September 2014 - The Wine Country

The Wine Country Newsletter
2301 Redondo Avenue Signal Hill, California 90755
(562) 597-8303 (800) 505-5564 FAX (562) 597-9493 www.TheWineCountry.com
September 2014
A Busy Time of Transition
By Randy Kemner, Proprietor
September is a month of enormous transition.
As
summer
becomes fall, kids
head
back
to
school,
football
season begins, and
wineries are in
their
full-speedahead mode.
The Great Napa
Quake of 2014
notwithstanding, the grape harvest goes on, a timeless
thread that connects modern day vintners with
winemakers even before recorded history. Every year
repeats the cycle of dormancy, flowering, veraison,
ripeness and the harvest, the most exciting time of a
winemaker’s year.
It’s blazing hot now, and we may see heat spells into
November, but inevitably, the seasons will change here
in Southern California from very warm to pleasant with
a few crisp days thrown in to remind us that the rest of
the country is experiencing frost. Rosé wine, a summer
staple at our house, is still fun to drink, but we’re now
transitioning toward wines more like last month’s
delicious Aligoté from Fichet. It’s dark when we get
home now and, sorry, most rosés are much more fun to
drink in the sunlight. In fact, it may be too dark to grill
outside—flashlight cooking can be hazardous. Though
temperatures may still be summer-like, early evening
activities are moving indoors.
Those of you who have been following our recent
progress at The Wine Country are seeing some dramatic
changes going on in the store. We’ve just been granted
approval by the city to install a brand new 32’ long
refrigerated beer display case and construction has
begun, preparing our walls for its October arrival. Of
course, we have to cut a new doorway to access our
restrooms, so while we’re at it, we’ll paint and re-floor
our WCs.
We’re also having custom racks built for Jeremy’s
growing specialty spirits department. Those funky
industrial racks that we’ve used for nearly 19 years will
finally be retired. In their place will be sleeker wooden
shelving made by the same company that made our new
refrigerated rare wine case.
During the next six weeks, there may be some
temporary holes in the wall, and a little dust here and
there, but when November rolls around, we should have
a pretty exciting new look to the store.
You see, that month we’ll be beginning our 20th year in
business in the same location. And I expect that year
will be just as exciting as the year we’re finishing up
right now.
Be sure to check out our events calendars early and
make a point of joining us for the most innovative and
far reaching wine tastings in our area. It’s a great way to
relax while the world around you spins wildly and everso-stressfully around us. Discovering new wines to love
may not be your premier pursuit in life, but it sure beats
Friday night television. And sharing your good wine
with friends carries with it the kind of nobility the world
would be a whole lot better with.
This month, Dale and I will be transitioning our old
selves to Oporto and Portugal’s Upper Douro Valley in
pursuit of a good old-fashioned, Roman-style grape
stomping (known as pigeage among the French) in the
historic home of Port wine. With luck, the harvest will
be in full swing when we arrive just about the time I
transition from middle age to Medicare on September
19. I’ll be sure to chronicle all that in an upcoming
newsletter.
From there we head back down to Oporto, hop on a
plane for the island of Madeira (check it out on
YouTube) and another dream of mine will transition
from my wish list into reality. The historic home of the
great wines of Madeira is a dramatic Portuguese island
380 miles off the coast of Morocco, about twice the size
of Catalina Island with volcanic mountains that go
straight up 6,000 feet in height. We’ll be thinking of all
of you while we transition ourselves into glasses of
Madeira, staring out at the sea and wondering how we
could be so lucky.
SEPTEMBER
WINE OF THE
MONTH
2012 Boeri Barbera d’Asti
Piedmont, Italy
Everyone, this a great value! The Boeri is what Randy
and I have been longing for since the good old days.
Pair with party foods, barbeque; grilled meats and
sausages, salumi, Even a simple pasta will go great, just
about anything you throw at it. You'll see why Barbera
is the wine of the people in Piemonte!
Let me put a few bottles in your wine basket.—Brian
Holowka
$11.99 per bottle
$143.88 per case
CHEESE PAIRING FOR THE
SEPTEMBER WINE OF THE MONTH
"When in Rome, do as the Romans...
When in Piedmont, drink Barbera"
Moses Sleeper
Jasper Hills Farm,
Vermont
"What ever happened to affordable high-performing
Barbera?" Randy has been asking. "Let's find one."
Well, we found one, and it's a very good one, in fact! A
real all-purpose wine that tastes like Italy.
Plain and simple, this wine is purely delicious!
Barbera is a staple of the Piedmontese Diet. It’s a
refreshing daily red where ripe cherry flavors mix with
juicy textures and a vibrant, somewhat tingly finish. It's
a food friendly variety which can go with just about
everything.
The Boeri is an excellent example of what you would be
drinking if you were in a village in Piedmont, sharing
moments with Amici e Familia; i.e., friends and family.
This is a 100% hand picked, naturally farmed Barbera
from a family estate established in 1900.
As I sampled this wine for the first time sitting across
the table from our Italian wine rep, I was furiously
taking down tasting notes:
“Alluring nose of cherry café, smoked meat and Italian
seasoning. Medium weight entry with a bright plummy midpalate. Fruity compote finish balanced by the balanced
acidity. Finish is well tempered, and fairly long, (20 sec).
After 10 minutes in the glass, it really opens up aromatically,
lots of strong flowers and spice.”
“This is how much?" I incredulously asked the rep after
she divulged the astonishing price.
By Samantha Dugan
Moses Sleeper is just one of the exciting new cheeses
we’ve been getting from Jasper Hills Farm, a creamery
in Vermont that is hand crafting some truly world class
cheeses. We loved the Moses Sleeper with our
September Wine of the Month because its creamy, milky
texture played beautifully off the bright and zingy
acidity in the Barbera.
Moses Sleeper is modeled after French Brie, made from
cow’s milk, has a firm rind and has a delightfully
creamy, but not runny, interior. The milky rich flavors
go from mildly fruity to savory and full of mushrooms.
The pillowy texture is the star here, a velvety mild
cheese that is begging for something zippy, like our
Wine of the Month, to pair with it.
Available In-Store Only
ITALY
Italy: Land of Variety and Value
by Brian Holowka
There’ve been a lot of exciting new wines coming into
our Italian section. Some are just passing through, while
others look to be around for a while. There continues to
be a steady influx of high quality wines coming in, and
we are happy to welcome them. It’s like meeting
someone interesting for the first time, “Hello there! Tell
me your story.” Some of these wines are more
recognizable than others, the grapes look familiar on the
labels, and others… well, maybe not so much. But
without a doubt, they are all excellent values! A wine is
only as great as it tastes to you, and how you feel about
it afterward. I am constantly on the hunt for wines with
typicity, variety, and above all, Value! This month, we
focus on wines to take home and enjoy for the sake of
pleasure. Keep the Barolo and Brunello in the rack; after
all, they only get better with age. Try some new varietal,
or maybe a different producer of your favorite grape.
New wines are a thrill when you find your flavor. I
encourage you to keep searching for the unknown
treasure waiting for you to discover it in the Italian
section.
2013 Lumo Pinot Grigio “Vigneti Della Dolomiti”
(Trentino - Alto Adige)
Lumo comes from a winegrowers' co-operative that was
founded by 28 vintners in 1960. Over the years other
viticulturalists from specialized micro-zones in the area
joined the collective, and today nearly 300 members
cultivate approximately 300 hectares of vineyards in the
northern limits of Italy. This white is light, crisp, and
clean. Subtle flavors of citrus, and fine mineral / flower
/ herb notes on the nose. This is a lighter style, but no
less enjoyable. A bottle in your fridge will not last long,
you’d better grab a couple!
$8.99 per bottle
2013 Giuseppe & Luigi Stella di Anselmi Friulano
(Friuli)
Not far from the town of Aquileia and from the famous
fortress town of Palmanova, founded in the 16th century
by the Venetians, there is Pocenia. In this area, close to
the coast, grape-vine cultivation finds an ideal locale.
It’s nearly impossible not to appreciate this delicious
Friuliano! It has to be the light yellow color and potent
perfume of peaches, mint, and flowers, or the mouth
coating stone fruit flavors which end with a crisp
aftertaste. This is a very typical wine of the Friuli region
and made (and priced) to be enjoyed daily. It's a great
alternative to Pinot Grigio; and a much more substantial
pairing to lighter fare.
$12.99 per bottle
2012 San Lorenzo Gavi (Piedmont)
Gavi is an area located in southern Piedmont. Only wine
produced 100% from Cortese grapes grown in Gavi can
carry the D.O.C.G. title. The San Lorenzo is a pale-dry
wine with a fresh lime flavor whose character keeps its
identity. Fermented in stainless steel to retain the fresh
quality that all great Gavi should possess. This wine
perfectly accompanies vegetables, seafood, salads, and
more delicate white meat dishes.
$13.99 per bottle
2013 Taburno Falanghina del Sannio (Campania)
Sometimes lost in the list of all the wonderful whites
from Campania, Falanghina is one of the friendliest
whites of this area that’s super easy to drink. Fruity and
crisp, this is an absolutely delightful wine! This wine is
the falanghina grape tasted in its purity, with notes of
orange blossom, white flowers, fennel and fresh
nectarine. The Taburno features flavorful stone fruit
(think of apricot and nectarine) with a touch of zip to
bring the palate to life. Perfect for light meals,
appetizers, and just by the glass!
$14.99 per bottle
2010 Contrade Di Taurasi Aglianico “Irpina”
(Campania)
2013 Kettmeir Muller Thurgau (Alto Adige)
From the beautiful hill country around Lake Caldaro in
the region of Alto Adige. This is a bottle of wine that
entices you with its aromas, allures you with its richness,
and seduces you with its finish! The pungent bouquet is
ripe with spiced pear and tropical flowers, just an
absolute pleasure. The palate is bold and tangy with
Riesling-esque fruitiness and Traminer-like spice. The
finish is long and creamily textured, there’s just an
abundance of goodness in this wine. The Kettmeir goes
wonderfully with a garlic butter pairing.
$15.99 per bottle
2011 Feudo Zirtardi Nero d’Avola Syrah (Sicily)
Here is a candidate for house wine. I love the lighter
body of the Zirtardi! There’s a clean nose of gardenia
flower on the nose, followed by underbrush, candied
dry fruits, and white pepper. It’s a red wine that remains
light on its feet and yet contains a pretty, ripe cranberry
and red apple component on the palate. This has shown
well with a red sauce based pasta, a simple meatball
sandwich, or spicy bean soup. The fruit maintains a
higher pitch, and there is more tangy acidity than a lot of
Neros, but is balanced by the Syrah which adds body
and complexity. This is one to consider picking up by
the case. Fresh and Lively!
$9.99 per bottle
2010 Agostino Pavia “Moliss” Barbera D’ Asti
Superiore (Piedmont)
Exceptional Barbera. Meaty, vibrant and mouthwatering
tart cherry fruit. Zesty but well balanced. The soft
tannins make this a versatile food wine. “Moliss” is a
Piedmontese word meaning “middle son” This is single
vineyard wine made from old vines and aged in large
Slovenian oak barrels. Aromas of raspberries and herbs,
with a fresh acidity that carries the lingering finish well.
A meal with sausage would complete this wine nicely.
Open it up and see.
$16.99 per bottle
2012 Piancornello Rosso Di Montalcino (Tuscany)
This wine showed quite well at our Tuscan Big Gun
class several weeks back. The nice thing about Rosso di
Montalcino is that all the elements of Brunello are there.
