November Wines of the Month

Chocolate & Wine Tasting at Wilbur's & Simply Divine Brownies

Wine & Chocolate Tasting

Thursday, Nov. 5th

4:30-6:30

Simply Divine Brownies & Wilbur's Chocolate are hosting a tasting at their store on Lower Main Street.....this is across the parking lot from Freeport Cheese & Wine. It's free and it will feature wines from Mariner Beverages. Phil McCormack from Mariner Beverages will be there to talk about the wines!

Any of these wines that you purchase from Freeport Cheese & Wine will be 10% off!

The Wines:

Sparkling:

Santome Prosecco (Italy) $14.99 - This is a dry Processo with nice minerality, fruit and a great price! Perfect for Thanksgiving Weekend, smoked fish, a fruit tart and more!

Trevisol Rosecco (Italy) $18.99 - Made by a Prosecco producer, this can't be called "Prosecco," because it has other grapes than just Prosecco in it. This has nice red berry fruit and great bubbles with it. Try it with dark chocolate!

Whites:

Sun Garden Riesling 2007 (Germany) $11.99 - A fruity, off-dry crowd-pleaser! Aromas and flavors of nectarines, grapefruit, peaches, oranges and apples! Light-to-medium body with lots of juicy fruit. Subtle, delicate minerals. Clean finish. Food pairing - Goes well with salads or spicy foods such as Thai, Mexican, and Cajun. Try it with seafood, poultry or veal in a cream or spicy sauce. Wine Enthusiast, “Best Buy”

Marchetti Verdicchio Dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2006 (Marche, Italy) $13.99 - This is one of the best Mediterranean whites under $15 I've ever tasted! Wonderful citrus and mineral flavors and aromas. This also has notes of green apples and tropical fruits. Vibrant acidity and loads of minerality throughout the wine. Picks up a little nuttiness (almonds?) on the finish. Long, crisp finish! Maurizio Marchetti, the winemaker, only uses the best grapes (most years he gets no more than 1/2 a bottle from a single vine). 2,100 cases. Food pairing - seafood, shellfish, swordfish, etc. Great with poultry.

Reds:

Pierre Ponnelle Pinot Noir 2007 (France) $12.99 – nice combination of “Old World” earth and a little funk and “New World” cherry fruit! Pinot Noir is great with Thanksgiving Dinner!

Marchetti Uve di Montepulciano Rosso Conero D.O.C. 2006 (Marche, Italy) Reg. $18.99 Sale $11.99 - A wonderful wine from the Marche! Aromas & flavors of vanilla, dried berries - raspberries, cranberries & blackberries, dark plums & spices (pepper & baking. Well-balanced acidity & tannins. Medium-bodied. Long, smooth finish. 90% Montepulciano & 10% Sangiovese. Aged 18 months in older Slavonian oak barrels & 2 months in the bottle. 2,500 cases. Organically farmed. Food pairing - roasted poultry, grilled meats, rich vegetarian dishes, etc.!

Klassen Calaveras County Merlot 2005 (California) Reg. $17.99 Sale $14.99 - We bought the last 5 cases and got a great price! Wonderful! This is a big, rich AND smooth Merlot! Aromas and flavors of black cherries, dark chocolate and more. This is wonderful! Grown at 2,100 feet and allowed to properly ripen, this wine shows what Merlot can do in the right hands! Mostly Merlot with a touch of Petite Sirah and Syrah. This will age well through 2010 and is drinking well right now! Food pairing - Dark Chocolate! Roast, fowl, rich pastas and stews.

Newsome-Harlow "El Portal" Petite Sirah 2006 (California) Reg. $24.99 Sale $12.99 - Why is this so cheap? It's the economy! Try being a small, unknown winery from an obscure area priced at $25 in this economy! So, they lowered the price! This is one BIG wine! Lots of weight and heft in this bottle! It's Petite Sirah with 15% Zin thrown in for fun! This has a lot of big, dark fruit without being sweet. Add in aromas and flavors of vanilla, chocolate and baking spices (Cinnamon? Nutmeg?) and you've got one weighty, complex wine! Up in Calaveras County, in the California Gold Country, this new winery is putting out some MAMMOTH wines. If you like your wines BIG & BOLD, you'll like this! Food pairing - Dark chocolate! Steak, lamb, a Wolf Neck Farm beef hamburger!

Dessert Wine:

Trentadue Alexander Valley Chocolate Amore Port (California) $26.99 - If you are looking for a wonderful dessert wine for Valentine's or any night, try this! This is like drinking a dark chocolate-covered cherry! This is a well-balanced wine....it's not syrupy (nice acidity balancing the sweetness). 100% Geyserville grapes. Merlot-based, Port-styled dessert wine with natural chocolate. Food pairing - drinks great on its own! Pour it over vanilla ice cream! Makes a killer martini (equal parts Chocolate Amore & Vodka, 1/2 a jigger of fresh orange juice & Cointreau)

More Deals!

