I am happy to announce the return of a longtime favorite, Burgans Albariño. Every bit as bright & minerally as I remember it, this wine offers the fruit of tangerines & fuzzy nectarines I recall so fondly. There's sea salt & a crispness that makes you feels like a day at the beach with a refreshing breeze. Clean as a whistle, this is the ultimate fish wine!

 

Robert Parker gladly rated this fine wine at 89 points, and said "The 2006 Burgans Albariño, a custom cuvee chosen by importer Eric Solomon, is a candidate for Best Buy in the Albariño category. Medium gold-colored, the wine has excellent honey, mineral, orange marmalade and peach aromas and flavors in a just off-dry format. Drink it over the next 12-18 months with grilled salmon, tuna, and roast chicken." This great white is in stock and ready for all your parties.

Burgan's Albariño 2006, Spain  Regularly $14.95. Sale $12.97

Spottswoode is a family-owned historic vineyard and winery known for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons. Established in 1882 by George Schonewald, the estate is distinguished by the old Victorian home depicted on the Spottswoode label. (The estate has been farmed organically since 1985.)

 

But Mother Nature bestowed a prolonged heat spell on Spottswoode during the 2004 harvest and this, coupled with a lower than average crop, was a clear indication they would get a smaller-than-normal vintage. The Spottswoode Estate Cabernet sold out early at the winery. Whatever is left is destined to meet restaurant needs. We have been offered a very small allocation of their Lyndenhust release, made from selected blocks on the estate that deliver exceptional flavor, forward fruit and approachable tannins. The Spottswoode winemakers describe the release this way: "Scents of gingerbread, vanilla, nutmeg, milk chocolate and cream are intertwined with boysenberries, black cherry and peppermint. This wine is meant to be consumed in its youth; it is delicious and ready to drink."

 

We only have a few bottles available. This is all we will see of any 2004 red from Spottswoode. Please contact us with your request and we will do our best to allocate you a bottle.

Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Napa Regularly $74.95. Say-Vino subscribers: $64.97

For more than 20 years, Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards, in the heart of the Napa Valley, has been producing highly-rated ultra-premium Bordeaux-style wines which wine lovers can savor and enjoy immediately. We are very happy to offer their 2004 release of Eloge, their big, full-bodied blend.

 

Robert Parker rates it 94 points and says "Eloge is a Bordeaux-styled red composed of approximately two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, nearly one-third Cabernet Franc, and tiny dollops of Petit Verdot and Merlot. The 2004 Eloge's dark ruby/purple color is followed by scents of graphite, camphor, black currants, tapenade, flowers and spice. Rich, supple, and full-bodied with silky tannin, abundant glycerin, and heady alcohol (listed at 14.8%), it will drink gorgeously well young, and last 10-20 years."

 

Please let us know how many bottles you are interested in, and we will do our best to fill requests when the wine arrives in a week or so. This wine has limited availability.

Anderson's Conn Valley Eloge 2004, Napa Regularly $89.95 Say-Vino subscribers: $74.97

Join us on Thursday evening, September 6th for a special pre-High Holiday Kosher Wine Tasting, 5-7:45 p.m. We'll be opening a range of Kosher wines, including some new options specially priced for the holidays. Remember, just because it's Kosher doesn't mean it's sticky sweet (not that there's anything wrong with that) - there are some lovely dry whites and terrific dry reds, with options from all over the world, so even if you don't usually drink Kosher wine, mark your calendar to stop by and give some a try!

If your knowledge of Italian wines only goes as far as Pinot Grigio and Chianti, you're missing out on some of the world's greatest wines. Join us on Thursday, September 13 at 6:30 p.m. for a special in-store class, The Wines of Italy. This introductory class will focus on the unique wines of Italy, most of which are produced from indigenous varietals, often found nowhere else in the world. The class will be taught by local wine writer and educator (and former Schaefer's employee) Tom Hyland, a leading authority on Italian wines (he has visited Italy over 30 times).

 

The cost for this class will be a reasonable $35 per person. Class size will be limited and will be filled on a first-come, first served basis. To enroll, please contact Tom Hyland at (773) 293-6790 or by email at: thwinewriter@comcast.net (sign ups are not being taken by Schaefer's). Your seat in the class will be reserved by payment by check before the class. We hope to see you on September 13 for a great class on the distinctive wines of Italy!

That's all for this week. If we may be of any further service, please stop by our store at 9965 Gross Point Road in Skokie (for directions, click here), visit our website at http://www.schaefers.com, give us a call at 847-677-WINE (9463), 800-833-WINE (9463), or click here to contact us.