Easter Wines

Easter Wines

Some for Ham,

Some for Lamb

Easter Dinner for many means ham. And, the best pairing with ham is a good Riesling! If you were in Germany, Alsace or much of Europe this Sunday, your hosts would be serving ham and pulling the cork on a nice bottle of Riesling. With the saltiness of the ham (and especially if the ham is glazed), you want a dry Riesling with good acidity to “cut” through the ham.

Easter is also a tough meal to pair with wine because of the Spring vegetables – asparagus, peas, etc. Dry Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners pair well with these and the ham.

Here are some suggestions (both white, rosés, red and sparkling for your Easter Dinner):

Sparkling:

Both of these will be delicious with your roast ham and it is always festive opening a bottle of bubbly!

Conde de Subirats Cava Brut (Spain) $12.99 - this wine is made from grapes grown in the heart of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, the HOME of Cava. They harvest the grapes early to preserve the fresh fruit aromas and flavors…..it’s fermented in stainless steel to help keep the wine bright and fresh…..aged in bottle for 18 months on lees before “disgorging” (this is where they dump the yeast sediment from each bottle and add the “dosage” that makes the wine bubbly!)…..55% Macabeo, 40% Parellada and 5% Chardonnay. Aromas and flavors of lemon, kiwi, tropical fruit, apples…..creamy feel….nice bubbles that last.

Conde de Subirats Brut Rosé Cava (Penedes, Spain) $12.99 - Light pink with fine bubbles! Aromas of strawberries, red berries and a hint of fresh bread, baking spices and pepper. Flavors of lighter red fruit and a touch of fresh bread yeastiness. 90% Trepat and 10% Pinot Noir. From the heart of Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, the birthplace of Cava. Stainless steel fermentation. Aged 18 months in the bottle on lees before disgorging. Then the dosage is added to make the wine "bubbly." This is the same time-consuming, expensive method as Champagne and it results in finer, better, longer-lasting bubbles.

White Wines:

Von Schleinitz Slatestone Dry Riesling 2007 (Germany) $14.99 - This is a great sipping wine! One of our favorite Rieslings! Loads of peach, nectarine and white orchard fruit aromas and flavors. Excellent minerality and acidity in the wine – the vines grow right in slate! This is a dry, refreshing, low-alcohol wine that is medium-bodied and a great wine with food or alone. 1,000 cases made. Food pairing - Goes well with fish, seafood, poultry & veal. Great with spicy foods or salty meats such as ham.

Gustav Grüner Veltliner 2008 (Austria) $15.99 - Really cool wine! Refreshing with a nice minerality! Aromas and flavors or pears, lemons and minerals. Lively acidity. A crisp bite to this wine – akin to biting into a crisp, ripe, crunchy apple! This is a dry wine with a nice crisp finish. 100% Gruner Veltliner. Stainless steel fermentation. Grüner Veltliner is the best white grape grown in Austria and it makes superb wines! Organic Farming. Food pairing - lobster, oysters, smoked fish, salads, grilled veggies.

Alois Lageder Pinot Bianco 2007 (Italy) Reg. $17.99, Sale $15.99 - Outstanding white from NE Italy! Aromas of honey, green apples & peaches. Flavors of tart green apples, white grapefruit, and crisp pears. Dry, crisp and great minerals in the flavors. Medium-bodied & mouth-filling. Refreshing. Nice length on the finish. Zippy, tangy acidity. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on the lees (the residue in the vat from the fermentation) for 3 months – this adds richness & complexity to the wines. This is drinking beautifully right now and will aged well for 2-4 years. Organic Farming. Food pairing – ham, salads, asparagus, seafood of all kinds, pasta dishes. Wine Spectator, 88 points

Castell Silvaner Trocken 2008 (Germany) $16.99 - Big hit at a December tasting! Bigger, richer white wine! This is a lot like a dry Vouvray. The vineyards here are loaded with minerals, gypsum & marl - which are ideal for growing Sylvaner. So, this wine is loaded with minerals! It also has a little lime citrus to it! It's fresh & lively with well-balanced acidity. Medium-bodied with a rich texture. Sustainable Agriculture. Food pairing - food-friendly wine! Appetizers, quiche, onion tarts, grilled or smoked fish, creamy dishes, chicken, ham, sushi, scallops, shrimp (it's Maine shrimp season, after all!).

Rosés

Rosés are incredibly “food-friendly!”