Sale!

Freeport Cheese & Wine

We keep looking for deals and we keep finding them!

Vinum Cellars "Pets" Petite Sirah 2006 (California) Reg. $13.99, Sale $9.99 - SOPO had 5 or so cases left of this and gave me a great deal, so we bought it up! Also, Vinum brought back the original label with Tanker, the dog, on it! We love this! Deep, dark wine that is loaded with ripe fruit aromas & flavors! Nice floral notes....flavors of plums, blueberries, dried herbs, smoky bacon & more. Well-balanced acidity & tannins....medium-bodied.....medium-to-long finish....A portion of the profits from this wine are donated to an animal shelter & the wine is dedicated to winemaker Ken Wilson's dog, Tanker. Winemakers call Petite Sirah "Pets." Aged in French oak barrels. 11,500 cases made. Food pairing - Drinks well on its own. Pairs up well with roasted & grilled meats, pizza, mushroom dishes, etc. Less than 4 cases left! Wine Spectator, 88 points; "Two labels stood out from the pack when the bags came off in our blind tasting, including the PETS bottling from Vinum."

Newsome-Harlowe “El Portal” Petite Sirah 2006 (California) Reg. $24.99, Sale $12.99 – This is one BIG wine! Lots of weight and heft in this bottle! It’s Petite Sirah with 15% Zin thrown in for fun! This has a lot of big, dark fruit without being sweet. Add in aromas and flavors of vanilla, chocolate and baking spices (Cinnamon? Nutmeg?) and you’ve got one weighty, complex wine!

Up in Calaveras County, in the California Gold Country, this new winery is putting out some MAMMOTH wines. If you like your wines BIG & BOLD, you’ll like this! Food pairing – steak, lamb, a Wolf Neck Farm beef hamburger!

Villa Pozzi Pinot Grigio 2008 (Venezie, Italy) Reg. $10.99, Sale $8.99 – Delicious little Pinot Grigio that has great lemon and tropical fruit without being sweet. It’s soft and round in terms of texture. Nice acidity that adds to the crisp, clean finish. Food pairing – fish and seafood dishes, lighter appetizers, salads.

Villa Pozzi Nero d’Avola 2008 (Sicily, Italy) Reg. $10.99, Sale $8.99 – This is soft and smooth and has really nice dark fruit to it! Tart blackberries, a floral note, vanilla and figs. Medium-bodied and easy drinking. Definitely worth having a few bottles! Hand-harvested grapes. Fermented and aged in stainless steel vats. Food pairing – hearty stews, lamb, beef, pizza.

Lionello Marchesi “ColdiSole” Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003 (Italy) Reg. $$64.99, Sale $54.99 – I bought 12 bottles of this Brunello after tasting it one day in late September. This needs another year or so to really start showing its stuff, but the day I tasted it, the wine was magnificent. It had been open most of the day and was well decanted and aerated. This is a big, rich, almost “fat” Brunello – definitely made in a more “New World” style. The aromas and flavors are loaded with dark fruit, dark chocolate, vanilla, spices, rich earth and toasted oak. 100% Sangiovese Grosso. Aged 36 months in French oak barriques (33% are new, 33% 1-year and 33% are 2-year). This will aged well through 2018. Food pairing – roasted, grilled and braised meat. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 91 points

Gary Farrell Wines

The following 3 wines are all from Gary Farrell Winery in Sonoma County. Gary Farrell has been making Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other wines in Sonoma County since 1982. In 2000, he built and opened his new winery in the Russian River Valley. Gary Farrell focuses on small production lots and has relationships dating back decades with some of the best growers in the area. Susan Reed is the winemaker at Gary Farrell. Before joining Gary Farrell she was the winemaker at Matanza Creek Winery before it was sold to Jess Jackson in 2001.

Gary Farrell’s wines tend to be more elegant and finesse-driven than “overblown” or overdone. I like them a lot. All of their grapes are hand-harvested during the cool mornings to preserve the fruit and reduce oxidation. The grapes are destemmed and then crushed.

Gary Farrell Redwood Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2007 (California) Reg. $26.99, Sale $21.99 – This is an elegant and crisp Sauvignon Blanc with a nice rich texture! Aromas of grapefruit, lemon zest and gooseberries. Flavors that mirror the aromas with white peaches, apricots and honeydew melon. Nice acidity to balance the fruit. Crisp and refreshing finish. Drink now. 80% fermented in stainless steel and 20% in new French oak barrels, but the wine is transferred back to stainless steel before the wine can take on any oaky characteristics. This brief exposure to oak adds richness to wine. 3,008 cases made. Food pairing – shellfish, salads, spicy Thai foods.

