At least when it comes to the Inspired Wine Club whose selections come from a new project and dear friends of mine who created Napa Valley’s Aviary Vineyards.  They explain the origin of the vineyard’s bird-friendly name like this: “Like an aviary full of exotic birds that capture one beautifully united experience, we imagine our wines to be a collection of vineyards and grapes that combine so that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.”

With the modest goal of creating a perfect glass of wine that shows off its perfection no matter the vintage, the founders work with a collection of nearly a dozen vineyards and then develop wines that literally transport you… As they say, “from the first sip the wine should impress, relax your shoulders, and make you smile. Now you can start to breathe.”

2011 Aviary Cabernet Sauvignon

Augmented with 8% Merlot and 4% Petit Syrah, this Cab is a deep jewel-y garnet offering scents of berry, plum and fresh cigar box with a hint of zippy pepper. On the palate, one meets plum, currant and black tea flavors. Barrel-aged for nine months, this wine epitomizes elegance. Its lower alcohol and softer tannins define and lend structure while also offering an accessible style. A great sipper, but equally fitting with your next grilled rib eye steak!

2012 Aviary Chardonnay

Barrel aged for five months, this wine represents a notable vintage that benefited from a warmer spring that produced not only large quantity but also great quality Chardonnay.  This is a rich, balanced wine that entices with its pungent nose of pear, banana, vanilla and toasted oak. Followed by orchard-fresh flavors of apricot, apple, pear and banana, this wine is not a weighted-down, overly oaky Chardonnay, but rather a bright refreshment perfect as the weather warms. Sparkling acidity complements a well-rounded viscosity, making for a wine that is quite drinkable now but also able to age.  Another great sipper for out on the porch swing, but also pairs well with grilled chicken or a risotto primavera.

Banshee 2011 Pinot Noir, Sonoma County

Described as a Pinot Noir that “speaks to our Burgundian sensibilities,” this vintage of Banshee’s comes from a cooler-than-usual vintage in Sonoma for 2011. A wine that benefits from decanting or aerating, it presents as a lovely ruby elixir with a noticeable cherry influence even on the nose. The palate finds a jammy mix of sweet and tangy cherries mixed with strawberry, rosehips and plum. Silty tannins introduce a depth that enriches the wine throughout an evening of sipping. This is an accessible, yet rich and powerful wine that will only improve with aging. Pair it with some garlicky rosemary chicken fresh off the grill or Portobello mushrooms stuffed Italian herbs ands sausage.

Charles Smith 2011 ‘Vino’ Pinot Grigio, Columbia Valley, Washington

Known for his flamboyant winemaking style, Charles Smith continues his reputation with this bold Pinot Grigio. This is not your typical Washington state white wine. It evokes cut summer grass and brings forth clear flavors of nectarine, honeysuckle, summer melons, and white anise with keen mineral undertones. Its acidity adds enjoyable complexity as well. This is a crisp, refreshing wine whose minerality will help it stand up to the summer heat. The perfect brunch or appetizer wine, it pairs perfectly with a cooling salmon mousse, a zippy shrimp diavolo or a citrusy grilled chicken Caesar salad.

It includes the official start of spring, but the weather rarely feels like spring has sprung despite new birds chirping, the daffodils and crocus dotting our lawns and the calendar saying that winter should be over.  We hunch over on cold, windy, sleety days, wondering when the sun will shine and warm us again.  It’s a tough adjustment as we’re eager to put away the rich wool sweaters and bring on the sandals and short sleeves.

Fortunately, Hinsdale Wine Cellars and its Inspired Wine Club will help ease you into the real essence of spring this month. A meaty Argentine red and an engaging Spanish rosé are just the things to help you say, “Adios” Winter and “Bienvenida” Spring.

Luca 2010 ‘Laborde Double Select’ Syrah, Mendoza

This 100% Syrah is a lavish, dark purple wine that emanates the ripe earthy scent of a spring forest trail thawing from a winter’s freeze. The brainchild of Laura Catena (who Sean met on his wine trip to Argentina in 2009), this wine was the beginning of an artisanal movement in Mendoza. It is a lush, juicy wine made from Rhone-originated, 80+ year-old Syrah vines and is reminiscent of cigars, leather and smoked meat. Look for blackberry jamminess with hints of tea, black pepper and maybe rhubarb with a nice long finish.  This is the perfect wine for your first grilled steak of the season or to ward off the final winter chills alongside a well-seasoned rabbit and chanterelle mushroom stew.

