Sherry TastingPut our upcoming sherry tastings on your calendar!  Saturday, April 22 we’ll be pouring dry sherries aged under flor, including Finos, Manzanillas and Amontillados.  The following Saturday, April 29 we’ll taste rich sherries aged without flor.  Each tasting runs from 1:30-3:30 p.m., both are on Saturdays, and the price is $5.00 per person for each tasting.  The line-up will include traditional styles along with special bottles from older soleras, to show how beautifully sherry develops with more aging.

Sharon's paella in contestSaturday, May 13 – Paella Cooking Demo & Spanish Wine Tasting:  Save the date!  Learn how to make paella at our cooking demonstration in front of the shop on Saturday, May 13.  The paella cooking will begin at 12:30 p.m., and samples will be served at about 1:30 p.m.  From 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., we’ll have an in-store wine tasting of El Coto Riojas.  Cost:  $5.00 per person

Products arrived this week:
Shallots ConfitL’Epicurien Shallot Confit
Al Andalus wildflower honey in ceramic pots
Caprichos Orange MarmeladeCaprichos Orange Marmelade from Granada
Ancienne French Jams in three flavors:  Rhubarb, Cassis, and Chestnut Cream
Edmond Fallot Burgundy Red Wine Vinegar
Edmond Fallot Green Peppercorn mustard

Baby CieBaby Cie children’s tableware restocked:  A new shipment of French-inspired children’s plates, suction bowls, and sippy cups are now in stock.  Pictured are three new and adorable patterns to choose from, in addition to other favorite styles.  These are fantastic gifts for expectant mothers and baby showers, especially for Moms who love France.

WINE CORNER:
Le Petit Salvard Le Petite Salvard Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley ($18.99)  “If only every Sauvignon Blanc could taste like this!  Nothing grassy or tropical about this little number from the Touraine region of the Loire.  Instead, picture lime blossoms delivered on a lightning bolt of mineral refreshment, with more zippy citrus and blossoming flowers leaving your palate cleansed and utterly charmed.”  Anthony Lynch, Kermit Lynch Imports
Ostatu Gran Reserva 2015Ostatu Rioja Gran Reserva 2015 ($89.00) This fantastic wine goes down way too easily.  Expressive, elegant and full-bodied it offers up nuanced layers of fruit and hints of toast.  Incredibly well balanced, with notes of vanilla, and black fruit which is bright and fresh. Complex, mineral-laden with dusty notes, this wine is drinking beautifully now, but will also age well for another decade or more.  The vineyards were planted in 1945 at over 1800 feet in elevation.  85% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, organially cultivated.  93 points Tim Atkins