Halloween Tasting at the Cellar d'Or!

Notes From the Cellar…..

Boo! Happy Halloween!

Join us this Halloween weekend from 3-6 Fri & Sat as we sample a pair of excellent wine selections that pair wonderfully with hearty meals. We have seasonal beers covered from Avery, Dogfish Head, Post Road, Shipyard, and Delirium; and new beers from Maine Beer Company, Bitburger & Sixpoint. Also, be sure to try our selection of craft spirits available for sampling. This is a big weekend for entertaining with Halloween parties and the big Patriots game Sunday, and we have everything you need to entertain well!

Special arrival! We were lucky enough to secure a few bottles of the '12 Beaux Frères 'Zena Crown' Pinot Noir, Eola/Amity, OR.

Please note a change in hours: We will be closed Sundays until Nov. 9 for the holidays.

As always take 10% off purchase of 3 wines from our tasting table.

’13 Côtes du Rhône Blanc, Château du Trignon, Rhône, France – Château du Trignon has been in the Quiot family for 5 generations, located in the southern Rhône bordering Gigondas, Rasteau, and Sablet. This wine is made from 100% Viognier grapes from gravelly and limestone soil types resulting in classic Viognier aromas of peach, mango, and wildflowers followed by a fleshy, round texture and full finish. Try this wine with mushroom risotto, or duck a l’orange. $14.99

’10 Cuvelier los Andes ‘Colección’, Mendoza, Argentina – Here we have another stellar offering from the Cuvelier family, hailing from Bordeaux, bringing their old world attention to detail to South America. This robust red is a blended from 57% Malbec, 20% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. Cassis, plum, and spice are found on the nose and the palate accompanied by balanced acidity and smooth, velvety tannins on the finish.Pair this with lamb, dark game meat or beef chorizo. $21.99

Cheers!

Wines to Warm up from the Monsoon! Oct. 24&25

Notes From the Cellar…..

It's been a long few days of rainy & raw weather and we've got a couple great reds perfect to warm you up and pair with seasonable meals. This week we have a couple new selections; a dark, concentrated Malbec from Cahors, France & an equally full bodied Bordeaux. Join us from 3-6 Fri & Sat Oct 24/25 as we sample these new French selections and recover from this week’s monsoon. We are also proud to now be offering spirits from Dirty Water Distillery from Plymouth. 

Please note a change in hours: We will be closed Sundays until Nov. 9 for the holidays.

As always take 10% off purchase of 3 wines from our tasting table.

’11 Cahors, La Tour Chambert, Southwest France – Cahors is a region in southwest France known for deeply colored, meaty red wines predominantly made from Malbec, though the grape has become associated with Argentina in recent decades. The Malbecs from Cahors tend to be tighter and less rich and opulent than those from Argentina, thus more suitable for aging. This offering is made from sustainably farmed grapes and blended with 20% Merlot resulting in aromas of spiced black cherries, herbs and a hint of cedar, followed by a grainy tannic finish. Cahors is best served with roasted meats or veal. $14.99

’11 Graves, Château de Chantegrive, Bordeaux, France – Graves, meaning gravely land, is a large region on the left bank in Bordeaux that encompasses many important sub-regions such as Pessac-Léognan and Sauternes, and is almost equally known for its wonderful dry white wine as it is for red. This 30 acre château blends 50% cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot resulting in aromas of toasted breads and ripe black fruits, followed by a full bodied attack with silky smooth tannins. The 2011 is drinking well in its youth but will continue to improve with 5-10 years of cellaring. Pairs well with grilled or braised red meat, duck breast, including preparations with five spice rubs and sichuan pepper. $28.99

Autumn Specials Wine Tasting- Oct 17/18

Notes From the Cellar…..

Enjoy this pleasant fall weekend with some great additions perfect for the cooler months and all seasonal dining. For light fish dishes and late season oysters we have a crisp, dry Riesling; for all the hearty meat dishes- a smooth and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon we are excited to have discovered; and for all the beer lovers we will be sampling Avery Brewing's Imperial Oktoberfest Lager! Join us from 3-6 Fri & Sat, Oct 17&18 as we sample these great wines. Don't forget we have some great spirits open to taste as well.

For the whiskey lovers we have limited quantities of rare whiskies from Hillrock Distillery in the Hudson Valley, Jefferson’s Bourbons, and Balcones "Baby Blue" from Texas.

Also, be sure to peruse our beer selection featuring new offerings from Lagunitas, Jack’s Abby, Smuttynose, Avery Brewing, Ommegang, Southern Tier and Cambridge Brewing.

Please note a change in hours: We will be closed Sundays until Nov. 9 for the holidays.

As always take 10% off purchase of 3 wines from our tasting table.

