Friday 2/25, Chicago Style

On Friday, February 25th, you gotta come by North County
Wine Company to help us celebrate the end of Prohibition!
Yes, it’s true that happened several decades ago, but, hey,
better late than never!

As always, we’ll be celebrating in style – Chicago style,
with the help of our good buddy Jack. He’ll be cooking
up Chicago Hot Dogs with all the fixins. And we’re talking
real Chicago Dogs, shipped directly from the Windy City,
prepared the authentic Chicago way. We’ll also have
Jay’s Barbecue Chips, the most delicious snack food
east of the Mississippi!

The party starts at 5 pm and continues till we’re done.
The cost this time is $15. And of course we’ll wash down
those awesome dogs with some equally awesome wines:

Feudo Principi di Butera Nero D’Avola, $11.97, 88 points Tobin Bros.
The Wolftrap Red Blend 2009, $9.97, 89 points Enthusiast
Big Guy Red Blend 2007, $13.97, 88 points Enthusiast
Chronic Cellars Sofa King Bueno 2009, $15.97, not yet rated
Alamos Malbec Seleccion 2008, $12.97, 90 points Enthusiast
Klinker Brink Zinfandel 2007, $14.97, 88 points Tobin Bros.
….. and one more ultra-cool bonus wine that you won’t want to miss!

This might be more fun than the average person can handle;
good thing you’re above average!

See ya here!!

Here’s our tasting notes:

FEUDO PRINCIPI DI BUTERA NERO D’AVOLA 2008
This terrific food wine is as Sicilian as Al Capone, and as well-rounded, but the only St. Valentine’s Day Massacre you’ll have to worry about is killing off the bottle in one sitting.  The broad Italian bouquet of plums, herbs, almond and spice introduces complex cherry flavors with spice and dusty cedar notes.  The appealing finish lasts as long as the shadow Capone cast over Chicago all those years ago.  88 points Tobin Bros.  $11.97.

THE WOLFTRAP 2009
Speak easy about this wine, because it sure drinks easy.  This incredible value from South Africa is a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Viognier, and as the original Mayor Daley would say, you’ll “vote early and vote often” for it.  Smooth and much more integrated than the South Side, it combines a pretty, aromatic quality with lush flavors of blackberry and cherry and touches of smoke and dark chocolate.  89 points Wine Enthusiast and a “Best Buy.”  $9.97.

BIG GUY RED 2008
Chicago has long been known as the “Hog butcher to the world,” producing fun and tasty foods that cry out for a ripe, luscious wine with soft, supple tannins.  Like this one.  “Big Guy” in this case isn’t William “The Fridge” Perry, it’s the winery dog.  But this wine definitely isn’t.  Smooth and easy-drinking, this one goes with barbecue (or hot dogs!) like kibble goes with bits.  $13.97.

CHRONIC CELLARS SOFA KING BUENO 2009
Paso Robles may not be quite the “Toddlin’ Town” that Chicago is, but it produces some mighty fine wine.  The Chronic boys have a habit that rebels against our modern day Prohibition, but they stay focused long enough to figure out a delicious way to blend 7 different grapes.  Rich dark berry fruit, pepper and dark chocolate add up to one fun party wine!  $15.97.

ALAMOS SELECCION MALBEC 2008
A great pro and Hall of Famer, Ernie Banks was known as “Mr. Cub.”  It could be raining a damn hurricane, with mud up to your knees, and he’d say “great day for baseball – let’s play two!”  Well, it’s always a great day to drink wine, and this one might make you want to drink two.  It’s a concentrated Malbec with intense flavors of berry, leather and black tea to go along with sweet mocha, blackberry and chocolate aromas.  90 points Wine Enthusiast.  $12.97.

KLINKER BRICK ZINFANDEL 2007
Like the Blues Brothers tearing through Chicago on their “Mission from God,” this wine will carouse across your palate with layers of dark fruit and vanilla spice as harmonious as the horns on “Soul Man,” and a finish as long as the streak of great seasons the Bulls enjoyed in the 90’s.  88 points Tobin Bros.  $14.97.

STERLING THREE PALMS VINEYARD MERLOT 2005
They call Chicago the Second City, but this Merlot is second to none.  Intense black cherry aromas leap from the glass like Walter Payton jumping over a linebacker.  Then you get opulent dark fruits layered with mocha, spice and toasty oak.  Supple tannins as powerful as Dick Butkus carry you through a finish as smooth as Sinatra singing “My Kind of Town (Chicago Is).”  95 points Wine News, 92 Wine Enthusiast.  $29.97.