July 2018 Wine Club Selections • Only One Bottle of Each Wine May Be
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Copyright© Vino Venue 2018 July 2018 Wine Club Selections • Only one bottle of each wine may be selected • Some bottles only allowed at 6-bottle membership level • Please email your selections BEFORE coming in to the store • A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section is at the end of this document • Bonus Wines: Members get 1st dibs on buying allocated wines White Wines 2016 Bodegas Herederos de Perfecto Martinez "1808" VIURA, Rioja, Spain 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 100% Viura A single vineyard wine from the heart of Rioja Alavesa, “1808” is one of a series of flagship wines for Bodegas Herederos de Perfecto Martinez. Family owned since the 16th century, the winery was a simple affair until Perfecto Martinez brought them into the modern era in the 19th century, and the winery is owned by his great-great-great-great grandson. The vines are an average of 40 years old. This dry white wine sees five months of American oak (mostly new). It’s full bodied, with notes of green apple, pear, nutmeg and cinnamon. The high acidity and minerality give it freshness to match the oak treatment. 165 cases produced. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Just trade your go to chardonnay for this Spanish white! Enjoy it with cod croquetas dipped in aioli, classic Paella, grilled tuna with white asparagus, clams tossed with garlickly linguine, robust fish or veggie stews, grilled lobster with buttery corn, Spanish tortilla with Chorizo, or grilled pork chops with saffron rice. Or simply savor with strong flavored cheeses such as Manchego and rosemary coated hard goat cheese along with Serrano and Marcona almonds. 2016 Domaine de Couron VIOGNIER, Côtes du Rhône, Rhône Valley, France 4 and 6 bottle levels $17 (member price $15) 100% Viognier Côtes du Rhône whites are usually blends of Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, etc. Domaine de Couron bucks this trend by producing a 100% Viognier. Jean-Luc and Marie Lise Dorthe are the owners/winemakers. 35 year old vines, limestone rich soils. From two vineyards in the village of Saint Marcel d’Ardeche, 45 miles north of Avignon. Aromas of peach and nectarine jump from the glass of this dry unoaked white. Luscious notes of peach, nectarine, ripe pear, white flowers and a hint of cinnamon. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy this luscious, aromatic white with summery garden-fresh heirloom tomato, basil and Burrata bruschetta, garlic-rubbed crostini with caramelized onions and smoky bacon, pork loin stuffed with apricots, braised rabbit in creamy mustard sauce, or crispy crab cakes with smoked paprika rémoulade. This white matches exotic Thai, Indonesian or North African cuisine. It’s a refreshing companion to a variety of cheeses from the soft and rich, like Camembert and Explorateur, to the stinkiest of washed rind cheeses, like Epoisses. Copyright© Vino Venue 2018 2017 Matanzas Creek SAUVIGNON BLANC, Sonoma County, California 4 and 6 bottle levels $18 (member price $16) 93.5% Sauvignon Blanc, 6.5% Semillon You are probably reading this in early July. If you hurry, you can still make it out to Bennett Valley for Matanzas Creek’s annual Season of Lavender (every June and July), where you’ll be greeted with acre upon acre of lavender blooms. Bennett Valley is an oasis. You’d never know that you’re only 15 minutes from downtown Santa Rosa! Their Sonoma County Sauv blanc is light, crisp & unoaked, with notes of grapefruit, honeydew melon, and hints of nectarine and pineapple. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy this zippy white with crisp summer salads topped with crumbled goat cheese, freshly shucked oysters with a drizzle of mignonette, coconut and lavender rock shrimp ceviche, sweet & sour seared Ahi tuna with shaved zucchini salad, sautéed fish with grilled seasonal veggies, pan-fried scallops with beurre blanc and chevre-stuffed chicken over vegetable rice. This sipper is just as refreshing enjoyed on its own or with a sliver of Bijou, pepper-crusted Chevre or Crottin. 2016 Newton Vineyard “Skyside” CHARDONNAY, Sonoma County, California 4 and 6 bottle levels $23 (member price $19) 100% Chardonnay Newton Vineyard is renowned for their $100 single vineyard expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. They call their Skyside Chardonnay “affordable luxury”, because it gives folks the opportunity to sample Newton at a more modest price point. Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Russian River Valley and Dry Creek Valley are the sources for the fruit (almost all estate). Seven months of French oak (22% new). Peach, baked apple, honeysuckle, nutmeg, hint of vanilla. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: This versatile chardonnay is simply sensational with seafood classics from mesquite grilled lobster, scallops and shrimp in a Sherry cream sauce or shrimp drizzled with garlic butter sauce to champagne and scallop bisque topped with crème fraîche and maple teriyaki glazed salmon with couscous and pineapple chutney. Enjoy this white with simple summer dishes like grilled chicken topped with sliced avocado; a baby arugula salad tossed with heirloom tomatoes, roasted mixed beets, burrata, and basil vinaigrette; Stilton and balsamic onion flatbread; pork chops over toasted polenta with Brie and sautéed mushrooms; and grilled chicken thighs over asparagus and wild mushroom farrotto. The cheese plate possibilities are endless too! Pair a glass with dreamy Tete de Moine, creamy Camembert, Halloumi or Brillat‐Savarin drizzled with a touch of honey, dried apricots and a crispy baguette. Copyright© Vino Venue 2018 Beer Wine is numero uno for me, but I also love beer! I plan to feature some world class beers in the coming months. These beers will be 750ml (“wine bottle size”), and deserve a place at your next dinner or party. nv Duchesse de Bourgogne FLANDERS RED ALE, Belgium (750ml) 4 and 6 bottle levels $16 (member price $14) Duchesse de Bourgogne is one of the most complex and “winey” beers in the world. It undergoes two fermentations (over a period of eight months), then aged in French oak casks for an additional 18 months. The final product is a blend of the new beer with the older cask aged beer (50/50). It is not bitter, rather it has some sweetness, which is balanced by the tart finish. Best served at cellar temperature (55 degrees) in a chalice glass or wine glass. Tart cherry, cranberry, sweet raspberry, dark chocolate, light tannic finish from the oak. Cheese board with a lot of variety? Duchesse = delicious pairing. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Who doesn’t love a great summer ale, especially one that pairs with your favorite summer fare? Enjoy this refreshing Belgian with Chorizo and goat cheese stuffed dates drizzled with red wine reduction; duck confit and fig flatbread; sticky BBQ chicken wings and ribs; braised beef with mushrooms and carrots; thyme crusted beef tenderloin thinly sliced and served on crostini; backyard burgers topped with blue cheese and bacon; and pulled pork with your favorite sauces. And don’t overlook this selection with your cheese course! This ale also complements Bucheron, tangy Chevre, Fougerus and San Joaguin gold. Rosé Wine 2017 Bodegas Juan Gil DRY ROSE, Jumilla, Spain 4 and 6 bottle levels $18 (member price $16) 50% Tempranillo, 50% Syrah A fourth generation family owned winery, Bodegas Juan Gil celebrated their “century” in 2016. A hot dry climate, and elevation of 2000-2500 feet contribute to the struggle of the vines and resulting powerful flavors. I love the thick/complex mouthfeel of the Rosé, due to the fermention in concrete “eggs”, then aging for four months in neutral French oak. Red raspberry, blood orange, dried rosemary and thyme. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Whether you’re sipping poolside or on the patio, you’ll fall in love with this summer wine which pairs perfectly with sunshine. Enjoy this juicy rosé with regional favorites such smoked trout crostini, Andalusian gazpacho, beef ribs a la plancha, classic fideuà, garlicky sautéed gambas or prawns, grilled sardines, sausage couscous, sautéed veal with Chorizo and classic Paella. Summer in a bottle, this wine is also delightful with fresh fruit salads, sushi, grilled cheese panini, asparagus and prosciutto flatbread, saucy barbecue ribs, fried chicken and even grilled Fourth of July hot dogs! You simply can’t go wrong when pairing this rosé with cheese, whether it’s blue cheese, goat or gruyere. Copyright© Vino Venue 2018 Red Wine 2016 Bonny Doon “I Am Not Drinking Any $%&*#! Merlot” MERLOT, Monterey County, California 4 and 6 bottle levels $18 (member price $16) 100% Merlot “There has been to some extent a sort of “ethnic cleansing” of Merlot in the Central Coast since the release of the film, “Sideways,” and it is, of course, tremendously ironic to be singing the praises of this substantially execrated grape. But beauty is found sometimes in the most unexpected places.” Randall Graham – owner/winemaker – Bonny Doon Blackberry, black raspberry, hints of anise and garrigue. One year of neutral French oak. A wine to be shared with friends that have senses of humor! You can pair with almost anything, but I chose this recipe because the black fruit in the wine matches the prunes AND it’s one of Carol’s favorite recipes! Pork Loin with Prunes serves 4-6 guests Ingredients ½ cup port (preferably tawny), divided ¾ cup prunes, pitted 2 ½ tsp kosher salt freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp dried thyme, divided 2 ½ lb boneless pork loin unrolled – with a 2 ½ inch pocket cut across length of inside of loin 1 ½ lb peeled carrots, sliced 1” long and ½” thick ¼ cup pork stock Instructions Mix prunes, ¼ cup port, ½ tsp salt, 4 grinds black pepper and 1 tsp thyme. Refrigerate overnight. Place pork loin on work surface pocket facing up.