Hi Everyone,

Lots of fun upcoming events!  

Monthly Champagne Festival, Saturday 4-6!  Always my favorite day of the month!

Southern Hemisphere Tasting with Christine, Thursday, March 30th!  Details below.

Shakin’ Martinis back by popular demand! Sunday, April 2nd, 4-6.  Details below.

Special Chandon Bubbles and Sushi event,Thursday, April 6th, 5-6:30, Details below.

Event to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and promote the Man & Woman of the Year Gala, Monday, April 3rd, 5-7.  For details please contact Julie Thornton at julieodenthornton@gmail.com

Spindrift/Oregon Tasting with Bo, Wednesday, April 12th, 5-6:30.  Details below.

Francesco will be back again!  Everyone really loves to hear his stories!  He’ll be here Tuesday, April 25th, 5-6:30.  And my favorite: he’ll start by teaching us about bubbles! More details to come!

Casadei/Cline Tasting with National Marketing Director Andrew on Wednesday, April 26th, 5-6:30.  A fabulous collection of Italian and CA wines!  More details to come!

The Atlas Project is back again Thursday, April 27th, 7-9! Acoustical Jazz with Violin! Details below.  

Monday, May 1st, Special French Country Dinner by Marie Arnaud with wine pairings!  5:30 reception, 6 pm dinner.  Details below.
 

And for some great new wine deals:

1)  The Prisoner Wine Company Cuttings.  2014 Cabernet Sauvignon:  $45  Deliciously smooth with flavors of blueberry, dark cherry, and cocoa. Aromas of fresh roasted coffee, black currant, vanilla bean, brown spice, and wild berries.  Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon; 20% Blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Zinfandel.

2)  Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Dry Riesling 2016, Clare Valley:  $16.99  The nose lifts with aromas of lemon tart, ginger and citrus blossom.  The palate is tightly wound with intense lime fruit at its core. A wine with great power and drive, the complexity of layers include a talc like minerality and juicy freshly squeezed lime citrus which draws out into a crisp zesty finish.

3) Mastroberardino Nova Serra Greco di Tufo 2014, Campania:  $23.99  Prominent hints of apricot, pear, apple, peach, citrus, green almond, with hints of sage and mineral notes. Good acidity on the palate, mineral, flavors of ripe fruits. Great structure and a distinctive sapidity.

4) Corte Sant’Alda Ca’ Fiui Valpolicella 2015:  $25.99  Proprietor Marinella Camerani can be counted on for wines of true character and personality.  Organic farming and minimal handling in the cellar are some of the core principles that inform the house style at Corte Sant’Alda.  Delicious to drink now and over the next few years, while the fruit remains vibrant and vinous.  Sweet red berries, flowers and spices linger on the juicy finish.  Gorgeous for the money!  30% Corvina, Corvina grossa 50%, 15% Rondinella, Molinara and other local grapes 5%.

5) Treana Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Paso Robles:  $24.99  New release!  Aromas of deep black fruits like boysenberry and blackberry, along with red fruit notes of pomegranate and red currant are complemented with mulling spices, star anise, clove and sweet vanilla.  On the palate, intense ripe fruit notes of black currant, blackberry, red cherry along with notes of tobacco leaf, roasted coffee, cocoa powder lead to a long oak-driven finish.  Tannins are velvety and plush while the acidity makes the fruit vibrant, but well integrated.

6)  Edge Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Napa:  $22  “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Edge is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot and is a major sleeper, as it is meant to sell for about $25.00 a bottle. The good news is that there are just under 13,800 cases of it. This wine shows terrific cassis fruit, a deep ruby/purple color, supple, velvety tannins and a lush, in-your-face extroverted style. This is perfect for restaurants and consumers looking for immediate gratification. Moreover, it should drink well for another 5-7 years.” Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 89 pts.

