http://www.appalachianvintner.com/

……shh……..Can you hear it? Can you smell it? The smells, sounds and shapes that are taking form at 745 Biltmore Ave Suite #121 are intensifing……. It won’t be much longer……..!

Fresh Charleston Oysters are coming……… Captain Bryan Pender has championed the backwaters of John’s Island, in true Watermen form, to find the tastiest reefs available. Capt. Pender adheres to a sustainable nature of harvesting, maintaining a strong population at all times for the future health and strength of the ecosystems that support this coastal delicacy so that they can be enjoyed by the next generation(s) of Carolinians. Date for this event is TBA, please stay tuned.

~ Asheville’s Wine Tasting ~

StoneCap Chardonnay- StoneCap is made with estate-grown Chardonnay from the expansive and renowned Goose Ridge Vineyard in Washington State’s Columbia Valley. This valley and its surrounding rivers were formed during the Ice Age. The soil in this region is frequently wind-blown leaving a “stonecap” at the top of the hills. This is a refreshing example of West Coast Chard, yet maintains the tropical fruit flavors of the style. Tart star fruit, citrus and granny smith apple collect lazily on the tongue and remain for length on the bright finish. 89 points Wine Spectator Shelf $9.99 Tasting $8.99

RedCliffe Pinot Noir- Redcliffe has earned international acclaim as a source of stellar quality Sauvignon Blanc since its introduction in 2004. With the success of the Sauvignon Blanc, Redcliffe has expanded the line to include one of today’s most popular varietals, Pinot Noir, sourced from delle Venezie Italy – an area ideal for Pinot Noir cultivation due to its exceptional soil and cool climatic conditions. The perfect red for any occasion. Enjoy with grilled meats, seared tuna steaks and fresh salmon. Vibrant purple with aromas and flavors of dark black cherry. Simple, clean and affordable. The RedCliffe line of wines are custom labels for Palm Bay Imports. The are produced from premium vineyards through out the world and bottled for resale at well below the categorical norms. Shelf $9.99 VIP Super Sale $7.99

Bookwalter BookMark- The number preceding the NV indicates how many BookMark blends we have produced. For over 28 years this winery has crafted wines that are more compelling and interesting than single vintage and varietal wines by employing the centuries-old practice of blending wine lots from multiple vintages (Vertical Blending) with multiple grape varieties (Horizontal Blending). Each lot of wine is carefully selected each year for BookMark based upon the mature flavors of the older vintages and the vibrant fruit characteristics of the younger vintages. The result is a wine that offers, fruit, structure, approachability and exceptional value. BookMark wine is a delicious, fruit driven blend of several varieties that flourish in the hot, dry climate of Washington’s Columbia Valley. The wines aromatics are complex showing subtle scents of smokiness, marzipan, cola, black currants and black berries wrapped in a trace of baking spices and sandalwood. The first sip offers sweet fruit with a mouth coating mid-palate full of berry cobbler, plums and chocolate covered cherries. Secondary flavors of dried herbs, resin, tobacco and bakers chocolate are followed by a lush, lingering finish that is complimented by the natural sweetness and acidity of the wine. Vineyards from the Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hill, Red Mountain and the Yakima Valley appellations make up this wine. Final Blend Syrah 33%, Merlot 31%, Cabernet Sauvignon 25%, and 11% other varieties. Shelf $14.99 Tasting $13.49

Villa San-JuliettePetit Sirah- 85% Petit Sirah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Villa San-Juliette is a 168 acre estate owned by NIGEL LYTHGOE, KEN WARWICK creators of the famous “Pop Idol” and “American Idol” . From the winemaker: “As those who’ve read my notes on this wine before can attest, I tend to find our Petite Sirah a bit too jammy and one dimensional on its own. Great if you are producing an aperitif, not so great if you are producing wine for food. So the 2009 Villa San-Juliette Blueberry Motor Oil benefits, as in past blends, from a generous dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. About 15% was all that was needed to take this young wine into a new state (yes, the joke was not lost on me, but unlike the past, I won’t go there anymore). So the intensity of the varietal still pops through on the nose and in the primary fruit flavors, but there is a rough tannin edge that takes the sweetness down a notch and provides a platform for food flavors and textures to stand on. Blueberry and black fruit nose. Dark fruit attack with flavors that open in their own peculiar order as the wine works its way towards the back of the throat. Pretty solid acid for this varietal example supports the finish for a considerable time.” —Adam LaZarre, winemaker. More oak than most wines we taste here but certainly well integrated with the dense fruit that this wine offers super value for full-bodied wine lovers. Shelf $11.99 Tasting $10.79 CASE $9.99 (special order)

LaPlaya Sauvignon Blanc

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Great news!! The outdoor seating area is tiled and the windows are in! The walk-in cooler was installed today! The floors are almost done! The bar is framed and the top is going on as I type! Gives me goosebumps ya’ll…. for real, the space is going to be sweet, HELLO Biltmore Ave!

