June 16th @ 7pm: WINE DINNER WITH BRIAN LORING!

Our good friend Brian Loring of Loring Wine Company is coming to the Twin Cities...and the folks at BANK Restaurant are teaming up with him for a very special dinner. Brian will share his passion for Pinot Noir, as well as some of his finest wines from the 2008 vintage...many never before seen in Minnesota. For complete details and reservations, please call 612-333-4006.

It's a Pink Thang!

Mark your calendars: June 16th is the QWS/FWD "Pink Thang"! From 2pm until 5pm we're taking over the patio at Clubhouse Jager where we'll pour all of the dry roses in our portfolio. Lip-smaking pinks from Italy, France, S. Africa and Greece will be flowing, and all will be offered at VERY attractive pricing. We hope you can make it!

Please RSVP to Mat Garretson at mgarretson@qwsco.com

Grazie!

Thanks to all who made it out to the Indigenous Selections' tasting. If you weren't there you REALLY missed out. The good news is that sales prices are in effect until June 18th. The bad news is is that a lot of our older gems will be long gone before then...time to order!

Best In Show!

Wallflower Voted Prom Queen! Well not exactly, but this unassuming little wine from Bugey, a village near the city of Savoie in eastern France, has caught fire in St. Paul, where she stole the show at the Solo Vino Rose Tent Tasting a couple of weeks back.

The sparkling Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon Rosé "La Cueille" (Méthode Ancéstral) is a blend of 20% Poulsard and 80% Gamay (Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant).

Wine Spectator describes it as: “Lightly sweet, yet balanced by tangy acidity, this is bursting with berry flavors. A light spritz makes it dance. A good party wine. Drink now.” What you should know is that this wine smacks of a wild strawberry and might just charm the pants off of you.

The Italians are coming! The Italians are coming!

Well, tomorrow anyway. Are YOU coming tomorrow??

Groth: Same as it Ever Was.

Over the weekend I spent some time catching up on my reading. I came across a Wine Spectator feature which lauded 12 recently-released Napa Valley Chardonnays. Here's the synopsis of their reviews:

RAMEY Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Hudson Vineyard 2007 Score: 92 | $60

GROTH Chardonnay Napa Valley 2008 Score: 91 | $29

CALDWELL Chardonnay Napa Valley Varietal Collection Clone 809 2008 Score: 90 | $40

FERRARI-CARANO Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Reserve 2007 Score: 90 | $32

HDV Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Hyde Vineyard 2007 Score: 90 | $60

RAMEY Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Hyde Vineyard 2007 Score: 90 | $60

ROBERT MONDAVI Chardonnay Napa Valley Reserve 2007 Score: 89 | $40

OAKVILLE RANCH Chardonnay Napa Valley 2007 Score: 89 | $40

ANTICA NAPA VALLEY Chardonnay Napa Valley 2008 Score: 88 | $35

CUVAISON Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros S Block 2008 Score: 88 | $36

PRIDE Chardonnay Napa Valley 2008 Score: 88 | $37

Interesting. The Groth Chardonnay was the second highest-scoring wine reviewed. It was also the least expensive. The highest-scoring wine here - by one point - is more than twice the price.

The Wine Spectator article reminded me of something: Groth produces some truly great wines at unassuming prices. Dennis and Judy Groth purchased their Oakville property in 1981. The vineyard was planted back in the early seventies by their neighbors Justin Meyer and Ray Duncan of Silver Oak. Since its inception, the winery has been making solid (often profound) wines that still deserve your attention.

I know what I'll be drinking tonight...how about you?

#45634 - Chardonnay
# 45624 - Sauvignon Blanc
#45664 - Cabernet Sauvignon
#45614 - Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

A "Hot Topic" Revisited.

Yesterday after our general sales meeting, I was asked my thoughts on high-alcohol wines. The question reminded me that five years ago I was asked a similar question by the editors of Wines & Vines magazine...who then asked me to put my thoughts in a small article on the subject. I thought that you might find my article of interest. I'd welcome your comments!

"Be it fashion, cars or food, American consumers are seemingly obsessed with fads, and the wine trade is no exception. Each and every year sees the emergence of a darling new buzz word that's bandied about by our nation's retailers, restaurateurs, distributors and wine press. Canopy management, terroir, brettanomyces and TCA have all had their day in the sun. Last year gave rise to yet another--pardon the pun--hot topic: alcohol content.

