March 16, 2010 Volume: # 3     Issue: # 11
Sun Singer News
 
Drink the first. Sip the second slowly. Skip the third.
~ Knute Rockne


SPRINGING  FORWARD
How are you doing with Daylight Savings Time?  We're certainly enjoying that extra hour of light at the end of the day, but somehow getting up in the morning is more of a chore!  Maybe as the days go on and the temperatures rise, we'll get in synch with the changing time and the changing season.

Have you noticed the influx of new Irish Whiskey at Sun Singer? We had a great Irish Whiskey tasting last Monday and our shelves are stocked. Find out more in the several articles you'll find below.

Our new Wine 103 - Wine & Food pairing class will debut at the end of the March. You can read more about the class below.  Be sure to make your reservations early as Wine 103 is sure to be a popular addition to our Wine Education curriculum.

Catch our very own Brian Bowman talking about Irish Whiskey this morning with Rob Collins on Whetting Your Whistle. To view the show, click here.

With the university off for Spring vacation next week, we wish everyone safe travels and and a refreshing break.  If you are going to be enjoying yourself locally, please stop by and see us, have a glass of wine and a meal or gather together some goodies and go toast the coming of Spring! 

 
To Your Health,

Mark, Jackie & the Sun Singer Staff

In This Issue
Wine 103
Love at First Sight
A Sign of Spring!
New Zealand's Best
Irish Cheese
 
Sensational Saturday Tasting 
Spring Is Here!
 
 
Saturday, March 20th
12Noon - 4:00 p.m.
Price: FREE!

We've been waiting, we've been wanting and we've been good. Now where is Spring!  Join us at Sun Singer this Saturday from Noon until 4pm as we give a salute to Spring with a selection of wines to brighten the palate and spread some sunshine in celebration of the season.

Sun Singer offers complimentary tastings every Saturday afternoon between 12noon - 4:00pm. We invite you to join us each and every Saturday afternoon as we explore the many pleasures of the palate!

Click
here for a complete list of Saturday's tasting.  
 
P.S. We offer a great lunch in our Wine Bar Cafe.  Stop by for the fun, stop by to refresh and refuel. Join us for 'Lunch and a Taste' every Saturday at Sun Singer.
Ah, for the Luck 'o the Irish! 
Irish Whiskey!
While every sip was savored at our Irish whiskey tasting this past Monday evening, we still wanted you to have the opportunity to enjoy a taste this very special selection of  Whiskies from the three remaining distilleries in Ireland.  For a limited time, Sun Singer will be making these select Irish whiskies available for your purchase and pleasure at the
Wine Bar Cafe.

In addition to our Cafe offerings, Sun Singer's shelves are stocked with the finest  that Ireland has to offer. Revered  for St. Patrick's Day, these whiskies are good everyday. Come try out a little luck 'o the Irish.
 
From Old Bushmill Distillery:
Bushmills
Bushmill 10 Single Malt
Bushmill 16 Single Malt
Bushmill 21 Single Malt

From New Midleton Distillery:
Jameson
Midleton Very Rare
Paddy - very limited
Powers Gold
Redbreast 12 Pure Pot Still
Tullamore Dew

From Cooley Distillery:
Feckin
Greenore Single Grain
Knappogue - read more in the article below
Michael Collins
Tyrconnell
 
Whiskies in BOLD are available in the Cafe. All whiskies are available for retail sale by the bottle.
We've Got Class!
Wine 103: Pairing Wine & Food
Tuesday, March 30th
7:00 - 9:00pm
Our Price: $25/person

Join us at Sun Singer as we continue to
de-mystify the world of wine. Wine 103 will give you some guidelines when pairing food with wine and some tasty examples as well.

Food and wine pairing is a highly subjective and inexact process. The old rules - primarily red wine with red meat and white wine with fish and poultry - don't take into consideration the complexity of today's multi-ethnic and subtly flavored foods and the corresponding wide range of wines from around the world that are now conveniently available to almost everyone. 

These days you're more likely to hear food and wine pairing suggestions than hard and fast rules. While there's considerable room for experimentation and expression of your own personality in pairing food and wine, Wine 103 will address a basic understanding of food and wine and how the components and flavors interact to greatly increase your chances of finding an exciting synergy between wine and food.

Sign up today by calling Sun Singer at 351-1115.
From the Cellar:
This Week
@ the Wine Bar
 

New items at the Sun Singer Wine Bar starting March 17th.

Sun Singer offers more than
25 wines by the glass every day of the week. Drink it here, take a bottle home!


By-the-Glass
Malvira 'Treuve' Sauvignon-Chardonnay '06, Langhe, Italy
A blend of 40% Sauvignon, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Arneis, Treuve delights the nose with the pleasing scent of newly cut grass, grapefruit peel and apricot. Full-bodied with a long finish.

Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc '08, California
Wonderfully fragrant, floral and grapefruit nose with fig and peach aromas. Very full, round mouth with clean grapefruit flavors.  
 
A to Z Pinot Grigio '08, Oregon
Aromas of ripe citrus fruits, kiwi, lychee, wet stones, honeysuckle and nectarines. The concentrated attack is pure and bright with lush fruit and mineral notes and is framed by ripe acidity.
 