~ Asheville’s Wine Tasting ~

This week we are continuing on the theme of direct importing by bringing Bill O’Friel of The Country Vintner back to the tasting bar. Cali Bill is a 20 year veteran of the wine industry, having work all over the country and at some of WNCs top retailers.

The benefits of direct importing have been divulged in prior newsletters, but it is worth stating again that this direct involvement at the importer level by distribution companies keeps our prices low while maintaining the high level of quality that you’ve come to expect from the Appalachian Vintner wine portfolio. As always Charles and I love passing these savings on to you, our best customers.

Mas de Daumas Gassac Moulin de Gassac GUILHEM Rouge- A typical Mediterranean blend of 40% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre & 15% Carignan. The area where the Daumas estate lies has a wine growing history dating nearly 1,000 years ago to the time of the Charlemagne. The current owners revitalized the run down farm in the 70′s after Professor Enjalbert (geologist consultant to the great Bordeaux and Burgundian grand cru estates) told them “It’s quite possible to make a Grand Cru here” “But it would take 200 years for it to be recognized and accepted as such!!” Luckily it hasn’t taken nearly as long. While not a grand cru, the Guilhem Rouge oozes with the quality found in its higher-end brethren. Vinous, with complex aromas of sweet red berries, cherry, blackberry and creamy strawberry. Spicy and rustic with juicy tannins that need food to shine. Organically farmed without the use of chemical fertilizers or synthetic matter, only manure from local farms. Shelf $8.99 Tasting $8.09

Juan Gil Honoro Vera Monastrell- Organic Monastrell (mourvedre) from dry farmed old vine vineyards in Jumilla, a rocky and sparse region in southeastern Spain. Purple colored medium bodied red with underbrush, mineral and blueberry leading to a thick nicely balanced finish. Delicious! Shelf $9.99 SALE $8.49

SAINT COSME Côtes du Rhône- 100% Syrah Aged in vat and sourced from limestone sands, red clay, rolling stones. We really love this wine and could go on and on about it but instead we’ll let the 14^th generation vigneron, Louis Barruol sing its praise: My «little » Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone, my little syrah (not my « petite syrah » !) is well looked after every day, this is very important. I only use the nicest sources to make this wine : the terroir of Vinsobres and the “galets roulés” (rolling stones) by the Rhone river, very similar to the best places in Chateauneuf. We are talking about extraordinary quality potential. Watch out 2010 : this is purely my best Cotes du Rhone since 2007, without a doubt. The quality of the fruit is superb, the wine is profound, round, with a deep colour. Its crunchiness brings a lot of pleasure and anybody can understand and enjoy it. This wine brings me plenty of satisfaction and makes me learn every year. I am simply very happy to be able to deal with such a vintage…Wonderful. Graphite, strawberry compote, liquorish, lilacs.” Shelf $12.99 Tasting $11.69

Azienda Agricola Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo- Masciarelli is the largest organically farmed family-owned Estate in Italy, 1000 prime acres of Abruzzo vineyards from the cool, mountain Villa Gemma and Marina Cvetic vineyards at San Martino, to the warm, low lying Valori and Iskra vineyards in Teramo. Their Montepulciano is a nice marriage of old and new world styles. It has a few characteristics that make it earthy even a bit dirty, but interesting in an old world way and with plenty enough fruit to appeal to fans of new world wines. It has a slightly smoky and dusty nose with dark berries and leather. There is very good concentration in the palate with notes of black cherries, blackberries and bitter chocolate. There is a lot of fruit, but the fruit is a touch young tasting—keeping this wine very dry. It has a long finish with smooth tannins and more hints of chocolate. Note: this wine likes air, allow it to breath. Drink with pizza, pasta or burgers while taking a load off with good friends. Shelf $9.99 (750ml) $19.99 (1.5L Magnum for lots of friends)

Isabel Sauvignon Blanc

Talbott Kali Hart Pinot Noir

Ochoa Graciano/Garnacha- stop the press its 50% graciano the famed grape of Rioja

Venturini Baldini Lambrusco Dolce

Bottega Petalo Il Vino del Amore Moscato- grows amongst wild roses which impart a beautiful aromatic quality to this moscato.

Falcor Le Bijou- new vintage!

