AUSTRIAN WINEMAKERS AT VINOVENUE - MARCH 8th

Two of our Austrian winemakers from the famous Wachau region, Franz Josef Gritsch of Gritsch Mauritiushof and Johann Donabaum of Weingut Donabaum, will be pouring and talking about their wines at VinoVenue on Tuesday, March 8th from 4:30-7:30. The wines (dry Rieslings, Gruner Veltliners, and Neuburger) have consistently rated in the 90-point-range in the respected Austrian ‘Falstaff Wine Guide’, and recently in Wine Enthusiast Magazine and Food & Wine Magazine 2005 Wine Guide. They now have a US importer (that would be us: winemonger.com) and this event is their first here in the States.

WHERE:
VinoVenue
686 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA.

WHEN:
March 8
4:30-7:30

URL: http://www.winemonger.com
contact: info@winemonger.com

Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association

Pinot Paradise
April 10, 2005
1 pm to 5 pm
Testarossa Vineyards in Los Gatos
$30 in advance, $40 at the door

www.scmwa.com
*831)479-WINE (9463)

Regarding the Austrian Winemakers at VinoVenue on Tuesday, March 8th:
The tasting will cost $5.00.

The vintners will be pouring the following wines:
Donabaum Loibner Garden Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2002
Donabaum Spitzer Point Gruner Veltliner Reserve 2001
Gritsch Mauritiushof 1000-Eimerberg Riesling Smaragd 2003
Gritsch Mauritiushof 1000-Eimerberg Neuburger Select 2003
Gritsch Mauritiushof Axpoint Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2003

Hope to see you there!

2002 Burgundy March 5th, 2005 2:30-5:30pm

2002 Simon Bize Savigny-les-Beaune “Aux Vergelesses” bottle $32.99 taste $3.00
2002 Pousse d’Or Volnay “En Caillerets” bottle $59.99 taste $6.00
2002 Lucien le Moine Chambolle Musigny “Les Charmes” bottle $79.99 taste $8.00
2002 Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges “Les Saint Georges” bottle $89.99 taste $9.00
2002 Lucien le Moine Pommard “Les Epenots” bottle $78.99 taste $8.00
2002 Georges Lignier Clos Saint-Denis bottle $59.99 taste $6.00
2002 Louis Remy Clos de la Roche bottle $89.99 taste $9.00
2002 Vincent Mongeard Grands-Echezaux bottle $110.00 taste $11.00
2002 Bruno Clair Chambertin Clos de Beze bottle $149.99 taste $15.00

Taste all nine wines for $75.00

March 10th: Audelssa Wines with Erich Bradley

To call Audelssa an "up-and-comer" doesn't quite convey the proper altitude. This winery's grapes grow strong, with character -- the natural result of a life of struggle at their Sonoma mountain peak home. (Darwin would approve.)

Join us for two innovative Cab and Syrah flights combining released wines, yet-to-be-released wines, and barrel samples. (It's the next best thing to climbing the mountain yourself.)

March 24th: 'Meet the Winemakers' Austrian wine tasting

On March 24th, Lavanda welcomes winemakers Silvia Heinrich-Kanyak and Wolfgang Kanyak of J. Heinrich Wines in Burgenland, Austria. Silvia and Wolfgang are the creators of the Terra O. Cuvee, which was named "The Top Austrian Red Wine" by Wine Spectator (93 points).

The couple, who specialize in blending international grapes with indigenous Austrian varietals, will also present award-winning, single-vineyard wines made from Austria's most important red grape varietals, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt.

Featured Wines
Terra O. 2002, Mittelburgenland
Goldberg Reserve 2003, Mittelburgenland
Blaufränkisch Goldberg 2003, Mittelburgenland
Zweigelt Siglos 2003, Mittelburgenland
Blaufränkisch, Mittelburgenland

March 31st: "Tre Bicchieri" Night of Italian Wines

Call your amici immediately: on the last day of March, Lavanda guests will enjoy a selection of wines that have won the "Tre Bicchieri," or "three glasses" award in Italy.

Join us between 6 and 8 pm for small tastes and the best glasses in Italia.

