Wine and Cheese Tasting-Earth Fare

Event: Earth Fare held a wine and cheese tasting benefit as part of their on-going program to help local charities, this time to benefit The Lydia Project. Sixteen wines were featured along with a selection of delicious cheeses. The Lydia Project was created to give women with cancer support at all levels, from their own struggle mentally with what they are facing, to helping caregivers on how best to support those women. They want to make they are not alone. Their website says “Women are typically introduced to Lydia through the arrival of a beautiful tote made with love by faithful volunteers. Each tote comes with a network of support and prayerful encouragement reaching women throughout Augusta, nationwide, and beyond.”
Where: Earth Fare, 368 Furys Ferry Rd, Martinez, GA 30907
When: Thursday, July 30, 2009. 6:30-8:30pm
Cost: $15 per person or $25 per couple.

Here are the wines presented:

[caption id="attachment_5236" align="alignleft" width="71" caption="Francois Montand Brut"][/caption][caption id="attachment_5239" align="alignleft" width="59" caption="Tomasello Cranberry"][/caption]

4 Vines Naked® Chardonnay 2007
Notes: Fermented in stainless steal, this wine preserves the fruit essences of this grape. This is crisp, concentrated, and full of natural acid.
From: Santa Barbara, California
Winery: 4 Vines
Year: 2007
Goes with: Great with oysters!

Francois Montand
Notes: With a pale yellow color and a hint of green tint, this sparkling wine is fruity and exotic tasting. Delicate and fresh with highly drinkable flavors of citrus, vanilla and toast, this wine is harmonious and elegant.
From: France
Winery: Francois Montand

Borsao Rose 2006
Notes: Abundant aromas of sun-drenched strawberries fill your glass. Delicate sweet baking spices accentuate the fruity flavors.
From: Spain
Winery: Bodegas Borsao
Year: 2006

Tomasello Cranberry
Notes: This wine is a perfect balance of light sweetness and tart, refreshing cranberry flavor. Can be used for cooking, mixing drinks, or even alone at room temperature.
From: Hammonton, New Jersey
Winery: Tomasello WInery
Size: 500ml

Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Notes: This central coast Sauv Blanc jumps out of the glass with ripe peaches, juicy apricots, and fresh lemon aromas.
From: Central Coast California
Winery: Rock RabbitRock Rabbit
Year: 2006

[caption id="attachment_5249" align="alignleft" width="70" caption="Avalon California Cabernet Sauvignon 2005"][/caption][caption id="attachment_5221" align="alignleft" width="67" caption="Shannon Ridge Lake County Sauvignon Blanc"][/caption]

Las Brisas 2007
Notes: From Rueda, this has beautiful citrus aromatics with racy ripe flavors.
From: Rueda, Spain
Winery: Bodegas Naia
Year: 2007
Goes with: This wine is the perfect complement for seafood and especially crustaceans.

Avalon California Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Notes: Blended from reputable counties such as Sonoma and Napa, this wine exhibits rich, slightly smoky aromas of cherries, boysenberries, and chocolate. A minimum of eight months in French and American oak imparts subtle notes of vanilla and spice.
From: Napa, California
Winery: Avalon
Year: 2005

Van Ruiten Zinfandel 2006
Notes: This zinfandel fruit was hand selected from the first vineyard John Ruiten planted over 50 years ago, and are among our most prized grapes. Aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, spice, and raspberries are readily apparent.
From: Lodi, CA
Winery: Van Ruiten
Year: 2006

Shannon Ridge Lake County Sauvignon Blanc
Notes: A well-balanced white with a broad texture, cool flavors, and is clean and spicy. From their website: “The grapes used to produce our 2008 Shannon Ridge Lake County Chardonnay were picked from several different blocks to help create an elegant multi-layered wine with great complexity. The wine was barrel fermented in American oak to help create the creamy vanilla flavors and rich mouth feel.”
From: Lake County, California
Winery: Shannon Ridge
Goes with: Perfect partner for spicy sushi or blackened tilapia.

Paringa Chardonnay-Semillon-Sauvignon 2006
Notes: This vinified wine is full of stone fruites such as nectarines with hints of citrus and tree fruits. It is barrel aged to offer a rich mouth feel and is slightly acidic.
From: Australia
Winery: Paringa Estate
Year: 2006

Shannon Ridge Lake County Wrangler Red 2007
Notes: Aromas of Grandma’s homemade raspberry jelly on tasty warm angel food cake, with flavors of real vanilla ice cream smothered in a pomegranate and boysenberry reduction sauce.
From: Lake County, California
Winery: Shannon Ridge
Year: 2007

[caption id="attachment_5222" align="alignleft" width="63" caption="Placido Pinot Grigio 2006"][/caption][caption id="attachment_5226" align="alignleft" width="67" caption="Vina Borgia Grenache Noir 2006"][/caption]

Stephen Vincent Crimson 2006
Notes: This very rich wine has beautiful ripe plum and blackberry flavor, accented with hints of toasty French oak, and cassis. It is a deep dark crimson color, with lots of black fruit in the nose. Soft tannins round out rich flavor.
From: Petaluma, California
Winery: Stephen Vincent
Year: 2006

Placido Pinot Grigio 2006
Notes: This wine is refreshing, well-balanced, dry, crisp and fruity.
From: Tuscany, Italy
Winery: Placido
Year: 2006
Goes with: It is a superb aperitif and a delicious accompaniment to light appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, seafood and simple veal and poultry dishes.

In Fine White 2007
Notes: In Fine is Latin for the end of the term. This late production white is clean, crisp, and full of fruit.
Winery: In Fine
Year: 2007

Vina Borgia Grenache Noir 2006
Notes: Fresh bright red fruit balanced by a fine structure and ample bouquet. This wine is made from 100% Grenache and is a fine example of this varietal.
From: Spain
Winery: Vina Borgia
Year: 2006

Luzon Verde Jumilla 2007
Notes: Medium Red and the fresh strawberry and cherry aromas are clean and precise. Brisk red fruit flavors are sharply focused with deeper espresso and bitter chocolate qualities building with air. Finishes with an impressive grip and persistence, leaving a bright cherry impression.
From: Spain
Winery: Luzon
Year: 2007