I want to wish you and your family and friends the very best this holiday season. Sheila and I look forward to seeing you over this holiday week and into the New Year. We hope 2009 will bring much joy and happiness to you and your families.
We will be open on Monday December 29 to help with any of your New Year plans.
Until then – Cheers!
Paula
Hi Everyone,
Lots of wintery weather the past week. And it’s not even winter yet! I hope everyone is warm.
Tonight’s wine tasting will be fabulous but we also have 2 additional tasting’s that I’m sure you’ll equally enjoy. Saturday from noon to 3 pm and Tuesday from 2 pm to 4 pm.
With Christmas just around the corner and the weather making it difficult to get out, I will be open on Monday December 22 from noon to 5:00 pm. My hours will be adjusted on Wednesday December 24 and Friday December 26. I will be open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Wednesday and noon to 6:00 pm on Friday.
Saturday’s Wine Tasting – noon to 3:00 pm (Megan Crane from Crush Distributers will bring us 3 wines to taste, 2 of them new)
2006 Core White – 75% Grenache Blanc, 17% Rousanne, 27% Marsanne – Central Coast, California “New Wine” – Small production, only 320 cases produced, sustainable agriculture. Gold in color and really nice floral notes. Excellent minerality in mouthfeel and the acidity should cut through food and/or cream based sauces. Some oak but it’s not at all intrusive. ($23.99)
2006 Core Red – 49% Syrah, 33% Mourvedre, 18% Mourvedre – Central Coast, California “New Wine” - Small production, only 770 cases produced, sustainable agriculture. Medium bodied red purple wine, very polished and smooth. Blueberry and strawberries on the nose, the same on the palate with a gentle pepper bite, firm tannins with a medium finish. Creaminess and smoothness on the back-end.($23.99)
2007 Arabella Shiraz, Robertson Valley Southwestern Cape, South Africa - Deep Burgundy red in color with aromas of Vanilla and mocha. The palate rewards with lingering flavours of liquorice and ripe black cherries, supported by soft, spicy tannins. ($12.99)
Tuesday’s Wine Tasting – 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Roz Angoff from Vinlandia NH will bring us 3 wines to taste, 1 of them new)
Machherndl Gruner Veltliner Smaragd – Gruner Veltliner – Wachau – Austria “New Wine” - Smaragd (Emerald) is the denomination of the best and most precious Wachau wines. Rich and complex, this Gruner has camomile and straw aromas with a rich & round palate yet the finish is crisp and refreshing. Absolutely stunning wine. ($24.99)
2005 Thomas Halby – Pinot Noir – Central Coast, California - Flavors of strawberry and cherry with hints of cedar on the nice smooth finish. ($22.99)
2006 Tramonti Chianti Classico – Tuscany, Italy – 87 pts. Wine Spectator - Aromas of raisins and spices follow through to a full-bodied palate with soft tannins and a medium finish. ($23.99)
New Wines – These make great gifts!
Ferreira 20 Year Old Tawny Porto – Douro Valley, Portugal - The Portuguese consider this to be among their finest Port, and it is deservedly the best-selling. This nutty Tawny Port is full-bodied, elegant, smooth and velvety with an incredibly long finish. ($56.99)
2001 Nicolis Amarone Classico Ambrosan – Corvina – Veneto, Italy – Initial nutty notes expanded into luscious currant raisin and blackberry, with hints of freshly ground black pepper. Full-bodied, with fine, fruit- and mineral-coated tannins that provide a long, clean-cut finish. Decant and let stand for at least an hour before drinking. Perfect with lamb in rich brown sauces or game stews. ($72.99)
Until then – Cheers!
Paula
Hi Everyone,
If you’re getting this email you most likely have electricity – and hopefully heat! What a tough week, especially for those who are still without heat, hot water and electricity. I hope all is back to normal soon.
We have a great wine tasting to look forward to on Thursday. Craig Pierce from Martingetti Companies of NH will be pouring 3 of my favorite wines plus one with a very interesting name.
