What’s Fresh At Enoteca?

1. February Wine & Beer Club in this Friday!
2. Super Bowl Beverage Selector – Make your party unique
3. Valentines Day Sweetheart Tasting – Thursday, February 14th
4. February Beer Tasting Event – Hales Ales with Bill Prieb
5. Upcoming Tasting Events
6. What is Wine & Beer Club?

February Wine & Beer Club is in!

The wine and beer for this month’s club has arrived and will be in your bin on Friday, February 1st! If you’re not a Club Member yet, learn about the Wine & Beer Club? This weekend is Taste of Club! Tasting is from 4-7 Friday night, Saturday from 12-7. The cost is $10 per flight (3 oz. each of 3 wines), $5 per glass (5 oz. of one wine), and $10 for the Anniversary Club Red, glass pour only. The lineup for Club and Tasting:

Vintage Club

Foppiano Lot 96 (Sonoma County, California) – Foppiano Vineyards Lot 96, Bin 001 is crafted from Alexander Valley Sangiovese, Dry Creek Zinfandel, as well as a touch of Russian River Estate Petite Sirah. The flavor profile of this wine is soft and approachable. On the nose, its Zinfandel offers blackberry spice; while the Sangiovese delivers delicate strawberry, blueberry, and violet flavors on the palate. The Petite Sirah brings a modicum of tannic structure, allowing this wine to age well; although, it’s meant to be enjoyed today, rather than tomorrow. An ideal wine to pair with all kinds of grilled meats (including sausages), Bar-B-Q friendly dishes, and tomato/garlic pasta recipes. 40% Zinfandel, 40% Sangiovese, 20% Petite Sirah Torres Vina Esmerelda 2006 (Catalunya, Spain) – In the mountainous area of the Upper Penedès the more delicate and aromatic white grape varieties are grown. Moscatel and Gewürtztraminer form the basis for Viña Esmeralda, an exceptionally delicate and strikingly fragrant wine. This wine exhibits a voluptuous, exotically perfumed nose, with deliciously well-defined primary aromas, such as some floral notes like roses and lilies, complemented by secondary aromas derived from the wine’s controlled fermentation. Silky on the palate. Excellent with shellfish (a sublime match for an avocado and shellfish salad, for instance), as well as with fish, fresh melon with cured Spanish ham, pâtés, poultry or pork in a sweet and sour sauce. 85% Moscato, 15% Gewürtztraminer

Reserve Club

Balboa Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Columbia Valley, Washington) – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 65% from the Mirage Vineyard and 35% from the Lefore Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley Appellation. The distinctive vineyard characteristics from Mirage follow through in this Cabernet, showing pumpkin pie spice and cranberries with a rounded earthy mouth-feel. It shows good tannin structure without being overly bitter, and flavors of black current, cedar and dark red fruit. Alexandria Nicole Shepherds Mark 2006 (Horse Heaven Hills, Washington) – This unique and flavorful white wine is a Rhone style blend consisting of 68% Roussanne, 18% Viognier, and 14% Marsanne. Barrel fermented in neutral oak and aged 7 months sur lees it emits layers of lemon peel adding a citrus nose that invite you to a crisp, viscous mouth feel that lingers to a refreshing finish. In the early 1900′s, pioneering sheepherders left their mark on the Columbia Valley in the form of Rock Monuments. These monuments, some still standing along the ridge line of Alexandria Nicole’s Destiny Ridge Estate Vineyard, were used for marker identification, recreational pastime, artistic expression, and even as simply as to leave ones mark on the world. This Rhone style blend is dedicated to all pioneers of the Columbia Valley, and exemplifies this wineries effort to leave its mark on the world through the artistic expression of their wines.

Premier Club

Orin Swift The Prisoner 2006 (Napa Valley, California) – The 2006 blends the lush berry flavors of Zinfandel(51%), the power and concentration of Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), the dark black fruit of Syrah (12%), the intensity and structure of Petite Sirah (6%), the flesh of Charbono (6%) and a hint of Grenache (2%) – all combined for a decadent wine with great complexity. The 2005 vintage received 93 points and we expect this to match or exceed that quality. Dunham Shirley Mays Chardonnay 2006 (Lewis Estate Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington) – Bottled on Valentine’s Day 2007. A pink ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness fund-raiser product. Crisp pear and hints of bright green apple are deliciously complemented with lush honeysuckle. This minimally oaked wine really shows off the beautiful chardonnay of our Lewis Estate Vineyard. 100% Chardonnay

