Dear Enotecans,

This email is about our wine tasting this weekend. To change your email preferences, click the appropriate link above. To better understand the options, see this page.

This weekend we’re opening some highlights from California!  We welcome the sunshine to north Idaho and get our own piece of California weather for a few months.  Time to break out the tasty wines. We’ll be pouring from 4-7pm Friday, and from 12-7pm Saturday. If you’ve never been to a wine tasting with us before, check out our What is Wine Tasting Like? page.

Chateau Ste. Jean Belle Terre Vineyard Chardonnay
(Alexander Valley, California)

This popular medium-bodied Chardonnay opens with pleasing stone fruit, vanilla and floral spice aromas. On the palate, the wine is well-structured and perfectly-balanced.

100% Chardonnay

Orin Swift Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
(Napa Valley, California)

This is a very limited wine, what we have on hand is all that is left, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. Come taste it and pick up a bottle this weekend!

At Orin Swift we purchase Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for Mercury Head and Papillon. Every year we buy more grapes than we need for the two blends. We do this so we always have multiple vineyards and corresponding wine characteristics to choose from. We also experiment with different grape maturity levels, French barrel producers, and fermentation techniques. This is done to try to learn more with each vintage and create a wine with greater complexity and balance. These multiple lots either add something to the final blend or become their own parts, parts we consider to be separate among equals. We blended these separate but equal parts together in a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon called Palermo.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of dark, brooding fruit with subtle French oak in the background lead into a smooth entry of ripe cherry and fig. The mid-palate is subtle and stretches with loads of bright acidity and candied cassis. Layers of stone fruit and ribena lead into a round, supple, lingering finish of integrated soft tannins that roll on and on. This wine is amazing now and has another 8 to 10 years in it at least!

78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Schug Sonoma Merlot
(Sonoma, California)

Merlot is blended in the Bordeaux style, adding Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc for depth and complexity. The Merlot grapes were sourced from the Ricci Vineyard and Sangiacomo “Donnell Ranch” in the Carneros district of southern Sonoma Valley, as well as the Sabhari Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain. These cooler microclimates provide the longer growing season necessary for Merlot to ripen slowly and develop maximum flavor. It has a spicy bouquet, deep color and exhibits full-bodied flavors of cherry, blackberry and spice. Try it now with grilled fish, pasta, lamb and steaks, or cellar it for 5 to 7 years.

Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon
(Carneros, California)

Carneros is not well-known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. The general belief is that this grape needs warmer temperatures to fully ripen. The fact is the Truchard Vineyards has been growing Cabernet in the cooler Carneros climate for nearly 30 years, with great success. The vines are planted on the warmer, southwest facing slopes for maximum sun exposure. The result is a big wine, with tremendous color and structure. Cabernet Franc is blended in to provide added softness and complexity.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast, 91 Points Wine & Spirits

Shannon Ridge Zinfandel
(Lake County, California)

The grapes used to produce our Shannon Ridge Lake County Zinfandel were harvested from several different blocks from our family’s vineyards in High Valley appellation in Lake County, California. Deep color and flavors were achieved through a soft punch down extraction during a cool fermentation. Aged in French and American oak to help create a balanced soft mouthfeel.

Color: Deep Garnet
Aroma: Boysenberry, Creamy Vanilla, Spice
Flavor: Raspberry, Strawberry, White Pepper
Texture: Bold, Well balanced with a long finish

93% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah

Dear Enotecans,

First the sad news, due to a crazy miscommunication issue, the La Folie keg will not be here for today’s tasting. We’ll still be pouring La Folie from the bottle, and have bottles for sale, but no growlers. The Firkin of Dry Hopped Somersault will be tapped at 3pm still, so come on down!

And now for the good news!

We’re hosting a Bitterroot beer tasting on Thursday, May 17th! Jason Goeltz from Bitterroot Brewing in Hamilton Montana will be here to educate and share some delicious beers. We’ll be trying a handful of their beers including new releases!  Come learn more about a somewhat local brewery and taste through all the beers they make.

Tastings will be held at 5pm and 7pm. Each class is identical, and tickets for both are available exclusively through our website.

Get tickets for the 5pm Tasting here.

Get tickets for the 7pm Tasting here.

Note: Enoteca strives to bring you the best experience in wine and beer. Due to the popularity of our events we have had to change our policy on event tickets. Now you buy tickets online, just like concert tickets. They’re not yours until they’re paid for, and when we fill up, tickets are no longer available. Unfortunately we can no longer provide refunds FOR EVENTS. You will be emailed a receipt for your payment of the ticket, and you can print this for verification of the ticket.

Dear Enotecans,

This Thursday is the New Belgium Beer Tasting, at 5pm and 7pm.  Beer Ranger Ely Johnson from New Belgium stopped by last week to talk about what we’re going to pour and by golly we came up with not one but TWO amazing kegs to tap!  Even though the tickets are all sold out, this email contains some useful information for you both if you have tickets and if you do not.

By the way, we’re having another beer tasting next week, this time with Bitterroot Brewery of Hamilton Montana.  Don’t wait until the last minute, get your tickets now!

5pm Bitterroot Beer Tasting Tickets here.

7pm Bitterroot Beer Tasting Tickets here.

Firkin of Dry Hopped Somersault

We’re tapping a Firkin (what?!) of Somersault, but not just the normal Somersault, this is a one-off unique “dry hopped” version.

A firkin is a type of keg that contains “real ale,” also known as “cask-conditioned ale.”  A firkin is a 10 gallon (approximately) cask where beer is fermented and then served straight from that container through the use of either gravity or a hand-pump. The firkin needs to be tapped as in the picture above. This is very different than the kegged beer that you get normally. Kegged beer uses gas to carbonate, but in a cask or firkin, the carbonation occurs naturally. Additionally a beer will enter it’s secondary fermentation in a firkin as well, whereas sometimes beer in kegs has not been allowed to enter secondary fermentation. These beers will taste smoother and rounder (an effect that nitro taps try to mimic but fail) and many of the subtler flavors will be pronounced. Also, I enjoy cask because I can differentiate hops much better. This is how beer in many parts of the world has traditionally been made up until the last 70 or so years, it is still very popular in Britain, and it is a lovely way to drink.

Somersault is a 5.2% ABV American Blonde Ale, rated 100 by the BeerAdvocate “Bros”

Here’s what New Belgium says about Somersault:

Somersault is a fun roll around on the tongue, while requiring only the minimum of palate gymnastics. This is the perfect summer lounge-around beer.  Somersault tumbles out with citrus aroma from Centennial hops, a soft apricot fruitiness tucked into the flavor, a full mouthfeel from the addition of oats and a crisp, dry finish from the subtle addition of ginger.

This special Firkin is a unique “dry hopped” version, and as with all cask conditioned Firkin’s we must drink it within a day or two!  For this reason we’re offering a very special Growler fill price and a very aggressive Pint price.  We’ll be tapping the Firkin at about 3pm on Thursday, and pouring it for both beer tastings.  When it’s gone, it’s gone!

Growler Fill: [Member: $11.69 / Retail: $12.99]

Pint: $4

A Big Fun Keg of La Folie, Oh My

La Folie is New Belgium’s Flanders Oud Bruin style beer.  It’s a rare beer, highly sought after by the sour beer drinking beer geek community.  RateBeer score is 100, and it is 94 Exceptional on BeerAdvocate.

Here’s what New Belgium says about it:

Flemish Sour Brown Ale fermented in stainless then transferred to barrels for 1-4 years of aging then blended to taste.

