East Hill Bottle shop 4 Oct 23

Well, it’s finally Fall! Our first beautiful sunny day that comes with a high in the mid-70s is worth its own holiday! How should a wine lover celebrate such an occasion? With a glass of “big, bold” red wine of course. Oh, you don’t have any because you have been drinking whites and light reds all summer. Well here’s a quick and easy cure.But before we discuss that solution a quick disclaimer: GulfCoastWine does not get endorsed or receive anything from the wine venues and/or wines review or recommend. We haven’t addressed that in quite a while, so for all of our newer readers and as a reminder to our original followers; everything here is unbiased, and written without the use of AI. Seriously, we still research and write things, unlike some of the other local publications!So, back to the cure. This week’s Crowd Favorite at East Hill was Elberle’s 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles California. Paso Robles (Passing Oaks translated from Spanish) is not as overlooked as it used to be but still often plays the third seat to its cousins to the north, Sonoma and Napa. A benefit of this is Napa quality wine and a lower price, and this is a great example!This wine welcomes the nose with an aroma of fruit curing in the western dry air and hints of violet. Then the palate is greeted with the “big and bold” deep and dark jamey plum, black cherry, circling cassis, medium tannins, juicy acidity, finishing with a little chocolate and cedar. It’s the red wine experience that you have been waiting for, since you have been depriving yourself of “big and bold” reds during our hot summer months like a monk fasting for a higher calling! Well, at least that’s what I have been told it feels like. I drink these type of red wines all year.A California red that is as good as any mainstream Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa at an affordable price. Hard to beat! So for all of you coming out of your hot season red wine hiatus, welcome back. And for the rest of us; enjoy our Wine America!

Inadvertent Wine Snob

Can drinking more wine turn you into a Wine Snob? It can, if you are not careful. One of the best attributes of our local wine tastings is the delightful absence of the typical Wine Snob (WS). We at GCW have defined the typical WS before. Typical WSs are not welcoming, often critical of others’ comments, and TELL YOU what you should be drinking.Yet there is natural phenomenon that can occur as a wine drinker progresses from beginner, to novice, to, hopefully, a true wine enthusiast. That phenomenon is a maturing/discerning palate. It is just like growing up. Most kids will not eat a dill pickle, yet most adults will. As we drink more wine, and different wines from across the periodic wine table, our palate can develop and it CAN change. A wine that used to be one of your favorites earlier on can become un-drinkable later in your wine journey, and that is OKAY!What is not okay is turning your nose, or glass, up against those wines, and especially to those who still enjoy them! Your wine journey is unique, and you should take pride in developing a discerning palate. Just because someone still likes that Merlot (I still love a good Merlot) doesn’t mean you are any more of a wine lover than they are.The same is true from the other view point, from the beginner’s view. Just because someone takes a sip of a wine and dumps it out, or passes it up, does not automatically make them a WS. It is the attitude. If that person dumps it out saying; “Well this is just an $18 bottle of wine,” then they might be a WS. Yet if that same person dumping the wine instead says “This just isn’t for me,” then respect that, even if their reason internally is the fact that the wine is $18 a bottle. (Just kidding, don’t mis-judge a bottle because it was only $18!)As you progress into your wine journey and find yourself becoming very discerning, increasingly liking more unique and often more expensive wine, invite others in and share your experience in a positive way. Not in a way that says “Oh look what I’m drinking.” Don’t begrudge other wine lovers for loving other things. And NEVER tell someone what they should, or shouldn’t, like!I just did make it back home this week in time to catch parts of Friday’s wine tastings; Seville’s and the mystery wines at Bottle Shop on Baylen. One of the best methods that I use to make sure that I keep myself from inadvertently straying into the tendencies of a WS is going to as many wine tastings as possible. This keeps me “wine grounded.” Two easy drinking reds were the Crowd Favorites at Seville; Klinker Brick’s Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi California and Hedges CMS blend (71% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah) from Washington. The mystery wines at the Bottle Shop were unique and very good! So go out to the tastings, share in your experience, taste everything, and stay grounded to being a true wine enthusiast. Cheers to that!

The Weekly Wrap Up

The folks who know me mostly know what my actual “day” job is. I make it a point not to talk about it here because it has nothing to do with wine and it tends to become the topic of a conversation when it is brought up, even when I rather talk about wine. But the summer heat has finally ignited the earth’s engine and things have gotten busy.

