deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Robert Burns (also known as Rabbie Burns) was a famous Scottish poet and lyricist who is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. There’s a national Scottish holiday named after him. Many a scotch tasting will happen around the world around Rabbie Burns day.

This year, please join us Thursday, January 23 from 7-9 pm as Lee Hansen from Icon Fine Wine & Spirits for a pre-Rabbie Burns stand-up Scotch tasting featuring Islay, Speyside and Highland.single malts. A must for the whisky lover.

Register for the event here..

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Author: Dirk Chan
From all of us at deVine’s to you and yours, we wish you a very Happy New Year in 2020 with all the best for happiness, good health and prosperity.

May good fortune and luck follow you wherever you go and in all that you do for the coming year. We thank you for your continued patronage!

Ed, Annabelle, Chad, Dirk, Kandice, Cody, Bob, Llyr, Brad, Hayley and Mark

Here are some New Years Wine recommendations for your consideration. Have a fun New Years, and remember to drink responsibly.

Pictured (left to right)
NV Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Rose Pencil Gift Pack (Champagne, France) – $94.99
2007 Bollinger La Grande Année Brut (Champagne, France) – $199.99
2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut (Champagne, France) – $359.99 

Sparkling
NV Cava Varias La Bona Vida Brut (Catalonia, Spain) – $18.99
NV Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco (Veneto, Italy) – $26.99
NV Fernridge Winery Haha Brut Cuvee (Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand) – $29.99
NV Château de Targe Saumur Brut Rose (Loire Valley, France) – $31.49
NV Pittnauer Pitt-Nat Sparkling Rose (Austria) – $39.99
NV Enrico Gatti Franciacorta Brut (Lombardy, Italy) – $44.99 

Champagne
NV Champagne Baron-Fuente Grande Reserve Brut (Champagne, France) – $49.99
NV Nicolas Maillart Brut Platine Premier Cru (Champagne, France) – $66.99
NV Champagne Ployez-Jacquemart Extra Quality Brut Blanc de Blancs (Champagne, France) – $72.99
NV Bereche et Fils Brut Reserve Vieilles Vignes (Champagne, France) – $79.99
2008 Champagne Ployez-Jacquemart Extra Brut Ludes (Champagne, France) – $109.99
NV Ruinart Brut Rosé (Champagne, France) – $119.99
NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé (Champagne, France) – $129.99
NV Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru (Champagne, France) – $149.99
1999 Champagne Ployez-Jacquemart Brut Liesse d’Harbonville (Champagne, France) – $224.99
2002 Krug Brut (Champagne, France) – $419.99 

Something Sweet & Sparkling
2017 La Spinetta Bricco Quagia Moscato d’Asti (Piedmont, Italy) – $25.99 

Here are our store hours leading up to the New Years:

Friday, Dec 27- 11-7pm
Saturday, Dec 28 – 11-7pm
Sunday, Dec 29 – 12-5pm
Monday, Dec 30 – 11-7pm
Tuesday, Dec 31 – 11-6pm
Wednesday, Jan 1 – closed

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Author: Dirk Chan

Happy Holidays Everyone from deVines!!

I’ve always been fascinated with big bottles at any event, it immediately adds that feeling of something special going on – partly because the size infers lots of people, fun and joviality amongst friends and relatives.

Also, wines from magnums and even bigger formats usually show youth and vitality because the airspace to wine ratio is lower, and supposedly the wine ages slower.

Next time you want to celebrate, consider a magnum party. At deVine’s, we buy magnums all year long just for this time of the year. As Christmas is fast approaching, here is a very large list of available big formats at deVines for your consideration (availability is very limited, most we only have one or two bottles for sale), so shop early for the best selection as this is the part of the year when these bottlings start disappearing fast.

Pictured left to right: (all sizes are 1.5L unless otherwise stated)

NV Pierre Peters Cuvée de Reserve Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut (Champagne, France) – $169.99

2015 Chateau Rousselle (Bordeaux – Cotes de Bourg, France) – $59.99

2011 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany, Italy) – $144.99

2004 Penfolds Grange (South Australia, Australia) – $1599.99

Other available big bottles for your consideration:

NV Domaine Rosier Cuvee Ma Maison Rose Cremant de Limoux (Languedoc-Roussillon, France) – $47.99

NV Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Yellow Label Brut (Champagne, France) – $169.99

2017 Max Ferdinand Richter Wehlener Sonnenuhur Riesling Spatlese (Mosel, Germany) – $129.99

2014 Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux (Bordeaux – Moulis, France) – $104.99

2016 d’Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia) – $64.99

2001 Bodegas Valdemar Gran Reserva (Rioja, Spain) – $109.99

2016 Vidigal Porta 6 (Lisboa, Portugal) – $34.99

2015 Chateau Lamothe-Bergeron Cru Bourgeois (Bordeaux – Medoc, France) – 3.0L – $254.99

2009 Château Haut Bailly (Bordeaux – Pessac-Leognan, France) – $699.99

2014 Quinta de Cabriz Colheita Selecionada (Dao, Portugal) – $45.99

22013 Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico (Campania, Italy) – $239.99

2010 Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany, Italy) – $239.99

2015 Château Larrivet Haut Brion (Bordeaux – Pessac-Leognan, France) – $224.99

2010 Vietti Barolo Castiglione (Piedmont, Italy) – $219.99

2007 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $149.99

Have yourself a magnum of a day!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Wow…Christmas is almost upon us, so here is our annual picks to accompany the classic turkey and/or ham dinner with all its fixings. Start your evening off with a sparkling wine,followed by whites, reds, a dessert wine and perhaps a lovely port to end off the evening.

Sparkling Wines

Sparkling wines are a great way to start any function whether its a greeting aperitif or to pair with appetizers. Lively and clean, these will get everyone ready for what’s to come next.

