Archive for March, 2011

Wines of Northern Italy

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

Saturday, April 2, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited against purchase of the featured wines below

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

There is an interesting dichotomy between Italian wines and California wines. The former are made in a manner to accompany food, while the latter are judged upon how well they stand alone. Of course, the Italians, like the French, are complete “foodies”. They typically do not eat without drinking wine or drink without eating. Californians frequently are content to savor the luxury of a fine rich wine, white or red, and forgo the accompanying hors d’oeuvres. How many times have you indulged with friends in a glass or wine (or so) without so much as a cracker within reach? As such, you are hereby reminded to enjoy our food assortment as you sample your way through some of the jewels of Northern Italy.

2009 Villa Sonia Pinot Grigio delle Venezie

List price 11.95; our price 9.99

The wine shows strong floral scents; rose-like with nectarine fruit. At first it suggests a Viognier wine, but the customary minerality brings it back into focus. There is indeed some stone fruit character: peach, nectarine and apricot. It does have good body and offers a decent finish. The slight bitterness in the finish indicates, as mentioned above, a wine made to accompany food.

2009 Anselmi Bianco, San Vincenzo, Veneto

List price 13.50; our price 11.99

In 2000, Roberto Anselmi chose to leave the Soave DOC, and his wines are now labeled as IGT Veneto. This was due to his frustration by the low quality and general lack of ambition in the Soave region. His clones of Garganega (the white variety of Soave) are the less productive, higher quality ones. The San Vincenzo blend is 80% Garganega, 15% Chardonnay and 5% Trebbiano varietal, with no wood, done in a fruity, youthful style. The wine is crisp with scents of minerals, apple, banana and lemon blossoms. It is medium-bodied, dry and fresh, with notes of citrus fruit, pear, grapefruit and hints of hazelnut. Try it with smoked or grilled fish, shellfish, lobster salad or roast chicken.

2007 Vigneti Sant’ Helena Sauvignon, Collio

List price 14.95; our price 9.99

This dry Sauvignon Blanc has stunning gooseberry fruit, balanced with suggestions of yellow peppers, banana and melon with a wonderfully long, flint finish. It is produced by the venerable house of Fantinel from estates in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, north-east Italy, ostensibly the most acclaimed area in Italy for the production of this varietal.

2008 Fontanafredda Barbera, Briccotondo, Piemonte

List price 12.00; our price 8.99

Fontanafredda has done an outstanding job of making a wine with real, vibrant flavors that just jump out of the glass. They’ve also done an amazing job of softening Barbera’s sometime forceful acidity to make this wine supremely pleasant for anyone to drink. Try this cherry infused charmer with foods from the BBQ or your favorite pasta.

2009 Quattro Mani Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

List price 11.95; our price 9.99

Quattro Mani, or “four hands” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is an outstanding value. Montepulciano is an extraordinarily versatile grape producing prodigious quantities of good quality wine. When grown with the idea of making a higher quality wine it shows its extraordinary complexity. It is bursting with spicy fruit and is supple, soft, balanced and vividly flavored. An outstanding wine for everyday use!

2006 Zenato Cormi, Veneto

List price 23.50; our price 19.99

This 50-50 blend of Corvina and Merlot is ruby red in color, with a bouquet of red berry fruit, blackberry and cherry. It is aged in neutral, medium-size oak barrels giving it a full-throttle style. The Cormi reveals incredible concentration and density on the palate. The strong minerality and freshness of the Corvina is complemented by the full-flavor and sweet tannins of the Merlot. It is an elegant, full-bodied red, ideal for cellaring for a few years. Enjoy with Mediterranean cuisine as well as grilled and roasted meats.