So, a single recap of our wine tastings last week. The quick summary: I went to five tastings. They were all fun and each had some good wine!

Yet two wines really stood out last week and achieved the Wine of Note status, a white and a red. One from So Gourmet’s every-other-Wednesday Sunsets on Main tasting, and the other from the Bottle Shop on Baylen, which was featured as the mystery wine.

The first was an Italian White Wine from Puglia. Edda Bianco Salento 2021 is made with 60% Chardonnay, 20% Fiano, and 20% White Muscatel. Do not let the White Muscatel fool you, this is NOT a sweet wine and not any typical Chardonnay! It starts by filling the nose with yellow flowers and then filling the palate with savory stone fruit, good acid and a nice mineral finish. A great white to have for just about any occasion where you want a white wine!

The next was Col Solare's 2013 Red Blend from Columbia Valley Washington. Sourced entirely from Col Solare’s estate on Red Mountain, it is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and 2% Syrah. It is damm good! A mix of red plum, black cherry, tobacco and earth, strong tannins and a nice finish. Even though it wasn’t part of the “official” tasting line up Friday night, you can buy it at the Bottle Shop, and I would, and did!

Two Wines of Note in one week! A solid performance from our local tastings. Yet this should not surprise anyone. The most amazing part; the people at the tastings are as fun as the wine! Bring a friend who might be apprehensive about coming out and let them join the party! Everyone stay safe this week!

Hacienda Zorita’s Unamuno Vineyard

We travel for so many reasons. To see, to experience, to learn, to have fun. For the wine traveler you can add; to discover.  To discover for both the soul and the palate.

During my summers as a kid on the Portuguese side of the Duero River (Douro in Portuguese) I would look at the landscape of rolling hills and steep canyons, of Olive and Almond trees, of Cork Oaks and Vineyards, and stare across the border to Spain.

The Duero River in our region forms the border between Portugal and Spain. Our house in Portugal, on the edge of a tiny village just four-ish kilometers from the Duero River gorge, allows for one of the best views on the planet. The view imparts the feeling that you are looking at the Earth, as you would look at another intriguing person while at a café.

The view is an experience by itself! Yet one of the things that you can see from our small backyard, on the Spanish horizon ten miles away, is the tower of Hacienda Zorita’s Unamuno Vineyard and Estate.

Both sides of the border here form one of the largest Natural Park Reserves in Europe. Called Arribes del Duero Natural Park in Spain and the Douro International Natural Park in Portugal, it was formed in 2002 to protect several UNESCO recognized natural spaces and several endangered species. It is expansive, encompassing roughly 410 square miles.

The Arribes del Duero area is not “known” for wine, even though quality grapes have been growing in this part of Spain for thousands of years.  The reason for this area not being well known by the modern wine word is very low yield and production. The Hacienda also does not export, and does not ship outside of the Iberian Peninsula and France. Because of this you are not going to find wines from here next to your favorite Rioja. The other surprise at this Estate; superb Syrah!

Yet if you venture to this far edge of Spain you are going to discover what all wine travelers want: an experience! That experience includes exceptional wines in an amazing landscape, and ZERO tourists. Eureka!

A year ago I wrote about Hacienda Zorita’s other, main location; their Luxury Hotel and Wine Estate located about 65 miles to the east (15 miles to the west of Salamanca). It is an exceptional place, full of amazing history (King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella hired Christopher Columbus in the current wine tasting room!!!) and you can find all of their wines in the hotel wine shop and stop there.

But if you pride your travels on discovery and true Immersion of the palate, you are going to want to journey into the Arribes del Duero, to Hacienda Zorita’s Unamuno Vineyard Estate, and get the full experience for yourself!