7) Zuccardi Q Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Valle de Ico:  $19  #53 Top 100!  It is not often you can still find wines in the market from ‘Wine Spectator’s’ most recent Top 100 list, let alone at an incredible deal price such as this one.  The Zuccardi ‘Q’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 is an impressive value.  Silky and smooth, yet with a spicy, floral and savory edge, it is the perfect Cabernet to drink right now.  For more than 50 years the Zuccardi family has cultivated grapes in their high-elevation vineyards in the Uco Valley of Mendoza.  Now in its third generation, the winery is run by the innovative Sebastian Zuccardi, who is constantly experimenting with new techniques, varietals, and sites.  At the end of the day Sebastian’s aim is to “not seek perfect wines, but those who express the place, the region”.

8) Cascina Val del Prete Bricco Medica Roero 2012:  $34.99  The Val del Prete vineyard is situated on three acres of south-facing hillside in Piemonte's Roero DOCG. The 30+ year old Nebbiolo vines are biodynamically farmed in the calcareous soil and produce a ripe, yet delicate and perfumed wine. The grapes are macerated and slowly fermented before being racked into French oak barrels where the wine spends 16 months before bottling. A spicy and floral perfume with crushed raspberry and cherry reverberate on a medium-bodied frame with an open and alluring finish.

9) Scarpa Rouchet 1998:  $40.99 “Rouchet”, pronounced à la française without the t, is Scarpa’s name for their varietal Ruchè (because they’re outside the official Ruchè appellations and thus can’t use the regular name). As with all the other Scarpa wines, Ruchè gets the special treatment of extra age and extra elegance.  Scarpa is one of the great, classic estates of Italy (and lauded by the likes of Giacosa and Gaja), though most people on the west coast of North America have not heard of them. Founded in 1854 in Monferrato, they were among the first producers to bottle Barolo, shipping in the grapes from growers to their Monferrato based winery. They were also one of the two producers to first make serious Barbera in the 1960’s. The estate is traditionalist and, like Borgogno, holds back a portion of all their ageable wines for future release. Being in Monferrato (a DOCG lying east of the classic Barolo and Barbaresco vineyards) means the estate vineyard is not planted to the famous Piedmontese Nebbiolo. Rather, the 50 hectare estate is planted with 9 varieties including Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Brachetto, and the grape from which this wine is made, Ruchè. Only 27 of the 50 hectares are planted, with the remainder a wilderness that the owners maintain for biodiversity. The vineyards sit at 400m on clay soils. There are some vineyard treatments, though they are minimal. The harvest is by hand and vinification is in stainless steel.  Elegance and highly expressive red and black berry aromatics. It is highly complex with a bitter-sweet character and firm but supple tannin in a long finish. Lightness in texture, but firm structured tannin buoyed finish.

10)  Laporte Sancerre le Rochoy 2015:  $29.99  The nose shows beautiful white flowers and yellow fruit, ripe with a touch of angelic (small candied fruit). The mouth has a very expressive and balanced freshness. The flinty minerality springs with a light smoky taste in the mouth. "Le Rochoy" beautifully extends its aromas with amazing generosity.  Only monopole in Sancerre!

11)  Heger Gemischter Schatz 2015, Baden:  $19  Easy-drinking blend of müller thurgau, pinot blanc, sauvignon blanc, yellow muskat and riesling. The telltale vegetal qualities of sauvignon blanc balances out the hyper floral muskat, resulting in a zippy, fresh, friendly and quaffable wine. Perfect as an apéritif.  Müller Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Yellow Muskat.

12)  Treana Chardonnay 2014, Central Coast:  $18  Aromas of freshly baked apple pie crust, white peach, mandarin orange, and lemon peel, with crushed limestone, burnt sugar, creme brulee, and a touch of cinnamon on the nose. On the palate you'll enjoy bright citrus fruits and racy acidity. Nuances of white peach, creamy caramel, and a silky vanilla note adds a seductive texture to this full-bodied chardonnay. 

And you can still get a Wine Spectator Top 100 List wine!  #62 of 2015:
13)  2011 Oddero Barolo Tasting Notes:  $46.99  93 pts.  Brilliant garnet-red color, with warmer tinges developing over time. Unmistakeable bouquet, very pleasant, intense yet ethereal, very persistent, at times spiced, with aromas of truffles, liqorice and dried flowers. Dry taste, with important, full tannins.

