I’m typically not the biggest fan of Cab Franc as a stand alone wine, but this one changed my opinion entirely.  Just 475 cases were produced from tiny yields of 2 tons per acre and the wine sees 20 months aging in French oak.  A touch lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon, but with plenty of stuffing, this one ”offers up a panorama of herbs and spices, floral notes, cassis, and black currants. In the glass it opens to reveal its elegant personality along with layered savory flavors, good balance, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. It will provide enjoyment through 2021.”  The Wine Advocate – 92 points

I’ve got about 4 cases left of this delicious, 92 point rated, well priced wine.  I recommend you give it a shot.  If you can’t make it by immediately, don’t worry, I’ll hold some for you until you can.

Regular Price: $26.99 

Sale Price: $23.99 

In A Mixed Six Pack: $22.94 

In A Mixed or Solid Case: $21.59

Wine Of The Week – 2009 Arbor Crest Cabernet Franc “Connor Lee Vineyard” is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

The fun gets started at 4:00 and ends at 6:30, and the cost is just $5/person or it’s free if you’re a Grape Nut.  We hope to see you.

1. Carmel Road Pinot Gris - This Pinot Gris hails from Monterey, where the warm, sunny days combined with cooling ocean breezes provide the perfect climate for the grape.  The wine is nicely textured and fuller bodied with lovely notes of lemon, peach, honeydew and flowers.  Great with food…..great without food.

2. Silver Palm Chardonnay - This no-oak Chardonnay is made with fruit from Sonoma and Mendocino Counties and 2% Viognier is blended in to add nice aromatics.  It offers up a fruit forward personality with lovely notes of ripe peach, apple, Meyer lemon and honeysuckle.

3. Hartford Court Chardonnay - Jennifer and Don Hartford craft Chardonnays that typically receive similar praise as those produced by Kistler and other notables.  I can see why, as this wine is like a hypothetical blend of really good Burgundy with really good Cali-Chard – sleek, refined and complex, it offers up a nice mix of ripe apple, pear, lemon oil and mineral.  Just stop by and taste it.

4. Carmel Road Pinot Noir - This is just sweet spot Cali Pinot for a lot of folks.  Ripe, supple and fuller bodied, it offers up rich notes of wild strawberry, cherry and raspberry with a nice spicy oak component that will appeal to many.

5. Edmeades Zinfandel - Dr. Edmeades was one of the first grape growers in Mendocino County, getting his start in 1963. For years, the fruit was sold to other wineries, including Seghesio, until they began estate bottling their own wines in 1972.  Today, they’re still going strong, and this Zinfandel is fully flavored, luscious and friendly with ripe notes of wild berries along with hints of vanilla and spice.

6. Archipel Meritage - There’s good news and bad news about this wine.  The good news is that it’s made by Pierre Seillan, the same fella who makes Verité wines, which almost always score 95 to 100 points.  The bad news is that I only have 12 bottles to sell!  I might be able to get more, but who knows.  This is all mountain fruit and it is simply delicious.

Friday Winedown – Goin’ Back To Cali is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

1. Jus Sauvignon Blanc - This 300 case production wine comes from a small vineyard in Rutherford (Napa) that also supplies fruit to Frog’s Leap, Duckhorn and others.  The wine is super, with lively, crisp notes of grapefruit, quince and lime.

2. Tahbilk Marsanne - This fresh and exotic white wine comes from one of the oldest family owned wineries in Australia.  It is a dazzling white with notes of honeyed white peach, ripe pear and orange blossom.

3. Matchbook Tempranillo - Tempranillo from California? Yep!  There’s not much of the grape left in the Golden State, but we love this one.  It is a super friendly, smooth red wine with nice black cherry and black currant fruit, along with complex notes of baking spices and toasty oak.

4. Arbor Crest Syrah - Not only do these guys make a wonderful Cab Franc (wine of the week), they also make a really delicious Syrah.  Succulent and savory, it offers up tons of ripe blueberry, blackberry, smoke and herbs.

5. La Ardilla Moscato Rosato - This is a guilty pleasure wine if there ever were one.  80% Moscato with 20% Grenache added for color, it is sweet and slightly fizzy with lovely notes of honeyed apricot, peach and strawberry.  It should be awesome with the truffles!