Domaine de Gournier Vin de Pays des Cévennes Rosé 2009 (France) $9.99 - Just a wonderful summer wine from southern France - refreshing, tasty. Nice red berry (strawberry, raspberry) aromas & flavors with distinctive peachy notes. A soft & elegant wine. Dry. Crisp. Fresh. Drinks easy & smooth. Well-balanced acidity. From Provence, this is handmade, hand-harvested wines. Traditionally made…small-production. This area of Provence smells of rosemary & lavender. Organically farmed & made. Food pairing - Great on its own. Try with lobster, grilled chicken & pork, chicken salad, roasted ham.

Librandi DOC Cirò Rosato 2008 (Italy) $13.99 - 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.

The Reds:

For ham:

Domaine Pierre Ponnelle Pinot Noir 2007 (France) $12.99 - Nice combination of “Old World” earth and a little funk and “New World” cherry fruit! This is smooth and tastes great! Aromas and flavors of cherries, raspberries and a little earth. The finish is clean and has nice length. 100% Pinot Noir from the Languedoc in southern France. Food Pairing – poultry, meat and pasta dishes. Mushroom dishes. Harder cheeses such as Piave Vecchio.

A to Z Pinot Noir 2008 (Oregon) $19.99 - Wonderful Pinot! Clear and vibrant with a beautiful dark color. Aromas of mixed berries, earth, smoke, violets, Asian spices and minerals. Flavors that mirror the aromas with a lush texture and good acidity. Long finish that shows this wine’s beautifully balance between richness & power, the wine possesses amazing depth and purity. Restrained use of oak – this wine sees about 9-10 months of aging before bottling. Food pairing - Great on its own. Try it with lobster, grilled chicken & pork, chicken salad, smoked salmon, grilled shrimp, sushi, gazpacho and more!

Famille Laurent Saint Pourçain 2007 Tradition (Pinot Noir/Gamay) $14.99 - 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. The wine is bright and has beautiful berry qualities with a slightly darker undertone from the Pinot Noir.

For Lamb:

Aresti Estate Selection Pinot Noir 2008 (Chile) Reg. $13.99, Sale $11.99 - Aresti has been growing grapes since 1951. In the '90's they started making wine.....and they've been making excellent wines with great values! The Aresti Pinot Noir has vibrant strawberry jam aromas with anise and cinnamon. The aromas carrying over to the flavors, easy-drinking and yet complex, with a nice, long finish. Food pairing - grilled meats, mushroom risotto.

Thunder Stone Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2006 (California) $14.99 - This is a tasty, wonderful wine! Aromas of black cherries, cassis, mocha, dark chocolate and spice. Flavors of dark berries, baking spices & dark chocolate. Soft tannins. Soft, smooth feel in the mouth. Long finish. Single vineyard grapes from Alexander Valley. Barrel-aged in both new and used oak barrels. Steve Melchiskey is the winemaker and a Portland, ME resident – he worked in the CA wine industry for 8 years and has learned where to find great grapes. Food pairing – drinks well on its own – a buddy and I enjoyed it over a Red Sox game! Great with steak, lamb, etc. Wine Spectator, “Top Value,” 88 points

Palagetto Chianti Colli Senesi 2007 (Italy) $14.99 – This has an intense ruby red color. The aromas are filled with bright, fresh red berries and subtle hints of chocolate and roasted coffee. The flavors showcase that classic Chianti style of cherries and raspberries with hints of oak and herbs. Blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 5% Colorino. Chianti covers much of Tuscany and is divided into 7 areas; Colli Senesi is south of Chianti Classico in the Siena hills and includes the areas for Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Food pairing – pasta with red meat sauces, lamb, beef, game and cheese such as Pecorino Toscano.

Angelini Sangiovese Colli Pesaresi 2006 (Italy) $17.99 - This is a delicious, Chianti-style wine from the Marche on the Adriatic Coast of Italy. This is spicy with notes of ripe cherries and a hint of cedar. The tannins are soft and drying. The wine has great acidity. The tannins and acidity help it pair with richer foods. 100% Sangiovese. The winery farms sustainably. Food pairing – lamb, roasts, pasta with tomato and meat sauces, aged cheese such as Piave Vecchio.

Piazzo Barbaresco 2004 (Italy) $36.99 - This is a delicious, full-bodied wine with aromas of jammy red fruit, violets and baking spices. The finish is long and smooth. The flavors are cherries and raspberries and cinnamon with a little toast. Barbaresco is an area in Piedmont. It’s akin to its more familiar cousin, Barolo. 100% Nebbiolo. Food pairing – lamb, beef, steak, duck, rich pasta dishes and aged desserts.

Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz 2007 (Australia) Reg. $17.99, Sale $14.99 - A “killer” Shiraz at this price! Aromas of berries, cherries, toffee and herbs. Flavors of intense plums & bittersweet chocolate. Moderate tannins. Clean finish with nice length. Aged in French and American oak hogsheads for 12 months. Not an “oaky” wine – the time in oak just softens the wine! 2010 – 2016. Food pairing - Excellent choice for just drinking, a good steak, lamb chops, curry dishes & aged cheddar!

Brownie, Chocolate and Wine Tasting

Wilbur's Chocolates and Simply Divine Brownies are having a tasting TODAY......and they're serving some wines along with the delicious treats and they wanted me to tell you about it!

Wine & Chocolate & Brownie Tasting

Thursday, April 1st

4:30-6:30

Simply Divine Brownies & Wilbur's Chocolate are hosting a tasting at their store on Lower Main Street.....this is across the parking lot from Freeport Cheese & Wine. It's free and it will feature these wines!

Any of these wines that you purchase from Freeport Cheese & Wine will be 10% off!

The Wines:

Sparkling:

Conde de Subirats Cava Brut (Spain) $12.99 - this wine is made from grapes grown in the heart of Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, the HOME of Cava. They harvest the grapes early to preserve the fresh fruit aromas and flavors.....it's fermented in stainless steel to help keep the wine bright and fresh.....aged in bottle for 18 months on lees before "disgorging" (this is where they dump the yeast sediment from each bottle and add the "dosage" that makes the wine bubbly!).....55% Macabeo, 40% Parellada and 5% Chardonnay. Aromas and flavors of lemon, kiwi, tropical fruit, apples.....creamy feel....nice bubbles that last.

The White Wines:

El Portillo Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Argentina) Reg. $10.99, Sale $8.99 - Bright, crisp, clean! A tasty wine that is just fun to drink! Aromas and flavors of grapefruit, tropical fruits and passion fruit! Crisp acidity and a long finish. Food pairing - lobster, shellfish, mussels, smoked fish, sushi, etc. The Tasting Panel, 88 points

Colosi Sicilia Bianco 2008 (Italy) $10.99 - This interesting wine made of 90% Inzolia and 10% Catarratto, is the true expression of Sicily. The color is straw yellow pale with light greenish hue. Clean and fresh with apple and lemon aromas and flavors. Food pairing - Perfect with fish and seafood, light salads and poultry. It makes a perfect cocktail wine.

The Red Wines:

El Portillo Malbec 2008 (Argentina) Reg. $10.99, Sale $8.99 - Excellent wine! Easy drinking and soft.....just a pleasure! Medium-weight, with a slightly jammy core of red cherries & plum backed by baking spices on the soft finish. 100% Malbec. Stainless steel fermentation. Food pairing - Enjoy with grilled steaks, roasts and pasta in richly-flavored sauces.

Fattoria Capannacce Rosso della Maremma Toscana Super Tuscan 2005 (Italy) Reg. $21.99, Sale $14.99 - Fabulous, big & bold Super Tuscan! Aromas and flavors of cherries, blackberries, cedar, toasted baking spices, mocha and licorice. This is rich and lush. Long finish. This area of Tuscany is considered its "Wild West." It is rugged, arid, lightly populated and its people have an independent spirit. The winemaker, Alberto Porta, is called the "happiest man alive." 80% Sangiovese, 10% Syrah, 5% Canaiolo & 5% Grenache. The entire estate only makes 4,000 cases. Organic farming. Food pairing - grilled meats of any kind, roasted lamb or beef, rich mushroom dishes. I like this by itself, but I like really big wines without food!

Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Chile) Reg. $12.99, Sale $11.99 - Soft, smooth red from Chile! Lots of black cherry, plum, vanilla and mocha flavors and aromas! This is smooth and soft - not a tannic red! Well-structured and balanced. Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Syrah. Aged in 50% French oak and 50% American oak for 12 months. Food pairing - Great BBQ wine! Grilled red meats, ripe cheeses, Italian dishes, etc.

The Cancer Community Center Wine Tasting

Good Wine for a Good Cause!

Monday, March 29th, 2010 is the date! This series of a wine tasting and several wine dinners may go down as the biggest wine spectacle ever in Maine.

SOPO (South Portland Wine Company) and RiRa are hosting a wine tasting at RiRa Irish Pub in Portland. All proceeds go to The Cancer Community Center.

