France's Four Corners!
+Events: Txakolifest, party, class, & Garland/Meinklang wine dinner!
In This Issue:
Txakolifest!!!
Tasty Tuesday: "Spring Flowers"
Saturday Tasting: France's Four Corners

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Vine to Wine:
Class is in Session! 

Wine Authorities Raleigh - May 28th!
   Join us for our last class before summer break - a fun and educational evening of wine that will chronicle a vine's life from its spring buds breaking open to each of its grape's being lovingly squeezed into the bottles that we hold so dear.  We will cover how vines are grown and wine is made, as well as how to read a label, how to buy wine, how to store wine, how to drink, er, taste wine... and we'll debunk many wine myths throughout this two hour class.
(includes tasting wines, video presentation, and handouts)

Thursday, May 28th @ 7:33 pm 
$36 per person
Reservations required 
(Corkscrew) Operators are standing by: 
(919) 831-9463
~~~~
Meinklang Dinner!

Wednesday, June 17th 
   Seats are now available at the upcoming Garland wine dinner focusing on the biodynamic Meinklang estate of Austria's Burgenland! Raleigh's extraordinary and unique Garland restaurant and Chef Cheetie Kumar's adventurous, Southeast Asian and Indian cuisine promise to be a perfect partner for the iconic producer's flavorful and distinctive wines! Stay tuned for more details...

Wednesday, June 17th
6:30 PM @ Garland 
14 W Martin St. Raleigh, NC 27601
$60 (PLUS TAX & TIP)
Garland: (919) 833-6886
Menu TBD
~~~~
Party 'round 
the Garden!
   Join us on May 23rd (at both our Durham and Raleigh stores) from noon to 3:00 PM for our second annual Rosé Garden Party!
  Discover the pairing perfection of vibrant rosé and fresh NC seafood from Walking Fish (prepared by chefs Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood at our Durham store and Angela Salamanca of Centro in Raleigh). Exciting local cheese plates will also be available from Cedar Grove's newly-established Boxcarr Handmade Cheese. Boxcarr's co-owner Samantha Genke will be on hand in Raleigh to offer samples. Garden Party visitors at both stores will enjoy a free tasting of four rosés and then pick a glass of their favorite for $15 to enjoy with their choice of a fish, bivalve (clams in Durham/oysters in Raleigh), or cheese plate! 

   Be sure to don a Garden Party outfit! Party attendees with fancy hats, bow ties, or parasols will receive a 10% discount on wine purchases (and an extra 5% off on case and half-case purchases)! A best-costume winner will be selected in both Durham and Raleigh and will receive a whopping $100 Enomatic card (thus ensuring coolest-kid status). Feel free to surprise us with the outlandish rosé-themed outfits of your wildest imaginations! 

 

PS: We still need shuckers in Durham! Call or reply to this email to help us out. You get to drink rosé, eat clams, and hang with the fabulous Durham crew!
 
~~~~
Rosé Garden 2015!
     It's here at long last! The pink oasis that refreshes our mouths and nourishes our souls is once again in bloom!  The Rosé Garden has arrived, and we're kicking off the season with selections that include the Garden's starring darling, "Venus," which has just returned in both bottle and glorious 3-LITER BOX! We're also happy to feature a brand new pink offering from the fan-favorite Austrian producer, Paul D.  As always, a portion of each and every bottle of rosé sold will be donated to the fight against breast cancer!
  • Mas de Libian - Rosé "Bout d'Zan" 2014  $14.99 
  • Domaine Magellan - Hérault Rosé "Le Fruit Défendu" 2014  $10.99
  • Domaine Saint Croix - Rosé "Roséphine" 2014  $9.99 
  • Barnard Griffin - Rosé of Sangiovese 2014  $14.99
  • Meinklang - Pinot Noir Rosé "Prosa" 2013  $16.99
  • Domaine Pinchinat - "Venus" Rosé 2014  $9.99
  • Domaine Pinchinat - "Venus" Rosé [3-L!] 2014  $29.99
~~~~  
 
Walking Fish! 

