Saturday, May 27th from 2-5 p.m. – Want to taste some legendary Spanish wines along with some legends in the making? Stop by the store on Saturday as Mike Tiano of the Haw River Wine Man joins us to pour six prized and famed Spanish wines from the De Maison portfolio of André Tamers. Just $5 to try all 6 wines — free for Grape Nuts!
Our next Super Saturday Wine Tasting is a really special one. Mike Tiano will be running the tasting bar, and he’ll be pouring you an all-star roster of wines from the famed De Maison Selections portfolio. Founded in 1996 by Chapel Hill resident André Tamers, De Maison is easily recognized today as one of the top US-based importers of wines from small family-run Spanish estates. We’re talking legendary names like Remelluri in Rioja, Vina Sastre in Ribera del Duero, and Do Ferreiro in Rias Baixas……….. just to name a few. We’ll pour you wines from these historically significant producers along with wines from some of André’s newer producers. This is a golden opportunity to taste and learn about some of the best of the best Spanish producers and their wines. No RSVP is required and you do not have to be a Grape Nut to attend — just pay $5 before you begin the tasting and have a great time.
The Wines
Save big on all of the tasting wines! Mix any 3 of them and save 10%, mix any 6 and save 15%, or mix any 12 and save 20%!
1. 2016 Ameztoi Txakolina (Basque Region, Northern Spain): This is the wine equivalent to a gin and tonic………minus the high alcohol. Light, crisp, and bottled with a little bit of residual CO2 to give it a natural spritz, it is limey, salty, and bone dry. Folks try to compare it to Vinho Verde, but it is so much more intense.
2. 2016 Bodegas Ostatu Rosado (Rioja, North-Central Spain): This family run winery is located in the Rioja Alavesa in in the town of Samaniego. They treat their dry rosé with the utmost of respect, using grapes from some of the estate’s oldest and highest elevation vineyards. A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, and just a splash of Tempranillo Blanco fermented in stainless steel, it is one of the most refreshing wines we offer each year.
3. 2015 Do Ferreiro Albarino (Rias Baixas, Northwestern Spain): Like the title of the tasting proclaims, this is one of Spain’s modern legends of wine and arguably the greatest estate producer of Albarino. From older vineyards planted close to the Atlantic Ocean, this is sublime Albarino with more than just fruit. There is exotic fruit, but there is also stated minerality and an intensity rarely encountered in this grape.
4. 2015 José Antonio Garcia Unculin (Bierzo, Northwestern Spain): Talk about a perfect red for Memorial Day weekend! The young José Antonio Garcia is one of André Tamers’ newer producers, and we think he’s a legend in the making. His Unculin is 100% Mencia from 60-80 year old vineyards, and it is pure drinking pleasure. Comparable to good Gamay or Pinot Noir, it is medium bodied, juicy and easy drinking………perfect for washing down burgers or other stuff off the grill.
5. 2015 Costers del Priorat Petit Pissares (Priorat, Northeastern, Spain): This is another of De Maison’s newer producers, and we think they are destined for stardom! One of the best values in estate-grown Priorat on the market, the Petit Pissares is a stainless steel fermented blend of 60% Garnacha and 40% Samso (aka Carignan) from the black slate soils of Priorat. It is fresh and inviting on the one hand, yet “serious” and intense on the other. Trust us, this is an exciting new Spanish wine.
6. 2010 Remelluri Rioja Reserva (Rioja, North-Central Spain): Telmo Rodriguez is one of Rioja’s brightest stars, and Remelluri is where he does his best work. A traditional blend of Tempranillo and several other native grapes, this one is fermented with native yeasts and aged for 16 months in oak. The resulting wine is magnificent — packed with brooding dark fruit notes and complex spices, this is a wine to drink now with food or hold for up to 15 years. Bravo!
7. Surprise Wine: Yep, there’s one more just to motivate you to stop on by. It’s a red, it’s big, and it’s delicious!