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Wow! That was on heck of a crowd we had in here last Thursday. Thank you to everyone who showed up. I hope that no one was put off by the size of the crowd. I was certainly taken aback by it. This Thursday we will be joined by Grant Gordon from Pinnacle Imports. He will be showcasing several wines from Oregon from a delightful winery called A to Z Winery. This is a wonderful winery with some really great wines. Several of these wines will be a welcome addition as we usher in the warmer months here in Tuscaloosa. Here are the wines:
A to Z Riesling 2006 Oregon $13.99
This is our inaugural release of Riesling and we are proud of it! The wine is a bright, crystal clear green/gold color. Fresh aromas of slate, lime, white flowers, minerals and citrus leap from the glass. More complex nuances of strawberries, orange blossom and spice emerge in time. In the mouth, the wine is vibrant and alive with focused and powerful flavors that echo the aromas on the attack. A long, clean finish with final flavors of wet stones and minerals completes this complex and beautiful wine. This wine will gain complexity over the next ten years, but is already drinking great now.
A to Z Pinot Gris 2006 Oregon $13.99
Rich and ripe. The color of the 2006 Pinot Gris is yellow gold with beautiful flashes of emerald. Powerful aromatics are redolent of ripe citrus fruits, acacia flowers, tropical fruits (mango, papaya and kiwi), lychee, powdered sugar, honeysuckle, nectarines and pineapple. A concentrated wine with ripe acidity. The finish rolls seamlessly off the mid-palate and lasts forever. The lasting impression is a wine of great ripeness and opulence balanced by wonderful juiciness and succulence. The 2006 Pinot Gris will drink wonderfully for the next two years.
A to Z Chardonnay (Unoaked) 2006 Oregon $15.99
Vivid gold with green highlights. Aromatics of pear, green apple, quince, apple blossom, lime, tangerine, talc and wet stone minerality evolve to include honey, butter, nutmeg and white chocolate. In the mouth, the wine is gorgeous. The ripeness and richness of the fruit are perfectly balanced by the beautiful acidity. Concentrated and succulent with a long, clean finish. The unoaked 2006 A to Z Oregon Chardonnay will drink wonderfully over the next two years.
A to Z Rosé 2007 Oregon $13.99
Gorgeous aromas of fresh pure strawberries, raspberries, provincial herbs, wildflowers, juicy cherries, watermelon and mixed spices. The wine is bright and lush, at the same time finishing clean and crisp. Full of flavor and pleasure, the 2007 Rosé is a perfect wine with all types of food and will drink wonderfully over the next year.
A to Z Pinot Noir 2006 Oregon $20.99
Clear and vibrant, this wine has a beautiful dark color and aromas of mixed berries, earth, smoke, violets, Asian spices and minerals. In the mouth, the wine mirrors the aromatics with a succulent texture and good acidity. As the finish unfolds, the individual characteristics of the wine unify and augment one another. Beautifully balanced between richness and power, the wine possesses amazing depth and purity.
A to Z Night & Day Bordeaux Blend 2005 $19.99
Saturated dark purple/red color from rim to center that looks like a Bordeaux from a great vintage. The nose shows strong minerality and has complex initial aromas of blackberries, tobacco, pepper, iron, graphite, cassis and tar. With aeration aromas of cedar, Indian spices, bramble, boysenberries, blood orange, ripe plums and red currents emerge. In the mouth the attack is concentrated, structured and pure. As the wine continues to move across the palate, ripe tannins focus and bring balance to the young and generous fruit. The mid-palate is focused, strong and broad. At the end, a classic tannin/fruit balance gives the finish great clarity and astounding length. The final flavors end on a strong note of iron and minerality.
For this week's tasting and all our future tastings we will be instituting a small fee to participate. The main reason we are doing this is so that we can continue to bring you spectacular wines each week. The fee will change each week depending on which wines we feature in the tasting. For this week's tasting the fee will be $5.00. Just like some other wine shops out there we will refund this fee if you end up making a purchase the night of the tasting. The economy sucks right now and I wish we could keep these tastings free but I think that this policy will end up benefiting everyone in the long run.
In other store news...
For those of you who were unable to attend the wine dinner with Brian Loring, which was spectacular, we have one of his Pinot Noir's in stock here in the shop.
Loring Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard California 2005 $49.99
Loamy earth and dusty berry scents carry over to the palate, where they are vibrant and tangy, repeating the dark berry fruit themes. Has fine balance, tannins and acidity. Returns to the loamy berry flavors.
So pick up a bottle and check out this amazing wine.
Lost and Found: About three weeks ago a customer set their keys down on the counter and they disappeared. If anyone has accidentally picked these keys up would you please bring them by the shop? It would be much appreciated.
Well that is about it for now. So grab your friends and come out and join us on either Thursday or Friday evening. The tastings last from 6:00 P.M. Until 8:30 P.M. You are free to taste through all of the wines once for this week's reasonable fee of $5.00. If you find something you like you are more than welcome to purchase a glass and enjoy it while you are here.
Thanks
Jonathan Harder
Manager
Carpe Vino Inc.
205-409-4738
Carpe Vino is conveniently located in Temerson Square in downtown Tuscaloosa. It is directly behind the RBC bank building. Our hours are 11:00 A.M. Until 9:00 P.M.
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