76 Prospect St., Gloucester, MA 01930
978 282-1455
Come and visit us at the corner of Pleasant and Prospect St., across from St. Ann's church.
Parking located behind our store!
Winter Hours
Tuesday - Friday 11 am - 7 pm
Saturday 10 am - 7 pm
Closed Sunday and Monday through Easter
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We are so delighted to have Chris Hoffman pouring some of his favorite wines from Oz this Saturday (unless his wife goes into labor, which could happen at any moment. There is, however, no possibility of my going into labor, so if the baby decides it wants to be the first wonder of this year's first Winter Wonderland, then I'll be pouring instead). Kathleen is otherwise occupied with her thespian endeavors*, so join me, stock up, just in case you end up with a houseful of people, snowed in, playing games, watching movies, all of which make people very hungry and thirsty. And there's nothing like watching other people shovel to inspire my appetite, for all things delicious!
Saturday, January 19
2- 5 pm
complimentary!
($5.00 suggested donation to Pathways for Children)
Laherte Freres, Blanc de Blanc, Champagne, France ~ $47.99
From the family's 35 plus year old vines on the chalkiest soils in Chavot and Epernay comes this racy and finesseful Blancs de Blancs, the only one in the Laherte lineup. Sourced in four villages of the Côte de Blancs and the Coteaux Sud d'Epernay, Laherte's NV Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature is beautifully pure, fine and flinty on the complex and terroir-driven nose. Aged for a year in barrel, the wine is superb on the nose, offering up an aromatic constellation of pear, apple, brioche, chalky soil tones, white flowers and a lovely topnote of lemon zest. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, with great minerality, pure
and elegant, with a lovely core, elegant mousse, bright, well-integrated acids and lovely grip on the long and complex finish. This is an exquisitely balanced Brut Nature and eminently drinkable. A perfect sparkler for a snowy Sunday brunch!
2016 Raventos d'Alella, Pansa Blanca, Spain ~ $15.99
This is from a wine region over 2,000 years old, and with a native grape variety that can only be found in these 300 hectares, a stones throw from Barcelona. A sandstone terroir, low in nutrients, makes for a refreshing acidity, unparalleled depth and the fantastic maturity indicative of the Pansa Blanca grape, a variety especially suited for aging. The grapes are selected by hand, pressed whole and fermented at a low temperature in order to maintain the fruits properties. Pansa Blanca (also known as Xarel·lo) is a variety traditionally used to make Cavas in Catalonia. But it also produces magnificent still wines such as Raventós D'Alella, which is pleasant, intense, fruity, tasty and balanced and, as its name indicates, comes from a small region near Barcelona with a century-old winemaking tradition. A fantastic vintage that displays all the aromatic potential, with ripe nectarine and mango fruit, and citrus and floral notes. On the palate it has an unctuous mouthfeel, lively, balanced and fresh. With some garlicky shrimp, or tomato bread...Happy Hour in Spain!
2016 Schoenheitz, Pinot Blanc 'Val Saint Gregoire', Alsace ~ $19.99
Schoenheitz makes its Pinot Blanc Val Saint Grégoire in the Munster Valley (yes, home of the famous cheese). The wine is vinified from 100% Pinot Auxerrois, a grape indigenous to Alsace and sometimes used interchangeably with Pinot Blanc because of their compatible characteristics. Here, the vineyards are among the highest in Alsace, with slopes so steep no tractor can work the land. All grapes are cultivated and picked by hand. The Schoenheitz vineyards are all farmed sustainably. Pale gold in color with white and yellow flowers on the nose, this well-balanced wine offers bright and juicy white peach, tangerines and lemon zest on the palate, with a core of stunning minerality and with age can develop intriguing notes of honey, vanilla and almond. Alsace Pinot Blancs are among the most versatile of wines, standing up to notoriously difficult pairings such as egg-based dishes and asparagus and providing a lovely complement to soft cheeses, including Munster.
2017 Schoenheitz, Pinot Noir, Alsace ~ $21.99
Henri and Dominique Schoenheitz make very good Pinot Noir from Herrenreben and Linsenberg. Herrenreben" means " the vines of the Noblemen" because this part of the vineyard formerly belonged to the Noblemen of Ribeaupierre who were already cultivating Pinot Noir at this site, in the 15th century. The vineyard's granite soil is stony, sandy and very high in silica, which produces a full-bodied Pinot Noir rich in aromas, able to age in oak barrels. The faintest touch of mocha and vanilla play enticingly on the dark-cherry nose. The palate is full of ripe red cherry, has a glossy, luscious sheen of oak, but handles it very well. A more international style but still with all the hallmark freshness and brightness of Alsace. (92 pts. Wine Enthusiast)
2016 Domaine Richou, 'Les 4 Chemins', Cabernet Franc, France ~ $17.99
Founded in 1920, Domaine Richou is a modest place off a country road deep in the Anjou Noire, so called because of the great number of schists in the geological makeup of this section. Long eschewing chemical fertilizers, they have since 2000 tended its vineyards with the pragmatic philosophy of viticulture raisonnée (or lutte raisonnée). With the 2013 vintage it converted to organic farming, and now it is taking steps with biodynamic viticulture.
