From 2 Buck Chuck to Wine Snob: A Mother's Day Story
Plus 3 wine pairing recipes inspired by Mom!
Originally, I had planned to get this newsletter out a little early and provide you with Mother’s Day brunch wine recommendations and recipes to help you treat the moms in your life like queens. But I was catching up on life this week after time in California with friends and I simply couldn’t get around to it. So, instead I’m going to tell you a little story and share some wine pairings inspired by my mom.
You likely didn’t know this, but I have my mom to thank for getting me into wine.
My mom, Maria, was once a fond lover of 2 Buck Chuck. For those who aren’t familiar, it’s the ultra-affordable Trader Joe’s brand called Charles Shaw that, in my opinion, is absolute swill. I’m not even sure if they make it anymore, but it was really popular in the early 2000s.
For years, she drank exclusively white wine, until she graduated to the also affordable Menage a Trois red blends widely available in California grocery stores. Again, swill. But perhaps a hair better than 2 Buck Chuck?
I’m not sure. I was pretty young at the time, but with the few sips I dabbled in, even my pre-trained palate said – YUCK, NOT FOR ME.
Anyways, fast forward to a little over a decade later. My parents had moved from always sunny Southern California to dreary, rainy Washington for my dad’s work. It didn’t take long for my mom, who lived much of her life in California, to decide they needed a second place so she could escape from the horrible weather.
And that place was Paso Robles, California!
At the time, I was living in Los Angeles and then San Diego. I started going up to Paso Robles around once a month for long weekends to see my family when they were there and go wine tasting!
No, it wasn’t the 2 Buck Chuck that got me hooked. It was those visits to Paso Robles, visiting wineries like Adelaida, Turley, J Dusi, Jada, and more. I fell in love with the wine world, its passionate people and connection to the land. A couple of years later, after a fateful trip to the Southern Rhône Valley, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in the wine industry and my mom encouraged me to move up to Paso.
I quit my corporate event planning and public relations job, packed up my apartment in San Diego, and moved in with mom while I got started in a new industry. Thankfully, I was able to do so because working in tasting room sales wasn’t exactly bringing in the big bucks, but I was learning and laying the foundation for all that was to come. That move led me to my career path now, meeting my husband, planting our own vineyards, and so much more. So, thank you for the support, mom, and for always encouraging me to pursue what I love!
Oh, and my mom has very much upgraded from her 2 Buck Chuck days and is perhaps, dare I say, a bit of a wine snob now. ;)
To me, this story is a great reminder of two things: 1. To encourage people to simply drink what they enjoy. 2. How our palates can evolve over time. The wine world is vast and can be intimidating to those who aren’t familiar. Most avid wine enthusiasts who I know got their introduction to wine from a family member, friend, or colleague. So, let’s keep spreading the wine gospel!
Wine Pairings Inspired by My Mom for You to Enjoy
Goat Cheese Tarts with Caramelized Shallots, Walnuts & Thyme
Every spring and summer, as soon as I uncork my first bottle of rosé, my mind drifts to the sun-drenched hillsides of Provence and to these irresistible goat cheese tarts. They’re simple to make (thanks, store-bought puff pastry), but feel elegant enough for a Mother’s Day brunch or backyard gathering. The tangy goat cheese, sweet roasted shallots, honey, and thyme play beautifully with a fresh, fruit-forward rosé.
Get the full recipe here: Summer Apero: Strawberry Salad, Goat Cheese Tarts, Pinot Noir or French Rosé.
The Côte des Roses by Gérard Bertrand is a fresh, crisp style that’s widely available, easy sipping, and one that I always enjoy. It’s a Grenache-Cinsault-Syrah blend from the Languedoc that’s as crowd-pleasing as it is delicious. Otherwise, Tavel is always my go-to region for bolder, savorier rosés. I’ll be sharing a stunner next week!
By the way, next week’s newsletter will be all about Rosé, exploring some of the top styles and my favorite producers.
Mom on the other hand is not a rosé drinker. In her case, I’d pair these goat cheese tarts with a Pinot Noir. We’ve been loving the Patz & Hall Jenkins Ranch Pinot Noir lately. Its brightly fruited palate with notes of cherry, blueberry, and dried rose petals pops alongside the buttery, flaky tarts, tangy goat cheese, and herbaceous thyme.
