[Cornell Wine] Cornell Wine This Week

[Michael Beard]

CORNELL WINE COMPANY
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August 17 – Cabernet Sauvignon/Blends
August 24 – Loire Valley
August 31 – Wines for Your Labor Day Cook-out

FRIDAY, August 10th, 4:30 - 7:00pm

Wines from Mediterranean Islands

PÂTÉ PLATE
This week we are once more offering a pâté plate instead of a cheese  
plate.  We expect to have three different types of pâté.
PÂTÉ SAMPLER PLATE $4.00 (estimated cost)

This week we make our annual pilgrimage to the Mediterranean to  
sample wines from five islands.

1. GREECE’S Ionian Islands are some of the most beautiful in the  
Mediterranean – they are far enough north to have much more greenery  
than many others.  Sitting on the beach in CEPHALONIA (home of  
Corelli’s Mandolin), perhaps grilling some sardines, while sipping  
the local white grape ROBOLA, can get addictive (OK, Pauline and I  
have done this on Cephalonia’s neighbor, Corfu, but we never made it  
to Cephalonia).  After nearly three year’s absence, GENTILINI wines  
are once more available in Oregon.  Gentilini, with vineyards on Mt.  
Ainos, makes the best wine from ROBOLA.  It has ripe fruit that is  
beautifully balanced by good acidity making it a good “sipper”, but  
it is the citrus and mineral notes that make this a superb wine to  
accompany shellfish and other seafood - $19.75.

2. After visiting Greece we now go west to ITALY’S SARDINIA, to try  
the grape CANNONAU that is the local clone of GRENACHE.  PEDRES is a  
new producer for me, and their 2003 CERASIO CANNONAU is an  
interesting wine.  Don’t be misled by its lightish color, as its  
palate and finish are much more substantial than might be assumed.   
The nose offers classic Grenache black raspberry fruit, the palate  
offers warm black fruit and the finish has noticeable tannins.  A  
wine to match with grilled red meat or aged cheeses - $18.75

3. Moving further west we visit SPAIN’S BALEARÍC ISLANDS, and in  
particular the island of MALLORCA.  This is one of the great “package  
vacation” islands for northern Europeans (Pauline and I were there in  
1970 and I’m sure we would find it over-developed now).  It is also  
home to an old wine region.  The Romans are thought to have brought  
viticulture to the island in about 123 AD.  The industry has waxed  
and waned over the centuries and the modern industry dates from the  
1980s.  There are two Denominación de Origins on the island, the  
older established being BINISSALEM-MALLORCA (approved on the island  
in 1989 and by central government in 1991).  From that DO we will  
taste the CA SA PADRINA 2006 MANTO NEGRO.  MANTO NEGRO is a local  
grape and this wine is about 80% of the varietal blended with several  
other grapes.  The wine is interesting in that in some ways it seems  
lightish, but at the same time has a slight roasted quality to the  
preserve-like black fruit.  This is the wine to fool your wine snob  
friends! - $14.75

4. We now move to SICILY and the BENANTI winery.   This winery was  
the 2007 Gambero Rosso “Winery of the Year”.  They make many  
wonderful wines and we have chosen the 2002 ROSSO di VERZELLA which  
is an ETNA ROSSO.  A blend of 80% NERELLO MASCALESE and 20% NERELLO  
CAPUCCIO, this wine just gets better and better with bottle age.  The  
wine offers lots of black fruit, spice and some tannins, but it is  
all together now showing a roundness on the palate that makes it good  
to drink on its own, but it also will be a good accompaniment to many  
meats  - $16.50

TRY THESE FOUR WINES FOR $10.00

This week we offer two EXTRA POURS of the dessert type:

MARSALA is often just thought of a wine for cooking (Pauline and I  
love Chicken Marsala), but it can also be one of SICILY’S gems.   
FRAZZITTA MARSALA SUPERIORE AMBRA SECCO is a fortified wine made from  
the local grapes CATARATTO and GRILLO.  While called “dry” the wine  
is rich with a lovely nutty quality.  Serve it chilled as an  
aperitif, or cool as an after dinner drink - $12.00

TRY THIS WINE FOR $1.50/Taste or $2.50/4 ounces

Our second “extra pour” is one of the bargain dessert wines of the  
world.  The COOPERATIVE on the GREEK island of SAMOS has been making  
great wine from MUSCAT à PETITS GRAINS since the 1930s.  The 2004  
SAMOS VIN DOUX MUSCATO is styled somewhat after the RHÔNE VALLEY’S  
BEAUMES-de-VENISE.  It has wonderful aromatics, and a grapey palate  
which is balanced by lively acidity.  Exceptional value for a 750ml -  
$17.50

TRY THIS WINE FOR $2.00/Taste or $3.50/4 ounces
TASTE BOTH FOR $3.00

NB: All prices are subject to change without notice.  The above  
information is based on verbal information from distributors, and  
actual wine prices will depend on the price invoiced at delivery to  
Cornell Wine Company.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11th
Noon – 5:00 PM

We will have the four CORNELL WINE CLUB AUGUST SELECTIONS open for  
all to taste:

HANDLEY 2006 PINOT GRIS, ANDERSON VALLEY, CALIFORNIA - $14.75
HANDLEY 2006 GEWÜRZTRAMINER, ANDERSON VALLEY, CALIFORNIA - $16.00
LA SPINETTA 2005 LANGHE NEBBIOLO, PIEMONTE, ITALY - $27.50
CELLAR de CAPÇANES 2004 MAS DONÍS BARRICA, MONTSANT, SPAIN - $13.50

See earlier email for full details.

Cheers,

Pauline & Mick
Cornell Wine Company
14740 NW Cornell Road, #90
Portland, OR 97229-5400
(503) 531-3981
mick at cornellwine.com
www.cornellwine.com
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