The vineyards of Charles Thomas are organically farmed on an archaeological site with artifacts dating back to the 4th century, with some of the vineyard still being plowed manually by horses.
The vineyards produce four varietals, the largest being its 72 acres of Syrah. This shines through in its 2011 Cotes du Rhone, which is blended with 50% Syrah.
The Wine Shop and Spasso would like to invite you to a special night of tapas and Spanish Wines. On Thursday, May 2, we will be holding an intimate tasting led by three world famous winemakers/growers from Northern Spain. It is a rare event to get a single winemaker/grower of this magnitude to speak at our tastings, and this time we have completely outdone ourselves by securing three of these masters to join us. We will be serving eight wines that will be paired with traditional Spanish cuisine designed and paired by our Sommelier and Executive Chef.
We will be exploring the culture and vinification of the sparkling Cava of Penedes with Xavier Esteve from the famous Avinyo Vineyards! We will then journey to the Valdeorras to experience the ancient varietal of Godello with President of A Coroa, Marta Sertaje. Next, we will address the little known region of Txakolina and enjoy a white and red offering from Doniene Gorrondona with winemaker Itziar Insausti! We will also
taste classic offerings of Tempranillo, Mencia, and Basque Cider!
This event will begin at 7:00 sharp and special discount pricing will be available after the event for the wines experienced. Tickets are $50 and are very very limited. You can reserve you seats immediately by calling the Wine Shop. I can’t wait to see you all at this very special celebration of Spanish food and wine!
-Tyler, Wine Shop Manager
Barley Wine is an amazing style of brewing steeped in old English tradition. Domestically, Barley Wines have been picking up momentum this past year as local brewmasters reach for different expressions of high gravity (high alcohol) offerings.
Barley Wines are an often misunderstood style beer that is regularly slapped with the “unbalanced” descriptor. On first sip, this is partially true, but there is more to that story!
Barley Wines are the Barolos of the beer world: only after years of aging do they show their true potential. These beers–unlike their Belgian high gravity counterparts–are ales that go through a slow single fermentation that usually works its ABV between 10-15%. To do this, an enormous amount of English pale malts are used. The potential alcohol is so high that the yeast often burns out leaving a large amount of malty sweetness unfermented. Copious pounds of hops are added to bring the bittering factor up high enough to balance some of the residual sugar.
The alcohol content also has a bittering element that needs to be accounted for when considering the term “balanced”. The high levels of alpha/beta acids from the hops and the high level of alcohol also allows this beer to remain very stable and can easily age 5- 10+ yrs when cellared.
Stephen Ross Dooley
The Wine Shop and Spasso are incredibly excited to announce an intimate evening of food and wine with wine maker, Stephen Ross Dooley.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the wines and hear the stories that lead this amazing wine maker from his Minnesota roots to the hills of California.
This event came together quickly just the other day, and it is just a week away. Tickets are very very limited, so hurry to reserve your spot! The cost is only $30, which includes wonderful wines paired with inspired small plates by Spasso’s Executive Chef. The dinner will begin on at 7:00PM on Tuesday, March 12.
Tickets are available immediately by phone at (952) 988-9463. I hope to see you there!
The wine bug bit Dooley in the early 70s as California first stepped into the spotlight of the international wine scene. Stephen worked his way from cleaning vats to being the assistant wine maker at the famous Louis Martini Vineyards before becoming President and Wine Maker at Edna Valley Vineyards. In 1994, he began producing wines under his own label “Stephen Ross.”
Over the decades Stephen has studied and produced wines all over the world. From Burgundy to South Africa, Stephen Ross Wines exhibit both amazing new world flavors steeped in old world traditions. Stephen’s wines are some of my personal favorites in the Shop.
He will also being introducing the new vintage of the Flying Cloud Cabernet, an exclusive offering just for the Minnesota Metro market. The previous vintage was one of the hottest wines in the shop in 2012!
-Tyler, Wine Shop Manager
Sometimes it’s best to start thinking spring while trying to survive the darkest and coldest of the winter months. There is no better way to beat those winter blues than uncorking a wonderful rose.
One of my new favorites in our Rose section is the Clos Cibonne Tibouren. Only a few small producers in Provence, France still grow the Tibouren grape and produce this unique style of Rose. The most interesting aspect of this wine is the development of flor during fermentation.
Flor is a thin skin-like layer that develops on the fermenting juice allowing the wine to have oxidative taste properties without being directly exposed to oxygen. This helps in developing nutty flavors and aromatics while allowing the wine to retain its crisp acidity. Flor is most commonly found in sherry production in Spain, but its effect of the French Tibouren grape is amazing. Clos Cibonne Tibouren is a true heavy weight among Rose!
Pick up a bottle at the Wine Shop for $24.99
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