Recommendations

 WINE OF THE MONTH

The wines I have selected for June, 2008 are from Ironstone Vineyards

of California.  Ironstone was started by a young row crop farmer from

Lodi named John Kautz in 1948.   He began with only 12 acres of

property and was so successful that it quickly grew to 5,000 acres

planted to vines.  In 1988 he and his wife Gail along with their

children decided to stop selling their grapes on the open market and

created their own winery named Kautz Winery which would later evolve

into Ironstone Vineyards.  In 1989 they hired a crew of miners to

blast through a mountain of rock to form caverns to age their wines

and serve as their first tasting room.  They have since become

California’s largest winery entertainment complex with a tasting

room, gourmet deli, museum, jewelry shop, outdoor amphitheatre and

lakeside garden.  A “destination” winery!
 


2005 Ironstone Chardonnay

Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, this wine has pretty aromas and

flavors of ripe pineapples, citrus and Granny Smith apples with a

touch of minerality and a nice bead of acidity throughout to balance

the fruit.  On the palate it has good weight and a delicious creamy

richness followed by a lingering finish.  Try this Chardonnay with

chicken dishes in a light cream sauce, grilled pork and chutney, or

shrimp scampi.


2004 Ironstone Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is typically used as a blending grape in most areas of

the world, the exception being the Loire Valley where Chinon is

produced.  Here, the Cabernet Franc grapes produce wines dominated by

their terroir that are delightful when well-made.  Ironstone has

produced such a wine with aromas of cherries, green peppers, hints of

herbs and the touch of earthiness that is typical of this varietal.

This light to medium-bodied red wine can take a slight chill on a hot

day.  Drink Ironstone Cabernet Franc with tomato dishes, BBQ ribs or

a slice of your favorite pizza.





---The Winemakers' Collection Cuvee No. 1---$65.00
This is a unique experiment based on an original concept.  Every
year, a different winemaker, from among the most famous in the 
world, produces a wine according to his own special methods,
expertise, and personality.  Although he is in charge of every
aspect of production-from the vine to the bottle-the terroir is 
always the same CHATEAU D'ARSAC in the Medoc.  This means that, every
vintage-or every Cuvee-produces a unique wine, with the indelible
stamp of its winemaker.  This cuvee is made by MICHEL ROLLAND.  JMO

New to the store--from France, St-Germain liqueur. 
It is the first liqueur in the world created in the artisanal French 
manner from freshly handpicked elderflower blossoms.  What does it
taste like?  Neither peach nor pear, lychee nor citrus the sublime 
taste of St Germain hints at each of these and yet none of them
exactly.  It is a flavor as subtle and delicate as it is captivating.
I will be setting up a tasting for this new product soon. JMO

The Spier 2005 Pinotage/Shiraz from South Africa is a lush, lux-
uriously appointed wine with the flavors and structure reminiscent
of finer red Rhone or high-priced Languedoc wines.  The nose reveals
black fruits, sage, and smoke with dried fruits.  On the palate the
wine is silky but also full-bodied and round.  Fine firm tannins
lash flavors of ripe plums, black tea and papaya together with
more smoke, dried fruits, and hints of vanilla bean.  No shrinking
violet, this unusual, truely grown-up wine is tamed by a half
hour of breathing time to become rich and velvety, a comforting 
wine bearing exotic flavors.  This Gallic reflection of the
African terroir, a $20.00+ bottle from the Old World, is a miracle
at $9.99.--Mark Hansen





Crostini Crackers and Grissini Bread Sticks Imported from Italy,these are a real treat.
Point Reyes Blue Cheese Made on the farm from a closed herd of
Holstein cows in Point Reyes, California, using hormone-free Raw Cows' Milk.
A fantastic blue cheese.
Gherhard's Sausages Fresh in our deli case, choose from Chicken &
Apple, Duck with Fennel or Thai Ginger Chicken.