East End Wines – 4pm – 8pm – David Mayfield Selections –

Bodega Pizzorno Don Prospero Sauvignon Blanc 2012 – 14.57 – Canelones, Uruguay – Suatainable farming, Hand-harvested, single-vineyard. Beautiful pale-yellow color with a slight greenish hue. Intense aromas of fresh cut grass and Guava. The wine offers a perfect balance between acids and sugars which allows a wine to show wonderful fruit and mineral structure without being sweet or bitter. Lovely expression of cilantro and guava while balancing the flint and mineral stone. Long, deep finish.

Marichal Unoaked Chardonnay 2012 – 15.57 – They produce a Chardonnay that is completely unoaked and does not undergo a malolactic fermentation. The resulting wine is a pure, mineral driven expression of Chardonnay–something that simply must be tasted. “We express in this UNOAKED Chardonnay the potential of our land, obtaining a well balanced wine, which presents on the nose, an attractive fresh fruit character. On the palate it is delicate but full bodied and consistent. It has the perfect balance between fresh acidity and ripeness.”

Bodega Pizzorno Don Prospero Tannat / Malbec 2011 – 13.57 – Wild cherries, blackberries, undergrowth and wild red rose.This is a delicious wine with a dark black/purple – juicy nose of ripe red/black fruit, delicious palate of spicy black jammy fruit and a crisp finish filled with spice and black fruit. 8 months in oak…

Bodega Pizzorno Don Prospero Tannat 2011 – 14.57 – Tannat is to Uruguay as Malbec is to Argentina, or even Shiraz to Australia. It produces wines that are generally high in tannin and acidity. Uruguayan examples are usually softer, and this from Pizzorno is medium bodied, savory and ripe with forest fruits and plums. Serve with grilled lamb cutlets. This has been a hit at East End Wines since its debut.

2012 Amayna Sauvignon Blanc – 23.57 – Very light, lemony, juicy acid. Leyda Valley, mineral, tasty. Pretty ripe. More time on the lees makes it a bit warmer in the sunny 2012 vintage. A more full style. From a small sub-region of the San Antonio Valley just west of Santiago. Cooling effect from the Humboldt Current which flows up the west coast of Chile from the Antarctic. Cold soak, no malo, stainless.

2011 Amayna Pinot Noir – 33.57 – Nice small grain tannins, cherry, dust. 12 mo. oak. Dijon clones focusing on 115 & 777. 14 day cold soak, 12 months in new Taransaud Burgundy barrels. Ripe, with nice vanilla & spice from the oak.

2012 Bouchon CantoNorte – 14.57 – North Bank – Maule Valley – Bright candied cherry, pretty nose. Grippy tannins, dry. Tasty. Like it. Modeled after Right Bank Bordeaux – 75% Merlot, 15% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Juicy but structured from the grape tannins.

2012 Bouchon CantoSur – 14.57 – More Cab – S. Bank – Serious, nice weight, price is right. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenere, 20% Merlot. Ripe fruit, spice, tobacco, coffee.

2011 Bouchon Cabernet Sauvignon – 18.97 –  80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carmenere, 10% Merlot. Red currant, cassis, tobacco, dried herbs, oak (winery). We brought this in for the tasting sight unseen, as the other wines were so tasty.

4pm – 8pm this Friday, May 17th - 

Bonus – Bisol Brut Crede Prosecco 2011 – 21.97 – Intense and fresh scents of wildflowers, note of fruitiness. Palate has fruity hints of apples and pears and “their harmony is completed by a rich and refined sapidity” (having a strong & pleasant taste). Honeysuckle and bright mousse, well-integrated mineral from hillside fruit. From VIAS website – The grapes that go into Crede enjoy an ideal habitat in the clay-laden earth with a subsoil of marine sandstone, known as “crede”, that is common in this part of the countryside.

Damilano Barbera 2010 – 15.97 – This 100% Barbera wine is produced from a Monferrato vineyard that is 20 to 30 years old. The soil contains white marl and tends to be calcareous. Fruit nose with light spice notes. It has a persistent flavor reminiscent of currants, violets, cherries and vanilla.

Damilano Langhe Nebbiolo 2010 – 13.97 – This 100% Nebbiolo wine is cultivated in 30 to 50 year old vineyards that benefit from the rich calcareous clay soil from municipalities of Barolo and Grinzane Cavour. The unique terroir gives the final wine a bouquet with hints of violet and red fruit. It has balanced tannins and good structure that is velvety and harmonic on the palate.

Damilano LeCinqueVigne Barolo 2008 – 35.57 – blend of Nebbiolo from five vineyards located in the areas most adept for the cultivation of this varietal. The grapes used for this prestigious blend are grown in the calcareous-clay soils of Barolo, Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra and Novello. The wine has a very distinct look, and it’s difficult to guess its age. The Nebbiolo vines range in age from 30 to 50 years old. The resulting wine leaves behind an intense fragrance of rose, leather, tobacco, and subtle hints of violet and tar. The taste is broad and encompassing, leaving a compelling sensation of softness in the mouth, with a long and persistent finish.

