fresh wine with notes of violets, pears, and stone fruits.
This was another unexpected favorite of mine from Pinot Fest weekend, and it paired delightfully well with a scone.
If you’re in Anderson Valley, you’ll want to visit Handley Cellars’s beautiful estate and learn more about the legacy of Milla Handley, carried on by her daughter, Lulu.
mccay cellars 2017 grenache, lodi, ca
I first tasted this wine and met winemaker/owner Mike McCay on a harvest trip to Lodi in September of last year. His wines were some of my favorite of the trip, so it was so fun to revisit this stunning Grenache.
McCay’s style is not what you’d expect of a Lodi winemaker. His wines are refined and elegant. The reds are chill-able and the whites are delightfully refreshing. This Grenache was bursting with candied strawberries, licorice, butterscotch, and dried blackberries. It’s light-bodied with high acidity and a long finish.
Not to mention, BBQ season is here, and this is one of the most food-friendly red wines I’ve had to date. I paired mine with a fresh caprese salad, and it was perfect!
I hope you enjoyed this recap of my favorite wines from May. If you taste any of these, please let me know in the comments below! I’ll be back next month with another roundup of my favorite wines from June.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like this one about small production wine.
And if you’d like to attend a virtual or in-person wine tasting event, join our Wine Tasting Club or check out our upcoming events here.
Happy sipping!
