Saturday, May 25
It’s another long weekend and a perfect time for us to get creative in the tasting department.  The agenda here is precisely the absence of one, giving us a completely blank slate to touch one a variety of things that are really interesting, but in many cases would not have the glitz on their own to populate a complete tasting on their own.  Those can sometimes be the most rewarding discoveries of all.  It will be educational at the very least.  $12

Thursday, May 30
During the past few years, thanks to George Tita of Tanaro River Imports, we have held a number of tastings in conjunction with visiting winemakers- Marco Roagna, Andrea Bosco, Davide Germano and Olek Bondonio to name a few. Continuing the tradition, Marco Brangero, the owner and winemaker of both La Ginestraia in Liguria and his eponymous family label in Piedmont will be in the store. This tasting will be built around a selection of three crisp and snappy Pigato’s that La Ginestraia is known for along with a Vermentino, a Rosé, an obscure(because Pigato is SOO mainstream) Ligurian red varietal, Rossese and topped off with the Az. Ag. Brangero Barolo Monvigliero 2009. It’s always fun to get a winemaker’s insight, maybe try a new wine or two and for $10.00, is there something better to do?

Saturday, June 01
Same thing, different day.  Since the first of the month happened to fall on a Saturday we decided is was an opportunity to do our Features Presentation showing of the newsletter picks in the weekend time slot.  For those that haven’t been, it is a cross-section of our usual varied and value oriented selections that have been the foundation of our program for more than three decades.  $10.

Friday, June 07
What better way is there to kick off a Friday night, or a weekend for that matter, than with an assortment of crisp, fresh and lively, thirst slaking bubblies? This will be a fun tasting, loaded with Prosecco, Cava, Crémant of various origins, a few Champagnes, a rosé or two and rounded out with a Moscato d’Asti, Brachetto d’Acqui or something else to please a sweet tooth. Sparkling wines are food friendly, pairing well with a variety of cuisines and, let’s face it, they’re just plain tasty. Come in and get your frizz on! $19.00

Saturday, June 08
If nothing else, this is a significant tasting as it will likely be our last go round with the superb 2010 Chateauneufs, but there will be plenty more beyond that.  There are lots of things to touch on from unique whites to fresh pinks, excellent results at all levels from both the northern and southern Rhone, and some unique efforts from places like Provence, the Languedoc and the Roussillon. $28.

Saturday, June 15
This is a tasting we have contemplated for a long time and even tried on a weeknight before to no avail (maybe it’s a little too esoteric for the ‘happy hour’ time slot).  Maybe we’re just ahead of our time?  But we decided to take a gamble and dedicate a Saturday to what we think is a topic that is too cool to ignore and is definitely ready for prime time (or at least cable).  The variety of Sicily alone is exciting, from the direct appeal of a hearty Nero ‘d’Avola to the more ethereal possibilities from the slopes of Mount Etna.  But add to that some zippy, seaside whites and unique reds from varietals both familiar and foreign, and you’ve got a fertile wine topic that most folks haven’t dove into yet.  There’s a lot to like here from the standpoint of finding fun new alternatives in the first place.  On top of that, recent coverage from as diverse a pair of sources as The Wine Advocate (Corsica) and Dr. Oz (Sardinia) actually might make this ‘trendy’ as well as ‘geeky’.  $24.

Thursday, June 20
Unlike most stores, we don’t do many ‘supplier tastings.’  Having a field rep come in and pour a Sauvignon Blanc, a Cabernet and a Syrah or Rosé and talk about food pairing just doesn’t sound exciting enough to bring people out.  Now an evening ith Rare Wine Company, showcasing a range of wines from big time producers like of Alvaro Palacios, Tommaso Bussola, Montepeloso, and Dominio de Pingus, bookended by some distinctive Madeiras and Sherries sounds much more intriguing.  $19.

Saturday, June 22
It has been a while since we have devoted a session to one of our favorite subjects and we thought it was time to get everyone caught up.  We’ll be playing the field and touching on a number of subjects including classic Rieslings from the 2011 and 2010 vintages, a look as well some halb-trockens and trockens from stock, German rosés, and a little vignette of a quartet of the highly rated 2011s from Donnhoff just for drill.  The usual ethnic nibbles will be in play as well. $24.

Saturday, June 29
One of our most popular tastings and we like to do at least one per quarter.  Saying that, we realized this was the last chance to get it onto the schedule.  The name pretty much says it all.   If we have a wine with a rating of 90 points or more and priced up to $29.99, it is definitely a candidate for this tasting. Scores/ratings are still driving forces in this industry and, whather you go by them or not, it’s still a good barometer for trying a variety of different things.  It’s always fun to scour the stacks and shelves for the wines that have been picked up by our buyers as well as having received a critical nod from the wine press.  Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate (Robert Parker), International Wine Cellar (Tanzer), Burghound and James Suckling make up our go to reviewer list.   A tasting staple for years. $19.

Saturday, July 06
Given the whacky mid-week holiday and a new month, it only made sense to have July’s ‘features’ tasting cued up for a rare weekend appearance. You know the drill.  It’s a look at selections from the newest newsletter presented in liquid as well as print form.  Always one of the more intriguing tastings because of the variety and value, simply put it’s the same agenda, different day. $10.

Saturday, July 13
Yeah, it’s summer.  But as we know, Bordeaux waits for no one (except of course August when they all go on vacation).  This one is all about the boats bringing in the last of the 2009s and a fair number of 2010s, the two vintages that definitely will keep Bordeaux in the limelight for a while yet to come.  One should take every opportunity to taste these two epic, but distinctly different vintages while they can and to that end we’re going to trot out another expansive and varied lineup.  $39.