This email is about the February 2012 Wine & Beer of the Month Club selections, with tasting notes and technical details about what is going in your Bin. Please notice the opportunity to set your communication preferences. Look in the heading of this email, there’s a link that says this: Did you know you can dial in your email preferences here? That link is in every email, and it gives you the chance to decide which types of communication you want from us. Want to know what each of the options means? Here are the details. Feel free to reply to this email and share your thoughts, we love hearing from you!

You can always see What’s On Tap? and New Beers In Stock!

Open Hours: Holiday hours are over, we’re now back on our regular schedule of being open Tuesday-Saturday, 11-7. Wine tasting is every Friday 4-7 and Saturday 12-7.

The wine and beer for this month’s Club has arrived and will be in your Bin on Friday!

We have a great selection for this winter month, some good smooth, easy to enjoy wines, and some powerful flavors to boot.

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 12-7 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 – red or white).

And without further adieu here’s the lineup for Club and Tasting:

Vintage Club

Fairview La Capra Chenin Blanc
(Western Cape, South Africa)

Fresh fruit on the nose, led by white fruit and tropical notes. The palate is well-balanced with clean, refreshing acidity whilst showing good mouthfeel and texture from the small oaked component.

How fun is this?!  South African white wine, made quite well. So well in fact, Decanter magazine gave it 5 out of 5 stars!  Here’s what they said about it:

“Cool and complex nose of ripe stone fruit, herbs, guava, nettles and pear. Some attractive grip and distinct skin contact apparent on the palate. A fresh, vibrant and fruity wine with chalky minerality, excellent balance and a long juicy finish.”

100% Chenin Blanc

Bodegas Zugober Belezos Joven Rioja
(Rioja, Spain)

(say: bo-day-ga zoo-go-bear bell-eh-thos ho-vin re-oh-ha)

95% Tempranillo, 5% Viura, just like tradition in Rioja demands, but this wine is far from being too classic; its powerful aromas of ripe red fruit and floral notes are truly stunning. A serious value for a fantastic joven style wine! Dark ruby red in color, it is a forward, sweetly fruited wine with aromas of black cherry and earth notes. On the palate it has no hard edges, making this a soft smoothe sipper.

95% Tempranillo, 5% Viura

Reserve Club

Paraiso Santa Lucia Riesling
(Santa Lucia Highlands, California)

Cool climate Riesling from the Highlands,crafted in a food-friendly Alsacian style, on the drier side.

GOLD MEDAL – Los Angeles International Wine Competition

Here’s one tasting note that might sound strange, but give it a shot: Lemon Jolly Rancher. This wine has some of the beeswax viscous texture that defines Alsacian rieslings, of course from California this is a nice treat.

It’s on the dry side of Riesling and shows wonderful acidity cuddled by apricot and peach fruits. There’s a hint of lime on the finish. Perhaps there is a trace of residual sugar, but barely perceptible if any, yet the wine is rich and luscious with some weight on the palate.

Food Pairing: Asian food! Anything spicy and hot! Serve it next to your hotwings at the Super Bowl.

100% Riesling

Terra d’Oro Zinfandel
(Amador County, California)

Terra d’Oro Amador County Zinfandel demonstrates the classic Sierra Foothills characteristics that are unique to this region. The nose is rich and super spicy with dark fruit and berries. The palate is smooth and showcases flavors of nicely ripened blackberries and plums. Spice lingers on the finish, making it a great wine to accompany a multitude of dishes. Try pairing with a lamb burger topped with goat cheese. Enjoy!

100% Zinfandel

Premier Club

Ken Wright Tyrus Evans Viognier
(Del Rio Vineyard, Rogue Valley, Oregon)

(say: vee-oh-nay)

Delicate and pretty floral essence of white blossoms on the nose. There is an unexpected burst of ruby pink grapefruit and a lingering apricot note on the very clean finish. This would be a great wine for Sunday brunch or other events with a multitude of foods present. Made from Del Rio Vineyard fruit.

Del Rio Vineyard lies at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,200 feet in the Rogue Valley. Soils are generally gravelly silt loam with increasing amounts of exposed river stone in the lower areas. The exposure is due south.

Wine Spectator said:

“Smooth, polished and highly aromatic, this delivers a heady mix of wildflower, rose petal and mint, with fruit centered on apricot and pear flavors. Beautifully structured, lithe and seductive.”

100% Viognier

Basalt Merlot
(Clarkston, Washington)

This merlot was aged for 18 months in French, Hungarian, and American Oak barrels. Aromas of cherries, blackberries, kirsch, vanilla, toast, and leather offer an inviting welcome to your senses. The lively acidity serves up pie cherries, plums, cocoa powder, and licorice. Ample tannins provide the backbone for a solid merlot that will cellar well for many years to come. Enjoy now or cellar through 2015.

This wonderful wine won 2 gold medals and 1 platinum! Sarah noted flavors of dark cherry with hints of cocoa and pipe tobacco. The tannins are well integrated. This wine is will go well with food too.