Free Wine and Chocolate Truffle Tasting is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

“La Rustia” means the “roasted” slopes in the local Piemontese dialect, a reference to the vineyard’s ideal location for maximum sun exposure.  Fermented entirely in stainless steel, this is a complex white wine with lovely layers of peach, melon, grapefruit and citrus followed by intriguing notes of essential oils, sage, lavender, and flowers.  It is dry and zippy and would taste really good with a lemon roasted chicken or with a wide variety of seafood.  You should try a bottle, as this is the estate’s top bottling.  We also stock the estate’s entry-level Erbaluce, which comes in a liter bottle for just $17.99.

Regular Price: $21.99/bottle

On sale through May 22 at $19.99/bottle

Wine of the Week – Orsolani Erbaluce di Caluso “La Rustia” is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

The tasting takes place Wednesday, May 16 from 5:00 to 6:30 and the cost for the tasting is $5/person or it’s free if you’re a Grape Nut.  No RSVP is needed.  Here’s the lineup:

1. 2008 Senda 66 Tempranillo (La Mancha, Spain) - 100% Tempranillo from older vines and aged in some new oak, this smooth textured, layered and rich red sells for a song.   Purple/black in color, it sports a fragrant nose of spice box, lavender, blueberry, and blackberry.  90 points – The Wine Advocate

2. 2009 Oferente Monastrell (Jumilla, Spain) - Bodegas Santiago Apostol’s 2009 Offerente is 100% Monastrell aged for 12 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. Underbrush, brier, cedar, and blue fruits are just some of the elements composing the nose of this sweet, easygoing, pleasure-bent effort that finishes with no hard edges.
90 points – The Wine Advocate

3. 2009 Hyatt Syrah (Rattlesnake Hills, Washington) - This family run winery makes one decadent Syrah, and it won’t break the bank.  Ripe and generous, it boasts lots of bold blueberry, black cherry and plum fruit along with a nice dusting of toasty oak and mocha.  89 points – Table Wine (aka Team Spurling)

4. 2010 Thomas Goss Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale, Australia) - One of the original McLaren Vale pioneers, Thomas Goss, his wife Mary and their children arrived in South Australia from Devonshire in 1849.  Made by Ben Riggs and his winemaking team, this wine displays the trademark Cabernet Sauvignon characters; rich and generously loaded with mulberries, black cherries and spice on the palate, the finish is long lasting, delicious, dense and fruit-packed.  90 points – Stephen Tanzer

5. 2008 Januik Red Blend (Columbia Valley, Washington) – Mike Januik was the original winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle and today, he is considered one of the top winemakers and consultants in the state.   The 2008 Red Wine, a blend of predominantly Merlot along with some Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc is a real stunner with layers of dense and chewy berry fruit, mineral and spicy oak.  It’s great now, but could easily hold up for another 5 to 7 years.
90 points – Wine Spectator

6. Surprise Wine – After all of these highly rated wines, it’s gonna be hard to finish the night with a blockbuster, but Tom and I think we can do it.

BRV Wine Tasting – Big, Red and Voluptuous is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

The event will be held at our store from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and we’ll be raising money in a variety of ways for BWAR.  The door fee is $10 per person and most of those proceeds will go back to Brother Wolf.  In addition, you’ll get to sample six wines and if you buy any of the tasting wines, Table Wine will give back 10% of the proceeds from sales that day to this animal loving group.  We hope you can make it for this unique and fun event!  Here are the wines we’ll try:

1. 2010 Borsao Blanco – This simple little white wine is composed entirely of Spain’s native Viura grape, and it is aged in oak barrels for a short bit.  Many wine critics have hailed it as one of the best white wine values on the planet, and we tend to agree.  It is dry and bursting with bright fruit notes of tangerine and fresh citrus along with spice and floral nuances.  

2. 2011 Francois Lurton Pinot Gris – Francois Lurton has wine running through his veins, as he comes from a family that has been involved in the wine trade for hundreds of years.  He makes this wine from the warm and sunny vineyards of Argentina and it is a dry, nicely textured, fruit filled white wine for the warm weather.  

3. Peirano Estate Chardonnay – Butter and oak lovers will love this rendition of Chardonnay made by one of the oldest family owned and operated wineries in Lodi, California.  It is rich, creamy and smooth and offers up flavors of ripe tropical fruits along with vanilla and creamy, toasty oak. 

4. Venta Morales Tempranillo – This 89 point rated wine is one of the best red wine values in the world.  From a patch of old vine Tempranillo in La Mancha, Spain, it is dark in color and very flavorful with spicy blueberry and black cherry notes followed by subtle smoky mocha notes.  You can’t beat it for the price! 