Gary Farrell Chardonnay 2006 (California) Reg. $34.99, Sale $26.99 – This is a really good Chardonnay – it’s 100% Chardonnay, but it’s a blend of both California clones and Burgundian clones. So, while it has some of that Californian style of butter and creaminess, it’s also a leaner style of Chardonnay – more like most Burgundies are. Aromas and flavors of apples, pears, limes, pineapples, earth and a little oak. This is well-balanced and has nice length and staying power on the finish. Drink now through 2011. Barrel-fermented in 100% French oak barrels, 1/3 new, 1/3 one-year and 1/3 two-year so this is not “over-oaked.” 4,653 cases made. Food pairing – seafood, chicken, salads, shellfish, just drinkin’!

Gary Farrell Russian River Selection Pinot Noir 2006 (California) Reg. $42.99, Sale $34.99 - Medium-bodied Pinot with wonderful ripe cherry, blackberry, raspberry and strawberry aromas and flavors. The fruit is balanced with nice spicy earth and minerals. It has notes of spicy, toasty oak. The texture is rich and lush. If you are thinking about a Pinot Noir for Thanksgiving Dinner, this is a great choice! Drink now through 2011. 11,688 cases made. Aged in new, 1, 2 and 3-year-old French oak barrels for 8 months. Sourced from famed Russian River Valley vineyards, including Starr Ridge, Rochioli-Allen, Cresta Ridge, Stiling, McIntyre and Archer. Food pairing – grilled salmon, duck, tuna.

Stone Vertical Epic 2009

Stone Vertical Epic Ale

09.09.09

A Californian Belgian-style Porter! With chocolate and orange and more! Comes in a 22-oz bottle. $7.99/bottle.

This is a big, bold beer made with a Belgian yeast that adds the tropical fruitness and spiciness that is typical of so many Belgian ales to the chocolate malt. They added dark candi sugar, vanilla bean and tangerine peel to complement the flavors of the porter. Think dark Belgian chocolate with orange! It's aged in French oak, so it picks up a toasted vanilla characteristic.

The idea behind the Vertical Epic Ales is that over 11 years (02.02.02 through 12.12.12), you will have 11 bottle-conditioned beers to try as a "vertical" tasting.

Here's what beer blogger, Lew Bryson, has to say about this year's Vertical Epic!

Stone's own blog gives us some background on the beer!

Limited supply! We bought a few cases and have one case left!

BeerAdvocate.com, A-, "Excellent"

RateBeer.com, 94 points

October Wines of the Month

October Wines of the Month

We’re off to Italy!

For Tiers One and Two, we are on Sicily at a single winery, Fondo Antico.

The symbol of Sicily is the “trinicria,” which bears quite the resemblance to the triangular symbol of the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. Both appear to be based on Greek mythology. The Sicilian “trinicria” has a Gorgon’s head.

The winemaker, Augustino, was here on Sept. 23rd and we were able to taste these 4 wines with him and wrangle an invitation to Sicily!

The winery, Fondo Antico, is near Trapani, between the villages of Portelli and Fulgatore, called Frazione Rilievo. This is in the Marsala part of Sicily and is a the western end of the island. They have about 200 acres of vineyards, growing grapes local to Sicily such as Nero d’Avola, Grillo, Inzolia and Grecanico. They also cultivate Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay.

The Wines

Tier One

“I Versi” means “the verses.” Just as reading a poem reveals layers of complexity, so do these wines as you enjoy them!

The White:

I Versi Bianco IGT 2008 (Sicily) $12.99 - A pretty Sicilian white that’s clean, unoaked, delicate & dry, with a light, herbal touch. This wine has nice, crisp acidity that makes it a perfect pairing with most seafood and salads. Aromas of limes, pineapples and green apples. The flavors are similar with a little roasted almonds on the finish. 50% Inzolia and 50% Grecanico. Stainless steel fermentation. Food pairing – light hors d’oeuvres, seafood, fish soups, grilled veggies, salads and fresh cheeses.

The Red:

I Versi Rosso IGT 2007 (Sicily) $12.99 - A young wine, with a bright ruby red color with fun floral aromas. This is smooth, soft and drinks easily! It has nice berry fruit, a little spiciness and something akin to anise or licorice in the flavors (and remember, I really don’t like licorice candy, but I like it in wines when it’s just a subtle note as it is here). Food pairing – meat dishes, mushroom dishes, aged and fresh cheeses, game, pâté,

Blend of 50% Nero d’Avola and 50% Merlot. John Dietz, who works with Easterly Wines (the distributor for these wines) called Merlot, “The international grape of mystery.” Meaning = Merlot may take on many forms and styles depending on growing practices and winemaking. In the movie, “Sideways,” Miles definitely gives Merlot a bad rep! “No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any…..Merlot!” Some Merlot deserves such a reputation – the juice in this wine does not. It’s good! Fermented and briefly aged in stainless steel.

