Be Inspired!

September 8, 2009 by Sean
Filed under Inspired Posts, News Release, Sean Chaudhry, Vintelligence Archive

We’ve all been there. It’s your 10th anniversary, Father’s Day, or a dinner with friends that reminds you the perfect wine would make the occasion so much better. You arrive at the wine store, overwhelmed by the vast selection, some unfamiliar varietals, and creative wine labels that all seem to speak to you. The result: you leave with the same wine you always buy. Or, if you are feeling a little more adventurous, you buy the wine store clerk’s favorite after a sip or two from a plastic cup.

Now is the time to find some inspiration — thus Hinsdale Cellars’ Inspired Wine Club. Each month after tasting bottles upon bottles, our team selects a pair of fine wines that are “off the beaten path,” delicious and undoubtedly special. And these aren’t just wines tasted in the comfort of our store here. From trips to Argentina and other places abroad, we return with great wines and information that we freely share. Our goal is to make your own wine exploration easier as we introduce exciting, new wines that expand your repertoire and are ready when the occasion calls.

Afterall, isn’t that what the love of wine is all about? Discovery – experiencing new terroirs, new grapes, new regions, and new countries. It’s learning how, for example, a pinot noir from California can differ from one in France or Germany. It’s taking that first sniff of a rich Malbec/Cabernet blend and instantly transporting to Mendoza Valley. It’s the cold, crisp Provencal Rosé that provides the relaxation to an August picnic when the humidity is trying to chase you back indoors.

Apparently, this area has many impassioned wine explorers like us. Our wine club is the largest in the Chicago area, boasting more than 400 members. That translates into even more buying power for us to find better wines and get better values. Consistently, we can provide wines at a significant savings because we buy 100 cases at a time. For $34.95/month (no long-term contract required), members receive:

* Two fine wines each month, valued on average at $50 and selected through a rigorous tasting process

* Informative literature on Wine Club wines, including tasting notes and reviews

* Special discounts on the month’s wine, if you decide to buy more, and

* Special alerts on wine specials and store events.

* 6- and 12-month memberships are available, as well, at $209.70 and $419.40, respectively.

Wine is everywhere these days – even your local gas station – but it’s the local wine store, like Hinsdale Cellars with its Inspired Wine Club, which offers expertise and is most likely to introduce you to your next favorite wine.

For more information, come visit the store at 12 E. Hinsdale Ave., our Web site at http://www.hinsdalecellars.com or call us at 630.654.9862.

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The Inspired Wine Club, August 2009: Hot Italian Nights

August 6, 2009 by Ivy Kupec
Filed under Inspired Posts, Monthly newsletter, News Release

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“Peccato gravissimo ē quello di stare senza vino e senza amante.”

Translation: “It is a grave mistake to live without wine and a lover.”

~ Giuseppe Lonardi, winemaker

It’s that sultry part of summer. August is here and what better way to celebrate than with a couple of reds from steamy, passionate Italy. Yes, it’s time to pull out the Dean Martin or Louis Prima music to accompany your red-checkered tablecloth on your own private terrazzo. The summer breezes will win out over the humidity as the sun sets and you can enjoy some of Italy’s fine wines with penne Puttanesca, veal Parmigiana or the old standby spaghetti Bolognese (with meat sauce). However, these are versatile reds that are suitable for your quasi- Tuscan grill, too. These are your spicy Italian reds, ready to embolden and enliven you or just soothe your soul as you watch fireflies from your favorite deck chair.

Giuseppe Lonardi Valpolicella Ripasso,

Veneto, Italy

After 12 months of aging in small oak barrels that provide more surface area to the wine inside, this mix of 75 percent Corvina Veronese, 20 percent Rondinella and 5 percent Molinara, has another six months of bottle aging. A very “Corvina” wine, it has dark, lush cranberry and smoky chocolate flavors. It’s a deep ruby wine that is bold and can stand its own with red meats, grilled meats, game, and your spiciest pasta dishes. It’s a traditional “ripasso,” which means it has to conform to that process – fermenting with the unpressed, but drained Amarone skins and lees. Amarone is a very dry red wine that when used in this way produces beautiful Corvinas that are generally best suited to enjoy with food.

Perazzeta Sara Rosso Toscano,

Tuscany, Italy

Bring the Tuscan sunset to your own backyard with this Sangiovese wine. Named after his daughter Sara, Alessandro Bocci has produced a wonderfully bold Chianti-esque wine that clearly gets its intensity from the Tuscan sun and the large river rocks that are found on his Estate there that hold in that heat at night. Fermented first in steel tanks, followed by the smoothing malolactic fermentation in small wooden barrels, Bocci has produced a wine with bright cherry flavors and spicy notes and earth tones. Again, this is a crisply acidic wine that goes well with your meats and Mama’s favorite red sauce.

Tags: Italy, Wine Club