Local Event Premier Host
Sunday Tasting: Powerful Ports And Rare Rivesaltes
Sun, December 16, 2018 (1:00 PM - 5:00 PM)
Cost: free
f you missed our showing of Maynard Ports and Dom Singla Rivesaltes 1949 and 1945 last year, then don't miss this rare opportunity to savor a taste of history. And, if you did join us last year, this year's tasting is even more exciting with the addition of a 99 point Vintage Port and 100 point Chateauneuf du Pape! And, this year, we've stretched the tasting out by another hour and made sure we have plenty of each wine to pour.
So come early, come in the middle, or come later - you're going to have an amazing experience and find a wine or two you just cannot resist. All the wines will be available at special sale price savings with most discounting further when you assort your way to a half-dozen or more. You can shop the wines online right now at this link. Here's what you'll be tasting:
Table 1: Bold 95+ Point Gems and 100 Point Chateauneuf in Magnum!
Our good friend Chris Campbell from Metro Cellars has put together a fantastic holiday tasting for you featuring four wines carrying 95 point and higher ratings and one 100 pointer! Whether you're an Old World fan or love the bold, ripe, fruit of New World powerhouses, Chris will have a great wine for you to try. Come taste:
Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2016 - The most overlooked great white wine style of all, a great Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc marries depth of fruit and richness of texture with fine minerality and a finish that won't quit. And this 96 point 2016 is a great one indeed!
Corliss Estate Red Blend Columbia Valley 2013 - From one of Washington's top Cabernet houses, this Vinous 95 point Bordeaux blend (50% Cabernet Sauvignon) is full-bodied, concentrated, and delicious to taste already.
Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2013 - This Vinous 96+ point powerhouse is about 70% Cabernet plus Merlot and Cab Franc and a splash of Petit Verdot. Ripe and intense for sure, but the elegance and purity here is striking.
Crane Assembly El Coco Proprietary Red 2015 - Dave Phinney, creator of The Prisoner and Orin Swift wines, makes this Zinfandel blend from some of the oldest vines still producing in Napa Valley. Well worthy of the 95 point rating right now and over the next decade.
Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape 2016 Magnum - A perfect, 100 point wine with history. Born in 1873, Paul Avril was on the estate when the first wine labeled "Chateauneuf du Pape" was released in 1896. He was one of the key drivers in the creation of the AOC in the 1920s/1930s and remained actively involved in winemaking until his death at 91. His son, also Paul, made the wines from 1963 until 1990 and now his grandson, Paul Vincent, is in charge. The Avrils make just one red - the estate CdP (a white was added in 1954). And, as writer Jeff Leve says, "If an award for the most consistent producer in Chateauneuf du Pape were given out for wines made over the past 60 years, or even longer, surely, Clos des Papes would be a contender to win the prize!" Well worth investing in a magnum or two!
Table 2: Powerful Ports and Rare Rivesaltes 1949 and 1945
With winter's bite upon us and lots of friends and family in the house, right now's the time to have some warming dessert wines on hand. So come by this Sunday and sample some great ones! We'll pour:
Maynard's Vintage Port 2016 - Not surprising that Alvaro Van Zeller, the former winemaker at benchmark Port estate Quinta do Noval, would make a 99 point wine in the great 2016 vintage. What's a bit shocking is that it's so affordable! Most of the top 2016s sell for comfortably north of $100. You can enjoy Van Zeller's stunning 2016 now and for decades to come from just $62.98! As Decanter says, "If there's one 2016 Port you buy, we suggest this is it."
Maynard's Tawny Port 20 Year - A great example of what is perhaps the most classic style of "wood aged" or "Tawny" Port. With this kind of quality and double 90 point ratings, this really should be a $40-$50 wine.
Maynard's Tawny Port 40 Year - You don't see a lot of 40 year Tawny Port on the market and, when you do, it's normally $150-$200 or more. Here's a killer wine in a dramatic package selling for about half what comparable wines do. Not surprising it's one of our best-selling Ports over the past five years.
Dom Singla Rivesaltes Ambre l'Amedee Vin Doux Naturel 1949 (375ml) - Probably a blend of Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and/or Maccabeu with a smaller amount of Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains or Muscat d'Alexandrie - but no one knows for certain. Redolent of burnt nut caramel, orange peel, toffee, and crème brûlée aromas and flavors that changed with each swirl and sip.
Dom Singla Rivesaltes Ambre l'Amedee Vin Doux Naturel 1945 (375ml) - France celebrated the end of German occupation (or the Vichy regime in this area) with a brilliant harvest in 1945. This sweet, oxidized, vin doux naturel from Rivesaltes remains vibrant and beautiful today, 70+ years after it went into barrel. Fuller than the 1949 but also a bit more dry on the finish. A very rare chance to sip history.
Pretty cool, right? These are some of the most exciting wines we'll pour this year, and we hope you have the chance to join us to enjoy them - all at no charge. Note that we'll be pouring all wines through the whole tasting, so feel free to come anytime from 1pm - 5pm on Sunday and taste them at your own pace. We look forward to seeing you!
