Spanish Vines Crianza, Ribera del Júcar, Spain

100% Tempranillo

 

Hand-harvested from 40-year-old vines. Cold Maceration: 30 days. Aging: 12 months in 100% new American oak barrels, followed by 12 months in bottle before release.
Plush, ripe red fruit and impressive structure. Aromas of freshly dipped chocolate-strawberries and tobacco are followed by a mid-palate of boysenberry, currant and spices. Finish has subtle oak and a zing of racy acidity.
Game, Red Meat, Lamb, Flavorful Hard Cheeses, Mushroom Sauces

Simply Sweet & Delicious, Washington State

40% (Syrah/Sangiovese) / 60% (Riesling/Gewurztraminer)

Beautiful strawberry/watermelon flavors and balancing acidity, the wine is not cloying. Simply refreshing and delightful! Focused on color and sweetness as the core of the wine, while making sure the flavors were pure and integrated. To be served chilled, this wine is an open invitation to anyone seeking a wine that is not dry, just Simply full of enjoyment.

Mt. Defiance, "Brimstone," Red Wine, Columbia Valley

52% Syrah / 25% Merlot / 18% Cabernet Sauvignon / 5% Pinot Noir

 

Cassis, berries, ripe red plums and pomegranate show brightly in the nose, complemented by moderate smoke and spice from barrel aging along with attractive roasted coffee bean notes. The medium-full body unfolds to expose layers of plum, berry and dark chocolate flavors completed by a long, solid finish kissed with oak.

Mountain View Clockspring Zinfandel, Sierra Foothills, California

100% Zinfandel

 

The Clockspring Zinfandel incorporates some of the younger plantings on the property resulting in moderate alcohol, but it still exhibits the unique depth of flavor, color and structure akin to Amador Zinfandel. The classic ripe varietal berry and black plum flavors as well as the "port-like" aromas are evident in this release. Extended aging in American oak barrels averaging 14 months has softened the harsh tannins and a "moderate" alcohol level for the region enhances drinkability. Outstanding value in a Fun package. 

Dreaming Tree "Crush" North Coast, California

67% Merlot / 33% Zinfandel

Crush has a balance of flavors, Its fruit forward profile was complimented with a hint of smoky/spicy/berry. Only 19 months in oak barrels, but neutral so there isn’t too much oak in the flavor of the wine. Acidic consider it to be more of a medium bodied wine. But, it still held its own and had a bit of a drying  quality to it, which is enjoyable. All night sipping it with ease, with or with out food. A Dave Matthews wine...

Substance, Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Big front palate. Explosive fruit with a lot of structure. If this wine had abs they’d be a mirror image of The Situation. Next comes a nice mid-palate with lengthy, focused, pointed, bold tannins. Not tannins that show off, just ones that can’t be missed, like Thursday nights on MTV. The end brings a long finish…you know what we mean…you’re gonna need more than 15 minutes for this one. STEAK!

Matchbook, Cabernet Sauvignon Lake County, California

87% Cabernet Sauvignon / 7% Petit Verdot / 6% Syrah

 

 

Matchbook Cabernet has deeply layered aromas of dusty cocoa, sassafras, and cedar. Full-bodied with loads of red fruit and spice. Relaxed tannins, pleasing acidity and a refreshing richness dance endlessly. A bold Cabernet that seems to be “intensely-drinkable!”

From their website: Lake County is California’s hidden treasure for growing Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and the Red Hills Vineyard where we source ours is one of the best. We carefully blended in Cabernet from Alexander Valley and Chalk Hill to amplify the structure and then a little petit verdot for to juice up the black fruit component. Finally, a little Dunnigan Hills syrah was added to soften and lengthen the finish. 6,700 cases

Evening Land "Once" Knife Red Napa, California

50% Cab Franc / 25% Cab Sauv / 20% Merlot / 5% Petit Verdot

The nose is quite intense, with aromas of black currants, graphite, and coffee.
Full Throttle on the palate, with good overall acidity and lush tannins. A solid middle provides a nice bridge to the wine's very long finish. While still young, this wine is definitely in a pleasant drinking window for years to come.