To a lesser extent than the grand wine, but certainly the
style and flavors of Brunello are in there! Aged 12
months in larger barrels, Piancornello exhibits the classic
Brunello aromas and tastes without a significant drop in
quality. Hard to get more from a “Baby Brunello” than
this delivers.
$21.99 per bottle
The wines made from the Aglianico grape are some of
the most historic in all of Italy, and the Aglianico wine
from surrounding the village of Taurasi, the most
profound. This wine is basically declassified Taurasi,
aged primarily in stainless steel. This is distinctive, with
black berry fruit and a volcanic soil characteristic that
really identifies with the area. The palate is round and
coating, with a long finish and savory aftertaste. This is
one of the steals of the month – you’re basically getting
Taurasi at an Aglianico price!
$21.99 per bottle
2011 Rocca Di Montemassi (Tuscany)
The winery is based in the Maremma area, where a great
number of excellent Tuscan blends come from. Rocca Di
Montemassi’s flagship wine is this Rosso, made only
with estate fruit. Aged in small French oak barrels, this
wine tastes like some of the more expensive Cabernet
blends from Tuscany. Full bodied, but beyond that, well
balanced. The elements are really proportioned well.
This is a Cabernet lover’s wine! The Rocca is just waiting
for you to pair it with that rib eye steak on the grill. It
delivers well, like the Super Tuscan that it is!
$21.99 per bottle
2011 Corte Alla Flora Pugnitello (Tuscany)
Only two producers of this grape bottle it under its own
name. Pugnitello was a nearly extinct grape grown only
in Tuscany, and named after the shape of its bunch
which resembles a fist. (“pugni”) Beyond the obscurity
and rareness of it, this is a splendid wine with lots of
delicious bits wrapped up in a pretty French oak barrel.
It’s akin to a cross between Vino Nobile and Brunello:
spicy and big bodied without the tannin of Brunello, or
the (sometimes) earthy aromas of Vino Nobile. Sadly,
this wine is available in very limited quantities, and
definitely worth taking home for an occasion.
$31.99 per bottle
GERMANY
The First of the 2013s Are Now Arriving
Plus a Couple Surprises from the Mosel!
By Jeremy Dugan
With summer officially over it is time for me to bring in
the first of our 2013 German wines. While the 2014
growing season has been nice for many of our German
producers, 2013 was not. For those of you who have
read or heard me talk about how the 2012 vintage was a
cold one, this one is even colder. With a long, cold,
harsh winter some of our favorite wine makers had 80%
less production than usual. With a growing season like
last year’s, there are 3 things German wine lovers (and
enjoyers) can expect from the 2013 vintage;
1.
2.
Wines with more acidity than you’re used to.
Unless you’re first experiences with German
wines was the 2012 vintage, you are used to
these wines having rich fruit upfront, subtle
minerality and sweetness on the finish. While
there is still wonderful fruit in these wines, they
are a lot more subtle than in the past. Leading
me to point number
These wines are going to be great with age. One
wine myth people have is that white wine can’t
age. Now while not all white wines are meant to
be left alone in the bottle for years (Wouldn’t do
it with many Domestic Chardonnays), wines
with acidity can be put away and forgotten for a
handful of years and be even better than when
you first bought it. The acidity drops off,
allowing the fruit to take the main stage. So
make sure to grab at least two bottles of your
favorite Riesling so you can set one aside for a
little bit and see the differences.
3.
Get them while you can! As mentioned before,
80% less wine made by some producers than
they are accustomed to making. So if you find a
2013 you like, buy what you can because there is
no promise that there will be more to get!
Zilliken 2013 Saarburger Riesling Kabinett
Saar, Mosel
This easy drinking wine from the cooler Saar region of
the Mosel has vibrant citrus (tangerine and lemon)
flavors that linger throughout your drinking enjoyment.
Bold minerality combines with notes of honeydew to
bring out savory characteristics that seem to be a
common profile in the 2013 vintage. Like many of the
2013s I have tried, this Riesling would do great with
some aging. It’s pleasant to drink now, and giving it one
to three years to mature will lower the citrus flavors and
enhance the honeydew notes.
$23.99 per 750ml bottle
Zilliken 2013 Saarburger Rausch Kabinett
Saar, Mosel
Given the cold weather Germany faced in 2013 do not
find it surprising or alarming if your Kabinett taste more
like an off-dry Riesling than you are used to. Colder
weather means higher acidity in the grapes which then
leads to not as much sweetness. A perfect example of a
not so sweet 2013 Kabinett is Zilliken’s from the great
Saarburger Rausch vineyard. Bright minerality combines
beautifully with notes of citrus, reminding me of
grapefruit and orange. Not a wine with a whole lot of
depth, but the flavors that are there are vibrant and darn
tasty. With people looking more and more for Rieslings
with just a little bit of sweetness, the Zilliken Saarburger
Rausch is exactly what they will be looking for.
$27.99 per 750ml bottle
Reinhold Haart 2008 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen
Kabinett, Mosel
Schloss Lieser 2013 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr
Spätlese, Mosel
If there are going to be any 2013 Rieslings with
traditional sweetness, of course they’ll come from one of
the Sonnenuhr vineyards. Schloss Lieser’s Spätlese is full
of rich fruit, nice weight and an almost perfect amount
of sweetness. Bold notes of tropical fruit (pineapple),
combine with crisp citrus (grapefruit) flavors to create
an explosive expression upfront on your palate.
Honeydew melon sweetness creates a rich mouth feel
that won’t be easy to come by in the 2013 vintage. With
the right amount fruit, the right mouth feel and smooth
sweetness, this Spätlese is atypical for the 2013 vintage
but the standard for what people expect from this level
Riesling.
$32.99 per 750ml bottle.
Made from the best grapes in the vineyard one would
expect this Kabinett to be full of rich flavors. So it is not
shocking that this Reinhold Haart has big tropical fruit
(pineapple being the predominate characteristic) and
vibrant orange citrus flavors. Opulent honeydew melon
sweetness on the finish rounds out this Piesporter
Goldtröpfchen making it surprisingly vibrant and
luscious for being six years old. This is just one of the
examples from the Reinhold Haart family of what can
happen to a premier wine when aged.
$23.99 per 750ml bottle
And a Couple of Aged Re-releases
As I mentioned above, the 2013 vintage could use some
aging to allow the acidity to calm down allowing the
fruit characteristics to become more expressive. Well, I
have just acquired two AMAZING examples of what
age can do to a well-produced Riesling, both from the
Reinhold Haart family from their priviledged parcel in
the legendary Piesporter Goldtröpfchen vineyard (which
accounts for over half of their total holdings). For those
of you unfamiliar with Goldtröpfchen, it is one of the 6
Grand Crus of the middle Mosel, the best of the best
grapes and care go into these wines. Given that fact, it is
no surprise that these aged Rieslings are beautiful right
now and are just asking to be enjoyed by Rieslings
lovers, German wine lovers or any true wine lover.
When I was told there were less than 5 cases of each left
I took it all. It isn’t that often you find such beautiful
wines especially at these prices! Goldtröpfchens can
easily be in the $40-$60 price range, but these two are in
the $20s-$30s.
Reinhold Haart 2007 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen
Spätlese, Mosel
This seven year old Permier Cru Riesling is the ultimate
wine for Riesling lovers or anyone who enjoys their
wines to have some sweetness. Made from the best
grapes in the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen vineyard this
Spätlese has luscious honey sickle flavor that gives the
wine great weight that just wraps itself around your
tongue. The rich mango flavors mesh well with subtle
notes of citrus which give this wine from the Mosel
vibrancy many wouldn’t expect from an aged white
wine.
$32.99 per 750 ml bottle
SPAIN
Spain: Still Hitting it Out of the Park!
by Brian Holowka
Amazingly, Spanish wines continue this impressive run
of high quality value wines that deliver. There is so
much to taste, all of it reasonably priced and very well
made. The country that sports the most acres under vine
is not France or Italy, it is Spain! The producers are
committed to making wines with an identity and style
for every taste. There really is not a “dog in the bunch,”
so to speak. We have amassed a wonderful array of
wines from Spain which epitomize why the category has
grown so quickly and consistently.
2013 Rey Santo Verdejo (Rueda)
The new vintage of Rey Santo offers up many of the
same qualities we’ve come to expect from this wine;
crisp clean fruit, well structured, good value. 100%
Estate grown Verdejo from 15 year old vines, notes of
tangerine, orange peel, peach and hints of anise. Round
mouthfeel, with a balanced acidity. Lingering flavors of
stone fruit and pineapple combined with notes of
lemongrass and aromatic herbs.
$11.99 per bottle
2013 Mustiguillo Mestizae Blanco (Valencia)
This is an up and coming winery located in the
highlands of Valencia, at an elevation over 2500 feet. The
primary grape used is the native Merseguera; along with
Malvasia and Viognier for balance and complexity. The
nose is beautiful, incorporating notes of apricot, white
flower, and yellow peaches. The palate is firm and
flavorful, with nectarine taking center stage. I would like
to pair this with olives and artichokes, but I assure you,
it is a delight to enjoy by itself!
$14.99 per bottle
2012 Botani Dry Muscat (Malaga)
They took the “Moscato Secco” off the label for 2012,
instead opting for “Dry Muscat” I think it was a good
idea, as consumers associate “Moscato” with the sweet
fizzy wine of Italy. The Botani is neither sweet nor fizzy.
I appreciate the herb/stone fruit flavors and minty
finish. This wine is easy to like, and hard to keep in
stock!
$16.99 per bottle
2013 Santiago Ruiz Blanco (Rias Biaxas)
Rías Baixas is in Spain’s ruggedly beautiful
northwestern corner known as Galicia or as “Green
Spain.” With over half of Spain’s seafood caught off the
coast of Galicia, it is no wonder that the tangy minerally
Albariño wines are perfect partners with seafood. This is
a deliciously crisp white blend of Albarino, Louriero,
Treixadura and Godello. I don’t typically mention the
label, but in this case it is actually a copy of the map,
which Santiago Ruiz’s daughter Isabel drew by hand, to
show guests how to get to her wedding.
$18.99 per bottle
2012 Navaherreros Blanco De Bernabelva (Madrid)
The Blanco version of the Bernabelva is just as special as
the amazingly popular red. The grapes are primarily
Albillo from the Canta Cuerdos vineyard with a small
amount of Garnacha Blanca whose fruit finds its way
into the wine. It was naturally fermented and aged in
old 500 liter barrels without racking. The wine has
aromas of pears and white flowers with an intriguing
touch of richness on the palate. If you haven’t tried the
white, you should, it’s a really cool wine!
$19.99 per bottle
2013 Txomin Etaniz Getaria (Basque)
This winery lies along the hills of the Cantabrian Coast
in Spain's Basque Country. They have 35 hectares of
vines planted mostly to the white grape, Hondarabbi
Zuri. The grapes are grown on steep sloping hills on tall
arbors, as opposed to traditional vines. In other words,
they form a trellis above that is reached by standing as
opposed to bending over. There are many other
producers in the region but Txomin Etxaniz is the gold
standard. Txakoli is the perfect summer sipper with its
telltale spritzy quality and clean, lime citrus, incredibly
refreshing acidity.
$22.99 per bottle
2011 Vega Sindoa El Chapparal Garnacha (Navarra)
The 2012 El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa Old Vine
Garnacha a youthful wine from 60 to 80 year old vines.
