Tiered Tasting Friday Jan. 10th from 5-7pm
This week, Steve Eudy & Arlene Kirby of Empire Distributors…
They will be pouring…
“A Bunch of Blends”
~Complimentary Tasting~
2018 Rodney Strong “Upshot” White Blend
27% Chardonnay, 21% Grenache Blanc, 18% Gewurztraminer, 17% Pinot Noir, 11% Viognier, & 6% Sauvignon Blanc
California
Upshot is the end result of our winemaker’s passion for blending flavorful, deeply nuanced and unique wines. Exclusively from vineyards in Sonoma, Monterey and Mendocino County, our White Blend offers an unexpected, almost magical outcome of the growing season and winemaking process. This bright wine bursts with aromas of white peach, apricot and jasmine blossom with flavors of melon, peach and a wet stone minerality followed by a crisp yet full finish.
2018 Au Bon Climat Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc
67% Pinot Gris & 33% Pinot Blanc
Santa Maria Valley, California
All the Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are harvested by hand, whole cluster pressed and barrel fermented. Upon completion of sugar and malo-lactic fermentations, the wine is sulfured and rests surlees until the late summer. After racking and processing, the wine was returned to barrel spending a total 6 months in the barrel before bottling. Early bottle whites usually require a light filtration. The minerality and acidity make this a great wine for shellfish of any kind but it is also delightful with roast chicken, turkey or pastas with a light béchamel sauce. The aromas are salty, mineral with a lemon-lime note. In the mouth the wine is rich and textural, from the time spent on lees in the barrel.
2016 Rodney Strong “Upshot” Red Blend
31% Merlot, 31% Zinfandel, 30% Malbec, 5% Riesling, & 3% Petit Verdot
Sonoma County, California
Rodney Strong sustainably farms 14 estate vineyards and produces wines from Sonoma County’s finest appellations—Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek Valley, Knights Valley, Petaluma Gap, and Sonoma Coast. We aspire to conserve and protect the environment in all winery operations through sustainable practices, solar power, and fish friendly farming. This rich, supple wine bursts with blackberry and dark cherries with hints of spice followed by lush, rounded tannins and a lingering finish.
2016 Precept Wines “Pendulum” Red Blend
62% Merlot, 26% Syrah & 12% Malbec
Columbia Valley, Washington
Aged 14 months in 23% new American Oak. Sweet black cherry and toasted oak aromatics introduce flavors of Santa Rosa plum, clove and raspberry. Flawlessly balanced, a long finish chocolate cake and berry jam rounds out the palate. This umami-evoking wine will pair well with nearly any food, but it also makes the perfect standalone, pre-dinner sipper.
~Reserve Tasting~
(Optional)
$10/per person
Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon
58% Sauvignon Blanc & 42% Semillon
Margaret River, Australia
A brilliant light hay with green edges. Fresh green lime, lemon sorbet, crisp cucumber aromas with hints of fresh cut lemongrass, pink peppercorn and wisteria blossom. A subtle saline character reminiscent of celery salt and sea spray entwines with pink grapefruit and tarragon notes. The palate characteristics burst forth with lemon juice and lime zest creating a compelling liveliness. In the mouth, the wine is medium in length displaying yellow peach, watermelon skin and nectarine, with a creaminess that balances the mineral focused backbone, giving a lively lemon sorbet richness. Hints of Muscat flower and cypress pine sap invoke the nearby coastal origin of this wine.
2016 Au Bon Climat “Hildegard” White Blend
55% Pinot Gris, 35% Pinot Blanc, & 10% Aligote
Santa Maria Valley, California
The 2016 Hildegard Estate White, Jim Clendenen's Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc/Aligote field blend, is impeccable in its balance. Tropical notes and a kiss of new French oak add an exotic flair to Pinot Gris/Blanc orchard fruit, lemon confit and floral notes. The 100% new oak is beautifully integrated, but it is the wine's overall balance that really stands out. In 2016, the Hildegard is naturally a bit richer than it usually is, and yet all the elements are very nicely woven together. It remains one of the most unique and compelling wines of Santa Barbara.
2016 Stags Leap “The Investor”
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, & Malbec
Napa Valley, California
The wine aged in oak for 16 months - the Petite Sirah in American oak barrels (25% new) while the Bordeaux varieties go to French oak (35% new). The final assemblage was blended just prior to bottling. Reflective of the winery’s ability to combine power with elegance, the 2016 Investor is rich and expressive with blueberry, bramble berry, wild raspberry, prune and sweet baking spices, alongside intriguing notes of white pepper, camphor and tar, with touches of savory chaparral brush, like fresh mint and wild purple rose. Generous mouth pleasing chewy tannins envelop the palate finishing with juicy, mouthwatering acidity. Enjoyable now and can be cellared for 5-10 years.
2017 Daou “Bodyguard” Red Blend
60% Petit Verdot & 40% Petit Sirah
Paso Robles, California
The 2017 vintage presents fragrant fruit aromas of blackberry, raspberry, currant and crème de cassis. Notes of cocoa, coffee, dark chocolate, licorice and sweet cherry pipe tobacco are rounded out with whispers of truffle, toffee, mocha and menthol. A juicy, fleshy palate offers bright, generous flavors of cherry, cranberry, strawberry and blueberry tinged with black raspberry and tamarind—all supported by underlying accents of dusty leather, pencil shavings, cigar box and crushed herbs. An elegantly styled and beautifully structured finish reverberates with focused energy, vibrant berry fruit and ripe, polished tannins. Aged 15 months in 35% new French oak.
The discount passcode for this week's tasting is "Bien Nacido" Tell us the code at checkout and receive 10% off these wines, during the tasting only.
We hope you can join us for these excellent selections!