Spanakopita – Greek Spinach & Feta Pie
Spanakopita has always been a comfort food in our home with flaky, buttery phyllo wrapped around a savory spinach and feta filling that tastes like tradition. My mom’s love language is food and as a good Greek mamma, she’s always made sure we’re well fed. (In grade school, our sack lunches were so full that we couldn’t even close the bag. All our friends know who to come to for a good trade.)
I love fresh, tangy, salty cheeses like feta and fresh herbs. Spanakopita combines both and is one of the first things I learned to make from my mom.
Get the full recipe here: A Taste of Home – Spanakopita and Greek Memories
Spanakopita is perfect for brunch or even as a hearty side dish. Pair it with a crisp, aromatic Greek Moschofilero or Assyrtiko. The bright acidity and floral notes in both complement the creamy feta and fresh dill beautifully. For a Greek red, try a spice-driven Agiorgitiko. Learn about these unique Greek wines and others here.
Spiced Chicken Kebabs Marinated in Greek Yogurt
This dish reminds me of warm evenings with my mom, when we’d throw something simple and fresh on the grill and eat outside as the sun went down. She has had the same barbecue for forever and it just cooks so good! We always love to grill and whenever I’m home she asks me to make these chicken kebabs. They are bright, herbaceous, and full of flavor, especially when served with a creamy, garlicky tzatziki and a crisp cucumber herb salad. But mom especially loves them because they are so incredibly tender thanks to time spent marinating in yogurt! That’s my not-so-secret ingredient.
Find the full recipe here: Chicken Kebabs, Tzatziki & Herby Salad on Substack
For the perfect pairing, pour a glass of Grenache or Sardinian Cannonau. Though I have yet to introduce my mom to high quality Cannonau (no, she has not yet traveled to Sardinia), she is a big fan of Grenache and GSM blends, too. The incredibly flavorful aromatic spices of the marinade, including turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and ginger, are the perfect match for the juicy red fruit flavors and herbal or spice undertones of Grenache.
Looking on Wine.com, I’m surprised to see they actually have several Cannonau wines! I’d pick this one from Olianas and it’s at a great price point under $20.
Other Updates
In just two short weeks I will be headed back to Italy! I’ll be stopping in Sardinia before heading down to Bari for a week of Radici del Sud, then back to Sardinia. I’m waiting on the final Radici del Sud program and will share it with you guys when I have it so you can let me know what you’re most interested in hearing about! I’ll be taking you with me behind the scenes for it all. I’m looking forward to meeting producers and hopefully finding some fantastic wines with great stories behind them to bring to the states. This evening I’ll be researching the list of producers I’ll have the opportunity to meet with so I can see what wines are piquing my interest the most and set up a game plan.
You’ll be getting all of the vineyard updates, too, and I’d like to do a Substack live from the vineyard with Marco. He told me today that they’ve finished putting in the posts at Preda Ortu, our mountain site, and it’s really starting to look like a vineyard!
I can’t wait to share more vineyard updates once I’m back in Sardinia (and probably do a donkey lineup introduction as well because we have so many new additions). Leave a comment below to let me know what you’d like to see more of here. Cheers!
Oh Two Buck Chuck LOL - I never had it but know many who just loved it! I was a wine snob then, and probably even more so now, fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it
Honesly, I'll take 2 Buck Chuck (it's now 4 Buck Chuck, btw) over Menage a Trois any day. Especially at the price difference! C.Shaw is drinkable, if not exactly enjoyable. MaT kind of shuts my plate down after a few sips. But like your mom, I started with all of these cheapo American brands - I didn't even like proper fine wine at first, I had to train my palate to dig it. I know most wine snobs have that "eureka" moment the first time they taste good wine, but...well, that's not all of us! Sometimes it's all hard won evolution.
But cheers from a guy now working at a Paso-based winery! (though at their LA tasting room. And yeah it sure doesn't bring in the bucks!) I'll definitely try one of these recipe pairings someday soon! Probably the kebabs. Saved the post to come back to it :)