"Cheers" from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster, Wine Educators and Consultants
We hope everyone had a Happy New Year!
This Week’s Wine Tips!
Mid-winter is a great time for hearty reds.
One of our favorites is Old Vine Zinfandel from Bogle. In fact, a wine-maker friend of ours told us that he's "never met a Bogle he didn't like" so during our New Year's celebrations with friends and family we tried several red Bogle's we had not tasted before. We like ALL of them.
Bogle's Old Vine Zinfandel is outstanding, is available in almost every PCLB Wine and Spirits store and is a REGULAR purchase for $12.99. Product code is 5043. You should be able to find this wine and purchase it regularly but we suggest you check availability with your local store before making the trip.
We agree with the winemaker's notes as provided below.
Bogle's Petite Syrah is also a regular selection, lists for $13.09, and its product code is 9257.
A few weeks ago we recommended some Pinot Noirs but had not tasted Bogle's so did not mention it. We tasted it last week and highly recommend it too. However, the 2006 is a "Luxury" selection, is scarce but is a bargain at $16.99 if you can find it. The product code is 13399. ("Luxury" is the new name for Specialty Wines available only at Specialty Stores). You can order the 2007 as a SLO (Special Liquor Order) for $19.49 a bottle with a minumum order of 12 bottles, maybe with some shipping charges. Product code is 50546.
Another excellent red Bogle, but also hard to find, is their Phantom, a blend of Petite Syrah, Old Vine Zin, and Old Vine Mouvedre. We tasted the 2005 and 2006 vintages. We slightly preferred the 2005 but that may be only because it had a year longer in the bottle. The 2005 is only available as a SLO, with a 12 bottle minimum at $24.69 per bottle (code 63527). The 2006 is a "Luxury" wine available but scarce (the Wayne store in the Shopping Center had 8 bottles and Collegeville had 12, at the time of this writing). It lists for $20.49 per bottle and product code is15536.
We tried Bogle's Sauvignon Blanc this past fall and liked it as well but didn't see it listed on the PLCB site.
We have not tried Bogle's Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Port, Chardonnay, or Riesling. Given our experience wtih their other wines, we think they'd be worth the risk and will try them in the future.
All in all, because of their unique and bold taste, availability and price, we highly recommend Bogle's Old Vine Zin and Petite Syrah. If you can find the others or want to risk a case of the 2006 Phantom, give them a try.
NEW BLOG SITE
The Pottstown Mercury has started publishing our weekly wine recommendations on-line in The Grapevine, a blog you can access through the Mercury's on-line edition at http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/blogs/pottstown/grapevine/blog.html
We'll post one or two wine recommendations in Grapevine each week but will provide more detail and often more wine recommendations through our newsletter and what we post on this blog. Please take a look and write some comments on our wine blogs. We'd really like to get some wine discussion going on these two blogs.
If you do not receive our weekly newsletter, email us at
vintageconnections@comcast.net
Upcoming Wine Events in the Pottstown Tri-County Area
Saturday, February 13, Wine and Chocolate Tasting Seminar (Valentine's Day event) at Gallery on High in Pottstown, Time and Cost TBD
Note change of date and cost:
Thursday, April 22, Wines of the USA, one night wine seminar at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown, 6:30 - 9:30 PM, $52.
Note change of date and cost:
Thursday, April 29, Wines of the World, one night wine seminar at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown, 6:30 - 9:30 PM, $52.
Tentative - Saturday, October 23, Mom's House Benefit Wine Tasting Dinner. Location, Time and Cost TBA.
Many other events are TBD. Contact us to schedule an event in your home, at your business, or for your organization.
Happy New Year!
Vintage Connections
Lisa and Dean Foster
Dean and Lisa Foster, Wine Educators and Consultants
We hope everyone had a Happy New Year!
This Week’s Wine Tips!
Mid-winter is a great time for hearty reds.
One of our favorites is Old Vine Zinfandel from Bogle. In fact, a wine-maker friend of ours told us that he's "never met a Bogle he didn't like" so during our New Year's celebrations with friends and family we tried several red Bogle's we had not tasted before. We like ALL of them.
