Wine & Cheese Tasting, Friday, Dec. 17th

Wine & Cheese Tasting

Friday, 3:30 – 7:30pm

Dec. 17^th, 2010

How much do you love your family and friends? A progressive tasting of sorts!

10% off on all wine tasting wines!

Dueling Distributors AGAIN!

2 tables – you find the wines you like the most!

We’ll have Art Gonyea from National and Doug Watts and Cat Oster from South Portland Wine Company here for the tasting. Plus, we’ll have the unique cheeses of Echo Ridge Organic Cheese and its cheesemaker and founder, Barb Skapa…..Barb grew up in France and makes soft-ripening cheeses that she remembers from her childhood….rich, intense and, at times, stinky soft cheeses such as Camembert, Brie, Chaource, Coulommier, Ste. Maure, Taleggio and a unique Maine cheese, Moody Blue! From Echo Ridge Farm in Mount Vernon!

The Sparkling:

Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Rosé (France) $44.99 - Outstanding champagne! Possibly OUR FAVORITE! It’s hard to pick which is a favorite Champagne – this is up there! This is a GREAT bottle of wine! WOW! Intense and big aromas & flavors – raspberry, strawberry & red currants along with fresh bread. Aromas of cinnamon and cloves. Dry. Intense flavors. Complex. Well-balanced. Silky texture. Long, tasty finish! Food pairing - Drink well-chilled as an aperitif. A GREAT FOOD WINE! Try it with smoked salmon or seared tuna! Perfect with fruit tarts to finish a great meal. Blend of Pinot Noir (60%), Pinot Meunier (30%) and Chardonnay (10%). Aged a minimum of 3 years. Wine Spectator, 92 points

The Whites:

Doug and Cat’s Table:

Eola Hills Pinot Gris 2009 (Oregon) $12.99 - An American CLASSIC – perfect for Thanksgiving Dinner! This is a wonderful Oregon Pinot Gris! Crisp. Dry. Lovely Granny Smith apple, pear, peach and pineapple fruit aromas and flavors. A little white pepper and lemon/lime citrus on the finish! 100% estate grown fruit (unusual at this price). Stainless steel fermentation. Food pairing – Dinners such as Thanksgiving – poultry and lots of sides! Ham. Great with salmon, Winterpoint Oysters, or grilled or roasted poultry. Proscuitto. Scallops. Both together!

Clos Uroulat Cuvée Marie Jurançon Sec 2008 (France) $26.99 – One of my favorite wines! This a unique AND fabulous wine! LOTS, & LOTS, & LOTS of aromas & flavors! Cycle back to it over an evening & your experience will change! Just what wine should add to your evening! Savor this! Don't rush through this! Aromas & flavors of baking spices, apples, marzipan, roasted almonds & vanilla. Rich & lush! Great acidity! 90% Gros Manseng. The grapes partially dried on the vine. Hand-harvested. Aged in French oak barrels (almost none are new). A whopping 112 cases brought into the USA (that’s 1,344 bottles). Food pairing - smoked fish, freshwater fish, seafood, ham, spicy Asian fare, paté & foie gras. Whatever you want with this!

Art’s Table:

Angeline Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (California) $12.99 – This is a delicious, easy-to-drink, crisp Sauvignon Blanc! Very aromatic – hot peppers, gooseberries, tropical fruit and a pleasing grassiness. Flavors of melons, limes and tropical fruit. Refreshing finish. 8,500 cases made. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Food pairing – seafood. Lighter dishes with tropical fruit sauces.

Bearboat Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2008 (CA) $17.99 - This is a tasty, robust, complex AND easy-and-fun-to drink Chardonnay! Aromas of apples, stone fruits and tropical fruits. Butterscotch, lemon and green apple flavors. Just a hint of toasted oak (it’s there, but it is subtle). Well-balanced. The fruit and acidity in this wine show through as in many Burgundies. A hint of oak (vanilla and toast) at the finish. 100% hand-harvested grapes. 35% aged in stainless steel and 65% aged in new French oak. 60% goes through malolactic fermentation to soften and enrich the wine and add a buttery/creamy side to it. Food pairing - Truly a wine you will sip on and want more! Lobster, creamy dishes, smoked fish, risotto and polenta dishes. Wine Enthusiast, 90 points.