Juan Gil, Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain

100% Monastrell

 

Mouvedre [Monastrell] grape is often thought of as a “blending varietal." However, in Jumilla it makes a single-varietal wines that are both lush and balanced. This wine has the aromatic spice and meaty aromas in the nose and tastes of blackberry, Kona coffee, dark cocoa and just a touch of earth on the finish.

Loves BBQ, grilled meats, STEAK!

Portillo Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

100% Malbec 

 
Rustic, with good earthy character, ripe black fruits, and black pepper.  When tasted you get blackberry, raspberry, pepper, and bearth.  Acidity and tannins are in balance, providing good backbone. Finish is more old world, mostly earth, black pepper, and some black fruit.

Atalaya “Laya,” Almansa, Spain

70% Garnacha Tintorera 30% Monastrell

 

Aged 4 months in French oak. Garnacha Tintorera is known for its deep color and here it coats the glass and imparts aromas of brooding black fruits, espresso, and pepper.
Dense, savory, and rich, round and succulent. Light on its feet.

Arizona "Mandala" Red and White

The Latest Release of James Keenan's Wines

Mandala White
87% Viognier, 8% Grenache Blanc, 5% Orange Muscat
Ripe peach, apricot and tangerine flavors that are woven together on a lush body with minerality and juicy acidity. Impressively long finish.

 

Mandala Red
39% Cinsault, 25% Syrah, 25% Petite Syrah, 5% Counoise, 4% Grenache, 2% Viognier
Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry and spice in he glass. Red plums and pomegranate join other dark fruits as they layer into black pepper, anise,
vanilla and violets. Balanced with good acidity and a bit of earth.

Dolin "Dry" Vermouth de Chambéry, France

 

Dolin Vermouth de Chambery has long been the benchmark for fine Vermouth. France’s only Appellation d’Origine for Vermouth.

The process chez Dolin begins with purchase of base wine, always white, light in alcohol and as neutral as possible, both on the nose and palate. To this is added a selection of herbs and plants, which are left to macerate several months. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret, but there are about 54 different plants used. notably lighter, drier and less pungent than their larger commercial counterparts. The particular mixture of plants found near Chambéry give a fresh, restrained and elegant nose, with a subtle, complex bittersweet palate. Just enough bitterness to whet the appetite. Can be enjoyed as aperitif on ice, with a twist of citrus, or in a broad array of traditional cocktails.

Chateau Ste. Michelle "Horse Heaven Vineyard" 2010 Columbia Valley, Washington

100% Sauvignon Blanc

30% barrel-fermented. Fresh herbs, cut grass, citrus, and a hint of gooseberry creates a crisp, refreshing, impeccably balanced Sauvignon that is an outstanding value meant for drinking over the next 2-3 years."

Distefano "Sogno," Columbia Valley 2007

82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Franc offers a complex nose of cedar, tobacco, clove, and black currant. Medium-bodied, smooth-textured, and savory, 1-2 years but can be approached now.

Clos du Bois "Briarcrest Vineyard," Alexander Valley, Sonoma, North Coast, California

Cabernet Sauvignon

Has a dark ruby/purple color, formidable tannin with a tight finish, and plenty of black currants, leather, and spicy oak.

Simonsig Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa

100% Chenin Blanc [Steen]

Beautiful aromas of apricots, with hints of kiwi fruit and pineapples. Well-balanced wine with excellent structure and dimensions, and pleasing acidity.
There is a lingering freshness in the finish.

Granrojo Garnacha 2009 Valdepeas, Spain

100% Garnacha [Grenache]

The most cultivated red grape in the world, produces excellent wines which achieve expressive-power. The grapes for this wine are from 40 year-old vines grown in the limey soil of Campo de Montielin old vines grown in the lime-y soil of Campo de Montielin Valdepeñas.
Pleasant aromas of liquorice, wild red berries fill the nose. Well-rounded from start to finish. Red fruit, minerals and a hint of fresh thyme linger on the finish. Surprisingly silky and full-bodied.