Wine Tasting

Monday, March 29th

5:30 - 7:30pm

RiRa Irish Pub

72 Commercial Street, Portland

Meet over 20 different winemakers, owners and importers, try their wines and help raise some money! There will be approximately 100 wines at the event - spitting is encouraged! (I carry a plastic cup to tastings such as this to help).

Tickets are $30 at the door and $25 in advance (I have tickets in my store). Freeport Cheese & Wine will donate 10% of any wines you purchase as a result of this tasting to The Cancer Community Center.

That night, several wine dinners are also happening in Portland (3 dinners) and Saco (1 dinner).

Wine Dinners

Cinque Terre Wine Dinner featuring...Maggarino and Giovanni Scagliola of Scagliola and Giuseppe Nicolis of Nicolis. Scagliola is in Piedmont and Nicolis is from Valpolicella. These are the owner/winemakers from both properties. Cinque Terre, Wharf Street, Portland. Monday, March 29th, 7:00pm

Bibo's Madd Apple Café Wine Dinner with Anne-Maryse Lopez of Chilensis and Oveja Negra and some great Chilean Wines. Forest Avenue, Portland. Monday, March 29th, 6:00pm Bar Lola Wine Dinner featuring the wines from Victor Abascal of Vines on the Marycrest (California) and Ratero Gantier of Domaine St. Eugenie (Southern France). 100 Congress Street, Portland. Monday, March 29th, 6:30pm

Mia's at Pepperell Square Wine Dinner featuring Marco Mazzarrini of Poggio Amorelli (Chianti) and Rodolfo Cantarutti of Cantarutti Winery (NE Italy). Saco, Monday, March 29th, 6:30pm

Late Night Dessert at Vignola with the winemakers. Portland, Monday, March 29th. C

Cleonice Greek Wine Dinner featuring wines from Athenee Imports. Sunday, March 28th, 7 pm, Ellsworth.

That's the day!

Remember, I have tickets in my store.

20/40 Charity Wine Tasting

20/40 Charity Wine Tasting

Taste 20 premium wines of Spain and Portugal for $40 and raise money for Good Causes.

Money raised goes to The Compass Project.

The Compass Project mission is to use boatbuilding and rowing to provide positive direction to youth, encouraging the development of personal and community responsibility.

Presented by 5 of my favorite distributors: Crush, Davine, Devenish, Easterly and SOPO. These are 5 of the companies that are helping bring many of the special wines you are finding in Maine.

Freeport Cheese & Wine will donate 10% of any wines you purchase as a result of this tasting to The Compass Project.

Hosted by The Salt Exchange in Portland. Commercial Street. 3:00-6:00 PM (you don’t have to be there the entire time). Attendance is limited to 70 people to prevent it from being too crowded.

The Salt Exchange
Commercial Street, Portland.
3:00-6:00 PM

Sunday, March 20th

The Wines (some of them)

Easterly

• Broadbent Vinho Verde (Portugal)
• Casa Ferreirinha, Douro "Vinha Grande" 2002 (Portugal)
• Quinta do Crasto Douro 2007 (Portugal)
• Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines 2007 (Portugal)

Davine Wine

• Morgadio Albariñio 2008 (Spain), 90 points, Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
• Pasanau ‘Ceps Nous’ Priorat 2007, 91points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
• El Vinculo La Mancha 2004 (Spain)
• Lorinon Reserva Rioja Alta 2004 (Spain)

Crush

• Bodegas Las Orcas Decenio Jove Rioja 2008 (Spain)
• Lo Brujo Macabeo 2009 (Spain)
• Lo Brujo Garnacha 2008 (Spain)
• Odysseus Tinto Priorat 2002 (Spain)

Devenish

• Ameztoi Txakolina (Spain)
• Lovivalo Joven Toro 2007 (Spain)
• Hermanos Sastre "Roble" Ribera del Duero 2007
• Bodegas Ostatu Rioja 2006
• Ned may also have a couple of amazing Priorats at his table as “bonuses”

SOPO

• I don’t have their wines on this list – they’ll be good!

March 2010 Wine Tasting

Freeport Cheese & Wine

Wine & Cheese Tasting!

