Flight of the Week - 🎶 These are a few of our favorite things 🎶 Part deux ✌🏻
Meet our newest family member, Mellanie. Mellanie’s love of wine began years ago, culminating with her bachelors degree in Global Wine Studies from MSU and is currently working towards her CMS certification. She just returned from a 2 month wine harvest in Oregon where she realized her dream one day is to become a wine maker there.
This week’s flight was handpicked by Melanie. The first of her many favorite wines is a Cremant d’Alsace Rosé of Pinot Noir from Domaine Allimont-Laugner. Mellanie loves bubbles made in the traditional méthode champenoise, delicate and determined, and for it's ability to pair with any food. Second is an Oregon Pinot Noir from @lenneestate in Yamhill-Carlton in the Willamette Valley, an AVA that is known for its fruit forwardness, balanced with a strong amount of mushroom and earth. The Bordeaux Blend from Monte Bernardi is the final wine in this trilogy, chosen so because of its darker hue and refreshing acidity, with notes of blackberry and vanilla.
Make sure you stop in and enjoy these three stunning wines from around the world that will be featured through the rest of the month! And keep your eyes on our feed this week for some last minute gift ideas 😍
12/14 through 12/19 - 🎶 These are a few of our favorite things 🎶
Meet Lauren, our newest wine lover behind the bar! Lauren is awaiting the results of her WSET Level Three test and taking her Court of Master Sommelier certification in the spring, so we asked her to take a minute now she’s got some “free time” to create a new flight of the week of her favorites at Vin Rouge. If you saw how many she narrowed it down to, you’d realize this was no easy task for her 😉
Come on in tonight to meet Lauren and find out what makes @emrichschoenleber #Weissburgunder, Poggio delle Robinie’s #ValpolicellaRipasso and @vina.cobos Felino #Malbec so special to her and us! It is thanks to you that we were able to welcome her to the Vin Rouge family!
12/7 through 12/12 - Fortified Wine
Is there anything better than a delicious aperitif or digestif to warm your belly during the holidays? No. No there’s not. This week we partnered with @estatebrands to bring you these delicious belly warmers…
Comoz Blanc Vermouth de Chambéry from C. Comez, famous for their clean, light and floral style.
Château de Saü Rivesaltes Rancio’s oxidative Grenache Gris is the last in existence due to the unfortunate passing of their winemaker a few years back. These wines are barrel aged for about two decades before they are ready to release, making this 2000 vintage a true stunner and smooth as hell.
And the final gem in this tasting is a domestic ice wine from Kiona in Washington. Chenin Blanc was chosen for its robust acidity and tropical fruit notes to help balance out the sugars.
These wines are extremely limited so make sure to stop by early in the week and ensure you not only taste them, but also buy a bottle or two for someone on your holiday shopping list that appreciates a memorable warm belly experience 🤤
11/16 through 11/21 - Thanksgiving Wine & Pie 🦃
This week we are providing you some inspiration for your Thanksgiving feast and all those yummy leftovers.
Our favorite wine expert, Tracy with @naturalwinecolorado is pouring some truly exceptional wine that will wow your friends and family and pair perfect with every dish next week and our friend and Tennyson neighbor Elias, owner of @coloradocherrycompany is pairing some sweet AND savory pies for you to enjoy with them 🤤
November Flight of the Month - Sandlands Vineyards, CA
Sandlands is the personal project of Tegan and Olivia Passalacqua. They source their fruit from different vineyards throughout California that all have one thing in common…old vines grown in sandy decomposed granite.
The 2018 Chenin Blanc hails from Amador County due East of Sacramento. Akin to a rich 1er white Burgundy, the palate evokes lemon curd, peach, golden apple, pear, citrus balanced with a rounded mouthfeel. We were only able to get our hands on 7 bottles of the 4 barrels produced so this wine will be available by request only.
The 2019 Cinsault is extra special, produced from 133 year old vines planted in 1886 in Lodi 😳 Light and delicate with beautiful red berries on the palate alongside violet, pomegranate, lavender, granitic and loamy finish. Only 4 barrels produced.
