November 15th Wine Festival. Tickets are now on sale for this year's Savory Grape Charity Wine Festival, held on Saturday, November 15th at the Varnum Memorial Armory, 6 Main Street, in EG from 6-9 PM. Please join us to taste highly sought-after wines of limited distribution from prominent and boutique vineyards. You also will enjoy live music and sample foods donated by the Pinelli Marra Restaurant Group. A silent auction of rare wines as well as various items and packages, such as Napa vineyard tours and visits, will be held. RI Monthly Magazine will be present to to capture pictures for its RI Scene page. This will be the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. Profits from the event will be donated to the RI Community Action Association. General tickets are $50 per person and $45 for active wine club members. Tickets are nonrefundable but are transferable.

September 17th Exploring Wine and Food Class. Seats are still available for the Exploring the Art of Matching Food and Wine class on Wednesday, Sept. 17th at 7 PM. Join us for an exploration of the many varieties of wine, and how facets of these wines - such as sweetness, acidity, tannin, body and more - give clues to their preferred food partners. During the class, you will explore various food components, and analyze cuisine and your own food favorites to understand which wines are needed to show their best. Space is limited to 20 seats. The cost is $40 per person, which includes instruction, wine tasting, appetizers and handouts. Reservations and payment can be made by calling or visiting The Savory Grape. The class will be held at Pinelli's Cafe on Route 2 in Warwick. This is a great gift for yourself or the wine lover in your family.

September 18th Wine Tasting. Join us next Thursday at Pinelli's Cafe on Route 2 in Warwick as we continue the Thursday Night Supper Club. Stop into The Savory Grape (TSG) first to pick up a bottle of wine then head to Pinelli's for a bite to eat. As you dine, TSG's Patrick Barberet will make his way to your table to sample a selection of everyday wines from the shop.

September 24th Siena Wine Dinner. Only a few tickets remain for the Wednesday, September 24th Siena Wine Dinner. Tuscan cuisine will be paired with wines from some of the best Italian estates brought to us by importer Empson USA. Empson's Cindy Richardson, Vice President, New England, will be with us to discuss and share the wines. The reception begins at 6:45 PM with dinner at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $65 plus tax and gratuity per person and can be purchased at either location. Click here for the final menu and wine selections.

2008 Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau Pre-Orders. We know it's early to begin talking about Beaujolais Nouveau when the wine won't arrive until mid November. However we are putting in our order for the 2008 Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau on Monday, September 22nd for arrival by air in mid November. You may remember the demand for it last year and how quickly we sold out (within a few days) before Thanksgiving. Therefore, we are taking preorders for the wine to ensure those who want it get it. The cost per bottle is $14.99. (Yes it has gone up this year.) To preorder the 2008 Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau, please email your quantities to jessica@thesavorygrape.com or patrick@thesavorygrape.com by Sunday, September 21st. All orders received by that Sunday will have secured allocations when the wine arrives in November.

Mollydooker Has Arrived! We finally received the renowned Mollydooker wines. If you pre-ordered any of them, your selections are ready for pick up at the shop. If you didn't and are interested in any of the selections, we have a small amount of the Two Left Feet, Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz and Velvet Glove in stock. If interested please contact us.

2004 Buzzard Tree Meritage, Paso Robles, California. From Norman Vineyards in Paso Robles, one of our favorites, the Buzzard Tree Meritage is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with some Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot added. This deep, luscious cuvee has enticing complex aromas of ripe cherries and cassis with spicy overtones of pepper and nutmeg. Medium-to-full-bodied, the intense red and black berry flavors are superbly balanced with a nice, firm acidity. The lengthy finish coats your mouth, due to its soft tannins, that offer a final ending of soft chocolate notes. This is a wine to drink throughout the next 2 years. This was a recent wine club selection that we decided to share with everyone. ($14.99)

2004 Bodega Renacer Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina. This is a limited-edition icon red wine aged for 24 months in French oak barrels and cellared for 12 months in the bottle. It is rich and voluptuous with chocolate, coffee and ripe fruit notes complemented by licorice. Renacer is lush and supple in the mouth, with caressing tannins and a round finish. With a rich and saturated ruby-red color, this wine has a vibrant nose that combines currant, plum, coffee, mint & chocolate. It has a nicely integrated acidity that perfectly balances the wine's sweetness. Made of mostly Malbec with a touch of Cabernet Franc, only 3,300 bottles are produced annually. This will be one the featured wines this Friday from guest Steve Wynn. ($51.99)

2007 Sella Mosca "La Cala" Vermentino di Sardegna, Italy. From Sardegna comes this lovely, light white with aromas of oranges, grapefruit and roses. This single-vineyard wine is elegant and supple coupled with a fullness of citrus flavors and an underlying acidity. Due to the vineyard's seaside location there is a subtle presence of a natural marine salinity making it a perfect match with seafood. ($13.49)

2006 Joseph Drouhin Laforet Bourgogne Chardonnay, France. Drouhin's Bourgogne is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, picked by hand, coming from some of the best vineyards throughout Burgundy. The wine has a bright, golden-green hue with very vibrant aromatics. On the palate, the wine offers fresh and crisp notes of tropical and citrus fruits with soft almond flavors. It displays a nice creaminess without overpowering the mouth. Enjoy with roasted chicken with rosemary or with one of my favorite fall dishes, chicken and dumplings. ($14.49)

Friday, September 12th (5 to 8 PM)
Please join us to welcome Special Guest Steven Wynn of Slocum and Sons and sample an array of Argentina selections.

Saturday, September 13th (3 to 7 PM) European Selections.

• 2005 Brillando Toscana Rosso, Italy. Brillando has taken the Italian wine scene by storm. The first release was one of the best valued wines to receive the prestigious 2 Glasses rating from Gambero Rosso. You can enjoy Brillando young and fresh, but it has the structure to develop for a decade. The wine is concentrated with fragrances of berries and spices. The fruit and oak elements are well- balanced and the finish is satisfying. This special blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet and Merlot is extremely food friendly. Great paired with your favorite pastas or chicken dishes, yet not intimidated next to red meats, such as roasts or grilled veal. ENJOY! ($16.49)

2006 Joseph Drouhin Laforet Bourgogne Chardonnay, France. Please see tasting notes above in this week's Savory Selections. ($14.49)

email: jessica@thesavorygrape.com

phone: 401.886.9463

web: http://www.thesavorygrape.com