02-07-2007 - Jim, The wines of Allegrini are available through an import company called Winebow. We currently have their 2004 Soave, and have access to their 2001 La Poja and 2001 La Grola. Stop by the store or call me at 584-3341 and I can give you more detailed information.   « less

02-07-2007 - Diane, I can tell you that more and more studies have come out that claim that a glass or two of wine a day is good for your health. Of course, moderation is the key, and there are other factors that go into deciding whether or not you should be drinking 4 oz. of wine each night. My best advice to you is to check with your doctor and see what he says.   « less

02-07-2007 - Bob, we do carry the Ardbeg 10 year old single Islay Scotch Whiskey at Ashe's. It retails around $63. I have not personally tried Ardbeg, but being from Islay, it will tend to be quite complex. Michael Jackson's complete guide to Single Malt Scotch describes the Ardbeg 10 year as having a nose of smoke, brine and iodine dryness. Medium to full body. A palate that "skips sweetly along at first, then becomes mean and moody in the lengthy middle of the encounter". A finish that is hefty, lots of iodine.   « less

02-12-2007 - Unfortunately,the trend in red wines over the last ten to twenty years has gone more towards the drier style. Years ago one could find many fruit wines on the shelves, but today that has changed. The best options for fruit wines today would include Arbor Mist, Manischewitz and local Tennessee wineries like Stonehaus and Tennessee Valley. One other option is Riunite Lambrusco, which is an Italian red that is easy going and low in alcohol.   « less

02-13-2007 - I would be glad to talk to your students. Just give me a call at Ashe's (584-3341) and we can set up a time.

02-14-2007 - Joe, it is my opinion that the reason you do not see much Lambrusco imported is because of Riunite and Cella, two producers that for decades have imported cheap, sweet Lambrusco. As you know, Lambrusco is made in both a dry and sweet style. It is simply a matter of supply and demand. Talk to your local wine shop to see if they have any ability to import more producers of Lambrusco. The importers that I have mostly commonly dealt with do not carry many producers from the Emilia-Romagna region, which includes Lambrusco.   « less

02-15-2007 - Have you ever visited a friend in another state and while enjoying a meal at the local restaurant, you discover a new beer on tap or on the list? Mead is pretty much found the same way. Most Mead producers are produced from local farmers and they are so small that they do not have a large distribution system, mainly because they do not produce large enough quantities. In the 20 + years in the business, I believe that I have had three different Meads available. I agree with you about Chaucer's, but for now, that is all that is available. I'll check into it and if there are anymore available, I will order them.   « less

02-18-2007 - Darlene, thanks for the information. I will try my distributors to see if they can bring it to Knoxville.

02-20-2007 - Keith, you ask a very interesting question. To try to break it down simply, I would say that most red wines tend to have a more full-bodied, stronger taste than most whites or roses. Now, there are exceptions to the rule. But, in today's wine world, it is not uncommon to find red wines with alcohol levels of 15% - 16%. Just a decade ago, if a red wine approached 14%, that was considered high. The main reason for this increase in alcohol levels is because of what's taken place in the vineyards. The grapes on the vines are harvested at higher sugar levels, which translates into more "fruit" flavors in the wine, but at the expense of increased alcohol levels. California Zinfandels, Australian Shiraz and Malbecs from Argentina are just a few examples. If you want to stick with red wines, you might try lighter bodied reds like Chianti, Pinot Noir, Gamay or even Rose. You might also try white wines, including Pinot Grigio, Viognier or lighter-bodied, unoaked Sauvignon Blanc. The key is to find a good wine shop that can help you with your issues. At Ashe's, we pride ourselves on helping our customers explore through the hundreds of possible selections. Stop by and let our staff help you.   « less

02-22-2007 - 1985 Dom Perignon is an excellent vintage and I was fortunate to have drunk a bottle of 1985 last Fall. In fact, it was so good that we ordered another bottle! But, the key bit of information that you left out was the temperature at which your bottle of Dom Perignon has been stored.If stored within the cellar temperatures of 55 - 60 degrees, then I believe that you may have something very special on your hands. If, on the other hand, you have been storing your bottle at normal room temperatures, then the aging process will have accelerated and the value of your Dom Perignon will be less. The bottles that we had last Fall were probably not stored at a perfect cellar temperature, but the wine was quite good. For the valuation of your particular wine, it depends on the conditons of which the bottle was stored. So, if properly cellared, I would think that a range of $225 - $300 would be a very fair price. If not, then more in the $200 - $250 range. If it has been laying down in an area where a heat source has affected it, then it would be worth considerably less.   « less