Posted in Food Painings, imports, Italian wine, Sauvignon Blanc, wine knowledge | 2 Comments »

Joel Gott Wines

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Saturday, March 26, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited against purchase of the featured wines below

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

We have made a big buy of Joel Gott wines and figured this was a great time to reintroduce the line-up from this fine wine maker. His wines are remarkable values, offering gobs of classic California fruit, good structure and excellent balance. Joel Gott Wines was established in 1996 with the production of Amador County Zinfandel. Joel had purchased five tons of fruit from boyhood neighbor Tom Dillian and made the wine with then-girlfriend Sarah, a winemaker in Napa Valley. The subsequent 1997 vintage of Dillian Ranch Zinfandel marked not only Sarah and Joel’s marriage, but also the first significant reviews of the wine in respected publications. The success of the 1997 vintage allowed Joel to purchase fruit from twelve different vineyards throughout Northern California in 1999. Joel and Sarah originally intended to produce single-vineyard Zinfandels with these grapes but found during tastings that the wine was much more balanced when blended. They adjusted their plans and released their first California Zinfandel, which sold out in one week. Two products we will be pouring are not Joel’s but should prove enjoyable.

Buble Brut Sparkling Wine, Mendocino

List price 27.00; our price 23.95

For more than two decades the Elke Family has grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay first for Mumm Napa, and later for Roederer Estates. This is a special bottling that has received very good press. It is a dry brut made from grapes grown in select Mendocino vineyards. The blend is 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir.

2009 Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc, California

List price 12.95; our price 9.99

The 2009 Sauvignon Blanc bursts with tropical notes of mango, lemon, lime, citrus, lychee, pineapple, and guava. The wine has good minerality and balanced acidity and ends with a long finish. Wine Enthusiast awarded it 88 points: “Lots going on for the price on this dry clean Sauvignon Blanc. It has rich flavors of tart citrus fruits, minerals and white flowers. A very pleasant and versatile white wine.”

2008 Joel Gott Zinfandel, California

List price 14.95; our price 12.99

The 2008 Joel Gott California Zinfandel boasts aromas of cocoa, raspberries, and ripe strawberries. On the palate the wine is round and juicy with flavors of pepper, anise, dark cherry and spice, ending with a lingering finish. Wine Enthusiast gave it 88 points: “A great Zinfandel for the price. It’s dry and elegant, with a mouthfeel somewhere between Pinot Noir and Merlot. Really balanced, with soft tannins and acids framing oak-tinged berry and spice flavors”

2008 Joel Gott Zinfandel, Mohr-Fry Ranches, Lodi

List price 19.95; our price 17.50

Nestled between the San Francisco Bay and the Sierra Foothills, the sandy soil of the Lodi Delta enjoys a consistent Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool nights. Generations of grape growers settled here including the Mohrs in the 1850s. At that time the farm was dedicated to row crops and breeding iris. It is now planted to cherry trees, heirloom bean plants and the vineyards. The 2008 shows intense, structured fruit from very old (some 100 years) vines giving great depth and complexity. There is a small amount of old vine Alicante Bouchet in the blend. Look for flavors of anise, plums, cherries and blackberries. Truly a “classic” old style Zin at a very value-oriented price.

2008 Joel Gott Zinfandel, Dillian Ranch, Amador County

List price 25.00; our price 22.99

The grapes come from Tom Dillian’s 20-acre ranch in Plymouth, California, where the mineral-rich red soils and longer growing season create a unique expression of the varietal. The wine has aromas of black cherry, plum, blackberry and pepper spice complimented by sweet tannins, elegant minerality and flavors of ripe fruit, mocha, vanilla and spice.

Dooley’s Toffee Cream Liqueur, Germany

List price 26.00; our price 23.99

Dooley’s, it is very smooth with no bite and offers light alcohol warmth in the back of your throat. Bailey’s, by comparison, has more whisky burn, when you drink it neat. The flavor is pleasantly bold and is comprised of caramel toffee, chocolate, and cream with vanilla coming through. The finish is smooth and buttery; sweet like a dessert.