Morse Code Shiraz, Padthaway, Australia
100% Shiraz

Deep garnet-purple in color, it is intensely scented of warm blackberry, eucalyptus and a touch of forest floor. Great acid and plenty of berry fruit with soft tannins all play well together and leads to a long dark berry finish. The winemaker, Renae Hirsch creates this wine with amazing zip and feel!

Padthaway has a very diverse and site specific range of soils. This provides many outstanding opportunities for blending options which then allows for the development of the complexities so evident in Padthaway wines.
The climate of Padthaway is best described as Mediterranean with the coastal influences, days during ripening are generally dry and sunny and the nights cool.

Morse Code Chardonnay, Padthaway, Australia

100% Chardonnay

Chardonnay has a style that allows the fruit to be forward and present, but kissed with oak to allow a more complex and rounded feel. Melon and hints of toasted spice, with a round and soft texture leads to crispy-clean, long finish.

Old Plains, "Fun House," S.E. Australia

100% Pinot Grigio



Fun-house Pinot Grigio; melon, white fruit, peach, and white flowers play across the nose and palate, making this bone-dry white crisp and delicious. Enjoy chilled in the summer, and come back in the winter.

Sexy, Tinto, Vinho Regional Alentejano

50% Touriga Nacional / 25% Aragonês / 15% Cabernet Sauvignon / 10% Syrah



Deep ruby-violet color. Warm aroma of woodland fruits combining with spicy and caramel notes from good French oak. Full bodied, with ripe, well-rounded tannins and an intense black fruit flavor. Refreshing acidity and a very persistent finish.

This wine pairs well with both white and red meats and good company

Tercos, Sangiovese

100% Sangiovese


Italian immigrants introduced the Sangiovese grape to Argentina, and there is still a deep appreciation for Italian culture in Latin America. This deep red Sangiovese has the aromatic intensity of ripe strawberries and black currants, with a good balance   between fruit and acidity.

Tercos, the name of the winery, which means “stubborn” in Spanish, underscores the tenacious, burro-like commitment to quality that the Santos brothers possess. Chianti Classico at a Chianti price!

Esprit de Giraud Brut NV [Henri Giraud]

Chardonnay / Pinot Noir



The finest Champagne house virtually no one has ever heard of. Traditionally made, wood-aged Champagnes. Full-bodied, and tasting more like a honeyed white Burgundy with bubbles than a Champagne, this is a stunning effort. Unique, full-throttle, and fresh!


Only two "oak-aged" Champagnes in France. The other is Krug at more than twice the price!

Tierra Divina, Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Argentina [by Laurel Glen]

Malbec



Black fruit of great concentration and depth, graceful and supple. Sustainably farmed and made with purity of aroma and intensity of flavor. Delicious , exotic, and deeply complex malbec that matches beautifully with hearty pastas, complex latino dishes, and grilled meats.

Protocolo "White"

Airen / Viura

This is the white version of one of our all-time favorite reds! 87 pts. Subtle aromas of mint, lemon and orange, with a hint of honeysuckle. Dry, understated and focused, offering clean citrus and melon flavors and slow-building sweetness. Finishes dry and brisk, with an echo of lemon

Marcel Martin Cremant Tete de Cuvee NV

Chenin / Chardonnay / Cabernet Franc

Nnice fruit and biscuit on the nose with lemon citrus, apple blossom and bright crisp acidity on the palate. This is a great bubbly to tickle your fancy

Alta Cima Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

Good structure with all dark fruits and firm tannins. Full bodied, long finish. For Black-Coffee drinkers! Loves Grilled meats.

Altacima 6.330

Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Syrah / Petit Verdot

Cassis, mora and cherries with some Mocha and vanilla all giving the wine a big aromatic complexity. Taste has the same fruits as in the nose, very juicy with delicate toasted tones of barrels, full bodied, ripe and silky tannins.
It lasts long in the palate with a distinctive elegance.

Appollis Bordeaux Red Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Malbec / Petit Verdot



Opulent blackberry and plum aromas underlined by refined minerality. Exuberant, silky fun!

