From time to time, there are great wine offers extended by one of our favorite suppliers, The Henry Wine Group. Their portfolio encompasses a wide range of wine, both domestic and imported. Oftentimes, these wines garner praise (and high scores) from such notables as Parker, Tanzer, and the tasting team at the Winespectator. Many times productions are very small and the wine may sell out and not even see the shelf. If you would like to be notified by e-mail when something of interest becomes available, please leave us your e-mail address. Your information will be used for this purpose only.
An interesting development has been the proliferation of very tasty red blends. Most of these are domestic but some are imported. Of course, the Europeans have never been shy about making cuvees but it seems that all of these are being made in such a style that they are just supremely drinkable.
Waterbrook ’03 Melenge is some-what of a subtle blockbuster. Winespectator has given it 90 points describing it as having “spicy, mocha-scented cherry and blackberry flavors.” The balance is impeccable and it is not all aggressively fruit forward. For that reason, it is more about elegance than it is about power. Washington State is the home of this 5-grape blend and at $12.95/750ml, this is great stuff.
Da Red ’02-’03 by Dom. Alfred in San Luis Obispo is a blend of Syrah and Pinot Noir. This unlikely combination is full of wonderful black fruit flavors that highlight the strengths of both varietals. As a bonus, the winery employs biodynamic as well as organic (though not yet certified) farming practices. This is a bit of a fruit-bomb, but the flavors are very compelling. Selling for $17.95/750ml, don’t deny yourself the pleasure.
Sacred Stone by Pietra Santa is a self-described Rhone-style blend of Syrah, Carignan, Grenache, Sangiovese and Zin. There is a lot of flavor interest packed in this wine and, although sporting a little rusticity, it still comes across as a wine deserving attention. Don’t overlook this gem at $9.95/750ml.
Portal Tinto
’02 is the Spanish entry in this group. Here we’re looking at a blend of Cab,
Garnacha, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Syrah. This wine is interesting because
of its style; the body calls to mind a Pinot Noir with its silkiness, but
the flavors evolve in the glass. Open this an hour in advance. Portal would
pair up nicely with anything that isn’t spicy or fatty.
All of these wines do well
with holiday foods. The fact that all are multi-dimensional allows for flexibility
with a variety of foods.
A 10% discount is offered on 6 bottles
of wine. These bottles can be all one brand or a variety of your choice. This
is a great offer for your holiday entertaining.