Wine Tasting
Tuesday, May 12th, 5:00-7:00pm.
Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park Street, Freeport
Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park Street, Freeport
The Freeport Square Satellite Gallery at the Hilton Garden Inn invites you to a GRAND OPENING! Specializing in showing the work of Maine artists, this unique collaboration brings some of the artwork out of the gallery directly to guests of the inn and locals! Artists showing include James Chute, Dennis Stein, Diana Washburn, Mea Zamora, Valerie Paul, Shelley Snodgrass and Sebastian Meade. Artwork includes acrylic and oil painting, watercolor and pastels, photography, prints and mixed media.
Meet the artists, enjoy light refreshments, a wine tasting with South Portland Wine Company. If you prefer a beer or other beverage, the Hilton has a bar! All this is FREE! At 7PM, join us in the lounge/bar to listen to the sounds of the Tony Boffa Trio! Call the Gallery (865-4758) or the Hilton (865-1433) for more info.
The Wines
All of these wines are from one importer, Grapes of Spain. They only deal in Spanish wines - and they excel at finding great tasting ones at great values! Wine reviewers such as Robert Parker, Wine Spectator, Jancis Robinson, Food & Wine and others rave about Aurelio Cabestrero's ability to find good wines at great prices.
Sparkling:
Conde de Subirats Brut Rose Cava (Penedes, Spain) $12.99 - Light pink with fine bubbles! Aromas of strawberries, red berries and a hint of fresh bread, baking spices and pepper. Flavors of lighter red fruit and a touch of fresh bread yeastiness. 90% Trepat and 10% Pinot Noir. From the heart of Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, the birthplace of Cava. Stainless steel fermentation. Aged 18 months in the bottle on lees before disgorging. Then the dosage is added to make the wine "bubbly." This is the same time-consuming, expensive method as Champagne and it results in finer, better, longer-lasting bubbles.
Flare Moscatel (Valencia, Spain) $12.99 - Moderately sweet bubbly that is great for a brunch or picnic or party! Aromas of apples, pears, flowers, anise and herbs. Flavors of apples and pears. Starts out sweet and then finishes with impression of dryness. 100% Moscatel (Muscat of Alexandria). Unfortified. Fermentation is stopped at 7.5% alcohol by chilling the tank and then filtering the yeast. Carbonation is created through the Charmat (Metodo Italiano) method - the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the tank - this creates the bubbles - and then it is bottled.
Whites
Nessa Albarino 2008 (Rias Baixas, Spain) $14.99 - This is delicious! Spain’s best wine wine grape! Albariño! Wonderful aromas of peaches, pears, citrus, flowers & minerals. Flavors of white peaches, minerals & a wonderful, zippy acidity that has a little saline quality to it! It's medium-bodied & dry. Estate grown grapes. Stainless steel fermentation. Aged 1 month on lees to soften the texture. Food pairing - Great paired with fresh Maine seafood, especially shellfish! Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 88 points
Las Colinas del Ebro Garnacha Blanc 2007 (Terra Alta, Spain) $11.99 - Nice lighter citrus and orchard fruit flavors that are rich and intense, but not heavy. Aromas of pears, lemons, minerals and baking spices. 100% Garnacha Blanca from 100 year-old vines. Stainless steel - sees no oak. Hand-harvested. Aged on lees for 2 months to add complexity. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 88 points
Bodegas Pedro Escudor Fuente Elvira Verdejo 2007 (Rueda, Spain) $14.99 - Delicious! This is a perfectly bright, fresh and crisp wine. Great value! Aromas of grapefruit and herbs such as chives and freshly mown grass. Flavors of tangerines & tropical fruits. Well-balanced & integrated acidity. Finishes crisp, clean & dry. Rueda is best known for producing dry wines from the Verdejo grape. This is a great example! Single vineyard with vines that average 40 years. Think of this as a Spanish Sauvignon Blanc! Food pairing – oysters, sharp goat cheeses, green olives, lighter poultry dishes, smoked fish, etc. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 89 points
Red
Bodegas Tintoralba Almansa Higuerela Grenache 2008 (Almansa, Spain) $9.99 - We love this! Perfect summer red! We call this wine "Higgy" for short! This is one outstanding wine! It has nice, big, soft fruit (red & dark berries, plums)....a touch of pepper, but not too much. It's done completely in stainless steel - so the fruit is bright & fresh. Sees no oak. From Almansa. Food pairing - Try it on its own or with chicken, grilled veggies, salmon, etc.
El Talud Rioja 2006 (Rioja, Spain) $14.99 - Straightforward tasty wine showcasing fresh raspberry/boysenberry fruit. The tannins are round and soft. Nice length on the finish. Easy-drinking wine! 100% Tempranillo. Made from grapes from several micro-vineyards (about 2.5 acres each) from vines that are 40-78 years-old in the village of Cenicero in Rioja Alavesa. Fermented at cold temperatures in stainless steel - no oak.