2005 saw increased interest in (and articles written about) the perceived growing tendency toward higher alcohol levels in wine; specifically, New World wines. In almost every case, the discussion can be boiled down to one sentiment: Higher alcohol is leading to a global homogenization of wine. These sentiments extended well beyond our own borders, with many wine writers--most notably of late, Michael Broadbent and Hugh Johnson--lamenting the trend. I even found my own wines being the focus of this discussion, of all places on the front page of The New York Times.

While you can argue the pros and cons of this trend, I'd like to present another argument, and it is this: By summarily dismissing a wine due solely to the alcohol statement on the label, these same critics are contributing to their dreaded homogenization of wine, too.

Now, I will be the first to concede that the alcohol level of the average table wine has risen over the last four decades, but this is not a uniquely American phenomenon. Alcohol contents have been on the rise in nearly every region of the wine world. Advances in yeasts and fermentation nutrients, coupled with a predilection for picking at (here comes 2003's buzz word!) physiological ripeness have had a direct influence on this.

I will also concede that there is indeed an increasingly visible (due, in no small part, to the media's fascination with them) group of winemakers--both here and abroad--for whom higher alcohol contents appear to be a stylistic preference. These "late pickers" are looking to craft wines that, they feel, will garner a higher rating (and thus, a wider audience) due to the wine's ripe, generous flavors, unctuous texture and sweeter finish. Much has been written of this trend, almost all of it negative. Critics of late-picked, high alcohol wines raise fears that their prevalence leads to a future where every wine begins to taste the same.

I think we can all agree that the most profound examples of wine reflect some sense of place--its terroir, if you will. Terroir has certainly been one of those hot buzz words, and rightly so. The diversity of soil, climate and aspect is what allows a marketplace wherein thousands of wines find a home. France is different than Spain, California is different than Oregon, and Oakville is different than Rutherford. One is not better than the other, just different. Most folks who've lately been deriding high-octane wines lose sight of a salient issue: There are those regions that, by very virtue of their terroir, are going to produce wines of naturally higher alcohol. My winery happens to be located in just such a region.

Here in Paso Robles, it's understood that sugar development is typically in advance of other ripeness indicators. It's not at all unusual to have a vineyard whose sugar is at 23-24[degrees] Brix, but pHs that are in the basement, seeds that are still green and flavors that are unripe. By the time you've got all the parameters for physiologic ripeness, the Brix could well be in excess of 26[degrees]. That's natural. The result? Well, if you're not manipulating the fruit/juice/wine, the result is a wine that's going to be in excess of 16% alcohol. Sure, the wine will be "big," but if the fruit was grown for quality, picked at physiological ripeness and the winemaker was attentive, it will be big-yet-balanced. And it will reflect the natural conditions of the place where it's grown. Isn't that what those fearful of an over-manipulated, homogeneous, stylized world of wine are screaming for?

In my business I regularly encounter wine writers, trade members and consumers who will, upon seeing a wine that boasts an alcohol content of 15% to 17%, immediately raise concerns. That's natural, in much the same way they may voice pejorative statements about an appellation, producer or grape variety. To pre-judge a wine, especially when it's based on a number--be it a rating or alcohol content--is a fool's game. It's in the tasting of the wine where "the rubber meets the road."

Disapproval of a wine based on alcoholic content is tantamount to saying the wine world would be better off without Chilean wines. Or XYZ winery. Or Merlot. If you don't like a wine, that's fine. But don't set out to seek its demise. In doing so you run the risk of becoming that which you bemoan. You effectively reduce the number of options for consumers, and that most certainly leads to a world where everything tastes the same."

Less Than a Week!

We're less than a week away from diving into some amazing Italian wines! Wednesday May 26th we are hosting Claire Hutin and Tamer Harpke of Indigenous Selections. Importers of La Spinetta, E. Pira, Giacomo Borgogno and Ciacci Piccolomini, Indigenous boasts some of the highest-rated (and highly-allocated) wines from all of Italy. From 12:30pm until 4pm Claire and Tamer will pop the corks on every Indigenous wine in our portfolio…including some that have recently arrived!