Tier 2

The White:

Fondo Antico Grillo Parlante IGT 2008 (Sicily) $16.99 - A “grillo parlante” means “talking cricket” in Italian, but of course Grillo is also the name of the native Sicilian grape found in this fresh white. In Italian, “Grillo Parlante” is actually Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio.

What I love about this wine is that aside being fantastic; you can drink it at least 2 ways. You can just sip it and not think about it and you’ll love it! Or, you can linger over it and think about the layers and complexity…..it’s great either way! This has a straw-yellow color with just slight greenish tints. The aromas are floral with pear, white peach and lemon. It’s refreshing as you drink it and the rich lemon, pear and nutty flavors come out. Manually harvested grapes. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. Food pairing – ceviche, poached seafood, lemon chicken dishes, shellfish.

The Red:

Fondo Antico Nero D’Avola IGT 2006 (Sicily) $19.99 – This is a fresh, robust and full-bodied red with lots of red fruit (plums, berries, cherries) and a nice spiciness. This is velvety and smooth with fine-grained tannins. It has a nice spiciness to the finish that is more peppery than alcohol (it’s only 13.5% alcohol). Nice long finish. 100% Nero d’Avola. Aged 6 months in French oak barriques and 2 months in bottle. Food pairing – Risotto al Nero d’Avola with cloves (pretty much reduce the Nero d’Avola from a bottle to a pint and then stir it into the risotto), grilled meats, cheese such as Manchego or Piave Vecchio or Pecorino Toscano. Roasted tuna with onions and mint.

Tier 3

We are headed as far from Sicily in Italy as we can go – the northeastern corner! The area is the Alto Adige in the Südtirol in the province of Bolzano-Bozen. This province is an autonomous region in Italy and is the most German part of the country. Nearly 70% of the population is German.

This area is dominated by the Dolomite Mountains, which are a former seabed. So, the rocks are limestone and this adds tremendous minerality to the wines of the area. The Dolomites shield cold, bad weather from the north, leaving the valleys open to mild air from the Mediterranean. A warm summer wind comes from Lake Garda to ease the summer heat. At night, cool air from the high mountains floods the valleys. This alternation of warm, sunny days with cool nights enables the grapes to ripen slowly and increase the intense aromas, sugar levels and brisk acidity necessary to making great wine!

“Gambero Rosso,” the classic reference for Italian wine, says that this region, the Alto Adige, is one of the top 5 wine areas in Italy, asserting that this is also the home of the "best assortment of wine cooperatives in the world, exemplary for both their efficiency and the high general quality of even their run-of-the-mill products." Further kudos for Colterenzio from the same publication: "Their entire line has few competitors in any part of Italy, and their whites are among the very best of their area."

The White:

Schreckbichl Colterenzio Prædium Pinot Grigio “Puiten” DOC 2007 (Alto Adige) $25.99 – A $25 Pinot Grigio?! Just what is Eric thinking?

The Roman word “Prædium” means wine estate and is a symbol of a mature, deep-rooted wine culture. “Puiten” is the single vineyard where the grapes for this wine grow.

This is a great white wine. It’s lush and full and soft in its texture. Complex, subtle, aromatic, many, many layers and nuances! Aromas of orchard fruits, minerals and flowers pour out of the glass! Flavors of apples, pears, stone fruits, fresh cut hay and honey. Crisp and refreshing with great acidity. Fermented in stainless steel. Part of the wine is fermented in large Slovenian oak casks (5,000 liter barrels) where it undergoes malolactic fermentation to add richness and weight. Aged on the lees for 6 months to increase the richness and velvety texture of the wine. The “wines” – one is in stainless and the other in cask – are then blended, lightly filtered and bottled. They only use organic fertilizers and biological pest controls. Food pairing – pasta with chicken, fish and chips, seafood salad, chicken salad with apples and grapes. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points

The Red:

H. Lentsch Lagrein "Morus" 2003 (Südtirol) $37.99 – The name “Morus” comes from Morus Nigra and signifies “mulberry tree”. Until the 1940s, its cultivation was very important, as it was grown in support of the raising of silkworms. Nowadays there are only a few examples of mulberry trees left. One is located at the lower end of a slope planted for many years with Lagrein. To keep alive the memory of this important agricultural heritage, this Lagrein from carries this name, “Morus.” Lentsch is a family-owned estate founded in 1882 in Bronzolo.

