LA SPINETTA MUSCATO IS PARKER'S WINE OF THE DAY!

"The 2009 Moscato d'Asti Bricco Quaglia is simply lovely in this vintage. Clean, minerally notes frame a precise, beautifully sculpted core of fragrant, varietal fruit. This is a winner from La Spinetta. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2011. 89 Points."

Item # 65794 - 12x750ml
Item # 65796 - 24x375ml

Soave, Rico!

Given my choices, I prefer to back the underdog…to ‘tilt at windmills’, if you will. If you're someone who thinks Beaujolais is French soda pop, allow me introduce him to the wines of Chanrion, Thivin, Chignard and Diochon. Your perceptions are sure to change.

The same is true when it comes to that Italian white, Soave. Crafted from that misunderstood orphan of a grape, Garganenega, Soave has an undeserved reputation for being similar to making love in a canoe (if you don’t understand the reference, I will be glad to clarify). The reason for Soave’s lack of respect is due to huge Veneto wine consortiums pumping out hundreds of thousands of gallons of Soave like so much crude oil. And, believe me, the wines coming from these producers has more in common with crude oil than wine. But, when the focus is on quality over quantity, Soave can be a profound, sublime wine.

And we just happen to represent the two best Soaves being produced on this (or any other) planet. I quote from Robert Parker:



2009 CORTE SANT’ALDA SOAVE “Vigne di Mezzane” (#89114)
“Quite pretty and expressive in its freshly cut flowers, lime peel and wet stones. This distinctive white shows plenty of subtlety as well as refinement. 88 Points.”

2009 GINI SOAVE CLASSICO (#60234)

“Especially round in this vintage. An expressive, floral bouquet leads to peaches, apricots and spices in this soft, engaging Soave. 89 Points.”



In short, Sant’Alda is more mineral-driven, while Gini is more about stone fruits. Both serve as benchmarks for the Soave appellation and Gaganenega grape. If you’ve got Soave on your shelf/list and it’s not one of these, then they don’t know Soave from Shinola.

Be prepared to have your mind blown.

BLACK BOX.

Just arrived! Here's a three-liter of 2009 Wurtz Riesling Trocken QBA from the Rhinehessen! Amazing wine at an equally-amazing price.

Praised by Food & Wine magazine as a "Great Buy", and the equivalent of four traditional bottles, this should be a de rigueur addition to everyone's refrigerator!

Item #47801.

Yves Gras on the 2008 Vintage.

I was surfing the internet last night, and checked out what was new on the Vin Parleur site. For those unfamiliar with it, Vin Parleur is a wine blog that's maintained by a handful of European vintners.

Lo and behold there's a post from Sebastian Nickel on Yves Gras' take on the 2008 vintage. Yves is the winemaker/proprietor of Domaine Santa Duc, and a true rockstar in the wine world. We also happen to have been the proud wholesalers for Mr. Gras wines for 20 some years. His 2007 Cotes-du-Rhne Vieilles Vignes (item # 71074) is an amazing value, and the Santa Duc 2007 Gigondas Les Garancieres (item # 71554) is one of the best Gigondas I've had in a years...and I drink a lot of Gigondas.

Here's Nickel's blog on Yves Gras and the 2008 vintage:

"Like every year, Robert Parker has visited the Domaine Santa Duc at the end of august, to taste the wines of the last two vintages. An occasion for Yves to review 2008, a vintage that has been hastily denounced by the press. Although the biggest default of this year simply might be its position between 2007 and 2009.

“Monsieur Parker”, I’ve told him,” 2008 is good! Some people did a great job…”

A reminder: Springtime in the Rhone Valley first was dominated by cool and wet conditions. Around flowering, though, weather was rather dry and warm, and after a hot and summerly month of July it turned cool again in August. Frequent rainfalls allowed slow and regular ripening of the grapes. Some heavy local thunderstorms at the end of summer caused some damage on tender grape varieties, such as Syrah or Cinsault.

"Watch out, as the 2008 vintage might bewitch you, even if it looked like the weather conditions would condemn the harvest in advance: a difficult, cool year, sometimes even with hail and heavy rain storms. (…) Positive effects of those climatic variations were concentrated juices due to low yields, interesting acidities preserved by low temperatures. Fresh northern mistral winds also led to well adjusted alcohol contents because of the slow ripening of the grapes. (…)" Antoine Gebelle and Roberto Petronio wrote those words in the renowned Revue du Vin de France June 2009. And a lot of wines from 2008 nowadays confirm their judgement.