This is a can’t miss opportunity to taste some profound wines from Barbaresco, Barolo and elsewhere. Please let me know if you can make it!

A Faury Tale.

Last night I visited an old friend. The Northern Rhône Valley has its share of rock star winemakers, but I am happy to report that Phillipe Faury is not one of them. Mr. Faury looks more like Amish farmer than rock star...excepting the fact that his cherry demeanor and ever-present smile gives him away. He doesn't seek the limelight, nor has the style of his wines become internationalized. Since taking over his family's estate in 1979, he has quietly set about increasing both the acreage of his his holdings (from five to nearly 30) and improving their quality.

Faury makes wines near the top of hills in the sleepy town of Chavanay, just south of Condrieu. His vineyards are very steep and forbidding...it's hard to imagine farming these vines without breaking an arm, twisting an ankle or throwing out your back. But Philippe has toiled here for four decades, and his results are amazing. Today he is joined in the vineyard and cellar by his son, Lionel, who definitely looks more rock star than his father. But he possess his father's quiet, unassuming nature and dedication to his craft.

The domaine produces a solid Côte-Rôtie (perhaps the most-improved wine in the lineup here), and an amazing Condrieu (always one of my favorites of the appellation), but it is the Saint-Josephs that you should check out to really get a sense of what Faury is all about. Last night I reaquainted myself with Faury's Saint-Joseph Blanc, a blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. All too often the white wines from this appellation are weighty, ponderous and dull. The 2008 Faury Saint-Joseph is none of these things. What it delivers instead is a crisp, finesse-driven beauty that's loaded with minerality (granitic soils here) blended with light-toned fruit (think apples, lime and quince). While drinking nicely now, I think this wine has decades ahead of it. And as good as the Saint-Joseph white is, the red is even better.

We've recently imported a small amount of the Faury family's wine. It's a pleasure to taste them all, and to know they're being made by such wonderful people. Do yourself a favor and check them out soon before they're gone.

SAINT-JOSEPH BLANC / #52064
SAINT-JOSEPH ROUGE / #52074
CONDRIEU / #52044

Tomorrow's Forecast? It's Raining Roses!

Dana and I will be in St. Paul tomorrow, pouring at Solo Vino's 2nd Annual Rose Tasting. We'll be sharing some of the recently-landed Provencal roses from the Robert Kacher portfolio along with some other beauties.

For tickets, call 651-602-9515. We hope to see you there!

Six Wines for Springtime!

Ah, Spring. It's a time when Minnesotans pack up their portable ice fishing huts and bring out their patio furniture. With the welcome change of both climate and mindset, it's necessary to start searching for invigorating wines crafted to refresh both body and soul. But don't trouble yourself...we've done the searching for you.

Assembled for you are six wines that practically scream, “Springtime is here!” All six are rela- tive newcomers to the QWS portfolio, and each is deserving of a place on your patio table. To whet your interest ever further, here’s an offer you simply cannot refuse:

Purchase a case of any one of these wines, and we’ll provide you special Springtime pricing. And, we will honor this pricing on any and all reorders received by June 21st…the first day of Summer!

#66064 - N.V. CONDE de SUBIRATS CAVA - This wine is produced from grapes grown in the heart of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, the birthplace of Cava, among the high altitude hills of the sub- region of Espiells. A blend of 55% Macabeo, 40% Parellada and 5% Chardonnay. Praised by Steven Tanzer as one of the best choices you could ever make in Cavas..and I agree! Regularly: $108 Springtime Price: $90

#52084 - N.V. VIN DE BUGEY “La Cueille”, PATRICK BOTTEX – I absolutely love pouring this wine to those who’ve never experienced it. Their first taste always elicits a smile. Pink-hued and bubbly, this wine is fun...serious fun. Low in alcohol, it is an amazing aperitif…but get some while you can: Bottex makes less than 3,000 cases annually.

Regularly: $184 Springtime Price: $162

# 66084 - 2009 VERDEJO, BODEGAS PEDRO ESCUDERO – Now this is what Verdejo is all about. Explosive aromas and flavors of citrus and passion fruits mingle with great minerality, all leading to a crisp, tangy finish. Slowly fermented in tank for nearly a month, ensuring maximum retention of fruit, this is lovely.

