Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, November 29, 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

We have yet to focus our attention on Mendocino County exclusively but Saturday we will remedy our oversight.  Specifically, we will visit two wineries; one in the Potter Valley that goes by the unlikely name of Naughty Boy and the other from the Ridgewood Ranch, former home of Seabiscuit.  No surprise, the latter winery is named Seabiscuit Ranch.�
In the late 90’s Jim and Emjay Scott planted the Naughty Boy Vineyards to Pinot Noir grapes and are currently producing nearly 500 cases a year.  The winery was featured in an article in Savor Wine Country magazine to introduce the Potter Valley appellation through which flow the East Fork headwaters of the Russian River.  Seabiscuit Ranch vineyards are located on a southern portion of the original Ridgewood Ranch located just 20 miles from the Mendocino coastline.  It was here that the legendary Seabiscuit was retired in 1940 shortly after climaxing his career by setting the track record at Santa Anita.

2006 Naughty Boy Chardonnay, Potter Valley
11.99
The source of Naughty Boy Chardonnay comes from a small vineyard owned and farmed by Larry and Danny Thornton in the Potter Valley appellation.  Here at the Russian River’s headwaters are excellent growing conditions of ancient mineral-rich soils coupled with warm days and extremely cold nights that ultimately instill in the wine complex flavors of fruit and spice.  Winemaker Greg Graziano uses the traditional Burgundian method of barrel fermenting in French oak to handcraft this lush Chardonnay

2006 Seabiscuit Ranch Chardonnay, Mendocino
18.49
The grapes for this wine came exclusively from a terraced hillside vineyard along Reeves Canyon, part of the original Ridgewood Ranch, Seabiscuit’s retirement home.  Its gravelly soils and proximity to cooling influence of winds and fog that intrude off the Pacific Ocean make a distinctive style of fruit that defines the Chardonnay.  Delightfully crisp, and rich, this wine was fermented in small American oak barrels for ten months, following malolactic fermentation.  The secondary fermentation provided a buttery elegance to complement the clean ripe fruit flavors of green apples and pears.

2006 Naughty Boy Dolcetto, Potter Valley
17.95
The Dolcetto grape of Piedmont, Italy is translated as the “little sweet one” which may be a euphemism for its more commonly acidic and austere imported bottlings.  Seldom seen in Calif., a 5 year old, 3 acre planting in Talmage yielded this 1st bottling by Greg Graziano, also well versed in Italian varietals  It is medium bodied with a spicy, lush perfume and features red plum and cherry intermingled with sweet herbal and Zinfandel-like pepper notes.  Dolcetto is an excellent wine for Italian food pairings.  Only 178 cases were produced.

2005 Naughty Boy Pinot Noir, Potter Valley
22.50
Although the attempt is made by wine maker Greg Graziano to recreate the Burgundian style, this Pinot simply can’t help reflecting the lush fruit for which California is famous.  This wine received a 4-star rating from the Press Democrat of Santa Rosa: “Spicy and vibrant, Earthy with aromas and flavors of rose petal, dry cherry, strawberry and herbs. Fresh acidity.”

2005 Seabiscuit Ranch Merlot, Mendocino
18.49
The wine is smooth and inviting in the fruit-forward style showing plums, cherries and blackberries.  Red fruit flavors predominate, balanced with good acidity and a soft mouth-filling silky finish.  It was aged for sixteen months in small oak barrels after a small amount of Cabernet (16%) was blended-in to provide ripe fruit flavor complexity.

2004 Seabiscuit Ranch Trifecta, Mendocino
21.95
This “meritage” blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc shows soft tannins in a rich, fruit forward style with a gentile cloaking of spicy oak.  The wine has a deep purple color, concentrated ripe fruit aromas and flavors, and a medium to robust body.  It has soft tannins and is ideal for drinking now, yet will benefit from further bottle aging.

Saturday, November 22, 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

This Saturday we will be visited by Corina Vandever from importer Southern Starz from whom we buy quite a lot of wine.  The reason is quite simple: they bring in lots of good stuff.  With her will be George Gee of TGIC Imports who represents the Southern Starz portfolio in California.  Our southern hemisphere tour will take us to New Zealand, Chile, Australia and South Africa.  All of these wines are truly exceptional.

2008 Sherwood Estate Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
13.99
The fruit was harvested in the cool of the night and transported to the winery where only the free run and light pressed juice was used.  It was cool fermented for an average of 19 days, then left for an extended three month period of contact with the yeast lees.  The wine is fresh, offering up lively gooseberry and passion fruit aromas with a touch of cut grass.  The palate is rich and concentrated with a beautiful long finish.

