5:00 to 7:30

MSWS Downtown

Domaine Brazilier Tradition Rouge 2012 - $12.99

Tasting price - $11.69

(50% Cabernet franc, 30% Pinot d’Aunis, 30% Pinot Noir; Loire, France)

“Situated between Vendome and Montoire, Coteaux du Vendomois stretches across the banks of the Loire. AOC since May 2000, Coteaux du Vendomois have a well-established reputation. Ronsard, Balzac and Henri IV were particularly fond of these wines. Over the past 7 generations, Jean and Benoit Brazilier have been cultivating 25 hectares of vines in the heart of appellation Coteaux du Vendomais. The grapes are organically grown and the wines are naturally vinified in fibre glass tanks, with 90% of ferments using indigenous yeast.”

Casale Del Giglio Satrico 2011 - $12.99

Tasting price - $11.69

(34% Chardonnay, 33% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Trebbiano Giallo; Lazio, Italy)

A blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Trebbiano Giallo in equal proportions. The grapes, harvested just as they begin to ripen, are vinified separately to ensure that the fresh, distinctive aromas of each variety come through in the final blend. Only the very best bunches are selected and after a careful soft-pressing the free-run juice is separated from the skins. Temperature is carefully controlled throughout the 7 or 8 days of slow, continuous fermentation. After racking, the new wine matures in stainless steel tanks before it is bottled at the beginning of the following year.

Folk Machine Tocai Friulano 2012 - $14.99

Tasting price - $13.49

(100% Friulano; Mendocino, California)

“It's evident now that the new Cal-Ital movement is taking place with white wine, not red. If many examples of this grape are spendier, this affordable entry from Hobo Wine Co.'s Kenny Likitprakong shows the immediate, fresh side of one of northern Italy's great grapes. Here, Sonoma-based Likitprakong tapped one of those old Italian-variety plantings on the North Coast for a winning effort that balances its lean, green-flavored side (pear skin, chive) with plenty of up-front fruit.” - SF Chronicle

Ankida Ridge Rockgarden Cellars Voyage de Vert 2012 - $16.99

Tasting price - $15.29

(85% Vidal Blanc, 15% Pinot Noir; Amherst, Virginia)

“This new line of wines is made with the same hand-crafted care as our Ankida Ridge wines, but sourced from grapes grown in neighboring Virginia vineyards… grapes that  have made the journey to our winery.  Thus, we are coining this new line, “The Voyager Series,” and in keeping the French theme, we are calling our white “Voyage (voy-AJH) de Vert,” a young white wine in the green, spritzy Vinho Verde style.” - The winery

Angeline Pinot Noir 2011 - $13.99

Tasting price - $12.59

(100% Pinot Noir, California)

“Named by Wine & Spirits as one of the 15 Top American Value Brands in 2006 and 2007, Angeline is part of the Martin Ray family of wines made with the budget-sensitive consumer in mind. Pinot Noir is difficult to grow and thereby almost universally expensive, but Angeline succeeds in producing a balanced, food-friendly and affordable bottling every year... and yes, it is 100% Pinot Noir. From the winery: ‘This Pinot Noir is a lively garnet color with aromas of intense fruit, luscious vanilla and spice. Bright fruit flavors of fresh strawberry, cherry, raspberry and ripe plum are layered with creamy vanilla, earthy overtones, tea spice and sweet toasty oak on the finish.’” - K&L Wine Merchants

With Randall Grahm

Thursday, June 6th 2013
6:30pm at The Space Downtown
Menu to come

"If there is a tragic flaw at Bonny Doon, it is no doubt, excessive eclecticism."

- Winemaker and President-for-life, Randall Grahm

The Cigar has landed! We are very pleased to announce that Randall Grahm, punster-extraordinaire, creator of the flying cigar, former Big House inmate, Rhone Ranger, one-man Bio-dynamic duo, philosopher of the cellar and seller of wine, is coming to Charlottesville.

Grahm founded Bonny Doon Vineyard in 1983 in Santa Cruz, CA. Originally known for championing Rhone Varietals (Grenache, Syrah, et al) and vins de terroir as a way of subverting the "Cabo/Chardo-centric paridigm," Grahm soon found that his winery had become exactly the kind of commercial monster he'd been fighting against. So he retrenched, selling off his most successful labels, investing in new vineyards, and converting to bio-dynamic farming in an attempt to rediscover his soul.

If there's one thing other than winemaking that Grahm is known for, it's his incredibly inventive marketing, although that's too crass a term for what he does. Many vintners have made winemaking an art, but only Grahm has made it a literary one. He has written vineus parodies of Dante, Joyce, Eliot (T.S. not George), Ginsberg ("I saw the best palates of my generation deranged by short chained tannins..."), Coleridge, etc. etc. and you can read them all in his book, Been Doon So Long.