Evil TwinSoft X-mas aka Pretty please with a cherry on top

Evil Twin Biscotti Break

Evil Twin Freudian Slip

Evil Twin Without you I’m Nothing

Green Flash Rayon Vert

Courage Russian Imperial Stout- English RIS, best by 2024!

Stillwater Folklore- limited

Stillwater/ Hof ten Dormaal Bronze Age

Foothills Porter 22oz

Weihenstephan Kristallweissbier

McRitchie Hard Cider 22oz

McRitchie Dry Cider 22oz

Pisgah Extra Pale Ale Growlers

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye

Troubadour Magma Special

Haw River Wine Man

Asheville’s Best Wine Tasting- Saturday, January 14^th, 2012 3PM-7PM

http://www.appalachianvintner.com/

~ Asheville’s Wine Tasting ~

We are happy to welcome Mike Tiano from the Haw River Wine Man to our tasting salon. Mike and his partner Jim Stock import wine from small family estates, directly to Burlington, NC. Their portfolio represents the best from each corner of the Italian countryside. Molto Bene!

Vecchia Torre Vermentino- Sourced from a 40+ year old estate in Salento in the far south-eastern extremity of Apulia, at the very tip of the Italian boot-heel. This Vermentino is a stark contrast to the ones commonly found in the northern reaches of Italy, which due to the late-ripening nature of the grape have a high level of acid and show a crisp citrus dominated flavor profile. The Salento region is blessed with plenty of warmth and sunshine, allowing this thick skinned white varietal to fully ripen, producing a wine chalk full of tropical fruit and a rich juicy palate. Shelf $10.99 Tasting $9.89

Garofoli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “La Meriggia”- 100% Montepulciano from Abruzzo, the DOC region. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo covers a vast expanse of land in the Abruzzo region between the Apennines foothills down to a few miles inland from the Adriatic coast. The region is one of Italy’s most mountainous with more than 65% of all Abruzzo being considered mountainous terrain with the Apennines peaks reaching up to 9000 feet above sea level. This is a young, light red wine with fresh notes of bright fruit. Dry, but fruity and extremely drinkable, it yearns for unmanicured lawns, camp fires and simple but flavorful foods. Shelf $8.99 Tasting $7.99

Tenuta Canale Merlot di Toscano- Tuscany, Italy. Tenuta Canale is located close to the medieval towns of Monteriggioni, San Gimignano and Siena, in the heart of the Chianti hills, where the Aiello family farm has been producing wines for decades. The wine is designated “IGT” (Indicazione geografica tipica), meaning a wine that is typical of its geographic area, in this case Tuscany. IGT wines are labeled with the locality of their creation, but do not meet the requirements of the stricter DOC or DOCG designations, which are generally intended to protect traditional wine formulations such as Chianti or Barolo. In wine terms, it is considered the rough Italian equivalent of the French vin de pays designation. 100% older vine Merlot, think of it as a “Super Tuscan” (without the overt french oak) that drinks like a “Right Bank” Bordeaux. Classic fleshy merlot, mouthwatering texture with traditional black cherry spice with woody nuances from barrel aging. Only 300 cases of this amazing wine were produced, we’ve burned through multiple at the shop, so this will probably be the last shipment. Shelf $17.99 Tasting $16.19

Venturini Baldini Lambrusco- The estate itself is on a natural reserve of 400 acres, with a quarter planted to vines, with the rest dominated by the natural world. And the altitude (600-1,000 feet) gives great exposition for the grapes to mature slowly and surely, with cool nights and sunny days. The soil is mostly a mix of clay and sand (good drainage) with some marine fossils for good measure. No herbicides, insecticides, chemicals of any type; manure has its place here, as do plant extracts such as Neem, and certain insects that prey on parasites. They recently obtained biologic certification for the Lambrusco and Malvasia, although they’ve been practicing organic for years. The first cue of the high quality here is the deep dark crushed purple hue and pretty pink froth on this off-dry fizzy red. Venturini-Baldini owns up to being an artisan Lambrusco with powdery tannins, bright acidity and some vibrant brambly character. It hits all the right buttons, opposed to the mass-produced, icky sweet stuff you see in the grocery store. They also produce balsamic vinegar, walnuts, honey and grappa: the stuff of life. Wild Yeast Fermentation, Low SO2 Added. Perfect for the up-coming Valentines Day, goes great with chocolate and it smells like flowers! Shelf $9.99 Tasting $8.99

Asheville Brewing Co. Rocket Girl Lager- cans

PEAK Organic Oak Aged Mocha Stout

Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter- DRAFT~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~!

