Asheville’s Best Wine & Beer Tasting– Saturday April, 2^nd 2011 4PM-7PM http://www.appalachianvintner.com/

Events ~ hold on to your calenders, there’s lots!

*This Sunday, April 3^rd 1:30PM-4:30PM ~ Charleston Style Lowcountry Wine & Oyster Tasting. This will be a hands on event, if you have shuckers & gloves/rags bring them, if there are special accoutrement you desire please bring them as well. AV will supply lemons, crackers, cocktail & hot sauce. Geoff will be acquiring the oysters straight of the docks at James Island the night before the tasting. We will be asking for a $10 donation and the oysters & wine will be limited so if you love oysters arrive early and get to shuckin’.*please note that consuming raw or undercooked shellfish may pose a health risk.

Thursday, April 7 6:30PM-9PM ~ A-B Tech’s inaugural “April in Asheville” fund raising gala. The Culinary department will be creating a “conscious cuisine” dinner consisting of 18 different food stations, each with a different theme and wine, beer, or champagne pairing. In additional to the dinner, they will have a silent auction with various items related to the various themes. All proceeds will go to the A-B Tech Foundation and their scholarship programs. Appalachian Vintner has provided a generous sponsorship for this event. Tickets are $125.

Saturday, April 16^th 4PM-7PM ~ Slow Food Asheville Farm to Table Tasting. This will function as a benefit for Slow Food and will also be an event to showcase the wealth of amazing talent in our local food industry. $20

Tuesday April 26^th 4pm-7pm ~ Vintage 59′ Imports Tasting with Debra Lewis. Mrs. Lewis is a dynamic wine personality with deep knowledge of the small family estates imported by her employer, Vintage 59′ . We are currently working on a small menu for the evening, more information will be available soon.

New Arrivals~

Francois Montand Brut Rosé– new super low price on this and the regular Brut!

Pacific Redwood Organic Red– Vegan, organic with no detectable sulfites.

Badia a Coltibuono Historical Library Riserva vertical (1965, 1970, 1981)

6 pks (wooden) containing 2 btls of each these amazing vintages

wholesale price: $120 / btl @ $360

Solid 6pks $115 / btl @ $690

We can only split the boxes in half, thus we are asking for customers to purchase one of each vintage. Whole six packs are discounted.

Ommegang Gnomegang– Collaboration with Brasserie D’Achouffe

Avery Collaboration not Litigation Batch #5

Bells Oberon

~ Free Saturday Tasting ~

This Saturday we are happy to have the lovely and talented, Cara Freije of Wisdom Beverage. Ms Freije will be representing the Dalla Terra portfolio. Dalla Terre only imports small family owned estates from Italy, that have a strong enfasis on sustainability. All of these wines are pure expressions from the land that they were farmed.

Alois Lageder Pinot Grigio– 100% Pinot Gris, Alto Adige. Nature can be cultivated, but not easily tamed. While steeped in the landscape of South Tyrol, which is shaped by timeless traditions of agriculture, Alois Lageder 5^th generation wine grower, is equally open to the spirit of the modern world: his convictions have led him to opt for a way of life that is close to nature, and supports sustainable methods of operation. “We have to work in a spirit of respect for nature, protecting its resources and tapping their potential in ways that safeguard them: this is the key to preserving an earth worth living in for future generations: an abundant earth which will produce authentic wines into the future.” The climate of Southern Tyrol runs from Alpine to Mediterranean, and the region is blessed with an exceptional number of perfectly sunny days-prime conditions for a wide variety of grapes. Rather than single-crop planting, Alois Lageder encourages the cultivation of multiple varieties in any given vineyard and the use of compost over artificial fertilizers. The goal is biological balance. This is not just a wine of character, but is itself a character, one of the most interesting we’ve come across. Biodynamic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2HTX4tyXmY Shelf $14.99 Tasting $14.39