We could go on ad infinitum about the guy, but it's probably best we wind it doon. So, to be brief: If you like wine and books, or are interested in the history and culture of wine, this is one dinner you don't want to miss.

Here's a little Sub-terroir Rhônesick Blues to wet your appetite.

Albemarle CiderWorks

with Special Guest, Rick Hood from Albemarle CiderWorks

Wednesday, May 22

5:30 to 7:00

MSWS Downtown

Albemarle CiderWorks comes out of a family owned orchard and business run by the Shelton siblings in Albemarle County. In the early 1990s, brother and sister Anne and Chuck heard apple expert, Tom Burford give a talk on heirloom apples at Monticello. Further conversations with Burford, a family friend, interested the Sheltons in expanding the orchards on their family farms to include vintage apple varieties.

As the current millennium dawned, the Sheltons began to think about how their interest could support itself. Thus came Albemarle CiderWorks in 2009, the area's first small batch, artisanal cidery. Tonight, we taste their most recent ciders and a couple of old favorites. Ready to see how well Albemarle cider works?

Albemarle CiderWorks Ciders to Be Tasted*

Jupiter's Legacy

Royal Pippin

Red Hill

Pomme Mary

Plus … the Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Friday, May 17
5:00 to 7:30
MSWS Downtown

Sablenay Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $10.99

Wine of the Week on sale for $7.96

(100% Sauvignon Blanc; Touraine, France)

Mouzillon is located just outside Nantes, France near the mouth of the Loire River. This is Sauvignon Blanc country, and the appellation of Touraine produces oceans of fresh, delectable Sauvignons. Jean Sablenay may be just a minnow in that vast ocean, but we love his gluggable, vibrant white. With its aromas of snow peas and pink grapefruit followed by soft palate of lime and honeydew melon, it's summer in a glass.

Vina Reboreda Ribeiro 2011 - $12.99

Tasting price $11.69

(40% Treixadura, 20% Godello, 20% Torrontes, 20% Palomino; Galicia, Spain)

“The Mendez family founded Bodegas Campante — maker of “Vina Reboreda” — in 1940, and lived through the years when many neighbors made as much wine as possible in order to satisfy the thirsty Galician marketplace. The wine wasn’t very good... but there was a lot of it. But thanks to the leadership of Jose Luis Mendez and his daughters Ana and Laura, growers in the area have refocused on quality over the past decade, cutting back on each vine’s production in order to acquire grapes with more concentrated aromas and flavors. You can taste that quality in the 2011 “Vina Reboreda,” a Treixadura-based cuvee that also includes Godello, Torrontes and Palomino in the blend. The mouthfeel and flavors are reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc, which means the wine is a perfect pairing partner for shellfish or grilled chicken. It’s a crisp, clean, refreshing and delicious tribute to the Mendez family’s winemaking philosophy.” - Vinesse.com

Markus Huber “Hugo” Gruner Veltliner 2011 - $12.99

Tasting price $11.69

(100% Gruner Veltliner; Niederösterreich, Austria)

“Hugo bounds from the glass with all the anxious enthusiasm of a child receiving unexpected May Day candy.  Delicate pear and persimmon fruits intermix with an almost Chablis-like minerality drawing across the breath of the palate.  It is a precious little papoose of a Veltliner, pure energy and dimpled baby-faced smiles.  It drinks quickly and easily, brushing away Spring’s potential showers.  The finish is with Veltliner’s classic spicy Romaine note – a lingering touch of the wild.” - Waterford Wine Company

Raffault Chinon Rose 2012 - $14.99

Tasting price $13.49

(100% Cabernet Franc; Loire, France)

Chinon Rose is considered the finest rose of the Loire Valley. J-M Raffault’s Chinon Rose comes from Cabernet Franc grapes planted across 10 hectares of sand and gravel soils. To enhance the wine’s freshness, it is vinified using mostly pressed juice. Fermentation is carried out at low temperature with native yeasts, and the wine is bottled in March following the harvest to preserve the bright and spicy red berry fruit. It is a very versatile wine that drinks well on its own, or with charcuterie, goat cheese, fish, and fowl dishes.

