It’s a weekday night and you want a glass of wine. You want something tasty, but you don’t want to open an expensive bottle that you’re saving for a special occasion. It’s Weekday Wine time! That’s the theme of our tasting this week — wines that have great taste and great value. They’ll help you and your pocketbook make it to the weekend, when you can splurge. Our lineup will include:

*Domaine De Pajot Les Quatre Cepages 2010 – $9.99
*Three Pears Pinot Gris 2010  – $11.99
*Amberhill Secret (Red) Blend 2010 – $7.99
*Kinkead Ridge River Village Cellars Cabernet Franc 2009 – $11.99
*Ciconia Tempranillo/Syrah/Touriga Nacional 2010 – $8.99
*Alfredo Roca Malbec 2009 – $11.99

We’ll also have a Weekday Wine premium pour ($2 for a 2-oz. pour):
*Wild Thing Old Vine Zinfandel 2008 – $19.99

Friday’s tasting will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. We’ll taste the same wines on Saturday, too, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. See you here!

This week we’re pleased to feature selections from Wine Trends, a regional distributor of fine wines that specializes in boutique and emerging wineries from around the globe. Craig Cracchiolo of Wine Trends will be our expert guest host, and our lineup will include:

Glen Carlou Paarl Chardonnay 2009 – $12.99
Vina Alarba Old Vines Grenache 2008 – $8.99
Falesco Umbria Merlot 2009 – $14.99
Cline Cashmere 2010 – $12.99
Cline Cool Climate Syrah 2010 – $12.99
Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – $19.99

We’ll also have a premium pour ($3 for a 2-oz. pour):  Sequana Santa Lucia Pinot Noir 2009 – $29.99

Friday’s tasting will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. We’ll taste the same wines on Saturday, too, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. See you here!

Winter weather might be here at last, but our wines this week will
warm your heart with drops of sunshine from Italy. Wines from Italy

tend to be a little higher in acidity than big, fruity California wines,

but that acidity makes your mouth water and is what makes Italian wines

such great companions  for food of all types! Our lineup will include:

*Moris Vermentino 2010 – $14.99

*Araldica Barbera 2008 – $12.99

*Briccotondo Langhe Dolcetto  2010 – $14.99

*Stemmari Nero D’Avola 2010 – $7.99

*Orion Wines Sette Vigne 2009 – $19.99

*Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva 2008 – $18.99

We’ll also have a premium pour ($3 for a 2-oz. pour): Batasiolo Barbaresco 2007 – $29.99

Friday’s tasting will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. We’ll taste the same wines on Saturday, too, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. See
you here!

2012 is almost here! All of us at O’Bryan’s would like to thank you for your patronage and friendship over the last year, and wish you a very prosperous and joyous New Year!

A reminder: Because of the holiday, we won’t be tasting wines this week. We’ll resume our wine tasting next year on January 6 & 7. Also, please take note of our holiday hours: We’ll be open Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday (New Year’s Eve) from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday (New Year’s Day) from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

And now, on to the celebrations!

The holiday season is in full swing, and we all know that with parties, dinners and family get-togethers coming up, you can’t have too much wine on hand! This week we’ll taste six selections that will help carry you through Christmas and New Year’s, and come out in good shape on the other side. Our lineup will cost $5 per person, and will include:

Villa Chiara Prosecco – $11.99
Venta Morales Organic Tempranillo 2009 – $9.99
Cable Car Red (nonvintage) – $9.99
Chessman Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 – $12.99
Trentadue Alexander Valley Estate Zinfandel 2009 – $17.99
Fetish Playmates (Shiraz/Mataro/Grenache) 2008 – $17.99

We’ll also feature a premium pour ($3 for a 2-oz. pour): Bennett Lane Napa Valley Timeless Red – $29.99

Friday’s tasting will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday’s tasting of the same wines will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. As always, we’ll serve complimentary cheese and crackers!