Up-ing your wine game, Part 3

I really like being able to open the door or remove an obstacle from someone’s wine journey. The door is the realization of how fun and enjoyable wine can be, and an obstacle can be anything; like being able to describe what you actually like.Your wine journey can appear overwhelming at the start. Thousands of wines from thousands of grapes and combinations. As a wine guide I enjoy giving fellow tasters a few simple and easy tools that enhance the enjoyment of each glass. Once you realize how fun the journey is going to be it will no longer feel overwhelming.Here is a quick recap of some of those simple tools.In the first part of Up-ing your wine game I said how important it is to go to wine tastings, especially the unique ones, like the monthly tasting held by the Emerald Coast Chapter of the American Wine Society. Going to tastings like these show you how to taste wine. Even just going to your favorite local Wine Shop tasting will help you begin to find what you like.Yet, are you still getting frustrated because you cannot describe what you like? In Part 2 of Up-ing your wine game I gave a few easy words to use. Most important - Think about what you actually taste!So, taste wine, describe wine. The next step is to ASK QUESTIONS. Do not be afraid to ask! Why did that wine taste like that? Why was it dry? Why did I taste grapefruit? Asking questions will allow you to start putting it all together. It will also show you who can you trust to ask your wine questions to, someone who can and will enhance your wine journey.Tonight’s Crowd Favorite at EastHill, Altocedro La Consulta Select Red Blend 2019 from the Uco Valley, near Mendoza Argentina, is a good example. It was bold, had a satisfying level of complex fruit; black plum, blackberry, followed by some coco with medium tannins; all from using six different grape varieties. Could you describe that if you tasted it. If so fantastic. If not don’t be afraid to ask! Just like any puzzle, the help of a second set of eyes finding that one piece can really get you over the hump, and back to enjoying your journey.

A Nebuchadnezzar!!!!!

This was quite a week of wine! There were six wine tastings in four days! Our local chapter (the Emerald Coast Chapter) of the American Wine Society had a great monthly tasting featuring California Cabs. Yet the highlight of my week was a friend’s birthday party who is a huge wine lover.

I have seen, and drank, a lot of wine. I have seen those big bottles of wine and have even had some. None of it was memorable. But I have never had wine out of the biggest of all wine bottles, until now.

Pictures do a better job of conveying the shear size of a Nebuchadnezzar bottle of wine, the biggest commercially made bottle on Earth! It holds 15 liters, or 20 bottles (normal 750ml bottles) of liquid, and when that liquid is an amazing wine, hold on. Literally, you could drown in this thing.

The wine; Anderson’s Conn Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012, from Napa. It was fabulous! A Wine of Note! No further tasting notes needed. A perfect wine for a special occasion. Fill a Nebuchadnezzar with that wine and you have a wine party to remember, and we all will!!

A great evening, and some even had an “Experience!”

“It was an EXPERIENCE!!” That’s what a fellow taster told me when I asked her why she liked tonight’s Cabernet Sauvignon. I had the pleasure to attending tonight’s Special wine tasting with my partner at Gulf Coast Wine, Bob.The Bottle shop featured Etude Winery from Napa, located at the southern end of Napa Valley. Like many Wineries around the world, Etude (French for “Study”) has vineyards not just in Napa Valley but also in Carneros, Santa Rita Hills, and a few other prime California wine areas. Just like the Special tasting earlier in the week at Aragon, all of the wines were very good, some were even great! What we are all after is an experience, but not just an experience, but the “Experience!” The Experience is life changing, can be other-worldly. It is talked about almost elusively. The wine doesn’t need to be expensive or rare. The wines that have given me an “experience” might not give you one. But when you have one of those wines you remember it, remember the feeling, hopefully the taste. I have never heard of a beer drinker having an “experience” from their favorite beer. More power to you if you have.Did you go out to the Special wine tasting? Did you find excuses why you could not attend? Too busy, too expensive? I understand all of that. But what are you after in life? I am after many things, one of them being the never ending search for “an Experience!”

Don’t expect to find an amazing wine at every tasting.

“This was the first tasting that I didn’t buy anything.” I got that last week from a relatively new taster to our area. “That’s okay.” I replied. I continued; “It is still fun, and you learned more wine stuff. Don’t feel like you have to buy a bottle at every tasting, unless you want to.” That is a pretty profound statement to a relatively new taster who is a wine lover. This led me to suggest a few wine tasting rules:

• First rule: Go to every tasting to have a good time.
• Second rule: TRY EVERYTHING!
• Third rule: Think about what you tasted, for wines you like and didn’t like. If you liked that wine, figure out why you liked it, both the mouth feel and taste. Wine has both. Got some dark cherries but left your mouth feeling dry? Remember to taste AND feel.
• Fourth rule: Don’t be a wine snob (see my previous post on wine snobs).
• Fifth rule: Don’t feel like you have to buy a bottle. Some wines were okay but nothing really stood out? That’s okay.
• Final rule: Have a good time! This is not a repeat of rule 1. If you are going through the tasting and are not having a good time, don’t force it! Just head home and come out to the next tasting.