Spring shares 
available now!
     Walking Fish, our partner at this year's upcoming Rosé Garden party, is truly a local gem, bringing phenomenally fresh seafood to the Triangle through its CSF programs.
    This year, they're offering the full 10 week spring CSF as well as the option to customize their delivery schedule (e.g. bi-weekly for 6 weeks or weekly for 8 weeks).
    The spring CSF offers an abundance of seafood from Carteret County. Members should expect to get a wide variety of seafood including triggerfish, snapper, flounder, softshell crabs, mahi, shrimp, and clams. Spread the word and check out the links below! 

~~~~

Why, thank you!      
Real Customer Comment:

"I'm so glad that you're here! It's great for my...existence!"

  -  Kerry B.       

    

Holy Txakoli!!!

 
Saturday, May 16th 
6 Plates Txakoli  
   It's the one day of the year that Durham breaks out its secret stash of porrons and is transformed into an unlikely sister city to San Sebastián - complete with spritzy Basque wine, oysters, and pintxos (tapas).  This is one of the greatest celebrations in town, and it's become the largest festival of Txakoli in the United States!
   Wine Authorities' Grand Poobah will be on hand through the afternoon and evening sessions as the event's professor of Txakolina! He'll describe the grapes & regions responsible for Txakoli, demonstrate how to use a porron (That's right, Professor Poobah pours from a porron!), and answer all your Txako-riffic questions and effervescent inquiries.
 
First Session 
Noon to 3:00 PM 
     The first session is a tasting and food extravaganza as well as a fundraiser for Urban Ministries of Durham.  This session is a rare opportunity to wine and dine decadently and features all you can eat and drink (!) including:
  • 10 different Txakolis!
  • 3 different oysters on the half shell
  • 3 different Estrella beers
  • "Amazingly crazy" Basque sidra (cider)!
  • Lots of fantastic food from favorite local chefs
  • Souvenir glass for you to take home
  Six Plates will be joined by Watts Grocery, Gocciolina, Pizzeria Toro, Blu Seafood, Bar Mateo, Vin Rouge,  Toast, G2B, and Juju. The folks from Firsthand foods will also be here to tell you about all the terrific  things they are doing to help our fantastic farms get to our tables.
Oysters & Melon de Bourgogne 
Second Session
3:00 to 10:00 PM+ 
   This is the classic, general admission session. Purchasing tickets in advance guarantees your entrance. An eclectic music lineup features some of the best talent our region has to offer, and you'll have access to an incredible menu.
   Food and wine for the second session is not included in the ticket price and must be ordered separately!

The Music 
TxakoliFest @ Six Plates Wine Bar 
Saturday, May 16th, 2015   
2812 Erwin Rd 
Durham, NC 27705  
1st Session - Noon to 3:00pm 
$75 per person 
 
2nd Session - 3:00pm to 10:00+ pm   
General Admission 
$10 per person

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE 
~~~~

Tasty Tuesday:
In Bloom with the
Fiercely Floral!
This Tuesday, May 19th, we present our FREE
 midweek wine tasting!  Every Tuesday is tasty...
5:00 - 7:00 pm 
   Spring is in the air! We've selected three supremely floral wines - a fragrant Viognier brimming with stone fruit ripeness and delicate blossomy aromas, a voluptuous Alsatian Gewurztraminer with just a kiss of sweetness, and a berryishly violet Spanish Garnacha that smells like a bouquet of...well...violets!
And don't forget:
Our Tasty Tuesday 15% Half-Case Discount!
After you taste, put together 6 bottles from our Tasty Tuesday lineup, and we'll take an entire 15% off!


 This Saturday from 12 to 3 PM 
"try before you buy" at
our FREE tasting
.
Four Corners 
of France! 
    This Saturday's free tasting explores the wines of France's four corners. Join us as we venture to the upper and lower extremes of the viticulturally vibrant nation and enjoy the signature specialties. We'll begin in Alsace with a bright, refreshing Pinot Blanc. Next, we're off to the Atlantic land of Muscadet for a brand new and pristinely razory example of the region's crisp whites. Following this, we'll find ourselves in Gascony's Madiran, where we'll have the opportunity to observe the untamed Tannat grape in its native habitat. Our final stop is at the cusp of the Southern Rhone and Provence, where we'll meet an ambassadorial and brand new Syrah/Grenache blend of distinctively Mediterranean mettle. Nobody puts baby in the corner!
   
