WINE TASTING

 Come see our retail wine selection.

 Wine notes below.

Join Us For a Wine Tasting!

check out our Events Calendar

come visit us Get Directions

 Wine Notes from Tom, Andrea and John

Dec. 18, 2010  Wines we've liked.

$  Inexpensive

$$  Moderate

$$$  Forget about retiring for a while

Independent Producers Chardonnay (Columbia Valley WA) 2008    a second label for Hedges Wine Cellars.  Worth it just for reading the label.  Sort of an iconoclastic screw the ratings type of thing. This is a no oak chard that is good to drink as a cocktail, but has acidity to stand up to lighter foods. We sell it by the glass, and this is what I drink after work.   $ Tom

Beronia Reserva Rioja 2005  (Rioja Spain)  Very little available in our area after winning Best in class at the International wine and spirits competition.  Mostly Tempranillo, somewhat softer than usual for this varietal, great quaffing.  $ 

Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2006 (Piedmonte Italy)  "Deep, ripe, highly aromatic nose...black raspberry, currant, tar and licorice....finishes with big, broad but suave tannins that build impressively"  Andrea       

My initial comment was that this was sex in a bottle.  I felt like I needed a smoke.  Even though the wine is structured to last another decade, it is lush and big, yet goes down easy.  Tom 

P.S.  This is Wine Enthusiast  # 1 wine of the year.  $$$

Beringer Alluvium Blanc 07 (Knight's Valley Sonoma)  "bright fruits with hints of melon, fig, toasty oak, honey and lemon zest"  Andrea            This is a blend, mostly sauv blanc, but the semillon aromatics are prominent.  The oak suprised me, but pleasantly so.  The Alluvium red is also very good.  $$

Roots Run Deep Educated Guess 97 (Napa)  "Intense and firm with a wild edge"  Andrea       Is she describing herself or the wine?   Andrea has used this wine at a couple of our Friday tastings.  It is a full Napa cab at more of a Sonoma price, and a Wine Spectator best value  $$

Elk Cove Pinot Gris 2009 (Willamette VAlley)  This is a Wine Spectator "Top 100" pick for this year.  We got enough to put on or wine list. "Light, fragrant and juicy , hinting at almond flower on the finish" Andrea