Monday Night at ABA

It is the day after Mother's Day. Would you like/Do you need to spend the day after with your wine friends? Please join me at this 8-person dinner with one white wine and four red wines. We will be dining at group favorite ABA Turkish Restaurant.

The cost for this event is $24, and it is for the wine only.

PLUS a reminder of our usual rules:

You will also have to pay the cost of your food (plus 33% for tax and tip). Please order at least two courses (i.e. a main dish and either appetizer or dessert) for your dinner. There are very few restaurants that allow us to bring our own wine for a low corkage fee. We must be good guests to encourage the restaurant to continue to be generous to us.

Please read and understand the group's cancellation policy. If you take spot, then cancel, and no one else takes the spot, you will not receive a refund or credit. No refunds or credits will be given for no-shows or late cancellations (unless someone else takes your spot). All cancellations are subject to a $5 service fee.

Here is a link to the menu....
ABA TURKISH RESTAURANT MENU

NOTE: Meetup has started charging a "Partner Fee" that is above and in addition to the listed price of the event. It comes to approximately $3 more for each RSVP. You will see this charge when you complete your rsvp and pay for the event. MEETUP+ members are exempt from this charge.

Please use public transportation - NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!

The Wines (notes will be distributed at the dinner)

2023 Bodegas Avancia Godello Old Vines ($30) - We always seem to like this wine! Notes of green orchard fruit, some lime, juicy palate, white floral note, orange zest on the finish. An excellent way to start the evening!

2022 Domaine Richard Rottiers Moulin-à-Vent Dernier Souffle ($29) - CT 91.5, I love Beaujolais! And the Moulin-a-Vent AVA is (IMHO) the biggest of the Beaujolais, so let's enjoy this one! It comes from a parcel just behind a cemetary. It has vivacious red cherry and cranberry scents on the nose, hints of cassis just in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity, fresh and saline with a brisk, graphite-tinged finish."

2020 Luis Marín Cariñena Gabarda Excelsis ($18) - Another one of those wines from Garagiste that I took a flyer on..Here is what they had to say, "From old-vine Grenache (vines up to 90 years of age), this is a Monday/Tuesday night wine of high regard that is, well, a terrific drink! It’s not Clos Erasmus but it’s really quite good and memorable – you want to go back to it as the night passes by and it opens and deepens with oxygen contact as the flavors fill in. Gabarda means “roses” in the local dialect and little tinges of rose petal can be found in today’s subject, aptly named “Gabarda”...

Gismondi: “The Ignacio Marin family have deep roots in the Carinena region, with a winemaking heritage stretching back centuries. This (Gabarda) cuvée sources old garnacha vines from 600m, and aged at least 3 months in French oak. Plumped blackberry, plum, black raspberry roll along the medium bodied palate, lit with a stony acidity, and framed with cushy tannins. At 13.5%, this is charming and drinkable now, ideally with roast lamb / pork dishes. 89pts”

2015 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Lucile Avril ($30) - CT 91.1, JD 94+ points, "the 2015 Châteauneuf Du Pape Lucile Avril reveals a ruby/plum hue as well as lots of peppery garrigue, sandalwood, beef broth, and ripe, darker berry fruits. With medium to full-bodied richness, it has building yet polished tannins, wonderful purity of fruit, and a great finish. It has the balance and elegance to drink nicely today yet is still in the early stages of its drink window, with another 10-12 years of prime drinking ahead of it. (Drink between 2021-2033)"

2019 Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Lower East ($40) - A WA State Cabernet, WA 90+ points, "Made with splashes of Merlot and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Lower East Cabernet Sauvignon is succulent and red-berried with floral and spicy elements that waft from the fresh and open nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is focused, mineral-tensioned and balanced with a soft tannic edge and ends with a food-friendly finish. Aged 18 months in 28% new French oak, this fantastic wine will be released in early 2024. This is impressive and complex, punching well above its weight class."