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The Savory Grape Wine Shop Newsletter |
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Greetings!
Although the official first day of fall was
in September, just
this week has it started feeling like
autumn. Crisp
breezes, leaves falling, and the long awaited
smell of
chimneys being used have finally arrived! So
here at
The Savory Grape we wanted to welcome this
beautiful weather by saluting the long awaited
Beaujolais Nouveau, which is distributed
at the
same time every year. Beaujolais Nouveau is
released globally at one minute past midnight
every
third Thursday of November, thus making it an
American tradition to enjoy at Thanksgiving.
In this
week's article we share the mystique of
Beaujolais, and how you can get it for the
holidays!
Parking. Since we are approaching the
busy holiday season, parking will become a
premium, so please take
advantage of the parking in the back of our
store. If you can't find parking on Main
Street or one of the side streets, such as by
the Methodist Church or the Fire Station,
then feel free to park behind our store in
the left most spots. If you are truly in a
hurry, just call
us with your order, if you know what you
want, and we will get it ready and bring it
out to your car. Or you can place your
online order
for later pick up or delivery.
Rhode Island Food Bank. With the holidays
approaching, it is important that we remember to
give back to the community. Therefore,
throughout the month of November we will be
collecting nonperishable food items for the
Rhode Island Food Bank. In the Light
and Fresh section of the store, we have
placed a bin in which you can put any items
for donation. We greatly appreciate your
support.
Cheers! Jessica and Nino Granatiero
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The Savory Grape Upcoming Events |
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Italian Fall Wine Dinner. Only a few
reservations remain for the Italian Fall Wine
Dinner on Monday,
November 12th with Opici Imports and The
Savory Grape at Trattoria del Corso
Restaurant (223 Main Street) at 7 PM.
Trattoria del Corso will
showcase its new fall menu during the
four-course dinner that will be
accompanied by a selection of fine Italian
wines from Opici. The menu and wine
selections are available by clicking here.
To make reservations, please contact The Savory
Grape at 886-9463 or
jessica@thesavorygrape.com. Cost is
$60 per
person.
November 9th and 16th Guest Wine
Tasting. Please
join us at the shop this Friday, November 9th
to welcome Mionetto's Doug
Macleod who will get us energized for the
holiday season
with an Italian Sparkling Wine tasting (See
wine selections below in the weekend wine
tasting section.) On the 16th,
Peter Merriam, owner of Merriam Vineyards,
will showcase his exquisite reds and
discuss his passion for wine and connection
to New England. Please plan to join us these
nights.
December 17th Wine Tasting. On Monday,
December 17th, The Savory Grape and Main
Street Coffee will hold a Global Cabernet
Comparison
tasting, exploring different Cabernets from
around the world. There,
we also will provide suggested food
recommendations. Tickets ($25) can be
purchased at
The Savory Grape (886-9463) or Main Street
Coffee
(885-8787). Held at Main Street Coffee at 7
PM, seating is limited to 20 people,
so please purchase your tickets early. The
Thanksgiving tasting for Monday, November
19th is already sold out.
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Beaujolais - On Its Way! |
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Beaujolais Nouveau has famously reached drinkers
by hot air balloon, camel, private courier,
helicopter
and rickshaw. The progression of Beaujolais
Nouveau has become just as famous, if not
more, as
the wine itself due to a 1985 government
decision to
release the new Beaujolais at the same time
on the
same day each year, creating a much loved
international tradition.
The French region of Beaujolais falls within
Burgundy
but, soil, varietals and techniques all
result in a very
different style of wine. Beaujolais begins
just south of
Macon and extends to the outskirt of Lyon. Any
commune within
this area can use the AOC Beaujolais, while
Beaujolais- Villages is restricted to the
hill vineyards
of the north. Traditionally, wine ferments
slowly in vats
for several months and is cask aged
throughout the
following spring and summer. But with Beaujolais
Nouveau, the process is much more rapid to
achieve
the early release date, within only two short
months from
harvest. The resulting wine is young, light
and juicy,
making it a lovely holiday selection!