Posted in California wine, Mendocino, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling wines, wine knowledge, zinfandel | No Comments »

Graham’s Port & Blandy’s Madeira

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

Saturday, March 19, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited against purchase of the featured wines below

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

This is a fine opportunity to discover (or rediscover) the amazing world of Port and Madeira. Even if you are not a fan of dessert wines, you can surely appreciate the chance to sample and learn about the various styles offered. W & J Graham’s was founded in Oporto, Portugal’s second city, in 1820 by the two brothers William and John Graham. In 1890, Graham’s became one of the first Port companies to invest in Upper Douro vineyards with the acquisition of the famous property; Quinta dos Malvedos, recognized as one of the Douro Valley’s finest ‘river Quintas’. Today, Graham’s is owned by the Symington Family whose ancestry in the Port trade spans a period of over 350 years, through 13 generations to the present generation of Symingtons, who are owners and managers of Graham’s and the family’s other Port companies. The Blandys owned and managed their wine company nearly 2 centuries from 1811 to 2003. The Symington Family now promotes these Madeira wines world-wide.

Graham’s Porto “Six Grapes”

List price 22.00; our price 19.99

This is a big-hearted wine, sourced from the same vineyards (essentially Quinta dos Malvedos and Quinta das Lages) that contribute to Graham’s famed Vintage Ports in ‘declared’ years. As such, it closely resembles Graham’s Vintage Port style: full-bodied, with rich opulent black fruit on the palate and fragrant brambly aromas. Think of it as the ‘everyday Port for the Vintage Port drinker.’ Six Grapes is bottled relatively young (between 3 and 4 years) in order to retain the freshness and vigor comparable to a young Vintage Port. It has a seductive rich perfume of ripe plums and cherries. On the palate, it is complex, with a good structure and a long lingering finish.

2005 Graham’s Porto Late Bottled Vintage

List price 22.00; our price 19.99

The wines for this blend are selected from the finest production of a very good year, but unlike a ‘declared’ Vintage Port – which is bottled in its second year, ‘LBV’ matures for an average of 5 years in seasoned oak casks prior to bottling (hence the term, ‘Late Bottled’). This wood-ageing encourages the wine’s development and it is therefore ready to drink sooner than Vintage Port. As with the latter, Late Bottled Vintage Ports are sourced primarily from the Malvedos vineyard. The 2005 has a bouquet of great complexity, combining vibrant youthful aromas of jammy red fruits such as raspberries with hints of peppery spice. On the palate it is rich and full-bodied, with concentrated flavors of wild berries and nuances of black chocolate balanced by well structured tannins, leading to a long, firm finish.

Graham’s Port 10-year-old Tawny

List price 31.00; our price 27.99

The deep amber color is certainly “tawny”. The complex nutty aromas of orange peel and marzipan combine with hints of honey and figs. It is flavorful with rich fruitcake spiciness and hints of walnuts, beautifully mellowed, which lead to an elegant, long finish.

Blandy’s Malmsey Madeira 5-year

List price 23.99; our price 21.75

Blandy’s 5 year old Malmsey, produced from the Malvasia grape, was aged in American oak casks in the traditional ‘Canteiro’ system. This comprises of the gentle heating of the wine in the lofts of the lodges in Funchal. Over the years the wine is transferred from the top floors to the middle floors and eventually to the ground floor where it is cooler. Afterwards, the wine underwent racking and fining before the blend was assembled and bottled. The wine is dark, golden brown with the characteristic Madeira bouquet of raisins, toffee and nuts. It is sweet with a rich, full bodied, honeyed and complex finish and beautifully balanced acidity.

Blandy’s Rainwater Madeira

List price 16.95; our price 14.99

This wonderful wine combines soft fruit with a dry nutty quality. Serve lightly chilled as an apéritif. Madeira has a long history of use in cuisine where its fine bouquet adds a subtle yet recognizable nuance to sauces.

Blandy’s Sercial Madeira 5-year

List price 23.99; our price 21.75

Best served chilled as an aperitif, this dry Madeira has soft fruit with a hint of nuttiness and a clean, crisp finish.
Wine Enthusiast awarded it 91-points: “In a recent series of entry-level Madeiras, this was a standout, offering excellent complexity and richness at a reasonable price.”

