Robert Kacher Selections Tasting @ Swirl

Robert Kacher's reputation as a high quality French wine importer is tough to beat and for good reason. During the first two decades of Robert Kacher Selections, Bobby spent almost half of each year in France, criss-crossing from region to region in an effort to select and help develop the finest portfolio of French boutique estate wines of any importer in the US. Through this hands-on approach of working side by side with growers and producers, Bobby was able to ensure the quality and authenticity of every wine in his collection. Bobby’s dedication and passion for the wine business has resulted in numerous awards and accolades: Recently Robert Parker named him “one of the 20 most influential wine personalities of the past 20 years.”  The wines have been out of the market for awhile, but are back and we are excited to be showing 6 of our favorites on Wednesday, October 23rd from 6-8 with Craig Baker, director of sales for Robert Kacher Selections.  

Cordier Macon Vielles Vigne - 3rd generation Burgundy winemaker Christophe Cordier is known for making first class wines using only the region's best terroirs or sites.  This wine is typical of his style -bright, focused and balanced.  It's made from 65 year old vines and only 600 cases are produced of this wine with zesty lemon, ripe apple with just a slight tinge of oak and nice minerality.

Tariquet Classic - The grapes come from the Bas-Armagnac and Gascony region of southwest France, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Garonne River. Grown, produced and bottled by Domaine du Tariquet, who've been producing wine for over 100 years in the region.  Crisp pear and apple with floral notes this is a  super refreshing drink now wine!

Grand Cassagne Rose' - Costieres de Nimes is the most southerly appellation of the Rhone wine region in southeast France. The wines of the area are reputed to have been consumed by the Ancient Greeks and among the oldest known wines in the world. This delicious rose' is made from 40 year old vines of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre and is beautifully balanced, wonderfully fruity but dry, with bright and crisp strawberry and cherry fruit flavors. 

Santa Duc Cotes du Rhone VV- This was love at first sip for me, all tank fermented, no oak - nothing but pure deep black fruits with black olives and a peppery spice.  Yves Gras of Domaine Santa Duc is a highly reputed winemaker from Gigondas and this Vielles Vigne is a blend of fruit from neighboring villages of Vacqueyras (25%), Rasteau (25%), Seguret (25%) and Rouaix (25%). This wine is technically a Côtes du Rhône Villages, as it comes from the best designated villages in the appellation. The Vieilles Vignes is composed of 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, with the average vine age being approximately 40 years of age.

Andre Brunel Grenache -  Chateauneuf-du-Pape winemaker of Les Cailloux, Andre Brunel, produces this wonderfully juicy Grenache blended with 10% Carignan.  A steal of a deal on this one, it has scents of fresh blackberries and red cherries, earth, meat, and leather. It’s savory, juicy, and ripe all at the same time and goes down so easy as it finishes with a spicy kick of black pepper. 

Santa Duc Gigondas - This is one powerful wine made by superstar Yves Gras at Santa Duc and comes from his home of Gigondas.  It's a classic blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and 5% Cinsault from 8 different localities with notes of tar, garrigue, ripe plums and smoky bonfires. Big tannins, with savory fruit it's got lots of age-ability and plenty of intrigue.

Secret Swirl Wine Deal - Southern France

WA 93pts for $13.99, seriously? Combined with the fact that this amazing red comes from one of the oldest viticultural regions in France, farmed since Roman times, and it's made by one the most sought after winemakers of Europe, this is one special bottle!  Check out Robert Parker's review and see if it's something that interests you.  But as with all of our secret swirl deals, you have to come to the shop to find out what it is!

Robert Parker's Review: There are 3,000 cases of the naked, virginal, unoaked 2011 Vieilles Vignes made from 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache aged in concrete. The fact that wines such as this can be purchased is unbelievable. Largely an artisanal wine, it is brilliantly pure with a stunning nose of spring flowers, blackberries, cassis and earth. It is almost incomprehensible that something of this quality, complexity and richness can be purchased for $25 to $50, much less $10 to $12. The 3,000 cases should be gobbled up as quickly as they hit retailers’ shelves. I am honored to share my excitement about this amazing wine with readers.  93 points

Photos from Artisan Oregon 2013

6 wineries, countless tasting rooms, 4 four course dinners with winemakers, the best B&B ever, our own French chef preparing breakfasts, working in the vineyards and drinking some of the best Pinot Noir in the world...we had a great trip!  Hope you'll join us sometime!

