Wine Tasting at Dollar House
Please join the Rossmoor Wine and Food Society on Thursday, March 20, 2014 from 4:00-5:30pm at the Dollar House, for a wine tasting tour of the Southern Hemisphere. We will experience an interesting and delightful selection of wines from New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Chile paired appropriately with a selection of appetizers. Wine Thieves of Lafayette will provide the wines and a speaker, who will share some of his extensive wine knowledge with us to add to our enjoyment.
We will sample a 2013 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin from Marlborough, New Zealand. The grapes for this wine were harvested at varying levels of ripeness which provide an array of flavors in the wine, ripe gooseberry, passion fruit, fresh lime and exotic herbs. The wine is juicy and full with a refreshing clean acidity. Then off to a South African with a 2013 M.A.N. Chenin Blanc Agter Paarl. The Chenin Blanc grape thrives in a Mediterranean climate with deep soils and bush vine vineyards. The free fun juice preserves its clean and natural character, refreshing acidity and delicious ripe fruit flavors. Free run juice is juice produced that flows freely from the skin of grapes before they are pressed. The natural weight of the grapes, when stacked on each other, tends to result in the release of some juice. Because it is not pressed with a presser, the juice contains much fewer tannins, and is thus less bitter. It’s sometimes called "the noble juice".
Then to South America for three red wines from Chile and Argentina. We will sample the 2011 Casas Patronales Privada Carmenere from Maule, Chile. Carmenere is to Chile what Cabernet is to Napa Valley. Intense purple-red color and aromas of black plums, tobacco and spicy aromas highlight this wine combined with smoky notes. The wine has dominant flavors of ripe black cherries and black pepper as well as hints of toasted oak and sweet silky tannins. Our next wine will be a 2012 Cavas de Crianza Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. This modern style Malbec is full-bodied and rich with lush, ripe black fruit flavors and sweet tannins on a smooth finish. Our final wine, also from Argentina, is a 2012 Colonia Las Liebras Bonarda Mendoza. Expressive red and black fruits on the nose provide a strong first impression of the unique Bonarda grape (also known as Charbono). This unoaked wine is fresh and lively on the palate with a silky, smooth mouth feel.
Cost for this spring wine tasting is $20 per member or $25 per guest. Our events fill quickly and the wine tastings are no exception. Please note that all reservations must be in no later than March 10, 2014. No refunds after March 10, 2014 when the number of attendees is confirmed with Wine Thieves.
Invitations are available at Gateway. Please mail your reservation form with your check to the Rossmoor Wine and Food Society, Attn: Reservations, 1001 Golden Rain Rd. Walnut Creek, CA 94595 or place it in our RW&FS mailbox at Gateway. Sorry, no refunds after March 10, 2014.
Call Sue DeCarlo 210-1039 with reservation inquiries
RW&FS Questions call: Louise Ng 997-3335