Wine & Cheese Tasting
September 8th & 10th
Thursday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Saturday 12 PM – 5:00 PM
Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2009/2010
Origin: Stellenbosch, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting Notes:
90 pts Stephen Tanzer's International
Wine Cellar, Mar/Apr 2011
Pale bright yellow. Subtle, pure aromas of soft citrus fruits, gooseberry,
quinine, ginger and fresh herbs. Then supple, round and spicy in the mouth, in
a rather laid-back, polite style. Subtly mouthfilling, dry sauvignon with a
firm edge of acidity and little in the way of greenness. Finishes with subtle,
dusty persistence. This winery was co-founded and is partly owned by Anthony
Hamilton Russell.
90 Points Wine Spectator - "This is really precise, with
great cut to the nervy chive, thyme, lime, pippin apple and fleur de sel notes
that run seamlessly through the mouthwatering finish. 500 cases imported."
Food Pairing: This wine is an excellent accompaniment to chicken, fish, and veal dishes, as well as soft cheeses. It also drinks well on its own.
Southern Right Pinotage 2007/2008
Origin: Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. With each bottle of Southern Right wine sold, Southern Right Cellars makes a contribution to the Southern Right whale in the Walker Bay after which the winery was named
Varietal: 100% Pinotage. Pinotage is the result of a cross between the Pinot Noir and Cinsault varieties. It was created in South Africa in 1925 by Professor Al Peroldt at Stellenbosch University. Pinot Noir makes the classic highly-prized wines of Burgundy, and Cinsault is a prolific red cropper that makes undistinguished wines in the south of France. Pinot Noir is very difficult to successfully grow whereas Cinsault is sturdy and resistant to vine ailments.
Tasting Notes: There’s no way getting around it, Pinotage is quite unique., whether you like or not there’s no way that once you have tried it you will not have an opinion about it. When it’s on its game it can be quite engaging and Anthony Hamilton Russell’s Southern Right Pinotage is a definite player in the Pinotage stakes. The 2007 Southern Right Pinotage right out the shoot is a real winner and although a richer style in a medium-fuller, fuller bodied format, this has a bit of the Pinot feminine side working in its favor. Some stemmy, earthiness overlays the darker red berry, slightly spicy plum fruit on the nose. No assertive, aggressive funky notes or banana characteristics here, just terroir driven fruit, quite elegant, with an exceptional detailed, lingering finish. Lots of red plum and darker red berry, raspberry fruit flavors are the backbone, with some interesting savory nuances complimenting and filling out the total package. Simply said, this is without mincing words, an exceptional wine and over delivers in every way. This could give a lot of Pinot Noir a run for the money. 90 points Wine Spectator 3/31/09 – “Smoky and fleshy, but with good aromatics and vibrancy to the black currant, fig, roasted sage and bramble notes. A nice minerally spine lingers through the finish."
Food Pairing: Lingering and with good persistence and supporting tannins this shows a lot of positives and would be the perfect match with grilled or smoked meats.
KWV Roodeberg 2008
Origin: Western Cape, South Africa.
Varietal: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Shiraz.
Tasting Notes : First produced in the 1940’s, Roodeberg has evolved into South Africa’s most celebrated blended red wine. Roodeberg, which means “Red Mountain”, is named for the striking red hue that reflects off the Boland mountains at sunset. The wine itself captures the new world fruit-forward wine style while retaining the structure of traditional wine making. Produced in Paarl, in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Roodeberg is blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Merlot. The three varietals are fermented separately and aged for 14 to 16 months in 300 liter oak barrels. Roodeberg is a medium bodied dry red wine with the distinctive aroma of blackberries, cherries, green pepper, and spice. On the palate the wine is fruit forward with hints of chocolate, spice, and vanilla that accent the dark fruit flavors. 13.5% Alcohol.
Food Pairing:
Roodeberg is a great wine to accompany
grilled or roasted meats. It also compliments full flavored poultry dishes and
pasta in tomato based sauces.