This is pure and young, spicy and fruity, with aromas of
thyme and lavender. It is only aged in French oak for six
months, and comes through as a fruit driven red, with
aromas of licorice and spices, red berries and enough
complexity. It’s an easy-to-drink, pleasant Garnacha.
One has to wonder how Spain is able to make all these
old vine reds at such an attractive price!
$12.99 per bottle
2012 Tineta (Ribera Del Duero)
The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard that was
planted between 1975 and 1985 called El Carril. The soils
are alluvial with a mixture of clay, sand, and gravel.
Tineta was fermented in stainless steel and then
transferred and aged into 3-year-old barrels for 7
months. High-pitched red berry aromas followed by
notes of smoke, licorice and mocha. Thick raspberry and
cherry-cola flavors show good intensity. The finish is
long and pleasant, with only a hint of tannic bite. This is
an excellent red for the money!
$13.99 per bottle
2012 Mustiguillo Mestizaje Bobal (Valencia)
The Bobal grape has a long history of being planted in
Valencia. Typically used as a blending grape, as it is
here, it provides structure and a native flavor somewhat
akin to Italian barbera. The Mestizaje Bobal is supported
by Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and
Shiraz. It possesses a juicy blackberry nose and a
peppery palate. Beautiful fruit tannins provide excellent
structure, and the 10 months it was aged in oak adds to
the overall enjoyment. This wine speaks volumes about
the viability of Bobal.
$14.99 per bottle
2012 Antidoto (Ribera Del Duero)
Sourced from the very best vineyard sites in Ribera del
Duero using vines which are at least 60 years old (many
date back to pre-phylloxera!), Antidoto is matured for 12
months in barrels used to make the 2 wines of Haut
Brion. This produces an opulent wine with juicy, plush
blackberries and plum characters and undertones of
spicy cracked black pepper and earth. Savory tannins
and a long persistent finish.
$21.99 per bottle
2011 Mustiguillo Finca Terrerazo Vina de Pago
(Valencia)
The fruit for this wine comes from a vineyard
established in the 1940’s. Its ph factor is a mere 3.10!
Extraction is amazing, it’s a shiny black opaque color.
The nose is very polyphenolic and complex; offering up
blackberry pie, mint, and hints of sweet vanilla. Still
quite young – the Bobal is a bit tannic, but the intense
black fruit and long finish really make this wine a
special one.
$37.99 per bottle
CALIFORNIA & THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Savoring the Intense Flavors of
Napa’s Mountain Cabernets
by Reid Kinnett
Most everyone in Napa can agree that Cabernet
Sauvignon is king. However, there is not so much of an
accord when it comes to deciding which areas produce
the best expression of the grape. Some wine drinkers
think of Napa Valley Cabernet in monolithic terms.
These are the folks who are surprised to learn that there
are 16 sub-appellations within Napa Valley. At the one
end of the valley, lie Carneros, Coombsville, and Oak
Knoll, where the San Pablo Bay’s influence keeps these
southern regions blanketed in fog, and much cooler than
more northern appellations. As one continues north up
highway 29--Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St.
Helena, Calistoga, temperatures rise.
To add a third dimension to the equation, you can then
climb one of the beautiful winding roads that ascend
either the Vaca or Mayacama mountain ranges. Early in
the day, one can bask in the morning sun in a vineyard
surrounded by a redwood forest, while looking down at
a sea of fog on the valley floor. Aside from the
spectacular views afforded by these surroundings, there
is a unique set of conditions that affect the vines, grapes,
and wines sourced from mountain vineyards.
The climate that exists in these mountain vineyards is
distinct from the prevailing climate on the valley floor:
the change in elevation alone accounts for a substantial
drop in temperature (5o/1,000 ft.) These lower
temperatures lead to later bud-break and delayed
ripening. Being above the fog line means that the vines
receive more sunlight which can lead to thicker skinned
grapes, which means more tannic wines that are darker
in color. The steep, rocky soils mean lower yields and
smaller, more concentrated berries.
Add all of this up, and this gives one a vague picture of
what separates “mountain Cabernets” from those from
the valley floor: more concentration, more tannins, and
bolder flavors. This is no more than a generalization of
course, but in a broad sense, the wines are certainly
different. Some claim that wines from mountain
vineyards have a distinct mineral character, others say
there is a particular herbaceousness that is not present in
valley floor wines. I invite you to come decide for
yourself on Friday, September 12th, as we explore the
bold, wild flavors of Napa’s Mountain Cabernets. This
will be a great opportunity to taste and compare top
wines from Spring Mountain, Howell Mountain,
Diamond Mountain, and Mount Veeder.
Below are a few of the wines that will likely be on
the menu for this unique event
2010 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder
Napa Valley, CA
This is a striking Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has
nuanced aromas of vanilla, blackberry, violets, and
crushed rocks. The bright blue and red fruit flavors on
the palate are artfully balanced by subtle baking spice
notes. The wine finishes clean, with juicy acidity, and
tight, fine tannins. This is a supremely well-crafted
modern Napa Cabernet. Lay this down for a few years,
or just enjoy its youthful, vibrant fruitiness tonight along
with some fancy burgers.
$71.99 per bottle
2010 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain
Napa Valley, CA
This is what modern Napa Valley Cabernet is all about:
richness, ripe fruit, and satisfaction. The nose is full of
rich blackberry, and vanilla, with subtle earth and violet
undertones. The wine has great acidity and super grippy
tannins that balance the rich fruit on the palate. Decant
this wine for an hour or two while you wait for the grill
to warm up.
$79.99 per bottle
2010 Von Strasser Estate Vineyard Cabernet
Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain
Napa Valley, CA
Rudy Von Strasser worked his first harvest at Chateau
Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux. He followed that up with
a few years as enologist at Trefethen and a few years as
Newton’s assistant winemaker. In 1990, he and his wife
purchased a vineyard site in the Diamond Mountatin
AVA in Napa Valley. This offering from their Estate
Vineyard is rich, with blackberry and dried cherry
flavors. Cedar, mocha, and vanilla flavors play a
supporting role, and soft tannins leave you craving some
roasted meat.
$75.99 per bottle
Domestic Arrivals for the Adventurous!
By Reid Kinnett
2013 Tatomer “Meeresboden” Grüner Veltliner
Santa Barbara County, CA
Graham Tatomer basically grew up in Santa Barbara
Winery’s cellar. After developing a passion for dry
Riesling, Tatomer decided to travel to the Wacchau
region in Austria to learn from one of their top
winemakers, Emmerich Knoll. While there, he found a
fondness for Grüner. This wine shows pretty nectarine
and honeysuckle notes on the nose with delicate accents
of baking spice. On the palate there is generous stone
fruit that is corralled nicely with delicate minerality.
This delicate dry white has a great backbone of acidity
that makes me crave some shellfish.
$24.99 per bottle
2013 Field Recordings Chenin Blanc, Jurrasic Park
Vineyard
Santa Ynez Valley, CA
Field Recordings is a project started by Andrew Jones.
Most of the year, Jones works for California’s largest
grapevine nursery, selling vines. Jones uses the
connections he has made to find unique vineyard sites,
such as the Jurrasic Park Vineyard, to find interesting
vines, like…Chenin Blanc planted in 1978. This wine has
all the classic Chenin Blanc notes: apple, honey, peach,
and delicate spice. The wine is aged in 100% acacia
barrels (40% new.) Acacia has a lighter, unique impact
on the wine’s flavor. In this case, I feel that it adds a
pleasant herbaceous character. This wine is ultrarefreshing on a warm summer afternoon. 350 cases
produced
$16.99 per bottle
2013 Donkey and Goat Grenache Blanc
El Dorado, CA
Founded by Tracey and Jared Brandt, Donkey and Goat
have a winery and tasting room in Berkeley. Some of the
winery’s most compelling wines tend to be their white
Rhône varietals and blends sourced from the Sierra
Foothills (in this case from sites at 2,800 ft. elev.) This
crisp Grenache Blanc has rich honey, nectarine, and
green tea on the nose. On the palate: ripe peach and red
apple make the wine satisfying. Crisp acidity takes over
the finish, leaving your mouth watering. I think this
wine would be delightful with some smoked fish or
albacore tataki.
$23.99 per bottle
2013 Vinavanti Viognier, Orrin Vineyards
San Diego County, CA
This certified organic winery is located in suburban San
Diego, not too far from Green Flash Brewing. This
Viognier comes from Orrin Vineyards, which is a site at
3,200 feet of elevation, to the east of Mount Palomar. The
grapes underwent a one week period of carbonic
maceration (tanks are sealed and berries burst due to
carbon dioxide created by natural fermentation.)
Afterward, the grapes are pressed and the must
completes fermentation in stainless steel without the aid
of commercial yeast. No sulfur is added. Exotic aromas
of mango, jackfruit, and eastern spices make this wine as
unique as most one will ever try. Try it with some Tom
Yum soup next time you order Thai!
Just 23 cases produced
$21.99 per bottle
2012 Bellwether Pinot Noir, Sawmill Creek Vineyard
Finger Lakes, NY
Bellwether has been making cider for years in the Finger
Lakes area in upstate New York for fifteen years now.
Recently the family enlisted their son in law, Kris
Matthewson to make Riesling and Pinot Noir for their
new venture. This Pinot Noir is lighter in color and more
nuanced in aroma and flavor than anything I have
experienced from California or Oregon. That is not to
say that it is the best domestic Pinot Noir, but there is
something strikingly similar to Burgundy about this
wine. Aromas of soft cherry notes, sweet roses, and
delicate herbs welcome you in, while subtle raspberry
and cherry notes are framed by a slightly rustic earthy
character reward the palate. Great acidity and the
absence of new oak make this wine a great pairing for
salmon or roasted fowl.
$27.99 per bottle
FRANCE
Pre-Autumn New Arrivals
By Samantha Dugan
Rhone Valley
2012 Domaine Les Genestas Cotes du Rhone Villages
I was floored by the explosive and super-fresh aromas
on this juicy and craveable Cotes du Rhone! Made from
a blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah that sees no
oak the wine smells like a basket of jut-pitted cherries
and crushed black berries. I was drawn in by the purity
of the fruit, something reminded me of summer berries
atop a baked crust followed by a burst of violets. Light
on the palate which is just what you want with a wine
this generous with its fruit, makes it all that much easier
to gulp.
$13.99 per bottle
2013 Domaine De La Ronciere
Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
You know how we always praise French wines that are
restrained, subtle and lighter in texture? Yeah, this isn’t
one of those. This sexy little white wine is busting at the
seams with stone fruit, white flowers and orange cream
aromas. In the mouth you get all this luscious and
saturated fruit along with a mid-palate of freshly cut
fennel and a warm richness that might remind you a bit
of honey. Plenty of weight but with a good clip of
balancing acidity. A great wine for sipping before dinner
but would also serve beautifully as a cheese partner.
$42.99 per bottle
Bordeaux
2010 Chateau La Fleur de Jaugue Saint-Emilion
intrigue and depth. Gentle in the mouth with a bit of
tannin this is a wine that begs for grilled or seared meats
and maybe a year or two in the cellar.
$28.99 per bottle
2010 Domaine L’Aurage Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux
This gorgeous Right Bank Bordeaux is comprised of 80%
Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc with an average vine
age of approximately 25 years. Grown in a perfect
combination of limestone and clay soils the Merlot takes
on a tremendous personality and richness. The fruit here
is so pronounced it almost comes off sweet or “new
worldy” but then you get a savory, meaty note and a
blast of fresh mint on the palate, along with some
sizeable grip from the sturdy tannins. A powerhouse of
a Bordeaux that will hold up several years in the cellar.
