|
|
|
Wine Shop at Foxcroft Newsletter Weekly Newsletter of Upcoming Events
Tuesday August 4th, 2009
7824 Fairview Road Charlotte, North Carolina 28226
704-365-6550
"At the Wine Shop at Foxcroft we are committed to bringing you Charlotte's very
best selection of artisanal, small production, and naturally made wines
the world has to offer in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere."
|
|
| Wine Shop Staff Favorites |
|
|
BADOIT
(Saint Galmier France)
750ml & 330 ml
I know you're saying Conrad WTF? but I'm here to tell you that if you don't know about Badoit then I'm going to change your life forever and you will thank me for it. I first had this water (if I can call it that... Sam refers to it as "Magic Water") in Paris on my first visit there back in the last century. It blew me away it was that good. I've been trying to get it here ever since and that day arrived last week. All the French people who've found out I have it have gone bananas! It's that good. As good as any wine I've ever had. It's perfect and you deserve it at your dinner table every night. You'll want a case for sure.
Badoit is named after Auguste Badoit, who began bottling the water of Saint Galmier in 1838. The water was sold only in pharmacies until 1954. Evian bought it in the 1970s (probably to kill it in the marketplace) but even they couldn't keep it from the people. The gourmet's mineral water, seen on the tables of most restaurants in France as an accompaniment to good food and wine. As Badoit water pushes its way up from a deep water table through a 500-meter fissure in the local granite, it surfaces with a light natural sparkle and a measure of sodium bicarbonate and fluoride, having a lightening effect on even the richest meal. People you got to try it. With Badoit to drink even summers in Charlotte become tolerable...
|
|
The Kitchen is now Open for Lunch On Saturdays!!! |
|
|
Due to popular demand and lots of hungry customers at our free tastings we've desided to open the kitchen for lunch on Saturdays starting this weekend. We'll be running our regular menu plus seasonal specials from the Farmers' Market. (Almost good tomato season!!!) We'll see you there...
Service starts at noon and runs through Dinner |
| RECESSION WINE TASTINGS
Continuing
On
Tuesdays... |
|
5:00 - 7:00 PM - Every Tuesday
Cost: FREE!
Come join us at the Wine Shop at Foxcroft this Winter every Tuesday evening for a free wine tasting from some of our favorite wine distributors. We'll be tasting an incredible array of wines from all over the world. Stop in on your way home from work. It's free and a lot of fun. As always there's special pricing on the wines of the evening.
Tuesday July 28th - Pot Luck
Tuesday August 4th - Andrew Leach with Freedom Beverage
|
| FREE SATURDAY TASTING
1:00 - 400PM |
Come join us every Saturday...
Come join us for lunch and try a great assortment of wines. |
Always Free!!!
This Saturday...
Lewis Edwards
of
The Country Vintner
| |
|
|
Greetings!
SATURDAY NIGHT
We had a great farm to fork dinner out at New Town Farms in Waxhaw last Saturday night with Chef Tim Groody. Wine dinners are still an new thing for them but everything came off smoothly, more so than I would have expected considering they had 55 people to serve, spread over three different dining areas. Everything at the dinner was grown there on the farm or from local producers nearby. For those of you who aren't familiar with New Town Farms, it's a 40 acre certified organic farm that supplies most if not all of the chef- driven restaurants in the greater Charlotte Metro area. It's been in operation since 1991 and is the vision of Sammy and Melinda Koenigsberg who were truly visionary at the time. At first they got a lot of cold shoulders but now the farm is thriving. "Locally Produced" has become so trendy now that even the big chains have their token "organic" sections. You even see it at the Costco and Sam's Clubs for Pete's sake. But these guys were the first to put their money where their mouth is. Sammy has been a customer at the shop since we opened and for obvious reasons has had a keen interest in finding quality organic and biodynamic wines. I introduced him to the wines of Louis Dressner a while back and it seemed only fitting that we pair their food with wines from the portfolio. ( I love it when things fall together and make me look smarter than I really am...) Let me tell you; the wine and food pairings were a big hit, perfect for the season and I was happy that none of the serendipity was lost on the people who attended. For a moment all the stars were aligned and I said to myself this is what it's all about. Being close to your food source and eating locally. What a concept? Driving home that night got me thinking about it all. It occured to me that what makes us different is that we're not just selling wine, we're advocating a change in lifestyle and different way of looking at the world and interacting with it. Terry Thiese, an importer that I greatly admire and an advocate of small producer wines captured what I had just experienced best in a tribute last year to Chef Susan McCreight Lindeborg in trying to explain what made here food different from other celebrity chefs. He coined the term "girl-food" saying "it's not only food you love, it's food that loves you back. It doesn't seek to "impress" though it often does. It wraps you in a nexus of appreciation for the honesty and beauty of ingredients. It's the difference between "look at ME!!" and "Look at THESE!" The first is I-thou, I-the-diner looks at you-the-chef (and is impressed); the second is companionable and collaborative - I-the-diner and she-the-chef look TOGETHER at the beauty she has found and seeks to share. It also lays more emphasis on deliciousness than on dazzling. It's got juicier soul." I hope we're becoming that kind of wine shop....
