WE ARE OPEN TODAY Monday, May 30, 2011

10AM-6PM

All domestically produced products are on SALE!

Asheville’s Best Wine & Beer Tasting– Saturday May, 28^th 2011 4PM-7PM https://www.appalachianvintner.com/

Appalachian Vintner will be opened from 10am-6pm on Memorial Day!

BEER CITY U.S.A for the third year in a row! We are quite proud of this beer community and are happy that they’ve finally received some recognition, three years running is hard to ignore. A little Beer for thought: there were 4,131 breweries in the United States prior to 1910. After the repeal of prohibition there were only 31. In 1940 the number had grown to 498 but by 1980 that number had shrunk to around 82, due mostly in part by a major marketing effort from the large beer corporations producing bland macro brewed adjunct lagers. The future looked grim, but with a nudge from a couple of brave pioneering brewers the United States now has over 1,500 privately owned breweries, more than ANY country in the world. Couple that with an insatiable desire to push the envelop and you have innovation that is literally leading the world craft beer scene. So here’s to beer- all mix & match or solid 6 packs & purchases of four or more large bottles of domestic beer are 10% off for the remainder of the week. Saturday also enjoy a free pint of Pisgah Pale with every CASE of beer purchased. Some products will not be available for discount, see store for details.

 

Memorial Day Sale! All domestically produced items will be offered at generous discounts. Give us a call or send us an email for details.

 

~ Free Saturday Tasting ~

Washington Hills Summit Reserve Late Harvest Riesling– 100% Riesling from vineyards in the Columbia Valley. Washington’s success with vinifera is due largely to the state’s unique geography. The vineyards are planted on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, which serve to protect the region from marine weather off the Pacific coast and limit rainfall to just 6-8 inches annually. We rarely taste sweet wines, but felt this weekends festivities warrant it. Wonderfully aromatic with fleshy aromas of peach, stone fruit, honey and slate. The palate is dense with ripe peach, persimmon, honey and sugar cane notes. A mild acidic punch cleans everything up. This wine would be great as a spritzer(did I really just type that) with pork or other protein from the grill, ripe cheese or spicy fair. Shelf $10.99 Tasting $9.99

Daou Vineyards Paripaso Chardonnay– Daou is a 100 acre sustainably farmed vineyard located at 2200 feet in the Adelaida Mountains of Paso Robles. In 1964, Dr. Stanley Hoffman was one of the first to discover that high in the west hills of Paso Robles, was the perfect soil and climate for growing world class grapes. He purchased a 1,200 acre ranch and with the assistance of U.C Davis and world renowned enologist Andre Tchelistcheff. In step the Lebanese Daou brothers, the wildly successful Parisian engineers. Having both fallen deeply in love with wine and holding extensive private collections, the opportunity that this property offered was undeniable. In 2007, Daniel and Georges purchased 100 unplanted acres that were part of the original Hoffman Mountain Ranch, and immediately set forth planting 26 acres. This 100% chardonnay is basically bleed from their main label, Daou Vineyards & Winery. It is superbly balanced for a warm climate chardonnay, it draws amazing mouth feel and complexity from its high altitude home. Effortless to drink, you will find yourself coming back again and again for another sip. Be sure to get this one by the case! Certified Sustainable. Shelf $10.99 Tasting $9.99

Union Wine Company Underwood Cellars Pinot Noir– Oregon Pinot Noir has, in the last decade, become one of the most sought after products bottled in the US. While their cult status has catapulted them to lofty heights, the prices have gone along for the ride. Leaving in their wake a sea of mediocrity and very little value. We’ve literally sample hundreds of wines from a multitude of producers and have found only a few that really met our strict standards of quality to value. At $13 the Underwood was the least expensive Oregon Pinot that we’ve sampled and while it is not the best it really does deliver a quality tasting experience. Sourced mainly from the Umpqua Valley and aged in 90% neutral oak, it really wears its fruit on its cranberry red sleeve. At around 12.5% alcohol it is fresh and easy to drink allowing it to pair with delicate meal preparations. Shelf $12.99 Tasting $11.99

