November 2014 Monthly Newsletter

November Tasting Events

THURSDAY November 6th,
  from: 5:30-7:30pm:
Wines for the Season- A SELECTION OF BORDEAUX AND RIOJA
with Rebecca Moss from
Monsieur Touton

      SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23rd - 2 to 5 pm
        Mark your calendars for our 8th ANNUAL,
              often imitated never equaled,

          WINES of THANKSGIVING TASTING

Please join us for Turkey, Stuffing, Seasonal vegetables and
a selection of wines for the Thanksgiving table; including Beaujolais Nouveau and Cider!!

TASTING EVERY SATURDAY 2 - 7:00pm———“WHATEVER WE FEEL LIKE OPENING”

IT IS TIME TO ORDER BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES NOUVEAU

VILLAGES level of Beaujolais = lower yields, better terroir and better quality than simple Nouveau!

WE ARE PLEASED TO OFFER THE SAME PRICE AS LAST YEAR!
A perfect wine for the Thanksgiving table- Delivered the third Thursday in November (11/20).
We are, again, offering a village level of Nouveau from Domaine Manoir Du Carra. Beaujolais Nouveau Village.  This year was a roller coaster ride in Burgundy; cool warm & dry to start, hail from Beaune to Beaujolais in late June, crushingly hot weather in July followed by heavy rains in August. BUT, vintages are made in September and the weather has been perfect the last few weeks helping maturity and drying the fruit.
                            Will it be a good vintage for Beaujolais? The consensus is YES!
E-mail us at or call us at 285-8011 and order before 11/14 and the price is: $8.95 per bottle and $99.95 per case (no additional discounts.) Regular price is $9.95/btl.

Wines for a TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING

Here are some general wine suggestions for the Thanksgiving meal: Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, especially from the birthplace of Pinot Noir - Burgundy, Riesling from Germany and Alsace, Sauvignon Blanc, Roses, and lighter Italian red wines like Barbera and Dolcetto. Basically it is best to avoid heavy overly oaked wines but, if these classic suggestions are not your favorites, just drink whatever wine you like! We have many choices of all of these wines at price points to suit your budget; below are some suggestions of a higher order.

THANKSGIVING WINE SUGGESTIONS

We have many excellent Sauvignon blancs from Sancerre, etc. but if you want to kick it up a notch…
2012 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume Silex – “Greenish yellow. Lively but reticent aromas of citrus oil, ginger and wet stone. Gently sweet and tactile, with juicy citrus and yellow fruit flavors lifted by spicy nuances. Still needs time, but already displays stellar clarity and finishes with vibrant persistence. This is certainly one of the finest sauvignon blancs of the 2012 vintage.” (IWC, Sep/Oct 14) $134.95
Oregon Pinot Noir or red Burgundy are my choices and here is an option that befits the special meal…
2012 St. Innocent Winery Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton District- “Vivid ruby.  Heady, exotically perfumed aromas of dark berries, Asian spices, incense and candied flowers are sharpened by a zesty mineral quality and a hint of white pepper.  Stains the palate with intense black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter and deeper with air.  Shows superb energy, focus and depth of fruit on the extremely long, spicy finish.  Supple tannins build slowly and add shape but don’t get in the way of this sexy pinot’s assertive fruit.” (IWC 7/8 14)  $59.95
Crisp, dry and aromatic this Scheurebe will lift Turkey and stuffing to another level…
2011 Muller-Catoir Haardter Scheurebe Kabinett Trocken- “Representing their sole bottling from this grape variety in this vintage, the Catoir 2011 Haardter Scheurebe Kabinett trocken is delightfully and stimulatingly scented with mint, basil and pennyroyal, which translate into an at once soothing yet persistently stimulating as well as delicate palate impression whose luscious matrix strikes me as akin to juicy honeydew melon mingled with crunchy cucumber. Cepage-typical hints of grapefruit rind add appeal to a downright infectious finish. This is likely to prove terrifically versatile at table through at least 2018.” (WA #211) $34.95
The most perfect partner for all types of foods that show up on the Thanksgiving table just might be Beaujolais, especially Cru Beaujolais…
2009 Jean Foillard Fleurie Beaujolais, Burgundy, France- “The 2009 Fleurie has a rounded, sensual bouquet of raspberry coulis and blueberry scents interlaced with rose petals (here, I concur with my colleague David Schildknecht about this Fleurie erring toward darker fruit.) The palate is medium-bodied with an effervescent orange zest opening, superb acidity and an energetic, tensile finish that is concentrated and precise. This is a Fleurie from the very top drawer. Drink now-2020.” (WA #213) $46.95
Dolcetto is the friendliest of the Piedmont grapes & having a bit more grip makes it perfect for T-day…
2012 Pecchenino Dogliani San Luigi - (100% Dolcetto) “The beautifully defined black cherry and black pepper flavors are matched to a firm backbone of tannins in this dense red. A serious Dolcetto, with depth and length. Drink now through 2017. 3,900 cases made.” (WS Web Only 2013) $17.95

TWO INCREDIBLE THANKSGIVING VALUES

Matt Licklider & Kevin O’Connor, founders of LIOCO Winery are part of the New California Wine movement and make world class Sonoma chardonnay but they also make compelling wine from vineyards outside the prized county of Sonoma. The principled philosophy which propelled LIOCO into the limelight is applied here— choice vineyard sites, clean horticulture, low yields, early harvest dates, minimalist winemaking.
2011 NOCO (North Coast) Chardonnay, California – Vinified & finished in all stainless steel. Notes of green pear, lemon drops and wet stone lemon acidity reminiscent of Chablis. Stirring on the lees and natural malolactic gives it body. A Chardonnay for the Thanksgiving table. Reg. $17.95   NOW $13.95
We love the Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from this small family run Healdsburg winery started by George Davis in 1977. Since 1997 and now run by his son Alex. For years the Rose was only available in the tasting room but the last few vintages have seen a limited release to distributors. Alex picks specific grapes for this rose and the wine is never made as a by bleeding juice from a tank of red wine.
2012 Porter Creek Rose, Sonoma County, CA– (a blend of zinfandel and carignan): Bright salmon colored with muted aromas of strawberry and ripe red fruit.  Full bodied and creamy in the mouth. Crisp richandbalanced on the finish.  Reg $22.95   NOW $14.95

NOW AVAILABLE: THE 2013 VINTAGE of “THE PRISONER”.

MONTHLY SPECIALS