Appollis White

Charadonnay / Chenin Blanc / Viognier




Prominent peach and pineapple characters in a seamless blend that is generous, complex and elegantly fresh!

Discovery, Sauvignon Blanc

100% Sauvignon Blanc

Pale straw Sauvignon Blanc exhibits aromas of lemon zest and citrus characters. It has notes of gooseberry and passionfruit and is refreshingly crisp with good palate weight and a clean finish.This wine has lifted aromatics of lemon zest, passion fruit and  a hint of herbs. Flavors follow through nicely with notes of fresh melon and tropical fruits. All this lingers on the palate with generous weight, and a long crisp finish. This wine makes a natural combination with seafood, light meats, pasta, salads, and Asian  cuisine.

Lyrarakis, Crete, Greece

100% Vilana



Delicious White wine with nice floral, upon tasting blissful fruit and mineral which leads to white flowers and a happy finish

Saint Cosme, Cotes du Rhone, France

100% Syrah



First off, hard to imagine a 100% syrah from a an area known for blends! Much less the quality to price that this wines provides!

A violet aroma leads and are followed by dark berries,  your fathers pipe tobacco pouch and fresh tilled earth, delightful grip on the finish. Solid!

Chateau Roudier, Montagne-Saint-Emillion

80% Merlot / 10% Cabernet Franc / 10% Malbec

Great lively garnet color, strong bouquet and good balance, a bit of fruit leading into a long finish.

Engine Room Sparkling Red NV, Australia

50% Shiraz / 25% Cabernet Sauvignon / 25% Malbec



Sourced predominantly from McLaren Vale

Dark red fruits with a soft but vibrant feel with  long "chocolately" tannins. Fruity but dry!

Sirius Blanc, Bordeaux France

50% Semillion / 50% Sauvignon Blanc



Pale yellow color, with a nose of white blossom and citrus fruit. Vibrant and fresh fruit notes leads into a rich fleshy fruit. Mineral notes linger on the long finish. Perfect for patio, seafood, such as shellfish.

Kaiken "Ultra," Mendoza Argentina

97% Malbec / 3% Cabernet Sauvignon

100% Silk! A "cream in your coffe lovers dream!
Ruby red color with violet hues. On the nose, flowery and mineral notes are evident, with spice. On the mouth it’s a wine of great structure and power, with tannins that are both soft and present. It has an outstanding balance and a very long finish, where red fruits and flower notes are evident.

Wine Cocktails Wines big word of the Week!

Mixing with wine! Wine offers a great way to add dimension to cocktails. Also, if you were not “profiled” at Hop City, a great way to “adjust” a wine that is not to your liking!
Bishop Cocktail- red wine, rum, simple syrup, lime juice / Bloody Rum Punch- red wine, rum, lime juice, triple sec, simple syrup / Candy Corn- moscato wine, kettle-corn infused gin, citrus peel grenadine / Cardinal Cocktail- red wine, creme de cassis / Champagne Bowler- white wine, sparkling wine, cognac, simple syrup, strawberries / Cobb's Cognac Dream- Rose wine, Cognac, rum, fruits / Endless Possibilities- Covey Run Semillon Ice Wine, vanilla-ginger simple syrup, club soda / English Christmas Punch- dry red wine, dark rum, tea, orange juice, lemon juice / Falling Leaf Fizz- sparkling wine, pear vodka, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie spice / Ice-tini- Covey Run Semillon Ice Wine, vodka / Kir- dry white wine, crème de cassis / Liquid Lust- white wine, Rosangel tequila, orange juice, cranberry juice, club soda, fruits / Miranda Cocktail- pinot noir, Lillet Blanc, Bluecoat Gin, simple syrup, lemon puree / Mulled Wine- red wine, brandy, orange, cloves, honey or sugar, cinnamon sticks, ginger / Pink Elephant- merlot, Amarula Cream, chocolate liqueur, raspberry puree, heavy cream / Rosé Berry Bliss- Rosé, pink lemonade, blueberries, lemon-lime soda / Sangria- red wine, brandy, curaçao, ginger ale, sugar syrup, club soda, fresh lemon or lime juice, fresh orange juice / Brazilian Sangria- red wine, Spanish brandy, absinthe, orange liqueur, fresh fruits / Dutch Appel Sangria- white wine, Van Gogh Dutch Appel Vodka, orange liqueur, pineapple juice / White Peach Sangria- Pinot Grigio, mango rum, white peach schnapps, lemon, lime, orange, lemon-lime soda / Something Blue- white wine, Hpnotiq, ginger ale / Viscusi Cocktail- dessert wine, Prosseco, Canadian whisky, orange bitters / Wine Spritzer- white wine, club soda or mineral water / Xalapa Punch- dry red wine, apple brandy, amber rum, black tea, honey, oranges / Ziaza- Dubonnet, gin