DAY TWO
I know we're playing David to Goliath in this battle, and a visit to the local Costco the next day ( yes I am aware of the irony) drove the point home clearly to me. I thought we'd stock up on some bulk items there. There were mountains of produce stacked high with friendly local sounding names like "Blue Meadows Farms" on the packaging. (I was reminded of the Starbucks re-branding project.) There were mountains of innocuous wine produced in some large corporate winery stacked everywhere. If I weren't a wine snob I would have thought them to be a good deal. Most people shop there to save money and I feel genuinely are trying to save money and eat right and healthy. All of this stuff is passed off as healthy and genuine when in fact it isn't at all. Far from it. The trouble is we've all forgotten how to tell the difference and Agri-business doesn't want us to. It's not in their interest to. It's hard to do the right thing and make wise decisions when time and money is short and life is too complicated and over-scheduled. The dinner at New Town Farm made me realize that sometimes you have to make a stand. Once your eyes (and tastebuds) are opened you can never look and what you eat, drink or for that matter how you see life the same way again. It also made me realize that one person can make a difference and the best way to bring change is to be that person...
"Flattery is like chewing gum. Enjoy it but don't swallow it."
-Terry Theise
______________________________________________
Here's a great song for your Tuesday. The line between this newsletter and Facebook is starting to blur - LOL!!!
AMOS LEE
|
|
|
COMING IN AUGUST!!!
TORBRECK WINE DINNER
Monday August 17th 2009
Special Guest: David Powell, Owner and Chief Winemaker of Torbreck
Time: 7:00 PM
$75.00 per person plus tax and gratuity
|
|
Torbreck founder David Powell was born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia. While he was immersed in the study of Economics at Adelaide University, an uncle introduced him to wine, and young Dave realized that grapes could be more intriguing than numbers. He began spending more and more of his spare time in the Barossa Valley. David became convinced that a market existed for old vine wines influenced by the classic Rhône styles. It can be said that the Torbreck portfolio offers the best of both worlds, old and new. David Powell is a passionate believer in the Barossa Valley and its viticultural heritage. His approach to grapegrowing and winemaking melds the region's terroir with its traditional winemaking practices. In so doing he has achieved a style that fuses his love for the Barossa with his admiration for the Northern and Southern Rhône valleys. We're excited to be hosting a dinner with the man whom many consider to be one of the greatest living winemakers on the planet....
Menu
Amuse:
Tomato Tartare and Peach "spoon" with Pecorino Romano
Torbreck Woodcutter's Red
First Course:
Truffled Cauliflower Vichyssoise with a Pan Seared Diver Scallop
Wine : Woodcutter's Old Vine Semillon
Second Course:
Pan Roasted Sea Bass Fillet, Red Wine Braised Lentils, Spiced Glazed Carrots, Leek Fondue
Wine: Torbreck "The Steading"
Third Course:
Magret Duck Breast, Swiss Chard, Chayote Squash, Black Plum Marmelade, Natural Jus
Wine: Torbreck "The Struie"
Dessert:
Wine: Torbreck "The Bothie"
Followed by a tasting of Torbreck "Descendant", Torbreck "Factor" and Torbreck "Run Rig" |
|
|
THE AUGUST FAB FIVE...
(New Wines arrive on Thursday...) |
|
Receive an additional 15% off when you buy a mixed or solid case these wines - on top of the regular bottle discount!