If you are using a mobile device that does not support flash or if you cannot see the album, click on the link below to view online:  Artisan Oregon 2013

Secret Swirl Wine Deal

Pssst.... A 2010 single vineyard Oregon Pinot at this price?!? We got a great deal on this wine and we’re passing it on, the price on line is $34, but we have a small amount of it at Swirl for $19.99!

There were only 250 cases made of this wine with big red cherry and strawberry fruit plus hints of cinnamon and toffee. The nose is rich and slightly toasted with a soft, silky mouthfeel and plenty of nuance. 

The fruit comes from 2 blocks of a small 42 acre parcel in the Dundee Hills of Oregon where this vineyard of red Jory soils occupy some of the most sought-after terrain in the region - nestled between Domaine Serene to the East and stunning Valley views to the west.  It spends 10 months aging in medium toast French oak, 20% of it new.

2010 is one of the coolest vintages in a long time, truly a Burgundy lovers dream delivering impressive concentration tenured with strong acidity. While cooler temperatures gave the wines acidity, the longer growing season well into October got sugar levels to where they needed to be right before harvest.

This is a must try for Oregon Pinot Noir fanatics but you have to come to the store to find out what it is :)

This Week At Swirl Wine Bar & Market

Happenings

Free Wednesday Night Launch Party for Squawking Parrot!

We'll be holding a very special free Wednesday night tasting this week hosted by our friends Monica and Neil of Vending Machine Wines!  Their latest love child, Squawking Parrot will be the star of the show tonight, but we'll also be pouring Horror Show, Loula's Revenge and Double Shotgun. And the night of the launch we'll be offering 15% discounts per bottle of any of the VMW offerings for those who attend the event and the best parrot costume gets a free bottle of Squawking Parrot plus another release of their choice!  If you've ever been to one of our VMW parties you know the wine will be flowing, the stereo cranking and there is lots of fun to be had!  6-8pm or til we run outta wine!!

Good Eggs Good Wine Launch Party Thursday, October 17th!!

We're throwing a Good Eggs, Good Wine Launch Party!  Come in to the shop between 5:30 and 7:30 to meet some of the Good Eggs folks and while you are at it you can sample some of the great food available like Esses Foods pastas and sauces, sausages from Crescent Pie & Sausage Company, Ryals Dairy cheeses with spreads from Pepperland Farms, quiche from P's and Q's and to top if all off, we'll have a free tasting with George Brown from Vino Wholesale pouring some of our new fav's from France and Spain! Good Eggs allows you to shop online in the comfort of your home and support local businesses and farmers while you do it!  Just place your order by midnight on Tuesday and select Swirl as pick up location. Also for all new Good Eggs customers picking up at swirl - type swirl into the promo code box and get $10 off your first order! Good eggs, good wine, good fun!

Robert Kakcher Selections with Craig Baker, Wednesday October 23, 6-8pm "Robert Kacher Selection has become as close to a guarantee of high quality as consumers are likely to find.” - Robert M. Parker Jr.

Robert Kacher's reputation as a high quality French wine importer is tough to beat and for good reason. During the first two decades of Robert Kacher Selections, Bobby spent almost half of each year in France, criss-crossing from region to region in an effort to select and help develop the finest portfolio of French boutique estate wines of any importer in the US. Through this hands-on approach of working side by side with growers and producers, Bobby was able to ensure the quality and authenticity of every wine in his collection. Bobby’s dedication and passion for the wine business has resulted in numerous awards and accolades: Recently Robert Parker named him “one of the 20 most influential wine personalities of the past 20 years.”  The wines have been out of the market for awhile, but are back and we are excited to be showing 5 of our favorites with Craig, director of sales for Robert Kacher Selections.

Artisan Oregon, Wine & Culinary Travel

Having just flown back late last night, I think it is safe to say that everyone had an amazing time on our Artisan Oregon tour!  We were on a pretty tight schedule so it was hard to do blog posts but I've put a lot of the photos on our facebook page and will try to catch up on swirlandsavor this week.  We will absolutely be scheduling another trip next year and I'll begin working on our Italy itinerary this week so stay tuned for more wine and culinary travel!

Check out our complete list of events below and we hope to see you sometime this week, cheers! 

Upcoming Event

Slow Food NOLA Chapter Meeting, Monday October 14, 7pm

Come see what Slow Food Nola is all about at the Hollygrove Market & Farm, 8301 Olive Street. The meeting is open to the public and will feature guest speakers from the Covey Rise Farm in Husser, LA.

