Gramona Spanish Sparkling Wine Happy Hour With Special Guest Mauri Gall Coupet Thursday, April 9th and Pinot Noir Happy Hour Thursday April 9th 6pm
"It's a hard grape to grow. As you know. Right? It's, uh, it's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's, you know, it's not a survivor like cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and thrive even when it's neglected. No, pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And, in fact, it can only grow in these really specific, little tucked-away corners of the world. And only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression."
Miles - Sideways
I think that drinking on the job is starting to affect my work as I knew my friends from Gramona Winery in Spain were in town and was almost certain that I had put a date on the calendar for our good friend Mauri Gall Coupet but for some reason it disappeared from the website? Just like the wine keeps disappearing in the bottle every night…well this means that we will just have to host two events the same night at the same time. Yes, the first time ever we will combine two events in the same space at the wine bar.
We will have Marui at the bar to tell our guests about the wonderful sparkling wines of Gramona and we will have our Pinot Noir tasting set up in the back of the bar at a separate table and the best thing about this event is that the price did not change! Two tastings for the price of one!!!
Gramona Spanish Sparkling Wine Happy Hour
With Special Guest Mauri Gall Coupet
Thursday, April 9th
6PM
2024 Gramona Gessami Penedes
Price: $27.00 Your Price: $23.76
Harvested according to the grapes' times of ripeness: first the Muscat de Frontignan, then the Gewürztraminer, followed by the Muscat of Alexandria and finally the Sauvignon Blanc. The varieties are vinted separately.
Fermentation on skins is used for maximum aromatic extraction from a soft pressing, obtaining only the flower must, or 40% extraction. The fermentation is later carried out at 13/15ºC.
Grape varieties: 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Muscat of Alexandria, 15% small-berry Muscat of Frontignan, and 5% de Gewürztraminer.
Sight: Pale, bright green with straw-coloured reflections.
Nose: Aromatic burst. Like a walk in the spring, this wine reminds one of the coolness of fresh air, a bouquet of white flowers, (roses, jasmine, etc.), fennel, apricots and forest... all wrapped in a sweet atmosphere full of freshness, with a subtle mineral glow and an enveloping evocation of infusions and a citric breeze
Taste: It surrounds you with a sweet atmosphere, freshness, mild and also flexible feel. Long, unctuous aftertaste with the evocation of white flowers and citric peels.
2022 Gramona 'Mart' Xarel-lo Vermell Rosat, Penedes, Spain
Price: $27.00 Your Price: $23.76
APPEARANCE: Pale onion-skin pink with bright tints.
NOSE: Rich and intense with a pronounced fruity expression. Refreshing citrus fruit, grapefruit skin, vineyard peaches, wild strawberries and a touch of Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and fennel. A subtle spicy backdrop of pink pepper completes the bouquet.
PALATE: Fresh on entry, showing a fruity character with the subtle pink pepper overtones. On the finish, we find a slight bitterness created by the Mediterranean woodland aromas that combines with the acidity and provides freshness.
2021 Gramona La Cuvee ALIANCES Cava Corpinnat, Spain
Price: $36.00 Your Price: $31.68
WINERY NOTES: ORGANIC & BIODYNAMIC VITICULTURE Based on careful observation and the management of the factors which influence our terroir and its habitat. We do not apply chemical herbicides or pesticides, but instead we use natural resources, with the primary aim of maintaining a balance in the environment, and we preserve spontaneous ground cover in order to obtain spongy soils. Through biodynamics, which goes one step beyond organic growing, we breathe life into our vineyards and seek to raise levels of biodiversity: we preserve spontaneous ground cover in order to obtain spongy soils, we apply plant-based infusions and decoctions to avoid pest infestations, and we produce our own animal and vegetal compost from our orchard of medicinal plants and our farm of cows, sheep, chickens, and horses.
TASTING NOTES Pale yellow, steel edges (white gold). Medium intensity. Elegant floral notes wrapped in stone fruit – peach, apricot -, golden apple, lemon peel, closed by a shy note of raw almond. Round entrance, medium enveloping body, crispy carbonic texture. In the retronasal route citrus memories return, the apple, the almond. Very refreshing and long nish. Perfect as an appetizer that can be extended to the rest of the meal. Gastronomic and versatile.
2018 GRAMONA IMPERIAL CORPINNAT BRUT SPAIN
Price: $48.00 Your Price: $42.24
(91 Points) The 2018 Brut Imperial is a Corpinnat blend of 56% Xarel·lo, 30% Macabeo, 10% Parellada and 4% Chardonnay. Produced using the traditional method, it spent 60 months on the lees. The bouquet features aromas of lime and lemon pie, complemented by a delicate array of fine herbs. Dry and creamy on the palate. Vinous
2015 Gramona III Lustros Grand Reserva Brut Nature Cava
Price: $75.00 Your Price: $66.00
Straw hue with golden highlights. NOSE Intense with clear notes of maturity under a constant veil of freshness. Baked apple and sweet pears. Ripe citrus, grapefruit peel. Faded flowers and a herbal backdrop reminiscent of fennel and rosemary. The ageing notes run through a gamut of aromas which includes hazelnuts, pastries, toast, brioche and toffee. The sparkling becomes more and more expressive as it opens up in the glass. PALATE Powerful on entry with great structure. The carbon dioxide is fine and creamy. Loads of candied fruit balanced by the notes from ageing. The balsamic aromas come through again. Lively, refreshing finish on the palate. The aftertaste is never-ending.
2009 Gramona Cava Celler Batlle
Price: $117.00 Your Price: $102.96
La Plana is the mother land and source of III Lustros, Celler Batlle and now, La Enoteca. Four hectares of Xarel·lo grow in this area, accompanied by a hectare of Macabeo. They grow on clay soils with a sandy substratum over limestone rock. Bounded to the east by the River Noia, to the north, the vineyards are open to the air currents from the valley which runs down from the mountains. To the south they are exposed to the sun, which follows the path of the river while, to the west, a hill of pine trees dominates, its shadow protecting the vineyards in the afternoons. The land is worked with the same meticulous care that it has received for the last 150 years.
Aged in bottles stored on their sides (“sur lattes”) for over 100 months, which is more than double the time required for a Gran Reserva according to the D.O. regulations. 100% artisanal process. The bottles are sealed with a cork stopper throughout the time they spend resting in the silence of the cellars, which enables the longest ageing periods. We use “pupitre” racks, and riddling and disgorging are carried out by hand. Medium dosage of 6-8 grams/litre. The “expedition liqueur” comes from the family solera, which is well over a century old. A traditional art which has been handed down from generation to generation.
Tasting notes: Appearance: Straw yellow with golden highlights with very bright tones.
On the nose: Deep, intense and complex. Candied white fruit - peaches, Golden Delicious apples and apricots turning to orejones. Lemon peel citrus aromas. Distinct hints of herbs - pine, oak. Moss. The ageing notes are endless, toast crusts, hazelnuts, walnuts, toffee, coffee, praline, mocha, boiled sweets and puff pastries.
On the palate: Powerful on entry with infinite nuances. A balance of maturity and freshness. Fine, soft, creamy bubbles, filling and caressing the palate. Expressive retro-olfactory aromas of the fruit and the notes from long ageing already found on the nose, topped off by a mineral touch.
Menu
Strawberry, Peach and Prosciutto Flat Bread with Brie Cheese, Mint and Basil
Arctic Char in Crispy Wonton with Hoisin BBQ
Foie Gras Mousse on Whole Wheat Cracker with Cherry Jelly
Pork Belly Bites with Orange Honey Marmalade Dipping Sauce
Eggplant Caponata with Asiago Toast Points
The fee for this tasting which includes the Pinot Noir tasting also is $95 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.