Friday, March 19th

3:30-7:30pm

The Sparkling

Henry Varnay Blanc de Blancs Brut NV (France) $11.99 - What do you not know at this point. It’s Chenin Blanc made sparkling traditionally. It’s got some nice appley and bread qualities, smooth, and a rich slightly creamy finish. It’s clean and a perfect sparkler for cocktails like Bellinis and Mimosas. The Whites:

Chateau Bonhoste Bordeaux Blanc Sec 2009 (France) Reg. $14.99, Sale $13.99 - This is a FABULOUS wine! Made by the Fournier family; this is a traditional white Bordeaux blend of Semillon (55%), Sauvignon Blanc (40%), and a touch of Muscadelle (5%). It is a perfectly formed blend of these components; showing lushness and body from the Semillon, acidity and crispness from the Sauv. Blanc, and rich aromatics from the Muscadelle. Dry and focused. Aromas of pineapples, freshly mown grass & green bananas. Nice minerality. Nicely balanced acidity and fruit. It’s a blend of Semillon (55 percent), Sauvignon Blanc (40 percent), and Muscadelle (5 percent). Organic farming. Food pairing - Goes great with lighter poultry and seafood dishes. Drinks real well on its own!

Jean Paul Paquet St. Veran 2008 (France) $24.99 - This is classic Mâcon White Burgundy. It has a rich mouth feel and texture. It’s certainly ripe; but, it also has a clean acidity to balance that ripe fruit. Underneath that fruit and acidity is a perfectly proportional hint of Burgundy earthiness. Just a slight quality of earth and wet rocks.

The Reds:

Famille Laurent Saint Pourçain 2007 Tradition (Pinot Noir/Gamay) $14.99 - 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. The wine is bright and has beautiful berry qualities with a slightly darker undertone from the Pinot Noir.

Seigneurs de Peyreviel Côtes de Millau 2006 (France) Reg. $12.99, Sale $11.99 - 11 famers co-operatively farm 90 acres here in southwestern France. The clay, limestone vineyards produce Cabernet, Gamay, Syrah, and Fer Severadou. This wine has nice ripe berry qualities, followed by some nice fresh acidity and a soft finish. The Syrah also gives it substantial black pepper.

Domaine du Jas (Organic) Côtes du Rhône 2008 Prestige $14.99 - A large proportion of Syrah in this wine gives it more heft and spice than the average Côtes du Rhône. This is a fuller bodied wine with some black pepper and tannin that is equally at home with pork tenderloin, roast chicken, and a rich stew. Plus, it’s certified Organic!

Domaine de Bel Air (Organic) Bourgueil 2003 (France) $15.99 - And last up is this Bourgueil. Bourgeil is from the central Loire River Valley and is one of the most sought after Cabernet Francs in the world, along with its neighbor Chinon. This happens to come from the 2003 vintage, which was ungodly hot. The extreme heat wreaked havoc some places, but here it resulted in a wine that’s just a bit fuller, denser, and fully developed. It has the spicy pepper and dust that is typical of Cabernet Franc. The mid palate has some black pepper, but, great richness too. This really fills the mouth and then has a lingering, but not too tannic finish. It’s a good wine in its own right, but also a great beginner Cabernet Franc because it has that extra richness.

Davine’s Wines

The Whites:

Peñalolén Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Chile) $12.99 – This is a crisp, clean delicious Sauv. Blanc. Aromas of oranges and lemons. This also has flavors of tropical fruit, ginger and citrus. Brisk, crisp acidity and a clean finish. Refreshing. 100% Sauvignon Blanc aged and fermented in stainless steel.

Apaltaqua Reserve Chardonnay 2008 (Chile) $12.99 – This is a wonderful Chardonnay that is neither Napa Valley nor is it Burgundy. This winery is probably Chile’s pioneer when it comes to biodynamic farming. Aromas and flavors of peaches, grapefruit and tropical fruit. This is crisp, juicy and refreshing. The finish is long and clean.

The Reds:

Peñalolén Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Chile) $17.99 – Delicious wine! This has a smooth, soft texture. Aromas and flavors of violets, baking spices and berries. Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak for 12 months. Will drink well through 2014. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 89 points

Pargua II 2006 (Chile) $21.99 - The 2006 Pargua II is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Carmenère, 15% Syrah, and the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Also produced from organically grown grapes, the wine has softer fruit and is riper, richer and more concentrated than its more expensive sibling, Domus Aurea. Aromas and flavors of wild berries and baking spices. Already complex, with another 3-4 years in the bottle to blossom, it will provide exceptional drinking between 2013 and 2026. Food pairing – grilled meats, spicy sauces, Mediterranean dishes. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 91 points

