Enoteca News: December Club is in! Sam Adams Beer Tasting
What’s Fresh At Enoteca?
- December Wine & Beer Club in this Friday!
- Samuel Adams Beer Tasting - December 18th
- Beautiful Gift Baskets by Sarah
-
Wine Maker Dinner with Mike Berghan of Gifford Hirlinger
and culinary arts by Laurent Zirotti at Fleur de Sel - January Wine Maker Dinner: Rob Mercer of Mercer Estates
- Upcoming Tasting Events
- Tell me more about the Wine & Beer Club…
- I’m a little intimidated, can you tell me what Wine Tasting is like?
A Note from Russell
Thanks for reading the Enoteca Newsletter, we’re here to let you know about upcoming events,
tasting notes on the Wine & Beer Club selections for December, and a few extras.
For December Wine Club, we selected sparkling “Champagne style” wines for the white wines as a great way to celebrate! Vintage, Reserve, and Premier White Wine Club selections are all delicious dry sparkling wines, perfect for the holidays.
For the reds, they’re all based on the noble Cabernet Sauvignon, with two Chilean treats, a Walla Walla, and an incredible Super Tuscan. We’ll have all of these wines open for wine tasting Friday and Saturday.
Saturday’s wine tasting will be from 12-5, instead of the usual 12-7. We’re stopping tasting early to prepare for a private party. Come on by to taste!
– Russell Mann
Looking For Your Favorite Wine & Beer:
People have learned that finding a specific wine or beer can be very easy, you can simply ask the folks at Enoteca, and we are happy to track them down for you. Especially hard to find and specialty products!
Simply fill out this form and we will do the hunting.
People have learned that finding a specific wine or beer can be very easy, you can simply ask the folks at Enoteca, and we are happy to track them down for you. Especially hard to find and specialty products!
Simply fill out this form and we will do the hunting.
December Wine & Beer Club is in!
The wine and beer for this month’s club has arrived and will be in your bin on Friday, December 5th! If you’re not a Club Member yet, learn about the Wine & Beer Club?Wine & Beer Club is rolling out this Friday, and tasting is from 4-7 Friday. We will be tasting Saturday from 12-5 as well, which is a great time to taste wine to beat the rush. 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
Castillo de Molina Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva 2004
(Lontue Valley, Chile)
The color of this wine is intense ruby red, with blackish violet tones. On the nose it shows quite a lot of fresh red fruit, with outstanding berries and cherry, which mix with toasted and mocha aromas, and subtle vanilla notes. In the mouth it is a complex, very well structured and balanced wine, with soft and round tannins, which tend over to a long and persistent finish. To be served right away, or kept for 4 to 8 years.
This Chilean Cabernet is a fun example of what is coming out of South America these days. I noticed some earthy, dusty, smokey nuances that set it apart from California and Washington Cabernet’s. It also come repleat with blackberry and vanilla flavors that remind me of a berry pie with whipped cream on top. Mmmmmmm…..
Saint Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux Brut 2004
(Languedoc, France)
The type of wine is known as Blanquette de Limoux and is France’s oldest sparkling wine. Created by Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire over 450 years ago, more than 100 years before Dom Perignon created Champagne.
The grape varieties are Mauzac Blanc, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc.
What is now the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire began as a primitive chapel in the 6th century started by Hilarius, the Bishop of Carcassonne. By 817, the Abbey was under the domain of the Order of Saint Benedict.
This is a frisky sparkler with an attractive, yeasty aroma and a luscious, creamy texture.
Elegant and lovely, this spunky competitor to the glamorous Champagne sparklings is a great wine for this festive time of year. Drink in a part of history, from the 1531 first creation of this wine, through the 1790’s Thomas Jeffersonian collection of this wine, through today!
Reserve Club
Haras Character Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Maipo Valley, Chile)
This Cabernet Sauvignon has excellent fruit concentration, ripe black berries and dried fruits in the mouth combined with a complex and elegant attack. This wine presents a spicy final with toffee and chocolate and is a great performer of Upper Maipo Valley. Drink from now until 2012.
Earned 92 Points from Wine & Spirits
The second in a series of Chilean Cabernet, this too exhibits smokiness and blackberry notes. It’s also thoroughly elegant and approachable as an upper tier wine from this winery. Enjoy this one with holiday roasted meats, that’s what I’ll be doing!
Taltarni Brut Taché
(Australia)
Taché is a French word meaning ’stained’ and refers to the rare winemaking method used since 1985 by Taltarni to create this fine rosé-coloured sparkling wine. Its amazing delicate salmon pink colour is achieved by adding a dash of red wine liqueur to the finished tirage wine at disgorgement. Taltarni’s Brut Taché is a blend of three classic sparkling wine varietals Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier sourced from cool climate vineyards in Victorian and Tasmanian wine regions.
