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Saturday afternoon the 26th of March, 2016 from 12:00 NOON until 3:00 PM here at the shop

Wine Tasting

Soter Vineyards
(with winemaker, James Cahill)

2014 Planet Oregon Pinot Noir Oregon

2013 Soter Vineyards North Valley Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

2012 Soter Vineyards Origin Series Pinot Noir Dundee Hills

2012 Soter Vineyards Origin Series Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton

2013 Soter Vineyards Pinot Noir Mineral Springs Ranch Yamhill-Carlton

Gentlemen, please, no cologne or after shave; ladies, please no perfume!

Wednesday afternoon the 6th of April, 2016 from 4:30 PM until 6:30 PM here at the shop

Wine Tasting

Gundlach Bundschu
with Katie Bundschu, Vice President Marketing & Sales

Details To Be Announced

Gentlemen, please, no cologne or after shave; ladies, please no perfume!

Chez Nous French Bistro

In the late 1970s, three friends (Pascal Regimbeau, Sybil Reinhart-Regimbeau and Robert Paprota) came from Paris, France to Austin, Texas with their hearts full of hopes and their minds set on opening a true, simple, independent French restaurant in the heart of the City of the Violet Crown. Since February of 1982, Chez Nous (pronounced shay-noo) has served a superb authentic French bistro cuisine at honest prices in a casual, friendly environment. Our wine buyer first discovered Chez Nous in the early 1990s following a trip through the French vineyards with fellow Austinite wine lovers. Chez Nous offered a way for these travelling amateurs de la gastronomie française to recreate the more leisurely pace of life and lunch or dinner in the French winegrowing areas... And to this day, we still do! It's the people. It's the atmosphere. It's the pâté de campagne. It's the wild mushroom soup. It's the steak frites. It's the duck confit. And, oh, haven't you any room left for the profiteroles? We encourage you to scurry on downtown (best right now by foot, via Yellow Cab, Über or Lyft) to 510 Neches Street and find out that which many deep down happy and well-fed Austinites (downtowners and uptowners alike) have known for years - there's a nice little nugget of France in the heart of Austin!

After long years of intensive research and development, in collaboration with the University of Erlangen, Schott Zwiesel, a.k.a. Zwiesel Kristallglas, has succeeded in creating a new type of crystal glass: Tritan®. The use of unique ingredients, including Titanium instead of lead, combined with an advanced manufacturing process, has created an incredibly pure, hard and clear crystal glass — crystal glass that is highly resilient to accidental breakage and chipping in the dishwasher. Tritan® is a unique, patented crystal glass that sets a new high standard. And the Zwiesel Kristallglass Forté series is our choice for classic elegance and durability in everyday stemware at an even better than everyday price.

The proof is in the product. Potocki Wódka is clearly a labor of love. At every step of production, care is taken to honor taste and quality. The result of this artisanal process is an aromatic yet smooth vodka which clearly stands out among the myriad more commercial offerings. Potocki Wódka is created from the highest quality rye grain sourced in fields around the distillery in central Poland. Fresh from the harvest each August, the grain is milled and cooked under pressure. Yeast is then added to start fermentation yielding a low alcoholic strength mash. The mash goes through two slow distillations in a column still. It is regularly tasted until the optimal distillation level is reached. The "head" and the "tail", that is the initial and final ends of the distillate, are discarded to ensure the highest quality. The resulting distillate is then mixed with a pure distilled water to the required bottling strength of 40% alcohol by volume. No additives, such as citric acid or glycerine, are used. The common process of charcoal filtration is intentionally omitted as this would unnecessarily strip the vodka of its character (and flavor, mind you). We find the end result a most compelling spirit: discernably a distillate of a fine quality rye grain with an alluring warmth and breadth and purity of aroma; warm and smooth and round in texture (please note the texture), a wholly satisfying, engaging and pure eaux-de-vie de seigle polonais. Our wine buyer's mentor, Mr. Henry, used to quip that it was the Poles who taught the Russians to make vodka (never mind he was himself Polish). Potocki Wódka lends creedence to his argument. No, he wasn't just whistling Górecki. We give this fine spirit our very highest recommendation.

