Thursday July 2, 2020
Patriotic dogs looking happy before finding out what scary noise day it is.
This week: We're wishing everyone a happy and safe 4th of July weekend. Good luck to all of the dogs out there that are terrified of fireworks, we know this weekend may not be as celebratory for you. But, at least they only have backyard fireworks to deal with this year and not the big show (sadly for us humans).

Last week Mary covered the in and outs of keeping your red wine at the right serving temp. This week, she's got a little rundown on "chillable" reds - something that has become a bit more trendy about in the past year or two. It also happens to be a favorite topic of ours every summer, so of course we're happy to continue our chillable red campaign and encourage you to stick that bottle of Gamay in the fridge.

Also exciting? We were able to get our hands on 8 more bottles from Ferme de la Sansonniere. The highly allocated, impossible to find Loire sensation. We have 2 bottles of La Lune, 3 of the Rosé, and 3 of the Les Fourchardes bottling. As usual.. first come, first serve.

Remember - stay safe and stay distanced. Mask up and be kind to strangers.
Don't waste too much space on your phone recording videos of fireworks that nobody is ever going to watch.

Cheers,
The Team at NL
CHILLABLE REDS: Why & How

Why chill a red wine? For your personal enjoyment, first and foremost. Maybe it's a hot day and you'd like to feel refreshed but love red wine. Or, you're firing up the grill and cooking some stuff that calls for wine with a little bit more structure than a white can offer.

What makes a wine "chillable" anyhow? For one, chillable is a state of mind. There is no right or wrong way. Like wine in general, it is subjective and totally comes down to your preference and what you like to enjoy. However, there are some common things we can agree upon when chilling reds the same way you'd chill and enjoy a white or rosé - or, between 50 to 60 degrees.

Lighter bodied wines with brighter acidity tend to be most enjoyable chilled. Wines with carbonic maceration are also great contenders. What is Carbonic Maceration? - It is a style of wine making where whole grape bunches are first tossed into the fermentation vessel. The grape bunches are then blanketed with Carbon Dioxide eliminating any oxygen in the fermentation process. Grapes initiate fermenting within each individual grape before finishing fermenting all together. What does it mean? Wines made in this style have a delicious youthful and fruit forwardness. This style of wine is also lower in tannin and lighter in color. Making for a great chillable, summertime drinking red.

So What's the Right Temp?
50 to 60 degrees is ideal, as a general consensus. Too cold and the fruit notes will be muted. But, the key here is to also not overthink it. The wine can always warm up. Leave it in the fridge and enjoy whenever you're ready. If it's too cold for your taste, it will warm up fairly quickly in the glass. Or, take out of the fridge 30 to 40 minutes prior to serving.

Some Great "Chillable" Ideas (including, but not limited to):
Division Villages, Gamay Noir, 'Les Petits Fers,' Oregon 2019 - $26.99
- Strawberry, raspberry and warm earth tones.
Arnot Roberts, Gamay Noir, El Dorado, California 2018 - $32.99
- This wine is so pretty with notes of macerated strawberries and flowers.
Stolpman, Sangiovese, So Fresh 'Love You Bunches,' California 2019 - $26.99
- Cherry sour candy and tart berry.
Stolpman, So Fresh 'Crunchy Roastie,' California 2019 - $27.99
- Bluefruit and underlying savory notes add some complexity.

STAFF PICKS
Things our staff "taste tested" this week. Tough job, but someone's gotta do it.

2016 Chateau Les Charms Godard Bordeaux Blanc $28.99 
I guess most people who think of such things, think of Bordeaux as full bodied expensive red wine built for aging. Those with a bit more experience realize that Bordeaux produces huge amounts of wine and has values at every price point. Pull back another layer and you find excellent white table and dessert wines.
In the category of white table wine you have huge amounts of light fresh quaffable wines that refresh without leaving a lasting impression. Perhaps the style of Bordeaux wine that is most widely overlooked is the category of premium white wines and this is unfortunate. The best of these wines are rich and expressive blends with judicious, mostly neutral oak aging. Chateau Charmes Godard is such a wine. The power and vibrancy of the fruit is the most striking feature here. Layers of sweet lemon, lime, pineapple and guava are underlined by subtle spice and chamomile tea notes. Charms provides a truly immersive wine experience.
-David M.

Denavolo, 'Dinavolino' Vino Bianco, Emilia Romagna - $23.99
Dinavolino's Vino Bianco pushes the boundaries of biodynamic orange wines. This funky juice is expert level; it's guaranteed to challenge you. You can easily draw flavor connections between this orange wine and sour beers - with it's zipping acidity, bitter fruit peel characteristics, and complex aromas of herbs and flowers. If you're looking for a groovy bottle to stir things up, look no further than this loveable oddball!
-Katrina B.

2017 K. Wechsler 'Fräulein Hu' Trocken (white blend), Rheinhessen - Germany $21.99
Katharina Wechsler embodies a new generation of vigneron in Germany - new varieties, smaller yields, attention to terroir. Her philosophy is to produce authentic and distinctive wines, with an emphasis on elegance and finesse. So is this fun take on a little known rarity Huxelrebe with a touch of Pinot Blanc and Riesling. A jazzy affair for a hot summer gathering - exciting, fizzy, bone dry yet aromatic, perfect as an aperitif or with sushi.
-Alexei V.

2019 Domaine des Carteresses, Tavel - Rhone, France - $16.99
From the heart of the Rhone Valley's premier appellation for rose, Tavel, this 2018 vintage from Domaine des Carteresses blends Rhone varietals Grenache, Mourvedre, Clairette, and Syrah for aromatics of raspberry and pink grapefruit citrus that lead to a powerful palate of sour cherry and red berries. It's finish is of medium length with pleasing minerality and spice. It is full bodied yet dry due to the unique length of maceration being closer to the red wines of nearby Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Lirac. Enjoy this chilled....but of course!...with a charcuterie, brie, and baguette platter on the back patio!
-Patrick D.
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT...
Just some good dogs that visited us recently.
(We hear dog photos are a great way to spread cheer)
CALL AHEAD FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP,
SOCIAL DISTANCE WITH DELIVERY.
... remember to have faith that it won't be long before we can take this message outta here :)

Call in your order: Give us a ring or send an email .. tell us what you'd like, and pay over the phone. Call as you're pulling up and just let us know front door or back door and we'll wash our hands and drop your goods in the trunk or the backseat. Easy, just like that.

Don't know what you want? Ask for help, take our recommendations. Tell us what you like, what you're interested in, and your budget. We'll put something good together for you. Pull up and pick up. Again, easy, safe and sanitary.

Call for delivery: The most responsible thing you can do is stay home and let us leave your goods outside your door. C all in your order and have us deliver. Delivery is free for orders over $25 (pre-tax) for anyone within a 5 mile radius. We will deliver outside of this radius for a small surcharge. Of course, with higher volume of delivery demand, we need your patience and understanding that your order's ETA may be longer than usual. Don't forget to tip your driver.. they are going out so you don't have to.

For delivery and curbside.. email northloopwine@gmail.com or call 612-338-5393.
Cheers everyone!
-The Team at North Loop Wine & Spirits