WINTER HOURS
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Mon - Wed: 11 - 6
Thurs - Fri: 11 - 8
Sat: 11 - 6
Sun: 12 - 5
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Winter
seems to be winding down nicely and with the sun peaking out, I found
myself reaching for some Sauvignon Blanc this weekend. This got
me thinking about Sancerre, the storied French wine zone where perhaps
the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world is from. Since I had also
recently tasted a couple stunning examples of red wine from the
Sancerre zone, I've decided we will have a Sancerre Rouge e Blanc
tasting this Friday at the shop. Come check out what Pinot Noir
grown in the flatlands of the Loire Valley tastes like, and then revel
in the wonders of dry, steely and mineral-laden Sancerre whites.
Our
website is now updated and, I hope, a lot easier to read and
navigate. To keep up with the many events happening at the shop,
bookmark the new events page
and you'll only have to check one place to get current information on
dinners, Friday tastings and other happenings at the shop.
Some
exciting new arrivals this week from France, Australia and Argentina
are discussed below. Plus if you don't have dinner plans tomorrow
night, you might want to drop by cork and pickup a bottle of wine, then
walk across the street to the Alberta Street Oyster Bar & Grill for dinner on their inaugural Free Corkage Night!
We'll
have a list of new events for March next week, along with some new
artwork for Last Thursday, Feb. 28. Stay tuned for details.
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FRIDAY NIGHT FLIGHT
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SANCERRE · Friday, February 22 · $14 tasting fee · 4 - 8 pm
The
Sancerre region in the Loire Valley is known best for world-class
Sauvignon Blanc. But did you know that they make red wine here,
too, using only the Pinot Noir grape? Well, we thought it would
be fun to taste a couple Sancerre Rouge before checking out 3 new
arrivals in the Blanc category (yes, I did say we'll taste the red
before the white - a classic format in regions where the whites are
more important and often more structured and intense).
Hope you
can join us for this one. We'll start at 4pm and go until 8pm or
the wine is gone, whichever comes first! I'll try my best to see
if we can get some cheese from Sancerre for this event too. Drop-in tasting, no reservations required. |
UPCOMING EVENTS
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WINE 101 · TONIGHT · Wed, Feb. 20 · 6:30pm · $25/person
We
just had a cancellation for tonight's Wine 101 Introduction to Wine
Tasting class, so if you were thinking of coming and forgot to make
reservations, please give us a call right now and we'll save a spot for
you at the table. Expand your palate, learn how to smell and
taste and gain an understanding of wine terms like acid, tannin and
sugar - plus receive 15% off all purchases the night of the class. Call
us at 503.281.2675.
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.
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SARA'S SELECTIONS
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Although
Spring hasn't officially sprung, this little taste of sunshine we've
been having is an invitation for imbibing delicious new whites.
Argentina has already released their 2007 vintage, and the new Mapema
Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and delicious.
2007 MAPEMA Sauvignon Blanc · $12.50/bottle ($11.25 cork club price)
Winemakers
Pepe Galante and Mariano Di Paolo, two well-recognized Argentinean
vintners, have joined forces with the Mapema label to make wines from
the "primera zona" or the top viticultural area of Argentina. This new
vintage of Sauvignon Blanc is citrusy with a slight grassiness on the
nose, followed by hints of lemon rind, a mildly creamy mid-palate, and
a lively finish. Enjoy with prawns, Pad Thai, or simply refresh
yourself with this light quaffer.
2006 EPSILON Barossa Valley Shiraz · $24/bottle ($21.60 cork club price)
With
rains still ahead, don't put your reds away completely (in fact, never
do that). We have a shiny, new Shiraz in the shop that pleases with
explosive red fruits and dark berries, finishing with balanced oak
elements. Within the spectrum of Australian Shiraz, excessive jamminess
can be a let down, but this one, besides being loaded with juicy
fruits, has structure and backbone. Pair with Flatlander Chili or BBQ
ribs.
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NEW ARRIVALS
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 CLOT DE L'OUM
2004 Cotes du Roussillon Villages
'La Compagnie des Papillons'
$24/bottle
2004 Cotes du Roussillon Villages 'Saint Bart. Viellies Vignes'
$35.25/bottle
Since
sitting down to dinner with Clot de L'Oum owner Eric Monné last Fall, I
have become a zealous follower of every move this winemaker
makes. And I'm not alone. Based on the accolades he's
received from Jancis Robinson over the years, these wines have a
cult-like following and disappear quickly on arrival. The new
vintage of these wines have just landed in Portland and now is the time
to grab some. The Papillons is the 'younger' vine red (they're
only 50 years old!) made from Carignan and Grenache grown at the
estate's vineyards in Belesta near the French-Spanish border on the
Mediterranean. The name 'La Compagnie des Papillons' translates
as 'in the company of butterflies', aptly named for the numerous
examples of butterflies fluttering over the vineyard. This is the
wine to buy for drinking now, while the Saint Bart is the bigger, more
structured red, made from the oldest vines of Syrah and Grenache.
Both wines are made organically, without the use of any
pesticides and with all natural fermentations. My advice is to
buy 6 bottles of Papillons to enjoy over the next 2-3 years and then
another 3-6 bottles of Saint Bart to put in the cellar and start to
enjoy after 2010. If you want to order, just email us directly at
orders@corkwineshop.com and be sure to send a phone number for us to reach you so we can get credit card information and confirm your order.
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Corkage Free Thursdays
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 In a brilliant maneuver (we're a little biased) to help eachother, cork has partnered with the Alberta Street Oyster Bar & Grill to make Thursdays through the end of March Free Corkage Night! So now you can stop by the shop anytime until 8pm when we close, browse the aisle for a special bottle, then walk across the street for dinner at the Oyster Bar
and they will gladly waive the corkage fee on wines purchased at
cork. It's the best of both worlds - first-class dining on Chef
Eric Bechard's stunning French-influenced cuisine (they do a lot more
than oysters, including maybe the best Burger in town!) while buying
from a great selection of wines at retail prices. All we ask of
you is that you take advantage of us during this period, as the offer is good Thursday nights only, beginning tomorrow, Feb. 21, until the end of March.
We'll have a copy of the Oyster Bar's menu on hand at the shop so you
can even try to decide on what you're eating before selecting the
bottle you want to drink. It's what we call a wine-win for
everyone.
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