La Folie Wood-Aged Biere, is our original wood-conditioned beer, resting in French Oak barrels between one and three years before being hand bottled, numbered and corked for your enjoyment. Brewmaster, Peter Bouckaert, came to us from Rodenbach – home of the fabled sour red. Our La Folie emulates the spontaneous fermentation beers of Peter’s beloved Flanders with sour apple notes, a dry effervescence, and earthy undertones.

We’re getting a big 15.5 Gallon keg at Enoteca!  We’re tapping by 3pm on Thursday this week and pouring it for both beer tastings.  Thursday ONLY we will have very aggressive growler and pint prices.

Even if you can’t make it to the tasting, stop by early for a pint and a growler fill!

This is an age-able beer, so pick up some bottles to age, or if your growler has a very good cap, consider aging a growler full!

This keg isn’t here yet, so we’ll post pricing as soon as we’re sure of what it costs.  You can always see what’s on tap and what it costs on our website under Craft Beer > What’s On Tap?

Woo hoo!

It’s that time of year, time to honor Mothers and time to start drinking Rosé!  Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 13th.  This weekend we’re providing an opportunity to take her out to a wine tasting on Friday and Saturday, and we’re making available several delicious and fancy bottles of wine to take home for her.

Rosé (say row-zay) is pink and beautiful, but a classic Rosé is not sweet.  Because of its color, it can be confused with the likes of “white zinfandel” or “white merlot” which are not made to the same high quality standards as classic Rosé.  Read on for a primer on Rosé, including some reasons and ways to enjoy it, followed by a Dozen Rosés that we highly recommend.

Not only are Rosés fantastic with food, especially anything from the grill, they’re the perfect summertime sipper!  This would be a great time to bring home summer time and get ready to enjoy the season!

For the wine tasting this weekend we will open a couple or a few of these Rosés as well as some fantastic Red Wines that she will surely love.  Which ones we will open is a secret, come down from 4-7 Friday or 12-7 Saturday to find out!

Here are a Dozen Rosés:

Listed with rounded up retail pricing.  Member discounts apply for Wine and Beer of the Month Club Members.  You’ll notice I got a little excited, there are more than 12 here.  It’s not my fault, there are a lot of great Rosés to be had.  I’ve put asterisks next to the best tasting and best values.  Tasting notes of a dozen Rosés can be found below.

Important Ordering Note: We have most of these in stock, but depending on who orders first, and who wants the wine for Mother’s Day, we may have to get a second delivery this week.  For this reason, please note in the comments of your order if this is for Mother’s Day or if delivery next week will suffice.  If we run out of availability we will be in contact with suggestions.

What is all the fuss about Rosé?

A rosé is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques, including skin contact, Saignée, and Blending.

Rosé wines are perhaps the most versatile, food-friendly wines around.  They have had an image problem to overcome, thanks in part to the run of “White Zin,” as many consumers mistake Rosé wines to be overly sweet and in the category of “starter wine.”  However, Rosé wine sales are on the rise as savvy Wine Lovers have discovered that many of these pink wines fall into the definitively “dry” category, not sugary sweet, and the vast majority of Rosé wines offer a very good wine value for the money. These are all best serve chilled.

My favorite words for these wines are: Refreshing, Lively, and Charming.  We’ve had wonderful experiences with Rosés on many occasions, including many of these listed below.  You can’t really say that you don’t care for Rosé until you’ve tried at least one bottle of Charles & Charles Syrah Rosé and one bottle of Juliette’s Dazzle Rosé.

Details and order links for our Mother’s Day Dozen Rosés

Long Shadows Juliette’s Dazzle Rosé 2011
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

This is the brand new vintage of Long Shadows Juliette’s Dazzle!  It’s a touch drier than last years, meaning it displays even more elegance and finesse!

Sarah:
My Oh My! I found a new favorite wine!

It was a dinner to remember. I made a cedar plank salmon with a simple salad with fresh ingredients from my garden…well the cucumbers were from Greenbluff. It was a warm night and as we sat down to enjoy the summer bounty we opened this new wine from Long Shadows named Juliette’s Dazzle. I was anxious to try it since I’m a sold out fan of the winery. Oh boy, was I dazzled! This Rose is lovely in every way. The aroma was exotic, floral and fruit notes swirled together, enticing me. Notes of wild rose, fresh Strawberry, Raspberry, Cherry, Orange blossom jasmine and happiness. As I took a sip the aromas followed suit. I could taste the fruit and hints of the floral aroma lingered. Slightly creamy mid palate gave way to bright acid and a slight hint of sweetness. Oak was not invited to this party. So while the creaminess of the pinot gris has a part it gives way to the acid and the finish is lingering but clean. This wine has it all.

My mother as an example hates white wine. Treats it like a second class citizen. She is a Cabernet or Merlot drinker at heart. She was very pleased with this wine and asked me several time (not joking) when I would order it for Enoteca and when would they deliver it? Why would a red wine drinker love this rose? Well, it’s made predominately of Pinot Gris grapes but they add 3% Sangiovese. This helps give the wine it’s jewel like color but also lends to the depth of flavor you find in this rose. Not quite as dry as a traditional French Rose but has similar qualities. It does have 1.4% residual sugar so that does bring something to the table but it isn’t “sweet” and it isn’t “dry”. She is her own.

She brings peace to the division between red wine drinkers and white wine drinkers. I wouldn’t forget this wine come holiday season either. Try this with Thanksgiving dinner, or the rich and spiced dinners this fall. I will be drinking this with the Porkchops and roasted apples for tomorrows dinner. It is a new favorite and more versatile than it seems at first glance.

This beauty is hard to photograph, this picture doesn’t really do it justice. Come on in and see it, try it for yourself, and be dazzled!

97% Pinot Gris, 3% Sangiovese

[Member: $14.39 / Retail: $15.99 / Member Case Each: $13.59]  Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Amuse Bouche Prêt à Boire Rosé 2011
(Napa Valley, California)

Amuse Bouche: Noun – French; “Amusement for the mouth,” tantalized by food or wine.

Amuse Bouche is a Heidi Barrett project from Napa Valley. She’s the rock star of wine making well known for putting Screaming Eagle on the map, her own fantastic La Sirena wines, Barrett & Barrett with her husband Bo Barrett, who is also famous for his father’s role in the Judgement of Paris with Chateau Montelena, as seen on the movie Bottle Shock. She is a true legend in the wine making industry.

Before we opened a bottle, Sarah took a fun picture of it among her spring flower garden.  That photo is here on the left.  The other photo is from the winery.

Our Tasting Notes:

It’s almost every day that we open a nice Rosé, but it’s not every day that we open a bottle of Rosé that costs $100.  I admit, the price is part of the allure, I’m not immune.  As someone who loves and appreciates Rosé from around the world, this is a distinctive bottle that will stay in my memory for it’s elegance, brash attitude, and finesse.  Is it better to have one bottle of this than 10 bottles of Charles & Charles?  That’s for each person to decide for themselves, for me, it depends on the day.

The first thing I notice is the color in the glass.  It’s a perfect salmon color, bright and serious, iridescent in it’s glow between hues of peach and pink.

The nose opens with a rich tropical bouquet teasing out honeysuckle and cantaloupe.   As the wine opens, a  nutty fragrance blends harmoniously with the tropical, and adds floral rose garden hints and a quaint thread of aged cheese.  Is it OK to let a Rosé open up?  Yes, I think it is.

On the palate, look for the bright acidity to blend seamlessly with the smooth creamy side that lifts this Rosé above it’s less expensive competitors.  Some of the fruits that jump out, but none overpower, include banana, fresh bright strawberry, cantaloupe and pineapple up front.  The fruit is rich and pervasive, coating the palate, and shouting SUMMERTIME!