Viña Maquis Calcu 2006 (Chile) $13.99 - This is delicious! Big hit at a tasting! Tasty little blend! Nice minerals, ripe tannins, baking spices, red fruit, and subtle oak in the flavors and aromas. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (15%) & Carménère (25%) blend. In the local "Mapuche" language, "Calcu" means "healing doctor" or "magician." Indeed, the winemakers have created another magical "Super Chilean!" Food pairing - pasta, grilled meats, mushroom dishes, etc. Drinks well without food. Wine Enthusiast, “Best Buy;” Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, “Excellent Value”

Viña Maquis Lien 2006 (Chile) $17.99 - Delicious! Rich, lush wine! Aromas and flavors of mocha, toast, ripe plums, blackberries & blueberries. Fleshy, ripe and rich. Hints of loamy earth. Not too tannic. Low-yield vines. All of the grapes are hand-sorted at the winery. 42% Syrah, 30% Carmenère, 9% Petit Verdot, 12% Cabernet Franc & 7% Malbec. Barrel aged for 12 months in French oak. Food pairing - grilled meats, steak, etc. Pasta dishes. Drinks well without food. Michael Franz, Wine Review Online, 91 points, “Wine of the Year; Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 90 points

Food and Wine Tasting at "The Prep Kitchen!"

Food & WineTasting!

Tuesday, March 16th

5:00-7:00pm

@ The Prep Kitchen

491 U.S. 1

(this is South of Freeport Cheese & Wine; it's 4/10's of a mile SOUTH of the traffic light at Exit 20; it's on the left side of the road)

Featuring food from The Prep Kitchen in Freeport. The Prep Kitchen is a locally owned business in Freeport. You may purchase delicious prepared foods there - or, come in, use their easy-to-follow recipes in their professional kitchen and prepare your own meals. They also have "grab and go" meals that are great for lunch or a quick supper!

This tasting is FREE and offers the opportunity to taste several wines with different foods! 10% savings on all the tasting wines for the week after the tasting!

The menu:

• Carrot Ginger Soup
• Vegetarian Chili ("family friendly" spice level - not too hot, but with some flavor)
• Barbecue Meatloaf
• Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake (basically, chicken, ham and swiss stacked in layers rather than rolled, with a cream sauce and crumbs)
• and maybe Moroccan Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

We hope to see you on Tuesday!

The Wines:

White Wines:

Dry Creek "Dry" Chenin Blanc 2008 (California) Reg. $14.99, Sale $13.99 - YUM! That's what we have to say about this wine! Aromas & flavors of lemon, orange, pear & pineapple. Clean, crisp, well-balanced and easy-to-drink. This is soft and smooth! Great wine for warm days & a picnic/party! Food pairing - Great choice for shellfish, seafood, pasta salad, chicken and drinking! Perfect with curry dishes. Food & Wine, "Great Bargain - Terrific Wine Under $15;" Wine & Spirits, "Best Buy"

Oveja Negra Chardonnay Viognier 2008 (Chile) Reg. $9.99, Sale $8.99 - This is YUMMY!!! Huge hit at a recent tasting! Bright, fresh yellow stone (peach & apricot) fruit aromas. Just a subtle hint of oak. Rich, soft & mouthfilling. Crisp, well-balanced acidity that brings this alive! Flavors of tropical fruits (melon & pineapple), peaches, Granny Smith apples. 85% Chardonnay & 15% Viognier. The Viognier & Chardonnay are fermented separately, the Viognier on lees & in oak - adding richness to the wine. Food pairing - fresh scallops, shrimp, lighter fish, mussels in Thai coconut curry sauce, ham, roasted chicken, cream soups such as potato-and-leek, crab cakes.

Rosé Wine:

Charles & Charles Rosé 2009 (Washington) $11.99 - Delicious little Rosé from one of our favorite winemakers, Charles Smith of K Vintners. Peachy aromas and flavors with just a little hint of red berries. Smooth and easy! 100% Syrah. Food pairing - spicy dishes, salty dishes, grilled chicken, soups, thai food, Mexican food.

Red Wines:

Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna DOC Riserva 2005 (Sardinia, Italy) $14.99 - We had this wine with dinner & loved it! I took it to a private wine tasting and it was the hit of the night! Rich, complex, enjoyable. Beautiful, pale, translucent color. Rich aromas of violets, red berries and more. Good fruit (cherries, red berries). Good spice. Medium-bodied. Nice long finish. Can't say enough about this wine! We had a great halibut dish & a rich seafood stew (spicy Italian version of bouillabaisse). Cannonau is Sardinia's primary red grape - in France it is Grenache. Food pairing - Goes great with rich foods, red meats and flavorful cheeses. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 88 points

Marietta Old Vine Red Lot 50 (California) $12.99 - One of my favorite wines for years (OK, at my age, we're pushing decades here). Great value! It's lush, dense, filled with dark berry fruit, peppery spice in the mid-palette. This is a great value and fun to drink! Food pairing - It's great with grilled meats and other hearty fare. I love it with homemade pizza that has a spicy, garlicky sauce. Blend of Zinfandel, Carignane, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 89 points, "...unquestionably one of the finest values in red wines."