Qupé Marsanne '07, Santa Ynez Valley, California
Flinty, minerally and with just a hint of green pear and orange rind. The wine has refreshing acidity and impeccable balance.
 
Testarossa 'Castello' Chardonnay '07, Central Coast, California
Intense aromas of banana, fig, lemon, and honey jump readily out of the glass. With some aeration, vanilla bean and papaya become apparent. This Chardonnay blend is crisp and lively, with flavors of citrus, tropical fruit, and creme brulee. 
 
Castillo de Almansa Riserva '04, Almansa, Spain
70% Monastrell and 40% Cenibel. A rich, velvety softness, concentrated crushed blackcurrant and wild berry fruit, cassis, black pepper fill the palate, balancing well with the tannins and leaving an enduring, delicious and lengthy aftertaste.
 
Michael Sullberg Merlot Reserve '08, California
This mouthwatering Merlot, aged in small French oak barrels, lends distinct aromatics of oak balanced with ample flavors of ripe cherries, blackberries and plum and a long velvety finish.

Massena11th Hour Shiraz 2003
Bottle O'Gold!
Knappogue Castle 
 
One might describe it as love at first sight. When Lavoné Dickensheets Andrews, a Texas architect, and her husband stumbled upon the remains of a 15th century Irish castle, both were struck by a passionate impulse to restore the glory and grandeur of Knappogue Castle.

The couple's commitment to restoring a landmark blossomed into a new generation of Irish tradition. While Mrs. Andrews orchestrated a meticulous restoration process, Mr. Andrews indulged in his passion for collecting casks of fine Irish whiskey. He amassed an impressive and rare collection of pure pot still whiskey produced at the B. Daly Distillery. When the whiskey reached its peak age, it was bottled and named after his beloved Knappogue. The last of Mr. Andrews' whiskey, Knappogue Castle 1951, is the oldest and rarest Irish whiskey in the world. Today, the tradition of Knappogue is cherished and preserved by lovers of Irish culture and whiskey. And, what was once languishing in the cellars of history is now full bodied, aged to perfection and bursting with triumph.

We were lucky enough to land three of just 1,100 bottles of Knappogue Castle's 1994 Master Distiller's Private Selection Irish whiskey, a single malt Irish - hand numbered and signed by the son of the distillery's founder, Mark Anders III.

Knappogue Castle is a single malt, triple-distilled at Bushmills (prior to the 1993 release it came from Cooley). This one, being a 1994 vintage, would put it smack in the middle of the Bushmills era (1993-1995 vintage releases), confirming the back label's assertion that it is triple-distilled. It's entirely bourbon cask-aged and is not colored. The "vintage" for Knappogue is the year of distillation.
 
Aged 16 years, it's hard to imagine this whiskey spent that much time in cask. Very light in body, it's a pale straw color with just a minimal hint of wood on the nose. Shockingly, the biggest flavor component here is apple - fresh apples, with a touch of banana and bubble gum, both traditional notes for Irish whiskeys. The finish is light and moderately sweet, with a cane sugar character. Altogether it's a classic Irish in keeping with Knappogue's house style, and one that's well worth it.
 
Upcoming
Events
 

Tues., March 30th
Wine 103
Food & Wine Pairing
7 p.m.
  
Tuesday, April 6th
  7 p.m.
 
 
A Sure Sign
 of Spring
 
 
 
Buffalo Bill's
Orange Blossom
Cream Ale
 
Created and crafted in the San Francisco Bay area, Orange Blossom Cream Ale is an extremely drinkable craft beer that is especially appealing to better beer drinkers who want something delicious and flavorful yet out of the ordinary.
 
Aromas of oranges, wheat, honey and hops. Taste is zesty with a distinct orange flavor along with the malts and a peppery hops finish. Not boring at all - a refreshing Spring beer.
 
 
New Zealand's
Finest!
 


 
RJ's Licorice
 
RJ's Licorice is a family owned and operated business from New Zealand. After seven years of production, they have become New Zealand's leading licorice provider while  endearing themselves to young and old licorice lovers around the globe.

RJs Licorice scours the world to find the finest ingredients to give their natural, soft eating licorice the most delicate texture and taste. Naturally made, containing no added colors or flavors, and  97% fat free. 
 
Believe us, one bite of this all natural licorice will spoil you for life!
 
 
Notably
Irish


 
 A few notable cheeses from the
Sun Singer Deli perfect for
St. Patrick's Day
 
Daru
 a beautifully balanced handcrafted farmstead cheese with a natural rind and long finish. It is a semi hard cheese made with pasteurised cow's milk in the heart of Tipperary.

Cahill's Porter
 full-flavored and tangy cheddar that is ever so slightly pungent with a firm texture. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk and flavored with Irish Porter.

Dubliner
A mature, complex character and hard texture, not unlike a cheddar, with the sweet, nutty taste of a swiss and the piquant flavor of an aged Italian-type cheese.

 You can also enjoy
Sun Singer's
U.S.A.
 Cheese Plate
It's s the perfect remedy for symptoms of Olympic withdrawal!
 
Click here to see
the descriptions.
 
 
 
Quick Links
 
 
 
Forward this email to a Friend 
 
Did a friend forward you this email?
 
Join Our Mailing List
 
WiFi Friendly