2008 Montes Syrah Rosé “Cherub” Chile
9.99 (Sat. only: Buy 6 get 1 FREE)
After several years of experimentation, Aurelio Montes settled on producing a rosé from Syrah, a grape he made famous in Chile with the country’s first-ever Ultra Premium 100% Syrah called Montes’ Folly in 2002.  The wine follows a process of cold maceration where the must is left in contact with the skins overnight (for approximately eight hours) to fully extract color and aromas and infuse the wine with flavor.  Once the juice was racked until totally clear, it underwent alcoholic fermentation using selected yeast at 50º F for 20 days.  On the nose and the palate, it demonstrates a distinctive Syrah character with spiciness and hints of strawberries, rose and orange peel.  With good fruit concentration, it shows richness in texture across the palate that leads to a delightfully long finish.  It has a strong backbone of acidity and a slight amount of tannin that gives the wine a defined structure.

2005 Flinders Run Shiraz, Australia
29.50
This wine has received some serious accolades (albeit somewhat obscure):
95 pts Robert Parker, the Wine Advocate #173
Purple/black in color, the wine exhibits a big, brooding bouquet of pain grillé, pepper, Asian spices, blueberry, blackberry, and licorice. This leads to a full-bodied (15.2% alcohol), super-rich, plush wine with layers of spicy black fruit flavors, excellent balance, and a long, pure finish. For a wine of this size, it is remarkably light on its feet.
92 pts Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar 2007
Glass-staining ruby. Explosively perfumed nose offers a surreal array of dark fruits, oak spices, flowers and minerals. Fat but focused, with intense, spicy blackberry, cassis and floral pastille flavors. Gentle tannins add structure but can’t contain the wine’s expansive, sweet personality. Gains strength on the long, sappy finish. This has enormous immediate appeal.
91 pts Wine Spectator Web 12/21/07
Dense and peppery. A lively mouthful of dark-hued fruit and spice, lingering on the clear, focused, juicy finish. Fine tannins frame this nicely. Best from 2009 through 2015. 2,000 cases made.

2005 Black Pearl Vineyards, Oro, Paarl, South Africa
17.50
The name of the blend “Oro” comes from the God Oro, King of the Firmament, who gave the black pearl as a gift to the ocean. The vineyard is situated on the slopes of Paarl Mountain, and, after it has rained, Paarl Rock resembles a black pearl.  The blend is Shiraz (57%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (43%).  This is a rich wine with hints of clove and spices; plum, dark berries and licorice flavors. 

2007 Tait Winery “The Ball Buster”, Australia
17.50
The age of the vineyards that make up the 2007 Ball Buster Blend vary between 7 and 40 years.  Deep Black Purple. Intense aromas of blackcurrant, stewed plums, cherry, and chocolate. Full bodied berry palate with a sweet long lasting finish.  It received a 90-point rating from Stephen Tanzer International Wine Cellar just arriving on Wednesday at TGIF.

NV R.L. Buller & Son Muscat, Australia
14.75/375 ml
You can’t get too much better than a 97-point rating from Robert Parker, of The Wine Advocate: “This wine is nearly flawless. Fabulously perfumed as well as unctuously textured, it offers incredible notes of prunes, raisins, honey, molasses, roasted nuts, etc., etc. Australia continues to be a treasure trove for fortified, after-dinner wines. Once bottled, they do not change, and often age up to a decade where well stored. After opening, most will last for a week. This is one of the top wine discoveries of this year’s tastings. Many consumers are going to be overjoyed with this offering.”

Saturday, November 15, 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

This Saturday we will be visited by Garvey Daniels from American Wines & Spirits to be led through a tasting of wines that are  perfectly suitable for November entertaining.  You might even find the perfect Thanksgiving wine among the pearls listed below.  All offer value at their price point and plenty of pleasure at your table.  At least, It won’t hurt you to try, and your enjoyment if guaranteed.

NV Taltarni Brut Taché Sparkling Wine, Australia
14.95
This import of Clos du Val of Napa Valley is a great all-purpose wine.  Taché is a French word meaning ’stained’, referring to the pale salmon color of this enticing sparkling wine.  The Chardonnay (52%), Pinot Noir (41%) and Pinot Meunier (7%) grapes are estate grown at Taltarni and Clover Hill, Tasmania.  The grapes are picked at night to retain freshness and acidity.  Specially selected Pinot Noir or Malbec is added to ‘taché’ the wine after disgorgement, resulting in a zesty sparkling wine of rosy hue and a refined freshness.  Disgorgement is after a minimum of 18 months on lees in its original bottle.

2008 Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio, Australia
5.95
The ubiquitous Yellow Tail Winery makes a perfectly serviceable Pinot Grigio in the light and dry style.  As is typical of the varietal there are flavors of pears and green apples with a touch of minerality.  It is clean, crisp and refreshing…and
cheap.

