The Phantom, an intense red blend from Bogle, has mysteriously appeared on our shelves, and this specter is well worth tracking down! This 6th-generation family-run winery traces its name to the Scottish word for a goblin, phantom or boggart, and this one is the pride of their winery. Made from 54% Petite Sirah, 43% Zinfandel, and 3% Mourvèdre and aged 24 months in American oak, this is my current favorite (for a non-Zin, that is!) - and perfect for the cooler weather. Intensely fruit forward on the entry, this deep ruby apparition begins with aromas of blueberries, violets and chocolate-covered cherries, dusted with touches of black pepper. From the deep dark depths, subtle notes of spice, clove and mocha emerge and complement the concentrated fruit characters of this wine.

Bogle Phantom 2004, California $19.95/750 ml, $215.46/case

 

This Saturday at the store we'll feature wines from Fritz Winery in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley. Clay Fritz, president and second generation in this family-run winery, will join us to pour some of his delicious hand-crafted wines. We'll also be pouring a small selection of whites and reds perfect for Fall weather and tasting Snow Queen Vodka. Our deli department will be featuring Dutch cheeses, too. As always, the Saturday tastings take place 11:00-5:00 and are free. Hope to see you there!

Join us on Thursday, October 4 at 6:30 for an in-store class on the great wines of Tuscany. This world-famous wine region is home to some of the greatest red wines made today, including Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino, which we will sample that evening. We will also try different versions of Chianti Classico as well as an example of the renowned Tuscan dessert wine, Vin Santo. Detailed handouts and maps of the region will be provided as well as paired snacks from our deli department.

 

Price for this class will be $55 per person and attendance will be limited and filled on a first-come first-served basis. The class will be taught by Italian wine authority and former Schaefer's employee, Tom Hyland, who has made eight trips to the region over the past few years. To enroll, contact Tom Hyland at (773) 293-6790 or by email at: thwinewriter@comcast.net, rather than Schaefer's. Ciao!

We recently tasted the new 2006 vintage of Cusumano's Nero d'Avola and it was a real surprise. Usually this grape produces an intensely deep-colored and almost chewy red wine. This vintage, however, was light on its feet, still an amazing color but full of fruit and nicely balanced. Even more surprising was its cork: this is one of the few wines on our shelves using the Vino-Lok. Also called Vino-Seal, this is a glass closure released by Alcoa. Since its introduction into the European market in 2003, over 300 wineries have utilized Vino-Seal. Replacing corks they use a glass stopper with an inert o-ring to create a hermetic seal that prevents oxidation and corkiness contamination. My guess is that the stopper allows this winery to release a more balanced version of one of my favorites. I'm anxious to hear your thoughts! 

Cusumano Nero d'Avola 2006, Sicily $11.95/750 ml, $129.06/case

 

Join us later this month for our Third Thursday Wine Class October 18th - How To Enjoy Wine: Desert Island Favorites. Wine consultant Brian Flannery will lead a lively discussion on how to enjoy wine, featuring his Top Ten picks to be stranded with on a desert island as examples. This is a tasting for beginners and seasoned drinkers alike. Among the featured wines will be artistic creations by Bonny Doon, Didier Dagueneau, Ridge and Duckhorn. The class will start promptly at 6:30 and run until 8 PM. Cost is $25 ($20 for CAP members), and reservations in advance are required since space is limited. Please call us today at (847) 673-5711 to reserve your spot.

The Fontgireau estate is located in the very heart of "La Petite Champagne", 20 kilometers from Cognac, where the ideal amount of sunshine and climatic conditions exist for producing the highest quality Cognacs. Vinegrowers since 1777, the making and aging of brandies and Cognacs has been a family affair. In addition to Cognacs, this estate produces a limited amount of brandy that is the product of vines grown outside the Cognac appellation, but treated with the same care. Their distillation process, using only aged oak barrels, is executed with careful precision, and under the experienced guidance of Mr. Jacques Delpech, in the estate's own cellars. This V.S.O.P. has had a minimum of 5% Cognac added to its blend to round out its flavors and to add extra richness to the palate. A terrific value!

Delpech Fougerat Napoleon V.S.O.P. Brandy $12.95/750 ml

 

The Delpech V.S. Cognac is sourced from traditional varieties of vines that were planted over 25 years ago in the Fontgireau and La Cigogne estates. Once picked, the grapes are pressed traditionally and the wine is stored until December. At this point the distilling begins. Home distillers for generations, Delpech and sons supervise the distilling of the wine themselves in order to give their Cognac its air of originality. Then aging begins in the Fontgireau cellars. V.S. Cognac was aged at least 4 years, and I found its aroma delicately floral and very light. I was very impressed with this V.S.! (Mui Baltrunas)

Delpech Fougerat V.S. Cognac $19.95/750 ml

 

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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.