Hinsdale Cellars Wine Club Letter March 2009

Spring is in the air!

Spring is a time of change – to say goodbye to all of the snow and cold weather and welcome in sunshine and flowers. A time when everything is constantly altering; trees come to bloom, the grass becomes green again, and those rabbits pop up on your front lawn again. Sometimes it seems all of these changes occur at a snail’s pace, but we at Hinsdale Wine Shop hope you take the time to enjoy these transformations. We have two offerings for you this month. The first, Three Saints Cabernet, will help you at the beginning of the month when it is still cold and snowing. The second selection for the month is the fresh, crisp Cote Est, a white wine to welcome spring.

2007 Domaine Lafage Cote Est, Catalan
90 Points Robert Parker

Cote Est is a the work of two magnificent wine makers, Eric Soloman and Jean-Marc Lafage. Combining Solomon’s expertise of Spanish grape varietals and Jean-Marc’s passion for French wine making is what makes this wine so special. The composition is 60% Grenache Blanc and Gris, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Marsanne. It has a fragrant nose of toasted grains, almond extract, pineapple, and citrus. This light-bodied white has a smooth, honey-like consistency, prominent floral flavor, and smoky finish. It would pair exquisitely with seafood – shrimp, scallops, and any white fish, such as halibut or snapper. This wine is ready to be savored within the next several years.

2005 Three Saints Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley

Three Saints Cabernet comes from Star Lane Vineyard, located on the eastern end of the Santa Ynez Valley. Winemaking at Star Lane always follows the Bordeaux style, with long maturation processes and warm fermentation methods. This particular Cabernet is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec. This delectable fruit bomb has flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, and plum. You can detect a dark fruit aroma, with hints of mocha and sage. This red is rich, with a medium body and profound structure. It would be delicious with most beef, duck, or heavy pork dishes. It would also pair well with more stronger pasta dishes. This wine is drinking great now and will reach it’s peak with 4-5 years of aging.

Interested in joining the wine inspired? Click here to read about our 6 month and 12 month memberships.