Wines "big word" of the week! What the heck is "Bottle Shock?"

Bottle Sickness/Bottle Shock—Moving wine within the winery, bottling it, or transporting it to a different location can have a temporary negative effect on the flavor. After a period of time—a few days or weeks—it will be back to normal.

Pietra Santa "Sassolino" Cienega Valley, California

Sassolino is from estate grown grapes. Sassolino means “little stone” in Italian, a reference to our gravel-rich soils. Blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Robust with notes of black cherry with hints of chocolate and oak. Soft round tannins.
 

Cienega Valley

Located in western San Benito County, California. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. Major source of wine grapes for Almaden Vineyards before it was acquired by Constellation Brands in 1987. Valley floor is divided by the San Andreas fault. Soil is either granite and sandstone, or granite and limestone.

* Cases Produced:3147 * Varietal:44% Sangiovese, 41% Merlot & 15% Cabernet * Aging:19 months in French and American Oak

Robert Reynolds Pinot Noir, California

Flavors are reminiscent of sweet red berries, plums, tomatoes, cherries and at times a notable earthy or wood-like flavor, depending on specific growing conditions.


Pinot Noir is well-suited to pair with poultry, beef, fish, ham, lamb and pork. It will play well with creamy sauces, spicy seasonings and may just be one of the world's most versatile food wines.

Vidigal Vinho Verde, Portugal

Nice for summer party. crisply refreshing with green apple and lime flavors with a splash of effervescence!

Pool water, by the pool you will drink it like water...

Vinho Verde is a Portuguese wine from the Minho region in the far north of the country. The name literally means "Green Wine" (red or white), referring to its youthful freshness rather than its color

Wines "big word" of the week! What the heck is "Room Temperature?"

Like food, adjust to your personal preference...
45 degrees Most white wines you'll come across including Chenin Blancs, Sauvignon Blancs, Loire Wines, Rieslings and 'everyday' Chardonnays.
50 degrees Full bodied, high quality white wines including Sauternes and rich white Burgundies.  Light red wines like Beaujolais.
58 degrees Red wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bordeaux, Zinfandel, Rhones and Syrah/Shiraz.

"Room Temperature" is reference to an English house in the 1700's and it was pretty darn COLD! Why the cold shoulder? Think about a steak served with the perfect amount of "doneness," 'nuff said!

The EASY WAY TO DO THIS: Follow the 20/20 rule and either put your red in the fridge for 20 minutes or pull out for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Monsters, Monsters, Attack! Clare Valle, Australia

Complex fruit basket of a nose, displaying fresh melon, nectarine, and melon aromas. Slighty sweet on the palate, with concentrated honeydew hugging citrus enrobed by tangy lemon zest. Blends sweetness and cut smoothly, finishing with excellent clarity and persistence. This is Amazing! With the better Rieslings having an amazing combination of sweetness and acidity, Riesling is an especially versatile wine with food. It works well with fish or pork and is one of the few wines that can hold its own again spicy cuisines like
Indian, Chinese, and Thai.

Bodegas Shaya, Verdejo, From Rueda, Castila Leon, Spain

Aromas of baking spices, spring flowers, and peach. On the palate it has a creamy texture, vibrant acidity, and intense flavors leading to a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. It is a great value in dry, aromatic white wine that over-delivers in a big way.
Verdejo is excellent with greens dressed in vinaigrette and other sharp ingredients such as tomatoes and olives. Fish and shellfish are also natural partners. If Sauvignon Blanc finished school, it would be THIS!!!
 
5,500 cases.cases total production

Peirano Estate, Barbera, "Estate Grown," Lodi, California

Violet in color, With aromas of boysenberries, cassis, and cherry, with just a tease of velvet. Flavors of red currants, blackberry, plum and embrace on the palate, balanced, lingering, mouth-filling finish.
The savory flavours and high acid levels in many Barberas make them ideal accompaniments to Italian style cuisine.You could serve Barbera wines with most dishes that have a tomato and herb based sauce... or try them with a mushroom risotto.Fatty foods such as roast duck also benefit from being served with acid wines.ome Citrus based sauces.

Top Ten Candy Bars and Wine Pairings

Eating and drinking your sweets
They say "candy is dandy but liquor is quicker." Why not have both? The intensity inherent to dessert wine nicely compliments an array of sweets. Such boldness plays well with dark and milk chocolate, caramel, nuts, and more exotic flavors like coconut. Given the various innuendo that these yummy treats provide, these pairings are "sure to satisfy."

Pairing Hints:

● Nuts: wine, cream sherry, madeira, and tawny ports have nutty toasted nuances
that mirror nut flavors.
● Nougat: Late harvest or Sauternes dessert wines add to nougat's creamy
texture.
● Chocolate: Ports and chocolate both
● Nuts: wine, cream sherry, madeira, and tawny ports have nutty toasted nuances
that mirror nut flavors.
● Nougat: Late harvest or Sauternes dessert wines add to nougat's creamy
texture.
● Chocolate: Ports and chocolate both play the game of bitter and sweet.
● Coconut: Well-oaked wines such as aged tawny or vintage port reflect the
coconut in the wood.

Kinds of nougat: 

The first, and most common, is white nougat (which appeared in Cremona, Italy in the early 15th century and later in Montélimar, France, in the 18th century) is made with beaten egg whites and honey. 

The second is brown nougat (referred to as "mandorlato" in Italy and nougatine in French) is made without egg whites and has a firmer, often crunchy texture. 

The third is the Viennese or German nougat which is essentially a chocolate and nut (usually hazelnut) praline.

The most popular candy bars based on 

sales and libations to pair them with:

10. Hershey Bar
Basic pleasure can be a tricky match. Try a orange Muscat from Quady that turns a simple taste into the classic combination of citrus and chocolate.

9. Oh Henry!
Fudge, peanuts, and caramel covered with chocolate demands a complex and intense port such as Tawny 20 Year.

8. M&Ms
Not a candy bar, but the melt in y our mouth element cannot be ignored. Try Croft LBV with a handful of these candies.

7. Baby Ruth
Nougat, peanuts and chocolate are a match for sauternes or muscat

6. 3 Musketeers
All-chocolate nougat covered with milk chocolate is slightly complicated. Compliment, not contrast, is the key here, so use King Estate "Vin Glace" Pinot Gris or
Peter Lehmann Botrytis Semillon.

5. Milky Way
Chocolate malt-flavored nougat and caramel covered with milk chocolate needs good
intensity combined with a fruity edge. Try a Brachetto d' Acqui semi-sparkling.

4. Butterfinger
Butterfinger consists of a crunchy blend of butter and peanut butter covered with
chocolate. Peanut butter's creamy, nutty intensity combines well with sherry; enjoy
it with Alvear's Amontillado.

3. Kit Kat
Wafers, nougat and chocolate need a spicy Madeira like Sandeman "Fine Rich."

2. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Again, peanut butter needs a bold partner; try a cream sherry like with the Pedro Ximenez grape

1. Snickers
You can't go wrong with nougat, caramel, roasted peanuts, and milk chocolate. The
number-one selling bar deserves only the best: try it with a solera sherry.

For the adventurous, experience an Almond Joy or Mounds bar with A fine Vintage port.