At the start of this millennium, Ortega Gil-Fournier established a brand new winery in Argentina destined to become one of the hottest eno-estates in South America. Honoring the constellation that's only seen south of the equator, the Southern Cross, his wines are called "Alpha Crux (cross)" and "B Crux." He already owns three estates (fincas) with a total of over 230 acres under vine. Reflecting his connection with Spain at the same time, this wine is a crafty blend of 50% Tempranillo, 40% Malbec, and 10% Merlot. The Wine Spectator gave this new release 90 points and said: "Nicely focused, with velvety-textured black cherry, currant, vanilla and toast notes that glide along supple tannins. Shows a raisined hint on the finish, but it's not heavy or dull, with plenty of length and balance."

 

B CRUX 2004, Valle de Ugo Argentina $23.97 (Regular $29.95)

It seems every year we get less wine from Turley. It might be easier to find an oil well in your backyard. But since we've received a handful of bottles the best way to divide them up is to take names for a week, put your names in a hat and the lucky winners will each get a bottle. Call the store and just say "Turley."

 

 

TURLEY OLD VINES ZINFANDEL 2006, California $29.97 (Regular $37.95)

Chardonnay, probably the world's most popular white variety, can vary greatly. The Seguinot family's roots are in Maligny, the front door to Chablis, and can be traced as far back as 1590. But for all their history and tradition, Jean-Francois Bordet, the current winemaker, clearly has a contemporary approach. He delivers very stylish wines, full of both the fruit and the Chablis terroir. This white screams for soft-shell crabs or maybe a platter of mesquite-grilled tilapia. Not too lean and green to enjoy on its own, we like this also as a perfect patio white. Enjoy!

 

DOMAINE SEGUINOT-BORDET CHABLIS 2006, Burgundy $18.95

Frisco. The bay. The freshest seafood imaginable. And when I was there several years ago, the only thing that I reached for time and again was one of my other best friends, Anchor Liberty Ale. The Anchor brewery's been around long enough to be an institution, but they're still small enough to make every batch of their beers the right way, with all the hand-care it takes to make a world-class ale. When I can't open a Zin for friends I reach for a six of Anchor Liberty Ale.

 

Due to shipping limitations, we are unable to sell this online, but you can order it via email and we will hold it for you to pick up in our store.

 

ANCHOR LIBERTY ALE, San Francisco $10.49 / 6-pack

Have you heard that sheep's milk is both nutritious and delicious? The milk has a rich, mellow, slightly sweet taste. It is much higher in total solids than either cow or goat milk, and contains up to twice as many of the minerals like calcium, phosphorus and zinc and the important B group vitamins. Compared to a cow, a ewe produces a fraction of the volume of milk of its bovine cousin. A cow can deliver 8 to 20 quarts of milk a day, while a sheep produces only one quart. Imagine how much milking it takes to produce a wheel of sheep's milk cheese!

 

Roquefort is a world famous blue cheese from Rouergue, France. It is soft, slightly crumbly and moist with a very complex flavor. It has become very expensive, almost a luxury cheese, yet Roquefort remains one of our most popular blues. The famous cheese monger Steve Jenkins says that Roquefort is "the reason God created caves". That might be true, but did you know it was made from sheep's milk?

 

Feta is another cheese many people are surprised to learn is made from sheep's milk. Ours is another luscious cheese from France. It's a mild Feta with a silky texture. We love it drizzled with really good olive oil, sprinkled with fresh herbs and cracked pepper. The longer it marinates the better. Serve our Feta crumbled in salads or with fresh pita bread.

 

One of our favorite hard sheep's milk cheeses is Fiore Sardo, or flower of Sardinia. One of the best-known Pecorinos (pecora is the generic name for sheep's milk), it has a mildly sharp flavor. Fiore Sardo is terrific for eating with foods we eat in the summer, like juicy fruits, tomatoes, and grilled bread drizzled with olive oil. It is especially good for grating and for making pesto.

 

ROQUEFORT $25.97/ lb (Regular $28.99/ lb)

FRENCH FETA $4.97/7 oz (Regular $5.99/7 oz)

FIORE SARDO $19.97/ lb (Regular $21.99/ lb)

Wrapping up our spring semester and continuing our series of Third Thursday Wine Classes focusing on individual grapes, this month we'll twist it around and look at Italian whites that aren't Pinot Grigio. Alan Pilgrim will be leading this one and he has picked out some terrific wines from throughout Italy to make it well worth your while. The food department will, of course, offer some appropriate snacks - please remember, if you would prefer a vegetarian tasting plate, let us know when you register. This will be our last class before our summer vacation, and as always, reservations in advance are required, so call or e-mail right now because space is limited.

 

06/19 THU - 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., $20 for CAP members (and you will become a CAP member). Contact Schaefer's at 847-677-WINE (9463) or by email to sign up.

Stop by for our FREE Saturday Tasting, 11:00-5:00, when we'll be pairing Sauvignon Blanc from around the world with sheep's milk cheeses. We'll also feature some lesser-known reds. See you here!

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.