Ranga Ranga Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Marlborough, New Zealand)
Reg. Price $15.99
Discount Price $12.99
I can remember a time when I used to look forward to buying my case of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc every year. It was a completely new taste to me and stood out from  other wines produced from this grape in the world. Soon a sea of imitators appeared on the market and that style became about as interesting as the next instalment of "Saw IV." Ranga Ranga is Maori for "Gentle Breeze" and that's what this wine is like. We introduced this wine during our Sunday cooking classes and man did you guys love it! It's got the cheap price going for it but there's a lot more. It's clean crisp and grassy without the overblown gooseberry. Lemon-lime with some mild tropical undertones in the background. This is the way these wines should be produced in my opinion. It's a perfect summer go to kind of wine and I predict that this one is going to be an even bigger hit. See for yourself.
Frias Family Vineyard Rosé 2008
(Spring Mountain, Napa Valley)
Reg. Price $14.99
Discount Price $11.99
Here's something you don't come across every day. A California winemaker taking top dollar Cabernet grapes and making a wine that's a labor of love. The Frias  Family own prime land on Napa's Spring Mountain where they produce 100% single vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It's very good and I recomend you try a bottle some time but this is about their rosé. This wine is surprisingly good. Not overblown and heavy but balanced and delicate. As the winemaker says this wine is "The essence of summer" What you get are juicy watermelon, strawberry and delicate floral aromatics in the nose with similar flavors on the palate balanced by crisp acidity. I am continually blown away by how quickly you guys have embraced rosé wines. They're the perfect way to start an meal or any outdoor gathering.
Precept Pinot Black Pinot Noir 2007 (Leyda Valley, Chile) Reg Price $12.99
Discount Price $11.99
Guys what more do you want in life? A Pinot Noir that tastes like Pinot Noir for under 12 bucks!!! Do you really need me to pontificate about this wine? Really? First off the wine is from the Viña Leyda Vineyards in Chile so I'm thinking somebody must be working for free to get a wine like this to market. The label harkens to back to the paintings of Piet Mondrian so there must be some thought going on here. The wine is good. I've had a few South American Pinots and most have been rustic and unfocused but this one is different. It's got dark cherry, tobacco, leather and hints of herb and underbrush. The wine is juicy but not in a way that seems at all manipulative. Whatever they've done they've done it right this time. Try a bottle and I'm sure you will agree. I've said it before but this time it's really true... It's a no-brainer.
Fattoria Rodano "Poggialupi" IGT 2007
(Chianti Classico, Tuscany)
Reg Price $20.99
Discount Price $14.99
Fattoria Rodano is located in the heart of the Chianti  Classico in the famed region of Castellina in Chianti. The original farm dates back from the Middle Ages Their attitude is that the whole world can make Cabernet or Merlot but only Italy can make great Sangiovese. I find that ironic because this wine contains about 10% Cabernet and Merlot. What's undeniable is that this wine blew me away when I found out the cost. Good on it's own but what a great value! This wine is drinking so well right now I challenge you to find a better one for the money. Totally delicious with bright cherry and mocha bursting forward while at the same time maintaining that minerality that is Chianti. An austere wine by no stretch of the imagination. The Rodano estate has really outdone themselves this time. Bravo!
Bodega Sur de los Andes Malbec Reserva 2006
Reg Price $18.99
Discount Price $14.99
I went on-line to get a little background about this winery and was shocked at the high-tech website. Not sure what I was expecting, maybe a rustic little farm but certainly not Steven  Spielberg. The winery was founded by Guillermo Banfi (no relation) who started a career in banking in Buenos Aires and wanted a creative outlet like so many people do. The winery, located in the Lujian de Cuyo region of Mendoza, is equipped with state of the art equipment and has the usual crack winemaking team at the helm. These Argentines mean business. The wine is 100% Malbec, hand harvested and sorted with no crushing, only cold maceration. Aged in barriques (French and American of course) then sling-shot straight to your table. What more do you want? Textbook Mendoza Malbec at an unbeatable price. Make this one a part of your next steak cookout. You're going to love it... |
|
|
|
|
|
At the Wine Shop at Foxcroft our goal is to provide you with Charlotte's best selection of quality wines and beers at competitive prices. Great service is what we strive for so if there's anything you're looking for: that difficult vintage, a special gift, whateve, don't hesitate to contact us with your requests. We look forward to seeing you in the shop...
Sincerely,
Conrad, Crystal, and all the
Wine Shop at Foxcroft Staff
|
| THE WINE SHOP AT FOXCROFT
7824 Fairview Road
Charlotte, NC 28226
704-365-6550 |
|
|
|
|
|
