This Wednesday the Uptown store will be welcoming Trey Stephenson, the Southeast Regional Manager for wine importer Neal Rosenthal to pour some of their excellent wines. Rosenthal is one of the best importers out there; it's hard to find a bad wine in his portfolio! Stop by and get your holiday started on the right foot!

MSWS Uptown

Wednesday, Nov. 21

2-5 pm

Wines being tasted:

Thevenet Blanc de Blanc

Domaine Cheveau Pouilly-Fuissé 2010

Comanderie de Peyrassol Rosé 2011

Chateau Peyrassol Rosé 2011

Domaine de Fenouillet Vins de Pays de Vaucluse 2011

Domaine Monpertuis Counoise 2010

Monsecco Barbatasso 2010

Paolo Bea Rosso de Véo 2006

Every Wednesday, owner Robert Harllee talks with Jeff Sweatman about all things wine on The Corner 106.1 radio station. The piece airs between 4:00 and 4:30 pm. For your convenience, and driving safety, we post a list of the wines discussed here. Click the link above to listen to the podcast of this and past discussions.

Listen to the podcasts of past broadcasts on 106.1, The Corner

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

WHITES

White Knight Viognier 2011 - $11.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $9.96
(100% Viognier; Clarksburg, CA)
The Wilson family, 3rd-generation growers, farm these grapes south of Sacramento, CA in Clarksburg, the perfect climate for Viognier. Like the Zin last week, this is also a Sebastiani family project: “This exciting and affordable golden-colored Viognier is aromatic and forward with white nectarine and key lime zest. The palate is minerally with wet stone and waxy honeycomb, which then streams into lemon citrus and white pepper flavors.” Tasting it today, we felt their excitement. Drop in and try for yourself.

Steindorfer, Pinot Gris - $19.99
(100% Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio; Burgenland, Austria)
Fermented in 80% stainless and 20% French oak to achieve a balance of crisp acidity and complexity. Beautiful aromas of stone fruits and a touch of smoke leading to a full palate with clean minerality, some tropical notes and a long crisp, but full finish. Similar to a great Pinot Gris from Oregon. This is my favorite Pinot Gris of the year! Just in time for the classic Pinot Gris holiday table.

Ségriès, Tavel Rosé 2011 - $15.99
(50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 15% Clairette, 5% Syrah; Tavel, Rhone, France)
On the roof of Tavel's local cooperative winery is a large red neon sign proclaiming "Tavel, Premiere Rosé de France." The implication is it is also the best in the world. They are, arguably, the best rosés in the world. Henri de Lanzac and his daughter Anne run this large nearby estate. A rich, full-bodied rosé (14.5% alcohol), this is full of strawberry, cherry, and raspberry aromas, with a touch of orange zest. Try with bouillabaisse, roast chicken, or anything containing the holy trinity of Mediterranean cuisine: tomatoes, onions, and olive oil. A dynamite wine for Thanksgiving.

Josef Bauer, Riesling Reserve "Pfarrleithen" 2010
(100% Riesling; The Wachau, Donauland, Austria)
Riesling of a reserve quality level is the quintessential Thanksgiving wine. It has the depth of fruit, the palate full of ripe fruit, the acidity to keep it fresh, no oak, and the concentration of flavor that combine to allow it to stand up to all the strong flavors of the holiday table. These wines are found most often in Alsace, France, but also in Washington state and Austria. Josef's Riesling Pfarrleithen is just such a wine. Substantial and well-rounded, intensely fruit, very pure with excellent minerality. Shows stone fruits--peaches and plums--with a savory note. Will age well. Cultivated on a terraced vineyard several hundred yards from the Danube River in the Wachau of eastern Austria.

REDS

Steindorfer, Apetlon Rouge Burgenland 2010 - $15.99, Sale price $12.96
(Equal parts of Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, Saint Laurent; Neusiedlersee, Austria)
2010 was a difficult vintage in Austria, but Ernst Steindorfer did not expect it to be this challenging. While the grapes were arriving at the winery he fell off a fermentation tank, hit his head, and lost his sense of smell. For a winemaker, smell is even more important than taste.The aromas that allow one to discern the nuances of young, unfinished wines. So Ernst decided not to bottle these grapes as usual—as separate, higher-end, varietal wines selling for $35-$45—but bottle them together as one blend, or cuvee, and offer it at a lower price. He did not trust that without a sense of smell that he could produce high end wines of the quality that he, and his customers, expected. He thought better to offer a less expensive cuvee at a higher quality than to disappoint. This smooth, rich yet soft red shows black raspberry and black cherry fruit with a bit of a savory note and a hint of pepper that becomes prominent the next day. The oak is nicely integrated and subtle while the tannins are soft. There is a lightness of being, a delicacy that shows Ernst's skills as a winemaker. This is a remarkable value and we feel lucky to have this limited supply.