Alpha Zeta 2011 Rosato of Corvina

Rosé is the perfect sipper as the weather warms up, and this 100% Corvina wine has a refreshing fruitiness and acidity typically associated with this varietal. Unpretentious and accessible, it is a wonderfully dry, zesty wine that begins with a nose of ripe red fruits.  It finds balance with a delicate structure and a vibrant finish.  Like its Provencal counterparts, it pairs marvelously with a lamb-infused couscous Royale, but it is equally showcased with seared Yellowfin Tuna or even a handful of ripe olives.

From its start by Italian immigrants growing Cinsault grapes to its present day expertise of nurturing complex flavors from Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and so many other varietals, Washington State has exploded beyond Walla Walla and brought forth some of the United States’ most interesting wines today. Tamarack Cellars is a perfect example of its finest wine pioneering. A family-owned winery based at a renovated firehouse located in a World War II Army Air Base, Tamarack Cellars was even named 2009 Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine.

So, in honor of Washington Wine Month, we inspire our wine club members with two of our favorite Tamarack Cellars wines: a complex red blend that seems to appeal to everyone and a sophisticated chardonnay that says it’s ready to embrace these cooler days leading to Spring.

Tamarack Cellars 2011 ‘Firehouse Red,’ Columbia Valley

Ask wine lovers about Tamarack Cellars and they will undoubtedly mention award-winning Firehouse Red, a blend that maximizes the best features of 8-9 varietals to create a robust, complex, earthy red wine. Built on a base of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the winemakers have added Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Petite Verdot and Carménère to produce a very dark, rich red wine that recalls cherry and forest berry flavors enhanced by vanilla and leathery, spicy notes. This is a well-balanced wine with tamed tannins and a jamminess that is utterly pleasing to the palate. Many would even describe it as juicy. Aged in 40% new oak barrels, the wine also provides a smooth, long finish and a bright, natural acidity. Lovely for sipping in front of the fireplace, but equally marvelous with a steak au poivre and creamy rosemary potato gratin.

Tamarack Cellars 2011 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley

After so many red wines during the winter, this is a perfect white to welcome in Spring. With 100% Chardonnay grapes and primarily aged in used French oak barrels, this wine doesn’t overwhelm with oakiness. Instead, it is light and bright, evoking hints of mojito and exotic kiwi on the nose and bringing forth flavors of peach, passion fruit and tangy Granny Smith apples. It offers a long, smooth finish with a subtle butteriness that balances the tart apple notes. Overall, this is a complex wine with a surprising creamy, yet exotic experience. Another great sipper or one that pairs perfectly with a carefully roasted apricot-ginger glazed game hen.

2009 Lamadrid Cabernet Sauvignon, Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina

Much like the sun-aged leather of a gaucho’s saddle, this wine is dark and rich with layers of aroma and flavor that build its depth and complexity. Like all Lamadrid wines, it comes from grapes that are sustainably farmed and hand harvested from 37-year old vines. According to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, which awarded the wine 90 points, the aromas evoke “Asian spices, incense, cassis, tobacco and violets.” Its smokiness lends to that spicy feel, making this robust wine also a luscious, smooth one with balanced tannins and a velvety finish. It is utterly quaffable on its own or marries perfectly with a Valentine’s Day pepper-crusted filet mignon.

2009 Lamadrid Bonarda, Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina

To describe this Bonarda as merely “fruit forward” and “jammy” short-sells the depth that make this accessible wine such a satisfying one. Also awarded 90 points by Wine Advocate, it was described having a “nose of underbrush, mineral, plum, mulberry, and violets.” Allow this wine to breathe and one fully exposes its layers of flavor. It is an elegant, yet robust wine with a long finishNot unlike its rustic origins, it carries hints of earthiness, but with delicate acidity and tannins. It is as sophisticated a partner to a platter of soft cheeses as it is to a rosemary-infused veal roast.

2010 Sivas-Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma, California

With 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot, this gorgeous tapestry of flavors evokes blackberries and red currants and is both rich and fruit-forward in its aroma and on the palate. Tempered, smooth tannins bring out tinges of cocoa, while the wine’s French and American oak barrel aging lends hints of vanilla and cardamom. Its earthiness, soft finish and depth make it a perfect match for your roast oxtails and truffled mashed potatoes. It is equally elegant with a plate of aged cheeses and fresh figs. To enjoy it fullest, decant for at least an hour before drinking…if you can wait.