JarHead RED– Jarhead Red is a project of two former Marines, Adam Firestone Capt. USMC ’84-’91 & Ruben Dominguez Sgt. ’79-’84. Adam is a third generation winegrower in California’s Central Coast, Ruben is the Vineyard Foreman. Each bottle of Jarhead Red supports the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, which provides educational assistance to children of U.S. Marines, with special consideration given to families of fallen Marines. Jarhead Red is a Rhone style blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault sourced from the Firestone family estate and aged in French oak for 16 months. A touch of Merlot is added to soften this robust wine. Shelf $15.99 Tasting $13.59

New Arrivals ~

Luzon Tinto

Falcor Trousseau Gris

Las Lilas Vinho Verde Rosé– Sustainable

Inama Soave Classico– Sustainable

Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Estate– Org.

Justin Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon– very limited

Founders Old Curmudgeon

Dogfish Head Hell Hounds on my trail– Robert Johnson tribute

Great Divide Grand Cru

Victory Golden Monkey

Atwater Block Brewery Vanilla Java Porter

Atwater Block Brewery Vanilla Java Imperial Stout

DRAFT: special draft prices all weekend long!

Pisgah Pale

Olde Hickory Brewers Reserve

2010 Olde Hickory Irish Walker Old Ale

Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter

Asheville’s Best Wine & Beer Tasting– Saturday May, 21^st 2011 4PM-7PM https://www.appalachianvintner.com/

 

Just announced! Friday July, 22^nd 2011. Appalachian Vintner is proud to host a Festival benefiting Kinder Soles, a socially conscious flip flop manufacture. 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 and amazing wine & beer. Brought to you by, Sour Grapes Wine, Green Planet Catering and Pisgah Brewing Company.

~ Free Saturday Tasting ~

We are quite sure that many of you have heard us mention our family’s winery, Falcor, in Napa Valley while shopping here at the store. Charles and I are very proud of our family connection and this Saturday we are thrilled to have our cousin, Natali Bee Meetze here at the tasting bar. Natali is the Western North Carolina Sales Manager for Fine Wine Trading Company. She will be pouring some of our favorite wines from the Falcor portfolio at ridiculously discounted prices. This will certainly be a tasting not to be missed!

Falcor Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard Trousseau Gris– Trousseau Gris or “Gray Riesling” has been traced to Alsace in Eastern France and was also once widely planted in California, but the land for winemaking declined sharply in the 1980s in the U.S., now the only standing block is ten acres of the Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Falcor is one of the only wineries in California, to make a 100% varietal wine from these grapes. It has crisp, clean, flowery bouquet with notes of fresh peaches, honeysuckle, pear, melon that are framed by delicate spice and tropical fruit flavors. Perfect summer wine. Wine Club Only, Limited Availability in NC AV $19.99 Special Tasting Price $ 16.99

Falcor Durell Vineyard Chardonnay The Durell vineyard was first planted in 1978 in the Sonoma Valley. What makes this vineyard so special is the vine age and its cross-appellation location and cool, Region 2 climate. Because Durell is north of the Carneros district proper – and thus further removed from maritime influences of San Pablo Bay – it is not as chilly or fog-bound as many Carneros vineyards, but still enjoys an ideal, cool-climate environment for Chardonnay. The vineyard’s sloping hills, rocky clay loam soils and low-vigor vines help keep yields low – three tons per acre on average – while its clonal diversity ensures great complexity. Lavishly layered and complex, the Durell Vineyard Chardonnay exudes sensations including spice, butter, ripe apples, pear, pineapple and vanilla flavors. It also showcases a bouquet of caramel and grapefruit with soft mineral characteristics. Flanked by seductive toasty oak and refreshing acidity with hints of mango are front and center in this Burgundian style wine. Displaying power and grace, our Chardonnay is approachable on release yet can merit three to five years of aging. 90 points, 520 cases produced. National Retail Price $42 AV $29.99 Special Tasting Price $25.49

