Southeast France & Southeast Spain!
w/ two special guests: Valencian vigneron & Oak City Cycling
In This Issue:
Vacation Pack!
Tasty Tuesday: Fresh, Refreshing, and Francophilic!
Saturday Tasting: "Layering the Loire"

 top
(Almost) Final Leg of the
Tour de France!
feat. Oak City Cycles (in Raleigh)

Plus! Special Guest & Tasting 
From Spain's Valencia! 
   We have an action packed weekend lined up at our Durham and Raleigh locations featuring fantastic wines from southeastern France and southestern Spain! Not only is there another "Tour de France" themed tasting on Saturday at our Raleigh store, but we have a surprise visit by Maria Jose Velazquez of Valencia's Casa Los Frailes!
 
   She'll be featuring five her estate's southeastern Spanish masterpieces on Saturday in Durham with an encore presentation at our Raleigh shop on Sunday! Find the Saturday Tasting section of this newsletter below for more details.

   Our "Tour de France" month of features and tastings of incoming Wine Authorities Selections from various corners of France is nearing the end of its circuit, and it's been a wild ride! This week, at our Raleigh store only, we'll be joined by our friends and neighbors from across the street at Oak City Cycles as we sample the brand new vintages from one of our favorite producers, Domaine Pinchinat. 
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Why, thank you!    
Real Customer Comment:

"You guys have always made great suggestions.
I always really enjoy them! "

  -  Albert Z.       

    


Vacation? Staycation?

We have the Libations!
   The 2015 edition of our annual Vacation Pack is going strong! This care package of six delicious and versatile Wine Authorities Selections features two crisp whites, two tangy rosés, and two sumptuous reds to accompany you both on your various summer adventures and your relaxing moments at home. These wines clock in at a deep discount, and we're also throwing in a stylish tote so you can totally take them wherever the fun is! It's only $65 (plus tax) after a 30% discount! Click here to read more. 
   Also! If this year's Vacation Pack isn't quite what you have in mind for the journeys you've planned, we're always happy to help put something special together for you! 
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Rosé Garden 2015!
Rosé Garden Glasses
   The dry, pink oasis that refreshes our mouths and nourishes our souls is once again in bloom!  The Rosé Garden has arrived. As always, a portion of each and every bottle of rosé sold will be donated to the fight against breast cancer!  
  • Tempore - Rosado de Garnacha 2014  $9.99
  • Mas de Libian - Rosé "Bout d'Zan" 2014  $14.99 
  • Mas Codina - Rosé Penedès 2014  $9.99
  • J. Mourat - Rosé "Collection" 2014  $11.99 
  • Tenuta Sant'Antonio - Corvina Rosato "Scaia" 2014  $12.99
  • Domaine Pinchinat - "Venus" Rosé [3-L!] 2014  $29.99
  • Domaine Cady - Rosé de Loire 2014  $10.99

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Tasty Tuesday!
Tour de France:
Fresh, Refreshing, and
  (Frankly) Francophilic...
This Tuesday, July 28th, we present our FREE
 midweek wine tasting! Every Tuesday is tasty...
5:00 - 7:00 pm
 
   Next Tuesday, we're honing in on summery wines that help us embrace these very dog-ish days of summer that we're currently experiencing (as opposed to curling up under a rock somewhere). We'll start with a bright, lively Chenin/Chardonnay blend from the Loire Valley. From there, we're going super exotic! We're sampling a brand new blend of tangy Mauzac and perfumey Len de l'El from our friends at Fronton's Chateau La Colombière. We'll end just west of Montpelier with a rare example Piquepoul Noir Rosé. This dry, fragrantly floral, pink wine is the perfect way to end the afternoon and begin the evening. Cheers!
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!