The 2018 Mataro [aka Mourvèdre] was plucked from nearly 100 year old vines in San Benito between San Fran and Santa Barbara. Medium to full bodied with bright acidity and good depth, it is meaty on the palate, with concentrated red-fruit flavors as well as blood orange, anise and an earthy mix of fresh and cooked berries.
Rounding out the flight is their 2019 blend with equal parts Zinfandel, Cinsault and Carignane from three different vineyards in Lodi. It has aromas of black cherry, apricot, black tea, and violets. The palate has similar flavors with an added layer of licorice and leather. It has granular tannins, nice acid and a smooth finish.
As always the monthly flight will be paired with perfectly selected cheeses from @st.kilians and sweets from @minimepastry 🤤 and the Expert experience on Tuesday will be led by wine expert @timothymorrissy from 6-8pm so hold your spot on OpenTable now!
11/9 through 11/14 - Beaujolais
November is #Beaujolais month and we brought in some bright juicy beauties to share with you 😍🍷💃🏻
We thought it would be the perfect flight to reintroduce our sweet and savory duck rillette dish too so lots of deliciousness is coming your way tomorrow 🤤 🦆
10/26 through 10/31 - Trick or Treat Yo'self Hallowine Pairing
Trick or Treat Yo’self is baaaaaaack!
Come enjoy a fun pairing this week with yummy wines and #Halloweenie candy.
This year we are pairing an Oregon Chardonnay with Heath bars, a California Vin Gris Rosé with Swedish Fish and an Italian Barbera d’Asti with Reese’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups 🤤
October Flight of the Month - Australian winery, Brash Higgins
We have another #TastingWithTheExpert series on the barbie 🐨 kicking off Tuesday the 5th at 6pm. @denverwineguide [aka Franchesca/Chess with @anvilwine] will showcase these insanely cool wines [wtf is #Zibibbo 😵💫] from @brashhiggins in the McLaren Vale wine region in Southern Australia. They literally sell out the second they hit the market so make sure you make your reservation right meow because it was a small miracle I was able to get them this time around!
And with the changing of the monthly wine flight also comes the changing of the cheese pairings from our partners at @st.kilians on 32nd and Lowell. It also means a new dessert pairing from Kate at @minimepastry 🤤
10/19 through 10/24 - Gucci Tucci Italian Flight
From cult favorite @ariannaocchipinti featured on the first season of @stanleytucci CNN show, we were lucky enough to be one of the chosen few to bring not one, but ✌🏻 of Arriana’s labels 💃🏻 Occhipinti, now 36, has been making wine in Sicily’s southeastern Vittoria since she was 22 years old. And nearly since the beginning, her wines, made from indigenous grapes like #frappato and #zibibbo, have had a following around the world.
Luckily we were also able to get our hands on a few bottles of a really beautiful dry Lambrusco from @idolomitici, a group of ten Trentino-Alto Adige winemakers united to support the preservation and production of endangered local grape varieties. There are only TWENTY hectares of this grape left in the region, i.e. anywhere!
And to round out the tasting…simply the best #marsala you’ll ever have the pleasure of drinking 🤤 @marcodebartoli is credited with saving the good name of Marsala wines. Once revered by Kings and Queens, Marsala has come to be associated as cheap cooking wine. Instead of growing cheaper, higher-yielding grapes like most other winemakers, Marco De Bartoli made the hardest choice, focusing on Grillo: this variety is low-yielding and not so easy to grow, but it has natural advantages such as good level of acidity and high sugars content. The name of Marco De Bartoli has become legendary and his production techniques, innovative but drawn from tradition, have become a standard throughout the territory.
10/12 through 10/17 - Study of Bordeaux Blend
I love waking up to these beautiful fall mornings. The slight chill is what inspired this week’s study of Bordeaux Blend 🍷
Cocodrilo has become one of our staples from famed winemaker, @paulhobbswines @vina.cobos in Mendoza, Argentina. This blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah, 3% Merlot. It is aged for 14 months in new French oak (15% new), second and third use French oak (85%). It is unfined and unfiltered leaving all of the beautiful aromas and flavors for us to drool over.
Château de Cugat in Bordeaux, France is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, from very low-yielding, old hillside vines facing Pomerol, and with the same gravelly soil. Aged primarily in tank with a few barrel-lots thrown into the blend.
Tzingarella from Monte Bernardi in Tuscany, Italy is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Colorino [obscure black-skinned varietal used for blending to add color and tannins].
This medium-bodied wine is packed with fruit that is richly complex and smooth. It’s tannins, acidity and cherry soul are unmistakably Tuscan with the added character of fresh cassis, blackberries and minerality characteristic of Bordeaux. Aged in oak for 18 months in Barriques and Tonneaux barrels.
9/14 through 9/19 - Study of Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is grown around the globe with the "spicy" full-bodied Alsatian and lighter-bodied, more acidic Italian styles being most widely recognized. This week we are going to study the Alsatian style, often duplicated in New World wine regions such as Marlborough, Tasmania, South Australia, Washington, Oregon and South Africa tend to have moderate to low acidity, higher alcohol levels and an almost "oily" texture that contributes to the full-bodied nature of the wine. The flavors can range from ripe tropical fruit notes of melon and mango to some botrytis-influenced flavors.
September Flight of the Month - Barlow Vineyards, Napa CA
We take a break from our regularly scheduled Willamette posts to 1] welcome you back tomorrow and 2] to introduce you to our featured tasting of the month. Barlow Vineyards is a 3rd generation run winery in beautiful Napa Valley and their wines are equally as beautiful. We are offering FOUR wines in this flight that include a Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot [this wine will make you take back every mean thing you ever said about #Merlot!], a Bordeaux Blend, and a 2014 [yes, you read that right…2014! 🤤] Cabernet Sauvignon. All four pours are less than $40pp too 💃🏻 This month we are incredibly lucky to welcome 3rd generation Zach Barlow Smith on Tuesday the 14th at 6pm! He’s coming all this way from Napa for you so hurry up and book so he knows how much we appreciate him 😉
8/10 through 8/15 - OREGON!
Getting super dreamy about our vacation in #WillametteValley next week!!! So let’s get a head start and enjoy the hell outta these amazing finds. There’s so much awesomeness we couldn’t decide so we are letting you be in charge of your flight. You’ll get to select anywhere from three to six wines and we will charge you according to what you pick.
We will have an Alsatian ‘noble’ blend [give Jenn any kind of white from Alsace and you’ll be her new best friend!!!] from @willfulwine made with Pinot gris, gewürztraminer, and riesling and super refreshing…perfect for this hot a$$ weather!
@swickjoe is representing bright and fruit forward chardonnays that have minimal, if any, intervention…and they’re sooooooo fun! @wyeastvineyards has been rocking the classic OR Chardonnay [old world vs the CA bomb] for decades and their fruit is so highly sought after that they are only able to produce a couple hundred cases for themselves [we’ve got a connection, don’t worry 😉].
The next is a bit out our norm but was so effing delicious we couldn’t resist! @marignywines made the most delicious unfiltered carbonically macerated rosé of Pinot gris [yup…grey skinned white wine varietal that’s macerated so it’s stunningly pink!]
Old & Cold, High & Dry, Wood & Wild is how @teutonicwines describes their Alpine-style wines and this Pinot noir will have you running for the mountains! Their wines are highly revered and allocated so get yoself in here right meow before they’re gone [🤫 we might drink them all ourselves if you don’t help us 🤤]
And last but DEFINITELY not least is @lenneestate 🙌🏻 This is one of the wineries we are MOST excited to visit. The struggle they suffered the first few years after planting is real but it made their wines EXACTLY what they are supposed to be now. Small clusters and yields from their self-proclaimed poor soils have produced such unique and mouthwatering Pinots because the energy isn’t wasted in the canopies…it’s focused to the high-quality fruit. Quality not quantity!