Only 3 bottles of this highly allocated wine:

14)  Sine Qua Non "Piranha Waterdance" California Syrah:  $259.99  No one selling below $299!  The Wine Advocate – 100 pts. "The 2014 Syrah Piranha Waterdance is young and unevolved (more than the Grenache) and sports an inky blue color to go with lots of minerality, notes of cassis, violets and pepper, full-bodied richness and a surprisingly serious, structured, even masculine vibe on the palate. A blend of 81% Syrah, 8% Petite Sirah and the rest Mourvedre, Touriga Nacional and Graciano, fermented with 26% whole clusters and aging in 54% new French oak, it will be bottled just after the Grenache, in April of next year.

15)  Domaine St. Nicolas Le Haut des Clous 2014:  $37.99  Les Clous is a south-westerly exposed vineyard which was planted in 1980. It’s been managed biodynamically since 1993. The 2015 vintage is one of the best yet. It is beautiful wine made from a mix of 60% Chenin Blanc and 30% of Chardonnay and 10% Groslot Gris in this vintage. Both the Chardonnay and the Grolleau Gris play a subtle but noticeable role in this beautiful wine that goes so well with food. Bottled in the spring following vintage after elevage in stainless steel and old wooden foudre, it’s light and bright with a strong backbone from the Chenin.  Certified organic by Ecocert and biodynamic by Demeter.

16)  Big Basin Vineyards Gabilan Mountains GSM 2012, Monterey County:  $44.99  A wondrously rich and extracted nose combines layers of brown spice, dried black cherries, fragrant violets and lilacs with concentrated, almost pruney purple fruit. That ripeness expertly pairs on the palate with strong tannic structure and sparkling acidity, allowing the blackberry, blueberry, caramel and lavender notes to shine without cloying.

17)  Maison Lombard Crozes-Hermitage 2012:  $24  ($33 online) The delicate tannic structure of this wine and its aromas of crushed strawberry make it an excellent wine for drinking right away, full of energy and flavor. With time, more powerful aromas such as leather and truffle will appear to further elevate the wine.

18)  Felton Road Pinot Noir 2014, Bannockburn, Central Otago:  $53.99  94 points James Suckling  “ If Central Otago was the Côte de Nuits, then Bannockburn would likely be Vosne-Romanée and I’m going to hang it right out and say that Felton Road would be the top gun, the DRC. A handy array of bright red berries, orange citrus rind, then toasty mocha oak spice, some darker red plum and mouth-wateringly sweet fruit aromas on offer. Very bright, just-ripe fruits, liquorice and cinnamon, this smells vibrant and full of life. The palate has a soft, supple and creamy core with a glossy, fluffy mid-palate; tannins fan out even and long, smooth, velvety and quite plush, gently musky. Good balance and approachability, concentrated and pure.

19)  Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2014:  $48.99  This Pinot has a lovely, intriguing aroma. It begins by showcasing cool-area fruits – huckleberries, lingonberries, currants, ripe strawberries, red raspberries and blueberries. Mexican cocoa, chai tea, cinnamon and nutmeg add warm spicy tones. Roasted nuts, morels and mineral notes form an ethereal impression of earthiness.  In the mouth, we find a smooth, even palate with good tannin and ample acidity just right for aging. A bit of cherry cordial and toasty caramel augments the long finish of this winsome Pinot.

20)  Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Russian River Valley:  $38.99  Great price!  Only 4 cases!  Merry’s style of Sauvignon Blanc is designed to bring out the best in this regal varietal. It’s highly floral, effusing scents of hibiscus, honeysuckle, jasmine and orange blossom. Notes of muskmelon, mango, papaya and guava widen the aroma, along with accents of white peach, nectarine and Meyer lemon. Hints of minerality, crème brûlée and toasted hazelnuts add even more sophistication.  In the mouth, this wine is lush with good viscosity. This richness is balanced by sweet Ruby Red grapefruit, tangerine zest and lively acidity throughout. Ages along with the best of those from Sancerre.  A recent trip to the island of Maui inspired Merry to create a delectable dish she named Tropical Halibut. At a recent dinner, it paired wonderfully with a bottle of 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, but it will be just as yummy with this new vintage. You will find it with Family Recipes at http://www.merryedwards.com/recipes/recipe-list.asp?rc=26.