Free Tastings!
Saturday in Durham
(from Noon to 3 PM) 
Sunday in Raleigh:
(From 1 to 4 PM) 
Casa Los
Frailes!
 
feat. Special Guest, 
Maria Jose Velazquez
   Casa Los Frailes continually impresses us as a producer with a rare knack for embracing modernity while remaining true to the legacy of its region.  The wines are bold, vibrant, impeccably focused, organic, and (above all) delicious!  Winegrower-owners Maria Jose Velazquez and her brother Miguel Velazquez (pictured above) are sweet, charming, generous people. This Saturday, we're joined in Durham by Maria José, who'll guide us through a tasting of five of the estate's always exceptional wines! She'll perform an encore presentation in Raleigh on Sunday.
   Each wine demonstrates a penchant for power, finesse, and balance. Of course, Monastrell is king, but that won't keep the absolutely unique barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc based blend from attempting to steal the show.  Join us (in Durham on Saturday and in Raleigh on Sunday) to taste these beautiful wines...
 
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Frailes Rosado
Casa Los Frailes 
Monastrell Rosado 2014 

{biodynamic} 100% Monastrell 

(Valencia, Spain)

BRIGHT CHERRY, LIGHT STRAWBERRY & CREAM PIE
This lovely pink wine made from the black Monastrell grape strikes as a dry Rosé for both white and red wine drinkers - as rich as many reds yet divinely crisp and refreshing! The Los Frailes wines from the Velazquez family are rising stars in our store. Biodynamic goodness from an estate that was formerly home to Jesuit Friars but which has now been in this... 
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Casa Los Frailes 
"Blanc de Trilogia" 2013 

{biodynamic} 70% Sauvignon Blanc,

20% Muscat, 10% Verdil 

(Valencia, Spain)

ELEGANTLY TROPICAL, SPICY, EXOTIC BASIL
This is a newer, very limited white from Los Frailes. Only 500 cases are produced each year from meticulously selected grapes, and the result is every bit as exotic and enchanting as it is rare. With bright tangy...
Casa Los Frailes 
Monastrell 2013 

{biodynamic} 100% Monastrell  

(Valencia, Spain)
BLACK CHERRY, BLACKBERRY, VIBRANT & RIPE!
The dry, sandy soils of Valencia yield outstanding Monastrell grapes full of ripe berry goodness. Oodles of blackberry and black cherry fall out of the glass, cascading into a velvet robe and cradling your tongue in a bath of heavenly silky fruit. Okay, enough wine talk. This is just plain great red wine and good...  
Casa Los Frailes 
"Trilogia" Tinto 2009

{biodynamic} 70% Monastrell, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Tempranillo 

(Valencia, Spain)

JUICY BLACKBERRY, EARTH & DARK CHOCOLATE, ROUNDED SPICY OAK

Powerful and filled with ripe black fruit, this blend is a bold representative of both Valencia and the adventurous combination of modernization and respect for tradition that continues to make Spain one of the most dynamic wine producing nations at the dawn of the 21st century. Aged for a... 
Casa Los Frailes 
"MoMa" 2009

{biodynamic} 50% Monastrell,

50% Marselan 

(Valencia, Spain)

RED BERRY & MINERAL, RASPBERRY, BOLD SPICE & OAK

The name MoMa is derived from this wine's a blending of Monastrell with Marselan, which is a rare crossing of Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. The cherry and blackberry fruit of Marselan is a perfect complement to the plum and fig of 65 year old Monastrell vines. This is a fun wine to drink with serious undertones...
Free Saturday Tasting!
(in Raleigh only)
From 12 to 3 PM, "try before you buy" 
at our FREE Saturday tastings! 
Tour de France
Domaine Pinchinat
 
  This Saturday (in Raleigh only), we're following the Tour's cyclists through picturesque Provence. Domaine Pinchinat, a friendly ambassador for France's balmy Mediterranean shores, is waiting to greet us with the refreshing white Cotes de Provence as well as all three "Venus" wines, which can unequivocally count themselves among some of our shops' greatest hits.
   We're also excited to be joined by our friends and Neighbors, Oak City Cycling from across the way on Franklin Street! These guys are both knowledgeable and passionate about bikes, and they're locked into making the Triangle a better place for cyclists. Check out the link  
below for the low down on all of the great things they're involved in! 
   Again, this tasting and Oak City Cycling feature is in Raleigh only!

