Best wine tasting - Table Wine - Asheville, North Carolina

Spanish Selections from Andre Tamers

How many of you know that one of the best importers of Spanish wines resides in our state? Chapel Hill based Andre Tamers is the man behind De Maison Selections, and he knows how to pick the good stuff! Andre’s wines are featured on some of the best wine lists and in some of the best wines shops in the country, and we are proud to stock a wide selection of his wines. His focus is right in line with Table Wine’s philosophy – wines from small family owned and operated wineries that taste good and don’t break the bank!

The good news is that our friends at the Haw River Wine Man just picked up this portfolio, and the charming Mike Tiano will be on hand to pour and tell you about 6 to 8 of the wines – the lineup will be announced asap. The tasting takes place on Friday, February 17 and runs from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. The cost for the tasting is $5/person or it’s free if you’re a Grape Nut.

1. Chateau l’Oiseliniere de la Ramée Muscadet -Andre brings in just a few wines from France, and I was struck by this wine when I tasted it on Tuesday. Stunning purity, fierce minerality and easy “drinkability” made this an easy pick to kick the tasting off.

2. Garciarevalo Rueda Blanco “Casamaro” – Old vine Verdejo and Viura taste really, really good! A little like Sauvignon Blanc, but with more zesty herb notes, this one will have you thinking about springtime, wild flowers and picnics at the park.

3. Joan D’Anguera Garnatxa – I’ve followed the “work” of brothers Josep and Joan D’Anguera for a couple of years – mark my words, these guys are going to become famous because their wines are phenomenal! 100% Garnacha, biodynamically farmed and fermented in older oak, this one is all cherry, strawberry and white pepper.

4. Mencos Rioja – Like many of Andre’s wines, I was struck by the purity of this one. 100% Tempranillo from older vines fermented in stainless steel, it is a wine that really lets Tempranillo “speak”. Will you come by Friday and listen?

5. D. Ventura Vina do Burato – 100% Mencia from Ribeira Sacra (Sacred Bank) from an 80 year old vineyard, this one really gets me excited. Think Pinot Noir infused with rose petals……….sound good? If you said no, there’s something wrong with you………..go see a doctor!

6. Vina Sastre Ribera del Duero – The Sastres are one of the top grape farming families in Ribera del Duero. Like the Mencos Rioja, this is 100% Tempranillo, but it smells and tastes a “bit” different huh?