Sunday’s Tasting:
2009 Hansen-Lauer Brut Riesling, Mosel, Germany (Ryan)
This is a Wine Enthusiast Editor’s Choice Winner, 91+points. This100% Riesling is bottle fermented and stayed on the lees for 12 months, yielding tiny bubbles with good fruit and a fine minerality. A great dry sparkling to celebrate from the third generation winemaker of the Hansen family in Bernkastel-Kues overlooking the beautiful Mosel River.
Regularly: $19.99
Mills Club: $17.99
Case Price: $15.99
2012 Riebeek Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Swartland, South Africa (Amy)
This Sauvignon Blanc is named after Commander Jan van Riebek who discovered the fertile vista of the Riebeek Valley. Riebeek is made in a definite herbaceous style that offers tropical undertones of gooseberries that add fruit to the palate. Well balanced with zesty acids which makes for a fresh and crisp glassful everytime.
Regularly: $10.00
Mills Club: $9.00
Case Price: $8.00
2011 Catena Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina (Amy)
The Catena Malbec presents a deep violet color with purple reflections. This microclimate blend of four unique vineyards offers intense aromas, soft texture, and concentrated flavor. Enjoy with a ribeye, New York steak or simply by itself. Cin Cin! 91 Points Wine Spectator.
Regular Price: $25.99
Mills Club: $23.39
Case Price: $20.79
2009 Concannon Conservancy Petite Sirah, Livermore Valley, California (Mike)
Not your typical overly dark, brooding, tannic Petite Sirah, this wine provides great berry fruit flavor and a silky finish. Try this with some chunky beef stew or a hearty steak, or pair with some aged cheeses and charcuterie. At this price, “Best Buy” material!
Regularly: $12.99
Mills Club: $11.69
Case Price: $10.39
2010 Montebuena Rioja, Spain (Jerry)
A value powerhouse from our $10 wine rack, this 100% Tempranillo from Rioja is a great everyday table wine or party wine. Rated 90 points by International Wine Cellars, this wine boasts ripe cherry and black currant notes and a very smooth finish. Consider decanting for an hour before drinking.
Regular Price: $10.00
Mills Club: $9.00
Case Price: $8.00
W. & J. Graham’s “Six Grapes” Reserve Porto, Portugal (Mike)
Sweet genius! Winemaker’s Notes, “Six Grapes has a seductive, rich aroma of ripe plums, cherries and dark chocolate notes. On the palate it’s complex with an excellent structure and a long, lingering finish…this is a very full-bodied, luscious wine drawn from the same vineyards as Graham’s Vintage Ports.” This can keep in a cool dark place after opening for up to two months!
Regularly: $27.99
Mills Club: $25.19
Case Price: $22.39
Try some of our favorite red blends and participate in our “Guess the Blend” contest!
In the spirit of competition, we will pose Washington State Wines against Breckenridge Bourbon. Decide which you’d like to taste!
February Staff Picks Wine Tasting, Part I. Prices are indicated by regular price/Mills Club Price:
Saturday:
2012 Cantina Del Taburno Falanghina Del Sannio $18.99/$17.09
2012 Willm Riesling $12.99/$11.69
2011 Altano Douro $10.99/$9.89
2010 Norton Malbec Reserva $19.99/$17.99
2009 El Coto Rioja $15.99/$14.39
Zeni Marogne Valpolicella Ripasso $17.99/$16.19
Sunday:
Villa Jolanda Prosecco “I Love You” Bottle $11.99/$10.79
2012 Castel de Raimat Albarino $10/$9.00
2010 Melini Riserva Chianti $12.99/$11.69
2010 Bogle Old Vine Essential Red $15.99/$14.39
2011 Bodegas Breca Garnacha $17.99/$16.19
Mcnab Ridge Allure Chocolate Wine $19.99/$17.99
Travel through wine in Chile; from Casablanca Valley to Colchagua Valley and back to Maipo Valley as we taste:
2011 Estampa Reserve Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay/Viognier
$14.99/Mills Club: $13.49
2011 Lapostolle Casa Chardonnay
$15.99/Mills Club: $14.39
2010 Estampa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere/Petite Verdot Blend
$14.99/Mills Club:$13.49
2009 Cousino-Macul Finis Terrae Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Syrah Blend (90 points RP)
$26.99/Mills Club: $24.29
Enjoy our current favorites, all under $40, that reflect the best value for their category and are delicious with seasonally available food. We will taste 6 wines on Saturday and six on Sunday for a total of 12 wines!
2012 Cune Monopole White Rioja, Spain (Mike)
100% Viura from the Rioja region, this dry, fresh and fruit forward wine was one of our best sellers at Mills’ February Spanish Wine Dinner. This white appeals to a broad variety of palates and pairs well with chicken and fish dishes alike.
