The National Wine School is opening up it’s new Wine Scholar and Advanced Sommelier programs to our students.  First up is the Food & Wine Scholar program, which is being held on Mondays, from October 16th to December 4th, from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

This wine course is now apart of our Advanced Wine Program. It is one of four courses needed to earn your Advanced Sommelier Pin. Here’s the link to register: https://www.vinology.com/class/advanced-wine-course-food-wine-pairing/all/    For more information on wine courses, go here: https://www.vinology.com/wine-course/

This is a sale only for our newsletter readers! Use Coupon Code oct17 to get 25% off any class at the Wine School of Philadelphia or the Philly Beer School. This sale ends on October 17th and is valid for any two-hour class we offer. Not valid for multi-day courses. Cannot be used with gift certificates or other discounts. 

Here are a few suggestions for you:

• New Zealand Wines
• Sommelier Smackdown
• Israeli Wines
• World Atlas of Beer
• The Whiskey & Cocktail Class

Psyched for Wine

I am always scouting for great wine writers, and I just discovered a fresh new talent.  The blog Psyched for Wine is written by an advanced-level sommelier who is also a clinical psychologist.  Ever wonder about the effect that psychology has on wine sales? If you are in the wine trade, you should. It’s the glue that makes the grapes go round. If you have friends who work for a winery, you should forward this blog to them. I’ve read each and every blog entry, and it’s already influencing how I train winery staff. http://psychedforwine.com/

These are the top bottles available in the PA Wine & Spirits Stores this month. Some are Chairman’s Selections, some are on sale, and some are just miss-priced. They all share the same three characteristics:  They are exceptional wines, they are exceptionally well priced, and they are available in the Philly metro region.

Feel free to use our wine finder to locate these bottles near you. I will be publishing expanded ratings on our wine review page starting next week. However, I always give our newsletter readers the first shot at these great wines. Cheers!

-Keith

This bottle is something of an ugly duckling. The first few years of its life, it was a bit green-toned and abrasive. That can happen to grapes that are harvested early, which helps to maintain structure and acidity in warmer climates. With a few years of age, the tannins have evolved. This bottle is now a swan.

El Molet has matured into a hedonistic bottle of lush fig and milk chocolate. The velvet structure hints at eucalyptus and bay leaf with a finish that escalates into fresh blueberries and espresso. A real delight. Buy a case and enjoy it over the winter.

$10.99  | A Chairman’s Selection from the Wine & Spirits Stores in Pennsylvania

91 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace

If you like elegance and subtlety, if you favor delicate underpinnings and complex overtones…. this isn’t for you. This is a demon bus of chocolate terror that is coming to burn down the farmers market and steal your labradoodle puppy.

Who will love this, then? If you’ve tasted a $200 bottle of Napa Valley red and said to yourself DAMN I LOVE THAT, I LOVE IT MORE THAN MY CHILDREN, I WISH I COULD AFFORD THAT. Then the answer is you, you will love this bottle.  Don’t pretend to have this with food. Sit in your favorite chair with a glass and pretend you are the queen/king of the freaking universe.

$24.99  | A Chairman’s Selection from the Wine & Spirits Stores in Pennsylvania

96 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace

Rasteau is a lovely village northeast of Chateauneuf du Pape, and produces wine with a similar finesse. Like most Southern Rhone reds, this bottling is mostly Grenache, with a bit of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan in the mix. The aromatics are of garrigue and charred sandalwood. Kirsch and red fruit flavors are improved upon with notes of licorice and espresso. The finish shows a classy edge of minerals and wildflowers.

$11.99  | A Chairman’s Selection from the Wine & Spirits Stores in Pennsylvania

90 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace

A big bruiser of a Petite Sirah that doesn’t know when to quit. So big rich and dumb it should be a contestant on The Bachelorette. Despite its low price, it is a full-bodied luxury wine with dense notes of luxurious oak. Flavors of sweet vanilla and candied plums balance out the black pepper. By the midpalate, the wine has turned into a chocolate lava abyss. The finish keeps pumping its unctuous fruit into overtime. Its a delicious but exhausting wine.

$14.99  | A Chairman’s Selection from the Wine & Spirits Stores in Pennsylvania

92 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace

The uber-popular style of Malbec –oozing with milk chocolate softness– is just a single iteration of this grape’s possibilities.  This bottle will elevate your expectations.   Aromas of fresh basil and earl grey tea drift through red fruit. The palate is layered with fresh cherries, mint, and wildflowers. The finish opens into Asian five spice and vanilla.  An elegant bottle of Malbec that offers a balance of bright acid, angular tannins, and a velvet texture.

$14.99  | A Chairman’s Selection from the Wine & Spirits Stores in Pennsylvania

92 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace

This is some seriously good juice. A light bodied wine with medium acidity, the flavors cherry and blackberry are bright and fresh. Allspice and white pepper are balanced with a note of smoked tea leaves. This is a fresh bottle of red that’s perfect for lamb stews, cassoulet, or even a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket.

This came into the PA Wine & Spirits stores for $10, and it’s well worth grabbing a few bottles. That said, don’t buy into the PLCB hype that this is a $15 wine that they are selling for $10. the PLCB often quotes the listed price of a wine, which is bunk: Everyone around the globe sells this bottle for around $11.

$9.99  | A Chairman’s Selection from the Wine & Spirits Stores in Pennsylvania

89 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace

A classic style of Tempranillo from the Utiel-Requena region. Savory to the point of leather and game, this wine sports aroma of lavender and blood orange. Light bodied with a bright edge of acidity, the wine revs up into mineral, cherry, and toasted hazelnuts before sliding down int a finish of balsam and cigar box.

$19.99  | A Chairman’s Selection from the Wine & Spirits Stores in Pennsylvania

89 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace

Wine Knowledge and Customer Support

Need some help? Have a wine question you need answering? check out our wine knowledge forum right here: https://www.vinology.com/wine-knowledge/

Hope to see you soon!

Keith Wallace
Founder & Director
Wine School of Philadelphia
109 S. 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.vinology.com

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