2011 S.O.A. Single Vineyard Red, Southern Monterey, California

Originally known as Wild Horse Vineyard, S.O.A. (which stands for State of the Art) enjoys a “rock star pedigree” because of its predecessor’s reputation for inventing the California Rhone blend category. With a mantra that the vintners there produce wines that will “make you smile,” this 67% Syrah and 33% Grenache indicates just how well they understand wine chemistry. Deep garnet with dark purple highlights, this blend conveys black cherry and other dark fruits with an oaky vanilla and sweet bread scent that conjures up images of freshly baked layer cake cooling on a kitchen counter. Its seductive, lush dark berry flavors hold a bit of oakiness from its barrel aging that lingers and is part of a smooth finish that balances acidity and tannins with just the merest trace of white pepper. It is a beautifully big, complex wine that is perfect for sipping, coupled with a Stilton-crusted New York strip steak or a roast venison served with chanterelle-filled ravioli.

As we adorn our homes with baubles and bright lights, it seems only fitting that we have wines this season that can match that pageantry. With a Spanish wine derived from a bright green-skinned grape, such that its image on the bottle reminds one of a Christmas ornament, and a French red that practically sings out, “Home for the Holidays,” how can one go wrong with this month’s Hinsdale Inspired Wine Club selections? No need to cry or pout; rosy and verdant wines have come to town just in the nick of time to start your holiday season with flair.

2011 Zazou Corbieres, Languedoc, France

Named for the Zazou subculture in France after World War II, this wine has incredible personality. Much like the nonconformist Zazous who dressed provocatively, prided themselves on their originality and who listened to that “new fangled” American jazz music, this Corbieres is an exuberant blend of 40% Syrah, 25% Carignan, 25% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. Zazou, a wonderful example of red Rhone blends, is ripe and dark-plum fruity. With opulence that is perfect for the holiday season, it is generous and soft with well-integrated tannins finishing on a spicy note. Despite its young age, it pairs as perfectly for the tree-trimming party pizza as it does with a Christmas Day standing rib roast.

2011 Namorio Albariño, Galicia (Rias Baixas), Spain

This green-skinned grape, which is so popular in Portugal’s Vinho Verde region, makes for a fresh, elegant wine, much like the mistletoe donning so many doorways this month.  Bright yellow with green hues, this wine emits an irresistible perfumey aroma of white flowers and pruned fruits. Albariño is typically more acidic, and the Namorio provides a well-balanced example that tickles with its subtle sparkle and delights with its fleshy peach, apricot and citrus flavors. Rated 90 points by International Wine Cellar, it finishes dry and bright, making it a gorgeous addition to a Christmas Eve bouillabaisse or gravlax supper.

As always, Hinsdale Cellars wishes you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Thanks for your patronage!

Coming from Spain, the New World Spaniards were accustomed to robust red wines that could match their flavorful cuisine of Serrano ham, piquant sheep cheeses and other garlicky sausages and meats. Could the New World reds possibly compare?  Alas, Argentina and Chile found a way to turn their own winemaking efforts into the perfect accompaniment to a gaucho’s grilled meats on the asador.

This month, Hinsdale Cellars Inspired Wine Club brings you a taste of old and new with bold reds from Spain and Argentina, so you too have a chance to conquer both wine regions and compare and contrast these intoxicating delights that are certain to please.

2011 Cartuja Priorat, Catalonia

No typical Tempranillo in this unusual and lush wine from the Priorat region! A blend of 50% Garnacha, 30% Mazuelo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah, this inky red wine is farmed organically and then aged eight months in French oak barrels. The result is a complex wine that is fruity while also possessing strong mineral notes that convey the volcanic slate and sand where its grapes grow outside of Barcelona. Its smoky nose leads you into a wine of many layers: raspberry and cherry, autumnal spice and a unique minerality. Sure, it’s perfect with tapas, but it’s equally great with brisket or even your Thanksgiving roast turkey.

2011 Allamand Malbec, Mendoza Argentina

If you want to taste Argentina, that means Malbec. It is the life and blood grape of Argentina. And this 100% Malbec comes from 15-20 year old vines in the Uco Valley region, where some of the most refined and elegant Malbecs grow. Deep purple in color, its nose of violets matches perfectly. The poor sandy and stony soils push the grapes to produce incredible flavors of smoky blueberry and plum with a natural acidity that makes this organic wine utterly drinkable. Hints of vanilla and cappuccino add depth to this organic wine that make it as perfect a complement to your festive prime rib as it is to a plate of gooey cheeses from France.

These days, as much as beer and wine come from around the world and around the block, so too are spirits.  Craft, small-batch spirits are rising to meet our developing tastebuds in much the same way that craft brewers have blossomed, and one can find family wineries in places like Texas and New Jersey.