[Member: $89.99 / Retail: $99.99 / Member Case Each: $84.99] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Here’s what the winery has to say:

We are pleased to offer you Prêt à Boire Rosé 2011. This second vintage reaffirms our commitment to making a world class Rosé and proves beyond a doubt that, as Heidi said last year, “We make a delicious Rosé wine on purpose… not by accident during the wine making process!”

Pronounced “Pret Ah Bwar,” this stunning French-style rose, a dry, full-bodied blend of 20% Grenache and 80% Syrah, literally and figuratively is READY TO DRINK! We picked these grapes on October 12 from our vineyards in the east Rutherford Hills AVA.

We plan to ship this wine in the spring of 2012, just in time to enjoy for the summer months.

We produced a mere 275 cases of this wine. Heidi describes this dry wine as exhibiting vibrant aromas of watermelon rind and ripe fraise des bois with rose petal fragrances. So, if you want in, secure your allocation now!

Famed blue dog artist George Rodrigue of New Orleans created an original “pink dog” for us, entitled “Bouquet of Roses,” that embellishes this wine. There are 6 bottles of pink dogs in each unique acrylic case so that you can always keep a close watch on your prized possessions.

“Almost French. New from Napa’s most Francophile vintners, Prêt à Boire, a Rosé that will go on the market in spring 2011. It’s the latest offering from Amuse Bouche, a cult winery known for its French style winemaking, Gallic monikers and arresting labels such as this one by blue dog artist George Rodrigue.”
- France Magazine, January 2011

“Heidi Peterson Barrett’s mouthwatering, full-bodied Rosé – composed of 70 percent Syrah and 30 percent Grenache – tantalizes the nose with scents of rose petals and strawberry before a panoply of refreshing flavors, including plum and dry herbs, emerges. The perfect complement to the gazpacho.”
- Robb Report, July 2011

70% Syrah, 30% Grenache

[Member: $89.99 / Retail: $99.99 / Member Case Each: $84.99] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Note: Case discount available on 6 bottles of this wine, which also comes in a beautiful acrylic case box. Less than 6 bottles does not come with the box. Only 7 six packs available in the Northwest, USA.  Will one go home with you?

Charles and Charles Syrah Rosé 2011
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

You can still be a Bad @ss and drink Rosé.

This is the slogan for this wine, direct from Washington famous wine maker Charles Smith of K Vintners and Charles Smith wines, partnering with Charles Bieler of Three Thieves and Bieler Pere et Fils. If you buy a case of 12 bottles, not only do Club Members get the best price possible, you get a Bumper Sticker with the slogan on it!

[Member: $8.99 / Retail: $9.99 / Member Case Each: $8.49] Place an order here.

Chateau D’Esclans Whispering Angel Rosé 2011
(Provence, France)
Pale salmon in color, this is delicate and fresh with plenty of crisp strawberry fruit and a long finish. The new benchmark for Provence rose.

Harvesting from sunrise to noon by hand only and in small crates to avoid oxidation. Grapes are then sorted electronically and manually 3 times. Destemming and slight crushing at 7-8 °C to avoid coloration. Both the free run and pressed juices are fermented in stainless steel with temperature control and then matured on the lees with batonnage, twice weekly.

Winemaker Sacha Lichine (son of Alexis Lichine) is at the helm of this gorgeous property in Provence. This is a blend of Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvedre vinified in temperature controlled stainless-steel vats without barrel fermentation to keep the freshness and all the vivid berry fruit flavors.

73% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 8.5% Syrah, 5.5% Mourvedre, 4%

[Member: $17.99 / Retail: $19.99 / Member Case Each: $16.99] Place an order here.

Gassier Sables ‘d Azur Rosé
(Provence, France)
Refreshing rosés are part of the romance of day-to-day life in the warm Mediterranean climate of Côtes de Provence. This salmon-pink wine is a classic blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsaut, featuring fresh berry and citrus zest aromas and flavours. Dry and vibrant with a delightfully crisp finish, it makes an excellent springtime sipper, or enjoy with pan-fried freshwater fish with lemon.

[Member: $12.59 / Retail: $13.99 / Member Case Each: $11.89] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Delille Doyenne Rosé
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

The cool and late 2010 vintage resulted in crisp, focused, and aromatic white wines, which carried over to the 2010 Rosé as well. There is considerably more Cinsault in this year’s blend resulting in a beautiful, pink-salmon color. Our 2010 Rosé features fruit-forward aromas of strawberry, melon, and nectarine notes along with subtle herb, anise and leaf tones. The palate is bright, refreshing, and silky with mixed berries and orange peel notes. The long finish echoes those berries and fruits. A delicious wine that is great for chicken dishes, salmon or just by itself.

Vineyards: 33% Ciel du Cheval Grenache, 22% Boushey Grenache, 30% Boushey Cinsault, 15% Ciel du Cheval Mourvedre

55% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 15% Mourvedrè

[Member: $23.39 / Retail: $25.99 / Member Case Each: $22.09] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Gros Nore Bandol Rosé
(Bandol, France)

Those of you who love rosé are already in the know when it comes to this appelation’s rediculously tasty wines. Alain Pascal’s stunning rosé is a delicious reminder of Bandol’s rightful place at the top of the rosé hierarchy. It is right at home with a bowl of black olives and a sunset. According to Wine Spectator: “Rich and vibrant, with juicy flavors of plum, dark cherry and berry, followed by notes of melon and apricot that linger on the spicy finish. Drink now. 450 cases imported.”

[Member: $22.49 / Retail: $24.99 / Member Case Each: $21.24] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rosé
(Cotes du Rhone, France)

Visually, this wine is clear, brilliant and fresh. On the nose it is fresh with an expressive nose of red fruits and citrus. Notes of raspberry and redcurrant. On the palate it’s fruity, fine and round. A well-balanced and elegant wine.

This seductive wine has already won many blind tasting facing worldwide recognised and established roses. This wine is amongst the best examples of the Guigal quality range.

Pair this with starters, grilled fish, white meat, poultry.

50% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah

[Member: $12.59 / Retail: $13.99 / Member Case Each: $11.89] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Maryhill Rosé of Sangiovese
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

Maryhill Rose of Sangiovese has lovely fresh strawberry and red cherry scents and flavors. It is refreshingly great on a super hot day.

Our Rosé of Sangiovese is a crisp refreshing sipper. The subtle bouquet has sweet and tart strawberry components to pique your curiosity. On the palate imagine hints of strawberry, cranberry and tart cherry with essence of pink grapefruit on the finish. This palate pleaser will pair well with picnic fair as well as leave you refreshed while relaxing on the veranda.
[Member: $9.89 / Retail: $10.99 / Member Case Each: $9.34] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Schramsberg Mirabelle Rosé Sparkling
(California)

I tried this recently at a trade show and it is amazing. My new favorite bubbly!

The partner to our Mirabelle Brut, the Mirabelle Brut Rosé is a specially crafted blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Schramsberg’s select cool-climate vineyards in Carneros, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma and Marin coastal areas of Northern California. Pinot Noir lots, including a few fermented with skin contact, provide brightness of berry fruit and body, while Chardonnay lots lend length and zest to the palate. Additional flavor depth and aromatic complexity results from the blending of base wine lots aged in barrels and tanks for one or more years. The finished Brut Rosé exhibits fresh, elegant and toasty aromas that lead into lively and delicious fruit flavors on the palate.

The grapes are picked by hand and gently pressed to provide superior quality juice for the production of this balanced, refreshing Rosé bubbly. In the spring following the fall harvest, base wines are individually evaluated and carefully blended by our winemakers. The wine undergoes second fermentation in the bottle and rests in Schramsberg’s historic Diamond Mountain caves for approximately two years. Following the en tirage aging, an extensive dosage trial process produces the ideal finishing touch, and the sparkling wine is ready to be enjoyed.