2013 was a near clone of the spectacular 2012 growing season. Late September rains encouraged vigorous selection in the vineyard close to harvest - yielding some quite fine wines for those who diligently tended their vineyards. Our friend and ex-Austinite turned Oregonian man of wine, James Cahill, has crafted a beautiful example here. Aromas of cola, berry and earth give way to a dense, complex palate of dark fruit, herb and baking spice flavors. Nicely structured with good grip yet retaining a classic velvety texture, this wine competes favorably with equivalently-priced Pinot Noir from anywhere in the world.

A quick whiff of this and it was like "springtime!" what with an immediate reminiscence berry and savory sun-dried herbs. One of our very favorite of Provençal rosé wines each year, Bieler Rosé Sabine is produce of 40% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cinsault and 3% Rolle (a.k.a. Vermentino). Provençal peach in color with alluring aromas that conjure a mélange of red fruits, say, wild strawberry, cherry and pomegranate with subtle hints of herbes de Provence; then, ultra-fresh flavors echo those same aromas on the tongue, crisp and refreshing for sure, but with a supple roundness of texture on the tongue that gives a tactual sense of satisfaction. Did we mention the price came down for 2015? Oh yeah!

50% Grenache Gris, 20% Grenache Noir, 20% Carignan, 5% Cinsault and 5% Mourvèdre; let's call it light peach skin-pink in color with just fermented aromas hinting at yeasty crushed red berries and an underlying minerality; nervy and vivid on entry, delicately glycerol mid-palate feel then crisp, refreshing and invigorating with fresh powdery berry flavors on to the finish. Let the rosé season begin!

"Unquestionably the number one small estate of Orvieto" according to Stephen Tanzer, Palazzone produces delicious white wines from indigenous grape varietals of Umbria, balancing irresistable fruit aromas and flavors with an oh-so stony backdrop and nerve; 50% Procanico, 30% Grechetto and 20% of Verdello, Drupeggio and Malvasia, vinified in stainless steel to keep things fresh; medium-bodied, supremely-balanced white wine with aromas that speak clearly of cool of the morning harvest fresh grapes and notions of floral honey, beeswax and something like hazelnut and elderflower and, yet again, stone; at once, just ample and round, crisp and dusty, citrusy dry and alive with fresh grapey flavor; our Italian wine-loving pal Jerry Reid sez "slap and tickle." C'mon downtown 'n get yourself some of this delicious wine!

Produced from some 25 hectares of vines owned by Gérard and Daniel Vinet, located in the village of La Haye-Fouassière near Nantes, within the département of the Loire-Atlantique and within the region known as Sèvre et Maine, an area that lies between these two tributaries that flow northward to the river Loire. The wine is produced entirely from the Mélon de Bourgogne grape, also known as Muscadet. The fruit is hand-harvested, generally beginning in early September. The wine is kept on its lees and bottled in the spring following harvest. Ultra fresh, cool aromas suggest fresh green grapes grown on the mineral soils of schists, mica schists, gneiss and metamorphic amphibolites and under the influence of the nearby Atlantic Ocean; lively, almost pétillant on the tongue, with a most refreshing crisp almost crunchy saline mineral intensity of flavor. An ideal companion to shellfish and most all lighter fare that calls for dry white wine. And all at a price that, in our estimation, places this among the very best values of them all in dry white wine.

The vineyard of Les Godons forms a natural ampitheatre with steep sides, protected from the wind and well-exposed to the sunlight. Formerly the property of Château de la Bucède, it was purchased by Lucien Raimbault, grandfather of Philippe, in 1946. The underground cellars of Domaine Philippe Raimbault are located at the foot of this slope in the village of Sury-en-Vaux. Philippe Raimbault points out that the soils of Sancerre are part of a geological stratum formed during the secondary era of the Jurassic period and that fossils of sea creatures more than 130 million years old are still discovered in the vineyards here. This expression of Sauvignon Blanc could only come from Sancerre. No other place on earth seems to be able to highlight so many of the grape's attractive qualities, balanced in such a seamless package. The nose exhibits textbook pink grapefruit and herb aromas which are tempered by stone fruit and honeysuckle. While the nose is brimming with fruit, the palate is dry and clean, with lime and limestone providing zip and structure. A terrific Sancerre and a great example of why these are among France's most popular white wines. - Dean Schlabowske, The Austin Wine Merchant.

