The first "You Gotta Try This!" Wine is Really Good

This is our first “You Gotta Try This!” wine, the Chateau St. Martin de La Garrigue “Tradition”, 2007.  Our criteria for this category is simple- the wine tastes great, especially for the price.  Basically, not just a good QPR wine, a GREAT QPR.

The St. Martin has a lot going for it: a Kermit Lynch import, a $12.50 price, and a long history of good wines.  In fact, we posted about last year’s offering, and this one is even better.

The Garrigue pairs well with flank steak

Kermit Lynch discusses the wine in his blog here as he calls the wines of St. Martin “consistent values.” True that!

The wine is everything you expect from a $25+ wine: slightly complex, natural tasting, medium bodied with a substantial finish.  Perfect with pizza (especially) or steak.  Bottom line- the Chateau St. Martin tastes really good and it’s cheap.  You Gotta Try This!

The Wine:

2007 Chateau St. Martin de La Garrigue “Tradition”

Available (at press time):

Liner and Elsen

Price:  $12.50

Spain is So Hot Right Now!

Spain is hot.  Spain won the World Cup this summer, and Spain has that “cooking” show with Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow.  Or is that a travel show?  Who knows, it’s a tough combo to beat, and Spain is featured no less than five times this weekend in Portland’s tastings.  They all sound good, so check ‘em out!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

John’s Marketplace

2008 Chateauneuf-du-Pape featuring:

5-7 pm, $10.

Korkage Wine Shop
TBD, 6-9 pm, fee.

Thirst
Dumas Station, 5-8 pm, free.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Blackbird Wineshop
TBD

Cork, NE Alberta
Special tasting of Italy’s Campania region, reservations required, including a $125 of Galardi’s Tierra di Lavorro, 4-7 pm, $20.

Cornell Wine
Wines from the Rhone Valley, 4:30-7 pm, $8-$16.

Every Day Wine
Argentina vs. Spain, 5-9 pm, $12.

Foster and Dobbes
TBD, 4:30-6:30 pm, free.

Garrison’s Fine Wines

I figure a great way to round out the month is to have an Owner’s Pick tasting. This is a great chance for me to pick out a series of wines that I have tried, that I have enjoyed, but haven’t fit into a tasting theme yet. The flight is awesome. Starting with a sparkler from the Loire Valley, a white Chateauneuf du Pape, then an awesome Oregon Syrah made from my favorite California vineyard, a special Brunello deal, and then end with a red/pinkish sparkling wine from Italy.

NV Catherine & Pierre Breton Vouvray Petillant Brut ‘La Dilettante’
2006 Domaine Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc
2007 Big Table Farm Syrah White Hawk Vineyard
2003 La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino (Special pricing at tasting)
2009 Elio Perrone Mosto Brachetto

5-8 pm, $15.

Gem Wine Cellar & Wine Bar
Wines of Spain Including Rioja, 5-8 pm, $15.

Great Wine Buys
Non-Tempranillo Spanish, 5-7:30, $15.

Hollywood Wine & Espresso
TBD, 5-10 pm, $10.

John’s Marketplace
No tasting

Liner & Elsen
No Tasting

Mt. Tabor Fine Wines

Beautiful whites from Austria and Northern Italy $15
Come try some delicious Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Grigio, Super Blends and more.
4-8:00 pm, $15.

Oregon Wines On Broadway
Champagne flight from Boizel! $15.

Storyteller Wine Co.
Germany, Italy and Oregon:

This promises to be quite the barnburner of a wine tasting. At the top of the tasting list will be two German wines that are being imported by Olga and Barnaby Tuttle of Oregon’s Schone Schlucht winery. One wine is a delightful kabinett style Riesling from Harald Junglen of Weingut Ackermann. Harald, along with his wife Anne, own about 6 acres of prime vineyards in and around Zeltingen. Most of their Riesling vines spring up out of blue slate in the steepest vineyards of Zeltinger Himmelreich, Schlossberg and Sonnenuhr. The other wine is a light, refreshing Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) from Andreas Diehl. That would be enough to get me out on a Friday evening but there will also be brand new wines from Italy and a brand new rose from Biggio-Hamina to taste. There will be no charge for this tasting.