Tamari Torrontés

100% Torrentes



Very elegant and delicate varietal aromas. Notes of white grapefruit are highlighted, white flowers like jasmine, rose notes, damascus, and some hints of tropical fruits such as chirimoya. Its mouth is fruity, floral, spicy and enjoyable! Patio Pounder!

Saunier de Longchamps Pineau des Charentes Cognac, France

Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot


It is a result of a mistake of a wine maker in the town of Burie in 1589. He had put new grape juice into a barrel containing a small quantity of Cognac. And forgot about it. Sometime later, the wine maker tasted it, liked it and that is how Pineau des Charentes was born. Cognac is blended with the new grape juice within hours of grapes pressing to produce Pineau des Charentes. Grapes must be very ripe in order to obtain grape juice that is rich in natural sugars. Pineau des Charentes is the result of stopping the fermentation of the grape juice by adding Cognac which must be at least one year old. Ripe intense and clean in the finish! 14 months, including a minimum of 8 months in oak barrels

Choya Umeshu

Ume Wine

 

Sweet, tart and eminently sip-able, it is exactly the kind of beverage to break out when you wish to try something new and flavorful. Produced from alcohol distilled from sugar cane, umeshu is at its heart a form of fruit infusion. Imagine the processes that produce white rum, combined with the subsequent steps to result in gin, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of umeshu. But, with balance. Not cloying, the ume fruit itself is one to four times more acidic than other varieties of plum. The flavor comes across as smooth right to the finish. Even Choya’s bottle itself contains real ume fruit floating around in the bottom and neat screw-top lid that allows you to actually pour them out and EAT THEM. Little sour plums soaked in cane sugar. You can play with this versatile wine! With sparkling white wine, in a Japanese Kir Royale. With two parts mixed into a lager, as a fun twist on a Snakebite. In a cup of mulled, warm red wine with cinnamon.

Domaine des Cassagnoles, Gascongne, France

100% Gros Manseng

Janine & Gilles Baumann farm about 76 hectares in the region of Gascogne, in southwestern France. Their main focus is on the white grapes that are also used to make Cognac and Armagnac. This one is 100% Gros Manseng from old, low yielding vines harvested a bit late. It is one of those wines that any white wine lover would revel in drinking. White flowers and spicy pit fruits on the nose make you think that this one is going to be sweet, but it’s not. The palate is medium bodied with great texture and intense flavors of ripe apricot with a touch of honey. Enjoy this with spicy Asian cuisine or friends.

Wines "Big Word" of the Week! What the Heck is Ullage?

Ullage is the word used to describe the air space above the wine and under the cork or cap. The word comes from the Latin word oculus, by the Romans for the bung hole of a barrel. This was taken into French and the verb ouiller was created, to fill a barrel up to the bung hole. (When wine ferments in the barrel, evaporation through the wood can create unwanted bacteria causing off fermentation.) English, ullage came to refer to any amount by which a barrel is unfilled and it is also applied to the unfilled air space at the top of a bottle of wine, which in this case is essential to allow for expansion of the contents as the temperature changes.

High fill or Normal fill - Level of young wines. Exceptionally good in wines over 10 years.