“Concentrations were not sufficient for the Grand Grenache”, Yves explains,”but I made a Haut Garrigues this year, and it was a very good wine. However, the press did not support the 2008 vintage and one may call it “autodestructif” to edit a grand cuvee under this circumstances. I like the wines of 2008 very much. They are well balanced and fresh but also show maturity and power. Just taste it, and you will find quit a lot of wine in your glass."

Well, you got the message, best you taste the wines of 2008 yourself and judge them. Like every year, it is a question of taste."

Check out Vin Parleur for yourself by clicking on here.

THE WINTER CATALOG IS HERE!

The latest edition of our FWD catalog is now available, and is chock-full of great new additions! To get your very own copy, please reach out to your QWS rep today.

THEY'RE UP TO SOMETHING...

Our friends Brian and Kimberly at Loring Wine Company have certainly been busy. If the demands of harvest were not enough, the two released two exciting new wine projects and a new website!

Check out what they've been up to by checking out their site. It makes us thirsty just reading about it. Looks like there's some new LWC wines in our future!

Perfect Wines for Turkey Day!

Wondering what to serve at your Thanksgiving day meal? Here are ten great wines guaranteed to

CHATEAU LASCAUX RED: Spectator's Wine of the Day!

Nov. 06, 2010: CHÂTEAU DE LASCAUX Rouge Coteaux du Languedoc 2008 (91 points, $16)

Very suave, with effusive spicy notes on the aroma and lush, fresh flavors of raspberry and red plum that turn quite creamy. The luscious finish features plenty of snap to its ginger and white pepper notes. Drink now through 2014. 3,330 cases made.

Item # 52154 – 14.6cs remaining

This is a sumptuous red, perfect for the winter…displaying perfect proportions of 60% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre.

2007 Gros Nore is Spectator's Wine of the Day!

Nov. 05, 2010: DOMAINE DU GROS NORÉ Bandol 2007 (91 points, $39)

Very plush, with rich dark plum, cherry and kirsch flavors. Elegant violet and black licorice notes come to the fore, and this finishes with dark chocolate and spice notes. Drink now through 2017. 2,250 cases made.

Item # 52034

A Harvest Update from Siduri & Novy

Our friends Adam and Dianna Lee of Siduri/Novy just sent us a great harvest update. I thought you'd be interested in reading it, too:

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”
-- Marcus Aurelius

Harvest is a moving target, and one that we are so intimately involved with, that putting any proper perspective on it, while in the midst of it, is tremendously difficult. Having said that, sometimes it is important for us to take a step back, even while in the eye of the maelstrom, and make certain that we are charting what we believe to be the correct course. We hope you don’t mind our sharing these reflections on where the 2010 Harvest has taken us thus far.

Much Has Already Been Written About the Weather in 2010:
Various wine writers have already weighed in so thoroughly about the unusual weather in 2010 that we don’t know if there is much to add. You can read Jim Laube’s comments here, while Steve Heimoff has shared his perspective here.

The only area that seems to have been overlooked is Oregon, where California’s cooler-than normal summer seems downright balmy compared to the weather in the Willamette Valley.
Some Commentators Have Speculated that there will be a “Before the September Heat-Spike” vs. “After the September Heat Spike” dichotomy in the wines from 2010: This is a distinction which we will buy into….somewhat. Certainly the grapes we picked before the mid-to-late September heat were generally ripe at lower levels of sugar. And the fruit after the heat was at higher levels of sugar. But, like most things in life, there is more complexity to the situation. Picking grapes before the heat might have assured you lower sugars and lower alcohols, but if the fruit wasn’t ready….then it wasn’t ready. Waiting until after the heat was good for those grapes. But waiting too long had its downsides as well as, in some cases, the vines themselves gave up and stopped providing the grapes with the nutrients necessary to continue maturing. The real answer, as is almost always the case, is that there is no substitute to spending time in the vineyards and examining the health of the vines and the condition of the fruit.

