December 21st

Marques de Grinon, Cabernet Sauvignon

Only $39.99

As the holidays approach, we do so much running around and entertaining it is nice to relax and treat ourselves to a nice bottle of wine that we might not usually open. This is the second in our two part wine of the week series looking at really delicious wines that over deliver flavor for their price point. Nobody likes to be disappointed when they open an expensive bottle, so we give you tried and tested wines that we love and drink on special occasions (like finishing the holiday shopping!).

This wine is made by Carlos Falcó Fernandez de Córdova who has pioneered the modernization of vine growing and wine-making in Spain. In 1974, he introduced Spain to the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape varieties. This was but the first step in a series of daring pioneering innovations by the man responsible for the great wines of Marques de Grinon. 

Carlos has created a huge Cabernet Sauvignon  that bursts from the glass with aromas of black cherries, wild berry fruits and sweet spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate and tobacco. It is expansive on the palate, being full-bodied, well-structured with fine, integrated tannins, and outstanding depth.

Chad the Tie Guy's Review: This is a clear winner for one of the best wines we have tasted this year. Every once in a while we taste a wine that leaves a lasting impression of how delicious it was (most of these are in the upper price limits of my budget). This one was one that blew me away when I found out it was less than $50 AND it was in the Top 100 Wines of 2014. A great wine and the perfect treat for celebrating the holidays!

Grape Varietals:  100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Region: La Mancha, Spain

Alcohol Content: 14.5%

White Horse Wine Color Code System:       RICH RED WINES      

Food Pairings: Try pairing this wine with rich, red meat dishes such as prime rib, osso bucco or filet mignon. For a real treat, try this with traditional spanish wild game meats such as wild boar ravioli or venison steaks if you get the chance.

Cheese Pairings: 

Aged Asiago Cheese- A nice salty, flavorful aged Asiago tang.

Italy $5.49 (8oz)

Moody Blue Cheese- A smoked blue cheese with a sharp flavor 

Wisconsin $7.49 (8oz)

4 Year Aged Gouda- A hard aged cheese with caramel flavors 

Netherlands $8.99 (8oz) 

December 7th

Allegrini, Palazzo Della Torre

Was $22.99

Now Only $19.99

This week our wine feature is in honor of our upcoming Italian classes. Last Thursday, December 3rd we had our Exploring Italy class followed by next Thursday's December 10th class, The Wines of Allegrini. If you can't make the class, at least you can enjoy some good Italian wine!

This blend of 70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella, and 5% Sangiovese is a smooth, full-bodied cru wine made in an innovative ripasso style. After the harvest, the grapes from the Palazzo della Torre vineyard follow two different paths: 70% of the grapes are vinified immediately, while the remaining 30% are left to dry until the end of December. The fresh wine made at harvest is blended with the fermenting juice of the dried grapes. This initiates a second fermentation and renders a more highly concentrated and complex wine. Allegrini affectionately refers to Palazzo della Torre as its “baby Amarone.”

Chad the Tie Guy's Review: This is one of my favorite "Baby Amarones". I love Amarone wine, but they tend to be out of my price range even for weekend wines. I always turn to this wine when I go out to a local BYOB. This way I get more bang for my buck in wine quality and taste. Drink smart!

Grape Varietals:  70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella, and 5% Sangiovese

Wine Region: Verona, Italy

Alcohol Content: 13.8%

White Horse Wine Color Code System:       MEDIUM RED WINES      

Food Pairings: Try pairing this with richly flavored pasta dishes accented with spiced meats such as sausage, chorizo or salami. This is also a great dish to try with a seasonal risotto were the creaminess balances out the nice acidity of the wine.  

Cheese Pairings: 

Di Bruno Asiago- A hard, flavorful, salty aged Italian cheese.

Italy $5.49 (8oz)

Pecorino Toscano- A rich, nutty cheese with butterscotch flavor.

Italy $7.99 (8oz)

Prima Donna- The best of Parmigiano and Aged Gouda.

Italy $8.99 (8oz) 

November 23rd

Blue Quail, Organic Pinot Noir

Only $18.99

As we continue in our wine recommendations for your Thanksgiving dinner, we have a classic pairing: Pinot Noir. However, as you know we don't usually stick to the old boring "classic" wine pairings, so this one has a cool twist. This all organically farmer Pinot Noir is made in the relatively unknown Potter Valley in Mendocino County, California by an old Navy veteran who learned to love wine in the Mediterranean.

This wine is a great Pinot Noir with lovely rich fruit flavors of cherry, cranberry and strawberry with a nice hint of sweet spices and light oak. The soft and silky tannins on this wine make it a great wine with or without food but try this one with your Thanksgiving dinner and you won't be disappointed.

Chad the Tie Guy's Review: Nobody like weak and watery Pinot Noir (which unfortunately is quite common). This is a great example of what makes everybody love Pinot Noir. It is silky and soft with a bright flavor that shines through. Very elegant and definitely making an appearance on my Thanksgiving table! 

Grape Varietals: Pinot Noir (100%)

Wine Region: Potter Valley, California

Alcohol Content: 13.5%

White Horse Wine Color Code System:       LIGHT RED WINES      

Food Pairings: This wine is great with Thanksgiving dinner and other light meats. For a real treat, try this with a balsamic cherry glazed salmon over roasted zucchini gratin. 