Bells Hopslam- call for availability

Thomas Creek Banana Split Stout

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To say that we are excited about 2012 would be a gross understatement. In fact some better words would be pure elation or perhaps extreme jubilation. Any way you stack it we are grateful for all that 2011 brought and are grinnin’ ear to ear with 2012 shinning in our faces, hope you’ll stick around to see the evolution.

In our industry the new year is off to an amazing start. We’ve already sampled dozens of fresh new products from our favorite distributors and plan on bringing them to you in the coming weeks, at Asheville’s best prices or course! So stay tuned for all these great new arrivals and for all you beer folks get ready for some soul shockingly good beer from the barrel program at Olde Hickory Brewery, how they do it we just don’t know, all we can say is hallelujah!

~ Asheville’s Wine Tasting ~

…to kick the tasting year off right we’re starting with some ridiculous values from Tryon Distributing. Real show stoppers, just wait until you taste them. Please come early if you can, to guarantee samples will be available…….

Chehalem Chemistry White- 53% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Gris, 16% Pinot Blanc, 6% Riesling, 5% Gewürztraminer from the best vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. We’ve know of this blend for years but never had room on the shelf for it, until now… Richly textured with mouthwatering flavors of apricot, green apple and nutty spice. Produced by one of the top wineries in Oregon. Shelf $14.99 Special Tasting Price $12.99

Tintero Elvio Langhe Rosso- Imported by Kermit Lynch, one of our all time favs. From Kermit: “Elvio’s kitchen-sink blend of Barbera, Nebbiolo, Merlot, and Dolcetto is quintessential Langhe: spicy cigar box and cedar aromatics, subtle cherry and red berry juiciness, a light and bright texture, refreshing acidity, and fine-grained tannins. I imagine a young, spirited Hemingway drinking this in between ambulance runs during World War I. It is delicious, complete, and perfectly quaffable with just about any dish, for any occasion.” Get this one by the case. Shelf $11.99 Special Tasting Price $10.50

Writer’s Block Pinot Noir- 100% Pinot Noir from California’s sunny Santa Barbara County. This generous Pinot Noir, in fact its probably exactly what you’ve been looking for. The dark brick hue of this wine holds aromas of candied bing cherries, brown sugar and oriental spice. Writer’s Block Pinot Noir has more body and texture than typical Pinots and grabs your tongue with juicy cherry and raspberry flavors with hints of cinnamon and tobacco. The mouth feel is round and supple, and finishes with soft lush tannins. Depending on the vintage, barrel aging is in Oak from Oregon and the Eastern United States, Hungarian, and France. We are very interested in the different types of oak aging out there, more on that later……Bret?

Aviva Vino Bula Montsant Red- 40% Mazuelo(Cariñena, Carignan), 40% Grenache and 20% Syrah from the D.O. Montsant in the far North of Spain beneath France in Catalonia. Monstant surrounds the vineyards of Priorat and just like its famous neighbor has some wonderful soils and perfect weather to produce seriously powerful red wine. Over the years we’ve grown to recognize a product that will really impressive and offer unparalleled quality to value for your hard earned money, well this is certainly it! Bula offers up a lightly smoky, roasted, liqueur-like bouquet of mineral, incense, game, lavender, black cherry, and blueberry. Rich and complex on the smooth-textured palate, this layered offering is an incredible value in full-flavored red wine. It will drink well over the next 8 years so grab some for the cellar, you deserve it. 91 points Robert Parker. Shelf $12.99!! Tasting $11.69

New Arrivals ~

Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth 1L- arguably the best vermouth in the world, based on a 1786!

Carpano Punt e Mes Sweet Vermouth

Epic Smoked & Oaked Belgian Dark

Epic Brainless on Cherries Barrel Aged

21^st Amendment Beers are Here!

Founders Double Trouble

Founders Imperial Stout

Heavy Seas Below Decks Bourbon Barrel Aged

Moylan’s Double IPA

Ommegang Aphrodite

Ommegang Seduction

Allagash Interlude

Terrapin Wake n Bake

2008 BrewDog Isle of Arran

Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter

Rogue Chocolate Stout- its for real

Highland Thunder Struck Porter- 12 packs

Abbaye de St. Martin Winter- really great gift pack with two 750ml Belgian beers and a beautiful tulip glass.

