We're doing everything we can to put this tough winter behind us. We've started our Spring Sale early this year, and since the sale brochure won't be out for a few weeks, we've got a load of new specials and popular favorites to show Say-Vino subscribers first. Join us in our tasting room this Saturday when we'll try some of the newest arrivals!

Here's a standout new arrival in our Spring Sale. Temptation Zinfandel was born out of Alexander Valley Vineyard's twenty-five plus years of making Sin Zin. First produced in 1978, with 100% Alexander Valley grapes, Sin Zin has developed a cult-like following for its abundant raspberry fruit and freshly crushed black pepper character. Their other standout Zin, Redemption Zin, first made in 2001 from 100% Dry Creek Valley grapes, displays rich blackberry, blueberry and spice rack qualities that is a terrific counterpoint to Sin Zin. But still, something was amiss. Sin leads to Redemption. But what leads to Sin? Temptation Zin was born! Temptation Zinfandel is loaded with plum, cocoa and, most prominently, Bing cherry character. The mouthfeel is plush and the finish is long.

 

ALEXANDER VALLEY TEMPTATION ZINFANDEL 2005, California, $11.97/750 ml, $143.64/case CAP (regularly $14.95)

Thanks to everyone who attended our Syrah Shiraz wine class last Thursday. We had a great time, and we made a particularly wonderful discovery, something truly Australian. There is a wonderfully dry and rich sparkling Shiraz made by Peter Rumball in Coonawara, South Australia. It's hard for us Americans to imagine what a dry red wine with elegant little bubbles might taste like, but the consensus among the group last week was overwhelmingly positive. Although the Australians traditionally serve their sparkling Shiraz with roast turkey at Christmas, we decided that this might be just the thing for Easter lamb. We'll have some open for tasting on Saturday. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how good it is!

 

RUMBALL SPARKLING SHIRAZ SB17, Coonawara, $18.97/750 ml, $227.64/case CAP (regularly $22.95)

It's no sin to grow Syrah in Cabernet country - Napa. And it should be no surprise that an Oakville-sourced Syrah can deliver all the depth, character and pizzazz that one could expect. Jim Gill, James Harder and Jim Regusci founded the Seven Sinners Wine Company in 2002. This trio, along with consulting winemaker, Charles Hendricks and his cellar team make up the wild bunch team, bent on bottling small lot Syrah. The 2005 Seven Sinners Syrah is sourced primarily from the Oakville district, it is smooth and silky with deep layered ripe flavors of black raspberry and sweet oak. The addition of 3% Petite Sirah gives the wine added density, richness and power. This was a wine class favorite, and a wine we are thrilled to carry.

 

SEVEN SINNERS "THE RANSOM" SYRAH 2004, Napa Valley,  $19.97/750 ml, $239.64/case CAP (regularly $24.95)

George Skouras, proprietor, oenologist and winemaker of Domain Skouras, was born in Argos, a city in the Peloponnese that has been inhabited for over 3000 years. In the early 1980s, he studied agriculture in Dijon, France, where a local winemaker introduced him to Burgundy wine. Impressed and inspired, his Dionysian element took over, and he switched to oenology. Since 1986, Skouras has been producing classic Greek wines. His Megas Oenos [meh-guh-ee-nos] (literally, great wine) is a blend of 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 80% St. George, a native Greek grape. This grape is thought to be one of Greece's oldest varieties; it is very full-bodied, fruity and long-lasting. When blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, it produces a big, high quality and easy-to-drink red that will pair well with warm beef stews, roast duck or a simple steak. Wine Spectator gave this vintage 87 points and declared "This is a well-structured, medium-bodied red, with firm, fleshy flavors of red berry, dark plum and smoke. Finishes with notes of graphite and mineral." It is drinking well now - pick one up and try something new tonight!

 

SKOURAS MEGAS OENOS 2004, Greece, $26.95/750 ml, $323.40/case Save 10%

'Well many's the long night I've dreamed of cheese--toasted mostly,' sighs marooned Ben Gunn during his 3 year exile in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. He was probably referring to the famous Leigh Toaster made with Lancashire cheese produced near the small English town of, well, Leigh. Lancashire is known to be one of the world's best melting cheeses because it never goes stringy when used traditionally to make proper Welsh rarebit.

 

We get the best traditional handcrafted Lancashire Cheese from our suppliers at Neal's Yard Dairy in London. This is the real thing, unpasteurized honest to goodness farmhouse cheese. Made by Graham Kirkham at Lower Beesley Farm near Goosnargh, Lancashire. This is the best Lancashire we have ever tasted. Its flavor is lemony and yogurty with a tang particular to really good Lancashire. The texture is moist, rich, crumbly and creamy with what the locals call a 'buttery crumble'. Graham Kirkham calls it 'fluffy monster'.

 

KIRKHAM'S LANCASHIRE $18.97/lb CAP (regularly $22.99)

If you love wine but aren't secure in your knowledge or love someone who loves wine yet perhaps doesn't know how to identify certain characteristics in your favorite wines, we have a class for you. On March 6 and March 13, we will host a 2-part class on Wine Appreciation, taught by former Schaefer's employee, Tom Hyland. For the past nine years, he has been a freelance wine educator and writer, traveling to wine regions in many countries around the world, learning about the local grapes and wines.

 

We will taste many major wine types, but more importantly, examine what wine is all about. What is acidity and how does it affect the structure of a wine? How do tannins change red wine? How long can you age wines? What don't we know enough to ask about wine?

 

Payment in advance is required and class size is limited, so seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Tom today to sign up!

 

3/6 & 3/13 - 6:30-7:45, $55 per person for the 2-part class. Contact Tom Hyland at (773) 293-6790 or by email to register. Please do not contact Schaefer's directly.

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.