WINTER HOURS
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Mon - Wed: 11 - 6
Thurs - Fri: 11 - 8
Sat: 11 - 6
Sun: 12 - 5
WE WILL BE
CLOSING AT
6PM TONIGHT
TO SPEND
VALENTINE'S
WITH OUR OWN
SWEETIES!
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With
the battle for the White House raging on, we're still feeling a bit
combative ourselves here at the shop, so we have put together another
showdown for the wine tasting this week. Tempranillo. A
personal favorite grape of mine, but just how different is it when
grown on rocky soil in Spain as opposed to denser, clay-veined soil in
Oregon? Come by the shop this Friday between 4pm and 8pm and compare
three Tempranillo reds from Spain against three Tempranillo wines made
in the old U.S. of A.
Speaking of battles, we've had our share
of technology issues of late and in an effort to streamline our website
and get things running more smoothly, I will be taking down the website
for brief periods this weekend to do some major updating. If you
need something from the shop Saturday or Sunday, please call us at
503.281.2675. Emails sent over the weekend could get lost in
internet neverland, so if you don't get a response by Monday, please
try sending the email again. We apologize for any unknown and
unforeseen problems this may cause!
Finally, we have a few
events listed below. I am hard at work trying to line up some
dinner opportunities for you to celebrate the marriage of wine with
food and will let you know soon about a terrific big event at a
favorite restaurant. But first, I have a good excuse to get back
in the kitchen myself with a winemaker visit in a few weeks.
Details for that dinner follow. Also, there is still some space
left for our first in a series of California Backroom Tastings for the
year, this one focused on Napa and Sonoma Valleys.
Oh, and it's VALENTINE'S DAY! So should you need any chocolate for the sweetie, we will be open until 6PM tonight.
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FRIDAY NIGHT FLIGHT
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TEMPRANILLO · Old World vs. New World · Friday, February 15 · $15 tasting fee · 4 - 8 pm
 As
you might imagine, there is certainly an impact that very old vines
grown on rocky soils has in influencing the wine made from it's fruit
(check out the photo to the right of 80 year old Tempranillo in a rocky
vineyard we visited last year in Toro). For Friday's tasting, we
have chosen three hearty Tempranillo reds from some of Spain's choice
districts, including Ribera del Duero. We'll pit these head to
head with three Tempranillo being made in the Northwest, including Abacela, the first to plant Spain's noble grape in the United States.
Because
there aren't the same great values in the US as we can find in Spain,
we're going to charge $15 for this tasting. But you'll be tasting
4 wines that cost more than $20 along with two in the under $20 value
category.
The fun starts at 4pm and goes until the wine is gone (or 8pm, whichever comes first!) Drop-in tasting, no reservations required. |
UPCOMING EVENTS
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CALIFORNIA BACKROOM TASTING: NAPA & SONOMA · Thurs, Feb. 28 · 6:30pm · $20/person
Fresh
from a trip to Napa and Sonoma Counties, Sara and I will lead a
discussion of what we learned. The tasting will include a flight
of three reds from Napa and three from Sonoma, with a white flight
likely as well. Our Backroom Tastings are limited to 14 people and the
cost is intended to cover the wines we open for the evening. This
is where you get the chance to try some of the $30-$60 bottles we have
in the shop and then buy them at the tasting at a special discount the
night of the event. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED! Call 503.281.2675 to reserve your seat today.
WHITE ROCK WINEMAKER'S DINNER with Chris Vandendriescche
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 · 7:00 pm · $60/person
 White
Rock Vineyards sits in a unique pocket of the Southern-most part of
Napa Valley, up in Soda Canyon. Henri Vandendriescche and his
wife moved to the valley almost 30 years ago and Henri brought with him
a passion for European wines, having been born in the Loire
Valley. Today, his son Christopher handles all winemaking
responsibilities at this estate winery. With just two wines, the
focus is clear - balance, quality and the best expression of fruit
without too much influence in the cellar. Suffice it to say, this
is my favorite new winery discovery of the year and I look forward to
sharing these wines with you over a multi-course meal, with
conversation provided by the winemaker himself.