Dogfish Head Ta Henket- based on ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs

Heavy SeasBelow Decks

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2008-2011 THANK YOU ASHEVILLE!. A year with double-digit growth, lots of new friends and even more great new products. We love this store, we love this town and we absolutely adore our customers! All we can say is thank you. Thank you for helping us grow, thank you for telling your friends, co-workers, family, neighbors and fellow Ashevillians and mostly thank you for your unwavering positive vibes. This business is strong and is showing promise to be even stronger in the coming year. All our success is your success, all our accomplishments in this business are also yours. When you first step into our new space in the coming weeks, smile…. smile and revel in the simple fact that you, each one of you make up the flowing river of libation that is Appalachian Vintner, we could not have done any of this with out you. A big thanks also goes out to our helpers~ you know who you are, thank you! This Saturday say goodbye to 2011 and welcome 2012 with a proper taste of rare cellar aged beer and wine direct from our cellar to your glass. Wine & beer samples will be limited and must be poured on a first come first served, please come early to guarantee a taste. Some tasting products will be available for purchase but most will only be samples. Free with purchase….

Keep Appalachian Vintner in mind for your sparkling wine & champagne needs this New Year.  Swing by all day on New Years Eve and enjoy 10% off on all bottles of bubbly! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Love ya~ geoff, charles, ridge, shelley, michelle, lisa and jim

APPALACHIAN VINTNER WILL BE CLOSED Monday, January 2nd IN HONOR OF NEW YEARS DAY.

Please note discounts are limited to regularly priced items!

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We are thrilled to be pouring Grower Champagne for everyone tomorrow! If you are like us, you love Champagne but don’t have many opportunities to open a bottle and even if you do making the decision on which product to choose can be overwhelming, especially with the super inflated pricing for real Champagne. Our game plan for tomorrow will be to give you the chance to sample multiple Champagnes and to offer them at super low prices. These wines are not the mass marketed, mass produced “Négociants-Manipulants” and do not rely on the purchase of the vast majority of their fruit for any given harvest. Instead these small Grower Champagne houses, own and farm the land and make their amazing Champagne from the very soils from where they live. Sourcing fruit from their own vineyards offers these champenoise the distinct benefit of having complete control of every aspect of production and really keeps prices affordable and quality VERY high….. more on Champagne. So before you grab that over-priced bottle of Dom or Veuve try these first, and create your most memorable New Years Toast yet by raising a glass of real artisanal bottle fermented goodness! Also enjoy a small sampling of local cheese from our good friend Victor from Fairview and our very own handmade Pâté and other delectable goodies. Come and see why traditional French Champagne has been the king of sparkling wine for centuries. Cheese will also be available for purchase. $5 per person.

Please note that Appalachian Vintner will be closing at 5PM on Christmas Eve and thus will not be hosting a tasting that evening. The store will remain closed until Tuesday, December 27^th at 11AM. Thanks and have an absolutely wonderful holiday!

Bodegas Juan Gil Honoro Vera Merlot

Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux- new vintage

Llama Malbec-from 100 year old vines, produced with native yeasts

Fire Steed Pinot Noir- delicious, afford Oregon Pinot

Mas del Périé Cahors Les Escures

Domaine de Berane Côtes du Ventoux “Les Agapes”

Domaine Bruno Dufeu Bourgueil Cuvée Grand Mont

Domaine Philémon Blanc Perlé

BrewDog Paradox Isle of Arran

B. Nektar Zombie Killer Cherry Cyser

B. Nektar Pineapple Coconut Melomel Mead

Bells Java Stout

Dog Fish Head Faithful

Mother Earth Silent Night- barrel aged Imperial Stout

2011 Sweetwater Festive Ale

2010 Sweetwater Festive Ale

J.K’s Solstice Hard Cider

Brooklyn Chocolate Stout- DRAFT!

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere

Southern Tier Choklat- like dark chocolate?Like beer? This one is made for you!

Southern Tier Krampus

RJ Rockers 1^st Snow Winter Ale

Ross-on-Wye Rum Barrel Cider- its really here this time.

Mikkeller To From Via 2011

Mikkeller From via To- 2010

Mikkeller Barrel Aged From Via To

Mikkeller Red/White Christmas 1.5L Magnums

Nogne-O Winter Ale

Haandbryggeriet Bestfar

Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale

http://www.appalachianvintner.com/ PLEASE NOTE TASTING TIME

Bodegas Juan Gil Honoro Vera Merlot

Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux- new vintage

LlamaMalbec from 100 year old vines, produced with native yeasts

Fire SteedPinot Noir- delicious, afford Oregon Pinot

Lange Pinot Gris

Stonecap Chardonnay

Isenhower Last Straw Red

Vina Montes Alpha Carmenere

Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc

Dry Creek Vineyards Heritage Zinfandel

Tensley Santa Barbara Syrah- 92pts

Bacchus Cabernet Sauvignon

Bashee Central Coast Red

Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne Rouge Vieilles Vignes- 50 year old Pinot vines, native yeasts, biodynamically farmed!