Happy Hour Wine Tasting Featuring Pinot Noir Oregon VS California
Thursday, June 12, 2025
6:00 PM
2024 Cristom Pinot Noir Mount Jefferson Willamette Valley
Price: $54.00 Your price: $47.52
(93 Points) This is the 30th Anniversary bottling of the wine known colloquially as Mt Jeff, with fruit from four of the five Cristom estate vineyards, with only Marjorie not playing a role in this bottling. Pure Willamette character on the nose, with forest floor, tart cranberries, and mint leaves, is balanced by a kiss of sea salt. The palate is a melange of juicy red berries, salty mineral glimpses, and savoury amaro herbals. A classic, after all these years. Decanter
2022 Soter Pinot Noir Mineral Springs Ranch Willamette Valley, Oregon
Price: $96.00 Your Price: $84.48
The personality of the 2022 Mineral Springs Ranch Pinot Noir is distinct. The wine is generous and expressive, showcasing the vintage's warmer weather, with the primary fruit spectrum suggesting black cherries and cranberries, with hallmark spice box notes, hints of exotic Asian perfumes and that elusive forest floor/earthy set of characters that seem an "MSR" signature. Fine-grained tannins complement the already fleshy mid-palate which expands in aroma and texture with aeration and will continue to develop further with bottle age.
2022 BRITTAN VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR ESTATE MCMINNVILLE
Price: $45.00 Your Price: $39.60
The Brittan Estate Vineyard lies just 12 miles southwest of McMinnville, tucked into the foothills of the Coast Range. The original 18 acres were planted in 2001, but due to the challenging nature of this site and limited topsoil, only eight acres survived. Since 2004 when Robert and Ellen purchased the vineyard, it has been an ongoing rehabilitation project: replanting, retraining, and learning the unique landscape that has become Brittan Vineyard.
2022 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Mirabai Willamette Valley
Price: $45.00 Sale Price: $34.00
The nose is beautifully perfumed. While there is (in its youth) a sense of fragility and nerviness, there is power that is more tensile in nature than in obvious structure or bulk. The Mirabai is an utterly transparent, light red with youthful, fuschia highlights at the edges. It is far deeper in flavor than the colour might suggest. It has the classic Maresh sun-warmed Hood strawberry and spice, with the classic Red Hills of Dundee silkiness, but this wine is fleet-footed, aerial, mercurial, and evokes flight, wind, and swift movement. Over time, this will likely be one of my most complex and age-worthy Mirabai’s to date.
After all of these years writing these kinds of notes and hoping to not have them sound like grocery store lists or to imprison my wines with my words, I have begun to sometimes include quotes from my friends who have tasted the wine in question.
2021 Bethel Heights Estate Chardonnay Eola Amity Hills
Price: $36.00 Your Price: $31.68
(93 Points) "You will be hard-pressed to find a better Willamette Valley Chardonnay in this price range. The 2021 vintage of the estate Chardonnay is filled with tropical aromas of an icy lemon granita, lime sorbet and a touch of pineapple. A lithe palate and gentle acidity float flavors of mango, green tea and lemon icing." Wine Enthusiast.
2014 Carte Blanche Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Price: $78.00 Sale Price: $64.00
Ethereal and pure, the 2014 Sun Chase Vineyard Pinot Noir reveals bright bing cherry, blood orange zest, juniper and sandalwood. Delicate and tightly wound, the palate is wrapped in bright red fruit, dried thyme, cedar, and black tea. Cases: 225 Cases Produced
2017 Lobo Wulff Vineyards Pinot Noir Oak Knoll District Napa Valley
Price: $60.00 Your Price: $52.80
Our Story: Husband and wife team Krys and Randy Wulff have been growing premium grapes in Napa Valley for over 15 years, selling to many well-known wineries such as Lewis, Robert Mondavi and The Prisoner. The Wulffs hand select areas in their estate vineyards from which they make their own signature wines under the LOBO label, the Spanish word for “wolf.”
Vineyard: This wine is made from 100% Pinot Noir, estate grown in the Oak Knoll appellation of the Napa Valley. It is a blend of the classic Mariafeld and Martini clones. The vineyard soil is gravelly loam. Spacing, pruning and canopy management are LOBO’s key to creating balance and ideal stress to the vines which produce a more flavorful, concentrated and complex wine.
Tasting Notes: Color: Garnet. Aroma: Fresh raspberry and strawberry jam, with white floral notes and baking spice. Mouthfeel: Polished entry with fine, supple tannins. Satiny in texture with bright acidity. Flavors: Concentrated flavors of red cherry and a nice touch of spice and pretty floral notes on the finish.