Weingut Steindorfer lies in extreme eastern Austria on the eastern shore of Lake Neusiedl, between Illmitz and Apetlon, about a mile from the Hungarian border. This area is known to produce some of the best sweet wines in the world. The offers perfect conditions for all levels of sweet wines due to the warm, shallow lake (seven feet at its deepest point) and its special, highly humid microclimate.

McManis, Petite Sirah 2011 - $11.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $8.96
(100% Petite Sirah, California)
Petite Sirah is not Syrah. It is an entirely different grape, what the French and Australians call Durif (as in the 96 Point Durif we featured last year.) Decades ago California wineries started calling it Petite Sirah. That sounded better rolling off the tongue. Confusingly, they often spelled it “Petite Syrah.” California is well-known for its rich, fruit-forward Petite Sirahs like this. It shows a deep, dark purple color with ripe blackberry, cassis, and plum aromas and flavors. The richness and length are quite remarkable for a wine of this price. Smooth, full and balanced, it goes well with a hearty stew, braised short ribs, or ribeye steak.

SOLD OUT!
Garnacha de Fuego, Calatayud “Old Vines” 2011 - $8.99
(100% Garnacha aka Grenache; Calatayud, Spain)
We received two weeks ago a new vintage of a familiar Spanish Garnacha that is the single greatest value of the year. Superstar Spanish wine importer Jorge Ordonez rocked my world with the sheer deliciousness and remarkable low price of this Garnacha del Fuego. Wine guru Robert Parker gave it 92 points, and I don't think he's exaggerating by calling it “amazing, jammy, and voluptuous.” Bodegas Breca made this wine for Jorge from thirty to seventy year old vines yielding a mind-bendingly low half a ton to a ton of fruit per acre, yields we usually only see in wines costing $30 and up. NOTE: This wine will sell out before Thanksgiving.

Moss Roxx (Oak Ridge Vineyard), Zinfandel Lodi "Old Vines" 2007/2008 - $29.99, on sale at $18.96
Delightfully jammy with robust flavors of raspberry preserves, milk chocolate and mocha. A soft, supple, mouth-feel and easy tannins with cherry pie and vanilla oak flavors. Moss Roxx is sourced from eight distinctive ancient vine vineyards (the age of the vines is 50-100 years). This is the oldest and most historic operating winery in Lodi that was founded in 1934. It was called "The East Side Wine Cooperative" at that time.

White Knight Viognier 2011 - $11.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $9.96
(100% Viognier; Clarksburg, CA)
The Wilson family, 3rd-generation growers, farm these grapes south of Sacramento, CA in Clarksburg, the perfect climate for Viognier. Like the Zin last week, this is also a Sebastiani family project: “This exciting and affordable golden-colored Viognier is aromatic and forward with white nectarine and key lime zest. The palate is minerally with wet stone and waxy honeycomb, which then streams into lemon citrus and white pepper flavors.” Tasting it today, we felt their excitement. Drop in and try for yourself.

White Hall Pinot Gris 2010 - $17.99
Tasting Price $16.19
(Pinot Gris; White Hall, Virginia)
“A rich nose of apples, honeysuckle and citrus leads into a balanced palate of honey with a lengthy finish.” - White Hall Vineyards

Oraison Cotes Du Rhone 2009 - $10.99
Tasting Price $9.89
( 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre; Cotes Du Rhone, France)
“Forward, with slightly gushy black cherry, raspberry and roasted vanilla notes. Stays just fresh enough on the finish.” - Wine Spectator

Manoir Du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau 2012 - $8.99
Tasting Price $8.09
(100% Gamay; Beaujolais, France)
Just barely three weeks old, this fresh fruity red from the granite hills of Beaujolais comes entirely from Gamay grapes. Beaujolais Nouveau day is November 19th this year and is a celebration of harvest and a festive event. This bistro style wine should be consumed in copious quantities in the first full year of its life.

