Uptown Liquor offers a wide selection of domestic and imported wines from Australia, Chile, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France and South Africa, California wines from Napa, Sonoma, & the Central Coast
| Whites |
| Chardonnay – Full-flavored and easydrinking, Chardonnay is a favorite variety of wine drinkers and wine makers alike.Gewürztramier – Its pale-yellow robe camouflages a powerful, spicy wine that exhibits litchi, grapefruit and nutmeg aromas. Full and round in the mouth, intense and elegant nose, moderate acidity. Lovely with poultry and desserts that are not too sweet.Moscato – This common white variety is known by many names, from Muscadel to Muscat to Moscato to Moscatel. Two of the official names for the grapes include Muscat Blanc and Muscat Canelli. Its flavor is, of course, musky!Most people know of Muscat because it is the base white wine in Asti Spumanti, the sweet bubbly sparkling wine from Italy. While most people turn muscat into sweet dessert wines, you can actually get a dryer version if you look hard enough.Moscato d’Asti – A DOCG wine produced mainly in the districts of Asti and in smaller nearby regions in the districts of Alessandria and Cuneo. The wine is sweet and low in alcohol, and often enjoyed with dessert. From the Moscato Bianco grape. A related but sparkling wine, Asti or Asti Spumante, is produced in the same area from the same grape.Pinot Grigio – A well-known and fashionable grape, Pinot Grigio is a mutation of Pinot Noir that looks quite similar in the vineyard.Riesling – What many people don’t know about Riesling is that it is one of the truly classic grape varieties.Sauvignon Blanc – The piercing aromas and crisp acidity of Sauvignon Blanc elicit strong and varied reactions. |
| Reds |
| Bordeaux - Any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine are produced every year, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world. Most Bordeaux wine is red, but sweet white wines have also contributed to the region’s reputation, and dry white, rosé and sparkling wines (Crémant de Bordeaux) are also produced. Bordeaux wine is made in 9,000 wineries usually called châteaux from the grapes of 13,000 grape growers. There are 57 appellations of Bordeaux wine.Burgundy - Wine made in the Burgundy AOC region of France. Most wine produced here is either red wine made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wine made from Chardonnay grapes, although red and white wines are also made from other grape varieties, such as Gamay and Aligoté respectively. Small amounts of rose and sparkling wine are also produced.Cabernet Sauvignon – The most transportable and adaptable of all of the classic grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon has spread from its historical home in France to areas throughout the globe.Grenache – In the Rhône, Grenache has always taken a back seat to Syrah as a blending grape.Lambrusco – The name of both a red wine grape and an Italian wine made principally from the grape. The grapes and the wine originate from four zones in Emilia-Romagna and one in Lombardy, principally around the central provinces of Modena, Parma, Reggio nell’Emilia, and Mantua. The grape has a long winemaking history with archaeological evidence indicating that the Etruscans cultivated the vine. In Roman times, the Lambrusco was highly valued for its productivity and high yields with Cato the Elder stating that produce of two thirds of an acre could make enough wine to fill 300 amphoras.Malbec – One of the traditional “Bordeaux varietals”, Malbec has characteristics that fall somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. A midseason ripener, it can bring very deep color, ample tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component to add complexity to claret blends. Merlot – Merlot, with its soft, lush, fruity character, is referred to as Cabernet Sauvignon without the pain.Pinot Noir – Out of all red varieties, Pinot Noir is the most difficult to grow.Sangiovese – Sangiovese is Italy’s most planted variety and is responsible for all of the great red wines of Tuscany.Syrah – There is a bit of a debate in the wine world as to the origins of the Syrah grape, known as Shiraz in Australia…Tempranillo – Tempranillo, whether blended or not, forms the backbone of wines throughout Spain.
