Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, August 27, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited toward 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

Again, this summer I will have to placate myself with an excursion of European wines in place of actually being there. Discovering fine wines while travelling the Continent is infinitely preferable to being at one of our humble attempts to uncover European jewels. Still, we must press on. Some interesting new arrivals and new vintages are on our shelves and perhaps you would like to have a sampling. We’ll keep you current in your quest for knowledge and entertain you at the same time.

Gocce di Luna Prosecco, “Moondrops”, Italy

List price 15.00; our price 12.99

This is a naturally fermented spumante from Prosecco grapes using the Charmat method of production. It shows fine and persistent bubbles, and is fruity with hints of apple, grapefruit, peach and flowers of acacia tree. The elegant, soft round fruit flavors on the front of the palate give way to an almost dry finish.

2010 Burgáns Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain

List price 14.99; our price 13.50

The new vintage has been released and has just arrived. Unfortunately, it is a dollar higher than in the past, yet still worthwhile. Robert Parker writes in The Wine Advocate: “The Burgáns Albariño is a perennial Best Buy in these pages. The 2010 Burgáns Albariño delivers notes of lemon, peach, mineral, and a hint of tropical fruit aromas. Round, ripe, and savory with a slightly exotic personality, it is a nicely textured effort that over-delivers in a big way. Drink it over the next 2-3 years…90 Points”.

2006 Domaine de la Saint Jeante Corbières, France

List price 9.50; our price 7.99

Corbières is an appellation in the Languedoc region in the south of France. It is located in the foothills of the Pyrenees and produces rich powerful reds. This deep ruby wine has a nose that is expressive, with smells of black fruits and spices. The mouth is powerful, much of spices with a good structure. The blend is: 50 % Carignane, 30 % Grenache and 20 % Mourvèdre. It is Ideal for serving with a good southwestern cassoulet.

2007 Bodegas Castano Monastrell, “Hécula”, Yecla, Spain

List price 9.99; our price 8.99

Hécula is the name that the province of Yecla received under the Roman Empire occupation. This is a Mediterranean wine that is fruity and spicy which will pair well with lamb, game dishes and fusion cookery without excessive spices. The wine is 100% Monastrell grapes grown by integrated organic and sustainable farming.

2009 Château Haut-Bray, Castillon, Côtes de Bordeaux, France

List price 15.00; our price 12.99

Côtes de Castillon is the region of Bordeaux just east of the Saint Émilion appellations. Château Haut-Bray lies in the village of Saint-Genes de Castillon, which is very hilly, and has a clay-limestone soil. The blend in this bottling is Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). It has a lovely red fruit nose with a deep color and good fruit on the palate. It delivers an excellent complexity with earthy flavors intermingling with the smooth tannins, all of which lead to a very nice finish.

2008 Château Camarsac Bordeaux Superieur, France

List price 15.50; our price 13.99

Between Bordeaux and St Emilion, stands the magnificent land of the Entre-Deux-Mers. There on a promontory sits the castle known as one of the “castles of the Black Prince” built in the 12th century, then rebuilt and added to in the centuries since. This wine shows a sleek, stylish palate of dark berries and leather with mild dusty tannins. It culminates as a wine that is well balanced, rich in texture, with ripe tannins with a smooth finish.

Saturday, August 20, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited toward 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 truly are some very nice wines available in the $10.00 range and even under that price. There is, as well, an inordinate amount of awful offal. Fortunately, we do manage to steer clear of the bottlings that are an insult to the palate. That is not to say that you may find a wine you don’t like at one of our events, but typically that becomes a matter of taste. Some people do not drink white wines and others cannot abide reds. The same with sweet versus dry or with White Zinfandel opposed to the real thing, etc. The purpose of tasting events, where-ever, is to acquaint oneself with a new release or to compare it to yet another. It really is a challenge to learn something about the vast array of wines ever awaiting our pleasure, especially in the affordable range.