Falcor Syrah– This elegant Syrah is sourced from two world renowned vineyards. The Shifflet vineyard in Oak Knoll and the Castle Rock Vineyard on Mt Veeder. It was aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, coopered by Meyrieux Fils in Burgundy. Aromatic notes of intense fresh berries, earthy black truffle, and smoke marry beautifully with toasty aromas imparted by the Meyrieux barrels. On the palate, juicy, black fruit flavors give way to preserved berries, black pepper, and fresh beef. Leaning more towards the Northern Rhone than Northern Napa, very well done! 91 points, 459 cases produced. National Retail $32 AV $26.99 Special Tasting Price $22.99

Falcor Cabernet Sauvignon– The Falcor 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex and full bodied wine with a silky mouth feel, great length and classic expressions of spice, chocolate, dark fruits and cigar box. With a nose like velvet this is a wine you don’t want to miss. Savor and cellar this elegant wine for many years to come. In December 2010 it clinched the 22nd spot of WINE & SPIRITS Magazine’s TOP 100 Cabs & Blends. National Retail $45 AV $43.99 Special Tasting Price $37.39

Falcor Bilancia– This blend of 57% Zinfandel, 33% Petit Sirah, 7% Charbono, 2% Carignan, and 1% Valdiguie is inspired by the original Italian fireld blends of California. This wine has a complex tone of dark stone fruits, soft pepper notes, and plush velvety tannins that lead into a long and lingering finish. This is a monster of a wine, we recomind at least an hour of areation in a decanter, or pull the cork and let it set for most of the day! National Retail $36 AV best price $33.99

New Arrivals

Nino Franco Rustico Prossecco

Domaine Chateaumar Cuvee Bastien

Yellow & Blue Alicante Rose

Napa Cellars Zinfandel

Abita Purple Haze

Abita Strawberry Lager

Abita Jockamo IPA

Dogfish Head Black & Blue

Uinta Brewing Dubhe Black IPA– brewed with hemp.

Olde Hickory Triple Hopped Pale– Brewers reserve, draft only.

Founders Cerise

Dogfish Head Squall IPA– new batch, new low price.

Avery Brewing Maharaja Imperial IPA

Terrapin Sunray Wheat

Thanks for taking the time! We hope to see you very soon.

 

Asheville’s Best Free Wine Tasting– Saturday May, 14^th 2011 4PM-7PM https://www.appalachianvintner.com/

 

 

~ Free Saturday Tasting ~

Redcliffe Sauvignon Blanc– 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough’s Wairau Valley. From the importer: Redcliffe, located on the northeast corner of New Zealand’s South Island, Marlborough is the country’s largest and best known wine region. It has earned international acclaim among wine connoisseurs as a source of stellar quality Sauvignon Blanc, thanks to a combination of clay-rich and stony soils which yield grapes with well-defined aromas and unrivaled flavor intensity. As such, Redcliffe Sauvignon Blanc has earned outstanding acclaim since its introduction in 2004. Aromas of citrus and melon underscored by notes of fresh hay and cut grass. Full-bodied and lively, with intense flavors of grapefruit and passion fruit set against a backbone of racy acidity. Shelf $7.99 Tasting $7.19

Domaine de Couron Vin de Pays des Côteaux de l’Ardèche Rosé– 100% estate grown Grenache from hillside vineyards nestled in the tiny village of Saint Marcel d’Ardeche is farmed under the stewardship of Jean-Luc and Marie-Lise Dorthe. Wine was once cultivated here by the Romans, and the estate has an long history of viticulture. Actually the lands of this domaine were among the first to officially be classified in the Cotes du Rhone in 1937. This rosé was our biggest seller last year and for good reason, it is amazingly elegant for its meager price tag. What strikes you first about this stunning little rosé is its hauntingly pale color. Its almost angelic like pink hue is very similar to an antique pink rose, or maybe the cheeks of a plump cherub in a renaissance mural. Peach, strawberries & cream, rose and a seamless texture. Temperature is everything here, if it is chilled to far it will slip into its pale reflection, only to emerge again with the warmth of the ambient air. Try this with crab cakes and a warm sunset on the patio. Shelf $11.99 Special Tasting Price $9.99

