Bolt These for Beltane

MAY DAY! As in the celebration, not a crisis. Actually, fun fact: the term May Day comes from the French “m’aider,” aka “help me,” which Frederick Stanley Mockford, an officer in charge of radio at the Croydon Airport in London, started using in the ’20s. It became officially recognized as a cry for assistance by the International Civil Aviation Organization in 1948. WOW. The things you learn studying Wiccan holidays in the name of wine! We are talking about the holiday, not Mockford’s French-sploitation of emergencies. May Day, aka Beltane, marks the sun's return—in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway. Wow, I need to research if Wiccan holidays are reversed like the seasons in the Southern Hemisphere. If that is where you are, schedule an email of this to yourself in six months. I’m a queen of tangents, that was a lot—but is it perhaps because May Day, Beltane, even WALPURGISNACHT (the night before May Day), is a holiday of fertility, growth, renewal, sexuality and birth. It is described as a lusty holiday, but to me, brain growth is sexy, so I count that in too. It is easy to get set in old ways, but as your best self, do you not want to celebrate moving forward, making new choices, and yes, love and being fertile with inspiration, creation, and connection (choose your own adventure)? I’ve got three bottles and one ORIGINAL (you heard it here first and also probably only here) cocktail for you to celebrate Beltane themes. MAY DAY! Jk, having pagan fun is not an emergency. Drink up! TO CELEBRATE LUST My very first instinct was to honor the lusty nature of the holiday—something from somewhere New World, something with a little heft but also not too heavy to be a springtime wine. Where did that land me? Cool climate Aussie Shiraz! Syrah is such a hunk. 2020 Yering Station Yarra Valley Shiraz – Viognier Just a touch (2%) Viognier keeps this Shiraz shockingly elegant and giving of florality (sensual!), while the rich red fruit, black olive and green peppercorn add a touch of brawn and breadth to the slightly textured but surprisingly ripe tannins, leading into blueberries and (again) ripe but lifted finish. Well done, cool-climate Aussie wines! TO CELEBRATE RENEWAL This wine showed up at my door literally right when I was getting going on this article-I’ve always loved Landmark Chardonnay, and they just did a refresh on the artwork on the label to celebrate 50 years of winemaking in Sonoma! So maybe this wouldn’t have meaning for you, but a new look at an old friend felt perfect for me. Oh yeah, it helps that the wine is delicious! 2022 Landmark Vineyards Damaris Reserve Chardonnay The classic caramel/baking spice notes crop up on the nose but are cut with fresh apple cider. The palate follows suit, bringing pear and citrus into the fold. The body is a medium-plus premise, and while the flavor profile verges on rich and the alcohol elevated, somehow, it all integrates into more than the sum of its parts. New bottle look with a dependable, delicious taste! TO CELEBRATE BLOOMING FlOWERS - LEFT ANONYMOUSLY ON A NEIGHBOR’S FOOTSTEP, OR WOVEN INTO HAIR WREATHS You want something a little flower, and a lot spring-y. You want Riesling. I’m sipping one from New York! 2023 Hazlitt Dry Riesling The nose is all under-ripe white peach and white flowers. The palate is light and lively, with a touch of texture and, of course, that lightning zip of acid, finishing with a little bit of lilac and almost—am I crazy if I say like the leaves of irises? If you can’t tell, the irises were in bloom in front of my building, and I’ve been smelling on the daily. But this is the first wine I’ve detected them in. This wine is May Day perfect. TO CELEBRATE MAY POLES: A STIFF DRINK This drink is heady, but I worked on it a long time to make it last—both are important factors! In all truth, I was looking for an excuse to play around with Sorel, a spirit based on hibiscus (flowers for spring!) with various spices (holiday!). In the spirit of new, it’s a new to me spirit, a hibiscus-based spirit with its origins in the Caribbean (the official Sorel cites Barbados, although I’ve also heard it referred to as being Jamaican—I suppose it is possible it did some island hopping in its time)! Don’t let the Genever throw you either. You could substitute gin or leave it out, but once I added it, the cocktail became a serious thinker while still being a Maypole dancer. The Maypole: Ingredients: -1 ½ oz rum (I used an amber one) -1 oz Sorel -1 oz lime juice -1/2 oz orange juice ½ oz Genever (you can substitute gin) ½ oz demerara simple syrup (you can substitute regular simple syrup) -lime wedge to garnish Methodology: Put it in a shaker with ice and shake, shake, shake. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Run lime rind around the rim, then squeeze and drop in! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Want to read more from Ellen? Check out her recent articles: Lifting: a Rosé Story A Brief Tour of Armenia in Four Wines Cup of Salvation + Your New Favorite Wines Oscar Libations Ellen in Lalaland: Thai Town What to Drink When You’re Not Drinking for Dewy or Dry January: 2024 Edition Mad, Mad, Madeira World Crémant On Unexpected Reds You can also listen to Ellen's podcast, The Wine Situation here . Check out her recent transcripts of the Final Five questions: Wine Situation Final Five! 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