INAMA Soave Classico– 100% hand picked Garganega from 30+ year old vines. Producing classic wines from the Veneto is the Inama family’s vocation and passion. In the 1950s Giuseppe Inama, the estate’s founder, began using his savings to purchase small plots of vineyards in the heart of the Soave Classico region. At the time few understood the area’s potential but Giuseppe believed that he could make a wine capable of restoring Soave’s reputation by working with only top quality vineyards of old-vine Garganega (Soave’s original grape). Today Inama comprises 70 acres of vineyards in the heart of the Soave Classico and Giuseppe’s son Stefano, who assumed control of winemaking in 1992 and has a worldly outlook, is considered a dynamic visionary of the region. Light yellow color. Friendly nose of sweet wild flowers like camomile, elder flower & iris. Just so pure on the palate with sweet almond on the finish. Gives me goose bumps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo1pxDTAbUw Shelf $14.99 Tasting $14.39

Badia Coltibuono Chianti Classico Estate– 90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo aged eight months in Austrian barrels. The thousand-year-old “abbey of good culture” has belonged to the Giuntini family, now Stucchi Prinetti, since 1846. Its name literally signifies the abbey’s role in Western European cultural history as a place of worship and spiritual refuge as well as a center of learning and agricultural laboratory. After WWII Piero Stucchi Prinetti transformed Coltibuono into a modern estate, selling instead of cellaring its best Chiantis and creating international branding for the Coltibuono name, as well as promoting Tuscan extra virgin olive oil. A devotion to Badia and a respect for its history guides the current, seventh generation family members. Their challenge is to maintain the integrity of Sangiovese and Chianti Classico’s unique terroir through organic farming practices, clonal diversity, restrained use of new oak and excluding nonindigenous grapes. Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti is the seventh generation of the Stucchi Prinetti family to make the wines of Badia Coltibuono. She, along with completely organic farming are making wines reminiscent of days long ago. I closed my eyes and thought that I was drinking Barolo! Tar, leather, brisk acidity and tight tannins. Each sniff showed something different and intriguing. This estate as the oldest cellars in Tuscany! Please see New Arrivals for information on available older vintages. Organic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lucA-wUqtfs&feature=related Shelf $18.99 Tasting $18.49

Li Veli Primonero– Primitivo 50% – Negroamaro 50%. In 1999 the Falvo family bought a 128-acre property in the area of Salice Salentino, heart of the Salento region. Their purchase gave new life to the historic intent of the Marquis Antonio De Viti De Marco, a famous Italian economist who at the beginning of the twentieth century wanted to transform the estate into a model winery for the whole of southern Italy. In 1999 the Falvo family bought a 128-acre property in the area of Salice Salentino, heart of the Salento region. Their purchase gave new life to the historic intent of the Marquis Antonio De Viti De Marco, a famous Italian economist who at the beginning of the twentieth century wanted to transform the estate into a model winery for the whole of southern Italy. Winemaking has been practiced in Apulia since the 7th century B.C. The Salento area, located on the heel of Italy’s Apulian “boot” and bathed by the Adriatic sea to the north and the Ionian sea to the south, is one of the region’s most important vine growing areas, in part due to the dramatic temperature variation between day and night. Organic. Shelf $10.99 Tasting $9.99

Asheville’s Best Wine & Beer Tasting– Saturday March, 26^th 2011 4PM-7PM http://www.appalachianvintner.com/

~Events~
Sunday, April 3rd 1:30PM-4:30PM~ Charleston Style Lowcountry Wine & Oyster Tasting. This will be a hands on event, if you have shuckers & gloves/rags bring them, if there are special accoutrement you desire please bring them as well. AV will supply lemons, crackers & hot sauce. Geoff will be acquiring the oysters straight of the docks at James Island the night before the tasting. We will be asking for a $10 donation and the oysters & wine will be limited so if you love oysters arrive early and get to shuckin’.

Saturday, April 16th 3PM-6PM~ Slow Food Asheville Farm to Table Tasting. Featuring: Spinning Spider Creamery, Victor Chiarizia artisan cheese, Looking Glass Creamery, Simple Bread, Farm & Sparrow wood-fired breads, Carolina Ground NC wheat project, Take the Cake Desserts, Mountain Farm gateway to lavender, Sour Grapes Wine Distributing, Colin’s Creatures. With more to Come. $20 with all proceeds benefiting Slow Food Asheville.

