Wine Party/Regal Wine Selection
Saturday, January 23, 2010
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
My buddy, Mark Sullivan of Regal Wines, has agreed to fill in for me this Saturday and will be pouring some of his favorite California Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Zinfandels. Mark is very personable and all to willing to expound upon some of the many fine wine companies he represents. He is also known in the trade as a heavy pourer, so be sure to tell him when you have had enough. I am joking, of course. Really, there is the occasional sobriety check point in our area and I went through the last one recently. I passed with flying colors, even though there was a six pack of beer in the seat next to me. Honestly. Please do guide yourselves accordingly.
I will return from vacation the next week and be here for yet another tasting event.
See you then.
2007 Cambria Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley, Katherine’s Vineyard
List price 19.50; our price 15.95
Connoisseur Guide lists this wine a “Good Value”: “This one may be a few dollars less pricey than [others], but we like its more open, fruity style and its mix of Meyer lemon, vanilla and chalky notes. Its flavors are delivered along with a pleasantly supple entry impression, and if the wine firms up a bit at the back, that is to its good as well in that it invites service with dishes ranging from the sweeter white fishes like Sole Amandine to baked chickens with pan gravies”.
2007 Byron Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley
List price 23.00; our price 17.95
Staying true to the consistent nature of Chardonnay from this cool coastal appellation, Byron’s Chardonnay combines vibrant fruit character with a rich texture and a silky finish. Aromas of orange blossom, Anjou pear and hazelnut are accented by hints of mineral and toasty oak. On the palate, the wine is well balanced with traces of peach, mandarin orange and toasty brown spice with a long, lingering finish.
2006 Stonestreet Chardonnay, Alexander Valley
List price 27.00; our price 23.99
Wine Advocate gave this wine a 92 point rating: “The 2006 Chardonnay Alexander Valley is a beautiful wine that exhibits notes of honeysuckle, poached pear, and tropical fruit in a medium to full-bodied style, with crisp acidity and a long, very subtle, smoky oakiness. Drink through 2010.” We put aside some cases of this wine to let it evolve in the bottle and the payoff has arrived…delicious!
2008 Byron Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
List price 24.00; our price 19.99
In 1964 Uriel Nielson planted Santa Barbara County’s first commercial vineyard, and the Byron estate is located on the same site as those original plantings. All of the fruit for this Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir comes from that estate’s sandy loam soils. A combination of older and younger vine fruit, the 2008 is concentrated yet bright, with cherry and plum character, hints of rose, smoke and cookie spices. Earthier at its core than the nose would hint, the wine is still loaded with juicy cherry and plum fruit accented by smoke and spice and framed by fine tannins.
2006 Taft Street Zinfandel, Russian River Valley
List price 22.00; our price 17.99
The grapes for this wine were selected from the 100+ year old Cobblestone Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, located on the gentle rolling hills east of the town of Windsor. This is amazingly good rich and plumy old vine Zinfandel for the price.
2007 Edmeades Vineyards Zinfandel, Shamrock V., Mendocino Co.
List price 32.50; our price 28.99
At 2,800 feet, Shamrock Vineyard is one of the highest elevation vineyard sites in Mendocino County, on the northern border of Humboldt County. The vineyard sits on a small 2.1-acre site perched high above the fog line and is a true mountain grown Zin. Van Williamson has been the winemaker since 1994 and is preeminent on the subject of Zinfandel. At first, the aromas hit you with mixed berries covered with a cherry liqueur with hints of floral, citrus and black pepper. In the mouth you get chocolate, dried cherries, vanilla spice and notes of earthiness.
