JULY 2011
Asheville’s Best Wine & Beer Tasting–Saturday, July 30th, 2011 3PM-7PM http://www.appalachianvintner.com/
Do you love Belle Chere but prefer to avoid the large crowds and heat? Well you sound alot like us. So this Saturday we will be offering an air conditioned refuge for the locals with a huge store wide SALE and free food. We’ll be grilling’ turkey burgers, kosher franks and serving ice cold beverages including root beer and sun tea for the nondrinkers. Bring your family and friends and make it a neighborhood affair! Food will be available while it lasts and is free, beverages are not. The normal tasting will begin at 3PM.
~ Free Saturday Tasting ~
Albet i NoyaXarel·lo– 100% Xarel·lo(cha-REL-lo) from 25 year old vines deep in the Vinya del Saya vineyard. The winery is located in Spain’s premier sparkling wine region, the Penedès which lies in the far Northeastern reaches of the country below the border with France. Xarel·lo is one of the principal grapes in cava, this example is still however. Fresh white peach, coconut and citrus peel on the nose. The palate is electric on the tongue, great texture in the midpalate, mouthwatering minerality all around with citrus & coconut oil. This is a fun little white that screams for salty seafood of the shelled kind. Farmed naturally with native yeasts, Albet i Noya practices both organic and biodynamic viticulture. Their wines are certified organic by the Spanish organization CCPAE. Suitable for vegans. Shelf $14.99 Tasting $13.49
Flora Springs Napa Valley Chardonnay– Notes from the winery: “Balance, balance, balance – in life, in wine, after a bottle of wine – it’s an elusive ambition. However, after thirty years of crafting world renowned wines, the Flora Springs name has become synonymous with perfectly balanced Napa Valley Chardonnay. The Legacy began when our inaugural vintage in 1978 was awarded a gold medal at the Orange Country Fair. A few years later our status of gold was bronzed when James Laube selected Flora Springs as one of his “First Growth” producers of Chardonnay in his book California’s Great Chardonnays.” Our Napa Valley Chardonnay combines the enticing characteristics of three highly renowned growing regions in the Napa Valley: Oakville, Carneros, and St. Helena. This blend of fruit from the warmer appellations on the valley floor as well as the cool rolling hills of Carneros allows us to craft a Chardonnay with great intensity and restraint. This bottling celebrates the natural tropical fruit flavors in the fruit sourced from our sustainably farmed vineyards and allows the bright acidity to shine! Suggested Retail $20 AV $16.99 Tasting $14.99
Seifried Winery Nelson BayPinot Noir– 100% estate grown Pinot Noir from the Seifried Rabbit Island and Brightwater Vineyards planted along the Tasman Bay west of Marlborough. The Rabbit Island plot is the site of an ancient Maori kumara (sweet potato) farm. The soil is very poor but has a high water table, perfect for producing strong vines capable of making concentrated flavorful wines. Upon first glance this wine impressed us, its color is quite striking with dark swirls of purple-red with black highlights. Aromatically its very pleasant as well with warm tart plums and a dash of cinnamon. The palate is ripe with fruit but grounded in earthy dark chocolate, a line of tannin rushes in at the finish. Certified through Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. Truly one of the greatest values coming out of New Zealand. Shelf $12.99 Tasting $11.69
Rabbit Ridge Le Lapin Multiplicity– Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Refosco from Paso Robles, CA. Rabbit Ridge is one of California’s premier wine producers with 5 single vineyards comprised of around 700 acres! Unlike other producers their “value” wines almost always deliver flavor packed bottlings that seem unreal for the money. This new line of wines Le Lapin (the rabbit) are seriously delicious and unreal values. We’ve done quite well with the Petite Sirah & Zinfandel and feel that this blend will hit a new nerve. Inky black in the glass, almost intimidating in its teeth staining swirls. Baked blackberries, blueberries and tar. Someone please fire up the grill….fast. Interesting side note, Rabbit Ridge is a gravity flow winery. This unique approach allows the finished products to maintain their breathtaking color and fruit intensity. Shelf $8.99 Tasting $8.09
Nelson Bay Pinot Noir– exceptional New Zealand Pinot for pennies!