So, who better to educate us about those small-batch spirits than Christophe Bakunas, spirits portfolio manager at Cream Wine, one of Hinsdale Cellars’ favorite importers and distributors of fine wine, craft spirits and Ginjo Sake?

“The martini revolution is over,” Bakunas said during a quick phone interview recently. “Sure vodka is still extremely popular, but the cocktail scene over the past five to eight years has changed where bartenders and mixologists are looking for fresh ideas.”

Bakunas will be at Hinsdale Cellars on Thursday, Oct. 25, 6-8 p.m. for Cocktail Night, teaching folks four signature cocktails that are made even better by using craft, small-batch spirits.

The difference between craft spirits versus those that are more industrial is huge,” he said, using as an example of the fjord-like difference Grandmas’ homemade cupcakes versus Little Debbie’s. “Your grandma makes her cupcakes in small quantities with time and attention that make them righteously good – much like the craft distillers. Conversely, larger distilleries must resort to refining processes that diminish their potential for flavor to keep their products consistent and fresh.”

According to Bakunas, after prohibition the laws were written for large-scale beer and spirits production that not only homogenized brands and flavors but also destroyed, in essence, three generations of distillers and two generations of craft brewers. “We went through a period in American beer, wine and spirits history from 1920 until 1979 when home and small beer production was essentially prohibited, losing multi-generational knowledge and lore of brewing. And from 1920 till 2000 craft distilling was nonexistent.” Bakunas said. Fortunately the last decade has seen an increase in federal permits to distill from 24 in 2000 to more than 240 small distiller permits as of today.

But today, these industries sit on a new frontier where consumers not only appreciate creative expression, they actually will buy enough to make artisan liquor production sustainable. “The American palate is changing, and just like with micro brews or visiting the local winery or buying local produce at the farmer’s market, craft distillers tie one human to another. It’s business, but the personal connection adds to what makes it special, too,” Bakunas said. “The coolest thing is that it resonates.”

And when it comes to making the perfect cocktail, his philosophy is quite simple: quality ingredients and balance.

“Coming from the wine side of things, we are always talking about balance,” Bakunas said. “For cocktails, there are three essential elements: the sugar, the alcohol and the acidity. So, as I look at cocktail recipes, it’s a matter of not overwhelming the drink with alcohol and balancing the sweet and sour, so to speak. Finding a harmony amongst these three elements leads to perfection.”

Bakunas will introduce some artisanal gin, bourbon, tequila and rum, while also teaching some tricks of the trade in making the perfectly balanced libation for your next gathering.  Space is extremely limited for this tasting, so RSVP ASAP to attend by e-mailing sean@hinsdalecellars.com or calling 630-654-9862.

So, dear Inspired Wine Club members, here are two sultry red wines that pair perfectly with the idyllic October days we are enjoying.  A Paso Robles blend provides its own New World take on Bordeaux, and a free-trade South African Cab knows how to transport you to an aromatic woodsy trail on a Sunday afternoon, crunchy with newly fallen leaves and the distant smoky scent from someone’s backyard chiminea.

2009 Tower 15 ‘The Swell,’ Paso Robles, California

One of the greatest successes from Paso Robles is transforming Bordeaux grapes into their own New World sensation. From Tower 15 Winery, this blend of 74 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 26 percent Petit Verdot is a perfect example. A sassy, spicy ruby-colored wine, its 23 months of barrel aging in some new French oak bring out the earthiness we have come to associate with lush Cabernets. Look for plum, black cherry, currant and tobacco. The Petit Verdot comes into play on the palate with coffee and cocoa flavors.  This is a full-bodied, juicy, rich wine with smooth tannins and a medium finish. Ladies Home Journal actually declared this vintage as the “go-to” wine pick for steaks and hamburgers in a summer entertaining guide. However, at this time of year, it makes a perfect accompaniment to garlicky Provencal beef stew or some venison steaks served with oven-roasted root vegetables.

2010 Six Hats Cabernet Sauvignon, South Africa

For a wine that not only tastes good but also helps improve wages and the working conditions of farmers and workers in a developing country, here is this voluptuous Cab.  A Fair Trade wine that comes from the Citrusdale cooperative, sales go back into the community to directly help farm workers. Of course, this medium-dark Cab is as easy on the palate as it is on the conscience!  Grapes are handpicked and machine harvested and then gently cold soaked for 24 hours to create a wine that doesn’t overwhelm the palate as much as it excites it with earthy fruits of the forest, cedar and cassis flavors.  The low-yield vineyards produce strikingly dry tannins, despite their young age and make this a very quaffable, more medium-bodied wine that is an excellent match for a slow-cooked pork roast or cassoulet with savory sausages and duck confit.