Christmas is next week! Yikes. We have plenty of gifts for almost everyone on your list.
Thursday’s Wine Tasting (Purchase one of each Grigch Hills wines and receive 10% off those wines)
2006 Grgich Hills, Fume Blanc, Napa Valley, California – 90 Points Wine Advocate – An outstanding example of Sauvignon Blanc, with notes of mineral, melon, white citrus, grapefruit, and honey. The finish is long, and the wine has outstanding purity. Most of the vineyards at Grgich Hills are now biodynamically farmed, and perhaps that shows in the extra minerality and intensity. ($36.99)
2004 Grgich Hills, Merlot, Napa Valley, California - 91 Points Wine Enthusiast - This is a Cabernet lover’s Merlot blended from four of Grgich Hills organically-grown vineyards. Mouth coating flavors of plums, black tea and cocoa powder are backed with a nice tannin structure. ($51.99)
2003 Grgich Hills, 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, Napa Valley, California – 94 Points Wine and Spirits - 2003 marked the first vintage that Grgich Hills’ Cabernet Sauvignon was estate grown. By blending wine from their Yountville vineyard with small amounts from their Rutherford and Calistoga vineyards, which are all farmed organically, they create a complex Cabernet Sauvignon with a distinctive personality. The result is a dark, muscular wine with intriguing aromas of licorice, cedar and blackberries with a hint of earthy truffles. Wonderfully drinkable upon release, the wine’s firm tannin structure promises it will benefit from aging. ($76.99)
2007 Bitch, Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia - “New Wine” – While it’s obviously a great gift wine for that truly deserving friend/family member, it is also very tasty. It’s got the typical fruitty nose you would come to expect from grenache: very powerful fruit with a slightly licorice component. ($13.99)
Saturday’s Wne Tasting – not determined yet- Information to follow! We will also have a wine tasting on Tuesday, December 23 – I will send that information along soon.
Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00.
Until then – Cheers!
Paula
Hi Everyone,
We’re looking forward to a great wine tasting on Saturday. We will feature 3 of Patrick Dunn’s wines. Unfortunately, Patrick will not be able to pour for us, I’ll have to be the substitute! But his very tasty wines will be here – and we’ll be offering a Saturday wine special. Buy any 2 of the 3 featured wines and receive a 10% discount on those wines. Buy all 3 of the featured wines and receive a 15% discount on those wines. So plan on joining us on Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00.
Saturday’s Wine Tasting
2005 Robert Young, Chardonnay, Alexander Valley, California - Golden-colored, fruit, floral and oak aromas all lead to a very silky mouth feel and a long finish. 91 points – Jim Beauregard ($35.99)
2005 Bellegraves “Les Charmes” – 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc – Pauillac, Bordeaux Region, France - Rich, dense, with an inky core and a fruit/vegetal nose. A long pleasing finish. 90 points – Jim Beauregard ($51.99)
2003 La Zola Barolo – Nebbiolo – Piedmont Region, Italy - Very perfumed on the nose with wonderful red fruits, a little hint of leather and nice tannins cap off this terrific value. 90 points – Jim Beauregard ($34.99)
Hope to see you Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00.
Until then – Cheers!
Paula
Hi Everyone,
I hope you’re all fairing well in this cold weather! I’m in the middle of revamping my website so I haven’t posted a new wine of the month. I will keep last month’s 2 very delicious Wente’s (which would make a wonderful Christmas gift) and adding a new white – 2006 Granbazan Ambar – which Brenna will be pouring at Thursday’s wine tasting.
Are you looking for a different kind of Christmas gift? Here’s an idea. How about a private wine tasting at Bella Vino. We will host a party of 6 for 2 hours on a night, or afternoon, to be determined at the time of the event booking. We will provide 4 wines valued at a total of $100.00 (any special wines over $100.00 you will incur the extra cost), wines to be determined at time of the event booking. We will provide Hors D’oeuvres to pair with your wines, education and information about the wines you’ll be tasting, a fun way to score the wines and a Bella Vino glass for you to take home. And we will offer 10% off any items in Bella Vino the night of the event. The cost is $60.00 per person.
