Warm up with a winter-friendly wine tasting at Dandy, tonight, 6-9pm. Our friend Daniel from IPO Selections will be pouring two reds from France and one from Spain, with bread from SCRATCH and cheese from ED.

The Lineup:

Thierry Germain Saumur Champigny 2005

Soft and round, this Cabernet Franc from Saumur in the Loire Valley is the perfect wine to drink next to a raging fire… or more realistically, the hissing radiator. Notes of black cherry mingle nicely with green pepper and earth. This Saumur is a crowd pleaser that’s great on it’s own or with hearty winter stews. $17

Chateau Fontanes “Les Traverses de Fontanes” 2010

“Rebel, Rebel!” Winemaker Cyriaque Rosier makes this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon we’re dubbing the “Wild Cab”. It’s unconventional and unlike any we’ve had before. Hailing from Pic-Saint-Loup in the Languedoc, not usually Cab country, this wine delivers a lot of flavor- zingy wild raspberries, lavendar, and thyme to name a few. Ripe tannins give it a long and memorable finish. $15

Bodega Mustigillo “Mestis” 2008

Mestis is a Valencian term meaning mixed ancestry. The winemakers at Bodegas Mustigillo combine traditional farming techniques with modern methods to create this wine as a “tribute to friends and people of all cultures who gather to savor good wine”. It’s as if this wine was made for people like us! Made from the ancient indigenous grape Bobal (50%), blended with Tempranillo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, Mestis is dark and aromatic, savory and smoky, full-bodied, and extremely well balanced. $17