100% Merlot

Anniversary Club Red

Buoncristiani OPC
(Napa Valley, California)

This wine is simply smooth and delicious! We love it!

Here’s what the winery says:

The Buoncristiani O.P.C. is our Napa Valley proprietary red blend. In the quest to create a wine uniquely ours, we discovered the synergy of marrying Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah, while also folding in further complexity of texture and flavor with Napa Malbec and Merlot blenders. Grapes are sourced from some of Napa’s most prestigious vineyards including Hyde, Stagecoach, Caldwell, and Bennett. Just like our winemaking fathers before us, with “Ol’ Pa’s Cuvée” we four brothers continue the family tradition of handcrafting blends that help accentuate the enjoyment of life.

To ensure our highest standard of quality, the vineyards are managed by growers who adhere to our strict viticultural philosophy and the wines are crafted with our own hands. The components of O.P.C. were harvested and fermented separately in small batches, then carefully blended in several phases during the second year of barrel aging. This 2005 O.P.C. was aged in French oak barrels for 20 months and bottled in June of 2007.

We, the Buoncristiani brothers, take pride in performing all aspects of enology, viticulture, wine production, marketing, and package design in order to share with you a true expression of our winemaking passion.

42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Syrah, 15% Merlot, 7% Malbec

Beer Club

Beer Club selections are not open for the tasting event, but a few bottles are available for purchase.

North Coast XIV Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout 500ml
(Fort Bragg, California)

Yes it’s one beer in the Beer Club this month. It’s one very very serious beer. Bourbon Barrel aged Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. If you haven’t had the regular Old Rasputin, I recommend trying it, perhaps pick up a 4 pack and open side by side with this. The comparison of barrel aged to original is a very fun treat. You might even want to age this beer, it’s definitely capable of smoothing out over a couple years in the cellar.

Here’s what the brewery has to say:

We guarantee that the Old Rasputin XII will be worth the search. It is amazing stuff. Aging in oak whiskey barrels adds a level of complexity that amplifies the espresso/chocolate notes in the flavor profile and takes this unique beer to new heights.

Style: Barrel Aged
Color: Black
ABV: 11.2%

Beer Advocate: 94 Exceptional, RateBeer: 100

11.2% ABV / 500ml Cork Caged Bottle

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.

Dear Entoecans,

We live in such a wonderful and generous community, and one of the ways local charities raise funds is to hold wine & beer tasting events.  This Saturday is the North Idaho Hospice tasting and auction held at the Hayden Lake Country Club.  This is an event that Russell and Sarah attend every year, usually pouring wine for all the wonderful people who attend.  It’s a great opportunity for a “society function” and the proceeds go towards giving back through the Hospice organization.  You can learn more about the Hospice of North Idaho here.

Here’s what HONI says about the event:

Cheers for 30 Years!
Presented by Coeur d’Alene Mines Corporation

Join us for our Annual Wine Taste and Auction, Cheers to 30 Years, celebrating 30 years of caring!

Saturday, February 4th, 2012 at 5:30 at the Hayden Lake Country Club

There will be over 250 wines featured at this Black-tie Optional event!  Other highlights include food provided by local restaurants, a ”Best in Show” chef competition, amazing auction items, and games of chance.

You can purchase tickets online here.  There are 7 tickets left at the time of this writing and they’re going for $100 each.  Hope to see you there!

Wine Stein and Dine

Wine Stein and Dine is the fundraiser for the Post Falls Education Foundation.  We’ve heard from local teachers in the Wine & Beer Clubs at Enoteca that this fundraiser has been instrumental in providing our local classrooms with much needed equipment and learning supplies.

This is the *funnest* party of the year in our area!  Post Falls knows how to party, and we all do it at the Wine Stein and Dine!  85 wineries, breweries and eateries are represented at this event.  Can you say sample time?!

Tickets are $45/advance, $60/door.  You can pick up tickets at Enoteca in Post Falls any time we’re open!

Samples offered by local restaurants, wineries and breweries, along with a silent auction. The money raised by the admission tickets and a silent auction are pooled and teachers from the Post Falls School District have the option of writing a mini-grant for their classrooms.

When: Saturday, March 3rd, from 7-10 p.m.

Where: Greyhound Park Events Center, Post Falls

More info on Wine Stein and Dine can be found here.

Dear Enotecans,

Next up in the series of incredible Wine Maker Dinner’s, J.Lohr!  This is a high value winery from California that makes a great range of wines that simply can’t be beat for their cost.  Even their high end wines are simply really really good for the price.  To have an opportunity to try these wines expertly paired with haute cuisine is a real treat.

(Don’t forget we have a wine tasting this Friday & Saturday – it’s a Zin-sational tasting!)

The dinner is Thursday, February 2 at 6pm at Ts’Elusm Steakhouse at the CDA Casino.   This 9 course meal complete with wine, food, gratuity, tax, and valet parking is only $65 per person.  Come in to pick up tickets with cash or making your check out to CDA Casino.  You can tell us to set them aside for your here.

