Vino & Vinyl : Freddie Jackson, English-Brown Chardonnay & Rich Auntie Energy
On the turntable: Freddie Jackson’s Just Like the First Time
In the glass: English-Brown Chardonnay
The mood: Bills paid. Good glasses out. Nobody rushing you.
There was a time when Chardonnay felt like your rich auntie’s wine.
You know the auntie. Good perfume. A proper handbag. Something gold on her wrist. She had the glasses you weren’t supposed to touch and a living room that looked like company was coming, even when nobody was invited.
When she said, “Pour me a little wine,” you already knew she wasn’t drinking it out of a plastic cup.
And the aunties loved Freddie Jackson.
That man could come through the speakers and suddenly the woman who had been telling everybody what to do all afternoon was swaying with her eyes closed.
Now that we’ve grown into a little auntie energy ourselves, the pairing makes perfect sense.
The record: Just Like the First Time
For this edition of Vinyl & Vino, we’re putting on Freddie Jackson’s Just Like the First Time and pouring our English-Brown Chardonnay.
Freddie had a way of making a love song feel personal. That smooth voice, the unhurried delivery, the feeling that somebody had cleared their entire evening just to tell you how they felt.
You could hear the romance before you caught every word.
This is a record to settle into. Let the songs play. Resist the urge to skip ahead. Give the music enough time to change the mood in the room.
Somewhere along the way, we started treating an evening at home like the space between things that actually count.
The aunties knew better. They had a record, a glass, and a favorite chair. That was an evening.
The pour: English-Brown Chardonnay
Our handcrafted English-Brown Chardonnay is the pour we’re bringing to this listening session.
Medium-bodied and dry with light oak, our Chardonnay brings hints of pineapple, melon, and peach to the palate, delicate pear on the finish, and fresh, lively acidity. There’s fruit to enjoy and brightness to keep you coming back to the glass.
That fresh fruit and light oak give us a lovely companion to Freddie’s smooth delivery. The pairing feels polished, but you don’t have to dress up or know a single wine term to enjoy it.
There’s something especially satisfying about pairing a familiar voice with a wine made by a local, Black woman-owned winery. It brings the experience closer to home. Our music, our stories, our place at the table.
And you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy it.
Pour a glass and take your time with that first sip. What do you notice? How does it feel on your palate? Does a little food change the experience?
You don’t have to reach for the “right” wine words. Start with what you taste and what you enjoy. That’s how you get to know a wine—and your own preferences.
Chardonnay used to feel like something I would grow into.
Apparently, here we are. Making it, pouring it, and understanding exactly why Auntie wanted her good glass.
Why we’re pairing them
At English-Brown Winery, we believe wine belongs in the life you actually enjoy. The food you love. The people you invite over. The music you know by heart.
Our Chardonnay and Freddie Jackson’s Just Like the First Time belong together for the evening they invite you to create.
A proper pour. A record with romance in it. Enough time to enjoy both.
Freddie sets the pace, and we’re following his lead. Take a sip between songs. Let a favorite track play again. Notice what happens when you stop trying to squeeze pleasure into the last ten minutes of your day.
Maybe a song brings back a memory you haven’t thought about in years. Maybe you find yourself singing into your wine glass.
Maybe you finally understand why your auntie used to tell everybody to leave her alone when her music was on.
Growth comes in many forms.
Set your table
For this listening session, I’m picturing lemon-herb roasted chicken, warm bread, and a simple dinner that doesn’t require spending the whole evening in the kitchen. The chicken’s savory flavors and touch of lemon give our Chardonnay’s bright acidity and fruit notes something delicious to work with.
Or make yourself a little cheese board. This is your evening. Dinner can be as ambitious as you feel.
Bring out the good glass. Pour your English-Brown Chardonnay. Light the candle you’ve been saving and put your phone somewhere you have to stand up to reach it.
Company is optional.
You can make yourself a plate, pour yourself a glass, and give your own company a little attention. A beautiful evening at home is worth arranging for yourself.
We understand the aunties now
I used to think the luxury was the wine. Or the glass. Or whatever expensive-looking thing she had on.
These days, I think about how comfortable she looked enjoying herself.
She had her taste. Her music. Her little rituals. And for a few songs, she was going to sit right there and enjoy them.
That’s the energy we’re bringing to this pairing.
Freddie on the turntable. English-Brown Chardonnay in the glass. A whole evening you don’t have to explain.
The aunties had excellent taste. We were just too young to appreciate the playlist.
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