Single Bottle Wine Club - June 2012
Learn the finer points to many of the wines we offer each month. Our club wines are expertly researched and selected for quality, value and uniqueness and every one has an interesting history. Here are some of the wines we are offering this month:
Single Bottle White
Pacific Wine Enterprises - Woodinville, Washington
2009 Eye of the Needle Harvest White
Columbia Valley Pacific Wine Enterprises Wines is a small family owned winery located in Woodinville, Washington that produces limited quantities of handcrafted wines from some of Washington’s premier vineyards. Each lot and individual wine barrel is meticulously monitored from the moment the fruit is hand harvested, to the day the wine is gently bottled by hand. This artisan approach allows them to preserve the delicate balance of aromas and unique characteristics of each wine. The Harvest White is Chardonnay based (91%) with the remaining blend being comprised of 7% Pinot Gris and 2% Sauvignon Blanc. This blend made it an elegant wine with both presence and delicacy. The wine exhibits a wonderful array of fruit and floral characteristics. Melon and fresh citrus are underscored with a delicate honeysuckle perfume. The flavors are a blend of sweet grapefruit and lemon zest with a hint of honeydew. The acid lends structure to the wine and sustains the finish but is not so tart that it overpowers the fruit. Drink now through 2014. Serve chilled with Pacific Rim cuisine such as mushroom dumplings in chicken broth, herb stuffed zucchini with basmati rice, tuna with mango sauce, Alaskan butterfish marinated in Harvest White and Miso, lobster with papaya sauce, and steamed bass with caramelized onions, ginger and scallions.
Single Bottle Red
Midnight Ridge - Australia
2011 Shiraz South Eastern Australia
Shiraz is Australia's highest profile wine style, and arguably its best red wine. The grape is believed to have come to Australia first from its home, Hermitage in the Rhone area of France many years ago. Some believe, again arguably, that due to extensive re-planting in France due to Phylloxera, Australia's older vineyards are more like Hermitage used to be, than that region is today. Some Australian vineyards date back over 100 years unchanged (and small amounts of wine are still made from these old grapes.) What is not in doubt however is that Shiraz, called Syrah in France, is the best and best known red wine of Australia. It is the most widely grown red grape variety, grown in almost all regions, and makes the most recognized Australian wines in the world market. Through all of this and in almost every climate, Shiraz makes quality wine. It can be delicious and fruity when young, but can mellow with up to 20 or 30 years in the cellar into magnificent wine showing earthy, velvety, almost sweet fruit characters. This Midnight Ridge offering was just released so it is very young. It is a medium weight Shiraz, with a pleasing balance between ripe fruit and savory, earthy notes on the nose. The palate is succulent and mouth-filling, with lashings of red berry and brambles. This wine is perfect now and will drink well through 2016 or longer. Serve with spiced red meat dishes such as steaks, lamb kebabs or grilled chops.
Go to the Single Bottle Wine Club product page