Saturday, June 6, 2009
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
Those of you who were not able to attend last Saturday’s event missed out on an impromptu attempt to pair cupcakes with the wines being poured. The delicious pastries are made by Sisters Cupcakes by Design from Cathedral City (www.sisterscupcakes.com), 760-328-5620. Josie and Sandy, who are indeed sisters, provided us an array of cupcakes from lemon-coconut to chocolate-raspberry. I was quite skeptical when the idea was first suggested, but was amazed at the good reception we received, not to mention the sheer fun of it all. We decided to repeat the event this weekend, but announce it in advance. These baked jewels will go well with the wines we have selected, but you do have to like cupcakes.
Zonin Prosecco Sparkling Wine, Italy
Regular price 11.00; our price 8.99
This is a very tasty sparkling wine, though without being overly carbonated. The fruit is soft and pear-like and there are just enough sweet elements to remove the acidic edge one gets from Champagne. Besides making an excellent Bellini cocktail, this Prosecco should pair well with the cupcakes.
2006 Annie’s Lane Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia
Regular price 13.50; our price 7.99
This Riesling is pale straw in color with green hues. The nose shows the classic, elegant characters of Clare Valley Riesling: dried Lime rind, citrus and stone fruit. The palate is tight and elegant, with lime flavors dominating throughout. It can be enjoyed as an apèritif or as the perfect accompaniment to fruits de mer. Its impressive length and natural acidity will allow for graceful aging over the next 5 years.
Grandial Muscat Rosé Sparkling Wine, France
Regular price 12.00; our price 9.99
This is a fruity elegant sparkling wine with fine bubbles and a fresh palate. It is slightly sweet and should pair well with our cupcake selection. This is a great price for this fruit-forward sparkling wine with fine bubbles and fresh palate.
2005 PKNT Carmenère Reserve, Rapel Valley, Chile
Regular price 9.00; our price 6.99
The wine is smooth and full bodied with a dark red color. In the nose it has red cherries and plums with a touch of toasty oak. There are hints of chocolate and berries in a setting of round tannins; soft but well structured.
2006 Yangarra Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia
Regular price 20.95; our price 17.99
Rich spice, blackberry fruit, and hints of sweet vanilla are the hallmarks of this remarkable Shiraz. On the palate, the wine is rich and full-bodied, with intense blackberry and dark cherry flavors, although soft tannins. It was aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels to encourage the smoky, toasty oak flavors which, in turn, frame the rich, plush dark berry and plum flavors giving way to a balanced black pepper finish.
2006 Yangarra Cadenzia, McLaren Vale, Australia
Regular price 23.00; our price 19.99
This is a blend supposedly inspired by the opera term for an improvised personal expression at the end of an Aria (usually seen as “Cadenza”). This blend of Grenache (68%), Shiraz (27%) and Mourvèdre (5%) blends together the array of flavors and terroirs of the estate, and is very representative of the McLaren Vale appellation in general. The full flavor experience evokes blackberry, Bing cherry, mulberry, plums, nuts and subdued oak flavors slowly tapering off to a lingering finish.
