6th Annual Wine & Food Holiday Open House
December 8th & 10th
Thursday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Saturday 12 PM – 5:00 PM
Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco White Rioja 2010
Origin: Briones, Rioja, Spain
Varietal: 70% Viura, 20% Malvasia and 10% Tempranillo Blanco. Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco is among the very first wineries to allow wine loving consumers to enjoy the highly unusual Tempranillo Blanco, a grape that is exclusive to Rioja, as part of its 2010 vintage of Vivanco Blanco -- a white wine from Rioja made from Viura, Malvasia, and Tempranillo Blanco 2010. Tempranillo Blanco, or White Tempranillo, is a relatively unknown grape, planted in tiny quantities exclusively in Rioja. The grape itself is the result of a natural mutation of the more common 'red' Tempranillo, and was only discovered in 1988 on a vine in a vineyard in Murillo de Rio Leza. DNA analysis discovered a natural 'albinism' affecting the genes that resulted in a yellowish- green skin pigmentation instead of the usual blue/purple.
Tasting Notes: On the nose, this wine is expressive with intense aromas of green apple, citrus and white peach. The bouquet is accented by subtle grassy notes and delicate florals. Fresh, crisp taste of tropical fruit and citrus flavors abound with a well-balanced acidity.
Food Pairing: Serve with essentially all seafood and
vegetable-based dishes. This unique
white also makes a great alternative holiday party wine.
Escarpment Over The Edge Pinot Gris 2009
Origin: 100% Martinborough Pinot Gris, grown on the alluvial gravel terraces for which the district has become famous. Martinborough, New Zealand
Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris
Tasting Notes: Wine Spectator - "Peach, nectarine and apple flavors have a nice richness to them, with slate and spice details, a juicy acidity and floral overtones. The season was exceptionally warm allowing high quality fruit to be harvested early with brilliant perfumed fruit flavors. The style is off dry (5g/l residual sugar) with a soft ripe backbone and long lingering finish. Currently the wine shows the pear/white stone fruit flavors this variety is renowned for.
Food Pairing: This wine will make a great aperitif or combine
beautifully with light fish or pasta dishes.
Zestos Tempranillo & Garnacha 2010
Origin: Vinos de Madrid DO region, Spain
Varietal: 50% Tempranillo and 50% Garnacha. The Tempranillo portion of Zestos comes from the Arganda district and the Garnacha grapes come from 40-year-old vines in the high-elevation district of San Martin de Valdeiglesias at 870 meters (2,850 ft.) elevation.
Tasting Notes: Zestos has such a pleasing aspect and texture and such fresh, succulent red and dark berry aromas and fruit; it’s a perfect introduction to Spanish wine.
Food Pairing: Pair this with any casual food such as pizza, Panini
sandwiches, pulled pork sliders, fajitas, cheese quesadillas, and pastrami and
corned beef sandwiches. This is an “easy drinker” wine. If you don’t have any aged manchego or aged
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese handy, just pour some in your glass and enjoy!
Bodegas Don Sancho Londono Calma Rioja 2008
Origin: Rioja, Spain. Calma is an estate-bottled wine made by Bodegas Don Sancho Londoño in the Rioja Alta subzone of the Rioja DOCa. Calma' means Calm, Peace, and Tranquility.
Varietal: 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano
Tasting Notes: Calma reveals Bright violet, black cherry scents and a kick of cracked pepper. Tightly wound at first, then opens to offer chewy dark fruit flavors and a touch of mocha. Dusty tannins add grip to the finish, which leaves cassis and bitter cherry notes behind. Calma has an inky, ruby color and exhibits deep brooding aromas of cherry compote, cassis, fresh blood and leather. Chewy, youthfully backward dark fruit flavors slowly unfold, picking up more sweetness and an exotic floral quality. The wine is aged for 12-14 months in oak barrels, 90% French and 10% American.
Food
Pairing: With so
much spicy, peppery, red fruit character, this wine is a natural for olive
bread and charcuterie, especially fattier meats like speck, prosciutto, black
forest ham, and at the top of the list, jamon iberico. Tapenade, chumus, aged
hard cheeses and sausage with fennel and similar casual bites will pair well
with Calma, and the wine also has all the structure and “cut” you’d want for a
more weighty main course, like roasted prime rib or boeuf bourgignon.
Ludovicas 2009
Origin: The vineyards are located a few miles south and west of Priorat, within the Terra Alta DO in Catalunya’s Tarragona province in northeastern Spain. In this remote region, the winemaking tradition dates back to the Romans, around the 2nd or 3rd Century. The winery and vineyards are in the town of Batea, situated at 356 meters (1,168 ft.) elevation.
Varietal: 40% Garnacha, 15% Tempranillo, 15% Cariñena, 20% Syrah and 10% Merlot.
Tasting Notes: Ludovicus is a wine made in a style that appeals to both new world and old world palates. People who like Cab, Syrah, Malbec and Zinfandel love Ludovicus. Organically grown grapes are produced by the renowned fourth generation Piñol family estate. The wine is aged for 3-4 months in 300-liter French and American oak barrels. Ludovicus offers a glass-coating deep crimson hue with an expressive nose of cherry, blueberry, and blackberry. Mouthfilling, succulent, and flavorful, this tasty effort is a sensational value for drinking over the next 1-2 years.
Food
Pairing: This ripe,
juicy, vibrantly big-fruited red wine is a real crowd pleaser, and Ludovicus’s
easy drinking nature makes it a versatile wine, either with meat and pork main
courses or with more casual tapas or small plates. Of course, this wine is also
a great sipper on its own.
