January 2019 Wine Club Selections • Only One Bottle of Each Wine May
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Copyright© Vino Venue 2019 January 2019 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 2017 Jean-François Mérieau “L’Arpent des Vaudons” SAUVIGNON BLANC, Touraine, Loire Valley, France 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 100% Sauvignon Blanc A fourth generation family owned winery, Jean-François Mérieau has been producing wine since before WWI. Hand harvesting, use of indigenous yeast, and similiar soil help make this wine into what could be called a “Baby Sancerre”. Arpent is a ancient term of land measurement (a little less than an acre) in honor of the 60 year old parcels of Sauvignon Blanc that are at the heart of L’Arpent des Vaudons. Grapefruit, crisp green apple, freshly cut grass, and jalapeño pepper are highlights of this dry unoaked wine. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Goat cheese lovers rejoice and savor this classic sauvignon blanc with mixed greens topped with grilled lemon chicken and fresh Chèvre; tarragon and goat cheese stuffed deviled eggs; Ahi tuna tartare; goat cheese and caramelized onion tarts; whole roasted hamachi topped with salsa verde; fish en papillote over crushed parsley potatoes; and pan-seared cod with a Tomme de Chèvre crust over herbed rice. And you guessed it- pair this zippy white with Loire valley Crottin de Chavignol for a taste of pure heaven! 2016 Grand Marrenon WHITE BLEND, Luberon, Rhone Valley, France 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 50% Vermentino, 40% Grenache Blanc, 10% Clairette Located in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (Luberon Regional Nature Park), Marrenon was established in 1965, in a corner of Southeastern Rhone Valley. Their wines are shaped by the Mistral, blowing down from the Alps to the Mediterranean. 60% aged in french oak (30% new), which adds weight and complexity to the blend. This dry wine features white flowers, yellow peaches, honeysuckle. Their entry level white is made for summer, whereas this Grand Marrenon drinks best in cooler weather. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy this medium-bodied blend with a green salad topped with creamy avocado slices, lemony grilled chicken, goat cheese and citrus dressing; olive tapenade topped crostini; seared scallops with orange salt and beurre blanc; garlic-rubbed crostini with caramelized onions and smoky bacon; herb roast chicken with truffled risotto; crispy crab cakes with smoked paprika rémoulade; and grilled sea bass with wild rice. It’s also a perfect companion to Camembert, Explorateur, Pave d’Auge, Stanser Rotelli, Tourmalet, Epoisses or Livarot. Copyright© Vino Venue 2019 2015 Royal Tokaji “Oddity” FURMINT, Mád, Tokaj, Hungary 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 100% Furmint Many industries in Hungary suffered greatly behind the Iron Curtain, so when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Tokaj (“Toe-kie”) was ripe for a resurrection, led by Royal Tokaji’s founding in 1990 by Hugh Johnson OBE (brillant veteran British wine writer) and a group of investors. I visited Hungary in 1991, and could feel the excitement and hope of its citizens. Royal Tokaji specializes in single-vineyard wines, including some of the world’s greatest dessert wines, ranging from off-dry to dizzingly sweet. “Oddity” is the outlier, in that it’s bone dry. Aged in Hungarian oak (mostly used) adds weight and baking spices. Notes of apricot, peach, white flowers. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy this unique white as an aperitif or paired with raw oysters, fresh sushi rolls, Nashville style fried chicken, Asian noodles or dumplings, creamy pasta carbonara, lemon-roasted chicken and broccolini, tagliatelle with Italian sausage and garlic and rosemary crusted pork tenderloin with truffled mushroom risotto. Or simply savor this dry white with a bowl of herb marinated olives, warm Marcona almonds and a Mozzarella and Parma ham salad. 2016 Morgan Winery “Highland” CHARDONNAY, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, California 4 and 6 bottle levels $22 (member price $19) 100% Chardonnay One of the first wineries in the windswept Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Morgan Winery was founded in 1982 by Dan Morgan Lee and Donna George. They practice minimalist viticulture and winemaking, with almost all of their fruit being organic. The backbone of “Highland” Chard is fruit from the famed Double L Vineyard. Eight months in French oak (26% new) give the wine some creaminess, but the taut acidity provides a counterbalance. Meyer lemon, honeysuckle, nectarine, hint of pineapple. Highland is great for either sipping by itself, or served with a wide variety of food. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: This medium-bodied chardonnay is simply sensational with watermelon-feta salad, roast chicken drizzled with peach BBQ sauce, New Orleans style crab cakes with remoulade, herb and Brie stuffed chicken wrapped with bacon, classic seafood and chicken Paella, shrimp drizzled with garlic butter sauce, mesquite grilled lobster and maple teriyaki glazed salmon with couscous. This food friendly white also pairs perfectly with soft cheeses such as Tete de Moine, creamy Camembert, Halloumi or Brillat‐Savarin drizzled with a touch of honey. Copyright© Vino Venue 2019 Sparkling Wine nv Meiomi SPARKLING, North Coast, California 4 and 6 bottle levels $22 (member price $19) 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir Brand new to the market, Meiomi Sparkling is a traditional method sparkler, using the classic Champagne grapes. North Coast is an AVA that covers Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties, and my guess is that most of the fruit is from Sonoma. With 17 grams of residual sugar, this falls into the “Sec” (or dry) category of sparklers, but it’s actually off-dry, as the sugar adds ripeness and roundness to the wine. Crisp green apple, bartlett pear, honeysuckle, and lemon zest. Your party guests will crush this wine! Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Fireworks won’t be the only thing sparking up your New Year’s celebrations! Enjoy these off-dry bubbles with friends, fresh oysters topped with a classic mignonette sauce, spicy sushi rolls, warm baked brie topped with a Bourbon brown sugar walnut sauce, fig, goat cheese and caramelized onion flatbread, caramelized poached salmon over butternut squash risotto and even fruity desserts like strawberry shortcake or a fresh mixed berry tart. Or simply savor this luscious bubbly with triple cream cheeses, fresh Chèvre, Camembert, Chaource or with scoops of mascarpone and fresh fruit. Red Wine 2016 Asylum ZINFANDEL, Lodi, California 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 90% Zinfandel, 10% Petit Verdot Lodi’s warm days, cool nights and mineral rich loamy black soil are perfect for growing Zinfandel, exploited by Luna Vineyards of Napa Valley. The former president of Beringer founded Luna in 1996, specializing in Italian varietals, but has since branched out into Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. 16 months of aging in American and French oak (30% new) add body and spiciness. The backbone is provided by the 10% Petit Verdot. Red raspberry, red cherry, blueberry, vanilla and cedar. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Serve this lush red with herbed pork chops with sautéed onions and apples; barbeque pork ribs with cheesy truffled macaroni; leg of lamb or lamb lollipops with mint pesto; elk, kale pesto and goat cheese lasagna; classic quiche Lorraine in a buttery crust; spicy Thai curry pulled pork tacos topped with candied jalapeño and cilantro; venison loin chops with crispy potatoes; grilled quail with butternut squash risotto; smoked duck, Fontina and blackberry compote topped flatbread, and goat cheese and pumpkin stuffed cannelloni topped with melted Italian Piave. After dinner enjoy this versatile, food friendly red with a silver of aged Cheddar, smoked Gouda , Asiago, Dry Jack, or Brie. Copyright© Vino Venue 2019 2017 Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard “Field Red” RED BLEND, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, New York 4 and 6 bottle levels $22 (member price $19) Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Blaufränkisch By the time you read this, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard will be in their 40th anniversary year. Mr. Wiemer learned viticulture and viniculture in his native Germany, before emigrating to New York in the 60’s. He chose the Finger Lakes because of similar terroir to his homeland. He was the first to plant a vineyard on Seneca Lake, and has become a darling of the sommelier community, because of his moderate-alcohol, high-acid wines. 22 months in neutral French oak. Blackberry, black raspberry, black tea, blueberry, whiff of bell pepper. At 12.5% abv, this is the lightest red of January’s offerings, and tastes best with food. Pork “Wiemer” Schnitzel (serves 4-6) Ingredients: -- 2 lbs boneless pork chops (trimmed and sliced into 1/2” cutlets -- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour -- 1 tbsp garlic salt (or sub with equal parts salt and garlic powder) -- ½ tsp paprika -- ½ tsp black pepper (freshly ground) -- 3 large eggs -- 2 cups panko bread crumbs -- olive oil, canola oil or any high heat cooking oil -- lemon wedges (for garnish) Directions: -- Line a cutting board with plastic wrap, place cutlets in a single layer on cutting board, cover with plastic wrap. Pound cutlets with a meat mallet or the back of a heavy saucepan, until ¼” to 1/8” thick. -- Set up three bowls. In the first, combine flour, garlic salt, paprika and pepper. In the second, use a fork to beat eggs. In the third bowl, panko bread crumbs. -- Dredge both sides of each pounded cutlet in flour then dip in beaten egg, letting excess egg drip back into the bowl before breading in panko crumbs.