If you’ve actually taken the time to get to the bottom of this message, I applaud you because I have a tendency to geek out on the details…20% off if you geek out too 😉
July/August Flight of the Month - Vin Frâiche with Marc Gagnon
This. Is. Big. 🙌🏻
From famed winemaker, Marc Gagnon [think multiple 100 point wines while with Screaming Eagle and Bryant Family Estates!], we humbly bring you @vinfraiche as our featured flight of the month.
Michael Kennedy, who is equally famous within our community [think Forbes’ Top 30 Under 30!] created the Vin Fraîche Wine Group in 2018, after launching three distinct wineries in Napa Valley, Bordeaux and Oregon. In 2020 an additional winery was acquired to the group in Tuscany, Italy.
And now we get to share a distinct label from each winery with you this month! From @componentwine we are pouring their Napa Valley 2018 Semillon - light, bright, stone fruity acid, and in VERY limited numbers their just-released 2020 Semillon from vines planted three years after the Civil War ended 😳🤯 We are pairing this with Le Charmoix cow’s milk cheese from Belgium and an Oregon Blue Macaron with Raw Honeycomb.
Next we are offering one of the best wines I’ve ever had in my entire life, @stateofmindwines 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 🤤🍷 [and there might be a treat of 2017 samplings if you’re nice 😉] We are pairing this with Papillon Tomme de Brebis sheep’s milk cheese from France and a Cracked Black Pepper Macaron with Prosciutto and Brie Buttercream.
Finally, we are finishing with their newly acquired vineyard @lacacciavino and their Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese/Cab Sauv/Petit Verdot. A true food pairing wine, this gets better and better with each sip and bite. We are pairing this stunner with Piave Vecchio Oro cow’s milk from Italy and a Caprese Macaron with Sundried Tomato, Basil Shell and Mascarpone Buttercream with Balsamic Glaze.
We only have a few spots left for our expert tasting tonight with Monica Dunbar so call us to get in! It’s only $75pp for the wine flight, cheese, and savory macaron pairing experience 😳 💃🏻
6/15 through 6/27 - Brosé!
In honor of all of those manly dads that are also comfortable embracing their pink side, we bring you a #brosé flight this week from around the world!
Whether you like fruit-forward, or prefer a more subtle approach, we’ve got you covered this 🔥 week with a Touriga Nacional/Touriga Franca blend from @anetowines in Douro, Portugal, a Mourvèdre from @railsbackfreres in Santa Ynez Valley, CA, and a Grenache from @piekenierskloofwine in South Africa.
Come beat the heat and kick back in our 70 degree air conditioned bar 🥶 while enjoying all of these refreshing thirst-quenching beauties for $15pp!
June Flight of the Month - South Africa
Do you know that the South Africa wine region is nearly 400 years old?? Unfortunately, the grapes produced were of poor quality until the 1990’s and the region’s wines developed a horrible reputation. At this time in history, the archaic system of apartheid was ended, and international winemakers from respected regions such as France, Spain and California began to flock to this area to share their techniques and heighten the quality of these wines. Now beautiful grapes such as Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinotage, a varietal created from Pinot Noir and Hermitage [aka Cinsault] in 1925 to survive the hot climate of South Africa, are thriving.
If you’d like to learn more about South African wines join us all month long from June 1st through the 27th, for a Chenin Blanc and Grenache Rosé from Avondale Wines and a gorgeous Pinotage from Longridge Wine Estates.
As with every Featured Flight of the Month, we will have an expert tasting and that means this month we will be joined by South Afrikaner, Giles Thomas, owner of Baobab Wines, on Tuesday, June 8th from 5:30-7:30pm [we are skipping the first Tuesday due to the holiday this week but will still have all of the wines available beginning on the 1st].
