Hot Buys! | WINE WORLD & SPIRITS
DeLeon Tequila Finally Hits The Shelf!
Be one the first in Washington to get your hands on a bottle of the Deleon Tequila- Never before have we had this exclusive brand in the state, and Wine World & Spirits in Seattle will be the first to carry it! Celebrities have recently been buying up this amazing tequila which has catapulted this tequila into cult status – and while it’s expensive and has great packaging, our whole spirits staff agreed that all 5 of their line-up were incredible too! This week we had the privilege of getting a visit from Vik Raol, Brand Ambassador for DeLeon Tequila. For those who don’t know, DeLeon is an exquisite line of tequilas that are among the few that refuse to use any sort of coloring or flavor additives that are legally allowed under Mexican Law. Flavor additives you ask? Some producers (to remain nameless) use things like Wood Extract to flavor their tequila or (whisper it) Glycerin to taper the alcohol burn. DeLeon proudly shuns such ideas and is considered the purest tequi...
2 Minutes with the Count – Villa Calcinaia in Greve, Chianti
This week I had the privilege of tasting four outstanding Tuscan wines with Villa Calcinaia’s owner Count Sebastiano Capponi. His family purchased this estate in the 16th century and they continue re-invest in the winery and the vineyards in their relentless pursuit of quality. The estate is located in Greve, the heart of the Chianti Classico zone between Florence and Sienna. We tasted four wines from Calcinaia, whose name refers to its limestone-rich soils. Here are the wines with my tasting notes: 2009 Chianti Classico – this is a beautiful, traditional Chianti that is rich and fruit forward. It is comprised of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo, two traditional grape varieties. I like the fact that they stuck to well-earned tradition rather than manipulating the blend with Merlot and/or Cabernet Sauvignon. The Calcinaia is the real deal; delicious and tasting true to its origins. 2008 Chianti Riserva – this is a huge, massive wine from 100% Sangiovese. The grapes are picked as a massal...
BV Rutherford 2009 – A Classic Napa Cab
Rutherford, CA – Napa Valley, arguably where California Cabernet got its start. Many famous and legendary wineries are located here – Inglenook, Caymus, Grigch, Cakebread, Frog’s Leap. But, the one that started it all was Beaulieu Vineyards. It was established by Georges de Latour and his wife Fernande in 1900. They continued making Sacramental wine during Prohibition and by the time of Repeal By the Repeal of Prohibition in 1933, production had grown to over 1 million gallons a year. Following Repeal of Prohibition, Beaulieu hired Andre Tchelistcheff from France as winemaker and the quality of its wines increased significantly. Tchelistcheff is considered by many the “Father of California Wine” a was mentor to other important winemakers such as Mike Grgich, Joe Heitz and Robert Mondavi. In this day and age of flying winemakers and Fly by Night wineries it is nice to return the classics. Remember why you love Napa Cab. – Lenny Rede Wine World California ...
2011 Domaine de Bila-Haut Cotes de Roussillon
A beautifully balanced blend of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache. 2011 Domaine de Bila-Haut Cotes de Roussillon has delicious, lush texture and flavors of black and blue berries with cherry and spice notes of pepper, fennel and vanilla. 2011 Domaine de Bila Haut Haut Cotes de Roussillon Villages “Les Vignes de la Haut” $14.99/bottle or $161.89/case “Controversial, outspoken and brutally candid, Chapoutier, who suffers no fools, continues to admirably produce wines that are among the finest in the world and potentially the longest lived. Refusing to acidify, chaptalize, or touch the wines in any way, he clearly wants every wine to capture the very essence of its terroir and vintage personality. In this, he succeeds remarkably.” - Robert Parker 91 Arnie Millan points...
Champagne vs Cava: Top Ten Wine
You say tomato & I say tomata–let’s celebrate! In Spain, sparkling wine is called Cava, as it is most often aged in underground caves. I have personally visited the underground cellars where Cristalino is turned from mere juice to Barcelona bubbly, a local treasure gone global. “Jaume Serra was founded in 1943 by distinguished enologist Jaume Serra Guell. It is located in the Garraf subdivision of the Denominacion de Origen Penedés, the largest wine growing area in Catalonia. The winery is situated on the 300-acre El Padruel estate and shares the landscape with the famous 17th -century fortress of the same name in the Mediterranean coastal town of Vilanova y la Geltru, some 50 kilometers south of Barcelona. Over the years, the fortress on the estate has played an historical role in navigating the Mediterranean Sea as well as in the Spanish civil war.” Cristalino Brut is a blend of 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 15% Xarel-lo grapes with green apple & fine bubbles bur...
