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This Week at the
Tasting Bar
Celebrating the Tour de France
Dale and Allison are "really into" the Tour de France.
So much so, that we're centering this week's Tasting around Stage 6 of
the Tour-Gérone to Barcelona-a distance of 181.5 km. After Monaco
and Marseille, the 2009 Tour stops at a third "great beacon"
of the Mediterranean. The city of Catalonia is host to this prestigious
new stage that takes place in the southernmost destination in Tour
history.
To celebrate this stage of the Tour, on Thursday, July 9, and Saturday,
July 11, we'll be tasting wines from Spain. Here they are:
Mont Marcal Vinicola Gran Sarao Brut Rosado Cava (NV) Spain,
Barcelona Dark red in color, this lovely Cava has a great nose of
roses and strawberries. On top of the steady stream of small bubbles,
ripe red berry flavors lead to a clean, fruit finish. This is a
great little sparkling wine. Wine Advocate rated it 87 points and The
Savvy Wine Cellar rates it at Four Corks!
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Telmo
Rodriguez Basa, 2007, Spain (Rueda) Light
bodied and refreshing, there are hints of pear and apple on the nose of
this Basa, as well as a bit of floral scents. Crisp and citrus in
flavor, the Basa packs some orchard fruit flavors, as well. It has
a clean finish with some nice minerality. Wine Advocate scored it
at 89 points and Wine Enthusiast likes it at 89. The Savvy Wine
Cellar rates it Four Plus Corks!
Bodega Coscheros y Criadores Infinitus Rosé, 2007, Spain (Rioja)
You know that at The Savvy Wine Cellar we love our Rosés and we truly
love this one. The Infinitus Rosé from Rioja is a blend of Cabernet Franc
and Tempranillo and has an intense color cherry-red. Ripe
strawberries pop out from the top of the glass and balance extremely well
with a nice, fruity taste. This is a medium-bodied wine that has
some very nice acidity. You'll want to enjoy this Rosé with tapas
or anything hot off the grill! The Savvy Wine Cellar rates this one
Four Corks Plus!
Red Guitar Old
Vine Tempranillo-Garnacha, 2007, Spain (Navarra) A blend
of 55% Tempranillo and 45% Garnacha, Red Guitar is a tribute to the
incredible Spanish lifestyle. It captures the vibrant soul of
Spain. Garnet red in color with an aroma of cherries and red
berries, there are flavors of subtle earth and chocolate on the
palate. This is a medium-to-full-bodied wine. We love this
wine and are really happy to finally have it in the shop (especially
since so many of you have been clamoring for it). We're rating it
Four Plus Corks and know that you will, too.
Hacienda Molleda
Garnacha, 2006, Spain (Carinena D.O.) Deep cardinal red
in color, there is a fresh aroma of citrus with hints of apricots.
This Garnacha is very nicely structured, a little bit fleshy, with a hint
of licorice that blends very well with the fruity nuances that are
characteristic of a fine Garnacha of Carinena. Velvety on the nose
and in the mouth, this is an outstanding wine! Wine Advocate rates
it 91 points and we could not agree more!
See you on
Thursday from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday from 1-5!
"Pick of the Week"
This week's pick was selected for us by our associate Neil Miller.
It is the 2005 Allegrini Palazzzo della Torre. A blend of the
Corvina, Veronese, Rondinella and Sangiovese grapes, this big Italian
wine hails from the Veneto region of Italy. Wild berry perfume...dark,
jammy, chocolate and spice flavors... No wonder Neil loves it!
Normally priced at $20.99, for this week only, we've reduced the price to
$18.49. Next time you're in the shop, check out Neil's pick and take one
home with you. You won't be sorry!
Upcoming Events
July 14-7 to 8 p.m.: "You Think You Don't Know French Wines But You
Really Do..." Neil Miller explains varietals, regions and styles of
the beautiful wines from France. Spaces are filling up quickly, so make
sure to register now!
July 29-7 to 8 p.m.: Forrest Harpur, wine educator for Southern Wine and
Spirits, has planned a class all about tiny bubbles. If you attended his
"How to Taste Wine Like the Pros," you know you won't want to
miss this one. Register
now.
"How Savvy Are You?"
Here are the answers:
If you get a
headache after you drink a glass of red wine, are you most likely
allergic to the sulfites that are in it? Answer: Probably
not. About one person in one million is allergic to sulfites and if
you are actually allergic to sulfites the reaction would, most likely, be
more severe than a headache (Think...a trip to the emergency
room!). If you are truly allergic to sulfites, you probably would
also have adverse reactions to bacon, white wine and orange juice made
from concentrate. If you did get a headache after drinking red
wine, you might have an allergy to histamines, which are common in red
wine.
Which country consumes
the largest amount (per capita) of wine? Answer: Despite its
very tiny size, Luxembourg wins this award. The people of
Luxembourg consume a per-capita average 16.7 gallons of wine per year.
Is there anything
added to Champagne during bottling to adjust the sweetness of the
wine? Answer: Yes. A mixture of sugar syrup and brandy or
wine, called a dosage, is added right before the final bottling.
End of Bin Specials
The next time you stop in the shop, check out our new End of
Bin Close-outs. As vintages change, or wines go out of stock
indefinitely, we will pull the last few bottles from the shelf and offer
them to you at great prices. Check it out when you come in.
CinCin!
Allison and Dale
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