This tastes of red raspberries, cherries and herbs, with a stunning perfume of violets, tobacco and spice. Mouthwatering acidity makes this an incredibly food-friendly wine, helping to cut through the richness of fatty meat dishes. It especially shines in tandem with lamb, and its affinity for the spice cabinet allows it to pair perfectly with Chinese dishes prepared with Szechuan pepper and five-spice.
(Kelly & Steve, make something with your Szechuan peppercorns, drink this and you'll get rid of what ails you in no time!)
Be well, be happy, be warm & enjoy the snowflakes!
~ Katrina
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*One of the first big events of the year
Rockport Rotary Musical -
Living the Island Life coming soon!
or call Anne at 603-721-1038.
One of the first big events of the year is coming up next weekend, January 19 at 7 pm and January 20 at 2 pm, the original play, "Living the Island Life" - a comedy about a family from Buffalo that ends up on summer vacation in Cape Ann's Rockport on their way to Rockport, Maine.
Kathleen Morgan is playing (and singing) one of the lead roles, the snarky Grandma Viola. This will be a great night for everyone to raise money for the many good causes the Rockport Rotary supports.
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Kathleen and Katrina’s Wine Picks for the Holiday Table
Varichon & Clerc, NV, Haute~Savoie, France ~ $14.99
Winemaking in Seyssel is recorded for the first time in the 12th Century (1145), where production was further developed under the monks from the Charterhouse in Arvières from the 14th century onward and where Varichon & Clerc was later established. The official proclamation of the small AOC Seyssel in 1973 (only 220 acres under vine) was the first sparkling wine AOC in France after Champagne. This was also a great achievement for Varichon and Clerc, one of the major wine producers. Located in the hilly pre-alps between Lyon and Geneva, Varichon & Clerc have been continually producing classic "Methode Champenoise" wines since 1901! Local grapes, such as Altesse and Molette, are skillfully blended with judicious amounts of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Macabeu to fashion this very elegant wine. This is a smooth and creamy sparkler with flavors of gentle pear, apple, vanilla and toast. A festive aperitif, at a very festive price!
2016 Mt.Beautiful, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand ~ $18.99
As pioneers of the North Canterbury region, Mt. Beautiful's owners David and Leigh were looking to invest in David's homeland in a way that would allow expression of their passion for farm-to-table food and wine, while energizing the community to which they are so genuinely committed. By producing elegant, certified-sustainable, estate-grown wines, David and Leigh have found a way to truly encapsulate in the bottle the climate and the richness of the land by creating Mt. Beautiful Winery. Highlighting floral aromas and tropical flavors such as guava and melon-like fruit, they tone down the grassiness and bring a creamy mid-palate all the way through to a fresh and bright crispness on the finish.
2017 Piciarello, Fiano di Avellino, Camapania, Italy ~ $29.99
Campania may well be Italy's oldest wine region, with a history which spans over three thousand years and has endured throughout the rising and falling of empires. From the ancient Greek Fiano varietal planted on volcanic soils, comes this distinctive flinty white with an atypical, yet beautifully blended spice and voluptuous texture reminiscent of white Burgundy. Ciro Picariello and his wife started their winery in 1997, and he has quickly become one of the star producers of Fiano di Avellino. Their 7 hectares of vineyards are located at relatively high elevation in the province of Campania. Fiano is also known as the wine of the bees because its sweet flesh would draw the pollinators from miles around. With subtle nutty aromas with fresh pear, citrus, honey and spice flavors, this is a perfect wine to pair with ripe cheeses and salumi, while you're watching the parade and waiting for the bird to finish.
2016 Clos Cibonne, Tibouren, Provence, France ~ $28.99
The property of Clos Cibonne dates back to 1797 when the Roux Family purchased it from Jean Baptiste de Cibon, aptain of the royal marines of Louis XVI. In 1930, André Roux modernized the winery in order to pursue his goal of producing top quality wines at the estate. This revival ignited an era of fame for the rosés of Clos Cibonne. A mineral-accented bouquet evokes dried red berries, orange pith, lavender and jasmine, along with a suggestion of peach pit in the background. Silky with great acidity on the midpalate, offering red currant and blood orange flavors and a hint of anise. Shows a suave blend of depth and energy and finishes long and seamless, leaving behind floral, mineral and red berry notes. Pass the cranberry orange compote?
2016 Chateau la Nerthe, Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, Rhone, France ~ $59.99
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