Educational Wine Tasting-Bee’s Knees-Wed., Mar. 10

Event: For Bee’s Knee’s Educational Wine Tasting Wednesday night Eric Norviel picked, as usual, some excellent wines all from the Eric Solomon Selections Portfolio. And to help with the presentation he had Matt Olson, of Eric Solomon, on hand to discuss the French and Spanish wines they tasted. Between wines some great food pairings were presented by the Bee’s Knees staff.

Eric Solomon Selections specializes in importing wines from France and Spain. I asked Olson what he is seeing in the wine industry this year and he said there are three trends he is seeing in the average wine consumer: 1. They are more aware of natural wine making methods, wanting the move away from over-manipulated wines. 2. Consumers are more interested in food and wine pairings. “That’s probably the most frequent question I get now. What foods to pair with which wines?” And last he is seeing their palates turn toward more seasonal drinking, whites in the summer and reds in the cooler months.

The move toward drinking wines that are made in a more natural ways is not new, having started several yeas ago,  but has reached a new levels.  “We are sensitive to this movement and many of our labels are producing wines in natural and more sustainable ways.”

As usual the Bee’s Knees staff did an excellent job pairing some great hors d’oeurves to go with the wines. And a nod to Donna Thompson, of Ninth Street Wine market for her wine assistance.

Where: Bee’s Knees Restaurant
211 Tenth St., Augusta, GA
706-828-3600

Sponsor: Ninth Street Wine Market, Augusta, GA 30901
706-724-1442

When: Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Cost: $15 plus tax and tip.

Here are the wines presented:

Andezon VV 2008
What: In 1994 Eric visited the Vignerons d’Estazarques and met a young, passionate director/winemaker named Jean-Francois Nicq. By the end of the day, he & Jean-Francois had decided on a custom bottling of old vine syrah from one of their best parcels, Andezon.
This opaque-black, blockbuster Syrah could have been Australian Shiraz. What a find! Previously sold in bulk (vinous suicide) to a very famous producer in the Rhone Valley, Eric jumped at the opportunity and over a decade later it remains one of the core items in the Eric Solomon portfolio.
From: Cotes du Rhone, France
Winery: Domaine d’Andezon
Year: 2008

Roger Sabon Cotes du Rhone 2008
What: Fruity, seductive, with silky tannins which make it pleasurable to drink immediately.
FOOD RECOMMENDATION AND CONSUMPTION :
This wine needs to be drunk between 15°C to 17°C with barbecue and appetizers.
WHAT WE CAN SAID ABOUT THE WINE : This red Cotes du Rhone is highly representative of its appellation. It is a fine example of the excellent quality that can be achieved by the wines of the South. It is fruity, generous and elegant, the perfect wine to be drunk at an informal get-together with friends.
From: Cotes du Rhone, France
Winery: Roger Sabon
Year: 2008
Grapes: Mostly Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault.
Black Slate Porrera 2007
From: Germany
Winery: F. W. Langguth
Year: 2007

Frederic Giachino Abymes 2007
From: France
Winery: Frederic Giachino
Year: 2007

Sitios de Bodegas Con Classe Rueda 2008
From: Spain
Winery: Sitios de Bodegas
Year: 2008
Grapes: 60% Verdejo, 15% Sauvingnon Blanc, 25% Viura

Castano Hecula 2007
From: Spain
Winery: Bodegas Castano
Year: 2007

Artazu Aratzuri 2007
From: Spain
Winery: Artadi
Year: 2007

Alto Almanzora Este 2007
What: COLOR: Color cherry picota intense violet tones.
AROMA: Powerful, clean, elegant and complex. Toques smoky, spicy, black fruit (plum, blackberry), against a backdrop of mountain herbs and minerals dry.
PALATE: Lots of red fruit (cherries, blackberries, etc) well integrated with the wood (vanilla, toffee) and hints of licorice. Very fat volume, good structure, balanced and round. Fruity aftertaste, long and very pleasant.
GASTRONOMY: Game, red meat, light meat, poultry, snacks, cold meats, cod, smoked, marinades, cheeses, pâtés and fish dishes intense.
From: Spain
Winery: Alto Almanzora
Year: 2007

Gramona Grand Cuvee 2006
What: Gramona’s history is long and storied and the property has been a quality reference point in the zone for decades. As far back as 1816 a member of the family has been making wine in the Penedes. 1921 marks the year when the Gramona name began to be put on bottles of “Cava Champagne”. Today, the house is one of the few remaining family-owned estates in the region, with many having been bought by large companies.
At Gramona, time is never an issue. The wines receive perhaps the longest average ageing than any other cava and are never released until they are pristine. 70% of the cavas produced in the zone are released after 9 months. Gramona ages a minimum of 18 months, and an average of 4 years.
Gramona is, unfortunately, one of the last remaining family-owned cava houses of the Penedes. Here, elderly ladies from the village carefully wrap each bottle before being packed for transport and the entire operation is carried out by people who love the family and the estate.
From: Spain
Winery: Gramona
Year: 2006