6-9 pm, free.

Vino
World Wide Tempranillo- taste why this is perhaps the hottest grape varietal on the planet!

4:30-8 pm, fee.

The Wine Cellar
TBD, 4-6:30 pm, free

Woodstock Wine and Deli

The Wines of Naked Winery
6:30 pm, $10.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Cornell Wine
TBD

Garrison’s Fine Wines
Everyday wines, 1-4 pm, free

Great Wine Buys

Featured Italian Deals!
2-5 pm, free.

Liner & Elsen

Iberian delicacies: Quinta da Aveleda Vinho Verde, Huguet de Can Feixes Blanc Selecció, Fillaboa Albariño, Quinta da Peza Godello, and Quinta da Peza Mencía.

noon-5, free.

Portland Wine Merchants
free.

Storyteller Wines
Pizza Wines, 12-5 pm, free.

The Wine Cellar
TBD, 12-5 pm

This Week's Wine Tastings are So Good I Feel Like a Kid In a Candy Shop!

There are Seriously Good Wine-tastings this weekend, good luck choosing!  You will feel like a kid in a candy shoppe on Friday, as Syncline is at Storyteller Wines, Spanish reds at Cork, Txacolina at Foster and Dobbes (if you haven’t tried Txacolina do it, they are great!), Sicilian at Garrisons, and two big daddy Oregon Pinot Noir tastings at Great Wine Buys and Mt. Tabor Fine Wines!  If you love Oregon Pinot, those are for you as the heavy hitters like Dusky Goose, Winderlea, Arterberry Maresh, etc. will be there.

I think this weekend qualifies for the best overall weekend tasting of the year!  Drop us a line and give us your review, especially if you find a great QPR.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Korkage Wine Shop
How about a Quick Jaunt to Italy? Live Music, 6-9 pm, fee.

Thirst
Complimentary tasting with women winemakers, 5-8 pm, free.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Blackbird Wineshop
TBD

Cork, NW Alberta
Our summer tasting Friday @ the NE Alberta shop features a mini-flight of 3 reds made with the Monastrell grape of Southern Spain. Compare it in a blend with Syrah, a blend with Tempranillo and a 100% bottling, coming from three growing regions – Bullas, Yecla and Jumilla.  We’ve got some fresh Olympic Provisions chorizo to enjoy with the flight.  The fun starts at 4pm and goes until 7pm or the bottles run dry.  Drop in tasting, no reservation needed.
4-6 pm, $8.

Cornell Wine
German and Austrian Red Wines, 4:30-7 pm, $8-$16.

Every Day Wine
French, Hand Picked Selections, 5-9 pm, $12.

Foster and Dobbes
Odds are that when you think about Spanish wine, it’s all about the reds: Tempranilla, Garnache, Mencia. But Spain also produces lovely whites as well, crisp, floral, delicate. And from up north in Basque country comes Txacolina (pronounced CHOCK-oh-LEE-nuh). Zesty, brightly acidic and low alcohol, Txacolinas have a slight fizz that makes them a refreshing summer wine. If you’re a fan of Eric Asimov’s New York Times column The Pour, check out what he has to say about wines. And come by the shop on Friday, August 20th, 4:30 – 6:30pm, when our friend Bonnie Crocker from Domaine Selections will be here to share samples of four: 2009 Txomin Etxaniz, Getariako Txakolina, 2009 Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Rubentis, 2009 Gurrutxaga Bizkaiko Txakolina, and 2009 Uriondo Bizkaiko Txakolina. (Don’t worry – you won’t have to say the names to get a taste!) Don’t miss this chance to taste four of these marvelous wines: you just might find your new summer favorite!4:30-6:30 pm, free.

Garrison’s Fine Wines
First remember that the great thing about focused tastings is that it is a great opportunity to try wines you haven’t had, aren’t used to, and to educate your palate.  This week we will focus on Sicily.  It is the long lost cousin of Italy and though closer to Africa, the wine making traditions are century old.  On this day we will highlight whites, reds, blends, single varietals, compare wine making styles (tank versus amphora), among other things.

