Wine that Describes your Cupid

Soft, supple, caressing, exotic, silky and sweet or powerful, muscular, rich, dark and brooding could be adjectives used to describe your special cupid. This Valentine's Day go one step further and pair not only the food, flowers and ambience, but also the wine that encompasses the personality of the one you love. Is she the sumptuous and elegant Cataldi Madonna Montepulciano d'Abruzzo or the sweet, luscious Bitch Bubbly. Is he the deep and rich Sly Dog Cabernet Sauvignon or the elegant and earthy Ego Toscana.

Here are a few more wines that may characterize your sweetheart this Valentine's Day.

Sleek and muscular - Finca Decero Malbec
Wild and pure - Errazuriz Chardonnay Wild Ferment
Intense and vibrant - LAN Reserva Rioja
Lively and persistant - Dr. Loosen Riesling
Rich and polished - Luigi Bosca Syrah
Racy and energetic - Vina Somoza Godello
Exotic and robust - Chateau Valcombe Cote du Ventoux
Bright and easy-going - Chateau Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc

2007 Travis Chardonnay Unoaked & Unfiltered

2007 Travis Chardonnay Unoaked & Unfiltered

"The nose carries notes of ripe pineapple and light citrus. The color is gentle golden yellow. On the palate the wine is fresh and lively. This un-oaked medium/full bodied chardonnay showcases loads of tropical fruit flavor on the mid-palate finishing with a great hint of citrus and lovely natural acidity."

"This is a great alternative to your average over-oaked California chardonnay. I really enjoyed this lively, crisp white. It went wonderfully with Teriyaki lemon marinated grilled chicken and a baked potato."~Dan

Saturday In Store 5/30/09

Saturday In Store 5/30/09, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Saturday In Store 5/16/09

Saturday In Store 5/16/09, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

2006 Rollin HCB Bourgogne

2006 Rollin HCB Bourgogne, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

2006 Domaine Rollin Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Beaune Rouge

This 2006 Burgundy just hit the shelves and it reflects that in the glass. This wine is all about showing off it's youthful vibrancy. Sweet strawberries mingle with alcohol on the nose. In the mouth this light bodied red is all about the tart zippy fruit, bright red sour cherries over power any earth and spice that there might be. Don't get me wrong this is going t be a fantastic red, it just needs bit more time to grow up.~Mitch

Wild Wild Wild Bourgogne Rouge! 2006 was a year of extremes for growers and winemakers in Burgundy. The winter was extremely cold and the summer was extremely hot. Needless to say it was a challenging vintage in the region, this is when winemakers are tested. I think great producers can make exceptional wines in tough vintages and in my opinion Domaine Rollin is a great producer. I call this a wild burgundy because it literally arrived from France last week , and I think the wine is a little shocked. The color is deep red with very ripe berry aromas on the nose hints of a vegetable and roasted toasty components sneak through as well, a bit rustic. Loads of fruit on the palate, vibrant cherries show off the wine's youth. Fleshy tannins and a good amount of acidity form the framing. I agree with Mitch 100% , with some time this wine will show more elegance and a more feminine side.~Dan

Arnoux In Wonderland

Arnoux In Wonderland, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

2005 Dom Robert Arnoux Pinot Fin Bourgogne

Dense, slightly hazy, garnet red color. Intricate nose of fresh cherries and damp earth. Wonderfully thick, viscous mouth feel. Complex flavor, hints of spice, earth and leather layered over sweet candied cherries. Long lingering dry finish. I tried this wine over a three hour period. It was slightly one dimensional (fruit) at first, but with time it opened and became very complex. All in all a beautiful wine now that will only get better with more time.

Saturday In Store Tasting 5-9-09

Saturday Tasting

4 Fantastic Finds!

Sample Tasting, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Sample Tasting

It's a difficult job but somebody has to do it. Thursday is our sample day. Vendors stop by with new wines that they would like us to carry. We taste though the wines and make our selections. This week we waded through 30 or so wines and came away with 4 winners that will be added to our selection ASAP.~Mitch

2007 Albet i Noya Old Vine Xarel-Lo (organic)

Spanish (Penedes) 100% Xarel-Lo- Clear Light straw color, aromas of almond, cream, lemon. Very crisp and lively on the tongue, clean pure citrus flavors, slightly sour refreshing finish. Perfect with light seafood fare.~Mitch

2007 Dom De Pellehaut

French (Cotes De Gasconge)- Clear light straw color with hints of green, clean minimalistic nose of lime and bread. Crisp lemon and lime, zingy and zippy. Inviting slightly bitter finish. Warm weather thirst quencher.~Mitch

2003 Domaine de Murmurium Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee Opera

Ok. Baby Chateauneuf du Pape, this wine is impresive.... very dense and intricate, pretty full bodied syrah-grenache blend wine that makes me scratch my head wondering if this indeed is just a Cote du Ventoux, delicious wine.~Dan

Fourrier Gevery-Chambertin Les Goulots 2005

In Store Tasting, Saturday May 2nd

Altovinum Evodia Calatayud 750ml 2007

"This is one of the reasons I love Garnacha ‘Aka Grenache’ so much, it’s so versatile…in this case this 100% Old Vine Garnacha comes from the village of Atea in the Calatayud region of Northeast Spain. This wine doesn’t see any wood, which allows for the bold yet extremely bright fruit flavors to come out. I detected juicy, red berries with a bit of spiciness and little to no tannins on the finish. A true valued wine, something to drink with anything off the grill."~Dan

"It took a little time for this wine to come around, about an hour into the tasting the wine had really hit it's stride. Nice fruit up front, enjoyable spice driven mid palate and a soft finish. The will be my go to wine the next time I have burgers off the grill."~Mitch

Sable d'Azur Rose 750ml 2008

"Best of Tasting, This Cotes de Provence has an absolutely gorgeous color a luminous peach pink color. The nose and the taste is pure under-ripe strawberry. Although it is a Cotes de Provence rose, it doesn’t feature crazy herbal notes or heavy minerality, the Wine finishes dry with crisp acidity and a hint of minerality, a great introduction to Provencal Rose, and a wonderful way to kick off the summer. "~Dan

"I agree, this was the best of the bunch. Wonderful freshness, subtle intricate flavors and a finish that beckoned you to take another sip. This is a fantastic Summer sipper. I'm sure I'll enjoy many bottles of this wine with friends over the next several months."~Mitch

Thorn-Clarke Chardonnay Eden Valley Terra Barossa Single Vineyard 750ml 2007

"This Barossa Chardonnay showcased toasty aromas of buttercream, apples, roasted almonds, on the palate the wine is medium-to-full with a fair amount of creaminess. The wine finishes crisp and refreshing, a very well balanced wine."~(Dan)

"This wine is all about balance. Half the juice sees time in oak the other half does not. Great fruit and crisp acidity balanced by wonderful hints of toasty oak."~Mitch