September Wine Tasting

September Wine Tasting

Freeport Cheese & Wine
Friday, Sept. 11th

3:30-7:30

178 Lower Main Street, Freeport, ME 04032

(207) 869-4048

10% discount on all tasting wines bought at the tasting! Or, within the week.

The Wines:

We have 2 distributors dueling it out!

Art Gonyea of National Distributors VS. David Joseph of Davine Wines

Art's Wines:

The Whites:

Vitano Falesco 2008 (Umbria, Italy) Reg. $12.99, Sale $11.99 - This is just a wonderful wine from Italy & a GREAT value! Well-balanced, fresh, medium-bodied wine. Aromas of peaches, honeysuckle, pears, melon & a pine forest. Loads of fruit flavors – pears and limes, plus a touch of fresh grassiness like a Sauvignon Blanc. Dry, crisp finish. Blend of Verdicchio and Vermentino. Stainless-steel fermentation and aging. Riccardo Cotarella is one of the true rock stars of Italian winemaking and his wines at Falesco continue to deliver incredible value! Food pairing - pasta with shellfish, risotto, white meat casseroles, salads, and vegetables.

Adelsheim Pinot Gris 2007 (Oregon) Reg. $16.99, Sale $14.99 - Adelsheim Vineyard is the 3rd oldest producer of Pinot Gris in the New World. This is their 24th vintage. It features grapes from 10 vineyards in the Willamette Valley (about 61% is from old vines in the Quarter Mile Lane Vineyard. The Adelsheims enhance the texture a little by allowing partial malolactic fermentation in a few of the lots, and by fermenting (not aging) a small portion of the wine in older neutral barrels. Wonderful floral aromas with bright fresh flavors of pears, peaches and apples. There is a little spiciness to the wine. The label features Giny Adelsheim's portrait of her older sister, Susanna Kuo. Sustainable farming practices. Food pairing - poached salmon, shellfish, bisques, oven-roasted chicken or poultry & spicy foods.

Manu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (New Zealand) Reg. $13.99, Sale $11.99 - Lots of fresh, bright fruit in this easy drinking wine! Loads of flavor! 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Stainless steel fermentation. Sustainable Agriculture. Food pairing – almost any shellfish or seafood. Has sufficient acidity to serve with light cream sauces – you need that acidity to “cut” the cream.

The Reds:

Château de Campuget Costières de Nîmes 2005 (France) $11.99 - Like a beautiful woman, the juice in this wine doesn't need a lot of "make-up" (oak barrels), so this is fermented and aged in stainless steel, which is a little unusual for the area. Garnet color with a hint of blue. Aromas of black currants, spices and pepper. Smooth tannins that linger nicely. Blend of 65% Syrah, 30% Grenache Noir and 5% Mourvèdre. This drinks well young and will drink well over 5-6 years. Food pairing - Serve slightly chilled (about 64 degrees) Grilled or roasted meat. Leg of lamb.

Falesco Vitiano Rosso 2007 (Umbria, Italy) Reg. $12.99, Sale $11.99 - Year-after-year this is a red wine that just provides great bang for the buck! Blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich texture with lots of great red fruit, plums, raisins and chocolate. Nice acidity to balance the fruit. Blend of equal parts Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 3 months in French (Nevers) oak. This will age well through 2012. Food pairing - grilled meats, mushroom dishes, lasagna, spaghetti, roasts & flavorful aged cheese. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Celler, 91 points; Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 89 points

Montaria Reserva Vinho Tinto 2006 (Portugal) $10.99 - we just tasted this Thursday and decided to add it to the line-up! Trincadeira & Aragones (Tempranillo) Beautiful ruby color with hints of tobacco and black cherry. Ripe berry flavors abound balanced with round tannins and a velvety finish. Food pairing - A natural for grilled foods: chicken, dark fish and beef.

Ferrari-Carano Merlot 2005 (California) Reg. $23.99, Sale $19.99 - This is easy to drink! It's full-bodied and has ripe tannins and notes of dark chocolate. Dark in color, the nose is complex with very ripe cherries, blackberries and baking spices. Blend of 90% Merlot, 6% Malbec, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is blended and barrel aged for 18 months in 70% older French oak, 25% new French oak, 5% American oak. Food pairing - any red meat course, Italian entrée and roasted or grilled poultry dishes."

Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre 2005 (Verona, Italy) Reg. $23.99, Sale $21.99 - What a rich, soft, elegant, great-tasting wine! A SPECIAL wine! For Amarone lovers, w/o the Amarone price tag! Velvet in a glass. Rich, complex nose – ripe fruit and spicy oak. Mouth-filling wine, but soft feel. Smooth tannins balance the dark berry and cherry flavors. Powerful. Long finish. Single vineyard blend of 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella & 5% Sangiovese. Food pairing - Great food wine! Rich meals – game, mushroom risotto, lamb & more. For a special treat – try with GOOD bittersweet chocolate! Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 89 points

Larry Cherubino "Middle of Everywhere" Shiraz 2007 (Australia) $16.99 - Larry Cherubino is one of the most acclaimed and skilled winemakers in the world, not just in Western Australia. He was the winemaker for New Zealand's Craggy Range Gimblett reds in 2005 (94 points from Parker) and California's Staglin Family Vineyards (93 points from Parker). This Shiraz is full of fruit and spice! Medium-bodied. Soft berry fruit with hints of baking spices and a little brambliness. Nice length on the finish. Grapes are from the Frankland River area in Western Australia. The grapes are destemmed. Aged 8 months in 30% new and 2-year old French oak barrels. Food pairing - grilled meats, lasagna, stews.

