The Temperature Rises, The Sun Scorches
and We're Chilling (Our Reds!)

Every time the temperature rises and the sun scorches we're asked which red wines can be served slightly chilled. What a fun, geeky wine question. Keep them coming!

Fruit-driven, low tannin and unoaked reds are the best candidates for the dog days of summer. Pop one in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes and serve it with just the faintest chill (roughly 55-60 degrees). Do not serve a red any colder than this or the fruit will be masked and the wine dumbed down.

Summer is finally here, so today's email is devoted to chill-worthy reds for summer BBQs, dinners on the deck, and quiet times at home when you don't want to brave the traffic on Route 6. When the possibility of making a left turn on the Cape becomes virtually impossible, it's time to pop open a chilled red and relax.

Let's start with outstanding Cru Beaujolais from Burgundy in France. They're vinified much like Pinot Noir, but the grape is Gamay. Most wine geeks dig real Beaujolais. These wines are nothing, we repeat NOTHING, like Beaujolais Nouveau so please don't even go there. There's no carbonic maceration in sight with these wines.

Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly 2011

"The balance of textural richness and crisp dark berry refreshment; extract with levity, is formidable, and there is a complexity of stony, saline, iodine and black tea-like smoky nuances that along with herbal pungency; grain sprout piquancy; and tangy bite of berry seed and black pepper all lead to a long finish of intriguing dynamics and exhilarating invigoration. Few wines of Beaujolais, indeed, can boast a track record remotely close to that of Thivin's Cote de Brouilly." (Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate: 92 points

$24.99/bottle or $239.90/12 pack case ($19.99/bottle) or just $19.99/bottle in a mixed case of wine.

Georges Duboeuf Jean Descombes Morgon 2011

"Like berries freshly picked on a summer day, the raspberry and strawberry notes here are ripe and pure, mixing with hints of pekoe tea leaf, mineral, ground anise and damson preserves. An elegant and balanced version." (Wine Spectator)

Wine Spectator: 91 points
Wine Spectator: Smart Buy

"Delivers the sort of sappy, sweetly ripe and abundant fruit that wine lovers have come to expect from this bottling, complemented by lily-like inner-mouth floral perfume and high-toned green herbal inflections to its exuberant finish. This FINE VALUE should drink well as least through 2015." (Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate: 90 points

$16.99/bottle or $163.10/12 pack case ($13.59/bottle) or just $13.59/bottle in a mixed case of wine.

Now let's move on to value-driven Spain, which is one region we're absolutely loving right now. It might be our recent obsession with making paella on the grill, or it could just be Spain's time to shine in our house. Either way, the store is brimming with unbelievable, screaming values from this vinous hotbed. Next time you're in the store, let us know you want to go to Spain and we'll give you a tour of our wines!

Herencia Altes Garnaxta Negra 2011

"Another incredible value and full-throttle wine made from 100% Grenache. This offering, from very old vines and aged completely in concrete, is a naked, unadulterated, unmanipulated effort with great minerality and an intensity and richness that are normally found in $50+ wines. Loads of kirsch, raspberry, licorice, garrigue and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied and dense, it is best consumed over the next 2-3 years. A killer value, it is a custom cuvee made for Eric Solomon by proprietor Nuria Altes." (Robert Parker, Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate: 91 points

"Suave black raspberry and Asian spice aromas are complicated by notes of violet and allspice. Juicy and seamless on the palate, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors and showing remarkable depth and intensity for the price. Spicy and silky on the finish, which leaves anise and raspberry notes behind. Here's yet another example of how Spain leaves the rest of the world in the dust when it comes to value in red wine." (Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar)

International Wine Cellar: 90 points

$12.99/bottle or $124.70/12 pack case ($10.39/bottle) or just $10.39/bottle in a mixed case of wine. Talk about a screaming value.

Espelt Old Vines Garnacha 2010

"A magnificent custom cuvee for Eric Solomon, this 2010 was made from high-elevation vineyards in the Costa Brava planted in granite. It was fashioned by the brilliant Jean-Marc Lafage, whose wines are reviewed elsewhere in this article. Composed of 100% Grenache aged 3 months in new French oak, it reveals copious aromas of raspberry jam, black currants, kirsch, flowers and forest floor, full body, terrific fruit, lots of complexity already, and a multidimensional mouthfeel. Drink this stunning red over the next 4-5 years." (Robert Parker, Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate: 92 points

$12.99/bottle or $124.70/12 pack case ($10.39/bottle) or just $10.39/bottle in a mixed case of wine. We used this wine to make Sangria recently. It was delicious (made with the authentic Spanish Torres brandy and Torres Orange Liqueur, both of which we highly recommend for home use!).

We hope you enjoyed this little trip to the land of chilled summer reds.

P.S. -- Special Announcement

We'll be hosting a private wine tasting seminar on Saturday, July 27 in the early afternoon with the one and only Eric Solomon's European Cellars! This is this famous importer's ONLY appearance on Cape Cod, so it's going to be a really special event, drinking and learning about wines directly with one of Robert Parker's most beloved wine insiders. How exciting is that?!?

While the event will be complimentary, reservations are required to secure a spot. This private tasting will be capped at 30 lucky individuals on a first-come, first-served basis. Details will follow, but only if you're on the list.

If you want to receive an invitation to this remarkable wine seminar (and others like it in the future) please let us know by responding to this email and we'll place you on our super private, ultra elite, preferred wine seminar list. Please include your name and email address. This is a fantastic opportunity to taste and learn about wines with the world's best importers and the world's most exciting wines, along with some tasty food and, of course, our good company.

Stay cool.

* Wine & Spirit Education Trust Certified *

Town Center Wine & Spirits Cape Cod's Most Trusted Wine Merchant

Location 4550 State Highway North Eastham, MA 02651 (Next to the Royal Thai Restaurant in the Town Center Plaza) Tel: 508 255 3660 Fax: 508 255 6736

Summer Hours Mon-Fri: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m Fri-Sat: 9 am to 11 pm Sunday: 12 to 8 p.m.   We're open year round. Closed only on Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.