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Pinchinat Blanc
Domaine Pinchinat 
Cotes de Provence Blanc 2014 

{organic} 80% Rolle (Vermentino),

20% Clairette

(Provence, France)

POLLEN, PEAR, WHITE FLOWERS & PRETTY HERBS
Pinchinat is great for so many reasons. For one, the combination of Rolle (called Vermentino in Italy) and Clairette is a perfect match, made in heaven. Secondly, the combination of historic vineyards, clean, simple winemaking... 
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Domaine Pinchinat 
"Venus" Blanc 2014 

{organic} 100% Rolle (Vermentino) 

(Provence, France)

FLORAL, GRAPEFRUIT & PEACH SKIN. VERY DRY.
Fresh, crisp, dry and clean, this white is made from Rolle, a grape varietal that's obscure to most Americans, but essential in southern France and even southern Italy were it's known as Vermentino. Considered to be one of the greatest white wines with seafood (especially Bouillabaisse), Rolle has...
Domaine Pinchinat 
"Venus" Rosé 2014  

{organic} Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault 

(Provence, France)
DRY! WHITE CHERRY & CITRUS, FLOWERS
Although the vines that yield this wine are grown within the Cotes de Provence appellation and meet all of the criteria including being the correct varietals, they are planted at the bottom of the hills which receive...  
Domaine Pinchinat 
"Venus" Rouge 2014
(3-Liter Box!) 

{Organic} Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault,

Cabernet Sauvignon 

(Provence, France)

DARK BERRIES, CURRANTS, SMOKE. SMOOTH.

The vineyards of Pinchinat have been farmed for wine grapes since the Romans occupied this area 2000 years ago. The famous Venus of Aix en Provence and dozens of other Paleolithic artifacts have been found among these very vines... 
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Hope to see you Saturday!

Our best to you,
Grand Poobah & the Wine Authorities staff 
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Join us, read us,
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Upcoming  Tastings!*

Composition
 
Saturday Tasting
July 25th
(IN DURHAM ONLY) 
Bodegas Los Frailes
w/ Maria Jose Velazquez

Saturday Tasting
July 25th
(IN RALEIGH ONLY) 
Pinchinat & Provence

Sunday Tasting
July 26th
(IN RALEIGH ONLY) 
Bodegas Los Frailes
w/ Maria Jose Velazquez 

Tasty Tuesday 
July 28th
Fresh, Refreshing,
& (Frankly) Francophilic

Saturday Tasting
August 1st
"Layering the Loire"

Tasty Tuesday 
August 4th
Lua Cheia part 1:
The Douro 

Saturday Tasting
August 8th
Quinta de Sant'Ana

Tasty Tuesday 
August 11th
Lua Cheia 2:
Album of Alentejo 

Saturday Tasting
August 15th
New from Central Italy!

Tasty Tuesday 
August 18th
Sicily's Valle Dell'Acate

Saturday Tasting
August 22nd
Beyond the d'Or:
Cote Chalonnaise

*Subject to change!
Fresh picks for July!
Six for Sixty!

Here's our fabulous monthly deal, 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.
 
[click on the magic green bag above to see this month's selections!]
on the Enomatic
in Durham:
Click for what's on tap! 
Subject to change on
a whim or fancy...

on the Enomatic
in Raleigh:
The Whites!
 
 
 
Click for what's on tap!
Subject to change on 
  a whim or fancy...

porkknox2011

 

Artisan Bacon

at our Durham store

 

Nodine's

  • Applewood 
  • Garlic

North Country 

  • Applewood
  • Peppered

Benton's

  • Double Hickory (also available in our Raleigh store!) 
Vande Rose Farms
  • Applewood

 

Firsthand Foods 

Fresh Local Sausages

  • Bratwurst
  • Country Breakfast
  • Spicy Italian
  • Smoked Polish
  • Chorizo
Raleigh CIty Farm
Visit our Raleigh Neighbors at:
 
  • Community supported farms & entrepreneurs. 
  • Socially & financially underutilized urban land. 
  • Healthy neighborhoods & thriving markets. 



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