Fermented in its original bottle and matured on yeast lees according to traditional methods, creates a final complex and sophisticated sparkling wine style.
This is a dry elegant sparkling wine that caught our attention with its fine dainty bubbles. A very celebratory wine for the holidays!
Premier Club
Gifford Hirlinger Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Walla Walla Valley, Washington)
Mike Berghan chose 2005 to be his first vintage of Walla Walla Cabernet. It’s a silky smooth wine that’s loaded with fruit, spice, and the structure that Cab is known for. It starts with Italian plum and toasty nutmeg in the nose, followed by currant and blackberry nectars in the mouth with supple tannins, all leading to a pleasantly lingering finish.
On Tuesday the 16th, Enoteca will be holding our first wine maker dinner with Mike Berghan of Gifford Hirlinger at Fleur de Sel in Post Falls. This is a preview of what Mike is capable of, though it was a hard choice. We tasted the Gifford Hirlinger Merlot and Cabernet. Both were so good we had to drink a bottle of each to decide. That didn’t work either because they’re both so good, then we had to taste them a couple more times. Well, here it is, the Cabernet in all its glory. If you don’t have tickets to the sold out dinner, come try the line up of Gifford Hirlinger wines on Friday, December 19th.
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Rose Brut
(Anderson Valley, California)
The Roederer Estate Rosé is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. For color, the winemaker prepares a small portion of Pinot Noir with extended maceration and adds about five percent to the blend before secondary fermentation, imparting a subtle salmon hue. Both the 60/40 blend and addition of the small amount of red wine create a charming wine of discreet finesse.
The Roederer Estate Rosé is full and round with smooth flavors and fine persistent bubbles. The extra measure of Chardonnay contributes elegance and austerity, which balance nicely with the delicate fruitiness of the Pinot Noir.
Many Champagnes are made from a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend of some sort. This one is heavy on the Pinot, which is a style I love due to its fuller body and agressive roundness. Remember the Roederer Brut Premeire from France at the recent Champagne and Port tasting? It was a huge hit, especially with the ladies! This wine is from the same wine making tradition and family, but made in California. Give it a whirl.
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Anniversary Club Red
Ornellaia Le Serra Nuoeve 2002
(Tuscany, Italy)
Deep crimson red in colour with attractive red berry fruit aromas, it has a balanced, round generous palate structure and a smooth finish of good length. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend giving the wine its fine tannin structure, which is complemented by some mid-palate weight and softness, provided by the addition of Merlot.
This is a Super Duper Super Tuscan! 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. This is a personal favorite wine of mine, coming from a vineyard adjacent to the famed Sassicaia.
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot
Beer Club
Beer Club members receive 2 bottles of beer this month! Beer Club selections are not open for the tasting event, but a few bottles are available for purchase.
Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock (Swiss Chocolate, American Beer)
Samuel Adams partnered Felchlin, a renowned Swiss chocolatier, to develop a unique innovation, Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock. We started with a complex selection of carefully roasted malts combined with hand-selected Noble hops from Bavaria, the world’s oldest growing area. After using a centuries old brewing process, called Krausening, we slowly aged the beer on a bed of rare dark cocoa nibs from Felchlin, a renowned Swiss chocolatier. Known for their quality these wild cocoa nibs, harvested from the rainforest of Northern Bolivia, impart complex aromas and flavors of chocolate, honey and vanilla in the beer. The resulting beer, Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, has a big, malty character that is combined with the subtle sweetness of chocolate, giving this brew a complex full-body taste with a velvety finish.
Tettnang-Tettnanger and Spalt hops were hand-selected from the world’s oldest growing area and combined with a complex selection of malts including two-row Pale, Munich and Caramel to create a rich and satisfying brew. This dark beer has a big, malty character that is combined with the subtle sweetness of chocolate. Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock was aged on a bed of cocoa nibs to create its unique layers of flavor. As the beer matured, the fruity, tart, earthy and chocolate aromas were released into the liquid to give the brew a complex, full-bodied taste with a velvety finish. A hint of vanilla was added to meld the symphony of flavors together.
This is a great beer, with a great presentation! We chilled one down on Thanksgiving and brought it out before dinner to enjoy. As it warmed up in the glass the flavor got better and better. Enjoy this with a friend!
5.5% ABV, 750ml Limited Edition Pewter Labeled Bottle
Rogue Yellow Snow IPA (Oregon)
Pale golden in color with a hoppy fruity aroma. Big hop flavor up front complemented by medium body and hoppyness mid-pallet. Finishes with a characteristic lingering bitterness. Pairs with Beef and Hot & Spicy foods.
