Special Tasting: Elizabeth Spencer Wines

Thursday, January 28
The Wine Merchant, Ltd.
20 South Hanley Road in Clayton
5:30 PM until 7:00 PM
Please call 314.863.6282 for information
We cordially invite you to join us Thursday evening (1/28) for a special tasting with Elizabeth Spencer Wines. This California winery is producing small quantities of high quality wines that are currently under the radar of most wine critics. Stop by the shop on Thursday and you can see for yourself. Here's a list of the wines for the tasting with special sale prices for the event and a few reviews. Check 'em out...

2008 Elizabeth Spencer Wines Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino
On Sale $16.99
"The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is Loire Valley in style. It offers magnificent aromas of ripe melon, citrus and pear with a rich leesy mouth feel and excellent fruit concentration on the palate. It is elegant and well balanced with good natural acidity and a long lasting finish. Only 1,500 cases produced. Certified organic." -Rated 90/100 i-winereview.com

2007 Elizabeth Spencer Wines Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
On Sale $24.99
"This is a lovely Chardonnay, rich and flavorful with ripe tropical fruit and pear flavors and toasty oak. Meursault-like in character, the wine offers elegance and power on the palate with rich mouth feel, excellent balance, and crisp flavors on the finish. Fermented in stainless steel and 2-3year old oak barrels. Just 100 barrels produced." -Rated 91/100 i-winereview.com

2007 Elizabeth Spencer Wines Grenache Sonoma Coast
On Sale $20.99
"Dark ruby garnet with aromas of very ripe black cherry fruit and notes of black pepper, almond and caramel. Soft, round and pure with toasty oak and round tannins on a long finish. Destemmed and fermented in small open-top fermenters with native yeast. Only 1,000 cases made. Sourced from vineyards just east of Ukiah." -Rated 89/100 i-winereview.com

2007 Elizabeth Spencer Wines Syrah Sonoma Coast
On Sale $24.99
"The 2006 Syrah has an opaque purple hue and aromas of plum, black olive and cracked pepper. On the palate it is ripe and fruity with rich dark plum flavors, good acidity, firm soft round tannins, and a tasty finish. This winery's Syrah has been one of our favorites over the years. 750 cases produced." -Rated 91/100 i-winereview.com

2007 Elizabeth Spencer Wines Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
On Sale $29.99
"This is a lovely Pinot Noir that seems closer to Burgundy than to much of the Pinot Noir made in California today. Ruby garnet in color, it displays aromas of pure cherry liquor and beautifully integrated toasty oak. It is ripe, round and delicate with a silky smooth mouth feel and long finish. Fermented in small open-top fermenters after a week-long cold soak." -Rated 92/100 i-winereview.com

2007 Elizabeth Spencer Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
On Sale $29.99
"Ruby in color with delicious cassis and red fruit aromas. High toned, elegant and smooth with beautiful fruit flavors and notes of spice and cigar box. The flavors are clean and pure with elegance and finesse. Drinking well today. 2,300 cases produced." -Rated 90/100 i-winereview.com

Rhone Valley Wine Dinner
Liluma Restaurant
238 North Euclid in the Central West End
Thursday, January 28, 2010
7:00 PM
$95 per person (plus tax and tip)
Please call 314.361.7771 for reservations and information...
We'd like to inform you about an exciting wine dinner featuring Rhone Valley gems from some of the top producers at Liluma Restaurant in the CWE. This special event on Thursday, January 28 will feature a 5 course meal with stunning Rhone Valley wines complimenting each course. Seating is limited for this wine dinner and each table will have a Rhone Valley winemaker seated with the guests enriching the experience with their wisdom and knowledge. Here are the Rhone Valley producers who are participating in this special wine dinner at Liluma.

Domaine Lafond
Chateau Fortia
Le Vieux Donjon
Domaine de la Charbonniere
Domaine Boisson - (Cairanne)
Domaine Moulin-Tacussel
Clos de Gamot (Cahors)

Here is the menu and a list of featured wines:
First Course
Chicken "Pot Au Feu"
Greenwood Farms Chicken
Root Vegetables
Domaine Lafond 2008 Lirac Blanc

Second Course
Rabbit Pate
Sunrise Farm American Blue Rabbit
Cherries
Chateau de la Charbonnieres 2007 Vacqueyras
Clos de Gamot 2007 Cahors

Third Course
Roasted Duck Breast
Red Wine poached egg
Frisee Salad
Duck Stock Reduction
Chateau Fortia 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Fourth Course
Grassfed Strip Steak
Rain Crow Ranch Grassfed Beef
Pommes Puree
Marrow Gratin
Wine Jus
Le Vieux Donjon 2004 Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Moulin Tacussel 2001 Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Dessert
Salted Caramel Shortbread With Ganache

A Taste of Washington Wine Dinner

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant
17 West County Center
Des Peres, MO 63131
Friday February 5, 2010
$75 per person (plus tax and tip)
Call 314.835.1300 for reservations and information...

We have info on another exciting wine dinner for you. This wine dinner features delicious wines from Washington State producers and takes place on Friday, February 5 at McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant in Des Peres. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

Here is the menu with the featured wines...

