August 3, 2009

Habitat for Humanity Chocolate, Brownie and Wine Tasting

Habitat for Humanity
Freeport House Fundraiser
(the event is FREE! 10% of your purchases will go to support Habitat for Humanity's Freeport House!)
Chocolate, Brownie and Wine Tasting
Monday, Aug. 3rd
5:00-7:00pm
Where:
Wilbur's Chocolates & Simply Divine Brownies
174 Lower Main Street, Rt. 1
Freeport, ME
(they are in the big orange house across the street from the purple building - the Pet Pantry)
Whites

Domaine Esperance Soleil et Colombard 2008 (France) $9.99 – Refreshing, bright and clean summer white! And, SUMMER is finally here! Easy drinking for a warm day! Great fun label! 100% Colombard. Stainless steel fermentation. Jean-Louis and Claire de Montesquiou bought this porperty in 1990. Previously, it had been left to run wild. It had been one of the Grand Crus of Bas-Armagnac. They also make Armagnac at this winery (France's oldest distilled spirit). Gold Medal D’Or, Paris 2008.

Vina San Esteban Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Chile) $9.99 – Lots of lemon/lime aromas and flavors in this smooth, crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Very different from a New Zealand Sauv. Blanc if that’s what you often drink. This winery farms sustainably in the Aconcagua Valley in central Chile. Food pairing – shellfish, seafood, lobster. Drinks well without food!

Reds

Pietra Santa Winery Sacred Stone Master’s Red Blend Cask #4 (California) $10.99 - Delicious! Runaway hit at our December tasting! Smooth! Rich! Soft! Juicy! Loads of ripe plums and cherries. Dark and lush! Crisp acidity and a rich, soft finish! Blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Dolcetto. 18,088 cases made. 24 months in French and American oak. Food pairing – great wine for a party – your guests will thank you for serving this! Drinks well with or without food. Grilled foods! Barbecue. Pizza. Pasta. Poultry. Mushrooms. Etc.

Maestre de Campo Malbec 2005 (Argentina) $14.99 - Huge hit at a recent tasting! We love this! Well-balanced wine with real nice tannins (they've smoothed out) and dark fruit with notes of mocha and chocolate. This is smooth and rich with bold flavors while still be smooth! 100% Malbec. Aged 12 months in French and American oak barrels. One characteristic of this winery is that they hold wine at the winery until it is ready to drink - so you can pull the cork on this and be confident is has sufficient barrel/tank and bottle aging! Food pairing - steak, beef, lamb, pasta dishes, lasagna, etc.

Thunder Stone Zinfandel 2005 (California) $14.99 – Made in California by and for a Mainer! This is a ripe and spicy Zinfandel! Lots of dark fruit and peppery spice. Shows some vanilla and toast from the oak aging. Food pairing – when you’re grilling, this should be your wine!

Dessert Wines
Quinta de la Rosa Port Finest Reserve Port Reg. $21.99 Sale $19.99 - more of a tawny Port than a Ruby. By that I mean the wine has spent more time aging in barrels, so it shows more nutty/caramelly notes in the wine than it does berry fruit - that's your basic difference between Tawny Port {nutty, caramelly} and Ruby Port {berry flavors}.
Small, family-owned winery right on the Douro River! Since 1906, it has belonged to a Swedish family, the Bergqvists. Claire Feuerheerd grandmother gave it to her as a christening present! Under her leadership, between 1931 and 1986, the wines were sold to several famous houses in the Douro such as Delaforce and Sandeman. With the innovative spirit of Sophia Bergqvists and her father, Tim Bergqvist, what started as a family port shipping company, slowly transformed into an internationally renowned port and red wine company in 1988.

Trentadue Alexander Valley Chocolate Amore Port (California) $26.99 - If you are looking for a wonderful dessert wine, 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)!