West Coast Wine Tasting
Friday, November 15th
Le Petit Bijou
All of the Best Wines
of Oregon & California
to fill your Thanksgiving Table!
Call 256-964-7980 to Reserve
West Coast Wine Tasting
Le Petit Bijou
Friday, November 15th
4pm - 6pm, $20
With Special Guest, Beth Farris of Grassroots
256-964-7980 to Reserve
2022 Anne Amie Muller Thurgau, Willamette Valley. Oregon $21.99
Winemaker Notes: Aromas of orange blossom, jasmine, magnolia, citrus, mandarin orange and lemon zest. On the palate, notes of key lime, orange zest, Meyer lemon, briny, citrus and crystalized ginger. A crisp, dry, and mineral driven wine.
The estate-grown Muller-Thurgau comes from vines first planted in 1979. Crisp, fresh, and dry, it is a charming example of the variety at its best. From chicken to shellfish, this wine is a versatile match for mildly spicy foods like Thai, Creole, or Mexican.
2023 Arnot Roberts Falanghina, Russian River Valley, California $36.99
Falanghina is an ancient white grape variety that traces its roots to the Campania region north of Naples in Southern Italy. According to the writings of Pliny the Elder, wines from the Falanghina grape were highly valued in Roman culture, and sites from the Amalfi Coast to Rome are thought to have been planted by Greek settlers as early as the 7th century BC. Very little Falanghina is planted outside of Italy, and to our knowledge, Handal-Denier vineyard is the only parcel of the variety in Sonoma County. The vines were chiseled into the side of a steep volcanic hillside in the heart of the Dry Creek Valley outside of Healdsburg in 2011 by Dick Handal, who has been farming for over 38 years, beginning in the mountains of Ecuador. The Dry Creek Valley is noted for its warm days and moderate nights and is dominated by the cultivation of hearty red grape varieties. Falanghina may not seem like an obvious choice, but it is well suited to this Mediterranean environment which mimics closely the conditions found in Campania: complex volcanic soils and a warm growing season.
2023 Arnot Roberts Trousseau, California $41.99
Another stunner from Arnot-Roberts - a blend from three Trousseau vineyards on the North Coast with a combination of Volcanic cobble over ancient river stones and Goldridge soils. Aged for 11 months in neutral French oak barrels, puncheons, and foudre, this is a super approachable, juicy red with notes of strawberry and an earthy undertone. Grippy tannins with perfectly balanced acidity.
2022 Human Cellars "L'Influence de Bouys" Gamay, Eola Amity Hills, Oregon $35.99
Sometimes we meet people by chance who unexpectedly become both friend and mentor. Stephane, a banker turned passionate vigneron in the Langedoc Region of Southern France, opened our eyes to biodynamic farming, minimal intervention winemaking and holistic living… and became our lifelong friend.
L’Infuence du Bouys Gamay is made in spirit of the countless hours we spent working with Stephane in his vineyard and cellar… and at his dining table.
Low-input organic farming, bare minimum winemaking practices and micro-doses of sulfur allow the grapes to express the Eola Amity Hills terroir with no background-noise. Fermented in small lots and aged 50% in stainless steel tanks and 50% in neutral French oak barrels. A splash of chardonnay was added to bring a touch of eloquence to this bold wine, reminding us of our friend Stephane.
2023 Anne Amie Passetoutgrain, Willamette Valley, Oregon $25.99
Passe tout grain is a Burgundian phrase roughly translated as “all grapes welcome”. In Burgundy it’s an appellation title for wines blended from Pinot Noir and Gamay, and since that’s generally a no-no in the region, Passetoutgrain wines tend to be cheap, used to soak up all the sub-standard Pinot Noir unfit for real Burgundy. At least, that’s how things used to be. These days, the appellation has a small but dedicated fan club, and the undeniable charms these blends are capable of have even reached Oregon. Anne Amie, under the direction of winemaker Jay Somers since 2022, is the latest Willamette Valley winery to try their hand at blending these two noble grapes. This blend comes from vineyards in the Carlton Hills and Chehalem Mountains, and combines the suave texture and spices of Pinot Noir with the cheerful squishy berries of Gamay. Strawberries and raspberries, orange bitters and violets, and a touch of clay on the nose. The palate glows red with ripe berries and a starburst of orange. There’s good weight here, and the finish is clean and zesty.
2021 Salem Wine Co. Pinot Noir, Eola Amity Hills, Oregon $21.99
Evening Land Vineyards is the Oregon-based brainchild of Sashi Moorman and Raj Parr, two of California’s most revered winemakers and sommeliers.
There is no hiding the energy of the cool climate Eola-Amity Hills here. Fresh, light-bodied, a flash of spice on the palate adds zip to what is an immensely ‘drinkable now’ wine with a polished and lively finish.
Biodynamic farming practices, LIVE certified, hand-harvested, native yeast fermentation and aged 16 months in neutral 228L barrels, only 4,100 bottles produced
Tasting Notes Morello cherry, cranberry, fresh raspberry, blood orange, and hibiscus
Variety 92% Pinot Noir and 8% Gamay Noir