A Pair of Italian Island Whites and Edgar Allan Poe?s Favorite Sherry

Start this Saturday’s noon-4pm tasting with a tour of two Italian Islands – Sicily and Sardinia – and dollops of bold reds from the south of France and Brunello di Montalcino.  Then see if you can escape loving a stunning single vineyard Amontillado Sherry! Made famous in the Edgar Allen Poe story, Amontillado starts off life like a Fino, aged in cask under a blanket of powdery mold called flor. Then the clear white wine is racked into barrels and allowed to oxidize to an amber color with nutty, savory complexity.

Here's the whole line-up:

Alcesti Terre Siciliane Bianco L'Isola dei Profumi 2024 - From Sicily's western coast, Marsala grapes Grecanico and Catarratto give bold Key lime and stone fruit at the core and layers of thyme, rosemary and basil herb and a pop of sea salt at the end.

Cardedu 'Nuo Vermentino di Sardegna 2023 - From one Italian wine to another! Here we're on Sardinia drinking a fabulous seafood white with loads of citrus and a salty, fresh, finish.

Mas Amiel Cotes du Roussillon Vertigo 2023 - Hard to beat Suckling's 92 point description: "A delicious, poised and silky blend of grenache, syrah and carignan. Vivid and seductive, with a caressing texture in the finish."

Donna Olga Brunello di Montalcino 2020 - The words "great value" and "Brunello" don't often go together, but that's just what this dark, bold and intense Sangiovese Grosso delivers in spades.

Valdespino Amontillado Tio Diego Single Vyd NV - A terrifically delicious and complex Sherry aged 10 years under flor (like a Fino) and then 5+ years in cask to develop color and wildly delicious nutty flavors. If you were walled up with a cask of this, you might just be ok.

With the wines we’re doing something interactive. You’ll start by picking up a 34 Degrees Rosemary crisp, a cracker with an almost potato chip-like crunch. Then add a dollop of Vermont Creamery Crème Fraiche, cultured cow’s cream with loads of tang and texture. Then, pop it in your mouth and fall in love with the flavor explosion!  And flavor explosions are always a good thing.