Wines of the Week: 
2019 Do Ferreiro Salnes Rias Baixas Albarino Normally $34.99 – $29.74 15% Off This Week ONLY! 2019 Celler Cecilio Black Slate Gratallops Priorat Grenache Blend Normally $29.99–$25.49 15% Off This Week ONLY! * * * About the Wines of the Week: 2019 Do Ferreiro Salnes Rias Baixas Albarino Normally $34.99 – $29.74 15% Off This Week ONLY!
 
About the Winery This winery, founded in 1973, is currently run by Gerardo Méndez. He owns ten hectares, three of which are over fifty years old and one of which is over 200 years old. The vineyards follow organic guidelines, avoiding use of pesticides and non-organic fertilizers. Moreover, Méndez is meticulous in using indigenous yeasts with the belief that through their usage the true qualities of terruño (or terroir) will show. Gerardo farms over 130 plots of Albariño, all which are located in the sub-zone of Salnès. The valley's proximity to the ocean and protected from the mountain ranges has gained the reputation for being the best area in Rías Baixas for viticulture. This region takes its name from the estuaries that flow into the lower parts of Galicia. These waterways create a very unique ecosystem that is full of life, both in the ocean and on the land. The soils range from decomposed granite to sand. Between the combination of the plots plus the distinct micro-climate, the Do Ferreiro Albariño has a noteworthy flavor profile. 
About the Wine One hundred percent destemmed and then fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, winemaker Gerardo Méndez's painstaking attention to detail allows this juice to flourish. Terroir driven with distinguishing characteristics from the integration of the sea and the mountains gives the wine complex aromas with wet earth and herbal tones. The palate is textured with excellent acidity and a crisp freshness. * * * 2019 Celler Cecilio Black Slate Gratallops Priorat Grenache Blend Normally $29.99–$25.49 15% Off This Week ONLY!  .jpeg)
About the Winery Celler Cecilio is also located in Gratallops, in the heart of Priorat, and was the first winery registered in the D.O.Ca. It is a family estate dedicated to making and bottling wine since 1942, established and founded by Cecilio Vicent, father of the current owner and winemaker, August. When Cecilio, a native of Valencia, settled in the Priorat, he met and married into a family with many hectares of vineyards. At that time these vineyards had been neglected so Cecilio set about restoring them by first selling his grapes to the local cooperative while studying winemaking. Finally in 1942 he began bottling his own wines in a small stable he renovated into a cellar which is still in operation today under the stewardship of his son August Vicent. Vicent farms four vineyard sites in Gratallops and one in El Lloar – 9 hectares in total. The oldest vines are located in Els Espills where the Garnatxa and Carinyena are 60 years old. His remaining plots, El Plana, Mas d’en Corral, La Sort and L’Aubada were replanted starting in the 1980s and finishing with L’Aubada which has converted from an olive grove to a vineyard in 2004. These newer sites are planted with Garnatxa Negra, Garnatxa Blanca, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Visiting the cellars of Celler Cecilio is like going back in time and August still tends an ancient solera of rancio – once a very popular style of wine in the region. August ferments his wines in-tank with indigenous yeasts and the wines are macerated for 20–25 days before aging in tank or neutral, large French oak barrels. 
About the Wine The Black Slate Gratallops comes from a blend of older and younger vine fruit originating from August’s vineyards near the village. A blend of sustainably farmed Garnatxa Negra, Carinyena, and Syrah from vines ranging in age from 20 to 65+ years old; situated 1312-1640 feet in elevation. After harvest, the wine is fermented entirely with indigenous yeasts and then aged in a combination of concrete and French oak barrels for nine months. This wine showcases both the power, typical of Gratallops, as well as the charmingly elegant and rustic touch of Vicent’s winemaking. * * * Also Tasting Today: 2017 Skouras Megas Oenos Greece Red Blend $32.99  
About the Winery A native of Argos in the Peloponnesus, George Skouras is one of the true pioneers of the modern Greek wine renaissance. At a time when very few producers were making world-class wine of any kind, Skouras was receiving his oenology degree from Dijon in Burgundy and scraping together all his resources for what was then a bootstrapped garage project in the mid-1980s. Fast-forward to now, with decades of vintages under his belt and stints as President of the Greek Wine Federation on his resumé, and George is one of the elder statesmen. He’s best known for classic renditions of Moscofilero and Aghiorgitiko, two of Greece’s highest-regarded indigenous whites and reds respectively, but has also made a name for himself with international blends (most famously the Aghiorgitiko-Cab ‘Megas Oenos’) and some truly eye-poppingly high-altitude vineyards, some at above 3,280 feet. 
About the Wine Megas Oenos is a blend of 80% Agiorghitiko and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet vines are up to 35 years old. The vineyards are planted in rocky soils at about 2,300 feet above sea level. Fermented and macerated in stainless steel vats; the wine then undergoes full malolactic fermentation in oak, followed by maturation in new French barriques for 18 months and then an additional six months in bottle. Lush yet fresh, this wine has a nice structure that intertwines itself throughout the mouthfeel. The fruit is tamed, yet has the ripeness when poured into the glass. * * * Cocktail Recipe of the Week: 
Pomegranate Gin Sparkler Ingredients: 2 oz. pomegranate juice
2 oz. fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 cups Lurisia Sparkling Water
4 oz. Brockmans Premium Gin
fresh thyme and orange slices for garnish Directions: To a pitcher add pomegranate juice, orange juice, honey, sparkling water and gin. Stir to mix everything up. (or put in the cocktail shaker and shake)
Pour over ice.
Garnish with fresh thyme and orange slices.. Cheers and Enjoy! * * * Snack of the Week: 
Salumeria Biellese Chorizo Secco A Spanish-style Chorizo, so tasty you will think you are hangin' in Barcelona! This fine ground Berkshire pork is spiced with hot pepper and paprika, and then it is cured/aged until firm. * * * | 
