Recently, Governor Deval Patrick declared Saturday August 14 and Sunday the 15th a tax holiday for Massachusetts.  This coming weekend,  we humbly suggest celebrating freedom from sales tax in the most patriotic of ways, by purchasing some lovely wine from Dave’s Fresh Pasta!  On Friday night (8/13) between 5-7p come out for a free tasting “preview” of select wines that we will be discounting by 20% for Saturday only.   Throw in the extra 6.25%,courtesy of the Guvna, and save a whopping 26.25% on these wines which might ordinarily only be expensive “special occasion” wines..Exciting!! Additionally, all single bottles will be offered at a 10% discount, and six or more wines will be 15% off.  Essentially, it’s a great time to stock your cellar with some tasty beverages.  We want to help.  Stop by on Friday and reserve your wines for Saturday’s sale.  As the DFP is closed on Sunday, transactions will take place only on Saturday.

-Sam.

Recently we welcomed two additions to the “new Spring arrivals” section of the DFP wine department.  Hailing from the Loire Valley in France, one is white, one is red, both are tart and bright with fresh acidity.  They have the added bonus of being all-natural wines, sustainably produced using indigenous, wild yeast and a bare minimum of added sulfites.   In fact, since 1982 the estate Domaine les Hautes Noelles has been a certified, practicing organic/biodynamic operation.  Renowned Muscadet winemaker Serge Batard produces these easy-drinking, straightforward wines with the playfully unassuming name, “hého”.  Hého le blanc is made from 100% Grolleau Gris grapes, while le rouge is a blend: 45% Grolleau Noir, 45% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Gamay.  Bright citrus fruit and attention-grabbing acidity are stand-out attributes of the former, while the latter offers tart, juicy red berry fruit and pinot-noir-like delicacy.   These wines, from the 2009 vintage, are meant to be drunk young, soon and without too much fuss.  They would both make lovely additions to a picnic basket, along with a fresh baguette and tasty cheese, or as the  light and refreshing go-to  beverages of a mid-summer cookout extravaganza.  Balanced, clean and naturally refreshing (especially after a stint in the fridge, yes the red, too), these are quintessentially warm weather wines.   Now, ready for the best part?  They’re both only $9.95!!

-Sam.

The Basque Country spans the border between France and Spain, on the Atlantic coast,  in the western Pyrenees.  The Spanish Basque Country is made up of three provinces; Alava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa.  Txakoli is a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content (usually 9.5-11.5 ABV) produced in the Basque Country.  It is normally served as an apéritif or consumed in the first year of bottling.  Most of the wine made is white but a small amount of rosé and red is made too.

In  the DO Getariako Txakolina the majority of  grapes planted  are the white variety Hondarribi Zuria and the red variety Hondarribi Beltza.  Both white and red grapes are used for making txakoli in Biscay. White varieties are Hondarribi Zuria and Folle blanche (called Munemahatsa in Biscay); the red variety used is Hondarribi Beltza (“black Hondarribia”).  The  youngest of the three DO is Arabako Txakolina  having gained certification in 2001.  It is yellowish in color, very acidic and slightly frothy.  The most commonly used grape for this txakoli is Hondarribi Zuria.

We are pleased to offer four wines from this region.  We have two whites, a red and a rosé.  Come in and try something  different that’s  great for summer drinking.  I promise you won’t be disappointed.

2009 Ameztoi Txakolina                             $18.95

2009 Gurrutxaga Txakolina                     $18.95

2009 Ameztoi Rosé $18.95

2008 Gorrondona Red                                   $25.95

~FLEA               

Summer is fast approaching.  Soon friends will be convening on decks and porches, patios and side-yards alike for weekend cookouts and informal, post-work gatherings to celebrate the promise of the season: fresh, local produce, marinated meats simply grilled, mild and lovely evenings…  Now picture these same friends clinking glasses and sharing a lovely grill-side beverage (or three).  Easy enough.  Something tasty and red, not overpowering, not too expensive and versatile enough to pair up with almost anything that might come off of that grill.  Indeed, there are lots of tasty options out there, but quite recently Felisha and I tasted a wine that really seemed to hit on all cylinders.  Dare I say it could be the perfect Summer wine? Indeed I do.

