THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2 – 4 pm
COMPLIMENTARY
FINE WINE TASTING @ SAVOUR WITH CASEY G. OF IDEAL WINES
Ideal is an importer and distributor of fine wine and spirits based in Medford, Massachusetts. The company’s roots go back to 1905, when Samuel Bender and two partners founded a retail wine and provisions store in Boston, which evolved in the years after WWII into one of the city’s premiere fine wine shops. It was in the late 1970s that Larry Bender, the third generation of his family in the business, decided to strike out on his own, separating the importing business from his father’s retail operation. His goal was to import small high-quality wineries directly to the Massachusetts market, wines that had previously only come through national importers, if they were imported at all. Most of the wines at that time were French, but the company soon expanded its Italian selections, and has since rounded out the book with some American wineries as well as wines from other countries. Ideal brings us wine with a strong sense of place, made with minimal intervention, at a great price. Casey is one of our favorite wine reps as he is engaging and very educated in these unique, boutique wines. Come out and enjoy them with him as your host!
Kathleen
WINES
Tamellini Le Bine de Costiola Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy
Varietal: Garganega, Alc.13%
Brothers Gaetano and Pio Francesco represent the fourth generation of their family to tend the rows of Garganega vines at Tamellini, but their forebears sold off their crop each year. In 1998, the two elected to change course and became the first in their family to usher their 26 hectares worth of grapes from vine to bottle in their own winery. Gaetano oversees vineyard management while Pio manages the wine production. The objective has always been to produce a wine that is typical and representative of their appellation, Soave, but one that stands apart in personality and character. Farming in the most environmentally friendly way possible, they do not use fertilizer or insecticide, and they encourage natural flora to populate the rows between the vines. They don’t use chemicals, opting for integrated pest and disease management methodology. They do not till, instead encouraging biodiversity and water and nutrient retention and avoiding soil erosion over time. Their Soave Classico is straw yellow in color, with an intense, fragrant and floral nose. On the palate it is smooth and velvety, with a note of almonds.
Pairs well with mushroom and onion soup, grilled fish, escargot with herbs. $19 .99
Maffini Kratos Fiano Cilento, Campania, Italy
Varietal: Fiano, Alc.13%
Luigi and Raffaella Maffini first bottled Kratos in 1996 using fruit from a small family vineyard planted in the 1970s. They gradually grew their estate to 15 hectares and have gained more recognition with every vintage. Cilento is a coastal area south of Naples protected by a national park designation and has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Maffini’s wines are equally distinctive, crafted with an eye to terroir, minerality and elegance. The Fiano grape has been grown in southern Italy for hundreds of years, and many researchers have suggested that this is one of Pliny the Elder’s vitiapiane (although this is now contested). The first mention of the white-wine grape variety was in the 13th Century. It is used widely in southern Italy, particularly in Campania. The Maffini Kratos pours a deep straw yellow color. Tropical fruit and honey on the nose are followed by a soft, balanced taste with flavors of flowers and dried apricot.
Pairs well with seafood, pasta with cream sauce, roast chicken. $24 .99
Le Fraghe Rodon Chiaretto di Bardolino, Veneto, Italy
Varietals: Corvina, Rondinella, Alc.12%
Matilde Poggi took over the family estate in 1984, the first year in which the grapes were not sold to another winery. Today she has 28 hectares under vine, mainly Corvina with a little Rondinella and Garganega. The main production is Bardolino and Bardolino Chiaretto, the savory rosé. Her wines capture the elegance and freshness typical of the best Bardolino. She has recently completed the conversion to organic viticulture and is fully certified. Her Rodòn boasts very fragrant aromas. Notes of wild rose are followed by nuances of wild strawberry and red currant that linger and create an elegant bouquet. The palate displays crispness and full body, the result of a balance between ultra-savory flavors and a tasty minerality and excellent supporting tannins and acidity. The finish is lengthy and nicely mirrors the aromas offered by the nose.
