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Sparkling Rosé

Bruno Paillard, Premiere Cuvée:  $77.99

85% PN, 15% CH Premier Cru ML- Estate vineyards farmed organically and sustainably. Review from the Wine Advocate: The NV Brut Rosé Premiere Cuvée is a soft, accessible offering with expressive aromatics and a layered expression of fruit. With time in the glass, the wine’s inner perfume emerges quite nicely. As always, the Paillard house style is on full display in this understated, supremely elegant Champagne. The finish is long and refined. Disgorged April 2007. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2014. (moi-yellow peach, honeydew, tangerine)

Bollinger: Rosé $64.99

62% PN, 14% PM, 24% CH Aromas of strawberries, raspberry, and red currant along with some toastiness. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation (unlike the Bollinger non-rosés) to soften the acidity, but there is still an energy to this wine that suggests going aging potential.

Aubry: $58.99 Disgorged June 2008, Premier Cru

25%PN, 15% PM, 60% CH Undergoes Malolactic fermentation, lower dosage; From Wine Advocate: The NV Rosé Premier Cru shows gorgeous linearity and precision in a taut expression of fruit. Subtle notes of cherries, red berries and flowers emerge as the wine shows off lovely inner sweetness and perfume. 92/2009-2012

Bonnaire, Premier Cru: $49.99

10% PN, 90% CH-ML, fresh strawberry fruit accompanied by freshly-baked bread aromas and caramel notes. We were charmed by this wine.

Moet and Chandon, Dom Perignon, 2000  $165.99
49% Pinot Noir (PN), 51% Chardonnay (CH) Review from the Wine Advocate: “The 2000 Dom Perignon is a gorgeous, seductive wine that floats on the palate with remarkable grace. Toasty aromas meld into freshly cut flowers, apricots and pears, with sweet notes of mint and licorice that linger on the long finish. This perfumed, inviting Dom Perignon is elegance personified, and in this vintage the wine fully merits its lofty reputation. 94/2009-2019.

Bollinger, Le Grand Année, 1999 $104.99
63% PN, 37% CH
Review from the Wine Advocate: “The 1999 La Grande Année is a refined, elegant wine with pretty, exotic notes of apricots, peaches, honey, flowers, smoke and tasted oak. There is a notable clarity and precision, in a style that is generous and approachable. The 1999 La Grande Année is 63% Pinot Noir and 37% Chardonnay, of which 82% came from grand cru vineyards while 18% came from premier cru sits spanning a total of 16 villages. The wine was aged in oak and dosage was 7-9 grams. (Disgorged in July, 2007)

Gimonnet, 1999 (Special Club)$84.99
100% Chardonnay
Review from Allen Medows, Burghound-”An extremely pretty nose that is justnow beginning to display some obvious development to the brioche and baked apple nose that complements the rich, delicious and solidly complex flavors that culminate in a moderately dry and tangy finish that delivers fine length. This is a really lovely effort and could be enjoyed now, though I would be included ot wait for another 2 to 3 years. 92/2012+  (Disgorged December 2007)

Paul Bara, 2000, Grand Cru, (Bouzy): $79.99
80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay. Review from the Wine Advocate: Bara’s 2000 Brut Grand Cru is a generous full-bodied wine bursting with the essence of honey, apricots, acacia blossoms and minerals. Expansive and broad on the palate, the wine offers outstanding length and plenty of style. 92/2008-2015.

Review from International Wine Cellar: Strongly scented bouquet of candied lemon, redcurrant, toasty lees and dried rose. Broad but penetrating citrus and red berry flavors are underscored by smoke and minerals. Becomes richer on the finish, which leaves lush orchard fruit and floral notes behind. 91

Rene Geoffroy, Cuvée Volupte, 2002, $79.99
20% PN, 80% CH
2002 is a superb vintage, widely regarded as the best since 1996. What we don’t sell this holiday season retires to our cellar to be on call for our various celebrations. I couldn’t find a review for this vintage, so will just share my tasting notes. The Geoffroy’s estate is in Cumieres, a premier cru site known for Pinots, though they own additional lots in Hautvillers, Damery and Fleury-la-Riviere. The wines don’t undergo malolactic fermentation so that their acidity remains pronounced, consequently encouraging  greater aging potential. The 2002 has captivating aromas of orange peel, quince paste and honey.  It is impressively complex, with some seductive baked apple and nuttiness. On the palate, it is creamy and energetic; it’s a great mouthfeel, rich and clean at the same time. Flavors include pear and quince again. I found myself thinking of orange creamsicles if only they were pear instead– a subdued pear flavored tempered by cream.  (Disgorged June 2006)

In the shop, biodynamic wines are identified with a blue sticker; organic wines are affixed with a green circle sticker and sustainable wines are marked with a yellow sticker. The producers are listed here: organic-pdf  We have over 50 organic or biodynamic wines in stock, plus many more wines for which the vineyard is farmed sustainably.

d’Arendberg, Stump Jump Shiraz, 2008

International Wine Cellar, 88*

Black cherry, plum and pepper on the nose. Supple and sweet, with rich dark berry and candied plum flavors and a hint of black pepper. Finishes with very soft tannins and a lingering note of licorice. This wine offers serious complexity and depth for the money.

