Conte Brandolini, Treanni, NV - $45

GRAPES:             
Cabernet Franc, Refosco, Merlot (batches from 3 separate consecutive vintages)
FROM:                 
Friuli, N E Italy
DESCRIPTION:  
Bright ruby, ripe aromas of red and black berry fruit, palate unites freshness of a young wine with the complexity and elegance of maturing wine.
FACT:                   
Count Brandolini is definitely an interesting character – here, he breaks tradition on the theory that different grape varietals need different times to mature – each variety is fermented and aged separately – they are then blended to give a non-vintage red wine comprising Refosco, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from three consecutive vintages.
FOOD PAIRING
Think Northern Italy! - Delicious served with prosciutto, grilled meats, polenta, hearty soups and cheeses.
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Hautes Cotes de Nuits, Dames de Vergy 2008 - $48

GRAPES:             
Pinot Noir
FROM:                 
Burgundy, France
DESCRIPTION:  
Rich red, dense with cherry, strawberry and earth flavors.  Firm and muscular, with moderate length.
FACT:                   
Pinot Noir is the red wine grape of Burgundy, over the years it has been adopted (sometimes successfully sometimes not) in many other wine regions – in the US, Oregon probably produces the most Burgundy-like Pinot Noir because of its similar climate.
Hautes Cotes de Nuits is grown on higher slopes (1000ft), making it lighter and less rich than some of the Burgundy’s from lower growing areas.

FOOD PAIRING
Bourgogne is the home of great cooking – Beef Bourguignon is a specialty so think along those lines when pairing this wine.
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Cabernet Franc, Cave Rocher 2008, Saumur Champigny - $38.

Grapes: 100% Cabernet Franc
From: N. France, Loire Valley.
Description:
Light but still fruity & tasty - great summer wine.
Typical of a Cabernet Franc it has a slight peppery taste
You can offer to serve this chilled.
Fact:
The Loire region also produces Chinon (also Cab Franc) & Sancerre (usually white/sauvignon blanc the rose is pinot noir)
Food Pairing:
Sort of light red wine you'd take with you for a picnic so think salads, fish, white meat!
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Gamay, Potel Aviron 2009, Cotes de Brouilly - $44.

Grapes: 100% Gamay
From: SE. France, Beaujolais.
Description:
Light, minerally, hint of mushroom & earth.
Cote de Brouilly tends to be more concentrated and less earthy than its counterparts.
A surprisingly complex Beaujolais.
Fact:
Technically the beaujolais area is part of Burgundy. (South)
However it is different in that red burgundies are generally 100% Pinot Noir grape and Beaujolais are 100% Gamay.
It also gets a rap for its "Beaujolais Nouveau" which is a mass produced table wine found in all French Bistros.
Good wines from this area also include "Fleurie", "Moulin-A-Vent" Morgon" "Chenas" - Cotes de Brouilly is within the "Brouilly" area.
Food Pairing:
Light red wine but with a bit more body than the Saumur Champigny - good one to suggest if someone wants a light red with fish or white meat.
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Pinot Noir, Jigsaw 2008, Oregon - $48.

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Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
From: USA, Oregon
Description
Starts off fuity, then linger with spicy and earthy tastes. (described as tasting of ripe tomato, mushroom and barnyard.)
A smooth non-tannic nor acidic wine, this is very approachable if people are looking for a lighter red (not as light as the Brouilly or Saumur Champigny)
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Fact:
Oregon is famous for producing some the best pinot noir outside of Burgundy - possibly because the climate and the soil (chalk) is similar.
Pinot noir is one of the oldest grape varieties to be cultivated for wine.  It's know to be a difficult grape to work with.
The winery that makes this started as a distillery and produces Ransom Old Tom Gin (Served on the 2nd Floor on Clinton!)


Food Pairing:
Grilled meaty fish, lamb (Merguez) and other simple but rich food. Also anything you associate with Burgundy!
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Syrah/Carignan, Les Heretiques 2009, Languedoc - $32. - $8gl.

Grapes: Old Vine Carignan & Syrah
From: S FRANCE, Languedoc-Roussillon (on the mediterranean)
Description
Cherries, plums and spices - smooth, lightly complex and restrained making it a good all rounder and an easy wine to transition from aperitif to meal. Also goes great with chocolate!
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Fact:
There are no rules as to what defines an "old vine" as opposed to a "new vine" in France - in this case though they are 70 years old.
The name “Les Heretiques” comes from the cult of the Cathars who flourished in this region and had ties to the legend of the Holy Grail. They were labelled as heretics by the Roman Catholic Church and slaughtered at the massacre of Minereve.
Food Pairing:
Good with most things - the lightest of our wines by the glass so maybe veer towards the lighter meats and maybe grilled lamb - Merguez.
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Bordeaux, Merlot/Cabernet, Roques de Jeanlice 2007 - $29.

Grapes: 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
From: S W FRANCE, Bordeaux
Description
Ripe, fruity and nicely rounded this is a good entry level Bordeaux

<>with a "right bank" style (ie more merlot that cabernet sauvignon) 
Fact:
The Bordeaux region is the most important wine producing region in France and in the world. Bordeaux has about 7,000 chateaux!
Very crudely the region is split in 2 distinct areas by a huge estuary the "Garonne".  The left bank produces a predominantly more Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine (St-Estèphe, Pauillac, St.-Julien, Margaux) and the right bank a more Merlot-based wine (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Bourg, Blaye)
The other grape used in Bordeaux reds is Cabernet Franc.
Food Pairing:
Good with red meats, game and cheese - Steak
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