Bigvine Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Origin: Napa Valley, California
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes: “Our 2009 vintage is a classic Napa Valley blend from three different sub-appellations. Our Atlas Peak vineyard provides enough structure to support the weighty fruit from Rutherford and Coombsville. Our final blend shows obvious dark fruit and earthy notes reminiscent of ‘Rutherford Dust’. This vintage is very approachable in its youth, but will also reward long term cellaring.” The wine was aged for 18 months in 30% new French oak and the remainder in neutral French oak. Alcohol: 14.2%
Food Pairing: This wine is the perfect partner with steaks, venison,
standing rib roasts, braised short ribs, strong cheeses and fresh grilled
salmon.
Agricola Punica Barrua Isola Dei Nuraghi 2004
Origin: Sardinia, Italy
Varietal: The 2004 Barrua is a blend of 85% Carignano, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot.
Tasting Notes: Agricola Punica is a ground-breaking endeavor from Super-Stars of Italian winemaking. Dr. Sebastiano Rosa, architect of Sassicaia at Tenuta San Guido and the President of Catina Santadi Antonello Pilloni. Giacomo Tachis – who helped create the original Super Tuscan, Sassicaia, as well as Tignanello and Solaia, is the technical director. Barrua is deep crimson red in color with violet highlights and aromas of crushed fresh blackberries and a suave, silky palate supported by sweet, refined tannins and a fine note of acidity. Together, the color, fragrance, extract and alcohol achieve a degree of richness which yields wine of opulent suppleness, elegant tannins and finely tuned acidity: a textbook expression of the Carignano grape.
Food & Wine Guide 2010 – 3 Stars (highest rating) - This blend of 85 percent Carignano, 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 percent Merlot aims to be a “Super-Sardinian,” with its dense, weighty mix of black cherry, molasses, spiced fig and hefty oak flavors.
Wine & Spirits – “Our blind panels tasted 162 new-release Southern Italian Reds over the last 12 months. Wolfgang Weber, our critic for Italian wine, rate 29 exceptional (90+) and 26 best buys. Year’s Best Southern Italy – Exceptional – 92 points - Barrua is the flagship of a partnership between Sebastiano Rosa of Bolgheri’s Tenuta San Guido and the Sardinian producer Santadi, with Giacomo Tachis as consultant. Blended from 85 percent carignano with cabernet sauvignon (10) and merlot (5), this ’04 is dense and full, with chewy tannins that frame a sweet core of currant and cases. It’s a massive wine that will become more sophisticated with ten to 15 years in the cellar.”
Wine Spectator 92 points - Impressive aromas of ripe fruit and grilled meat follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Juicy and concentrated, yet balanced.
Food Pairing: A natural match for roasted chicken, pasta with red
sauce, Leg of Lamb with Rosemary and garlic, grilled pork chops, and grilled
Filet Mignon. This is a big wine that
pairs well with big dishes.
Casal de Tonda Quinta Dos Grilos 2008
Origin: Dao, Portugal. The brand Quinta dos Grilos is well-known by the Portuguese winemakers, giving name to a famous wine from the Dão region, produced in the small village of Tonda, since the middle of the nineties.
Varietal: Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro & Tinta Roriz
Tasting Notes: Intense ruby color; bright and clear. Lively blueberry aromas with notes of black cherry and plum tinged with black tea and spice. Elegant and silky on the palate, this is our Portuguese “Pinot Noir” style red. Before bottling wine ages for 6 month in French oak barrels. Wine Spectator - A fresh, juicy style, with ferrous notes behind the wild plum and sour cherry flavors. There's lots of white pepper and dried raspberry on the firm finish. Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Alfrocheiro. Drink now through 2014. 88 Points
Food Pairing: From Asian cuisine to the backyard barbeque, this is a versatile wine.
Desiree Dessert Wine N/V
Origin: Healdsburg, California
Varietal: 58% Zinfandel, 20% Touriga Nacional, 18% Syrah and 4% Brandy.
Three varietals go into this Désirée Chocolate Dessert Wine: Zinfandel, Syrah and Touriga Nacional. They are sourced them from warmer valleys and coastal mountains areas in California, where grapes can reach intense, ultra-ripe aromas and flavors. Touriga Nacional, which originally heralds from the searingly hot climate of Portugal, thrives in these warmer temperatures, producing rich, aromatic dark plum and chocolate character. When pushed to ripeness, the Syrah and Zinfandel likewise add a balance of red and black fruits with alluring cocoa nuances.
Tasting Notes: This Désirée Chocolate Dessert Wine is crafted in a rich, tawny port style with heady, dark fruit and enticing chocolate character. On the nose, chocolate, vanilla and coconut aromas swirl around a rich fruit core, spilling forward through the senses and across the palate. Seductive and smooth, this wine borrows its name from the deep emotion it elicits: desire. Alcohol: 18% Winemaker’s notes: To craft our Désirée Chocolate Dessert Wine, we selected varietals that best exhibit the fine chocolate, coconut and vanilla characters we were seeking. During fermentation, we kept temperatures cool, slowly extracting the aromas and flavors. We fortified the wine around mid-fermentation by adding a natural grape brandy, which caused the yeasts to die and sugar levels to remain high. Because this wine leads with chocolate, it was important that we get this element absolutely perfect. We worked closely with a chocolate maker in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to craft a chocolate infusion that would melt into liquid harmony with our wine. Together, they form a rich, seductive wine to be served with dessert, as dessert or simply on its own.
Food Pairing: An experience unto itself in the world of wine, Désirée is meant to be sipped and savored as a luscious liquid dessert (think chocolate mousse without the calories), or a companion alongside the most hedonistic after dinner treats—whatever they may be.