5. Line 39 Petite Sirah – Although Petite Sirah is of French descent, its current home is without a doubt California.  This one is medium to full bodied with a nice mix of brambly berry fruit, spices and smoky oak.  The perfect wine to enjoy with any sort of meat off the grill………or by itself! 

6. Marietta Old Vine Lot 57 – Since 1978, the Bilbro family have made quality wines and sold them at fair prices without relying on mass marketing or advertising campaigns.  This is their best seller and it is based predominantly on Old Vine Zinfandel, with smaller amounts of Petite Sirah, Carignane and Cabernet, it is fully fruited and super spicy.  It is almost too easy to drink.

Wine Tasting To Benefit Brother Wolf Animal Rescue is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

1. Bodegas Valdesil Godello “Montevovo” – Bodegas Valdesil is one of the premiere producers of Godello in all of Spain.  This grape grows best in the Valdeorras region of the country, in northwestern Spain, and it is a real crowd pleaser.  Sappy and focused, it is just lip smacking good.  Mineral-accented aromas of orange, lemon zest and tarragon are complicated by notes of green tea, jasmine and white pepper.  This is a pretty complex little white wine for not that much money.

2. St. Kilda Chardonnay – The new vintage of Kilda has arrived and it is another extreme value in our opinion.  No, this isn’t a small family estate, but it is made by the De Bortoli family, one of Australia’s largest high quality producers.  Stainless steel fermented, this is fresh, fruit driven Chardonnay with classic notes of apple, pear, citrus and delicate spices.  Easy to drink and even easier on the pocket book.

3. Valle Escondido “Gouguenheim” Malbec – Here is yet another customer favorite which has changed vintages, but hasn’t dropped in quality.  Patricio Gouguenheim does a fantastic job of crafting super delicious wines that sell for a song.  The current release boasts ripe and friendly aromas and flavors of black cherry, raspberry and plum fruit with subtle cocoa and spicy oak notes.

4. Luberri Rioja “Seis” - Luberri is located in El Ciego in the heart of Rioja Alavesa, and the estate consists of 35 hectares of old vines Tempranillo.  This wine spent 6 months in French and American oak. It offers up an inviting nose of cedar, leather, violets, spice box, and assorted black fruits. Already revealing a bit of complexity, this elegantly-styled Rioja has the balance and concentration to drink well through 2018.

South Asheville’s Best Free Wine Tasting is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

Chateau Magneau has been owned and operated by the Ardurat family since the reign of Henry IV.  Today, Henri and Brigitte Ardurat run the estate with their two sons.  Their vineyards are located in Graves, in southern Bordeaux, so named because of the deep gravelly soils of the region.  All of the vineyard and cellar work is done by hand – no chemical pesticides are used in the vineyard and all fruit is hand harvested and sorted prior to fermentation.

The wine is a blend of 45% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon and 10% Muscadelle, and the average age of vines is around 30 years.  It is a completely harmonious wine in the sense thatthe Semillon contributes ripe stone fruit flavors and rich texture while the Sauvignon Blanc adds tangy, zippy citrus and melon notes……….oh yeah, the Muscadelle (no relation to Muscadine or Muscat) adds a beautiful floral component to the wine.

All in all, it is a wine that drinks well above it’s price point with or without food.  If you like to cook, try this one with flaky white fish, roasted vegetables or a good friend or loved one on your back porch.  You will thank me!

$15.99/botttle 

$14.39/bottle in a mixed 6 pack 

$13.59/bottle in a mixed case

Wine of the Week – 2010 Chateau Magneau Graves Blanc is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

Join us from 4 to 6:30 p.m. to sample some of the best wines your money can buy in Asheville.  The cost for the tasting is $5/person or it’s free if you’re a Grape Nut.

1. Chateau Magneau Graves Blanc - Château Magneau is an ancient property that has been run by the Ardurat family since before the reign of Henri IV…………that’s a long time!  They are certified organic and this blend is made from 45% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon and 10% Muscadelle, and the average age of the vines is 30 years.  The wine is zippy, tangy and absolutely delicious with notes of grapefruit, lime zest, green apple and mineral.

