What’s Fresh At Enoteca?

1. Gifford Hirlinger Wine Tasting with Wine Maker Mike Berghan
2. Gifford Hirlinger Wine Maker Dinner Review
3. Small Vineyards Wine Tasting Review
4. January Wine Maker Dinner: Rob Mercer of Mercer Estates
5. Upcoming Tasting Events
6. Tell me more about the Wine & Beer Club…
7. I’m a little intimidated, can you tell me what Wine Tasting is like?

A Note from Sarah

The past few days have brought tons of snow! I hope everyone is safe out there as we all prepare for the next weeks festivities. If you are stumped (as I usually am with at least one person) on what to get them, think about wine and beer baskets. They are well rounded with not just the beverage but goodies to go along with it. It will be waiting at our store and close by in case your Internet order didn’t arrive in time. To celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, drink some good wine and beer!

My family always has Chinese food on Christmas Eve, I LOVE tangerine beef and when I’m not in the mood for a Sapporo or a martini I like Riesling. For Christmas supper we have a prime rib roast with all the fixings. A rich and robust red wine will do the trick, like the Mercury Head Cabernet we had last year. Come on in and we can help match a great bottle to your meal and budget. Russell usually likes Chimay Grande Reserve or The Abyss beers or a beer rich and thick with a hint of chocolate. If you enjoy the holidays with similar dishes, try what we do, maybe you’ll find a new favorite holiday tradition!

Thank you everyone for shopping with us, and giving us the opportunity to serve your needs. As a local family involved in the community we appreciate all of you. Thank you and we hope you have a fun and blessed season with everything you wished for!

On Tuesday we held our first wine maker dinner with Gifford Hirlinger. Be sure to read my review below, and come taste Mike’s wine on Friday!

Scrambling for the last minute gift? Be sure to check out our Vinturi Wine Aerator review, we have these in stock. Also prepare for messes with Wine Away.

– Sarah Mann

Gifford Hirlinger Wine Tasting with Wine Maker Mike Berghan

This Friday from 4-7 Enoteca will be hosting Mike Berghan, wine maker and more of Gifford Hirlinger. He’ll be sharing some of his wines and signing bottles. We want to give you the opportunity to “try before you buy” so we offer a flight of wine for a low cost. Taste a flight (2 oz. each of 3 wines, 1 oz of 18 Below, 1 oz of LV) for $10 per flight, and follow up with a glass. We will be tasting Saturday from 12-7 as well, which is a great time to beat the rush. If you missed the dinner, come to Wine Tasting Friday to meet Mike and taste the wine!

Gifford Hirlinger Stateline Red 2005
(Walla Walla, Washington)

The Stateline Red is a graceful blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is a very food-friendly, versatile wine with enough structure to pair with a steak, but also fruit forward enough to pair with seafood dishes!

80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon – Only 500 cases produced

[Member: $21.59 / Retail: $23.99]

Gifford Hirlinger Merlot 2005
(Walla Walla, Washington)

The Merlot is the first Varietal wine released by Gifford Hirlinger. It is an elegant, yet powerful expression of Merlot from the Walla Walla Valley. It’s loaded with flavors of cherry, strawberry and blackberry, with underlying notes of oaky vanilla and spice, all tied together with just enough tannin and acid to give it a wonderful balance.

86% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon – Only 350 cases produced

[Member: $30.59 / Retail: $33.99]

Gifford Hirlinger Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Walla Walla, Washington)

This is the first Cabernet Sauvignon that we have produced! 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.

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot – Only 250 cases produced

[Member: $30.59 / Retail: $33.99]

Gifford Hirlinger 18 Below 2004
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

The “18 Below” is a wine named for a freeze that took place January 4th, 2004. We had enough bud damage that night that we decided the best course of action was to cut our vines down, which meant 100% crop loss. In order to make wine that year we were force to buy fruit from a vineyard outside of the Walla Walla Valley. At the time Mike, our winemaker, was working at Canoe Ridge Vineyard so he was able to get a few tons of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The resulting wine is full of ripe cherries and raspberries, dark chocolate, firm tannins, and a hint of toasty oak. It’s a perfect match with all kinds of roasted or grilled meats… We like it with grilled marinated flank steak and baked sweet potatoes!

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot – Only 180 cases produced

[Member: $35.99 / Retail: $39.99]

Gifford Hirlinger LV 2006
(USA)

The 2006 L.V. is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley, and 10% Merlot from our estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. This is a very flashy wine with bold ripe flavors of cassis, black cherry, licorice and blackberry. The texture is lush and rich with supple tannins that take you to a seamless finish that goes on and on! This wine would be beautiful with lamb chops with a poached quince in a balsamic pan sauce.

90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot – Only 66 cases produced

[Member: $35.99 / Retail: $39.99]

Pricing disclaimer.