2008 Hedges CMS White, Columbia Valley
Roasted Pepper and Herb Goat Cheese Crostini

2008 Amavi Cellars Semillon,Walla Walla Valley
Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallop Braised Leeks, Fennel and Lemon EVOO

2007 Independent Producers Merlot, Columbia Valley
Pan Roasted Colorado Striped Bass Cipollini Onion and Ozark Forest Mushroom Broth and Braised Fingerling Potatoes

2006 Amavi Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley
Peppered Ahi Tuna Hinkle's Handcrafted Smoked Venison Sausage and Braised Cabbage

2005 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley
Braised Beef Short Rib with Maytag Blue Cheese Polenta

2007 Amavi Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley
Bittersweet Chocolate Bread Pudding Washington State Sun- Dried Cherry Cabernet Sauce

Artisan Chocolate Tasting
Sunday, February 7
The Wine Merchant, Ltd.
20 South Hanley Road in Clayton
1:00 PM until 3:00 PM
Please call 314.863.6282 for information
Join us on Sunday, February 7 for a tasting of artisan chocolate just in time for Valentine's Day. We carry a fine selection from some of the best makers on the planet. Our Cheesemonger, Simon Lehrer, will be your guide for this open house event. It's FREE and will open your eyes (taste buds too) to the incredible world of artisan chocolate. Here are just a few that we'll be tasting...

Pralus, France
Francois Pralus has cacao plantations from Sao Tome to Venezuela. He personally selects the finest beans from the best plantations.These cacao beans are grown with great care then harvested, fermented, roasted and transformed into chocolate in his hometown of Roanne, France. Each selection is 75% cacao bean (rich and dark) from a single country of origin. Stunning quality that represents the finest cacao growing regions.

Blanxart, Spain
Blanxart is an artisan chocolate producer with humble beginnings in Barcelona, Spain in 1954. A small family started the company by making bon bons which they sold locally. They hand-selected cacao beans and combined them with local ingredients and a commitment to produce the highest quality. This quality commitment continues to this day with an integrity that seems almost lost in a world of discounters and cheap, low quality products. The texture of Blanxart's chocolates is somewhat rustic and the flavors are rich, full-bodied and unique. We love to pair them with a glass of full-bodied red wine.

Michel Cluizel, France
Cluizel has been making artisan chocolate in France since 1948. Our Cluizel selections include single origins and some with flavors. If we had to pick just one chocolate producer this would be it. Thankfully we don't! Stop by the shop for this special event and taste some of the best chocolates around.

Wine Merchant Classes

Current Schedule
Classes at The Merch are fun and informative and a great way to learn about wine. Our classes are taught by members of our Award-Winning Staff which includes Sommeliers, Certified Sommeliers, Certified Wine Educators and knowledgeable, wine industry veterans. Here is a list of current classes along with a link to our complete class schedule.

Sauce Magazine Says...
"If you want to learn about the taste, geography, history and use of wine for daily dining and social pleasure, there is no better place..."
-Sauce Magazine

South America's Best Bargains: Argentina!
Tuesday, January 26
Please call 314.863.6282 for reservations
Wines from South America are dominated by two countries: Argentina and Chile. We feel that Argentina leads the way and is making the finest wines in South America. Malbecs from Argentina seem to get all the limelight and attention from the press but Argentina has had great success with other grapes too. Join us for this session and we'll show you some fine red and white wine bargains from Argentina!
$20 per person

Charcuterie & Salumi: The Art of Cured Meat
Thursday, January 28
Please call 314.863.6282 for reservations
Curing is an ancient way of preserving meat that's still used in our high tech world. We carry some truly great examples from some of the finest producers on the planet. We'll show you some tasty wines that will compliment our class offerings too. Our kind of fast food!
$35 per person

Dave's World Whiskey Tour
Friday, January 29
Please call 314.863.6282 for reservations
We have one of the finest selections of whisky (whiskey) in the Midwest with a house style and price range for everyone. Our top spirit guru, Mr. Dave Davis will guide you on a tour of the world's whiskeys in this excellent class All aboard!
$25 per person

Graceful Tuscan Reds
Saturday, January 30
Please call 314.863.6282 for reservations
Italy's Tuscany region produces amazing red wines that are coveted by collectors. They're intense and complex but there's a stylish sophistication to them too. In this class we'll focus on graceful examples that have made Tuscany famous.
$40 per person

Layer Cake... Amazing Under $15 Reds

Serious Quality, Great Values
We have some amazing bargains arriving this week from a very interesting project called Layer Cake. These wines deliver high quality at bargain prices and they've received rave reviews from wine critic Robert Parker. We're offering them at discounted prices and we're taking advance orders so you can secure some of these exciting, bargain-priced gems. We do anticipate that our allocation of Layer Cake wines will sell out fast so please act quickly on this special offer.