Bodegas Castano Hecula Monastrell– Super Sale!
Viña Amalia Reserva Malbec– single vineyard from Carlos Basso.
Catena Visa Flores Malbec
Waters Winery Forgotten Hills Syrah– single vineyard Walla Walla Syrah.
Waters Winery Loess Syrah
Domaine de BoissanVDT “Cuvee du Sommelier”
Wilfrid Rousse Chinon “Les Galuches”
QUO Macabeo-Chardonnay
Seigneurs de Bergerac Blanc
Owl’s Eye Blackberry Wine– very tasty fruit wine from Shelby, NC.
BEER
Baird Carpenter’s Mikan Ale– brewed with hand picked local Japanese citrus.
Kulmbacher MönchshofKellerbier 5L mini keg– Lager’s answer to REAL ale
Epic Brewing Copper Cone Pale Ale– new brew from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Epic Imperial Red
Epic Hopulent IPA
Epic Brainless Belgian Ale
The Bruery Trade Winds Triple– 750mL
Nøgne ø #500 IPA– Norway
Weyerbacher TINY Imperial Stout– corked 750mL
Weyerbacher Merry Monks Triple– corked 750mL
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA– 4packs in stock, 750mL coming soon
Sweetwater Motor Boat–
Kind Beers Oatmeal Stout– NEW 750ml corked bottles
Kind Beers Imperial Pale Ale– 750ml corked
Duck-Rabbit Dopplebock
Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Great Divide Double IPA
Asheville’s Best Wine & Beer Tasting– Saturday July, 23rd 2011 4PM-7:30PM http://www.appalachianvintner.com/
Save the Date!! Friday July, 22nd 2011 7PM-10PM. Appalachian Vintner is proud to host a Shoe Drive featuring Kinder Soles, a socially conscious flip flop manufacture from the Triangle. Every pair of Kinder Soles is made from recycled bottles and each sale provides funds to send footwear to those in need through SoleMates Foundation. The evening will have delicious food, great music & local wine & beer. Brought to you by: Sour Grapes Wine, Green Planet Catering, Pisgah Brewing Company with live music by DEP.$10 at the door. $5 if you bring a pair of shoes to donate, proceeds to benefit SoleMates.
~ Free Saturday Tasting ~
Just like the subject line states, 100% natural. Our Saturday selections are hand harvested, completely natural wines that use only native yeasts. Prefer not to have GMOs in your food? Trust us you really do not want them in your wine either.
Pazo Das Tapias Alma de Blanco Godello– 100% Godello from Monterrei in Northern Spain. The Monterrei region is located in Galicia, Northwest Spain, it is an area of steep hills, terraced vineyards, and very much influenced by the Atlantic. The best white wines in the appellation are made with the aromatic white Godello. Godello shares with grapes like Riesling an enhanced ability to express terroir. Godello is a delicate grape to grow and vinify, but in the right hands, the wine brings the key qualities of fruit, acidity, minerality, and a strong floral element, all superbly balanced. This wine’s aromas are delicate but they dance provocatively with fully ripe notes of peach, apricot, lemon and grapefruit, all seem to rip across the palate due to a lively acidity. The floral notes are beautifully integrated and the entire experience is heightened by extended lees contact. ORGANIC. Shelf $14.99 Tasting $13.49
QUO Macabeo-Chardonnay– Campo de Borja is a transitional area among the mountains of the Sistema Ibérico in the Ebro Valley. The setting is unique, with the impressive mountains of the Moncayo National Park in the background. The Romans built the actual hydrological system of Ainzon almost two thousand years ago and were the first to plant vines. The vineyards extend onto the slopes of the nearby mountains, with vines planted between 1000 and 2000 feet with an average yield of only 4500 kg/Has. The vineyards have a continental climate influenced by the Atlantic ocean in winter and by the Mediterranean in summer. The soil is brown-calcareous, with medium amounts of stones and good drainage. In the vineyards closer to the Moncayo Mountains, the soil is clay-ferrous and rocky. Most of the grapes for Quo are hand-picked. The fermentation process takes place in stainless steel, only native yeasts are used. The wine is pale yellow in color with a broad ripe nose of spicy apple and an interesting, complex palate. Terrific value. Sustainable Farming. Shelf $10.99 Tasting $9.89