Ed Kurtzman is going to be at Lavanda tonicht (3/3/05) guzzeling August West.

(My mind went blank for a couple of seconds and all I could think of was that the name of the wine was Adam West... from the Batman Vyd?

Interesting lineup:

Cost: $30

Franciscan Magnificant
Clos du Bois Marlstone
Anderson's Conn Valley Eloge~93pts Parker
St. Clement Orroppas~93pts Parker
BV Tapestry
Miner Oracle~93pts Wine Connoisseur's Guide
Chimney Rock Elevage~91pts Wine Spectator
Dominus~95pts Parker
Joseph Phelps Insignia~95pts Parker
Stonestreet Legacy~93pts Parker
Verite Le Desir~96pts Parker
Cain Five

I will attempt to be there, as I'm curious about some of these. Dominus has been a rock star in some vintages and in others... well... I've also never tasted the Verite. Another chance to taste the insignia is always welcome. My only complaint with the wine club tastings is they are getting kind of pricey.

Update on the Austrian wine tasting tomorrow night (Tuesday, March 8th) at VinoVenue:
Franz-Josef Gritsch and Johann Donabaum have brought with them another wine which they will have on hand at the tasting. It is a joint project between the two winemakers; a Gruner Veltliner called "Kalmuck". The name of the wine comes from the plaid jacket worn in this region (Lower Austria) which was traditionally made from the saddle blankets of a Mongolian tribe. The wine itself is a classic Gruner Veltiner, with all of the pepper, spice & mineral notes you'd expect, and is a joining of the two vintners winemaking philosophies.
As they also described it to me, it's Gruner Veltliner dressed up in a new tailored jacket ("Veltliner im Neuen G'wand")

How did the Audelssa pouring go????
gloria

Friday night at The Wine Club santa clara:
Friday March 18@4-7pm
Cost: $30
2001 Dominique Laurent Clos de la Roche
2001 Hudelot Noellat Richebourg
2001 Hudelot Noellat romanee St. Vivant
2001 Groffier Chambertin Clos de Beze
2002 Trapet Latricieres-Chambertin
2002 Grivot Nuits St. Georges Les Budots
2002 Grivot Vosne Romanee
2002 Courcel Pommard Fremiers
2002 Roumier Morey St. denis Bussiere
2002 Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet Boudroit
2002 Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet Clos St Jean
2002 Tollot Beaut Chorey Beaune
2002 Marquis D'Angerville Volnay Premier Cru

I don't know burgundy... are these good wines? Is this worth attending?

Randy - depending on the format that is a decent line-up for the $$. I would go to that one if it was in my area.

The GrapeVine
1389 Lincoln Avenue (near Minnesota) in the heart of downtown Willow Glen

Futures tasting of some wines that will only be available at The GrapeVine. At this tasting we will be offering you the opportunity to purchas futures of the wines at discounted prices.

This event is extremely limited and will not be publicized on our website.

Thursday, April 28, 7pm

$50 per person

(The tasting fee will be credited toward your purchase of $200 or more)

The evening’s lineup with their special futures bottle price:

Sullivan, 2003, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford
(released Feb 2006): $98.95

Astrale e Terra, 2002, Cabernet Sauvignon, Atlas Peak
(released Feb 2006): $74.95

Robert Keenan, 2003, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain
(released May 2006): $129.95

Reverie on Diamond Mountain, 2004, Petit Verdot, Diamond Mountain
(released June 2006): $59.95

Frazier, 2004, Petit Verdot, Lupine Hill Vineyard
(released Sept 2007 or sooner): $64.95

Silver Oak, 2003, Bordeaux Blend - 61% Petit Verdot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc
(released March 2006): $134.95

RSVP; call the store at 408 293 7574. We will need a credit card to hold your reservation.

Randy, it's worth $30 just for the white Burgundies. Go!

whoah did Keenan recently jack their prices up crazy?

oh ok......thanks for the update.....that makes a little more sense

I think that price tag might have been because it was exclusive for that retailer, being bought at auction (or whatever it was).

Anyways I still have all those Keenan's I bought at Napstravaganza......taking a quick look that appears to be two 99 Cabs and I have a Cab Franc somewhere.......