And don’t forget to add on a cheese pairing from local gourmet cheese shop St. Kilian’s and a macaron pairing from Happy Bake Shop, both just a couple of doors down from each other on 32nd and Lowell!
5/25 through 5/30 - Pormenor in Portugal
This week we are highlighting @pormenorvinhos and their 2018 Reserva Branco #Rabigato alongside their 2019 #Tinta Roriz #Rosé
Pormenor Vinhos was only recently conceptualized in #Douro in 2013 by three friends following a dream but are sourced from established vines 50-100 years old.
Come in and enjoy these thirst-quenchers this week for only $19pp!
Also...check out the new @kinsleyarmelle pieces we just got in!!! I lurrrrrv to drunk shop!!!
5/11 through 5/23 - Obscure Varietals
Italy is the next inspiration for our Obscure Varietal series!
In addition to our @holloranvineyardwines featured flight of the month, this week we will be tasting through a rainbow of wines with a #Garganega #Montepulciano and #Lacrima 🤤
Come to the wine bar today through Sunday to find out which of these “obscure” varietals is your new fave!
May Flight of the Month - Holloran Vineyards in Willamette
If you know me, you know my OBSESSION with @holloranvineyardwines ‘15 Pinot Noir from #DundeeHills 😍🙌🏻🍷
Can you believe that we will have the honor of not only featuring four of their other STUNNING wines, but will also have Bill Holloran HIMSELF joining us virtually on Tuesday, 5/4 from 6-7:30/8 to kick off the featured flight of the month?!!! 💃🏻
Bill will walk us through his journey of creating one of the most beautiful wineries in #WillametteValley as well as an extraordinary flight of #Tempranillo #Riesling and a 2013 AND 2014 #PinotNoir sourced from two different vineyards...a flight that you will find NOWHERE else.
This month we are also partnering with our neighbors @st.kilians to bring you the perfect cheese pairing because as Bill says about his wine “the focus is on growing high-acid, food-friendly wines that accompany the meal, they aren’t trying to ‘be the meal’.” 🤤
April Flight of the Month - French Wine, Cheese, Caviar, and Macaron Pairing!
Look at all of the new wines popping up in the Vin Rouge garden 😍🤤🌹
The tasting of the month is with French wine expert, Francesca with @anvilwine and she didn’t disappoint!!
We’ve brought in some incredible beauties to pair with some incredible foodies:
@etiennecalsac #Champagne perfectly paired with a bump of #caviar
@domainefjb bone dry, citrusy #Sylvaner from #Alsace with a triple cream firm #Brie cheese
@domainegiacometti #Patrimonio from Corsica with #Ossau #Iraty cheese
And a #CrozesHermitage from my favorite #Syrah producer @juliencecillon 🤤 with the King of cheeses, #Beaufort
And don’t forget the custom pairing of macarons from our favorite Berkeley bakery @happybakeshopdenver
While the wines will be available all month [or until these highly allocated wines sell out], Francesca will only be with us from 5-7pm tonight so make your reservation on our website or call us at 720-502-2131 and see if we can squeeze you in 😉
**SOLD OUT** March Flight of the Month - Once and Future
Once and Future Wine Company is a return to the original vision Joel Peterson had decades ago with Ravenswood when he brought Zinfandel to America.
Since he sold his share in Ravenswood, O&F has become a project that is near and dear to his original vision and specializes in wines from special vineyards made with a sensitivity to place and in a style that he personally loves and believes in. Wines that force him to dust off the old redwood vats and get out a new punch down tool (his original is in the Smithsonian), wines that dye his hands that harvest shade of black/purple and sometimes force him to take an additional Advil some mornings. In short...wines of sweat, exertion, and love. And he only makes about 200 cases of each!!!!
To say this tasting is special would be an understatement. I don’t even know how to express how honored we are to share these with you. There will be a tasting with our local expert Tracy from @natlwineco on Tuesday with a start time between 5-7pm, but we will continue to feature these wines all month long with a cheese and macaron pairing until we sell out.