2008 Benanti Bianco di Caselle (100% Carricante)
2008 Valle dell’Acate Il Frappato VF
2007 COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria
2007 COS Pithos
2004 Valle dell’Acate Tane IGT
2008 Occhipinti SP68 IGT

5-8 pm, $15.

Gem Wine Cellar & Wine Bar
Comparison of Blended Wines in Oregon, Washington, and California.  Most old world wines are blended wines. The Spanish, Italian and French are masters at blending as are many of our Western wine makers. Although each climate and soil may differ the Master Wine Maker will create a blend worthy of the West. You decide!! 5-8 pm, $15.

Great Wine Buys
Our third annual Dundee Hills Invasion featuring Dusky Goose, Eyrie, Brittan, Winderlea and Ayoub pouring world-class Pinot Noir; we’re thrilled to have some of the “Hills” best join us, including Robert Brittan winemaker at Winderlea, Ayoub and Brittan. It’s a great chance to taste the terrior and drink the wines! 10 wines, 5-7:30, $10.

Hollywood Wine & Espresso
TBD, 5-10 pm, $10.

John’s Marketplace
5-7 pm, $5.

Liner & Elsen
What makes Gevrey-Chambertin taste so good? Come find out why these Burgundies are so delicious. 5:30-7:30, fee.

Mt. Tabor Fine Wines
We’re helping celebrate “Dundee Hills Month” and have invited some of our favorite wineries to come in and pour. We’ll be tasting 11 wines from their latest releases. Each winery will have a station to pour from and you’ll be able to wander from winery to winery and taste and talk to the winemakers. It will be a blast. Bring your tuned up palate and questions. These are the wineries that will be visiting from 4-7:30:

Arterberry Maresh
De Ponte
Winderlea
Murto
Crumbled Rock (Juliard Vineyard)4-7:30 pm, $15.

Portland Wine Merchants
Loire Valley!  Wonderful Whites and Robust Reds.  4-8:00 pm, $15.

Storyteller Wine Co.

This Friday evening, August 20th, I would like to invite you to try a few nice wines from James and Poppie Mantone of Syncline Wine Cellars. They are doing great stuff out in the Gorge so I hope you are free to drop by Friday evening to check out some of their latest efforts. In addition to Syncline, there will be wines from Italy and Oregon. The tasting will take place between 6:00 and 9:00PM and there will be no charge for this event.  It should be a lot of fun, I hope you can join us!  6-9 pm, free.

Vino
Bordeaux Blast, taste how good cabernet and merlot can get! 4:30-8 pm, fee.

The Wine Cellar
TBD, 4-6:30 pm, free

Woodstock Wine and Deli
Wines of Independant Wine Co., 6:30 pm, $10.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Cornell Wine
TBD

Garrison’s Fine Wines
Everyday wines, 1-4 pm, free

Great Wine Buys
Affordable Burgunday, Ha! Not a joke, thanks to closeout deals and our sharp eyes we’ve set aside a range of red and white for the discerning palate.  2-5 pm, free.

Liner & Elsen
Italian Beauties: Cantina la Vis Intaglio Bianco, Vaona Valpolicella Classico, La Luna del Rospo Barbera d’Asti Silente, and Giovanni Rocca Nebbiolo d’Alba,  noon-5, free.

Portland Wine Merchants
free.

Storyteller Wines
12-5 pm, free.

The Wine Cellar
TBD, 12-5 pm

A Different Kind of Candy Shop

Cozy! (photo from www.kirwinebar.com)

Kir Wine Bar, one of our favorites, sent out a newsletter today with new food and wine items, specials, and the burgeoning “Lobu” happenings.

P.S. We haven’t seen the infamous “Volkswaffle” yet, but it definitely qualifies for Best Food Cart name for 2010!