Posted in dessert wine, imports, Madeira, Port, wine knowledge | No Comments »

Argentine Wines, More Arrivals

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Saturday, March 12, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited against purchase of the featured wines below

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

Argentine wines continue to amaze as great buys abound. So many new bottlings have arrived recently that we are scheduling a second look in as many weeks. Unique packaging and a move to organic-designated grapes are becoming part of the norm. This is a great opportunity to sample and discuss the state of the industry as it pertains to Argentina and to your wallet as well.

2009 Matthew Cain Yellow + Blue Torrontés, Cafayate, Salta

List price 11.95; our price 9.99/Liter

Cafayate is the high, sunny valley in the Salta province of Northern Argentina where the Torrontés grape grows so very well. In this case you can taste it in a wine like Yellow + Blue, which Matthew Cain sources from organically farmed vineyards and vinifies it with natural yeasts. In keeping with its “green” pedigree, it’s packaged in Tetra Pak cartons, which are far lighter than glass bottles and take up less room. This is a big plus if wine bottles do not fit well in your fridge, or if you are to carry some wine in your back-pack. This is a dry Torrontés with spicy yellow fruit and floral blossom aromas leading to a dry, clean palate. It is a very well made, tasty wine with good bracing acid.

2009 Matthew Cain Yellow + Blue Malbec, San Juan

List price 11.95; our price 9.99/Liter

Argentina’s San Juan Province is the country’s second largest wine-producing region, located approximately 2,000 feet above sea level near the Chilean border. The Tetra Pak packaging is interesting in that a case of wine in glass weighs 40 pounds and holds 9 liters of wine, whereas a case of Yellow+Blue weighs 26 pounds and holds 12 liters of wine. This earth-friendly, un-oaked Malbec is made from organically grown grapes, as well, and is hand-harvested and fermented with indigenous yeasts. It is medium bodied and dry, with medium acidity, light tannins, moderate intensity, and showing blackberry, plum, and raspberry fruits.

2009 Bodega Elena de Mendoza Red Blend, Mendoza

List price 9.95; our price 8.50

Bodega Elena de Mendoza is named after the family matriarch Elena Napoli, whose parents emigrated from Italy to the heart of Argentina’s wine country in the nineteenth century. The rich, smooth flavors of this wine are an interesting combination of Malbec, Syrah and Bonarda. With dried cherry characteristics, this plush, dark blend is ideal when served alongside barbecued meats.

2008 Filus Malbec Reserve, Mendoza

List price 18.00; our price 14.99

Contrary to other Argentine wineries, Filus Wines was conceived as a New World wine exporter from the beginning in 1997 and its products are made to meet new generation drinker preferences. Both the wine and packaging designing processes relay on targeting Australian and Californian wine drinkers, who are willing to taste new wines from exotic origins. This elegant Malbec is deep ruby red with violet tones and has an intense and bright bouquet with ripe fruit flavors of plums, red currants and raspberries. Ageing in French oak for 12 months enhances and adds complexity to the deep fruit character. The wine received a GOLD MEDAL at the Argentina Wine Awards in 2010.

2009 Bodega Colomé Amalaya Malbec, Valle Calchaqui, Salta

List price 20.00; our price 17.99

Bodega Colomé is owned by Donald Hess, the Swiss entrepreneur who founded Hess Collection wines. The wine is sourced from the highest known altitude Malbec vineyards, averaging 7,500 to 8,000 feet. Founded in 1831, Bodega Colomé is one of the oldest working wineries in Argentina. Amalaya is bright ruby colored and dense with a very fruity nose of red cherries, raspberries and spices. It has a fresh palate, and finishes with soft and round tannins. This vintage remains unrated, but the 2007 Amalaya received 91 points in the Wine Spectator.

FresitaSparkling Wine with Strawberry Infusion

List price 19.00; our price16.95

Well, the wine actually is made in Chile, but the strawberries, at least, are from Argentina. Fresita (“strawberries” in Spanish) is a unique product made from premium Chilean sparkling wine infused with hand picked strawberries from Patagonia and the Andes Mountains. Fresita is naturally produced and has no added sugar from 100% natural strawberry pulp. Enjoy it as an apéritif or dessert wine, for special occasions or to simply to unwind with friends.