Food Truck Tuesdays @ Swirl! October 15, 6-8pm 

The Fat Falafel food truck pulls up at our front door every Tuesday and you can bring your food inside and let Magic Matt and El Casey pair it with our favorite wines by the glass! Theresa and Gavin do an amazing job with fresh, Mediterranean style food and in fact were named by Zagat as one of the top 10 "must try" food trucks in the country!

Squawking Parrot Launch Party, October 16, 6-8pm!

Special free Wednesday tasting next week, October 16 with Moncia & Neil of Vending Machine wines!  We'll be tasting all of the current releases including the newly landed Squakking Parrot! 

Good Eggs, Good Wine Party, October 17 , 5:30-7:30

We're throwing a Good Eggs, Good Wine Launch Party!  Come in to the shop between 5:30 and 7:30 to meet some of the Good Eggs folks and while you are at it you can sample some of the great food available like Esses Foods pastas and sauces, sausages from Crescent Pie & Sausage company, Ryals Dairy cheeses with spreads from Pepperland Farms, quiche from P's and Q's and to top if all off, we'll have a free tasting with George Brown from Vino Wholesale pouring some of our new fav's from France and Spain! We'll give you coupon for a free glass of wine when you pick up your order and for all new Good Eggs customers picking up at swirl - type swirl into the promo code box and get $10 off your first order!

Friday Free for All, October 18, 6-8pm

Jared Breaux is joining us tonight with a great lineup of new wines this week while Jodie Drasutis is back as guest chef!  Come on over to drink some great wine and check out chef's menu!  

Saturday Happy Hour, October 19, 4-6pm

Join Kimi & Erin for our weekly happy hour where all of our 25+ wines by the glass are half off!

**Antonio's Italy, Wine & Culinary Travel, July 5-12th, 2014

Travel with us and a crazy Italian guy through Tuscany while we live like locals, spending a week in a villa in Cortona and visiting Antonio’s favorite wineries, restaurants, hill towns and wine bars. Stay tuned for more details or contact me for more information at 504.304.0635.  **I have already had many people inquiring about this trip before I even release the itinerary.  If you are seriously considering going with us and would like information, please send me an email at beth@swirlinthecity.com or reply to this email.

Squawking Parrots in the House This Week at Swirl!

Don't miss the Mid City launch party for Vending Machine Wines newest creation, Squawking Parrot! Old Vine Carignan meets Petit Sirah from our friends Monica and Neil and VMW - a Napa winery with a New Orleans soul! Join us this week for a special free Wednesday night tasting of 5 of their cool wines, 6-8pm.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ancora Wine Dinner with Anne Zakin, Marco De Grazia Selections

Fine Italian wines from small growers were virtually unknown in 1980 when importer Marco de Grazia first offered a handful of estates from Tuscany and Piedmont. Driven by fascination and passion with a vision of great possibilities, he progressed through the northern regions, then the central zones and finally into Italy’s rich and promising south. 

In 2004 Marco established a U.S. based company, little used until 2008 when Anne Zakin became the director. Thanks to Anne and our friends at Uncorked, the wines of the Marco de Grazie have a prominent presence in our shop and we are excited to have her host this dinner at Ancora.  Please join us in celebrating the wines of southern Italy tonight paired with chef Jeff Talbot's regionally inspired menu.

Ancora

Date: Tuesday, September 24

Time: 6:30 apertivi, seating @ 7pm
Where: Ancora, 4508 Freret Street, New Orleans

Reservations: Call Swirl @ 504.304.0635, credit card required

$80 all inclusive

Apertivi   

A Selection of House Made Anti Pasta

2011 Vini Iovine Gragnano Rosso Frizzante Terre del Gragnano, Campania

NV Cantina del Taburno Vino Spumante 'Folius', Campania 

2nd

Gnocchi and Lobster with Butter

2011 Terre Nere Etna Bianco Le Vigne Niche, Sicilia

3rd 

A Tasting of Local Rabbit with White Beans and Wild Mushrooms

2011 Centonze Frappato, Sicilia

4th 

Roasted Wild Boar with Local Braised Greens, and Louisiana Polenta 

2008 Pardi Sagrantino di Montefalco, Umbria

Dolce 

Chef's Selection

2008 Pardi Passito, Umbria 

Marco De Grazia at Swirl in 2010

Mariza Wine Dinner with Angela Maculan

For three generations the Maculan family has been selecting and vinifying the best grapes in Breganze, a small village at the foot of the Alps in the Veneto region.   Fausto Maculan's innovative and dynamic winery combines ancient traditions and modern techniques using the latest winemaking technology.  Long-held family traditions are respected: from using specially selected vineyards and the careful selection of the bunches of grapes, to aging in new, small oak barrels and conserving the grapes on racks for the production of their Torcolato wine. The fusion of tradition and innovation results in a selection of fresh and fruity whites, well-structured reds and delicious dessert wines. 