New Arrivals ~
Li Veli Primonero– Organic blend from Salento.
Badia a Coltibuono Sangioveto– 7th generation female winemaker, this estate has the oldest cellars in Tuscany. Verticals from multiple decades soon. Organic.
David Hill Reserve Chardonnay– Oregon
David Hill Farmhouse White
Nine North Rock & Vine Cab
Turning Head Sauvignon Blanc
Chateau MAROUÏNE Cotes de Provence Rosé– Organic
Apaltagua Unoaked Chardonnay
Vechia Torre Leverano Rosato– New vintage!
Fossi Rosso– IGT Tuscano for $6.99

Dogfish Head Namaste
Flying Dog Coffee Stout
Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter– limited re-release 6pks & DRAFT! This is an amazing beer!

~ Free Saturday Tasting ~

Spring Fever
We need the sunshine. Not just for the vitamin D either. Charles & I can’t wait to get started on this year’s vegetable gardens! I am sure you all feel the same, so this weekend we will be sampling some wonderful early spring delights. These wines will shine(pun intended) at all of your spring flings.

Apaltagua Unoaked Reserve Chardonnay– 100% Chardonnay from selected vineyards in the Casablanca Valley, Chile. Apaltagua, owned by the Edward Tutunjian family, has a missionary-like zeal in its dedication to the wine of Chile. With aromas of grapefruit, peach and delicate pineapple notes, this un-oaked Chardonnay is fresh, crisp and juicy with a long and mouth-coating fruity finish. The grapes come from personally selected vineyards from the best sites in the Casablanca Valley. All of Apaltagua’s wines are made under the watchful eye of one of Chile’s leading winemakers, Alvaro Espinoza. Shelf $12.99 Tasting $11.70

Garofoli Kòmaros Rosato– 100% Montepulciano from Marche. The Marches is situated in the center of the Italian peninsula and the region extends from the mountainous chain of the Apennines, which is the regional border to the west, to the Adriatic, which serves as its eastern boundary. The region borders the Abruzzi, Latium, Tuscany, Umbria and Emilia-Romagna. This is a full flavored rosato with rich notes of cherry and white peach. The color is a pleasant coral pink with red highlights. Dry and extremely drinkable, it yearns for roughly manicured lawns, fishing poles and crab cakes. Shelf $11.99 Tasting $10.79

Cielo Pinot Noir– The bond between the earth (terra) and the Cielo family originated in the Valle del Chiampo deep with in the Veneto, specifically in the Cielo Farmhouse estate, around the modest Cielo family vineyard. Since Luca and Pierpaolo Cielo have taken over the reins the company has been strengthened by the union of the Cielo family tradition and the experience of over 2000 wine producers of the Colli Berici, not to mention that fact that the quality of the product has reached even higher levels. Relying on the support of its vine-growing members, “Cielo e Terra” Gruppo Cantine Colli Berici has committed itself to a project aimed at the enhancement and control of the entire Berici Hills vine-growing and wine-producing sector, from the vineyard to the bottle, to guarantee consumers quality and traceability. This could be the best Pinot Noir under $10 that we’ve had in years, this is cool climate Pinot at an outrageous price! We’ve sold the Pinot Grigio by the glass for over six years at Zebra in Charlotte. Shelf $7.99 Tasting $6.99!!!

Steltzner Vineyards Claret– 68% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Merlot & 12% Cabernet Franc sourced mainly from their estate vineyards in the Stag’s Leap District, Napa Valley. Richard Steltzner established his first Stags Leap District Vineyards in 1965 while concurrently engaging in vineyards management. Steltzner Vineyards’ first commercial release was in 1977, and the Steltzner Family established their own modest facility in 1983, with a 3,000 case capacity here in the Stags Leap District. Dark black fruit, earthy mushroom and chocolate, round tannins with good acidity to balance everything out. This is an absolutely amazing value from Napa, we are completely thrilled to be pouring it. While the other wines on Saturdays bill are perfect for just about anything, this wine would pair quite well with red or white meat seared over open flame. Shelf $18.99 Tasting $17.09

If you’re reading this you are Appalachian Vintner and the life blood of our business. Thank you, we look forward to tasting something delicious with you very soon.
Geoff & Charles.