Bogle's Old Vine Zinfandel is outstanding, is available in almost every PCLB Wine and Spirits store and is a REGULAR purchase for $12.99. Product code is 5043. You should be able to find this wine and purchase it regularly but we suggest you check availability with your local store before making the trip.
We agree with the winemaker's notes as provided below.
Head-trained, dry farmed old vines are again the source for Bogle’s Old Vine Zinfandel. These gnarly old vines produce concentrated fruit of unsurpassed quality and intensity. This supple and mouth-filling vintage leads with juicy blueberry and ripe blackberry fruit. Black pepper and hints of chocolate notes integrate well with this soft, plush body. Subtle hints of spicy oak and pipe tobacco create structure, allowing this wine to stand up to a variety of fare.This is the perfect wine to pair with everything from rich sauces and unique dishes, to your favorite weeknight take-out.
Bogle's Petite Syrah is also a regular selection, lists for $13.09, and its product code is 9257.
A few weeks ago we recommended some Pinot Noirs but had not tasted Bogle's so did not mention it. We tasted it last week and highly recommend it too. However, the 2006 is a "Luxury" selection, is scarce but is a bargain at $16.99 if you can find it. The product code is 13399. ("Luxury" is the new name for Specialty Wines available only at Specialty Stores). You can order the 2007 as a SLO (Special Liquor Order) for $19.49 a bottle with a minumum order of 12 bottles, maybe with some shipping charges. Product code is 50546.
Another excellent red Bogle, but also hard to find, is their Phantom, a blend of Petite Syrah, Old Vine Zin, and Old Vine Mouvedre. We tasted the 2005 and 2006 vintages. We slightly preferred the 2005 but that may be only because it had a year longer in the bottle. The 2005 is only available as a SLO, with a 12 bottle minimum at $24.69 per bottle (code 63527). The 2006 is a "Luxury" wine available but scarce (the Wayne store in the Shopping Center had 8 bottles and Collegeville had 12, at the time of this writing). It lists for $20.49 per bottle and product code is15536.
We tried Bogle's Sauvignon Blanc this past fall and liked it as well but didn't see it listed on the PLCB site.
We have not tried Bogle's Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Port, Chardonnay, or Riesling. Given our experience wtih their other wines, we think they'd be worth the risk and will try them in the future.
All in all, because of their unique and bold taste, availability and price, we highly recommend Bogle's Old Vine Zin and Petite Syrah. If you can find the others or want to risk a case of the 2006 Phantom, give them a try.
NEW BLOG SITE
The Pottstown Mercury has started publishing our weekly wine recommendations on-line in The Grapevine, a blog you can access through the Mercury's on-line edition at http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/blogs/pottstown/grapevine/blog.html
We'll post one or two wine recommendations in Grapevine each week but will provide more detail and often more wine recommendations through our newsletter and what we post on this blog. Please take a look and write some comments on our wine blogs. We'd really like to get some wine discussion going on these two blogs.
If you do not receive our weekly newsletter, email us at
vintageconnections@comcast.net
Upcoming Wine Events in the Pottstown Tri-County Area
Saturday, February 13, Wine and Chocolate Tasting Seminar (Valentine's Day event) at Gallery on High in Pottstown, Time and Cost TBD
Note change of date and cost:
Thursday, April 22, Wines of the USA, one night wine seminar at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown, 6:30 - 9:30 PM, $52.
Note change of date and cost:
Thursday, April 29, Wines of the World, one night wine seminar at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown, 6:30 - 9:30 PM, $52.
Tentative - Saturday, October 23, Mom's House Benefit Wine Tasting Dinner. Location, Time and Cost TBA.
Many other events are TBD. Contact us to schedule an event in your home, at your business, or for your organization.
Vintage Connections provide
* Wine Appreciation Classes and Seminars
* Customized Educational Wine Tastings in your home or at your business
* Wine Consulting
* Benefit Educational Wine Tastings for non-profit organizations
If you want your address removed from this distribution list, please let us know.
PLEASE forward this email to friends and family who may be interested.
Happy New Year!
Vintage Connections
Lisa and Dean Foster
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