Wine & Cheese Tasting, Thursday, Dec. 2nd

Cheese & Wine Tasting

Thursday, 4:30 – 7:00pm

December 2nd, 2010

10% off on all wine tasting wines!

The Cheeses:

We’ll have Greg from Sid Wainer & Sons here along with their cheesemonger to sample us on some delicious cheeses!

Kilchurn Cheddar (England) $15.99/piece and $8.99/half-piece – this is rich and creamy, sweet and sharp and the cheese has crystals forming in it that give it a nice crunchy characteristic. It comes in a 17 pounce block. We will cut this in half. Cow’s milk.

Petite Brie de Chevre (Massachusetts) $7.99 each – this is a delightful, soft-ripening goat brie. It’s smooth and tangy and delicious. Perfect for a cheese tray for a party! Goat’s milk.

Jansal Valley Smoked Gruyere (New Hampshire) $14.99/pound – Naturally smoked with apple wood. This is a creamy, rich cheese with a beautiful smokiness to it! This melts beautifully and would help make a great scalloped potato dish or fondue! Cow’s milk.

The Whites:

Eola Hills Pinot Gris 2009 (Oregon) $11.99 - 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 – Thanksgiving Dinner! Great with salmon, Winterpoint Oysters, or grilled or roasted poultry. Proscuitto. Scallops. Both together!

Paul Jaboulet Aîné Parallèle 45 Blanc Côtes du Rhône 2008 (France) $13.99 - This is DELICIOUS! This is a fresh, zippy, tangy white! It has aromas and flavors of lemons, apricots, apples, yellow plums, honeysuckle and minerals that carry through from the start to the finish. Clean. Nice weight to it. Not oaky. Blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Marsanne, 20% Viognier and 10% Bourboulenc. 50% aged in French oak for 2-3 months. Food pairing – poultry, lighter pork dishes, seafood. Drinks well on its own, too! Decanter Magazine, December ’09 “Wine of the Month”

Ranga Ranga Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (New Zealand) $11.99 - Delicious Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc that I just last month! This has aromas and flavors of minerals, freshly mown grass, tropical fruit, lemons and limes. It’s dry, crisp and refreshing. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Stainless steel fermentation. Sustainable agriculture. Food pairing - matches well to spicy food - Thai, Japanese, Indian, but works equally well with seafood and fat cheeses.

The Reds:

Elicio Grenache & Merlot 2009 (France) Reg. $11.99, Sale $9.99 - Just what we all need! A fabulous red from Southern France for less than $10! Aromas and flavors of strawberries, cherries, raspberries, black pepper and baking spices. Soft and round with a lot of smooth fruit throughout each taste. Clean and refreshing! 50% Grenache and 50% Merlot. Aged 8 months in concrete tanks to preserve the freshness of the fruit. Sustainable Agriculture. Food pairing - Great wine with grilled or roasted meats, hearty stews, etc. Decant to open up more rapidly.

Petraio Nero d’Avola 2008 (Sicily, Italy) Reg. $10.99, Sale $9.99 - Great tasting wine at a song of a price! The Primitivo and Sangiovese from this winery have been huge hits since we first started carrying them! Great values in this price range. Aromas and flavors of blackberries, black licorice and blueberries. This has soft tannins. Nero d’Avola is the dominant red grape from Sicily. Stainless steel fermentation (sees no oak aging). Food pairing - pasta with red sauce or pizza. Game. Spicy dishes.

Château de Costis Grand Vin de Bordeaux 2009 (Bordeaux, France) Reg. $14.99, Sale $11.99 – Delicious, moderate-priced wine from a lesser known part of Bordeaux and from a great vintage. This is smooth and rich! Blend of 40% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. From the heart of the Entre-deux-Mers part of Bordeaux. Laurent Mazeau took over this estate from his father in 1985 and has steadily improved the quality of its wines. In 2006, the winery achieved the “Certificate of Reasoned Agriculture (Sustainable Agriculture).”

Chateau de Villeneuve Saumur Champigny Cabernet Franc 2008 (Loire Valley, France) Reg. $19.99, Sale $15.99 – Chateau de Villeneuve is one of the best producers in this wine-making area in the Loire Valley. This property certainly isn’t as well-known as Clos Rougeard, which is run by the esteemed Frères Foucault, but the wines aren’t as expensive, either! I love Cabernet Franc and I really love this wine! This has great aromas of red berries, pepper and a gamey hint. The texture is smooth, with softness to it. This has ripe, concentrated fruit flavors. The tannins are well-balanced. Food pairing – game, red meat, ham, pork, pasta dishes with tomato-sauce. A plate of blue cheese, walnuts and ripe pears.

El Coto Rioja Crianza 2006 (Spain) $14.99 - This is the best red under $20 I’ve tasted in the last 2 months! The flavors and aromas are well-balanced in this! It’s soft with tannins that give the wine structure, but they also don’t dominate the flavors and feel. Aromas and flavors of red fruit that is typical of Tempranillo with nice notes of licorice and vanilla from the oak aging. 100% Tempranillo that is aged 12 months in American oak barrels and at least 6 months in the bottle. Food pairing – grilled meats, pasta, pizza. Drinks well without food! Wine Enthusiast, “Best Buy”