$42.99 per bottle
Loire Valley
2013 Les Chardons Touraine Sauvignon Blanc
With the wild success of the Francois Chidaine Touraine
We’ve been keeping our eyes peeled for another
Touraine to offer that is as giving and utterly gulpable,
we found it here with the Les Chardons. Brimming with
fresh cut limes and grapefruit but this luscious little
Loire also offers some richness. Under the tart fruit you
find a baked orange and honey component that just
adds another dimension and layer of lusciousness.
$15.99 per bottle
People can say what they want about Merlot but when
grown in the right soils, like those of Saint-Emilion, the
grape can make wines of wonderful complexity that are
down-right delicious. This very straight forward
Bordeaux has plenty of ripe dark berry fruit but it is the
more tobacco and herbal notes that give it tremendous
Red Burgundy
2012 Domaine Charton 1er Cru Clos du Roy Mercurey
This super rare Pinot Noir, (only 220 cases produced)
from the lesser known village of Mercurey in Burgundy
embodies everything those of us that are insatiably in
love with Burgundian Pinot Noir crave. A nose full of
bursting red cherries, smoked meat, fresh herbs and a
hint of roasted coffee. In the mouth there is all this lively
fruit but with a lighter, more airy mouth feel and a finish
that goes on forever. Drinking stunningly now and will
just improve with a few years in the bottle…if you can
wait.
$49.99 per bottle
2013 Domaine de la Cadette Bourgogne Vezelay
2012 Domaine Dominique Gruhier
Bourgogne Epineuil
This pristine Chardonnay grown just outside of Chablis
is aged for 7 months in stainless steel vats before
bottling, no oak is used so you are left with nothing but
fresh and bright fruit. Snappy green apples up front
with a touch of spiced pear followed by hints of cold wet
stones and bits of pineapple. We had this at a recent staff
party paired with fried chicken and I can tell you first
hand, this wine loves chicken but it is so lively and
lovely that it is just fine on its own too.
$22.99 per bottle
The region of Epineuil is in the northern part of
Burgundy, just east of Chablis, approximately sixty
miles south east from Beaune and here you find those
limestone rich soils that give us all that complexity that
we love about Chablis. This lean Pinot Noir is the
epitome of cold climate red wine. Tart cranberry and
cherries, chalky limestone, flint and just a kiss of sultry
smoke. I like this wine with light foods, things like
grilled or roasted fish and chicken, or salty foods like
cured hams and cheeses.
$27.99 per bottle
2011 David Moreau 1er Cru Clos Rousseau
Santenay
Astoundingly saturated and full of dark red fruit.
Powerful and extracted with gorgeous concentration,
still very Burgundian but the flavors are so deep it is
almost like it has been reduced down to get more
intensity. Stunningly beautiful Pinot Noir but Pinot Noir
with firm muscles and a silky texture. Find a reason to
treat yourself one of these. You’re worth it.
$54.99 per bottle
White Burgundy
2011 Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet Bourgogne Blanc
Clos du Chateau
This value priced white Burgundy has been on a streak
the past few vintages and this 2011 is keeping with that
trend. Sturdy Chardonnay here, plenty of pears
interplaying with bright snappy citrus, a medium full
weight and with a finish that has the lovely linger of
holiday spice. No-brainer, crowd-pleaser, slam-dunk.
$29.99 per bottle
2013 Patrick Piuze Chablis Terroir de Courgis
Patrick Piuze the fruit for this wine from two parcels in
the village of Courgis and blends them together to
highlight the expression of the village. Only stainless
steel is used in the aging to preserve the layers and
accent of what Patrick believes in most of all, the terroir.
2013 was a trying vintage in that they had some extreme
weather and while there is miniscule amounts of wine to
get what you will get are some very fine wines. I love
this Terroir de Courgis for its cross between tropical
pineapple and peach flavors and fierce minerals that
leave your palate tingling and wanting another sip.
$28.99 per bottle
2013 Patrick Piuze Chablis Terroir de Chablis
Patrick Piuze is truly a master with coaxing the
personality and voice out of each plot of land in Chablis.
In giving us these brilliant, haunting and damn crave
inducing white wines. Here you get plenty of green
apple, lemon zest and hints of grapefruit but those slip
under waves of white stones, un risen bread dough and
bits of salinity. Silky in the mouth with plenty of pop
and a finish that nearly vibrates. Wow. What a wine.
$28.99 per bottle
CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING WINE
Get Your Sparkle On!
by Samantha Dugan
A little over a week before deadline for the September
newsletter we held a Saturday afternoon tasting devoted
to sparkling wines from around the world. Being the
buyer, the very lucky buyer, for the sparkling wine
department I’ve hosted dozens of these events over the
years, and while I love them all I was aching to show
people something a little, different. We’ve poured
Roederer Estate and Schramsberg from California, the
frothy pink Cremant d’Alsace from Allimant Laugnier
and our wildly popular J. Laurens Creman d’Limoux
have been featured time and time again. They are still
great wines that deserve to be showcased but, well there
is a whole world of other sparklers out there, ones that
don’t fall into certain “classic” profiles, took that tasting
as an opportunity to show everyone the real world, and
diversity of sparkling wines.
N.V. Jo Landron Atmospheres, Loire Valley
Jo Landron is famed for his illustrious and delectable
wines from Loire Valley’s region of Muscadet but we
think this sparkling Loire white ought to raise an
eyebrow or two. Made from Folle Blanche, the
traditional grape used to make Cognac and Armagnac,
with a bit of Pinot Noir, this light, frothy and bone dry
sparkler is perfect for long warm days, cold briny
oysters or anytime you want something a little stony
and tangy in your glass.
$16.99 per bottle
2013 Bainbridge & Cathcart Cuvee La Danseuse,
Vin de France
This low alcohol, (just a tiny 10.5%) pink sparkler is
made from Grolleau, a red skinned variety from the
Loire Valley and is produced in a very natural way.
There are no sugars added so while a playful pink that
some might assume makes the wine a little fruiter, this
bubbly is super dry. Nice meaty aromas mixed with a
fun dried berry and gentle spice note. Much more
suited for a regular wine glass as this is not a super
exuberant bubbly, just a slow steady stream of fizz.
$18.99 per bottle
N.V. Lise & Bertrand Jousset Cuvee Rose a Lies
Another wacky wild wine from the Loire, this one
comprised of Gamay and Grolleau and finished with a
crown cap rather than the traditional cork and cage. The
Jousset’s believe that most winemaking is done in the
vineyard and farm biodynamically. This super bubbly
pink wine is a flirty mix of wild yeast and fun
watermelon and wild strawberry flavors. Nice constant
bead of bubbles here and the weight on the palate make
this a candidate for cold cuts, fried chicken, grilled
salmon and a host of gooey cheeses.
$19.99 per bottle
N.V. Vignale de Cecilia Val di Spin Frizzante Bianco
A super fun, and all natural, sparkling Malvasia from
Italy! Such a wonderfully delicate sparkler. Tiny little
bubbles, some green herby notes, citrus cream and just
the tiniest touch of orange rind. Another fun crown
capped bubbly which makes it a no brainer for picnics
and concerts in the park.
$18.99 per bottle
N.V. Lunaris Secco Malvasia Delle Emilia
This biodynamic Malvasia from Italy is a screaming hit
every time I open it! Deeply colored, rich in texture and
body and positively exploding with peaches, ripe
nectarines and night blooming jasmine. Just super fun to
slug back, so much so I suggest you prepare and buy
two!
$17.99 per bottle
N.V. Hugo Rose Sparkling
This fun little bubbly from Austria is made from a blend
of Pinot Noir and Zweigelt which gives it the prettiest
pink color. A dry Rose that leans more towards the
herby and stony end of the flavor spectrum but there is
still some cool dried red fruits and faint nuttiness. Super
fine bubbles on this sparkler and it has a bright, tangy
finish.
$15.99 per bottle
2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Petillant
This sparkler was the biggest hit at our most recent
tasting. It was poured after a wine that was quite a bit
more expensive and still people loved this delicate wine
most of all. Made from Chenin Blanc there is a luscious
peachy and creamy citrus core wrapped up in hints of
cinnamon and pears. A very elegant, dry sparkling wine
that has gorgeous concentration and length.
$31.99 per bottle
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand & South Africa
Unique Wines of the Southern Hemisphere
By Andy Acosta
The countries represented in our southern hemisphere
department span the southern half of the globe, from
South America (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and
Oceana (Australia and New Zealand) to Africa (South
Africa). And even though some of them are neighbors
and share climate and culture, particularly the South
American countries, all have at least one unique type of
wine they call their own. Sometimes it is a unique
varietal and sometimes it is a common varietal or blend
made in a special way.
Argentina
In Argentina, there are two types of wine made almost
nowhere else on the planet, the fruity and floral white
Torrontés and the bright, soft and juicy red Bonarda.
Torrontés is the second most planted white wine grape
in Argentina, second to the Pedro Gimenéz grape which
is used for blending and grape concentrate export.
Genetic studies indicate Torrontés is probably a cross
between Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Chica (called
Mission in California). It grows well in dry climates and
the best vineyards also tend to be at higher altitudes. It is
famous for its intense floral bouquet, bright yet weighty
fruit, rich mouthfeel, a clean finish and sharp acidity. It
is also famous for being a very good food wine,
matching up well with everything from rich foods like
Foie Gras, meats like sausages and Salmon and even
Asian food. The Argentines love it with their favorite
savory Empanadas (meat turnovers).
Bonarda is the second most widely planted red wine
grape in Argentina, with Malbec being number one. Up
until about twenty years ago it was the most planted red
grape in Argentina and mostly used for blending into
cheap table wine. There is some controversy over
whether the Bonarda found in Argentina is actually one
of the three Italian varieties known by the name or is
actually another Italian grape, Charbono. Regardless of
its pedigree, Bonarda typically has very bright fruit
flavors like cherry and plum, with low tannins and
moderate acidity – the definition of an easy to drink,
food-friendly red wine, famously pairing well with
tomato sauce pasta and pizza, and you might want to
give it a little chill before drinking. There are some that
see lots of oak and display impressive concentration and
strong tannins, but these are the exception rather than
the norm.
Australia
Wine produced from the Semillon grape in Australia,
tastes like no other in the world. Another varietal
originally made famous in the Bordeaux region of
France, it is the second most planted white wine grape in
Australia, predominately in the Hunter Valley, where
the most acclaimed wines are produced. The Semillon
produced there is famous for its long cellaring potential,
up to 25 years, and it low alcohol, typically under 12%
abv. They typically exhibit aromas and flavors of citrus,
apple, pear, straw, lanolin and grass, with excellent
acidity. They are famous for gaining a beautiful
creaminess and velvety mouth-feel with age, with
honey, candied fruit, peach and pineapple being
common descriptors. When we poured the 2007
Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon at a recent tasting,
some mistook it for an aged Chardonnay.
“Stickies” are what Aussies call sweet, usually fortified,
dessert wines and they are definitely one of the unique
and special styles they’re famous for. Made
predominately in Rutherglen and Glenrowan in Victoria,
using Brown Muscat or Tokay grapes, these frequently
darkly colored beauties are made in a unique style. What
the Australians call Brown Muscat, is actually Muscat à
Petits Grains, one of the oldest wine grape varieties on
the planet, dating back to before the time of Christ. The
grapes are semi-raisined on the vine, partially fermented
and then fortified with grape spirit before being aged in
barrel. The ageing process involves blending different
aged wines, like the Solera sytem used in making
Sherry, and storing the barrels in warm or hot
conditions, as is done in the manufacture of Madeira.