Angela Maculan will be our host this evening, celebrating her family's unique wines paired with Chef Ian Schnoebelen's regionally inspired menu.

Mariza

Date: Monday, September 23

Time: cash bar 6:30pm/dinner 7pm
Where: Mariza, 2900 Chartres Street, New Orleans

Reservations: (504) 598-5700, credit card required

$80 all inclusive

1st

Poached Shrimp

 kale, cucumber, sprouts and shoots, basil vinaigrette

Maculan Pino & Toi 2012

2nd

Bresaola

arugula, Parmigiano-Reggiano

Maculan Brentino 2011 

3rd

Duck Ragout Parpardelle

Maculan Palazotto 2010 

4th

Lamb Neck

 polenta cake, broccolini friatta

Maculan Fratta 2009

 5th

Peach Semifreddo,

almonds, saba

Maculan Dindarello 2011

Meet the French Winemaker of the Year at Swirl

An Exclusive Event with Maurice Barthelmé

Domaine Albert Mann

Join us on Thursday, September 12 at 6:30pm for an intimate seated tasting with Maurice Barthelmé, recently chosen as the winemaker of the year in 2012 by French wine mag heavy weight La Revue du Vin de France.  The esteemed Alsatian house of Domaine Albert Mann is an organic/biodynamic producer with an exceptional lineup of highly recognized wines, rated in the top tier of Alsace producers by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

 

Casey Foote of Saint James Cheese will also join us to present traditional cheeses from Alsace, northern France as well as other Germanic areas (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) to pair with the wines.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to meet and taste with one of the leading winemakers of France.  Seating is extremely limited for this event.  Prepayment of $25 is required for reservation; please call Swirl at 504-304-0635.

5 Swirl Events You Don't Want to Miss!

This Week at Swirl Wine Bar and Market

Happenings

Happy Labor Day!

The shop is closed today, but I am still "laboring" as I sit and work on our extensive lineup of upcoming events.  We've got a whole slew of things coming up, including a special visit from Maurice Barthelme, French Winemaker of the Year, but to simplify things a bit I decided to focus on 5 key tastings in the next two weeks that you don't want to miss!

Also, many of you have been asking about details for our upcoming back to back wine dinners and I hope to have menus, pairings and reservation details coming this week.  But both are going to be amazing, so I'm not sure how you are going to pick which one to attend.  You may just have to come to both! :)

So check out my must do list, but don't forget about our Food Truck Tuesdays and Saturday Happy hours too!  To see a complete listing of events for September, please scroll down to "Upcoming Events"!

1. Wednesday Nite Flites to Espana, Wednesday 9/4, 6-8pm

Kimi and Walter are pouring an amazing, higly rated lineup from Spain this week, with the Black Slate Priorat as the star of the show.  The 2011 Pazo San Mauro Albarino (ST 90pts), 2010 Acustic Blanc (RP 90pts), the 2009 Vina Bujanda Crianza (90 pts.) 2010 Black Slate La Vileilla Alta (RP 94pts). No reservations required, $15 per flite!

2. Friday Free for All, Dynamic Duo of Italian Wine! Friday, 9/6, 6-8pm

Antonio Molesini of Republic National and Chris Noyes of Winebow Imports are pairing up for a killer tasting of Italian wines this Friday!  Republic is now the distributor for what is known as one of the most extensive Italian portfolios in the world and we'll be pouring 6 of their favorites.  Plus chef Walter promises a great Italian themed menu to pair with the wines.

3.New Orleans Wine Club Tasting & Pick Up, Monday 9/9, 5:30-7pm

Each month NOWC carefully chooses two exclusive wines for your exploration and enjoyment! These wines are hand-selected to fit the season, the right event or just for fun. Whatever they select each month is always exclusive to New Orleans Wine Club Members and not available anywhere else! These unique selections come with pairing ideas, wine descriptions and more. Check out their website for more info on membership & exclusive tastings: New Orleans Wine Club

4. Wednesday Nite Flites to Portugal w/Queork! Wednesday, 9/11, 6-8pm

Our friends Julie & Amanda from Queork will join us for a trunk show, featuring beautiful items made by hand from cork in Portugal!  They'll have dog collars, purses, ipad and phone cases and more for sale at the show.  And of course, we'll be pouring Portuguese wines during the event! More info soon, but check out their website in the meantime!

