MILE HIGH'S WINE OF THE WEEK

The team at Mile High is working hard week after week to find you new and exciting wines. Each week we bring you a new wine at a ridiculously low price. Please note that these wines and their prices are limited with no rain checks or guaranteed stock. Call (303) 936-0272 to pay for and hold bottles with a credit card.

Mile High's Wine of the Week: February 4th
Bodegas Aletta Veraz Garnacha 2009

Regular Price: $9.99

Sale Price: $5.99

Sale End: 2/5/2012

Whether you’re a football fan or you just like the ads the Superbowl is always a good excuse for a party. So this week we decided to feature what we believe is the perfect party red! Spain’s Campo de Borja region is just littered with ancient Garnacha vineyards. The 2009 Bodegas Aletta Veraz is produced from vines more than 60 years old. As a result the ’09 Veraz delivers an absolutely absurd amount of bang for the buck. The nose smells of red cherries macerated in brandy and shows delicate hints of sweet violets and soft anise. On the palate you’ll immediately notice a wonderful dose of warm spicy red berry fruit flavor coupled with dashes of bramble and crushed granite. Don’t let the low price fool you. This is a serious little bottle of Garnacha. It is juicy and straightforward with a totally party friendly style but it delivers more than enough spicy complexity to keep even the most seasoned wine drinker’s interest. Don’t buy this one by the bottle. Buy it by the case! Please pass by the store tonight or on Saturday to taste this little gem for free. We think you’re going to want to stock up.

On to the Tasting Notes:

I don’t make any secret of the fact that Grenache is my favorite red grape varietal. I love the way that it can be light enough to really show off the influence of terroir while still delivering richness and food friendly texture. This week I lucked into a great old vine Spanish Garnacha while I was actually looking for a Tempranillo. As soon as I tasted the Veraz I knew that I wanted to buy a lot of it. The moment that I poured a glass the nose gave up the scent of unmolested fruit. Why unmolested? Because this wine was vinified entirely in stainless steel in order to allow the wonderful character of the old vines to shine through without the influence of wood. It smelled like a farmhouse kitchen in late summer right after a big batch of raspberry jam had been made. Besides the obvious fruit aromas there were delicate nuances of sweet violets and fennel pollen. It was just lovely. The first sip was great too. Sometimes I’ll take the first sip of a wine and find the acidity overwhelming. But that was not the case with the Veraz. It was so ripe and sweetly fruited that the acidity seemed to be in perfect harmony. There were striking flavors of ripe red cherries macerated in brandy, brambly strawberries fresh off the vine, raspberry preserves, and a hint of roasted plum. The finish was so warm and spicy that I felt like going right back for another sip. Heck, it even displayed a touch of that rocky old world minerality that has made the old vine Garnachas of Campo de Borja so famous. All that for less than six bucks? Yup. Don’t pass this one up folks. Grab a case. I know I will.

Food Pairing:

Spanish Garnacha is one of the most perfect wines for appetizers because it has such a juicy and outgoing style. I feel confident that it would make a remarkable foil for classy Super Bowl favorites like chicken wings, pizza, or burgers. But after the big game is over you’ll be in heaven when you serve this delicious little Garnacha alongside a cheese plate with a bit of cured ham, some nice black olives, and a hunk of crusty bread.

You MUST mention this special or print it out to receive the price on the above wine.
This price expires 2/5/2012 at 6pm and is limited to in-store quantities.
No rain checks given. Call (303) 936-0272 to reserve bottles with a credit card.

Mile High's Wine of the Week: January 26th
Franco Boasso Barbera d'Alba 2008

Regular Price: $24.99

Sale Price: $14.99

Sale End: 1/29/2012

SOLD OUT - PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR NEXT WEEK'S SPECIAL

Boy do we have a treat for you this week! We came across this beautiful Barbera about 6 months ago during a lengthy tasting of Italian wines that were not being imported into the United States. All four of us who were standing at the tasting table at the time took one sip of Franco Boasso’s 2008 Barbera d’Alba and said, “Whoa!” We immediately began making plans to import some for you because we knew that it was simply too good to pass up. The nose was sultry and oh-so expressive with hints of wilted rose petals, damp earth, sweet tobacco, and dried blueberries. The palate had the sort of seamless texture that is typically reserved for only the finest Barolos and Barbarescos displaying wonderful notes of ripe plums, tart black currants, and ripe black cherries. The style was perfectly food friendly with sweet tannins and polished acidity. If you are a lover of classically styled Northern Italian reds then this one is going to make you very happy. But be warned, Franco only made 416 cases of his ’08 Barbera d’Alba and we managed to get our hands on about 25 of them so this one may sell out quickly. Please come by the store tonight to taste it for free. You’re going to want to stock up on this one!

On to the Tasting Notes:

This is the genuine article; a small production, estate grown, single vineyard, artisan red. Franco Boasso’s family has been growing grapes in their 3 vineyards (the other 2 are designated for their higher end Barolos) in Serralunga d’Alba for more than 30 years now. Their property is treated with love and respect and I believe it shows in the wine. Franco only made a few more than 400 cases of this beautiful 2008 Barbera and I am so happy that we managed to get some to Colorado for you. I opened a bottle late in the afternoon as I was getting dinner ready to go on the grill. At first the nose was really earthy and rustic and the palate was a little bit tight. But it didn’t take long for it to come around. After an hour or so of cooking I returned to it to have a glass with my grilled chicken. The nose had really exploded. It was wonderful. Initially it gave up the delicate scent of wilted rose petals which quickly transitioned into notes of damp cedar, fresh espresso, kirsch liqueur, dried blueberries, freshly turned garden soil, and a touch of tobacco leaf. I felt like I could keep going back over and over again as new scents kept revealing themselves. The palate was absolutely seamless. Flavor exploded all over from the tip of the tongue to the sides and all the way to the back. There were dark flavors of plum and black currants as well as some bright notes of red cherries and macerated strawberries. The finish was humble and earthy without being the least bit rustic. It had a classy feel to it despite being an everyday style of wine. It also had just the right balance of sweet fruit, ripe tannins and clean acidity to make it a perfect companion for a wide range of foods.
I think that the ’08 Barbera is drinking very well as it sits today. It has plenty of sweet berry fruit and yet there is still room for the secondary character that you get in the best small production old vine reds to show through. That said, it’s so well balanced and generously structured that it wouldn’t surprise me to see it improve over the course of the next 3 or 4 years. It’s really a matter of personal preference though. If you like your Barbera ripe and fresh then drink this one over the next year or so. If you prefer a little more deep and earthy then give it a couple years to let some of the fruit fade. But whatever you do you’re going to want to call or come by the store soon because there is no way for us to get more of this beautiful wine any time soon.

Food Pairing:

Barbera is among the most food friendly of all the Italian reds. It will make a great pairing for a hearty tomato sauce, for pizza, for grilled meats, and even for roast chicken. We served a bottle with an herb rubbed whole grilled chicken served with a side of blanched brussels sprouts tossed with crumbled bacon, good olive oil, a touch of tomato paste, some Aleppo pepper flakes and a bit of wine. I couldn’t have been happier with the pairing since it allowed the wine to be the star of the show.

You MUST mention this special or print it out to receive the price on the above wine.
This price expires 1/29/2012 at 6pm and is limited to in-store quantities.
No rain checks given. Call (303) 936-0272 to reserve bottles with a credit card.