Destination Danville: Swirl, Sip, & Shop

If you’ve been following the blog, you already know we were really excited to go check out Danville’s Lawn Chair Film Festival this past weekend (more on that later). We were pleasantly surprised (and excited) however, to receive an invitation to The Heart of Danville Swirl, Sip, & Shop that took place throughout downtown right before the film festival.

Now that Boyle County is no longer a dry county, the door was open for a really great benefit event featuring the shops and business in downtown Danville. With wines selected by V The Market (a GREAT shop by the way), downtown businesses such as The Purple Pearl, The Community Arts Center, Carol’s Bridal Shop, Buttonheads, and Myrtle’s Market (among MANY others) kept their doors open late for guests to come sample one specially selected red wine, and one specially selected white while browsing around the shop and running into and meeting all sorts of wonderful people.

Now, not to sound like a couple of lush’s, but this event was definitely up our alley. We discovered some great new, reasonably priced wines (and went home with a couple of bottles), and had a great evening walking around Danville, checking out the shops before the film fest. We have to admit, Danville may be the next, great Central KY shopping destination.

Not only was this a great way to explore a beautiful city, and sample wines to your heart’s content, but also a fantastic fundraiser for the Heart of Danville Main Street Program. The Heart of Danville is working to not only revitalize the city, but to preserve historic architecture and districts, support economic development, develop new streetscapes and solutions for pedestrians and parking.

If you missed the Swirl, Sip, & Shop AND the Lawn Chair Film Festival, don’t worry too much, check out additional photos from The Danville Advocate-Messenger and the plethora of fun events on the calendar coming up soon! Check out the full listing of wines and shops from the Swirl, Sip, & Shop after the jump!

The Heart of Danville 2011 Swirl, Sip, and Shop:

(Courtesy of V the Market)

A&L Accessories:

Domaine Haute Bourg Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu from Loire, France (retail $15.65 at V-the market)

This Muscadet smells mouthwateringly of fresh lime, sea spray, herbs, chicken stock and shrimp shell reduction, all of which follow on a palate of utmost juiciness and refreshment, yet also a striking degree of subtly oily cling. Hints of iodine and fresh red raspberry with its crunchy, tar seeds add further interest and invigoration.

Lapierre, Raisins Gaulois Gamay-(retail $14.00 at V-the market)

Bright & fruity with spicy black cherry and subtle dusty earth aromas. Medium bodied with juicy but not over-extracted flavors. The finish lingers with more cherry and nutty earth notes. This wine can recline outside on a hot day and then come inside to relax with family. Since the vineyards are just outside of Beaujolais, they can’t use the Beaujolais appellation, it’s just listed as Vin De France.

Danville Bike & Fitness:

Huber Gruner Veltliner from Traisental district of Central Austria-(retail $16.12 at V-the market)

This wine is peppery on the nose with hints of spices typical of Gruner Veltliner, aromatic herbs and yellow fruits. Crisp and balanced with medium body, it is dense and complex on the palate with flavors of quince, apples, pears and grapefruit.

Hill of Content Pinot Noir from Adelaide Hills, Australia-(retail $16.97 at V-the market)

Pinot Noir is undoubtedly one of the sexiest grape varieties on the planet Earth, and this wine captures its magic. Beautiful aromatics, and delicious on the palate, Cherry and hints of plums melt together with spice and earthy notes. Wonderfully versatile with food, so whatever you choose, you’ll be on the Hill of Content (happiness that is).

THE PURPLE PEARL:

d’Orsario Pinot Grigio from Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in Italy-(retail $13.15 at V-the market)

Offers a lovely blend of soft floral and citrus notes on both the nose and the palate, with complex elements of golden apples, ripe summer peaches and subtle spices. A hint of cream in the mid-palate is a fine addition to the crisp acidity and long finish. Hand harvested estate-grown fruit from the foothills of the Alps.

Sweet Bliss Red from Bliss Vineyards in Washington State-(retail $10.99 at V-the market)

The aromas are a heavenly blend of ripe red fruit and subtle toasted oak with deep cherry flavors and a velvety chocolate mouth feel. The wine is outrageous with barbecued ribs and spicy dishes. For the ultimate indulgence, pair with chocolate cake, cheesecake or cobbler.

COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER:

Rheingraf Riesling Trocken from Rheinhessen, Germany-(retail $24.30 at V-the market)

Felix Prince zu Salem- Salm makes the wine for this esteemed estate. The Rheingraf Rieslings show great fruit aromas with an animating acidity. Served slightly chilled with Asian food this wine will enlighten your day.