The Grapes Tell A Story that Is All Their Own:
While the weather provides the formative environment for the fruit, grapes – much like some people – can break away from their upbringing and become something quite distinct. While the 2010 growing season was tumultuous, the Pinot Noir grapes that we have brought in thus far look shockingly good. Almost uniformly, the colors on the juice and wine are dark, black even. The sugars at times ended up high, but the acids also stayed high, and the nutrient levels in the must stayed quite high – which has led to some rocket-like fermentations. And the wines that we have pressed to barrel thus far are rich and intense, reminding us a bit of the 2004 Pinot Noirs.

Oregon Grapes May Tell A Different Story:
We are picking all of our Oregon fruit this week. We visited the vineyards last week and the grape juice tasted good, the fruit (what little of it there is) was in good shape (surprisingly little botrytis but lots of bird damage which will not even be picked), the acids had fallen, but there just wasn’t much sugar. Count on the Oregon-California difference being particularly pronounced in 2010.

Syrah – Sorry We’re Not There Yet:
But we will be soon. This week, in fact, all of our North Coast Syrah is scheduled to be picked – leaving us with only Syrah from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Nebbiolo from Santa Ynez (and a touch of late harvest Viognier) waiting to be picked. Not coincidentally, the weather looks like it is going down the tubes this weekend, at least for the North Bay, and we want to get the fruit in during the pre-deluvian period. Dianna is going to be checking on the fruit down south on Thursday and will be making any picking decisions on it shortly thereafter.

What’s New?
Oh, there are some new things this year – exciting things, we think. Things such as, a Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc that is already downright tasty. A new Pinot Noir Vineyard (Soberanes) from the famed Gary and Gary duo (you can check it out at www.soberanesvineyard.com). A new source in the Santa Rita Hills called the John Sebastiano Vineyard. A new Russian River Valley Zinfandel. And a really interesting (at least to us winedweebs) experiment taking fruit from the Van der Kamp Vineyard and fermenting some of it according to the tenants espoused by one-time famed Burgundian consultant Guy Accad. You can read more about his work here.

Finally:
It is time to get back to the fruit – a busy week awaits. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention to work of our fantastic harvest crew – Ryan Zepaltas, our Assistant Winemaker, Luke Henderson, our Cellarmaster, and our incredible group of harvest interns: Mike, Ross, Troy, and Jason. Without these guys we wouldn’t be doing what we are doing – or at the very least we’d be doing it very poorly.

Cheers,
Adam & Dianna Lee

THINK PINK...DRINK RED!

Item # 83314

QWS ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOW is this Thursday!

There's always something new to try at the QWS Holiday Show. May we suggest you drop by the Fine Wine section (tables 12 through 24) to try these new additions?:

CALIFORNIA
Cambiata Albarino, Monterey 2009
Ludwig Dry Gewurztraminer, Monterey 2009
Poppy Chardonnay, Monterey 2008
Poppy Pinot Noir, Monterey 2008
Novy Viognier, Russian River 2009
Pahlmeyer “Jayson” Chardonnay, North Coast 2008
Pahlmeyer “Jayson” Propritary Red, Napa Valley 2007
Siduri Pinot Noir, Russian River 2008
Topanga Vineyards "Khroma" Cabernet, Alexander Valley 2007

CHILE
Casa Silva "Cool Coast" Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Casa Silva Pinot Noir Reserva 2008

FRANCE
Chateau Thivin Cote-de-Brouilly 2008
Domaine Chignard Fleurie 2008
Domaine Diochon Moulin-A-Vent 2008
Grand Cassagne Grenache/Syrah 2007
Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2007
Santa Duc Gigondas "Garancieres" 2007

ITALY
Vinosia Falanghina 2009
Fontannafredda Barbera 2007
La Spinetta Muscato d'Asti "Bricco Quaglia" 2009
La Spinetta "Il Niro di Casanuova" 2008

OREGON
Novy Blanc de Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2009
O’Reilly’s Pinot Noir 2009
Siduri Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2009

SPAIN
“BT” Garnacha Tintorera, Almansa D.O. 2009
“Altitud 1.100”, Almansa D.O. 2009

WASHINGTON STATE
Corvidae "Mirth" Chardonnay 2009
Corvidae "Lenore" Syrah 2007
Owen Roe "Abbot's Table" Red Blend 2008
Owen Roe "Sinister Hand" Rhone Blend 2009
Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

We hope to see you here at our warehouse this Thiursday!

