Saturdays at the store are quickly becoming the destination spot for both the seasoned wine drinker as well as the newbie. And, although the weather enticed most of you to stay away (it was downright tropical on Saturday) those of you who did venture over to the wine counter walked away with some pleasant nuances on your palate.
First on the lips was the Ruffino Pinot Grigio from the Friuli region of Italy. This was a surprising wine to taste. I am so used to the light, tastless Pinot Grigio's from California, think Ecco Domani, that when I first tasted the Ruffino I was taken aback. The palate was rich and full of flavors blasting forth with ripe pears and crisp juicy apricots. The finish on this full bodied wine was long and zesty. The price point, at $12.99 made this wine even easier to swallow. With spring right around the corner, put this little gem in the "fridge" and pop it out whenever you have company over that you want to impress.
The red selection of the week was from Argentina. Bodega Trapiche, under the label of Broquel, has bottled one outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. This 120 year old winery harvested these grapes from the warm region of Mendoza and that made all the difference. This was a very seductive wine and had me at Hello! The bottle opened up with a bang. The aroma was fruit filled but a little tight at first. As the day progressed, this Cab opened up and softened into creamy, well-crafted juices full of black cherries and wild berry flavors. The finish was firm, long and fresh. And, as luck would have it, local chef and Carnegie's restaurant owner Ian Harrison stopped by long enough to give this wine his nod of approval as well. But, most impressive of all is it's price tag, at $15.49 this jewel will impress even the most ardent wine snob.
Last on the tasting table was the Muscadelle Tokay from the Chambers Rosewood winery of Australia. This dessert wine was full of molasses, spices and brown sugar with a little rum raisin ice cream finish. The 18.5% alcohol content along with the high residual sugars creates an amazing concentration of flavors that are meant to be relished after dinner in front of a fire. This powerful little bottle of wine has a little something for everyone. Share it with yourself first and if there's any left over, grace someones palate... but only if they are worthy.
Well, that concludes our trip around the world! Your wine passport has no doubt been enhanced and you are now thirsty for more. Don't despair, every Saturday is traveling day so join me from 1:00-4:00 pm and we'll hop the wine train together.
Until...
The Wine Tellar
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