Anniversary Club Red

Tenuta del Ornellaia ‘Le Serra Nueve’ Super Tuscan 2000 (Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy) – If you’ve seen the movie Sideways, you might remember the bottle that got Virginia Madsen’s character into wine. She says it was a Sassicaia. That’s a bottle of Italian Super Tuscan wine hard to find in the inland Northwest, but right across the street in Italy another winery with a very similar wine program is making wine we *can* get. Tenuta del Ornellaia is the winery that makes an ultra-high-end Super Tuscan blend simply named Ornellaia. A Super Tuscan is simply defined as an Italian wine from the Tuscany region made to include Bordeaux (France) grape varieties. Traditionally, Italians have not sanctioned these wines, and they have only been made for about 40 years. The first was the Antinori brand Tignanello, which we can also get for you. The ‘Le Serra Nueve’ program at the Ornellaia farm is the less expensive bottle, which is made exactly as their premium bottle (Retail: $179.99) until the very end at which time the barrels are selected to allow the best to go into the high end wine, and the rest to go into ‘Le Serra Nueve.’ The consulting wine maker is none other than the famed Michel Rolland, who also makes the Longshadows Pedestal, and Château Lascombes wines, as well as over 100 other wineries in 12 countries. This bottle is very special in that it is already aged for 8 years. These wines can be overly tannic and off-putting young, but at 8-12 years they are showing beautifully. We also have the 2002 vintage on the shelf and can get 2004 if you’re interested in vertical vintage bottles. This wine is all about density, structure, and balance. It balances acidity with roundness, fruit with tannins, and deep dark flavors of spice and leather with ripe fruit and berry flavors. Decanting certainly allows more of the flavors to come forward. Cabernet Sauvignon 80%, Merlot 20%

Beer Club

Beer Club members receive 3 bottles of beer this month! Beer Club selections are not open for the tasting event, but a few bottles are available for purchase. Deschutes The Abyss 2007 (Oregon) – This beer has won so many awards and gold medals you could start a mint with the metal. It is a barrel aged Imperial Stout. The Abyss has immeasurable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich, complex profile. Hints of molasses, licorice and other alluring flavors draw you in further and further with each sip. And at 11% alcohol by volume, you will want to slowly savor each and every ounce. Beer Club Members each get one bottle of this precious stuff, which can be bottle-aged for a year or more, or drunk immediately. Besides Beer Club Members, we have only a very few bottles available. 11% ABV. 65 IBU. 22 oz. bottle Full Sail Son of Spot IPA (Hood River, Oregon) – This beer is brewed in the aggressive IPA style. Its father was the popular Sunspot. Lots of hops and a pleasure to drink. The aroma is sweet and floral with a definite citric base, and finishes with a clean bitter taste. 6% ABV. 90 IBU. 22 oz. bottle Meantime Coffee Porter (England) – The Meantime Brewing Co. loves flavour, so it wasn’t exactly difficult for them to see how the scents and aromas of coffee and barley would create a perfect match like mint and lamb, toffee and banana, peaches and cream, peanut butter and jam. Serve lightly chilled with as many chocolate truffles as your conscience allows. Each serving is equal to one cup of coffee. The natural flavours of the beans selected and hand roasted by the Union Coffee Roasters go well with the roast barley in the beer to give a silky-smooth drink with distinct chocolate and vanilla notes. 2006 World Beer Cup Gold Medal 6% ABV. 330ml bottle

Super Bowl Beverage Selector

No matter which team you’re rooting for, your team will need a strong Quarterback to win! That’s why, all this week and next, we will be sampling the wine that goes the full 100 yards of flavor to score a touchdown of taste. Come into Enoteca anytime we’re open, from 11-7 Tuesday-Saturday, to taste this excellent wine, and consider taking a bottle or more home to serve during the game! Want some other game time suggestions that will pair well with Super Bowl food? What goes well with hot wings, nachos, pizza, and hot dogs? Try these ideas: Champagne Champagnes and sparkling wines pair very nicely with anything salty, like popcorn or potato chips. The interplay between the bubbles and the saltiness in your mouth is fun and tasty. Examples include Schug Rouge de Noirs, a red sparkling Pinot [Member: $28.79 / Retail: $31.99], and J.M. Monmousseau Brut Etoile Champagne [Member: $10.79 / Retail: $11.99] Chardonnay A crisp style of Chardonnay, either lightly oaked or unoaked styles, works well with chips and salsa. The southern-bred style of Boudreaux Chardonnay [Member: $26.09 / Retail: $28.99] is a good choice that also goes well with any greasy southern style of food! Another good choice is Rosemount Hunter Valley Chardonnay [Member: $19.79 / Retail: $21.99] Aussie Shiraz Try a full bodied Shiraz with a plate full of nachos or buffalo wings. Examples include the Layer Cake [Member: $16.19 / Retail: $17.99] and Mr. Riggs Shiraz [Member: $22.49 / Retail: $24.99] mentioned above. The Quarterback would also qualify. Sauvignon Blanc A crisp, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc is a great pair with the healthy veggie plate and creamy ranch dips. Pinot Grigio Try a California or authentic Italian Pinot Grigio which sports mineral flavors with pizza. Luna is a great California Pinot Grigio at [Member: $17.99 / Retail: $19.99] and Tommasi is a great Italian at [Member: $16.19 / Retail: $17.99]. Another good call with pizza is big California Zinfandel, like Earth Zin & Fire [Member: $12.59 / Retail: $13.99]. Red Blends Several wines are blends of multiple grape varieties, and they can taste very good with almost anything! These are some examples that go well with pizza, chips and salsa, and nachos: Beauzeaux [Member: $10.79 / Retail: $11.99], L’Ecole No 41 Recess Red [Member: $17.09 / Retail: $18.99]

Not much of a wine drinker? Try some unique beers for the big game!

