Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, October 25, 2008
4 to 6 pm

$5.00 per person
       Home of: ExecutiveGiftService.com
611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #1, Palm Springs, 92264,
760-327-7701, 800-925-0030

Last month we visited several of the California wineries owned by the Gallo family.  This Saturday Paul Chatterton, of Wine Warehouse Distibutors will be  sampling us on wines from Australia, Italy, Spain and New Zealand that are owned or distributed by the Gallos.  It is an impressive portfolio that could keep us in a course of exploration for more time than we have.  The Gallo brothers created a vast distribution network many decades ago shipping railroad tanker cars filled with bulk wine across the country.  Having succeeded in spreading the availability of their products, they realized that their pipeline could handle the flow of many more products and the imports were a logical extention of that strategy.

2007 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
15.99
The grapes were machine harvested at night, destemmed and lightly pressed with minimal skin contact.  The clear juice was fermented at very low temperature with selected yeast strains to preserve the desired fruit flavors.  A very small amount of residual sugar was retained to balance the crisp natural acidity inherent in the region’s Sauvignon Blanc.  The wine shows fresh passion fruit and gooseberry aromas, some pungent capsicum nuances, and a hint of ripe grapefruit.  On the palate it is a full flavored medium bodied wine, with an abundance of currant, passion fruit and gooseberry flavors, and a clean, lingering finish

2007 Maso Canali Pinot Grigio, Trentino, Italy
16.99
The Trentino area and, as well, the Alto Adige has a cool, Mediterranean microclimate, providing the perfect terroir for growing Pinot Grigio grapes.  The grapes for this wine came from hillside vineyards that seem to produce the best wine grapes.  The wine has a brilliant golden color with aromas of tropical fruit and apricot.  This Pinot Grigio is well-balanced and fleshier than most with ripe flavors of apple and pear, leading into a clean crisp finish.

2006 Martín Códax Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain
12.95
Martín Códax was a Galician Troubadour who lived some 7 centuries ago; his writings were rediscovered in the last century by an antiquarian bookseller in Madrid.  The name was given to the winery what produces this Albariño by the same name.  I came across this Federico Garcia Lorca comment: “In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world.”  I’m not entirely certain why I should use it now, but I like it very much.  Bodegas Martín Códax also produces Burgans Albariño, at a lesser price, as well as herb and coffee liqueurs.  This stylish wine is, round, fruity and refreshingly dry.  It appears pale straw with a greenish tint.  The aromas remind one of Mandarin orange, lime, pear and flower blossoms.  It is medium-bodied, juicy and tart on the tongue.  The pear and citrus medley flavors play out over a lengthy dry finish.

2005 Da Vinci Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
9.99
The Cantine Leonardo da Vinci is located between Florence, Siena and Pisa near (where else?) the town of Vinci.  Hillside vineyards are the source of the grapes that produce all three Chiantis for this winery.  This straight forward Chianti is a delightful quaffer and pasta accompaniment.  The flavors of strawberries and plums carry through to a bright finish.

2006 Martín Códax Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain
12.95
Tempranillo from Rioja is considered to be of the highest quality.  This is a modern-style Rioja, exhibiting dark, robust, plush fruit and smooth tannins.  This wine has lots of body and structure, as well as multiple layers of berry, plum & spice.

2004 Clarendon Hills Grenache, Old Vines, Blewitt Springs Vineyard, Australia
49.95
This “New World Winery of the Year” produced its first vintage in 1990.  Within four years, it had become not only the country’s highest rated winery, but also one of the highest rated in the world.  Owner, Roman Bratasiuk, produces 16 wines, focusing on Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  All are ripe, concentrated and powerful.