I feel like I got really lucky looking for new wines for the list this week. Usually it goes like this: I go to the Wine Enthusiast's buying guide page, punch in my requirements, and then go through the results, jotting down the ones I think sound interesting. The problems begin when I go to the Beverage Journal, from which all wine and liquor must be ordered, and try to find a Maryland distributor for the desired wines, in particular a distributor that delivers to the Eastern Shore. It is not unusual to bat zero in this regard, and have to begin all over. Why I got lucky was because almost all of the wines I alerted to were available for delivery. Many were carried by Country Vintners, which was also not unusual, for some reason - we must have the same tastes!!The Hendry Pinot Gris might be more desirable for summer consumption, but it sounded so good:
| 2007 Hendry Pinot Gris, Napa Valley, $19 | | ||
No oak touched this stainless steel-aged wine, but you’ll never miss richness. It stands on its own, with crisp, complex citrus, green apple, nectarine, mineral and spice flavors. Despite the absence of oak, it has a creamy texture. Perhaps a little more expensive than we are used to, but my feeling is that since our mark-up is so minimal, we should get some better wines (read, usually, more expensive) and broaden our horizons a bit. We generally sell more white wines than red by the glass, but more red wine than white by the bottle, so this Hendry will probably be around for awhile...unless I invade the inventory too much! A new Zinfandel is also on the current list, from the Hess collection - Artezin Zinfandel from Mendocino County in California. From the name you can guess that this winery specializes in Zinfandel, and their wine maker, Randle Johnson, is apparently a big name in the industry. The wine is priced right and with it's score of 90 points from the Wine Enthusiast, makes it an incredible value for our list. We also got a very good deal on Freemark Abbey's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon - as I imagine did most every other restaurant in town, if they were told about the price cut as we were - and so this classic is on our list. Generally it is difficult for me to find a reasonably priced, ready to drink Cab, so this makes the FA particularly welcome. Lastly I will mention one that is not on our list yet, but is on deck - the Melville 2007 Syrah, from Santa Barbara County. I plan on tasting this big wine this weekend; wine guru Robert Parker awarded it 88 points, saying: "The 2007 Syrah Verna's Vineyard is the most supple, forward, and fruity of this trio. It is a straightforward Syrah offering plenty of blue and black fruit, floral, cassis, and blackberry characteristics, soft, round, medium to full-bodied flavors, and copious glycerin as well as plushness. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years." Okay, that's it for now. I did finally manage to update the menus on the Web Site, so they are all ready for your leisurely perusal. Cheers! | |||
No comments:
Post a Comment