Cocktail Tasting, Champagne & South African Wine Classes at Blanchard's in West Roxbury

Want to know more about Champagne? Maybe learn about the wines of Chile? Blanchard's Wine & Spirits is offering several classes and a free in-store tasting to educate your mind and palate. 

The "classes" cost money (either $15 or $25), so reserve your spot now because it's worth it. The descriptions of the events are provided by Blanchard's.

Classic Cocktails - The Aviation (free in-store tasting)

Fri., March 8, 5-7 p.m.

The Aviation is a cocktail that makes you think mixing drinks is actually worth a special effort. A gorgeous concoction of gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur and creme de violette; its color evokes blue skies, hence the name. Because it was so hard to find for so long many recipes omit the creme de violette; it imparts a very distinctive flavor and gives the cocktail get its signature color, so we will not neglect it.

Wines of South Africa 

Wed., March 13, 7-8:30 p.m.

The vineyards that adorn the foothills of the Western Cape region of South Africa are arguably the most dramatically beautiful on the planet. Sheer cliffs of sandstone rise up inland of these coastal vineyards which enjoy a superb Mediterranean climate.

South African wine has a history dating back to 1659 with its roots traced to the explorations of the Dutch East India Company which established a supply station in what is now modern day Cape Town. At one time Constantia, a vineyard near Cape Town produced what was considered one of the greatest sweet wines in the world - Napoleon requested a glass on his death-bed. Nowadays, it is the dry reds and whites of South Africa that are getting the lion's share of attention. Join us and learn why the wines from this unique region deserve the attention of all oenophiles. $15 click here to reserve tickets

The Champagnes of Moet & Chandon, with wine maker Elise Losfelt 

Wed., March 20, 7-8:30 p.m.

We are very pleased to offer our customers a chance to taste some of the very best that the iconic Grand Marque, Moet & Chandon, has to offer. We'll be pouring a selection of Champagne including roses, demi-secs and vintages. Some of our best events happen when we get a winemaker to visit with us and on this occasion we will have Elise Losfelt from Moet & Chandon with us to present the wines and taste with us. Elise is a sixth generation winemaker hailing from a family of talented female winemakers. She was exposed to the industry at a very young age at her family vineyard in Grès de Montpellier. Elise works closely with Chef de Cave Benoit Gouez and his team of winemakers. $25 click here to reserve tickets. 
 

Wines of Chile

Wed., March 27 7-8:30 p.m.

The variety of wines from Chile, their high quality, and value for price are themes we will highlight as we explore this fascinating region. Chile is the oldest 'New World' winegrowing region dating back to the 1500s with the arrival of Spanish missionaries who brought with them vine cuttings from Europe. In 1870, when the phylloxera louse began its devastating march across the vineyards of Europe and North America, Chile's vineyards, protected by natural barriers on all fronts, remained untouched. In fact, many vineyards in Europe and elsewhere were replanted with young, healthy vines from Chile grafted onto phylloxera-resistant root stocks. Rare examples of pure, ungrafted European vines still flourish throughout Chilean vineyards today and we will taste some examples of wines made from vines on their original roots. $15 click here to reserve tickets.