Hi Everyone,

The weeds in my garden are certainly happy with all this rain! But come rain or shine, please join us this Thursday for our weekly wine tasting. This week we will have 2 wines from Justin Vineyards and Winery.

2006 Justin Sauvignon Blanc - Paso Robles, CA - The aroma combines tropical characters including grapefruit, lemon rind, pineapple and orange zest. A soft layered entry, with tropical and herbal characters, balances with fresh acidity and a slightly creamy mouth feel. The finish is crisp, clean and perfect for warm days. ($17.99) 

2006 Justin the Orphan - Paso Robles, CA - Ripe aromas of black cherry, plum and fig fill the nose and combine with spice, leather, and a touch of cedar resulting from the new French and American oak. The palate begins soft, yet driven by bright red fruit and a hint of minerality. Layers of earth and a light touch of tannin structure showcase the balanced blend of Rhone and Bordeaux varieties. ($18.99) 

Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful summertime weather. And speaking of summer - we thought we’d prepare a great summertime drink for our wine tasting on Thursday - Sangria. We’ll have a white Sangria and a red Tempranillo.

White Sangria - Lots of fruit, some fresh mint and a dry white wine. A great summertime refreshment.

2005 Protos - Ribera Duero - Tempranillo - Spain - A clean fruity nose of cherry and plum, with a touch of raspberry. Really nice fruit: plums, dark cherry and black current with earthy notes in the mouth. Very clean and driven by some quality acid that leaves your mouth fresh and ready for more. ($17.99) 

NEW WINE 

David Bruce - Pinot Noir Reserve - Russia River Valley, CA - We’ve always carried David Bruce Petit Syrah (an elegant tasting Petit Syrah) and thought it was time to carry the Pinot Noir. This is another beautiful, elegant wine with rich cherries, cranberries, rose petals, cinnamon and vanilla on the nose. The palate is rich with red cherry, plum, vanilla and toasted pecan. It has a fine tannin structure and a long finish. ($44.99)

RETURNING WINES 

McManis Pinot Noir - Ripon - CA - It’s finally back. This Pinot Noir is medium ruby in color. A layer of hazelnut, which is contributed from oak, accompanies aromas of ripe cherries and plums. Rich fruit flavors with hints of milk chocolate linger in the elegant finish. ($13.99)  

Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula

Hi Everyone,

I hope you had a great long holiday weekend. It’s that time of the week again for the latest update to our wine tasting announcement. This Thursday we’re fortunate to have Dan Brennan from Wineberries here to taste us on some of his very delicious wines. We’ll be all over the map for this wine tasting: Napa, Portugal and New Zealand.

2006 Beaucanon Estate - Chardonnay - Napa - Pale gold in color with an intense aroma of sweet vanilla and tropical aromas of ripe pineapple, tangerine and coconut. The palate is full-bodied and rich but the lemon acidity keeps things lively. Flavors of citrus and subtle oak dominate. With time in the bottle or the decanter, the depth and layers of flavors will shine through. A joy to drink on its own, this wine will also pair beautifull with shellfish, like scallops, fresh crab in lemon butter or Lobster Thermidor. For Contrast pairings, try it with mild Thai dishes, jerk chicken and roast pork. ($19.99)

New to the Shop - 2007 Quinta da Alorna Rose - Touriga Nacional - Portugal - Aromas of red berries with slight scent of fragrant flowers. Fresh in the mouth with full fruit and a good structure. A vibrant, elegant Rose. One of Dan’s favorite Rose’s!! ($13.99) 

2006 Kiwi Red - Pinot Noir - New Zealand - 100% hand-harvested Pinot Noir featuring a charming, fruit-forward personality. Bursting with cherries and plums, this round and lush red will be welcome at any gathering. Great Value Wine. ($13.99)

