May 2018 Newsletter
May Tasting Events
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2ND from 5:30 TO 7:30PM
RICHARD BRUNO Owner/ Winemaker VINUM CELLARS
Wines from Clarksburg, El Dorado County, and Napa Valley, California.
Discounts on all Vinum wines during the tasting.
Saturday, May 12th from 2 to 5 pm
The Tuscan wines of Montenidoli
with John Grimsley from Le Storie wines
One of our favorite Tuscan wineries recently returned to the Richmond market.
ON SUNDAY, MAY 20th anytime between 1:30pm & 4:30pm you will be attending ROSÉ-A-PALOOZA an often imitated but never equaled event with food & all the great pink wines plus discounts. Thank-you.
and… Whatever we feel like tasting – every Saturday from 2pm to 7pm.
MAY “SHORT SIPS†CLASS – “AFFORDABLE†WHITE BURGUNDY
Not every white Burgundy appellation is priced to break the bank! We’ll taste great wines from lesser known appellations that are outstanding 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 18th and 19th 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.
The Last Saturday Wine School THEME: MERLOT: A LOVE STORY
The Merlot grape has fallen on disfavor in recent years but it is a grape poised for a comeback and, in some cases, (Bordeaux) it never left. We’ll taste and discuss a few wines from the US and beyond!
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! The wines we taste will be offered as a package with a discount. This is very informal with no scheduled start or finish time. Each session will be about 10 minutes! Come anytime between 2 and 5 pm on Saturday, 5/26.
MAY SPECIAL OFFER: Vinsacro Dioro Rioja, Spain and Frédéric Magnien Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France
Rioja is such a great place to go for great red (and white) wines that deliver an amazing price/value ratio. Valsacro is no exception. This modern style is a perfect change of pace for California cab lovers.
2015 Valsacro Vinsacro Dioro, Rioja Spain- “The top of the range is the 2015 Vinsacro Dioro, a wine that is only produced in excellent vintages. It’s a blend of 40% Vidau (the old field blend) plus 45% Tempranillo and 15% Mazuelo, from a slope in the south of the Monte Yerga called Cuesta la Reina, from a big, 120-hectare plot that has been with the Escudero family for generations. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel with a long maceration. It matured in new French (70%) and American oak barrels for 18 months. It’s still very young and a little shy, with a reticent nose where the lactic and spicy aromas are intermixed with earthy and dark fruit aromas. The palate is full-bodied but perfectly balanced, compact, powerful and serious, with abundant tannins, extract and clout. This should develop nicely in bottle, given its stuffing and balance. An excellent, modern version of a classical Rioja. 20,000 bottles were filled in June 2017.†(WA #235) Regular price: $25.99, On Sale in MAY: $18.99 (while supplies last)
Frédéric Magnien Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France - Frédéric is a fifth-generation winemaker from Morey-Saint-Denis, and Burgundy is the family’s lifeblood. Learning the craft first from his father, Michel Magnien (of Domaine Michel Magnien), Fred also traveled to California and Australia to hone his talents before returning home and starting his own négociant domaine in his native village. Over the years his wines have been some of our favorite affordable Burgundies.
2015 Maison Frédéric Magnien Bourgogne Blanc – From the grand 2015 vintage this has knitted together nicely over the last year. Aged in older French oak barrels, bottled unfined and unfiltered, this is a flavorful older-vine “basic†Bourgogne that combines Chardonnay fruit from vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny, Fixin, Marsannay and crucially, Meursault. This is a medium-bodied, silky wine with notes of pineapple, blanched almonds and wildflowers finishing with acidity that is perfectly balanced and delicious.
Regular Price: $24.99, On Sale in MAY: $19.99 (while supplies last)
NEW ARRIVALS
2014 Montevertine Le PergoleTorte, IGT Toscana, Italy- “The flagship 2014 Le Pergole Torte possesses striking depth, nuance and pliancy, all in the midweight, slightly slender style of the vintage. Sweet red cherry, plum, cinnamon, dried flowers, mint, cinnamon and pomegranate infuse this super-expressive, sexy Pergole Torte.†(Vinous) $120.99
The ultimate Rutherford bench, Napa Valley floor wine from one of the most famous vineyards in Napa. The history of Napa Valley Wine is completely wrapped around Robert Mondavi, its greatest ambassador and this IS the estate grown wine that originally made him famous.
2014 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Reserve, Napa, Ca. – “a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep ruby/purple-colored, notes of sweet crème de cassis, blackberry, charcoal and toast are present in the subtle but intense aromatics. The wine is full-bodied and classically crafted, building incrementally on the palate and displaying full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and a potential to age for 25-30 + years. This is a beauty. (WA#228) $169.99
A GREAT WARM WEATHER VALUE WHITE WINE
2016 Domaine du Coing de Saint Fiacre, Chardonnay Cuvee Aurore, Loire Valley France - crisp and fresh somewhere between a Muscadet and Chablis. A great little porch sipper with shrimp or oysters. $10.99
MONTHLY SPECIALS
May 2018 | Usual | Case (cs.btl cost) |
|
---|---|---|---|
*2015 Chateau Lamothe Castera Bordeaux Rouge, France | $8.99 | $11.99 | $96 ($8.00) |
*2016 Clos des Grands Primos Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Loire, Fr. | $8.99 | $13.99 | $96 ($8.00) |
*2016 Dreyer Sonoma Chardonnay, "Compass," California | $9.99 | $11.99 | $108 ($9.00) |
*2014 Villa Corbinelli Toscana Rosso IGT, Tuscany, Italy | $9.99 | $12.99 | $108 ($9.00) |
2016 Ken Forrester Pinotage "Petit," Stellenbosch, S. Africa | $10.99 | $13.99 | $120 ($10.00) |
2016 Bodegas Naia Rueda Blanco, Spain | $11.99 | $15.99 | $132 ($11.00) |
2017 Tegernseerhof Zweigelt Rosé, Austria | $11.99 | $14.99 | $132 ($11.00) |
2015 Vinum Cellars Petite Sirah, Clarksburg, California | $12.99 | $15.99 | $144 ($12.00) |
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