Featured wine and beer
May? Mais oui? Maybe so!
Come rain or come shine, what could be better than May in Cascadia? Mornings as cool, crisp and sleek as Mosel riesling, the air like chenin blanc, heavy with the scent of flowers, the whole world erupting with the youthful exuberance of cru Beaujolais. Hot afternoons that call for crisp lager, warm evenings made all the lovelier with a chilled bottle of dry rosé at the ready. Evening that invite savory al fresco fare with garrigue–infused, sturdy reds as companions. You get the idea.
Not coincidentally, your friendly neighborhood PCC has an abundance of just the beverages you need to round out a fine Spring day, rain or shine. Looking for delicious ways to celebrate thirst? Read on!
Fresh flavors from the home front!
Delicious new releases from our friends across the mountains.
Lost River "Salish Sea" White Wine — Quite the Find! — $14
Chenin Blanc plays a starring role in this year's edition of Salish Sea, with sauvignon blanc and pinot gris delivering perfectly nuanced harmonies. Distinctively Washington aromas of savory wild brush accent tangerine fruit and citrus blossoms. That theme returns on the palate in a generous, but focused texture of bright fruit flavors, underscored by cool minerality and zippy acidity. Stylish, sleek and way easy to drink!
Powers 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon "Farmland Trust" — Quite the Find! — $11
We're quite pleased with this year's model, an ensemble of classic Washington cabernet sauvignon from five vineyards, with a dash and a dollop of malbec and mourvedre lending breadth and depth. It begins with gorgeous aromatics of cassis and cherry liqueuer laced with wafts of gravel, sage and Russian thistle, then picks up intensity on the palate with a crescendo of those themes and finishes with a satisfying grace. A lovely wine! Two dollars from every bottle sold are donated to the Farmland Trust, saving Organic Farmland Forever! (Arriving late-May)
Powers 2012 Chardonnay "Farmland Trust" — Quite the Find! — $11
Dang, but this is good chardonnay — and shows shat Washington can do, when it doesn't try to be California. Alluring aromas of white flowers, citrus and stone fruit, with accents of peach pit, a hints of lily and a waft of smoke reverberate on the palate, joined by notes of citrus oil and gravel. All that lusciousness is presented on a sleek, but nearly unctuous texture, marked by bright, crisp acidity. Two dollars from every bottle sold are donated to the Farmland Trust, saving Organic Farmland Forever! (Arriving late-May)
France
Fresh 2012 rosé from the Southern Rhône, super values from a new family-operated winery in the Southwest, the return of one of our favorite Minervois, an encore from Corbières — and one of the loveliest sauvignon blancs on the planet from our friends in St. Chinian. What's not to love?
Domaine de la Petite Cassagne Rosé Costières de Nîmes — $11
Enchanting ... aromas of mineral and fruit blossom segue to delicate notes of freshly-picked strawberry. Those themes echo on the palate, where they're joined by hints of peach and nectarine, with great acidity and a reprise of the opening mineral note providing vibrant energy. Pure pleasure!
Chateau de Guiot Rosé Costières de Nîmes — $11
Crazy color, huh? Sort of organic-electric-somewhere-between-red-and-pink. Rather fetching, in any case — as is what's in the bottle: Bright berries are the name of this tune, with raspberry and pomegranate seeds on lead guitar and vocals, respectively. A kiss of tangy blood orange rind and note of cherry skin sing harmony, holding the last note in a sustain that'll leave you reaching forr the glass again and again.
Domaine Uby Colombard–Ugni Blanc Côtes de Gascogne — Quite the Find! — $9
Simple, but delicious, this wine delivers bright, juicy peach and grapefruit tones in a clean, fresh style. Generous on the palate but well balanced by crisp acidity, it's a great companion to fresh fish, shellfish, artichokes, salads or perfect for just sipping. (Arriving mid–May)
Domaine Uby Tannat–Merlot Côtes de Gascogne — Quite the Find! — $9
This is easy. Think fresh, ripe raspberry and blackberry fruit — clean, fresh and plentiful. Balanced by firm acidity and just-right tannins, the red fruit picks up weight on the palate, where a hint of blueberry and spice go along for the ride in a nice, pleasing finish. Good stuff. (Arriving mid–May)
Domaine La Madura "Classic" Blanc — Quite the Find! — $15
This is one of my favorite wines. Period. Opening a bottle of this wine with my favorite peeps never fails to make me happy (bonus, it always makes them happy too). Made entirely of sauvignon, it offers perfectly ripe, tangerine and sweet ripe grapefruit aromas and flavors, kissed by wild–herb honey and a hint of exotic spice that must've wafted up from Africa on the Sirocco. Generous, but sleek, it's perfectly balanced and oh–so elegant! (Arriving mid–May)
Château Mirausse "l'Azerolle" Rouge — Quite the Find! — $11.50
Enchanting, untamed and deliciously honest, this is a fabulous portrait of one of the Languedoc's most fascinating regions. Juicy, perfectly ripe cherry and raspberry fruit lead sing a prelude to still more ripe berry fruit, seasoned with heady notes of wild herbs and spices. A lovely, drink-it-every-day kind of wine! (Arriving mid–May)
Ste. Marie des Crozes Corbières "Ste. Nitouche" — Quite the Find! — $13.50
Restrained, well-structured, elegant, even delicate. Yet rather wild, alluring, fetching and given to reckless abandon — all at once. Come-hither! Bright, juicy raspberry fruit, spices and hints of violets lead the way, supported by a foundation of bright acidity, fine tannins muscular, but lively fruit. This is pure sturdy, terroir-driven Corbières — a"vin de copains" — a wine for friends, for drinking 'til all hours! (Arriving mid–May)
Iberia!
