Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, May 28, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

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

Today only receive an extra 10% discount!

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

The Eastern Alps include parts of Switzerland, most of Austria and Liechtenstein, as well as parts of extreme southern Germany, far northern Italy and a good portion of northern Slovenia. The eastern border is formed by the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods) and the Viennese basin, including Lake Como. The white wines of both countries are amazing: light and crisp, fragrant with some perfume, and always showing a refreshing minerality. The red wines, mostly Pinot Noir in Austria are very light and totally different from the California style which is weighty by comparison. The reds of Northern Italy are richer in body and flavor and capable of delivering much charm and elegance.

2009 Huber Grüner Veltliner, Austria

List price 15.00; our price 13.99; today only 12.59

Markus Huber is the 10th generation of Hubers that have run the winery and vineyards for centuries. The wine’s bouquet suggests delicate fresh green apple fruity aromas. In the mouth, flavors of lemon-lime and peaches as well as honeysuckle are displayed on the solid fruit core. It is rich in finesse; with light acidity, taut in character with a beautiful length laced with mineral tones leading to the mouth-filling finish.

2009 Huber Grüner Veltliner, Traisental, Austria

List price 19.95; our price 17.99; today only 16.19

The wine has a medium green yellow, showing some pepper on the nose; hinting at typical Grüner spiciness, aromatic herbs, minerality and grapefruit. It is dense and complex on the palate showing great promise for the future. This is pure, crisp Grüner, with a lovely acidity and citrus fruit along with green apple skins. It goes best with fish like trout or salmon, and serves also very well with spicy food, especially Asian cuisine.

2009 Huber Riesling, Engelreich, Traisental, Austria

List price 25.00; our price 22.99; today only 20.69

The wine opens with an inviting nose with white flower, tropical fruits, peach and apricot. The palate is clean and fresh, neither oily nor oaky, good acidity especially towards finish, with a touch of sweetness at the end. The lemony nuances in the finish combine with the mineral flavors to evoke a true expression of elegance.

2008 Maculan Cosstadolio Rosato, Veneto, Italy

List price 11.95; our price 9.99; today only 8.99

For three generations the Maculan family has been selecting and vinifying the best grapes in Breganze, an enchanting village set like a small jewel at the foot of the Alps in Italy’s Veneto region. This is an intriguing rosé made from 100% Merlot grapes directly pressed without de-stemming or crushing. Only the first part of the pressed juice is settled for 24 hours at low temperatures, and then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is refined on the lees for three months to preserve its fruitiness, and then racked and bottled in spring following the harvest. The Costadolio offers a very fruity bouquet with notes of peach, plums, and nice hints of apple. It is medium bodied with crisp acidity, and very refreshing. Serve chilled, but not too cold, alongside pasta with shellfish, or grilled white meat.

2007 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Veronese, Italy

List price 20.00; our price 17.99; today only 16.19

Palazzo della Torre is made from 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese, all traditional Veneto grapes. Approximately 30% of the fruit is air-dried, Amarone-style. The fermenting juice from those grapes is added to the rest of the juice to give the wine an extra dimension of richness and body. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it a 90-point rating: “Enticing scents of chocolate, espresso, dark fruit, licorice and new leather emerge from the boisterous 2007 Palazzo della Torre. The fruit is sumptuous as always. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017”.

2006 Tommasi Viticoltori Crearo, Veronese, Italy

List price 28.00; our price 24.99; today only 22.49

The blend in this wine is Corvina Veronese 50%, Oseleta 15% and Cabernet Franc 35%. The grapes are hand-picked in late September, fermented in steel vats for about nine days, then re-fermented with the skins of Amarone for about 12 days, with continuous pumping over each day. The blend spent 6 months in French oak, another 18 months in Slavonian oak casks, then rested 6 months in bottle. It is full-bodied and intense, spicy, velvety and rich with complex flavors.

Saturday, May 21, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

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

Today only receive an extra 10% discount,
while stock lasts.

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

Chile is well represented in the US with numerous brands offering several levels of mainstream varietals at good prices. The region has a long viticultural history dating to the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors brought Vitis Vinifera vines with them as they colonized the region. In the mid-19th century, French wine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were introduced. In the early 1980s, a renaissance began with the introduction of stainless steel fermentation tanks and the use of oak barrels for aging. Wine exports grew very quickly as quality wine production increased. The number of wineries has grown from 12 in 1995 to over 90 in 2007. Chile is now the fifth largest exporter of wines in the world, and the ninth largest producer. Cabernet Sauvignon leads with 39.1% of total production. Sauvignon Blanc is next with 14.3%. Merlot, Chardonnay, and Carmenère follow with 13.3, 11.2 and 8.7% of total production.