M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2008 (France) $12.99 - Delicious, food-friendly wine from the South of France! This is a weighty red with rich, ripe aromas and flavors of dark cherries, figs, plums and earth. Drinking best now through 2014. Blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. Stainless steel aging and fermentation. Food pairings - grilled meats, stews, etc. Wine Spectator, 90 points, #75, Top 100 Wines 2009

If you want any of these wines and won't be there Tuesday, just let us know via phone or e-mail!

More Deals!

Deals and more deals!
Freeport Cheese & Wine

Spring appears to be here and we keep pushing the distributors for more Wine Deals! Pine State Distributors is again dropping prices A LOT on some really good wines. A few other distributors are as well. Some of these (the Leeuwin Estate wines) are repeats of wines from the January e-mail that Pine State still had in-stock. We bought all that Pine State had in stock. We also bought a bunch of other wines!

The wines are grouped by WHITE and RED. The wines are in alphabetical order.

Quantities are limited. We have all the wines in stock. Please call or e-mail if you want any of these!

White Wines

Alma Rosa Pinot Gris 2005 (California) Reg. $21.99, Sale $14.99 - We just tasted this on Monday.....it's SMOKIN'! Aromas and flavors of apricots, honeysuckle, pears, minerals, apples and almonds. This has a bigger, rounder texture than most Pinot Gris. Crisp, bright acidity. Stainless steel fermentation. 2,133 cases made. Sustainable agriculture. Food pairing - spicy Asian dishes, Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as paella, grilled fish with a spicy tropical fruit salsa.

Forest Glen Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay 2004 (California) Reg. $17.99, Sale $9.99 - This is tasting great! This is not the "grocery store" label from Forest Glen - it's their reserve. Unfortunately for the distributor, their sales force didn't sell it well, so they closed it out. Which is fortunate for you because the price is GREAT! It's not an oaky Chardonnay.....it shows classic Chardonnay aromas and flavors of apples, pears, minerals and more. This is also cool because it has nice bottle age - the wine is bright and fresh! Crisp. Clean. Food pairing - chicken, seafood, lobster.

Leeuwine Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2005 (Australia) Reg. $89.99, Sale $19.99 -A little mute to begin of the nose but soon opens out to some very pretty floral and tropical fruit aromas: jasmine, pineapple, guava and some spicy oak plus faint hints of chalk dust and white pepper, with some coaxing. The palate is rich and ripe with a full body of concentrated fruit, and a decent backbone of medium to high acidity to balance. Long tropical finish. Drink now to 2015. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 91 points

Leeuwine Estate Art Series Riesling 2006 (Australia) Reg. $21.99, Sale $13.99 - The light straw-colored 2006 Riesling "Art Series" exhibits a bouquet of mineral, spring flowers, and lemon-lime. This leads to a dry, crisp wine with plenty of citrus fruit, ripe flavors, excellent concentration, and a lengthy finish. Although it can be enjoyed now, particularly with raw bar, it will evolve for up to a decade in the manner of a top Mosel Riesling. Drink through 2017. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points

Leeuwine Estate Prelude Chardonnay 2006 (Australia) Reg. $33.99, Sale $12.99 - The 2006 Chardonnay Prelude Vineyard was barrel-fermented and aged in one-third new French oak. Medium straw-colored, it offers up an alluring bouquet of buttered toast, spiced apple, and tropical notes. Crisp and refreshing on the palate, it has superior depth, ripe flavors of pineapple and mango, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Drink it over the next four years (2009-2013). Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 90 points

Patz & Hall Durrell Vineyard Chardonnay 2006 (California) Reg. $44.99, Sale $24.99 - Good medium yellow. Lemon drop, orange, clove and minerals on the nose, complicated by a musky flinty, smoky character. Glyceral in the mouth, with fruit-driven flavors of pineapple, lemon custard and stone fruits. A bit more complex and deep than the Napa Valley bottling. Stephan Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 89 points

Vinum Cellars Vio Viognier 2007 (California) Reg. $29.99, Sale $22.99 - This is a rich, lush white with lots of minerality, acidity and exotic tropical fruit flavors and aromas. Coconut, nectarines, lychee fruit, vanilla and subtle toasted oak. It finishes juicy and soft. Fermented in small French oak barriques. Aged "sur lies" for 9 months. Partial malo-lactic fermentation. All of that means the wine is a weightier, more lush Viognier. Food pairing - sushi, sashimi, spicy Thai dishes.

