You will definitely want to make it by this Friday for a whopper of a Winedown…….that’s fancy talk for a wine tasting. Anne Kaufmann from The Country Vintner will join us to pour a big batch of great wines from all over the world. There will be some good values, but there will also be some more premium offerings for you to “try before you buy”. The tasting runs from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the cost is $5/person or free if you’re a Grape Nut.
1. Tangent Sauvignon Blanc – This single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc hails from California’s Edna Valley, and the vineyard’s Sauvignon Blanc vines average 40 years of age. The wine combines the exotic, citrus characteristics of a New Zealand Sauv Blanc with the more mineral and tangy structure of one from the Loire Valley.
2. Quinta do Crasto Blanco – You all know how much we love Portuguese wines here at Table Wine, and this one is yet another perfect wine for sunny, warm days. A blend of native varietals (Rabigato, Gouveio and Roupeiro to be exact), it is exotic and very aromatic with lovely notes of ripe pear, melon, cream and spice. If you like Albarino, you will love this!
3. Talbott Chardonnay “Sleepy Hollow Vineyard” – I said we were going to pull out some big guns for this tasting, andthis is one of California’s classic Chardonnays. Super ripe, rich, buttery and creamy, it is a hedonistic delight with layers of peach, pineapple, apricot, honeysuckle and on and on.
4. Badenhorst Secateurs Red Blend – The Badenhorst family is one of South Africa’s champions of “natural wines” – organic farming, native yeast fermentations, little or no filtration and low sulfite additions. This is a Shiraz dominant blend, but there are 6 or 7 other grapes present in this Cotes du Rhone lookalike.
5. Talbott Pinot Noir “Sleepy Hollow Vineyard” – I love how this wine combines power with elegance, and I think you will too. Supple cherry and raspberry fruit meld with a hint of blueberry and plum……….with time, the wine opens up to reveal some nice complex earth nuances and exotic spices. It is a Pinot big enough to pair with Filet Mignon!
6. Milbrandt Family Cabernet Sauvignon – Jerry and Butch Milbrandt are in the top tier of Columbia Valley, Washington grape growers. For years, they just grew and sold their fruit to some of the top producers in the state – that’s not the case anymore and that’s a good thing. Their current Cab is priced to sell and packs a lot of ripe and juicy blueberry and blackberry fruit along with notes of mocha and spice.
7. Summers Cabernet Sauvignon – This 3,000 case, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon based wine is made by the talented husband and wife team of Jim and Pam Summers with fruit from their vineyards in Calistoga (Napa Valley). It is a show stopping style of wine with a dark/opaque color and notes of ripe and rich dark fruits, earth and spices. It was the hit of the night at our last wine and food pairing – it was paired with Boeuf Bourgignon and worked incredibly well!