October 2009 Newsletter

OUR OCTOBER TASTING

Please join us and Patrick O’Byrne from HENRIOT as we taste
Champagne from Henriot, Burgundy from Domaine Bouchard & Fils and Chablis from William Fevre
Wednesday, October 14th 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.

Our FIRST EVER Beer Tasting

Please Join us and Clay Gilbert from Hop & Wine for tasting of Beers from:
Founders Brewing Co., Holland Michigan
October 28th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at our Store on Grove Ave.

NEW ARRIVALS

2005 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red Wine, Napa, North Coast, California, USA – “The charismatic Jayson Pahlmeyer and his exuberant winemaker, Erin Green, who apprenticed for Helen Turley for many years, are turning out some fabulous wines. I terribly underestimated their 2005 reds. However, there’s always time to correct these things, and I intend to do it with the following notes. This wine has fleshed out beautifully. The final blend (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) has a deep purple color, a beautifully sweet nose of blackberries and cassis intermixed with some meatiness, smoke, and a touch of pain grille as well as notes of espresso and licorice. Full-bodied, rich, with decent acidity, excellent delineation, and moderately high tannin, this is a beauty that should evolve for 25-30+ years It is no wimpish wine at 15.2% natural alcohol, but that is buried beneath a cascade of gorgeous fruit and glycerin. This wine should be cruising along brilliantly in 2030+. 96pts. (Wine Advocate # 180) $135.95
2006 MX Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, Oakville Napa Valley – This our first offering of Richmond native Andy Beckstoffer’s parcel of the famous To Kalon Vineyard. Wineries such as Paul Hobbs, Schrader and Tor offer Beckstoffer To Kalon wines costing in excess of $250 (if you can find them). MX (named for winemaker Margaux Singleton) is a small, 125 case production that was, until now, only available through a mailing list offering but one case is now available for sale in Virginia. Here is a review from the July/August issue of Wine News: “Opaque ruby hue. Aromas of ripe raspberry, cassis blackberry and toast. Aged in Darnajou oak, the flavor profile is plush and rich in fruit, and the tannins very polite. It was picked from select rows to utilize all the clonal and varietal components of Andy Beckstoffer’s portion of the To Kalon vineyard in Qakville.” $129.95

WORLDLY PINOT NOIR

A great deal on a six bottle sampler!

This month we have a Bourgogne, Pinot Noir from Burgundy, as a monthly special wine. While burgundy is the home of Pinot Noir, it is a grape that is grown successfully all over world. We thought it would be interesting to offer a sampler consisting of 6 bottles of Pinot Noir from around the world. Here is a list of the wines and the regular prices. If each was purchased separately the price would be $89.70. This month a six bottle sampler with, one each of the following wines, is only $69.95.
CHILE – 2008 Apaltagua Reserve Pinot Noir -aromas of cherries and raspberries combined with soft notes of oak. In the mouth it has smooth and elegant tannins that finish soft and delicate. (Regular Price: $11.95)
ITALY – 2008 Terrazze Pinot Nero – From Northern Italy’s Lombardy region,  with dried fruit aromas, a bit of forest floor earthiness and a medium body.  The winery, Tenuta Mazzolino,  is among the best Italian Pinot Nero producers. (Regular Price: $14.95)
TASMANIA – 2008 Devil’s Corner Pinot Noir –Ripe plum and cherry flavors and hints of spice. This wine is made as a lighter bodied style but there is no shortage of flavor backed up with fine, silky tannins and a long supple finish. (Regular price: $14.95)
FRANCE – 2007 Bugey Pinot - Peillot makes pristine wines in the Bugey, a recently elevated AOC in eastern France. He is a true follower of the natural wine movement, using no added sulfites or additives. Almost like freshly pressed raspberries in your glass! (Regular Price $16.95)
URUGUAY -  2007 Bodagas Carrau Pinot Noir De Reserva  - Aged for 6 months in French Oak and bottled unfiltered with aromas of spices, red pepper and black tea. The finish is velvety with fine tannins.(Regular price: $14.95)
USA – 2007 Annabella Carnaros Pinot Noir – Aged in French Oak this is a medium bodied, full flavored Pinot Noir with aromas of Black Cheery and Plum. (Regular price: $15.95)

A GREAT VALUE

There is no question that the best values in French wine come from the south. Here is a beautiful Chardonnay/ Viognier blend from the Languedoc Roussillon that is a perfect for the chardonnay drinker looking for something a little different. Here is a review form the Wine Advocate:
2008 Domaine de Coussergues Chardonnay / Viognier, France - “My favorite is the medium-bodied, dry, fresh, lively 2008 Chardonnay/Viognier (a 50-50 blend). Exotic tropical fruit, honeysuckle, and floral undertones offer a lovely aromatic display. All four of these offerings are crisp, fresh, lively, aromatic whites that are best consumed over the next 6-12 months. 90pts.” (Wine Advocate # 183)  $9.95

MONTHLY SPECIALS

MONTHLY SPECIALS