Domaine de Boissan VDT “Cuvee du Sommelier”– 100% hand picked Grenache. The Domaine de Boissan is situated in Sablet, in the southeast part of France, in the Rhone Valley, beneath Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail. The result of the marriage of two winemaking families, the Domaine de Boissans, with five generations of winemakers, is among the oldest domains in the southern Rhone. The first cellars and production facilities were constructed in the late 1700s, and enlarged in 1898 and again in 1934. Domaine de Boissan wines are marked by a delicate approach to fruit. This may well have something to do with the fact that Cathy Bonfils was born in Pommard, and that Christian has spent much time studying the techniques used by the Burgundians with Pinot Noir. Pours light garnet, the fruit is delicate and tart, with a hint of cranberry and Bing cherry. This table wine has no affectation—it’s an everyday drinking wine, perfect to serve lightly chilled with salami or cheese, or for dinner with lamb chops. It’s beautifully balanced, with dry tannins and fresh acidity, a hint of limestone, mint, thyme, and lavender. A perfect summer picnic wine! No sulfur added, native yeasts. Shelf $10.99 Tasting $9.89
Wilfrid Rousse Chinon “Les Galuches”– 100% Cab Franc from the Loire Valley in Chinon. Beginning in 1987 with only 1 hectare, passionate winemaker Wilfred Rousse crafts stunning wines in the village of Savignyen-Véron, not far from Chinon itself. Today he has spread his holdings over 18 hectares, and using only natural farming practices, continues to grow top-quality fruit which he turns into terroir-centric reds. Rousse allows natural ground cover on some plots, and plows others. The vines are planted in sandy gravelly soils, and are not older than 15 years. The sense of soil is prominent on the nose and on the palate. Gravel and graphite on the nose, some dark fruit, the tiniest amount of burnt earth too. Really lovely on the palate, well balanced, redolent of iron and blood, ripe fruit, and bright acidity. A great example of modern Chinon – nicely ripe and extracted, and still definitely indicative of its place. The Cabernet Franc is the undisputed king of Chinon winemaking; producing wines of depth and elegance. At one time, these wines were held the equal of Margaux, according to wine writer Jancis Robinson. Much of the fruit quality is so high, many producers here vinify entirely in stainless steel tank, using no oak whatsoever. Soil types vary, but much of the Loire’s alluvial deposits are found in the best plots. Annual production is 60,000 cases. Shelf $17.99 Tasting $16.19
New Arrivals~
Nelson Bay Pinot Noir– exceptional New Zealand Pinot for pennies!
Bodegas Castano Hecula Monastrell– Super Sale!
Viña Amalia Reserva Malbec– single vineyard from Carlos Basso.
Catena Visa Flores Malbec
Waters Winery Forgotten Hills Syrah– single vineyard Walla Walla Syrah.
Waters Winery Loess Syrah
BEER
Baird Carpenter’s Mikan Ale– brewed with hand picked local Japanese citrus.
Kulmbacher Mönchshof Kellerbier 5L mini keg– Lager’s answer to REAL ale
Epic Brewing Copper Cone Pale Ale– new brew from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Epic Imperial Red
Epic Hopulent IPA– coming soon!
Epic Brainless Belgian Ale– coming soon!
Oskar Blues G’Knight Imperial Red– formally known as Gordon.