Transportation Information: We’ve spoken to a number of people who have expressed interest in the Wine Maker Dinner series but have hesitated due to the drive. We’re polling for people who want to come but need to have a bus or shuttle service from Enoteca to the Ts’Elusm Steakhouse to make the commitment. If that’s you, please contact us to get on the “bus list” – if enough people sign up we’ll be able to make this happen. We’d probably be leaving the Enoteca parking lot around 5:30 and returning around 9:30. If we get more information we’ll post it!

J.Lohr Vineyards

Thursday February 2, 2012

Seared Sea Scallop

Uni Powder, Savory Apple, Chive Crisp

Misty Bay Riesling

Blood Orange Albacore

Coconut Pearls, Shaved Lemongrass, Basil

Carol’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Stuffed Idaho Potato

Gnocchi, Cold Water Lobster, Caviar, Crème Fraiche

Arroyo Vista Chardonnay

Pine Grilled Washington Chicken

Wild Mushrooms, Whipped Foie Gras, Pinenuts

Fog’s Reach Pinot Noir

Frozen Pond

Dry Aged Beef Tenderloin

Ash Roasted Filet, Carpaccio, and Dry Cured

Grain Mustard Jus, Winter Herbs, Green Peppercorn,

Red Wine-Oak Risotto

Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Italian Fiore Sardo

Vanilla-Leather Powder, Blueberry Tapenade

Tower Road Petite Sirah

Liquid Lollipop

Almond, Yuzu,Toasted Coconut

White Chocolate Tasting

Mousse, Frozen, Ice Cream, Sorbet, Shaved, Caramelized

Roast House Batzchocola Coffee

Dear Enotecans,

This email is about a few interesting and different growler offers now available at Enoteca.  Growlers are 64 oz (that’s 1/2 gallon) vessels for taking beer that’s on tap home with you. At Enoteca we rotate our taps regularly, and post what’s currently on tap here.  Can’t drink 1/2 gallon all by yourself?  That’s OK, a little more practice and you’ll get there.  In the mean time, consider filling a growler for the big game, and sharing it with your crew.

Allagash Four Belgian Quad Growler

What are we to do when we’re holding a Beer Tasting and need to use a tap handle, but there is still some beer in the keg on tap?  Well, we drew off the Allagash and sealed it up nice and tight and put a special price on it.  For only $25, you can get the full growler of Allagash Four and of course the glass it’s in.  There are only 2 available, and this is the last we’ll see of Allagash at all, as the brewery has long since pulled out of the northwest.  This would normally cost $40, so I think it’s a smokin’ deal!

Fremont Abominable Winter Warmer Growler

Check out this baby!  1/2 gallon of a darn tasty Winter beer and a growler you can refill with what’s on tap, for pretty stinking cheap!  We have 5 or 6 of these babies in stock, first come first served.

Here’s what they say about the beer:

Dark, roasty, chocolatey malt flavors balanced by Noble hop aroma and subtle hoppy spice. Warm up to it. Don’t be scared to be Abominable.  Down & Dirty: Pale, Crystal, Munich, Roast Barley, Chocolate, & Carafa malts with Centennial, Willamette & Goldings hops. 8.0% ABV

Place and Order here [Member: $10.79 / Retail: $11.99 / Member Case Each: $10.19]

Grand Teton Stainless Steel Growlers

We got more stainless steel growlers in from Grand Teton!  23 in stock at this time to be exact.

Ever heard of a stainless steel growler? Come check out the latest and greatest modern growler in stock now at Enoteca.  A great gift idea for the beer aficionado, or get one and fill it up to enjoy with the upcoming holiday dinner!

Here’s what I like about it.  Think about the lakes and rivers, where you’re not allowed to have glass.  I like to float the north fork, and this will come in mighty handy this summer.  Beer Club Member Brian W. (Bin #25) suggested tying it up to your bike.  Whatever creative ways you think of to use it, the concept of a stainless steel beer growler is fantastic.

These bad-boys come to us from the great Grand Teton Brewing Company, Idaho’s southern gem in the brewing business.  It looks smaller than a glass growler, so of course I had to measure out 64 oz. and test it.  Turns out it fills up the full 64 oz, just under the shoulder.  Yes, scientifically proven to hold a 1/2 gallon of beer!

Some official words from the manufacturer.

Klean Kanteen has come up with an ingenious new way to tote around your half gallon (growler fill) of delicious brew!

The 64oz wide-mouth bottle is made from high quality, 18/8, food-grade stainless steel that’s totally free of BPA and other toxins. Because stainless steel itself is safe, they don’t need to coat the inside of the bottle with a plastic or epoxy lining, which is one of the main differences between a stainless steel Klean Kanteen and aluminum bottles.

Food-grade stainless steel is used in the brewing, food and winemaking industries too. It’s the material of choice because it doesn’t retain or impart flavors.  No matter how many times you refill it, no matter what you put into it, your Klean Kanteen Wide will keep your drinks fresh, crisp and clean tasting. The extra wide opening is more than 2 inches in diameter for quick filling, pouring and cleaning, and the universal thread design fits with standard backcountry water filters.  (Just in case you run out of beer, and need to use it for water?)