* Also a Wine Spectator, Top 100 Wines of 2009

Borsao, Campo de Borja, 2008

International Wine Cellar, 89

(80% Garnacha and 20% Tempranillo) Vivid purple color, Intensely floral scents of violet, rose, raspberry, blackberry and Asian spices. A step up in complexity from the Vina Borgia and the Monte Oton, with an extra aromatic dimension and impressive, sweet berry character. The finish is bright, focused and way, way more persistent than a $9 wine should be.

Beginning on Monday, December 21st, the store will be open during the following hours:

Monday-Wednesday: 10 am – 7 pm

Thursday: 10 am – 4 pm

Just in time for the Holidays! We have a variety of magnificent gift baskets for the wine lover in your life including:

For details and ordering information call the shop: 802-246-6400

Windham Wines has several wine gift ideas for the wine lover on your list. In addition to gift certificates, this year we have put together several gift basket options.  Among the choices are baskets for red wine lovers, white wine lovers, wine novices, wine collectors, and Vermont wines. Each basket includes two bottles of wine and one or two Riedel wine glasses. Prices vary depending on the basket. Please call for details and to reserve your basket. Last day to reserve a basket for Christmas is December 22nd.

For holiday entertaining, we have two new 90+ cases of wine to offer. The cases include bottles rated 90 or above from either Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate or Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar. Tasting notes are included. One case is all red wines and includes 2 bottles each of 6 different Spanish reds; it retails for $190.69, plus tax. The other case includes 2 each of 3 red wines and 3 white wines. It retails for $221.89.  Call the shop at (802) 246-6400 to reserve a case. 

We have also collected a new $99 case that works well for large holiday parties. This case offers 2 each of six different wines. We have considerable demand for these cases, so please call to reserve as many as you would like so that we may have them ready for you when you come.

As of October, 2009 the Wine Gallery will no longer be open for regular business hours.  We have decided to focus exclusively on private parties, special events, and tastings. Stay tuned for more information and check out the event calendar for our upcoming schedule.

To learn more about reserving the Wine Gallery for your next event call us: 802-246-6400.

We look forward to seeing you!

Saturday, September 25th, 5:00
Spain: Beyond Rioja and Ribera del Duero
Spain continues to offer interesting varietals at great prices.
Marty shares some of her favorites.
Tasting fee: $15, plus tax

Saturday, October 3rd, 7:00
Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber chef/owners of Osteria Pane E Salute, Woodstock authors of In Late Winter, We Ate Pears: A Year of Hunger and Love
For the Brattleboro Literary Festival weekend, we are hosting Deirdre and Caleb, authors of In Late Winter, We Ate Pears. More than a cookbook, In Late Winter shares their love of the culture and way of life they experienced during their year in Italy. Caleb and Deirdre offer glimpses of a vibrant Italy: of rolling out pizza dough in an ancient hilltown at midnight while
wild dogs bay in abandoned streets; of the fogged car windows of an
ancient lovers’ lane amid the olive groves outside Prato. The recipes included In Late Winter are every bit as delicious as the memories. Come taste wine as Deirdre shares memories and Caleb prepares small bites to accompany those tastes.
Call for more information: 802-246-6400

O’Reilly’s Pinot Noir is widely regarded, particularly in the Northwest, as the best value Pinot Noir on the market year after year. In the three years that we’ve offered it, we receive our allocation in late September upon the new vintage release and run out before the end of the calendar year. This year, we received the following announcement from our distributor, the bottom line of which is “order now and save.” Below is the email we received:

O’Reilly is the “good value” label of David O’Reilly, winemaker and co-owner of Owen Roe Winery.  “Good Value” O’Reilly’s wines are made from juice that does not quite fit the recipe for the spectacular Owen Roe wines, and are very reasonably priced. One of the most “blogged” about Oregon Pinots, there are rave reviews for O’Reilly’s Pinot Noir all over the internet.

As you may have heard, 2008 was an excellent vintage in Oregon, and the wines are very exciting. The 2008 O’Reilly’s is a good preview for the vintage– it is a deeply colored wine, and it glows in the glass. It smells great, and on the palate it is loaded with fresh, juicy, intense fruit balanced with great acidity. The mid-palate is detailed, and the finish is long. This is the best O’Reilly’s to date! It is well worth the price tag– in fact, at that price, you should buy cases of this wine. This is a full-scale bargain-alert– don’t miss out. O’Reilly’s Pinot Noir is the most popular Oregon Pinot Noir we sell. Every year, the wine’s drinkability and price offer the highest quality and value (and sells out the quickest).

Like it’s big brother, Owen Roe Sharecroppers Pinot Noir 2008, the O’Reilly’s Pinot Noir 2008 is as forward as the 2006, as food friendly as the 2007, but with even better balance and texture.

For O’Reilly’s fans, go directly to the order button for it is MORE LIMITED THAN USUAL, and for many of you, this will probably be a one-shot deal. An astonishing value year after year, with some of the characteristic Owen Roe intensity and vibrance. GREAT value, and great “house wine” for your house. For quality juice, the creed is get-it-while-you-can!”