Yellow Snow is Rogue’s tribute to winter sports everywhere—downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross country, ice hockey, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and even curling.
Balancing the malty style of the Chocolate Bock, this month’s Beer Club includes a hoppy counterweight from our Oregonian friends at Rogue.
22 oz. Bottle, 70 IBUs
Check Out! In order to keep track of your Wine & Beer, we use a “Check Out” procedure.
When you come to pick up your Wine & Beer, please momentarily stop by the counter and check out.
Club members receive receipts by email.
December Beer Tasting
Samuel Adams with Troy Lobdell
|
Sam Adams Beer Tasting Thursday, December 18th Tasting at 7:00 p.m. Only $10 per person |
Jim Koch founded The Boston Beer Company in 1984 because he believed that Americans deserved better beer.
As of November 18th, when InBev officially took over Anheuser-Busch, Samuel Adams is now the largest
American Owned brewery. Come to this tasting to try some of the more unique flavors coming
from this brewery. Troy Lobdell, Bin #215, will be here from the brewery to share the beers
and answer questions.
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 |
|
Beautiful Gift Baskets by Sarah
Sarah’s been hard at work creating works of art that can be given as gifts. She’s started with wine focused gift baskets
that range from Sparkling (Champagne) to Sweet, holidays, foodie, and more.
Beer gift baskets are also available that include official glassware and more.
Prices range from $30-$100, and custom gift baskets can be made to order.
Occassions to give beautiful wine gift baskets:
- Thank you
- Birthday
- Closing a real estate deal
- New baby (Mom wants wine! So does the OB.)
- I’m sorry (my personal favorite)
- Dinner party gift (classy)
- Warming up the inlaws
Wine Maker Dinner with Mike Berghan of Gifford Hirlinger
and culinary arts by Laurent Zirotti at Fleur de Sel
|
Wine Maker Dinner Tuesday, Dec. 16th Begins at 6:30 p.m. Only $65 / person Includes meal, wine tasting, tax, and gratuity 
|
December’s Wine Maker Dinner is Currently Filled, Waiting List Available
Tuesday December 16th, 2008 at 6:30, Enoteca - Fine Wine and Beer
will be holding a wine maker dinner in partnership with Fleur de Sel and Gifford Hirlinger winery.
This promises to be a fun and delicious evening.
To read about the full experience, see our previous newsletter description about the
wine makers dinner. This exclusive event is currently booked. To taste the Gifford Hirlinger wines,
come to the Friday night wine tasting on the 19th of December. For future wine maker dinners,
keep an eye on this newsletter.
To join the waiting list in case of cancellations, call Fleur de Sel at 208-777-7600.
|
January Wine Maker Dinner: Rob Mercer of Mercer Estates
Just a quick note, Tuesday, January 20th will be the January Wine Maker Dinner with Rob Mercer of Mercer Estates winery. Further details will be in upcoming newsletters.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.
Friday, December 5th - 4-7 pm
Taste of Club! December 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, December 6th as well, from 12-7.
Friday, December 12th - 4-7 pm
Small Vineyards Italian Wine Tasting with Wine Importer Tom Kelley! See what comes from these small craft wineries in Italy. We will taste these wines on Saturday, December 13th as well, from 12-7.
Tuesday, December 16th - 6:30 pm
Wine Maker Dinner with Mike Berghan of Gifford Hirlinger and culinary arts by Laurent Zirotti at Fleur de Sel. Only $65 per person. Includes meal, wine tasting, tax, and gratuity. To make reservations, call Fleur de Sel at 208-777-7600.
Thursday, December 18th at 7:00 pm
Samuel Adams Brewery Beer Tasting. Beer Club Member Troy Lobdell, who works for Samuel Adams will be here to share some great beer! $10 per person, reserve your tickets early!
Friday, December 19th - 4-7 pm
Gifford Hirlinger wine tasting with wine maker Mike Berghan. Come try the line up from this wine maker who came from Sandpoint. We will taste these wines on Saturday, December 20th as well, from 12-7.
Friday, December 26th - 4-7 pm
Holiday Weekend Wine Tasting. Come relax with a flight of wine, including Champagne selections to prepare for New Years Eve! We will taste these wines on Saturday, December 27th as well, from 12-7.
Tuesday, January 20th - 6:30 pm
Wine Maker Dinner with Rob Mercer of Mercer Estates and culinary arts by Laurent Zirotti at Fleur de Sel. For details, keep an eye on upcoming Enoteca Newsletters!
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!Thank you for your support of our local family business.
Salute’
Russell and Sarah
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
© Copyright 2006-2009 Enoteca, LLC. All Rights Reserved.