May 2019 Newsletter

May Tasting Events

ON SUNDAY, MAY 19th anytime between 1:30pm & 4:30pm
you will be attending OUR 10th annual
ROSÉ-A-PALOOZA an often imitated, but never equaled event with food & all the great pink wines plus discounts. Thank-you.

Join us on THURSDAY MAY 23rd  from 5:30 to 7:30 pm as we welcome
Winemaker, Bill Easton
T E R E R O U G E / EASTON WINERY
An iconic, artisan winery growing Zinfandel and more from Amador County since 1986

Whatever we feel like tasting – every Saturday from 2pm to 7pm.

The Last Saturday Wine School: Picnic/Summer wines
As Memorial Day kicks off the start of warmer weather and outdoor living; we’ll taste some great wines for the season and discuss the attributes that make certain wines perfect for warm weather drinking!
The last Saturday of the month changes from a “whatever we feel like drinking” tasting event to a mini wine school tasting. We’ll pick a topic, theme, etc. and taste with a purpose! This is very informal with no scheduled start or finish time. Come anytime between 2 and 5 pm on Saturday, 5/25.

MAY “SHORT SIPS” CLASS – White Wines of Spain
From crispy Getariako Txakolina to luscious white Rioja, the white wines of Spain are perfect for warmer weather as well as great values.
A one hour educational program, limited to eight people and held in our fine wine room. Because the demand has been so great we are doing the class twice in MAY– FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MAY 10th and 11th from 6:00 to 7:00pm ––There is a $7 per person class fee and availability is on a first come first serve basis but you can call & reserve spaces at any time. 

MAY SPECIAL OFFERS

2014 Hartford Court Chardonnay, Three Jacks Vineyard, Russian River California
“Hartford Family Winery continues to be one of the great success stories in California viticulture.  I have always had fabulous tastings with Don Hartford and his winemaker, but this may have been the best tasting ever, largely because of the strength of the 2014 Chardonnays…” (Robert Parker, Jr.) Here is a review from Wine Advocate #221:  “a relatively small cuvée of about 340 cases, comes from multiple clonal selections, with 43% new French oak used. The result is a wine with striking wet-stone minerality that is reminiscent of a Grand Cru Chablis, a hint of tangerine oil and apple blossom, beautiful freshness, delineation and a medium to full-bodied, intensely saturated mouthfeel. This is a beautiful Chardonnay, and, much like the Stone Côte, probably capable of lasting 5-7 years minimum.”
Regular price: $72.99, On Sale in MAY: $49.99 (while supplies last)

2015 Renacer, Milamore, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
Included in the prestigious UK Wine magazine Decanter list of “12 exciting Argentinian wines under £25” Here is the Decanter review: “This wine is made in the appassimento method, where mainly Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are dried on racks, losing 30% of their weight and concentrating the sugars. An unusual style that works well, with tart cranberry fruit, chocolatey notes and spice from 12 months of ageing. Drinking Window 2018 – 2023”        Regular Price:  $26.99, On Sale in MAY: $21.99 (while supplies last)2012

2015 Ch. Malartic-Lagravière “Le Comte de Malartic” Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France
Inside the appellation of Graves lies the smaller, renowned sub-appellation of Pessac-Léognan. Here the well-drained gravely soil on the left bank of the Garonne below the city of Bordeaux produces the most famous white wines of Bordeaux. Le Comte is the second label of Lagravière but it benefits from the 8-meter-deep deposits of gravelly soil dating from the Quaternary period. Here is our review: A Blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. Richly textured and expressive with lemon lime beeswax and white flower aromas. Medium-bodied, it has a racy palate with loads of citrus and mineral layers on the finish.                       
  Regular Price:  $39.99, On Sale in MAY: $21.99 (while supplies last)

2012 Fratoria Galardi “Terra di Lavoro” Roccamonfina IGT, Campania, Italy
This is the wine that put Campania back on the enological fast track in the ‘90’s and is a great reference point for understanding the wines of that region. Here is a review from the Wine Advocate #218:
“From a ten hectare vineyard, the 2012 Roccamonfina Terra di Lavoro touches on many of the glory points that made this such an important cult wine for Campania. Although 2012 was a hot vintage, this wine shows an impressive sense of balance and elegance. This is especially apparent on the nose where it delivers blasts of dark fruit, balsam herb, tar, licorice and volcanic ash with meticulous precision. The fruit is layered, soft and ripe. In fact, the mouthfeel is the wine’s best asset. Its fine tannins offer enormous structure, but they are soft and yielding at the same time. This is an open and honest expression of Aglianico (80%) and Piedirosso that has only just begun its long evolution.”  Reg. Price:  $75.99, On Sale in MAY: $54.99 (while supplies last)

NEW ARRIVALS

2016 Philippe Zinck Pinot Blanc Alsace, France -“A creamy Pinot Blanc, with good cut, this offers a subtle streak of spicy mineral underscoring the apple peel and pear flavors. Drink now. 1,000 cases made, 750 cases imported.” (WS Web only) $14.99
2010 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Burgundy, France- “Integrated wood frames an impressively complex if decidedly somber nose of plum, cassis and plenty of Gevrey style earth. There is exceptionally good richness to the solidly well-concentrated medium-bodied flavors that possess an abundance of old vine extract that relegates the firm tannic spine to the background on the balanced and strikingly long finish. This delivers excellent quality for its level and is recommended plus it should amply reward a decade of cellar time. (Reviewed 2012)” (BH #45) $75.99

PLUS: New ROSÉ wines from Italy, Austria, France (try the Corne-Loup Tavel) and the US are arriving EVERY day as we build to ROSÉ-A-PALOOZA on May 19th

MONTHLY SPECIALS