Dear Feastlings,
Living only an hour from Mexico, we’re all familiar with the cross-cultural experience that happens when neighbors look over one another’s fence (no pun intended). This Sunday, Sami Owchinko joins us to extol the virtues of the wine regions influenced by their next-door neighbors. Each of the wines she’ll be bringing share a border, and therefore a culture, with another place. It’s a great opportunity to rethink what Spanish wine, or French, or Italian or Portuguese, or even Washington wine means to you. If this cross-cultural wine tasting sounds appealing to you and you’d like to join us, please give us a call at 326-9363 and make a reservation (web and email reservations won’t guarantee you a seat.) The tasting will take place on Sunday, August 30, at 3:30 pm, will cost $30 plus tax and tip, and will include a small dish paired with each wine. We hope you can join us.
Border Towns
2013 Itsasmendi Bizkaiko Txakolina (Hondarrabi Zuri) $17.00
Straw-lemon in color, Itsasmendi is a youthful, fruit-driven wine with notes of lemon drops, ripe grapefruit and more subtle floral notes. On the palate, it is crisp and expressive with a persistent and pleasantly bitter finish, typical of the grape variety.
2013 Lícia Albariño, Rias Baixas $16.00
Straw yellow with greenish hues, the Lícia Albariño has strong varietal characteristics with hints of grapefruit, candied fruit, quince jelly, notes of fresh herbs, green apples, and minerals. It is full-bodied and well-balanced, highlighting the aromas of citrus and green apple, with a long and persistent finish.
2012 Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris “Calcaire,” Alsace $44.00
Smoky, mineral aromas mingle with stone fruit (peach, apricots) on the nose. The first sensation on the palate is a light roundness, quickly balanced by a ripe acidity that brings and enjoyable vivacity to the mouth. The finish shows some interesting tannins which also help to keep the richness of the wine in harmony.
2013 Vila Santa Loios Vinho Red, VR Alentejo $11.00
This easy drinking red shows an intensely fruity aroma with herbal undertones. Soft and easygoing, it is able to complement almost any cuisine.
2013 Joseph Hofstätter Lagrein, Sudtirol/Alto Adige $23.00
Full, bright ruby, almost black in color, this is an extremely typical Lagrein, very easily recognizable. It is immediately impressive due to the excellent equilibrium between intensity and complexity, between aromas of spice and small woodland berry fruits and violets. Its fragrance is striking, clear, captivating and fresh. Very harmonious on the palate, with assertive but supple tannins, full, broad, velvety, round with subtle spice on the finish
enlivened by palate-lifting acidity.
2012 K Vintners “The Creator” Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah, Walla Walla Valley $56.00
“Moving to the Bordeaux styled releases and a blend of 70% Cabernet and 30% Syrah, the 2012 The Creator offers up a classic bouquet of cassis, lead pencil shavings and hints of herbs to go with a full-bodied, layered and balanced profile on the palate. Possessing fabulous Cabernet character, with rock star texture and building tannin, it will have another 12-15 years of prime drinking.”-93-95 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate