SAVE THE DATE!

VIN DIVINO PORTFOLIO TASTING! Wed., July 14th from 12:30pm until 4pm at the QWS offices. We'll be tasting wines from every producer in this impressive portfolio...we hope you can make it!

RSVP to mgarretson@qwsco.com.

91 points, Pink, and oh so French...

There's a time to mind ratings, like when you are paying more than $50 for a bottle and well, when it's a 91 point French rosé... like Domaine du Gros Noré Bandol Rosé, imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.

Wine Spectator: "Full, ripe and creamy rosé, with lush and alluring fruit flavors of
raspberry, cherry and plum. L...ong finish of white chocolate and spice,
with hints of pepper. Drink now through 2013. 91 Points." (June 2, 2010 -
Wine Spectator Insider)

THE SUMMER CATALOG IS HERE! THE SUMMER CATALOG IS HERE!

Ask you QWS representative for your very own copy!

Rustico Grabs the Spotlight...Again!

I had my first taste of Nino Franco Rustico about a dozen years ago. I was in Tucson, Arizona where I was to take part in my distributor's trade tasting. As you might expect, the weather was sunny and hot. All of the winemakers in attendance were met at the doors of the tasting with a 375ml bottle of Rustico with a straw in it.

That experience remains one of the best examples of the perfect wine being served for an occasion. And Nino Franco Rustico remains my favorite Prosecco.

These days I count myself lucky to now be selling Nino Franco in Minnesota. It's a treat to introduce Rustico to those who have never tried it. The quality of the wine speaks for itself. And, for the price, it remains one of the best deals in sparkling wine anywhere in the world. And don't just take my word for it...take two others.

Recently Nino Franco Rustico received 'thumbs up' from both the Wall Street Journal and Robert Parker. In the Journal, wine writer Lettie Teague hosted a tasting of Proseccos. Of the dozen or so tasted, Teague and her tasting panel chose Rustico as their favorite. Here's the review:

"Nino Franco
Rustico Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, $15

This clean, bright, fairly light-bodied and very dry Prosecco is elegance in a glass. It's as close to Champagne—at this price—as Prosecco will get. A unanimous favorite."

Praise indeed. And here's what Parker said:

"Chalky, mineral notes emerge from Franco's NV Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rustico. This focused, taut Prosecco reveals notable character in its vibrant, energetic fruit with wonderful purity and balance. Rustico is a very serious wine for the money. 89 Points."

Can it get any better? Well, actually it can. Our partners at Vin Divino (importers of Nino Franco) have graciously provided us with the means to drastically reduce the price for this tasty Prosecco...making a great deal even better! We would love to introduce you to what is without question the best Prosecco out there. Please ask your QWS rep to pop a cork for you today!

Item # 58574

This Just In...

Wanted to let you know of an exiting new arrival to the Fine Wine Portfolio: a tasty Vermentino from La Spinetta!

So new that it hasn’t even been reviewed, this is the FIRST-EVER Vermentino from Italian winemaking rockstar Georgio Revetti. This is NOT your typical Vermentino...which is often referred to as “Sardinian Soda Pop”. This wine is from Tuscany, where Revetti has coaxed a serious (yet seriously fun) wine. Comparing La Spinetta’s Vermentino to your typical Sardinian offering is like trying to compare Sutter Home Chardonnay to Montrachet. Sure, they’re both made from the same grape…but they’re light years apart in quality.

La Spinetta Vermentino is a great addition to any summertime lineup. Please ask your QWS rep about this exciting new wine!

ITEM #: 65354

It WAS a Pink Thang.

This Wednesday proved a perfect day for drinking rosé wines. We gathered on the Clubhouse Jager patio to pop the corks and unscrew the caps on 20 pink wines from around the world. Dana brought along her "Lil' Smokey" and grilled up some brats, and the folks at Jager put out a nice spread of Mediterranean-themed nibbles.

Many thanks to those of you who braved the sun and sultry temps to sample through the rosés. The variety of the wines offered really proved the versatility of these wines. I'm glad to find that Minnesotans have really embraced these pink-hued quaffers. While ideal for summertime consumption, rosés truly deserve to be a year-round 'go to' wine. Make sure you've always got a bottle or two in your refrigerator.

We're currently offering all of the wines featured at our "Pink Thang" tasting at incredible pricing. We urge you to contact your QWS representative for a deal sheet. Many of these wines were brought in on direct import, so what we have in stock is all we'll have in stock. Get them now while they're hot...um, cool.

Thanks again to all of you who attended the tasting. We're already making plans for next year's "Pink Thang" event. It's never too early to start thinking - or drinking - rosés!

"Everything's Coming Up"...well, you get it.

Today's the day of our inaugural "Pink Thang" tasting. That's right, Quality's amazing portfolios of dry rosés from around the world will be yours to sample - and to purchase at equally-amazing prices - today only. Dana's bringing along her Lil' Smokey to grill out some brats (man, do I love living in Minnesota!), and they'll be a few other Mediterranean-inspired nibbles to pair with these food-friendly wines.

We really hope to see you there...feel free to dress in festive pink attire, or as Ethel Merman.

2pm until 5pm
The Patio at Clubhouse Jager
923 Washington Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1030
(612) 332-2686

CIMICKY TRUMPS SHIRAZ IS SPECTATOR WINE OF THE DAY!

Following on the heels of Parker's endorsement as HIS Wine of the Day last month...

$15 to $30 Jun. 16, 2010:

CIMICKY
Shiraz Barossa Valley Trumps 2008 (90 points, $19)

Clear, focused and detailed, delivering a juicy mouthful of plum, berry and tobacco flavors, hinting at clove and nutmeg as the finish lingers effortlessly. Drink now through 2018. 5,000 cases made. —Harvey Steiman

Item # 84314

The Life of Brian.

Yesterday I had the good fortune of spending the day with Brian Loring of the Loring Wine Company (LWC). We traveled from Prior Lake to Minneapolis, from Minnetonka to St. Paul, meeting with retailers and restaurateurs, and introducing them to Brian and his wines. I've known Brian Loring for over ten years, and have since been of the conviction that he is one of the nicest guys in the wine business. Yesterday only served to confirm this thought.

Brian's passion for drinking Pinot Noir came full circle in 1999, when he crushed his first vintage for LWC. Since then, the winery has grown to nearly 7,000 cases, and - at times - 14 separate, unique bottlings of Pinot Noirs from leading appellations within California and Oregon. He has been joined in his labor of love by his equally amazing sister, Kimberly, and the two remain the sole employees...doing everything chore from cellar rat to business manager, from truck driver (they have their own refrigerated big rig to haul their fruit in) to road warrior.

To be sure, wine is a reflection of place...but to some extent, wine is also a reflection of the person who crafted it. The wines of Loring Wine Company reflect both the characteristics of vineyard site and the characters behind the scenes. Loring wines are bright, generous and truly fun to drink. Spend any amount of time with Brian or Kimberly and you'll come away a lot more enthusiastic about wine than you were before you met them. With Brian, you get the sense that here's a man who truly enjoys what he is doing...and that he's well aware of how fortunate he is to be doing it.

I've followed Loring from the very start, as has Jim Laube of Wine Spectator. Both of us remain big fans of the wine...Laube so much so that I swear I can't pick up a copy of the Spectator without seeing Brian's face smiling back at me. Laube's praise of LWC is well-deserved. Tasting through the six Loring wines we were showing yesterday (all from the 2008 vintage), I'm convinced that Brian has taken his winemaking to the next level. While the initial five or so vintages reflected a Nigel Tufnel-esque, "this one goes to eleven" approach to Pinot Noir, there has been a finessing of the wines of late. Brian openly admits that his early wines were all about pushing to see how big they could get, and that today he has a lighter approach. I also feel that with 11 vintages in the bag, Loring has gotten a great sense of how to play to each vineyards' strengths. In short, both vineyards and winemakers have matured.