3/30 through 4/4 - Château Mourgues de Grès
Château Mourgues de Grès is a family estate in the south of the #Rhône nestled between vineyards and orchards, at the foot of Costières de Nîmes. The minerality of the terroir is the signature of the wines of this estate, giving it originality and balance. This label is called #Galets which translates to “The Pebbles”, an homage to their stony soil called “grès” that was sculpted by the moraine of the Rhône River. There are three colors in this series: Dorés, Rosés, and Rouges like the colors of the stones under the sun.
3/23 through 3/29 - Malbec
A study of #malbec is this week’s flight theme 😍 More ❄️ equals more 🍷 in our book!
3/16 through 3/21 - Obscure Varietals
Ever wonder what those weird varietals you’ve never heard of taste like but too afraid to take a chance on them? Well this week we are going to take the fear out of the unknown. We are tasting through two os#obscure white varietals and two #oscuro reds from Spain; #Godello is light and slightly aromatic similar to Chenin Blanc, #Albilla has bright and acidic notes like a Sauvignon Blanc, #Mencia is dark and violet like Cab Franc, and #Graciano most resembles Petit Verdot, another color-rich, flavor-packed, red wine variety prized for its role in blends and only rarely conifers alone. All four tastings are only $15pp and will be available today through Sunday [or until we run dry] so make sure you go to our website to book your reservation now.
2/23 through 2/28 - Burgundy
Our favorite Burgundian expert, Jess from @grandvincolorado, is joining us again on Tuesday from 5-7pm for an in-depth exploration of this bar-setting [and bar-raising] wine region.
You’ll have the opportunity to taste through 3 Burgundy wines, or upgrade for a little bit more to 5, depending on how deep you want to go.
This is a 2 part series that will take place the final week of February [in other words, starting tomorrow 🤟🏻] and the first week of April [4/6 unless we have a scheduling conflict] so make sure to get in while you can because reservations are very limited. You can find available times on our website via the link in our bio, on google, or OpenTable.
We will continue to run the tasting the rest of the week but you will only have access to Jess’ brain tomorrow so get in while you can because her tastings book up fast!
🏃🏻♀️💨 🍷💃🏻
2/16 through 2/21 - Portugal
Who wants to go to Portugal this week??!! 🙋🏻♀️💃🏻🍷
This week we have a new wine expert @carrot_tim with @stelviowines who will be tasting us on the vinhos deliciosos from Portugal and sharing his expertise on this amazing wine-producing country 🤤
First on the flight is a 2018 Pormenor’s Reserva Branco from Doura. A wood-aged wine with an attractive oxidative character, the wine is fruity while also being structured. Its mineral edge is typical of the Douro, bringing out the edge from the schist soil. The wine has a final burst of juicy acidity, both refreshing and zesty.
Also from Douro, is a Tinta Barroca from Muxagat. This wine is a new and different view of Douro wines. Light red in colour, this wine is fresh, young and cheeky but keeping the complexity of Douro soils. With cherry, raspberry and roses aromas, it’s an easy drinking wine with a velvet long mouth with fresh fruit and spicy aromas.
Finally, the 2018 Pretexto Red Blend from the Dāo wine region has been fermented in stainless steel tanks with 30% whole bunch, followed by 30 days cuvaison. Relatively unknown in the US, varietals Jaen, Alfrocheiro and Tinta Roriz were co-fermented with Touriga Nacional and final blend aged in seasoned french oak vat (5.000L) and barrels for 11 months, resulting in an elegant and somewhat rustic wine, with delicate aromas, more a fruity character, deep red cherry in the nose, ripe cherries in the mouth, nice acidity, some carbonic notes and a minty and balsamic character.
While we will offer this tasting all week long, Tim’s time with us on Tuesday will be limited to reservations between 5-7pm so make sure you reserve your spot on OpenTable and note “tasting” to guarantee one-on-one time with him!
