OUR CURRENT FEATURED WINES
WOOP WOOP Shiraz 2008 Australia Woop Woop is Outback slang for “the middle of nowhere”. It was founded around a BBQ by three mates, amongst our vines, a glass or two in hand. The wine has an intense dark fruit, mellows mid-sip into a nice black licorice, then finishes with a black peppery and spicy bang. This wine’s almost too hot to mess with coming in at 14.5% alcohol content! Take that beer drinkers who think drinking wine is wimpy. TILIA Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Mendoza, Argentina The 2008 Tilia Cabernet Sauvignon has a dark purple color with ruby red tones. The nose is full of ripe red fruits, sweet spice and a touch of tobacco. The mouth feel shows red currant and cassis fruit layered with notes of cedar and espresso bean. The finish is soft and sweet, with finely grained tannins adding structure and length. Tilia, the Latin Name for Linden, is a traditional tree in Mendoza whose flowers are used to make a relaxing herbal tea and this historic tree represent the commitment to the traditional way of life in Mendoza, where most farmers bike or walk to work and live with their families near the winery. Cava Carbo Semi Seco, Spain Champagne was the first sparkling wine and it is the most famous. Only wines made in the Champagne region of France may be called Champagne. Spain produces many fine sparkling wines, called cava after the cellars in which the wine is produced. These wines are made in the “méthode champenoise” or “Champagne method,” which is the same method that is used to make Champagne. Teldeschi White Zinfandel 2008, California The Teldeschi family has been growing grapes in Dry Creek Valley since 1946. Zinfandel is considered America's own great indigenous grape, even though its origins lie on the Adriatic coast. Planted throughout California and the Pacific Northwest, Zinfandel is at its best in warm regions with cooler temperatures during harvest. The wines can range from off-dry Rosés, White Zinfandels, and light bistro styled wines, to big, rich powerful wines - even luscious wines for dessert bottling. The flavors range from plummy to raspberry, although deep blackberry fruit and brambly spice tones are most common. Freixenet Blanc de Blanc Brut Blanc de Blancs is Freixenet's creamiest style brut. It is considered an easy introduction to Cava for those who have little wine experience, yet is developed enough for the most sophisticated of palettes. It carries a refreshing light and soft taste. The full baked apple and vanilla flavors create a velvety softness in the mouth. Grand Cru Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, California This is a simple Cabernet with good varietal definition in its cherry and mildly toasty oak. It's medium to full bodied and easy drinking. Grand Cru Chardonnay 2007, California This wine has a note of vanilla, apple and pear. It is medium to full bodied and easy drinking. Grand Cru Merlot 2007, California This wine has a medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant. PeachyCanyon Winery 2006 Incredible Red, Paso Robles Zinfandel This Central Coast Zin is dark ruby in color, with bright reddish-orange glints. Light red-berry aromas are pleasant but surprisingly subtle for a Zin, at least within the first hour after opening, but it does open up well with time, adding richer berry fruit after a couple of hours and even overnight. Good mouthfeel, tart, zingy fruit, definitely styled to go with food, with appropriately strong but not overpowering 13.9% alcohol. Selbach Riesling, 2008 Piesporter Michelsberg, Germany The Selbach family is the largest land holder in the Mosel. This allows them to be very selective with the fruit they use in their wines. Don’t be fooled, this is no ordinary Piesporter – with just a touch of sweetness, this wine finishes with all the complexity of the great Riesling grape. R – Fusion Riesling 2006, Germany Grown in the beautiful vineyards of Germany’s Nahe region, R – Fusion Riesling was made to compliment Asian or any hot or spicy dishes. It expresses clean, ripe fruit and crisp acidity that can also be enjoyed on its own. Moselland Landmark Series Riesling 2007, Germany This 100 % Riesling wine from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region was fermented and stored in stainless steel, temperature controlled and bottled cold sterile. Fine, fruity Riesling bouquet, well-balanced palate, hint of exotic fruit, very crisp, refreshing and straight forward. This is not only an enjoyable wine, this is also an excellent gift. Twisted Pinot Grigio 2008, California A cool vintage resulted in good acids in this polished Pinot Grigio, which shows long hang time flavors of fresh fruits, berries and spices. It’s a savory wine, dry, clean and easy to like. Return to Home
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Wine of the Week: Shooting Star Blue Franc at Gustine Market
Gustine Market (3150 Gustine Avenue; 314-932-5141) is not your typical corner store. Sure, you can stroll into the rehabbed brick building across from Tower Grove Park and pick up a bag of Doritos or a Busch tallboy. But you can also find more interesting eats, like Shakespeare's Pizza or Billy Goat chips, or sample a specialty cheese. Even better where Gut Check is concerned, customers can peruse the market's 80 wine selections with co-owner Vicky Cummiskey - which is exactly what we did while tasting the 2008 Steele Shooting Star Blue Franc.
RECENT ARRIVALS:
TOSCOLO Chianti 2008, Italy The 2008 Chianti is a delicious wine for the money. This fresh, vinous Chianti flows from the glass with bright dark red fruit and flowers in an engaging, plump style. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011.Toscolo is a good source for tasty Chiantis made in an overt, fruit-driven style. CHIANTI DOCG 2007, Italy Each Candoni bottle is rendered a unique piece of art by a serigraph reproduction of an Etruscan fresco painting. Serigraphy is the technique of permanently applying color through the use of screens of woven silk. Ceramic colors are applied to the surface of the glass, which is subsequently subjected to heat treatments that render the color indelible. Candoni Chianti DOCG 2007. A blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot Nice Ruby red color with with lots of blackberry and almond aromas and a nice long finish. This is truly a very good Chianti! Return to Main Page
TILIA Chardonnay 2008, Mendoza, Argentina The Tilia Chardonnay shows a straw - yellow color with light shades of green. The nose presents ripe tropical fruit aromas with citrus and floral notes. The mouthfeel is full and rich, with concentrated pear and fig fruit flavors with layers of vanilla and sweet spice from light oak aging. The finish is clean and fresh with bright, crisp acidity. TILIA Merlot 2008, Mendoza, Argentia The Tilia Merlot shows sweet Bing cherry and plum fruit aromas and favors and finishes with ripe and smooth tannins. Jed Steeley’s Shooting Star Zinfandel 2007, MendocinoCounty This wine has aromas of raspberry and other ripe black fruit, butter, and just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. The tannins and acids in this wine are soft but distinct. Cedar tones with just a hint of plum make the finish a wonderful explanation point. Lagaria Merlot 2008, Sicilia This wine is vibrant and flavorful. It is a great introduction to the beauty of Italian wines. The Lagaria label has two beautiful crisp and clean whites from Italy’s Northeast district of Val Lagarina, as well as a supple Merlot from Sicily. Castle Rock Pinot Noir, 2008 Mendocino County Castle Rock has quickly become one of the most recognizable brands available in today’s market. This wine is elegant and medium-bodied, offering aromas of cherry, tea and herbal spice. On the palate, the wine gives flavors of black cherry, plum and spice. It is smooth with a silky texture and mild tannins. This versatile food wine pairs well with lamb, chicken, veal, salmon and light pasta dishes. Ventisquero Pinot Noir, 2008 Casablanca Valley “Value Brand of the Year” – Wine & Sprints This wine is designated as a reserve, but Ventisquero also have wines ranging from grand reserve down to everyday values. Though this was a reserve wine, due to the price point it’s certainly affordable without sacrificing quality. This pinot noir has a ruby red color with a nose of strawberries, dried plums, and vanilla. Soft and delicate with wonderful tannins.. |