If you recall, in early June we
participated for two days of in depth tasting of Austrian and German
wines in San Francisco. Although there were still many wines from the
2001 vintage to sample, just about everyone's attention was riveted to
the upcoming releases of the 2002 vintage. As a refresher,
or if you have been isolated in west wing at Bellevue for the last
year, the 2001 vintage in Germany has been heralded by every critic as
the best since the superlative 1971 vintage. Can you say
"back-to-back"! In fact, and I do
not want to get carried away, but the 2002 vintage may be
even "mo' better"! The overall vintage character of 2002
shows lushly ripe fruit, very focused vineyard terroir identities and
higher than average acids. Some of you will dismiss the notion that
you could possibly find these Riesling attractive, and undoubtedly
mumble something about "I don't like sweet wines"! My simple response
is three fold. Without being condescending.....Correct, I do not like
Blue Nun either. Second, a limited experience with only west coast
Riesling does not allowed one to fully appreciate wines with a range of
fruit to acid balance. Third, wine is about place (terroir) and no
other wine more exemplifies this greater than German and Austrian
Riesling.
Now, that is enough for now.
In the near future, please be on notice, I will begin a series of very
limited offerings (mostly of small 2-4 bottle sets) to be prefaced with
education and tasting notes, regarding the 2002 vintage
for German and Austrian wines. Watch your e-mails! This
will be a grand opportunity to obtain wines that are essential
to the diversity of the most intelligent collection.
2002
PARINGA SHIRAZ HAS ARRIVED! PLEASE PICK
UP OR ARRANGE DELIVERY! DAILY COURIER SERVICE FOR LOCAL DELIVERY IS
AVAILABLE -
TASTING BAR -
ALWAYS OPEN - "CHEAP THRILLS FOR SUMMERTIME"!
MINIMUM OF 12 WINES AVAILABLE -
Current Tasting Bar Roster -
Tamellini 2000 Soave Superiore, Veneto, Italy - .55/$1.09 - $10.95 (WS 89 - #1
Italian Best Value)
Vega Sindoa
2001 Chardonnay, Navarra, Spain - .67/$1.35 - $13.50 (RP 89 - "Best
Chardonnay n the market!")
Castello di
Monastero 2000 Chianti Classico,
Tuscano, Italy - .65/$1.29 - $12.95
D'Arenberg 2001 "The Stump Jump", McLarenvale, Australia - .50/$1.00 - $9.95 (75% Grenache/20% Shiraz /5% -
Mourvedre (447-1236)
Fonterutoli "Badiola",
Tuscano, Italy - .65/$1.30 - $12.95 - Due Bicchieri - Gambero
Rosso
Marotti Campi
2001 "Rubico", Lacrima Morro
d' Alba, Marche, Italy - .60/$1.20 - $11.95
Los Cardos
2002 Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina - .35/.70 - $6.95
Sandrone 2001 Dolcetto
d' Alba, Piedmonte, Italy - .90/$1.80 - $17.95
Borsao 2001 "Tres
Picos" Tempranillo,
Borja, Spain - .80/$1.60 - 15.95 (RP 87)
Snoqualmie 2000 Syrah,
Columbia Valley, Washington - .50/$1.00 - $9.95 (WS 88)
Jim Barry 2001 "The Lodge
Hill" Shiraz, Clare Valley, Australia - .75/$1.50 - $14.95 (WS 90)
Paringa 2002 Shiraz, Southern Australia - .50/$1.00 - 9.95
1 OUNCE/2.5 OUNCE/TASTE
ANY SIX FOR $5.00
MIX OR MATCH ANY 6 FOR EXTRA
7% VISA/MC OR 10% CASH/CHECK DISCOUNT
MIX OR MATCH ANY 12 FOR EXTRA
12% VISA/MC OR 15% CASH/CHECK DISCOUNT
PLEASE
NOTE SUMMER HOURS: TUESDAY THRU FRIDAY 11 AM TO 6 PM. SATURDAY 10 AM
TO 6 PM.
Passionately yours about wine,
Eric Stumpf
Proprietor, The Wine Consultant
8039 Greenback Lane - 2 blocks east of
Sunrise Blvd.
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
(916) 721-WINE (9463)
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