August 2nd, 2025 Wine Tasting Notes

Saturday August 2nd

Play in the sunshine!

 Regular$/Tasting$

2023, Rouvalis, “Asprolithi” Roditis, TAigialeia, Greece Theodora Rouvali is a tremendous example of the new guard of winemaking burgeoning in Greece. Her father, Angelos Rouvali, was at the forefront of the first wave of modern Greek winemaking over 30 years ago - he was the first winemaker to make PDO Santorini wines in 1982 and built the Rouvalis gravity-fed facility in the early 90's. Her Roditis bottling, “Asprolithi” shows her panache for trailblazing. Alluring and exotic within the continuum of white wine, “Asprolithi” exhibits delicate white florals in the nose followed by layers of citron zest, ground cherries, and a spicy mineral edge. Inspired and charged with assertive energy with a waxy seriousness to the viscosity.                                                                                         $18.99/$16.14

2023, Anselmo Mendes, “Passaros” Loureiro, Vinho Verde, Portugal                                                                 $19.99/$16.99

Anselmo Mendes' Passaros Loureiro is made from 100% Loureiro. All grapes are hand-harvested and are fermented at a low temperature for an extended period of time. The wine is aged for 4 months on the fine lees with regular stirring before bottling. The Passaros pours a lemon-green color, exhibiting aromas of citrus and tropical fruits. On the palate, the wine is light and crisp with a sharp, refreshing acidity. The finish is long with lovely fruit and herbaceous flavors.

2024, San Francesco, “Tramonti” Rosato, Costa d’Amalfi, Italy                                                                             $25.99/$22.09

“Wine is the poetry of the earth.” is the motto of the four friends that founded Tenuta San Francesco back in 2004. Their goal? To revive and restore the long-standing viticultural tradition of the region and their family past. While the winery is new, the vineyards are old. As in, REALLY old. They have a dozen vines on the property that they estimate to be close to 400 years old, in fact. The rosato is a blend of Aglianico and Piedirosso produced in a laser-focused style that showcases notes of apple, currant and peach, a little nutty, wild herbs and a saline-tinged minerality.

2020, La Rioja Alta, “Vina Alberdi” Rioja Reserva, Rioja, Spain                                                                            $29.99/$25.49

Medium-depth, cherry red, with a clean, bright orange rim. Its nose is intense, with dominating ripe fruit and strawberry jam rounding off the background notes of cocoa, vanilla, caramel, and smoke from oak aging. A pleasant acidity and soft, round tannins provide a very pleasant, medium-bodied mouthfeel. Intense finish, with persistent hints of strawberry jam, cocoa and vanilla and a seductive final acidity that entices you to take another sip.

2022, Tim Smith, “Bugalugs” Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia                                                                              $24.99/$21.24

Bugalugs Shiraz is made using traditional winemaking techniques, and is the result of a barrel selection of eight parcels originally destined for Tim's two elite Barossa Shiraz releases. From vineyards that are up to 100 years old, this wine is matured in predominantly older French oak before bottling. Juicy dark berry fruit moves and sways about with ease coating every crevice of the mouth. Wonderfully weighted, dark chocolate and some vanilla from the oak add to the full palate. Fine baking spices and a puff of earthiness continue to peel back the interest all the while the juicy fruit keeps lobbing up flavor bombs.