The demand last year was enormous for the
Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau, and we
anticipate the same response this year. In
fact to prepare for this, we notified you a
month ago of your ability to reserve some
bottles of Drouhin's Beaujolais Nouveau so
you can enjoy this international tradition
when the wine arrives on Thursday, November
15th. If you didn't do so yet, you can still
reserve a bottle (or more) of the wine;
just let us know! The
orders are increasing and wine is dwindling,
even though it hasn't yet arrived. Ask any of
our
knowledgeable sales associates, and they will be
happy to reserve a bottle for you!
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This Week's Savory Selections |
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2006 Molly Dooker Velvet Glove Shiraz,
Australia.
Aptly named, this wine expresses Sarah and
Sparky Marquis' passion for winemaking. It
has the
most beautiful and captivating nose that
explodes out
of the glass with notes of chocolate, espresso,
black currant and spice. The awesome velvety
sensation, which coats your tongue like a
glove, is
what makes this wine stand out. Stunningly
complete
and complex, with amazing beauty and power, it
exemplifies the winemaker's craft at its
best! Each
amazing bottle comes wrapped in a custom black
velvet bag, made from the same imported French
velvet used to create the label itself. The
shape of the
bottle and the black velvet details printed
with silver foil
are all in place to make the Velvet Glove
Shiraz an
amazing experience even before you open the
bottle!
Awarded 99 points by Robert Parker's Wine
Advocate
and 97 points by Wine Spectator, this wine is
one to
grab while you can. In fact, because we
received the wine after the publication of
last week's newsletter, we have left only one
bottle which will arrive at the shop on
Thursday. The other two sold through the
online ordering. Still tight, this wine will
benefit with 10 years in the bottle, and is
definitely one to acquire for serious collectors.
($189.99)
2006 La Battistina Gavi, Italy. The La
Battistina estate comprises of 29 acres of
south-
facing vineyards in the heart of the Gavi
zone. This
wine is produced from 100% estate-grown
Cortese grapes that offer a smooth and
delicate bouquet with pleasant,
fruity
scents of apple, fresh citrus and pineapple
aromas.
On the palate, this Gavi is extremely refined,
delicate,
fresh and elegant with ripe fruit balanced by
a crisp
acidity. Medium bodied and creamy, if offers
a lush mouth feel that leads into a lengthy
finish. ($19.99)
2006 Ben Marco Cabernet Sauvignon,
Mendoza, Argentina. Made from a special
blend
of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot,
this wine
has a beautiful deep red color with perfumed
aromas
of ripe black cherries, strawberries and
roasted cocoa
beans. Full-bodied and incredibly lush for a
young
Cabernet, it explodes on the palate with red
and black
fruits, then shows baking spices on its way to a
mouthwatering finish. It is the perfect
partner for a wide
range of
foods including beef, sausages, spiced or
grilled
pork, veal, medium-strong cheeses,
and meat-based pasta sauces. A weekend
tasting wine.
($19.99)
2006 Crios Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina.
Another fine selection from Argentina, this
wine has a beautiful reddish/purple
color as
most good Malbecs do. The aromas are a mix of
fresh crushed cherries and toasty/smoky oak-just
enough to frame the exuberant fruit. On the
palate, the
flavors of cherries and spice are obvious,
and the
jammy fruit quality just keeps coming on
strong, with
hints of spice lurking in the background.
This is a
wine that you'll want to buy more than one of
because it can
be enjoyed at almost any occasion, whether at a
fancy dinner party, or just curled up on the
couch in
front of a movie. Fun and delicious! A
weekend tasting wine.
($15.99)
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Weekend Wine Tastings |
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Friday, November 9th (5 to 8
PM) Special Guest Douglas Macleod,
Italy's Mionetto
- Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Frizzante.
($17.49)
- Sergio Extra Dry Brut.
($24.49)
Saturday, November 10th (3 to 7
PM) Bold Wines of Argentina
- 2006 Ben Marco Cabernet Sauvignon,
Mendoza, Argentina. Please see tasting
notes
above in this week's Savory Selections.
($19.99)
- 2006 Crios Malbec, Mendoza,
Argentina.
Please see tasting notes above in this week's
Savory
Selections. ($15.99)
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