RETURNING WINES 

Henry Varney Brut Blanc de Blanc - Sparkling Wine - Loire Valley, France - A pale yellow color and steady stream of fine bubbles. The nose has aromas of crisp green apple and melon. On the palate you will find flavors of citrus and apple. The crisp acidity and sparkle create a light weight wine that goes well with seafood, creamy cheeses and pastries. ($15.99)  

2006 R Stuart Big Fire - Pinot Noir - Oregon -  This wine is like a ripe plum - juicy, fruity, and very very drinkable. ($22.99)   

Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula  

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all made it through the recent rain storms and are looking forward to a great, long holiday weekend! We will be closed on Friday the 4th but look forward to seeing you any other day of the week. We’ll celebrate Independence Day with 2 local wines and a California Zinfandel - did you know the the Zinfandel grape is the most planted variety in California, and is the most consumed wine in the United States.

Here’s what we’ll be tasting:

Jewell Towne Vineyards - Aurore - Medium-bodied dry white similar to a Pinot Grigio. Hints of citrus and tropical fruits. ($12.99)

Jewell Towne Vineyards - Landot Noir - A spicy, but mellow, red wine with cranberry, black raspberry and licorice aromas. ($16.99)

NEW WINE and WINE OF THE MONTH  

Quivira Zinfandel - Dry Creek Valley- Dark cherry and bramble fruit lead to a medium-full mouth feel and fresh flavors of blackberries with a hint of bakers chocolate. Quivira Vineyards is a small, family owned winery located in the heart of Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. Committed to expressing the unique terroir of Dry Creek Valley, and through biodynamic processes, they craft wines from grapes grown on the estate’s vineyards. ($21.99 WoM $19.80)  

Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00. So join us and stock up for your Independence Day celebrations.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula 

Hi Everyone,

I forgot to mention this new wine in my last email - but probably fitting since this wine is in a class of it’s own. It is the 2003 Grigch Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. And I was lucky enough to get the last 2003 case in stock in New Hampshire Law Warehouse. The 2004 is also a great wine but the 2003 is magnificent. There is a little history behind Grgich Hills wine’s - Miljenko “Mike” Grgich first gained international recognition at the celebrated “Paris Tasting” of 1976. Then, in a now-historic blind tasting, a panel of eminent French judges swirled, sniffed, and sipped an array of the fabled white Burgundies of France and a small sampling of upstart Chardonnays from the Napa Valley. When their scores were tallied, the French judges were shocked: they had chosen Mike’s 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay as the finest white wine in the world”. For more information about Grgich Hills wines visit them at www.grgich.com

Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon - 2003 - Wine & Spirits 94 pts - “Surprisingly elegant for a 2003, this melds bright raspberry flavor with darker tones of savory black olives and freshly turned earth. The fruit character is beautifully floral, clean and fresh, a crush of berry flavor held in tense suspension with the tannin, so finely integrated that it’s the fresh impression that lasts. Lovely to drink now with a roast leg of lamb, this will only get better with age.” ($74.99)

Thanks and hope to see you soon,

 Until then, Cheers!

Paula 

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a great weekend. June is winding down so it’s a perfect time to ring in July with a wine tasting featuring some delicious sparkling wines. Sparkling wines are perfect for any occasion; pool parties, cocktail parties, before, during or after dinner or just to sip and relax. We also have a lot of new wines this week, so be sure to drop in and check them out.

The first two sparkling wines are new to the shop this week:

Riva Di Rocco - Prosecco - Italy - Creamy peach fruit creates a luscious texture. Uncomplicated and thoroughly enjoyable. ($16.99)

Vin Du Bugey-Cerdon - Sparkling Red - France -  Blend of 80% Gamay and 20% Poulsard, deep rose in color with a taste of wild strawberries. Ever so slightly sweet, it makes a great aperitif or party wine.  ($21.99)

Reginato ‘Celestina’ Brut Rose - Argentina - 100% Malbec. Hand-harvested. It is a deeply hued rose that speaks of the rich Malbec grape, but never loses its light, refreshing nature. It will give you a good reason to drink sparkling wine with your main course. ($18.99)  

