Tasting Tuesdays
6/18: Oysters + Champagne with Monahan’s
Cool off during this heatwave with fresh oysters and bubbles. Each guest will receive eight oysters and a tasting of two different white or sparkling wine selections. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased in the Grove adjacent to the party area. Look for a flag that says “Tastings”. Event runs 5:30 – 7:30pm or until supplies run out.
6/25: Tuesday Wine Tasting • The Summer Fun lineup!
We’ve got a really terrific lineup of wines for the tasting on Tuesday, June 25th, selected for distinctiveness, quality, and pure, summer fun!
White
’23 Kobal Furmint — though closely associated with Hungary, the furmint grape is also grown in Slovenia, and here the Kobal family treat it to 2 days of soaking on the grape skins, giving structure and complexity, and they also age the wine on the fine lees, or yeast, developing texture. It’s a wonderful white wine that’s both refreshing and serves up satisfying mineral savor!
’22 The Furst Pinot Gris — you’re probably more familiar with this grape in its Italian guise, as pinot grigio, where it’s often as insipid as it is cheap. However, in the Alsace region of France, the particular terroirs there give a whole new expression to the variety, with fleshy texture and deep intensity. Despite that richness, The Furst retains the essential zip and bright fruitiness, making for a wine that is truly surprisingly engaging.
’22 Orgo Mtsvane — Georgia, home of the Caucasus mountains, has been revealed through archaelogical exploration, to be the cradle of winemaking, with evidence taking it back 8,000 years there. Additionally, the same technique of fermenting in large, terracotta vats buried underground persists to this day, making this wine a direct line to ancient, human culture. The variety is particular to that country as well, mtsvane, and it ferments on the skins in qvevri for 6 months, making this an archetype of Georgian amber wine from Kakheti. Quite literally, this is the original orange wine, and it’s a powerhouse, a true paragon of tannic power and intensity.
Red:
’22 Opstal Cinsault — South Africa’s winemaking heritage goes back centuries, although we rarely think of it as “old world.” Cinsault was brought there from France in the 1800s, and the Opstal family have been making wine for 7 generations on this estate in the Slanghoek mountains, so this is truly a unique expression of cinsault, particular to this place. Using the whole cluster fermentation process made famous in Beaujolais, France, Opstal craft from cinsault a fresh, red fruited, grippy red that is great with a chill but still has the juicy punch for salami, cheeses, and grilled meats.
’21 Bichot Brouilly “Roche Rose” — Brouilly is a famous village in Beaujolais where some of the most prized wines of the region are made. Part of the reason is the presence of “roche rose,” or pink rocks– granit– that fill the vineyards and give the gamay grapes firm structure and fruit purity. Morello cherry, black berry, and black currant are oll on plush display; the soft tannins make this an easy charmer, not too demanding, but not ingratiating either. Wine mavens can easily recognize the detailing and quality here, but anyone can enjoy the easy style.
Join us in the Grove on Tuesday, June 25 to taste five different wine selections while enjoying the sights and sounds of Top of the Park. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased in the Grove adjacent to the party area. Look for a flag that says “Tastings”. Event runs 5:30 – 7:30pm or until supplies run out.
Where are tastings located?
Tasting events are held adjacent to the party tents in the north end of the Grove, A2SF’s shaded beverage garden. Look for a vertical flag with the words TASTINGS. More information on getting to Top of the Park can be found here.