Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, November 3, 2007

4 to 6 pm

$5.00 per person

Home of: ExecutiveGiftService.com

611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #1, Palm Springs, 327-7701

The wine maker for B Cellars of Napa Valley is Kirk Venge, named “One of the Top 20 New Winemakers in the World” by Food & Wine Magazine (October 2005). Kirk brought with him a 37 year winemaking legacy via his father, Nils (Saddleback Cellars), and a keen understanding of the Napa appellation. He and the founders of the winery focused on the artisan approach, creating perfectly balanced and complex wines by blending from mutually complementary varietals. The proof is in the bottle and Randy Hazard will be here pouring the B line-up and discussing the winery itself.

Next week we begin our year-end fascination with wines that sparkle, with the spotlight on Gruet Winery of New Mexico.

2006 B Cellars Blend 23

List price: $ 28.00; OUR PRICE $25.00

This fresh white blend is comprised of 27% Chardonnay, 43% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Viognier. It possesses a brilliant voluminous mélange of lemon citrus, orange blossom and rose water aromas. On the palate are copious amounts of vibrant tropical fruit and citrus flavors which are bound by a touch of minerality, honeysuckle, subtle oak and acid structure. Barrel fermentation adds to the perfect balance.

2004 B Cellars Blend 24, Napa

List price: $36.00; OUR PRICE $32.50

The blend here is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 10% Syrah. This is a dry, fairly tannic wine that’s a bit astringent now, but should develop well in the bottle, to judge by the deep core of blackberry, cassis and cherry-chocolate. It’s very elegant, owing to the feminine sophistication one achieves with French oak.

This bottling received a 90-point rating from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

2004 B Cellars Blend 25, Napa

List price: $48.00; OUR PRICE $43.50

This is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Syrah. It features black cherry, blackberries, sweet black fruit and a hint of espresso and licorice at the onset. It is followed by an array of black stone fruits, clove, and hints of vanilla from the oak. The texture is firm and balanced with symmetrical parts of sweet ripe tannin and acidity. The fleshy and moderately chewy mid-palate pushes on to a generous and memorable finish.

This bottling received a 94-point rating from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

2004 B Cellars Blend 26, Napa

List price: $85.00; OUR PRICE $76.75

The blend is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and the characteristics of Blend 26 are dramatic; exactly what one expects from fruit derived from Napa Valley’s most coveted vineyards, namely: Tokalon, George III and Stagecoach. This wine begins with scents of allspice and cloves, then lengthens with black berry, black cherry and a subtle sensation of vanilla which is imparted from the 85% new French oak. This is a wine for the ages.

This bottling received a 94-point rating from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

2005 B Cellars Petite Sirah, Napa

List price: $38.00; OUR PRICE $34.00

This inky hued wine of 100% Petite Sirah is full of violet and blueberry aromas. The palate delivers a complex and full bodied array of blackberry and black cherry, with hints of coffee and ripe cassis. The tannins are well structured and will continue to improve in this wine for several years. Only 90 cases were produces.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

4 to 6 pm

$5.00 per person

Home of: ExecutiveGiftService.com

611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #1, Palm Springs, 327-7701

Today’s selection emphasizes the availability of bargain wines among imports. We’ll have a glance at Spain, Chile, Australia, Italy and France for the appropriate selection of “party” wines that will satisfy your guests as well as your budget.

The following Saturday will be hosted by Randy Hazzard, who will be presenting to us the entire line of B Cellars wines from Napa Valley. On Saturday the 10^th of November we will have our first sparkling wine event of the season.

2005 Gran Feudo Rosé Navarra, Spain

List price: $12.50; OUR PRICE $9.75

This cool fragrant Rosé was made from the Garnacha Tinta grape (Grenache). The bouquet is reminiscent of rosehip tea and the flavors focus on strawberry and spicy raspberry fruit. The wine is fresh and lively with a clean finish.

Wine & Spirits Magazine gave this bottling a 90 point rating.

2005 Da Vinci Chianti, Tuscany

List price: $12.00; OUR PRICE $9.99

This is a Chianti in the lighter style making it perfect for a turkey dinner. It has a lovely crimson color and a bouquet of red fruits. The strawberry-like fruit is balanced by plumy and earthy notes. In all, it is a very versital wine that drinks well with a wide array of dishes.

