Hautter

Casa Donoso

Casa Donoso 1810 Cabernet
Sauvignon-Carmanere Meritage

This remarkable wine is dark red in color, with violet hues. Its captivating bouquet is dark chocolate, cassis, blackberries and coffee. On the palate, one can taste ripe tannins and a balanced finish.

Hugo Casanova Merlot

Plum red color, attractive and elegant aroma with fresh notes of ripe red and black fruit and subtle nuances contributed by the wood, toast, vanilla and chocolate. Balanced and tasty with an interesting mixture of flavours of red fruit and dark chocolate.

La Palma from Vina La Rosa
Cabernet Sauvignon

Intense violet red color. Ripe and intensely fruity Cabernet Sauvignon with a lot of cassis and black cherry aromas. Smooth and easy drinking with soft mint flavors.

Cremaschi Furlotti
Pinot Noir

Bright purple color. An attractive aroma strongly evokes flowers, sweet fruit and raspberry, some smoke, very fine and elegant. Shows soft and velvety tannins. Enjoy with venison, game birds, beef and cheeses like Camembert. Ideal accompaniment of pastas, smoked salmon and dry fruits.

Hugo Casanova & Vina La Rosa

Terra Noble Gran Reserva Carmenere

A very intense deep red-blue color. It has strong fig and ripe fruit aromas mixed with coffee, toasty and spicy notes as a result of the two varieties used in this wine. Full body with interesting combinations of oak. It is a very smooth, silky and pleasant wine.

Camelot Pinot Grigio

This wine offers fragrant floral and citrus fruit aromas. It’s delicate lemon/ lime, melon, pear and white peach flavors culminate in a crisp, smooth finish. Great with crab cakes, spring rolls, sushi, oysters, broiled fish, roast chicken and mild cheeses.

Cremaschi Furlotti Sauvignon Blanc

Delicate vegetable and floral aromas with mature citric notes. Serve with spicy foods, raw shellfish, roasted chicken, fish or white meats, pasta with pesto sauce or as an aperitif.

Terra Noble Chardonnay

Ideal as an aperitif, this wine offers interesting aromas, such as fine ripe pear and pineapple, mixed with butter and vanilla notes.

Cremaschi Furlotti & Terra Noble

Where to Find Them

Though retail prices may very substantially, we found these wines at Tutto Bene for the following prices: Camelot Pinot Grigio (p. 76) $139 pesos, Cremaschi Furlotti Sauvignon Blanc (p. 76) $109 pesos, Terra Noble Chardonnay (p. 76) $79 pesos, Cemaschi Furlotti Pinot Noir (p. 74) $159 pesos, Terra Noble Gran Reserva Carmenere (p. 74) $199 pesos, Casa Donoso 1810 Cabernet Sauvignon-Carmanere Meritage (p. 72) $359, La Palma from Vina La Rosa Cabernet Sauvignon (p. 73) $85, Hugo Casanova Merlot, (p. 73) $85. Of course, you can expect to pay more at restaurants, lounges and nightclubs.

Wine Etiquette

Here are a few quick tips on how to look and feel like a true wine enthusiast.

Temperature

Wine is better preserved cold rather than too warm. White and rose wines are best when slightly chilled (at 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius). It is not “improper” wine etiquette to request an ice bucket to chill both whites and reds. However, the conventional wine etiquette of placing the bottle in an ice bucket can compromise your experience; fine white wines will release more texture and bouquet as they warm up in the glass. Cold red wine is not necessarily bad; a slightly chilled red wine brought to your table at a restaurant indicates good storage. You can always warm up the wine by cupping the glass in your hands and swirling.

Camelot,Cremaschi Furlotti & Terra Noble

The Cork

When the bottle of wine is opened at a restaurant, it is proper wine etiquette for the sommelier to present the cork to the person who requested the wine. The date on the cork should match the vintage on the bottle. Visual inspection of the cork often reveals little; a pristine looking cork does not guarantee a delicious wine. Sniffing the cork is not recommended; it may reveal earthy aromas but keep in mind you’re smelling the “bark of a tree”.

Swirl & Sniff

Proper wine etiquette procedure dictates that a restaurant’s sommelier will pour a small amount of wine for the person who ordered. Gently swirl the wine in the glass to release the aroma, give it a sniff, before tasting it. If there is an objectionable or unexpected aroma, the sommelier should recommend further aerating the wine in which case the “off odor” will dissipate, or to replace the bottle. Unfortunately, the difference between funky and inherent aromas are a matter of opinion. Proper wine etiquette is to consult with the sommelier.

The Pour

After taking a sip, the proper etiquette is to physically nod, say “thank you,” “it’s fine” or something else for the sommelier to begin pouring. A proper wine pour is for the glass to be filled about one third full, to allow enough space to swirl the wine. Sparkling wines pour along or against the side of the glass to preserve the bubbles.

Decanting

There are two reasons to decant a wine: one, is to separate the wine from the sediment in the case of a 20+ year old port or red wine; or two, to open or soften the tannins of a young red wine. Decanting and swirling the wine in the glass will do a far better job than opening the wine two hours prior and letting the wine “breathe”, which is not practical in most restaurant settings. White and sparkling wines rarely need extras breathing time.

It is not proper or an acceptable practice to return a wine simply because you do not like it as much as you thought you might.

Wine etiquette may seem unnecessary, but following these tips can enhance your overall wine drinking experience. Enjoy our Top Corks (available at Tutto Bene) or visit one of these Cabo Noche recommended restaurants for your next wine drinking experience:

San Jose del Cabo

Baja Brewing Company: (624) 146-9995 El Chilar: (624) 142-2544 / 146-9798
Habaneros: (624) 142-2626
La Panga Antígua: (624) 142-4041
Local Eight: (624) 142-6655
Tequila Restaurant: (624) 142-1155
The Chef’s Table: (624) 146-9698
Voila!: (624) 130-7569 / 114-4126

Pamilla

Agua: (624) 146-7000
C (by Charlie Trotter): (624) 146-7000

Cabo San Lucas

Alexander’s: (624) 143-2022
Amarone Restaurant: (624) 105-1035
Golden Zone: (624) 145-6020
La Fonda: (624) 143-6926 / 172-0176
La Panga Antígua: (624) 143-6868
Mi Casa: (624) 143-1933
Nikki Beach: (624) 145-7800
Passion: (624) 145-7800
Shrimp Factory: (624) 143-5066
Spicy Coopers: (624) 143-8999 / 174-6818