First Friday Wine Tasting: Italy, Center of the Universe Brewing and Blue Bee Cider

The beginning of our Summer Passport Series which will take us around the wine world in 14 weeks of wine tastings. Our first stop takes us to beautiful Italy, a country that certainly ranks high among wine lovers favorite wine destinations. This evening’s passport tasting will be conducted by none other than Garry Moore from Siema Wines, a customer favorite among our wine reps and a walking encyclopedia on Italian wines. Garry will take us a on virtual north/south tour of Italy as visit some of the most famous and lesser known wine producing regions the country has to offer. On the table this evening…

• Barbi Orvieto Classico “Abbocatto” Umbria
• Cantine Cipressi Falanghina Molise
• Corte alla Flora Giuggiolo Rosso Tuscany
• Anarkos Puglia Ross Puglia
• Salvano “Fosco” Diano d’Alba Piedmont

A special treat for this First Friday beer tasting as we welcome Chris Ray from Ashland’s own Center of the Universe Brewing Company. Known as COTU for short, Chris and his brother Phil started the brewery last year with the help of former Legend Brewing Company brewer Mike Killelea who took on the role of Head Brewer.

Chris will be here premiering the brewery’s new packaging of 6-pack cans of the Main Street Ale and Ray Ray’s Pale Ale as well as pouring some special releases including the brand new Homefront IPA.

In addition to this evening’s first Friday beer tasting we are very pleased to welcome cidermaker Courtney Mailey from the very new Blue Bee Cider in Richmond. Courtney will be pouring their limited bottlings of Aragon 1904 and the just bottled (two days ago!) Charred Ordinary. Here’s the run down of the cidery from their website…

“Virginia’s first and only urban cidery, Blue Bee Cider is located in the heart of downtown Richmond’s Old Manchester district at the fall line of the James River. The name for Blue Bee Cider is derived from a common name for one of Virginia’s native bees, osmia lignaria, or the blue orchard bee. These hardworking bees are solitary and wild, emerging early in the cool spring just in time to pollinate apple blossoms.

Blue Bee Cider produces artisanal ciders on a seasonal basis, pressing apples when they are ripe, fermenting them over the winter and finishing them for sale in the spring. When you come to visit, you have a good chance of meeting the cidermaker or a family member who wants to spread the joy of our craft.

Blue Bee Cider’s expected production from the 2012 harvest is about 1,500 cases. So don’t miss your chance to try Richmond’s very own cider!”