2002 Ross Estate Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz, North Ridge, Australia

List price: $14.00; OUR PRICE $9.99

The North Ridge designation on the label refers to the slope of the vineyard facing to the north, which, down-under, means facing the sun. The blend is 60% Cab and 40% Shiraz and is aged in a combination of French and American oak. The wine shows a rich, fruit-laden bouquet of black fruits and cherries, but is medium bodied and easy to drink. The plumy red fruit would go well with turkey and gravy with cranberry sauce.

Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate gave this wine an 89-point rating

2003 Nugan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia

List price: $ 12.75; OUR PRICE $9.99

The wine is deep crimson in appearance with a youthful purplish hue. The bouquet displays sweet aromas of red berry fruit melded with licorice and delicate allspice nuances. .The palate exhibits blackcurrant and spicy plum flavors with hints of leather and tobacco.

Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate gave this wine an 87-point rating.

2003 Santa Ema Syrah, Barrel Select, Chile

List price: $10.00; OUR PRICE $8.99

The wine is a deep red mahogany in color. The bouquet displays floral characteristics with a hint of smoke. The palate is full and round with blueberry and blackberry fruit and a hint of vanilla and chocolate. Nice looking bottle for the price!

2002 Delas Muscat de Beaume de Venise

List price: $32.00; OUR PRICE $25.00

The village of Beaumes de Venise in the Rhone Valley once belonged to the papacy in Avignon. In the 14th Century, Beaumes cultivated a designated area of Muscat vines for the production of a naturally sweet wine that was often referred to as “Nectar des Dieux” (Nectar of the Gods). The wine has a pale golden hue and the bouquet shows intense fruity and floral aromas. On the palate, this wine has an elegant freshness. It is full-bodied and has lingering fruity aromas with a lemon-tinged finish. This is the perfect follow-up to a turkey dinner if you don’t want to bother making a dessert.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

4 to 6 pm

$5.00 per person

Home of: ExecutiveGiftService.com

611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #1, Palm Springs, 327-7701

Some very good values abound, making this a great time to begin stocking up for the on-rushing holiday season. Thanksgiving is but a month away, so each week until then we will be pouring compatible wines for that occasion to allow you various possibilities for your dinner selection. The Beaujolais Nouveaux will arrive approximately a week before the holiday. Another interesting concept advanced by Bon Appetit Magazine is serving Zinfandel with your turkey dinner. Accordingly, we will have a Zin tasting to explore that possibility. From today’s selection, the first three wines are sure-fire winners to accompany a rich turkey dinner. The possibilities, actually, are endless.

Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard

List price: $12.50; OUR PRICE $9.99

The Griva vineyard in the cool windswept Arroyo Seco AVA is planted exclusively with the Musque clone of Sauvignon Blanc. Combined with the sandy cobblestone soils, this grape yields wines of unique character that runs the gamut of flavors from grassy/herbal to citrus and melon. High aromatic intensity and palate cleansing acidity are always the hallmarks of this refreshing wine.

South Coast Winery Ruby Cuvée Sparkling Syrah

List price: $18.00; OUR PRICE $9.99

Ruby Cuvée is all about bringing out the berry-fruit character of Syrah. Sweet, tart finish with supple tannins are lifted by the tiny bubbles while the finishing dosage gives a light sweetness and balance. Try this with turkey.

Peter Murphy Cabernet Franc, Sierra Foothills

List price: $19.50; OUR PRICE $11.95

There are fruity and vanilla aromas in the nose. The wine exhibits a strong mid-palette with a light finish, typical of Cabernet Franc. The tannins are mild. Winner of two silver medals and one bronze medal at prestigious competitions in California

Chateau Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

List price: $ 19.95; OUR PRICE $14.95

This wine offers classic Cabernet aromatics of black cherry, plum and currant as well as the opulent structure for which Souverain is known. The time spent aging in oak resulted in layered nuances of vanilla, fresh roast coffee, nutmeg and clove. This balanced wine is well-structured with fine-grained tannins that lead to a long, powerful finish

Taz Syrah, Goat Rock, Santa Maria Valley

List price: $27.50; OUR PRICE $19.95

A deliciously ripe wine, featuring black pepper and tobacco leaf notes which serve to moderate the juicy blackberry fruit. The wine was aged for 14 months in 100% French oak, in a combination of new, one year and two year old barrels. The result is a wine with lovely texture and softness