Zinfandel – Zinfandel is synonymous with the Italian primitivo grape, though its origins are unknown. |
| Port |
True port comes from Portugal’s Douro Valley, and the seaport of Oporto. However, the term port is now applied to other wines made in the style. Many grape varieties are used in port.Ruby port is a blend from several harvests, different years and different vineyards. It spends at least two years in large vats. Ruby is ready to drink when it is bottled and has a rich red colour and a full fruity taste.
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| Sherry |
True Sherry comes from Jerez de la Frontera, in Southern Spain. The term “sherry” is also applied to sherry style wines made outside of Spain. Made from white Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes. Sherry has a unique blending system called a solera. This consists of rows of small oak barrels stacked upon one another – by year of harvest. The oldest is at the bottom and the most recent at the top. The wine ages as it makes its way down. Each year 1/3 to 1 /4 of the oldest wine is drawn from the casks at the bottom, newer wine is moved down from the barrels above to replace it. The newest wine is placed into the barrels at the top. This system keeps the sherry consistent from year to year. There are four styles of sherry
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| Marsala |
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Marsala is a fortified wine from the western coast of Sicily. Using the Grillo, Inzolia, and Catarratto white grapes, Marsala is made much the same way as Port wine. Thick, generally somewhat sweet and with an alcohol level that varies between 17 – 20%, the best examples of this wine have a dark, brownish red color. These wines always have the marked aroma of caramel. The majority of Marsala is used for cooking. |
| Madeira |
| Madeira, the most elegant and complex of all fortified wines Madiera, is from the Portuguese island of Madeira. One of the most long-lasting wines in the world, amazingly old Madeiras, dating back to the 19th century, are still available.The wine was a favorite in the American colonies and the wine used to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Madeiras has a unique processing method. The barrels of wine are stored several months in buildings called estufas, at temperatures as high as 100° to 140° F. Much of the distinct flavor of Madeira is due to this practice, which speeds the wines mellowing. The wine is also exposed to air, causing it to oxidize. The wine has a color not unlike a tawny port. The alcohol content ranges from 18-20 %. |
| Dessert Wines |
| Legally, in the United States, dessert wine refers to wines of 14% alcohol or greater.They are often sweet wines such as Eiswein ( ice wine), French Sauternes and Hungarian Tokaji Aszú ( botrytized wines), Beerenauslese, Bermet, Trockenbeerenauslese, Commandaria and Frambroise (infused fruit wine)Eiswein- (ice wine in German) is made from grapes harvested and pressed while frozen. Typical grapes: Riesling Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, and, the red Cabernet Franc .The Icewine harvest, done by hand, starts once the temperature drops below – 10 to -13 degrees C and the grapes have frozen on the vines. Icewine must be naturally produced. No artificial freezing is allowed.The freezing and thawing of the grapes dehydrates the fruit, concentrates the sugars, acids, and extracts in the berries, thereby intensifying the flavours and adding complexity to the wine.Icewine grapes yeild is about one-fifth the amount of juice you get from unfrozen grapes. A vine will normally produce enough grapes to make a bottle of wine - frozen grapes will produce one glass of IcewineIf you want to cellar an ice wine choose one made from the Riesling grape.Other wines that are popular are dessert wines are honey/mead based wines and fruit wines – the most popular being frambroise – which is made with Raspberries.Bonny Doon Framboise describes itself as – boosted with brandied fruit that brings it to 17% alcohol; gooey in raspberry essence with chocolate dust. |
| Fortified Wines |
| Is a wine to which additional alcohol (usually brandy) has been added. These include ports, sherries, marsalas, and madieras. Vermouth is a fortified wine but is usually considered a spirit.Fortified wines were born of the need to protect wines on long sea voyages. Sailors found regular wine spoiled, but adding brandy kept them from going bad.Once at their destination, these wines were often preferred because of their higher alcohol content, robust flavors and firm texture. So, the wines have continued to be made long after the need for fortification was necessary.
These wines contain between 17 and 21 % alcohol. They are more stable than ordinary table (9-11 %) wines and less likely to spoil once they have been opened.
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| Wine & Cheese |
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