Chambave Muscat 2011 - $19.99
Tasting Price $17.99
(100% Muscat a Petit Grains; Vallee d’Aoste, Italy)
“Muscatel white grapes, used to produce Vallée d’Aoste Chambave Muscat DOC wine, reach correct maturity in vineyards located on the hills of Chambave, Pontey, Verrayes, Saint-Denis, Châtillon and Saint-Vincent. A bright, light yellow wine is produced with golden hues. It is a full-bodied wine that is dry and offers an alcoholic content that is just right and a delicately bitter aftertaste.” -Valle d’Aoste Tourism

Bonny Doon Contra 2009 - $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

McManis Petite Sirah 2011 - $11.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $8.96
(100% Petite Sirah, California)
Petite Sirah is not Syrah. It is an entirely different grape, what the French and Australians call Durif (as in the 96 Point Durif we featured last year.) Decades ago California wineries started calling it Petite Sirah. That sounded better rolling off the tongue. Confusingly, they often spelled it “Petite Syrah.” California is well-known for its rich, fruit-forward Petite Sirahs like this. It shows a deep, dark purple color with ripe blackberry, cassis, and plum aromas and flavors. The richness and length are quite remarkable for a wine of this price. Smooth, full and balanced, it goes well with a hearty stew, braised short ribs, or ribeye steak.

November 13, 2012

Virginia Cider Week Tasting

(or … Big Pippin)

This week Virginia not only has its first cider week, but we're the first officially proclaimed cider week in the nation! (They got the Gov to do it (through the Sec. Of Agriculture) and everything.) For years, people's experience with hard cider, if they had any, was limited to sweet, high volume cider. Recently though, Virginia has benefited from the appearance of ciders made from specifically grown cider apples, many of them heritage varietals. This ain't your Granny Smith. We're happy to be one of the shops, restaurants, and cideries across the state holding cider events.

#1) Castle Hill Terrestrial - $14.99/750 ml
(American Artisanal Apple Cider; Keswick, VA)

Castle Hill says: “A nose of fresh apples with a hint of peach that follows through on the palate. Bright acidity gives this a clean, refreshing finish. Blend of Winesap and Albemarle Pippin apples. Extremely crisp and refreshing, Terrestrial pairs nicely with aromatic dishes or makes a cleansing counterpoint to rich cheeses.” - their website

#2) Albemarle CiderWorks Royal Pippin - $15.49/750 ml 
(American Artisanal Apple Cider, Albemarle, VA)

Albemarle CiderWorks says: “This is a single variety cider crafted almost entirely of Albemarle Pippin juice.  Called 'unique and individual',  by a local chef, it has a refreshing acidity and is very crisp.  It pairs well with appetizers or first course dishes.  Its pale gold is beautiful in the glass and it is especially interesting with flavors like mustard and bacon.” - their website

#3) Potter's Farmhouse Cider - $10.99/750 ml
(American Dry Cider; Free Union, VA)

Potter's Farmhouse Cider is made from locally grown apples including hometown varieties like the Virginia Winesap and the ever-present Albemarle Pippin. Unabashedly dry, it hits you with a crisp apple tartness right off the bat, dips you into a hint of sweet on the body before rushing to green apple sour on the finish. 7% ABV

#4) Foggy Ridge Serious Cider - $15.49/750 ml 
(English & American Apple Cider; Dugspur, VA)

The Serious Cider doesn't mess around. It's made from a mix of traditional English cider apples (like Tremlett's Bitter and Dabinett) and tart American apples (like Ashmead's Kernel and Roxbury Russet). This cider is all about doing a lot with a lot of little things. Hints of different apple flavors swim around each other. Appealing in its complexity and in its body, it stops just short of being off-dry. This is a food pairing cider, something to have with tart, fresh vegetables or cheese. 7% ABV

#5) Bold Rock Crimson Ridge Vat No. 1 - $9.99/750 ml
(American Artisanal Apple Cider; Wintergreen, VA)

With so many Virginia cideries making dry hard ciders, Bold Rock has entered the ring to provide sweeter ciders made from local apples. The Crimson Ridge Vat No. 1 is one of two new premium Champagne-like ciders. 6.9% ABV

#6) Foggy Ridge Pippin Gold - $22.99/375 ml
(Cider/Brandy Blend; Dugspur, VA)

The Pipping Gold is a different kind of Foggy Ridge blend. It's 100% Newtown Pippin (Queen Victoria liked this apple so much she waived the import tax on it.), so the blend isn't there. No, the blend comes when they add Laird & Company apple brandy! (New Jersey's Laird & Co. has been producing apple brandy longer than anyone else in the U.S.) Interestingly enough, quite a number of VA bartenders are using the Pippin Gold to make creative cocktails. Your signature drink awaits. 18% ABV

Tomorrow

Thanksgiving Tasting!!

