Taste 14 Wines from Ramon Bilbao, Bocelli, Antonio Sanguineti & more for FREE!
Saturday, October 1: 1-5pm @ Peterson's Gartner Road location
For those of you that joined us last week for Part I of Wineries in the Spotlight, you already know how fantastic the wines in this series are! Don't miss the second part of this tasting series this Saturday, where we take on 14 new wines from Italy and Spain. Joining us is Larry Gruner from Small Vineyards featuring his mouth-watering portfolio of Italian "micro" wineries. Alongside Larry will be Spanish Wine Expert and Sommolier, Saurabh Kathuria from La Zamora, featuring the emblematic wines of Ramon Bilbao. All of these wines are FREE to taste and ON SALE through October 6th.
SAURABH KATHURIA FROM LA ZAMORA
1. PRE-SELL AND TASTING ONLY on Biodynamic Crianza Cruz de Alba 2013: $22.99/bt
Ribera del Duero was once only known as the home of the famous Vega Sicilica, however in recent years it has gained a worldwide reputation for creating delicious and high quality wines, and the Cruz de Alba is no exception. Good intensity of colour, very fruity, red-berry and ripe cherry aromas with hints of liquorice cedar and menthol over a typical mineral base. In the mouth it is fresh and juicy, with reminders of raspberries, chocolate and graphite. A lovely, silky mouth-feel with a harmonious, soft finish.
2. 2014 Ramon Bilbao Albarino $16.99 sale $15.99 : 89pts WE
Straw-yellow in color with bright green accents the color of Granny Smith apples. On the nose, fresh aromas and a salty touch which mingle with nuances of apricot and peach. On the palate, elegant freshness harmoniously balances the sweet sensations left by the fruit flavors. Smooth and supple with a full body and a lively finish.
3. 2013 Ramon Bilbao Garnacha $15.99 sale $14.99
Garnacha grapes sourced from vineyards planted at high altitudes show notes of freshness and acidity. Fermentation is performed in stainless steel vats under rigorous control. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is racked off into French-oak casks and aged for 14 months which adds structure and depth to the wine.
This wine is bright garnet-red with medium-high depth of color. The nose offers predominately red-berry aromas, with hints of rosemary, thyme and spice. The palate is elegant and silky, with bright acidity and a long finish.
4. 2012 Ramon Bilbao Crianza $15.99 sale $14.99
The finest ingredients produce the finest wines. That’s still the philosophy at Ramón Bilbao, where carefully crafted grapes are selected from the best estates and vineyards in the idyllic region of Haro in Rioja Alta since 1924. Maintaining tradition is the guiding philosophy of today’s Ramón Bilbao, where winemakers produce award-winning wines that embody a modern consumer-friendly style. Rioja Crianza must be at least 2 years old before release and is aged in oak for a minimum of 12 months. Ramón Bilbao Crianza is a high quality daily drinking wine. Crianza’s naturally high tannin makes a great alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon. Ruby red with some signs of youth in the form of violet hues. Medium intensity aromas of fresh dark fruit like blackberries and black currants accompanied with hints of licorice. It is clean and bright on the palate with pleasant flavors of vanilla, cinnamon sticks, and wild herbs.
5. 2013 Ramon Bilbao Limited Edition $19.99 sale $18.99 – 90pts WS
The grapes for the 2013 Limited Edition come from old vineyards around Haro, where the Ramón Bilbao winery is based. The wine is the result of an exhaustive selection of the best grapes and barriques. Each bottle is numbered and the wine is unfiltered.
Intense ruby red with hints of black-cherry color. High intensity on the nose, with a perfect balance of dark fruit and oak. The spicy nuances of black pepper, cloves, and cumin meld with clean wood aromas and notes of cocoa, dry tobacco leaves, and mint. Smooth, fruity mouth-feel with a long finish and pleasant, polished tannins.
6. 2011 Ramon Bilbao Reserva $22.99 sale $21.99
Reserva red wines must be aged for a minimum of 3 years, with at least one year in casks. Ramón Bilbao Reserva is aged longer than required – 20 months in barrel and 18 months in bottle. In Haro, the soil, the sun, and the rain create a wine that reflects the flavor of a great Rioja Alta wine.
