Sarasota Wine Society November 10th

Meet/Greet Champagne Wine Toast

1^st course: served with: Avelino Vegas 2024 Circe Old Vines Verdejo Rueda Spain Enjoyabilityfactor 91 Rating Circe Verdejo is a perfumed wine that cleanses the palate like few others, so accompanying slightly fattier dishes is a fabulous combination. Foie gras and pâtés are great table companions and Circe’s joys, as well as soupy rice and glamorous appetizers. 2^nd course: served with: Gurrieri 2025 Terre Siciliane Frappato Sicily Italy Enjoyabilityfactor 92 Rating Frappato is a surprising grape. Sicilian wine is not supposed to be bright, crunchy, and zesty like this one. It is certainly not supposed to clock in at a cool 12.5% alcohol; not even Etna Rosso, grown at thousands of feet above sea level, does that. Yet here Frappato is, a juicy and delicious counterpoint to Nero d’Avola, and an increasingly popular alternative for grape growers and wine drinkers alike. The Gurrieri family grows their Frappato on the southern coast, dedicated to organic practices. This latest vintage offers a fresh blast of raspberry, strawberry, and smoked orange peel on the nose. The palate is crunchy and crisp, and tastes of the raspberries that fall off the bush when you try to pick them and a dusting of black pepper. As you work your way through the glass, light chalky tannins build up on the finish, something to chew on while you eat fresh pasta, fried calamari, or margarita pizza. 3^rd course: served with: Llama 2024 Old Vines Malbec Estate Bottled Argelo Lujan De Cuyo Argentina Enjoyabilityfactor 90 Rating Modern wine with attractive dark cherry-red color with violet hues. The nose shows great intensity. Fruity aromas of cherries, blackberries and plums stand out against a background of fine toasty hints from ageing in top-quality oak. Warm, rounded and well-structured on the palate, with an explosion of fruit flavors underscored by light oaky notes. Pleasant, persistent aftertaste. 4^th course: served with: Cortonesi 2019 Brunello di Montalcino La Manella Tuscany Italy Wine Enthusiast 94 Rating The nose has an abundance of earthy, savory aromas, including old leather, damp soil, mushrooms and balsamic, with just barely sweet undertones of dark chocolate and black cherry. The palate continues to balance dark fruit with that nearly smoky savoriness, while tannins add complexity without disrupting a silken sensation in the mouth. 5^th course: served with: Luca Bosio 2018 Barolo Bel Colle Simposio Piedmont Italy The Somm Journal 95 Rating A wine with momentum and energy. Its austere nature changes tone to lyrical notes of dried roses, ginger, and Rooibos tea. Brisk cherry skin and dusty sandalwood deliver a balanced composition. 6^th course: served with: Amulet 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Decanter Magazine 93 Rating Classic Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon in a strong vintage. It’s a graceful wine with an enticing array of earth, herb, and fresh fruit. Aromas of tobacco leaf and black cherry gently fill the glass. The wine expands on the palate with ripe mission fig, tart plum skin and fresh marjoram. A fine silky texture and dark chocolate linger for over a minute.

Questions? Text me at 941-404-9685