Kir wine bar newsletter

Summer is flying by and we are at the ready with our usual ten roses by the glass. We offer portugese, austrian, provence and many more thirst quenching options. Great bites to accompany- grilled prawns with romesco ($3 off from 5-6pm), octopus ala plancha with caper parsley potato salad, and arugula watermelon salad with radish and favas. We have been crazy busy lately. Come get a glass and a bite and find out why!

Aside from our 5-6pm daily happy hour with $2 off glass pours and $3 off prawns, Saturday we have crazy deals on bottles. We have a red, white, and a rose for $15 each week and many other bottles marked $5 or more off regular price. Beat the heat- A/C is blasting inside! Other news- Burnside is quickly moving toward the completion of the couplet. Usually street parking is not an issue but we also have a lot at the corner of 7th and Burnside.

Other news- Burnside is quickly moving toward the completion of the couplet. Usually street parking is not an issue but we also have a lot at the corner of 7th and Burnside. In October we will have new neighbors in the old Ozone record space. Alchemy Brewing company a reputable group of brewers of old school Portland are opening up shop in the old Swiss Cleaners. Also, our lots has some fun carts for lunch and evening tasty bits. Volkswaffle is one of the most innovative carts in Portland so far. A retro fitted VW bus that serves waffles everyday breakfast until late night (open until 3pm weekends). Volkwaffle and the Low and Slow barbeque and sandwich cart are welcome additions to our Lobu dining scene.Thanks so much for your support and look forward to seeing you soon. The Kir cru

Our X5 "Died" today, or did it?

Our espresso machine died today. Or maybe it just needs resuscitated according to the coffeegeek.com forums: “Send it back to the manufacturer but since they do not sell parts directly it may be better to throw it away and buy a new machine.” What a metaphor for today’s throw-away culture where it’s cheaper to buy the latest technology rather than repair the old one.

The natural wine blog Saignee discusses the differences between “natural” wines and it’s counterpart “industrial” wines.  In a nutshell, Saignee indicates natural wines are focused on process (i.e. how the wine is made and the principals behind it) vs. the industrial focus on outcome (how the wine tastes, scores, etc.).  Most wines seem to fall somewhere in the middle.

Managing Director Janie Brooks Hueck and 14 Year-old Owner Pascal Brooks

In the coffee machine example, the process oriented owner would repair the machine themselves, at the very least pay $200 for manufacturer repairs while the outcome owner would pay $200-$400 to buy a brand new machine.

In the wine world, “natural” wine makers focus on the philosophy of the process, whether the wine is made organically, biodynamically, “naturally”, etc.  Often you will hear a winemaker state how they wish to “express the grape and/or land” in the wine (thanks Randall Grahm for your treatise on terroir).

Great Lineup and Value

Recently at the International Pinot Noir Convention, a winemaker (outcome oriented) stated he had a difficult growing year in 2007 but that it did not matter because “I can fix anything with adding sugar, removing alcohol, you name it.”  Is that something to brag about?

If you enjoy natural, process driven wines, then you may wish to try Brooks Winery from the Eola Hills.  The founder, Jimi Brooks, passed away in 2004, and the winery was kept alive by generous winemakers (who made the wine for free the harvest after Jimi’s passing) and the resiliency of his family.  Currently, Janie Brooks Hueck is the Managing Director, and Jimi’s son Pascal is the world’s youngest winery owner at 14 years of age, carrying on the legacy of the biodynamic winemaker.

The "Runaway Red" with Leon Trotsky on the Label

Storyteller Wines showcased a number of Brooks Wines last Friday night (for free), featuring three Rieslings and a number of Pinot Noir bottlings.  The common thread of all wines were the simple (but not boring), crisp, fresh and “natural” tastes.

Jancis Robinson wrote about Brooks wines, describing the 2002 Janus Pinot Noir: “Notably pale. Bright red. Very individualistic and distinctive. More freshness than most. Transparent and so casual and confident! Bravo! Lovely expressive, lucid Pinot.”

The wines are all priced very moderately, with tremendous bargains ($15 Amycas White and an $18 Runaway Red).