2/9 through 2/14 - Cheese Monger Pairing
French wine and cheese pairing next week??! Umm, yes please!!!! And macarons are back too??? 🤤🧀🍷🥂
Whether you’re celebrating #GalentinesDay or #ValentinesDay this pairing is PERFECT for lovers of all things delicious.
On Tuesday 2/9 we will have local cheese expert @apairtoremember in-house pairing Délice De Bourgogne, a Classic French triple crème from Burgundy with St. Roch Sauvignon Blanc. P’tit Basque sheep’s milk cheese from the Pyrenees Mountains will be offered with Château Yvonne Cabernet Franc. Rounding out the flight will be a THREE THOUSAND year old recipe, Ossau Iraty from the Basque region, with Langlois-Chateau Crement de Loire Rosé of Cab Franc.
If you would like to meet our monger make a reservation on OpenTable and note “tasting” in the guest request section. We will have a seating with her at 4pm and a seating at 6pm. The flight will still be available the rest of the night and week, though so don’t worry if you can’t make those times ☺️
And macarons from @happybakeshopdenver are back! In addition to the cheese pairings, we will also have macaron pairings available ALL MONTH LONG. Starting the flight is a Pineapple Buttercream with a dollop of Lemon Curd that pairs perfectly with St. Roch Sauvignon Blanc. Next is our first savory macaron that has a Red Pepper Jelly center surrounded by a classic Cream Cheese Buttercream with a bit of sweet AND heat in a Cracked Pepper shell that brings out the fruit and pepper in the Château Yvonne Cab Franc. The final pairing of Champagne Buttercream and Raspberry Jam with the Cremant Rosé of Cabernet Franc is so beautiful to look at, it's nearly impossible to eat! Individual pairings are $3 each or $8 for all three.
2/2 - Smith-Madrone Winery, Napa Valley
Virtual Tasting with Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone Winery in Napa Valley
Join us [Vin Rouge not Stu] in person on Tuesday, 2/2 at 7pm MST [limit of 10 guests total at Vin Rouge] and live on zoom [limit of 20 additional tastings for two] for a one-on-one with legendary winemaker, Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone Winery.
Located in the highly coveted area of Spring Mountain in Napa Valley, and celebrating nearly 50 years of vines, Smith-Madrone commands respect for their no-nonsense approach to wine making. Thankfully the vineyards were spared by the Glass Fire that ravaged most of their neighbors and colleagues but not everyone was as lucky and many are still in need so 20% of the profits from this tasting will be donated to the Napa Valley Disaster Relief Fund to help them rebuild their community. Please check out the Virtual Tasting link for more information about these wines, Stu, and Smith-Madrone. [We will continue to leave the virtual tasting video up on our site for those of you that cannot make the event when we are live.]
As always, make your reservation on @opentable for 6:45pm [live feed starts PROMPTLY at 7pm] and note “tasting” in the guest request section.
So excited for a little one on one with a legend!!! 💃🏻🍷😍
1/26 through 1/31 - Pinot Noir
The World of Pinot Noir for less than $20 🤯🍷😍🤤
This week we are taking a closer look at three starkly different versions of this easy-drinking, cool-climate, thin-skinned varietal [and let’s not forget fan-favorite].
First we start with a gorgeous Sancerre rosé from B. Millet. This Sancerre Rosé is a blend of press and saignée. The grapes pressed at harvest produce the pressed juice and the saignée is the product of skin maceration. The must is then settled and low temperature fermentation begins. No malolactic fermentation. Light filtration and stainless steel tank aging.
Next we travel back to the US to one of the largest Pinot producing areas in our country, Santa Barbara Co. Lane Tanner of @LumenWines was the first independent female winemaker in Santa Barbara County, and the first to dedicate her entire winery to Pinot Noir. Her wines are notable for being low in alcohol and sulfites, a practice that she continues to this day.
We round out the tasting with one my personal favorite Pinot [aka Spätburgunder] producing areas in the world...Germany. “The Daily August” from @AugustKesseler is considered a Big Pinot, defined above all by three things: fruit, elegance and balance. Added to this are distinctiveness, finesse and precision, supported by new wood - but never more than 30 percent! As a winery in the Rheingau, with origin in Assmannshausen, they have dedicated themselves to Pinot Noir and Riesling as they are the predominant grape varieties in the Rheingau.
