Featured Wines for January – 2011 St. Kilda Chardonnay, Southeast Australia & 2010 Coriole Sangiovese/Shiraz, McLaren Valley, Australia

2011 St. Kilda Chardonnay, Southeast Australia $10

St Kilda Chardonnay is named after a beachside suburb of Melbourne, Australia. St Kilda’s Chardonnay is crisp and fruity. This is not a California style Chardonnay (buttery and heavy.) The St. Kilda Chardonnay drinks well above the price point. This wine is light and tangy with notes of apple, lime, and apricot. It has a nice minerality, which follows closely with the nose. The finish is long for an inexpensive wine with a nice acidity. The St. Kilda Chardonnay pairs nicely with food, particularly chicken or game birds. Alcohol: 12.5%

2010 Coriole Vineyards Sangiovese/Shiraz, McLaren Valley, Australia $14

Coriole Vineyards was established by the Lloyd Family in 1967. The earliest vineyards date from 1919, in the “Seaview” sub-region of the McLaren Vale Wine Region in South Australia. The main variety is Shiraz, followed by Sangiovese and Chenin Blanc. In this this popular blend Shiraz adds an attractive warmth and richness to the leanness of Sangiovese. Both the Sangiovese and Shiraz for this wine are sourced from Coriole’s estate vineyards. This is a wine that shows the best characteristics of both varieties. Some richness and lushness comes from the Shiraz with the Sangiovese imparting a savory, structural edge. The nose shows red currant, cherry, dark chocolate and earthiness. Hints of licorice and spice lead into a medium bodied, juicy palate that displays dark berry and red fruit. This is a great wine for hearty pastas and other rich Italian dishes. Alcohol: 14%

Wines of the Month – Dr. L Sparking Riesling & Made by G Sparkling Gamay

December 1, 2012 · by BishopsStock ·

Featured Wines for December – Dr. L Sparkling Riesling from Mosel, Germany & Made by G Sparkling Gamay, from Beaujolais, France

Dr. L Sparkling Riesling, Mosel, Germany $18

Dr. L Sparkling Riesling is 100% pure Riesling. It is made using the Charmat method, where the second fermentation is done in a pressurized tank to keep the bubbles in the wine. This method produces bright, clean sparkling wines in a more affordable way. As is usual with Riesling — especially from a cool climate like Germany’s — a juicy touch of sweetness was left in the wine to balance the naturally brisk acidity. What you end up with is a refreshing, fruit-driven sparkler that’s a pleasure to drink any time. Sparklers are always a great choice for sushi but this one is especially nice. Alcohol: 12.0%

Made by G Sparkling Gamay, Beaujolais, France $23

December’s red selection is Made by G, a sparkling Gamay from Beaujolais, France. This wine was produced from 25 year old Gamay vines. The color is very rich. While this wine is just a little off-dry, it has a natural sweetness that comes from the grapes being picked at top ripeness. There is no residual sugar. The nose is fresh and fruity with aromas of fresh grape. On the palate this sparkling bursts with startlingly bright, succulent, strawberry-like fruit. I was hesitant to select this for the wine club but after I tried it my mouth said “yes”! We served it as an aperitif at Thanksgiving and will likely serve it again at Christmas – if the supply lasts. The distributor gets an allocation of the wine so it is not always available.

Wines of the Month – St. Kilda Chardonnay & Coriole Vineyards Sangiovese/Shiraz