While only 14, Pascal Brooks already exudes a maturity and a sense of humor.  When asked: “Do you ever get to taste the wines?”  He quietly replied without missing a beat: “I can’t tell you, you might be a cop.”

Each wines has it’s own story (i.e. the “Runaway Red” derives it’s name from a barrel rolling down the hill after an accident), and the Brooks Winery story is indeed an amazing one.  The wines are light in alcohol, simple yet sophisticated with very fair price points.  Be careful though, once you start appreciating a winery like Brooks, you might end up repairing your own coffee machines.

Brooks Winery

www.brookswine.com

Delorean's Are Still Cool

The timeless classic movie “Back to the Future” was released 25 years ago on July 3.  It ranks as number 10 on AFI’s classic movies, and is just as enjoyable today as it was in 1985.

Lopez de Heredia's White and Rose Wines Have Amazing Colors of Yellow Straw and Gold

While the  latest release from Lopez de Heredia, the 2000 Tondonia rosé isn’t 25 years old, the 130 year old winery typically releases it’s wines much later than any other winery.  The Gran Reserva wines are often released 6-10 years after production, when they feel the wine is ready to drink.

Upon opening, the wine has an aged, musty nose that takes a few minutes to blow away.  It is obvious the wine has some age to it, at first we did not enjoy the funky, slightly oxidized taste.

Paired Perfectly with Cheese and Charcuterie

Like many traditional old-world wines, the Lopez de Heredia Tondonia was built to drink with food, and the difference in flavor was the most dramatic we have experienced in a wine without food pairing.  Kir Wine Bar served the Tondonia by the bottle (a great value at $30), and it paired perfectly with the Spanish style tapas.   The wine seemed to get younger and fresher the longer as it opened up.

So Beautiful It Deserves A Unique Color Name!

Lopez de Heredia Wines tend to be polarizing wines, either you love them or hate them, and had an “Ah-ha” moment when pairing with the right food.  Do not drink like a California Chardonnay!  We enjoyed another Lopez de Heredia white wine, the Gravonia even better (paired with grilled sausage).

If you like a fresh, natural, slightly aged European style wine you will love the Lopez de Heredia Wines.  Heck, even if you don’t like that style, it’s still worth trying to expand your palate experience, especially for the low $20 price tag.

Kir Wine Bar's Roasted Pistachios with Smoked Paprika, One of Life's Simple Pleasures

More “Back to the Future” irony- Tony Hawk was the original stunt double and “skateboard” consultant for the movie, amazing that a skateboard expert is still relevant 25 years later…

The Most Successful Product of "Back to the Future"??

The Wine:

Lopez de Heredia 2000 Vina Tondonia

Available at City Market, Garrison’s Fine Wines, $23-$25.

Finally, Summer!

We started with a heat wave last week, and then clouds.  Now that it’s mid-July, it appears like we have a consistent week of summer!  Perfect for summer white wines.  On Friday night, Cork on NE Alberta has a stellar lineup of White Burgundies, including an amazing super pour.  Also, Liner & Elsen has some of our favorite Kermit Lynch imports, Chateau St. Martin de La Garrigue.  They are great QPR wines, tasting like $30+ bottles.  Our perennial favorite, sparkling wines, are at Great Wine Buys as well.  Cheers!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Korkage Wine Shop
Ribera Vineyards- This week we are pleased to present West Linn boutique vintner Ribera Vineyards (talk about local!).  This is a nice tasting event because there is a fair share of both red and white finds, poured by the winemaker.  We met this family vintner at the Indy wine festival this spring.  They average under 1000 cases annually using sustainable methods – it is our pleasure to support them and literally enjoy the fruits of their labor, 6-8 pm, live music.

