I'm going to brag just a little bit here. We have a few wines at our stores that are so rarely found in the United States that if a Sommelier from someplace else saw them, they'd be amazed we had them. We don't sell much of them except over our website to collectors or wine enthusiasts. But I thought you might be interested to know what little gems of the wine world are available right here in Fredericksburg:
Veuve Fourny Ratafia de Champagne - Almost never seen in the U.S. Ratafia isn't even really a wine. Most Champagne houses make one but usually sell it on site, or you might be able to find some in Parisian wine shops. It's a blend of Brandy made from Champagne grapes (usually Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay) and unfermented juice from these grapes. It's usually drunk as an aperitif or after dinner drink. Citronelle in DC serves this wine (they get it from the same importer we do).
Dal Maso Gambellara Recioto Classico - Any wine from Gambellara, a small zone in the Veneto region of Italy, is not often seen. This kind even less so. Recioto is a style of dessert wine similar to Sauternes, where a fungus called botrytis attacks the grapes and sucks the moisture out of them. The juice from these grapes is thus very concentrated.
Bodegas Carrau Tannat Amat - This red wine is from Uruguay. Uruguayan wine is just barely coming into the U.S. market, and this one is as fine an example as you'll find anywhere. Better than California Cabernets that cost two or three times as much. Tannat is a French grape that these days is mostly used for blending, but it has found a happy home in Uruguay, where wines made from this grape are deep and expressive without being too tannic.
We have a few more too but for the sake of space I won't delve too deep. I will say though that if you're ever looking for a good gift for a wine enthusiast don't do what most people do, which is ask to see our California wines. Ask us for our little gems that most people look at and then walk right by.
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