Domaine Baron Touraine Cot 2009 - $11.99

Tasting price $10.79

(100% Cot [Malbec]; Touraine, France)

The Barons cultivate one hectare of 35 year-old Cot (the local name for Malbec) vines planted on a south facing gentle slope with a well drained, limestone-clay soil. This vineyard was planted to Cot before phylloxera. It was later replanted with other varieties and then re-converted to Cot by Jean-Pierre Baron in an effort to revive the cultivation of Malbec that was very common in the Touraine region in times past. Baron farms in a sustainable way, according to the standards of the Terra Vitis protocol. Grass is planted between the rows and plowed under below the vines. Baron adds less than 20% of press-wine to the final blend since the “jus de goutte” already has excellent color and richness. Aging continues in large tanks and Baron bottles his Cot in early July so as to preserve the primary fruit and aromas. The wine is aged another 6 months in bottle before release. Baron’s Cot is a deeply saturated, dark purple wine with juicy and spicy black cherry and kirsch flavors and characteristic Loire freshness and succulence.

Domaine Guintrandy Saint-Léger 2010 - $9.99

Wine of the Week on sale for $7.96

(50% Syrah, 50% Grenache; Rhone Valley, France)

Marie Claude and Olivier Cuilleras' winery, Domaine la Guintrandy, sits near the hamlet of Saint-Leger in the northern hills of the Rhone Valley. This Vin de Pays is a delectable 50/50 blend of Syrah and Grenache that’s smooth and round with dusty black currant and cherry fruit and lingering tannins. It’s an old school French wine, aged without oak and made bio-dynamically with low sulfur. Open it next time you’re grilling out, or whenever you need an excuse to wear a beret and argue about Sartre.

Bonny Doon Contra 2010 - $15.99

Tasting Price $14.39

(67.5% Carignane, 32.2% Syrah, 0.19% Grenache, 0.05% Roussanne, 0.04% Grenache Blanc, 0.02% Mourvèdre; Central Coast, CA)

“Contra is a wine that reflects the opposite of modern winemaking sensibilities, meaning wines overworked and amped up, pushed and prodded into Procrustean palate-numbing sameness. À rebours, this wine is a contrarian blend of the most old-fangled grape variety, carignane, from several extremely old (100 year+), nongrafted, dry-farmed head-trained vineyards, located in Contra Costa County, and the puer aeternus syrah, young, vibrant, racy and peppery. Contra is a somewhat contradictory flashblack/forward to the straightforward, frank wines of yester- and future-year. A field blend that contravenes contraindicated convention, with aromas of cherries and licorice, flavorful cassis, blackberries, and silky tannins. A wine (hardly) contraindicated for gastronomy, it is above all, contrapuntal.” - Bonny Doon Winery

Highland Brewing Company

with Special Guest, Roy Hillman from Highland Brewing Company

Wednesday, May 15

5:30 to 7:00

MSWS Downtown

Highland Brewing Company gives us no nonsense beer from no nonsense people. Oscar Wong was born in 1940, in Jamaica, got his engineering degree at Notre Dame, and eventually went on to specialize in the safe disposal of low grade nuclear waste. Auspicious origins. In the early 90s (his early 60s) he was in Charlotte, NC looking for the next thing when he met brewer, John McDermott, who was looking for investors for a new brewery. The two partnered, moved to Asheville, and in 1994 rolled out their first kegs of Highland Beer – the name inspired by the area's Scotch heritage. McDermott split in '97, allowing John Lyda to step up as head brewer.

You'd think that a former nuclear engineer and his head brewer would make unremarkable beer. The fact is, though Wong is careful in his business decisions, Lyda's beers are creative and fun. It's exciting beer from no nonsense people. This week, the beers of Highland Brewing Company.

Highland Brewing Beers to Be Tasted*

Gaelic Ale

Little Hump Spring Ale

Devil's Britches IPA

Oatmeal Porter

Black Mocha Stout

Plus … a new Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Friday, May 10

5:00 to 7:30

MSWS Downtown

Montelliana Prosecco Frizzante NV - $10.99
Tasting price $9.89
(100% Prosecco; Veneto, Italy)
The Cantina Montelliana was established in 1957 and is a cooperative of associated vine-growers. It lies in the foothills of the area stretching from the Montello to the Asolo Hill area and is in the heart of the Marca Trevigiana, an area with ideal soil and climate for wine grape production. Pale straw yellow color, fruity bouquet and taste and persistent perlage.