The multi-vintage Mirabelle Rosé is delicious on its own, and it also pairs well with everything from classic Hawaiian pizza and grilled salmon to barbecued chicken and simple pastas.
[Member: $20.69 / Retail: $22.99 / Member Case Each: $19.54] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Elk Cove Pinot Noir Rosé
(Willamette Valley, Oregon)

This is a great bottle of wine year after year. We’re planning to share it in wine club soon!

The 2011 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé is fragrant with white flowers and showing freshness with aromas of watermelon and sweet, red strawberry fruit! Enjoy this crisp, light, simply refreshing wine all by itself on a bright sunny day or pair it with succulent shellfish or roast chicken. Bon appétit!

[Member: $14.39 / Retail: $15.99 / Member Case Each: $13.59] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

La Vieille Ferm Rosé
(Ventoux, France)

Beautiful pink and red tones. A floral nose with hints of aniseed and brown sugar. The mouth is on aromas of white flowers, cherries and fruit drops.

Situated on the slopes of the Mont Ventoux, the vineyard benefits from a cooler climate than down in the plain. The grapes mature slowly and maintain a good acidity. The wine is rich, fresh, balanced.

Made from Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah

Was $10 Now On Sale:
[Member: $7.19 / Retail: $7.99 / Member Case Each: $6.79] Place an order here.
(Specify if you need the wine before Mother’s Day)

Dear Enotecans,

This email is an offer for Glory Days wines at some very aggressive prices, and additionally a nice rare high end wine offer at 38% discount.  We recently tasted all of these wines at a trade show, and thought they were so good for the money we just had to share them. All of the Glory Days wines are offered at 25% off the winery price, or more if you’re a Club Member. “Glory Days” is the value line from Van Ruiten winery.

The story began with an American dream-hard work in the face of adversity and a drive to make something special.

Shortly after World War II, John Van Ruiten Sr. arrived in the United States and settled in the rich farmlands of the Lodi area. As a young Dutch immigrant, he had a dream of growing quality grapes and producing truly outstanding wines. His desire to have his own land was realized in the early 1950′s when, prodded by a friend and local banker, John bought on a handshake the “Happy Holmes Dairy.” He then made a sharp-eyed purchase of an old Zinfandel vineyard. With large amounts of “sweat equity”, he planted additional Zinfandel vines and began growing wine grapes in the Lodi Appellation. Five decades later, the Van Ruitens farm approximately 1,000 acres, with only their very best fruit destined to carry the family name.

John’s first fields of Zinfandel vines remain part of the estate to this day; however the surrounding landscape is quite different. Once known strictly as a grape growing district serving the major Napa Valley Winemakers. Lodi has become a world-class winemaking region in its own right. Large wineries and intimate tasting rooms are now found along Lodi’s country roads, and are known among cognizant oenophiles the world over as the secret home of some of California’s best wine-especially Old Vine Zinfandels, and in Lodi, Zinfandel is King.

Without further ado, here are the wines:

Glory Days Viognier 2009
(Lodi, California)

Viognier is a tricky grape to grow. Its natural low acidity requires is to be picked at just the right moment. Lodi provides ample sun to deliver maximum flavors. Van Ruiten’s vineyards, basked in warm days and cool nights contributed to the full-body weight of this wine.

The Glory Days Viognier shows big peach and apricot flavors mixed with citrus and floral notes. The wine is semi-dry so it will make an excellent match with flavorful foods like Mediterranean stew and spicy dishes.

Retail: $12
[Member: $8.09 / Retail: $8.99 / Member Case Each: $7.64] Order here.

Glory Days Chardonnay 2009
(Lodi, California)

The aromas in the Glory Days Chardonnay are a combination of crisp green apple, orange blossom, and sweet Meyer lemon. It is a classic example of Lodi Chardonnay and shows all the unique characteristics of the region’s terroir. The flavors on the palate show apple and pear layered with bright citrus and lemon peel.

Glory Days Chardonnay is a delightful accompaniment to salads, seafood, fowl, lighter grilled meats and cream-based pastas.

Retail: $12
[Member: $8.09 / Retail: $8.99 / Member Case Each: $7.64] Order here.

Glory Days Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
(Lodi, California)

Aromas of black cherry with underlying notes of toasted warm coffee and cassis. A touch of cedar folds seamlessly into a rich opulent black fruit core. Layers of oak build texture and offer a firm mid-palate. The velvety long finish is filled with red fruit and currants.

Retail: $12
[Member: $8.09 / Retail: $8.99 / Member Case Each: $7.64] Order here.

Glory Days Merlot 2009
(Lodi, California)

Aromas of candied violets and cassis are wrapped around creamy, vanilla toast. Wonderful flavors of ripe, black cherries and rich, fleshy plums; round tannins are lush, but firm with a nice chalky texture that brings out this Merlot’s real power.

Retail: $12
[Member: $8.09 / Retail: $8.99 / Member Case Each: $7.64] Order here.

Glory Days Old Vine Zinfandel 2009
(Lodi, California)

In Lodi, our old-head trained Zinfandel vines develop unusually firm structure. The 99 year old Carignane was an elegant, vibrant addition to this Zin along with the small amount of Petite Sirah. The wine has a dark, rich color and plenty of minerality, loads of bright and savory raspberry and black currant fruit, with hints of pepper and crushed rocks. This wine pushes the envelope of sheer decadence with an expressive fragrance of briary berries, pepper, and spice.

Retail: $12
[Member: $8.09 / Retail: $8.99 / Member Case Each: $7.64] Order here.

And a Cherry on Top – Luxury Wine Offer

What an amazing treat! This 2007 Col Solare regularly retails for $80, but we have the opportunity to offer it for $30 off, which is a savings of 38%!

Col Solare 2007
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

On the palate, this full bodied wine is rich with flavors of dark chocolate, black fruits and a coconut spice which leads to a lingering, silky finish.

Retail: $80
[Member: $49.49 / Retail: $54.99 / Member Case Each: $46.74] Order here.

While we’re at it, we should mention that we have 2 bottles left of the Shining Hill the winery tasting room only offering, and 6 bottles of the 2005 Col Solare.  Start your own vertical, and try the rare “other wine” Col Solare makes as well!

WINEMAKER’S NOTES

The 2007 Col Solare exhibits aromas of black cherry, currant and ripe black berries, together with subtle notes of espresso and vanilla in the nose. On the palate, this full bodied wine is rich with flavors of dark chocolate, black fruits and a coconut spice which leads to a lingering, silky finish.

VINTAGE

The 2007 growing season started with a warm spring, followed by a week of high temperatures (100+ degrees) shortly before bloom in May and average temperatures throughout most of the rest of the season. The heat spike led to small canopy development and good fruit exposure for the remainder of the growing season. Near perfect ripening conditions followed with cool, but even August and September temperatures contributing to grapes rich in ripe flavors and tannins, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

VINIFICATION

Grapes were hand-picked and gently destemmed and sorted to remove shot berries, raisins and green material. The fruit was gently crushed and fermented on the skins for an average of 7 to 12 days. During this time, the cap was gently punched down or pumped over to infuse the fermenting juice with flavor, tannins and color. The wine was removed from the skins and placed into 85% French and 15% American new oak barrels for malolactic fermentation.

The state-of-the-art cellar at the Col Solare winery offers winemaker Marcus Notaro many tools to make the best wine possible. In addition to an innovative sorting table, the flexibility of the cellar, completed in 2006, allows Notaro to pick every vineyard block at the optimum time, when the grapes are in the desired “ripeness zone.” The new cellar also allows Notaro to use a variety of techniques to create wines rich in flavor, yet with a sense of elegance on the finish, which is the style he is looking for in the final blend. As the grapes in 2007 were extremely powerful, the gentle crushing, handling during fermentation, and basket press were key in extracting the desired flavors without excessive tannins.