The Kanteens caps are 100% stainless steel on the inside, so your drinks never touch plastic. In fact, the only plastic on the Klean Kanteen Wide is on the outside of the cap; and of course it’s also BPA-free polypropylene.

64 ounces of Klean, cold, good lookin’ beer

Such a deal at $34.99.

Dear Enotecans,

We’ve got quite the treat coming up for you. Dave Rohde, the CDA Casino Senior Food & Beverage Manager has put together what promises to be an excellent event.

The Gathering Place at CDA Casino is teaming up with Laughing Dog brewing from Sandpoint to pair brewer Fred Colby’s beers with Chef Adam Hegsted’s food! Only $40 per person, this six course meal is paired with beers from Laughing Dog, and some of the courses incorporate beer in the cooking! This is the Saturday before Valentines Day, so consider making a date of it, staying at the hotel, visiting the spa….  The full menu is below.

Get your Brewers Dinner tickets at Enoteca – if you use the RSVP form we’ll hold the tickets for you until you can come pick them up.

Laughing Dog Brewery

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Beer Glazed Chicken

Chicken poached in beer, than grilled and finished with Cream Ale Glaze.

Kale-Chicken Skin Salad with Mustard

Cream Ale

Tillamook Cheddar Soup

Pretzel Croutons

Rocket Dog Rye IPA

Braised and Crispy Pork Belly

Slow cooked pork belly fried crispy on a bed of Mushroom Slaw.

Garnished with toasted pinenut relish and honey aioli.

Alpha Dog Imperial IPA

Beer Granite

Grilled Prime New York

Oxtail filled Tatertots, Horseradish Cream, sauteed

Brussels with Candied Bacon

Cold Nose Hearty Winter Ale

Bourbon Crème Brulee

Chocolate Toffee, Coffee Sponge Cake, Oak Whipped Cream

Dogfather Imperial Stout

Dear Enotecans,

Last week I came across some really good wines at affordable prices.  Check these out, and if you’re placing an order, notice which ones are in stock now and which ones will come in within one week.  We’re always tasting wines to find those excellent values and share them with you, it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.  Click through the links to place orders!

Bergevin Lane Linen Chardonnay
(Wahluke Slope, Washington)

Notes of golden apples, honey and mineral laden components. On the palate, this wine sports similar attributes and has a very rich and soft mouth feel. Very easy drinking especially chilled in ice.  Truly tasty Chardonnay for a very reasonable price – we’re told this pricing won’t last, so if you like Chardonnay and Washington State, I suggest stocking up now!

[Member: $8.09 / Retail: $8.99 / Member Case Each: $7.64]
One Week Out

Sebastien Vincenti Dom de Fondreche Cotes-du-Ventoux
(Cotes-du-Ventoux, France)

Yes it’s French!  I opened this “ugly label award” winner with a couple Francophiles at Enoteca the other day.   Joan and Ken (Bin #195) shared this with me and we all really liked it.  It’s smooth without being flat, it’s fruity without being jammy, it has subtle savory and meaty notes that take it beyond the average, without being overly funky.  Here’s what Sarah thought about it:

Immediately upon opening, there’s a big nose of sweet cherry, with more meatiness on the palette.  A lot of savory notes and would go great with food.  After 2 hours of having the bottle open, it has a huge black raspberry nose with juicy delecate palate. Very nice and feminine.  Yummy!

[Member: $10.79 / Retail: $11.99 / Member Case Each: $10.19]
In Stock Now – Limited to 5 cases

Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 90 Points Wine Advocate
(Cotes-du-Rhone, France)

The Côtes du Rhône appellation applies to red, white, and rosé wines from vineyards throughout the Rhône Valley, comprising about 90% of the total production of the region. Quality and style can vary widely. By selecting and blending cuvées from over 40 top growers, Marcel Guigal produces exceptional examples of all three wines.

The Côtes du Rhône Rouge sets the standard for the appellation. Since the 1998 vintage, the wine is now based on Syrah (50-60%), with about 30-40% Grenache and the balance in Mourvedre and other varieties. The wine is exceptionally structured, rich, and complex. Unlike most producers in the appellation Guigal ages his Côtes du Rhône Rouge for a full two years before release. This expensive process results in a wine of unusual aromatic complexity, with a substantial and generous palate. Consistent from vintage to vintage, and deceptively age-worthy in the riper years, Guigal’s Côtes du Rhône Rouge is one of the world’s greatest wine values.

