Wine & Cheese Tasting
June 30th
& July 2nd
Thursday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Saturday 12 PM – 5:00 PM
Santa Florentina Torrontes 2009
Origin: Famatina Valley, La Rioja, Argentina
Varietal: 100% Torrontes
Tasting Notes: Santa Florentina Torrontes is a lovable white from Argentina's beautiful Famatina valley. Vinified dry, this Torrontes maintains mouthwatering aromas and flavors of peach, cantaloupe, and orange blossom. Crisp acidity keeps things balanced, and makes this a particularly food-friendly choice.
Food Pairing: Best enjoyed in its youth either by itself, or as a wonderful partner with smoked meats, mild to medium-strong cheeses, and seafood (especially crab!). Given a quick chill, it is a show-stopping aperitif. Its spiciness can enhance Thai, Chinese, Korean and Japanese dishes.
Budini Chardonnay 2008
Budini is named after the rare and beautiful wild pampas cat of Argentina, Oncifelis colocolo budini. This furry and elusive cat can be found from the grassy grazing plains of the Argentine pampas to the high-elevation foothills of the Andes where Argentina’s finest wine grapes are grown.
Origin: Eastern Mendoza, Argentina, 2300 ft. above sea level.
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Tropical fruit and lemon aromas combined with gentle oak notes to provide an alluring complexity. It is medium-bodied and has well-balanced acidity with hints of lemon and pineapple fruit that lead to a dry, crisp finish. There is just a kiss of oak flavor that frames the fresh fruit flavors. Aged 3 months in 100% 1-year old French oak barrels
Food Pairing: It
is a bright, crisp and captivating young wine to enjoy by itself or paired with
chicken, pork and seafood.
R. Stuart Autograph Pinot Noir 2007
Origin: Willamette Valley, Oregon.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes:
Winemaker’s Notes: A blend this year of
four of our very favorite vineyards: Weber, Winderlea, Temperance Hill and
Daffodil Hill. The first two offer gorgeous Dundee Hills red fruit, floral
elegance and exotic spice; the latter two from the Eola Hills bringing on blue
notes, earthiness, and structure. As
ever, Autograph is Rob’s picute of the vintage; who better than he to interpret
what each vintage means to us? He says 2007 made him fell like he was in a
summer Oregon forest. A rich forest
floor beneath, combination of wildfowers, leaves, mushrooms – but oh, the red,
red fruits above, whispering. Complex,
seductive, not overpowering. Many
secrets to be read in this Autograph.
Food Pairing: Asparagus & Morel Risotto, Butterflied Chicken with Lemon & Rosemary, Duck Breasts with Honey, Ginger & Lavender, Duck Stew with Chanterelles and Olives; Friday Night Steaks with Pinot Noir Mushroom Sauce: Grilled Chicken Salad with Balsamic Blue Cheese Vinagrette, Blue Cheese Gougéres; Really Slowly Roasted Veal Shank with Baby Vegetables and Chanterelles; Roast Lamb with White Beans; Salmon with Lentils; Winter Caramelized Onions, Walnut and Blue Cheese Pizza.
Truchard Tempranillo 2003
Origin: Carneros, California. Tempranillo is the noble grape of Spain. It is the predominant varietal in
The wines from the famous Rioja region, where it is sometimes blended with Garnacha (Grenache), Graciano, and Mazuelo (Carignan). In 1998 two acres of Tempranillo were planted on an isolated knoll in the southern part of the Truchard Estate Vineyard. The vines grow in volcanic soils and benefit from the cool Carneros temperatures.
Varietal: 100% Tempranillo
Tasting Notes: Rich aromas of plum and black cherry; highlighted with tea, cedar, and tobacco. The mouth is smooth and round: filled with flavors of plum jam, red currants, and sweet vanilla. Chalky tannins focus the palate and provide a lingering finish of red fruit, mineral and spice. The wine was aged for 10 months in both French (85%) and American (15%) oak; 25% of these barrels were new. 577 cases made.
Food
Pairing: This
will pair well with lamb, pork, beef, Chacuterie
(cured meats—especially ham, olives, pickles, Spanish cheese), Moroccan tajines
(lamb, chicken, seafood), Barbequed spareribs Salmon in herbed sauce, Wild
mushroom dishes and sauces, Roasted stuffed peppers, Calamari in red sauce, rich pasta dishes,
and hard cheeses.
B & E Vineyard Estate Merlot 2005
B & E Vineyard is a small family owned and operated vineyard that was first planted in 1989. They started making wine in 1994, but did not label any for sale until 2002. In 2002, they started with 1,000 cases of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blends and have been increasing their production each year. They are currently producing 3,500 cases which have been aged in French oak.
Origin: Paso Robles, Central Coast, California
Varietal: 100% Merlot
Tasting Notes: It opens with a bouquet of raspberry, black cherry, and hints of vanilla. On the palate you will find a soft, fruit-driven wine that is medium-bodied with ripe berries, plum, and savory tones. Spice and vanilla from French oak, lead to soft, supple tannins and a lingering finish. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs
easily with veal, meat loaf, Italian-style sausages, lamb or beef stews, roast
lamb, duck with fruit sauce, fish like salmon and tuna, dishes with mushrooms,
hearty pasta dishes and cheeses such as Parmesan, Gouda, and Cheddar.
Victor Hugo “Hunchback” 2007
Origin: Paso Robles, California.
Varietal: 34% Petit Verdot, 24% Petite Sirah, 22% Cabernet Franc and 20% Syrah
Tasting Notes: This complex, multi-varietal blend has notes of wild strawberries, violets, and black cherry that are balanced with soft tannins and hints of toasty oak. Different varietal lots were barrel aged separately for 22 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels, then blended and bottled. 609 cases produced.
Food Pairing: Food pairings are steak and roasts, spareribs, lamb, game dishes, firm cheeses such as cheddar and hard cheeses such as parmigiano and romano. This wine has enough fruit to pair perfectly with all barbecued foods .