Enoteca’s beer shelf features loads of unique Belgian, German, English, and American microbrews. Try a crisp IPA to go with the game food, or a hearty stout to enjoy by itself with the half-time show. Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout (dark), Stone Vertical Epic (Belgian), Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA, and Rogue Dead Guy Ale are some suggestions.

Valentines Day Sweetheart Tasting – Thursday, February 14th

Enoteca is putting on a special Sweetheart Tasting event on Valentines Day. This is a great way to start out your special evening with that special someone. Here are the features, besides soft jazz music, and candlelight: Tasty Appetizers Chocolate covered strawberries Brownies made with raspberry framboise (a fortified wine) Sweet and savory hors d’ oeuvres Wine Tasting List Tre Donne Moscato di’ Asti Pure Love (brand) Layer Cake Terra Valentine Cabernet Sauvignon Stag’s Leap Petite Sirah Trentadue Chocolate Amore The wine included is 2 oz. of each wine. This event will be from 4-6 pm, and you can come anytime just like a typical Friday or Saturday wine tasting. Please make reservations in advance. The price for this event is $49.99 per couple. Email us at service@corkjoy.com to reserve space, or call 208-457-9885.

Hales Ales Tasting Event with Bill Prieb

Hales Ales Beer Tasting Thursday, February 21st Beginning at 7 p.m. Taste 4-5 or so beers Only $10 per person

Notice the later-than-usual start time for this tasting event. The February Beer Tasting is “All Hail Hales Ales”! Enoteca is hosting Bill Prieb from Hales Ales as he shares a selection from Hales’s lineup starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 21st. Tickets to attend are $10, paid in advance. Attendees will receive a beer glass and most importantly, learn about, and taste, more great beer! Email us at service@corkjoy.com to reserve space, or call 208-457-9885. To be made aware of future beer tasting events, join the email list at www.corkjoy.com

Tasting Events Coming Soon

Mark your calendars; Enoteca has a great lineup for the next few weeks. Join us for these excellent tasting events! More details will be available in this newsletter, as well as any changes that might come up. Thursday, January 31st – 6 pm Rogue Beer Tasting with Matt Thompson of Rogue. Taste a handful of great brews from Rogue Brewery of Portland and Newport Oregon, complete with the knowledgeable Matt Thompson to guide your tasting experience. Only $10 per person, register in advance. Friday, February 1st – 4-7 pm – Taste of Club! February Wine & Beer of the Month Club! Club tasting event, taste all the wine club wines! This is a great opportunity to see what the Club is all about, and to see what others are getting in their bins. We will taste these wines on Saturday, February 2nd as well, from 12-7. Thursday, February 14th – 4-6 pm – Find true love with our special Valentines day wine tasting event. See the newsletter for additional details. Friday, February 8th – 4-7 pm – Renwood Winery with Kevin Olsonberg. Come taste a great selection of this California wineries wines, including big Zinfandels! We will taste these wines on Saturday, February 9th as well, from 12-7. Thursday, February 21st – 7 pm Hales Ales Beer Tasting with Bill Preib. Taste a handful of great brews from Hales Ales of Seattle, Washington, complete with the knowledgeable Bill Prieb to guide your tasting experience. Only $10 per person, register in advance. Friday, February 22nd – 4-7 pm – Barrister Winery with wine maker! Barrister Winery of Spokane is making some of the area’s most sought after top notch wines. Either Greg Lipsker or Michael White, and possibly both, will be on hand to show their wine and sign bottles. Come meet one or two of the attorney/wine makers on Friday February 22nd, and taste a great selection of their wines! We will taste these wines on Saturday, February 23rd as well, from 12-7. You can keep yourself in the loop on Enoteca events! Subscribe to the Enoteca Google Calendar to keep up-to-date on the latest happenings! Salute’ Russell, Sarah, and Roger Enoteca – Fine Wine & Beer 208-457-9885 service@corkjoy.com Enoteca is open: Tuesday-Saturday: 11-7 Directions, hours, and more about Enoteca: www.corkjoy.com We’re always looking for feedback! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to let us know. Did you like a certain wine or beer? We’re here to serve you so let us know how we can help: service@corkjoy.com