Wine Wednesday: Castello Di Borghese 2010 Reserve Merlot

Let’s take it back to the North Fork of Long Island for this Wine Wednesday, shall we? The Wine of the Week is perfect for a tailgate, and since it’s that time of year, even though I don’t watch football, I can play along with football food and drink, especially if it includes good wine.

Our summer felt like it began in April when we visited the North Fork  for some wine tasting. We got to spend time by the sea and at farms and at wineries; it was exactly the tone I wanted our summer to have, and we succeeded.

We took a really fun winery tour at one of Long Island’s oldest wineries, Castello di Borghese, where we got to see where the wine is made and stored as well as where the grapes were grown. We also got to take away some beautiful dried lavender, an inspiration for my own gardening. We recently cracked open a 2010 Reserve Merlot from Castello di Borghese, and we were speechless. Time had passed since our trip, and we had forgotten how beautiful this wine is. It’s super velvety smooth and elegant, exhibiting notes of berry and cocoa, perfect for sipping slowly and pairing with food like a chipotle chocolate chili or a really good BBQ. See? I told you I could bring wine country to football food.

Castello di Borghese is a must-visit winery on the North Fork; if you find yourself planning a trip definitely leave yourself some extra time to be sure you take the tour and taste through all of their wines. I think a North Fork trip would be perfect in the fall, with fewer crowds, cozy fireplaces, and lovely foliage. I just wish I had more free weekends for all of the fall travel I want to do!

Happy Wine Wednesday!