Said best by one of the best out there:

“The 2007 Cotes du Rhone has finally been released, and Guigal has made his finest Cotes du Rhone to date, all from purchased juice. He and his son told me they go through thousands of samples in order to come up with this cuvee, which is based on 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Mourvedre, all aged in tank. A deep ruby/purple wine with lots of cassis, kirsch, pepper, and even an intriguing floral note, the wine is medium to full-bodied , silky smooth, and a truly delicious, hedonistic and intellectually satisfying wine that is a remarkable bargain. It should drink well for 2-4 years, as these wines can actually last.” 90 Points Wine Advocate

[Member: $14.39 / Retail: $15.99 / Member Case Each: $13.59]
One Week Out

Oxford Landing Merlot
(South Australia, Australia)

Magenta with vibrant purple hues, the Oxford Landing Merlot displays aromas of fruit pastille and dark cherry with hints of raspberry and anise. The palate is fruit driven with soft jubey fruit and silky tannins with the characteristic
suppleness and mid palate weight generosity that we expect from Merlot harvested from the Oxford Landing Estate. The wine finishes with lingering flavours of mixed red berries and spice.

[Member: $8.09 / Retail: $8.99 / Member Case Each: $7.64]
One Week Out – 10 cases available

Stonecap Riesling – Wow under $4 (was $10)
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

Our 2007 Stonecap Riesling overflows with the aromas and flavors of sunny, ripe peach and apricot accented with notes of honey and

apple. Fresh and juicy, this wine offers a terrific balance of zesty acidity and lively fruit. It is a delicious wine to serve for sipping, or to enjoy with traditional favorites like Dungeness crab, cedar plank Alaskan salmon and Northwest oysters. Or match the vibrant flavors of this wine to your favorite spicy Asian dishes. And, we love it with dessert, too!

[Member: $3.59 / Retail: $3.99 / Member Case Each: $3.39]
In Stock – Only 2 cases available

Dear Enotecans,

KXLY reporter Annie Bishop paid a visit to Sarah yesterday to interview her about her views on privatized liquor.  Included in this interview are generous pan shots of Enoteca, a little bit of Beer Tasting scuttlebutt going on in the background, and some opinions from Beer Club member Susan M. (Bin #181).  Thank you Annie and the KXLY team for visiting, and everyone, feel free to share this with your friends who haven’t been in before, the video gives a good impression of the wine retail we are offering here in Post Falls!

You can read the original article and watch the original video here.

Here are some excerpts from the article:

Enoteca is a business in Post Falls that offers more than a thousand bottles of wine. They hope the initiative will be passed in Idaho and their inventory will expand.

Idaho could be the next state to privatize liquor sales, right behind Washington. KXLY4′s Annie Bishop reports.

“It would be exciting, it would be an exciting opportunity,” said Sarah Mann, the owner of Enoteca.

“It’s an opportunity to grow and to change with it,” said Mann. “I’m pretty sure it will happen over time.”

The Idaho State Liquor Division says it will continue to provide the highest level of customer service.

But some customers say they don’t see enough good customer service in state-run liquor stores.

Susan McKee-Nugent lives in Idaho and says she supports the move to privatize liquor.

“I think it would be very important we would get more variety and it hopefully would be cheaper,” she said.

The Washington initiative limits the sale of liquor to stores over 10,000 square feet, with very few exceptions. However, Mann hopes the proposed regulations in Idaho will include smaller stores, such as hers.

“I really like hard to find gin, so I would just do cool stuff like that it would be fun,” said Mann.

If you have any trouble with KXLY’s video, we have it available for download from our server here.

Dear Enotecans,

This weekend we’re holding a blind Cabernet Sauvignon Blind wine tasting!  This means we’ll be pouring 4 different Cabs from 4 different places, taking care that the pricing is as close as we could make it so we’re comparing apples to apples.  Come try the Cabernet flight, see if you can guess where they’re coming from, and see if you have a favorite!

You can always see what’s coming up for all tasting events on our website under “Tasting Events > Upcoming Tasting Events”

You can always see what wine tasting is this week under “Fine Wine > This Week’s Wine Tasting”

You can always see what new wines have come in this week under “Fine Wine >Recent Wine at Enoteca”

You can see the most recent special deals under “Fine Wine > Fine Wine Offers”

This email is about the January 2012 Wine & Beer of the Month Club selections, with tasting notes and technical details about what is going in your Bin. Please notice the opportunity to set your communication preferences. Look in the heading of this email, there’s a link that says this: Did you know you can dial in your email preferences here? That link is in every email, and it gives you the chance to decide which types of communication you want from us. Want to know what each of the options means? Here are the details. Feel free to reply to this email and share your thoughts, we love hearing from you!

You can always see What’s On Tap? and New Beers In Stock!

Open Hours: Holiday hours are over, we’re now back on our regular schedule of being open Tuesday-Saturday, 11-7.  Wine tasting is every Friday 4-7 and Saturday 12-7.

The wine and beer for this month’s Club has arrived and will be in your Bin on Friday!

Time for a new year and a pile of powerful wines to kick it off.  Check these out, come to the tasting on Friday & Saturday to try themall.

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 12-7 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 – red or white).

