November Artists-in-Residence – Lynne Lockhart & Kirk McBride

Photo of Kirk McBride paintingLockhart painting

Lynne Lockhart and Kirk McBride will be in the gallery with some new work in this month’s show. Stop by and hear about their new studios and Kirk’s workshop in Tuscany next May.

June Featured Wines – Carpene Malvolti Prosecco, Veneto, Italy & 2014 Piazzo Dolcetto d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy

Carpene Prosecco.Front.750ml

Carpene Malvolti Prosecco, Veneto, Italy   $16

Carpene Malvolti is a Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG  which can only be made in the Treviso province of Veneto on the hills between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. Carpene Malvoliti Prosecco is made from 100% Glera grapes although some Proseccos add up to 15% of other varietals.  With 140 years of experience the Carpene family  produces this dry, delicate Prosecco with elegant notes of ripe pear, crisp apple, and fresh bread on both the nose and palate. This is a light and refreshing wine that is great for celebration toasts and light seafood dishes.  Alcohol: 11%

Piazzo.Dolcetto.Alba.NV

2014 Piazzo Dolcetto d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy  $13

2014 Piazzo Dolcetto D’Alba is considered a light, easy drinking red wine which is produced from 100% estate grown black Dolcetto grapes. It is an intense ruby red with a strong nose of cherries plums and raspberries. On the palate this is a dry, firm wine that softens into a delicate almond aftertaste. This wine is best if it breathes before serving. Consider serving with antipasti and mature cheeses. Also a great wine for grilled pizza. Alcohol: 12.5%

 

January Featured Wines – 2014 Angelini Pinot Grigio, Veneto & 2011 Terrilogio Toscana, Montepulciano

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2014 Angelini Pinot Grigio, Veneto, Italy             $11

2014 Angelini Pinot Grigio is produced in the northern region of Veneto. This is 100% Pinot Grigio grapes and has a soft, well balanced flavors of tropical fruit and a clear, fresh finish. There is a hint of white peaches. The color is straw yellow and the nose makes one think of freshly baked bread. This is a perfect wine for winter seafood soups with fresh bread and cheese.

 

Terrilogio Toscana

2011 Terrilogio Toscano, Montpulciano, Italy    $11

2011 Terrilogio Toscana comes from the area near Montepulciano. This is a “Super Tuscan” blend with 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. It has complex aromas of crushed berries, cherries and hints of tobacco. This is a full-bodied with round tannins and a long finish. Consider this a winter wine since it is ideal with all Mediterranean dishes, roast, game meat and spicy cheese.

Wine & Food Passport to Tuscany – October 10-17, 2015

Wine galleryJoin Bishop’s Stock’s “Wine & Food Passport to Tuscany” in October 2015

The gallery is working with travel consultant Paula Sullivan to create a wonderful immersion in wine and food in Italy. The trip will be from October 10-17, 2015. We will explore Chianti, one of Tuscany’s most iconic wine-producing regions. We will visit wineries and meet the winemakers, learning first hand what their expectations are for the current vintage. We will  taste their wines and pair them with the exquisite cuisine of the region. In Lucca we will visit an enoteca with a tasting room in caves under the city. Thousands of bottles line the ancient walls. We will have a primer on olive oils and how to sample them. Get ready to roll up your sleeves for two hands-on cooking classes, one with our own Abbondanza Toscana chef and a second with our friend Stefania Balducci in Chianti who will share her family’s recipes. Learn about Lucca on a cultural and historical tour of the old town center and plan to spend some time browsing the shops. A full week of gastronomic pleasure awaits you on this tour! Contact the gallery for more details and check www.abbondanzatoscana.com to see where we will be staying.

April Featured Wines – 2013 Falesco Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone, Umbria, Italy & 2009 Monti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Abruzzo, Italy

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2013 Falesco Est! Est!, Est! di Montefiascone, Umbria, Italy            $11

The legend goes that in the 12th century, a wine-loving bishop was traveling through the Italian countryside on his way to see the coronation of the Pope. As he traveled, he would send a scout ahead of the convoy to let him know the wine of the area was good by marking “Est” (“It is”) above an inn’s door. As the scout traveled ahead to Montefiascone, the wine was apparently so good, that the scout marked that location with “Est! Est!! Est!!!” Montefiascone remains an excellent wine today, particularly so when crafted by Cotarella, who blends 50% Trebbiano, 30% Malvasia, and 20% Roscetto together for legendary results. This wine is  delicate straw-yellow in color, the nose offers playful aromas of citrus, apple, and white flowers. On the palate, its crisp acidity is balanced with soft flavors of pear and melon which make for an easy-to-drink, refreshing wine. Drink this wine on its own, or pair it with grilled fish, velouté sauces, chicken satay, or oysters Rockefeller. Alcohol: 12%

 

Monti

2009 Monti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Abruzzo, Italy        $15

This small, family-owned winery even involves the family dog on the bottle. “Baffo,” meaning “mustached” in Italian, is the name of Monti’s Spinone breed that appears on each bottle. The Spinone are famed as being versatile hunting dogs of ancient heritage with origins in northern Italy. The wine is  unfined and unfiltered to preserve all its fleshy, fruit flavors. It  has a dark, inky, red color and intense aromas of ripe blackberries, cherries, and herbs with undertones of licorice, black pepper, and smoke. It is generous, yet pure on the palate and is ripe with round tannins and delicate acidity. This offers an excellent overall structure. Pair this wine with sausages, tomato sauces, barbecue, and ancho chile-based dishes. Alcohol: 14.5%

Conversation with Paula Sullivan

 

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Paula Sullivan, the travel consultant organizing our Wine & Food Passport to Tuscany will be in the gallery to provide information about this great opportunity to experience the best of Tuscany. The tour is set for October 10-18 with space for just 10 guests.

Wines of the Month – 2012 Damilano Langhe Arneis and 2011 Tommasi Rompicollo, Italy

Label on Damilano Langhe Arneis bottle

2011 Damilano Langhe Arneis, Piedmont, Italy       $21

This wine is 100% Arneis, a grape often referred to as “white Barolo” because it is grown close to some of the most famous areas of Barolo and has a similar richness. It is fresh with bright acidity, vibrant peach and passion fruit flavors and an a delightful hint of almond on the finish.  There is a nutty edge, structured with a hint of tannin. On the nose there is a bit of cut grass. This is an un-oaked wine suitable for appetizers, fish courses and white meats. Alcohol: 13%

 

Tommasi Rompicollo featuredat Bishop's Stock2011 Tommasi Rompicollo, Maremmma, Tuscany, Italy    $15

The 2011 Rompicollo is a 60-40 blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its name, roughly translated as “neck-breaking” in English, was inspired by the backbreaking labor required to farm in the Tufo-rich soils of the area. Sweet cherry and blackberry aromas are followed by a mild mouthfeel. There is initial plushness here but the wine’s texture is compact and streamlined overall. This is a great blend for something as simple as gorgonzola  with hearty bread or a tradtional as a lamb shank. It is considered a smart buy receiving a 92 from Wine Spectator. Alcohol: 13%

 

 

 

Wines of the Month – 2011 Riondo Excelsa Soave, Verona, Italy & 2011 Fausti Fausto Rosso Piceno, Marches, Italy

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2011 Riondo Excelsa Soave, Verona, Italy     $11

2011 Riondo Excelsa Soave produced in the Soave DOC just north of Verona. It is made from 100% Garganega grapes
This wine is a new style of Soave. It has a generous floral nose with apricot and pear hitting the palate with zesty acidity and lingering mineral finish. This is a great wine for grilled fish or spicy seafood curry.