Tonight’s crowd favorite by a slim majority was MERF Cabernet Sauvignon 2018. It was good, okay, decent, not bad. Some folks bought, others didn’t. Nothing really stood out to a lot of tasters, but it was a good time with fun people. That’s the secret to good wine, start with good people.

Napa Valley Day 2, Part 2 Château Montelena

What’s a good way to tell if you are a wine geek or not? A wine geek not only knows about the Judgement of Paris, but they can also explain it. A brief history refresher. Before 1976 wines from “The States” were not really taken seriously. Sure there were some good ones, but nothing compared to the likes of the best from Bordeaux or Burgundy. A blind tasting was arranged to test the “best” wines in the world at the time, which came from France, against some wines from Napa. There was a red category and a white category. A Napa wine won both categories, blowing up the wine world! It is THE reason people why when people hear “Napa” they think quality wine. The winner of the red category was a 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. The winner of the white category was a 1973 Chardonnay from Château Montelena.

The 1976 Judgement of Paris has regained some popularity recently from the Netflix show “Somm 3.” Therefore a chance to visit either one of the two Napa Wineries that totally upturned the world of wine is worth taking! We were able to get into a tasting at Château Montelena on this visit, so we took the opportunity. You can look up the history of the Château on your own, but it is a beautiful estate. The tasting included their 2019 Chardonnay at $70 a bottle , their Estate Zinfandel at $45 (not sweet, nothing like most of the Zins from Lodi), a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $85, and finally their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon at $200 a bottle! The staff was knowledgeable and enthusiastic which was a pleasant surprise considering the tourist Mecca that Château Montelena is. A walk about the idyllic grounds and the Jade Lake concluded our wine pilgrimage. Was it worth it? That depends on what you are after. If you are after a piece of wine history and a fun experience, then yes! Hope to see everyone back at our local GulfCoastWine tastings soon.

Napa Valley Day 2, Part 1 Laura Michael Winery

Sometimes you have more success going solo. Other times it pays to be part of a team. My Napa wine adventures on day 1 were a solo affair. On day two I was able to take a few members of my team to enjoy an amazing wine experience. My first choice to begin their Napa wine journey was Laura Michael Winery, just outside the town of Calistoga.Calistoga sits at the northern end of Napa Valley. The valley here is less than two miles wide. Fires wreaked havoc in this area in 2020, so be weary of any Napa wine wearing a 2020 on its label. The Winery, owned by wife Laura and husband Michael specialize in Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and a 50/50 Zinfandel Petite Sirah desert wine, which is my favorite. In a previous post I talked about how you can taste the business culture of a winery in their wine. How do they treat guests, conduct their tasting, etc. And again, do everything that you can to make reservations, but I am always interested in how a winery handles the ones that just show up. Michael and Laura are some of the nicest people in Napa, and will do their best to try and accommodate you. They are knowledgeable and just great people to share a glass of wine with! Laura Michael’s is the refreshing antithesis of the big, impersonal, touristy wineries that everyone thinks that they “must” visit in Napa. Thank you to Laura and Michael for a great visit!

Napa Valley, Day 1, Part 2. Gandona Winery and Vineyards.

Wow! It is all I could say as I drove back down the unmarked, potholed, steep and winding driveway back into the valley. I had done a significant amount of research before going to Napa this year. My first visit was a year before, at which point I realized how little I knew even though I had done a lot of research prior to that trip as well. So I had a decent plan of where I wanted to go after my tasting at Robert Craig. I also did not have any reservations (an outcome of my fluctuating work schedule) which is bad and good. Good, in fact, great in this case.

Disclaimer. Unless you have some serious connections, of which apparently I do now, DO NOT expect to just walk into this experience!! I HIGHLY recommend having reservations for anywhere that you really want to visit!

SO, at the end of my Robert Craig tasting, KC (read part 1) asked where I was going next. I told him my ideas and rough plan. His next question; “Do you have any reservations?” “No.” I answered and explained my crazy work schedule that can change day to day. So he recommended a Winery owned by a man from Portugal, and not just Portugal, from the Douro, which is where my mother is from! A quick phone call to the Winery was not answered so he said to try and drive up (up is the key word) there and maybe you can find someone. A Wine Safari, I liked the idea.