Prima Toro 2006 (Toro, Spain) $22.99 - Lovely wine with a lingering finish that is loaded with soft, fresh fruit. Dark color. Aromas and flavors of cooked cherries, blackberries, minerals and fresh flowers. Some notes of baking spices and leather in the aromas. Smooth texture. Fine-grained tannins. Mouth-coating. 90% Tinta de Toro, 10% Grenache. Hand-harvested. Stainless steel fermentation. Aged 12 months in 2nd & 3rd use French and American oak barrels. Unfiltered. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 90 points; Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 89 points
Neo Vivir, Vivir 2007 (Ribera del Duero, Spain) $11.99 - 100% Tempranillo from 20-60 year-old vines in La Horra. Produced by J.C. Conde who makes Neo Sentido, a "WOW" high-end wine! Aged in tank (not oak) for 10 months before bottling. Deep, dark color. Aromas & flavors of minerals, baking spices, dark cherries & dark berries. Smooth texture. Drink over the next 3 years. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points, "Spain's Top 100 Wine Values"
Sparkling:
Conde de Subirats Brut Rose Cava (Penedes, Spain) $12.99 - Light pink with fine bubbles! Aromas of strawberries, red berries and a hint of fresh bread, baking spices and pepper. Flavors of lighter red fruit and a touch of fresh bread yeastiness. 90% Trepat and 10% Pinot Noir. From the heart of Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, the birthplace of Cava. Stainless steel fermentation. Aged 18 months in the bottle on lees before disgorging. Then the dosage is added to make the wine "bubbly." This is the same time-consuming, expensive method as Champagne and it results in finer, better, longer-lasting bubbles.
Flare Moscatel (Valencia, Spain) $12.99 - Moderately sweet bubbly that is great for a brunch or picnic or party! Aromas of apples, pears, flowers, anise and herbs. Flavors of apples and pears. Starts out sweet and then finishes with impression of dryness. 100% Moscatel (Muscat of Alexandria). Unfortified. Fermentation is stopped at 7.5% alcohol by chilling the tank and then filtering the yeast. Carbonation is created through the Charmat (Metodo Italiano) method - the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the tank - this creates the bubbles - and then it is bottled.
Whites
Nessa Albarino 2008 (Rias Baixas, Spain) $14.99 - This is delicious! Spain’s best wine wine grape! Albariño! Wonderful aromas of peaches, pears, citrus, flowers & minerals. Flavors of white peaches, minerals & a wonderful, zippy acidity that has a little saline quality to it! It's medium-bodied & dry. Estate grown grapes. Stainless steel fermentation. Aged 1 month on lees to soften the texture. Food pairing - Great paired with fresh Maine seafood, especially shellfish! Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 88 points
Las Colinas del Ebro Garnacha Blanc 2007 (Terra Alta, Spain) $11.99 - Nice lighter citrus and orchard fruit flavors that are rich and intense, but not heavy. Aromas of pears, lemons, minerals and baking spices. 100% Garnacha Blanca from 100 year-old vines. Stainless steel - sees no oak. Hand-harvested. Aged on lees for 2 months to add complexity. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 88 points
Bodegas Pedro Escudor Fuente Elvira Verdejo 2007 (Rueda, Spain) $14.99 - Delicious! This is a perfectly bright, fresh and crisp wine. Great value! Aromas of grapefruit and herbs such as chives and freshly mown grass. Flavors of tangerines & tropical fruits. Well-balanced & integrated acidity. Finishes crisp, clean & dry. Rueda is best known for producing dry wines from the Verdejo grape. This is a great example! Single vineyard with vines that average 40 years. Think of this as a Spanish Sauvignon Blanc! Food pairing – oysters, sharp goat cheeses, green olives, lighter poultry dishes, smoked fish, etc. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 89 points
Red
Bodegas Tintoralba Almansa Higuerela Grenache 2008 (Almansa, Spain) $9.99 - We love this! Perfect summer red! We call this wine "Higgy" for short! This is one outstanding wine! It has nice, big, soft fruit (red & dark berries, plums)....a touch of pepper, but not too much. It's done completely in stainless steel - so the fruit is bright & fresh. Sees no oak. From Almansa. Food pairing - Try it on its own or with chicken, grilled veggies, salmon, etc.
El Talud Rioja 2006 (Rioja, Spain) $14.99 - Straightforward tasty wine showcasing fresh raspberry/boysenberry fruit. The tannins are round and soft. Nice length on the finish. Easy-drinking wine! 100% Tempranillo. Made from grapes from several micro-vineyards (about 2.5 acres each) from vines that are 40-78 years-old in the village of Cenicero in Rioja Alavesa. Fermented at cold temperatures in stainless steel - no oak.
Prima Toro 2006 (Toro, Spain) $22.99 - Lovely wine with a lingering finish that is loaded with soft, fresh fruit. Dark color. Aromas and flavors of cooked cherries, blackberries, minerals and fresh flowers. Some notes of baking spices and leather in the aromas. Smooth texture. Fine-grained tannins. Mouth-coating. 90% Tinta de Toro, 10% Grenache. Hand-harvested. Stainless steel fermentation. Aged 12 months in 2nd & 3rd use French and American oak barrels. Unfiltered. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 90 points; Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 89 points
Neo Vivir, Vivir 2007 (Ribera del Duero, Spain) $11.99 - 100% Tempranillo from 20-60 year-old vines in La Horra. Produced by J.C. Conde who makes Neo Sentido, a "WOW" high-end wine! Aged in tank (not oak) for 10 months before bottling. Deep, dark color. Aromas & flavors of minerals, baking spices, dark cherries & dark berries. Smooth texture. Drink over the next 3 years. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points, "Spain's Top 100 Wine Values"
Freeport Cheese & Wine
27 Bow Street
Freeport, ME 04032
(207) 865-3993
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