"First and foremost, there are three great value wines I tasted which didn't make it into the recently released "Parker's Wine Bargains: The World's Best Wine Values Under $25.00," published by Simon and Schuster in November, 2009. They come from the proprietor of Hundred Acre Vineyard in Napa, Jayson Woodbridge. Of course, his Hundred Acres wines sell for well in excess of $200 and get great reviews from me, but the Hundred Acre Cabernets are very limited in its production. Woodbridge's desire is to produce a $15 wine that tastes like a $50+ wine, and as hard as it might be to believe, he seems to have come very close to succeeding with the following three efforts, all called "Layer Cake." They are all screw-cap finished, so there will never be a cork issue, and there are about 20,000 cases of each one of them. They all sell at the remarkable price of $15 a bottle. With the glut of high-quality grapes available in California, Woodbridge also produces a Cabernet Sauvignon from the North Coast, and if it is as good as these three wines and priced the same, it will be another fabulous value." -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2007 Layer Cake Primitivo IGT
(Italy, Puglia)
On Sale $13.99
"The most rustic of these three wines, with lots of pepper, roasted herbs, meat juices, charcoal, and scorched earth, this spicy wine has an inky ruby/purple color and lots of body. It comes across like a rustic Zinfandel, but with loads of character and personality, displaying an almost savage intensity to its flavors. This is a wild, adventuresome wine that should drink nicely for several years. Bring on the pizza! " -Rated 89/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2008 Layer Cake Shiraz
(South Australia)
On Sale $13.99
"This was not an easy vintage in Australia, but you would never know it from this wine. As one expects from any South Australian Shiraz, it has oodles of fruit, a big, thick, juicy mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and lots of crème de cassis, blackberry, peppery, and tarlike notes in a deep, full-bodied, lush style that should drink nicely for 3-4 years as well." -Rated 90/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2008 Layer Cake Malbec
(Argentina, Mendoza)
On Sale $13.99
"Dense purple-colored with notes of blackberry, earth, roasted meats, and a hint of barbecue spice, this wine exhibits great fruit, delicious, full-bodied texture, silky tannins, and a long finish. It does taste more like a $30-50 bottle of Malbec than one that can be purchased for $15. It should drink nicely for at least 2-3 years." -Rated 91/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

"Keep in mind that what Jayson Woodbridge is doing is taking his winemaking team from Hundred Acre Vineyard, flying them around the world, and actually making these wines on site from top quality fruit. It is an innovative project, to say the least, but the proof is in the bottle, as they say, and at $15, readers are going to be exceptionally pleased with the quality of all three of these wines." -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rare Ravenswood Zinfandels

Dazzling Reds from a Zin Master
We have in stock, some rare, single vineyard bottlings from Zin Master Joel Peterson at Ravenswood in Sonoma County. These are ageworthy, complex, intense wines that should not be confused with the widely available, low end Zins from Ravenswood. These stunning '07s are getting rave reviews from the critics too. Quantities are limited. Please act quickly.

"...they easily compete with some of the best wines produced not only in California, but in the world." -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2007 Ravenswood Zinfandel "Big River Vineyard"
On Sale $29.99
"Deep ruby. Expansive aromas of cassis, cherry compote, black olive and minerals remind me a lot of the Rhone. Fleshy red and dark berry flavors are complicated by floral pastille and cola qualities and betray no rough edges. Alluringly sappy and pure, with excellent finishing clarity and sweet persistence. For a zin, this is almost shockingly graceful." -Rated 92/100 Steve Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

2007 Ravenswood Zinfandel "Dickerson Vineyard"
On Sale $31.49
"This wine has always seemed to have a bit more flesh on its bones than most of its mates, and it does again in this vintage. Its ripe blackberry and minerally, soil nuances in its aromas are repeated in flavors that are carried across the palate by the wine's supple, somewhat fleshy texture, and if balancing acidity is never far from the scene, so too is a bit of viscosity not to be missed. Firm but not stiff at the end, this one promises to smooth out with three or four years in bottle." -Rated 93/100 Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine

2007 Ravenswood Zinfandel "Teldeschi Vineyard"
On Sale $31.49
"Nicely ripened blackberry first aromas are comfortably filled out by suggestions of red cherries, sweet oak, a touch of caramel and spicy background notes. Full-bodied on the palate with its suppleness running to a bit of flesh, but balanced quite well, this wine tightens up and finds structure figuring prominently in its latter half. Expect four to six years of growth at a minimum. It is made in the classic, sweet-berry, light spice mold of the Dry Creek Valley and is bound to entertain all but the most power hungry Zin fans." -Rated 95/100 Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine

2007 Ravenswood Zinfandel "Old Hill Ranch Vineyard"
On Sale $49.99
"A throwback to another era, this venerable vineyard with its blend of Zinfandel and other varieties has been producing big, rich, deep wines for decades-and this dramatic effort from 2007 is one of the best. It has typically separated itself from its siblings by being the least open of the bunch, and here again, it is not particularly outgoing in aroma but starts with the blackberry focus of the variety and adds layers of rich, complex notes of cocoa, black plums and raspberry preserves and follows through on the palate with tight somewhat polished, balanced flavors that run headlong into the expected edge of astringency at the end. This powerful effort is one to lay away for up to a decade in complete confidence." -Rated 96/100 Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine