Welcome to March! Well, for those reading this on February 28, farewell February!
We are trying a little different format to the email today. Quick hits first, then a brief written update.
Blind Tasting Events: They start tonight. If you are considering attending all 4, grab the "4-pack" reservation today as it will go away after the tasting tonight.
The first blind tasting is 7 - 8:30pm tonight, and the theme is "Where is this wine from?"
Go online and reserve your seats at one or more of these tastings.
Upcoming Events
Get your advance seating online.
You can learn more about all that is happening this month online at Events.
Live Music and the Cover Charge: We have been asked several times by guests who come into the bar when we have live music if they have to pay the cover charge for the band if they are here to "just drink". The simple answer is yes. We find that most people do come in during live music to enjoy both the wine and the music. But, if they are truly here to just have a glass of wine, people can sit on the front patio without having to pay a cover charge. In the past we have charged cover to sit on the back patio as we normally broadcast the show to the patio so people can enjoy the music outdoors.
Our Monday Night special listening events have been quite well received and we have two more coming up in March. The first is next Monday, March 6th with the Greg Waits Nonet - Small Big Band. Seats are avaialble to reserve online for the event. The next one will be March 27th with a special performance with Rosana Eckert. We will have more info and reservations online soon.
Blind Tasting Events: We are kicking off our Blind Tasting series tonight at 7pm. We still have seats available but get your reservation in early today as we will be ordering the cheese board from 10:1 Artisan Cheese at noon today.
We have four weeks of blind tasting events each Tuesday evening starting on the 28th. Each week we will have a different "theme". On the 28th, we will focus on 4 wines from 4 distinct regions of the wine world, and the challenge is to identify where each wine is from. On March 7th we will be looking at "what grape is in my glass?" The following week will be "Is this sweet or fruity?" And the final week we will taste 4 wines and the challenge will be to identify what price range each wine falls into. You can register for one or more events individually, or if you like, you can purchase the 4 weeks up front and save a few $'s. Along with tasting the wines, we will be working with our friends at 10:1 Cheese to have something to pair with each wine.
Travel Events: We are excited to be working with Walter and Kim Eagleton on a trip to France in 2024 for Steve's Wine Bar guests. Specifically to the Burgundy and Beaujolais regions. There is still room available for those interested in spending a week with us in October of 2024. You can learn more online at Artistic Gourmet Travel October 2024.
Wine Club: The March wine club wines have been chosen and are being delivered this week. We will be kicking off our March club tastings this Friday afternoon! For those club members who missed the February tasting, you can taste through Friday and after that, you can still come in during the month of March and pick a couple of bottles from the list. We will have a couple of the wines still open by the glass in March as they were a hit this last month.
Not a wine club member? You can learn more online at Steve's Wine Bar Wine Club.
Have a great day and we'll see you soon!
Cheers!
Steve, Karen and the entire Steve’s Wine Bar Team.
Feb 28, 2023 at 9:30 AM
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Time is moving forward and February is wrapping up in just 7 days. Over the next several days we have some fun things happening here at Steve's as we look forward to amazing music, fun tastings, and great friends.
Live Music: This last week was fantastic! With the great music from all the musicians who came in to perform, especially the Tixier brothers on our special Monday night event. We continue that musical experience this week with The Pan-Tones Wednesday evening, then Friday with special guest artist from NY, saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk, Irish music Saturday afternoon, and the Ed Soph Trio on Saturday evening. You don't get much better than that anywhere in the country.
Our Monday Night special events have been quite well received and we have two more coming up in March. The first is on March 6th with the Greg Waits Nonet - Small Big Band. Seats are avaialble to reserve online for the event. The next one will be March 27th with a special performance with Rosana Eckert. We will have more info and reservations online soon.
Blind Tasting Events: We are kicking off our Blind Tasting series on the 28th. We will have four weeks of blind tasting events each Tuesday evening starting on the 28th. Each week we will have a different "theme". On the 28th, we will focus on 4 wines from 4 distinct regions of the wine world, and the challenge is to identify where each wine is from. On March 7th we will be looking at "what grape is in my glass?" The following week will be "Is this sweet or fruity?" And the final week we will taste 4 wines and the challenge will be to identify what price range each wine falls into. You can register for one or more events individually, or if you like, you can purchase the 4 weeks up front and save a few $'s. Along with tasting the wines, we will be working with our friends at 10:1 Cheese to have something to pair with each wine.
Go online and reserve your seats at one or more of these tastings.
Special Wines: We purchased a special wine from Piattelli Vineyards in Argentina for Valentines Day called the Arlene. It was a hit by the glass and several people have purchased a bottle. We still have a few bottles left, so consider grabbing one for your next special dinner or party.
"The Arlene is an elegant and rare vintage like none we have released or experienced at Piattelli." - Alejandro Nesman, Winemaker, Piattelli.
We also picked up a really fun Cabernet from our friends at Vina Robles in Paso Robles, CA; the Mountain Road Reserve Cabernet. Another big bodied, full flavored Cabernet Sauvignon. Quantities are limited, so make sure to grab a bottle or two in the next couple of weeks.
Check out the calendar online to see what events and experiences we have scheduled in the days to come and make your reservation.
We hope to see you this week, and if not, then some day over the next couple of weeks.
Upcoming Events include:
Get your advance seating online.
You can learn more about all that is happening this month online at Events.
Have a great day and we'll see you soon!
Cheers!
Steve, Karen and the entire Steve’s Wine Bar Team.
Feb 22, 2023 at 7:23 AM
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Happy Super Bowl Sunday! We hope your day is a going well, and if you have a "horse in the race" we wish you good luck on a big win!
Even though we do not have Big Plans for today, we will have the game on our TV's with sound and we will be pouring amazing wines, and plenty of options on beer too! Looking to enjoy some patio time? We'll have the TV and sound going on the back patio and if you wish to enjoy a cigar during the game, we have a nice selction to consider. So come join us if you do not have any party plans in place today, or you just need to get away from house. Don't forget, you can bring your own food, so feel free to order up from one of the restaurants around us, or bring in your own Sunday game-day spread.
Tomorrow (Monday) we have the amazing Tixier brothers performing at 7pm. We have sold out of the advance reserve seats, but we still have room available if you desire to stop in and join us for the concert. Doors will officially open at 6pm and the music is planned to start at 7pm. This is not a "business as usual" night as will not be doing wine tastings and other activities so we can create a quiet space to listen and enjoy these amazing musicians.
Tuesday is Valentines Day. We have some fun options for those looking to have a very special glass of wine with their loved one, plus a cholcolate and a rose.
We have purchased a special wine from Piattelli Vineyards in Argentina. High in the Andes surrounding Salta, Piattelli’s Cafayate wines are made from select estate fruit grown at over 5,900 feet elevation. The splendor of this area, with its pure water and extreme thermal amplitudes produce grapes bursting with flavor, which make this not only one of the most beautiful, but also one of the premier grape growing regions in the world. The Arlene is an award winning red blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in French & American oak barrels.
"The Arlene is an elegant and rare vintage like none we have released or experienced at Piattelli." - Alejandro Nesman, Winemaker, Piattelli.
When we had a chance to taste this wine a couple of weeks ago with the representative from the winery, we felt is was special enough to bring in just for this Valentine's evening. Plus the story that goes along with it is perfect for Valentine's Day. So stop in and hear the story and have a glass or two with us this Tuesday.
We will have a "package" that includes 1 glass of the Arlene, chocolate from Candy Haven, and a yellow rose (you will know why when you hear the Arlene Story) for $35. If you wish to simply enjoy a glass sans chocolate and the rose, it is $25.
Prefer a different wine from a red blend? We will be doing a similar package with any of our wines on our By-the-Glass Menu with the chocolate and a rose for $25.
On Wednesday night we have a special performance with Ginny Mac. We have sold out of all our table seating for the evening, but like our Monday concert, we will have room for people to sit at the bar, the patio, and the tasting room.
We hope to see you this week, and if not, then some day over the next couple of weeks.
Upcoming Events include:
Get your advance seating online.
You can learn more about all that is happening this month online at Events.
Stay tuned for a special announcement about our blind tasting events coming soon.
Have a great day and we'll see you soon!
Cheers!
Steve, Karen and the entire Steve’s Wine Bar Team.
Feb 12, 2023 at 12:06 PM
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What needs to be said about a bonus club wine...Okay maybe a little. Tenuta Santome is a family-run estate with experience in viticulture stretching back to the 70’s. The fruit for this wine is sourced from Grave di Papadopoli, a small island consisting almost entirely of vineyards in the middle of the Piave river. Leaning towards the sweeter end of Extra Dry, the nose offers bright, piercing aromas of orchard and tropical fruits. The palate is fresh and zippy, with the residual sugar meshing well with the abundance of sweet fruits. This might not be your ‘fried chicken and bubbly’ beverage, but it would go deliciously as an aperitif or with Linnybird cupcakes with your Valentines date.
Regarding Friuli, Jancis Robinson commented “every nation of wine consumers treasures most what it finds most difficult to produce”. Whether it’s austere red wines, or some of the world’s most desirable orange and dessert wines, Friuli has become a niche source of the most cerebral wines in Italy. At the forefront, however, are aromatic varietal wines made of both international and indigenous varieties (A rarity for much of Italy). Fantinel, a relatively new winery in the region, has embraced this fully, with bottlings of seemingly every white variety suited to the region. Their Sauvignon (alternative name for Sauvignon Blanc) is reminiscent of an example from Chile or South Africa, with aromas of bell pepper, honey dew melon, and fresh cut grass. The electric acidity gives way to subtle flavors of citrus and stone, making for an excellent pairing with some raw seafood. Try it with the Sun Rise Roll at I Love Sushi.
We’ve visited Torrontes multiple times over the past couple of months, but they have almost exclusively come from Mendoza. Despite being the most famous and productive region in Argentina, it is not considered the premium site for Torrontes; enter Salta. Located near the very north of the country, Salta sits at the foot of the Northwest Andes, and features high elevation vineyards that make for some of the more elegant, floral expressions of Malbec Argentina has to offer and arguably the highest quality Torrontes overall. Piatelli’s winemaking exploits are split evenly between Mendoza and Salta, with the latter being overseen by Alejandro Nesman. Their Torrontes is considerably different than other renditions we have featured, spending some time in oak to round out Torronte’s quintessential lean and electric nature. The result is a beautifully complex, but approachable wine, with aromas of sea salt, tart tropical fruits, and hints of fresh herbs. The palate is full and fruit-driven with varietal notes of flowers and honey, making an excellent pairing with a simple salad of walnuts, arugula, goat cheese, and cranberry dressing.
It’s been a hot minute since we have looked at Turkish wine here in the bar. Depending on your school of thought, Turkish wine could be considered New World or drastically Old World, as the first commercial winery was established in mid 1920’s, but the region itself potentially has viticultural history dating back to 11,000 BC. The Aegean Region accounts for roughly half of total production and leans equally on indigenous and international varieties. The Selendi ‘Beyoba’ is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz that equally embraces both the Old and New aspects of Turkish wine. The nose is very savory, with tomato leaf, sour cherry, earth, and hints of iron shining through. The palate, on the other hand, is rich and extracted, with penetrating red fruit accented with slight sweet oak-driven notes of vanilla. This is an easy-drinking red that would go well at your next outdoor gathering (whenever that happens), with a smattering of robust cheeses and jams from the folks at 10:1.
We’ve featured Grenache from virtually every significant growing region multiple times over, but we’ve yet to hit some of the demonstrable “if you know you know” sites: enter Montsant. Famously dubbed by Jancis Robinson as “half-priced Priorat”, Montsant features much of the same geographical, meteorological, and varietal characteristics without the price tag of its more famous neighbor. Vinyes Domenech is a boutique producer that has only been around 2002, but is already turning out both traditional varietal wines and blends of popular varieties. The ‘Sotabosc’ (Catalan for underbrush) is a blend primarily consisting of Garnacha with Samso (Catalan for Carignan). Much like its namesake, the wine offers intense aromas of garrigue accented with pure maraschino cherry. The palate is grippy, but resolves into a layered, complex profile of red berries, spice, black fruits, and floral accents. This is a showstopper of a red needs something equally rich and complex; pick up some Chile Verde Empanadas from Boca 31 and go to town!
The Rose was a test run; now it’s time for the real fun! Like the LYB rose, the red is designed to be drank in large quantities among friends, or perhaps a date? Made of 100% Sangiovese, the LYB truly envelops the ‘So Fresh’ inspiration, using carbonic maceration to create a comparatively high-toned and juicy version. The deeply-hued wine offers aromas of fresh cherry, subtle herbs, and the quintessential plum character you get from carbonic maceration. The palate is zippy with a hint of tart acidity and virtually no tannin, leading to bright bing cherry and raspberry. This is a wine to chug among good company but could also go beautifully with the Turkey Bob or Bohemian at LSA.
Saint-Amour? Valentines? C’mon y’all, it made TOO much sense. Our next stop on Brian’s mandatory tour of the Beaujolais Cru’s is Saint-Amour. Unlike our recent stops in Brouilly and the general Beaujolais AOC, Saint-Amour is located towards the very top of Beaujolais, and generally produces comparatively elegant wines compared to its southern neighbors, while still featuring much of the same terroir and meteorological features that make the 10 cru’s so special. Domaine des Fonds is a relatively new property, but the father and son team of Florent and Andre Berrod have already made waves with their bottlings. The nose offers a complex nose of violets, tart red currant, blackberry, and hints of earthiness. The palate offers a similar fruit profile with mouthwatering acidity and fine-grained tannins. Cru Beaujolais is a versatile pairing wine, but we think the profile of the DDF would sing well alongside a Gyro wrap from Gyro 360.
Overlooking the Dry Creek Valley is Rockpile, an oddball of an AVA containing some of the most desirable Zinfandel plantings in the state, with virtually no immediate wineries to capitalize on them. This is likely due to the widely varying gradients in elevation, which coincidentally make for ideal vineyard conditions. As such, many noted Zinfandel producers in other parts of Sonoma such as Ridge, Seghesio, and Turley source from Rockpile for various premium bottlings. The Flight Wine Company extends this philosophy across all their products, sourcing from various appellations before vinting them at a central location. Their Rockpile Zinfandel is style-appropriate, with aromas of blueberry and blackberry cut with the quintessential bramble of Zin’. The palate showcases the potential of the high elevation vineyards of Rockpile, with fine-grained tannins enveloping the aforementioned fruit, dark chocolate, and hints of pipe tobacco. No frills with this, grab a cheeseburger from Rooster’s and go to town.
The Minimo is another creation from Lucca Hodgkinson (La Brisas) that snuck into the bar around the holidays and since picked up steam among regulars. This blend of Malbec, Syrah, and Carmenere is sourced from the Colchagua Valley of Chile, a low-altitude growing region near the Pacific that benefits from a significant maritime influence. First, elephant in the room, this is a Malbec FROM Chile, which is rare, but not unheard of. In theory, the poor granitic and other volcanic soils that provide ideal growing conditions for other Bordeaux varieties makes it as dreamy a place as any to grow Malbec; which is reflected in the Minimo. Following two years each in oak and bottle, the nose offers complex tertiary aromas of leather and tobacco with hints of plum and blueberry. The palate is much more generous, with a fine-grained grip surrounding rich, ripe blue and black fruits. This is a date night wine through and through, so throw a couple of filets in the pan and go to town.
P.S: I hope this last list from me reads like a love letter (ha) from me to y’all. The last 3-plus years have been transformational for me, and that doesn’t happen without y’all’s support and enthusiasm. I hope to see all of you around in this new adventure; and that this is not a farewell, but a see ya’ around.
- Brian McGoldrick, Your Insufferable Neighborhood Wine Geek.
Feb 3, 2023 at 7:53 AM
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