Sipping Your Way Through December: Wine 3

Here’s the third installment of The Wine Chef’s December “Advent Calendar” wine series.

Early Mountain Petit Manseng 2022 ($44)

I’ve had other Petit Manseng wines from Virginia before, but this one knocked my socks off!

The fragrant aromas of pineapple, apricot, honey, and pear were so enticing. But don’t let your nose fool you into thinking this would be a sweet wine. Yes, you’ll taste candied fruit flavors of orange, peach, and lemon, but the wine’s mineral character and razor-sharp acidity cut like a knife through all the fruity notes, leaving behind a lingering, bone-dry finish. Additionally, the round and creamy texture fills the mouth with more goodness, making it go particularly well with food. I paired it with this chicken, black bean, corn, and avocado stew—fantastic!

Virginia is truly for lovers… especially wine lovers!

Behind the stew are my famous corn cakes. Get the recipe here.

Photo: Lisa Denning