Wine Shop at Foxcroft
Wine Shop at Foxcroft Newsletter
   Weekly Newsletter of Upcoming Events
Tuesday August 18th, 2009
 
7824 Fairview Road Charlotte, North Carolina 28226
704-366550
 
 
 
"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." 
 
 
 
In This Issue
Wine Shop Staff Picks: Catherine & Pierre Breton Trinch! & Messias Santola Vinho Verde
Tuesday Recession Wine Tastings
FREE SATURDAY TASTING...1:00 - 400PM
Lunch on Saturdays!!!
The August Fab Five Wines
Wine Shop Staff Favorites
DSC_9052
 
 
 

Catherine & Pierre Breton "Trinch!"
2007 
(Bourgueil, Loire Valley, France)
"
 
 
 $17.99 BOTTLE
    
  Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley is finally receiving long overdue respect. Remarkably juicy, textured, versatile with food, and immensely age worthy, the Cabernet Franc wines of Bourgueil, Chinon, Saumur and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil are both a traditional staple and a rediscovered rage on the Paris bistro/wine bar scene. Chief among the best Loire red winemakers is Pierre Breton (whose last name is also the name for Cabernet Franc in the local dialect.)Pierre and Catherine Breton's wines are served at virtually every hot wine bar in Paris. Pierre makes several cuvées from various vineyard sites and his cuvée of plain Bourgueil is his most accessible wine, meant for immediate drinking pleasure. Breton calls it a "wine of fruit" for this precise reason, and vinifies it in stainless-steel. This wine comes from small yields of 32 hectoliters/hectare and is bottled unfiltered.Trinch!, (In French, this is the sound of two classes clinking) is a wine for drinking immediately, chilled not cold. It is delicate and refreshing with an uncanny ability to go well with a range of food, but with salmon it is a perfect match. The second is called "Nuits d'Ivresse", or The Drunken Nights, is from a selection of fruit that is vinified completely without the use of any sulfur, accordingly to the vinifcation principals outlined by the late Jules Chauvet. There is a tiny amount added before the bottling to keep the wine stable in shipping, but it is so minimal as to be undetectable in testing.

 



Messias Santola Vinho Verde 2009
(Minho Vinho Verde, Portugal) 
 
$7.99 BOTTLE
 
On a hot day, nothing sounds (or tastes) better!"
A proud tradition of Portugese winemaking unfolds as you trace the history of
Caves Messias. Since 1926, these estates have produced honest, delicious wines that honor both their terroir and the hands that guided the fruit from vine to bottle. In this case, those hands belong to Joćo Soares, who farms his
granitic soil naturally, bringing forth excellent examples of both the Louriero and Pedernā varietals. By using strict temperature control during fermentation, Joćo harnesses the innate vibrancy of his fruit, which in turn translates into a very joyful drinking experience! Pale in color, with intense aromas of citrus and peach and a lively mouthfeel (with a bit of effervescence!) this wine is SUPER-refreshing!
Want a wine pairing that works every time? Pair Santola Vinho Verde with a hot summer evening! A proud tradition of Portugese winemaking unfolds as you trace the history of Caves Messias. Since 1926, these estates have produced honest, delicious wines that honor both their terroir and the hands that guided the fruit from vine to bottle. In this case, those hands belong to Joćo Soares, who farms his
granitic soil naturally, bringing forth excellent examples of both the Louriero and Pedernā varietals. By using strict temperature control during
fermentation, Joćo harnesses the innate vibrancy of his fruit, which in turn translates into a very joyful drinking experience! Pale in color, with intense aromas of citrus and peach and a lively mouthfeel (with a bit of effervescent!) this wine is SUPER-refreshing! Find out what everyone is talking about and try a bottle. It's the perfect antidote to the dog days of August.. 


 
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, August 18th - Craig Herlong from Vintner's Select
 
Tuesday, August 25th - Marco Laico from Vino Vino
 
Tuesday, September 1st - Gene Casey from Mutual Distributors
 
 
   
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!!!
  
 
Quick Links
 

Greetings!

  
Guys I've been on a Kasey Chambers high all week after the Wednesday night show at The Neighborhood Theater in Noda. I've been wearing out the speakers ever since with her music much to the chagrin of Crystal and Alex but I just didn't want the show to end. It was so beautiful and intimate and a positive shot of energy for me when I needed it most.Think Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris and you'll get the vibe. One of the best shows I've seen in awhile...You missed a good one.
 
 

It's been Aussie week at Foxcroft with another successful wine dinner under our belt. Torbreck's David Powell brought out some of the heavy-hitters and I think it's pretty safe to say Torbreck is putting out Australia's greatest wines today. There's a common footprint on the portfolio; part David and part Barossa soil but each wine has it's own personality. That's no small feat these days. David was great and he made a lot of new friends last night. It was a fun night for everyone. David was both entertaining and educational, dropping F-bombs freely throughout the night. I knew there was something I liked about him... The kitchen also outdid themselves putting out great food consistently and in a timely manner. A lot of restaurants should be so lucky. And not to forget the staff. They were great and made me look good as I worked the room with David. Thanks guys! I can't wait for September's dinner.  
 
 

McCabe & Mrs. Miller
 
I can't remember whether I told you how much I love the movie "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" the 1971 anitwestern western starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. It was on satellite last night and my 11 year old son watched it together. You know the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I first saw it when I was 11 years old (way too young by "community standards" of the time which may explain a lot about me) and I was left both disturbed and fascinated by it. Disturbed because it was honest, raw and brutal like the real west. No hero riding off into the sunset. The plot centers around a gambler (Warren Beatty),  who comes to the frontier town of Presbyterian Church, Washington State in the 1970s to set up a bordello and soon finds himself partnering with Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie) a madame from Seattle who brings prosperity and a civilizing influence to the town. It's not long after that McCabe is approached by representatives from a big mining company to buy out his interests. Full of himself, he rejects their offer and names a price too high.That night he brags to Mrs. Miller, whose face shows what a mistake he has made. The men are gone by breakfast time. McCabe rides into town to try to accept their offer, but is too late to find them. He knows the company will send someone to kill him. It's not long after that three hired killers appear in town and McCabe tries to renegotiate with them, only to learn that they're not here to negotiate but to "hunt bear." The last half of the film unfolds as the killers track McCabe through the town, the snow falling steadily as he runs, fighting  for his life. The film is dark, fatalistic and beautiful in it's stark reality of a world  where lonely people try to connect with each other only to fail. Combine that with a fantastic acoustic soundtrack from Leonard Cohen and you have the ingredients for the perfect Western...? 
The Kitchen is now 
Open for Lunch On Saturdays!!!
 
 
 
Due to popular demand and lots of hungry customers at our free tastings we've decided 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
 
 
 

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 Vińa 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, Alex and all the
Wine Shop at Foxcroft Staff
THE WINE SHOP AT FOXCROFT
7824 Fairview Road
Charlotte, NC 28226
704-365-6550