Man Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Origin: Coastal South Africa. The grapes for this wine are from several un-irrigated vineyards in the Perdeberg Hills area. Their Malmesbury Shale soils have excellent water retention ability and give concentrated, flavorful grapes, which were hand-harvested at optimum ripeness
Varietal: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot
Tasting Notes: A bold and juicy red wine with red-berry fruit aromas and a touch of oak spice. Classic cabernet cassis and red-currant fruit flavors with silky tannins and long finish. 25% of the wine is matured in oak barrels for 10 months - giving the bold, juicy red berry fruit an elegant touch of oak spice. "Bright ruby-red. Crushed blackberry, blueberry, licorice and smoky oak on the nose, with a whiff of flowers. Supple, broad and easy to drink, with an enticing dark berry sweetness nicely buffered by lively herb and flint notes. Finishes with rather soft tannins and lingering notes of redcurrant and plum." 88 Points Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
Food Pairing: Goes
nicely with a wide range of foods, particularly red meats and pasta.
Arabella Shiraz 2009/2010
Origin: Robertson Valley, South Africa
Varietal: 100% Shiraz
Tasting Notes: Deep burgundy red in color with inviting aromas of vanilla and mocha. The palate rewards with lingering flavors of liquorice and ripe black cherries, supported by soft spicy tannins. Aged in French Oak for about 8-10 months to add softness and complexity. Wine Magazine 2011 - Best Value; Old Mutual Trophy 2010 - Bronze Award; Selected for British Airways Club & Traveler Cabins.
Food Pairing: Spicy Mexican food, steaks, grilled lamb chops, barbecued ribs any meat you cook up on the grill. It will also pair well with Cheddar and Gruyere cheeses.Saturday September 10th Only
Turnbull “Old Bull” Napa Valley Red 2008
Limited Quantities Available – we should make it through the Saturday tasting.
Origin: Napa Valley, California.
Varietal: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 28% Syrah, 4% Barbera, 4% Zinfandel and 1% Sangiovese.
Tasting Notes: With the Old Bull they blended several grape varietals to create a wine that is more compelling and richer than the sum of the parts. This wine is rich with aromas of plums, berries, dried cherries, and a touch of mocha, with dense dark flavors of blackberry and cocoa. Wine Enthusiast 91 points.
Food Pairing: This
is a great red that will pair well with red meats of all types as well as
strong cheeses and full flavored pasta dishes
.
Ironstone Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel Deaver Vineyard 2007
Origin: Amador County, California
Varietal: 100% Zinfandel. Located at an elevation of 1,100 feet, Deaver’s ancient Zinfandel vines were planted in the Shenandoah Valley during the late 19th century.
Tasting Notes: This Amador County Zin is everything you’d expect including this regions’ signature of abundant pepper and spice immaculately integrated into this exquisite wine. Big and rich, it’s filled with aromas and flavors of raspberries and cranberries with nuances of chocolate and cherries. Its well-rounded tannins and exquisite structure provide a long, lingering dark, fruit finish. 500 cases made. Wine Enthusiast - Strong and assaultive now in massive fruit, spice, oak and minerals, this old vine Zin offers a flood of wild blackberries, mulberries, red currants, licorice, cocoa, violets, black pepper and sandalwood, and the list goes on and on. It’s tannic and dry and very complicated, a Zin that changes by the second. Should last for many years. Now, with rich fare, and through 2019. Score:92. —Steve Heimoff, April 01, 2010.
Food Pairing: The dark fruits, sweetness and peppery spices in this Deaver Vineyard Zinfandel will pair perfectly with a creamy and herbaceous fettuccine pork Bolognese or a rich, braised beef dish with lots of hearty vegetables. Zin is a perfect barbecue food match as well as a traditional pairing with hearty pasta dishes. This is also a great pairing with a juicy steak.|
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