Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, July 25, 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

Besides the fine wines being produced at Gallo Sonoma Winery, the parent company has purchased other California wineries and continues the tradition of making fine wines at these venerable properties, as well.  Most are recognizable, such as Louis Martini, Rancho Zabaco, MacMurray Ranch, Bridlewood Estate, Frei Brothers and Mirassou Winery.  We have received the latest vintages from these wineries and will be showing them off this Saturday.  Representing Gallo at our event will be Market Specialist, Debbie Pellkofer.  She is a font of information on all these properties and will cheerfully answer any questions while pouring some excellent examples of the winemaker’s art.

2006 Bridlewood Chardonnay, Monterey County
List price 11.99; our price 9.99
This aromatic Chardonnay displays ripe aromas and pure flavors of nectarine, Mandarin oranges and fresh apples.  Notes of vanilla and spice lead to a rich mid-palate structured with a lime and mineral finish.  Excellent value-priced wine.

2007 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Gris, Sonoma Coast
List price 18.95; our price 14.99
This Pinot Gris (or Pinot Grigio) possesses an expressive fruit-forward character, exhibiting rich aromas of fig and white peach.  The bright aromas and complex varietal characters of citrus and elements of spice add both weight and interest to the wine.  The flavors of peach, spicy pear and citrus are melded together in a rich core, resulting in a round mouthfeel which complements its crisp, clean finish.

2007 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir, Central Coast
List price 19.95; our price 14.99
Here is an affordable introduction to the cool-climate wonders of Central Coast Pinot Noir, specifically, the Santa Lucia Highlands.  It is a clean, red-fruited wine with hints of cola sweet spices that carry from the nose to the palate.  Also noticeable are elements of vanilla, clove, cherries and cranberries.  It is easy to drink and a bargain as well.

2006 Bridlewood Syrah, Central Coast
List price 14.99; our price 11.50
The wine opens with aromas of smoke, cedar, and chocolate leading to bright cherry fruit framed with spicy oak.  As it evolves, a nose of dark fruits and violet flowers gives way to dark chocolate.  On the palate, this wine shows rich flavors of blackberry, dark cherry and sweet brown spice with a hint of mocha.  It is full of soft, chewy tannins, proceeding through a long, clean finish.

2007 Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County
List price 14.95; our price 10.75
The nose is packed with layers of caramel, cinnamon, candy and hints of mint, with a prevalence of fruit over oak.  Also, there are sweet aromas of black currants, licorice, and cedar.  This is a spicy, full-flavored wine, with good body, fruit and firm tannins ending with an engaging, strong finish.

2005 Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County
List price 21.95; our price 16.75
This fine Cab exhibits a deep garnet, color with intense aromas of cedary oak, currents and black cherries.  Concentrated flavors of ripe plums, chocolate and tobacco marry perfectly with the oak nuances.  It is a well structured wine that is balanced with firm, velvety tannins that culminate in a long, elegant finish.  It received a Double Gold at the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and a 91 point rating from Wine and Spirits Magazine.

2007 Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel, Sonoma Heritage Vines, Sonoma
List price 15.95; our price 11.99
Rancho Zabaco was one of the original Mexican land grants in Northern Sonoma.  This Zin specialist has produced a blend of 90.4% Zinfandel, 6.1% Petite Sirah and 2.5% Syrah that explodes with loads of ripe raspberry flavors; long and round in the aftertaste.  It delivers an abundance of black fruits and spice, demonstrating the classic and distinctive characteristics of Zinfandel.  The soft, plumy, and jammy flavors and textures make this wine not only approachable, but also versatile, allowing it to be paired with a wide range of foods.

2007 Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Reserve, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma
List price 18.95; our price 15.50
This wonderful Zin has a richly fragrant nose of ripe, sweet spiced blackberries, concentrated cherries and sweet stony minerals.  It is mouth-filling, ripe, and full, with concentrated fruit and very good balance for such a ripe wine.  It has a very long, spicy, richly-fruited finish, with a bit of gravel making showing through at the end.  There is a fair amount of soft tannins to add a bit of structure.