Regularly: $108 Springtime Price: $96

# 89004 - 2008 GAVI di GAVI, VILLA SPARINA – Since 1974 Sparina has been crafting some of the finest wines in the Piedmont. This classic Gavi has a pale straw golden color with a floral nose and hints of peach fragrances. It has wonderful peach, pear and lemony citrus flavors with hints of wet stone and a long finish.

Regularly: $156 Springtime Price: $128

# 51984 - 2008 CHEVERNY, DOMAINE du SALVARD – Think of Sancerre. Think of great Sancerre. Then think all that quality at half the price. That is basically what you have in this bottle. Salvard consistently produces one of the most-amazing dry whites bargains in the Loire Valley. A dozen oysters and a bottle of this always make me a happy man! Regularly: $128 Springtime Price: $110

# 51904 - 2008 MACON-VILLAGES, HENRI PERRUSSET – If you’re absolutely set on including Chardonnay in your Springtime lineup, please let it be this one. Mr. Perrusset farms less than 20 acres of Chardonnay near the tiny village of Farges. This is the younger of two bottlings he offers…and these ‘young’ vines are 12-40 years old. Floral, intense and unoaked Chardonnay for your drinking pleasure right here, folks.

Regularly: $144 Springtime Price: $120

Kaesler Stone Horse: Parker's Wine of the Day!

"The 2006 Stonehorse Shiraz was aged for 15 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. A saturated purple color, it emits an enticing aromatic array of balsam wood, spice box, blueberry, and black cherry. Dense and rich on the palate, it has the structure and fruit to evolve for 1-2 years and should be in its prime from 2010 to 2018. The Kaesler family, of Silesian origin, emigrated to the Barossa in the 1840s. The winemaking is in the hands of Reid Bosward and Stephen Dew. 90+ Points."

Today's the Day!

Our Champagne Focus Tasting takes place today. We hope that you will join us...it's not too late to RSVP!

It's Greek to US!

Quality Wine and Spirits has always had the finest selection of Greek wines available in the state of Minnesota. As if to serve as evidence to this fact, Wine Spectator's Kim Marcus singled out the wines of Skouros and Domaine Sigalas as examples of the best of modern Greek winemaking. As distributors of both producers, we heartily agree that they are indeed the best!

10 Greek Surprises
New reviews of red and white wines from Greece, including exciting values from both native and noble varieties

Kim Marcus
Posted: May 7, 2010

Greece has a long history with wine, stretching back to the kraters and symposiums of antiquity. But the quality of the modern era was a mixed bag, due to many reasons, including the stunted nature of the economy following 400 years of occupation by the Ottoman Turks and the ensuing decades of political instability.

Since the end of the 20th century, however, wine quality has been on the upswing, especially with the country’s whites. Credit agricultural modernizations spurred by Greece’s entry into the European Union in 1981. The wines below represent two high-quality regions, the island of Santorini and the northern Peloponnesian Peninsula.

Native grapes are the best bet here. For Santorini, the Assyrtiko and Athiri grapes produce well-structured and powerful whites, while in the Nemea district of the Peloponnesus, the Agiorgitiko grape (also known as Saint George) can make supple reds. Moscofilero is another white grape of note, delivering Riesling-like intensity from the Peloponnesian district of Mantinia.

DOMAINE SIGALAS Barrel Santorini 2008 Score: 90 | NA

Aromatic, with rich flavors of ripe white fruits accented by plenty of mineral and honey cream. The long, lush finish is infused with savory spice, fig and anise notes. Drink now through 2015.

-K.M.

SKOURAS Cabernet Sauvignon-Saint George Péloponnèse Megas Oenos 2006 Score: 90 | $27

An elegant, powerful red, with luscious flavors of red plum, black fig and dark cherry. Intense cocoa powder notes carry through to the minerally finish, with some cigar box. 80 percent Agiorgitiko and 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2014. 600 cases imported. -K.M.

DOMAINE SIGALAS Assyrtiko Santorini 2009 Score: 89 | NA

A crisp, well-structured white, with flavors of Fuji apple, kiwifruit, tropical fruit and anise flavors. Offers touches of honey on the ripe finish. Drink now through 2014. -K.M.