Mas Olivier Faugères Rouge

Château de l’Aiguillette Muscadet Vielles Vignes- our new fav from Loire!

Raphael Trouiller Elicio Vin de pays de Méditerranée

Cheto Chiarli Brut de Noir Rose- this is serious sparkling from the original Lambrusco house.

Drie Trocken Riesling

Tomas Cusine Vilosell Costers del Segrie

Pinord Clos de Torribas Crianza

Bookwalter Bookmark

Abbaye de Abdij van St Martin Winter Ale Gift Pack

Mother Earth Silent Night

Delirium Noël

Gouden Carolus Noël

Avery Czar

Allagash Interlude

Lagunitas Cappucino Stout

Moylan’s Moylander DIPA

Left Hand Fade to Black Vol.3 Pepper Porter?!

Left Hand Milk Stout

Chaucers Mead

Weyerbacher TINY

Sir Perry Pear Cider

Asheville Brewing Co. Shiva IPA CANS

Brooklyn Black OPS- uber limited, in fact we can’t actually verify its existence at all…

2011 Sweetwater Festive Ale

2010 Sweetwater Festive Ale

J.K’s Solstice Hard Cider-

2011 Olde Hickory Event Horizon

2010 Olde Hickory Event Horizon- DRAFT!

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere

Southern Tier Choklat- like dark chocolate?Like beer? This one is made for you!

Southern Tier Krampus

RJ Rockers 1^st Snow Winter Ale

Ross-on-Wye Rum Barrel Cider- its really here this time.

Mikkeller To From Via 2011

Mikkeller From via To- 2010

Mikkeller Barrel Aged From Via To

Mikkeller Red/White Christmas 1.5L Magnums

Nogne-O Winter Ale

Haandbryggeriet Bestfar

Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale

http://www.appalachianvintner.com/

JUST ANNOUNCED! Thats right folks Appalachian Vintner will be “moving” across the parking lot directly in front our current location, to 745 Biltmore Ave in the next month or two. The new location will feature an expanded bar, tap lines and market, CASK system, an outdoor seating area, tons of exposed brick walls and antique hard wood floors and a HUGE marquee sign….finally! More to come…

Wow! Where to begin….. well first of all THANK YOU so very very much for all the amazing support last Friday. Our Anniversary was to date the single greatest tasting we’ve had at Appalachian Vintner! We hosted over 200+ wonderful people and raised nearly $1,000 for Mission Children’s Hospital.

December 22nd 6pm Holiday Wine, Cheese and Champagne Tasting- The perfect tasting to find the best wine to accompany your holiday gatherings and the best sparkling wine & Champagne for a memorable New Years Toast! Enjoy a local cheese selection from our good friend Victor in Fairview, handmade Pâté (family recipe) and other delectable goodies. Come and see why traditional French Champagne has been the king of sparkling wine for centuries. $5 per person.

~ Asheville’s Wine Tasting ~

While last Fridays tasting was on all accounts a smashing success, we still have plenty of great wine & beer at Asheville’s best prices, see below for current listing of new arrivals. We also are offering a 20% discount on any solid special order case through the holidays, give us call for more information or to place and order. FYI if you find it cheaper anywhere else, we will match or beat the price!

Château de Valmer Vouvray- 100% Chenin Blanc from its iconic home in the Loire Valley. Wines from the Vouvray region have been on French kings’ tables since the 14th century. Seated on a rocky spur between the Raye and Brenne Valleys, the vineyard of the Chateau de Valmer and its 60+ acres carrying the label of Vouvray and Touraine appellation benefits from its proximity, less than 4 miles as the crow flies to the Loire River, the last wild European river to be added to the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. The family winemaking tradition of the Chateau de Valmer dates back to the end of the 19th century, and more precisely, to 1888. This wine is produced in a “dry” style but certainly has more residual sugars than say, the wines of Savennières, another world-class area for Chenin on the Loire River. Direct importing by The Country Vintner of Ashland VA, keeps this little wine VERY well priced for its sourcing. Vinified in glass lined vats and aged on the fine lees for a lush texture and richly accentuated fruit throughout the palate. Shelf $12.99 Tasting $11.69