Lagrein is the grape from which this deep, red South Tyrolean wine is made in the lowlands around Bolanzo, where the sunshine and soil texture give it a unique character. This Lagrein is a full-bodied, garnet-hued wine with a wide range of aromas, including with blueberry, bilberry, and violet. On the palate it is warm and smooth, with soft tannins and a lingering finish. Food pairing - it pairs well with hearty fare and hard cheeses.

After careful sorting, the grapes are crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. As soon as fermentation is complete, the wine is pumped into concrete barrels to initiate malolactic fermentation – this softens the wine and adds a fuller, richer texture. The wine then ages in French oak barrels. After this, there follows a second year in large wooden casks, where the wine has time to develop and mature. After bottling, the wine is stored for a further ten to twelve months in cellar. Just under 1,000 cases made.

Rioja Wine Tasting

Wine Tasting

Monday, Sept. 21st

5:30-7:00 PM

with

Nacho Hererra

From

Rioja's Bodegas Bretón

Location:

Hilton Garden Inn

5 Park Street

Freeport, ME 04032

(207) 865-1433

$10/person
Please e-mail (efullagar@gmail.com) or call (207) 869-4048 to reserve a space(s).

The Wines

Sparkling

Mont-Marcal Cava Brut Rosado 2005 (Penedès, Spain) $19.99 - This has great bubbles! The texture and fineness of them is AWESOME! It's a light ruby color. This has definite notes of strawberries, raspberries, minerals and oranges. 100% Trepat, a Catalan black varietal that makes spectacular rosés! This kicks the butt of many expensive Champagnes at a fraction of the cost! Stephen Tanzer, IWC, 91 points

Whites

Can Feixes Bianco Selecció (Penedès, Spain) $16.99 - Fresh and refreshing white made from Cava grapes. Light yellow color. Aromas and flavors of apples, pears and melons with a lot of minerals and lemon zest. This is stony and aromatic - reminiscent of Chablis or wines from Rheingau. Made from the same grapes as Cavas - Macabeo (35%), Parellada, (37%), Chardonnay (18%) and also a touch of Malvasía de Sitges (10%). Parallada grows best in high altitude, gravelly mountain soils and is known locally as "Montonec," grape of the mountain. This wine definitely shows that its grapes are grown in gravelly soils! Stainless steel fermentation. This estate is the northernmost in the Penedès D.O., near the Montserrat pinnacle, which forms Penedès northern border.

Loriñón Rioja Blanco 2006 (Spain) $18.99 - Bodegas Bretón was a pioneer in the production of barrel-fermented, dry whites from 100% Viura. This has a rich texture and it and is quite aromatic! Aromas of flowers, pear, anise and peach. Creamy and lush! Not oaky at all. 100% Viura. Half the wine aged on lees. The barrels were left outside in cold winter temperatures to naturally fine and stabilize the wine. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, "Best Buy Spanish White Wines $20 and Under"

Reds

Ribera del Duero

Ribera del Duero is in northwestern Spain near the Portugal border. The Duero River is the same river that is home to Port in Portugal. It is one of Spain's most esteemed winemaking area.

Dehesa La Granja 2003 (Spain) $26.99 - This is merely a GREAT wine! This has aromas that just WOW you! WOW! Surprisingly "fresh" wine from such a hot vintage ('03 was the heatwave year in Europe). Deep, complex, rich, ever-evolving. Black cherries, blackberries, mocha and chocolate are just the start! I sat around & smelled this for a couple of hours - it just kept coming & coming! Long & rich flavors! Decadent! Supple, integrated tannins. Medium-to-full bodied. Awesome! 100% Tempranillo grapes from the Pesquera clones. Aged 2 years in new American oak barrels & 2 years in the bottle before release. Unfiltered. This has sediment. Food pairing - Meats, a tapas meal, rich mushroom dishes, etc. Drinks well on its own. Stephen Tanzer, IWC, 91 points; Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points

Alejandro Fernández and his wife Esperanza Rivera, having created Tinto Pesquera and Condado de Haza in their native Ribera del Duero, looked farther afield in the Spring of 1998. Offered the opportunity to acquire one of Spain's grandest agricultural estates, they purchased the rundown estate bordering the Guareña River in the province of Zamora, in the heart of one of Spain's earliest recognized wine regions. Known during the entire 20th-century as "La GranjaValdeguareña de los Moleros" the 1800-acre ranch had been devoted to the breeding of highly regarded fighting bulls, still in operation at the time of purchase. From the 18th through 19th centuries the estate had been a regionally-dominant producer of wine, evidenced by 40,000 square feet of cellars hand-carved by 125 laborers over 17 years. During that time the local wine producing area was known throughout Spain and Europe as Tierra del Vino (Land of Wine). This is the first vintage of this highly acclaimed wine produced entirely from estate-grown fruit!