We need three more people for this class to make – I will open extra bottles from my stash if we are able to get three more people signed up by 2pm… – Sam

Class – Marechal Premium Varietal Chardonnay 2010, Lioco NoCo Chardonnay 2011, Bouchaine Carneros Estate Chard 2009, Domaine Tremblay Chablis 2011, Prudhon Puligny Mont Enseig 06, Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 08, plus food from Three Little Pigs, plus 1 hour class – $40.

2010 Loimer Kamptal Riesling

2011 Loimer “Lois” Grüner Veltliner – 15.97 – Contract fruit – More ripe vintage, Since 2001. Mineral, bright. Nice intro, clean, classic, warmer. Launched in 1999, best selling Grüner Veltliner (sales dollars). Smells of green apple and wet stones. In the mouth the wine offers bright green apple flavors & floral character & minerals. Notes of lemon zest linger in the finish. Straightforward & friendly.

2011 Weininger Gemischter Satz – 22.57 – BD. Vienna’s Bisamberg vineyards, , 2000 acre. Next to the Danube. Limestone, low clay content. Fossilized coral reef from the Tertiary period. Field blend – Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Neuberger (Roter Veltliner X Sylvaner), Traminer, Chardonnay – Indigenous yeast, stainless. Citrus, yellow flowers, pineapples, sweet herbs. Complex & spicy, mineral fruit. Lively acid. Ripe grapes in great shape. Mainly from Bisamberg because of hail damage in Nussberg for this vintage. Lychee, pear, tangy acid.

2011 Heinrich Red – 17.97 – No pumping. Zweigelt, Blaufrankish, St. Laurent. Stainless, used big casks. Good vintage, no rot, no disease. The Blaufrankish yields notes of red fruit such as raspberries and red cherries while the back bone of this blend, Zweigelt amplify the raspberries, a light note of cassis and pepper. The Saint Laurent yields a open delicate fleshiness that gives a sensation of silkiness.

Estacada 6 month in Barrel Tempranillo 2010 – 14.57 – Concentrated ruby colors showed in the glass with a vibrant red rim and aromas of ripe raspberry, violets, smokey caramel, and a slight bubblegum tone on this 6 month barrel aged Tempranillo. Despite the oak aging, this wine was well integrated and the dominant character was a fresh, brambly black cherry character, with underlying smoke tones and a warming finish of baking spice.

Chateau Beynat Cuvee Leonard 2008 – 24.97 – Organic. Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, Clay and Limestone soils, 45 year old viness, 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, Intense and complex nose of ripe black fruit, oak and notes of spices. Velvety smooth on the palate. Intense and complex nose of ripe black fruit, oak and notes of spices & black olive. Velvety smooth on the palate with a long, supple finish. Only 1 year to go for the vineyard to be certified organic by Ecocert of France. This wine is extremely limited.

Chateau Beynat Cuvee Leonard 2009 – 24.97 – Organic. Derek Smedley – MW – There is a lot of power on the palate, ripe fruits backed by slightly fresher red cherry and raspberry. The tannins feel ripe emphasizing the richness of the fruit and leaving the back palate feeling quite lush. Young, still a little tight for the warm year, medium body with dark plum & berries, fresh, young tannins. Will improve greatly with another year in the bottle to calm down a bit. Great vintage. Now certified organic by Ecocert of France.

107 West 6th Street, The Scarborough Building, Austin, TX 78701.

April 25 at 6:30 for dinner and discussion of his award winning 90 point plus wines High above California’s Alexander Valley stand the towering Mayacamas Mountains, home to Stonestreet’s rugged Alexander Mountain Estate. This epic, untamed landscape is both challenging and rewarding when it comes to growing grapes. Here, we are truly a guest of nature, subject to both its bounty and its whims, which serve as a constant reminder that we are merely custodians to this remarkable place. With less than 800 of our 5,100 acres planted to vine, this extreme expanse doesn’t take kindly to direct orders. Comprised of 400 separate vineyard blocks aligned with the contours of the mountain, the Estate is an intricate puzzle of peaks, valleys and ridges that create a broad spectrum of aspects and facings. The story of Stonestreet is the story of our commitment to uncovering the true potential of this special land.

Featured Wines:
2010 Upper Barn Chardonnay 93 pts
2011 Broken Road Chardonnay 93 pts
2009 Monument Cabernet 92 pts
2006 Cougar Ridge Cabernet 90 pts

$90.00 per person
4 Course Wine-­‐Paired Dinner

RSVP with Kaycee McQuaid at 406-890-5524 or by calling Ruth Chris 512-477-7884.

