Spain, Austria, Sardinia and Croatia On The Tasting Table

Three Spanish wines make up the core of this Friday’s tasting, including our two featured Rioja of the week and the new vintage of the best-selling Gelida Cava Gran Reserva. And we’re very excited to showcase a delicious new white from Croatia that you may just find yourself coming back to again and again to beat summer heat.  Join us from 3-7pm on Friday to sample:

Marques de Gelida Cava Brut Gran Reserva 2019 – A blend of 50%Xarel·Lo, 20%Macabeu, 15%Chardonnay and 15%Pinot Noir planted in 1965 and 1990. One of the best value bottle of bubbles in the market today.

SoHu Grasevina Croatia 2024 – Forget for a moment it’s from Croatia: this is a terrific all-season white that’s bursting with green apple and citrus fruit in a crisp, mouthwatering, package that really glides across your palate and leaves you thinking, “More, please!”

Anton Bauer - Gruner Veltliner Ried Spiegel 2022 – As Wine Enthusiast said of the 94 point 2019, "This wine brings the notion of a spring mountain meadow to life on the nose. The palate is vivid, fresh, sinuous, textured and zesty, adding juicy pear and Mirabelle fruit to the herbal savoriness.” Yum!

Bideona Mayela Cosechero 2.0 2023 – Most wine labeled "Rioja" from Rioja Alavesa uses carbonic maceration to amp up the fruit. Here Bideona works with six growers (a different one shown on each label) to show traditional winemaking and no oak lets the true character of Alavesa Tempranillo shine through. Really delicious.

Bideona Rioja S4mg0 Vinas Viejas 2020 – The funny name gets around a Rioja rule that prohibits putting village names on the label. The wine isn’t funny at all – seriously concentrated, complex and vibrantly pure Tempranillo that more than justifies the 96 point Vinous rave!

From Sardinia, not a wine but a new cheese discovery from Jose: Fiore Sardo. Also known as Pecorino Sardo, this is 100% sheep’s milk from Sardinia's Sarda sheep and is aged 8 months. Smokey, salty, nutty and with a decisive bite on the finish, this is a brilliant snacking cheese and pairs nicely with all kinds of wines.