21)  Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Chardonnay 2013:  $74.99  Flaxen, with flecks of white gold, even the color of this wine is regal. The aroma is inviting, multifaceted and bright. Floral scents of honeysuckle, lemon verbena, cherry blossoms and white roses are interlaced with creamy lemon custard, tarte tatin and crème brûlée. Layers of ripe nectarine, peach, yellow raspberry and pink lady apple add a full-fruited dimension.  The palate is rich and full on the entry, showing fig, mandarin orange and papaya. Balanced with bright, lively acidity, the mouthfeel created is classic Russian River Valley through and through. The finale is a long, lingering finish, accented with a touch of hazelnut and vanilla.

22)  Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Pinot Noir 2014:  $79.99  The beautiful 2014 growing season produced a lovely wine, fragrant with cherry blossoms, cherry cola, fresh Queen Anne and juicy Rainier cherries, as well as cordial cherries – a virtual symphony of cerise. Side notes of Tizana tea, red raspberry and currants join the chorus, adding layers of depth and complexity. Dark, subtle oak frames the luscious fruit with cardamom, vanilla bean, caramel and mocha. A generous, sweet complement of 80 percent new French oak amplifies the underlying grape tannins, creating soft full tannins across the entire palate.

23)  Ramey Rodgers Creek Vineyard Syrah 2013, Sonoma Coast:  $72.99  95 points Wine Enthusiast : A perennial standout, this Syrah is cofermented with 10% Viognier, all fruit sourced from a site on the western edge of Sonoma Mountain in the cool confines of the Petaluma Gap. Beautiful and bold, it imparts a focused line of blackberry and lavender flavors over a lush backdrop of sizzling acidity and smoked meat scents. (VB)” (4/2017)

Vinous / Antonio Galloni – 95 pts. "Ramey's 2013 Syrah Rodgers Creek Vineyard is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Here the flavors and textures are finely sketched, with gorgeous vibrancy, tension and energy. Graphite, pencil shavings, smoke, blackberry jam and lavender notes add complexity on the chiseled finish. Range: 93-95"

24)  Tournesol Propietor’s Blend 2011, Coombsville:  $70.99  A complex and forward vintage with interwoven aromatics of plum, cardamom, and blackberry jam. The wine is forward and approachable on the palate, echoing the aromatics with deeper chocolate and blackberry notes persisting in the long finish. Its fresh earthiness and minerality invite another sip and reward with pairing versatility at the table. The wine is showing beautifully now and will continue to develop over the next decade.  73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot.

25)  Delectus Petite Sirah 2009, Spring Mountain District:  $53.99  One of the few Petite Sirahs bearing this prestigious mountain appellation, this wine has benefited from being held back four years before release. It's achieved a softness that makes it drinkable now despite bold tannins. The chocolate, black cherry jam and teriyaki beef flavors are just delicious.

26)  Porter Family Irreverence Merlot 2012, Coombsville:  $22.99  Deeply fragrant, with aromas of plum, blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, clove, baker’s chocolate, dried fall leaves, tobacco, dark spice and a hint of red peppercorn.  Juicy flavors rush the front palate with cherry juice, cranberry, black cherry and red currant. These are followed by cocoa dust, dried tobacco leaf, cigar box and a hint of clove spice.

27)  Saint Cosme Chateauneuf du Pape 2013:  $42.99  (Regular $48.99)  Wine Spectator 93  Solid, with a grippy edge running throughout, as the core of macerated black currant, fig and plum fruit pumps along. The finish picks up singed chestnut and alder notes and a dash of dark earth, providing good contrast to the fruit. A rock-solid old-school style. Best from 2017 through 2028. 1,416 cases made.

Thanks for reading and see you soon!

Marie