Posted in Apéritifs, Argentina, bargain, Blends, Chile, dessert wine, imports, Malbec, sparkling wines, wine knowledge, wine party | No Comments »

Wine Blends

Saturday, March 5th, 2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited against purchase of the featured wines below

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

Practically all wine in a bottle is a blend of some sort, unless it comes from a single barrel. Even a Cabernet Sauvignon from one vintage at one winery is a blend of the barrels within the cuvée. The winemaker must decide which barrels will recreate the “house style” and reject those that detract. The latter go either into a second label or get sold off; or if specific barrels are on the superlative side, they may become a “reserve”. This is a gamble because it is bound to take something away from the main offering. In the case of wines bottled as “blends” the winemaker gets to strut his stuff. This is where the “art” of winemaking comes to the fore. It is truly exciting to have various varietals to mix together in an effort to create a blend that is better than the sum of its parts.

Rex-Goliath Free Range Red, California

List price 7.99; our price 5.99

The deep purple hue is quite inviting. . It has a rich aroma of pepper and blackberry. The flavor begins slightly sweet and tasting of berries, graduating to a mélange of spice with a lingering finish. It’s shows good weight on the palate for a wine at this price. The wine exhibits a velvet finish due to the soft tannins and understated acidity.

2007 Magnificent Wine Co. House Red Wine, Columbia Val, WA

List price 10.00; our price 8.99

Inviting blueberry, leather and cedar notes tempt you as they swirl in the glass. Juicy cherry, cassis and cola flavors marry on the palate leading to soft, rounded tannins on the finish. Wine Spectator gave this wine an 89 point rating: “On the lighter side, showing lovely red berry and sweet red pepper flavors that settle gently onto a bed of silky tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2014.”

Foppiano Lot 96 Red Wine, California

List price 11.95; our price 9.99

The name “Lot 96″ was chosen to reflect Foppiano’s original roots, dating back to 1896. Over a hundred years later the winery is still family owned and operated. The blend in this bottling is: 28% Sangiovese, 19% Petite Sirah, 17% Zinfandel, 14% Carignane, 10% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Lot 96, Bin 002 has a bright bouquet full of red fruit aromas; raspberry jam and red currants. Added notes of cherry blossoms develop with trailing scents of cedar, vanilla bean and toasty oak. The palate follows nose with more jammy raspberry flavors. This wine is easy and accessible with nice fruit to acid balance.

2008 Three Rivers Winery River’s Red, Columbia Valley, WA

List price 14.95; our price 11.99

This blend comes from several vineyards including Three Rivers’ estate vineyard. It is comprised primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, with Merlot, Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot rounding out the vibrant and complex profile. Unmistakable notes of juicy red plum, bramble berries, cranberries and sweet baking spices comprise the bouquet. Flavors of ripe berry, cherry and plum are balanced by soft, supple tannins and a generous, yet approachable mouth feel.

2007 Estancia Meritage, Paso Robles

List price 20.00; our price 16.99

The blend here is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 12% Petit Verdot. The color of this big and bold wine is deep crimson. It displays aromas of vibrant blackberries and cherries, with nuances of anise and sage, chocolate and sweet oak. Flavors of black cherries and currants are framed by dusty tannins providing an elegant and lingering finish.

2006 Daou Vineyards Celestus, Paso Robles

List price 39.95; our price 29.99

This is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah and 5% Petit Verdot aged in French oak barrels for 16 months. The nose exudes raspberry, red plums, dark cherry, sandalwood, anise, lavender and roses. It is dry with a strong tannin backbone and hints of plum, anise, and rose petal and is multi layered with a long finish that is very complex. Anthony Dias Blue gave this wine a 92 point rating: “Supple and nervy with juicy plum and cassis fruit with sweet oak and racy acidity; long and balanced with smooth finesse.”

Posted in bargain, Blends, California wine | No Comments »