September 2009 Newsletter

OUR SEPTEMBER TASTING

"DOWN UNDER"

Dane Dineen – Wine maker for Maude Wines in New Zealand
Peter Bentley – from Pikes in Clare Valley Australia
Thursday, September 17 th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at our Store on Grove Ave.
A list of wines will be available in the store and special pricing will be available for purchases made during the tasting.

INTERESTING NEW ARRIVALS

2007 Do Ferreiro Albarino Rias Baixas, (Spain): “The 2007 Albarino is medium straw-colored with an attractive nose of mineral, grapefruit, lemon, and baking spices. Crisp and vibrant on the palate with plenty of lemony fruit, this lengthy wine will drink well over the next 2-3 years. Gerardo Mendez runs Do Ferreiro, a winery founded in 1973. He owns five hectares, three of which are over 50 years old and one 200 years of age. The wines are fermented with native yeasts and remain on the lees for at least six months. 90pts.” (WA #183) $26.95
2006 Roucas Toumba Vacqueyras Rouge, (France): “Sadly, proprietor Eric Bouletin did not offer his 2005 for tasting, but he has hit a home run with his 2006 Vacqueyras. Made from a blend of 60% Grenache (aged in old demi-muids), 25% Syrah (aged in small barrels), 12% Mourvedre, and 3% white varietals, this deep ruby/purple-tinged wine performed brilliantly. Its stunning nose of licorice, kirsch, lavender, and spice is followed by a rich, full-bodied Vacqueyras with sweet tannin, decent acidity, and a long finish. It should drink nicely for a decade. (91-93)pts.” (WA #175)  $38.95
2005 Argyle Brut, (Oregon):“… Medium straw-colored, this biscuity bubbly has tons of flavor, plenty of minerality and superb length. It is a great value in high class sparkling wine (and that includes Champagne). While the focus of this report is on 2006 Pinot Noir, it is undeniable that Argyle Winery is producing among the best sparkling wines made in the USA and they cannot be ignored.  92pts.” (WA #179) $27.95
2007 Agostina Pieri Rosso di Montalcino, (Italy): “The 2007 Rosso di Montalcino flows with layers of dark red fruit, menthol, spices and minerals, all of which meld together seamlessly in a wine of extraordinary grace. Silky, refined tannins frame the long, sensual finish as the wine continues to gain richness in the glass. This is a sublime Rosso that readers won’t want to miss. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2017. Once again Agostina Pieri has produced two wines that deliver the goods, both in terms of quality, but also in value, something that isn’t easy to say these days about the wines of Montalcino. 91pts.” (WA #183) $26.95

SPECTACULAR BRUNELLO - UNDER $40

On our shelf at $44.95, this is an offer for our newsletter readers/subscribers only. Here is the review: 2003 Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino: “Smoke, tar, earthiness and toasted oak emerge from Collosorbo’s brooding 2003 Brunello di Montalcino, which is unusually powerful in this vintage. Today the wine comes across as surprisingly fresh with a perfumed inner sweetness to the fruit that gives the mid-palate an attractive juiciness. Although the tannins could use a little more polish, this is a superb effort from oenologist Paolo Caciorgna and Collosorbo in 2003. 91pts.” (WA #176) $39.95 (You’ll need to mention the newsletter to get this price.)

CHEESE NOTES

We think we have an excellent selection of cheeses and because we know you have many places you can go to make your cheese purchase we try and make sure that are prices are extremely competitive. Here are three of our most popular and popularly priced:
Parmesan-Reggiano Northern Italy (raw cow’s milk)-$13.95/lb.
St. Andre France (Pasteurized cow’s milk) - $12.95/lb.
Manchego Semicurado Castille-Leon, Spain (raw sheep’s milk) – $15.95 lb.

LOST AND FOUND – 2001 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape

We just finished our yearly inventory last night and one of our surprises was a case of 2001 Beaucastel that we thought was empty – but wasn’t. So we opened a bottle to celebrate and it was perfect.  Dense and flavorful and absolutely ready to drink; no decanting necessary. Here is the Parker review form 2004: “This inky/ruby/purple-colored cuvee offers a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years.(I think it has emerged a bit earlier.) Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. 96 pts.” (WA #151) $89.95

NEW ARRIVAL: “MANAKIN GOLD” HONEY

We’re pleased to announce that after much anticipation, we’ve received our first shipment of “Manakin Gold” Honey from Dover Creek Apiary. Jim & Eva Tashjian-Brown and their colony of bees have been hard at work over the past few months, and we’re proud to now carry the resulting locally-produced honey. From Jim & Eva:  “Manakin Gold is produced by the Dover Creek Apiary in very limited quantities. This is our first release, from four hives located in a single field in Manakin, Virginia. The primary sources of nectar this spring tulip poplar trees and white clover. Obviously, the bees go anywhere they want (within about a three mile range), so other likely sources are buckwheat, holly, and other wild flowers. We do not spray any of our fields, fruit trees, or home garden. We do not put chemicals or antibiotics in the hives. Instead we use natural methods to combat the bees’ enemies. We do not pasteurize or filter our honey. The taste and nutrition are so much fresher with raw honey.” Available in an 8oz. container for $5.95, a 1 lb. container for $7.95 or in a 1lb. container with a gift bag for $11.95.

MONTHLY SPECIALS