The resultant wine is sweet and complex, with intense
floral aromas and flavors of raisin and butterscotch, and
other savory undertones to go with the strong balancing
acidity. It is also, like Madeira, completely stable and
will last for years in the bottle.
Chile
Carménère is the unique varietal of Chile. Originally
from the Medoc region in Bordeaux, France, for over a
hundred years Carménère vines were mis-identified in
Chile as Merlot vines. When the vineyards in Chile were
originally planted in the 1800s, Merlot and Carménère
vines were mistakenly all thought to be Merlot. Either
they were poorly labeled or someone wasn’t paying
attention as they came of the boat. They were planted
haphazardly together in the same vineyards and labeled
as Merlot. This mistaken identity persisted over the
years even though some sharp eyed folks in the
vineyard thought some of the Merlot grapes looked a bit
different. Also because of this mistaken identity, Chilean
Merlot was known to have a distinct green pepper
flavor which was chalked up to local terrior. In the
1980s, a French agronomist did some research that led to
the “discovery” of Carménère in 1994. The vineyards
have since been properly identified or re-planted.
Carménère is a dark, potentially powerful red wine that
typically displays flavors and aromas from herbal to
gamy to smoky, with abundant, smooth dark berry
fruits and strong tannins. It can have a strong green
pepper component as well, which some love and some
hate. To compare it a couple of its Bordeaux brethren, it
is softer than Cabernet Sauvignon and gamier than
Merlot. And, as with many Chilean wines, there are
some good ones at very reasonable prices. It pairs well
with strongly flavored, fatty meats, like beef and savory
stews.
New Zealand
New Zealand is famous for producing some of the best
Sauvignon Blanc in the world, and it is the most planted
varietal in the country. So it should be no surprise that
they would make it into a sparkling wine, which is quite
rare on the world wine stage. The best are made in the
“méthode traditionelle” employed in the Champagne
region in France. Most are dry and exhibit similar
flavors to the non sparkling version, with bright tropical
fruit, grapefruit, gooseberry and grassiness being
typical.
South Africa
Pinotage is the wine most associated with South Africa,
and this red wine is made virtually nowhere else on
earth. Created in 1925 when a viticulturist at
Stellenbosch University cross-bred Cinsault and Pinot
Noir, Pinotage has been plagued up until recently with a
spotty reputation at best. If not properly grown and
vinified, there can be lots of very volatile aromas and
flavors. The best modern versions feature bright, smoky,
meaty, brambly fruit, firm but smooth tannins, good
acidity and a smooth mouthfeel.
Chenin Blanc or Steen, as the South Africans call it, is the
most popular wine, and the most planted grape in the
country. In fact, there is twice as much Chenin Blanc
planted in South Africa than in the grape’s birthplace,
the Loire Valley in France. The difference between South
African versions and the more famous wines made in
the Loire are many, but one particular style at which the
South Africans excel is the rich barrel fermented version.
These typically have strong aromas of honeyed
stonefruit and tropical fruit, with rich and creamy
textures and strong, smooth flavors in the mouth, with
the best versions having plenty of balancing acidity.
Some producers leave a bit of residual sugar in the wine
to provide a slight sweetness and increased mouth-feel.
Uruguay
Not the most well-known wine region in the world,
Uruguay is Argentina’s northern neighbor in South
America and has awell established wine industry dating
back to the 1870s. To the cognoscenti of the wine world,
Uruguay means one thing, Tannat. Originally from and
most famously produced in the Madiran region in south
west France, it is the most widely planted grape in the
country and there is currently more of it planted in
Uruguay than France. It is famous for being fiercely
tannic and is usually used as a blending grape in France.
The Uruguayans, however, have discovered that when
grown in their warmer climate and vinified in ways to
reduce tannins they can produce a delicious, unique and
intense full bodied red wine. Even when produced in
this tannin softening style there are still strong tannins
and good acidity. The best versions have equally strong
blackberry and black currant fruit flavors and sizeable
texture and body to integrate with the firm tannins and
good acidity into a wonderful whole.
If you’d like the opportunity to taste some of these
unique and special wines, join us on September 13 th for
our weekly Saturday wine tasting. From 1pm to 4 pm I’ll
be pouring ten of these delicious national specialties and
perhaps a surprise or two. There will be gourmet cheese,
paté, salami and fresh artisanal bread – all for $20. I’m
sure you will be delighted and surprised as you discover
some new favorites or re-visit some long-lost friends.
I’ll be pouring some, if not all, of the following, based on
availability:
2011 Graham Beck Bowed Head Chenin Blanc, Paarl,
South Africa
One of the best Chenin Blancs I have ever had, in my
opinion rivaling the great wines from Francios Chidaine,
who is on my personal short list of the finest
winemakers on the planet. It is made from 45 year old
bush vines in the Paarl region of the Cape of Good
Hope. The vines grow on sunny, windy hillsides and
dry farmed. It is called Bowed Head because that is the
position of one’s head when on one’s knees tending the
un-trellised bush vines that are only a couple of feet tall.
The warm weather yields ripe grapes, and, combined
with a 9 month fermentation in 1, 2 and 3 year old used
400 liter French oak barrels, put this wine into the rich
and ripe category. It has big, beguiling aromas of
apricot and white peaches, preserved quince,
honeysuckle and ripe pineapple. Beautifully mouthfilling and palate coating, it has a dreamy, creamy
quality and layers upon layers of stonefruit and tropical
fruit, with hints of spice. There is still good acidity, so
while it is quite rich, it isn’t flaccid or flabby. The finish
has hints of citrus and is quite long, complex and
compelling. The depth on this wine is just amazing to
me.
$21.99 per bottle
2007 Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon, Hunter
Valley, Australia
Hunter Valley is famous for Semillon and this premium
bottling is an example of the complex aged style. The
wine is picked early to preserve natural acidity and
maintain low alcohol - 11.5%. It is fermented with no
skin contact to ensure pure fruit flavors. This wine has
fascinating aromas of herby beeswax and citrusy bright
fruit - almost like certain Rieslings. There is a unique
waxy mouth feel to the bright and complex honeyed,
grassy fruit. There is also an amazing, slightly creamy
texture - and remarkable depth of flavor, even though it
finishes up quite clean due to the excellent natural
acidity. Completely Australian, it's very different, very
delicious and unlike any other Semillon in the world,
and it will age into something even more amazing over
the next 5-20 years.
$45.99 per bottle
2013 Colomé Torrontés, Salta, Argentina
Torrontés is Argentina's unique and delicious prized
white wine. Grown in some of the world's highest
vineyards - over 5,500 foot altitude - Colomé's is a
special wine. It has an amazing floral quality, with a
deep and hauntingly beautiful bouquet of orange
blossoms, roses, some stonefruit and with a hint of spice.
The wine has big delicious smooth tropical fruit, and a
hint of honey and citrus, but with a depth and
complexity you rarely find at this price. It has perfectly
balancing acidity so the wine finishes satisfyingly dry
and clean. The weight and texture of the wine is very
sensual. It also has strong minerality derived from the
rocky soils and modern, low-yield vineyard
management techniques. Just a gorgeous wine, it's unoaked and food-friendly.
$13.99 per bottle
2012 Bouza Reserva Tannat, Montevideo, Uruguay
Tannat is the national red wine of Uruguay and this is
prime example of a modern and impeccably made
version. This family run winery grows all their own fruit
and hand produces the wine with meticulous attention
to detail. This wine has a big spicy berry nose and
wonderfully tannic bright berry fruit with hints of
smoky cocoa and a great depth of flavor. Powerful but
well balanced, this Tannat has real poise and elegance. It
finishes well and has a certain rusticity that charms. A
great wine for red meat.
$18.99 per bottle
2012 Man Bosstok Pinotage, Agter-Paarl, South Africa
This delightfully fruity Pinotage is made in the modern,
friendly style that is winning converts to this once
maligned varietal. Bosstok refers to the untrellised bush
vines that produce much of the fruit for this wine. It is
very carefully vinified to bring out the perfumed nose,
soft, bright, juicy fruit and moderate acidity that makes
for an easy drinking, quaffable red wine. There are
aromas of mocha and roasted coffee to go with flavors of
red berries, nutmeg and vanilla. There is the use of a
small amount of new American oak and a little Shiraz is
blended in as well.
$8.99 per bottle
No. 1 Family Estate NV Shooting Star
Mèthode Traditionelle Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc,
Marlborough, New Zealand
Think of a bright crisp Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc,
full of ripe tropical and citrus
fruit flavors, throw in some
aging time on the lees in bottle,
combine with perfect natural
carbonation
from
the
meticulous
méthode
traditionelle
bottle
fermentation process, and you
have a special wine that could
only come from New Zealand. This unique wine has
rich, pure fruit, a smooth mouth-feel and good acidity,
leading to a clean and satisfying finish. There are hints
of passion fruits and a bit of a floral quality as well.
Crisp, satisfying and wonderfully different, this is a
perfect warm day wine.
$24.99 per bottle
2011 Falernia Reserva Carmenere, Elqui Valley, Chile
This Carmenere, from the high altitude Elqui Valley in
northern Chile, is a big powerful wine at an unbelievable
price. Vinified using the same grape drying techniques
as the rich and fruity $60-$90 Amarone from the Veneto
region of Italy, this beauty possesses many of the same
big delicious sweet fruit qualities as its more expensive
Italian brethren without the green stemminess some
Carmeneres can possess. It sees 6-8 months in 60% new
American oak. At 15% alcohol, it packs a punch to go
with its oh-so-smooth lip-smacking fruit.
$12.99 per bottle
SPIRITS
Rum!
From Swashbucklers to Writers,
The Spirit for Everyone
By Jeremy Dugan
Later this month on September 24th I will be hosting a
Rum Seminar at Delius Restaurant where we will be
covering a wide variety of Rums.
Now some of you might be asking; “Is there that much
difference in Rums that you can make a whole tasting?”
And the simple answer to this is “yes”.
And there is a simple reason for such a simple answer;
for Rum to be Rum it has to be made out of sugar cane.
Whether it’s pure sugar cane, syrup or molasses, if it’s
made with sugar cane, it is Rum. That being the only
real regulatory rule, people can make Rum how they
want to, and anywhere they want to. For example; in
Brazil Rum is a spirit distilled from fermented molasses,
so their spirit Cachaça, which is made from sugar can
juice, wouldn’t be considered a Rum. However, since in
the United States anything made from sugar cane is a
Rum, Cachaça is labeled as a Brazilian Rum.
Rum is making its way to becoming the next big spirit,
over the last few years the market has started to grow
and even an existing brand that has been known for the
Pirate on their label and Spiced Rum has made the move
to expand into White Rum territory. With a number of
bars now having Tiki Nights, a whole Tiki Beach
Festival here in Long Beach and mixology being at an
all-time high, Rum is only going to go up.
And I’ve been hearing from people who have signed up
for the Seminar that they’re coming because they want
to find out about Rum, it’s always been around but not
many people grasp what the spirit actually is. So I
encourage you to give Delius a call (562-426-06945) and
try to get a spot for the 24th and come experience all that
is Rum. But since that’s close to the end of the month,
here’s a look at some of the rums I will be pouring that
night.
