July 15, 2011

New, Rarely Seen Vermouths

New Vermouths

Why are these exciting?

Where many mass-produced dry Vermouths taste like stale wine and the sweet ones are sticky sweet, Dolin’s 3 styles are markedly lighter and fresher with fresh herb flavors and a clean finish.

Hauz Alpenz is a specialty spirits importer run by Eric Seed, who has been called “the Indiana Jones of lost spirits” by Food & Wine magazine because he combs the earth for all-but-forgotten aperitifs and liqueurs that have soul and a sense of place.

Easterly Wines, Maine’s first niche wine distributor, has brought several of these treasures into the state:

· The vermouth-like Chinati from the Italian house Cocchi

· The famed Vermouth de Chambéry from Dolin

Now Mainers can taste a true James Bond “Vesper” martini or the famous hangover remedy, “Corpse Reviver,” from the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.

Corpse Reviver

1/3 Italian Vermouth (we recommend Carpano)
1/3 Apple Brandy or Calvados
1/3 Brandy

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. To be taken whenever steam or energy are needed.

Corpse Reviver No. 2

1 part Lemon Juice
1 part Lillet
1 part Cointreau
1 part Dry Gin
1 Dash Absinthe

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again.

Dolin Vermouth

The French House of Dolin has been in continuous operation since 1821. It is credited with the invention of Blanc Vermouth, later adding Dry and Rouge. In 1932 it won the only Appellation d’Origine for Vermouth in France. It is the last remaining House to produce Vermouth de Chambéry. Vermouth de Chambéry is its own appellation.

All of Dolin’s Vermouths are made from the white wines of Chambéry, including the Rouge. The Rouge gains its color from the infusion of plants and dark, carmelized sugar used in its production. Most of the wine comes from the Armagnac vineyards of the Gers.

Dolin Vermouths are lighter, more dry and less pungent than most mass-produced Vermouths. The plants used to infuse the Dolin vermouths are also from Chambéry, giving these Vermouths even more of a sense of terroir.

Dolin’s exact recipes are a closely guarded secret, but they include as many as 54 different plants, including wormwood, chamomile, hyssop, rose petals, chincona bark and more. The finished product is 75-80% wine, much more than mass-produced varieties.

Each Dolin Vermouth offers a fresh, restrained and elegant nose, with a subtle, complex bittersweet taste. Even the Blanc and Rouge retain great balance, with the sugar never cloyingly sweet and just enough bitterness to whet the appetite.

Each can be enjoyed as an aperitif on ice with a twist of citrus, or in a broad array of cocktails.

Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry Dry - $14.99 for a 750ml bottle, $10.99 for a half bottle. Refreshing, complex…..makes a great martini and drinks wonderfully over ice with a twist.

Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry Blanc - $14.99 for a 750ml bottle, $10.99 for a half bottle. This has a wonderfully light and refreshing taste. It’s hugely complex and is more herbal than anything else. It tastes like a meadow full of wildflowers smells – refreshing and pure. This has a touch of sweetness that the Dry Vermouth doesn’t have.

Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry Rouge - $14.99 for a 750ml bottle, $10.99 for a half bottle. This has more pronounced herbal flavors than the Dry or the Blanc. It’s both weightier and softer than the Dry or the Blanc.

Persephone Cocktail

Ice, 1 ounce applejack, ¾ ounce Dolin Rouge Vermouth, ½ ounce Plymouth Sloe Gin, ½ ounce fresh lemon juice, ½ ounce simple syrup. Fill a pint glass with ice. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve.

House of Cocchi Vermouth

In the late 1800’s, the Asti-based (Piedmont, Italy) House of Cocchi started making Vermouths. The Italian Vermouths are called “Chinati.” They were originally flavored with quinine.

Cocchi’s Vermouth di Torino has used the Muscato grape as its base since 1891. Vermouth di Torino is one of only two protected geographical designations for Vermouth.

Cocchi’s Americano and Torino are made precisely the way they were in 1891.

Cocchi Vermouth Americano - $19.99 for a 750ml bottle. This is made with fruit, spices, chincona, gentian and citrus on a Moscato d’Asti base. It is laid down for a year before it is released. This is the missing link in the James Bond “Vesper” martini. It’s what brings the “Corpse Reviver” to life. But, it can be enjoyed on its own or over ice with a twist of orange zest and a splash of soda.

Cocchi Vermouth di Torino - $19.99 for a 750ml bottle. It has rich notes of cocoa, citrus and rhubarb and a balanced bitter undertone. It’s complex and delicious enough to drink “neat,” or use it as a substitute for sweet Vermouth to make cocktails.