Casal Garcia Vinho Verde NV - $7.99
Tasting price $7.19
(Trajadura, Loureiro, Arinto, Azal; Vinho Verde; Portugal)
“Casal Garcia continues to produce inexpensive, bright, summery wines. Don’t be afraid to serve this bottle at a colder temperature than non-sparkling wines: the goal here is refreshment, not elaborate tasting notes. While Vinho Verde is technically not considered sparkling, there is a slight carbon-dioxide prickle. This allows it to pair easily with many different fresh, cold dishes—and could make it the sushi wine to end all.” - Fearless Critic


Pasqua Passimento 2010 - $14.99
Tasting price $13.49
(Merlot, Corvina; Valpolicella; Italy)
“For those of you familiar with Amarone, this wine is very similar to the Valpolicella Ripasso, which is the second pressing of the dried Corvina grapes used to make Amarone.  The Pasqua family named this wine "Passimento" as they first dry the Corvina grapes before pressing them, creating a much more concentrated and rich flavor.  Then, unlike Amarone or Valpolicella Ripasso, they blend the first pressing of the dried Corvina grapes with Croatina, Merlot and several other local varieties of grapes from Verona that are not dried, resulting in a unique blend that has the richness of an Amarone, but is much more approachable for everyday drinking.”


Mas des Tourelles Merlot 2011 - $9.99
Tasting price $8.99
(100% Merlot; Costieres de Nimes, France)
The merlot grapes for this wine were grown in the Mas De Tourelles vineyards but Nicolas Ricome of the famed Chateau de Valcombe winery in Nimes does the wine making. The grapes are hand-harvested and vinified in stainless steel tanks in order to focus on the fresh fruit. This Merlot exhibits a saturated purple color and a spicy, blackberry nose and flavors. This beautifully made chunky little Merlot has long been recognized as a great value!


Bodega Volver Tarima Hill Monastrell 2010 - $16.99
Tasting price $15.29
(100% Monastrell; Valencia, Spain)
Bodega Volver, a joint project between Rafael Canizares and Jorge Ordonez, produces high quality wine in the La Mancha, Alicante and Jumilla appellations. The low yielding, old vine Monastrell vines of Tarima Hill are located at high elevations in the Alicante region, between the mountain ranges of Sierra de Salinas, Sierra de L'Altet and Sierra de la Sima. Bodegas Volver "Tarima Hill" Monastrell is an excellent value red offering a lively bouquet of ripe cherry, blackberry, raisin and pipe tobacco, accented by a light floral note. The intense, full-bodied palate shows concentrated layers of red berry, dark chocolate, dried herbs, leather and spice, complemented by fine-grained tannins and balanced acidity.

Da' Bomb Brews in Bombers

Wednesday, May 08

5:30 to 7:00

MSWS Downtown

The 22 oz bottle – the “bomber.” It's a strange beast. Craft breweries frequently use the size for their smaller batch seasonal and brewmaster ales. So, often, 22s bring the promise of out-of-the-box brews or fine, fine beer (or both).

At the same time, many people see 22 ounces of beer goodness as too much for one person to comfortably consume in a night. To them, we say, “Man up, you wimps!” … uh … we mean, “what a wonderful opportunity to share the experience of good beer with a friend.” Yeah, that's what we mean. Heh … Tell you what, why don't we just taste them instead of talk about them?

Beers to Be Tasted*

He'Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale

He'Brew Rejewvenator

Foothills Seeing Double IPA

Stone Smoked Porter

Anderson Valley (Wild Turkey) Bourbon Barrel Stout

Plus … the Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Friday, May 3
5:00 to 7:30
MSWS Downtown

Lawson’s Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $15.99

Tasting price $14.39

(100% Sauvignon Blanc; Marlborough, New Zealand)

“If you are going to buy a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, you may as well head to the source and that is Marlborough. The Lawsons were originally grape growers before they decided to turn their hands at making wine and we are pleased they did because these are exceptional. There’s no need to catalogue the descriptors here because it’s as varietal and as Marlborough-esque as you can imagine. Suffice to say it’s loaded with passionfruit and citrus, has zesty, refreshing acids and pairs brilliantly with prawns.” - Craka Wines

Newton Johnson Felicite Chardonnay 2012 - $10.99

Tasting Price $9.89

(100% Chardonnay; Hermanus, South Africa)

“The success of our first release of Felicité Pinot noir four years ago naturally progressed to the essential white wine that partners it, Chardonnay. Our preference leans towards a style that is crisp, focused, taking care not to over deliver on fat and overripe fruit. We also steer clear of any oak flavouring looking to highlight pretty, floral aromas and uncomplicated fresh fruit flavours of peach. Lingering green apple acidity keeps the style fresh throughout. This wine is now grown, made and blended under our guidance in the cellars of Stettyn Family Winery in the foothills of the Klein Drakenstein mountains near Villiersdorp, our partners in the Felicité range” - The winery

Botani Moscatel Seco 2011 - $17.99

Tasting price $16.19

(100% Muscat Alexandria; Malaga, Spain)