Crazy good Jumilla monastrell, lovely, lovely dry Sherry — and an exclusive Dry White Port.
Barinas Monastrell Roble Jumilla — Quite the Find! — $11
"Yeaaaah!" — is how my notes begin. Which'll do just about as well as a string of fancy adjectives(also included, just for practice). Think BRIGHT cherry and mulberry fruit — as in zesty, zippy, brilliant — add in a note of dust and savory herbs, a dash of zippy acidity and this is just about as lusciously easy to drink as one could ask for. Olé, baby. Might as well take two (or three) — one just isn't going to be enough!
Barinas Monastrell "Seleccion" Jumilla — $15
The big brother to the Roble, this wine takes the intensity of youthful exuberance and focuses it into a darker, more brooding iteration of those same cherry and mulberry fruits, the cherry having morphed into black cherries and the mulberries likewise taking a walk on the darker side. Notes of dust and savory hints are joined by a smoky, earthy, meaty theme, that beg for the company of sheep's milk cheeses, jamon or grilled vegetables aand sausages.
Quinta Seara d'Ordens Porto Branco Leve Seco — Quite the Find! — $15
Unique, eclectic and refreshing, this delicious dry white port, a blend of Fernão Pires, Cercial, Malvasia Fina and Gouveio Real is as seductively exotic as the grapes from which it's made. Notes of fresh citrus, ripe melon and a waft of spice are woven in a texture that's lush, but sleek and vibrant. Perfect as a reward, a prelude or a coda to pretty much anything that strikes your fancy!
Hidalgo Manzanilla "La Gitana," 500 ml — $17
Sherry may very well the most delicious, least-understood, best-kept-secret on the planet. From coastal southern Spain, where maritime Atlantic winds meet the dry desert winds of Africa, this gorgeous wine is delicate and deliciously fresh, while maintaining a sleek raciness in its notes of citrus, nuts and yeasty, sea air character. Try it with a wedge of Iberico or Manchego and some green olives for a classic treat. (Arriving mid–May)
Hidalgo Manzanilla "La Gitana" en rama — $31
Interesting. Eclectic. Enchanting. And nothing short of fabulous. While most Finos or Manzanillas are filtered and fined before release, "en Rama" sherries are bottled straight from the cask, in their natural state. This makes for a sherry that's more intense and complex. Hidalgo's has a salty, nutty character that segues to a palate that's fresh, intense and shows notes of nuts and citrus pith wrapped around a seductive tangy saltiness. Lovely, alluring and astoundingly food compatible. (Arriving mid–May)
... and!!!
Sleek, stylish, delicious Malbec from Argentina — and an amazing pinot from Macedonia.
Jordanov Pinot Noir — Quite the Find! — $15
From a region noted as both the crossroads of the ancient world and the birthplace of wine, this is superb pinot, loaded with character, structure and gracious, style. Lovely cherry fruit is the theme, with notes of lavender highlighting a a pronounced Mediterannean accent. A long, luscious finish invites a second sip ... and more.
Finca la Anita "Tonada" Malbec — $13.50
Sleek. Stylish. Bold. Power with grace. This is what Malbec can be when it's not trying to be jam. Think generous, muscular dark berry fruit, with a waft of smoke, a dash of pepper and notes of savory herbs. There's plenty of gusto, without being over the top, all that luscious fruit being nicely balanced, agile and crisp, with plenty of grippy tannins rounding out a very satisfying bottle of wine.
Barley, yeast, fine apples and hops ...
(Sung to the tune of "Scarbourough Fair")
Elysian "Oddland" Saison Poivre, 22 oz — $8.25
Oddland Saison is a Belgian farmhouse — style ale brewed with four varieties of peppercorns. The fire of black and green the sparkle of white and the pungent fruitiness of pink create a playful landscape of taste and aromatics. Brewed with Pale, Munich, Cara — Munich and wheat malts, bittered with German Northern Brewer and finished with Czech Saaz hops. Crazy, huh?
Finnriver "Honey Meadow" Cider — $9
No adjectival excess here, as this soon-to-be-released seasonal offering has yet to be previewed by our thirsty (and anxious) lips. But hey, it's Finnriver, right? You can count on it being amazing.
Schilling & Co. Hard Cider, 4-pack 12 oz CANS! — $11
A blend of 100% Washington apples fermented with a unique yeast under very specific conditions with a light dry hopping of NW whole leaf hops, this cider is dangerously drinkable, complex, yet smooth. Dry and crisp, with a juicy fresh apple taste accented by a slight bite, almost tea like tannins, all thanks to those lovely hops. This isn't your typical cider, but it may well become your favorite.
Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager, 12–pack cans! — $17
What the world needs now, is lager. It's one thing there's just too little of. More, better lager. Like this. With the pure freshness of a mountain stream, the generous, but crisp malt of rolling, barley-covered hills and the mouth-watering, oh-so-satisfying piney, citrusy bitterness of whole cone hops, this is the ticket. Even better, the cans are portable as all get-out and with twelve of 'em, you'll have enough to share. Delicious, Refreshing. Lager, baby, lager. (Arriving mid–May)
The fine print:
All tasting notes are written by the PCC wine team, except where attributed otherwise — and in those cases, we wholeheartedly agree, and simply couldn't say it any better ourselves.