Finca El Reposo Malbec from the Uco Valley in Argentina-(retail $10.99 at V-the market)

This wine has intense garnet color and fruity aromas like raspberry, black currant and pepper. A silky smooth wine with a polished feel and a finish that speaks of wines three times the price.

CAROL’S BRIDAL SHOP:

Chateau Mayne Pargade White Bordeaux from Bordeaux, France–(retail $10.99 at V-the market)

Mostly sauvignon blanc with a bit of semillon, this wine is crisp and refreshing with flavors of pear and green apple—perfect for porch-sipping as well as an alternative to jug wine when serving in volume.

Domaine Guintrandy St. Leger Cote du Rhone–(retail $10.99 at V-the market)

The Saint Leger is named for a locally-famous vineyard that sits just north of the rest of the Cuilleras estate. Olivier Cuilleras purchased these vines in 2000 with the intent of making a high quality wine at a stupidly low price. Mission accomplished, as the Saint Leger is a full and fruity wine that is smooth as silk and just about the most enjoyable sub $11 wine ever made. This value stems from two things: quality soil and dedicated winemaking. The soil part is easy to identify- Olivier’s estate offers a mix of limestone, clay and galets roules, the smooth, oval-shaped stones left over from Alpine glacial deposits many millennia ago, the very same soils that have made Chateauneuf-du-Pape so famous.

BUTTONHEADS:

Isabel Sauvignon Blanc from Wairau Valley in Marlborough, New Zealand-(retail $19.79 at V-the market)

Fruit selected from calcium and limestone-rich clay makes for a distinctive minerality and concentration. Low intervention and traditional techniques in the winery preserve single vineyard ‘charm’.

Kangarilla Road Shiraz from McLaren Vale region in South Australia-(retail $18.60 at V-the market)

This wine has aromas of sweet spicy black fruits and perfumed plums with subtle glimpses of vanilla. There is an explosion of black cherries with hints of spice including cinnamon and white pepper, finishing with a creamy velvety texture, the result of beautifully integrated fruit and oak tannins and enhanced with lingering notes of dark coffee and chocolate.

THE DERBY SHOPPE AND RAGGS:

“The Whip” White Blend from Murrieta Wells, Livermore Valley, California-(retail $18.90 at V-the Market) 43% Semillon, 21% Sauvignon Blanc, 21% Viognier, 7% Muscat Canelli, 5% Gewurztraminer, 3% Orange Muscat

The Whip is our tribute to the storied white blends of the world; a sophisticated yet approachable blend of six aromatic white grapes. Fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak barrels, the wine expresses full-bodied aromas of white peach, baked apple, honey and butterscotch, with an extended and balanced finish.

Thomas Henry Merlot from Napa Valley, California-(retail $15.00 at V-the market)

A French Bordeaux style Merlot with a hint of Cabernet Franc. Notes of dark fruit, and richness in the body, carry this wine’s aromatic bouquet—famous for overdelivering for the price!

MAPLE TREE GALLERY:

Merlin Cherrier Sancerre-(retail $23.96 at V-the market)

You will find in artisan grower Thierry Merlin’s Sancerre the essence of sauvignon blanc: crisp, clean and full-bodied, with piercingly fresh flavors of grapefruit. Prized for their fine aromatics and minerality, Bue’s wines are among the appellations most elegant. Thierry’s delicious wine is superb with seafood, particularly shellfish.

Antano Montefalco Rosso-(retail $19.99 at V-the market)

A blend of 70% Sangiovese with 15% each Sagrantino & Merlot. Fermentation in large Slovenian Oak botti (casks) with a further 7 months in cask and then a year in bottle before release. A perfect wine to drink now, the Rosso combines the soft red fruit and dusty perfume of Sangiovese with the dar, herbal and bloody note of Sagrantino and adds in a little silky black fruit from the Merlot to create a wine that has tons of spice, herbs, red fruits and complex earthen notes. The finish is packed with flavor and has a lively acidic punch to provide freshness and balance. A perfect choice with burgers, roast beef and soft fresh cheeses.

Thoroughbred Threads:

San Giulio Moscato d’Asti from the Asti region in Italy-(retail $12.75 at V-the market)

With its musky aroma and flavors, its balanced natural sweetness and moderate alcohol content, this wine has exceptional characteristics that set it apart and are quite impossible to match. Perfect served as a dessert wine, it goes well with pastries, cakes and sweets.

Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port Amador County, CA-(retail $18.39 at V-the market)

Montevina Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port displays aromas of raisined berry fruit, sugared dates, chocolate, caramel and orange peel. The wine’s rich, lush, grapy flavors also evoke raisin, cocoa, coffee and toffee. This delicious, fortified wine is perfect onits own or as an accompaniment to chocolate, chocolate, chocolate…don’t like chocolate? Try it with Stilton cheese and toasted walnuts.

MYRTLE’S:

Charles and Charles Rose’ from Columbia Valley of Washington state-(retail $13.69 at V-the market)

The color is peach fuzz pink. The nose is huge, strawberry shortcake and rose petals. The flavor is not sweet, but tart, crisp, refreshing. Tart strawberry dominates, then some rounder smoother melon kicks in. Tart light berry with a hint of lime finish. Good acidity and structure, a well-constructed wine.

Kung Fu Girl Riesling from Columbia Valley, Washington-(retail $14.86 at V-the market)

The grapes used for this Riesling are harvested from a single rocky vineyard, resulting in a wine with lush aromatics and tons of flavor. On the nose, Kung Fu Girl is bursting with Asian pear, white peach and spring flowers. Apricot, pear, lime, and a pleasant minerality keep this off-dry wine at the perfect level of subtle sweetness.

MEDSOURCE:

Lander Jenkins Chardonnay from Napa Valley, California-(retail $13.25 at V-the market)

A rich and balanced wine with characteristics of ripe, delicious stone fruits and crisp acidity. This wine has aromas of apricot, peach cobbler and ruby red grapefruit, with flavors of apricots, baked peaches and citrus.

Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California-(retail $20.00 at V-the market)

The lush, dark berry and cassis flavors of this wine are complemented by 18 months of French oak barrel aging and a supple tannin structure. Pair with steak, lamb and duck dishes, as well as flavorful cheeses.

EPHRAIM MCDOWELL AUXILIARY GIFT SHOP:

Bott-Geyl Paul Edouard Cremant d’Alsace from Alsace, France-(retail $18.97 at V-the market)

From the chalky, depleted and limestone-rich soil in Alsace, this Cremant is 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, using only natural yeasts. Start off with certified organic and biodynamic grapes grown to incredibly low yields with the utmost TLC in a combination of Grand Cru and Lieux-dit vineyards in Alsace, harvest those grapes by hand and press them with an ancient coquard basket press which is labor-intensive and time-consuming but incredibly gentle on the fruit. Ferment and referment using the time honored Champagne Method, only the very best way to produce a spakling wine, and then age the wine on the lees for longer than such stalwarts as Vueve Clicquot and Duval-Leroy. And the result is every bit as good (and sometimes better) than many Champagnes at 3x the price!

Williamette Valley Whole Berry Cluster Pinot Noir-(retail $19.99 at V-the market)

As refreshing as liquid fruit salad in a glass, this wine opens with vibrant and explosive aromas of cherry and raspberry that leap from the glass. Flavors mirror aromas of red and dark fruits, hibiscus and melon highlighted by leathery cigar and tobacco overones. The mouthfeel is soft, juicy and well-rounded with fresh acidity. The velvety tannins focus on a silky mouthwatering finish, inviting the second sip. Meant to drink young. Founder of Willamette Valley, Jim Bernau, calls this wine, “Pinot Noir Candy.” –an excellent pairing with summer bbq fare.

V-the Market:

Raventos I Blanc, 2007 Cava Brut Reserva L’Hereu from Penedes, Spain -(retail $19.99 at V-the market)

60% Macabeo, 20% Xarel-lo and 20% Parellada. L’Hereu is the house sparkling wine at El Bulli, the world’s greatest restaurant. It is also found at Per Se & The French Laundry. The wines are made only by the Champagne Method, and long aging on the lees, low-levels of dosage and an emphasis on ripe fruit are the norm. They are Grower Champagne in every sense of the term except for geography. The L’Hereu is named for Joseph Maria Raventos, the 19th generation heir, winemaker and director of the estate.

Altivo “Reserve Vineyard” Selection Torrentes from Salta, Argentina-(retail $14.99 at V-the market)

Very pale, bright yellow. Pure lemon, spring flowers and mint on the nose. Supple and juicy, with a hint of sweetness counterpointed by fresh acidity. In an easygoing style, but tails off a bit on the slightly harsh back end. 87 points (Stephen Tanzer)