Nøgne ø #500 IPA– Norway
Weyerbacher TINY Imperial Stout– corked 750mL
Weyerbacher Marry Monks Triple– corked 750mL
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA– 4packs in stock, 750mL coming soon
Sweetwater Motor Boat– man thats good ESB!
Save the Date!! Friday July, 22nd 2011 7PM-10PM. Appalachian Vintner is proud to host a Shoe Drive featuring Kinder Soles, a socially conscious flip flop manufacture from the Triangle. Every pair of Kinder Soles is made from recycled bottles and each sale provides funds to send footwear to those in need through SoleMates Foundation. The evening will have delicious food, great music & local wine & beer. Brought to you by: Sour Grapes Wine, Green Planet Catering, Pisgah Brewing Company with live music by DEP.$10 at the door. $5 if you bring a pair of shoes to donate, proceeds to benefit SoleMates.
~ Free Saturday Tasting ~
This Saturday our tasting will take a twist that’s sure to test your taste buds. A blind tasting! That’s right its back by popular demand, for the second time in our three years we will have a selection of wine from around the world neatly wrapped in fashionable brown paper bags. Completely concealing all label information and price, leaving only the wine in the glass for your review. Think of it like the wine lovers Olympics, except if you win this competition you won’t get a medal. Prizes will be given however to anyone that can guess the country of origin AND the varietal. No pressure of course we want this to be as fun as possible, which is what wine tasting should be.
Marchiori & Barraud Perdriel Cabernet Sauvignon– if you missed this wine at last weeks tasting, please do your taste buds a favor and grab a bottle before they are gone.
Marchiori & Barraud Perdriel Malbec– equally as tasty as the cab, with more hedonistic black fruit.
Las Lilas Vinho Verde Rosé– new vintage & new package!
Quo Macabeo – Chardonnay
Domaine de Valensac Pays d’Oc Chardonnay
Herencia Antica Tempranillo Reserva
Schloss Mühlenhoff Müller-Thurgau Trocken
Cantine Colosi Nero d’Avola
Pazo Das Tapias Alma de Blanco Godello
Domaine de Boissan Princes d’Orange Cotes du Rhone
Coriole Redstone Cabernet Sauvignon– one of the tastiest aussy cabs on the market.
Monastero Suone Cistercens Coenbium Rusticum Vino Tavola Bianco– The Coenobium is a vino da tavola from the Lazio district produced from vineyards organically farmed by the sisters of the Cistercian order! Its made by monks!
B E E R
Stone Imperial Russian Stout
Founders Blushing Monk– first in a line of 750mL bottles from Founders
Heavy Seas Big DIPA
Flying Dog The Alpha Collection– limited production 12 packs
New Gluten Free~
Crispin Original Hard Cider– 4packs & singles
Crispin Artisanal Reserve Honey Crisp
Crispin Artisanal Reserve Landsdowne Cider– brewed with organic molasses & Irish stout yeast.
Crispin Artisanal Reserve The Saint– brewed with a Belgian Trappist ale yeast & organic maple syrup.
Green’s Dubbel Dark Ale
Asheville’s Best Wine & Beer Tasting– Saturday July, 9th 2011 4PM-8PM http://www.appalachianvintner.com/
Save the Date!! FridayJuly, 22nd 2011 7PM-10PM. Appalachian Vintner is proud to host a Festival benefiting Kinder Soles, a socially conscious flip flop manufacture from the Triangle. Every pair of Kinder Soles is made from recycled bottles and each sale provides funds to send footwear to those in need through SoleMates Foundation. The evening will have delicious food, great music & local wine & beer. Brought to you by: Sour Grapes Wine, Green Planet Catering, Pisgah Brewing Company with live music by DEP.$10 at the door. $5 if you bring a pair of shoes to donate, proceeds to benefit SoleMates.
This weeks tasting selections have only one theme, each are crafted mindfully from the soil up without the use of harsh petrol chemicals & adjuncts.