Seifried Winery Nelson BayUnoaked Chardonnay- 100% estate grown Chardonnay from the Seifried Rabbit Island and Brightwater Vineyards planted along the Tasman Bay due west of Marlborough. The Rabbit Island plot is the site of an ancient Maori kumara (sweet potato) farm. The soil is very poor but has a high water table, perfect for producing strong vines capable of making concentrated flavorful wines. The nose has nicely proportioned tropical fruit with hints of hazelnuts alongside riper summer stone fruits like peach and apricot. The palate is beautifully textual with creamy palate weight offset by fine acid giving length and definition. Certified through Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. Truly a great value, especially with the price inflation coming out of New Zealand. Shelf $12.99 Tasting $11.69

Marchesi di Barolo Maràia Barbera Monferrato- Barbera 90% – Dolcetto 10%. While most wine drinkers are familiar with Barbera from Asti or Alba, the grape is believed to have originally hailed from the hills of Monferrato in central Piemonte, Italy where it has been known from the thirteenth century. Documents from the cathedral of Casale Monferrato between 1246-1277 detail leasing agreements of vineyard lands planted with “de bonis vitibus barbexinis” or Barbera, as it was known then. The wine ages for one year in small French oak barrels and partly in traditional 100-hectoliter barrels. In this way the wine becomes more harmonious and it increases the intensity of its bouquet. The color is a lively and brilliant dark ruby-red. The nose is fresh and deep with clean scents of fresh wild berries, currants and sour black cherry. A light hint of vanilla and toasted oak. The flavor is warm and robust, full-bodied, pleasant and balanced. Originally brought to our attention by our friend and resident artist, James Daniel III while dinning in Washington D.C. Maràia has become one of our best sellers from our Italian shelf. Shelf $ 12.99 Tasting $11.69

Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno- Aglianico (pronounced “ah-LYAH-nee-koe”) is a black grape grown mainly in the regions at the southern most tip of Italy. The vine more than likely originated in Greece and was brought to the south of Italy by Greek settlers. Etymology derives the name Aglianico from a corruption of Apulianicum, the Latin adjective which indicates the whole of southern Italy in the Roman age. In early Roman times, it was the principal grape of the famous Falernian wine which was the Roman equivalent of a First Growth wine today. Aglianico produces monstrously structured wines with bracing tannins and firm acidity, bottlings that in the past have taken decades to mature to palatable drink. Today with modern winemaking taking a front seat in most areas, wines such as these have been replaced with juice that is much more approachable upon release, such as the Fontanavecchia we have here. From the Grandfather of the Estate: “…My wine has flesh and bones, which are perfumed with my memories, the taste which covers ones tongue, and wakes up all of your senses, my wine is the blood of these fields and everything that I have in me.” Libero Rillo. Another amazing direct import from the Haw River Wine Man. Shelf $16.99 Tasting $15.29

Lange Pinot Gris

Stonecap Chardonnay

Isenhower Last Straw Red

Vina Montes Alpha Carmenere

Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc

Dry Creek Vineyards Heritage Zinfandel

Tensley Santa Barbara Syrah- 92pts

Bacchus Cabernet Sauvignon

Bashee Central Coast Red

Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne Rouge Vieilles Vignes- 50 year old Pinot vines, native yeasts, biodynamicly farmed!

Mas Olivier Faugères Rouge

Château de l’Aiguillette Muscadet Vielles Vignes- our new fav from Loire!

Raphael Trouiller Elicio Vin de pays de Méditerranée

Cheto Chiarli Brut de Noir Rose- this is serious sparkling from the original Lambrusco house.

Drie Trocken Riesling

Tomas Cusine Vilosell Costers del Segrie

Pinord Clos de Torribas Crianza

Bookwalter Bookmark

2011 Sweetwater Festive Ale

2010 Sweetwater Festive Ale

J.K’s Solstice Hard Cider- This is the best winter cider we’ve every had period! Its 100% USDA Organic too!

2011 Olde Hickory Event Horizon

2010 Olde Hickory Event Horizon- DRAFT!

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere

Southern Tier Choklat- like dark chocolate?Like beer? This one is made for you!

Southern Tier Krampus

RJ Rockers 1^st Snow Winter Ale

Ross-on-Wye Rum Barrel Cider- its really here this time.