5. Domaine Albert Mann & St. James Cheese Pairing Event, 9/12, 6:30pm

Domaine Albert Mann, recently chosen as the 2012 French winemaker of the year by French wine mag heavy weight La Revue du Vin de France, will host this exclusive evening of wine and food pairing with Casey Foote of St. James Cheese.  More details soon, but this will be a small, intimate event with some of the most highly esteemed wines of the Alsace region.  Call if you'd like to be put on the list.  504.304.0635.

Upcoming Events

Food Truck Tuesdays @ Swirl! September 3, 6-8pm 

The Fat Falafel food truck pulls up at our front door every Tuesday and you can bring your food inside and let Magic Matt and El Casey pair it with our favorite wines by the glass! Theresa and Gavin do an amazing job with fresh, Mediterranean style food and in fact were named by Zagat as one of the top 10 "must try" food trucks in the country! 

Wednesday Nite Flites to Spain, September 4, 6-8pm

Kimi and Walter are pouring an amazing, higly rated lineup from Spain this week, with the Black Slate Priorat as the star of the show.  The 2011 Pazo San Mauro Albarino (ST 90pts), 2010 Acustic Blanc (RP 90pts), the 2009 Vina Bujanda Crianza (90 pts.) 2010 Black Slate La Vileilla Alta (RP 94pts). No reservations required, $15 per flite!

Friday Free for All, Dynamic Duo of Italian Wine! Friday, September 6, 6-8pm

Antonio Molesini of Republic National and Chris Noyes of Winebow Imports are pairing up for an amazing tasting of Italian wines this Friday!  Republic is now the distributor for what is known as one of the most extensive Italian portfolios in the world and we'll be pouring 6 of their favorites.  Plus chef Walter promises a great Italian themed menu to pair with the wines. Free, no reservations required!

Saturday Happy Hour, September 7, 4-6pm

Join our own dynamic duo of Erin & Kimi for our weekly happy hour where all of our 25+ wines by the glass are half off!

NOLA Wine Club Tasting & Selection Pick Up, September 9, 5:30-7pm

Each month NOWC carefully chooses two exclusive wines for your exploration and enjoyment! These wines are hand-selected to fit the season, the right event or just for fun. Whatever they select each month is always exclusive to New Orleans Wine Club Members and not available anywhere else! These unique selections come with pairing ideas, wine descriptions and more. Check out their website for more info on membership & exclusive tastings: New Orleans Wine Club

Wednesday Nite Flites to Portugal w/Queork! Wednesday, 9/11, 6-8pm

Our friends Julie & Amanda from Queork will join us for a trunk show, featuring beautiful items made by hand from cork in Portugal!  They'll have dog collars, purses, ipad and phone cases and more for sale at the show.  And of course, we'll be pouring Portuguese wines during the event! More info soon, but check out their website in the meantime!

Domaine Albert Mann & St. James Cheese Pairing Event, 9/12, 6:30pm

Domaine Albert Mann, recently chosen as the 2012 French winemaker of the year by French wine mag heavy weight La Revue du Vin de France, will host this exclusive evening of wine and food pairing with Casey Foote of St. James Cheese.  More details soon, but this will be a small, intimate event with some of the most highly esteemed wines of the Alsace region.  Call if you'd like to be put on the list.  504.304.0635.

Italia Nord & Sud - Back to Back Italian Wine Dinners, September 23 & 24!  Italia Nord @ Mariza, September 23 features wines of the Veneto winery Maculan with Angela Maculan presenting the wines paired with Chef Ian Schnoebelen's regional menu. Italia Sud @ Ancora, September 24 features wines from Southern Italy with Ann Zankin, President of Marc di Grazia Imports presenting the wines paired with Chef Jeff Talbot's regional menu! I'll keep you posted on the details!

In the works...

~Priorat, Eric Solomon Selections with Sommelier Liz Dowty, October 17, 6:30 Importer Eric Solomon is renowned for his Spanish wine selections, especially those from Priorat where his wife happens to be the winemaker for one of the top estates.  Tonight we will feature 5 stunning wines, red & white, from the region paired with regional cheeses presented by Casey Foote of St. James Cheese & Swirl fame :) $30, reservations are required, call 504.304.0635

~Antonio's Italy, Wine & Culinary Travel, July 5-12th, 2014

Travel with us and a crazy Italian guy through Tuscany while we live like locals, spending a week in a villa in Cortona and visiting Antonio’s favorite wineries, restaurants, hill towns and wine bars. Stay tuned for more details or contact me for more information at 504.304.0635.

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