Greetings!
The sale is off to a strong start. Big fun was had by all at the first two (and a half) tastings. We’ll keep it going this Friday with another cool event. The hottest items from last week’s tastings have all been restocked as of today, but you’re still free to call ahead and have us set aside your desired quantities to ensure that you won’t have to make an extra trip. I’ve included some of my notes of highlights from the early tastings for those of you who were unable to attend. Better yet, come by Friday to discover some of your new personal favorites.
Cordially,
Darrin Minehan
Wine Buyer
Sorella Wine & Spirits
Tastings – Free!
Grand Tasting #3, Friday, 4/20, 4:30 – 7:00
Please note that these times supercede our normal Friday tasting hours.
Wine, Reg. Price, Sale Price
Laulerie,Montravel,2009,France 13.99 11.47
De Martino,Legado Reserve Chard,09,Chile 16.99 13.97
Carpineto,Dogajolo Rosso,2010,Tuscany, Italy 15.99 11.97
Viberti,Dolba,2010,Piedmont,Italy 18.99 14.97
Excelsior,Cabernet,2008,South Africa 10.99 8.97
Viberti,Nebbiolo,2009,Piedmont,Italy 22.99 18.47
Gloria Ferrer,Brut,NV,California 19.99 15.47
Clifford Bay,Sauvignon Blanc,2009,New Zealand 10.99 8.97
Markham,Merlot,2009,Napa Valley 21.99 18.47
Ravenswood,Petite Sirah Vintners Blend,08 10.99 7.47
Ravenswood,Zinfandel Sonoma Old Vine,09 16.99 10.97
Mondavi,Cabernet Sauvignon Napa,2008 27.99 19.97
McKinley Springs,Viogner,2009,Washington 15.99 12.97
Mark Ryan,Board Track Racer,09,Washington 22.49 16.97
Thurston Wolfe,Howling Zinfandel,09,Washington 20.99 15.97
Airlee,Pinot Gris,2009,Willamette Valley,OR 14.99 11.97
Zerba,Wild Z Red,2008,Walla Walla 21.99 16.97
Bergevin,Calico Red,2008,Columbia Valley 17.99 12.47
GWC,Assyrtiko,2010,Greece 12.99 10.77
Delas,CDVentoux,2009,Rhone Valley,France 10.99 7.97
Uppercut,Cabernet Sauvignon,2009,Napa 24.99 16.97
Boomtown,Syrah,2008,Columbia Valley 15.99 10.97
Sterling,Meritage VC,2009,California 13.99 8.97
Meschini,Chardonnay Unoaked,11,Argentina 11.99 8.47
Meschini,Sauvignon Blanc,2010,Argentina 11.99 8.47
Meschini,Malbec-Syrah,09,Argentina 11.99 8.47
Meschini,Malbec Premium,2009,Argentina 11.99 8.47
Meschini,Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva,2008,AR 15.99 11.97
plus maybe a special surprise or two
Saturday, 4/21, 2-6 p.m.
A few of the same and a few surprises (6-12 wines)
Saturday, 4/28, 3-6 p.m.
Tom of T.K.O. wines will be back in our store to pour a sampling of his portfolio of wines from Macedonia, Uruguay and Chile; save the date.
All tastings are “while supplies last.” All samples are served in Riedel glasses – no silly plastic medicine cups here!