 

 

 

 

label on Fausti FAusto Rosso Piceno

 2011 Fausti Fausto Rosso Piceno, Marches, Italy $12

Rosso Piceno is a blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese. These are concentrated reds but with 12 month barrel aging they soften. Our selection is 2011 Fausti “Fausto” Rosso Piceno. It is 60% Montepulciano and 40% Sangiovese made from organic grapes.  This is a deep purple wine with scents of violets and wild cherry. On the palate it is clean with crisp cherry flavors and a hint of oak. This is a great pasta wine but consider pairing it with grilled sausages or hearty grilled chicken.

 

 

Wines of the Month – Purato Catarratto/Pinot Grigio 2011, Sicily & LeSalette Valpolicella Classico 2011, Veneto, Italy

Featured Wines for September – 2011 Purato Catarratto/Pinot Grigio, Sicily & 2011 Le Salette Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy

 

Label for Purato Catarratto Pinot Grigio wine2011 Purato Catarratto/Pinot Grigio IGT, Sicily                                    $12

Purato Catarratto-Pinot Grigio IGT 2011 has 60% Catarratto which gives more body to the 40% Pinot Grigio. The blending of these two grapes creates an enjoyable, everyday drinking wine that offers intense aromas of both citrus, tropical fruit flavors and a hint of dried herbs. The palate is beautifully weighted with fine texture, balanced acidity and a lingering dry finish. This is perfect with seafood or as an aperitif. The packaging of this wine is interesting since the bottle is 85% recycled glass and the labels are recycled paper with vegetable ink. Even the wine cases are made with recycled cardboard. Alcohol: 13%

 

 

label for Le Salette Valpolicella wine from Veneto

2011 LeSalette Valpolicella Classico DOC, Veneto, Italy       $17

This is wine is produced in the viticulture zone, Valpolicella. Le Salette Valpolicella Classico DOC 2011 is 50% Corvina, 40% Rondinella and Sangiovese, 5% Molinara and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon – a classic Valpolicella blend. After decades of less than stellar wines Valpolicella has come back with more refined vintages. The color of this wine is a dark red ruby with garnet highlights. The bouquet is intense and full of dry fruit and spices. The palate is soft and balanced with a long finish very much like a Beaujolais. This is a great wine to pair with end of summer steaks on the grill. Alcohol: 12.5%

Wines of the Month – 2011Tamellini Soave & 2010 G. D. Vajra Langhe Rosso

Featured Wines for May – 2011 Tamellini Soave, Veneto, Italy & 2010 G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso, Piedmonte, Italy

Tamellini wine logo

 

2011 Tamellini Soave, Veneto, Italy             $17

Soave is the most famous white  “Demominazione Di Origine Contratollato” wine  in Italy. The DOC covers wines made from Garganega grapes grown on the hillsides east of Verona in the VEneto wine region. In 1998 Gaetano Tamellini felt his estate grown grapes were better than those being pooled together by the Soave Co-Op. He took the risk to join 20 other growers who have broken away and now bottle their own wines from their individual estates. Tamellini’s Soave is a great example of why he did this and has now succeeded. His wine is dry, fresh with a slight almond note at the end. The nose is fragrant, flowery and fruity. This is a great wine for warm weather entertaining and light meals on the patio. Great with mild-flavored fish and light pasta dishes. Around our area flounder and clams fit that bill. Alcohol: 12%

 

 

GD Vajara label for Rosso featured wine

 

2010 G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso, Piedmont, Italy      $14

Vajra Rosso is one of the gallery owner’s favorite reds. Customers who know this wine are pleased to find it on our shelves. This is a blend which for the wonderful 2010 harvest, Vajra used 80% Dolcetto, 15% Barbara and 5% blend of Freisa, Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir. This is  dark ruby in color.  The nose on this wine is earthy with red currants and black cherry. On the palate the cherry stands with black raspberry on first taste then the wine opens to be herbaceous. This is a wine that can be enjoyed when young yet it will hold for 5 years. The foods of the Piedmont region pair perfectly with this Rosso. Think about using this with antipasti, aged cheese and Italian salami or prosciutto. A great red meat or meat pasta wine. Alcohol: 13%