Cheese Pairings: 

Di Bruno Aged Gouda- Creamy flavors of honey and butterscotch

Holland $5.49 (8oz)

Cherry Grove Havilah- A flavorful local, hard alpine style cheese

New Jersey $10.99 (8oz)

Emmenthaler- A swiss cheese with a sharp, nutty flavor

Switzerland $8.49 (8oz) 

November 16th

Standing Stone, Gewurztraminer

Only $10.99

As the Thanksgiving holiday gets closer, we have another hidden gem that is perfect for pairing up with your Thanksgiving dinner. With the myriad of different flavors on the table this season from cranberry sauce and green bean casserole to gravy laden turkey it is often difficult to pick one wine that will seamlessly go with everything. This is that perfect wine from start to finish (yes, even with dessert).

This is a DRY Gewurztraminer from New York States famed Finger Lakes Region. Usually done in a sweet style, this wine is elegant and very aromatic. Flavor of peach, apricot, rose petal and lychee (a japanese fruit) burst forth with a clean, mineral driven finish that refreshes your palate for the next sip. This misunderstood grape is often overlooked by average consumers, but the adventurous wine drinker will be greatly rewarded for picking up a bottle of this wine for the holidays. Cheers! 

Chad the Tie Guy's Review: This is one of the most complex and aromatic white wines. This proves just how amazing the Finger Lakes wine growing region of New York state is. If you steer away from Rieslings and Gewurztraminers because you think they have to be sweet, then try this wine and enjoy this delicious exception to the rule.

Grape Varietals: Gewurztraminer (100%)

Wine Region: Finger Lakes, New York

Alcohol Content: 13.3%

White Horse Wine Color Code System:                OFF DRY  WHITE WINES               

Food Pairings: This wine pairs really well with poultry which makes it a great wine for Thanksgiving dinner. The complex floral flavors of this wine also make it perfect for hard to pair global cuisines such as Thai, Mexican, Japanese and Indian foods.

Cheese Pairings: 

Delice de Bourgogne- A super soft, triple cream with a rich flavor

France $9.99 (8oz)

Bucheron- A mild, soft goat cheese with an edible rind

Frace $6.99 (8oz)

Cypress Grove Humbolt Fog- A soft rind cheese with a tangy edible ash layer

USA $12.99 (8oz) 

October 26th

Orin Swift, Palermo

Was $60.99

Now Only $44.99

This weeks wine of the week is Orin Swift's Palermo. We chose this wine in honor of the Halloween themed label and its dark deliciousness! Orin Swift Wines are made by the young winemaker David Phinney and are known for their bold style, as well as their edgy labels. David Phinney is best known for creating the Prisoner, which is what put him on the map. He does not actually own any vineyards, but instead sources his grapes from growers that can provide the signature style that define all his wines.

This wine has aromatics of cassis, currant, mulled dark fruits, and toasty oak in the glass. Opulent and rich, the wine explodes with concentrated flavors of black cherry, ripe boysenberry, assorted dark fruits, kirsch, and a top-note of dark roasted espresso. A persuasive mid palate persists with freshness and closes with supportive tannins that are velvety and polished.

Chad the Tie Guy's Review: This is classic Orin Swift. His signature style of super extracted, bold juicy fruit and high alcohol have earned him quite the cult following. A perfect treat to relax with after all the trick or treaters leave you alone!  Pairs great with chocolate!!

Grape Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Wine Region: Napa Valley, California

Alcohol Content: 15.5%

White Horse Wine Color Code System: OOOOOO  RICH RED WINES OOOOOO

Food Pairings: A bold juicy red like this is the perfect partner to some barbecued spare ribs with a nice light bbq sauce glaze or for a cool twist try them with a Chinese five spice rub!

Cheese Pairings: 

Valedon Blue Cheese- A rich and creamy blue cheese with a nice tang 

Spain $7.99 (8oz)

Moody Blue Cheese- A smoked blue cheese with a sharp flavor 

Wisconsin $7.49 (8oz)

4 Year Aged Gouda- A hard aged cheese with caramel flavors 

Netherlands $8.99 (8oz) 

October, 19th

Bodegas Covila, Crianza $14.99

This weeks wine of the week is Covila, Crianza. We chose this wine to feature not only because it is delicious, but we are doing a Spanish Tapas and Wine class at the store on Thursday, October 22nd at 6pm. We will be teaching you how to make and enjoy Tapas as well as pairing them up with great Spanish wines!

Our wine of the week is made from the Tempranillo grape which is indigenous to Spain. Tempranillos are big, bold dry red wines that are similar to Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is a Crianza which refers to its age. A Crianza wine has to be aged at least 1 year in an oak barrel and then 1 more year in the bottle. This leads to a well integrated, complex wine that has a lot of vanilla, cedar and barrel spice to complement the rich fruit flavors that come from the grape itself. This wine has flavors of jammy black fruits as well as strawberry and cherry notes with a nice dry, slightly tannic finish. 

Chad the Tie Guy's Review: A perfect wine for the Cab and Malbec lovers. The dark flavors and oak really hit all the sweet spots and all at an affordable price. I'm lovin it!

White Horse Wine Color Code System: OOOOOO  RICH RED WINES OOOOOO 

Food Pairings: A bold red like this works well with any red meat especially those right off the grill. For a real treat, try pairing this wine up with a rosemary salt crusted rack of lamb!

Cheese Pairings: 

Petit Basque- Creamy and sweet with a nutty finish (Spain)

Drunken Goat- Semi firm goats cheese soaked in red wine (Spain)

Crema de Blue- A creamy, blue cheese with a rich flavor (New Jersey)