The 2014 Marjosse Blanc is a fabulous wine in its price range. Mint, tomato leaf, sage, white pear and jasmine open in a fresh, invigorating wine. Clean and bracing in style, with plenty of Sauvignon Blanc character, the 2014 offers a lovely, nuanced expression and tons of personality. This is a strong showing from proprietor Pierre Lurton and Marjosse. Tasted April 2015. Rated 87-89. ‑ Antonio Galloni, vinousmedia.com, April, 2015

Produce of 100% Chardonnay fruit hand-picked mostly from 50-plus year-old vines from one sustainably-farmed vineyard near Poinchy. This is like springtime for lovers of real Chablis: characteristic luminous green-gold in color with ultra-clean, pure aromas suggesting ripe cool-of-the-morning Chardonnay berries over your everyday rain-soaked upper Jurassic Kimmeridgian age limestone; supremely balanced and deliciously dry, with a certain urgency and lovely interplay between ripe fruit from old vines, minerality and vibrant acidity; just plain delightful dry white wine for enjoying in this very here and now.

Pic Saint-Loup is located near a visually dominating mountain peak of the same name in the departement of Hérault in the Languedoc-Roussillon and is lately increasingly renowned for its fine winegrowing terroir. Flanked by limestone cliffs, with optimal sunlight exposure and light winds, these soils produce fine, concentrated wines with elegant notes of ripe dark fruits, an almost irresistable blackcurrant and bramble along with savory hints of thyme and spice; fine, light on its feet onto the tongue with a building richness and reprise flavor-wise of those first Mediterranean whiffs; then gently Languedocian sunshine warm and long on flavor to the finish. Delicieux!

The Bilbro brothers are moving from strength to strength with their venerable Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red. Lot Number 63 is fresh on the scene and raring to go. The wine is tweaked ever so slightly drier than previous lots, perhaps now ever the more appealing to both west coast and European wine tastes. Produced mainly from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane primarily from vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red replicates the old Cal-Ital field blends there. Alluring deep ruby purple in color, with Zinfandel-influenced aromas suggesting dark ripe juicy berries with hints of the parched dusty northern California vineyard floor; at once fresh and vibrant, smooth and slippery on the tongue with just an inkling of fine-grained tannins that keep it all on the up and over. And, by all means, do take note of its continuing brilliantly true blue in terms of value!

In centuries gone by, casks of sherry were lashed to ships sailing for the Indies as ballast and were found to develop an extraordinary smoothness and complexity. Lustau has revived this style of sherry in the East India Solera wine, an inspired mingling of about 85% aged dry (20 years old) Oloroso with about 15% aged (10 years old) sweet Pedro Ximenez blended then aged an additional 5 years in the warmest part of the bodega, la sacristia. Raisined fruit, candied citrus peel, macerated cherries, caramel and roasted almonds are common descriptors that we might put forward, but somehow there is something left to be described – an ineffable – as if a benevolent form of alchemy were having its way with an already wonderful raw material. Richly textured and flavorful; just sweet; assuages the tongue whilst giving all its wonderful complexity of flavor.

While vintage Porto is bottled some 18 months following the vintage, Tawny Porto is aged almost entirely in cask, during this process throwing off its dark purple color in favor of a more "tawny" hue, leaving its sediments in cask rather than in the bottle, it’s once grapey, plummy fruit transformed into something far more complex and, frankly, sublime — a veritable cornucopia of aromatic richness: bitter almond, caramel, walnut, citrus peel, raisin, prune, dried berry and cherry and perhaps a hint of brandy by campfire; oh so silken-textured, at once voluptuous and fiery, challenging and satisfying, with deliciously complex flavors that somehow so discreetly reprise those first highly suggestive aromas. Absolutely superb!