Far Eastern Shore Winery will pour their refreshing, lightly sweet (1.8% residual sugar) Swan series of wines made with fruit juices on a wine base. For example, the Summer Swan Blanc is a blend of peach and apricot juices on a Chardonnay wine base. The Far Eastern Shore Winery will pour the following wines at Mills:
(All the wines are $15.99/bottle regular price ($14.39/bottle Mills Club price), or $12.79/bottle by the case (mixed case is fine).)
Summer Swan Blanc: White wine made with white cranberry juice on a Pinot Gris base.
Autumn Swan Blanc: White wine made with peach and apricot juices on a Chardonnay base.
Swan’s Blush: Blush wine made with strawberry juice on a White Merlot base.
Ruby Swan Rouge: Red wine made with pomegranate juice on a Red Zinfandel base.
Wild Swan Rouge: Red wine made with wild berry juice on a Shiraz base.
Black Swan Rouge: Red wine made with blackberry juice on a Cabernet Sauvignon base.
Emirates Team New Zealand looks set to win the Louis Vuitton Cup and earn the right to face Oracle Team USA in the America’s Cup Finals next month. We will preview this much anticipated match up through wine by lining up two New Zealand wines versus two California wines (of course, wines from Dry Creek Vineyards—the “Wine for Sailors”!). Come taste and decide the winners. As a bonus, the wine expert pouring on Saturday is just back from sailing in San Francisco Bay and watching the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Saturday’s Wines:
2012 Manu Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
2012 Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, California
2010 Babich Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand
2011 Dry Creek Heritage Clone Zinfandel, California
Old Westminster is a family owned Maryland winery which recently debuted their delicious, impressive wines in June. Washington Post writer Dave McIntyre selected their Cabernet Franc as one of five “All-American Wines to Try” in his July 2, 2013 column.
Come discover our favorite “value wines” from South Africa, a country with a rich tradition of wine making and some of the most beautiful vineyards in the world—please click here to see the wines we will be pouring on Saturday (all in the $10-23 range).
White Wine
2012 Goats du Roam White, Paarl (blend of 58% Viognier, 33% Roussane, 9% Grenache Blanc)
Winemaker’s Notes: “A light, bright wine with tropical fruit & floral notes on the nose. Light peach with pear drops on the rich palate which is well-balanced with fruit-driven freshness and zesty acidity. Pair with cream-based seafood dishes.”
Reg. Price: $9.99/Mills Club Price: $8.99/Case Price: $7.99
2012 Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc, Walker Bay
Southern Right is a small winery named after the Southern Right whales (picoted on the label) that frequent Walker Bay a few miles from the vineyard. Each year, Southern Right’s Sauvignon Blanc is a best seller in South Africa and internationally. The Mills team tasted the 2012 vintage a few weeks ago and loved its vibrant flavors of citrus fruits and minerals. This Sauvignon Blanc was rate 90 points by Stephen Tanzer, who aptly summarized the wine as “a real wake-up call to the palate.”
Reg. Price: $16.99/Mills Club Price: $15.29/Case Price: $14.59
Red Wines
2011 Fairview Pinotage, Paarl
This medium-bodied red from Fairview, a historic winery founded in 1693 (!), is made from South Africa’s Pinotage grape, a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault created in the 1920s. The wine is full of dark fruit aromas and flavors with a touch of spice and coffee—a great expression of the PInotage grape.
Reg. Price: $15.99/Mills Club Price: $14.39/Case Price: $12.79
2010 Essay Shiraz Blend, Western Cape (Blend of 87% Shiraz, 6% Cinsault, 6% Mourvedre, 1% Viognier)
Winery Notes: “This is a medium-bodied red wine with an expressive nose and a soft, lush mouth-feel. The Shiraz and Cinsault combine to give ripe plum cherry fruit on the palate with a touch of pepper spice. Mourvèdre adds complexity with savoury and dark fruit aromas. The Viognier adds softness and intriguing floral notes. This is a modern-styled Cape wine that will complement a wide range of foods.”
Reg. Price: $10.99/Mills Club Price: $9.89/Case Price: $8.79
2010 Rust en Vrede Merlot, Stellenbosch
This smooth, full-bodied Merlot comes from Rust en Vrede, the first winery in South Africa to make only red wines and considered one of the top wine estates in the country. This wine offers lots of plum and red fruit flavors along with some subtle spicy oak notes on the finish (aged 14 months in French oak). Enjoy this versatile red with your favorite meals.
