Tastings & Events
Chain Bridge Cellars hosts two regular weekly free tastings and also offers special classes, wine dinners, and festivals throughout the year. You'll find great wines open every Friday from 3:00 - 7:00 pm and Saturdays from noon to 4:00 pm. Check back here often to see what's coming up!
- What's Open Now - Free Daily Tasting
In a week full of new arrivals, we've decided to feature both the exciting, new to the USA, Bodegas El Linze Tinto Velasco Syrah 2007 and an long-time favorite white from the Rhone. Come by today - Thursday to sample:
Dom Philippe Plantevin Cotes Du Rhone Blanc 2010 - a cool fermented blend of 40% Viognier, 30% Grenache Blanc, and 30% Marsanne that delivers a wonderful interplay between richness and brightness.
Bodegas El Linze Tinto Velasco Syrah 2007 - voted "Best in Spain" for red wines from 2007/2008 vintages (and rated 90 points by Wine Advocate), this is seductive, succulent, and terrific value.- Savory Syrah Wine Class - Thursday, February 9 @ 7pm
Oxford Companion to Wine editor Jancis Robinson calls Syrah “one of the noblest and currently most fashionable red wine grapes, if nobility is bestowed by an ability to produce serious red wines capable of aging majestically for decades and if fashionability is measured by the extent to which new cuttings are currently going into the ground all over the world.”
But, while Cabernet Sauvignon grown in top sites in Bordeaux is pretty clearly the same grape you find in a top bottle from Napa, Syrah is more confusing. What does Syrah from the steep slopes of the Northern Rhone – meaty, smoky, full of graphite – have to do with the super-ripe, fruit-driven, Syrahs the Aussies call “Shiraz”?
You’ll answer that and many more questions on Thursday, February 9, at 7pm as we taste through seven different examples of Syrah from France, Italy, the US and Australia. The tasting line-up will include:- Nicolas Perrin Saint Joseph 2009
- Dom Marc Sorrel Crozes Hermitage 2009
- Fontodi Syrah Colli Della Toscana Case Via 2000
- Shane Wines Syrah “The Unknown” North Coast 2009
- Mr. Rigg’s “The Gaffer” Shiraz McLaren Vale 2009
- Mollydooker Shiraz “The Boxer” Barossa Valley 2009
- Mystery “Big Gun” Syrah (you’ve got to come to the class to find out what it is - but it's a benchmark for the varietal!)
We’ll serve cheese and light snacks to pair with our featured wines and offer a take-home roadmap to Syrah from around the world. The cost is just $15 per person, with your class fee applied to any wine you order during the event. To reserve your seats, just call, email or visit us at the store.- Free Weekend Tastings - New Arrivals Friday & Saturday!
New Arrivals Part 1 – Friday, February 3 from 3-7pm
It’s been a wild week here at Chain Bridge Cellars, as more than three dozen new wines have arrived and gone up on the shelves in the past few days. This weekend’s tastings feature a few of the newly arrived gems we think are most exciting along with one returning favorite we just couldn’t resist showing off! Join us to sample:
Eudald Massana Noya Cava Brut Familia NV – From a 9th generation winemaker who is pushing the envelope for quality and value. This traditional-styled Cava is a blend of Macabeu, XarelAlo, Parellada and Chardonnay all grown in organic/biodynamic vineyards. Our first reaction to tasting it was, “Wow – this is really good!” There’s plenty of elegant white and even some red fruit set off by a fine yeasty/bready character and a dash of seaside minerality. Creamy, with small, refined bubbles, and ready to enjoy anytime you need a little lift.
Neyers Chardonnay Napa Valley 2010 - Robert Parker says, “I have always liked Bruce Neyers’s Chardonnays, which are made in a very Burgundian, full malolactic style, with various levels of smoky toast and honeysuckle.” Creamy and full-bodied, this is loaded with fresh butter, chalk, and toasty orchard fruits. A fine match for rich seafood (scallops, lobster) or grilled fish and white meats.
Araldica Barbera d'Asti Albera 2008 - A bright, engaging perfume of fresh, ripe black cherries and red plums continues on the palate with a delicate touch of spice. Lip-smacking good, the Albera (the ancestral name for the Barbera grape) is easy to love, easy on the purse and easy to pair with your favorite winter comfort menu. Screaming value as this weekend's Carryout Case Special, too!
Allamand Malbec Mendoza 2010 - A terrific, full-of-character bottle of Malbec for the money! Much more complex and food-friendly than most wines in its class, here you’ll find rich, earthy, aromas leading to a medium-bodied palate with black fruit, baking spice, and one last kick of smoky earth. The black plum and blackberry fruit linger nicely, while the earthy components make this a killer match for lamb or pork.
New Arrivals Part 2 – Saturday, February 4 from noon-4pm
The New Arrivals open to sample get even more eclectic on Saturday! Here’s what you’ll find on the tasting bar from noon-4pm:
Dom De La Chapelle Des Bois Fleurie Grand Pre 2009 - Here's a traditional style of hand-crafted Gamay from vineyards in the Cru of Fleurie. This reminds you that Beaujolais is part of Burgundy. The texture is silky, the flavors deep, and the granite minerality present throughout. If you dig hard, you’ll isolate red berry and rose petal notes, but this is such a seamless, integrated, wine that you’ll want to focus mainly on the whole.
Bodegas El Linze Tinto Velasco Syrah 2007 - Named "Best in Spain" by Spanish wine writers and journalists. “The 2007 Ellinze is 90% Syrah and 10% Tinto Velasco aged for six months in French and American oak. It offers up a fragrant, sexy nose of spice box, incense, lavender, and blueberry pie. Sweetly-fruited and with a bit of structure, this elegant, lengthy effort will evolve for 1-2 years and drink well through 2017.” Wine Advocate 90 points.
Armilla Rosso Di Montalcino 2009 - Everything you could want in a terrific Rosso di Montalcino from a producer you’ve never heard of! This is a lush, open, and very easy-to-drink example that's packed with ripe black cherry, fresh earth, and sweet spice here along with fine ripe tannins and a long, succulent, finish.
Cameron Hughes Lot 282 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2009 - Possibly from Pine Ridge, this is wide open, classic, Cabernet from the Rutherford. Big aromas of blackberry, cassis and a touch of cinnamon spice. In the mouth, it’s rich and succulent with ripe black fruits wound up in fine, almost silky, tannins. Blueberry/red currant, vanilla spice, and “Rutherford dust” flavors linger nicely. Decant for an hour or cellar for 5+ years.
Depending on how things play out this week, we may add a little high-end Chablis to the tasting as well. Stay tuned! You’re certain to find plenty of fresh-baked bread from Lyon Bakery and cheese to sample all weekend. Join us!