Gandona has no fancy sign, is mostly unmarked, off of the main roads inside Napa Valley. This is not a place that you would just happen upon. Even with Google and Apple Maps it took me 40 minutes to find, even after they both said that I “have arrived at your destination.” Determined, and after driving up, up, up, up the third unmarked, rutted and potholed driveway, I reached the top and found it! There was only one other vehicle in the small gravel parking area. I stepped out and start walking towards the winery which had its big barn-like door open when another gentleman walked out. This gentleman, Adam, turned out to be The wine maker at Gandona. After a “Who are you and why are you here” question session; with me, very humbly, explaining my story he invited me in. And I am not trying to sound like some kind of elitist here, but it was during this “who are you” questioning that everyone else would have been turned away. Take the time and make reservations if at all possible.

As I walked in to the winery with Adam we discussed their wine making philosophy, and their techniques for different varieties. He showed me their wine presses, their different wine storage areas, and their barrel room. Outside we toured the main estate vineyard, discussed the soil, the different valley winds, the specific clones of their varieties. Note: and to not get into the weeds here; after the phylloxera outbreak in the mid 1860s, almost all European grape varieties in the world are clones and or hybrids. Back inside we got back on the topic of his wine making approach, especially with Port Style wine. Gandona is one of the few vineyards growing a Portuguese Native grape Touriga National, one of the main varieties in Port Wine. Gandona makes a Port Style wine, a vintage no less. You cannot call a wine a Port Wine unless it is from Portugal. It must be labeled “Port Style,” or just “Dessert” Wine. I had the privilege to try their 2014 vintage Port Style wine and it was incredible! Definitely a Wine of Note. Finally I was lucky enough to buy some as they do not sell to the general public. If you are interested you must contact them and sign up to be on their allocation list for a chance to buy some.

At the end of my three hour visit and tour of Gandona I thanked Adam graciously. He ended the visit with “Yeah, we don’t do this kind of thing [visit], but you didn’t seem entitled to it, it was a pleasure.” Thank you Adam! Stay turned next week for Day 2 of Napa.

Napa Valley, Day 1, Part 1. Wine Tasting at Robert Craig

There are SOOOO many great wineries to visit in Napa. For me, a combination of research, recommendations, and dumb luck have shaped my Napa experience. My visit to Robert Craig’s tasting salon (fancy sounding I know) was possible with a combination of outstanding friends and research.The tasting room manager and Certified Wine Educator (CWE) KC gave me a superlative experience. It has become the bar to measure all other wine experiences to. As the two of us tasted through a sample of their wine portfolio I was given an education in the soil of that vineyard, how that affects the taste; the climate that year, and how that affects the taste; the vision that their wine maker had for that vintage, and, of course, how we get to that point of wine to mouth. It was enlightening, even to someone who others call a “ wine expert.” I generally don’t like being called that, because I don’t think that I am a wine expert, and I know that there are very, very few true experts out there.As renowned as Robert Craig’s wines are, I was amazed to find out that the entire operation only has eight employees, and that includes the owner!! Bob Craig (who passed several years ago) was a partner with the world famous Robert Mondavi before setting out on his own many decades ago. The winery, Robert Craig, specializes in mountain fruit. They have vineyards on top of all of the surrounding mountain tops. Therefore a tasting with them gives you a sample tour of the best that the Vacas and Mayacamas Mountains can offer. In the end I left with two bottles that are not available in stores; a Cabernet Franc and a Cabernet Sauvignon, both from their Mount Veeder estate. You can drink both of them now, but they will only get better with time. These two wines, today, would be the Wine of Note at any tasting! After a few more years in the bottle they will be right where I want them to be, and I will share them with my friends who recommended the visit, and think back to KC and my amazing time!