Jumilla

Jumilla is near the Mediterranean coast well south of Barcelona, between the coastal plain and La Mancha. It's hotter than Hades here and the soil is mostly sand. This is key - the phylloxera pest won't live in sandy soil. So this area is home to incredibly old vines! This is Spain's most arid wine region (less than 8 inches of rain per year).

Carchelo Monastrell 2008 (Jumilla, Spain) $15.99 - Monastrell is known in France as Mourvèdre and is the dominant grape in Bandol wines (which are produced near the Mediterranean in Provence). This is organically grown Monastrell with a little Syrah. Aromas of black cherries, herbs, smoke, curing tobacco. It's dark, deep and rich with a lot of dark fruit and a spicy finish. Drink now through 2012.

Rioja

Winemaking in Rioja dates to at least 1063. The King of Navarra and Aragon gave the area official recognition in 1102. Rioja is located south of the Cantabrian Mountains along the Ebro River. The mountains help protect the vineyards from the fierce winds that are typical of northern Spain. Rioja is on a plateau, a little more than 1500 feet above sea level. The area is subdivided into three regions - Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja. La Rioja Alavesa and la Rioja Alta, located closer to the mountains, are at slightly higher elevations and have a cooler climate. La Rioja Baja to the southeast is drier and warmer.

This winery is in Rioja Alta.

Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. What do these words mean?

Crianza - wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which was in oak.

Reserva is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak.

Gran Reserva - wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle.

Bodegas Bretón

Bodegas Bretón was founded in 1983. Although of relatively recent origin, Bretón takes a decidedly traditional approach. The Bretón partnership includes a 100-acre estate called Viña Loriñón on the outskirts of Logroño along the south bank of the Ebro River. Also included is the fabulous Dominio de Conté, a textbook 55-acre vineyard on a protected bend of the Ebro near Briones, in the very heart of Rioja Alta. Average vineyard age approaches 40 years - the highest of any major Rioja producer. Crowning Bretón's arrival among Rioja's elite group of estate producers was the first release of Dominio de Conté, from the 1989 vintage, receiving a Gold Medal at Vinexpo 1995.

Loriñón Rioja Crianza 2005 (Spain) $18.99 - Deep, dark red. Aromas of cherries, plums and tobacco (this is a GOOD smell!). Flavors of cherries and plums, plum jam. Juicy texture. Finishes clean with good length. 2005 is an exceptional vintage that has been called, "unprecedented." A classic Rioja Alta blend: 85% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano and 5% Garnacha; aged 14 months in American oak.

Loriñón Rioja Reserva 2003 (Spain) $23.99 - This has that silkiness that comes with bottle age! Aromas of ripe red berries, toast, dark chocolate, and balsamic. Medium-bodied. Soft tannins. Almost juicy! Light and surprisingly crisp for the 2003 vintage (heatwave year in Europe). Aged 19 months in oak.

Loriñón Rioja Gran Reserva Rioja Gran Reserva 2001 (Spain) $39.99 - aromas of spicy cherries, smoke, baking spices, vanilla and balsamic. This is both soft and firm in terms of texture and has a long, long finish. Flavors of ripe berry and cherry fruit, spices, truffles and black pepper. Good acidity. Fine-grained tannins. 85% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo and 5% Garnacha. 225 cases made. Aged 28 months in 225 liter American oak casks and 40 months in the bottle before release. 2001 was an outstanding vintage in Rioja. This will drink well through 2015. Stephen Tanzer, IWC, 90 points

Dominio de Conté Reserva 2004 (Spain) $39.99 - Aromas of plums, cedar, vanilla and balsamic. The fruit is soft with notes of tea. Soft, dusty tannins and a long finish! From a single vineyard on a unique spot near Briones on a bend of the Ebro - this area is a perfect microclimate for ripening Tempranillo. 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. Aged 18 months in new American oak barriques. This will age well for another 10-15 years. Stephen Tanzer, IWC, 90 points

Bourgeois Family Selections Tasting

Wine Tasting

Monday, Sept. 14th

5:30-7:00pm

$10/person

with

South Portland Wine Company (SOPO)

&

Jean-Philippe Bourgeois

Owner and founder of

Bourgeois Family Selections

Where: Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park Street, Freeport, (207) 865-1433.

The Hilton is located just off Bow Street on Park Street. Bow Street intersects Main Street (Rte. 1) right at L.L. Bean. Park Street will be your 2nd left turn as you are driving away from L.L. Bean. The event is in their dining room.

This is a tasting, not a seminar, so if you can't be there right at 5:30, no worries.

PLEASE CALL (207) 730-0886 for reservations.