Racking for the 2007 blend occurred every three months during the first 12 months of aging, and every four months for the balance of the 21-month aging period, to soften tannins. The 2007 vintage is rich and full of flavor, a characteristic of the vintage, yet has a lingering silky finish.

VINEYARDS

Cabernet Sauvignon from Klipsun (Red Mountain), Cold Creek (Columbia Valley) and Andrews Horse Heaven (Horse Heaven Hills) provided great ripeness and power, while Cabernet fruit from Hedges (Red Mountain), Four Feathers (Columbia Valley) and Stone Tree (Wahluke Slope) along with Merlot from Coyote Canyon (Horse Heaven Hills) was more fruit-centered and helped soften the blend. Merlot from Four Feathers and Klipsun, added both power and complexity, while Cabernet Franc from Cold Creek was delicious and added texture and spice to the final blend.

VINTNERS

Col Solare is the partnership between two influential wine producers who are recognized leaders in their respective regions: Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori and Washington State’s Chateau Ste. Michelle. Col Solare, Italian for “shining hill,” realizes the partners’ mission to unite two unique viticultural and winemaking cultures to produce an ultra-luxury Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine.

THE BLEND

75% Cabernet Sauvignon
20% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc

TECHNICAL DATA

Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: 0.58 gms/100ml
pH: 3.78
Appellation: Columbia Valley
Sourcing: 31% Red Mountain, 36% Columbia Valley, 14% Wahluke Slope, 19% Horse Heaven Hills

This email is about the May 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!

Come Pick It Up!

In case you haven’t heard, we’re E X P A N D I N G our space! We will be implementing new Wine and Beer of the Month Club Bins in the new space. This is expected to take place before the June Wine and Beer Club delivery. If you’re able to come pick up your selections from May and whatever else is in your Bin this month, it will really help out the move. If not, it’s OK, we’ll transfer your items to your new Bin location.

What will the new store be like?

It’s under gift-wraps at the moment, the new store will be revealed in due time. We have a lot of exciting news coming up in the next few weeks. Stay tuned, and thank you for being with us as we seek to serve the fine beverage needs of our community.

Fresh Beverages and Events at Enoteca!

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

Events: Next Wednesday is the Cinder wine tasting with owner Joe Schnerr, and Thursday is the New Belgium Beer Tasting with Ely Johnson! Tickets for the beer tasting are already available online…

May 17th we’re hosting Jason Goeltz from Bitterroot Brewing in Hamilton, Montana for a beer tasting.  Full details will be emailed soon, but you can pick up tickets now! Hint: The Upcoming Beer Tastings page is always a good one to check to be in the loop.

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

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

Van Ruiten Chardonnay 2010
(Lodi, California)

Aromas of sweet pineapple, peach and apricot blend together with barrel aromas of fig, honey and vanilla finishing with hints of white peach. Our “Chard” was hand picked and gently squeezed to allow the natural fruit character to shine through. Half of this Chardonnay was fermented in stainless steel and the other half was barrel fermented in small French oak barrels. They are then blended together to enhance the complexity of body, flavor and aroma.

100% Chardonnay

Walla Walla Vintners W2 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
(Walla Walla Valley, Washington)

What a treat this is! Walla Walla Vintners makes great wine, but most of them cost between $25-$35. This is only $15 and it’s killer!

This is a rich, delicious wine that way over-delivers for the money.

It’s all about Walla Walla Valley fruit. This Cabernet boasts aromas of black cherry, plum and cassis, with underlying layers of cinnamon, toasty oak and woody herbs. Supple tannins frame flavors of rich, ripe blackberries, espresso and a pencil-lead minerality. Long, sweet edges recall fruit flavors, vanilla and caramel on the enduring finish.

79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Carmenere, 5% Cab Franc, 4% Malbec, 3% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot

Reserve Club

Five Star Madi White Bordeaux Blend 2011
(Walla Walla Valley, Washington)

First white wine released by 20+ year old winery!  And it’s a beaut.

A tropical nose, followed by a burst of pineapple on the palate.  Great mid-palate acidity balanced with melon notes.  A long creamy finish with hints of butter.

57% Semillon, 43% Sauvignon Blanc

Cinder Laissez Faire Red Blend 2010
(Snake River Valley, Idaho)

Meet Cinder owner Joe Schnerr at Enoteca Wednesday May 9th – Find out more here.

We wanted to create a beautiful “little sister-label” that would be an appropriate wine for our educated customers, filling their need for a crisp, food-friendly table wine that was beautifully crafted. Our direction came from all the great wines we would pull from our own cellar for hamburgers or “pizza-night” from places like France, Italy and Spain…(but never from the good old USA!?). We wondered why there didn’t seem to be any American producers making wines like this. We knew we could make a wine that had fresh fruit, balanced body, not a touch of new oak and bright acidity…so a plan was hatched.

Laissez Faire means “hands off” or “let it be” in French and that’s what we’ve done with this wine. There’s not much interference from the hand of man (or woman in this case). There’s no crushing of the grapes prior to fermentation, only full-berry fermentation. The juice is left in contact with the skins for only a short time, so that we only extract very fresh fruit characteristics. All native yeasts were used for fermentation while barrel ageing was only nine months in what we like to call “the Ancient barrels” (10-15 years old).

The end result is a gorgeous European-inspired red table wine, made in our beautiful Snake River Valley, Idaho, USA. Open a bottle with nearly ANY meal and you’ll be happy with the results. Laissez Faire…Enjoy the simple pleasures of life!

250 cases produced

Premier Club

Boudreaux Chardonnay 2010
(Washington)

Platinum blond color. On the nose, youthful, medium+ intensity, lots of “wonderbread” yeasty aromas, smoke, flint, butterscotch, slight mineral note, with some oak, and some earth. On the palate, dry, medium+ intensity, medium acidity, very rich mouth feel, very balanced and delicious, with good length to the finish. I must have more!

Boudreaux Cellars wines are the product of years of appreciating fine wines, hours of listening to master winemakers Gary Figgins, Rick Small, John Abbott, Chris Figgins, Marty Clubb, Jean-Francois Pellet, and others talk about making wine, identifying the oldest, most aromatic, most complex blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon in the State of Washington. Wines smooth, deep, layered, flowered, with mysterious nuances of smoke, hickory, oak, blackberry, cherry, and candy are not made in a day or a year. They require insight, originality, perseverance, balance, thoughtfulness, problem solving, disdain for fear, respect of Nature, and the ability to be confident in one’s long-term choices.

100% Chardonnay

Reininger Mr Owl’s Red 2008
(Walla Walla Valley, Washington)

Merlot based wines from Walla Walla are big powerful giants. The spiciness and sexiness of Syrah and Sangiovese add jut the right component to this special treat from Reininger to send it over the top. Don’t miss this one.

Named in honor of our esteem cellar master, Raul, the 2008 Mr Owl’s Red is a delicious and lovingly crafted blend of our best fruit. Lighthearted in spirit but seriously manly, just like Raul.

Aroma: Oak spice, red berries, red licorice, smoke, soy sauce and cinnamon baked red apples.

On the palate: Medium bodied with flavors of red berries, grilled steak and toast with chalky tannins.

88% Merlot, 7% Syrah, 5% Sangiovese

Anniversary Club Red

Zenato Amarone 2004
(Veneto, Italy)

I love this wine, it’s absolutely fantastic. Retail price is closer to $80 but for Wine Club Members we’ve been able to secure a small amount for the $50 level. How cool is that?  We do have access to a few more cases while supplies last at this special price, so if you’ve like to take advantage of this offer, place your order here.