Regularly: $16.99
Mills Club: $15.29
Case Price: $13.59
2012 Bulgariana Thracian White Blend, Thracian Valley, Bulgaria (Ingrid)
60% Chardonnay, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Riesling and 10% Gewurztraminer blend. A great value and our first addition from Bulgaria, this white will be great with a salad topped with poached chicken.
Regularly: $10.00
Mills Club: $9.00
Case Price: $8.00
2012 Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay, Burgundy, France (Pat)
We tasted this in the store in early March and loved it! A great value in Chardonnay, aged in stainless steel and straight from the source: the 1000 year old village of Chardonnay in Burgundy, France! Spring will be here soon and this crisp Chardonnay would pair very nicely with ham, roast chicken or lobster bisque.
Regular Price: $15.99
Mills Club: $14.39
Case Price: $12.79
2012 Michel Chapoutier’s Bila-Haut, Languedoc-Roussillon, France (Jen and Jerry)
Love this dry Grenache Blanc, Macabeu and Grenache Gris blend. Rated 92 points by The Wine Advocate, which rated it an “incomprehensible value”, look for notes of peach, mint, lime and a touch of salinity and minerality. Juicy!
Regular Price: $15.99
Mills Club: $14.39
Case Price: $12.79
2012 Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee des Terrasses, Rhone Valley, France (Ingrid)
70% Grenache and 30% Syrah blend. Rated 92pts Robert Parker, this blend is filled with kirsch, berry fruit and licorice flavors. Pure and supple, this elegant wine would pair well with grilled lamb chops or red meat.
Regularly: $18.99
Mills Club: $17.09
Case Price: $15.19
2012 Joel Gott Pinot Noir, Sonoma, California
With aromatics of dried cherries, boysenberries and strawberries with hints of vanilla and white pepper, this Pinot Noir is dense and rich on the front of the palate with well balanced acidity on the mid palate and a long finish. Try with Ahi Tuna, broiled salmon, roasted duck.
Regular Price: $21.99
Mills Club: $19.79
Case Price: $17.59
2009 La Lecciaia Merlot, Toscana, Italy (Pat)
If you’ve given up on Merlot since the 90s, this is the prime reason to reconsider that decision. We all tasted this luscious, cherry nosed beauty last week and all thought it was a ridiculous value. Rated 92pts James Suckling, “A wine with an interesting depth of fruit to it with blueberries and cherries and something almost tropical in nature. Full and silky textured with chocolate, dried fruits and wood spice. Decadent. Drink now or hold.” A great food wine, pair with beef, lamb, roast chicken or pork!
Regularly: $14.99
Mills Club: $13.49
Case Price: $11.99
2012 Cellars Can Blau, Spain (Ryan)
50% Mazuelo, 25% Syrah, and 25% Garnacha. A fruit forward red blend with notes of mineral, lavender, blueberry and plum. Pair with paella, pasta, mushrooms, sausage, pork or chicken. 89pts Wine Spectator, “”Supple and tender, yet expressive, this red delivers wild berry, garrigue and light vanilla flavors that mingle and glide over light tannins. A pretty wine, with good depth.”
Regular Price: $15.99
Mills Club: $14.39
Case Price: $12.79
2012 Oxford Landing Shiraz, South Australia (Jen & Jerry)
This is a really nice berry filled wine with a touch of vanilla and spiciness. Try this Shiraz with Lasagna Bolognese! A wonderful addition to our $10 rack!
Regular Price: $10.00
Mills Club: $9.00
Case Price: $8.00
2012 The Velvet Devil Merlot, Washington State (Ryan)
Appropriately named, this smooth, elegant charmer from Charles Smith Winery is sure to heat things up! This is 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon with grapes sourced from Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain and Wahluke Slope AVAs and aged in stainless steel and French oak. This is a classic Merlot with aromas of dark cherries, cedar, pipe tobacco and flavors of anise, stone and cherry blossoms.
Regularly: $13.99
Mills Club: $12.59
Case Price: $11.19
2011 Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, California (Tim)
This sustainably farmed Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits flavors of black cherry, dark plum and a hint of coffee. Rich, yet approachable tannins provide a long, smooth finish. Pair with a juicy steak or an aged, hard cheese.
Regular Price: $14.99
Mills Club: $13.49
Case Price: $11.99
NV Cantine Aurora Tortona Dolce Stilnovo Rosso, Italy (Mike)
This is a delicious sweet red Frizzante, perfect to enjoy by itself or to pair with dessert.
Regularly: $16.99
Mills Club: $15.29
Case Price: $13.59
Taste the second half of our monthly Staff Pick Wines, all designed to present a great value for their price point, and to pair with seasonally fresh food!