2018 Gambal Work Pinot Noir Francesca Santa Rita Hills
Price: $64.50 Your Price: $56.76
2018 Francesca’s nose is clean as fresh ripe raspberries jump from the glass. It is of medium weight in the mouth and reminds Alex of a 1er Cru from Beaune, such as a Clos des Mouches or a Vignes Franches. Its distinct mineral mouth feel, not heavy nor light, has the texture one finds in wines grown in the limestone of Burgundy. It will be at its best in 2-4 years.
2022 Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate Chalone Appellation
Price: $30.00 Your Price: $26.40
The 2022 Estate Pinot Noir reveals aromas of cherry, strawberry, leather, truffle, forest floor, plum, and cinnamon. The medium-bodied palate is a beautiful representation of the varietal and the Chalone AVA. Opulent flavors of plum, bright red cherries, and strawberry are complemented by notes of toasty oak, hints of vanilla and spices, and supported by medium acidity.
2018 Jean Noel Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet Rouge Cuvee L'Estimee
Price: $60.75 Your Price: $53.46
Grapes from six different parcels spread across the appellation between Puligny and Santenay are used in this cuvée. They are planted at a density of 10,000 vines per hectare and pruned into Cordon royat.
The name of this cuvée originates in the history of the village of Chassagne and one of its oldest families: the Paquelins. There have been Paquelins living in the village since the 15th century, but as daughters married into other families, the current descendants have different last names including Coffinet (starting in 1866) and Gagnard (starting in 1925). The branch founded by Jean-Noël Gagnard became the Lestimé family in 1994, thus the creation of L'Estimée, an allusion to the newest branch of the family. L'Estimée can also be translated to mean "the respected lady" in French.
This cuvée represents the domaine's desire to highlight the potential of red wines from Chassagne-Montrachet; a village appellation mostly known for its whites. This is evident in the popularity of Chardonnay vineyards, as only 103 hectares of Chassagne-Montrachet are used to grow red wine varieties. (It is actually Burgundians that buy the majority of these wines: they're already in on the secret!) One can expect great quality for the price and wines that are often ready to drink at a younger age. In order to better show off the rarity of a red Chassagne-Montrachet and to strengthen the identity of L'Estimée, this wine is sold in a special bottle with unique packaging.
Approximately 700 cases are made each year.
2019 Domaine Pavelot La Dominode Savigny Les Beaune 1er Cru
Price: $60.00 Your Price: $52.80
A perfumed, ripe and cool nose features notes of red currant, black raspberry, violet and a hint of sandalwood. There is very fine mid-palate density with an abundance of sappy dry extract to the velvety and mouth coating flavors that flash good minerality on the powerful, balanced and hugely long finish. This is marvelous but it's also a buy and forget you own it wine. Burghound 92-94 Sweet Spot Outstanding
2023 Domaine Thevenot le Brun et Fils Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits Les Renardes Burgundy
Price: $25.00 Your Price: $22.00
Domaine Thevenot-le Brun is located in the heart of the Hautes Côtes region in the town of Marey-les-Fussey, 7 km from Nuits Saint Georges and 10 km from Beaune. Winemakers have followed one another for several generations on the estate. The bottle trade was developed by Maurice and Anne Marie in the early sixties, then their two sons Jean and Daniel took over the business, continuing to improve the family's work in both the vineyard and the cellar. Daniel's son, Nicolas, joined the estate in 2007 and took over completely in 2009, continuing with the work carried out by his father and uncle while drawing on his previous experience working in Burgundy.
Les Renardes is located near the town of Marey-les-Fussey, in the steepest part of the south-facing hillside. This sun-drenched site allows the vine to flourish and helps to produce high quality grapes. This 25-year-old plot gives Pinot Noir grapes that are transformed into soft, aromatic wines. Flavors of red and black berries intermingle with notes of spice, all framed by succulent tannins and juicy acidity.
2017 Seifried Pinot Noir Old Coach Road Nelson New Zealand
Price: $19.75 Your Price: $17.38
Our Brightwater vineyard is situated 15 km from the coast and is sheltered
from the south by the Richmond ranges. The ‘soil’ is a combination of rocks and boulders which is very hard on the farm equipment but vital for holding the warmth of Nelson’s sun.