The Reds:

Art’s Table:

Bearboat Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2006 (CA) $19.99 - This is a rich and lush California Pinot Noir with tons of ripe fruit and lots to balance out that fruit! Great aromas and flavors of strawberries and cherries, vanilla and baking spices. Soft, integrated tannins. SMOOTH! 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Gamay. Hand-harvested grapes. De-stemmed grapes. Aged 9 months in French oak (25% new, 25% 2nd use, 25% 3rd use and 25% 4th use). Oak barrels lose 80% of their “oakiness” the first time they are use. At the same time, wine ferments and ages differently in oak barrels than in stainless steel vats (oak is porous). Food pairing – salmon, duck, pork tenderloin, dishes marinated in soy sauce.

Valle Reale “Vigne Nuove” Montelpulciano d’Abruzzo 2008 (Italy) $14.99 - Juicy, soft, loaded with fruit and easy to drink! Just explodes with red berries, sour cherries, wild blackberries & ripe strawberries. The tannins are there and help balance the fruit....as does the acidity. Medium-bodied. Loads of flavor. Easy-going wine - a pleasure to drink! Versatile, authentic Italian red! "Vigne Nuove" = these are first grapes harvested in the “Gorges of Popoli.” 100% Montepulciano fermented in stainless steel to preserve the fresh fruit aromas & flavors. Hand-harvested. Food pairing - eggplant parmigiana, chicken parmigiana, meat-based pasta dishes, etc.

Chateau la Rose de Palenne Bordeaux 2009 (France) $18.99 – 2009 is a GREAT, GREAT vintage! The prices on the “lesser-known Bordeaux are a tremendous reason to look again at this wonderful wine area. This is a “Right Bank” Bordeaux so it is Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This has a nice weight to it and softness at the same time. The tannins are good and integrated. It’s organic. Very aromatic – floral. This is fuller at the front of the mouth and lighter at the finish. Lots of nice darkl fruit! We really liked this when we tasted it on the 8^th!

Amancaya Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (Argentina) $19.99 – This is a BIG, robust wine. It’s juicy, well-structured and ready-to-drink! Hearty wine! Aromas and flavors of dark fruit, dark chocolate, vanilla and pepper. Amancaya is a flower in the Andes. This wine is a joint venture of Barons de Lafite Rothschild and Nicolas Catena. 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 12 months in oak (20% new).

PreVail “West Face” 2005 (California) Reg. $49.99, Sale $39.99 – This is one huge, mouthful of wine…..it’s a monster! It’s a deep, dark wine. Big flavors, big aromas and a long, long finish. Flavors and aromas of dark chocolate, licorice, dark cherries and more. This is a newer project for Dan Carano, who wanted to make special wines from mountain-grown grapes. The Cabernet and Syrah are grown on Look Out Mountain in Alexander Valley on a western-facing slope. Volcanic soils. The location and soil contribute to these grapes ripening slowly – this really intensifies the flavors and aromas! 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Syrah. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 91 points.

Doug and Cat’s Table:

Alberti 154 Malbec 2009 (Argentina) $12.99 –

Perrone Barbera d’Asti “Tasmorcan” 2009 (Italy) $18.99 –

Bodega Beronia Rioja Gran Reserva 2001 (Italy) $26.99 –

Two Hands Angel’s Share Shiraz 2008 (Australia) $39.99 - A big, rich, impressive wine! Aromas of chocolate, dark berries, coffee, cassis, black licorice, smoky bacon & spice. Full bodied. Great mouth-feel – full, well-balanced flavors of dark fruit & mocha, rich, big. Medieval winemakers thought the angels were drinking the missing wine in the barrels, so they called it the “Angels’ Share.” Food pairing – Drinks best on its own with friends. Big meals – a steak, lamb, beef stew. Will age well for 5-6. Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 90 points

Shafer Relentless Syrah 2006 (California) $59.99 –

The Desserts:

Art’s Table

Torres Floralis Aqua D’Or (Spain) $23.99 – This is delicious. 100% Moscato. This has wonderful aromas and flavors of oranges, nuts and more. It’s sweet, but it finishes crisp and clean.

Doug and Cat’s Table:

Rare Historic Series Madeira New York Malmsey (Portugal) $44.99 – Wine Enthusiast, 93 points.