1/19 through 1/24 - American Pride
Our first flight of 2021 will pay homage to the historical events happening this week as we salute...Red, White and Blue fruit from the good old USA 🇺🇸 [and it’s only $15pp for THREE tastings!]
Klinker Brick Winery is nestled in the heart of Lodi’s most prestigious Mokelumne AVA, and includes 750 acres of estate vineyards, many of which have been farmed consistently by the Felten family for 6 generations. The soils are comprised of deep granite sandy loam, giving wines of this region a distinctive minerality.
@klinkerbrick recently landed on the highly acclaimed @wine_spectator Top 100 of 2020 list with their stunning #GrenacheBlanc. Most commonly found in Rhone wine blends, it exhibits traditional aromas of lemon and lime coupled with a hint of white peach. Crisp, bright flavors of citrus and Anjou pear lead into a silky smooth finish.
Aged in new French oak, the #FarrahSyrah is a beautifully balanced wine with broad berry flavors and hints of chocolate, cola and tobacco. A fabulous example of what Syrah can do in Lodi. Huge diurnal swings in summer temperatures allowed the winemaker to retain acidity, providing notes of bright blue toned fruit. Barrel fermentation and maturation in french oak bring a spice and texture that cannot be replicated with american oak.
Finally, the #Brickmason blend is comprised of 80% Zinfandel, 10% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petite Sirah. Deep red fruit aromas lead into notes of toasty vanilla with firm tannins and bold structure. The blend started by barrel sampling through 16 different lots of zinfandel and choosing two that were exemplary of the varietal and vintage. The Costa Zin was selected for its acidity, red fruit and spicy pepper with an elegant finish.
And you heard us say it’s only $15pp for all three, right? 😉💃🏻🤤🍷
1/8 - Riesling from Mosel, Germany
Happy New Year! Virtual Tastings are back for our club members this week at 8pm tomorrow when we learn about the versatility of the Riesling grape [specifically from Mosel] with expert Francesca with Anvil Wines.
After this TWTE you’ll be able to choose wines with skill from the Mosel Valley and learn why this region has been considered the best place for Riesling in the world. The Mosel [aka Moselle] River begins in France and flows into Germany where it twists sharply for 150 miles and deposits into the Rhine on its way to the North Sea. It is along this winding river gorge that we find the most classic Riesling wines in the world. Traditionally, most Riesling wines are on the sweeter end of the spectrum, in order to balance the wine’s high acidity. Nowadays, there is also a deal of dry [as in, not sweet] Riesling for those who prefer a leaner-tasting wine, but the primary aromas and taste profile are distinct and easy to identify. The best Rieslings grow along the Mosel River in Germany on steep south-facing hills.
This tasting will include FOUR stellar examples of rieslings, including THREE Grosses Gewachs [the German equivalent of a French 1er Grand Cru] from three of the most notable and respected German winemakers alive. We will taste Weiser-Künstler’s 2019 ‘Trarbacher’ Trocken with only 2.5 g/l of RS [residual sugar], Dr. Ulli Stein’s 2019er Palmberg Vineyard Spätlese Trocken, Weiser-Künstler’s 2018er ‘Steffensberg’ Trocken and finally from Julian Haart, his 2019er ‘Goldtröpfchen’ Kabinett that has an outstanding RS of 40 g/l.
We were only able to get THREE bottles of each of these rare finds, and they would normally cost anywhere from $22-$38 per glass, and the tasting for two would be $125 but we are offering for only $75 per tasting for two and only to our club members. Since there’s only 15 tastings available, and 4 have already been accounted for, so we will sell out quickly. You can reserve your tasting here to guarantee your Zoom spot!
[If you are planning on making this a date night, make sure you pair with something spicy like Thai or Indian food 🤤]