David's Wines

The Whites:

Domaine de Régusse Vin de Pays de Mediterranée Aligoté 2008 (France) $13.99 -This BLEW us away! Excellent wine from an obscure grape from Burgundy! This is refreshing and crisp! It has great acidity (typical for this grape). Flavors and aromas of green apples, lemons and minerals. Aged in stainless steel on its lees for 6 months. The lees are the residue in the vat or barrel – leaving the wine in contact with the lees adds richness to the wine. Organic farming. Food pairing – lobster! Shellfish. Grilled chicken. Salads. Kirs (add cassis).

Cave de Pomerol Picpoul de Pinet 2008 (Languedoc, France) $12.99 - Just a tremendous wine! Picpoul is often called "the Muscadet of the South" in France. Wonderful on warmer days as we hade for summer! Aromas of fresh bread, yeast, nuts, red berries and minerals. Flavors of tropical fruit, pear, apple and lime. Crisp acidity. Hints of spice on the clean, crisp finish. Food pairing - Drinks well on its own! Perfect with shellfish, lobster & seafood. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 89 points, Wine Review Online, 89 points

The Rosé:

Maipe Rosé of Malbec 2008 (Mendoza, Argentina) $11.99 (buy a case of the Maipes, mixed or full, $9.99 a bottle; that's 17% off!) - Delicious rosé from South America! Aromas and flavors of violets, raspberries, strawberries and red cherries! Nice acidity to balance the fruit in the wine. Dry finish that lasts! One day on the skins adds this rich dark color to the rosé! Stainless steel fermentation. 30 days “sur lees.” 100% Malbec. 35 year-old vines. Organic farming. Food pairing - drinks well on its own. Great with tuna, grilled chicken, green salads, pasta and spicy Asian dishes.

The Reds:

Hugl Zweigelt 2007 (Ketzelsdorf-Poysdorf, Austria) $15.99 - A 1 liter bottle! 33% more wine! Zweigelt is an Austrian grape, developed in 1922 when Dr. Fritz Zweigelt crossed two grapes - St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch. Today, Zweigelt is the most widely planted red variety in Austria, growing in nearly 9% of this country's vineyards. The wine boasts a concentrated color, fruity and spicy aromas, cherry flavors. Full-bodied, smooth and round, the wine is an ideal food companion. "A nice Zweigelt that makes a good match for casual grilled fare. Sneak this along on your next cookout." - Washington Post (July 09), VERY GOOD

Apaltagua Pinot Noir 2008 (Chile) $12.99 - Apaltagua’s Pinot Noir has a brilliant ruby color and emphasizes aromas of cherries, raspberries, and soft notes of oak. It boasts smooth and elegant tannins and a sophisticated finish. The grapes come from Apaltagua’s own vineyard in Tricao in the Curico Valley. Food pairing - roasted or grilled meats, mushroom risotto, earthy dishes. Wine writer Gil Lempert-Schwarz describes Apaltagua's Pinot Noir 2008 as a “ nice juicy wine that envelopes the palate with mixed red and black cherries. The tannins are ripe and harmonious ... It beats pricier California counterparts by leaps and bounds.”

Maipe Malbec 2008 (Mendoza, Argentina) $11.99 (buy a case of the Maipes, mixed or full, $9.99 a bottle; that's 17% off!) - Excellent wine & a great value! Aromas and flavors of flowers, ripe figs, dark berry fruit & more! Wonderful floral aromas at the start. Soft, integrated tannins. Finish has nice length! I’ve tasted this immediately after opening & a day later; it’s good both ways! Decant to enhance the flavors & aromas! 10% aged 3 months in oak. Organic farming. Food pairing - drinks well on its own. Great with roasted & grilled meats, rich pasta dishes, etc. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points

Thorn Clarke Shotfire Ridge Shiraz 2008 (Australia) $21.99 - Each vintage, this is a big, rich and smooth Shiraz. Lots of dark chocolate, dark berries and spice in the aromas and flavors. This wine also has tons of complexity. It shows earth and spice and graphite as well as plums and blackberries.....and that great dark chocolate! The tannins are soft and integrated. Aged in a mix of French and American oak hogsheads for 14-16 months (40% new; the rest are 2nd and 3rd fill barrels). Food pairing - drinks GREAT without food. Steak, lamb, beef, Wolf Neck Farm burgers.

New Age (Mendoza, Argentina) $11.99 - blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Malvasia, this has a little effervescense to it! We'll serve this as a cocktail - over ice with a little slice of lime! It's a hugely popular drink in Argentina and is making a big splash in Maine this year! The drink is called "Tincho," after the cocktail's creator, who happens to be the 3rd generation of this family-owned winery in Mendoza. Bodega Valentin Bianchi is one of Argentina's oldest wineries, dating to 1928 and founded by Italian immigrant, Valentin Bianchi. It's delicious and refreshing!