Thursday’s Wine Tasting - Come say hello to Brenna!
Moletto Prosecco, Prosecco, Piedmont, Italy - “Returning Wine” 90 points Wine and Spirits - The tiny, persistent beads seem to intensify this wine’s apple blossom scent. It feels tight, with a touch of lemon zest to keep it clean. ($16.99)
2006 Granbazan Ambar, Albarino, D.O. Rias Baixas, Spain - Wine of the Month, Named “The Best Spanish White” by Wine and Spirits, 92 points - This white wine has an original character of being both fruity and floral. On the nose there are fruity aromas of apricot and green apple against a tropical background of pineapple and banana. Pleasant and silky in the mouth with well balanced fresh acidity ending in a wine rich and full bodied. Intense and long finish in harmonious balance. ($24.99 WotM $22.50)
2005 JanKris Crossfire, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah, 25% Merlot, Paso Robles, California - Prominent aromas of fruit, spice, cloves and sage. Jammy blueberry, boysenberry and cassis flavors, with a touch of spice and pepper. ($14.99)
2005 Salmon Run Meritage, 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York - Classic Bordeaux blend barrel aged in mostly French oak for one year. Great balance, soft tannins and a smooth finish. ($18.99)
New Wines
2007 Arabella Shiraz, Robertson Valley Southwestern Cape, South Africa - Deep Burgundy red in color with aromas of Vanilla and mocha. The palate rewards with lingering flavours of liquorice and ripe black cherries, supported by soft, spicy tannins. ($12.99)
Saturday’s Wne Tasting – not determined yet- Information to follow!
Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00 and on Saturday from noon to 4:00.
Until then – Cheers!
Paula
Hi Everyone,
I want to thank everyone who attended the event on Sunday. We had a great time and thank you to George Taber and all the wonderful wine representatives and local vineyard owners who made the event so memorable. Many, many thanks to friends and family who helped and especially to Sheila – we could not have had such a beautiful day without her talents and inspiration.
I can’t believe that as of Thursday’s wine tasting there will only be 3 weeks left until Christmas!! Good thing I have lots of wine, lots of gift certificates and lots of gift baskets for all of you to choose from.
For Thursday’s wine tasting we’ll be all over the world.
Thursday’s Wine Tasting
2007 Domaine Cheveau, Chardonnay, Burgandy, France ”new wine” - The palate has pine forest, stone and pear aspects. Excellent mid palate, structured acidity and great length. ($23.99)
2006 Mitolo Jester, Shiraz, Australia - Flavors of fresh cut plums and licorice with hints of blackberry and espresso. A long and lingering finish. ($21.99)
2006 Vinedos de las Vientos, Tannat, Uruguay - A powerful palate with hints of blueberry and toast. A long finish, intense dark fruit and polished tannins. ($19.99)
New Wines
Champalou Vouvray Brut – Chenin Blanc – Loire Region, France – ($23.99)
Chateau Tour de Mirambeau – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – Bourdeaux Region, France - ($16.99)
Chateau Tour de Mirambeau – Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon - Bourdeaux Region, France - ($26.99)
Chateau Bellegrave “Les Charmes” – Pauillac, Bordeaux, France - 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, - ($51.99)
La Zolla Barollo – Nebbiolo – Piedmont, Italy - ($34.99)
Saturday’s Wne Tasting
Vangoni, Vernaccia, San Gimignano, Italy ”new wine” - Clean, pale, and flowery with a refreshing quality and an attractively crisp finish. An ideal wine for just sipping or to serve with seafood, cheeses, and pasta dishes. ($18.99)
Morgan, Syrah, Monterey, California - Blackberry, blueberry and raspberry aromas and flavors. Some vanilla, white pepper and spicy notes. Rich fruit and a balanced tannin structure. ($21.99)
Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00 and on Saturday from noon to 4:00.
Until then – Cheers!
Paula