March 25, 2011

French Wine Special and Rosé Sale

Château de Flaugergues Côteaux de Languedoc, La Méjanelle Vineyard 2007 (France) $17.99 - One of our favorites!!! Outstanding! Unfortunately, Wine Spectator found this & awarded this a whopping score a few years ago. Why is this unfortunate? B/C people who care more about “points” than wine, now know this wine. Not many cases are made. Deep ruby color. Blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache & Syrah. Wonderful berry fruit in the nose. Nice balance between the tannins and fruit. Well balanced. Nice white pepper on the finish. This wine is worth getting a case or two – it’ll age well for 3-5 years, but it is drinking GREAT right now! Food pairing - Goes well with hearty meals, grilled meats & just on its own! Wine Spectator, 91 points, #50 Top 100 Wines, 2010

The Rosés

I learned that National Distributors had some rosés from 2009 and 2008 in their warehouse and that they planned to do a clearance sale on the wines in May (give or take a week). I talked them into moving the date up to now and we tasted a bunch of them on Wednesday with Art.

Rosés are similar to Beaujolais Nouveau – they drink best when young.

All of these wines are tasting great right now. The ones we chose have long been among our favorite rosés. The Campuget was our best-selling rosé last summer. We passed on all of the 2008 ones because we thought they weren’t fresh.

A big reason they are still fresh is that none of them are closed with synthetic corks (those things do not seal bottles well) – 2 are natural corks and 2 are the modern screwcap.

We have limited quantities of these available.

Librandi DOC Cirò Rosato 2009 (Italy) Reg. $13.99, Sale $8.99 - This is a GREAT Italian rosé! Aromas of flowers and spice….loads of cherries, herbs and figs in the flavors and aromas. Dry rosé. Great acidity….LONG finish…..this will just SHINE with grilled tuna or similar fish. This is a “weighty” rosé. 100% Gaglioppo (ancient Greek grape), this is the most important red wine grape in Calabria (the tip of the boot). 12 hours of skin contact turns this wine a deep coral color. Food pairing – perfect with grilled fish, spicy sauces, antipasti of meat and cheese, etc. 24 bottles.

Château de Campuget Costières de Nîmes Rosé 2009 (France) Reg. $11.99, Sale $8.99 - Delicious rosé from France! Flavors and aromas of raspberries and red currants. Long finish that is crisp, dry AND fruity. 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache. Stainless steel fermentation. Bottled young and fresh and meant to be drunk that way! Food pairing – salads, grilled chicken, Thanksgiving Dinner, roast pork. Great with roasted red peppers which are drizzled with good olive oil. 55 bottles.

Torres Sangre de Toro Rosé 2009 (Spain) Reg. $13.99, Sale $7.99 - Beautiful Spanish rosé that is a good bit darker than most Provencal ones. Aromas of cherries, red currant and apples. Flavors of red cherries, red currants, other red berries and a little spice. Dry rosé. Great acidity. LONG finish…..a “weighty” rosé. Blend of 65% Grenache and 35% Carinena. Unoaked. “Sangre de Toro” means “son of the bull.” The name is in honor of Bacchus, who was often called “the son of the bull.” Food pairing – grilled poultry, grilled pork tenderloin, grilled fish, fish stews, spicy sauces, antipasti of meat and cheese, etc. 36 bottles.

Francis Ford Coppola Sofia Rosé 2009 (California) Reg. $17.99, Sale $11.99 - This is a delicious, pretty wine! It has a beautiful magenta color. Aromas and flavors of strawberries, tea leaves, violets, cherries, raspberries and baking spices. This has nice fruit and a soft texture. We also bought this because the bottle is just beautiful. The wine tastes really good. That’s the most important thing. I’m saving a couple of these bottles to store olive oil and herbed vinegar near the stove after I finish drinking the wine! Blend of Grenache and Syrah. Stainless steel fermentation and aging. Food Pairing – savory appetizers, salmon, grilled chicken and salads. Drinks well without food! 12 bottles.

1 comment:

Easy French said...

Great selection of French wines. Prices are reasonable :)
Cathy