Mikkeller To From Via 2011

Mikkeller From via To- 2010

Mikkeller Barrel Aged From Via To

Mikkeller Red/White Christmas 1.5L Magnums

Nogne-O Winter Ale

Haandbryggeriet Bestfar

Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale

Asheville’s Best Wine Tasting- Friday, December 2^nd, 2011 6-8:30PM$5

http://www.appalachianvintner.com/

Friday DECEMBER 2^nd, 6PM-8:30PM

$5 cashAPPALACHIAN VINTNER’S 3^rd Annual Anniversary Party, Charity Fundraiser, & Portfolio Tasting benefiting MISSON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL.This is always the best wine and beer tasting of the year, no matter where you live Asheville! We will have over 75+ bottles of wine and beer open, many that have never been sampled before. Multiple breweries, distributors and importers will be in attendance. Appalachian Vintner is a spacious store and even when our events draw crowds of hundreds of people, these events are comfortable with plenty of room for everyone so bring all your friends, neighbors and co-workers! Just about everything in the shop will be on sale, with deep discounts for the tasting wines. For all you beer collectors, this will also be the Asheville release for Olde Hickory’s EVENT HORIZON 2011, limit three bottles per guest! We will be tapping a keg of 2010 Event Horizon and re-releasing a very small amount of last years bottles signed by Master Brewer Stephen Lyerly. $5 cash at the door.

If you are a local business owner or artist and would like to donate to the silent auction this year please have your donations delivered by Thursday. We are grateful for your consideration, Missions Children’s Hospital is an amazing organization that infinitely heightens thousands of youngsters’ lives every day, the benefit they bring to the community is immeasurable.

We not be having our normal free wine tasting on Saturday, sorry of any inconveniences this may cause!

http://www.appalachianvintner.com/

appalachian vintner will be closed November 24th for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will re-open on Friday for our normal hours (10am-8pm) for a huge store wide sale, some restrictions will apply, call or see store for details.

Friday DECEMBER 2^nd, APPALACHIAN VINTNERS 3^rd Annual Anniversary Party Charity Fundraiser and Portfolio Tasting. This is always the best wine and beer tasting of the year, no matter where you live in Asheville! We will have over 75+ wines at the lowest prices of the year, beer and some ridiculously delicious food for your tasting pleasure. Multiple breweries, distributors and importers will be in attendance. Appalachian Vintner is a spacious store and even when our events draw crowds of hundreds of people, these events are comfortable with plenty of room for everyone so bring all your friends, neighbors and co-workers! For all you beer collectors, this will also be the Asheville release for Olde Hickory’s EVENT HORIZON bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout 2011! We will be tapping a 1/4 barrel of 2010 Event Horizon and re-releasing a very small amount of last years bottles signed by the brewmaster.

December 22nd 6pm Holiday Wine, Cheese and Champagne Tasting- The perfect tasting to find the best wine to accompany your holiday gatherings and the best sparkling wine & Champagne for a memorable New Years Toast! Enjoy a local cheese selection, Pâté and other goodies. Come and see why traditional French Champagne has been the king of sparkling wine for centuries.

The Thanksgiving tasting last Saturday was another hugely successful evening of food and wine pairing, we are grateful for the support! Any of the wines that sold-out should be back it stock and ready for your Thanksgiving feasts. If you know what is on this years menu, or even if you don’t, swing on by and let us help make the choices effortless. Great food deserves great libation, the two are intrinsically linked and infinitely heightened when both are in harmony. Acidity, tannin, fruit, body etc. all play a part in creating a pleasant dinning experience, we know the wines we sell inside and out so if you need us we are here to help.

~ Asheville’s Wine Tasting ~

This Saturday in lieu of our massive holiday tasting next week, we will be sampling some special wines from the cellar as well as some great values that we have on hand. If you need the full list give us a call. Thanks and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Gnekow Winery Campus Oaks Old Vine Syrah

Dry Creek Chenin Blanc

Daumas Gassac Guilhem Rouge

Château de Caladroy Muscate de Rivesaltes

Château de Valmer Vouvray

Falesco Merlot- 92pts

Layer Cake Shiraz

don Rodolfo Pinot Noir- Argentine high altitude Pinot!

Jean-Claude Thévenet & Fils St. Véran Clos de l’Ermitage Cuvée Vieilles Vignes- wow your in-laws with this absolutely amazing, single vineyard Burgundy!

Bierbrouwerij Emelisse Black IPA

Stillwater Import Series Vol. 1 Of Love & Regret

Grassroots Wachu Saison- Hill Farmstead & Tired Hands collaboration

Evil Twin Ron & the Beast Ryan- brewed with Jolly Pumpkin Brett.

Brasserie Fantôme Saison D’Erezée

Brasserie Fantôme Chocolat

Brasserie Fantôme De Noel

Brasserie Fantôme Dark White

Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze

Dieu de Ciel! Solstice d’Hiver

Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza

Bells Cherry Stout

Bells Winter White

Samuel Smiths Winter Welcome Ale

Stay tuned for more great wine & beer!