2006 Wolfgang Vineyards Gruner Veltliner “Concerto”, Austria
13.99
The Celts settled in the Austria’s Burgenland around 700 BC, and proceeded forthwith to make wine, for use in their rituals and for daily consumption.  They began to develop sophisticated wine-making techniques which moreover improved when the Romans invaded present day Austria in the 1st century BC.  World War II made a hash of the vineyards there, but all is fine now.  This grape shows expressive fruit with typical pepper and grapefruit notes.�
It can be rendered in a light style or in a rich and flavorful style not unlike Chardonnay, without all the wood.   This is a favorite among Austrians, unless you wave a tankard of beer before them.

2007 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier, Napa
9.99
This wine scored 90 points in the Wine Advocate’s “Value Issue”: “2007 Chenin Blanc/Viognier is a perfumed beauty, (flowers, melons, tropical fruits), medium-bodied, super pure, with no oak and a dry, crisp finish.  Drink it over the next year.” (08/08).  I particularly like the flora and sweet exotic lychee fruit which is beautifully balanced with subtle citrus aromas.  It is bright on the palate with fresh pear and citrus flavors being framed by clean, refreshing acidity.  The wine’s off-dry style lends a touch of sweetness to the otherwise grapefruit-kissed, crisp finish.

2006 Saddlerock Chardonnay, Central Coast
9.99
Although we tasted this wine recently we are revisiting it because Garvey really likes it.  This wine is pale gold in color, with hints of apples and tropical fruits fused with floral notes of honeysuckle and lemon blossom.  Ask for his special deal.

2006 Taltarni Cabernet/Merlot “Three Monks”, Australia
14.95
The blend for this wine is Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (44%) and Petit Verdot (1%).  It displays classic black fruit and forest floor varietal characters complemented by soft, mocha oak flavors.  The long, fruit driven palate and firm, ripe tannins make this an ideal wine for drinking now or for aging for two to three years. 

2007 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
24.95
This wine shows blackberry, cassis, violets, cedar, tobacco, and hints of minerals and graphite.  It is sweet, densely packed and creamy in the mouth, but with firm, underlying structure that gives lift to the dark berry, chocolate, and coffee flavors.  This is a very lush, soft, complex wine that coats the palate and spreads out on the long, lingering finish.

Saturday, November 8, 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

This Saturday we will be tasting a cross section of wine varietals that would fit very nicely into your entertainment needs.  At this time we are thinking “Thanksgiving dinner”, but today’s wines would enhance any offering to your guests and family.  You might even think of enhancing your own pleasure. 

2006 Saddlerock Chardonnay, Central Coast
9.99
The Semler family owns the 1000 acre Saddlerock Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains.  This Chardonnay is from their Malibu Family Wines offering which is produced in Santa Maria.  This wine is pale gold in color, with hints of apples and tropical fruits fused with floral notes of honeysuckle and lemon blossom.

2007 Zilliken Riesling “Butterfly”, Saar Valley, Germany
22.50
The Zilliken family of winemakers goes back over 250 years producing wines mostly from their Saarburger Vineyards.  The wine is medium dry and focuses on apple and pear fruit.  The fruity elements are held in check by the steely minerality that is typical of the area.

2007 Schnaitmann Rosé “Evoe!”, Wurttemberg, Germany
17.50
This dry rosé is absolutely lovely.  It is a blend of Pinot Noir and Trollinger grapes which give it a rich mouth feel.  Besides the full flavored berry character there is a complexity created by the interplay of spices and herbs, including a hint of cinnamon.

2005 Trentadue Red Wine “Old Patch Red”, Sonoma
11.95
Leo and Evelyn Trentadue have been making wine in Geyserville forever, it seems…and doing a fine job.  The blend here is Zinfandel (70%), Petite Sirah (20%), Carignane (5.5%) and Syrah (4.5%).  Trentadue offers this as a “bistro” style wine leaning towards the jammy berry end of the spectrum.  There is a plumy character that yields to black cherries and is enhanced by pepper and other spices.  The Sonoma County Harvest Fair presented this wine a gold medal and “Best of Class” award.

2006 Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon “Ultra”, Argentina
17.99
The Montez Winery of Chile has a sister winery in Argentina producing most exceptional wines.  Their regular Cabs and Malbecs are excellent values, but the “ultras” are amazing.  This wine has a deep ruby red color, while showcasing red fruit flavors with spices and cedar notes.  There is considerable elegance and complexity on the nose, owing largely to the French oak in which most of it is aged.  In the mouth there is a unique combination between the Cab’s intensity, given by the old vines some 50 years of age, combined with the silkiness of the tannins.  Could age at least 10 years.

2003 Krohn Port L.B.V., Portugal
17.99
The time for delving into Ports is upon us.  This is a fine rich Tawny aged 4 years in cask and bottled in 2007.  Krohn’s LBV Ports are neither fined nor filtered and may thus throw some sediment.  You may want to decant them before serving, just to be on the safe side, or pour very carefully after opening.  This 2003 is an affordable, fruity wine to drink after a meal with cheese, nuts and all types of melon and berries, or just to sit, sip and savor.  It is really good.