Sale Highlights
Let’s start with some of the favorites from the first round of tastings:
Thursday’s Whites:
The first wine to sell out at the first tasting was the (relatively) new Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from New Zealand (reg. 13.99, Sale $9.97); it looks like it might give Kono a run for its money as the most popular value-priced, big-fruit NZ SB. For me, the Wow white of the night was the Fess Parker Viognier 2009 from Santa Barbara, California (24.99, sale $14.97); not only is this an extremely good deal, but it has a layered depth and richness that makes it fuller-bodied than many $25 red wines. Monte Volpe’s (Greg Graziano) Primo Bianco (13.49, Sale $9.97) will probably make a much easier summer quaffer with its fruit driven blend of Italian varieties – Arneis, Cortese, Pinot Grigio and Tocai – from California’s Mendocino County. The half-priced Constantia Glen Sauvignon Blanc 2009 from South Africa (23.99, Sale $11.97) drew plenty of oohs and ahhs, just as it did when it took “Best of Show” at last year’s MN Food and Wine Experience. The Allendorf Riesling Kabinett 2009 from Germany’s Rheingau (15.99, Sale $12.97) seemed to be making believers out of many people who not only don’t usually drink Riesling, I got similar responses from many who don’t drink much white at all; it shows wonderful fruit with surpisingly little sweetness and a crisp finish. Pinot Gris fans won’t want to miss yet another stellar vintage (2011) from Oregon’s Cardwell Hill (16.99, Sale $12.97). Two whites competed for the title of “Best Balanced – Most Complete Overall” – O.K., I just made that up – they were the Chateau Parenchere Bordeaux Blanc 2009 (14.99, Sale $11.47) and the Matilde Falanghina from southern Italy (17.99, Sale $13.97). My favorite rose of several of the past vintages was also on display and the 2011 Fontsainte Corbieres Rose (15.99, Sale $11.97) did not disappoint.
Thursday’s Reds:
This is going to be far from all inclusive; there were just too many good ones. Two of the most interesting tastes of the night were the consecutive vintages of the Segries Lirac (18.99, Sale $15.97 each), a Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Carignane blend from the southern Rhone Valley of France; while most of us could see the potential in the highly-touted 2009, the 2008 is simply outstanding right now. Other candidates for wine of the night included a couple Italians, Argiano’s Non-Confunditor 2009 (Super-Tuscan, 25.99, Sale $20.97), Allegrini’s Palazzo della Torre 2008 (22.99, Sale $16.97), and a couple of traditional Spaniards, the Dehesa la Granja 2000 from Alejandro Fernandez (29.99, Sale $24.97) and the Cuatro Paso Bierzo 2009 (14.99, Sale $11.47). Sean Minor Napa Red 2009 (21.99, Sale $17.97), Frei Bros. Dry Creek Merlot (17.99, Sale $13.97), and Midnight Cellars “Nebula” Cabernet Sauvignon (21.49, Sale $13.97) should each make fans of California’s big, lush reds very happy. This tasting also featured several of the top values of the entire sale – Peirano Petite Sirah 2010 (13.49, Sale $9.97), Cosentino “Franc” 2008 (17.99, Sale $11.77), Alamos Red Blend 2010 (10.99, Sale $8.47), and La Ginestra Chianti 2009 (12.99, Sale $9.97). And I almost forgot about the awesome Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere 2009 (20.99, Sale $16.77).
Friday’s Whites:
A very pleasant start to the evening was the nicely balanced Domaine Chene Macon Villages 2010 (13.99, Sale $11.47); good, inexpensive Chardonnay from the Burgundy region has been getting very difficult to find, so it was great to see this producer back to form with this new vintage after a couple sub-par efforts. Our friend Roy has recently brought a bunch of new wines back from his travels to South Africa; one of the most profound wines of the evening was the Hermanuspeitersfontaine Sauvignon Blanc #3 2011 (just call it Number 3, 23.99, Sale $18.47), which recently garnered South African winemaker of the year honors for the winery. The Stienfeld Gruner Veltliner (16.99, Sale $13.47) is a classic rendition of the varietal – crisp, lively, dry and minerally. The Rinaldi Gavi (19.99, Sale $14.97) from Piedmont, Italy was even more zesty and carried additional weight – when is the clambake? Chantepierre Tavel Rose 2011 showed why it consistently lands atop our list of the best rose values from the Rhone Valley.
