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Taste the Top 10 Wines of 2023

December 29th, 2023

Plus last minute bubbles and something very special 
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Hello Merry Revelers!

As we come to the end of 2023, I look back fondly on favorite wines, friendly customers, and the community we've built in our little pocket of downtown Davis. And while I'm feeling nostalgic, I would especially like to thank those of you who tell your friends about Wines in Tandem. It is such a delight to hear new people walk through the doors saying 'Our friends said we just had to come in!'  Wines in a Tandem is a very small business, and we wouldn't be here today without your word-of-mouth support. Thank you all so much!

We've got some fun things to share in the new year, but for now let's end the year strong with a tasting from our Top 10 Wines of 2023, a few sparkling wines, and something special that I've been wanting to open all year! 

Tasting on Friday and Saturday

We're featuring many of the Top 10 Wines of 2023 on Friday and Saturday (limited 2-5pm hours, and closed Sunday) and a few sparkling wines will be open for those in need of last minute New Year's bubbles.   Plus, I hope you will keep me company while Emma is still on vacation. 

Need a refresher on our Top 10 Wines of 2023? Here's the list!  
/Shop/Top-10-Wines-of-2023

Hours and Details:
Friday and Saturday 2-5pm
$15 fee, waved with three bottle purchase

The tasting includes many crowd favorites, including wine #1, Manincor's Reserve della Contessa. I brought this wine to Christmas dinner and it was a sensational wine to start the evening. I even broke my own rule.. one bottle wasn't enough! No doubt this wine will be open to taste. 

During the Champagne and sparkling tasting last weekend, we quickly sold out of the J.Laurenz Cremant de Limoux and the Allimant-Laugner Cremant d'Alsace Rosé of Pinot. 12 bottles of each are back in stock today in case 1) you need more, or 2) you'd like to know what all the hype is about. Both are extremely high quality wines with great flavor, and excellent values for just $25. 

The final wine to taste is very unique! Many of you know (and admire) the walnut tops that we use for the retail and tasting counters. They were made from salvaged walnut from an old orchard in Deer Park, Napa Valley that was mostly destroyed in the 2018 fires. The WINE is 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet from a vineyard on the same property. I haven't tried it, and 2020 was also a fire year so it might have smoke taint, but it could be delicious. This wine is not for sale because it is technically a home wine, but I've been saving it for a special occasion. Just one bottle open for the curious tasters among us. 

That's all for now. Hope to see you today or tomorrow. If not, have a wonderful New Year and we'll catch you in 2024!

 

Taste Our Top Champagne and Sparkling Wines

December 20th, 2023

to Celebrate the Holidays and New Years

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Hello!

Last weekend many of you enjoyed an amazing tasting of "Go Big or Go Home (For the Holidays)" red wines and Ports. The standouts were certainly the Westgate Cab Franc (now sold out), the Three Wine Established 1885, and the Quinta do Tedo Tawny Port.

If you missed it, we will open a few more wines from our Top 10 Wines of 2023 list because it's the holidays, we like opening wine for you, and we don't want to leave you hanging in case you need a last minute gift or something special for dinner on Christmas Eve or Day. 

This Week

This week's themed Tandem Tasting is all about SPARKLING. That's right. Sparkling like your personality. Sparkling like the lights in downtown Davis. And Sparkling like your wine glasses on New Years Eve. 🥂

We're excited to feature our favorite (and best) Champagne and Sparkling wines to celebrate the end of 2023. Stop in for a respite from your Holiday planning and to grab a bottle (or three) to open on New Years! 

Open for tasting Thursday to Saturday:

A full list of the wines and tasting notes will be available starting tomorrow at 2pm: /events/Our-Top-Champagne-and-Sparkling

Tasting Details

Tomorrow, Thursday at 2pm (instead of the usual Friday) to Saturday at 6pm.
Closed Sunday, so no tasting then.

$20 tasting fee, waived with 3 bottle purchase (must include at least one featured sparkling) 

Confirming Holiday Hours

We will be closed a few days around Christmas and New Years, so please check our hours before coming in. Thursday to Saturday is a safe bet and I do my best to keep them updated on Google, too. 

Thu  12/21:  2 - 6pm
Fri    12/22:  2 - 7pm
Sat   12/23:  2 - 6pm
Sun  12/24 to
Wed 12/27: Closed
Thu  12/28:  2 - 6pm 
Fri    12/29:  2 - 7pm
Sat   12/30:  2 - 6pm     
Sun  12/31 to  
Wed 1/03:   Closed

Next week we will be open and have a fun tasting Thursday to Saturday, so stop in if you're in town :-)

 

Go Big or Go Home (For The Holidays)

december 13th, 2023

A feature of big reds, ports, and gift-able wines
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Hello!

This weekend we are opening a collection of wines from our Holiday Catalog, including some of our biggest and boldest wines in the shop. Come in for a tasting of Bordeaux and Rhone style reds and a trio of Tawny ports. While you're here grab a gift for yourself (okay, and a loved one) this season. 

Tasting notes and other wine info using the event link starting at 2pm, Friday
/events/Go-Big-or-Go-Home-for-the-Holidays

Open for tasting this weekend:

Stewart Cellars Barrel fermented and aged Chardonnay from Sonoma Mountain.

Calluna Vineyards CVC. Bordeaux red blend from Chalk Hill (never before opened!)

Westgate Cabernet Franc. Bright red Franc from Santa Barbara County. Also, a wine in our Top 10! 

Scherrer Vineyards 4 year barrel aged Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley (never before opened!)

Fontaine du Clos Castillon. Syrah/Grenache blend from Vaqueras, Rhone, France. 

Three Established 1885. Reserve style blend of ancient vine Zin, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre (and more) from Contra Costa County. 

Quinta do Tedo Tawny Port. Chocolate and fruitcake in a glass.

Churchills 10 Year Tawny. From a *new* Port producer founded by the 6th gen Graham family. We also have their 20, 30 and 40 year for purchase. (never before opened!)

Yalumba Antique Tawny from historic Australian producer. (never before opened!)

Note: It's the holidays, and we've got two dozen other wines in the Holiday Catalog.  If you are considering buying a case for gifts or a party, I'm happy to pour a catalog wine not listed above.

Tasting Details:

Friday and Saturday 2 - 6pm
Sunday 2 - 5pm
$15 fee, waived with 3 bottle purchase
It's cold in the wine shop, bring a jacket!

Top 10 Wines of 2023

Looking back on 2023, we found several wines that really stood out and we wanted to highlight them in a fun way on social media and our website.  If you are so inclined, follow us on Instagram and Facebook as we count down to # 1.

Upcoming Tastings and Hours

With only a few weekends left in 2023, we'll shift to celebrating New Years and open a collection of Champagne and Sparkling wines starting Thursday the 21st (a day earlier than usual). 
We'll be closed Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. 

December Wine Club + Bordeaux

Last weekend we poured eight wonderful Bordeaux wines, including the three club wines. Any club members yet to come in and pick up their December wines, this is the weekend to do that. These are great wines to have on hand for cold weather dinners or snuggling up by the fire :-) 

New Years Update

We are approaching a New Year and nearly one year in business. With that, we are working on new and exciting things to share with our customers and club members. For those who are keeping pace, you'll notice how many things we've added just in the past 6 months including educational events, food pairings listed on our tastings, collaborative dinners with Mustard Seed and putting more of our content and event info on our website.  
Our goal is to be a truly amazing wine shop that focuses on discovery and highlighting new wines that connect with wine lovers like yourselves. Starting in January, expect to see more of each of these newer items and an even greater focus on the wines and wineries that we feature. 

 

Our Final French Wine Feature is...

december 7th, 2023

A Bordeaux tasting and wine club pickup this weekend!
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Hello and Happy Holidays! If you're like us, your mailbox and inbox are inundated with promotions, so we'll keep this email straightforward and skip the gimmicks. Cheers! 

This weekend

Our final French themed tasting is a big one... Bordeaux! Join us for a feature of three amazing white wines, five hearty reds, and one sweet Sauternes. Bordeaux is a classic December and cold weather theme because the wines are rich and bold, perfect pairings for the season. There will be a Mystery component to the tasting, too, so come and make a guess!

Tasting notes of each wine will be ready Friday, December 8th at 2pm:
/events/bordeaux-tasting-and-wine-club-pickup

Next week and weekend

Starting on Tuesday, a selection of the 2023 Holiday Catalog wines will be featured and the additional catalog wines will be our focus leading up to New Years. Themes include All Weather Whites, Sweater Season Reds, Aged Tawny Ports, and Cheers-worthy Champagne. We've been planning the holiday catalog wines and tasting for months, so we hope you'll come in to discover these great wines! 

Can't wait? View the digital version here: /shop/catalog

Holiday Hours 

Shop: Tues to Sun | 1 - 6pm
Taste: Tues to Sun | 2 - 6pm 

New in Stock

Many of you came in referencing last week's email about the Spanish white wines we brought back in stock. Gracias! This week we brought in two new Sicilian wines from Vigneti Vecchio. The Etna Rosso is based on the Nerello Mascalese grape and grown in rich volcanic soils on the slopes of Mt Etna, and the Terre Siciliane Bianco based on Carricante and host of other indigenous grapes. 

I don't want to over promote these wines here because Bordeaux is the star this weekend, but many of you can't get enough of the obscure and complex wines we like to carry, so consider this your public service announcement! 

Wrapping up

As we roll into December, we want to say a big thank you for your support and patronage of our wine shop. This is our first holiday season in business and it is extra special to share it with all of you. We wish you and yours a joyous season, whatever you believe in! 