Vina Ijalba Genoli White Wine Rioja 2011 – 11.97 – ● – 100% Viura, nice brightness & mineral – nose starts a little shy in regard to fruit, (citrusy), then bounces back with a bit more mineral and lemon curd. A bargain. Floral & fruity on the nose, medium body, broadly textured, medium length finish. Versatile, especially good with tapas and appetizers. Like all of the Ijalba wines, there is pretty fruit, cleanly framed.

Vina Ijalba, Livor Tempranillo, Rioja 2011 – 11.97 – ● – Line priced with the white – Cherry, juicy, softer, easier Tempranillo. Good to bring back. From the Rioja Alta sub-region of La Rioja. Fresh & tasty juice, clean aromas, with ripe red berry fruit & a bit of fennel frond, creamy. Dry, with round tannins and ripe fruit. (with 10% Mazuelo). This has been a big hit in the shop. We really like the balance at the low $.

Vina Ijalba Rioja Crianza 2008 – 15.97 – ● – 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. Aged for 12 months in barrel. Fruity nose with toasty vanilla. Balance of ripe red berry and cassis fruits and oak tannins. Full-bodied with ripe tannins. Designed to love bottle age this wine has a minumum of 18 months before release. Clean. Purity.

Vina Ijalba, Graciano, Rioja, 2010 – 21.97 – ● – Juan Carlos Sancha’s doctoral thesis was entitled ‘The revival of native minority grapes in DOCa Rioja’. He made Rioja’s first single-varietal Graciano for Viña Ijalba in 1995 (‘It would have been the first in the world,’ he says ruefully, ‘but for Brown Brothers in Australia’). Organic – Aged 12 months in French oak. Lighter, focused. Lean, grippy, and cool to have. First Graciano to be bottled on its own in Rioja (1995) (It would have been the first in the world, but for the Brown Brothers in Australia). From Rioja Alta. A darling of the critics. Very enjoyable. More mineral & mint, less chocolate than a Cabernet Sauvignon, to which it is sometimes compared. Very cool to get to see as 100%.

Château L’Oiseliniere Muscadet 2010

Trimbach Pinot Blanc 2009 – 15.97 – (Pinot Blanc and Pinot Auxerrois) Rich and concentrated aromas, with white flower and apricot notes. Smooth, medium-bodied with good fruit acidity. The two grapes are fermented separately in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete vats and do not undergo the secondary malolactic fermentation. The wines are released after two years of cellar aging, when they have a perfect balanced of fruit and acidity. Ready for the summer heat.

Cote Mas Estate Cremant Brut Rose NV – 15.57 – Down from 18.57 – Bright strawberry fruit, cool as well. ! year lees contact. Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir. Dropped the cost – (we pass the savings to you – both of the sparkling wines would have been over $20) – all estate fruit. Juicy, rhubarb, nice length on the finish. Strawberry dominates with nice tangy acids. Favorite of the lineup when I tasted through all of the featured Paul Mas stuff again recently. Good juice, here to stay for a bit. Tasty goodness, brought back into the fold for summer partying.

Chateau de la Chaize Brouilly 2009 – 17.97 – organic. Château de la Chaize is located in the Brouilly appellation, the largest of the Beaujolais Crus and where the predominant grape planted is Gamay. The granitic ochre sand of the Brouilly hills allows perfect drainage. At La Chaize, 50% of the vineyard is older than 50 years, some plants even reaching 75-years old. Aromas of fresh strawberries and raspberries. The palate has silky red fruits balanced by lively acidity. The great 2009 vintage.

Bouchard Père et Fils Bourgogne Rouge 2011 – 18.57 – In 1995, the Champagne family of Joseph Henriot took control of Bouchard, resulting in improvements in quality, not to mention the addition of more top level vineyard sites. Aromas of spices, smoke, and cherry. Garnet with purple hints; very expressive nose of red and black fruits; aromatic and fruity mouth with round tannins. Drink young to enjoy freshness.

Villa Ponciago Fleurie Gamay 2010 – 18.97 – Vivid red. High pitched red berry and floral scents are complicated by notes of fresh rose and lavender, with a touch of licorice coming up with air. Taut and focused, offering tangy red currant and bitter cherry flavors that pick up sweetness with air. Silky tannins add grip to the lively, linear finish. – Tanzer. Red and black cherry with big floral support to start. Good structure in middle, some sweet hints on finish. South facing vineyard.

Verdillac Bordeaux Rouge 2010 – 9.57 – A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. This year’s Verdillac is light but charming. It begins with earthy, blackberry / brambly fruit and mineral smoke aromas, and while the tannins pretty ripe, they are able to maintain some drying character. There’s some underlying good fruit. Cool nights during a warm summer kept some of the acidity around, but made the wines a little less approachable young (vs. 09) – Put some air on it.