2/1/19 Blends, Blends & More Blends


FRIDAY SIPS TASTING
Blends, Blends & More Blends
Today Feb. 1 from 1:30 - 6:30
We’re kicking off February with an outstanding tasting featuring blends from France, California, Austria & Washington. Drop by to see just how well various grapes play together in their own various sandboxes.


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2014 SOOS CREEK 'ARTIST SERIES'
COLUMBIA VALLEY RED
[reg. $31.99]
SPECIAL - $19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

Located in Kent, this fabulous but often overlooked producer has been making wine since 1989 and given their early arrival on to the Washington scene, it allowed them to score fruit from the likes of Champoux, Ciel du Cheval and others. The 2014 Artist Series Red is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Cabernet Franc as well as possessing a 92-point score from Vinous.

‘Bright medium ruby. Captivating aromas of blackberry, cassis, licorice, violet, leather and minerals; the Cabernet Franc lift is obvious here. Sweet, fine-grained and broad, with its plush dark berry fruit accented by a mineral quality. Finishes velvety and broad, with sweet, building tannins and clinging flavors of purple fruits and violet. – 92 POINTS, VINOUS'



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2016 HEINRICH BURGENLAND RED
$16.99 BTL./$203.88 CASE

Now we did say ‘blends’ for today and that could pretty much mean damn near anything is going into the bottle, hence you had to know that a curveball was coming. Located in the ESE area of Austria, the Burgenland region is more known for its red wines than white wines. Highly respected, very inspirational and innovative, this estate was one of the ones to put Austrian red wines on the map.

The Burgenland Red is a scrumptious blend of 80% Zweigelt (a cross between Blaufrankish and St-Laurent, a native varietal linked to Pinot Noir), 15% Blaufrankisch and 5% St. Laurent. Bursting, medium-bodied and promiscuous, this slammable juice is chock full of cranberry and blueberry notes along with the aphrodisiac-like scent of the hard top of a crème brulée that has just been cracked with the spoon. All about unabated pleasure enjoy this versatile, sumptuous red with a piping bowl of pasta, fried chicken, tacos, grilled steak, etc.



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2012 CHATEAU FOURCAS-BORIE
LISTRAC-MEDOC
$27.99 BTL./$335.88 CASE

Chateau Fourcas-Borie was created when Bruno Borie (owner of 2nd Growth Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou) purchased Fourcas-Dumont in late 2008. The property originated from the union of the estates of Clos du Fourcas and Moulin du Bourg, which are among the oldest vineyards of the village located on the north end of Listrac-Medoc. When I last visited Bordeaux in 2017, there was a grand tasting of the Union of Grands Crus and perhaps the most impressive surprise was just how good wines from both the Listrac and Moulis have become due to upgrades in farming, winemaking and especially from classified growth producers buying land.

As I have mentioned countless times, 2012 is a sneaky brilliant vintage. In fact, if it were the decade of the 90s, it would be included in the finest. Alas, given that it is surrounded by 2009, 2010, 2014, 15, and 16, it is somewhat of a forgotten gem. That’s all the better for real Bordeaux lovers like us because the prices are outstanding. A classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in almost equal portions. Cassis-driven scents around blueberry, coffee, gravelly scents and fine herbs. Flavorful, creamy and very silky with underlying firmness and grip for aging. Becomes rather and masculine on the drawn-out and structured finish. Drinkable now with decanting about an 30-45 minutes before serving. Will age nicely for another decade, too.



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2015 RAMEY CLARET
[reg. $44.99]
Drop by today for the special one-day only price

Napa Valley legend David Ramey honed his craft at such luminous producers like Dominus, Rudd and was one of the persons responsible for the advent of the entire Chalk Hill appellation. What we love most about Ramey's sterling wines is that his wines are built more to express balance, structure and richness more than just following the normal Napa trend of overripe flavor and alcohol. No shortage of intensity and depth here, this predominantly Cabernet-based blend really beams with Napa Valley character.

Cassis, black cherry jam, tinges of dusty earth, mint and anise gracefully float from the glass. Supple, luxurious and mouth-coating; dry and owning submerged muscular backbone. Long and lingering, this wine has serious material to age nicely through to its 12th birthday, however there is a lavish core of fruit that make it alluring early-on, especially if one were to decant an hour before consuming. Two cases available for tasting today and that is it. 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 6% Syrah, 4% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot sourced from 89% Napa Valley, 6% Mendocino, and 5% Russian River.