Gifford Hirlinger Wine Maker Dinner Review

When I arrived at Fleur De Sel early it was already buzzing with energy and excitement. Patricia welcomed me with a kiss on the check and a warm smile. I love Laurent and Patricia, they are the best mixture of down to earth and le chique. With Fleur de Sel, there is never a detail ignored or spot unchecked.

When everyone had arrived the dinner began. Laurent started with a few words about the amazing dinner we were about to enjoy and then Mike from Gifford Hirlinger introduced his wonderful wine. The servers placed the starter of flat bread with sun-dried tomato puree and delightful hunks of herbed goat cheese. That was paired well with Gifford Hirlinger Stateline Red.

I sat next to Darin and his wife Jen and Melissa the wine makers wife who is expecting a little girl here in a few weeks. We all agreed that the food was paired really well with the wine. Each complemented the other and made the sum more than the total of the parts! I can’t even give the meal justice with my explanation, there wasn’t a dirty plate in the house! Every course was lovely with the perfect amount of flavor and portion with an amazing wine to pair.

The atmosphere was joyous and laid back. No stuffed shirts anywhere. It was like having an amazing meal and great wine with your 40 closest friends! The evening closed with pears that were poached for two weeks in wine! Then served over a warm sponge cake and drizzled with what tasted like melted French vanilla ice cream. That was paired with Gifford Hirlinger LV, a rich and full bodied red wine. I can’t tell you how many times I heard people say they were surprised at how well the dessert went with the wine. Laurent explained that because the wine had such richness and complexity that the simple dessert wouldn’t compete with the wine, and again the two went well together like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Laurent and Patricia were wonderful hosts, I felt I was almost in a private cooking class, because if you had a question about what you were eating he would gladly go into how he prepared it and why the flavors paired so well with the wine.

At the end of the evening everyone began to bundle up to brave the freezing zero degree weather, leaving with smiles, rosy cheeks and full bellies. It was one of the nicest evenings I’ve had in a long time. Mike was knowledgeable and friendly as he answered questions about his lovely wine.

Russell and I can’t wait to have many more of these events. We’ve already scheduled some for the coming months, and seats are filling up. Thank you Mike and Melissa for making beautiful wine, and thank you to Fleur De Sel for a great culinary experience! Merry Christmas!

Small Vineyards Wine Tasting Review

Did the weather keep you away last Friday? Read about what you missed…

Tom Kelly (pictured) wooed tasters with his stories of winemakers, wine making families, and descriptions of the Italian countryside. Peppered in his stories were bits of Italian which sent some ladies into a swoon.

The wines showed exceptionally well, with several of them selling out. Don Felice was the most exciting, full flavored, and fastest selling wine and we’re lucky to have access to a few more bottles.

For complete details on the wine served, check out last week’s Newsletter.

Here’s what we have left from this special direct import tasting event:

De Tarczal Trentino Moscato Giallo 2007 (Alto Adige, Italy)
6 bottles left of this suprise smash hit, a non-sweet Moscato!
[Member: $16.19 / Retail: $17.99]

Fattoria Bibbiani Treggiaia 2004 (Tuscany, Italy)
13 bottles left of this excellent value priced Tuscan blend.
[Member: $9.89 / Retail: $10.99]

Compagnia dii ermes Cesanese Basic 2006 (Roma, Italy)
14 bottles left of this uber-wine-geeky ancient grape varietal. Pleasant and rustic.
[Member: $14.39 / Retail: $15.99]

La Quercia Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2005 (Abruzzo, Italy)
3 bottles left of this 100% organic Montepulciano.
[Member: $10.79 / Retail: $11.99]

Tre Donne “3″ 2004 (Piemonte, Italy)
Tasters will remember the story of the Tre Donne, we’re lucky to have 12 bottles of this blend available.
[Member: $20.69 / Retail: $22.99]

Terre Grico Don Felice 2003 (Puglia, Italy)
We sold out of this wine, but the importer backed us up with a little more availability. This is one incredible wine, if you haven’t yet, give it a try!
[Member: $25.19 / Retail: $27.99]

Email us at service@corkjoy.com or call 208-457-9885 to reserve bottles.

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. $65 per person. Call Fleur de Sel at 208-777-7600 to reserve your seats! 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.

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.

Friday, January 2nd – 4-7 pm
Taste of Club! January 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, January 3rd as well, from 12-7.

Thursday, January 7th – 7 pm
Special Thursday Tasting! Argentinian wines with Dustin Lewis. Sign up early for this classroom style tasting starting at 7 pm. Only $5 per person in advance.

Friday, January 9th – 4-7 pm
Tsillan Cellars wine tasting with wine maker Shane Collins. Come try the line up with the wine maker from the resort community of Chelan. We will taste these wines on Saturday, January 10th 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. Call Fleur de Sel at 208-777-7600. $65 per person. 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