Zenato Amarone is a blend of hand-picked  Corvina, Rondinella, Croatina and Oseleta, which are left to raisin in a well-ventilated room until January. After pressing, the juice macerates with the skins for almost a month while fermenting into the delicious wine that is Amarone. The wine is then aged in French oak for about two years followed by one year in bottle. Enjoy now or cellar for future enjoyment.

Ruby-red in color with intoxicating aromas of dried black cherry, cassis, truffles, chocolate fudge and tar. This wine is silky, luscious and complex, with a lingering finish, and pairs perfectly with hearty game stews, roasted meats and mature cheeses.

90 points from Wine Enthusiast

80% Corvina, 10% Rodinella, 10% Croatina and Oseleta

Beer Club

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

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA
(Milton, Deleware)

Esquire Magazine calls our 90 Minute IPA “perhaps the best IPA in America.” An imperial IPA best savored from a snifter, 90 Minute has a great malt backbone that stands up to the extreme hopping rate.

90 Minute IPA was the first beer we continuously hopped, allowing for a pungent — but not crushing — hop flavor.

9% ABV, 90 IBUs, 4pk 12oz bottles

Beer Advocate: 94, RateBeer: 100

Alaskan Pilot Series Barley Wine Ale 2011
(Juneau, Alaska)

We’ve been aging this beer for a year and a half since it’s release.  It was released the beginning of January 2011, and as all good barleywines go, it’s better with age.

Alaskan Barley Wine has been produced in limited edition vintages each year since its introduction in 2003. A big beer for big winters, this brew has garnered a steady following in Alaska. Bottled for the first time in 2007, the balanced flavor collaboration between hops, malt and high alcohol showcases the barley wine style, winning first place at the 2007 Toronado Barley Wine Festival and bronze at the 2008 World Beer Cup.

Alaskan Barley Wine is a full bodied ale, deep mahogany in color and brewed with an array of complementing malts to achieve its high original gravity. Multiple hop additions in the boil and dry hopping during fermentation provide contrast to the big malt character resulting in the smooth balance that distinguishes this specialty brew. Like many fine wines, Alaskan Barley Wine may be aged in the bottle and gains deeper malt complexity and smoothness over time.

10.7% ABV, 50 IBUs, 22oz bottle

Beer Advocate: 91, RateBeer: 99

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 Enotecans,

On Wednesday, May 9th at 7pm, Joe Schnerr of Garden City, Idaho will be on hand to pour his wife’s personally crafted wines for only $5 per person. This will be a fun event, don’t miss out!

Click here to get tickets now.

Note: Enoteca strives to bring you the best experience in wine and beer. Due to the popularity of our events we have had to change our policy on event tickets. Now you buy tickets online, just like concert tickets. They’re not yours until they’re paid for, and when we fill up, tickets are no longer available. Unfortunately we can no longer provide refunds FOR EVENTS. You will be emailed a receipt for your payment of the ticket, and you can print this for verification of the ticket.

Click here to get tickets now.

Who is Cinder Winery?

The results are in, here’s what the press thinks:

• Wine Business Monthly – “2010 Hot Small Brand, Top 10 – Pushing the Potential of Idaho”
• Northwest Wine Summit – “2009 Viognier Best Wine of Idaho”
• Wine Press Northwest – “2009 Idaho Winery to Watch”
• Cinder Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Blend won Best Bordeax Blend at the Denver International Wine Competition

We’ll be pouring five different wines including 1 red, 1 rose and 3 whites from Cinder’s line-up. This is a classroom style event, so we will start at 7pm and you will be able to interact with the owner, ask questions and learn more about wine making, and Cinder specifically.

Here’s what they say about themselves:

Life should always contain discoveries and the enjoyment of sharing those treasures with family and friends. We believe that you’ve found one of those gems with Cinder. Attentiveness to the vineyards, hard work, and skill in winemaking make this new label a great expression of craftsmanship and quality. Explore the site and learn about our winemaker, Melanie Krause, the wines, and the stark and gorgeous landscape of Idaho’s new Snake River Valley AVA. If our excitement is contagious make sure you sign up to reserve our wine, so that you can enjoy your find.

Dear Enotecans,

We’re hosting a New Belgium beer tasting on May 10th! Ely Johnson from New Belgium will be here to educate and share some delicious beers. We’ll be trying a handful of their beers including new releases! We’re tapping a very special keg of La Folie for this event, so bring your growlers to fill up. We will have a special growler fill price during the event only.

Tastings will be held at 5pm and 7pm. Each class is identical, and tickets for both are available exclusively through our website.

Get tickets for the 5pm Tasting here.

Get tickets for the 7pm Tasting here.

Note: Enoteca strives to bring you the best experience in wine and beer. Due to the popularity of our events we have had to change our policy on event tickets. Now you buy tickets online, just like concert tickets. They’re not yours until they’re paid for, and when we fill up, tickets are no longer available. Unfortunately we can no longer provide refunds FOR EVENTS. You will be emailed a receipt for your payment of the ticket, and you can print this for verification of the ticket.

Here’s what New Belgium is all about:

We’ll set the scene.
1989. Belgium. Boy on bike. (Ok, make that a young man of 32).

As our aspiring young homebrewer rides his mountain bike with “fat tires” through European villages famous for beer, New Belgium Brewing Company was but a glimmer in his eye. Or basement. For Jeff Lebesch would return to Fort Collins with a handful of ingredients and an imagination full of recipes.

And then there was beer.

Jeff’s first two basement-brewed creations? A brown dubbel with earthy undertones named Abbey and a remarkably well-balanced amber he named Fat Tire.  To say the rest was history would be to overlook his wife’s involvement. Kim Jordan was New Belgium’s first bottler, sales rep, distributor, marketer and financial planner.  And now, she’s our CEO.

Electrical engineer meets social worker; ideals flourish

The other side of the New Belgium story isn’t as romantic as bicycling through Europe, but it gives testament to our dedication and hard work. And it goes like this: Jeff, an electrical engineer by day and tinkerer by nature, builds a homebrewing kit in his basement out of repurposed dairy equipment. His Belgian inspired brews garnered enough praise from friends and neighbors that Jeff and Kim take their basement brewery commercial in 1991.

Kim, social worker by day and mother to two always, began the marketing process by knocking on their neighbor’s door. Anne Fitch was that neighbor and her watercolors are the artwork we continue to use on our labels today. With labeled bottles and local encouragement, the first Belgian-style beers brewed in the United States were officially for sale.

Bringing Peter Bouckaert, a Belgian Brewmaster working at Rodenbach, on in 1996 helped influence our love of sour beers. Moving forward, Peter would take the brewing reins as Jeff began pursuing other interests. In 2009, Jeff moved on completely and we have continued to flourish with Kim, Peter, and a team of dedicated employee-owners at the helm.

What else continues today?

The Core Values and Beliefs that Kim and Jeff built New Belgium Brewing Company on. Before they ever sold a bottle of beer, they hiked into Rocky Mountain National Park with a jug of home brew in one hand and pen and pad in the other. Together, they wrote down what they wanted to instill into this business dream of theirs.

Tastings will be held at 5pm and 7pm. Each class is identical, and tickets for both are available exclusively through our website.

Get tickets for the 5pm Tasting here.

Get tickets for the 7pm Tasting here.

Dear Enotecans,

Spring has sprung and we have a fun, delicious tasting prepared for you this week. On Wednesday, May 2nd at 7pm, Chad Johnson from Dusted Valley Vineyards of Walla Walla will be on hand to pour his personally crafted wines for only $5 per person. This will be a fun event, don’t miss out!

Click here to get tickets now.