Angostura White Oak Rum, Trinidad & Tobago.
Usually when one sees a white spirit that they are used
to seeing with color (Rum and Whiskey come to mind) it
is safe to assume that the white spirit is the unaged,
younger relative of that libation. That isn’t the case with
the Angostura white oak rum, a 3-5 year old rum that
has the color filtered out of it. The results of this aged
white rum are rich flavors that are subtle and well
rounded. Soft notes of vanilla introduce your taste buds
to this spirit while hints of pineapple tickle the
perimeters of your tongue. Light coconut flavors finish
off the libation from Trinidad & Tobago to give it a
slightly sweet finish.
$14.99 per 750ml bottle
Rhum Agricole Blanc Neisson, Martinique.
This white rum from Martinique is unlike any of the
white rums you see on television. This stuff makes
Malibu, Captain Morgan and Bacardi look like the little
brothers trying to play white rum. No odd artificial
coconut taste, no weird sweet flavors, just real natural
flavors. Bold spice and clean dried fruit flavors combine
to make a smooth, balanced spirit. There is a slight hint
of honeyed sweetness that cuts down on the bold rich
spice flavor. While white rums like Captain Morgan or
Bacardi have their place, Neisson Blanc is an adult white
rum for those who enjoy a spirit that is made for on the
rocks or in a mixed cocktail that isn’t neon colored.
$37.99 per 750 ml bottle
Boca Loca Cachaça
This spirit from Brazil is rich in flavor but is still able to
be delicate. First your palate is hit with the natural
earthy flavors of sugar cane which combines with subtle
notes of cinnamon. As the cinnamon lightens your
palate it is joined by delicate vanilla and coconut flavors.
The sweetness allows for a very smooth and pleasing
finish.
$20.99 per 750ml
Angostura 7 year Rum, Trinidad & Tobago
This rum is made from pure sugar cane in Trinidad &
Tobago. Bold notes of caramel, vanilla and spice fill the
nostrils while introducing it to your scenes. Rich notes of
maple syrup, dark chocolate, honey, toasted toffee and
spice meet your tongue when you taste this light brown
rum. Great as a simple sipping rum or can be used to
add great richer flavors to a Tiki drink.
$20.99 per 750ml bottle
BEER, SAKE & CIDER
India Pale Ales—Hoppy, Hoppy, Joy, Joy!
By Andy Acosta
Based on requests and sales, it seems our customer base
is in love with those hoppy India Pale Ales. For those of
you have just returned from North Korea and have no
idea what I’m talking about, an India Pale Ale, or IPA as
they are popularly known, is a light to amber colored ale
with reasonably high alcohol, generally from 6% to 7.5%
abv for standard or “single” IPAs, to 7.5% to 12% abv for
the “double”, “triple” and “imperial” IPAs. They have a
strong aromatic and bittering hop component, more so
than any other style of beer. In beer geek parlance, IPAs
have bitterness ratings of between 50 and 100+ IBUs or
International Bittering Units. As a comparison, Sierra
Nevada’s Pale Ale (you oldsters out there - remember
when you thought this was REALLY hoppy beer?)
clocks in at 37 IBUs and the ubiquitous Budweiser has a
bitterness rating of a mighty 7 IBUs. And does Coors
Light (or the "making love in a canoe" beer, as I like to
call it) actually have any hops in it? Are there negative
IBUs?
Flower Power
Rather obviously, hops are what make beer hoppy.
Hops are the flower of the Humulus Lupulus vine and are
the primary agents used to impart aroma, bitterness and
specific flavors to most beers. There are myriad varieties
and they are grown and bred all over the world in the
proper climatic regions (needs to be a bit cold – can’t
grow them well in So Cal, unfortunately – many have
tried unsuccessfully). There are new experimental
hybrid hops being developed even as I write this (isn’t
science wonderful!). Hops are added at various stages of
the brewing process, in different forms - pellets, liquid
extract, freeze-dried hop flowers or, optimally, fresh hop
flowers - and for different amounts of time. Some
varieties of hops are more often used for aroma and
others for bittering and still others for flavor, with all
adding varying degrees of all three qualities. At what
point hops are added during the brewing process, what
type of hop and in what quantities determines the
amount and type of aroma, bitterness and flavor
characteristics.
Hops also have antibacterial qualities that help control
unwanted microorganisms, keeping the intended flavors
of the beer clean and pure. They also serve as a
preservative, stabilizing a beer's flavor. Their
preservative quality is the reason why hops were used
in the first place around a thousand years ago. What
can’t these wonderful little flowers do for our beloved
suds!
As I have discussed before, our most requested beer is
the high holy double IPA (IIPA) Pliny the Elder from
Russian River Brewing. (Technically speaking, it is also
one of the most mis-pronounced beer names on the
planet – as all three of you Classics majors know, Pliny
rhymes with skinny – although I feel like an overly
intellectual douche when I occasionally point this out to
people – so I generally keep my mouth shut.) Pliny was
also one of the very first really well made, aggressively
hoppy IPAs and is to be credited for reminding folks
that IPAs should be consumed young (as it says on the
label, “Do Not Age This Beer”) if you want the
maximum hop experience as hop flavors and aromas
diminish with time.
The Real Story
The history of India Pale Ales is full of over simplified
stories about beer meant to survive ocean voyages to
India. Part of the problem is that the style of beer that
came to be known as India Pale Ales weren’t called that
until fifty years after they were first made. Here is the
real story, paraphrased and condensed, courtesy of the
inestimably wonderful compendium of all beer
knowledge “The Oxford Companion to Beer”, edited by
Garrett Oliver.
In the early 1600s, the British East India Company had
established locally run textile factories along the Indian
coast and they left “factors” or traders at each one to buy
the fabric when the price was right rather than when the
ships were in port and the prices the highest. These
factories evolved into cities, with other European folks
arriving to service the burgeoning local economy and
soldiers to protect it.
I Say, Old Chap, It’s Bloody Hot Here –
What’s to Drink?
There wasn’t a hell of a lot to do, so the factors – and
soldiers – drank heavily. Unfortunately, at first, unless
they wanted to pay steep prices for imported beer, wine
and liquor, there was nothing but Arak, a cheap local
hooch, and it was literally deadly (the non-distilled
version of Arak was made by leaving palm juice in the
hot Indian sun – oooh, doesn’t that sound yummy! - and
the high-proof distilled version contained poisonous
impurities and was famously used as a solvent). So India
was a dangerous place for Sahib (the white man) between the bad hooch and disease, the life expectancy
of a European in India was three years. At the request of
the Europeans with money, a flood of high priced
European alcohol began arriving on the trader’s ships,
but the poorly paid soldiers couldn’t afford it and they
were succumbing to the nasty local Arak by the dozens.
A safe, lower priced, lighter alcoholic alternative was
needed because life in India was crappy enough that the
soldiers were going to drink alcohol no matter what.
Jeeves, Fetch Me a Pale Ale
Back in England, by the mid 1600s, pale ale was
becoming popular among the upper classes –
technological advances had made the production of light
colored malt possible. Much of the common beer at this
time was adulterated but the light colored pale ale was
much harder to adulterate and therefore better tasting
and safer. It should also be noted that at around this
time, almost any beer that wasn’t dark or brown like the
hugely popular Porter was considered a pale ale. Pale
ale was essentially any new beer style that wasn’t darkly
colored.
Back to India
The Europeans stuck broiling on the subcontinent are
still drinking like fish. The earliest reference to pale ale
in India was a letter of chastisement sent to the President
of the Madras colony in 1716 for over-spending on “24
dozen and a half of Burton Ale and pale Beer” in one
month.
October – a Good Word in the World of
Beer
Even back in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was common
knowledge among brewers that high alcohol and a large
concentration of hops help to preserve beer. One beer
style of that era that factors into this conversation are the
so-called “October Ales” that were strong, hoppy and
meant to age up to ten years. A 19th-century newspaper
ad in Calcutta for October ales suggests that this style of
beer was chosen to withstand the arduous sea voyage,
making it a forerunner of what would become the IPA.
This issue of hoppy and high alcohol beer being the only
type that would survive the sea voyage is not the whole
story. By the 1780s, newspapers were being published in
Calcutta and they were full of ads for the private cargo
of the trading ships’ captains (who were nicknamed
“East Indiamen”), much of which was beer of every
variety – so most any style of beer could and did
withstand the long trip, but some of it was better than
others. In fact, even in the heyday of pale ale in India, a
large amount of Porter was shipped and consumed.
October Ales were designed to age in the cellar at least
eighteen months, but the October ales sent to India on
the arduous six month voyage, during which there were
large temperature variations and violent movement,
arrived “fully ripe” and ready to drink. Before any beer
was sold at auction in India, it was graded, with the
October ales fetching the highest prices because they
tasted better than many of the other styles, which
although they were safe and drinkable, had been
somewhat ruined flavor wise by the voyage.
Commerce Rears Its Money-Grubbing
Head
Although there was a somewhat robust Indian beer
trade by the turn of the 19th century, almost none of the
beer was branded (most arrived in barrels). The first pale
ale to be mentioned by name in 1790 was from Bell’s,
located in the brewing center of Burton and, in 1793, the
most famous brewery name in the history of IPA,
Hodgson of East London, appears.
While some historians credit Hodgson with “inventing”
the IPA, he didn’t; he merely refined the style and
outfoxed the competition to become synonymous with
it.
Hodgson’s brewery was opened in 1752 near the docks
in London where the East Indiamen captains plyed their
trade. Wily George Hodgson chatted up the East
Indiamen to see what beers were most popular on the
sub-continent and offered them generous trading terms,
demanding less up-front money and good prices. When
Mark, George’s son, took over, he decided to focus on
the India trade. It was common for customers to write to
brewers with feedback, and Mark incorporated these
requests in his export pale ale recipes. By 1809,
Hodgson’s pale ale was virtually the only pale ale brand
available in India, where it was simply called Hodgson’s
Pale Ale and when he started selling it in England to
returnees from India in the 1830s, the term East India
Pale Ale was first seen in a newspaper ad. But
Hodgson’s domination was not to last forever.
Frederick – What Were You Thinking?
At this juncture, the name Samuel Allsop enters to this
history of the IPA, and particularly the development of
the IPA as we now know it, and Allsop’s brewery’s
place in this hoppy saga is all due to the hubris of
Frederick Hodgson, grandson of founder George.
Allsop’s was once the largest brewery in Burton, a
brewing center known for its mineral-laden water
smack-dab in the center of England and nowhere near
London. They were famous for their sweet and strong
Burton ales that were popular in Russia. Lamentably,
that rascal Napoleon Bonaparte and some stiff tariffs
crippled Samuel Allsop’s bread and butter Baltic trade.
But things turned around when ol’ Sam was entertained
by a certain Campbell Majoribanks, Chairman of the bythen incredibly powerful East India Trading Company
(Campbell Majoribanks - is that a great upper class
English name or what!) who casually asked if his
brewery would like to provide some competition to
Hodgson’s in the India beer trade. After Sam dropped
his crumpet, he said of course, of course. It seems
Frederick Hodgson had decided to get all uppity and
change the generous terms his father and grandfather
had been providing the East India Trading Company.
