This Week at The Tasting Bar- October 21-23

Thursday and Friday 5-8 and Saturday 1-5 p.m.

Second Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Tasting

The producers of four of the featured wines donate a portion of their sales to breast cancer research. Dale and Allison will donate $.25 for every bottle sold of the fifth tasted wine. (See below.)

Washington Hills Chardonnay, 2006, Washington State Crisp aromas of light lime zest welcome you to this straw colored Chardonnay.  The palate is rich and creamy filled with green apple and lemon zest flavors. The finish is well balanced with oak and lingering fruit. This wine has a bit of malolactic fermentation and is aged in oak, creating a complex flavor profile. Four Plus Corks rated wine by The Savvy Wine Cellar.  Food Pairing: Pairs well with roasted garlic chicken, and white fish with garlic butter sauce. Washington Hills Winery donates $1 for every case sold to innovative breast cancer research. So, drink up and buy some!

Domaine du Dragon Cotes de Provence Rosé ‘Prestige’ 2009, France (Provence) Cinsault, Syrah, Mouvèdre and Grenache grapes were used to make this delicious wine.  The Cuvée Prestige distinguishes itself…by its feel of great freshness linked to a light acidity and citrus fruit aromas. We loved this wine when we tasted it earlier this fall and score it Four Plus Corks.  Food Pairing: Perfect with lighter fare like chicken, white fish and light pastas. Also good with brunch foods. And it will work with turkey this Thanksgiving. Dale and Allison will donate $.25 per bottle to the Carol M. Baldwin Fund for every bottle we sell of this wine during this weekend’s tasting.

FAT bastard Pinot Noir, 2009, France (Southern France) Fat bastard Pinot Noir is sourced primarily from the Herault region, with some grapes from the island of Corsica, an up-and-coming producer of delicious Pinot Noir. Lively and elegant with ripe red fruits and a hint of floral notes. This delicious red has soft, smooth tannins and rich flavors of strawberries and raspberries, finishing with cherry notes. This is another Four Plus Corks rated wine from The Savvy Wine Cellar—for its characteristics and for its dedication to cancer awareness.  Drink up! Food pairings: This wine marries extremely well with white meats such as chicken, veal and pork; the soft tannins complement fresh fish as well as salads. Although Pinot Noir originated in Burgundy, it has also found its way in the South of France. A fascinating varietal, the Pinot pushed FB to be patient, innovative, and to have the utmost concern for detail. Coupled with the warm Mediterranean climate, this vigilance provided a wine with three formative aspects of the 2009 vintage--fruit, smooth tannins on the palate and a long, persistent finish. Fat bastard donates $.25 for each bottle sold of this wine to breast cancer research.

Cline Cashmere Cline 2008, California Cashmere is one of the most precious gifts of nature. It evokes quality, luxuriousness, and something that is a labor of love to produce. Cline Cashmere is a silky and wonderful blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah. Just as with the processing of cashmere, the production of these meticulously farmed grapes and the blending of the components that result in this wine is something achieved only with extraordinary time and skill. Contra Costa County provides the lion’s share of the grapes for this blend. Careful attention to the Massoni Grenache vineyard in Oakley involves cluster thinning and leaf pulling. This increases the fruit concentration. Big Break Grenache is harvested from older lower yielding dry-farmed vines. The Oakley Syrah experiences warm days and cool nights. And the Mourvedre, planted in sand soil, is dry-farmed. Enjoy with foods and friends of distinction.  As rare as the goats in the Gobi Desert, this silky rich blend is a special treat. Cline Cellars is a proud sponsor of Breast Cancer Network of Strength's Ride to Empower.

Lieb Family Cellars Bridge Lane Merlot, 2005, New York (Long Island) A Bordeaux style blend of 88% Merlot, 7% Cab Sauvignon, 3% Cab Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot make our second label Merlot quite an interesting wine. Aged 10 months in 15% new French oak barrels, this wine is one of the biggest Bridge Lane wines Lieb Family Cellars has ever produced. A deep purple color and dark fruit aromas of plum, blueberry, and blackberry entice the nose. A rich mid-palate is complimented by a finish of integrated tannins and balanced acidity. Our hats are off to Lieb for this wine’s flavor profile and for their dedication to the Carol M. Baldwin Fund.  We score it Four Plus, Plus Corks.  Food Pairing: This is still a great every-day red that will pair with everything from grilled meats to pizza or pasta. Lieb Family Cellars is a proud sponsor of the Carol M. Baldwin Fund for breast cancer research and donates $.50 for every bottle purchased.