The Caves des Producteurs, Vouvray - A delicious, off-dry French wine that boasts a bouquet of peaches and pears; accentuated by rich flavors of cream and hazelnut. (Food pairings: white fish, veal, crab, spicy Indian cuisine)
Val Sanzo "T Sanzo" Tempranillo - Awarded 90 points from The Wine Advocate's Robert Parker, this cherry red Spanish varietal exhibits "an expressive perfume of wood smoke, pencil lead, violets, cinnamon, incense, and blackberry… leading to a mouth-filling, generous, richly-fruited wine with lots of spice, balance, and fruit-filled finish." -RP (Food pairings: hamburgers, blackened filets, lamb chops, herb-crusted tenderloin)
Hybrid Petite Sirah - This treasured varietal "is loaded with berry flavors and aromas which enhance the earthy middle body with a rich silky finish. A touch of Viognier has been added to round out this monster wine." -Winemaker's notes (Food pairings: pork tenderloin, burgers, and spicy Mexican dishes)
Robert Biale "Founding Farmers" Zinfandel - A seductive Zin indeed, with proud aromas of red fruits, licorice, and spice that unfold into layers of soft cherry, herb, and anise flavors. (Food pairings: barbecue, Italian sausage, and lasagna)
Reymos Muscat de Alexandria - Pale hints of green with bright, clean bubbles that lift enticing aromas of apricot and white raisin; this Muscat is persistent and sweet, with a light finish. (Food pairings: scallops, desserts that involve fresh or fired fruits, and pecan pie)
~ John Thomas Hoty, V&O wine buyer
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Meet John Thomas Hoty, V&O wine buyer
Meet John Thomas Hoty, our wine buyer. John started out as a bartender on the shores of St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he learned a great deal about mixology, customer service, and pairing drinks with food. As that interest developed, he went to work as an account representative for Southern Wine & Spirits in Tampa where he sold both spirits and wine. From there he accepted a position as the Marketing Copywriter for Global Wines, a smaller distributor of international wines (predominantly South American labels). During his time with Global Wines, not only did he write about the wines the company sold, his words became the product literature printed on the labels of Fingerprints Wines from Argentina.
After moving to Iowa in 2012, John went to work managing a local wine lounge called The Grape Life that hosted weekly features of various varietals intended to expose the customer base to more world class wines. In 2014, John was enlisted by a more upscale venue, Gendler's Black Ram, as their resident Sommelier. His duties there were to educate the staff on the wine list, as well as to be on-hand to consult with customers on the wines they selected to pair with their meals. On Friday nights at Gendler's, John also hosted the weekly wine tasting event that showcased some more prolific labels.
While John spends the majority of his days now at the head of a high school Language Arts classroom, he still keeps his hat in the wine ring as a consultant and wine buyer for Vine & Olive, hand-picking the wines on our shelves (after tasting them, of course!) and providing many of our tasting notes.
Vine & Olive
After moving to Iowa in 2012, John went to work managing a local wine lounge called The Grape Life that hosted weekly features of various varietals intended to expose the customer base to more world class wines. In 2014, John was enlisted by a more upscale venue, Gendler's Black Ram, as their resident Sommelier. His duties there were to educate the staff on the wine list, as well as to be on-hand to consult with customers on the wines they selected to pair with their meals. On Friday nights at Gendler's, John also hosted the weekly wine tasting event that showcased some more prolific labels.
While John spends the majority of his days now at the head of a high school Language Arts classroom, he still keeps his hat in the wine ring as a consultant and wine buyer for Vine & Olive, hand-picking the wines on our shelves (after tasting them, of course!) and providing many of our tasting notes.
Vine & Olive
 |
| John Thomas Hoty |
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Valentine's Day Wines
Wanna score big with that special someone this Valentine's Day? Drop by Vine & Olive and check out the delicious wines we've selected to pair with those savory sweets and chocolate hearts…
RedHawk Pinot Noir - this compelling varietal is best expressed through Oregon's blessed terroir and grapes, bursting to life with cherry, earth, and spice flavors.
The Show Malbec - Argentina's finest export is the perfect pairing for your romantic dinner: flavors of sweet berry pie, clove, and cinnamon.
Cougar Crest Viognier - a dry white wine from Washington's beloved Walla Walla Valley, this varietal boasts delicious layers of lemon, apricots, minerals, and ginger.
Domaine Sigalas Vinsanto - on the nose, this luscious Greek dessert wine flourishes with aromas of dried and sugared fruits that fold into tangy tones of acidity and finesse.
~ John Thomas Hoty, V&O wine buyer
RedHawk Pinot Noir - this compelling varietal is best expressed through Oregon's blessed terroir and grapes, bursting to life with cherry, earth, and spice flavors.
The Show Malbec - Argentina's finest export is the perfect pairing for your romantic dinner: flavors of sweet berry pie, clove, and cinnamon.
Cougar Crest Viognier - a dry white wine from Washington's beloved Walla Walla Valley, this varietal boasts delicious layers of lemon, apricots, minerals, and ginger.
Domaine Sigalas Vinsanto - on the nose, this luscious Greek dessert wine flourishes with aromas of dried and sugared fruits that fold into tangy tones of acidity and finesse.
~ John Thomas Hoty, V&O wine buyer
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Winter Wine-derlands
Warm up this winter with these sumptuous red wines!
Oak Ridge Moss Roxx Zinfandel - Zin lovers rejoice! This Double-Gold Medal winner from Lodi showcases
delicious layers of mocha, cassis, dried cherry and sage. Perfect for winter get-togethers or curling up
beside the fire.
Robinson Family Stags Leap Cabernet - This luscious, elegant
Cabernet is a perfect match for prime rib or tenderloin, and delivers
show-stopping layers of dark fruit, chocolate and creamy oak.
Cougar Crest Syrah - Wine Spectator awarded this rich,
full-bodied red with 92 points! Pull the
cork to unveil aromas of plum and coriander.
Pair this beauty with ground beef dishes and hearty stews.
Pakravan Papi “Prunicce” - One of Italy’s finest exports,
this Super Tuscan wine is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Cabernet Franc. The result is a powerful
wine with delicate fruit aromas and spicy plum flavors. An excellent match with cured meats, pork
chops & crostini.
Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Ridge Shiraz - All the flavors of
winter are here: plum, cinnamon, mocha and spice. Nobody delivers Shiraz like the Aussies and
this 90-point full-bodied red from Barossa Valley will keep you warm all winter
long!
Barista Pinotage - South Africa’s signature grape varietal,
Pinotage, offers wine lovers a whole new tasting experience that fuses flavors
of cherries, plum, chocolate and coffee.
~ John Thomas Hoty, V&O wine buyer
Monday, December 15, 2014
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
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
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