Reg. Price: $23.99/Mills Club Price: $21.59/Case Price: $19.19
This Saturday’s Wine Tasting (2-6 pm): Favorite White & Red Wine Pairings
This fun tasting will feature three “pairings” of white and red wines from the same producer that are top picks to pour at Labor Day weekend gatherings and during the beautiful “Indian Summer” days ahead in September:
Pairing #1: Nicolas Potel Burgundy White and Red Wines, France
2010 Nicolas Potel Macon-Villages (100% Chardonnay)
Silver Medal and “Best Buy,” World Wine Championships for wines under $20
“Aromas of sponge cake, baked apple, and cream with a supple, dryish medium body and a crisp, citrus and chalk snap on the finish. Nicely balanced and refreshing. (March 2012, Beverage Tasting Institute, Chicago)
Reg. Price : $14.99/Mills Club Price: $13.49/20% off Case Price: $11.99
2011 Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Gold Medal, World Wine Championships for wines under $20
“Rich ruby color. Robust aromas mixed berry compote and French toast with a silky, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a tangy mulberry, apple skin, toasty cedar, earth and stone accented finish. An exceptionally well poised and structured pinot noir for the table or sipping.” (March 2013, Beverage Tasting Institute, Chicago)
Reg. Price : $17.99/Mills Club Price: $16.19/20% off Case Price: $14.39
Pairing #2: El Coto White and Red Wines, Rioja, Spain
2011 El Coto de Rioja Blanco (100% Viura)
Winery Notes: “The 2011 El Coto de Rioja Blanco is pale gold-yellow with greenish hues, the wine is intensely aromatic, well balanced, with body and the fruit has a refreshing tart character. Pleasant acidity combines perfectly with an exquisite aftertaste of flowers, fruit and fine herbs.”
Reg. Price : $11.99/Mills Club Price: $10.89/20% off Case Price: $11.99
2009 El Coto Crianza (100% Tempranillo)
Reg. Price : $15.99/Mills Club Price: $14.39/20% off Case Price: $12.79
Pairing #3: Clayhouse Wines Adobe White and Red, Central Coast, California
2011 Clayhouse Wines Adobe White (a Viognier-based white blend)
Winery Notes: “The Adobe White is a proprietary blend with a golden straw color, and fragrant floral notes of orange honey blossom and lemon citrus. Jasmine, pear, peach, mango and lychee aromas jump from the glass. There’s a creamy mouthfeel from the 5% barrel fermentation. That small portion of barrel fermented Viognier adds some viscosity to the grassy sharpness of the Sauvignon Blanc and Grenache Blanc, and it enhances the aromatics with barely perceptible vanilla bean notes. The wine lingers in the mouth with a bit of warmth and spice on the finish.”
Reg. Price : $15.99/Mills Club Price: $14.39/20% off Case Price: $12.79
2009 Clayhouse Wines Adobe Red (a Zinfandel-based red blend)
Winery notes: “Based on Zinfandel, this lip-smacking, juicy red is the result of blending grape varieties and flavors grown throughout California’s Central Coast. The majority of the grapes
came from our estate Red Cedar Vineyard, just east of the town of Paso Robles. Adobe
Red is a fun and tasty flavor fusion of six different grape varieties: 32% Zinfandel, 25%
Petite Sirah, 13% Malbec, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, 9% Petit Verdot. »
Reg. Price : $15.99/Mills Club Price: $14.39/20% off Case Price: $12.79
Staff Picks for September Part I: A collection of wines that the staff feels overdelivers for their price points! 6 of the 12 wines are tasted Saturday and the other 6 wines are tasted on Sunday.
Staff Picks Part II.
“Hard-to-find-on-the East Coast” Foxen Wines
Some of the very few Foxen wines from California that make it to the East Coast have joined our California section: two Pinot Noirs, one Chenin Blanc, and one Cabernet Sauvignon. Take the opportunity to meet Foxen owner Dick Dore as he stops by for a quick meet and greet and taste a lovely Foxen wine!
2009 foxen 7200 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vogelzang Vineyard, Happy Canyon
93 Points, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate (Nov. 2012):
“…. the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Vogelzang Vineyard is gorgeous. Dark cherries, plums, menthol, graphite, grilled herbs and spices explode from the glass as this boisterous, deeply expressive Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its personality and sheer class. The 2009 boasts fabulous richness and depth from start to finish. I imagine this exciting, viscerally thrilling Cabernet Sauvignon will drink beautifully for a number of years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019”.
