12/20/2024
TASTING ALERT!!! 3-6PM
TODAY, FRIDAY DECEMBER 20TH! BIGGEST TASTING OF THE YEAR!!!
Aloha Kona Wine Market Customers, the best little customers in the wineiverse, it is that time again, the last Friday before Christmas, and that means it's time to kick out the jams, celebrate you wonderful people and have a good time. As some of you might know, this tasting is gonna be just a mite above our already astounding Friday tastings, which are famous throughout the known universe, maybe only just a notch above our annual last Friday of the year CHAMPAGNE TASTING, which will be next week, so, buckle up busters and busteretts, it's time for a great two weeks here at the GALACTICLY FAMOUS KONA WINE MARKET TASTING BAR, from 3 pm till 6 pm, that's on Friday, wine on the 20th, Champagne on the 27th, now for a little taste of what is going to float your boat this Friday, the 20th, here we go:
---------------------------
Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits Fontaine Saint Martin Blanc 2022 750ml
100% Chardonnay from a 3.25 ha parcel of 20+ year old vines, this hillside vineyard composed of "Pernand marls" is perfectly suited to producing complex, mineral-driven Chardonnay.
Hand-picked grapes are de-stemmed, crushed, and put into a tank overnight to undergo skin-maceration. After pressing, the wine is transferred into casks when fermentation is partially completed and fermentation finishes slowly in barrels (20% new) with regular lees stirring. The wine is then blended in vats and filtered before bottling.
$70.00
---------------------------
La Spinetta Il Rosé di Casanova 2022
V 91
Inspired by Provencal Rosés, the Rivetti decided to produce one rosé from their porfolio. The fascinating characteristics of Sangiovese and Prugnolo Gentile, permitted us to create a wine that shows great character, an intense aroma, and which is very pleasant to drink. It has a floral and fruity bouquet with hints of citrus and Mediterranean scrub. On the palate, it is wonderfully fresh and delicate with satisfying minerality and an all-embracing acidity.
$37.00
---------------------------
Château Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2020
Bright gold in the glass, the wine opens with green apple, honeysuckle and orange blossom. The citrus in particular seems to be most evident, as lime leaf and lemon zest at this stage. This vintage was more classic rather than overly ripe, so it's not surprising. There's a hint of fresh wood and vanilla as well, adding some nuance without overshadowing the beautiful floral character. The parade of citrus marches on, although the midpalate turns more tropical with starfruit and pineapple. And while there's still plenty of green apple, the texture and juiciness of Asian pear adds complexity and depth. The acid is consistent and winds its way through the profile, lifting the texture and balancing the suppleness from barrel. This will be a long-lived wine. The transition to the finish is still somewhat abrupt due to the wine's youth and dynamism. This will change over time. But here, the character is dominated by lemon curd and pie crust, along with chalk and fresh apricot. The acid is still mouthwatering, although it has mellowed somewhat. Despite its young age, the overall length of this Chardonnay is impressive.
$95.00
-------------------------
Timeless Napa Valley Soda Canyon Red Blend 2019
This opulent wine has a broad and balanced mid-palate, notes of vanilla and blueberry, a dried floral character and chalky tannins. Anise and cherry lift the palate to a beautiful, lingering finish. In both aromatics and palate, this is an elegant vintage worthy of cellaring for years to come.
$239.00
---------------------------
Kenzo Estate Rindo Red Blend 2019
JD 94
Dark vivid red. Bouquet of cocoa, dark plum & blue fruit, fig, vanilla, black pepper, crushed granite. Silky, soft, medium body.
$175.00
-------------------------
Allegrini La Poja 2016
WE 95 V 95
La Poja, due to its elegance and aromatic length, calls for complex and elaborate dishes. Excellent with red meat, it finds a perfect match in game, such as wild boar or duck, which enhance its aromatic notes. It is also an ideal match for the challenging pairing with truffle, which complements its elegance and intensity.
$220.00
-------------------------
Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 1.5L
JD 98 V 97 WS 94
The 2017 is our 35th vintage of Hillside Select and this release more than earns its place in this classic, elegant lineage. In the glass you'll find rich, opulent aromas of blackberry, cocoa, black cherry, rhubarb, rose water, and espresso. The mouth is a juicy, energetic cascade of summer bramble fruit, cassis, black licorice, red plum, fresh cracked pepper, and baking spice with a lengthy, compelling finish. All this decadence comes wrapped in ripe tannins for long-term aging in your cellar.
$899.00
--------------------------
Henschke Mount Edelstone 2014 750ml
WE 95 WS 93
Deep crimson with deep purple hues. Pure and complex, with lifted aromatics of violets, dark plums, fresh blackberries and blueberries, and the unmistakable Mount Edelstone signature aromas of crushed sage and cracked black pepper. The palate shows incredible purity and balance, with rich plum and blackberry fruit flavours, rosehip florals and savoury spice notes, finishing long with lingering plum skin and sage, and layers of fine, silky tannins. Food Pairing: Braised Duck with Red Molé.
$250.00
-------------------------
Penner-Ash Zena Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021
Zena Crown Vineyard is located towards the southern end of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, home to many of Oregon's finest Pinot Noir vineyards. During the growing season, ocean breezes push through the Van Duzer Corridor in the Coast Range, maintaining a consistently cool climate. This climate, combined with the shallow, well-drained volcanic soils of the Jory and Nekia series that dominate the AVA, is the primary reason the Eola-Amity Hills AVA is emerging as one of the world's most exciting wine regions. We source from select blocks across the vineyard, picking primarily clonal selections of 667, 114, 777, and Pommard.
$102.00
--------------------------
Occidental Pinot Noir 2020
A deep ruby, the 2020 Pinot Noir Occidental Station Vineyard is packed with aromas of wild herbs, wild strawberry, and cigar box. Full-bodied, with ripe tannins, it exhibits a round feel with good structure and depth in its layers of bergamot, cardamom, and orange oil. This is a gorgeous wine out of the gate, and it will continue to improve and provide excellent drinking over the coming two decades.
$173.00
----------------------------
Peter Michael Au Paradis Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
JD 97 V 92 WS 92
The ruby red 2021 'Au Paradis' exhibits a complex floral and fruity nose of black currant, cassis, violets, black plum, and red raspberry. The wine showcases great structure with mouth-coating, velvety tannins in the late midpalate that resolve in a long, lingering finish. Black tea and dark chocolate accent this full-bodied, intense, well-structured edition of 'Au Paradis.'
$325.00
--------------------------
Freemark Abbey Sycamore Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 750ml
WE 95
A real success story for this hot vintage. Feels gracious and generous in the mouth, offering complex, fat flavors of blackberries, cherries, raspberries, mocha and cedar that turn spicy on the finish. The tannins are elaborately ripe and fine. The well-known vineyard is on the Rutherford bench, and production was 2,300 cases. Drinkable now, and should age well for at least a decade.
$300.00
---------------------------
Yes, we know, this is not much, but there just might be more, this is Kona Wine Market after all, so, as usual you just might have to show up to see and taste. In answer to your next question, no, all of these wines will not be open at the same time, in answer to your next question, yes, it does seem a little red wine heavy, so there will probably be more whites when we start popping corks, you truly don't want to miss this one at Kona Wine Market, 12-20-2024, from 3 pm till 6 pm. Drink Global, Buy Local, that's us, mahalo.