Note: Enoteca strives to bring you the best experience in wine and beer. Due to the popularity of our events we have had to change our policy on event tickets. Now you buy tickets online, just like concert tickets. They’re not yours until they’re paid for, and when we fill up, tickets are no longer available. Unfortunately we can no longer provide refunds FOR EVENTS. You will be emailed a receipt for your payment of the ticket, and you can print this for verification of the ticket.

Click here to get tickets now.

Who is Dusted Valley?

The results are in, here’s what the press thinks:

• Wine Business Monthly – “2010 Hot Small Brand”
• Wine Spectator – “2010 Washington Wine Rising Star”
• Wine Press Northwest – “2010 Washington Winery of the Year”

We’ll be pouring five different wines including 3 reds and 2 whites from their value line of Boomtown as well as their luxury line of Dusted Valley Vineyards.  This is a classroom style event, so we will start at 7pm and you will be able to interact with the wine maker, ask questions and learn more about wine making, and Dusted Valley specifically.

Here’s what they say about themselves:

Dusted Valley represents our family’s quest to fulfill a dream of crafting world-class wine in the Walla Walla Valley. Our estate vineyards yield wines with classic earth, minerality and acid while featuring a freshness true to Washington State terroir. This, combined with our old world techniques and innovative winemaking attitude, result in strong vintages year after year.

Dear Enotecans,

Next up in the series of incredible Wine Maker Dinners, Rombauer Vineyards!  If you’ve been drinking wine for a little while it’s likely you’ve encountered a delicious bottle of Rombauer wine, from their famous Chardonnay for white wine drinkers to their luxurious Cabernet and Zinfanel for red wine drinkers.  If you have tried Rombauer you know how delicious this wine dinner will be, if you haven’t tried Rombauer yet, this is a perfect opportunity to discover what others already know – These wines are great!

The dinner is Thursday, May 3rd 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. Buy Tickets Here at the CDA Casino website.  As of this writing, only 18 seats remain.  Check out the menu below…

Rombauer Wine Makers Dinner

Thursday May 3rd, 2012

Day Boat Scallops
lemon cured, vanilla aioli, honey caviar, almond
Chardonnay

Spring Garden
Ranch dressing, spring vegetables, dirt

Duck Osso Bucco
Boysenberry jus, rosemary polenta, gremolata
Merlot

Rabbit Rilette
Foie gras, morel mushrooms, spring onions, wild greens
Cabernet

Beet Sorbet
blood orange

Poached and Roasted Karobuta Pork
Braised pork belly, rhubarb chutney and jus, charred onion,
spring green risotto, cracklin’s with spice
Vineyard Select Cabernet

Spanish Cabrales
Black pepper cracker, dark berries
Zinfandel

Orange Soda

White Chocolate Croissant
Honeysuckle ice cream, honey sea foam, spiced pear
Late Harvest Chardonnay

Dear Enotecans,

We have an unbelievable opportunity for you this week.  On Wednesday, April 18th at 7pm, Serge Laville from Spring Valley Vineyard of Walla Walla will be on hand to pour his line up of luxury delicious wines for only $5 per person.  Don’t miss this incredible opportunity, these wines are amazing, Serge is entertaining and the opportunity to taste these wines for so little doesn’t come around often!

Click here to get tickets now.

Note: Enoteca strives to bring you the best experience in wine and beer. Due to the popularity of our events we have had to change our policy on event tickets. Now you buy tickets online, just like concert tickets. They’re not yours until they’re paid for, and when we fill up, tickets are no longer available. Unfortunately we can no longer provide refunds FOR EVENTS. You will be emailed a receipt for your payment of the ticket, and you can print this for verification of the ticket.

Click here to get tickets now. 

Spring Valley Vineyards Uriah
(Walla Walla, Washington)

A Merlot blend named after Uriah Corkrum. Uriah was the grandfather of Shari Corkrum Derby. Born in Walla Walla on June 1, 1866, he began farming on his own during the 1880’s.

93 Points Wine Spectator

Spring Valley Vineyards Nina Lee Syrah
(Walla Walla, Washington)

This 100% Syrah is named for the wife of Frederick Corkrum. After meeting following her vaudeville performance at a local theater, they married in 1929.

90 Points Wine Spectator, 91 Points Wine & Spirits

Spring Valley Vineyards Muleskinner Merlot
(Walla Walla, Washington)

This 100% Merlot is named for Frederick Corkrum’s job as the ranch’s head Muleskinner, the person who cared for and drove the mules before the advent of the Caterpillar tractor.

90 Points Wine Spectator

Spring Valley Vineyards Katherine Corkrum Cabernet Franc
(Walla Walla, Washington)

This Cabernet Franc is named in honor of Uriah Corkrum’s wife Katherine, a native of Wales who immigrated to Walla Walla Territory in 1897. She and Uriah had four sons.

91 Points Wine Spectator, 92 Points Wine Enthusiast

Spring Valley Vineyards Frederick
(Walla Walla, Washington)

This New World-styled and highly structured, fruit-driven Cabernet Sauvignon blend’s name stems from Frederick Corkrum, son to Uriah and father to Shari, who grew up in Spring Valley.

93 Points Wine Spectator

Click here to get tickets now.

Note 2: We’re slammed with processing orders, so Short Sale orders from the last couple days will be filled and receipts will be emailed as soon as we can. Some items have sold out, but most orders have been able to be filled.

Dear Enotecans,

This email is a special offer for amazingly priced wine that we are hoping to put in your cellar instead of on our shelf as we prepare for our expansion. Full details about this offer can be found here. Use the Email Preferences link above if you’d like to alter what information you get from us. If you want to participate, please read the Nitty gritty details below to make sure you fully understand the offer.

This deal is good TODAY ONLY, on orders placed before midnight, based on the time stamp they come in. (The count down timer will be accurate on the website only, not by email.) The email list can take several hours to get the offer to you, so don’t hesitate to check the website at 6 am or “Like” us and “Subscribe” on FaceBook to get notified early there.

This Offer Ends
1 month, 5 days, 13 hours, 1 minute, 53 seconds ago

Short Sale Daily Deal #4 Thursday April 12th

We’re getting down the the wire here, no real theme, just good wine and beer at Short Sale pricing!

Almira Los Dos Syrah / Grenache 1.5L – 30% off
(Campo de Borja, Spain)

Magnum size, equivalent to 2 regular bottles of wine.

Los Dos is an unoaked blend of 85% Garnacha and 15% Syrah. Deep crimson-colored, it reveals a Gamay-like, fruity, black cherry and blueberry-scented bouquet. Ripe and succulent on the palate with no hard edges, this crowd-pleaser will drink well for another 3 years.

Regular Price: $19.99
Short Sale Price: $13.99
Savings: $6 per bottle, or 30%
Order here.

Bunnell Vif Rhone Style Blend 750ml – 33% off Only 12 Available
(Columbia Valley, Washington)

Polished, supple and vivid in flavor, a plush mouthful of raspberry, cherry and sweet spices. Finishes long and generous. Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier.  This is fantastic example of what Washington State can do.

91 Points Wine Spectator

Regular Price: $35.99
Short Sale Price: $24.99
Savings: $11 per bottle, or 33%
Order here.

Finca el Origen Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml – 50% off
(Uco Valley, Argentina)

Black fruit aromas highlighted such as blackberry, cranberry and cassis complemented by spice notes, suchas black pepper. In the mouth, and average structure shows softtannins, sweet, ripe wine that make it a velvety and silky.

Regular Price: $14.99
Short Sale Price: $7.99
Savings: $7 per bottle, or 47%
Order here.

