Thursday, November 6, 2014

Thanksgiving Pairings

Turkey - Full-bodied with butter & vanilla flavors
Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, such as:
Fog Crest Chardonnay
Anakena Chardonnay
Schild Chardonnay
Joelle Pinot Noir
Red Hawk Pinot Noir
Ten Sisters Pinot Noir

Ham - Red berry, cinnamon & cola flavors
Any Pino Noir or Moscato
Any Rose, if serving a spicy ham

Pork Loin - Lush plum, black cherry & caramel flavors (merlot); Jammy red with black pepper & red berry flavors (rioja)
Merlot or Rioja, such as:
Robinson Family Stags Leap Merlot
Ramon Bilboa Crianza (Rioja)

Pastries - Toffee, smoky spice & hazelnut flavors
Port, such as:
Offley 10 or 20-Year Tawny Port

~ John Thomas Hoty, V&O wine buyer

Monday, November 3, 2014

Autumn at Vine & Olive

As the Fall weather continues with its slow and steady intrusion, it’s always comforting to know that we can slip into Vine & Olive for a toasty bottle of red wine to warm us up.  This season we have some lovely red varietals to pair with your cozy fireside evenings, as well as some tasty alternatives to all those trendy pumpkin spice lattes and ciders that tend to saturate the Autumn markets.  Below are some featured Fall selections at Vine & Olive that are sure to warm your palate this season…

Lola Kay Proprietary Red  – this delicious blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot is a favorite here amongst the Vine & Olive family.  Bursting with a nose of dark cherry and vanilla mocha, this wine explodes across the palate with rich flavors of cassis, sweet mint, and cocoa.  A perfect pairing with those cool Autumn nights spent indoors with great company.

Redhawk Pinot Noir – some of the finest Pinot Noir in the world is crafted in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the Redhawk winery produces one of its finest examples.  With tempting raspberry and spice aromatics, this lush Pinot finishes with lingering notes of earthy spice and toast.  Perfect for an evening on the porch.

Rubissow Merlot – this tremendous wine is the best go-to varietal to warm your soul during these chilly Autumn evenings.  Enticing aromas of black cherries and vanilla bean set the stage for delicious plum, mint, and toasty oak flavors that will haunt your palate long after the last drop is gone.  The perfect Merlot for Fall.

Torro-Finca Sobrebo Crianza – awarded a 90-point rating from the Wine Advocate himself, Mr. Robert Parker, this silky Spanish red boasts a nose of balsamic, oak, and blueberry jam before unfolding its rich flavors of dark berries, roasted sugar, and cherries.  A wonderful wine to pair with spicy pastas or pizza, this savory varietal should always be on hand this time of year.

Punset Barbaresco – one of Italy’s finest exports, this powerful varietal was awarded 95 points by Wine Enthusiast Magazine!  An alluring bouquet of truffles, cherry, leather and plum, the Punset Barbaresco pours into an intensely complex wave of blackberry, cola, and dried mint flavors.  A true wine tasting experience.

Fincha Flichman Reserva Malbec – one of the world’s most widely embraced varietals, Malbec is Argentina’s answer to Zinfandel.  The Fincha Flichman Reserva offers consumers the ideal Malbec experience: violets, cherries, and oak on the nose; concentrated flavors of dark berry, plums, and tobacco leaf cascading into a long and lingering finish.  One of the best food wines on the planet, this Malbec will be invited back to your dinner table every Autumn.

Vine & Olive