2012 Cune Monopole White Rioja, Spain (Mike)
100% Viura from the Rioja region, this dry, fresh and fruit forward wine was one of our best sellers at Mills’ February Spanish Wine Dinner. This white appeals to a broad variety of palates and pairs well with chicken and fish dishes alike.
Regularly: $16.99
Mills Club: $15.29
Case Price: $13.59
2012 Bulgariana Thracian White Blend, Thracian Valley, Bulgaria (Ingrid)
60% Chardonnay, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Riesling and 10% Gewurztraminer blend. A great value and our first addition from Bulgaria, this white will be great with a salad topped with poached chicken.
Regularly: $10.00
Mills Club: $9.00
Case Price: $8.00
2012 Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay, Burgundy, France (Pat)
We tasted this in the store in early March and loved it! A great value in Chardonnay, aged in stainless steel and straight from the source: the 1000 year old village of Chardonnay in Burgundy, France! Spring will be here soon and this crisp Chardonnay would pair very nicely with ham, roast chicken or lobster bisque.
Regular Price: $15.99
Mills Club: $14.39
Case Price: $12.79
2012 Michel Chapoutier’s Bila-Haut, Languedoc-Roussillon, France (Jen and Jerry)
Love this dry Grenache Blanc, Macabeu and Grenache Gris blend. Rated 92 points by The Wine Advocate, which rated it an “incomprehensible value”, look for notes of peach, mint, lime and a touch of salinity and minerality. Juicy!
Regular Price: $15.99
Mills Club: $14.39
Case Price: $12.79
2012 Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee des Terrasses, Rhone Valley, France (Ingrid)
70% Grenache and 30% Syrah blend. Rated 92pts Robert Parker, this blend is filled with kirsch, berry fruit and licorice flavors. Pure and supple, this elegant wine would pair well with grilled lamb chops or red meat.
Regularly: $18.99
Mills Club: $17.09
Case Price: $15.19
2012 Joel Gott Pinot Noir, Sonoma, California
With aromatics of dried cherries, boysenberries and strawberries with hints of vanilla and white pepper, this Pinot Noir is dense and rich on the front of the palate with well balanced acidity on the mid palate and a long finish. Try with Ahi Tuna, broiled salmon, roasted duck.
Regular Price: $21.99
Mills Club: $19.79
Case Price: $17.59
2009 La Lecciaia Merlot, Toscana, Italy (Pat)
If you’ve given up on Merlot since the 90s, this is the prime reason to reconsider that decision. We all tasted this luscious, cherry nosed beauty last week and all thought it was a ridiculous value. Rated 92pts James Suckling, “A wine with an interesting depth of fruit to it with blueberries and cherries and something almost tropical in nature. Full and silky textured with chocolate, dried fruits and wood spice. Decadent. Drink now or hold.” A great food wine, pair with beef, lamb, roast chicken or pork!
Regularly: $14.99
Mills Club: $13.49
Case Price: $11.99
2012 Cellars Can Blau, Spain (Ryan)
50% Mazuelo, 25% Syrah, and 25% Garnacha. A fruit forward red blend with notes of mineral, lavender, blueberry and plum. Pair with paella, pasta, mushrooms, sausage, pork or chicken. 89pts Wine Spectator, “”Supple and tender, yet expressive, this red delivers wild berry, garrigue and light vanilla flavors that mingle and glide over light tannins. A pretty wine, with good depth.”
Regular Price: $15.99
Mills Club: $14.39
Case Price: $12.79
2012 Oxford Landing Shiraz, South Australia (Jen & Jerry)
This is a really nice berry filled wine with a touch of vanilla and spiciness. Try this Shiraz with Lasagna Bolognese! A wonderful addition to our $10 rack!
Regular Price: $10.00
Mills Club: $9.00
Case Price: $8.00
2012 The Velvet Devil Merlot, Washington State (Ryan)
Appropriately named, this smooth, elegant charmer from Charles Smith Winery is sure to heat things up! This is 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon with grapes sourced from Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain and Wahluke Slope AVAs and aged in stainless steel and French oak. This is a classic Merlot with aromas of dark cherries, cedar, pipe tobacco and flavors of anise, stone and cherry blossoms.
Regularly: $13.99
Mills Club: $12.59
Case Price: $11.19
2011 Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, California (Tim)
This sustainably farmed Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits flavors of black cherry, dark plum and a hint of coffee. Rich, yet approachable tannins provide a long, smooth finish. Pair with a juicy steak or an aged, hard cheese.
Regular Price: $14.99
Mills Club: $13.49
Case Price: $11.99
NV Cantine Aurora Tortona Dolce Stilnovo Rosso, Italy (Mike)
This is a delicious sweet red Frizzante, perfect to enjoy by itself or to pair with dessert.
Regularly: $16.99
Mills Club: $15.29
Case Price: $13.59