This week we’ll taste four hearty reds, a crisp & festive sparkling wine from California, and a delicious white blend, all of which will help you stay in a warm, celebratory mood no matter what the temperature might fall to outside. Our lineup will include:

Clara Benegas Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – $12.99
Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs – $19.99
Chateau Grand Rousseau Bordeaux 2009 – $9.99
Sinfonia Tempranillo 2010 – $14.99
Fleur De Lyeth Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec 2010 – $11.99
High Flyer Centerline Syrah/Zin Blend 2007 – $19.99

We’ll also feature a premium pour ($3 for a 2-oz. pour): Cameron Hughes Lot 300 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, which is rumored to include juice from Mondavi’s famous Opus One – $32.99

Friday’s tasting will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday’s tasting of the same wines will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Only $5 per person – and as always, we’ll serve complimentary cheese and crackers!

See you here!

Our hours will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please drop by O’Bryan’s for any last-minute wine, beer, liquor or liqueur that you need. We’ll be glad to help you find whatever you’re looking for.
Have a great Turkey Day!

And remember, because of the Thanksgiving holiday, we won’t be tasting wines this weekend. However, we hope you wine lovers (and you know who you are!) will rejoin us the weekend of December 2-3, when we will taste the wines of Francis Ford Coppola.

Thanksgiving dinner is a problematic meal with which to pair wines, because there are usually so many different dishes with distinct flavors on the table. But some wines are more versatile – or are simply better matches — than others, and this week, our tasting will help you sort it out. Our lineup will include:

 Matua Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – Was $22.99/Now $17.99

Laurenz Singing Gruner Veltliner 2009 – $14.99

Napa Cellars Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2010 – Was $24.99/Now $15.99

Clos Du Bois Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – Was $22.99/Now $14.99

Concannon Petite Sirah 2008 – Was $15.99/Now $11.99

Blackstone Rubric 2007- Was $22.99/Now $18.99

The cost of the tasting is only $5 per person with a selection of complimentary cheese & crackers. This week we will also offer a premium pour ($3 for 2 oz.):
Ridge Ponzo Vineyard Zinfandel 2008 – $27.99

Friday’s tasting will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. And don’t forget – we’ll taste these wines on Saturday, too, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.!

This week we’ll taste wines that are great candidates for your holiday table. Whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or a party along the way, these wines will stand up to a wide variety of edibles. We’re also pleased to announce that money from this week’s tasting will be donated to the Loveland Food Pantry, an interfaith effort to feed low-income and homeless residents.

Our lineup will include:

 Gerard Bertrand Cremant de Limoux Brut 2009 – $14.99

Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer 2009 – $18.99

ARA Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009 – $14.99

Stratton Lummis The Riddler Red (nonvintage) – $19.99

Zincinnati Zinfandel 2009 – $13.99

Cameron Hughes Lot 229 Petite Sirah 2009 – $13.99

The cost of the tasting is only $5 per person with a selection of complimentary cheese & crackers. This week we will also offer a premium pour ($3 for 2 oz.):

MollyDooker The Boxer Shiraz 2010 – $28.99

Friday’s tasting will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. And don’t forget – we’ll taste these wines on Saturday, too, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.!

This week we’ll taste wines from Masciarelli Wine Company, an importer and distributor specializing in Italian wines. Christopher Seyers of Natural State Wines will be our host. Our lineup will include:

 Masciarelli Trebbiano D’Abruzzo 2010 – $9.99

Borgo Boschetto Pinot Grigio 2009 – $10.99

Franco Serra Lenghe Nebbiolo 2009 – $13.99

Masciarelli Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2008 – $9.99

Il Novecento Chianti Reserva 2006 – $17.99

Rosa di Rosa Malbo Gentile Dell’Emilia (nonvintage)- $14.99

The cost of the tasting is only $5 per person with a selection of complimentary cheese & crackers. This week we will also offer a premium pour ($3 for 2 oz.):
Marina Cvetic Montepulciano D’Abruzzo – $29.99

Friday’s tasting will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. And don’t forget – we’ll taste these wines on Saturday, too, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.!