11 Nov Happy Veterans Day!
Thank you to all those who have and are serving our country!
I have a lot of new for you today plus a great tasting this evening! First I would like to invite all of you to Chateau La Vin’s Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, November 17th at 4:30. It is a little earlier than other ribbon cuttings. We want to take some pictures outside and it gets dark about 5:00 this time of year. I will have wine and cheese for you to taste, so I hope you can stop by.
On Wednesday, November 16th, we will be closing at 6:00 p.m. for a private event. I apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for understanding.
Over these first four weeks I have been looking at the hours we are open. Even though our posted closing time for Thursday thru Saturday is 8:00 p.m., we have been staying open later. I am continuing to monitor the interest in extending our hours on the weekend and will let you know if and when I adjust my “official” hours. In the mean time, if you come by and see the lights on, we are probably still open. Feel free to stop in or give us a call to see how long we will be open.
Now for today’s tasting! This evening around 5:00 we will start tasting four wonderful wines. The Tintero Moscato d’Asti, La Capra Sauvignon Blanc, Barista Pinotage and Martin Ray Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon. Here are some tasting notes on each of the wines.
2009 Tintero Moscato d’Asti ($13.99) – This sweet Moscato from Italy is fresh and luxurious on the palate it shows ripe, juicy flavors of lime zest, apple skin, and pear. The finish is impeccably clean and refreshing. In fact, this is a perfectly balanced Moscato with a very light straw color, almost colorless.
2009 La Capra Sauvignon Blanc ($11.99) – This South African Sauvignon Blanc was produced from an excellent, cool Sauvignon Blanc vintage, this wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and the juice was allowed six hours of skin contact prior to pressing. Classic green pepper aromas, with gooseberries, nettles and green figs. The mouthfeel shows a lovely balance of palate weight and natural acidity, tempered by a subtle minerality.
2009 Barista Pinotage ($14.99) – The dark red, full-bodied wine has intense, rich coffee and chocolate aromas with ripe nuances of red berries, the pleasant tartness of plum skin with a touch of cranberry and pomegranate (some say also Maraschino cherries); it has ripe luscious tannins and it is food friendly.
2007 Martin Ray Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.99) – 90 Points Wine Enthusiast. Winemaker’s notes: After being hand harvested, the grapes follow the meticulous winemaking techniques perfected by Martin Ray over sixty years ago. The grapes are gently crushed and fermented in open-top tanks for two weeks, creating rich structure in the wine. Minimal sulfur dioxide usage preserves fruit intensity and enhances the rich, round tannins. Aged for thirty months in French oak barrels, 35 percent in new oak barrels and 65 percent in 1–4 year old barrels, intensifies the complexity and character of the wine. Although labor intensive, these techniques produce superbly enhanced flavors and textures in our wines. The Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon is a distinctive wine with beautiful balance and solid structure. Inviting, elegant aromas of vanilla and cherry lead to lush flavors of blackberry and plum, finishing with a lingering whisper of toasty oak. Due to its unique style, this wine will maintain interest and liveliness for years to come.
I hope to see you for the tasting this evening and the Ribbon Cutting on November 17th!
Bob Freyman