Wine Inshop Tasting   First Friday, December 4, 2009  5-8 pm  at Wine World

St-Hilaire Blanc de Blancs Brut 2006, Blanquette de Limoux. Languedoc, France A festive, delightful sparkling wine. Clear pale gold, lasting, fine bubbles. Fresh, crisp apples with just a touch of yeasty "rising bread dough" in the aroma and flavor.  Creamy mouthfeel. Food flexible. Appetizers, seafood, bratwurst and Creole mustard. Practically all cheeses.  St André. [France's very first sparkling wine (second fermentation in the bottle) was created in Limoux by the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire over a century before the first sparkling in the Champagne region.  This wine is made today, over four and a half centuries later, in the same region and takes its name from the old abbey.] Domaine de Coussergues Chardonnay/Viognier 2008. Limoux, Languedoc, France What a pleasure! Floral, fruity aromas of peach and apricot. Crisp, full flavors of pear and tropical fruit with a soft texture and refreshing acidity. A medium-bodied, 50-50 white blend. Appetizer. Pork loin, chicken.  Wine Advocate (R Parker) 90 points. A very pretty dry white & a fine value. December White Wine of the Month Pinot Gris 2008 Signature, King Estate. Oregon An exceptionally beautiful wine. Aromas of peach and pear blossoms with hints of citrus. Crisp citrus, peach, and tropical fruit flavors with hints of mineral and honey.  Medium full body with silky texture and a long finish.  (no oak, sur lie ageing 5 months). Very food friendly. Seafood, chicken dishes. Smoked salmon souffle with ginger salad. Wine Spectator 2009 Top 100. Albaliza 2007, Bodega Tikalo. Castilla-La Mancha, Spain An extraordinarily good $10 blend of 65% Tempranillo and 35% Grenache. Earthy aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, and coffee with hints of mushroom and oak. Flavors of black cherry, raspberry, and citrus with moderate tannins, balanced acidity, and a rustic dry finish. Grilled Italian sausage.  Robust cheeses. Tillamook Cheddar. Pinot Noir 2007, Heron. Languedoc, France An elegant and complex Pinot Noir. Delicate spice, lively earthy black cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors with soft and supple tannins. An ideal food wine. Try it with rare roast beef or pork tenderloin with mushroom risotto. Marries well with milder cheeses. The Heron winery, started in 1995, is in California. Laely Heron also makes very good wines in southern France (her family's original home) and in Spain. This Pinot is superb. December  Red Wine of the Month Cuvée Juveniles 2008, Torbreck. Barossa Valley, South Australia The new vintage of a Wine World favorite which drinks like a wine that is twice its price. Old vine Rhône style grapes – Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvedre (Mataro), fermented and aged in stainless steel; unoaked. Lush with big fruit aromas and Juicy flavors of black cherry, raspberry, and cranberry. Smooth with a balanced and elegant mouthfeel. Delicious now, but also worthy of a few years cellaring. (“Juveniles” refers to the name of a wine bar in Paris owned by a friend of winemaker David Powell.) A versatile food wine. Grilled chicken or sausage, braised beef.  Flavorful cheeses. Manchego. Cheers,   Wine World Taste through the wines at your own pace. Wine World folks are pleased to talk with you about our wines.