Weekly Wine Tastings

July 9th-10th, 2010

Please join us for our FREE Wine and Beer Tastings  - Friday from 3-7 pm and Saturday 1-6; this week we are tasting:

WINE 

If anyone knows how to beat the heat, it's the Aussies. So we chose 4 of their wines to taste this week-end. They're all from Epicurean Imports, a treasure trove of great Australian wines. PLUS, we're having an exceptional BIN END SALE . . . .AND DON'T FORGET THE MAPLE LAWN STREET FESTIVAL from 5-9. We're keeping the tasting bar open until 8:30 pm Saturday only. Bring the family and enjoy the fun and excitement at the festival with fireworks afterwards.

2007 Viognier "The Surly Muse," Massena
Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Fermented in barrel and aged for 8 months in 3-5 year old French oak sur-liz, this wine's aromas of earth, minerals, peach, and apricot are appealing and lead to a creamy-textured, concentrated, intense Viognier with a lengthy close.

Bottle: $28.99 Special: $26.09 Case: $24.64

2008 Heartland Stickleback Red
South Australia, Australia
"The 2008 Stickleback Red, a blend of 61% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Dolcetto and Lagrein (a grape native to Alto Adige) that was aged for 12 months in seasoned French and American oak. Purple-colored, it displays an alluring perfume of cedar, tobacco, earth notes, black currant, and blueberry. Layered on the palate with some complex flavors, this attractive blend over-delivers for its humble price. Drink it over the next 5 years."
88pts Wine Advocate
Bottle: $13.99 Special: $12.59 Case: $11.89

2008 Heartland Shiraz
South Australia, Australia
"The purple-colored 2008 Shiraz (100%) spent 12 months in American and French oak, 10% of the latter new. It emits an attractive perfume of violets, incense, meat and blueberry leading to a fleshy, ripe, sweetly fruited Shiraz with a bit of underlying structure and 1-2 years of aging potential although there is no reason to delay gratification."88pts Wine Advocate
Bottle: $17.99 Special: $16.19 Case: $15.29

2007 Grenache / Shiraz "Trumps," Charles Cimicky
Barossa Valley, South Australia
"The purple-colored 2007 Trumps Grenache (55%)-Shiraz (45%) was sourced from vines ranging in age from 55-80 years and was aged for 15 months in 2 year old French barrels. It offers up an alluring bouquet of cedar, scorched earth, black cherry, and blueberry. Supple, ripe, and easy-going on the palate, this forward, friendly effort can be enjoyed over the next 6 years."
90pts Wine Advocate
Bottle: $29.99 Special: $26.99 Case: $25.49

BEER

In honor of the Tour de France kicking of in Belgium last weekend, we're going to taste several beers from this renowned brewing powerhouse.

Les Deux Brasseurs
DeProef Brouwerij/Allagash Collaboration. (Lochristi, Belgium)
The second beer in the Brewmaster's Collaboration Series created with Jason Perkins of Allagash Brewing in Maine. LDB is fermented with two strains of brettanomyces - one from each brewery. A bright golden ale with a full rocky head; a complex array of aromas and flavors including apricot, peach, pineapple, barnyard/sour notes from the brett, graham craker, herbal and spicy hop notes. 8.5% ABV
Regular $14.99 750ml. Special $13.49 750ml.

Witte Noire
DeProef Brouwerij (Lochristi, Belgium)
Deep amber/chestnut color with an off-white head. Roasty & chocolaty aromas with a hint of spice. Lightly roasty notes on a soft palate. Wheat lightens the body and clove-like spice notes are present on the finish. Excellent with smoked foods. 7.5% ABV
Regular $12.99 750ml. Special $11.69 750ml.

Duchesse de Bourgogne
Brouwerij Verhaeghe. (Vichte, Belgium)
The traditional Flemish red ale. This refreshing ale is matured in oak casks; smooth with a rich texture and interplay of passion fruit, and chocolate, and a long, dry and acidic finish. After the first and secondary fermentation, the beer goes for maturation into the oak barrels for 18 months. The final product is a blend of younger 8 months old beer with 18 months old beer, leaving a beer with an average age of 12 months. 6% abv

Cuvee van der Kaiser (Grand cru of the Emperor)
Gouden Caroulus (Mechelen, Belgium)
With a light-brown, velvety head and sweet, powerful notes of wood, yeast, and plums, the Cuvee surprises one's palate with subtle hints of caramel and even fresh green apples. Drinking a Carolus is a fully sensory experience, so be certain to breathe in its fruity, almost delicate aroma that complements a richly roasted malted, yet softly dense body. 11% abv

New or back in stock this Week!
Expected on 7/9
Ommegang Zuur (Flemish Red) 750ml
Ommegang Biere de Mars 750ml
Stone 14th Anniversary 22oz.

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