Hampden Warehouse Liquor Mart
In-store wine tasting
Thursday & Friday, August 29 & 30, 2007
From 4:00 - 6:30pm

We will taste the following wines:

Esperto 2006 Pinot Grigio, Italy A refreshing zesty white with flavors of pear and melon. Soft notes of flowers on the mid-palate lead to a hint of honey on the finish. The fruit to acidity are balanced, allowing this wine versalitiy when it comes to pairing with food. Barton & Guestier 2006 Vouvray, Loire Valley, France A classic wine with lots of crowd appeal. Notes of tangerine, peach, and lime zest fill your mouth, while a slight hint of flowers, minerals, and honeysuckle create a lovely mid-palate and finish. A great wine for pork, fish, and pasta. Edna Valley 2005 Chardonnay, California The Edna Valley is a well known micro-climate that allows the wine grapes to cool off each night. Grapes love a 9-5 work day and offer complexity and depth. Rich and opulent with notes of pineapple, apple pie, hints of papaya, it is a fine example of California style chardonnay done right. Elegant, yet full bodied; it is a great bottle to serve with grilled chicken or steamed shrimp. Beaulieau Vineyards 2004 Coastal Merlot, California Soft, plump, ripe and easy to drink. BV Coastal Merlot is a wonderful bottle to keep on hand. Lower tannins make it a very versatile wine. The acidity is softer too and the layers of black fruits, blackberries, cassis, raspberries compliment the smoky nuances. A great deal for the money. Echelon 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, California The wines from Echelon have been a best kept secret among wine shoppers for a long time. The '03 is loaded with notes of black cherries, cassis, and hints of pomegranate. The mid-palate is filled with vanilla, clove, cocoa, and a touch of white pepper. Robust, yet polished, this wine is made for a steak off the grill. Excellent juice for the money.

We will be discounting each bottle of wine being poured, during the tasting hours.

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Vouvray -- Loire Valley
Vouvray is the largest white wine region in the Anjou-Saumur-Touraine region of the Loire Valley in France. The Loire River meanders over 600 miles west, through the French country side, eventually emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. The towns along its banks are known for preserving history, with their ancient castles and chateaus. Time has left a distinctive footprint in this valley.
      The Loire Valley is the third most popular tourist destination in France and the third largest wine region in terms of production. French restaurants pour more wine from the Loire Valley than from any other domestic region.
      Wine regions from this district are diverse. The overall area is known for its white wines, but producers are known to grow pinot noir, cabernet franc, merlot, gamay, and cabernet sauvignon as well. The best known areas of Sancerre (sauvignon blanc), Vouvray (chenin blanc), Pouilly Fume (sauvignon blanc), and Muscadet all produce white wines. Each one, except for Muscadet, use the name of the region on the bottle rather than the grape.
      The town of Vouvray is known for its still and sparkling whites made from chenin blanc. While American producers use chenin blanc as a work horse variety for the production of boxed and jug wine, Vouvray continues to hold this grape in high esteem. Chenin blanc has been grown in Vouvray since the forth century, reaching back to the time when the Loire Valley's Medieval castles were built.
      While Bordeaux, Champagne, and Burgundy can demand a high price, wines from the Loire Valley are a great value. Each bottle contains it own slice of France's vast history with elegance and style.