Château de Pizay Beaujolais– 100% Gamay from 40 year old vines planted on granite and silt. The Chateau de Pizay is one of the oldest and most famous estates of the Beaujolais region. The oldest records date to 1030, when the name Pizay was mentioned for the first time in the charters of the Abbey of Cluny. In 1070, a surrounding wall was erected by the Lords of Pizay. The keep was built in the 14th Century and the classic formal gardens were added in the 18th Century. While it is still the center of winemaking, the main Chateau is now a luxurious 4 star hotel, with an excellent restaurant. Visitors are able to visit the magnificent old cellars that have hosted many famous banquets. The vineyard covers 100 acres in the Appellations of Morgon and Regnie. The terrain is granite, covered with a light sandy soil, ideal for the Gamay grape. Blindingly bright aromas of clean red fruit atop a mound of fresh cream welcome you to the glass. The palette is focused and fruity while being very smooth and refreshing. A perfect spring/summer wine that will pair very well with almost any food. Pinot lovers will love this little guy. Shelf $9.99 Special Tasting Price $8.50

Michael Pozzan Dante Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve– 95% Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon aged 9 months in American Oak and inspired by the wines Michael has enjoyed in travels through the Tuscan countryside and named after his eldest son, Michael Dante Pozzan. This hearty but approachable wine is reminiscent of the style you would sip in your favorite Italian trattoria. As rich in character as the Italian landscape, and as vibrant in personality as Michael’s son, so, too, is the Dante wine collection. Rich and fleshy with wonderful cherry and smoky sage fruit upfront. Medium tannins with earthy mineral, dried berry and currant fruit that’s full-bodied in the finish. Drinks well now, but will improve over the next couple of years. Pair it with juicy barbecued rib eye or roast duck. It is even great after dinner with a favorite cigar. Shelf $8.99 Tasting $8.09

Customer Appreciation Wine!!

1981 Château Canon Saint-Emilion 1er Grand cru classé– thats right folks we will be opening a 31 year old bottle of gracefully aged Bordeaux this Saturday. It will be opened at 5PM and will be served on a first come first served basis. This will be a sample only and we will unfortunately not have any for sale. We guarantee that you will not find this opportunity at ANY other store in the local market. Thank you for all of your support!

New Arrivals ~

1997 Gallo Barrelli Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon– very limited.

Michael Pozzan Annabella Chardonnay– Napa Valley Chard for $12.99

Great Summer Beers:

Paulaner Hefe-Weizen

Evil Twin Yin– two part series brewed at BrewDog in Scotland

Evil Twin Yang

Brooklyn Lager Cans– their back!

Dogfish Head My Antonia

Duck-Rabbit Rabbit Duck Imperial Stout

Mikkeller Czech-style Pilsner

Slaapmutske Dry Hopped Lager

Achel Bruin

Nøgne ø India Pale Ale– Norway

Sint Carnarus & Bierkraft Grant Imperial Red– very limited collaboration with one of our favorite Belgian beer makers and a really cool beer store in Brooklyn! 12 Percent Imports.

Thanks for reading!

Geoff, Charles & Ridge

 

Asheville’s Best Free Wine Tasting– Saturday May, 7^th 2011 4PM-7PM https://www.appalachianvintner.com/

 

Charles and I are absolutely elated to report that on May, 8^th 2011 Appalachian Vintner, Inc. will be three years old. Our hearts are filled with appreciation and gratitude for all of the support we’ve received in these first years. The Vintner was raised from humble beginnings and has grown each month since due almost entirely to grassroots word-of-mouth marketing. We owe all of its heights, successes and growth to each one of you, and in essence you are all share holders in this family owned company. We are infinitely grateful.

