Wines for the Birds

This Northern Saw-whet Owl comes to us from the label of the 2024 Haden Fig Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, a prettily balanced Oregon red. Saw-whet Owls are helpful friends in sustainable agriculture (unless you're a rodent).

Also in Oregon, the 2023 Kelley Fox, 'Mirabai' Pinot Noir features a pair of yellow birds that, to my eyes, look like Lesser Goldfinches flying over the vines. These are notably not the only animals on this label, as there's a much bigger winery visitor prowling underneath.

Further South in Mendocino, you might see the Red-Tailed Hawk watching over the vineyards of the 2023 Paul Dolan Cabernet Sauvignon, where it too plays an important role in keeping pests away from the grapes that make this dark, robust and very drinkable Cab.

No bird/wine list would be complete without an offering from the Duckhorn portfolio. The 2022 Paraduxx Proprietary Red Blendfeatures a pair of... Northern Pintails? Hard to say. Definitely ducks. It's much easier to identify this bottle as smooth, fruit-forward, and super enjoyable.

Affectionately known to MB staff as just "Bird Wine," the 2024 Viña Zorzal Navarra Garnachais a medium-bodied Spanish red that pairs really well with tapas and olives. "Zorzal" is Spanish for thrush, the bird silhouetted here.

I think we all know a scarlet ibis when we see one, but The Scarlet Ibis Trinidad Rum leaves no doubt. As tropical and vibrant as its namesake, this rum has a spiced burnt sugar profile that elevates any cocktail it goes into.