1 Weekly Wine Banner 2
Freudenreich Pinot Blanc
Cave Freudenreich 
Pinot Blanc 2013

{sustainable} 100% Pinot Blanc 

(Alsace, France)

NECTARINE & CITRUS, ROSEWATER, MINERALS
This is a prime example of outstanding Alsatian Pinot Blanc. Soft flower garden aromas swirl out of the glass in heady waves as the palate remains pretty and focused with stone fruit and citrus. Bright acidity and a tinge...
 
1 Weekly Wine Banner 2
Les Betes Curieuses 
Muscadet 2010
"Clisson" 

100% Melon de Bourgogne 

(Loire Atlantique, France)

ETHEREAL LIME & APPLE, MIGHTILY MINERALISTIC, ELEGANTLY OCEANIC
The two Jérémies (Huchet & Mourat) of Les Betes Curieuses are impassioned, young Loire vignerons. Both were born in 1977, and both have found their identities as winegrowers while chasing the majestic minerality and invigorating acidity that define their favorite wines. Together, they set out in 2005 to translate...
    
1 Weekly Wine Banner 2
Domaine Labranche Laffont 
Madiran 2011
"Cuvée Tradition" 
  {organic} 70% Tannan, 20% Cab Franc, 10% Cab Sauvignon 

(Sud-Ouest, France)

INKY BLACK CHERRY & LEATHER, HINTS OF FIVE SPICE
Christine Dupuy took over her family's estate in 1992, lovingly producing hand harvested Madiran from 50 year old Tannat vines in France's Southwest. At the age of 23, she was truly extraordinary in her courage and ingenuity, possessing no previous winemaking experience yet readily taking up the...
Aureto
Luberon Rouge 2012
"Petit Miracle" 
65% Syrah, 35% Grenache

(Provence/Rhone, France)

BERRYISH BLACKNESS, VIBRANT PINPRICKS OF PEPPER, GARGANTUAN GARRIGUES
In the southesternmost reaches of France's Rhone Valley, stretching out below Ventoux into Provence, the Cotes du Luberon are provided with monumental doses of Mediterranean influence and stone-soaking sunshine. With a climate and terroir like those found here, scarcely any miracle is necessary in order to yield a sturdy, broad-shouldered, and generously flavorful...
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Hope to see you Saturday!

Our best to you,
Grand Poobah & the Wine Authorities staff 
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______ 
Six for Sixty
deal!

Here's our deal this month; a package of six reds or six whites for $60 plus tax.  You can double down and buy two: one of each or two of one for $110 plus tax.  Sorry, no other discounts apply.

Show me the six
REDS

Show me the six
WHITES
 
[click links to see this month's selection!]
on the Enomatic
in Durham:
Enomatic
Here's what's on tap!
Subject to change on
a whim or fancy...

Whites (48˚F):

 

Chauvinière
Muscadet 

$9.99 on sale

 

Bollig-Lehnert 

Riesling Kabinett 

"Trittenheimer Apotheke" 

$19.99 on sale

 

Dr. Heyden

Riesling Kabinett 

"Oppenheimer"

$14.99 on sale

Anton Bauer 

Wagram Rosé

$12.99 on sale

 

Reds (65˚F):

 

La Casaccia 

Barbera de Monferrato

"Giuanìn" 

$15.99 on sale

 

Bastide Blanche 

Bandol

$26.99 on sale

 

Bodegas Arrocal 

Ribera del Duero 

$18.99 on sale

 

Chateau de Mendis 
Cadillac
Cotes de Bordeaux 

$14.99 on sale

 

Peirano Estate 

"Immortal Zin" 

$11.99

 

Chateau Armandière 

Cahors

$11.99 on sale


Reverdito

Barolo

$36.99 on sale

 

Domaine Borie la Vitarèle 

Saint Chinian 

"Les Terres Blanches" 

 $21.99 on sale

 

on the Enomatic
in Raleigh:
Enomatic
Here's what's on tap!
Subject to change on 
  a whim or fancy...