Real French wine under 10 dollars
Domaine des Cassagnoles Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne Blanc 2011 is a true French wine for only $7.99 Dom. De Cassagnoles is a great example of a French white wine. This is a wonderfully crisp, lip-smacking, aromatic, light bodied wine that goes great with seafood or poultry but also works great as an aperitif alone or with appetizers. Domaine des Cassagnoles Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne Blanc 2011 is a lightly golden wine, beautifully fragrant with loads of stone fruit and apple finishing clean with chalky minerality. The grapes, Gros Manseng, Ugni Blanc and Colombard, are grown by Janine and Giles Bauman in Gascony, France. Their family has been growing grapes in Gondrin for centuries. Their 225 acres were originally planted and farmed to produce Armagnac, the local brandy of legend. Since taking over the property as head of the family in 1974 they have introduced some innovative techniques and modern technologies, as well as diversifying their plantings but always keeping...
Top Ten Wines: Kiona Vineyards Cabernet Merlot Blend
We continue our top ten wine list with another Washington wine, Kiona Vineyards Cabernet Merlot Blend for only $11.99 Kiona Vineyards and Winery was one of the first wineries on Red Mountain and those years of experience have paid off. Scott Williams has been making Kiona wines since 1980 and this particular blend since the 1990s. The Kiona Vineyards Cabernet Merlot Blend is an exceptional red table wine, drinking like a wine double its price. This Washington Bordeaux blend is easy drinking yet full bodied. Watch Scott William talk about one of their most popular wines. Kiona Vineyards Cabernet Merlot Blend. Buy this tasty red wine for only $11.99 in store or on our online store. Non-pretentious, this delicious Washington wine will be at home on your table any day of the week. ...
Note Book: Top Ten Wine
We topped our ten best wines under $16 with our number one seller: J. Bookwalter Notebook Columbia Valley Red NV2 $9.99 This Washington wine, formerly known as Bookmark, creates a buzz wherever it is tasted. Last year at a trade wine party, people started cooing and chirping about the latest vintage of this, the new label of that. The buzz started early, “Did you try the new Bookwalter?” So it went all night – Bookmark, Bookmark, Bookmark. Finally, towards the end of the night I was finally able to get around to tasting the wine everyone was talking about. I was impressed. I was even more impressed to find out it was only $10! I am not the only one that was impressed. In the year since it first appeared, Bookmark/Notebook has won rave reviews from wine writers and appearing on a number of top 10 lists. Seattle Magazine declared the Bookmark to be the best red blend of 2012. NW Anthem selected the Bookmark as one of their top 5 discoveries. Notebook Red Blend, as it is now kno...
Top Ten Wines under $16
These top ten wines of 2012 impressed us with fantastic quantity to price ratio (QPR). All of these wines are priced under $16. These wines have been popular with WINE WORLD staff and the customers that have tried them. Is your new favorite wine on the list? Staying true to our commitment to local wineries, we start with Washington wines # 1 Note Book NV Red $ 9.99 “A big WA wine you will want to drink everyday” #2 Kiona Cabernet/Merlot $11.99 “One of the most appealing, ready-to-drink, Cabernet based red wines we have come across in the last year.” #3 Domaine des Cassagnoles $9.99 “Why we drink French wine— fresh cut apple and peach balanced with mineral and citrus” #4 Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut NV $6.99 “Our “go to” party bubbles. Buy a case!” #5 Chapoutier Bila Haut Cotes du Rousillon 10/11 $14.99 “A dense dark wine that always impresses.” #6 Twin Forks Pinot ...
Wine World Holiday Gift Baskets
WINE WORLD and Spirits has gift baskets galore! The elves have been busy in their Seattle workshop, crafting gorgeous Holiday Gift Baskets. Pre-made Holiday Gift Basket The elves have been creating Holiday gift baskets for almost anyone on your list. Have a beer lover on your list? Check out the Dogfish Head IPA basket. Want to support local? We have gift baskets made exclusively with Washington chocolates, beer, wine and/or spirits. Don’t go empty handed to your next party! Wine World has a number of great Grab-To-Go Hostess gifts. Baskets are available for almost any budget, ranging from $25-$100 and stocked with quality product. Custom Made Gift Baskets Want to create a basket for the martini lover in your life with their favorite gin? Wine World staff will help you gather all the ingredients for a killer martini basket. Include everything from olives to glasses to gin. After you have selected your gift basket items one of the Wine World elves will put it all together for you:...