Beers to Be Tasted

Lagunitas Dog Town Pale Ale

Heavy Seas Plank II

Ommegang Rare Vos

Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin

Tröegs Flying Mouflon

Plus … the Beer of the Week!

Future Tastings

(Order or specific tastings may change)

11/21 Devils Backbone

11/28 Legend Brewing Co.

12/05 Allagash Tasting

12/12 Bourbon Barrel Aged Tasting

Thanksgiving Tasting

Wednesday, November 14

5:30 to 6:30

MSWS Downtown

Every year, people start talking about wine for Thanksgiving. But beer pairs so well with food (better, some say, than wine!), especially the roast fowls, heavy gravies, and stuffingy-potatoey-goodness that one expects from a Thanksgiving feast, that it's a shame that they don't reach for a holiday ale. Also pumpkin pie? Fuggeaboutit!

So this week and next week we'll be looking at beers to have with your Turkey Day, and when others are struggling to make their Rieslings work you can sit back, secure in the knowledge that you have the right brew to see you through.

Beers to Be Tasted*

Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale

Heavy Seas Plank II

Ommegang Rare Vos

Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin

Tröegs Flying Mouflon

Plus … the Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Hilllinger Pinot Grigio 2011 - $11.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $8.96
(100% Pinot Grigio; Burgenland, Austria)
Do not think of Austrian wines as German, but rather as extreme northern Italian. Its wines are dry, not sweet. Leo Hillinger is one of Austria’s most dynamic & innovative winemakers. A tall, muscular blond who looks like a stereotypical surfer dude, Leo speaks English with an Australian-German accent—a remnant of his three years "down under" honing his winemaking skills. This is a great Pinot Grigio made in a Pinot Gris style—fresh and smooth with great balance and pretty ripe fruit on the palate.

Cline Pinot Gris 2011 - $11.99
Tasting price $10.79
(100% Pinot Gris; Sonoma Coast, CA)
“Refreshing and approachable, our Pinot Gris shows exquisite pear flavor blended with delicate apple and peach notes. Bright acidity and fresh fruit are enhanced by not using oak in the winemaking process.” - The winery

Charles de Fère Cuvée Jean Louis Rosé NV - $10.99
On sale for $7.96
“Fine, abundant bubbles define the Cuvée Jean-Louis Rosé Brut; its bubbles are smaller than any of our other sparkling wines. The color is a striking, bright pink reminiscent of fresh strawberries. Fresh and fruity nose with aromas of ripe red berries. Appealing and seductive, resulting from the balance between freshness and fruit, with a long, crisp and refreshing finish.” - The winery

Steindorfer Apelton Rouge 2010 - $15.99
Tasting price $12.96
(Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, Saint Laurent; Neusiedlersee, Austria)
“Ernst Steindorfer had a tough decision to make in 2010. It was a challenging vintage in his region for red wines and even though his were among the best, he decided not to make any reserves (typically $30-$50) and blend them all into this bottling called "Apetlon", which sells for less than half the price of his reserves. Richly extracted with black raspberry fruit, nicely integrated oak and tannin and a savory smooth texture through the finish. Amazing quality for the price, and it won't last long.” - Seaboard Wine

Finca del Castillo Tempranillo Joven La Mancha 2011 - $7.99
Tasting price $7.19
(100% Tempranillo; La Mancha, Spain)
From the La Mancha region of central Spain, land of windmills, Don Quixote, and Manchego cheese gallops this astonishing bargain red. Made from dry-farmed thirty-year-old Tempranillo vines, it shows intense dark color, blackberry and black cherry fruits, with a smooth plump palate full of ripe black fruits. I nearly swooned on tasting this a month ago, and have waited impatiently for it to arrive ever since. Salud! (literal translation: Estate of the Castle, young red wine made from Tempranillo grapes in La Mancha.

Bodegas Breca Garnacha de Fuego 2011 - $8.99
Tasting price $8.09
(100% Grenache; Aragon, Spain)
We just received a new vintage of a familiar Spanish Garnacha that is the single greatest value of the year. Superstar Spanish wine importer Jorge Ordonez rocked our world with the sheer deliciousness and remarkable low price of this Garnacha del Fuego. Wine guru Robert Parker gave it 92 points, and we don't think he's exaggerating by calling it “amazing, jammy, and voluptuous.” Bodegas Breca made this wine for Jorge from thirty to seventy year old vines yielding a mind-bendingly low half a ton to a ton of fruit per acre, yields we usually only see in wines costing $30 and up. This is a do not miss wine that will make your life better. If you don't buy it, you'll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.

McManis Petite Sirah 2011 - $11.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $8.96
(100% Petite Sirah, California)
Petite Sirah is not Syrah. It is an entirely different grape, what the French and Australians call Durif (as in the 96 Point Durif we featured last year.) Decades ago California wineries started calling it Petite Sirah. That sounded better rolling off the tongue. Confusingly, they often spelled it “Petite Syrah.” California is well-known for its rich, fruit-forward Petite Sirahs like this. It shows a deep, dark purple color with ripe blackberry, cassis, and plum aromas and flavors. The richness and length are quite remarkable for a wine of this price. Smooth, full and balanced, it goes well with a hearty stew, braised short ribs, or ribeye steak.

Founders Brewing

Wednesday, November 07

5:30 to 6:30

MSWS Downtown

Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers played the smart bet, and it almost blew up in their faces. A while back they quit their jobs, took out loans, and started a brewery. The first beers they made were well-balanced standard fare. Those brews led them to the verge of bankruptcy. Rather than pull the plug, they decided to start making the kind of beers that excited them – “complex, in-your-face ales, with huge aromatics, bigger body, and tons of flavor.”

Now the little brewery from Grand Rapids, MI is, as one of our customers put it, “one the best breweries ever.” Tonight we taste the beers from Founders Brewing Co.

Founders Beers to Be Tasted*

Dirty Bastard

Dry Hopped Pale Ale

Centennial IPA

Curmudgeon Old Ale

Breakfast Stout

Plus … a new Beer of the Week!

*Actual lineup subject to the vicissitudes of distributor availability

Chateau de Brau Blanc de Brau 2011 - $11.99
Tasting price $10.79
(70% Chardonnay, 30% Roussanne; Languedoc, France)
“A delightful blend of Chardonnay and Roussanne grapes produces a luscious dry white wine which is almost New World in style – plenty of delicious tropical fruit flavours, married to a bouquet of flowers, a mild taste with a touch of lemon, refreshing harmony.” - The winery

Hilllinger Pinot Gris 2011 - $11.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $8.96
(100% Pinot Grigio; Burgenland, Austria)
Do not think of Austrian wines as German, but rather as extreme northern Italian. Its wines are dry, not sweet. Leo Hillinger is one of Austria’s most dynamic & innovative winemakers. A tall, muscular blond who looks like a stereotypical surfer dude, Leo speaks English with an Australian-German accent—a remnant of his three years "down under" honing his winemaking skills. This is a great Pinot Grigio made in a Pinot Gris style—fresh and smooth with great balance and pretty ripe fruit on the palate.

Le Chaz Rosé 2011 - $9.99
On sale for $6.96
(Cinsault, Grenache; Languedoc, France)

Michel Langlois Pinot Noir 2010 - $12.99
Tasting price $11.69
(100% Pinot Noir; Loire, France)
“Simple but elegant; a light, fresh wine with a touch of raspberry. Drink it young with a light meat or charcuterie.” – Random website

Chateau de Brau Pinot Noir 2010 - $17.99
Tasting price $16.19
(100% Pinot Noir; Languedoc, France)
“Draped in cherry red tainted with raspberry,  this Pinot offers the delicate perfume of freshly ripened cherries, the Mediterranean garrigue and a floral touch of peony, a full and generous mouth feel, good balance between fine tannins and delicate aromas.” - The winery

Bielsa Grenache Vinãs Viejas 2010 - $11.99
Tasting price $10.79
(100% Grenache; Campo de Borja, Spain)
“Masia de Bielsa is a small facility making great wines at even better prices. All the vineyards are 45 years or older and are farmed organically. This wine is made from 100% Old Vine Garnacha grown in Galet soils. Bursting with red fruits and strawberry, it shows great purity with lots of spice and minerals.” - The Natural Wine Company

Casas Patronales Carmenere 2011 - $7.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $5.96
(100% Carmenere; Maule Valley, Chile)
Every Harry Potter fan knows the Patronus charm, but for those of you not up on your British wizardry, it's a pretty powerful spell, capable of protecting you from the worst evil creatures. To cast the spell, all you have to do is think of your happiest memory and then say, Expecto Patronum! We tried it the other day at the wine shop, but only managed to turn Robert into a newt (he got better.) Legally, we can't recommend trying magic at home, but buying this rich, velvety Carmenere from Chile's Maule Valley should provide all the happy memories you need for success, and at $5.96, it won't be too hard to conjure up another bottle when the first one magically disappears.