Stop by this week to meet the angels on our shoulders. We are pleased to have Lisa, Shelley & Michelle running the day to day operation here at the store for rest of the week. They’ve all been with us since day one, sometimes we think they know the business better than we do! We hope you love ’em has much as we do, but If you have any concerns that they can not remedy feel free to send us an email, we will be checking it daily.

 

~ Free Saturday Tasting ~

Stop in this weekend to meet Bill O’Friel, wine consultant for The Country Vintner. TCV has always been a great distribution ring, but they’ve really raised the bar in recent years, with more and more direct importing. Using their own means to import has reduced pricing and kept quality high, their model fits perfectly with Appalachian Vintners’.

 

Daumas Gassac Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Blanc– Blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Grenache Blanc, 20% Clairette from limestone, flint and clay soils. This is a fresh, lively white wine with notes of mildly ripe stone fruits, nicely framed by herbal tinged acidity. The Guilhem family have always thought to conserve the wild beauty of the High Valley du Gassac, most especially the wild garrigue. That’s why the vines are planted in magical glades hidden in the dense, forest-like garrigue that dominates the countryside. Birds and insects thrive in the garrigue that covers the Gassac valley helping to keep pests at bay. Chemical fertilizers and synthetic additives have no place at Daumas Gassac. They only use compost based on manure produced by sheep from the Larzac. Organic! Shelf $8.99 Tasting $8.09

Daumas Gassac Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rosé– 55% Syrah and 45% Grenache from 20+ year old vines planted in Jurassic limestone slopes, clay/flint and clay/limestone. Way back in the year 780, Charlemagne’s advisor, Saint Benedict of Aniane, founded the first vineyard in the Gassac valley. In 1970, while searching for a family home in the Hérault hinterland, Véronique and Aimé GUIBERT fell under the spell of an abandoned farmhouse nestling on the bend of a pine bordered lane. Then in 1971 the great French professor of geography at the University of Bordeaux, Henri Enjalbert raved about the ice age scree covered land likening it to the best soil in Burgundy’s Côtes d’Or. ‘It’s quite possible to make a Grand Cru here’ he told them. This amazing geography is the cornerstone of the wines from this estate. This rosé is soft pale pink with grey highlights. The aromas like a peach & strawberry tart sprinkled with dried tea leaves. The palate is creamy and fresh with clean crushed red fruit, bright acidity and long finish. HUGE value for summer rosé. Organic. Shelf $8.99 Tasting $8.09

Santa Julia Organica Malbce– 100% hand harvested organic Malbec. Santa Julia is a clear example of the combination of the quality and diversity of Mendocinian soils, resulting in modern wines. Created in honor of the only daughter of Jose Zuccardi, Santa Julia represents a commitment to achieve the highest of quality standards; develop sustainable policies that contribute to environmental care while being useful to the community they live in. Upon pouring you notice an intense purple body that is concentrated and bright in the glass. The aromatics are ripe and ample showing black fruit jam, figs, and prunes. Medium-full on the palate with more ripe fruit and soft tannin. Well rounded and pleasing for an inexpensive organic Malbec. Shelf $9.99 Tasting $8.99

2001 Bodegas Beronia Gran Reserva– 88% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo from Bodegas Beronia is situated in Ollauri, in Rioja Alta. Its name is linked to the history of the land in which the Bodega is located. In the 3rd Century b.c. the part of Spain now known as La Rioja was inhabited by the ‘Berones’, a Celtic warrior tribe whose first settlement marked the limits of the Rioja region. The wines of Beronia are serious values, providing all of the classic elegance one expects of Rioja with a price sticker better suited for larger production international stars. Their Gran Reserva is drinking very well. Tobacco, licorice, raisin, dried cherry and a puff of smoke give this healthy gran reserva an inviting, traditional bouquet. The palate is lively yet smooth, with integrated acidity pushing mature flavors of berry, plum, caramel and chocolate. A classic Rioja that is ready to drink. 90 points. Shelf $24.99 Tasting $22.49

We hope to see you here! Have a great weekend!

Geoff, Charles & Ridge