2. Domaine des Cassagnoles “Cuvée Gros Manseng” - Gilles Baumann’s Domaine des Cassagnoles consistently produces one of the best white wine values in the world……………and you will get to try it!  The estate is located in Gascogne, in southwestern France, and the same grapes that are used to make Cognac and Armagnac are also fermented into delicious, dry, lively white wines.  The grape here is Gros Manseng, and it produces a fleshy, beautifully aromatic white wine with aromas and flavors of white peach, apricot, pear and honey.  You will love it!

3. Domaine les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Rosé – Robert Parker had this to say about this biodynamically farmed estate: “In 1999, I discovered one of the finest estates in the southern Rhone, the Domaine Les Aphillanthes owned by Daniel Boulle. His oenologist is none other than Philippe Cambie, one of the finest in all of France.”  Their dry Rosé is a blend of 60% Cinsault with Grenache, Counoise and Mourvedre rounding things out.  It is a pretty wine with fresh aromas of strawberries, earth, and spice, good acidity, medium body, loads of fruit, and a dry style.

4. Domaine les Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone les Trois Soeurs Rosé - Marc Besnardeau is from Paris originally and before he met Mireille Farjon, he was a sommelier at one of the better restaurants in Paris.  He has obviously adjusted to his new surroundings and profession very well as every year his wines garner great reviews from all of the leading wine periodicals.  Their dry rosé is composed of two-thirds Grenache, one-fourth Carignan and the rest Cinsault from vines that average 60 years in age. It is a medium rose-colored, flowery offering with good body and freshness and flavors of  strawberry and framboise intermixed with a hint of Provencal herbs.

5. Domaine du Cros Marcillac “Lo Sang del Pais” - Domaine du Cros, with its 22 hectares, is the largest independent producer in the appellation of Marcillac, in southwestern France and Philippe Teulier and his family have been instrumental in reestablishing the reputation of Marcillac’s wines.  His wines are made from one grape type, the local grape of Marcillac, Fer Servadou.  The wine is rustic and wild with notes of brambly berries, herbs, earth and mineral – perfect for serving with grilled sausages.

6. Domaine St. Damien Cotes du Rhone “Vieilles Vignes” - Young proprietor Joel Saurel is another client of the brilliant oenologist, Philippe Cambie and his estate is another of the finest in the southern Rhone.  Vintage 2010 was a great one in the region and this wine is entirely Grenache with the average age of vines around 50 years.  Strawberry, black cherry, lavender, pepper and dusty, loamy, sandy soil aromas jump from the glass of this deep plum/purple-tinged wine. Ripe and medium to full-bodied, it is ideal for consumption over the next 3-4 years.

7. Surprise Wine – All I’m telling you is that this stuff is naughty good!

Friday Winedown – Red, White and Pink Wines From France is a post from: Table Wine Asheville

Did you know that we have over 100 wines for less than $15 at Table Wine?  No, well come join us as we sample four of our favorites, all for $15 or less.  We’ll travel the world through wine at this tasting, making stops in South Africa, France and Italy to sample nothing but the good stuff.  Here’s the lineup for this Saturday:

1. Man Vintners Chenin Blanc South Africa - Chenin Blanc,aka Steen in South Africa, is one of the country’s most planted grapes.  This one is made by a group of South African industry insiders and it is juicy and dry, with notes of fresh melon, nectarine and lime.  Simple, but really delicious!

2. Chateau d’Oupia Minervois Rosé - Year in and year out, this is one of the best dry rosé values to come out of France. The wine is a blend of organically grown Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre, and it tastes of bright and tangy red fruits, blood orange, herbs and spices.  Perfect with grilled salmon, grilled veggies or to drink while you’re grilling either!

3. Corte Majoli Valpolicella - This is the Tezza family’s entry-level wine and it is just pure and simple drinking pleasure.  A blend of Corvina and Rondinella all fermented in stainless steel, the wine bursts out of the glass with ripe, delicious notes of fresh berries and herbs.  If you’ve been to Italy, this is the kind of “house wine” you encounter at trattorias and wine bars all over – inexpensive, delicious and great with food! Try this one with your favorite grilled burger.

4. La Croix Peyrassol Vin Rouge - Francoise Rigords’ wines taste of southern France…………..they should, being that this organically farmed estate is located in Provence.  This wine, a blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah, sees no oak and tastes of fresh berries intermixed with herbs de Provence – think lavender, sage and rosemary. It would make a perfect partner to an herb roasted chicken with roasted baby reds.

South Asheville’s Top Free Wine Tasting is a post from: Table Wine Asheville