Halloween!!

MSWS Downtown

5:30-6:30

Beers to Be Tasted

Rogue Dead Guy

Dixie Blackened Voodoo

Wychwood Hobgoblin

New Holland Ichabod Ale

Unibroue Maudite

Plus … the Beer of the Week!

Kaltern Pinot Grigio 2011 - $12.99
Tasting price $11.69
(100% Pinot Grigio; Alto Adige, Italy)
The Pinot grigio is a full-bodied white wine with a straw-yellow hue, a floral nose, and pleasantly smooth character. With a little aging, undertones of nuts and honey develop. This wine pairs perfectly with mushroom dishes, fish and seafood. We also recommend it as an aperitif.

Monticello Nebbiolo 2010 - $10.99
Tasting price $9.89
(100% Nebbiolo; Piemonte, Italy)
This young Italian charmer is an excellent example of Nebbiolo that can show off it's big brother Barolo's best qualities, but is accessible and ready to drink now.  Exhibiting typical flavors of dark fruit, tar and leather, it is balanced by a fresh acidity and lush, lengthy finish.  A great value, and a great introduction to the seductive Nebbiolo grape.

LaPlace Les Sarments 2008 - $10.99
Tasting price $9.89
(60% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20%, Cabernet Franc; Comtes Tolosan, France)
“This wine has a nice ruby colour, with clear and brilliant reflections. Les Sarments has an expressive nose reminding us of ripe black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberries…) Some spicy notes give a very interesting aromatic complexity. The attack is soft and elegant. The wine is medium bodied and fruity with a soft finish.” - Elite Wines

Castano Monastrell 2010 - $8.99
Tasting price $8.09
(100% Monastrell; Yelca, Spain)
Spain is Hot! — the wines as well as the climate. On the Plaza de Toros in the hot southeastern town of Yecla, Ramon Castaño Santana and his three sons are changing our expectations of Yelcan vineyards from rough, high-alcohol plonk to polished, elegant wines. This bistro-style red made of Monastrell, or Mourvedre, is smooth with pretty plum and cherry aromas and a pleasingly ripe round fruit character in the mouth.

Pacific Rim Organic Riesling 2011 - $12.99
Tasting price $11.79
(100% Riesling; Columbia Valley, Washington)
“99.2% of all components for our Riesling are organic. We even use native — not commercial — yeast to best present the natural character of our vineyard. We use no pesticides and every element within our sustainably-farmed vineyard is native to the vineyard.Our Riesling displays aromas of jasmine and citrus. The subtly sweet profile is balanced by bright and refreshing acidity. We've crafted a wine to pair with the foods that today's wine lovers place on their dinner tables. Our Riesling beautifully complements all manner of Asian cuisines, spicy fare and flavorful, fresh, local foods.” - Pacific Rim

Avantis Evia 2011 - $9.99
Wine of the Week on sale for $7.96
(Viognier, Assyrtiko, Muscat; Evia, Greece)
Alika, Spyros and Apostolos Mountrichas are part of the new wave of Greek wines. Located in central Greece, in the heart of Evia approximately 70 km from Athens, their wines merit serious attention. The importer relates: “With fish grilling alongside fermenters and a long table set in the courtyard, a tradition as old as wine itself played out. Grilled fish, fresh salads and stunning traditional pitas provided the perfect vehicle for a long, relaxing look at the Avantis wines.” Did they then loosen their belts and dance on the beach? Pear and white peach dominate this flavorful blend of Viognier, Assyrtiko, & Muscat.

Casas Patronales Carmenere 2011 - $7.99
Wine of the Week $5.96
(100% Carmenere; Maule Valley, Chile)
Every Harry Potter fan knows the Patronus charm, but for those of you not up on your British wizardry, it's a pretty powerful spell, capable of protecting you from the worst evil creatures. To cast the spell, all you have to do is think of your happiest memory and then say, Expecto Patronum!We tried it the other day at the wine shop, but only managed to turn Robert into a newt (he got better.) Legally, we can't recommend trying magic at home, but buying this rich, velvety Carmenere from Chile's Maule Valley should provide all the happy memories you need for success, and at $5.96, it won't be too hard to conjure up another bottle when the first one magically disappears.