Since Allsop’s Baltic beers had to survive a difficult, if
shorter, voyage to Russia, the East India folks figured he
was the right man for the job. Majoribanks sent Allsopp
a sample of Hodgson’s beer and he re-created it with the
famous Burton water, leading to a cleaner, better tasting
beer. It was also lighter bodied and better carbonated,
making it ideal for the hot Indian climate.
promptly (who am I kidding) at 7:30pm and
reservations are required so call 562 597-8303 as soon as
possible – I guarantee you these will sell out.
Allsopp all but drove Hodgson out of the India market
until the better connected Bass brewery, who had better
transport and sales infrastructure to the ports of London,
took over. Bass beer became hugely popular throughout
the empire with the Bass triangle logo became
synonymous with British beer around the world – the
first international brand. And by the 1850s, IPAs were all
the rage in England.
Noble “Big Whig” - IPA – 7% abv -$5.59 per 22oz bottle
Featuring a slightly aggressive hop signature and light
malt, this is a classic SoCal style IPA.
The Sad Demise
By the late 1800s, modern refrigeration and lager beer,
along with temperance movements (turns out all that
drinking is bad for productivity) killed the IPA in India.
It was still made in England, but changes in taxes on
strong beers and the temperance movement had led to
lower alcohol IPAs that were but a shadow of their
formerly strong, hoppy glory.
‘Murica Saves the Day
Fast forward to our beloved Golden state in the good ol’
U S of A, where, in the last 10 years or so, we, as proud
Americans, prone to excess in all we do, have revived,
re-defined and popularized the IPA. The style most
associated with the modern IPA is the west coast style
IPA, with light malt and BIG hops. Much of this style
was launched in San Diego by craft brewing pioneers
like Stone, Green Flash and Ballast Point. The east coast
style, championed by Dogfish Head, Brooklyn Brewery
and others, have more malt sweetness to go with their
dose of hops. And then there are the double, triple and
imperial IPAs like my beloved Simtra from the likes of
Knee Deep in the Sacramento area – behemoths with
HUGE hops, GINORMOUS balancing malt sweetness
and 11+% alcohol. I wonder what the folks in those early
East India Trading Company outposts would have done
with a case or two of Simtra – perhaps the empire might
have turned out a bit different, dude.
If you want to get in on all this hoppy goodness, join us
at one of our next two BeerVentures, September 10th or
17th, where we will be pouring at least a dozen IPAs of
every variety we can get our hands on. As usual, the cost
is $25 and we’ll have some gourmet cheese and fresh
bread to cleanse the palate between sips. We start
We probably won’t have any Pliny, but we should be
pouring some of these beauties at the tasting, based on
availability:
Golden Road “Wolf Among Weeds” – IIPA – 8% abv $3.19 per 16oz can
Clean, smooth and quite hoppy, this is an excellent
lighter style double IPA, with a nice dose of dank pine,
earthiness and an honest hop bite.
El Segundo “Blue House” – IPA – 7% abv - $6.59 per
22oz bottle
With a nice dose of balancing malt, this has plenty of
hoppy citrus/pine aromas and flavors.
Dogfish Head “90 Minute - Double IPA – 9% abv $2.99 per 12oz bottle
A classic East Coast style IPA, this double has oodles of
malt to go with its sharp, dank hops.
Green Flash “Hop Head Red” – Red IPA – 8.1% abv $3.29 per 12oz bottle
This store favorite is a different take on an IPA, with a
nice earthy malt flavor and a little extra body to go with
plenty of piney hops.
Ninkasi “Tricerahops” – Double IPA – 8.8% abv –
$5.99 per 22oz bottle
Coming from Eugene, OR, this is a Northwest style IPA,
with more malt body than a SoCal style but not as much
malt as an East Coaster. Still plenty of dank hops and a
clean flavor profile.
Ironfire “51/50” – IPA – 7.2% abv - $5.69 per 22oz bottle
A classically smooth and penetratingly hoppy IPA from
the team that developed the famous Sculpin at Ballast
point, this is impeccably made and easy to drink.
Mother Earth “Kismet” – IPA - 7.2% abv –
$7.19 per 22oz bottle
Called the “poor man’s Alpine Nelson” (referring to the
highly reputed and nearly impossible to get Nelson IPA
from Alpine Brewing), this lightly malted, pure and
hoppy beer has the unique tangy, earthy flavors the
Nelson Hops from New Zealand provide.
Knee Deep “Simtra” – Triple IPA – 11.25% abv –
$10.99 per 22oz bottle
This is the big daddy of IPAs, with a huge dose of hops
(131 IBU!?!) and an equally huge dose of sweet, clean,
pure malt, resulting in an amazingly well balanced,
drinkable (God help us), behemoth of an IPA.
The Wine Country’s Calendar of Events
2301 Redondo Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
Information: 562-597-8303
www.thewinecountry.com
Wed. & Friday reservations must be made in advance—48 Hour Cancellation Policy—No-Shows Will Be Charged
September 2014
Sun Mon Tue
1
2
Wed
3
Thu
4
Fri
5
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
COMMUTER TASTING
FIVE WINES
CHILLABLE REDS!
Heresy, you say? Not at all.
During the inevitable fall heat
spells when red wine is called
for, a light chill on the right
kind of red is preferable to
hot wine. Today we feature
Bardolino, Beaujolais,
Sparkling Lambrusco, more
7
8
9
10
7:30 p.m.
11
$25
Reservations Only
SCHEUREBE!
Similar to Riesling, with a
distinctive herbaceousness,
Scheurebe is a delicious
addition to your wine
repertoire.
17
18
Hoppy, Hoppy!!
Joy, Joy!!
14
15
16
7:30 p.m.
$25
Hoppy, Hoppy!!
Joy, Joy!!
Reservations Only
21
22
23
24
7:30 p.m.
IN PINOT NOIR
Excellent, affordable
examples from California &
Oregon.
25
$35
Reservations Only
12
13
$60
WINE SEMINAR
THE DEEP MOUNTAIN
CABERNETS OF
NAPA VALLEY
Reid Kinnett hosts a tasting of
deep, dark reds from Spring
Mountain, Howell Mountain,
Diamond Mountain & Mt. Veeder.
19
30
TEN WINES
UNIQUE AND SPECIAL
VARIETIES FROM THE
SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE!
Andy pours Torrontes, Steen,
Tannat, Pinotage, Carmenere and
other thrilling surprises.
20
$40
WINE SEMINAR
1 to 4 p.m.
$20
TEN WINES
RONNIE GRANT
RETURNS!!
VARIETAL ADVENTURE!
26
27
EXCITING WINES
YOU’VE PROBABLY
GREAT ITALIAN WINES NEVER HEARD OF!
FROM ARTISAN
Procanico, Trouseva, Vitovska,
Rolle, Vernatch & other cool
IMPORTER OLIVER
McCRUM! Reservations Only wines from around the world!
$45
WINE SEMINAR
Reservations Only
29
1 to 4 p.m. $20
Reservations Only
GREAT RED WINES OF
DELICIOUS WINES
SPAIN: THE 3 Rs:
Jeremy Dugan hosts
our first-ever tasting of FROM LEBANON &
RIOJA, RUEDA AND
MOROCCO
specialty rums! Call
RIBERA DEL DUERO!
Delius Restaurant for Join us for a wine adventure Brian Holowka hosts this thrilling
reservations:
that just may solve your
and flavorful tasting of some of
(562) 426-0694
pairing challenges with
Spain’s most delicious and
Reservations Only
Lebanese & Moroccan food. classic wines.
28
TEN WINES
ALL ABOUT DOMESTIC
RED BLENDS!
Today Reid Kinnett offers
VOLNAY & POMMARD! Cabernet-based blends
These two Pinot Noir villages sit (Meritage), Rhone-inspired
next to each other in Burgundy’s blends & our finest generic red
Côtes de Beaune, yet the wines wine blends from California!
have different personalities.
Samantha Dugan hosts.
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
RUM TASTING COMMUTER TASTING
FIVE WINES
AT DELIUS!
1 to 4 p.m. $20
DISCOVER THE
DIFFERENCE!
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
BEERVENTURE! COMMUTER TASTING
CELEBRATING FIVE WINES
OUR BEST VALUES
IPAs!
$60
WINE SEMINAR
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
BEERVENTURE! COMMUTER TASTING
FIVE WINES
CELEBRATING
DISCOVERING
IPAs!
Sat
6
1 to 4 p.m. $25
TEN WINES
FINDING WINES FOR
THE FOODS WE EAT!
TACO BAR SATURDAY!
The Wine Country staff knows we
don’t eat foie gras and Beef
Wellington every day, but we all
love tacos. Today we solve the
mystery about what to drink
Reds, whites with mini-tacos!!
The Wine Country’s Calendar of Events
2301 Redondo Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
Information: 562-597-8303
www.thewinecountry.com
Wed. & Friday reservations must be made in advance—48 Hour Cancellation Policy—No-Shows Will Be Charged
October 2014
Sun Mon Tue
Wed
1
Thu
2
Fri
3
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
COMMUTER TASTING
FIVE WINES
5
6
7
8
7:30 p.m.
$30
SPECIAL WED.
WINE SEMINAR!
DISCOVER
YOUR PALATE!
4
$50
WINE SEMINAR
ALSACE WINES WITH
CHOUCROUTE GARNI!
Samantha’s first great wine
discoveries were from Alsace.
Join her for Pinot Gris, Pinot
Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer,
with sausages & sauerkraut!
9
10
11
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
COMMUTER TASTING
FIVE WINES
$45
WINE SEMINAR
SAMANTHA’S
ANNUAL
CHEESE & WINE
PAIRING SEMINAR!
Discover ten wonderful
cheeses, perfectly paired!
Reservations Only
14
15
7:30 p.m.
16
$25
20
21
BEERVENTURE!
COMMUTER TASTING
OKTOBERFEST
& GERMANY
Share the fun at our
annual celebration!
THE SWEETER SIDE
OF GERMAN WINE
Jeremy Dugan hosts
22
7:30 p.m.
FIVE WINES
23
$25
BEERVENTURE!
OKTOBERFEST
& GERMANY
Share the fun at our
annual celebration!
Reservations Only
26
27
28
29
17
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
Reservations Only
19
TEN WINES
CALIFORNIA’S
WHITE RHONESTYLE WINES!
Viognier, Grenache Blanc,
Marsanne, Roussanne.
Reid Kinnett hosts.
13
1 to 4 p.m. $20
BRIAN HOLOWKA’S
BEST BRUNELLOS
OF 2014!
Tuscany’s powerhouse reds
offer amazing complexity
with a presence that cannot
be ignored! Reservations Only
DOMESTIC
ALBARIÑO &
DOMESTIC
Learn how to discover the
TEMPRANILLO!
wines you love!
12
Sat
FIVE WINES
TEN WINES
ANNUAL PAELLA FEST
WITH CHEF VIRGINIO!
Virginio Picazo returns to make
stunning Paella in our parking lot
while Chuck Morris introduces us
to the great tasting Spanish
wines of Beaune Imports!
18
$40
WINE SEMINAR
1 to 4 p.m. $20
TEN WINES
BOLD REDS OF
NORTHERN SONOMA
Cab, Zin, & others from
Alexander Valley, Dry Creek,
Rockpile. Jordan, Lancaster,
Ridge and more. Reservations
STYLISH, ELEGANT
WINES OF OREGON!
Pinot Noir stars, with supporting
players Pinot Gris and Riesling.
From our precocious neighbor to
the north.
24
25
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
COMMUTER TASTING
1 to 4 p.m. $25
$60
WINE SEMINAR
1 to 4 p.m. $20
TEN WINES
BAROLO! THE WINE DISCOVER THE
WHITE BORDEAUX
OF KINGS!
