Get ready for a fun long weekend to kick off Summer!
It’s going to be a sunny one!
We will have 4 wines to taste on Friday, choose which ones you want for the beach or barbecue.
A white blend from Valencia, Spain
A French rosé and a Finger Lakes region rosé
And a red blend from Sardinia, Italy!
Tasting time: 6:00 to 9:00pm
See below for full tasting information:
Bodegas Mustiguillo, Vino de España Merseguera Malvasía y Viognier Mestizaje (2017)
- Grapes: Merseguera, Viognier, and Malvasia
- Geography: Valencia, Spain
- Appellation: Vino de España
In the late 1990’s, Toni Sarrion began a one man crusade to save the indigenous variety Bobal and coax it from obscurity and rusticity to the forefront of truly world class wines. Ever evolving and pushing the quality level forward, Mustiguillo has moved away from the use of overt American oak as seen in earlier vintages in favor of concrete and French oak for wines of finesse & balance, realizing the potential of Bobal from the unique terroir of El Terrerazo. Mustiguillo was recognized for their extraordinary efforts by Wine & Spirits as one of the Top 100 Wineries of 2012.
65% Merseguera, 24% Viognier & 11% Malvasia. From the almost lost indigenous variety, Merseguera, these estate vines are grown organically at Finca Calvestra, at over 900 meters altitude. These vines were grafted onto existing Bobal vines (of over 40 years) where the Bobal could not reach maturity due to the altitude. Native yeast fermentation in tank and aged sur lies in stainless steel. The Viognier is immediately apparent on the nose with apricot, tropical fruit and honey while underlying notes of white peach, scented flowers and citrus hints creep in from the Merseguera. The tightwire balancing act between the fleshy Viognier & Malvasia and taut Merseguera brings a fresh, fruity and floral attack to the unctuous mid palate that is kept in check by bracing acidity. Truly one of a kind, Mestizaje shows its unique personality is this pleasant, crispy.
Milou, Rosé (2018)
- Grapes: Syrah and Grenache
- Geography: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- Appellation: Méditerranée
50% Grenache, 35% Cinsault & 15% Syrah
The plots selected for MILOU Rose are extremely arid with limestone, pebbly soils and some red clay with silex. Many of the plots are older vines (50+ years) and the Syrah is farmed organically from the “Les Cistes” vineyards named for the old cistern nearby.Traditional vinification and elevage. After harvest, the grapes are destemmed and vinified by direct press in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
Osmote, Cabernet Franc Rosé Finger Lakes (2018)
- Grapes: Cabernet Franc and Seneca
- Geography: New York, United States
- Appellation: Finger Lakes
Ben Riccardi, 33, is a young winemaker in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Since 2014 he has invested his life savings into French oak barrels, purchasing the best chardonnay he could afford and renting a small space in a winemaking facility that allowed him to borrow their equipment. Although Ben is from the Finger Lakes, he has been constructing a 200-case production remotely for three years while his day job was at Williams Seylem in Sonoma County, California. As of 2017, he moved back home to work full-time at Osmote and has already raised his production to 500 cases. A degree earned in oenology at Cornell University paired with several vintages spent in New Zealand and the south of France; Ben is looking to acquire a plot of land to build a winery and plant vines to farm organically.
Ben sources many of his grapes from vineyards grown around Seneca Lake, the the largest, deepest Finger Lake and the crown jewel of New York State’s premier cool climate region. Here viticulture exists on the edge of possibility. Even though winter lows are often sub-zero across upstate New York, this lake over 600ft deep never freezes and the warmth of the water keeps the vines alive through the frozen months. Vines thrive in sedimentary soils set on the steep shale stone slopes banks of the lake.
Patrician Verona Vineyard fruit picked specifically for racy acidity as a rose and was destemmed then gently pressed whole berry. Juice was cold settled and racked into a stainless steel tank before natural fermentation began. Sawmill Creek Vineyard fruit was picked for the production of red wine. The rose portion was saignee drawn from the fermenters at a rate of 20 gals/ton, after 24 hours of skin contact. The saignee was incorporated right away to the Patrician Verona Vineyard lot. After signs of fermentation, 15% of the must was moved to finish ferment in neutral white barrels.
Long, slow fermentation that extended into February, whereafter wine was recombined in a stainless steel tank and cold settled. No fining but filtered prior to bottling. Bottled March 28,
Grape varieties : Cabernet Franc
Vineyard age : 10-30 years old
Exposure : East, West
Soil : Limestone and Shale
Alcohol : 12.8%
Tasting notes : Salmon colored wine. Aromas of cherry and frutti di bosco with a slight herbal edge. Flavors a refresh and fruit-driven with medium plus acidity and a generous sense of body. A gentle touch of tannin at the finish adds the slightest sense of length to the wine and helps it to pair with an array of foods.
Pala, Isola dei Nuraghi Silenzi Rosso (2017)
- Grapes: Carignano, Monica, and Sangiovese
- Geography: Sardinia, Italy
- Appellation: Isola dei Nuraghi
- Features: Organic
The wine is composed of a blend of Monica and Carignano. Monica, indigenous to the Sardinia is has a similar profile to Pinot Noir in term of character and approach when drinking. The sea adds a little spice and hints Mediterranean herbs in the wine.
It’s macerated in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with the addition of selected yeasts. After fermentation, a light clarification is followed by refinement in steel tanks and bottle.
Grape varieties : Carignano, Monica
Altitude : 150m – 180m ASL
Vineyard age : 20 years old
Grape yield : 70 ql/ha
Exposure : Southeast
Soil : Clayey, calcareous, rich in texture
Tasting notes : Lively ruby red color. Intense aroma of red fruit, spice, and herbs. Dry, with a long finish. The pairs well with pizza, pasta, burgers, salamis or thanks to its medium body and soft tannins.