“This is probably the only totally dry 100% Muscat de Alexandria made in Malaga, where this grape is used for sweet wine production. This is a wine made by the family bodega of Jorge and his sister Victoria Ordonez. Producing 5,000 cases from the decomposed slate and quartz soils of Malaga, their harvest remarkably begins in July to capture the fresh, incredibly perfumed fruit of this varietal. It is then fermented totally in stainless steel, making it one of the most perfumed, naked expressions of dry white wine in the world. This is a killer example that people just love. The exotic aromatics could fill a small room, with notes of flowers, honeyed white citrus, melons and hints of more exotic tropical fruit such as mango and tangerine.” - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Guild Lot #6 Red 2010 - $17.99

Tasting price $16.19

(64% Syrah, 19% Counoise, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache, 4% Viognier; Columbia Valley, Oregon)

“Guild is a cooperative of four Portland, Oregon, vintners producing wines of exceptional value for the masses.Guild Red Wine is a Rhone-style blend made from selected lots sourced from across the Pacific Northwest region.” -The Winery

Concha Y Toro Xplorador Carmenere 2011 - $7.99

On sale for $4.96

(100% Carmenere; Central Valley, Chile)

As expected at this price point this wine is not overly complex but it has very good Carmenere fruit flavor along with an interesting nose. It’s tasty, low priced and ready to drink now. No wonder Concha y Toro is growing like weeds. Product of Chile’s Central Valley.

5-7 pm, May 2, 2013

Downtown Store

Bodega Benegas Estate

from Argentina

Tiburcio Benegas, together with Silvestre Ochagavía (Chile) and Agoston Harszthy (California), are considered the first three pioneers in the wine industry in America. Convinced that it was imperative to achieve excellence in their products, Benegas brought the first French grapevines ever introduced in Argentina, along with the most advanced technology available at the time.

"The Benegas estate vineyards are located in the Maipu region of Mendoza. The Benegas family has been involved in the Argentine wine business since 1883 and was a pioneer in introducing French varietals to Argentina. Their Finca Libertad estate has old vines of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Merlot, and Syrah, but, interestingly, no Malbec. The specialty of the house is Bordeaux-style wine from their old-vine parcels. Benegas is currently run by the fourth generation of the family with Michel Rolland providing consultation." --Robert Parker

"Clara" Chard/Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - $12.99, special price $9.96
The 2010 Clara Benegas is an attractive blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Sauvignon Blanc fermented and raised in stainless steel. Notions of melon, citrus, and cut grass inform the nose of a vibrant, flavorful, well-balanced white that will provide pleasure over the next 12-18 months.

"Juan" Malbec 2010 - $11.99, special price $9.96
The 2009 Juan Benegas Malbec (100%) spent 6 months in French oak. It offers up enticing aromas of cedar, spice box, leather, lavender, and cherry cola setting the stage for a tasty, ripe, nicely proportioned wine meant for drinking over the next 2-3 years.

"Don Tiburcio" Red Blend 2009 - $17.99, special price $14.96
The 2009 Don Tiburcio Benegas is a blend of 50% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, with the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot, aged for 12 months in French oak. It proffers a pleasing perfume of balsam wood, spice box, leather, herbs, violets, and assorted black fruits. In the glass it opens to reveal a velvety texture, some elegance, ripe fruit, and good balance. It over-delivers in a big way.

Estate Malbec 2010 - $19.99, special price $16.96
Benegas’ Estate Malbec was aged for 12 months in French oak. Dark ruby-colored, the nose offers up an aromatic array of smoke, spice box, tobacco, and black cherry. Suave and medium-bodied on the palate, it has plenty of ripe, sweet fruit, excellent depth of flavor, and a lengthy, pure finish.

Special Pricing available at the tasting.

Brunello di Montalcino

with

Paolo Bianchini

of

Ciacci Piccolomini d Aragona

Monday, May 6th
6-8 pm
Hamilton's Private Dining Room

Call or email Market St Downtown for reservations

Taste six wines for $30

• Rosso Toscano IGT 2010 - $14.99
• Syrah “Fabius” 2007 - $27.99
• Rosso di Montalcino 2010 - $26.99 (91 pts, R Parker)
• Brunello di Montalcino 2008 - $57.99
• Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso 2007 - $76.99
• Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso Reserva 2006 - $122.99 (94 pts, R Parker)

Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona is one of Montalcino’s premiere wine estates, famous for its special 12 hectare, rocky marl Pianrosso vineyard and for the sumptuous single vineyard and reserve wines it produces. Located in Castelnuovo dell’Abate above the Orcia River in the southeast of Montalcino, the estate is near the historic Sant’Antimo Abbey and just down the road from Uccelliera estate. Their Brunellos are among the best year in and year out.