Winzerkeller Hex vom Dasenstein Grauburgunder Trocken– 100% Pinot Gris. Hex vom Dasenstein is an 80 year old cooperative from the Baden region of southern Germany. The cooperative is in the village of Kappelrodeck, all the growers in this village cultivate grapes for this cooperative. The name Hex vom Dasenstein means the witch of Dasenstein in German. Grauburgunder is the German name for Pinot gris, as we know from previous tastings, wines made from this grape vary greatly and are dependent on the region and wine making style from which they are sourced. This German example is full-bodied with golden highlights, well fruited with good mouthfeel. A far cry from the simple watery versions from the large factory “wineries”. This is also a local import from Robert Walter Selections in Fairview, NC. Shelf $11.99 Tasting $10.79
Masciarelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo– 100% estate grown Trebbiano from Abruzzo. A wonderful summer white from Masciarelli; Italy’s 2004 “winery of the year”. Masciarelli is the largest organically farmed estate in Italy, with over 1,000 acres scattered across Abruzzo. In addition to Trebbiano, they grow Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Falanghina, and olives for pressing into premium oil. Their Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo is fermented and aged in stainless steel. Clean and crisp. Hints of apple, stone fruit, and freshly brewed green tea. Refreshingly delicious. An outstanding value and a must for any wine lovers’ spring/summer/fall cellar. Shelf $9.99 Super Summer SALE $7.99!!
G.D. Vajra “Albe” Barolo– Vajra is one of Piedmont’s best kept secrets. Their wines allow us to enter a world of sublime hand-crafted, artisan production of the very highest level. Aldo and Milena Vajra’s passion comes through in spades with each of there wines. The estate of GD Vajra (named for its current operator Aldo Vajra’s grandfather, Giuseppe Domenico), is situated in Vergne, the highest village in the Commune of Barolo. Its vineyards are planted with Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera at heights of 1,000 to 1,300 feet, which results in distinctive and aromatic wines. The Vajra family is a group of dedicated, passionate winegrowers, who are also grounded and sensitive to the human role in winemaking. Their philosophy remains faithful to the traditional and authentic wines of Piemonte, and in essence they regard themselves as the instruments that enable nature and the environment full self-expression through their wines. Albe is a blend of their three vineyards and the label is designed after a massive stained glass murel built by a monk. 91 points Robert Parker. Extremely limited. Shelf $35.99 Tasting $32.39!!
Marchiori & Barraud Perdriel Cabernet Sauvignon– Andrea Marchiori & Luis Barraud, the winemakers behind Paul Hobbs Viña Cobos($100+), are now producing wine under their own label – Marchiori & Barraud. The duo personally selects grapes from some of the best rows of vines from Andrea’s family’s own Marchiori Vineyard, known in Argentina as one of the most meticulously farmed and highest quality vineyards in the country. Planted with 50-year old vines, the Marchiori vineyard is situated 3,200 feet above sea level in the best part of Agrelo. Due to the age and sandy loam soil profile of this vineyard, the hand-harvested fruit is very low yielding and tremendously concentrated in flavor. Only native yeasts are used and both wines age 18 months in 75% French and 25% American oak barrels, but this is the only intervention the couple believes in, preferring instead to let the fruit and the high quality oak work their own magic. While Marchiori and Barraud continue to be the driving force behind Viña Cobos, their own wines leave no doubt about their talent for crafting some of the highest quality wines in Argentina. This Cab is the winery’s best quality level wine and has just been released. It offers tremendous richness and concentration at a good value. Very much worth trying. Intense red color with good edges. The nose presents clear varietal characteristics with intense notes of black fruit, plums and cassis tear at your heart strings. Friendly tannins and good structure, with a very long smooth finish. Appalachian Vintner EXCLUSIVE. National Retail $21.99+ AV Summer Sale $19.99 Special Introductory Tasting $18.99
Brooklyn Lager– One of our all time favorite lagers. This is based on a pre-prohibition recipe that has been dry hopped. This dry hopping with noble German hops adds just enough extra flavor to an already rockin’ flavor profile. 16Oz pints & 16oz tall boy 4packs.