New Releases of Old Favorites
August 15, 2009Saturday 4:00pm until 7:00pm (or until it's gone)
$5 per person
2008 Finca El Reposo Saint Jeannet $9.95
Argentina, MendozaVarietal: 100% Saint Jeannet
Vinification: Malolactic in Stainless Steel
In 2000 the winery started researching the oenological qualities of Saint Jeannet a long lost variety planted in Argentina in 1912, and the only planting of Saint Jeannet left on the planet on a 2 plot located in Cruz de Piedra, Mendoza.
A white grape of late ripening that gives a well-structured body, good acidity and fine aromas. This wine displays a yellow color with greenish hints. Dry herbs, honey and bee wax aromas stand out. It is a wine of particular style.
This wine was fermented in stainless steel and has 100% malolactic fermentation. Being old-vine, the vineyard yields very little fruit — tonnage is only about 2.7 per acre.
2008 Babich Sauvignon Blanc $12.95
New Zealand, MarlboroughOverview:
A long and late ripening period of short sunny days and cold nights has enhanced the typically vibrant flavours of the Marlborough Region.
Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Recommended Food:
It works well with a white meat dish. Great with oysters or a green salad.
Recommended Cellaring: Best enjoyed while young.
Production Notes:
After harvest the grapes were quickly crushed and pressed into stainless steel tanks where the juice was fermented at controlled cool temperatures to capture the intense varietal flavours. The wine was then blended and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This wine displays lifted tropical fruits with notes of lantana and capsicum. There is a passion fruit entry on the palate coupled with citrus and wild cape gooseberry notes that linger, and are quite literally mouthwatering! This is a balanced wine, with a texture that will match well with food but is equally enjoyable on its own.
Awards:
GOLD MEDAL
- Fingers Lake International Wine Competition — May 2009
SILVER MEDAL
- San Francisco International Wine Competition — June 2009
Marietta Old Vine Red Lot #49 $14.95
US, CaliforniaOld Vine Red Lot 49 is somewhat of a culmination of the best attributes of Lot 47 and 48. Highlighting the structure and maturity of Lot 47, and the fruit forward Zinfandel blackberry and spice qualities of Lot 48, Lot 49 is incredibly balanced, lush, supple on the palate with a round mouth-filling finish.
Grape Source: Sonoma and Mendocino County
Color: Dark Ruby Purple
Aging Potential: Best within 1-3 years
2008 Shotfire Shiraz $18.95
Australia, BarossaComments
Deep red colour. Very lifted and intense nose of blackberry fruit, sweet spice and dark chocolate. The palate is very rich and flavoursome with blackberry and plum fruit. In addition to the primary fruit characters there is plenty of complexity in this wine with spice, earthy notes and graphite also evident. There is heaps of mouth filling flavour complemented by chalky tannins. There is great length of fruit as well.
Winemaking
The grapes are crushed and destemmed into open fermenters. Yeast is added immediately once in fermenter and the ferments are pumped over twice daily to maximize colour, tannin and flavour extraction. Cooling is used to ensure ferments remain in the 22-25 degrees Celsius range which will allow the fruit to display maximum fruit expression. Pressing then occurs approximately seven days after crushing and the wine is then put into a mix of French and American oak to mature.
Maturation
14 to 16 months in 40% new American and French hogsheads, with the balance going into 2nd and 3rd fill barrels.
Vintage
The 2008 vintage was early with just below average rainfall throughout the year.
Lodali Moscato D'Asti $13.95
Italy, PiedmontA delightfully aromatic wine, with loads of fresh fruit flavors bursting from the glass. It is sweet, but beautifully balanced by the wine's effervescence and acidity. Being Frizzante, it has only about half the effervescence of a sparkling wine, and is hard to resist. This wine makes a wonderful accompaniment to many desserts, especially those made with fruit such as peach, pear, apple and berries.