Whites (48º F):

 

Labranche Laffont 
Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec 

$21.99 on sale

 

Frank Family 

Chardonnay

$36.99 on sale

 

Domaine de

Chauvinière 

Muscadet

"Vignes de 1914" 

$18.99 on sale

Steininger 

Grüner Veltliner
"Grand Grü" 

$26.99 on sale
  

Ken Forrester 

Chenin Blanc 

$15.99 on sale

 

Borgo Moncalvo 

Cortese

$11.99 on sale

 

Anton Bauer 

Wagram Rosé 

$13.99 on sale

Cave Freudenreich 

Riesling 

"Terre d'Apollon" 

$17.99 on sale

 

 

Reds (65º F):

 

Giorgio Cantemessa 

Grignolino d'Asti 

$16.99 on sale

 

Lua Cheia 

Douro 

"Andreza"

$14.99 on sale

 

Domaine Clair 

Santenay "Clos Genet"  

$35.99 on sale

 

Fattoria Ambra 
Carmignano 

$19.99 on sale

 

Nugan Estate 

Shiraz

"3rd Generation"

$13.99

 

Tenuta Ibidini

Nero d'Avola 

$12.99 on sale


Beyra

Beira Interior Tinto 

$13.99 on sale

 

Cascina Barisel 

Dolcetto 

$13.99 on sale

 

Peirano Estate 

Zinfandel

"The Immortal Zin" 

$11.99 on sale

  

Tenuta Mazzolino  

Pinot Nero

"Terrazze" 

$14.99 on sale

 

Abbaye Sylva Plana 

Faugeres "Les Novices" 

$17.99 on sale

 

Thelema Mnt Vineyard 
"Mountain Red" 

$15.99 on sale

  

D. Ventura 

Ribeira Sacra 

"Viña Caneiro" 

$24.99

 

Arnoux

Ventoux "Vieux Clocher"  

$10.99 on sale


Hacienda Villarta 

Mentrida Tinto 

"Besanas"  

$11.99 on sale

  

Domaine Bardin 

Coteaux du Giennois

 $19.99 on sale 

 


Composition

 

Upcoming  Tastings!*  


Saturday Tasting 
5/16/15
Four Corners of France 
 
 Tasty Tuesday
5/19/15
Spring Flowers
Saturday Tasting 
5/23/15
Rosé Garden Party!
Tasty Tuesday
5/26/15
Spring Breeze:
Gentle, Refreshing Reds 
 
*Subject to change!

Firsthand Foods

  firsthand  

Fresh Local Sausages 

  • Bratwurst
  • Country Breakfast
  • Spicy Italian

 


porkknox2011

 

Artisan Bacon

 

Nodine's

  • Applewood 
  • Garlic

 North Country 

  • Applewood
  • Peppered

Firsthand Foods 

  • Fresh & Local
Vande Rose Farms
  • Applewood
Scratch
Crackers
  • Caraway Rye 

Granola

  • Sorghum Sesame

Spreads

  • Bacon Jam 

Big Spoon

RoastersBig Spoon Logo 

Local peanut butters

  • Peanut  
8oz Jar - $9.99
16oz Jar - $16.99

or...
 
  • Peanut Cashew
  • Peanut Almond
  • Penut Pecan
  • Chai Spice (8oz size only)  

8oz Jar - $12.99

16oz Jar - $17.99   

  • Mission Almond

8oz Jar - $13.00 

 

Counter Culture Coffee
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  • Rustico
  • Farmhouse Blend, Equador & Peru
  • Tsheya, Congo    
  • Baroida Late Harvest, Papua New Guinea 
  • Remera, Rwanda 
  • Espresso Toscano                
Raleigh CIty Farm
Visit our Neighbors at:
 
  • Community supported farms & entrepreneurs. 
  • Socially & financially underutilized urban land. 
  • Healthy neighborhoods & thriving markets. 
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