2011 had very favorable weather which allowed for optimal growing conditions. The excellent grape quality created a perfect fermentation process, resulting in well-structured wines high in color. The limited vineyard production made this vintage classified as one of the best in the last 30 years.
7. 2005 Ramon Bilbao Gran Reserva $32.99 sale $31.99 90pts WE
Gran Reserva wines must be aged a minimum of 2 years in oak casks and 3 years in the bottle. Ramón Bilbao Gran Reserva is aged 30 months in barrel, longer than required. This means most Gran Reserva wines are at least 9 to 10 years old when you first see them available. Ruby red with a brick red rim color. Complexity of herbs and exotic spice aromas on the nose. Elegant and lively tannins on the palate for a complex but harmonious result. Clear notes of tobacco and cocoa against a fruit and mineral background.
LARRY GRUNER, SMALL VINEYARDS PRESENTS...
1. Bocelli Prosecco $16.99 sale $15.99
Made from the Prosecco grape that is indigenous to the Veneto region, this sparkling wine has subtle flower and fruit aromas that make the palate deliciously light and playful. Unlike many Champagnes, it is not harsh–rather, it tickles the throat with a peachy softness, and is flecked with minerality that remains simple in the best of ways. Perfect perlage make it the ideal choice for any occasion.
2. 2014 Bocelli Pinot Grigio $15.99 sale $14.99
Andrea Bocelli loves his white wines, and it shows in their delightfully crisp, complex Pinot Grigio. Grown in the green hills of the Colli Euganei in Veneto, the vines are thick and knotty, averaging about 15 years old, and yielding just enough grapes to make only one bottle of wine per plant. One bottle! With aromas of fresh Meyer lemon, mint, white flowers and sea salt, this wine is zesty, delicious, and made with integrity.
3. 2014 La Quercia Montepulciano $12.99 sale $11.99
This Montepulciano is a great example of what can happen when you match low-yield winemaking expertise with a prolific growing zone, and constantly cut, cut, cut back the vines. Made by winemaker Antonio Lamona, the result is one of the best quality, most expressive and balanced Montepulcianos around. This wine is also 100% organic, and delivers as a wine that takes no shortcuts.
4. 2013 Verso Salento Rosso $14.99 sale $13.99
Verso is a very full-bodied, luscious wine made with a small percent of ‘appassimento’, or raisined, grapes. It comes from the same terrific people who make Casa Contini. The grapes are grown on two non-contiguous crus, with about 10,000 cases total made, which is, of course, very small for Puglia. Rich and dark in color, with vibrant spice flavors, it is a hedonistic experience that captures the polished side of Negroamaro and Primitivo.
5. 2014 Antonio Sanguineti Chianti, D.O.C.G. $13.99 sale $12.99
From our favorite “Maestro,” Antonio Sanguineti, comes this wonderfully delicious Chianti, made in a friendly, approachable style that is rich and powerful, yet great with food. Antonio lived as a boy in Chianti, near Siena, and despite his famous prowess with Brunello and SuperTuscan wines, has always considered Chianti the wine closest to his heart. Here, he partners with his close friend, Luca Pattaro of Il Ciliegio in Sicilia, to make a great everyday wine that is perfect with all Italian foods.
6. 2014 Bocelli Sangiovese $16.99 sale $15.99
Made from Tuscany’s noble varietal, the Bocelli family’s passion and expertise are on full display in this exceptionally bright, lush, and appealing Sangiovese.With grapes hand-harvested from some of the best vineyard sites in Morellino, the fruit is deliciously ripe and smoky, with notes of marasca cherry, granite, and rhubarb compote.The finish is long and suitably dry, with admirable acidity that makes the palate taut and pleasing.
7. 2014 Antonio Sanguineti Nessun Dorma Super Tuscan $18.99 sale $17.99
“Nessun Dorma” is the favorite aria of “il Maestro” Antonio Sanguineti, and this wine is one of our favorite accessible, friendly blends. With vines carefully selected from all around Toscana, including Sangiovese from Capraia e Limite (Montalbano), Merlot from Gavorrano (Grosseto), and Syrah from Suvereto (Livorno), the Maestro has made a true “SuperTuscan.” The Merlot is intensely floral and elegant, while the Sangiovese is fresh and bright. The Syrah adds depth and body, offering a bold expression of forest-floor truffle, ripe cherry, and blackberry preserves.