East Hill Bottle Shop, 11 January

It is rare to even kind of like all the wines at a tasting. I often finish wine tastings not liking anything that I tasted, but I still try everything. You never know if the wine that you know you will not like actual tastes good. I see that A LOT! “Oh, I don’t drink Chardonnay.” “Why” I ask. “They are too buttery and oaky.” Or “I don’t drink reds.” Those two are very common. Well, there are 1000+ Chardonnays and like a million red wines. And many are not oaky or buttery, and red wine probably does not give you that headache. So I always recommend trying all of the wines.That was an easy recommendation at tonight’s tasting. Almost everyone liked almost everything. Our two Crowd Favorites were Garganega Frizzante (fizzy/sparkling) from Soave Italy, and Route Stock Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 from Napa Valley California. Garganega is the top white grape varietal in this area of Northern Italy. It is a sparkling wine that is “just” under sparkling. The bubbles are more of a strong fizz. The result is a playful wine with hints of pear and apple that has almost a creamy mouth feel while simultaneously being very light. Pretty cool. RouteStock is what I call a Cab Cab. It’s a Cabernet Sauvignon for Cabernet Sauvignon lovers. It has the quintessential deep aroma of black plum and umami with a taste of red cherry and dark chocolate. Yeah, it was good. Hope to see you at the next tasting.

Anna’s Premium Holiday tasting 15 Dec 2022

Well, the folks that run Anna’s Wines & Craft Beers have been telling me about/hyping the wines that they were going to pour tonight since before Thanksgiving. Along with the upscale hors d’oeuves, it had all of the trappings to be a great tasting. Well, it was, thanks to two special wines! Both were Wines of Note. And I am starting with the red first!Austin Hope, 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon. Only out done by his 2019 which was one of the best modern Cabs ever done!!! From Paso Robles California, 2020 is everything you want from a Cabernet Sauvignon; 100% varietal, great deep ripe fruit with balanced tannins. Drink by itself or have with just about any meal, because you will remember the wine, not the meal.Next, wine with bubbles, not bubbles with wine. And pay attention there, that is a big difference. Stradivarius Brut Champagne 2007, made from Chardonnay and Pinot Muenier grapes. A true Champagne, done in the traditional manner (a topic for another post). The result is wine first that hints of bread yeast and mild chestnut. And before you can figure out everything that you just tasted the bubbles come in with perfect harmony! After the first sip the only thing on the mind is “I need to try that again!” Not cheap, but cheaper and much tastier than the majority of the $100+ Champagnes floating around. Cheers to that.

The East Hill Bottle Shop 14 December 2022

One of the best parts of the holiday season are the premium wine selections that have began to make their appearances at our local tastings. A great example was tonight’s Crowd Favorite: Max’s 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon by Penfolds, from Southern Australia. Sometimes reading the back of the bottle gives you some idea of what you might be getting into. Max’s is a good example: “fruit intensity, ripe tannins, and generosity of flavor,” So did you get those things when you tasted? What do ripe tannins taste like? Reading the back of wine bottles is an eventful pastime akin to reading the show notes of the old mid-90s daytime soap operas that my mom used to watch. Max’s is a strong Cab, with tannins that are not quite balanced, but not over done (I guess that means ripe), with a mouth full of ripe red fruit that finishes with a hint of throat bite. Overall very good! All of this comes from the unique soil in Southern Australia. The tasters all enjoyed it. Sadly, sometimes you do have to pay more to get more.

12 October wine tasting at The East Hill Bottle shop

A true neighborhood vibe is a good way to draw the wine tasting experience at the East Hill Bottle shop. Have wine, talk about wine, hang out, a fun time. We had a tie in our evening wines, so two Featured Wines. In the order that we tasted them; Muralia Manolibera 2019 Tuscans Rosso and The Soldier 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Rosso was dry, it even says that in big letters on the back of the bottle. Made from a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, it gave you light red berry flavors with some earthiness. Pasta with red sauce wine. The Soldier, from the Columbia Valley of Washington, gave you that deeper fruit with a sense of mixed dry garden herbs. This would pair better with red meat. Come out and be part of the wine conversation.

April 13 12th Ave Bottle Shop Tasting Notes

As the temperatures keep rising and we continue into the Holidays-on-Sunday season (Easter, Mother’s Day) we are always on the lookout for a white bubbly wine that will do great at Sunday Brunch. This week’s white wine of note was Garganega Frizzante. 100% Soave grapes gave us a mouth feel that wasn’t too dry, clean and crisp, with great bubbles on the tongue, almost effervescent. This would be great in a mimosa, and hard to beat at $13.99.

The note worthy red wine this evening was a Cabernet Sauvignon by Sawtooth Ridge in California. It had pleasant deep red fruit that was slightly dry due to a medium amount of tannins which would let this wine stand very well with any dinner that included red meat, especially a burger. Easy at $15.99 a bottle.