Join us for a
special evening, as Christopher shares his 2005 and 2006 Chardonnay as
well as the 2002 Claret and 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. I will be in
the kitchen preparing the meal. Check out the menu below,
inspired by my recent acquisition of the out-of-print edition of Fred
Plotkin's classic cookbook on the cuisine of Friuli. Given the
floral quality of White Rock's wonderful Chardonnay, this seemed a good
place to start for culinary inspiration:
Risotto di Pere · served with 2006 White Rock Chardonnay
Arborio rice, Northwest pears and Clear Creek Pear Brandy
Insalata Triestina · served with 2005 White Rock Chardonnay
Local red beans, carrot, onion, radicchio and savoy cabbage
Lamb Stew · served with 2002 Claret and 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon
(option for Vegetarians, please inquire when placing reservation)
Dessert
TBD
Call
us immediately after 11am today at 503.281.2675 if you are interested,
as seating is very limited. The $60/person price for this multi-course
Winemaker's Dinner includes a tasting of all 4 wines and
gratuity. Limited to 10 people. Reservations Required with Credit Card.
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SARA'S SELECTIONS
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An
exciting moment during our recent trip to Napa was getting lost in the
hills somewhere around Lake Berryessa, and then finally arriving at Green & Red Winery
to discover what is basically a self-sustaining compound at their
winery and vineyard site. Winemaker Jay Hemingway has solar panels at
the top of the vineyard, a series of ponds that drain down into each
other to irrigate the vineyards, and naturally temperature controlled
caves burrowed into the mountain for barrel storage. Very cool.
I've picked one of their wines as a selection that I'm recommending for
your dinner table this week, plus a lush bottling from Italy that has
me craving pasta.
2005 GREEN & RED Chiles Mill Zinfandel · $28.50 ($25.65 cork club price)
Of
the many, many Zins we tasted in California, the Green & Red wines
were outstanding. We currently have the Chiles Mill bottling at
the shop and it is a perfectly balanced combination of dark, red fruits
with deep hints of animal, black cherry, and spice. Zinfandel pairs
well with weightier, spicy, smoky, and salty dishes. Try this wine next
to paella with peppered chicken, spicy sausage, and shellfish.
2001 BUSSOLA Valpolicella TB · $37.50 ($33.75 cork club price)
A
couple of nights ago, I sat down for some rigatoni smattered in sausage
and shiitakes. This meal would not have been complete without a bottle
of Bussola's Valpolicella. Their wines impress with consistency, super
rich flavors and balance. Seductive from the nose all the way through
the palate, this Valpolicella has a luxuriously velvet mouthfeel and
flavors of prunes, plums, chocolate, and cedar. From one of the great
modern-style producers in the Veneto, this bottle is ready to enjoy.
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CHOCOLATE NOTES
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It
is Valentine's Day, so I thought I would mention a few current
favorites, in case you are still having trouble deciding on the perfect
gift for your lover:
 CHARLES Triple-Chcolate Covered Nuts
· These are decadent. First they select high quality Almonds or
Hazelnuts, toast them, dip them in chocolate, then roll them in fondant
and then coat them with cocoa. I'm partial to the Hazelnuts but
either will cause your sweetie's eyes to twinkle when they pop one in
their mouth.
 CHOCOVIC Ocumare Chocolate Bars
· Here's a dark chocolate bar that has delicious fruit notes of cherry
and hints of coffee, flavors that are a result of where the cacao bean
is grown and not from any additives to the bar.
Decadent and delicious. Also available are Guyave and Guaranda,
two other single-origin bars from Chocovic. A great gift for the
chocolate lover - a trio of these single-origin bars to do a taste off
and figure out what growing region for cacao makes your taste buds fall
in love!
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