Red Wines

Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2001 (Italy) Reg. $76.99, Sale $39.99 - 2001 was a GREAT, GREAT vintage in Brunello! This wine is just coming into its own and is delicious! Full-bodied. Concentrated. Supple. Aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, cola, mint, cherries and plums. Flavors of dark berries, cherries, toast, vanilla, dark chocolate, mocha and more! Excellent length with soft, integrated tannins. You can age this through at least 2016. Wine Spectator, 93 points; Stephan Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 91 points

Cristom Eola-Amity Hills Syrah 2005 (Oregon) Reg. $29.99, Sale $19.99 - Delicious wine from one of my favorite Oregon wineries! Aromas of red raspberries, currant and blueberries. Bright, fresh flavors with a hint of baking spices and smoky meat. The tannins are moderate. This is just coming into its own in terms of aging. Syrah with less than 1% Viognier added to the blend. 100% estate-grown fruit. 90% of the grapes were destemmed and the remainder were whole-cluster fermented. Aged 22 months in 31% new French oak. 613 cases made. Wine Spectator, 91 points

Domaine de la Janasse Côtes-du-Rhône 2008 (France) Reg. $16.99, Sale $12.99 - Aromas and flavors of strawberry, black cherries, dried cherries, minerals and spices. We like this A LOT! This is a nice cross between an "Old World" (earthy and funky) CdR and a "New World-style" (lots of fruit and no earthiness) one! One of the best Côtes-du-Rhônes from the '08 vintage! Year-after-year this winery makes superb wines! You should drink this over the next 2-3 years ('08 is making good wines for NOW; '07 is the year you buy Rhônes to age). Blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 15% Carignan and 5% Cinsault. Grapes are destemmed before the crush. Stainless steel fermentation and aging (6-9 months). Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 88 points

Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Australia) Reg. $24.99, Sale $16.99 - Aromas of dark berries with peppery spices and a little earth. Flavors of dark, cooked fruit (i.e.; before you add the sugar to jam), with dark chocolate and fine-grained tannins. Aged in French and American oak - the barrels are an even mix of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th use barrels - so, the oak influence is subtle. Wine Spectator, 88 points

Leeuwine Estate Prelude Cabernet Merlot 2003 (Australia) Reg. $33.99, Sale $12.99 - Bright red. Peppery, herb-accented cherry and redcurrant aromas strongly suggest Bordeaux; this doesn't smell like it's from a superripe vintage. Taut, light red berry and plum flavors are nicely focused and zesty, with fine-grained tannins adding structure. Finishes bright and crisp, with very good persistence and a lingering note of cherry pit. Nice balance here. Stephan Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, 90 points

Salentein Pinot Noir 2003 (Argentina) Reg. $22.99, Sale $9.99 - We bought this the last go-round with Pine State. This packs a PUNCH in terms of price/quality ratio! The medium ruby-colored 2003 Pinot Noir Reserva offers an alluring nose of raspberry, cherry, and rose petal. This leads to a velvety-textured wine with ripe flavors, good depth, and enough structure to last for several more years. Excellent; supple, rich and full bodied; a wine with intense fruitiness (plum, cherry), and layers of oak character (toast, smoke, cedar). Very long finish.

Sterling Vineyards SVR Reserve 2006 (California) Reg. $49.99, Sale $34.99 - This is one of California's classic Cabernet-based blends - and it is on a great deal! Tight, structured and full-bodied, with firm, ripe dried currant, blackberry, mineral, anise and sage flavors that have a touch of black licorice before ending with mocha, spices and fine-grained tannins. The wine is soft in texture. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Aged 18 months in oak (45% French, 40% American & 15% European). Decant this to taste it as its best. Best from 2011 through 2017. 5,770 cases made. Food pairing - beef, grilled steak, lamb chops. Wine Enthusiast, 94 points

Tintara Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Australia), Reg. $21.99, Sale $9.99 - Aromas of ripe dark berries and black currants with subtle cinnamon and leather notes. Tintara makes its reds to age for up to 10 years, so this is still drinking nicely! 100% McClaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon from 70-year-old vineyards. Flavors of dark fruit, chocolate, baking spices, vanilla and a little toast. Medium-bodied. Good length on the dry finish.