Whole Foods Market Wine Newsletter

Hello Friends,

September is going to be an eventfull month in our Specialty department here at Roosevelt Square; full of tastings, classes, promotions & new products.  

TEA & COFFEE:

Some of you may have noticed that recently our specialty department took over coffee & tea, plus we have now moved all of the bulk teas into our department in a brand new display! I am also pleased to announce that we are now carrying "Remedy Teas".  Some of you may know Remedy from their quaint, stylish & casual teahouse on 15th Avenue up on Capitol Hill (if you haven't been there, I suggest that you go check it out)!.  Remedy Teas is not only a locally owned & operated business, but also co-owned by our former floral director (who now makes many of the beautiful chalk signs about the store). Remedy's blends are artful & innovative (and you may find me there sipping tea with my son on any given day, as we are frequent customers). 

BEER:
September welcomes Oktoberfest to the beer department, and is also the time for the hop harvest, which means many seasonal beers & special celebratory releases.  Watch for special beer events.  Ask our beer buyer Joel for details when you are in the store! 

WINE:

As for wine, Will & I are planning a big BLOW-OUT sale in September.  We have yet to announce the exact details (dates, scope, a depth of discount), but you can expect it to be no small event (Don't worry, I'll send out an addendum to this newsletter as soon as we iron out the details). 

I have lots of tasting events & classes planned (something every week, in fact!), and here they are:  

Friday Casual Wine Tastings in Salud - $2: 

Friday, August 21st, 4-6pm: I plan this week to open some limited, rare & classic Alsacian wines by Domaine Boxler which will be sold only at this event & out of our back room on request. We will taste the three estate level whites (Riesling, Pinot Gris & Gewurztraminer), which will be featured for $18.99 each (nearly 1/2 off their normal retail price)!.  I'll also be opening a couple of delicate reds from the Loire; a Cheverny Rouge (which is a rare blend of Pinot Noir & Gamay), and one other that I will pick on my whim the day of the tasting.  

Friday, August 28th, 4-6pm: Wines/theme TBA

Friday, September 11th, 4-6pm: Wines/theme TBAFriday, Speptember 25th, 4-6pm: Wines/theme TBA

As for wine classes, I am rolling out with more of the basics.  In keeping with my philosophy that to know the the classical European wines is to create a foundation to understanding the wines of the world, I will be focusing on the Noble French varietals (which make up virtually every great wine of the new world as well).  I hope that you will join me! 

Saturday, September 5th, 6-8pm: "Components, How to Taste" $35
In this down to earth class aimed at dissolving  the fear and
intimidation that many people feel about wine, students will learn to
break down and identify the five basic structural components of
wine and understand how they interact to create balance on the
palate.  Students will gain simple tools of analyzing wine without
vagueness or snobbery, learn to take useful notes, and begin to
understand what they like and why.

 Wednesday, September 16th, 6-8pm: "Noble White Wine Varieties of France" -$35.  The french "Noble Varieties" produce many of the greatest wines in existance, and are the darling's of the new world. From Chardonnay to Pinot Gris, 6 of France's most noble white wine varieties will be tasted and their origins/characteristics explored.  Understand the wines of France & understand the wines of the world!

Wednesday, September 30th, 6-8pm:  "Noble Red Wine Varieties of France"- $35. Most of the great red wines of the new world originally came from the traditional wine regions of France. From Pinot Noir to Cabernet, 6 of France's most noble red grape varieties will be tasted and their origins/characteristics explored. Students will learn which red wine varieties are best suited for which kinds of foods, and why. History, facts, and pairing tips will abound!

*A selection of cheeses and other foods will be served with each class. 

Finally, watch for our new "Organic/Eco-Friendly/Biodynamic" sign package rolling out in the wine department.  By clearly marking the status of each wine as it falls in the sustainable spectrum, we hope to broaden your ability to make informed purchases when we are not there to help you.  I also think that you will be amazed & surprised when you see just how many wines in the department are produced in a non-certified, but sustainable way.  In my opinion, a wine that expresses nature is one that is made in a "low input" fashion & natural wines have a much more intriguing story to tell than "tank farm wines" who's vines are sprayed wantonly...and they taste better too!

Hope to see you soon! 

Cheers!

Tanya DarlingSpecialty

WineWhole Foods MarketRoosevelt Square

tanya.darling@wholefoods.com 

Tanya Darling was first exposed to fine food and wine during her studies in France as a young woman where she became fascinated by the interplay between wine, food, history, and cultural identity. Educated in the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Diploma program, and at the Cervantes Institute in NYC, Tanya is also a stalwart traveler; she has visited many of the great wine regions of Western and Eastern Europe as well as the those of the United States. Over the past 5 years Tanya has developed a wide-reaching wine appreciation program at Whole Foods Market’s Salud Cooking School in Seattle where she it has been great joy for her to encourage and delight her students. Her love of classical wines, her passion for life, nature, and gastronomy inspire her teaching, and her classes are often filled to overflowing. Tanya is an experienced wine retailer, and is currently available for consultation every Sunday in the wine department of Whole Foods Market in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood.