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Say Vino: November 4, 2008
By Sterling Pratt
 We
email Say Vino every Tuesday evening. It contains news
from the wine world, our own opinions, and special offers
for our subscribers. Say Vino is available by email, at
our
website
and is also posted in our store.
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My favorite 90 point red!
 What
do I drink more of than any other wine? No question! Not
that I wouldn't like it to be a great Willamette Pinot or a
fabulous Vosne-Romanée, but since those are way out of the
affordable range, I found this great old-vine Garnacha from
Spain does the trick. Again and again. The folks at Bodegas
Borsao know they have a winner with this great wine - they
told me again at dinner a little more than a month ago -
that's why they don't make enough of it to last year-round.
The 2007 just landed and we urge you to snap it up before we
sell out again. The world has caught on to the red we first
intro'd to you a couple of years ago, and like a large-mouth
on a worm, they won't let us have enough. Here's how
Tanzer's International Wine Cellar review puts it: " 90+
pts. Inky ruby. Highly complex bouquet of cherry, dark berry
liqueur, iron, tobacco and dried flowers; reminded me of a
wine from Graves. Tangy cherry and cassis flavors are on the
primal side initially but soften and gain sweetness with
air. Fine tannins add grip to the long, spicy finish, which
repeats the iron note. This is very promising."
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Don't forget to vote today
 For
every poll that's been generated, our take on this year's
election is that it's not one to miss. No matter whom you
support, most people have made up their minds. If you didn't
vote early, remember your polling place will be open until 7
p.m. tonight. Cook County has a great
website if you've moved and reregistered but need help
finding your new precinct or polling place.
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New hot shots from Argentina have it all
 It's
not often we run across new wines this good for this little.
Australia, so far, has held the patent on blending Cabernet
with Shiraz, but in this new Argentine blend, we are excited
about a new take on the idea: mellow and less explosive. The
brand new Algodon Cabernet-Syrah 2004 has charm with an
intense garnet color. On the nose the bouquet is red bell
pepper, cassis and intense spice (brought by the Syrah).
There are also hints of chocolate and vanilla, contributed
by the oak. Round and full in the mouth, there are balancing
ripe tannins. Red berry fruit and black pepper come to mind.
The soul mate to this blend is our first-ever bottle of
Bonarda on its own. Fans of Argentina's best know that this
grape is often blended in with Malbec by other winemakers,
but once again Algodon has made a unique wine with tons of
ready charm. Bonarda is deep garnet in color with intense
light and dark tones, while on the nose it gives off an
intense aroma of ripe plums, and dried figs with great notes
of chocolate and vanilla. On the palate it is full,
wonderfully balanced with a long aftertaste. Both get our
highly recommended thumbs up.
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Not too good to be true
 Wine
this good for this little always sets off alarms. How good
can it be? Are they serious? We made a great deal on a
terrific Tempranillo and can guarantee you that this is
twice the wine the price implies. The Campos Reales (royal
fields) vineyards lie in the heart of Spain's La Mancha, the
largest wine growing region in the world. The warmth of the
daily sun makes it easy to ripen a terrific bottle of daily
red. Not to be missed! We guarantee.
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Sauvignon lovers alert! Buy this now
 We've
sold out of our 2006 Cherrier Sancerre, but we looked in the
warehouse and were surprised to find a few extra cases of
the superstar cuvée Cherrier makes. Jump on this before this
is gone too. More complex than any other in this price
range, the "Grand Picot" 2005 was gently aged in used French
oak barrels, not to give it oakiness, but to mellow it and
lengthen it considerably. We challenge you to find a better
Sauvignon from New Zealand or Napa for this price. Very
highly recommended! Classy, with crisp acidity.
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Spur on your tastebuds!
Jardine Foods has been producing premium-quality Texas foods
since 1979. For them, Southwestern flavors are not a trend;
they are a way of life, classic traditional-style Texas
recipes, to exciting variations on Southwestern themes. They
take a great deal of pride in their ability to carry on the
tradition of great taste as well as innovation that
distinguishes their products from the rest.
 We
love D.L. Jardine's Special Edition Salsa Bobos, a
flavor-packed blend of fresh golden corn nuggets, black
beans, bell peppers, special spices and a dash of jalapenos.
The rich, thick texture and taste make it an excellent
choice for serving with chips, in a seven layer dip or as a
topping for fish, chicken or baked potatoes. This stuff is
more than a salsa - it is practically a meal in itself!
 Jardine's
Special Edition Queso Loco Cheese Salsa & Dip is a product
with uses as varied and wide open as the Texas landscape.
Serve it straight from the jar as a dip, or dress up your
baked potatoes. Add a dollop to your hamburger or hotdog (a
Texas francheezie!) or in your mac "n" cheese to give it
some attitude. This sauce is terrific over broccoli and
other vegetables, too. Snack time? Zap some Queso Loco in
the microwave, pour it over tortilla chips for easy, really
good nachos and watch them disappear.
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It's decided! VIP named for the wine dinner at Dave's Italian
Kitchen - next week!
 The
return of our incredibly popular wine dinners at Dave's in
Evanston, and we're crazy about the VIP who'll be there to
talk wine and sign wine bottles! You won't want to miss
this. The wines will include: Evil Chardonnay, Marquis
Philips Grenache, Little R Cabernet, Paringa Shiraz, Marquis
Philips Shiraz and Jonsey Port. There'll be a great menu
whipped up to match each of these wines. Oh, and the
VIP: Chris Ringland, one of the world's, and
Australia's, superstar winemakers! A rare treat!
WED 11/12 7:00 PM, $35, all-inclusive.
Contacting Dave directly at
daveglatt@yahoo.com to register. Leave him your
name, the number in your party, and a best contact phone
where he can reach you to confirm and get your method of
payment. These dinners sell out quickly, so don't wait to
email
Dave.
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Third Thursday wine class November 20th
 Join
us for our last class of the year, our annual Food &
Wine Pairing extravaganza. We're continuing our
year-long theme of focusing on specific grape varieties and
for this class, the featured grape will be that most
food-friendly of all, Pinot Noir! The food department will,
of course, match us course for course with appropriate
treats. (Remember, if you would prefer vegetarian snacks,
let us know in advance.) Please note that we'll be charging
a little more - $30 ($25 for
CAP members), due to the additional food
components, but we definitely think it'll be worth it. As
always, this class will be limited in size so make sure to
reserve your space far in advance!
11/20 THU - 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., $30, $25 for
CAP members. Contact Schaefer's at 847-677-WINE (9463)
or by
email to sign up.
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This Saturday in our tasting room
Stop by for our FREE Saturday Tasting, 11-5. Our usual
great range of wines and beers will be available
throughout the day.
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Droplets
 Some droplets
of interesting wine news you may have missed. Just click the
links to read.
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See you next week!
 That's
all for this week. If we may be of any further service,
please stop by our store at 9965 Gross Point Road in Skokie
(for directions,
click here),
visit our website at
http://www.schaefers.com, give us a call
at 847-677-WINE (9463), 800-833-WINE (9463), or click here
to
contact us.
Sincerely,
Your Friends at Schaefer's
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