OTHER NEW WINES 

Gruet Chardonnay - New Mexico - Light golden straw in color. Light oak, so the fruit shines through, weaving together pear, vanilla, citrus and apple flavors with a nice delicate oak finish. ($16.99)

Foppiano Lot #96 - Sonoma California - Blend of Sangiovese, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Carignane, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc this is very nice blend. A food friendly wine to be enjoyed with grilled meats, sausages, BBQ and tomato/garlic pasta dishes. ($11.99)

Jalapeno Pepper Wine - LaBelle Winery - New Hampshire - This wine is excellent in salsas, marinades, dips, guacamole, fajitas and especially good in a Bloody Mary. 

Blueberry Wine - LaBelle Winery - New Hampshire - Medium-bodied wine with rich soft notes of vanilla and fresh fruit. Made with 100% New Hampshire wild blueberries.

Bertani Due Uve White - Veneto Italy - Pinot Grigio/Sauvignon Blanc Blend - Pale straw color, full-bodied and well balanced. Nuances of elderflower combined with hints of peach and apricot. ($12.99)  

Villa Donna Barbera - Italy - 100% Barbera - This wine is ruby red in color, dry and medium to full-bodied, cherry, raspberry and blueberry notes. This great food wine pairs will with pork and veal. ($11.99) 

Tramonti Chianti Classico - Italy - 87 pts. Wine Spectator - Aromas of raisins and spices follow through to a full-bodied palate with soft tannins and a medium finish. ($21.99)  

Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula  

Sorry if you missed last night’s wine tasting. Amy LaBelle was as informative as she was charming. She gave us some great idea’s for summer wine drinks using her delicious (and award winning) wines. I am happy to pass these along to all of you. And check out her website www.labellewinerynh.com for great recipe ideas.

Seyval Blanc Wine - Straight up - pairs great with chicken caesar salad, shrimp scampi, scallops - nice blend of citrus flavors, sweetness and acidity.

Cranberry Wine -  Not sweet, but crisp and delicious. Instead of your usual Cosmopolitan, us the Cranberry Wine to replace the vodka and cranberry juice. Mix with triple sec, sugar and lime. Very light and refreshing. This recipe should be on Amy’s website soon.

Red Raspberry Wine - (this wine won Amy a double gold medal) - It is a sweet dessert wine that has a wonderful Raspberry aroma and flavor. We were tasting it yesterday with dark chocolate!! Mix it with club soda and fresh orange wedges - a great summer drink. I mixed this wine with Mike’s Light Cranberry Lemonade - really, really good!

Jalapeno Wine - I will be getting this wine in next week - It makes a great Bloody Mary! Great for cooking too.

Have a great weekend - look forward to seeing you next soon.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula

Hi Everyone,

I hope your weekend was enjoyable and all you dad’s had a great day! We are looking forward to a fun wine tasting on Thursday. We are fortunate to have Amy LaBelle - owner and winemaker from LaBelle Winery - visit us and pour 3 or her delicious wines. Did you know that LaBelle Winery has just recently won 5 medals in the Eastern States Exposition 2008 Wine Competition? Best NH Wine, Best Small Winery in New England and NH and a Double Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal. Congratulations!! Going with the New Hampshire theme we will also have some cheeses from The Sandwich Creamery, some wonderful breads from The Good Loaf and a dipping oil from The Crooked Birch for you to taste. It will be a great New Hampshire night at Bella Vino.

On another note - some of you may have heard the news that The Tupelo Music Hall plans on moving to a new location in Derry end of summer 2009. What does that mean for Bella Vino - hopefully nothing. We love it here! We love our customers, our community, our location. Just be sure to visit us often and tell all your friends about us!!