Into neck - Perfectly good for any age of wine. Awesome for a wine of 10 years.

Mid neck fill - In bottles over 10 years of age, indicates good storage conditions.

Base neck fill - The fill is at about the bottom of the neck. Indicates excellent storage for any wine. For wines over 25 years of age, indicates exceptional storage conditions.

Top shoulder - Not unusual for wines over 40 years of age, but most older wines should be refilled, with the same wine from other bottles, and re-corked before the wine gets to this point! High-risk-undrinkable!

Aviod Sunburn by Drinking More Wine!

What to avoid sunburn? Drink more wine!

A compound found in grapes or grape derivatives may protect skin cells from skin-damaging ultraviolet radiation, report researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council. The flavonoids found in grapes work to halt the chemical reaction that kills skin cells and causes sun damage. Here's what happens: When UV rays hit your skin, they activate "reactive oxygen species," or ROS, which then oxidize big molecules like lipids and DNA. This activates particular enzymes that kill skin cells.

But grapes' flavonoids work to decrease the formation of the ROS's in skin cells that were exposed to UVA and UVB rays. The researchers, led by Marta Cascante, a biochemist at the University of Barcelona, Spain and director of the research project, note that this finding may lead to better sun-shielding drugs and cosmetics.

The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Eponymous, Napa Valley, CA 2004

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Pleases with aromas hinting of cassis, spicy oak notes, and raspberries. It has excellent body and structure, with the fruit flavors coming through, especially at this young stage of the wines development. There area also added nuances of chocolate in the crazy long finish!

I have a limited number at a greatly reduced price

Morse Code, Padthaway, Australia

100% Shiraz

Deep garnet-purple in color, it is intensely scented of warm black-blueberry, and a touch of forest floor. High acid and plenty of juicy berry fruit with soft tannins are all in harmony leads to a long and pleasing dark-berry finish. Intensely beautiful!

Mulderbosch, Faithful Hound, R.S.A.

62% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Merlot 10% Petite Verdot 10% Malbec 8% Cabernet Franc

Deep black cherry colour. A plethora of mulberry, blackcurrant with aromas of souboise (forest floor), pencil shavings and fresh roasted coffee bean. Full bodied, wafts of Christmas cake and black fruits complexed with spicy new oak.
Game birds, roast beef, lamb, steaks, meat stews, ratatouille, strong cheddar cheese.

Mulderbosch, Sauvignon Blanc, R.S.A.

92% Sauvignon Blanc 8% Semillion

A bright lemon-green color with a pronounced nose of lemon zest, green fig and black current held by floral note. Engaging concentration of clementine peel, Cape Gooseberry and Charentais melon; a rich texture that caresses the palate, offset by a perky acidity. Complex with a refreshing finish.

Serve with char-grilled artichokes; oysters; grilled line fish and shellfish; calamari; smoked salmon; seafood paella; chicken à la king; and oven baked goat's milk cheese.

Wines "Big Word" of the Week! What the Heck is Meritage?

The Meritage Association was formed in 1988 by a small group of Napa Valley, California vintners to offer a way to denote wines that do not meet the 75% minimum grape labeled wines. Interest grew in creating Bordeaux-style wines, their blended nature failed to qualify for varietal status. In 1988, the association hosted a contest to conceive a proprietary name for these wines, receiving over 6,000 submissions. "Meritage", —a combination of merit and heritage, was selected and its coiner awarded two bottles of the first ten vintages of every wine licensed to use the brand. In May 2009, The Meritage Association announced that it has changed its name to The Meritage Alliance.

A red Meritage must be made from a blend of at least two or more of the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot or Carmenère, with no varietal comprising more than 90% of the blend.

A white Meritage must be made from a blend of at least two or more of the following varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon or Muscadelle du Bordelais, with no varietal comprising more than 90% of the blend.

Although many people, including many wine experts, have a tendency to Frenchify the word "Meritage" by pronouncing its last syllable with a "zh" sound, as in "garage," the Meritage Alliance specifically states that the word should be pronounced to rhyme with "heritage."