May 2013 Newsletter

MAY TASTING EVENTS

FRIDAY, MAY 3rd.  5:00-7:00pm
Please join us as we welcome
  Luca Currado
winemaker/owner of
Vietti Estates
“This is like if Meryl Streep decided to come to my high school and talk about acting.”
Genevelyn Steele, wine educator with Dionysos Imports.

MONDAY MAY 20th 5:30-7:30pm
We are pleased to welcome Le directeur et L’oenologue - Maison Champy
Dimitri Bazas
THE BURGUNDY WINES OF
MAISON CHAMPY
Join is as we taste with the winemaker of Burgundy’s oldest negociant, established in 1720.

THURSDAY MAY 23rd 5:30 -7:30pm
Katie Dorazio and the Italian wines of
DALLA TERRA - Winery Direct

MAY “SHORT SIPS” CLASS

What makes fine wine fine?

A tour of our rarities and curiosities room and a tasting of 3 extraordinary wines from our collection.
A one hour educational program, limited to eight people and held in our fine wine room.  Because of the nature of this class there will be a $10/per person fee. The class will be held twice in MAY–FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MAY 17th and 18th,  5:30 to 6:30pm ––Availability is on a first come first serve basis but you can call and reserve spaces at anytime.  (A great idea for your group as a prelude to dinner.)

It’s BACK - ANDRE CLOUET CHAMPAPNE NV GRAND CRU 1911

Full bodied , yet extraordinarily smooth & elegant.

100% Pinot Noir and only 1911 bottles are produced each cuvee from Grand Cru vineyards.  The cuvee is a blend of older vintages from the 90’s and a solera of reserve wines from the 2002 Vintage. Packed in straw with a booklet indicating the disgorgement date (this Cuvee was disgorged 1/7/13) and the bottle number. This is one of the finest Champagnes we have tasted at this price, but unfortunately only a few bottles were released into Virginia. $104.95

2011 DO FERREIRO ALBARINO, CEPAS VELLAS

Our hands down, absolute favorite Albarino. Produced from a one hectare vineyard site whose vines are over 200 years old (yes, that’s right 200+ year old, pre-phylloxera vines), this is a wine that re-defines Albarino and anyone who likes Albarino should try one bottle of Cepas Vellas (which means Old Vines). Unlike other ‘fancy’ Spanish whites, this is fermented with indigenous yeasts, spends 12 months on its lees in stainless steel, and doesn’t see any French oak whatsoever. Drink this and you’ll understand why, when it comes to Albariño, it’s all about raw material. This is a very special wine, showing great intensity of rich stone fruit flavors as well as wonderful minerality. Drink with seafood. $44.95

ROSE-A-PALOOZA - New Rose Arrivals

Usually May means we are getting set for ROSE-A-PALOOZA, but this May we have so much going on that we are postponing the event until June. However, we have already begun receiving some delicious pink wines and here are a few to try:
2012 J. K. Carriere “Glass” Willamette Valley Pint Noir Rose. – Ethereal, maybe a bit of strawberry, perhaps some light floral notes or wet stone. Hard to tell; it demands another glass; smooth, crisp with a bit of salinity, delicious and hard to define. Try with fish, chicken, goat cheese or maybe a turkey sandwich. $27.95
For something a bit different here is a blend from California of 80% Touriga Nacional and 20% Tinto Cao -  2011 Arnot-Roberts Rose of Touriga Nacional Lake County, CA-  “Bright pink. Intense perfume of raspberry, cherry and violet, with a spicy topnote.  Deeply pitched red and dark berry flavors are sharpened and lifted by tangy acidity.  Dry, precise rose with excellent finishing cut and length.” (IWC 7/12) $23.95
2012 Mas de Gourgonnier Rose, Les Baux de Provence, France - This storied domaine, run with passion and skill by Luc and Lucienne Cartier, has been farming and making wine organically for decades.  The blend of this perennially amazing rosé has more Syrah than usual giving a soft texture and fruitier finish than recent vintages as well as a little Carignan to lend a spicy note and add complexity. Blend: 35% Grenache, 18% Syrah, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carignan. $18.95
2012 Ch. Peyrassol, Cotes De Provence, rose - This is the elite cuvée of the estate harvested from the oldest vines of the domaine (35 years and older).  Principally composed of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah, the “Chateau” bottling also sees the addition, from time-to-time of Tibouren, the ancient and regal Provencale grape.  Produced via the “direct press” method and has a long cuvaison designed to produce a wine of character and concentration.  The Peyrassol possesses all the freshness and delicacy of a great Provencal rosé. The allocation for the USA averages only 335 cases per year. $27.95
2012 Domaine de Fenouillet, Ventoux, France, Rose - From the warm southern Rhone appellation of Ventoux just east of Châteauneuf- du- Pape. A blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. Very aromatic on the nose with strawberries and ripe red fruits some weight on the palette and nice minerality. $13.95

NEW ARRIVALS

Here is classic Rhone Syrah. This is what Shiraz wants to be when it grows up.
2010 Vincent Paris Cornas Granite 30 – “classic Cornas aromas of new saddle leather, smoked game and a rich, black fruit meatiness, full-bodied and tannic as well as enormously rich and concentrated with what the French call sucrosite (a sweetness that comes from ripe fruit, not residual sugar), this black/purple-colored 2010 requires 4-5 years of cellaring and should last for 25 years” (WA #204/198)  $39.95
Second label of a “perfect wine” is a good value in Bordeaux:
2009 Le Petit Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux Fr. – The 2nd label of Smith Haut Lafitte (which was considered a perfect wine in ’09 and averages about $250/btl) is very approachable with ripe black fruits and plums, great texture some pleasant fleshiness and great structure for a grilled steak. $39.95

                                                USE YOUR 6 BOTTLE WINE BAGS FROM OTHER STORES AND SAVE 10% (on six bottles)
We want to remind our customers to use wine bags that other stores continue to push on you. Remember they are made from oil and you must use each of those bags 9 times before it equals one paper bag.

                                                      PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE NOW OPEN SUNDAYS, 12noon-6:00pm

MONTHLY SPECIALS