Thirst Wine Bar
Complimentary Tasting with Whisper Ridge- Join us in welcoming winemakers Bill & Many from Whisper Ridge Winery as they host our complimentary wine tasting! This is your chance to meet the minds behind these high end wines that are in very limited distribution.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Blackbird Wineshop
TBD

Cork, NE Alberta
Burgundy, Included will be new arrivals of 2007 Aligote from AMIOT GUY, 2008 Bourgogne Blanc from HUBER-VERDEREAU and BENJAMIN LEROUX, the 2007 THIBERT St. Veran Champ Rond and the 2007 BUISSON CHARLES Meursault Vielles Vignes.  This main flight is $15 to taste and the range of wines is quite impressive, 4-6 pm, $15.

Cornell Wine
Oregon Pinot Noir 2007, It’s time to look at this vintage again! 4:30-7 pm, $8-$16.

Every Day Wine
French, 5-9 pm, $12.

Foster and Dobbes
TBD, 4:30-6:30 pm, free.

Garrison’s Fine Wines
Rhone Tasting:
2005 Domaine Les Chenes Blancs Gigondas
2007 Domaine Le Couroulu Vacqueyras
2007 Domaine Berthet Rayne Cairanne
2007 Clos du Mont Olivet Serre de Catin (100% Syrah)
2007 Domaine Berthet Rayne Chateauneuf du Pape ‘Fut de Chene’
5-8 pm, $15.

Gem Wine Cellar & Wine Bar
Blind Tasting of Six Varietal Wines with a Prize for Naming Five, 5-8 pm, $15.

Great Wine Buys
It’s time again for our bubblecious Bastille Day Celebration.  Enjoy a great selection of Champagne and French sparkling!  5-7:30 pm, $15.

I turned 40 years old on June 21, and my wonderful wife gave me a perfect gift- a 1970 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou.  The bottle was in pristine condition, the fill was just above the shoulder, and the label was in great shape- what a find!

Pristine Label!

I have never had the good fortune to try a seriously aged bordeaux, and have only read stories (i.e. The Billionaire’s Vinegar) about the pleasure, no the enjoyment, of partaking in a perfectly integrated aged red wine.

1964 Topps Pete Rose Baseball Card, Perfect Edges, Great Condition

When I was 14 years old, I saved my paper route money (rather I spent my money) for baseball cards.  I started cheap, four packs for a dollar at Joe’s Smoke Shop in Waterville, Maine but then quickly graduated to saving for months for Pete Rose’s “second” card.  Like the famous “super second growths” of Bordeaux, Pete’s second year card was still very sought after, albeit less expensive than his rare rookie card.

I paid $75 for the card in 1984, an astronomical sum by any 14 year old’s standards, and I still have the card.  It is the prize of my collection, just as much for the memory as the actual price paid.  As I wrote this post,  I looked up the value of the card, and it’s worth, you guessed it, $75!

Opening the wine proved to be a tension filled, hair raising experience as the cork virtually disintegrated with the corkscrew.  I read recommendations on not decanting the wine, but had no choice with the cork pieces now in the bottle.  We filtered the wine into a decanter through a fine metal sieve, and were shocked to see the inky purple color, without a hint of oxidized orange.

The Color Was a Surprising Eggplant Purple

We were again surprised at the freshness of the nose, without a hint of musty, oxidized wine.  The bouquet was a simple aroma of fresh wildflowers.

And the taste!  Spectacularly smooth and easy drinking, it simply tasted great.  Perfectly balanced and fresh, we were shocked a third time by how “alive” the wine tasted.

The Perfect Pairing for an Austere Bordeaux - Grilled Chicken

While simple and austere, we were blown away by how great the wine tasted.  If I had to guess blind, I would have guessed 10-12 years old, not 40!  Wine sophisticate Michael Broadbent, made even more famous in the aforementioned Billionaire’s Vingegar, felt that this Ducru, along with Chateau Latour and Cheval Blanc were the wines of the vintage.  Rarefied air.

Best Birthday Gift Ever, Thanks Eva!

Lamb is the quintessential choice for Bordeaux, but in this case a simple grilled (yes, grilled!) chicken with lemon and salt was perfect.  Eva (she cooked the amazing meal as well) set the chicken on a roasting rack (thanks Sarah and Jon-Eric), placed it on the grill, and roasted on low heat for 48 minutes.  Make sure to place foil underneath the bird as it will flame up and burn the skin.  The simple, yet tasty chicken did not overpower the wine and was a great combination.

