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Upcoming Events
Free wine Tastings are held weekly on Fridays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., open-house
format. Click here for the wine line-up. |
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Wines
of the Month October / November 2007
This is an archived list . For the current list, please go here.
White
Wines
Novellum Chardonnay 2006
 Languedoc is a vast area of warm days and nights that helps to produce wine with great body and weight. However, in this particular corner of the region, the vines are somewhat protected from the heat and are able to produce grapes with higher levels of acidity and balance.
The soil is mostly made up of small stones and gravel. The Chardonnay is grown on slight hillsides while the viognier (on whose lees that Chardonnay is vinified), is grown in a lower-lying, protected parcel. All of these things come together to produce a truly unique wine. The viognier is allowed to develop botrytis, adding a wonderful perfume and richness to the final product.
Honeysuckles, orange blossoms and peaches draw you in on the nose while the palate is a rich blend of pears and orange peel with a touch of spice. This is a wine to appease many different tastes.
$10.99
per bottle
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Zolo Torrontes 2006
Hovering between 1,000 and 4,000 meters above sea level in the Andean foothills sits Fincas Patagonicas. Using modern techniques and old world craftsmanship, winemaker Fabian Valenzuela is producing wines that deserve recognition on a world stage. Valenzuela has worked at some of Argentinaas most esteemed wineries. He left Balbo in 1997 and joined Catena for three years before becoming winemaker for both Zolo and Tapiz.
The 2006 Torrontes is a benchmark example of how delightful a torrontes can be. The nose is powerfully fragrant, where rosehips, bosc pear, candied ginger and musk mingle together. It has a firm, clean palate with a medium body and fresh acidity. Tropical palate, full with lychee and fresh cut herbs.
$13.99 per bottle
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Kings Ridge Pinot Gris 2006
 Kings Ridge is situated in the cooler northern end of the Willamette Valley. The philosophy here is pure and simple: attention and precision in the vineyard, coupled with care craft and intention in the winemaking produce a superb finished product. They take their style of Pinot Gris from French inspiration. Cold fermented in 100% stainless steel, then aged on its lees and bottled in late winter to preserve the delicate aromatics.
On the nose this wine smells of honeyed apples and cantaloupe with tropical notes and a touch of Meyer lemon. The palate tastes of Bartlett pears with soft hints of minerality and a crisp acidity.
$14.99 per bottle
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Red Wines
Quinta da Aveleda Charamba Douro 2005
 Having long since been recognized for its fortified wines, the table wines of Portugal were largely overlooked and neglected. With the exception of the favorite summertime quaffer vinho verde, the rest of Portugal’s table wines were rarely considered at all.
Aveleda is a family run business and has been since 1947. The Guedes family have in fact been in the wine industry for over three centuries. Produced here are the famed brandy Adega Velha, and one of the leading Vinho Verdes in the world.
The Charamba is a delicious and loveable red made from the same grapes that are used for Port. A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barooca. Deep garnet in color and a spiciness on the nose reminiscent of a southern Rhone. The palate is delicately lined with dried cherries and soft pie spices that linger on.
$7.99 per bottle
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Three Rivers Winery River's Red Blend 2005
Located just due west of Walla Walla, Three Rivers winery sits overlooking the famed Mill Creek. The wines are sourced from two appellations in Washington, the Columbia Valley AVA and Walla Walla AVA. The name comes from the three rivers that run through these two viticultural areas, the Snake, Columbia, and Walla Walla. These give the region a set of dynamic micro-climates. Being located on the northern 46th parallel, like Bordeaux and Burgundy this Washington appellation enjoys two more hours of sunlight during its growing season than vineyards in California.
Winemaker Holly Turner sources fruit from the best vineyards and growers within the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla appellations. This blend of predominantly merlot, along with cabernet, malbec and Grenache is full, rich and beautifully structured. The nose is rich with black cherries and dried strawberries along with hints of butterscotch and coffee. Long on the palate with a spicy black fruit finish.
$13.99 per bottle
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Domaine “La Garrigue” Cuvée Romaine Côtes du Rhône 2005
The Bernard family (which also runs a fine hotel and restaurant in Gigondas called Les Florets) has been passing these vineyards down through a number of generations. Their grapes are predominantly Grenache, with the remainder Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. The grapes are hand-picked, and vinified ‘selon les méthodes ancestrales’ with neither fining nor filtering. The vines of the Domaine range in age from 50 to 90 years old. Their Cuvée Romaine was first released in 1982 as a way to use the remainder of their yields that had been declassified.
The 2005 vintage of their Cuvée was made with the help of famed Rhone oenologist Philippe Cambie of the Domaines Pegau, Caillou and Royer. The blend is 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah. Deep ruby and violet in color. The nose is fruity and herbal with notes of rosemary and lavendar, rich blackberries and currant. The palate is a rich mélange of dark chocolate, crème de cassis and hints of coffee grinds and anise. The finish is long and full of black fruit and minerals.
91 Pts. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
$13.99 per bottle
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