Spring is springing!
(and the Irish are singing)
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Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
We're piecing spring together!
We hope that all of the fair lads and lassies reading our weekly newsletter have woken up into a very bonny and very green Saint Patrick's Day! If you share our skepticism of green beer, don't forget that we have plenty of Grüner Veltliner, Vinho Verde, and other wines, which through some impressive leaps of faith, we can convince ourselves are green. We couldn't be more excited about the advent of spring, and we've prepared a great Saturday tasting to herald its arrival (read on for all the aromatic details). We trust that everyone has remembered to set clocks forward (if not, you're probably having a fairly confusing week) and to beware the Ides on Tuesday. Don't tell us you forgot to beware the Ides! Great Caesar's ghost!
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Beware the Ides: Et tu...brut?
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 Thursday, March 31st
In the hearts and minds of American wine drinkers, Austria has arrived. Its reputation for characterful wines of inspiring quality gains momentum while its knack for tremendous value remains intact. But on what foundation is all of this built? Quite a sturdy one! Austria's viticultural history goes back millennia. Join us as we celebrate the nation's uniqueness as well as what connects it (and its signature grapes) to the rest of Europe. We'll focus on the present, examine the past, and ponder the future of modern, masterful Austria! Class includes comprehensive tasting, visual presentation, and handouts.
Thursday, March 31, 7:33pm
at our Raleigh location
Reservations Required:(919)831-9463
Indy's Best of
the Triangle!
Beloved Trianglites, you can now nominate your favorite Triangle businesses (including wine shop - hint, hint) by clicking on the Indy's "Best Of" banners above and below! Remember, there are many people out there who may vote McDonald's (for instance) as the best burger or Harris Teeter as the best place to buy wine! Be true to your civic duty, and support the little guys who make your community special, by giving them your nominations and votes. It can truly make a difference!
Real Customer Comment:
"Y'all make shopping easy!"
- Beth G.
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Tasty Tuesday:
"Leviathans of the Levante"
New from Southeastern Spain
This Tuesday, March 22nd, we present our FREE midweek wine tasting! Every Tuesday is tasty...
At next week's Tasty Tuesday, we're off to see what spring is like in southeastern Spain. Often referred to as the Levante, this zone of Spain has been picking up much momentum and gaining international admirers over the course of the last two decades. We'll begin with a rich yet refreshing white from our regional heroes, Casa Los Frailes. This hotter climate rendition of Sauvignon Blanc shows a fuller-figured, more tropical side of the grape. Next, we'll head further inland to Utiel-Requena and into the embrace of its inky Bobal grape - bold, berryish, and bursting with character. Finally, we'll settle down in Jumilla, where we'll spend some time with the Levante's most famous variety, Monastrell (aka Mourvedre) courtesy of a new arrival that packs a port-like power and concentrated notes of dried fruit and chocolate. Leviathans, indeed!
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Free Saturday Tastings!
Durham & Raleigh:
From Noon to 3 pm, "try before you buy"
at our FREE tastings!
Spring is enthusiastically knocking at our doors, and this Saturday (technically the final day of winter) we're featuring four blossomy wines with bloomin' bold aromas that put us in the mood for picnics and evening walks. We'll begin with an enticing Falanghina, a southern Italian champion of tropical and floral aromas before trekking toward the Andes for a classic example of the Torrontes grape and its muscular, Muscat-like perfume. Our reds will find us in France - first the Middle Loire for blended Pinot Noir / Gamay goodness and finally in the Southern Rhone, where we'll tap into the Mediterranean lavender and violets of a bold, Grenache-driven red. Check your allergies at the door and wrap yourself in the essences of spring!
Fontanaveccha
100% Falanghina
(Campania, Italy)
AROMATIC MANGO & PASSION FRUIT, EXPANSIVE YET BRIGHT Libero Rillo and his father, Orazio, work their hillside vineyards of Benevento on the volcanic soils that southern Italy's Campania is renowned for. This soils is most famous for yeilding powerful, typically dense reds. Gaining ground in international acclaim, however, are the classically voluptuous yet balanced whites...
Dom Rodolfo
100% Torrontes (Mendoza, Argentina)
INTENSELY FLORAL, TANGY APRICOT, LIMONCELLO-ESQUE This winery is high! Well, high in altitude at almost 3,000 feet above sea level in the southern reaches of Argentina's revered Mendoza valley. That elevation is the key to greatness here. Wicked high vineyards means super ripe fruit, both fresh and crisp with super acidity. At this elevation, only hand harvesting is used to pick the best fruit. No flabby, mushy, bottom-of-the-mountain...
Domaine de la Rochette
{sustainable} 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Gamay (Middle Loire, France)
FRESH BLACK RASPBERRY & CHERRY, BALANCED ACIDITY, LEAN AND PRETTY The vineyards of Domaine de la Rochette are planted in the flinty, clay-rich soil along the banks of the River Cher in the heart of the Loire Valley. François Leclair and his son Vincent choose to combine traditional and modern methods to create truly special wines. This "Fleur de Printemps," which translates to "Spring Flower," is...
Chateau Saint-Jean
Cotes du Rhone Villages 2013 Plan De Dieu
65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan (Southern Rhone, France)
BRAMBLY BERRY & WILD HERBS. YUMMY, FRESH, & FULL Plan de Dieu (the "Plain of God" in French) is an expansive plateau region lying west of Gigondas and Vacqueyras and north of Chateauneuf. It is among the distinguished areas of the Cotes-du-Rhone Villages appellation allowed to display its name on the bottle's label - a coveted honor. Renowned since...
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Far from Topless...
Our classic "WINE FROM FARMERS NOT FACTORIES" Pitchforkscrew™ shirts have returned in deepest, azure-i-est, "Ocean" teal. For the first time, we are also offering dedicated shapes for both gals and guys! Each style ranges from small to XXL, and are $15.99. Now you've absolutely no excuse to go around naked (not that you necessarily need an excuse).  The Wine From Farmers: Pitchforkscrew™ shirts are grown and entirely made right here in NC by our friends at TS Designs!
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Hope to see you Saturday!
Our best to you,
Grand Poobah & the Wine Authorities staff
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