Pairs well with antipasti, delicately flavored meats, fish soups, and young cheeses. $ 16.99
Günther Steinmetz Pinot Noir 2020, Mosel, Germany
Varietals: Pinot Noir, Alc.13.5%
Weingut Günther Steinmetz was founded in the 1900s in Brauneberg by current owner Stefan Steinmetz’s great-grandfather, August Steinmetz. Stefan took on the role of Cellar Master and cultivation manager in 2000 alongside his mother Edith until 2014, when Stefan and his wife, Sammie, took charge. Minimal intervention is employed in the vineyard through not using fertilizers or herbicides and insecticides. In the winery, Sammie and Stefan avoid any addition of treatment agents such as yeasts and fining agents, as well as acid additives or deacidification limes. Also, no animal proteins are used. All wines are fermented spontaneously and naturally. The Mosel is best known for its Riesling, but as temperatures warm due to climate change, Germany has been producing notable Pinot Noirs, and Günther Steinmetz’s is one worth trying. On the nose, it has aromas of dried violets and lavender; on the palate, concentrated flavors of wild berries and wild cherries are balanced by elegant and finely structured tannins.
Pairs well with pork, lamb chops, mushroom risotto. $24.99
Ca’ La Bionda Casl Vegri Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy
Varietal: 70% Corvina, 20% Corvinone, 10% Rondinella, Alc. 14%
The Azienda Agricola Cà la Bionda sits in the commune of Marano di Valpolicella, in the heart of the classic Valpolicella zone. The winery was founded in 1902 by Pietro Castellani and is now run by the fourth generation of the family: brothers Alessandro, the winemaker, and Nicola, the viticulturalist. The vineyard area extends over 29 hectares of hillside land at an altitude ranging from 150 to 300 meters above sea level and with an east south-east exposure. They only work with native grapes and only use traditional winemaking processes. The winery has been certified organic since 2016. This is a wine of great concentration: the nose is brimming with sour cherries and small forest fruits. The same fruits continue on the palate, which reveals a generous body, a smooth and silky mouthfeel and a long finish.
Pairs well with roast meats and pan-fried steak. $27.99
And don’t forget to check out what’s new in our beer case, including two juicy NE IPAs and a clean, refreshing rice lager from East Regiment Brewing in Salem.
Find out about new wine arrivals and other events at Savour by following us n Facebook and Instagram.
Kathleen’s Price-Value Gems:
Unique to SAVOUR our three price-value collections, with
each category ($9.99ers – $14.99ers -$19.99ers) offering hundreds of wines
at one price, personally curated by Kathleen, some have limited availability.
9.99ers…the quality is taste delivering above-price enjoyment …Value!
14.99ers…exhibiting qualities of complexity…Elevating the Experience!
19.99ers…value laden wines by innovative vintners…Expect Exceptional!
Adding to this Saturday’s wine tasting with Casey is Savour’s Everyday Tech Tastings at the North Shore’s Only Digital Wine Machine. Fun to use and enjoy! Taste up to 20 wines with new selections regularly added…& yes, complimentary. Kathleen welcomes your questions for food pairings.
Welcome Your Donation in any amount for Pathways for Children.
Thank You! …Kathleen
For Your Mobile Calendar
Savour Wine Tastings!
April 15 – Casey Gruttadauria of Ideal Wines
April 22 – Harry Zarkades of Main Street Wines
April 29 – Wendy Koder – Regional Manager of R&B Wine Imports
May 6 – Brooke Overheiser of Connoisseur Wines
Continuing to offer a case discount 0f 10% on wines and all items purchased with the case to all customers. Wine Club members get 5% off on 6 bottles and all items purchased with the 6 bottles. Thanks again for your support!
We continue using our 5 Molekule high performance air purification units that clear the air of 99.9% of viruses, bacteria and allergens every hour, store wide.
We are pleased to continue curbside pickup service
Savour Wine & Cheese l 76 Prospect St. l Gloucester l 978. 282 .1455
Good Morning Gloucester 