It’s a 2009 Pinot Noir from Martinborough, New Zealand and it’s delicious, with lush and ripe  fresh spiced cherry fruit

and subtle aromas of red fruits with toasty accents.  The wine has a nice balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity making for one tasty, well put-together beverage.  And at $14.95 it’s a pretty terrific value to boot.

May I humbly suggest you fire up the BBQ, twist open a bottle of Over the Edge Pinot Noir (throw it in the fridge for a half-hour before drinking) toast the Summer of ’10 and the start of something new.

-Sam

Cocchi Americano Aperitif Wine

We’re very excited to offer the Cocchi Americano that just hit the Boston market.  It’s clean, bright and refreshing.  We believe we’ve found the perfect summer sipper.  Come in and see for yourself.

As posted on Haus Alpenz’s website:  “Made to the same recipe since 1891, this extraordinary aperitif wine has long been a staple of Asti. On a base of Moscato di Asti is infused a blend of herbs, fruit and spices, most notably cinchona, gentian and citrus, and laid down for a year before being released.  In Piemonte it is served chilled with ice, a twist of orange peel and a splash of soda to bring out all its natural aromas and fragrances. Outside of Italy it is revered as one of last great blanc/bianco aperitif wines, essential to a wide range of classic mixed drinks.”

Product of Italy. 16.5% Alc./Vol., 750ml- $18.95

~FLEA

Our first container of Loire wines has landed from my trip earlier this year.  The wines have been sitting in the warehouse for a few weeks giving them time to settle down from the voyage.  As mentioned in a previous post the 2009 Loire wines are fantastic!  Five wines arrived on this shipment with two more containers on the way.  Included on this container is the first of the 2009 Rosés along with a Sauvignon Blanc from Valençay, a Côtes du Rhône and a Colombard/Sauvignon from Côtes de Gascogne.  We are extremely excited to offer some new, exciting, and exclusive wines (in some cases) along with some of our standby favorites.  Don’t miss the opportunity to check these out.   They’ll hit our shelves this Friday.  Come in and check it out while supplies last!

~Flea

I’m often asked what  I do with the bottles I don’t finish?  Well, to be honest that doesn’t happen very often at my place.   Wine begins to break down as soon as it’s exposed to oxygen losing it’s freshness, brightness, delicate flavors and aromas.  Not to mention that things break down faster in the heat than they do in the cold.  So I always keep a few spare half bottles around the house for this very occasion.  Pour the remaining wine in the half bottle, cork it as tight as possible and throw it in the fridge.  If you can’t finish the bottle this is honestly the best you can do.

~Flea

Loire River

I had the good fortune of spending nine days in Loire Valley earlier this month.  I went with Andrew Bishop, who owns Oz Wine a Fine Wine Import and Distribution Company.  I was accompanied by one of his sales reps and two other buyers from the Boston area.  It proved to be one of the best wine trips I’ve been on.  The company, food and wines were spectacular.  The 2009 vintage is one of the best in years. The wines are on par with the 1989 and 1997.   They show great concentration, freshness and balance.  This seems to be the case across the board for red, white and rosés.  For a more detailed report of the vintage check out Charles Sydney’s 2009 vintage report.  I just placed my order with Andrew last week and we’re expecting the first container in mid April.  I’m extremely excited to bring these wines into the store and show you just how wonderful and diverse the wines of Loire can be.  Compared to pricing from other well known regions, like Burgundy and Piedmont, these wines are a steal.  I’ll keep you posted as the wines start arriving.  In the meantime, come in and check out the fabulous selection of Loire wines we already have on the shelves.

-Flea