November 2018 Wine Club Selections • Only One Bottle of Each Wine May Be Selected • Some Bottles Only Allowed at 6-Bottle Me
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Copyright© Vino Venue 2018 November 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 2017 Domaine Papagiannokos "Old Vine" SAVATIANO, Markopoulo, Attica, Greece 4 and 6 bottle levels $18 (member price $16) 100% Savatiano Domaine Papagiannokos is a 3rd generation family owned winery, about 20 miles south of Athens. The vineyards are located in a north facing cup-shaped area, which prevents the grapes from being overexposed to sun. Marco Polo, the legendary traveler, is the inspiration for the appellation. 50+ year old vines, resulting in low-yielding grapes with concentrated flavors. Aromatic unoaked dry wine, with notes of white peach, white flowers, golden apple. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: This unique white is a perfect match for Mediterranean-inspired dishes like pan-roasted fish over Greek lentils or wood-grilled lamb chops with lemony potatoes; fresh vegetable salads featuring eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash; classic Dolmakadia or stuffed grape leaves; botargo and grilled calamari; garlicky shrimp with lemon and parsley, roasted whole fish with fennel and olives and spicy lamb pie. This Greek beauty is also the perfect partner for regional cheeses like Batzos, Kasseri, Kefalograviera, and Kasseri. 2016 La Craie CHENIN BLANC, Vouvray, Loire Valley, France 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 100% Chenin Blanc La Craie translates to "the chalk", because of the chalk soils of the vineyards, known as Tuffeau in Vouvray. La Craie is part of Jon-David Headrick’s Loire portfolio. Golden apple, ripe pear, dried honey and high acidity are hallmarks. This unoaked wine has 11 grams residual sugar, making it off-dry, so it’s a perfect match for the complicated spices of your Thanksgiving dinner. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: This delightfully off dry white pairs wonderfully with everything under the sea from tuna and avocado tartare and smoked salmon to sushi, raw oysters, crispy crab cakes drizzled with Remoulade, flash fried calamari and even traditional fish and chips. If you’re staying on dry land this fall, try a refreshing glass with a crisp salad topped with apples and goat cheese, braised pork tacos topped with avocado slices and spicy peanut sauce, honey-glazed chicken wings, chicken and sausage Jambalaya, creamy risotto with peas or pasta shells tossed with fresh asparagus and goat cheese. Or simply enjoy a glass with Bûcheron, Crottin, or Brillat‐Savarin. Copyright© Vino Venue 2018 2016 Massaya WHITE BLEND, Beqaa Valley, Lebanon 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 20% Obeideh, 20% Rolle, 20% Clairette, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Chardonnay I’m excited to feature another wine from Massaya this month! A marriage of French and Lebanese minds, Massaya is the brainchild of Daniel Brunier (Vieux Telegraph), Dominique Hebrard (Chateau Cheval Blanc) and Sami Ghosn. The vineyards are at the foothills of Mount Lebanon, with elevations from 4000 to 5000 feet. Fermentation in large neutral oak barrels, then aging for 8 months in the same barrels, adds a thicker mouthfeel. Obeideh (Lebanon’s signature grape) brings aromatics and fatness to the blend. Lemon, lime, white flowers, chalk are notes of this dry white. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Enjoy this unique blend as an aperitif served with appetizers like goat cheese and prosciutto flatbread, pine nut hummus with fresh cut pita, classic Baba Ganoush and Muhammara, grilled peaches with prosciutto drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar, grilled oysters with mignonette sauce, or grilled prosciutto-wrapped shrimp. This refreshing blend also pairs beautifully with fall seafood salads, pan-seared sole with capers and crisp parsley potatoes, halibut topped with salsa verde, fresh fish ceviche with cilantro, crispy crab cakes over arugula and seared scallops with mango and avocado relish. Or simply savor a glass with goat cheese crostini or feta salsa. 2016 Stags’ Leap Winery CHARDONNAY, Napa Valley, California 4 and 6 bottle levels $25 (member price $22) 100% Chardonnay Stags’ Leap Winery has produced grapes continuously since 1893, with simultaneous wine production (except for Prohibition). Christophe Paubert (their winemaker) worked at Château d’Yquem and Château Gruaud-Larose before coming to Stags’ Leap. Most of the fruit comes from Carneros, with the remainder from Oak Knoll District. Six months of maturation (50% new French oak, 25% used French oak, 25% stainless). Lemon meringue, pineapple, white peach, vanilla. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: This chardonnay is simply sensational with shellfish and seafood classics from mesquite butter-brushed lobster tail or shrimp drizzled with garlic butter sauce to champagne and scallop bisque topped with crème fraîche and smoked salmon with couscous and pineapple chutney. Enjoy this white with simple everyday dishes like grilled chicken topped with sliced avocado; zucchini and chicken quesadillas; a baby arugula salad topped with heirloom tomatoes, roasted mixed beets, burrata, and basil vinaigrette; pork chops over toasted polenta with Brie and sautéed mushrooms; seared scallops drizzled with lemon-infused olive oil; and roast chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cheese 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. Copyright© Vino Venue 2018 Sparkling Wine nv Rotari SPARKLING BRUT ROSÉ, Trentodoc, Trentino, Italy 4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17) 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir This is a Metodo Classico (traditional method) sparkler that sees 24 month aging on the lees. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the same classic varieties used in Champagne. The vineyards are in the Dolomites, at altitudes from 1300 to 1800 feet. Rotari is named for King Rotari, who was King of the Lombards in the 600’s, and ruled over most of Italy with an iron fist. Bright cherry, pomegranate, lemon zest, and a creamy finish are highlights of this unoaked sparkler. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: These versatile bubbles effortlessly transition from aperitif to dinner wine. Try a glass with roasted halibut with parsnip mash in a wild mushroom broth, mustard-roasted pork loin over butternut squash polenta, panko-crusted chicken over mixed greens with a sliver of Brie and tomato and mozzarella flatbread to chicken in a rosé cream sauce over wild rice, spiced chicken thighs with fava puree and harissa yogurt sauce and pork braised in champagne vinegar with creamy edamame risotto. Or simply uncork the fun over a pretty platter of Camembert, baked Brie topped with fresh herbs and drizzled with truffle oil, Brillat-Savarin or bloomy-rind goat cheese. Red Wine 2014 Estate Constantin Gofas AGIORGITIKO, Nemea, Peloponnese, Greece 4 and 6 bottle levels $18 (member price $16) 100% Agiorgitiko Family owned since its founding in 1959, Constantin Gofas is one of Nemea’s premium wineries. Agiorgitiko (Ay-your-yee-tee-koh) makes some of Greece’s finest reds, but when speaking with Constantin Gofas’ proprietor last month, I learned that Agiorgitiko is also the father of Malbec! 12 month in neutral oak, notes of blackberry, black plum, blueberry, warm earth. Lizette’s Food Pairing Suggestions: Serve this Greek red with classic spanikopita, New Orleans style Muffuletta with olive salad, spiced lamb pie, grilled swordfish with Greek style potatoes, roasted lamb and lemon herb potatoes, chicken and chorizo Paella, lamb kebabs with mint pesto and four cheese risotto, duck confit and fontina topped flatbread, braised oxtails with a lemony green bean salad, grilled sausages with herbed polenta, and pan seared duck breast with huckleberry sauce over bacon sweet potato hash. Or simply savor this red with a variety of cheeses like St André, Double Glouchester, Mahon, Monterey Jack and Zamarano. Copyright© Vino Venue 2018 2016 Luigi Giordino NEBBIOLO, Langhe Rosso, Piedmont, Italy 4 and 6 bottle levels $18 (member price $16) 90% Nebbiolo, 10% Arneis A fourth generation family owned winery, Luigi Giordino specializes in Cru Barbaresco, including Cavanna. Most of the fruit for this Langhe Rosso is declassified Barbaresco. Unusual for the appellation, the Nebbiolo is co-fermented with Arneis (classic Piedmont white variety), which gives it femininity, then it’s aged for four month in large used Slovenian oak. Tart red cherry, red rose petals, hint of anise. This is an medium-bodied fruit-forward wine for the beginning of the meal. On their website – under food pairings – I love this sentence: “It is also great for informal snacks with sandwiches and teasers at any hour of the day.” This recipe is classic Italian: it lets a few top-quality ingredients shine! Pasta with Butter, Sage and Parmigiano-Reggiano (serves 4) Ingredients: -- 1 pound cut pasta (like ziti) -- 2 tbsp butter -- 30 fresh sage leaves -- 1 cup or more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano -- salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions: 1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until tender, but not quite done 2) Place butter in a skillet or saucepan large enough to hold the cooking pasta; then heat to medium, add sage. Cook until butter turns nut-brown and sage shrivels, then turn heat to a minimum. 3) When the pasta is just about done, scoop out a cup of the cooking water, set water aside. Drain the pasta. Immediately add it to the butter-sage mixture, and raise heat to medium. Add 3/4 cup of the water, and stir; the mixture will be loose and a little soupy. Cook for about 30 seconds or until some of the water is absorbed and the pasta is perfectly done.