An April Wineology Recap! Mon, Apr 22, 24 HAPPY LATE APRIL!We've been having all kinds of fun on the wine side this month. We kicked off the Wednesday Wineology classes with a blind tasting of three whites and three reds on April 3. This is always a challenge to the palate, and there were many who guessed all of them correctly! On April 10, nearly 80 people got to enjoy a wonderful tasting of "Beautiful Sonoma," with wines from the Jackson Family and cheeses and charcuterie from artisan producers in Sonoma. What a treat!! The wines were a crisp and lively Murphy Goode Sauvignon Blanc; a smooth and succulent La Crema Chardonnay from Sonoma; the luscious, over-the-top Hartford Court Four Hearts Chardonnay; a La Crema Pinot Noir from Sonoma, with beautiful bright red fruit notes; and the signature Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine with everything a Cab lover craves - notes of black current, dark cherry, and lingering tobacco with beautiful tannins. All the wines coming from this family-owned operation that has made great strides in sustainability and organic practices are consistently fantastic. It was wonderful to learn more about them. I recommend conducting your own tasting of these wines while learning about the winery on its YouTube channel. Their motto is "Grow True. Grow Better. Grow Smarter. Grow Kinder." This past week we explored organic and natural wines. We talked about the difference between a USDA Organic certification on a wine label and the more common finding of "Made with Organic Grapes." Both of these qualifications demand attention to not just how grapes are grown, but to the land itself and all aspects of a wine's production, from harvest to fermentation to energy usage and much more. We definitely came away with an appreciation for the efforts of these producers - and enjoyed some beautiful wines from Frey, Natura, Bonterra, and Domaine Bousquet. More and more wines are being made from organic grapes; check them out - there's all kinds of goodness in them!We'll wrap up April with a selection of "Exit 9 Gems". These wines are from New Zealand and France -- Sauvignon Blancs from both countries, then classic Bordeaux wines. On May 1 selections will be available for our new Wine Club members! We are very excited to make the selections of 3 and 6 bottles every three months (May 1, August 1, November 1, and February 1.) Members are guaranteed some great finds. All the wines will have tasting notes and pairing suggestions with them. Knowing these wines will be chosen for you every few months will add the element of a fun surprise to the pleasure of trying something new. Selections will be seasonally oriented, as well, so you can count on wines that will pair well with picnics, parties, special occasions, and, of course, "just because." As a bonus for being the first Wine Club Members, an extra-special bottle is being selected for May. Heads-up smart wine shoppers: the Romeo Sauvignon Blanc is currently a triple-point wine, but it won't be much longer. This wine was tasted in a class at the end of March and was a big hit. It's from Spain, and it has the classic bright citrus notes with some minerality that makes Sauvignon Blanc so delicious, but there's also a beguiling hint of lime LifeSaver on the finish that sounds weird but tastes really good. It's not a sweet taste, but it's there, and it adds that special something. It's a wine you'll want to stock up on for summer, and now's the time. Click the button below for the full current selection of triple-point wines. Exit 9 Triple Point Wines Thank you, Exit 9 wine lovers, for your continued support and enthusiasm. Cheers! By Caitlin Duma