Haraszthy Amador Zinfandel 750ml – 40% off – Only 24 bottles remain
(Amador County, California)

Birthplace of the California gold rush – circa,1840’s Amador County is located about 50 miles southeast of Sacramento in the Sierra Foothills. The region is renowned for producing outstanding Zinfandels dating back to 1856. The county was created in 1854 from parts of Calaveras and El Dorado Counties and was named in honor of the early Spanish gold miner and rancher, Jose Maria Amador. It is common that many of the Zinfandel plantings in the area are well over one hundred years old. Forget ‘Old Vine’ Zinfandel – Amador is ‘Ancient Vine’ Zinfandel country.

The area enjoys a variety of growing conditions helping to define this appellation (growing region). Vineyard elevations range from 250 feet on the western slops of the foothills up eastwards along Sierra Nevada range to around 3000 feet. Similarly, assorted soil types ripple throughout the region imparting flavor nuances specific to that area. Delta breezes provide the ideal cooling conditions needed in this region where temperatures during the growing seasons range from the eighties to over one hundred degrees. Haraszthy Family Cellars Amador County Zinfandel is produced from grapes grown in the Shenandoah Valley and the Fiddletown sub-regions of the Sierra Foothills appellation.

Stylistically, Amador County Zinfandels exhibit deep rich concentrated fruit forward flavors with a bouquet described as “holiday spice”- nutmeg, cedar, vanilla. Our Amador County Zinfandel is not over ripe or extracted. Please refer to our tasting notes for specific details about our Amador County Zinfandel.

100% Zinfandel

Regular Price: $21.99
Short Sale Price: $12.99
Savings: $9 per bottle, or 40%
Order here.

How about luxury bubbly…

Krug Rose Champagne – 25% off – Only 3 available
(Champagne, France)

Krug Rosé is the only prestige cuvee rosé to be blended from a rich palette of wines from three different grape varieties, and from such a wide range of vintages. These are blended with a wonderfully expressive skin-fermented Pinot Noir wine to deliver its unparalleled and characteristic colour and spice. A resting time of at least five years in Krug’s cellars gives Krug Rosé its subtle bubbles and long-lasting elegance. Krug Rosé is everywhere we don’t expect it to be, in terms of texture, colour and taste. A completely reinvented Rosé Universe. Krug Rosé is a remarkable Champagne which encapsulates the same creative spirit and of Krug Grande Cuvée, again surpassing the very notion of vintage.

Krug Rosé is unexpected, both sensual and daring. It shows a broad and extensive aromatic palette, unusual for a Rosé Champagne.

As you taste Krug Rosé, you will discover harmonies of puff pastry and red-berry tart, which develop towards honey and citrus fruits.

Its floral accents and notes of dried or stewed fruit will enthral your palate. Its extreme delicacy is enhanced by the subtlety of its fine and elegant bubbles.

Krug Rosé is everywhere we don’t expect it to be. Surprising and extraordinary, Krug Rosé is a controversy that is positively…delicious.

96 Points Wine Spectator

Regular Price: $179.99
Short Sale Price: $134.99
Savings: $45 per bottle, or 25%
Order here.

And a some interesting beers…

Düsseldorfer Uerige Doppelsticke Altbier 12oz – 43% off
(Dusseldorf, Germany)

Our DoppelSticke has an astonishing 8.5% abv and yet there’s no mistaking its taste: Dat is dat leckere Dröppke, as they say (that is the delicious droplet).

After the ‘gigantic herbal aroma of hops’ (Michael Jackson) that surprises the palate at the first tasting, aromatic sensations follow midway: caramelized sugar, malt and herbs, rich nuances of dark chocolate and rum, rounded off with a smooth and shimmering finish.

Another reviewer said: Uerige DoppelSticke might just be “Germany’s interpretation of a barley-wine”, ie a third definition next to England’s “malt-driven” idea {such as JW Lees Vintage Harvest Ale} and America’s “hop-heavy” version {such as Sierra Nevada’s BigFoot}. OG – 1085; IBU – 75; Ingredients; Hops:Spalt Spalter, Hallertauer Perle, Spalt Hallertauer; Malts: Pilsner malt, caramel malt, roasted malt

8.5% ABV
Available in 12oz flip-top bottle.

Regular Price: $6.99
Short Sale Price: $3.99
Savings: $3 per bottle, or 43%
Order here.

Sierra Nevada DFH Life and Limb Strong Ale 750ml – 20% off
(Chico, California)

LIFE – this living ale is naturally carbonated to enhance complexity, refinement, and to encourage aging. LIMB – for the birch and maple trees, who’s syrup gives this unique ale its flavor and symbolizes the collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head. We are proud to share our Life and Limb with it’s thousands of other branches who collectively comprise the craft brewing family tree. Sip slowly with friends and loved ones; savor long – because one could do better than be a swigger of birches.

10.2% ABV
Available in 750ml bottle.

Regular Price: $9.99
Short Sale Price: $7.99
Savings: $2 per bottle, or 20%
Order here.

Deschutes Stoic Belgian Dark Strong 22oz – 20% off
(Bend, Oregon)

A prized, potent, Belgian-style Quad of stirring depth and complexity.

Four nuanced fermentations. Aged, sequestered, in select rye whiskey & wine casks. Ergo a stoically brewed quad, with the spellbinding complexity of its medieval ancestors.

11% ABV
Available in 22oz bottle.

Regular Price: $13.99
Short Sale Price: $10.99
Savings: $3 per bottle, or 22%
Order here.

Try on some fancy port for size…

Taylor Fladgate 40 Year Tawny Port 750ml – 40% off - only 4 bottles available
(Porto, Portugal)

An incredible example of an old Tawny port. A rarity, as few houses will make a 40 year old tawny. This wine is olive gold in color with rich caramel, butterscotch, hazelnut flavors. The concentration in this port also produces a wine with amazing length, which lingers beautifully in the palate.

A superb wine, elegance and weight combined magisterially. It has all the right mature flavors, ripe fruit, intense marmalade and concentration. This is a wine with a great reputation, and the taste doesn’t let that reputation down.

95 points Wine Enthusiast

Regular Price: $214.99
Short Sale Price: $129.99
Savings: $85 per bottle, or 40%
Order here.

And a beautiful decanter…

Riedel Paloma Decanter – 43% off
(Germany)

This beautiful Paloma (which means Dove in Spanish) decanter by Riedel, its elegant lines perfectly inspired by its feathered namesake, features mouth-blown, handmade elegance. The long, graceful neck is a stunning visual sensation and the pour spout at the end is designed for drip-resistance. The wide opening on the opposite end allows an easy transfer of the wine from the bottle to the decanter. Made of fine lead crystal for added brilliance, this Paloma decanter measures 23-5/8 inches long.

Regular Price: $349.99
Short Sale Price: $199.99
Savings: $150 per decanter, or 43%
Order here.

Nitty gritty details

The Daily Deal offers must be taken advantage of online only, via the website ordering form that will be linked from each offer. We will not be handling orders for the Daily Deals by phone or through walk-ins, as we must be able to ensure that those who order first actually get the deal first. After placing your orders, we’ll process them on a first-come, first-served basis based on the order time stamp generated by your clicking “Submit.”

Payment Information… If your payment information is not on file for your order, we will go to the next order in line. If you want to ensure your order is placed with full payment information, you can securely update your CC any time here. If we have left-overs and you are able to pay later, we will be happy to fill your request, but without payment information on file your order goes to the back of the line.

How will I know if I got it? We will process orders as they come in and email you a receipt of your purchase once it is processed. Once you see that receipt, you know you got it, and you can pick up your order any time you’d like.

No Additional club or volume discounts… As every Daily Deal will be under water to begin with, the price listed in the deal is the only price available for that deal, with no additional discounts available.

After-sale orders… If we receive an order after the Daily Deal time is over, we will contact you to see if you’re still interested in the product at it’s regular price before processing the order.