And without further adieu here’s the lineup for Club and Tasting:

Vintage Club

Cameron Hughes Carneros Chardonnay
(Sonoma Carneros, Mendocino County, Napa County, California)

Taste: Pale golden color with great clarity. Presenting a marvelous bouquet of ripe white peach, golden nectarine, and white flower, this wine is rich with smoky oak and peachy character. It’s crisp and quenching with energizing acidity, offering tiers of jovial fruit. Above the merriment of this wine is serious juice, offering a great palate. Drink this now, and enjoy through the spring and summertime.

Cameron Confidential: Blended out with Pinot Blanc, Riesling and a bit of Moscato this wine is what we called an “Alsacian Blend”. Given that Chardonnay is not a major part of Alsacian winemaking we realize it’s a fanciful endeavor but the name is meant to evoke more the style of the region, a style, I think, those of you who enjoy less wooded wines with brighter acidity will enjoy. Now, that’s not to say this wine didn’t see oak. The base wine for this blend saw about 25% new French oak including barrel fermentation but no malolactic fermentation so, instead of being buttery and rich, its peachy and fresh. Blend in the aforementioned varietals to the tune of about 15% and the resulting wine is a complete departure from traditional Chardonnay. Zippy and bright with a rich midpalate of fresh peach fruit this wine will make a fantastic spring aperitif wine and a welcome partner to Asian cuisine, fruit salads, picnics, and poolside.

Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat

Four Vines Petite Sirah
(Paso Robles, California)
Pop the cork and be instantly greeted by the scent of black cherry, nutmeg and vanilla before the glass even meets your lips. Enjoy the smooth, surprisingly velvety tannins that only the hills of Paso Robles can deliver, while flavors of rich, deep fruit and toasty, caramelized creme brulee envelop your palate like the most luxurious (faux) fur throw

The finish goes on for miles (ok, for minutes) with smoky char and BBQ notes with undercurrents of decadent, juicy boysenberries and nutty toffee that linger in the depths of this black as night Paso Petite. Food Pairing: Braised Prime Rib, Roast Duck, & Pot Roast.

100% Petite Sirah

Reserve Club

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Riesling
(Mosel, Germany)

We don’t often put Riesling in the wine club, and there’s a reason.  Riesling is often considered a beginners wine, and a connoisseurs wine choice.  For a beginner, Riesling can come in a bottle that is inexpensive, somewhat sweet, not overly complex, and smooth.  This sweet-style Riesling is what makes Chateau Ste. Michelle famous, among others.

But what would a Connoisseur have to do with Riesling?  On the high end of Riesling, the Germans and Alsacean French have been doing it top notch for years.  To the Germans Riesling is not just one thing.  Like the Eskimo’s words for snow, the Germans have classified Riesling (and Gewurztraminer) into several classes.  The beginner type Rieslings would be in the German table wine category, and anything of high quality and value would be in the Prädikat classification.  This Prädikat system is divided into Kabinett, Spätlese (late harvest), Auslese (select harvest), Beerenauslese (select berry harvest), Eiswein (ice wine), and Trockenbeerenauslese (select dry berry harvest).  We’re going up the quality and value scale there.  Want to know more?  This Wikipedia entry is enlightening.

The Fritz Haag Auslese Riesling, for example, is showing very well right now in the 1931 vintage.  To get a bottle in the current vintage, expect to pay $70-90.  The Germans also classify single vineyard designations, as each vineyard site within it’s AVA contributes it’s own unique terroir to the wine.

OK, so what about this wine in the Reserve White wine club?  This is a special opportunity to try something special in the German tradition, get a good price on a great bottle of wine, and learn about high-end Riesling.  Selbach-Oster is the winery, it’s a family owned winery since 1660 located in the Mosel region.  Mosel-Saar-Ruwer was the name of this region until 2007, when the Germans shortened it to make it more friendly.  Zeltinger Sonnenuhr is the vineyard site, which is a specific part of the vineyard marked by a Sundial that was constructed in 1620 by the Abbot of the nearby Himmerod monastery.  It’s on a very steep slope with large outcroppings of rock. Large chunks of blue Devonian slate, very shallow subsoil of decomposed slate on top of slate bedrock, contributing a mineral quality to the wine, something to look for in your tasting of it.

Being an Auslese, this is a select harvest wine.  Some auslese are made sweet, this one is reported as dry.  It does have a touch of Botrytis, which is known as “noble rot” because it is a fungal rot that attacks grapes giving it a distinctive flavor most well known in dessert wines such as Sauternes or the Aszú of Tokaji.

Robert Parker, Wine Spectator and Steven Tanzer all gave it 90 Points.  From this same vineyard site, there is a more expensive version of this wine from select barrels they call “Rotlay.”  The Rotlay is expected to age until 2032 and usually costs close to $60 per bottle!  This bottle is typically in the mid $30′s but we were able to secure some at only $20 per bottle for wine club members.

Here are the tasting notes from the experts:

Fabulously integrated with salty and silky terroir notes. Super-clean botrytis appears at the very end of this seamlessly woven wine.

90 Points-The Wine Advocate “Evokes pungent brown spices and honey indicative of botrytis on the nose, as is a touch of bitterness. But the corresponding flavor characteristics are nicely folded into the wine’s creamy texture, while cooling fresh orchard fruit and herb elements offer counterpoint and keep pace with the lightly-honeyed glaze of botrytis in a sappy, clinging finish. This should cellar well for the better part of two decades.”

90 Points-Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar “Peach pit, cherry blossom and quince jelly dominate the bouquet. Almost creamy in texture and yet delicate, with the smoky, wet stone minerality keeping the ripe apricot fruit in elegant balance. Persistent persimmon flavor with a hint of slate make for a long finish.”

90 Points-The Wine Spectator “Apricot, citrus, spice and mineral permeate the lush texture in this soft, bright Riesling. Harmonious and graceful, with lingering apricot and nectarine notes on the finish. Drink now through 2025.”

100% Riesling

75 Wine The Sum
(California)
This amazingly well-endowed, profoundly rich red wine must be smelled and tasted to be believed. The color is a rich, deep purple garnet and gives but a small hint as to what’s inside. The nose gives off soaring and wonderfully focused aromas of ripe stone fruit, vanilla, cherries, cedar cigar box, blackberries and cinnamon. In the mouth, there are layers upon layers of broad, sweet opulent fruit balanced by firm tannins, great acidity and oak

Premier Club

Ken Wright Pinot Blanc
(Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Pinot Blanc is a lighter-colored natural mutation of Pinot Gris. Our sources for this fruit are a two acre block of Meredith Mitchell Vineyard and a half acre block of Freedom Hill Vineyard.   After pressing the fruit, the juice is fermented in neutral French barrels.  The neutral casks give us rich textures without imparting new oak that would detract from the bright fruit/mineral/floral profile of the wine.  The new wine remains in barrel with the original yeast and is not racked until bottling.

Look for lemon and lime flavors to burst from this full bodied Pinot Blanc.  Also notice the tropical fruit flavors and the bright acidity to balance out this delicious wine.

100% Pinot Blanc

Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

…MOONSPELL, A luring name and a luring wine. Intricate power and delicious balance. Dark fruits especially black berries and black currant cassis followed by mineral, earth, balanced smoky oak and plenty of spice. Dense and thick the entirety of the mouth is coated with rich concentrated flavors while the tannins, fine and ripe, linger elegantly behind leaving the impression of pure Washington fruit and terroir. The most perfectly balanced Cabernet bottling so far without a doubt…
New world marries old world!!! (could the missing link have been found here??…)

Sarah says its intoxicating, with floral and herbal aromas.  Tropical notes of hints of oleander on the generous nose that opens up right away.  It’s a very pretty wine with flavors of cola, black fruit and a firm grippy tannin.

Aged for 20 months in 82% French and 12% American oak & 5% Hungarian

Stone Tree Vineyards (WS): 47%, Double Canyon (HHH): 23%, Les Collines (WW): 21%, Pepper Bridge (WW): 9%

76% Cabernet, 11% Merlot, 9% Malbec, 4% Petite Verdot

Anniversary Club Red

Walla Walla Vintners Sangiovese 1.5L Magnum
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

Go big or go home right?  Well, we went big!  This is a delicious bottle of Sangiovese, and we felt the Magnum size would be a perfect way to start 2012 for the Anniversary wine club.  It’s a Double Gold award winner at the recent Seattle Wine Awards, and the only Platinum winning Sangiovese in the Wine Press Northwest blind competition.

This elegant and charming wine contains 80% Sangiovese from Desert View, Dwelley and Kiona vineyards laced with 12% Goose Ridge Vineyard Syrah and 8% Dwelley Vineyard Malbec. It is an astonishing blend of terroirs and varietals. It is our eleventh vintage of Sangiovese and is reflective of the ripeness, fruitiness and the balance of the 2009 vintage-another award winner! It will woo you into crafting a meal of eggplant parmesan smothered in San Marzano crushed tomatoes seasoned with fresh basil, garlic, mozzarella and grated parmigiano-reggiano.

80% Sangiovese, 12% Syrah, 8% Malbec

Beer Club

Beer Club selections are not open for the tasting event, but a few bottles are available for purchase.

Stone Double Bastard Barleywine 2011
(Escondido, California)

Here’s what the brewery has to say:

This is one lacerative muther of an ale. It is unequivocally certain that your feeble palate is grossly inadequate and thus undeserving of this liquid glory…and those around you would have little desire to listen to your resultant whimpering. Instead, you slackjawed gaping gobemouche, slink away to that pedestrian product that lures agog the great unwashed with the shiny happy imagery of its silly broadcast propaganda. You know, the one that offers no challenge, yet works very, very hard to imbue the foolhardy with the absurd notion that they are exercising ‘independent’ thought, or attempts to convey the perception it is in some way ‘authentic’ or ‘original.’ It’s that one that makes you feel safe and delectates you into basking in the warm, fuzzy, and befuddled glow of your own nescience. Why so many allow themselves to be led by the nose lacks plausible explanation. Perhaps you have been so lulled by the siren song of ignorance that you don’t even notice your white-knuckle grip on it. You feel bold and unique, but alas are nothing but sheep, willingly being herded to and fro. If you think you are being piqued in this text, it is nothing when compared to the insults we are all asked to swallow streaming forth from our televisions and computers. Truth be told, you are being coddled into believing you are special or unique by ethically challenged “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” marketers who layer (upon layer) imagined attributes specifically engineered to lead you by the nose. Should you decide to abdicate your ability to make decisions for yourself, then you are perhaps deserving of the pabulum they serve. Double Bastard Ale calls out the garrulous caitiffs who perpetrate the aforementioned atrocities and demands retribution for their outrageously conniving, intentionally misleading, blatantly masturbatory and fallacious ad campaigns. We demand the unmitigated, transparent truth. We demand forthright honesty. We want justice! Call ‘em out and line ‘em up against the wall… NOW.

Beer Advocate: 100 World Class, RateBeer: 100

10.5% ABV / 22 oz bomber

Alaskan Smoked Porter 2011
(Juneau, Alaska)

Known as “rauchbier” in Germany, smoke-flavored beers were virtually unknown in the U.S. until Alaskan Smoked Porter was developed in 1988.

The dark, robust body and pronounced smoky flavor of this limited edition beer make it an adventuresome taste experience. Alaskan Smoked Porter is produced in limited “vintages” each year on November 1 and unlike most beers, may be aged in the bottle much like fine wine.

Introduced in 1988, Alaskan Smoked Porter has been credited with helping inspire an American revival of smoked beers. Alaskan Smoked Porter is one of the most award-winning beers in the history of the Great American Beer Festival and a perennial winner at the World Beer Cup.

Alaskan Smoked Porter may be enjoyed with smoked seafood, cheese and other robust foods and as an after-dinner drink. It pairs beautifully with everything from bleu cheese to vanilla ice cream and raspberries. This unique beer is also a wonderful flavoring ingredient in sauces, seafood dishes and even cheesecake.

Beer Advocate: 93 exceptional, Rate Beer: 100

6.5% ABV / 22oz bottle

Sam Adams Third Voyage Double IPA
(Boston, Massachusetts)

Also dubbed Batch No 1 in this new experimental series from Samuel Adams, Third Voyage is a double IPA and it uses cascade hops from new Zealand and the Pacific Northwest. It is piney, powerful and filled to the brim with floral and edgy hops.

Rate Beer: 96

8% ABV / 22oz bottle

Dear Enotecans,

This email is about a couple of beer tastings coming up.

First, a quick reminder about the Walla Walla Vintners Wine Maker’s Dinner with Gordy Venneri.  It’s at 6pm on Thursday at the Ts’Elusm Steakhouse, and it will be a great time!  For full details go here, there are a handful of tickets left.

Next Up, Beer Tastings!

You can always go to the Enoteca website and see what beer tastings are coming up.  The link is under Craft Beer > Next Beer Tasting.  This page automatically updates with the latest information on upcoming beer tasting events.  If there is a 5pm and 7pm tasting, they will be listed separately, and the only way to go is to RSVP through the website.  Reservations can be made Online only, as this system will ensure that we do not overbook our seating capacity.  Please be courteous to cancel an RSVP if you find that you cannot make it so someone else can use the space.  Once they’re full, they’re FULL.

What’s on Tap?  Glad you asked!  You can always find out what’s currently on  tap at Enoteca by visiting Craft Beer > What’s On Tap?  Right now we have Allagash Four, a belgian Quad style from a brewery that no longer supplies the Northwest, Dogfish Head’s uber-rare Hellhound on My Ale Imperial IPA with Lemon, a tribute to Robert Johnson and hat-tip to Blind Lemon Jefferson, Great Divide’s Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, and finally the highly coveted Meantime Chocolate Porter from London, England.  That keg took quite the trip to be here, and we’re sure glad it did.

Ninkasi Beer Tasting!

Ninkasi Brewing is making an appearance at Enoteca on January 12th, 2012.  First Beer Tasting of 2012!

We’ll have something fun on tap with a special growler-fill price during the tasting only, and we’ll be trying a handful of Ninkasi’s delicious beers.  See why this young Oregon brewery is making waves!

The cost is $10 per person which covers beer, some pizza at the event, and a glass from Ninkasi to take home with you.

RSVP to the 5pm Tasting here.

RSVP to the 7pm Tasting here.

Laughing Dog Beer Tasting!

Laughing Dog Brewery is making an appearance at Enoteca on January 19th, 2012.  Second Beer Tasting of 2012!

We’ll have something fun on tap with a special growler-fill price during the tasting only, and we’ll be trying a handful of Laughing Dog’s delicious beers.  If you like Hops, this is the tasting to be at.

The cost is $10 per person which covers beer, some pizza at the event, and a glass from Laughing Dog to take home with you.

RSVP to the 5pm Tasting here.

RSVP to the 7pm Tasting here.