2008 Toro de Piedra Chardonnay, Curico Valley

List price 14.95; our price 11.99; today only 10.79

On the nose it is very intense with hints of pineapple, lemon, almond flowers and vanilla. Opening on the palate it shows a crisp acidity and is rich, round and creamy with flavors of baked apple, pear and spice. The wine has a long lingering finish while maintaining its freshness with notes of white fruits and vanilla.

2008 Puerto Viejo Cabernet Sauvignon, Curico Valley

List price 9.95; our price 7.99; today only 7.19

This Cab dwells at the lighter end of the spectrum showing hints of coffee, toasted almonds, licorice and cherries. On the palate this wine is upfront with mature tannins and a velvety texture. It has a persistent and harmonious finish and should prove a good everyday non-contemplative wine.

2010 Santa Carolina Pinot Noir, Maule Valley

List price 10.00; our price 8.99; today only 8.09

Red ruby in color, the Reserva Pinot Noir has aromas of raspberries and white pepper with a soft hint of oak. On the palate, this medium bodied wine shows ripe fruit characters that are well balanced with the harmonious acid.

2009 Terra Andina Carmenère, Central Valley

List price 12.00; our price 9.99; today only 8.99

Jammy red and dark berries show well on the nose, with gentle spiciness building in the glass. The wine is creamy and fruity, with vivid raspberry and blueberry flavors. The tannins are very mild and the acid balance keeps the wine lively. This is a pretty amazing bargain and extremely easy to drink.

2008 Root 1 Carmenère, Colchagua Valley

List price 11.95; our price 9.99; today only 8.99

The wine shows dark berries and mocha on the nose, augmented by a subtle smoky quality and a touch of cracked pepper. Round and fleshy, it displays slightly loose-knit dark fruit flavors but with no rough edges. It finishes smooth, with a modest persistence

2007 Casa Silva Petit Verdot, Colchagua Valley

List price 19.95; our price 16.75; today only 14.99

Wine Spectator Magazine gave this wine a 90+ rating: “The Silva family emigrated from France in the 1920’s bringing their winemaking expertise along. Deep ruby with blue hues. On the nose, fruity, fresh, with notes of black fruits and cinnamon. On the palate, very powerful, velvety, full, with firm tannins and an excellent balance between structure and acidity. Long finish.”

Saturday, May 14, 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

The wines of Germany, especially the Rieslings, are quite versatile year round and are an excellent choice for summer sipping. Some German wines are dry as with the Silvaner in our tasting while the Rieslings go from dry to quite sweet. An advantage to having off-dry to sweet wines during the summer months is that they can be served over ice. In fact, club soda can be used to liven them up, but just ice is best. The wines from boutique wineries such as von Hövel, Mönchhof and Bert Simon, however, are absolutely beautiful by themselves. So, if you are drinking cocktails with any degree of sweetness to them, do consider the Rieslings instead. They serve up very well and are quite refreshing.

2009 Hans Wirsching Silvaner, Franken

List price 18.00; our price 15.99

Mr. Heinrich Wirsching is the current owner and is in charge of the estate. He carries on 350 years of family wine making tradition. His goal is to produce “the best wines that nature will permit”. This includes pruning to yield only the best grapes, using predominantly organic fertilizer and very late, often high risk harvesting. It is a refreshing wine with notes of lemon and pear along with great minerality.

2007 Karl Heinz Liebfraumilch, Rheinhessen

List price 8.50; our price 5.99

Liebfraumilch is still one of the world’s best selling wines. Karl Heinz produces a high quality Liebfraumilch with grapes grown in some of Germany’s top vineyards of the Rheinhessen. This is a fine, light-bodied (at only 9.5% alcohol) white wine, fruit scented and imminently quaffable.

2007 Karl Heinz Zellerschwartze Katz, Mosel

List price 9.50; our price 6.99

The black cat from the town of Zell is a famous icon in German wines. Its light green apple flavors with a slight bit of sugar sweetness are tempered by a lingering bitter apple seed flavor. It is fairly light bodied (9.5% alcohol) and very quaffable. This is your basic easy-going picnic or barbecue wine. Serve chilled or on the rocks.

2007 von Hövel Riesling, Saar

List price 18.00; our price 14.99

This Saar Riesling displays a delicate, racy style, offering light lemon, apple and peach notes, with a white pepper accent. It borders on being tart, and leads to a mouthwatering finish with hints of lime and wet stone. Only 8% alcohol, though the residual sugar that appears in the form of sweetness is beautifully balanced with its acids, expressing itself in the form of a refreshing burst of citrus. It received 90pts from Wine Enthusiast and was awarded the “Editors Choice”.

2007 Mönchhof Riesling, Spätlese, Mosel

List price 22.00; our price 18.99

90 points Wine Spectator: “Juicy and bursting with peach and tangerine flavors. This almost seems easy and open until the fine structure adds some spine on the finish. A light-weight style, with finesse. Drink now through 2022.” (12/08) According to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “once again represents excellent value and an archetype of Mosel Spätlese. With Erdener Treppchen-like suggestions of orange sherbet, nectarine, sweet lime, and sassafras this saturates the nose and palate with fruit and spice, finishing with an exuberance that helps keep its considerable sweetness from seeming at all out of place. Enjoy it over the coming 3-4 years.”

