If the new year inspires you to try new things, say alternative wines, be sure to explore Division Winemaking Co. and their fun offerings. I’ve been tasting my way through a recent shipment from the Portland, Oregon based winery and have to say that each selection so far has brightened up our winter.

By alternative wines, I mean beyond the mainstream varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Way beyond. Consider cofermented Grenache and Albarino, Pet Nat made from Gamay Noir,  and carbonic Cabernet Franc leaning toward bright, fruity, and fresh. After all, just because the weather is dark and brooding doesn’t mean your wine has to be too. It also doesn’t hurt that the winemakers have a passion to work with well farmed terroir expressive vineyards, many of which are organic and/or Biodynamic®.⁠

My Chief Feline Officer, Baron Auslese, gives these wines two paws up and says all the cool cats who dig vinous interpretations of styles from the Loire, Beaujolais, Burgundy or the Northern Rhone should check out this winery!⁠

Explore Division Wine Co. Wines

“Wallace’s Cuvee”

A surprising blend of 65% Grenache and 35% Albarino
Oregon Wine
This wine is currently exclusively available as part of a special Fab 4 Pack that’s on sale for $75 (regularly $128).⁠
The color is a vibrant magenta that hints at a wine full of razzle dazzle. Loaded with pepper on the palate and crunchy red fruit in the background, this spicy wine has no shortage of flavor. ⁠Plus, it’s super quaffable at just 12.5% ABV.⁠

• Try “Wallace’s Cuvee” if you like wine with a little sass.
• Pairs well with optimism and cheese dip.

“Seeohtoo”

2019 Carbonic Cabernet Franc
Applegate Valley AVA
$22
The name of the wine is a riff on CO2, aka carbon dioxide, a nod to the carbonic maceration process. The oxygen-free technique is often practiced in Beaujolais, France, one of the regions where Division’s winemakers learned their craft. The appeal of carbonic maceration is that it results in a fruitier wine with softer tannins that is easily approachable without aging.

This wine is fun, fruit juicy goodness that also has some depth of flavor. I could drink this all day and night!

• Try “Seeohtoo” if you like lighter bodied wines such as Beajuolais.
• Pairs well with pizza and stay at home date night.

“Polka Dots”

2019 Pétillant Naturel
Rosé of Gamay Noir
Columbia Valley AVA
$22
The hubby and I are big fans of sparkling wines, and often open a bottle of bubbly on Mondays to set a positive tone for the week. Consequently, Pétillant Naturel wines – also referred to as Pet Nat – are more frequently showing up at our table. While sparkling wines made in the Methode Champenoise or traditional method undergo two fermentations, Pet Nat wines are made in an ancestral method. That means they are bottled while undergoing their primary fermentation. The result is a wine that is lightly effervescent.

This wine is sourced from Carousel Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA. Living in Washington State as I do, it blows my mind that it took an Oregon winery to introduce me to Gamay Noir from our great state!

• Try “Polka Dots” if you like refreshing, sparkling wine.
• Pairs well with Mondays and nachos.

If you’re in a wine rut and looking for some easy drinking selections, explore the wines of Division Wine Co. I’ve just placed another order!