American Wine Tasting at Cafe Maxx

"Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, and which incorporates itself with the grapes, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy."

Benjamin Franklin

This is almost like being on vacation with only one wine event this week!  I am in town and will be leaving for New Zealand at the end of the month to explore yet another wine producing country that I have never been to.  I try to make it to somewhere new every year and look forward to exploring the wine country of New Zealand.

Next year is South Africa and I am taking my "Wine Drinking People" with me aboard the Seven Seas luxury vessel the Silver Cloud for a ten day cruise, Safari and of course wine country visits.  To find out more about the Wine Watch’s trip to South Africa next February check out the info on the bottom of this offering!

We only have two tastings next week with one of our most unique line-ups of wines all year at our Wednesday tasting at Cafe Maxx.  This tasting features wines from Virginia, New York State and the Niagara Peninsula.  I have always kept an open mind about finding wines from unusual places and we spend at least one tasting every year that features wines from states other than California (California produces over 90% of the wine in the USA), Oregon and Washington. 

These tastings at the Cafe Maxx for $35 are the best value of any event that we do. You get to try 8 different wines at the same time, pre-poured so they have a chance to open up and so you can go back through the line-up to get a second and third look at everything. This is how you learn about wine and with master chef Oliver Saucy sending out a few small courses to accompany the wines; you get a taste of Cafe Maxx and an education in wine all at the same time, a great way to spend happy hour!  This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-782-0606.

American Wine Tasting at Cafe Maxx
Wednesday, July 13th
6:30pm

WOLFFER ESTATE SUMMER IN A BOTTLE ROSE LONG ISLAND 2015
Price: $24.00       Sale $21.12          Case $245

A blend of 57% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Chardonnay, and 11% Gewürztraminer.

WINEMAKER’S NOTES:  This beautiful Rosé has a wonderful orange-tinged rose color evoking Hamptons sunsets. Lush aromas of ripe fresh fruit—cantaloupes, pears and peach—fill the glass. The mouth-feel is zaftig, full-flavored with ripe fruit notes, yet stays elegant and balanced with vibrant acidity and classic minerality. The finish is long and has hints of fine tannins to make this wine even more complex. There is a seamless continuity from start to finish, making it a very versatile, food-friendly summer wine.

RED TAIL RIDGE RIESLING SENECA LAKE FINGER LAKES 2014
Price: $17.50       Sale $15.40          Case $179

Aromas of lime juice, Meyer lemon, nectarine, and candied ginger. Softer mineral notes with vanilla and poached pear follow with a bit of starfruit. On the palate, more lime and stone fruit are present, coupled with dried pineapple, white cranberry and touches of brown spices. Acidity hits mid-palate uplifting the mouth-filling texture and extending the finish with white flowers and guava.

FORGE CELLARS RIESLING LES ALLIES FINGER LAKES 2013
Price: $27.00       Sale $23.76          Case $276

(90 Points) "Focused and pure, with lovely anise, ginger, blanched almond, pear and mirabelle notes that stretch through the long, mineral-edged finish. Shows excellent range and tension, delivering a very distinctive mouthfeel. Drink now through 2017." Wine Spectator

RED TAIL RIDGE BLAUFRANKISCH FINGER LAKES 2013
Price: $21.00       Sale $18.48          Case $215

The nose opens up with black currants, star anise, and cloves. Dark crushed cherries are followed with dried leaves and leather. On the palate is light black pepper, seedy blackberries and fennel with soft integrated tannins. A mouthwatering acidity present throughout the palate leaves lingering
notes of lighter raspberries to finish

FORGE CELLARS PINOT NOIR LES ALLIES FINGER LAKES 2013
Price: $32.00       Sale $28.16          Case $327

The Pinot vines that give us “Les Alliés” are probably some of the greatest in the Finger Lakes. This is an old Pinot vineyard that grows on the most interesting section of the east side of Seneca Lake. This sélection massale combined with the great soils of this place gives fantastic results. As everyone knows, Pinot Noir is a grape that requires tons of attention and care. It is such a fragile grape that any mistake will cost you. This is why our Pinots are well followed in the vineyard, very carefully sorted at the cellar, and highly protected all the way through their lives until the bottling time. For many reasons that I won’t give today, making a great Pinot in the Finger Lakes is probably more challenging than making a great Burgundy Pinot. The fact I have been dealing with the difficult Grenache helped quite a lot. Those two grapes have a lot in common and the good ideas apply quite well…LOUIS BARRUOL

WHITE HALL PETIT VERDOT MONTECELLO VIRGINIA 2014
Price: $21.00       Sale $18.48          Case $215

A popular Bordeaux varietal that has recently gained much recognition in Virginia and has become one of our bestsellers! The grapes were fermented half in small bins and half with the French Delestage method, and the fruit was then aged in French and American oak. One of our deepest and most complex wines, the Petit Verdot shows great potential for long-term cellaring with its rich burgundy color, smooth tannic structure, and deep flavors of fruit and spice, enhanced by tobacco notes.

Tasting Notes
Rich ruby colors and luxurious aromas of cedar, dark chocolate, and tobacco foreshadow a round palate laced with notes of bright cherry and currants, enhanced by smoky vanilla flavors and well-integrated tannins.

BARBOURSVILLE CAB FRANC RESERVE VIRGINIA 2013
Price: $27.00       Sale $23.76          Case $276

Barboursville's Cabernet Franc Reserve has a dark garnet core, brilliant clarity in the glass. Intense, effusively luscious flavors of ripe red berries with caramelized notes of fig, cherry, and plum, elegantly woven together in barrel. Long-finishing and tannically vivid, yet with a remarkably soft palate.

STRATUS RED NIAGARA ON THE LAKE 2009
Price: $30.00       Sale $26.40          Case $306

Loire Valley-native winemaker Jean-Laurent “J-L” Groux masters the ‘art of assemblage’ on the winery’s signature wines: Stratus Red and Stratus White, blending from some of the vineyard’s 44 different blocks showcasing distinct soil profiles. Cabernet Franc proves to be the star amongst the reds planted in the region, and the cold winters create unique conditions for the production of Icewine. Paul Hobbs grew up 20 miles from the property and has been collaborating with J-L Groux since 2009 in furthering the sense of place of the wines.

This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-782-0606.