October Wine Trick or Treat
Save the Date & Thank You!
The annual Leschi Market ~ Madrona Wine Tasting hits mid-month. If you are reading this BEFORE, please join friends and neighbors the evening of Saturday, October 12 to taste through dozens of carefully selected wines, available to order just in time for the upcoming holidays. Inquire about tickets at the Leschi Market!
If you are reading this AFTER October 12th, then thank you for your support. This is always a highly anticipated and well attended event.
New Leschi Cellars Release!
Leschi Cellars proudly unveiled our eleventh unique wine at the beginning of the month. Leschi Cellars presents 2016 Shulman Estate Betty Lou Red. A fascinatingly beautiful Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon. The label features the parents and grandparents, respectively, of Steve Shulman and Yousef Shulman, as they posed during the 1951 Garfield Senior Prom. Retail is $39.99, with most proceeds being donated to City of Hope (cityofhope.org) in their memory.
Thirteen Frightfully Good Buys
I thought we could have some fun with Halloween at the end of the month. No tricks here, only treats!
Red
2017 Lydian by Avennia GSM Columbia Valley ($23.39)
Most of Avennia’s price points can get up in dollars pretty quick. However, if you’re familiar with those, then you’ll love this, their first release of a new, second label! "Fresh and lively on the palate, with strawberry, red cherry, and hints of savory earth, fresh mint, and lavender. A delicious wine. A blend of 53% Mourvèdre, 26% Syrah and 21% Grenache.” ~Chris Peterson, Winemaker.
2010 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianza ($20.59)
Price and points don’t get much better! “The richness and depth of complex dried wood and spice here is seamlessly sewn into the dried red and dark cherries. The palate is pinned around a fresh-blackberry core that marries still sweet fruit to more savory style. Long and balanced. The tannins are fine yet assertive. It freshens into the finish nicely. Drink or hold.” ~James Suckling, 95-points.
2018 G.D. Vajra Nebbiolo Clare J.C. Langhe Piedmont ($17.99)
This one guarantees to knock your socks off! “Bright red. Explosively fruity aromas and flavors of red cherry, raspberry nectar, sweet spices and violet. At once big, dense and juicy, but vibrant, with a hint of aromatic perfume that is extremely inviting as is the underlying sweet spice component. This is absolutely delicious. I literally couldn’t put my glass back down once I
started tasting this. ~Vinous Media, 92-points.
2014 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva ($14.99)
Do not be scared off by inexpensive Spanish wines! We recently brought in the $10 version of this wine as well. Worth trying for sure! “An attractive, ripe red-cherry and plum style with plenty of background, woody influence. The palate is smooth-honed and has good depth and shape. Drink or hold. ~James Suckling, 92-points.
2017 Hand Work Red Tempranillo Castilla La Mancha Spain 1L ($12.99)
The Tempranillo checks all the good boxes: It's organic, biodynamic, low sulfites, vegan and delicious! Juicy red fruit flavors are balanced with medium tannins to give it great structure. The gentle slope is covered in chalky clay and a fine layer of pebbles on the surface that capture and radiate the heat of the sun—a key benefit during the desert nights.
2016 Domaine Allégret Laudun Rouge Côtes du Rhône Villages ($12.19)
“The terroir is pebbly soil and red earth. Stainless steel. Aromas of bright cherries and violets. On the palate summer cherries with lingering hillside herbs, rose petals and white pepper undertones. Soft tannins. Highly structured, it has an excellent balance of alcohol and tannins. A blend of 52% Syrah and 48% Grenache.” ~Importer notes.
2016 Cune Rioja Crianza Spain ($11.19)
Another inexpensive Spanish red- remember- no tricks, only treats! “Black cherry, red plum, licorice and smoke flavors mingle in this round red. Shows good density, while orange peel acidity and light tannins keep this focused. Drink now through 2028. Best Value.” ~Wine Spectator, 90-points.
White 2017 Suertes Del Marqués Listán Blanco Canary Islands ($27.99)
If you’ve never seen how grape vines grow in the Canary Islands, google it. Look at those, taste this, and thank us later! “Aromas and flavors included ripe pear, honeydew melon, kiwi, soft lemon and minerality notes of flint and stone. This is definitely a ‘Somm Wine,’ meaning it may not capture the hearts of the masses but rather those who seek wines that offer a bit of fabulous funk, surprise. Yes, this wine is a funk-aroonie, and I simply treasured it.” ~Marilee Bostic; Wine Advocate, 93-points.
2017 Château de Brézé Clos Midi Saumur Blanc ($16.99)
If it’s been awhile since you’ve tried Chenin Blanc, throw your preconceived notions out the window and try this one! “This offers a juicy mouthful of yellow apple, white peach and honeysuckle notes. Vibrant and detailed, featuring a lively finish laced with quinine and lemon peel accents.” ~Wine Spectator, 92-points.
2017 Pra Otto Soave Classico Veneto Italy ($14.99)
A Top-100 wine available for $15? What more do you need to know? “A lively, lithe white, with lovely lime blossom, pink grapefruit sorbet, stone and spice notes that linger on the mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2022. #73 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018.” ~Wine Spectator, 90-points.
2017 Black Stallion Winery Chardonnay Napa Valley ($13.99)
“This is a full-bodied and richly layered white that dazzles in aromas of apple blossom and matchstick. The midpalate is creamy in feel, with strong flavors of pear and fig. Editors' Choice.” ~Wine Enthusiast, 92-points.
Rosé
2018 Evening Land Rosé of Pinot Noir Seven Springs Iola-Amity Oregon ($27.99)
Rosé you say? In October? Yes! Rosé is a perfect fit heading into Fall. Especially the nicer ones out there. “Beautiful, brilliant and intense purple in color with a violet edge, the nose has typical red fruit Gamay character of strawberry and cherry with a hint of fresh cracked pepper. It opens up to darker tones of elderberry, and gooseberry. The palate is silky and long with a supple texture that carries the elegant cranberry flavors to a lengthy finish” ~Winemaker notes.
2018 Domaine Andre Néveu Rosé Sancerre ($25.99)
“This bottle in particular demonstrates a minerality, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream in a nose that feels a bit more austere than some other free spirited Rosés. It tastes much creamier than it smells, with a little peach and sweet orange in a palate that is surprisingly not acidic at all, and quite floral in the middle. ~Winemaker notes.
Kenneth Benner, a Seattle area native, is a trained chef and has worked in such restaurants as Barbacoa, B.O.K.A. Kitchen + Bar, and Dahlia Lounge. Ken is the wine buyer at Leschi Market. He has a passion for learning, a meticulous palate, and a tenacity for searching out the best for his customers while offering some of the most highly coveted wines in the area. His wine column is intended to inspire and explore new choices in wine, learn about wine with his readers, and share his knowledge and experiences in the wine world. Check out the latest at www.LeschiMarket.com or request to be added to email updates or send questions, comments, or suggestions to ken@leschimarket.com and follow the wine department directly on twitter at twitter.com/leschimarket.