Friday’s Reds:
Again I’ll start with Domaine Chene; the 2009 Bourgogne Rouge (13.99, $11.47) was delightful and is now my top pick for inenxpensive Pinot Noir that doesn’t taste like candy. Two tasty Riojas were high on my list:the 2007 Obalo (14.99, Sale $11.97) was big fruited and relatively soft in its texture, but still with plenty of complexity; the 2008 Luberri “Seis” (17.99, Sale $13.47) was decidedly firmer, showing long, fine tannins in a super-dry style. Three wines from the Southern Rhone showed off nicely:the 2010 Grand Destre (9.99, Sale $7.97) is once again a great bargain; the Beauchene Cotes du Rhone Premier Terroir 2009 showed more earth and chewy texture to go with the dried red berry fruit; the Laudun Cotes du Rhone 2009 showed superb balance and depth and was a dark horse candidate for wine of the night. The Runquist 1448 (18.99, Sale $14.97) was the first wine of the night to sell out; no surprise there as it is a huge mouthfull of ripe, lush, generous fruit. There were a slew of fantastico Italian reds open; the stars for me were the Colpetrone Sagrantino di Montefalco 2007 (29.99, Sale $23.97) from Umbria, the Abbona Dolcetto “San Luigi” (18.99, Sale $14.97) from Piedmont, and the Moroder “Aion” Rosso Conero 2009 (Montepulciano, 15.99, Sale $13.47) from the Marches. Two of the other definite candidates for wine of the night were the Bianchi “Famiglia” Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (21.99, Sale $14.97) from Argentina and the J. Christopher Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2009 (29.99, Sale $24.97) from Oregon.
Saturday’s Tasting…
was much more laid back and smaller, but it still had some nice wines. Let’s do this in reverse order, my pick for wine of the afternoon was the Novy Napa Syrah 2009 (24.99, Sale $18.97). It was dark and chewy and super-long (I had a sip and went to help a few customers, as I was walking back to my glass 2-3 minutes later, I could still taste it). The Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Chardonnay (17.99, Sale $13.97) and the Antigal Malbec “1” (19.99, Sale $13.97) have got to be two of the showiest, no-thinking-required, pleasure-bent wines around. Benvolio Pinot Grigio (11.99, Sale $8.97)continues to impress people who had all but given up on this grape with its crispness, depth and dry finish. Tormaresca’s Neprica 2009 (11.99, Sale $8.47) from Sicily, struck me as the perfect warm weather red, be it for grilling or just taking along to the picnic.
As for the other highlights of the sale, wow it’s hard to know where to start. Several more 2011 roses have arrived this week (Espelt, Mas Donis, St. Supery…) and they’re all on sale. Our last 10 cases of the half-priced Sicilian white, Santa Tresa Rina Ianca
(11.99, Sale $5.97, blend of Grillo/Viognier) arrive Friday. I’ve been told that we’re almost to the end of the stellar 2009 Piatelli Malbec (13.99, Sale $11.77, 91pts WA). That Sonoma Coast “Freestone” Pinot Noir 2008 deal (41.99, Sale $27.97, 94pts WE) really jumped out at me. There are about 3 cases left of the Calheiros Cruz Douro Tinto (11.99, Sale $5.97).
Some of the other general areas I was most excited by when putting the sale together:
Tuscany (especially affordable Super-Tuscans)
Spain (especially Rioja, Priorat and new whites)
Rhone Valley (all the really good wines for $8-$17)
Portugal (tasty reds under $10 and truly complex reds under $15)
The Pacific Northwest (more and more outstanding wines in a variety of styles and prices)
Chile (stunning quality across the board in the $12-$20 range)
California (the explosion of blended reds for under $15 and the vast improvement in the quality of these wines)
Thanks for reading,
Sorella Wine & Spirits
1010 Washington Ave. S
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
612-339-4040
http://www.sorellawines.com
Hours: 10-9 Monday-Thursday, 10-10 Friday-Saturday
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