A Tale of Two Teeth-Stainers

We just received delivery of two great wines from Spain…“Altitud 1,100” and which are both deserving of your attention. Both are from the same producer (Bodegas Santa Quiteria), and both just happened to be crafted from the same grape variety, Alicante Bouchet.

Known in Spain as Garnacha Tintorera, Alicante Bouchet is a deep, dark and brooding grape variety. It’s one of the few wine grapes known as a teinturier…which is a fancy name to describe a grape with both red skin and red flesh. The resulting wines typically exhibit deep, dark color…known in wine geek parlance as “teeth stainers”.

These wines are ideal examples of Alicante at its best. Now, I hear you asking, “Same winery, same grape, what’s the difference between the two??” Well, the BT is sourced from younger vines located on the bottom slopes/valley floor of the estate, whereas the Altitud 1,100 comes from older, hillside plantings.

We will be pouring these wines at next week’s Holiday Show. Table 20. Tell a friend.

BT = Item # 65804
Altitud 1,100 = Item # 66114

TODAY'S THE DAY!

Please join Bobby Kacher at Tryg's from 11:30am until 3pm as he presents nearly 50 wines from his impressive portfolio. Special pricing is in effect for all orders placed this week...BE THERE!

PARKER'S WINE OF THE DAY!

"Palazzone’s 2009 Orvieto Classico Superiore Terre Vineate (Procanico, Grechetto) is flat-out delicious, not to mention a steal for the money. Everything is in perfect balance as ripe, juicy peaches, flowers and minerals emerge from this mid-weight white. In 2009 the Terre Vineate ...seems to have a touch more plumpness than normal, which works beautifully here. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2012. 89 Points."

No Brainer.

We've secured an AMAZING deal on Duval-Leroy NV Brut. How amazing? Well, ask your QWS rep. We will tell you that for less than what you'd pay for a bottle of nice domestic bubbles you can get real - and really great - Champagne.

Item # 63684. Tell a friend.

FOUR EXCITING BEAUJOLAIS FROM KERMIT LYNCH!

33 Days & Counting!

The man, the myth, the wines! Bobby Kacher himself will be hosting our Robert Kacher Portfolio Tasting on Monday, September 20th. Save this date...and RSVP today!

MAS GUIOT 2007 CAB/SYRAH IS PARKER'S WINE OF THE DAY!

"The 2007 Vin de Pays blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Syrah (by the way, the labels actually say this on the front so it is impossible to confuse them) exhibits even more complex aromatics of tobacco leaf, spice box, black currant, cedar, and earth. In the mouth, the wine has exuberant fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and surprising elegance and purity. This is another impressive wine to drink over the next 2-3 years. 89 Points."

Item # 75555

Improbabilities.

Who would have guessed it? Spain has won their first-ever World Cup title. Celebrations are still taking place throughout España, and around the globe, wherever Spainards congregate. No doubt the Cava is flowing...

...but who's Cava should be flowing? As you may have guessed, we have our own thoughts on that.

Allow us to introduce you to Bodegas U Mes U Fan Tres, a wonderful winery located within the Cava D.O. in Spain. Here they make an eponymously named sparkling wine that's a refreshing blend of 45% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada and 25% Macabeo. Completely estate-grown and hand-harvested, the wine undergoes a second fermentation commenced in bottle, which takes three months at 57 degrees F to complete. The wine is aged in the bottle for at least 16 months before disgorging and is disgorged several times per year, so length of time on yeast varies. All bottles are marked with a disgorgement date on the back label.

The wine is an embodiment of all that is good about Cava: fresh, invigorating and just plain fun to drink. Praised by Robert Parker as a "solid value", and named by Steven Tanzer as one of the top Cavas in the market, U Mes U Fan Tres Cava is imported by our friends at Grapes of Spain, the most-exciting portfolio of Spanish wines in the U.S. today.

This wine is the perfect match for all manner of Summertime fare, and a great way to celebrate a national victory. As for the name, U Mes U Fan Tres? It's Spanish for 'one plus one equals three'. Something as improbable as, say, most people thought Spain's chances were of winning the World Cup.