’13 Andreas Diehl Medium Dry Riesling, Pfalz, Germany – Riesling is arguably, but justifiably, considered the greatest white grape by many wine critics because of its subtle nuances and variety of expression. Unfortunately, it is very often misunderstood in part due to low quality versions often blended with other grapes exported from Germany in the late 20th century, and poorly made versions from regions often not well suited for Riesling cultivation in the first place. Luckily, that has changed and there are many fine selections available these days, though there are still many inferior versions on the market. Here we have a well-made, subtle, barely off dry Riesling from Germany’s Pfalz region. The wine has fine mineral and melon notes on the nose followed by bright, clean and light palate. Pair this wine with raw or cooked shellfish and most light, white fish such as cod or haddock. $16.99 1 Liter bottle

’11 Cuvelier los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, Argentina – The Cuvelier family has owned and operated 3 exceptional Châteaux in Bordeaux for over 100 years, bringing their old world expertise to Mendoza. The result are powerful, intense wines with old world elegance and balance. The ’11 Cabernet displays aromas of black cherries, exotic spice, lavender, and cassis, followed by a plush palate full of ripe fruit, soft, velvety tannins and a hint of vanilla. A superb pairing with roasted lamb. $21

Avery Brewing Company "The Kaiser" Imperial Oktoberfest Lager - The Kaiser is the fall installment of Avery's quarterly 'Dictator' release series. Their Oktoberfest takes the traditional German märzen style of a copper colored, malty & hoppy beer and intensified it- using Vienna and Munich barleys in addition to Bravo, Tettnang & Hersbrucker noble hops; clocking in at 9.5%. Pairs great with Oktoberfest meals of bratwursts, potato salads and sauerkraut as well as smoked meats! $9.99

Cheers!

Columbus Weekend Wine Tasting!

Notes From the Cellar….. Join us Fri & Sat Oct 10&11 from 3-6 as we celebrate the long weekend with three new wine selections for the cooler months available for tasting. This week we are featuring the Pali Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast, a Primitivo (Zinfandel) from Italy and a sparkling wine from France. Also, check out our new beer offerings from Ommegang, Lagunitas and Unibroue. For the cocktail enthusiast, we are excited to offer Perry’s Tot Gin from New York Distilling Company. Try it with Jack Rudy Small Batch Tonic for the ultimate gin and tonic. Also just in we have some small batch artisan Rye and Bourbon produced by Hillrock in New York State as well as Balcones "Baby Blue" Corn Whiskey from Texas- this is a limited release so supplies are limited! Please note a change in hours: We will be closed Sundays until Nov. 9 for the holidays. As always take 10% off purchase of 3 wines from our tasting table. NV Grandial Blanc de Blancs Brut, France – This white blend from near the Bordeaux region is simply one of the best values in sparkling wine, with characteristics reminiscent of Champagne. It is light in body with dry, toasty, bready notes followed by a smooth mousse on the palate and a crisp finish. This is great pairing with shellfish. $9.99 ’11 Pali ‘Riviera’ Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA – Pali Wine Co. is dedicated to producing single vineyard and appellation designated Pinot Noir. Riviera is from prime vineyards in Sonoma Coast, arguably the best area in California for world class Pinot. The nose displays aromas of black fruits, forest floor, and mushroom followed by nuances of blackberries, boysenberry and lavender on the palate and finish. This is a great accompaniment to grilled salmon. $24.99 ’12 Vigneti del Salento ‘I Muri’ Primitivo, Puglia, Italy – The Salento Peninsula, the heel on Italy’s boot, produces some fantastic red wines from unique grapes such as Negroamaro, and Primitivo. Primitivo, originally from Croatia, is actually the same genetically as Zinfandel, as it was brought to California by Italian immigrants, lost or forgotten, and then “rediscovered.” While the California version tends to be alcoholic, sweet fruited, and chocolatey, the Italian counterpart is drier, tannic, and rich. The I Muri shows aroma of blackberry cocoa bean, with hints of nutmeg and charcoal, followed by a nicely balanced finish with soft tannins. A great match for strong cheese or roasted game. $13.99

Cheers!

Fall Wine Tasting & New Stock Keeps Arriving!

Notes From the Cellar….. Brighten up this grey week with some new selections at the Cellar d’Or. This weekend (10/3 & 10/4 from 3-6) we are tasting a great value Napa Cab as well as delicious Alsacian Gewürztraminer. New offerings continue to come in- this week in the spirits world we just brought in a fantastic new London dry gin from Sipsmith as well as Jefferson's small batch bourbon and their Reserve. For beers we have Rockart, Rising Tide, Dogfish Head, Mayflower, and Baxter Brewing. Please note a change in hours: We will be closed Sundays until Nov. 9 for the holidays. As always take 10% off purchase of 3 wines from our tasting table. ’12 Willm Gewurztraminer Réserve, Alsace, France – Gewurztraminer is one of the great grapes of Alsace ranging from rich and sweet to dry and medium bodied. This sustainably farmed offering from Willm is dry with intense aromas of exotic fruits and rose petals giving way to a lighter, round mouthfeel with hints of spice and pear fruit. This is a wonderful wine to pair with Asian or Indian cuisine. $15.99 ’11 Waterstone Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA – An excellent effort from a challenging vintage! This is a winery that delivers high quality, balanced wines rivaling many of the well known big name Napa wines- and at down to earth prices. The 2011 Waterstone displays aromas of cedary oak, currants, black cherries, and ripe plums with a rich palate of firm, yet balanced tannins. Try this wine with grilled meats. $27.99

Cheers!