2002 Bert Simon Riesling Auslese, Serrig Herrenberg, Saar

List price 20.00; our price 17.95

Auslese (selected harvest) is a German language wine term for a late harvest wine and is a riper category than Spätlese in the Prädikatswein category of the Austrian and German wine classification. The grapes are picked from selected very ripe bunches in the autumn (late November-early December), and have to be hand picked. This 2002 Riesling is an off-dry wine that’s almost sweet enough to be a dessert wine, offering concentrated lime and white flowers on the palate, with some mineral and petroleum jelly on the finish. At only 8% alcohol, it is rich and full in the mouth, and very well balanced.

Saturday, May 7, 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 the second part of reporting on visitations we made in Sonoma County last month. We will focus on two wineries: Ferrari-Carano and Deux Amis, both from the Healdsburg area. North of the town, Ferrari-Carano is a beautiful facility highly polished and geared to tourism. Don and Rhonda Carano built the spectacular Italianate hospitality wine center, Villa Fiore, on a 70-acre Dry Creek Valley estate vineyard. Besides tasting the wines, one can stroll through five acres of exquisite gardens, view the magnificent underground barrel cellar, and perhaps taste the limited and reserve wines in the Enoteca Reserve Tasting Bar and Lounge. Patrick Mukaida is a most hospitable Director of Hospitality and the man to contact for additional information. Deux Amis on the other hand, is a small winery on Limerick Lane south of Healdsburg. French for “two friends”, it is a partnership between Phyllis Zouzounis (Mazzocco wine maker for years) and Jim Penpraze. In 1987, Deux Amis produced one hundred cases of Zinfandel from one vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley. Today, Jim and Phyllis produce over 1500 cases of wine from grapes grown in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys. Tasting accommodations are extremely rustic compared to F/C but put in a phone call to Phyllis and she will happily taste you on the latest wines produced.

2010 Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County

List price 14.00; our price 11.99

Aromas of lime, kiwi, citrus, melon and a touch of grass are complemented by flavors of grapefruit, lemon, mango, and guava in the 2010 Fumé Blanc. Cool, stainless steel tank fermentation gives this wine a crisp freshness while the subtle oak character from barrel aging adds complexity and depth.

2009 Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay, Sonoma County

List price 20.00; our price 17.95

This blend includes wine from F/C vineyards in Russian River Valley and Carneros, combined with Alexander Valley fruit. The full-bodied Chardonnay delights with aromas of apple, a hint of graham cracker, floral notes, and honey, perfectly balanced by flavors of lemon and pear on the entry and lingering, creamy marshmallow, toasted oak notes.

2009 Ferrari-Carano Siena, Red Wine, Sonoma County

List price 20.00; our price 17.69

Select lots of grapes in this Sangiovese-based blend were chosen from F/C vineyards in Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys to create a beautifully-balanced and medium-bodied wine. The wine has delicious aromas of cherry pie, raspberry jam and spice with lingering flavors of ripe wild berries, pomegranate, vanilla, caramel, and sweet oak. Elevated tones of dried cherries, cranberries come out along with deeper, darker nuances of blueberry preserves, cherry cola and cinnamon.

2007 Deux Amis Zinfandel, Sonoma County

List price 22.00; our price 19.95

This Zin is a harmonious blend (88% Zin and 12% Petite Sirah) of fruit from Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley. The deep rich aromas of spicy fruit, white pepper, vanilla and toasty oak create an enticement that leads to a bounty of luscious fruit flavors: blackberry, raspberry, black cherry and plum, mixed with baking spices, black pepper, dark roasted coffee and toasty vanillin oak. The silky tannins, lush flavors laced with nice acidity and a creamy texture provide a well-balanced, hard-to-put-down Zinfandel. Wine and Spirits rates it a 90, “Best Buy” and “One of the year’s best Zinfandels”.

2007 Deux Amis Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

List price 30.00; our price 28.00

This is a classic Dry Creek Valley Zin with seductive aromas of creamy oak and bright raspberry swirled with white and black pepper. Toasty oak layers over ripe blackberry, raspberry, dark plum and spicy pepper with a hint of cocoa to create deep, rich flavors that linger on the palate. It is nicely balanced with silky tannins and a structure for aging. The wine won a Gold Medal at the West Coast Wine Competition.

2007 Deux Amis Zinfandel, Halling Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley

List price 30.00; our price 28.00

This is a classic Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel with seductive aromas of rich berry and black pepper melding with toasty oak. Bright flavors of briary black and red raspberry mingle with subtle pepper, oak and just a hint of anise. The smooth entry couples with a richly textured mouthfeel and nicely balanced tannins and oak to create an elegant, delicious wine.