Our Rabbit Island vineyards are situated on a wide river flat. The soil is made up of gravelly sandy loam, which marks the sites of Maori kumara beds (sweet potato) prior to European settlement in the early 1800’s. The Maori transferred and spread fine gravel and sand over the land to provide suitable soils for their kumara plantings. Scrub was burned to give ash and charcoal which increased soil fertility and gave characteristic topsoil. This fertility is now considerably reduced due to modern farming. The soils are however, very sandy and free draining, and the water table is relatively high ensuring adequate underground water.
Menu
Strawberry, Peach and Prosciutto Flat Bread with Brie Cheese, Mint and Basil
Arctic Char in Crispy Wonton with Hoisin BBQ
Foie Gras Mousse on Whole Wheat Cracker with Cherry Jelly
Pork Belly Bites with Orange Honey Marmalade Dipping Sauce
Eggplant Caponata with Asiago Toast Points
The fee for this tasting is $95 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.
I remember my trip to Oregon in the summer of 1994 for the IPNC (International Pinot Noir Celebration) this is one of the best wine parties that I have ever attended. The festival is limited to 500 attendees as it is hosted by McMinnville College and that is all they can accommodate in their lecture facilities. I remember not only were the quality of the wines at the highest level but the people in attendance were some of the most passionate Pinot Noir lovers that I had ever come across. And although winemaking began in the 19th century in this state it is only recently that its potential has been recognized by the rest of the world.
It was in 1979 when serious wine producers started to look at the potential of this area as Eyrie Vineyards' 1975 South Block Pinot Noir placed in the top 10 of Burgundy-style wines at the Gault-Millau French Wine Olympiades, and was rated the top Pinot Noir. This send the news around the wine world and shortly after Robert Drouhin, head of Burgundy's legendary Maison Joseph Drouhin, was visiting America's west coast promoting the Drouhin Burgundies. The California wine industry was just starting to receive its first recognition back then, but there was little if anything going on in Oregon. Robert's first visit to the Northwest and its earliest vineyards left him with the impression that it quite possibly would be Oregon, not California, that would ultimately prove to be the best place to grow the great grape of Burgundy - Pinot noir.
Inspired by his trip to Oregon and the results of 1979 tasting that was held in Paris, where, for the first time, the best new Oregon Pinot noirs were tasted in competition with the finest Burgundies. Robert decided to hold his own blind tasting in 1980 at the Drouhin cellars in France, with several of the best Oregon Pinot noirs going up against the finest Drouhin Grand Crus. It was a Drouhin Grand Cru that took first place this time, but an Oregon wine (the now legendary 1975 Eyrie Vineyards South Block) placed 2nd by a very narrow margin with the French experts. News of this tasting brought the first widespread international attention to Oregon Pinot noir.
After a few years’ time Robert's daughter Véronique just graduated with an advanced degree in enology from the University of Dijon, and wanted to expand her experience by working in Oregon. Véronique interned with Adelsheim Vineyards, Bethel Heights, and Eyrie for the 1986 vintage. Later on, Robert mentioned to David Adelsheim that it might be interesting to buy a piece of land in Oregon, to see what it might produce. What started as a passing thought began its transformation into reality when Adelsheim phoned the Drouhins in Beaune not long thereafter to tell them of a property that was for sale that they might be interested in. The rest is history and with one of Burgundies foremost wine producing families moving to Oregon the writing was on the wall that this wine producing region would soon get its much deserved recognition as one of the world's premier Pinot Noir growing regions.
Today, the state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of wine. Oregon has several different growing regions within the state's borders which are well-suited to the cultivation of grapes; additional regions straddle the border between Oregon and the states of Washington and Idaho. Wine making dates back to pioneer times in the 1840s, with commercial production beginning in the 1960s.
Currently there are over 1000 wineries in Oregon and a bustling tourism industry has developed around wine tasting. Much of the tourism focuses on the wineries and tasting rooms in and around the Yamhill Valley southwest of Portland.
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