Cocchi Vermouth Barolo Chinato - $69.99 for a 500ml bottle. As the name indicates, this is made on a base of Barolo. It’s infused with quinine bark, rhubarb, ginger and a variety of aromatic spices. This is the Rolls Royce of Chinati. Generally enjoyed neat, after dinner, especially with good dark chocolate.

James Bond “Vesper” Martini

3 parts Gordon’s Gin (this is the old-style Gordon’s of 1953)

1 part Vodka

½ part Cocchi Americano

A long, thin lemon peel

Shaken, not stirred

July 14, 2011

Wine Tasting, July 15th

Wine Tasting

Friday, June 17th

3:30 – 7:30pm

10% off on all wine tasting wines!

Each summer, Ned Swain of Devenish and I love to get together and talk about and taste wines that are PERFECT for the summer months and seafood and parties and grilling and more.....and, we keep coming back to France......each and every summer.....we are a bit biased.....these are the wines we love.....and among the wines we find the most food-friendly.

So, the tasting on Friday, July 15th is going to be Franco-centric and it is going to be focused on summer!

The wines (at least....the wines at this point; more details to come):

The Whites:

· Château La Morinière* Muscadet 2009 (France) $12.99 - This old-vine Muscadet picks up a lot of minerality from the gravelly vineyards that are home to the grapes. This has an almost Sancerre-like focus to it and minerally mid-palate. It has a great combination of fruit and minerals and a refreshing taste! Stainless steel fermentation and aging. Aged on the lees (the yeast and residue that collects in the bottom of vats and barrels during fermentation) for 8 months. This will age well for 2-6 years. The vines are 40-45 years old and the vineyard is one of the highest in terms of altitude in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. It faces south-southeast. The Couillard Brothers are 6th generation winemakers. Organic, sustainable farming. Food pairing – shrimp scampi, mussels, oysters, shellfish, lobster.

· Domaine du Grand Moulin Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (France) $12.99 - Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley; if you are like me and you love Sancerre, but you don't like Sancerre prices, you need to try this! This is very aromatic and racy. Aromas of ripe citrus and minerals. Great minerality and acidity. The property is named after the wind mill on the property that dates to about the 16th century – it was a grist mill. The Chainier family has been making wine at the estate for 4 generations. Food pairing – seafood, white meats and goat cheese.

· Alexandre Monmousseau Vouvray Sec “Ammonite” 2009 (France) $16.99 - this is weightier than the delicious Vincent Raimbault Vouvray we have carried for years....it's also delicious, just a bit different! It’s not as racy and highstrung as the Raimbault. It’s still dry with great minerality. It’s a little more friendly – softer and round. Food pairing – seafood, shellfish, white meats.

· Avinyo vi d'Aguiia Sparkling Muscat 2010 (Spain) $14.99 - Yes, this is not from France. It is too cool and unique to pass up! This wine will require that you chuck most of your preconceptions about wine (yes, we've helped foster them). You have to let go and just go with us on this one.....we're all about sense of place, wine as art, meaningful wines that say something AND wine is just grape juice.....But, just was we are not capable of working all the time (we try), we can't drink "serious" wine all the time. Enter this! This is a very enjoyable distraction. It's a pleasant diversion. It's also what all the cool kids will be drinking this summer! It's dry and not really Muscat-like at all. Effervescent and tasty!

The Rosé:

  • La Croix du Prieur Rosé Cotes de Provence 2010 (France) - another wine store owner said of this wine, "WOW, HOLY ____! Did you taste this ____?! It's like sticking your face in a patch of perfectly ripe strawberries!" It’s really bright and pretty and fresh. Blend Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan and Syrah.

The Reds:

  • Famillie Laurent Saint-Pourcain Gamay-Pinot Noir 2009 (Loire Valley, France) $14.99 - each vintage gets better and better and we are on a new vintage! Perfect red for summer,,,,chill it so that it feels just like you do coming out of the Maine ocean! Refreshed! A big hit all summer…..a perfect summer red with a little chill on it! The wine is bright & fresh and has beautiful berry qualities with a slightly darker undertone from the Pinot Noir. This unusual blend comes from the St. Pourcain area just southwest of Beaujolais and Burgundy. The grapes are farmed and fermented by the Laurent family which has worked this land for nearly 100 years. Food pairing – grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, roasted root vegetables.
  • Domaine de l’Harmas* Côtes du Rhône 2009 (France) $16.99 - Year-after-year, this is sublime! Powerful, concentrated, balanced, profound. This is a knock-dead, wonderful! It's intense, peppery, and very concentrated. This wine justifies the name baby Chateauneuf. Soft, rich, lots going on in this wine – it will change after you open it – dry, good red berry fruit with hints of dark berries and a little white pepper. Good earth, but not too “earthy funky.” Smoky notes. Well-integrated tannins. Smooth feel. Approximately 70% Grenache; rest is Syrah. Hand-harvested. Aged in oak barrels 10-14 months. Organic Farming. Food pairing - Good with steak and other grilled meat, roast pork and lamb, other hearty entrees.
  • Chateau la Baume Costières de Nimes 2007 (France) $13.99 - This a KILLER wine at this price! We just love it! It’s tasty and distinctive! Dark ruby red. Aromas & flavors of red & dark fruits with a subtle anise - licorice hint. Notes of what the French call “garrigue” – rosemary, thyme & lavender growing in limestone. Soft, integrated tannins and nice acidity. Medium bodied. A little woodsmoke, Pepperiness. Blend of 50% Carignane, 25% Syrah and 25% Grenache. Soil is similar to Châteauneuf du Pape (rocky cover absorbs heat during day & releases it at night). Aged 5-6 months in old oak foudres (massive barrels). Food pairing - lamb, beef and hearty dishes with rosemary & Herbes de Provence. Grilled meat and barbecue wine.
  • Domaine de Chevalerie Bourgueil Cuvée Chevaliere 2001 (France) $21.99 - big, lush, drinks great! The sleek fruit, spice, tannin, and earthy components had all come together beautifully into this really polished, mature wine. It was so sleek it reminded me more of a Bordeaux Pomerol than a Loire Cabernet Franc. This is from the best producer in Bourgueil. This is 70-year old vine Cabernet France from a single vineyard. Bourgueil is in the Loire Valley in France. This winery was founded by the Caslot family in 1640. Today, the 13th and 14th generations manage it. The family has 81 acres spread across the appellation that they farm organically. The cellar is a cavern that was dug out in the 11th-13th centuries to provide stone for the adjacent town.

July 8, 2011

French Wine Tasting, July 15th

10% off on all wine tasting wines!

Each summer, Ned Swain of Devenish and I love to get together and talk about and taste wines that are PERFECT for the summer months and seafood and parties and grilling and more.....and, we keep coming back to France......each and every summer.....we are a bit biased.....these are the wines we love.....and among the wines we find the most food-friendly.

So, the tasting on Friday, July 15th is going to be Franco-centric and it is going to be focused on summer!

The wines (at least....the wines at this point; more details to come):

The Whites:

  • Moriniere Muscadet - classic shellfish wine!
  • Touraine - Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley; if you are like me and you love Sancerre, but you don't like Sancerre prices, you need to try this!
  • Monmousseau Vouvray Sec - this is weightier than the delicious Vincent Raimbault Vouvray we have carried for years....it's also delicious, just a bit different!
  • Avinyo vi d'Aguiia Sparkling Muscat 2010 (Spain) $14.99 - Yes, this is not from France. It is too cool and unique to pass up! This wine will require that you chuck most of your preconceptions about wine (yes, we've helped foster them). You have to let go and just go with us on this one.....we're all about sense of place, wine as art, meaningful wines that say something AND wine is just grape juice.....But, just was we are not capable of working all the time (we try), we can't drink "serious" wine all the time. Enter this! This is a very enjoyable distraction. It's a pleasant diversion. It's also what all the cool kids will be drinking this summer! It's dry and not really Muscat-like at all. Effervescent and tasty!

The Rosé:

  • La Croix du Prieur Rosé Cotes de Provence 2010 - another wine store owner said of this wine, "WOW, HOLY ____! Did you taste this ____?! It's like sticking your face in a patch of perfectly ripe strawberries!"

The Reds:

  • Saint-Pourcain Gamay Pinot Noir - each vintage gets better and better and we are on a new vintage! Perfect red for summer,,,,chill it so that it feels just like you do coming out of the Maine ocean!
  • Domaine L'Harmas Cotes-du-Rhone - year-after-year, this is sublime! Powerful, concentrated, balanced, profound
  • Costieres de Nimes - juicy, ripe, summer, grilling!
  • A Bordeaux to-be-determined
Maybe something else....

July Wine Deals

It’s July!

It’s warm!

Time for a sale!

We keep finding deals…..and we want to pass them on to you…..

If you want any of these, please e-mail your hopes, desires and requests to me at efullagar@gmail.com. All of these wines will be in-stock LATE Friday afternoon. In-stock quantities are limited (we pay COD for wine and beer per Maine law, so on any given day we have to keep inventory tight); we can get more on Monday/Tuesday…..we just can’t get more today.

· If you want a FULL case (12 bottles) of any of these wines, take 15% off the sale price.

· If you want to put together a mixed case (12 bottles) combining any of these wines, take 10% off the sale price.