2011 Foxen Pinot Noir, Block 8- Bien Nacido Vineyard
92 Points, Cellar Selection, Wine Enthusiast (forthcoming)
93 Points, Antonio Galloni’s “Vinous” (July 2013):
“The 2011 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8 is beautifully layered from start to finish. Dark red fruits meld into sweet floral and balsamic notes as the wine opens up in the glass. Medium in body and beautifully textured on the palate, the 2011 is all about polish. This is another terrific showing. Best of all, the 2011 will offer tremendous pleasure right out of the gate.” Drinking window: 2014-2021
2011 Foxen Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
94 Points, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate (Nov. 2012):
“The 2010 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8 is another super-impressive wine from Foxen. It combines some of the ethereal feel of the Julia’s with the weight of the Sea Smoke. If that sounds appealing, believe me, it is. This is a marvelous Pinot loaded with class and finesse. The Bien Nacido Block 8 (along with the Julia’s) is one of the least expensive of the 2010 Pinots, yet i find it the most compelling of the bunch. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020”
2011 Foxen Chenin Blanc, Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard
): Wines from Bouchaine Vineyards: Napa Valley’s America’s Cup Winery!
Bouchaine, the oldest operating winery in the Carneros district of Napa Valley and also Napa’s closet winery geographically to the America’s Cup competition, will be pouring three dry wines and its amazing “Bouche d’Or” dessert wine made from late harvest Chardonnay.
- 2012 Bouchaine Riesling Las Brisas Vineyard (Dry Riesling)
- 2010 Bouchaine Chardonnay Estate Vineyard Price $27.99/Mills Club $25.19/Case Price $22.39
- 2009 Bouchaine Pinot Noir, Carneros $26.99/Mills Club $24.29/Case Price $21.59
- 2010 Bouchaine “Bouche d’Or” Chardonnay $29.99 /Mills Club $26.99/Case Price $23.99
Solomon’s Island Winery of Maryland “Island Mist Wines” Tasting.
We’ll sample some white and red Columbia Valley wines by Chateau Ste Michelle and 14 Hands, including the new 2010 Indian Wells red blend from Chateau Ste Michelle. Make a mixed wine case with some favorites from this tasting and get our semi-annual sale 25% case discount pricing on these Washington State wines!
White Wines
2011 Chateau Ste Michelle Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley
Reg. Price: $12.99/Mills Club Price: $11.69
Semi-annual wine sale 25% off case price: $9.74
2011 Chateau Ste Michelle Chardonnay, Columbia Valley
Reg. Price: $12.99/Mills Club Price: $11.69
Semi-annual wine sale 25% off case price: $9.74
2011 Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling, Columbia Valley
Reg. Price: $11.99/Mills Club Price: $10.79
Semi-annual wine sale 25% off case price: $8.99
Red Wines
2010 14 Hands Merlot, Columbia Valley
Reg. Price: $10.99/Mills Club Price: $9.89
Semi-annual wine sale 25% off case price: $8.24
2011 14 Hands “Hot to Trot” Red Blend, Columbia Valley
Reg. Price: $11.99/Mills Club Price: $10.79
Semi-annual wine sale 25% off case price: $8.99
2010 Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Red Blend, Columbia Valley
A new red blend in the Indian Wells series: 60% Merlot, 28% Syrah, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Grenache, 2% Malbec, and a dash of Cinsault and Mourvedre.
Reg. Price: $21.99/Mills Club Price: $19.79
Semi-annual wine sale 25% off case price: $16.49
Mills is teaming with winemaker Nickel & Nickel and caterer Ken’s Creative Kitchen to create a singularly spectacular Wine Dinner experience. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 25th from 7-10pm at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. Mr. Tom Gilhooly, the Eastern U.S. Region Manager of Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel, Enroute and Dolce Wineries, will be presenting exceptional single-vineyard, single-varietal wines, discussing the varietals, the wine making philosophy, and exploring the vineyards. Ken Upton has thoughtfully designed a four-course menu that pairs perfectly with the six featured wines. The price is $140 per person. To ensure a warm and personal atmosphere, we are limiting seating. Please contact Jennifer Donahoe at jen@millswine.com or (410)263-2888 for reservations, questions, or payment.
Nickel & Nickel Chardonnay Stiling Vineyard (Russian River Valley) and Truchard Vineyard (Carneros) compared, served with:
Sautéed Jumbo Gulf Shrimp; Saffron Couscous and Brunoise of Carrot, Celery, Tomato and Red Onion; Deep Fried Leeks; Curry-Carrot Vinaigrette
Nickel & Nickel Merlot Harris Vineyard (Oakville) served with:
Roasted Autumn Vegetable Ratatouille; Atop Creamy Sage-Paremsan Polenta; Fresh Sage
Nickel & Nickel Cabernet Sauvignon Quarry Vineyard (Napa) and Kelham Vineyard (Oakville) compared, served with:
Slow Roasted Short Rib of Beef; Velvet Potato Puree; Glazed Root Vegetables and Caramelized Shallots; Fresh Thyme; Crusty St. Germaine Baguettes; Sweet Butter Rosettes
Far Niente “Dolce” served with:
Almond Tuiles Torte; Fresh Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries and Blueberries; Coulis of Raspberry; Columns of Grand Marnier Cream