See you in the shop!

 

Taste and save on gift-worthy italians

december 1st, 2023

Hello and welcome to the week of 'Oh my gosh is it December already?!"

An important theme our customers shared regarding December: Having the right wines on hand to open for any group occasion, or to give away as gifts, without worrying about the price tag. As a result, we want to make the season of giving as easy as possible for you.

That's why we're opening up eight wines that you can stock up on and save. This includes some of our tastiest wines and since we have been featuring French wines for the past few months, we're starting to miss Italy! 

Join us this weekend as we take a quick break from France to focus on Italian sparkling, white, and reds that range from perfectly balanced to full bodied, and just in time for the holiday season. 

Tasting Bar this Weekend

This Italian tour and offer is designed for you to take advantage of the big discounts. All wines below are discounted 20% when included in a mix-and-match 12 bottle case. Add anything else in the shop to round out the 12 bottle case and those will get the regular 10% case discount. 

The sale runs for one week from Friday, December 1st to Thursday, December 7th, or until sold out. Most of these wines haven't been opened much in the shop, so stop in and discover something new. We don't usually list the prices on these emails, but since they are directly related to the sale we think it will be helpful. 

Holiday Hours: 
Taste hours: Friday to Sunday | 2 - 6pm
Shop hours: Tuesday to Sunday | 1 - 6pm

Lunaris Secco Sparkling Malvasia ($20 / $16) Our most fresh, appley, playful (and organic) sparkling wine is from the Malvasia grape. Their Lambrusco is also worth a look!

Marsuret Prosecco Superiore San Boldo ($23 / $18.4) The heart of Prosecco, aka the good stuff, comes from Valdobbiadene, where Marsuret has been making exceptional sparking for over 60 years.  

Manincor Reserve Della Contessa Bianco ($32 / $25.6) Any change we get to open this wine, we do so with delight. Bright, fresh white blend from the far north of Italy. This has become a staple in some of your wine fridges for good reason.

Sasso di Sole Rosso di Montalcino ($28 / $22.4). Dark-fruited and sultry Montalcino for a really great price is appreciated around these parts, especially when it comes from a talented producer like Sasso di Sole.  

Fattoria San Lorenzo di Gino Rosso Piceno ($19 / $15.2). This is a shockingly big wine from Sangiovese and Montepulciano grapes. We'd like to know what you think when comparing it to the next wine...

Villa di Geggiano Chianti Classico ($35 / $28) Tannic and brooding, this is a traditional Chianti Classico that most people would agree is like what Napa cabernet used to be. Chewy, earthy, and bold, without all that plush fruit.

Cerbaia Brunello di Montalcino ($59 / $47.2) From one of our favorite (and tiny) Tuscan producers, Cerbaia is located in Montosoli, the 'grand cru' of Montalcino.

Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca 2018. ($65 / $52.20) For the big Italian fans (there are many of you!) we needed to add some more Nebbiolo to the shop. We’re excited to share another wine from Luigi Pira - this being a single vineyard bottling from Marenca. Only 11 bottles are available because we are opening the 12th ;-)

The tasting is only $15, waived with 3 bottle purchase.

A link to the tasting notes will be available Friday at 2pm:
/events/Gift-Worthy-Italian-Wines-For-The-Holidays

Coming up in December

Dec 8-10: The wine club for December is Bordeaux, the infamous region known for outstanding Cabernet and Merlot based wines. The monthly club release will include three reds, and for the weekend tasting we'll also open two whites, a few additional reds, and a Sauternes. This is a great weekend for club members to bring a friend and show off the club benefits!

Dec 14-17: Segueing from big reds in Bordeaux, we'll steer the ship back home and open a number of great California reds plus some authentic tawny, 10, 20, and 30 year old Port that are featured in our Holiday Catalog! 

Dec 19-23: All week long leading up to Christmas, we'll be opening some excellent Champagne and sparkling wines. More details on the exact tasting schedule coming soon. We look forward to seeing you and toasting the season!

End of December: We'll have limited hours the week between Christmas and New Years, so please plan to come in BEFORE then.

Back in stock

One interesting thing that came up recently was how much people enjoyed the Spanish whites we featured in the Spring. They were relatively slow sellers at first, but they eventually sold out. Now you are asking for them again so we waited for the new vintages to arrive and they are finally back in stock! 

Looking for some sensational, complex, and really fun white wines? Come grab a Luberri Zuri Rioja Blanco, made from the Viura grape.  Or the Garciarevalo Tres Olmos from 130 old vine Verdejo vines in Rueda. 

Lastly, the Three Wine Established 1885 was such a sensation last week we had to bring it back in ASAP. The 2016 is nearly sold out at the winery, so now is your chance. 

That's all this week. See you soon!