Monthly Archives: May 2017

Friday Wine Tasting 5.26.17

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Come join us before you begin you Memorial Day celebrations! Here’s what we’ll be pouring from 3-7 pm.

RIO DO CACHACA LIME &
RIO DO CACHACA PASSION
Cachaca, often called Brazilian rum, is the third fastest growing spirit category. Distilled directly from fresh pressed Brazilian sugar cane juice, cachaca is used in the national cocktail of Brazil, the Caipirinha- a refreshing blend of cachaca, limes, sugar and ice. These flavored versions offer an exciting twist

ROSSO DI CA’MOMI
This is a proprietary red blend of grapes sourced from throughout Napa Valley. The nose is bold with caramel and fig aromas, along with notes of coffee and chocolate. Lush and medium bodied on the palate, ripe red fruit flavors mingle nicely with cedar and coffee notes. Powerful grip and balanced acidity carry you into a pleasing and long finish.

PORTLANDIA PINOT NOIR
This Oregon Pinot Noir sourced from the Willamette and Rogue Valleys, is a youthful, lively example of the grape. The nose is bright with red cherry and hints of pipe tobacco. The palate is vibrantly acidic and spicy, with red berry and plum notes and a clean underlying minerality.

Balance

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You may have noticed that I mention BALANCE pretty much in every post. That’s because balance is one of (if not THE) most important aspects of wine evaluation.

If you think back to our discussion on bad wine, you’ll understand the struggle of trying to quantify and assess a product that is so subjective.

I mean, you can’t control someone’s opinion on something. No matter how much I love a crisp, acidic, minerally Albariño, I’m never going to convert my spicy, bold, jammy Zinfandel loving friend. Not a fault of the wines. Not a fault of either of our tastes. It’s simply opinion.

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Wine Compounds: Sugar

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The next compound I want to talk about is sugar. (And not just because I am majorly jonesing for any and all sweet desserts.)

Sugar is essential to making any type of alcoholic/fermented beverage, but it is also a key characteristic in choosing grapes to make wine.

Technically you can make wine from any type of fruit, but one of the reasons grapes are the most successful choice is due to the exceptionally high sugar content of their juice. Understanding how this sugar develops in a grape and then how it is used in wine making can help you quite a bit when figuring out what a wine will be like.

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Friday Wine Tasting 5.19.17

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Here’s this week’s wine tasting line up. Come by for a taste!

KLINKER BRICK BRICKS & ROSES
This classic Rhone style blend rose is a brilliant salmon hue with a bright nose of citrus and white flowers. Dry, but fruity, this wine offers a pleasant palate of ripe strawberries, watermelon and grapefruit. This wine finishes light with a vibrant acidity making it a refreshing companion on any warm sunny day.

DOG POINT SAUVIGNON BLANC
New Zealand has become synonymous with great Sauvignon Blanc. A bright yellow/green, this wine offers classic Sauvignon Blanc aromas of lemon and grapefruit with hints of a smokey, flinty minerality. Typically a high acid grape, this wine does an excellent job of balancing that bracing acidity with juicy fruit flavors. Pure citrus notes mingle with hints of elderflower that linger refreshingly on the palate.

KLINKER BRICK OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
Klinker Brick classifies any vine over the age of 50 as “old vine”, but this Zinfandel comes from vineyards that average 85 years in age. Dark, sweet berries and warm spice dominate the nose leading into a full, juicy palate of plum, blackberry and a hint of black pepper.

NORTON PRIVADA
This Argentinian blend of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep, inky wine. The depth of color mirrors the depth of aroma and flavor yet to come. The nose is rich and cloying with candied grape and pomegranate aromas. The palate is thick and almost syrupy in its richness. Jammy blackberry and baked plum are bolstered by chewy tannins and a bold, lingering finish.

Friday Wine Tasting 5.12.17

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Prepare for Mother’s Day by trying some new, delicious wines! Today from 3-7 pm. Hope to see you there!

RIVA ROSE BRUT
This beautiful sparkling rose from Provence, France offers an amiable nose of cherry, raspberry and strawberry. The palate is clean and delicate with a fine, mouth-filling mousse and persistent flavors of red berries and a hint of spice.

LOCA LINDA MALBEC
These grapes came from low yield vineyards in the Uco Calley, Mendoza. The warm climate of this valley is ideal for developing aromas and structure. Medium bodied with easy tannins, the palate expresses plentiful black cherry and raspberry fruit with hints of violets and toasted vanilla on the finish.

TIKAL PATRIOTA
From acclaimed Argentinian producer Ernesto Catena, this is a full, ripe and juicy Malbec. A deep purplish red, this wine presents a bold nose of ripe mixed berries and tart red cherries. The palate is full-bodied with flavors of blackberry, plum, dark chocolate and hints of savory herbs and spices. Silky and smooth, this is a large and generous wine balanced by structured tannins and refreshing acidity.

STAND OUT RED
This California red wine from Slo Down Wines is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Rich and deeply colored it has a playful nose of cherry cola, vanilla and spice. The palate is round and juicy with firm tannins and explosive berry flavors. Enjoy this lush and versatile wine by itself or with boldly flavored foods.

Wine Compounds: Acid

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I often mention the components of wine in passing as I describe a wine’s style and flavor, but we’ve never gone into them in any real depth. So I thought it might be time to really address them so you can understand what they mean about how your wine tastes, better identify them and hopefully figure out what you like/dislike about them.

The main components in a wine are: Acid, Alcohol, Sugar, Tannin and Water (we won’t really discuss this because, well…. It’s water).

When you take a grape and press it you get pulp/juice (Acid, Sugar and Water) and the skin/seeds/stems (Tannins). The sugar in the juice then undergoes fermentation (Alcohol) and Ta-Da: You have wine!

Let’s break all these down over the next couple of posts, starting with Acid.

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Friday Wine Tasting 5.5.17

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Join us from 3-7 pm today and try some delicious wines!
CAVE DE TAIN PREMIERE NOTE MARSANNE
Typically part of a white Rhone style blend, when you can find Marsanne bottled varietally GRAB IT UP! Bright straw color with greenish highlights, this wine offers fresh and vibrant notes of citrus blossom, lemon, grapefruit. Gentle acidity and aging on lees lends this wine a lush richness that makes it an ideal companion to anything from salads to grilled white meat to spicy seafood dishes.

GEORGES DEBOEUF BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES
Beaujolais-Villages takes its name from the 38 villages from which it can source its fruit and can be an approachable introduction to the more prestigious Cru Beaujolais. Produced by one of the most recognizable names in Beaujolais, this wine offers bright cherry and blackberry flavors with smooth, easy tannins. Incredibly versatile with food pairings, this wine can be served room temperature or slightly chilled.

PLAN PEGAU
This Southern Rhone blend serves as a approachable echo of Domaine du Pegau’s Chateauneuf du Pape. Medium-bodied with hefty cherry fruit, spicy white pepper and dried herbs, this rich and bold wine pairs easily with roasted and grilled meats. Make it a staple at your summer barbecues.

DOMAINE CABIRAU MAURY SEC
A blend of old vine Grenache, Syrah and Carignan, this wine offers bright, easy going fruit, intense spice and pepper and a clean mineral backbone. Black berries, Kirsch, violets and dried herbs abound on the silky, complex palate supported by fine, grippy tannins. This subtle layered will continue to evolve and impress you as you drink.

Vintages

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Lately, I’ve encountered several questions regarding wine vintages. And I have to admit, vintages can be a little confusing.

At the surface,the vintage is simply the year in which the grapes were harvested. Sort of a nice to know… but does it matter? Should you care about them?

Vintages provide you with a couple insights into the juice in a bottle.

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