NV Cava Varias La Bona Vida Brut (Catalonia, Spain) – $18.99

NV La Jara Brut Prosecco (Italy) – $18.99

NV Château de Targe Saumur Brut Rose (Loire Valley, France) – $31.49

2015 Campolargo Espumante Bruto Rosé (Bairrada, Portugal) – $37.99

Champagne

Now if you serve Champagne, your audience will immediately know you’re here to do some serious partaking and celebrating.

NV Champagne Baron-Fuente Grande Reserve Brut (Champagne, France) – $49.99

NV Champagne Collet Brut Art Deco (Champagne, France) – $71.99

NV Ruinart Brut Rosé (Champagne, France) – $119.99

2002 Moet & Chandon Dom Pérignon Brut (Champagne, France) – $379.99

Whites & Pinks

Whites with a touch of sweetness is preferred because of the sweetness of some of the fixings – candied yams, cranberry sauce, and honey for the glazed ham. A completely dry white will seem more austere and void of fruit due to the sweetness of the food so I recommend Rieslings (dry or off-dry, both work), Gewurztraminers or other Germanic or Alsace varietals. Having said that, some will always go with a dry creamy Chardonnay or Chenon irregardless and that’s perfectly fine. Also, don’t forget that rosés work really well too!

2017 Chateau de la Mulonniere M de Mulonniere Anjou Chenin Blanc (Loire Valley, France) – $23.99

2016 Schlossgut Diel Riesling Kabinett Dorsheim Goldloch (Nahe, Germany) – $42.99

2017 Terras Gauda Abadia de San Campio Albarino (Rias Baixas, Spain) – $24.99

2017 Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis Vieilles Vignes (Chablis, France) – $39.99

2017 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Häuserer (Alsace, France) – $87.99

2016 Valle de Passos Rose (Tras os Montes, Portugal) – $26.99

2017 Markus Kuntz-Riedlin Spatburgunder Rosé (Baden, Germany) – $36.99

Reds

For reds, try to avoid the big oaky tannic monsters. Oak and tannins are the enemies when pairing with slightly sweet food, try for a red with lots of up-front fruit, little oak and a soft tannins like a Beaujolais (served slightly chilled) or a Pinot Noir.

2016 Manos Negras Pinot Noir (Mendoza, Argentina) – $19.99

2017 Emotivo Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Abruzzi, Italy) – $16.99

2017 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie (Beaujolais, France) – $24.99

2015 San Fabiano Calcinaia Casa Boschino Toscana (Tuscany, Italy) – $19.99

2016 Lungarotti Ilbio IGT Rosso (Umbria, Italy) – $34.99

2017 Stoller Dundee Hills Pinot Noir (Oregon, United States) – $43.99

2015 Silenus Merlot (California – Napa Valley, United States) – $69.99

2009 Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia (Piedmont, Italy) – $109.99

1967 Adega Viuva Gomes Collares Reserva Tinto (Colares, Portugal) – $159.99

2000 Château Lafon-Rochet (Bordeaux – St. Estephe, France) – $169.99

2009 Louis Jadot Echézeaux Grand Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Nuits, France) – $279.99

1995 Château Clinet (Bordeaux – Pomerol, France) – $319.99

Dessert

As for dessert, remember dessert wine should be sweeter than the dessert itself.
2013 Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Aszu (Hungary) -250mL – $29.99

2013 Tawse Chardonnay Icewine (Ontario – Niagara, Canada) – 200mL -$42.99

2003 Rolet Vin de Paille (Jura, France) – 375mL – $52.99

2005 Château Suduiraut (Bordeaux – Sauternes, France) – 375mL -$81.99

2004 Château d’Yquem (Bordeaux – Sauternes, France) – 375mL – $319.99

Port (Post Dinner)

Port is always good for the final touches of a meal whether its a ruby or a tawny. Try with blue-veined cheeses and roasted nuts.

Kopke 10 Year Old White Port (Douro, Portugal) – 375mL – $33.99

2003 Messias Colheita (Douro, Portugal) – $49.99

Taylor Fladgate NV Historic Limited Edition Reserve Tawny Port (Douro, Portugal) – $74.99

Quinta do Portal 40 Year Old Tawny Port (Douro, Portugal) – $134.99

1965 Krohn Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $309.99

1934 Niepoort Colheita (Douro, Portugal) – $1,499.99

Finally, if you are pressed for time, try out our December Mixed Case – $230.22 or our December Club 6-Pack – $163.34 where a lot of the wines would pair well with Christmas dinner.

Note our extended hours of operations leading up to Christmas and New Years.

Top of the Season to everyone!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Over the course of almost 15 years in business, deVines has been putting aside some special and rare wines in our temperature controlled warehouse with the anticipation of selling them when they are drinking at peak or using them in special tastings.

For the first time ever, we’re putting a few of these for sale. So, if you want that very special experience of a great wine that doesn’t require you to cellar it, this is your opportunity.

Note many of these there is only one or at most two bottles for sale. All sales are final and will be removed from this list as they are sold while new additions will be added so check back often. Great scores, extremely rare so act quickly to avoid disappointment. These would be great for that special dinner with friends and family over the holiday season.

Pictured left to right:

1998 Château Leoville Las-Cases (Bordeaux – St. Julien, France) – $479.99
2003 Dominus (California – Napa Valley, United States) – $499.99
2002 Moet & Chandon Dom Pérignon Brut (Champagne, France) – $379.99
2007 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia (Tuscany, Italy) – $319.99
2004 Antinori Solaia (Tuscany, Italy) – $484.99
2007 Domaine du Pegau Cuvée da Capo (Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France) – $849.99

Check out more goodies here…

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