Nice Bird!

Thanks to the guys at Liner and Elsen for finding the Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (via Bordeaux Wine Locators).  Like the Pete Rose card, the memory of this wine and dinner will be with me the rest of my life.

The color on Domaine Tempier's rosé is a spectacular golden salmon color, it looks as good as it tastes!

Rumor has it the “super pour” at Storyteller Wine is the famous Domaine Tempier rosé, if you never had the chance to try it do it- if I had a 100 Wines To Drink In My Life list this would be in the top half of the list.  Kermit Lynch made Domaine Tempier famous, and their wines are getting more expensive, but the rosé is a real treat.  Plus, there are really great white tastings around, look at Cork, Garrison’s and John’s Marketplace.  We are lucky to live in Portland!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Blackbird Wineshop
TBD

Cork, NE Alberta

“A” List Gewurztraminer.  Gewurztraminer is one of those grapes that instantly makes an impression.  When done right, it has richness and an oily quality from some extended skin contact but still maintains acidity, giving a nice refreshing finish.  They can be slightly sweet or bone dry, but if the acidity is there, your palate will be happy either way.  And they are a terrific choice for spicy cuisine, be it Thai take-out or extra-hot spice rubbed ribs off the backyard barbecue. Come check out some of our personal favorites that have arrived over the past few rainy weeks and embrace your summer thirst.  Expect bottlings from HANDLEY in Anderson Valley, LUCIEN ALBRECHT in Alsace, ABAZZIA DI NOVACELLA from Alto-Adige, plus a couple from Oregon and Washington producers to round out the flight.  $12.50 tasting fee and nobody will go home thirsty! Tasting is at the ALBERTA SHOP this week. 4-6 pm, $10.

Cornell Wine
Closed for vacation

Every Day Wine
Oregon Craft BEER Tasting;  $6.5-9 pm, $15.

Foster and Dobbes
Join us on Friday afternoon on July 9th to taste some of the delicious wines from Anne Amie Vineyards. Anne Amie was launched in 1999 when Dr. Robert Pamplin bought the former Chateau Benoit Winery in Carlton, and assembled an impassioned staff tasked with creating stellar wines. Since then they have steadily garnered high praise (and high scores) for their work, and we’re pleased to have Ksandek Podbielski from the winery here to share the wines with you. From 4:30 – 6:30pm, he’ll be offering tastes of their 2009 Pinot Gris, 2009 Cuvée A Midnight Saignée Pinot Noir Rosé, 2008 Pinot Blanc, 2007 Prisme Pinot Noir Blanc, and 2008 Cuvée A Pinot Noir. What a lovely way to start the weekend, eh?

4:30-6:30 pm, free.

Garrison’s Fine Wines

This week’s tasting will highlight a series of wines that I have tried recently or their production was too small to share earlier.  Rare unfiltered Fino Sherry that was a butt (barrels in Sherry-talk) selection by the group Equipo Navazos.  We will also try the super allocated Chardonnay from Crowley (I held a little back for this tasting).  Of course there are the new wines from Domaine Huet, a 20 year old Rioja and a chance to check in on 2005 Burgundy.  The wines might be random, but they are good…ok Great.

NV Equipo Navazos La Bota de Fino #15
2008 Crowley Chardonnay
2007 Domaine Huet Sec Le Mont
1991 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Blanco
2005 Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey Chambertin*
(*will be opened a few hours before the tasting)

Bonus $8 (special pricing on orders)

2006 Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

From vines planted in 1966, we will try Grand Cru Burgundy from the Bonnes Mares Vineyard.  This was poured at last year’s IPNC and is always limited.  Usually $120 and will be pre-sold at $95 a bottle.

5-8 pm, $15.

Gem Wine Cellar & Wine Bar
Affordable Red Wines from Bordeaux, France
5-8 pm, $15.