Thanks,

Eric

The Wines

White Wines

California

Dry Creek Dry Chenin Blanc 2008 (California) Reg. $14.99, Sale $10.99 - YUM! This TASTES like summer! That’s what we have to say about this wine! Aromas of lemon, orange, pear & pineapple that carry through to the flavors. Clean, crisp, well-balanced and easy-to-drink. This is soft and smooth! Great wine for warm days and a picnic/party! Food pairing - Great choice for shellfish, seafood, pasta salad, chicken and drinking! Perfect with curry dishes. Awesome with oysters! Food & Wine, “Great Bargain – Terrific Wine Under $15;” Wine & Spirits, “Best Buy”

Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (California) Reg. $17.99, Sale $11.99 - Summer is the PERFECT time for Sauvignon Blanc! Lobster. Oysters. Mussels. Warm decks and patios! Salads. This is an outstanding Sauvignon Blanc! Aromas just busting with tropical fruit….lime, lemons, mango, pineapple and more……bright, fresh flavors that are balanced with good acidity to tone down the fruit. Lone finish. Food pairing – Maine seafood, lobster, shellfish, sipping on a warm deck or patio with friends! Fresh goat cheese.

Germany

Clean Slate Mosel Riesling 2009 (Germany) Reg. $12.99, Sale $9.99 - Good tasting and a good value! A little sweet with a clean finish! Aromas of peaches, limes, minerals and a little peppery spice. The flavors are similar – zesty lemon/lime acidity, peaches and nice minerality. Starts a little sweet (not dessert sweet) and finishes fresh and clean because of its nice acidity. Food pairing – like most Rieslings, this is food friendly! Asian dishes, spicy foods such as Thai or curry, sushi, fish, poultry, pork and ham! Drinks well on its own!

Spain

Las Brisas Rueda 2010 (Spain) Reg. $12.99, Sale $9.99 – Just about THE PERFECT SUMMER WINE! From the taste, refreshing burst, the label and more! We absolutely love this wine! Guaranteed hit at a party! Just a wonderful wine to drink! Medium-bodied, crisp, zesty, clean and fresh! Great aromas of citrus, melon, spices, herbs, mint. Flavors of lemon, apple, grapefruit…Unoaked…well-balanced fruit and acidity. Long, pleasing, juicy finish. Blend of Verdejo (50%), Sauvignon Blanc (25%) and Viura (25%). Food pairing - Great with grilled or broiled fish, chicken & cheese! Drinks great with or without food! Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 89 points

Red Wines

Argentina

Ruta 22 Patagonia Malbec 2009 (Argentina) Reg. $14.99, Sale $11.99 - This is wonderful! Aromas of dark fruit – plums, blueberries, blackberries, licorice, mint & black pepper. Smooth feeling in the mouth. Flavors similar to the aromas. Subtle hints of mocha & anise. Soft tannins. Nice, long velvety finish. Fermented in stainless steel. 30% of the wine is aged in oak barrels for 1 year. Hand-harvested grapes. Patagonia is in southern Argentina. Ruta 22 is the major east-west highway in Argentina. Food pairing – roasts, steaks, grilled meats, stews, mushroom dishes, etc. Aged cheeses. Drinks well on its own! Wine & Spirits, 91 points, “Best Buy”

Australia

d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Shiraz (Australia) Reg. $11.99, Sale $9.99 - This is ripe, smooth, lush! Australian Shiraz at its best! Rich, soft and tasty. Dark and red berry fruit flavors and aromas. Smoky, earth, and minerally soil also shine through. Peppery spice. Food pairing - Great red wine for a party – as well as with grilled meats, pizza, lasagna, roasts, etc. Drinking well right now; it will cellar well through 2008. Wine Spectator, 90 points

California

Chalone Vineyard Monterey County Pinot Noir 2008 (CA) Reg. $19.99, Sale $13.99 - This is a delicious, rich Pinot from the Central Coast area! Excellent aromas of ripe black cherries, roses, curing tobacco and a nice earthiness. Soft and silky texture. Juicy! Flavors of raspberries, black cherries and baking spices. Soft tannins. Pleasing finish. 100% Pinot Noir. Food pairing – salmon, chicken, duck, turkey, pork and lamb. Mushroom dishes.

Italy

Piazzo Barbera 2009 (Portugal) Reg. $11.99, Sale $8.99 - The RUNAWAY hit at a recent tasting! A smash! This has aromas of roses, blackberries and a hint of oak. The flavors show baking spices and red and dark tannins. This has firm tannins that are not dominating. This Barbera is 50% from Alba and 50% from Asti – so, it is generally a greater value than most Barberas from either area! The winery only produces this wine in better years100% Barbera. Aged 6 months in small oak barrels with another 6 months of bottle aging. 1,500 cases made. Food pairing – hearty dishes, aged cheeses.