The 2008 vintage was a challenge throughout California. You wouldn't know it by tasting the Loring wines. They are impressive. Sure, there's still that LWC ripe, generous whack of Pinot, but there's also amazing and complex aromas, great layers of complexity and a deftness of finish that confirms to me that Loring is hitting its stride. Sadly, the wines are fairly scarce. Do the math, 7,000 cases divided by 14 bottlings equals tight allocations. But these are wines worth seeking out, for they are wines that don't disapoint.

Taking over the Fine Wine helm at Quality I knew there were producers I wanted to add to our portfolio. The first call I made was to Brian. When I asked if we could sell his wines, he responded with an enthusiastic "you bet!" . I urge you to check out our initial allocations soon. It would be my pleasure to introduce you to the wines of Loring Wine Company...and to Brian as well. I'm sure you'll agree with me that Brian Loring is one of the good guys.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE OFFERINGS FROM LORING
with Wine Spectator Reviews

- 73454 / Central Coast

“Offers mineral and loamy earth flavors, with dried berry, sage, herb and cedar. Full-bodied, with a touch of porcini mushroom, ending with dried graphite and earth flavors. Drink now through 2014. 600 cases made. 89 Points.:”

- 73534 / Clos Pepe, Sta. Rita Hills

“Smooth, supple and graceful, with fleshy plum, black cherry, wild berry and hints of spice and floral scents, gaining depth and richness on the finish, where the flavors fan out nicely. Drink now through 2016. 175 cases made. 92 Points”

- 73484 / Durell Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

“Combines subtlety with finesse, offering rich, elegant layers of plum, black cherry and wild berry fruit that's delicate, floral and spicy. Gains depth on the finish. Drink now through 2015. 250 cases made. 92 Points.”

- 73524 / Garys’ Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands

“Gentle and supple-textured, yet firm and structured, with ripe plum, black cherry and wild berry fruit that offers a hint of anise and sage, gaining depth and nuance on the juicy finish. Drink now through 2016. 525 cases made. 92 Points.”

- 73494 / Keefer Ranch, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

“Supple, harmonious and spicy, offering ripe plum and black cherry, with a touch of anise and mineral notes that are medium-bodied, complex and delicate. Drink now through 2014. 675 cases made. 89 Points.”

- 73494 / Rosella’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands

“Combines firm wild berry, black cherry, plum and mineral notes in a tight, structured manner. Full-bodied, complex and concentrated, revealing extra flavor and depth. Ends with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2015. 575 cases made.

T-MINUS ONE WEEK!

T-Minus one week until our "Pink Thang" tasting. Join us at Clubhouse Jager anytime between 2pm and 5pm for a sampling of our newly-arrived bevy of dry roses. Contact us today for more info!

TIme DOES Fly!

How Time Flies! Today marks my one-year anniversary at Quality. Hard to believe...seems like it was just yesterday that I arrived. To all of you who have supported my arrival - and, more importantly, our WINES - I wish to say, "thank you". Rest assured that this coming year will see even more new initiatives, more great wines and more support of YOU. Here's to the next 365 days!

We're in the Pink...and in the News!

THIS JUST IN FROM SPECTATOR'S INSIDER:

2009 Domaine Gros Noré Bandol Rosé (#52114) - Full, ripe and creamy rosé, with lush and alluring fruit flavors of raspberry, cherry and plum. Long finish of white chocolate and spice, with hints of pepper. 91 POINTS

2009 Mas de Guiot Costières de Nimes Rosé (#74604) - Superfresh, with bright, ebullient red licorice and ripe cherry notes backed by a stony hint that helps keep this honest. Very tasty. Drink now. 88 POINTS

2009 Château Grande Cassagne Costières de Nîmes Rosé (#73884) - Very fresh and juicy, with racy red and black currant fruit laced with a bracing cherry hint. Solid length. Drink now. 87 POINTS

2009 Mas Carlot Costières de Nîmes Rosé (#70714) - Fresh and round, with hints of spice, tea and blood orange weaving in through the core of currant fruit. This has a nice range of flavors. Drink now. 87 POINTS

* * * * * *

Of course, we've never doubted for a moment that we had some of the best dry roses from the south of France...but if you need even more convincing, we strongly suggest you make your way to our Annual "Pink Thang" tasting and sale on June 16th!