Chaucers Olallieberry Wine

List price: $12.00; OUR PRICE $9.99

This elegant dessert-style wine is produced from 100% pure fruit without the addition of artificial flavorings. Although the wine exhibits richness similar to a fine liqueur, it contains only 10% alcohol. Chaucers’ fruit wines can be enjoyed chilled, as an accompaniment to fine desserts, mixed with sparkling wine or served with your favorite dried fruit, nuts and cheeses.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

4 to 6 pm

$5.00 per person

Home of: ExecutiveGiftService.com

You may have noticed that after returning from Italy, I have had Italian wines on my mind. I have been shopping catalogue lists for older vintages of well aged wines as well as sampling the tidal wave of new entries to our market. The tidal wave is more like a tsunami in respect to the sheer volume of imports. Most European countries have hundreds of varietals, whereas Italy has thousands. It seems every conquering nation used Italy for its vineyard. Please forgive me my passion for these wines and the extended days of tasting allotted to these wonderful wines.

Masi Serego Alighieri Bianco
List price: $9.99; OUR PRICE $7.99
It was in 1353 that Pietro, son of the poet Dante Alighieri, purchased land and a villa in the hills of Valpolicella. The estate is still the property of the descendants of the author of the Divine Comedy. The Serego Alighieri family is the current owner of this Veneto property and operates under the technical supervision of Masi who also handles distribution throughout the world. This wine combines the bouquet of flowers and fruit of Sauvignon Blanc (30%) with the delicate elegance of the Garganega grape (70%), with its characteristic aftertaste of almonds.

Antinori Tormaresca Chardonnay, Puglia
List price: $10.99; OUR PRICE $9.95
Florence-based Piero Antinori made the decision to invest in the southern Italian region of Puglia in 1998. Viticulture is nothing new to Puglia where vines have been in the ground since the 8th century, when the region was known as Magna Grecia or Greater Greece. The wine is partially barrel fermented which accounts for its buttery peach aromas and flavours, but you can also taste the minerals and the nearby sea influence on the nose and palate. A soft, fresh, ripe apple/citrus chardonnay with an elegant demeanor that reflects its European origins in flavor and style.

Masi Serego Alighieri Rosso
List price: $14.95; OUR PRICE $9.99
The collaboration between the Alighieri family and Masi has lasted for over 30 years, producing blends of Corvina grapes with Sangiovese. Brief ageing in cherry wood casks lends unique personality to the wine giving it a spicy, fruity body and easy drinkability.

Bersano Generala Barbera d’Asti
List price: $ 25.00; OUR PRICE $16.50
Based in Nizza Monferrato, the Bersano estate produces Asti and Monferrato wines, from the varietals Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto d’Alba, Gavi, Roero Arneis, Brachetto d’Acqui and even a grappa. The vineyards are located throughout Piemonte, but Bersano is best known for the long aging wines of Barolo. Here is an opportunity to try a well aged Barbera d’Asti from the 1998 vintage.

Tenuta Sant’Antonio Capitel del Monte Cabernet Sauvignon
List price: $22.50; OUR PRICE $12.95
Tenuta Sant’Antonio is located in the hills of the Valpolicella zone of Northern Italy, just to the north of Verona and a smidge west of Lago di Garda. This wine is quite intriguing as the grapes are air dried for up to a month before they are pressed, thus concentrating all the aromas, acids, sugars and flavors; a Cabernet in the Amarone-style, if you will. The wine opens after aeration with a plumy berry nose and finishes with mouth coating chocolate and cedar flavors. This is a big wine from an excellent vintage and is not for the squeamish.

Vietti Moscato d’Asti, Piemonte
List price: $14.00; OUR PRICE $11.95
Asti Spumante refers to a fully sparkling wine with straightforward sweet and fruity flavors that can be quite enjoyable as a dessert selection. Moscato d’Asti, on the other hand, is one of the world’s great wine styles. It is a low-alcohol, semi-sparkling wine with about half the carbonation of a typical sparkling wine. It is extremely aromatic with a complex perfume. The wine has a mild level of sweetness counterbalanced by vibrant acidity.

UPDATE: Pictures from the tasting…