Jean-Philippe Bourgeois

Jean-Philippe was the General Manager for 6 years for one of the top importers in the country and one of the most respected men in the industry, Eric Solomon of European Cellars.

French-born, he's fluent in English, French and Spanish. He has an MBA and 2 BA's. Combining his love for wine and his language and business skills, he is able to find small producers in France and Spain who make great wines and just need his help bringing them to the United States.

Bourgeois focuses on small producers who farm organically and/or biodynamically.

These are superb wines and great values!

Please join Jean-Philippe Monday at the Hilton!

The Wines:

Whites:

1 - Le Drunk Rooster Chardonnay 2007 (France) $12.99 - Unoaked Chardonnay. The rooster is the "state bird" of France. The rooster is a national emblem of France and the Coq Gaulois (Gallic Rooster) decorated French flags during the Revolution. The rooster symbolizes vigilance. The wine is a custom project with Thierry Rodriguez of Mas Gabinele, which is in the Faugeres AOC in the Languedoc in Southwestern France. They farm organically. The grapes are from older Chardonnay vines and are completely destemmed before crushing. This is loaded with fruit, but still has a nice touch of minerals. It starts zippy and zingy with nice acidity. Flavors and aromas of melons, peaches, grapefruit and mango. Food & Wine: "While this earthy, flavorful white may have a silly name, it’s a serious Chardonnay for the money."

2 - In Fine Blanc 2007 (Rhone, France) $11.99 - I LOVE SOUTHERN French whites! Smooth wine! Lots of flavor! Bright and fresh aromas and flavors of peaches, white flowers and a little lemon/lime with some minerally hints. 80% Clairette and 20% Bourboulenc (who cares about the grapes – it tastes good!). Crisp finish! Aged 8 months in stainless steel before bottling. Sustainable agriculture. "In Fine" is a new project of Raphael Troullier, a rising star of the Cotes-du-Ventoux at Domaine de Cascavel, his biodynamic estate. Food pairing - shellfish, fish and lighter poultry dishes. Great for just drinking! Wine & Spirits, Critics' Pick, "Extreme Value"

Reds:

1 - Le Drunk Rooster Grenache 2006 (France) $12.99 - This is a custom project with Nicolas Baptiste of Domaine de la Serre in Maury, another winery practicing sustainable agriculture. This domaine lies at the foot of the Corbieres Mountains (this is where the Cathars holed up when the Pope in the 13th century wiped them out). It is a very fruit forward wine with aromas of fresh red fruit, a jammy, lush mouth feel with a nice smooth finish. From vines that are at least 25 years old. Food pairing - white and red grilled meats.

2 - Le Drunk Rooster Pinot Noir 2008 (France) $14.99 - The Pinot Noir is a custom project with Thierry Rodriguez of Mas Gabinele, which is in the Faugeres AOC in the Languedoc in Southwestern France. They farm organically. This is a very aromatic wine with a beautiful nose of berries, and a touch of pepper. It is very crisp and has a jammy mouth feel with a nice smooth spicy finish. Food pairing - best served slightly chilled (in the fridge for 15-20 minutes) with grilled meats, Indian or Cajun foods.

3 - Clos Cristal Samur-Chapigny Cabernet Franc 2005 (Loire, France) $21.99 - Since 1928, the “Hospices de Saumur” has managed Clos Cristal, a property of 25 acres donated by Antoine Cristal, the first to plant Cabernet Franc there. This 100% Cabernet Franc is a fine wine with elegant fruit and a nice structure, which compliments many styles of cooking.
Since 1928, Saumur Hospital has owned the 10 hectares (25 acres) of vineyard growing Cabernet Franc grapes bequeathed by Antoine Cristal. The Clos Cristal is historically symbolic for Saumur wine growers, not only because its creator was the first to develop red wines in Saumur, but also because in about 1900, he conceived of an ingenious project. He built three kilometers (2 miles) of walls along which, and through which, the vines grow. Close to he walls, the vine takes advantage of the heat accumulated by the stone, which enables a greater level of ripeness in the fruit. Natural yeast, completely natural wine. 100% Cabernet Franc from 40 year-old vines. Biodynamic estate.

4 - Domaine de Chateaumar "Cuvée Bastien" Côtes du Rhône 2007 (France) $14.99 - Domaine de Chateaumar "Cuvée Bastien" Côtes du Rhône 2007 (France) $14.99 - 100% single vineyard old-vine Grenache. This wine is a deep, nearly opaque purple. Aromas of raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry to the nose, with eucalyptus, black pepper, licorice, and floral notes. Touches of cinnamon and spice follow onto the medium to full bodied juicy palate. The tannins are firm, ripe, and well integrated. It all makes for delicious fun. Sustainable farming. No chemicals. Aged 8 months in concrete tanks before bottling.

5 - Domaine de la Berthete "Cuvée Sensation" Côtes du Rhône 2007 (France) $13.99 - This wine is a custom cuvée made for Bourgeois Family; a blend of Grenache (50%), Syrah (25%), Carignan (20%), and Cinsault (5%) with 15% of the cuvée aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. Highly aromatic and fruity with a strong, tannic backbone. Drink within 3 to 5 years. Sustainable agriculture. Hand-harvested grapes. Food pairing - roasted duck, hand cut potato chips fried in duck fat, and wild mushrooms cooked in their own juices.

6 - Domaine des Florets Gigondas Tradition 2006 (France) $26.99 - This is an "in your face" red - it's not meant to be smooth or easy to drink. It's big and has soul! Aromas of red berries, flowers, spices, minerals (wine critic Stpehen Tanzer says it smells just like a Chambolle-Musigny for you Burgundy lovers!). 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre from old vines. Dark red. Extremely seductive nose offers a kaleidoscopic bouquet of fresh red berries, flowers, Asian spices, and minerals, smells like a topnotch Chambolle-Musigny! Sweet and impressively energetic with precise strawberry and raspberry flavors, medium body, and fine, silky tanninms. An utterly effortless, graceful example of Gigondas.
Gigondas is a tiny area, a tiny AOC, tucked away in the Southern Rhône Valley. The AOC takes its name from the village of Gigondas. Gigondas is situated right under the rugged, rocky range of the Dentelles de Montmirail and creates top quality reds rivaling its southwest neighbor, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Biodynamic farming. Jerome Boudier's philosophy is to respect his environment, his vines and his culture, to work them by hand as much as possible, vine by vine, and to make high quality wine with a great expression of its terroir. Grenache brings the strength, fat and softness, the Syrah brings elegance and fruit, the Mourvèdre brings the backbone and the Cinsault the sweetness. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 93 points

7 - In Fine Rouge 2007 (France) $11.99 - Runaway, huge hit at our May tasting! Aromas & flavors of cherries, plums, chocolate & baking spices. Lots of dark fruit & a little pepper spice! Rich, smooth texture. Soft & light tannins. Nice acidity. Pretty finish. 90% Grenache & 10% Syrah. 100% concrete vat fermentation. Aged in concrete tanks for 8 months before bottling. Sustainable agriculture. "In Fine" is a new project of Raphael Troullier, a rising star of the Côtes-du-Ventoux at Domaine de Cascavel, his biodynamic estate. Food pairing - Serve at 61-64°F or slightly cold (57°F) in the summer. Drink now with red meat, game, and fresh cheeses. Drinks well on its own!

8 - Domaine du Crampilh Cuvée L'Origine Madiran 2006 (France) $17.99 - Madirans can be big and rough when young, so this will be interesting to try! This blend is mostly Tannat, with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. The Madiran area Is southwest of Bordeaux in the heart of the Armagnac-producing region, an area that mostly produces white wines, except the Madiran is home to mostly reds, and the grape Tannat dominates the area.
According to Bourgeois Family Selections website, "Its beautiful purple red color is indicative of the intense and savory nose which expresses a great maturity. The concentrated, rich, palate has an appealing black ripe fruit character that results in delicious aromas and round tannins with evocative spicy notes, of an excellent intensity. Wines from the Southwest of France contain the highest levels of polyphenols in the WORLD and are known to help fight cancer and bad cholesterol.....The Crampilh sticks to tradition with wild aromas of herb, smoke, and a meaty, chewy quality on the palate. The fullness on the nose and the palate is not at the expense of the beauty, balance, and grace of the wine. It just goes to show that the French can give you power and elegance at the same time." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 88 points

9 - Tikalo Alba Liza 2006 (La Mancha, Spain) $9.99 - Enjoy it as part of a meal or with a few friends if you feel like sharing after a sip of this great Spanish red! Aromas of cherries, anise, herbs and dark chocolate. Flavors of black fruit, cherries and jam. Blend: 65% Tempranillo - 35% Garnacha. Hand-harvested grapes - which Is rare for a 990 acre winery! The grapes are then sorted through a rigorous "table triage" to only use the most ripe bunches. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 88 points, "Much more serious than one would expect at this price."

10 - Tikalo Rubens 2006 (La Mancha, Spain) $11.99 - Deep cherry-red colored wine. Very intense with red fruit aromas and licorice. The wine is fresh in the mouth with bright fruit and silky tannins. Aromas of licorice and wild berries. Jammy fruit in the flavors. 100% Tempranillo. Hand-harvested grapes - which Is rare for a 990 acre winery! The grapes are then sorted through a rigorous "table triage" to only use the most ripe bunches.