June 2012 Newsletter

JUNE TASTING EVENTS

ORSOLANI Tasting, Friday, June 8 from 5:30-7:30pm.
Please join us as we welcome wine-maker Gigi Orsolani from Italy’s Piedmont region.
The Orsolani family specializes in the cultivation of the Erbaluce grape, which is native to the Canavese area of northern Piedmont, and bottle several stunning examples of Erbaluce in still, sparkling and late-harvest styles. We are thrilled to feature such a gorgeous collection of wines and have Gigi here to share his family’s wines! We hope you can join us!

THE SPANISH WINES OF DEMAISON SELECTIONS, Thu. 6/14 – 5:30-7:30pm
If you have ever enjoyed a bottle of wine from Spain then this is a tasting not to be missed!
We are very excited to welcome Steven Alexander and Andre Tamers of De Maison Selections as they pour wines from their outstanding portfolio of Spanish growers. De Maison is one of the premier importers of small-production, artisanal wine from the Iberian Peninsula, and we believe that many of the growers in their portfolio are producing some of the most exciting wines coming out of Spain today.

BEER TASTINGS ON FRIDAY, JUNE 15th & FRIDAY, JUNE 29th 5:30-7:30pm

WEEKLY TASTING EVERY SATURDAY
Between 2pm and 7pm we will offer wines to taste and enjoy while shopping. Check out our web site, Facebook or Twitter on Saturday morning to find out what we will be opening.

COMING IN JULY -
THE SUMMER OF R***LING
“Are you hard enough? Are you rough enough? Are you rich enough? You’re not too blind to see.”*
It all starts, nationwide, July 1st.
(*with apologies to the Rolling Stones)

JUNE “SHORT SIPS” CLASS-

“Misunderstood Merlot – Taste and compare Merlot based wines from around the world”

This is A FREE one hour educational program, limited to eight people and held in our fine wine room on FRIDAY & SATURDAY, June 22nd and 23rd from 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.)

New Arrivals - EASTON ZINFANDEL

Matt does not often wax poetic about Zinfandel but after recently tasting the latest releases of Easton Zins, his praise was effusive. Now is a good time to stock up on Zinfandels as back to back short vintages in 2010 and 2011 will start to drive up prices. The 2010’s and 11’s will be good wines but yields, over all, were lower.
2010 Easton Zinfandel Amador County – “A wine Spectator smart buy – Crisp and elegant, with floral cherry and spice aromas and lively, pure raspberry, white pepper and loam flavors that linger toward light tannins. Drink now through 2017. 5,400 cases made.” (WS 6/30/12) $19.95
2007 Easton Fiddletown Rinaldi Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel - Sleek and focused, delivering fresh black cherry and loam aromas and complex tart raspberry, white pepper and sage flavors that linger toward ripe tannins. Drink now through 2014. 400 cases made.” (WS 5/31, 2010)  Note that the vines in the Rinaldi vineyard are amongst the oldest in California with some dating back to 1865!  $34.95

Our Personal favorite Summer white wines

Build a summer 6 bottle sampler from these wines and save 10% during the month of June!

Believe it or not Zins – like the Easton Zins above - are perfect in the summer because they complement grilled meats and barbeque (and, you CAN chill Zinfandel!). But mostly, summer is the time for perfectly refreshing white wine like the bone dry light and crisp wines from Vinho Verde and Txakoli, so perfect with Sushi. Or the aromatic, fresh and crisp wines like Arneis and Albarino; arresting complements to salads with or without added protein.  Try a Gruner Veltliner with green apple and spice or a clean and crispy Gavi from northern Italy. For grilled chicken nothing beats the smooth textured, fragrant and refreshing Verdejo from Spain.
Santola Vinho Verde $7.95 or Broadbent Vinho Verde $8.95
2010 Xarmant Txakolina - $16.95
Rocche Costamagna Arneis $14.95
2010 Condes de Albarei, Albarino $13.95
Broadbent Gruner Veltliner $11.95
2010Lovisolo Gavi - $10.95
2010 Naia Verdejo $14.95

New Arrivals - DOMAINE de la ROMANEE-CONTI

From the great Pinot Noir vineyards in Vosne Romanee , DRC vints and bottles the absolute benchmark for Pinot Noir. These are the wines against which ALL other Pinot Noirs are compared. Quantities released to the US are minuscule and the allocation gets smaller every year. If you are a Pinot Noir lover and have never had a wine from DRC, the great 2009 vintage would be the once in a lifetime buy.  (PS – We have other vintages and one other vineyard that start below $600)
2009 DRC La Tache – “is a symphony of aromas, flavors and textures. The wine literally covers every inch of the palate with endless nuance and a generous, enveloping personality. There is more than enough fruit to balance the tannins, but despite the open, radiant personality, the 2009 possesses plenty of material and sheer structure to support several decades of cellaring. This is a fabulous wine.” $3,495.95
2009 DRC Richebourg -  “ is a dramatic wine. In 2009 there is so much fruit that the tannins are barely perceptible. With time in the glass dark notes of tar, smoke, licorice and violets develop, adding tons of complexity to the fruit. This is a huge, vertical wine that captures the essence of Richebourg in its towering fruit and structure. Layers of fruit saturate every corner of the palate as the wine builds to a deeply satisfying crescendo of head-spinning aromas and flavors.” $1,999.95

Why Wine lives at Emerson’s

The other day we sold a bottle of wine that had been living in our store for 10 years; 10 years of lying peacefully on its side in indirect non-fluorescing, low UV light at 63 degrees Fahrenheit and 60-70% humidity. The customer who purchased the bottle came back later to tell just how perfect the wine had been!  Interesting wines, and often more expensive wines, take longer to sell and our local grocery stores and markets make no provisions for wines that might stay on their shelves longer then a few months. Thus local markets sell wine that stands upright under UV light with seasonal temperature and humidity fluctuations. If the case of expensive cabernet does not sell out in six to eight months, the cork, after standing upright will begin to shrink. If the bottle is clear, the fluorescing UV light source will prematurely age the wine. Temperature fluctuations and low humidity will increase the cork shrinkage and result in early maturing and oxidized wine. People sometimes wonder why the lights in our store are so dim and why the store is so cold, but they should be asking the local grocery store and market why their store is so warm and why the bottles are all standing up.

MONTHLY SPECIALS