The Savory Grape Wine Shop
The Savory Grape Wine Shop Newsletter )
January 30, 2008
In this issue...
  • The Savory Grape Upcoming Events
  • What Makes a Wine Organic?
  • This Week's Savory Selections
  • Weekend Wine Tastings

    		•

    Greetings!

    Here we are nearing the end of January and yet again are faced with weather more reminiscent to that of Spring. Although the winter weather seems to be taking a break, The Savory Grape team has been moving ahead as usual. We have been tasting great new wines that we are excited to bring to your attention. Keep your eyes on The Savory Selections in the upcoming weeks for some great new products. So whether it is 45 or 20 degrees, there will be new wines each week for you to try.

    As a reminder to those of you who are not in our Preferred Client Rewards Program, there is no better time then now to sign up. If your are not familiar with the program here are some of the benefits you can enjoy. The Preferred Client Rewards Program is a way for us to keep track of your purchases for you. It enables us to maintain a running list of items you have purchased; therefore you will no longer have to wonder what the awesome wine was that you purchased on a certain date. Also as part of the program, you earn rewards for any dollars spent at the store. Each quarter we analyze the client data to determine your purchases, visits and if you are eligible for rewards which are gift cards/discount coupons to the store. So next time you're in, sign up or ask one of the The Savory Grape associates about the program.

    Please note: Our Saturday tasting time for this week only has changed due to our Artist Opening and Guest Wine Tasting. It will be held from 5-9 PM, not 3-7 PM this week.

    Cheers! Jessica and Nino Granatiero


    		The Savory Grape Upcoming Events

    February 2nd Artist Reception and Wine Tasting. Please join us this Saturday for an Opening Reception for Artist and North Kingstown Resident Stephen Mancini, whose exquisite works are now on display at The Savory Grape. We will also welcome Carlos Figueroa of Chile Boutique Wines who will conduct a wine tasting and discussion on Chilean and Argentinean wines. Mancini is an artist, photographer and filmmaker of national recognition and his works have been included in galleries and corporate and private collections. Please join us on Saturday, February 2nd from 5-9 PM for an opening reception and wine tasting for Mancini.

    March 10th Wine Dinner, Post Office Cafe. Please save the date and join us on Monday, March 10th for a 5-course wine dinner at the Post Office Cafe in East Greenwich. Tickets ($60) are now on sale and can be purchased at The Savory Grape or the Post Office Cafe. The menu and wine selections will be available in next week's newsletter.

    Upcoming Siena Wine Dinner. Since the February 12th Siena wine dinner was well received and sold out so quickly, we are happy to say that we are in midst of planning additional dinners with Siena. Stay tuned, and keep an eye out for information in the newsletter. We will announce future dates in the coming weeks.

    		What Makes a Wine Organic?

    Today, more people are choosing to purchase organic products. Whether purchasing local, organically grown foods or the latest organic wines, people are becoming more conscious of the way in which food, including wine, is grown and produced. However when the words "organically grown," "certified organic," "sulfite free" and "no sulfites added" are used, it's important to know the difference between each.

    What qualifies wine as organic? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), for a wine to be labeled "Organic" and bear the USDA seal, it must be made from organically grown grapes and give information about the certifying agency. A wine in this category cannot have any added sulfites. The wine may have naturally occurring sulfites, but the total sulfite level must be less than 20 parts per million. If the wine does not say "Organic" or have the USDA seal, it may say "made with organic grapes" or "made with organically grown grapes." When you see this, it means quite literally what it says, but in this classification the wine can have added sulfites and is not "certified organic."

    "Sulfites" is also a term that's often a bit confusing. Sulfites (sulfur dioxide) are used as a preservative in wine, and unfortunately some are affected by the addition of sulfites. But according to research this is only a small amount of the population. When looking at wine labels you will sometimes see a wine that says "Sulfite Free" or "No Sulfites Added-Contains Naturally Occurring Sulfites." The issue here is that sulfites are naturally occurring in all wine. So, as long as the naturally occurring sulfites and any added total no more than 20 parts per million, vineyards can make the claim of "Sulfite Free." Otherwise the wine label must state "Contains Sulfites."

    Sometimes it is hard to understand a wine because even if a vineyard uses organic practices this information is not always donned on the label. But today more wines are being produced from organically grown grapes and by vineyards that practice sustainable farming techniques. We have an extensive wine list of either certified organic wines or wines made from organically grown grapes, which you can obtain from the shop. Some names to look for are Parducci, Moon Mountain, Lolonis Vineyards, Crios, Coturri, Snoqualmie, Badger Mountain, Bucaro, Cooper Hill, Frog's Leap.

    		This Week's Savory Selections
    villa ilaria

    1999 Villa Ilaria Barolo. Villa Ilaria Barolo's Nebbiolo vines come from choice hillside vineyards with southeast and southwest exposure within the commune of Barolo. This traditional Barolo is matured in large Slovenian oak barrels, for a minimum of two years with a long refinement in the bottle. With a ruby red color, showing some brownish hues, this wine has an intense complex fragrance with traditional overtones of tar, roses, and violets, and a powerful, dry full taste and long finish. Barolos are known for their great ageing ability, and this 1999 aged selection is ready for drinking now. So open up the bottle and enjoy with hard Italian cheeses. You are in for a treat. ($32.99)

    2001 Villa Ilaria Barberesco. These Nebbiolo vines are harvested from the beautiful hillsides in Piedmont's Treiso and Barbaresco. The sandy, limestone soil yields excellent fruit that shows a bright ruby red color with some brown hues. An exquisite nose of mushrooms and raisins intermingles with a rich, dry, smooth fruity taste. The palate also carries nuances of dried flowers and a lingering, velvety finish. This Barbaresco could use a few years to age, but is drinking wonderfully right now. Whether you wait or are ready to drink now, it goes wonderfully paired with red meats, roasts, game dishes and rich cheeses. ($22.99)

    2006 Fontanafredda Barbera d'Alba Briccotondo. A WS top 100 wine, this Barbera has wonderful bright plummy aromas with soft hints of chocolate. On the palate, this Barbera has lots of full cherry and blackberry flavors, although it is soft, succulent and a tad lighter in body than most Barberas, which makes the wine ever more appealing and approachable. Definitely a great find, we think this wine is just delicious and can be enjoyed now or in about 2-3 years from now. ($13.99)

    2006 Altanuta Pinot Grigio. Made by the estate of Josef Brigl, this brisk and refreshing white owes much of its character to its heritage, (wine was made here since 1309!) as well as to its high altitude vineyards in the Alto Adige. Fermented and aged in stainless steel only, aromas of floral and citrus pave the way for a palate impressive of green apple, pear and bright and balanced lemon acidity. This wine pairs well with fish and other seafood (including sushi), and is also perfect by itself as a light aperitif. ($15.99)

    		Weekend Wine Tastings

    Friday, February 1st (5 to 8 PM) The King and Queen of Piedmont.

    • 1999 Villa Ilaria Barolo. Please see tasting notes above in this week's Savory Selections. ($32.99)
    • 2001 Villa Ilaria Barberesco. Please see tasting notes above in the week's Savory Selections ($22.99)
    • 2006 Altanuta Pinot Grigio. Please see tasting notes above in this. week's Savory Selections ($15.99)

    Saturday, February 2nd (5 to 9 PM) Artist Opening.