Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, May 23, 2009
4 to 6 pm

$5.00 per person

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This Saturday we are bringing a small piece of Europe to you via a sampling of wines from France, Germany, Austria and Italy.  This may not represent adequate compensation for those of us who could not afford to travel to Europe this summer, but we can guarantee you an excellent afternoon of good fellowship and cheer.  Plus, there is the added attraction of honing our wine tasting skills, as well as expanding our knowledge of esoteric wines from the old world.  Now, how can you resist such an opportunity?

2005 Chartron et Trebuchet Mâcon-Villages, France
Regular price 14.00, today only 9.99
This wine is 100% Chardonnay and displays a character more akin to Chablis in that it has a steely minerality against a citrus background with toasty, yeasty notes.  It is a perfect picnic wine and is good for summer sipping.

2005 Jurtschitsch Sonnhof Grüner Veltliner, Austria
Regular price 14.95, today only 12.99
This GrüVe from the family-run Jurtschitsch wine-estate fascinates with cool flavors of fruit, followed by spicy notes and a refreshing final minerality.  “GrüVe - Smile” is how Christian Ludwig Attersee subtitled his painting to be seen on this year’s bottling.  The artist’s personal interpretation displays light but still warm shades of yellow representing its fruitiness.  Oh yes, the wine is delicious, as well.

2005 Ökonomierat Rebholz, Weißer Burgunder, Pfalz, Germany
Regular price 24.90, today only 19.99
This is a spätlese trocken bottling, meaning the grapes were late picked and fermented dry.  The Rebholz family is absolutely fanatic about producing the purest expression of this grape, allowing no adulteration of any kind (such as chaptalization or adding sweet grape juice to the fermentation process).  This Pinot Blanc has a finely spiced, mineral apple scent with a hint of honey and melon.  It is clean and dry, with a nutty flavor and a mineral presence.  It has animating acidity, but is harmonious with a smooth texture on the palate.

2007 Karl Heinz Zellerschwarze Katz, Mosel, Germany
Regular price 8.99, today only 7.50
The two-hundred-year family-owned estate has been in the hands of Karl Heinz Weis since 2001, when he took over production from his father.  Like most Mosel wineries, the estate produces mainly Riesling, followed by Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Dornfelder and Müller-Thurgau.  Karl Heinz Weis has already won many awards in both state and federal competitions and is considered at the forefront of a group of up-and-coming young Mosel vintners.  The village of Zell on the Mosel River is the genesis of this wine with the familiar black cat (Schwarze Katz) on the label.  Wines under this label are generally light and simple, and, at 9.5% alcohol, very easy to quaff.

2007 Louis Jadot Beaujolais, France
Regular price 11.99, today only 9.99
This wine is bright and fresh, with ripe, supple, crushed strawberry flavors underscored by zesty nuances of peppercorns, gentle tannins and a clean acidity, finishing on a succulent, refreshing note.  On the palate, it is light bodied, lively, and shows plenty of acidity.  There are hints of cherries with a touch of spice.  The finish is dry, a little edgy, and its mild tannins linger slightly.

2003 Sorrentino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, Italy
Regular price 16.95, today only 9.99
This wine is produced with Piedirosso grapes from the best vineyards of Vesuvio Vulcano.  The wine is ruby-red, almost garnet-colored, with orange reflections.  It has a rich, full, sustained perfume, and an integrated, austere, harmonious flavor.  It has an alcohol content of 12.5% and excellent balancing acidity.  Serve cool, with roasted red meats, game, and dishes garnished with truffles, and cheese.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 21st, 2009 at 6:33 pm and is filed under imports, German Wines, French wine, wine knowledge, Italian wine, wine party. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.