The wines we will be tasting from LaBelle Winery:

Seyval Blanc - Delicate and beautiful with floral and fruity notes. Perfect wine to drink on a warm summer night. ($11.99)

Cranberry Wine -  Refreshing balance of light sweetness and tart cranberry. ($11.99)

Red Raspberry Wine - Medium-bodied with aromas of fresh raspberries. Tastes as good as it smells! Excellent with chocolate, fresh fruit and cheese. ($12.99) 

RETURNING WINES 

H Coturri - Merlot - California - Organic Wine - No added chemiclas or preservatives and no added sulfites - This Merlot is a dry wine with a dry cherry nose, broad mouth feel and a fine tannin finish. This wine is almost Cabernet Sauvignon like in structure and tannins but is very accessible and softer than most Cab’s. It is the little younger brother of the mighty Cab. This wine very much shows the beauty and power of Merlot and why Merlot traditionally is a fine and much sought after wine, when correctly grown and vinified. ($26.99) 

NEW WINES 

2 Peter Paul Wines - I am not sure how many of you have heard of Peter Paul. He is a New Hampshire native and a UNH Graduate. Just last week he donated 25 million dollars to UNH. This isn’t his first generous contribution to UNH. Peter Paul, his associates and his foundations are involved in many philanthropic endeavors. To read more about Peter, his wines and about his charitable foundations, please visit www.peterpaulwines.com. Or do as I do - drink his wonderful wines. We have always carried Peter Paul Cabernet Sauvignon and his Grove Street Wines.

Peter Paul Merlot - 2002 - Napa Valley - Prominent aromas of fruit, spice, cloves and sage, with intensely jammy blueberry, boysenberry and cassis flavors, with a touch of spice and pepper. ($21.99)

Peter Paul Zinfandel - 2005 - Dry Creek Valley - An elegantly styled wine that shows structure and finesse. Supple tannins support a core of black cherry and cassis, followed by hints of clove, black pepper and anise. Toasty vanilla notes with a good long finish. ($23.99) 

Reginato ‘Celestina’ Brut Rose - 2006- Argentina - 100% Malbec. Hand-harvested. It is a deeply hued rose that speaks of the rich Malbec grape, but never loses its light, refreshing nature. It will give you a good reason to drink sparkling wine with your main course. ($18.99)  

Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula  

The winner of the Father’s Day raffle give-a-way is Melanie Caredon.

And the winner of the Blind Wine tasting - Argentina. Although it was close. Argentina garnered 131 points and Zorvino Vineyard Malbec received 109 points. 

Have a great weekend - look forward to seeing you next week.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a great weekend. This weekend will most likely be busy for most of us - between Father’s Day and Graduation events and everything else that normally takes place!! Speaking of Father’s Day - our Father’s Day wine tasting last Saturday was lots of fun. Thanks to Chuck for pouring some delicious wines and Gary for his fantastic gourmet grilled pizza. Don’t forget to stop in this week for your chance to win a special Father’s Day gift or for some great gift idea’s for all the dads on your list.

We will be having a different kind of wine tasting on Thursday. Our first wine will be our Wine of the Month - San Rocco Pinot Grigio - Italy. We will have 2 additional wines to taste, both Malbec’s - one from Argentina and one from a local New Hampshire Vineyard. To ensure impartial judgement of the wine’s, they will be served and tasted blind. Here is a brief description of the Malbec grape and how a typical Malbec might taste:

Malbec is one of the five grape varieties mainly used for making red wines in the Bordeaux region of France. In Bordeaux, Malbec is used like a chef would use a spice. Malbec is blended with other wines but it makes up a very small percentage of the blend. On the other hand, Malbec has found a new home and a new following in the wines of Argentina. Some of the best Malbec’s will have an intense red-violet color. The palate is described as dry, mouthfilling and sumptuous with some blueberry and mineral notes. 

Come taste and see if you can tell which wine is from Argentina and which one is made in New Hampshire! 

Our wine tasting on Thursday is from 4:30 to 7:00.

Until then - Cheers!

Paula