SKOURAS Moscofilero Péloponnèse 2009 Score: 89 | $15

This has the concentration, aromas and flavors of a fine dry Riesling, with peach, pear, apple and hints of cream. Crunchy and pure-tasting on the finish, with notes of smoke and savory spice. Drink now through 2014. 1,000 cases imported. -K.M.

DOMAINE SIGALAS Asirtiko-Athiri Santorini 2009 Score: 88 | NA

This firm white offers lots of glazed citrus, ripe apple and spice flavors, with precise notes of honey and vanilla midpalate and a long, lush finish. Drink now through 2013. -K.M.

SKOURAS Nemea Grande Cuvée 2006 Score: 87 | $27

There's lots of red plum and red berry flavors in this lively red, with hints of tobacco box. Ripe spicy notes fill the cherry pie finish. Drink now. 500 cases imported. -K.M.

SKOURAS Roditis-Moscofilero Péloponnèse 2009 Score: 86 | $10

This fresh white shows green apple and peach flavors that feature notes of spring onion and spice, with a clean finish. Drink now. 2,000 cases imported. -K.M.

SKOURAS Saint George Nemea 2007 Score: 86 | $14

Juicy, with crisp red fruit flavors that feature notes of bacon and spice. Chocolate mousse notes enrich the finish. Drink now. 3,000 cases imported. -K.M.

SKOURAS Chardonnay Péloponnèse Almyra 2008 Score: 84 | $15

Medium-bodied, with ripe apple and pear flavors and a crisp, spicy finish. Drink now. 1,000 cases imported. -K.M.

Indigenous Selections' Portfolio Tasting!

On Wednesday May 26th we welcome Claire Hutin and Tamer Harpke of Indigenous Selections to the Minnesota market. Importers of some truly profound wines from Italy (La Spinetta, E. Pira and Ciacci Piccolomini, etc.), Claire and Tamer have graciously agreed to host a portfolio tasting for the trade. From 12:30pm until 4pm every Indigenous wine in our inventory will be open and available for your tasting and consideration. Special pricing on these wines will also be offered.

RSVPs are essential. We hope to see you there!

Running With the White Dog.

While it's not a title I embrace, I have been called a visionary*. I was promoting Rhone wines long before they were cool, proclaiming that Paso Robles was world class before everyone jumped on that bandwagon, and generally been ahead of the curve...at least wine and spirits-wise.

From the moment I arrived to Minnesota a year ago (my gawd, has it been a year already?), I've told any and all that would listen that our future lay in American whiskeys. I've listened to the rebukes, the naysayers and those 'seasoned industry veterans' who smile and patronizingly tell me that Minnesota is Canadian whiskey country and always will be. Those people have a title of their own..."dinosaurs".

While I've typically imbibed oak-aged whiskey, unaged whiskey has its place. Known in the trade as "white dog", it's more commonly known as 'moonshine'. And 'shine has grown up...in both quality and stature. As if to serve as confirmation of this fact, the New York Times has published an article about the growing interest in - and consumption of - white dog. You can read it by clicking here.

We just happen to be the MN distributor for Tuthilltown Spirits, and just so happen to have some of their Hudson Corn Whiskey in stock. Item #07444.
________________________________________________________
* Don't blame me...blame Parker, Laube, et al.

CIMICKY TRUPMS SHIRAZ IS PARKER'S WINE OF THE DAY!

"The 2008 Trumps Shiraz was aged in predominantly new American oak for 17 months. A glass-coating purple color, it displays a smoky, toasty, spicy nose leading to a fruit-filled, succulent Shiraz with a bit of underlying structure. This lengthy effort will evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now and over the next 6-8 years. 91 Points."

Hope You Can Make It!

WELCOME!

On behalf of all of us at Quality Wine and Spirits let me welcome you to this, our Fine Wine blog site. It is our hope that this site will provide you with valuable information on the exceptional wines in our portfolio, and keep you abreast of upcoming events and important updates.

I welcome your input on how we can improve not only this site, but your relationship with us. We value your continued support, and look forward to exceeding your expectations. Please check back often!

Mat Garretson
On-Premise Division Manager
& Director of Fine Wines.