Wonderful white wines from Our annual Fall look at Italy’s DIFFERENCE!
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, & (and the world’s) most
PETITE SIRAH &
Muscadelle.
captivating red wines!
SYRAH!
Reservations Only
5 great examples of each!
30
31
4:30 to 6:45 p.m. $10 7:30 p.m.
COMMUTER TASTING
FIVE WINES
WHITE BURGUNDY
VALUES FROM
NORTH TO SOUTH!
$60
WINE SEMINAR
CHAMPAGNE &
FRIED CHICKEN!!
Samantha Dugan hosts her
annual smash event!!
Reservations Only
The Wine Country’s Calendar of Events
2301 Redondo Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
Information: 562-597-8303
www.thewinecountry.com
Reservations must be made in advance—48 Hour Cancellation Policy—No-Shows Will Be Charged
All Classes 7:30 p.m. at The Wine Country
SEPTEMBER FRIDAY NIGHT SIT-DOWN WINE TASTINGS
DISCOVER THE
DIFFERENCE!
BURGUNDY’S GREAT
PINOT NOIRS FROM
VOLNAY & POMMARD
Friday September 5, 2014
$60 tax incl.
Samantha Dugan hosts an exploration of two of Burgundy’s
great wine villages. Volnay and Pommard sit next to each other
but the powerful Pinot Noirs of Pommard contrast with the
elegance of Volnay. Yes, place matters! Tonight we will feature
wines from Domaine de Montille, Comte Lafon and more.
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
THE DEEP, DARK
MOUNTAIN CABERNETS
OF NAPA VALLEY
Friday September 12, 2014
$60 tax incl.
Reid Kinnett hosts a tasting of magnificent wines from the major
hillside appellations of Napa Valley. Mountain wines are
distinctive for their depth of flavor and complexity. Tonight we
feature wines from Spring Mountain, Howell Mountain, Diamond
Mountain & Mt. Veeder
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
RONNIE GRANT RETURNS!
GREAT ITALIAN WINES
FROM ARTISAN IMPORTER
OLIVER McCRUM
Friday September 19, 2014
$40 tax incl.
Many of you remember our former Italian wine buyer Ronnie
Grant. Today he works as a wine rep for one of the most
exciting importers of artisan Italian wine, Oliver McCrum. Along
with our Italian wine expert Brian Holowka, Ronnie will
introduce you to impeccable wines from all over Italy.
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
GREAT RED WINES OF
SPAIN: THE 3 Rs!!
RIOJA, RUEDA AND
RIBERA DEL DUERO!
Friday September , 2014
$45 tax incl.
Nowhere in the world do you get better wines for your money
than Spain, and tonight we show you some of the country’s
finest examples. Our Spanish wine buyer Brian Holowka hosts
this thrilling tasting of some of Spain’s most delicious and
classic wines. You needn’t be a fan of Spanish wine to love this
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
The Wine Country’s Calendar of Events
2301 Redondo Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
Information: 562-597-8303
www.thewinecountry.com
Reservations must be made in advance—48 Hour Cancellation Policy—No-Shows Will Be Charged
All Classes 7:30 p.m. at The Wine Country
OCTOBER FRIDAY NIGHT SIT-DOWN WINE TASTINGS
BRIAN HOLOWKA’S BEST
BRUNELLOS OF 2014!
EXPLORING THE BOLD RED
WINES OF NORTHERN
SONOMA COUNTY
Friday October 17, 2014
Friday October 3, 2014
$50 tax incl.
Join our Italian wine buyer Brian Holowka as he selects our
finest Brunello di Montalcinos in this annual celebration of
Tuscany’s powerful red wine. Discover a complexity and suave
character that is just too good to be ignored.
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
$40 tax incl.
Join our domestic wine buyer Reid Kinnett as he selects fullbodied Cabernets, Zinfandels, Blends and more from the
historic wine regions of Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and
Rockpile. Wines from Jordan, Lancaster, Ridge and more will
be featured.
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
DISCOVERING BAROLO!
THE WINE OF KINGS!
A SPECIAL WEDNESDAY SEMINAR!
DISCOVER YOUR PALATE:
A TASTING ADVENTURE
Wednesday October 8, 2014
$30 tax incl.
Join our very own certified sommelier Riei Kinnett in a fun and
revealing evening of taste exploration. Reid will offer wines of
contrasting styles, such as oaked and unoaked Chardonnay,
and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Cabernet Franc, and the
same varietal from different regions to let our taste buds tell us
what we are tasting. It’ll be an equally great evening for
experienced wine drinkers and those new to wine.
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
SAMANTHA’S ANNUAL
WINE & CHEESE PAIRING
CELEBRATION!!
Friday October 10, 2014
$45 tax incl.
Each year, our French wine buyer and cheese expert Samantha
Dugan selects 10 fabulous cheeses, several from small farms
new to our store, and pairs each one up with a fabulous wine
from around the world. With holiday entertaining right around
the corner, this evening seminar is a delicious way to gain some
valuable insight into the cheeses and wines you’ll be offering to
your guests. This always fills up; make your reservations now!
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
Friday October 24, 2014
$60 tax incl.
Brian Holowka, fresh from his wine tour of Italy, hosts our
annual autumn Celebration of Barolo, Italy’s greatest wine region. With the exception of the red wines of Burgundy, no wine
on the planet offers such seductive aromas and captivating
flavors than Barolo. The wines, grown in the hilly regions of
Piedmont, are the greatest expression of the Nebbiolo grape,
and some are capable of aging for decades. Make plans to join
Brian in this sensory wonderland of classic winemaking.
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
CHAMPAGNE &
FRIED CHICKEN TASTING!
Friday October 31, 2014
$60 tax incl.
It sounds like an unlikely juxtaposition—America’s favorite
picnic food and France’s most famous luxury wine, but our
Champagne diva Samantha Dugan has proved the combination
is one of life’s great experiences! Join Sam in our annual event,
sampling some of our finest grower champagnes alongside
some juicy legs, thighs and breasts. Other than having a great
time, there is a purpose to this tasting: it demonstrates that you
don’t have to wait for a special occasion to drink Champagne!
SEATING LIMITED—RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
The Wine Country’s Calendar of Events
2301 Redondo Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
Information: 562-597-8303
The Wine Country proudly serves our wine in Riedel stemware at all of our tastings. We respectfully request that our guests not wear competing fragrances. Thanks.
NO RESERVATIONS NECESSARY!
Thursday Afternoon
Commuter Tastings!
Five Wines, French Bread, Fresh Cheeses
4:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. $10 tax incl.
The Wine Country’s
Saturday Tastings!
Ten Wines, French Bread, Fresh Cheeses
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. $20 tax incl.
Thursday September 4, 2014
Saturday September 6, 2014
CHILLABLE RED WINES!
ALL ABOUT DOMESTIC RED BLENDS!
Heresy? We should say not!! It’s still summer and we still want
to drink red wine. These surprising reds are very good with a
light chill: Bardolino, Beaujolais, sparkling Lambrusco & more
Thursday September11 , 2014
Reid Kinnett introduces Cabernet-based blends (Meritage),
Rhone-inspired blends and our finest generic red blends from
California.
Saturday September 13, 2014
DISCOVERING SCHEUREBE!
UNIQUE, SPECIAL VARIETALS
FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE!
This great-tasting German variety is similar in flavor to Riesling,
but has a character all its own, with some herbaceous notes.
These wines may end up being house favorites!
Thursday September 18, 2014
OUR BEST VALUES IN DOMESTIC PINOT
Reid Kinnett has been combing his suppliers for great tasting
Pinot Noirs. In the process he’s found several quality bottlings
at prices well below what you would expect to pay.
Thursday September 25, 2014
DELICIOUS WINES FROM
LEBANON & MOROCCO
We love Lebanese and Moroccan food in Long Beach, yet most
people drink boring wines with them. Join us to discover wines
that will not only surprise you, they’ll thrill you at the table!
Thursday October 2, 2014
CALIFORNIA’S WHITE RHONE-STYLE WINES
Explore some of the most distinctive whites grown in California.
Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne & blends.
Thursday October 9, 2014
DOMESTIC ALBARIÑO & TEMPRANILLO
Exciting work focusing on Spanish varietals by pioneering and
dedicated winemakers. Longoria and more.
Thursday October 16, 2014
THE SWEETER SIDE OF GERMAN WINE!
Jeremy Dugan selects some very delicious, amazingly fresh
Riesling and Scheurebe.
Thursday October 23, 2014
WHITE BORDEAUX
Often made from blends of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon &
sometimes Muscadelle. Explore these complex delights!
Thursday October 30, 2014
WHITE BURGUNDY VALUES!
From Chablis to Pouilly-Fuissé and in-between
Get ready for some vibrant wines from Chile, Argentina, South
Africa, Uruguay & more! Tannat, Torrentes, Pinotage & more!
Saturday September 20, 2014
A VARIETAL ADVENTURE!
EXCITING WINES YOU’VE
PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF!
Procanio, Trouseva, Vitovska, Rolle, Vernatch & other cool wine
Saturday September 27, 2014
FINDING WINES FOR THE FOODS WE EAT!
TACO BAR SATURDAY!! MINI-TACOS!!
Our whole staff is in on this one! Wines that work with tacos!
Saturday October 4, 2014
ALSACE WINES WITH CHOUCROUTE GARNI!
Samantha Dugan introduces us to the great dry Riesling, Pinot
Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir & blended whites
of Alsace. Accompanied by some traditional Alsace goodies
Saturday October 11, 2014 $25
ANNUAL PAELLA FEST
WITH CHEF VIRGINIO PICAZO!
Virginio returns to make stunning paella in our parking lot while
Chuck Morris introduces us to the great tasting Spanish wines
of Beaune Imports! One of our most anticipated events!
Saturday October 18, 2014
STYLISH & ELEGANT WINES OF OREGON
Pinot Noir is the star, and the supporting players are brilliant:
Pinot Gris and Riesling. From our neighbors to the north!
Saturday October 25, 2014
DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE!
PETITE SIRAH & SYRAH!
5 great examples of each varietal. You’ll never confuse them
again!
The Wine Country’s Calendar of Events
2301 Redondo Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
Information: 562-597-8303
The Wine Country proudly serves our beer in Riedel stemware at all of our tastings. We respectfully request that our guests not wear competing fragrances. Thanks.
A Monthly Sit-Down Beer Tasting at The Wine Country
BEERVENTURE 2014!
$25 Per Person Tasting Begins at 7:30 p.m.
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED (562) 597-8303
Wednesday September 10 Wed. September 17
CELEBRATING IPAs
HOPPY, HOPPY!! JOY, JOY!!
Wednesday October 15 Wednesday October 22
OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION!
Our Annual Look at Great German Beer
The Wine Country’s Calendar of Events
2301 Redondo Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
Information: 562-597-8303
www.thewinecountry.com
OUR FIRST-EVER
RUM TASTING EVENT!
A SPIRITS TASTING AT DELIUS!
WITH OUR LIQUOR BUYER JEREMY DUGAN
Wednesday September 24th 8:00-9:30 p.m.
Only $35 per person plus tax & gratuity
Tasting at Delius Restaurant
2951 Cherry Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
Seating Limited. Call (562) 426-0694 for reservations
We Recommend Eating a Light Dinner Before the Tasting.
Delius Restaurant Will Offer a 10% Discount on Meals September 24th
For Attendees of our Rum Seminar