1+1=3 Cava. Item # 65814

NEXT WEEK: A Change to Sea Change!

Next week we will be hosting the third in our ongoing series of Portfolio Tastings. On Wednesday, July 14th we will taste and explore the wines of Vin Divino, a dynamic importer of amazing wines from Italy, Chile and Portugal. We will taste through the entire selection…not only wines that we currently have in stock, but also rare gems and new releases that are available in limited quantities. Naturally, all wines from the Vin Divino portfolio will be offered at special sale pricing.

While some of you may already be aware of this tasting, please note that we’ve a change in venue. This tasting will now be held at Sea Change Restaurant & Bar in downtown Minneapolis. A copy of the invitation is attached. I sincerely hope that you will make the effort to attend. Please RSVP to meif you intend to do so. Thanks!

La Roquète, Baby!

In 1986, Henri Brunier decided it was high time to retire from his family's venerable Châteauneuf-du-Pape property, Domaine du Vieux Telégraph. While he was leaving Vieux Telégraph in the capable hands of his sons Frédéric and Daniel, Henri Brunier had the foresight to consider that the two sons might not work hand-in-hand together. It was this possibility that prompted Mr. Brunier, on the eve of his retirement, to purchase Domaine La Roquète...the idea being that should the two brothers have a falling out, each would have their own winery to tend to.

Luckily for Henri - and for us - the brothers Brunier work well together. Exceptionally well together.

And while Vieux Telégraph seems to garner most of the attention, the Bruniers have made great strides at La Roquète over the last two decades, improving both the winery, increasing the plantings and improving the wines. In structure, exposure and location La Roquète differs greatly from those at Vieux Telégraph; confirming that Châteauneuf-du-Pape is indeed a huge mosaic of personalities. Where "VT" is essentially one lieu-dit (La Crau), La Roquète’s is composed of the lieux-dits of Piélong, Pignan, La Roquète, Colombis and Cabrière.

To further differentiate the domaines, the Bruniers had decided to utilize different U.S. importers...Vieux Telégraph being imported by Kermit Lynch, and La Roquète by a much larger, commercial importer. Well, time has proven to the Bruniers that perhaps this wasn't the best idea, and they recently brought La Roquète into the Kermit Lynch portfolio, where it will finally receive the attention it deserves.

Before this change of importers was made public, I met with Daniel Brunier and Bruce Neyers (Kermit Lynch's national sales manager and 'right-hand man') to discuss the La Roquète. They had no sooner said the words, "Mat, would you be interested..." than I interrupted with an "Absolutely!" I am proud to say that Quality Wine & Spirits is the first wholesaler to have been offered La Roquète via Kermit Lynch.

We have received a fair - but limited - allocation of the following wines of La Roquète. For those interested I've included the Parker reviews for each:

2009 La Roquète Blanc
"Readers should not ignore La Roquete’s white wine. The Chateauneuf du Pape blanc (a blend of equal parts Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Bourboulenc) exhibits aromas of anise, flowers, quince, and white peaches in its richly fruity, elegant personality. Consume it over the next year. 90 Points."

2007 La Roquète Rouge in both 375s, 750s and magnums
"The finest tradition cuvee yet made, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape (70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre aged in foudre and concrete tanks) possesses a deep ruby/purple-tinged color as well as a bouquet of black currants, black cherries, garrigue, pepper, and lavender. It is a full-bodied, ripe, exceptionally elegant, pure wine to drink now or cellar for 12-15 years. 93 Points."

2007 L'Accent de Roquète Rouge
"The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape l’Accent de Roquete, a 450-case luxury cuvee composed of 100% Grenache aged one year in tank and one year in foudre, comes from a lieu-dit called Les Pialons. This superb effort displays a dense ruby/purple color as well as a flamboyant aromatic display of black raspberry jam, kirsch, pepper, licorice, and incense, full-bodied power, sensational purity, a multilayered texture, and a sumptuous, 60-second finish. A riveting Chateauneuf du Pape, it is the finest effort ever produced by La Roquete. It should drink well for two decades or more. 96 Points."

These wines will arrive into Minnesota early September. You'd be wise to take a position on these before they're all gone. I know that I sure will!

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

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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!