Great Wine Buys
Top Picks in Zinfandel
If it’s hot as blazes, then it means we’re tasting Zinfandel at GWB. Never fails. Come check out a great lineup of America’s summer favorite. Perennial winners such as Orin Swift’s Prisoner, Ridge’s great East Bench from Dry Creek, Angel Vine Avery Vineyard from the Columbia Valley, Seghesio Sonoma and Rombauer Napa. $13. Plus an older gem from the cellar as bonus pour.

5-7:30 pm, $13.

Hollywood Wine & Espresso
TBD, 5-10 pm, $10.

John’s Marketplace
Mr. Mike pours…great dry pink wine.  Also a few reds for those that gotta have ‘em.

dry pinks

1) Bodegas de Otto Bestué Rosado 2009 Somontano $15.99 -very dark dry pink Rosé -Somontano, Spain   Deep raspberry fruit aroma, good balance of fruit and acidity. Mineral-driven yet with a soft texture. Yummy and dangerously easy to quaff.  (Grapes: tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon).

 Dom Rafael Tinto 2006 $13.99 –Portugal (Estremadura) (Dom Rafael is the 2nd label of the celebrated Herdade do Mouchão) (Grapes: mainly trincadeira with alicante bouschet and aragonêz.) Rich, dark, full spicy nose with complex lush fruit. The palate is savory and dark with good depth of fruit and some nice spicy structure. There’s a lovely depth here: it’s not overtly fruity, my definition of a great claret.

5-7 pm, $5.

Liner & Elsen
No tasting

Mt. Tabor Fine Wines
Wines from the Iberian Peninsula; Spain & Portugal
Boy, can you say summer has arrived? Nothing moderate this year, we’re either breaking rainfall records, cold records or heat records. You could say it’s a record breaking year! It looks like I should have done all rose and white tastings this month. So, to beat the heat we’ll offer a few things for you. First, we have the coolest shop in town (in numerous ways). Our ability to keep you cool during your tasting is due to a very efficient air conditioning system. Second, we will offer at least two whites and a rose off the tasting board and I’ve adjusted the Iberian tasting just a touch for your comfort. Our flight of 5 wines will contain 4 delicious reds from Spain & Portugal and we will begin the flight with a killer Cava (sparkling white). Yesterday while my reps were showing me their wares I tasted a creamy, refreshing Cava that will be the perfect starter on this close to 100 degree day. The flight of 5 will be $15 but if you’re the type that just can’t handle a beautiful sparkler you can do the flight minus the Cava for $12 (4 wines).

NV Francoli, Cava Brut    $1308 Artazuri, Garnacha (Grenache)    $12      Navarra, Spain04 Castillo Rocio, Reserva   $12   Utiel-Requena, Spain

4-7:30 pm, $15

Portland Wine Merchants
TBD, 4-8:00 pm, $15.

Storyteller Wine Co.
Insalata Caprese Night! All this talk of Italian wine has made me hungry. And by Friday here in Portland our temps will finally be up into the 90s. Nothing beats a nice, cool salad of tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar on a hot night so all the wines Friday night will be (a) Italian and (b) designed to pair with Insalata Caprese. And you just know there will be appetizers. There will be no charge for this tasting.

6-9 pm, free.

Vino
TBD
4:30-8 pm, fee.

The Wine Cellar
TBD, 4-6:30 pm, free

Woodstock Wine and Deli
Aussie Shiraz Taste-off!
6:30 pm, $10.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Cornell Wine
TBD

Garrison’s Fine Wines
Every Day Wines, 1-4 pm, free

Great Wine Buys

Masi’s Valpollicella Goodness

Storyteller Wines
Pinks and Sparklers! Face it, it’s going to be hot this Saturday. So drop by Storyteller and load up on some very specially priced roses and sparkling wines. And while you are shopping, sip wine in 60 degree F. splendor.
5PM, 12-5 pm, free.

Photo taken from www.portlandfoodanddrink.com website

As reported by www.portlandfoodanddrink.com, Square Deal Wine on NW Thurman in Portland has closed.  Truly a sad day for wine lovers in Portland, we wish them well.