Starborough Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

List price 11.99; our price 9.99

The Marlborough wine growing region, located off the Northern tip of the Southern island, first planted grapevines in 1973 and now more than two thirds of New Zealand’s Sauvignon Blanc vines are grown here. This bottling displays citrus and ripe tropical fruit with some herbal notes. The wine shows flavors of passion fruit, guava and kiwi over a citrus background, the emphasis being toward grapefruit.

Terra d’Oro Rosé, Shenandoah Valley, Amador Co.

List price 12.00; our price 9.99

Terra d’Oro Rosé is made mostly of Nebbiolo, the native red grape of Italy’s Piedmont region with 10% Syrah, blended in to deepen the color and focus the strawberry character. The nose entices the senses with strawberry, pink grapefruit, and melon scents. In the mouth, strawberries dominate, leading to a refreshing, just off-dry finish. A joyous sipper that fares well tableside or poolside, this rosé is both a perfect companion to summer weather and to any other time of the year, for that matter.

Pedroncelli Sangiovese, Alto Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma

List price 12.00; our price 9.99

It is no secret that this family winery is a favorite of ours. Their wines are fairly priced, usually a bargain, and should you drop in to visit, there is no fee for the pours; reminds me of the good old days. We here are never too far away, time-wise, from a Pedroncelli pour (last week it was the Rosé). This wine shows ripe berry, black plum, and warm spice aromas. It is full flavored and balanced, with cherry, berry, and black pepper spice on the palate. It picked up a Gold Medal at the Indy International Wine Competition.

Domaine Laurier Merlot Sonoma County

List price 9.99; our price 8.99

This Merlot delivers complexity and pleasure on many levels. The aroma of black cherries and chocolate is very prevalent and the taste continues with a refreshing hint of chocolate mint. The finish is sturdy with rich, pleasing tannins and a spicy, vanilla note. Beef Wellington, rack of lamb, and stuffed pork loin are just a few of the many dishes that are worthy of such a refined and delicious wine. LA Int’l Wine Competition 94 rating with a GOLD MEDAL and BEST OF CLASS.

Domaine Laurier Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County

List price 9.99; our price 8.99

This Cab opens with berry aromas and subtle hints of toast crescendo into a palate of fresh strawberries, boysenberries, and mocha, gracefully ending with a light, balanced astringency. The blend is: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon with the rest being mostly Petite Sirah and Tannat, with a splash of Malbec. At the Los Angeles International Wine Competition the wine scored a 93 rating and won a GOLD MEDAL and the BEST OF CLASS.

Plungerhead Zinfandel, Old Vine, Lodi

List price 14.99; our price 9.99

This lovely Lodi Zinfandel is sealed with the inventive new Zork enclosure (a cork that needs no corkscrew: just pull at the z, unwind, and pop the top). The Sebastiani Family, given their somewhat silly sense of humor, noticed that the Zork looked rather like, well, a plunger. So they simply couldn’t resist naming it after their loyal winery employee Eddie Plongerheid and coming up with the silly little graphic on the front label. OK…I’m buying it. The warm, often hot, climate of Lodi is particularly suited for producing good Zinfandel, a hearty grape that loves the sun and needs plenty of it to ripen to full-bodied, spiced plum perfection. DEEP DISCOUNTED PRICE, so don’t prevaricate on this one.

Saturday, August 13, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

Today only receive an extra 10% discount

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited toward 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

What could be more versatile than a wine that is perfectly charming to sip on its own, well chilled, or that will accompany a wide range of foods including fish, fowl, white meats and a plethora of veggie meals. Almost any red grape will produce a good rosé—as you will experience from the wines below. There are three methods for making a rosé: simply mixing red and white wines, stopping the fermentation of red grapes early and, my favorite, the saignée method whereby the rosé is “bled” from the red wine fermenter at exactly the perfect time. This latter method has an added benefit in allowing for a greater concentration in the make-up of the finished red wine. Ultimately though, who cares? What really matters is the wonderful dry fruity beverage that is easy to drink and makes you feel good.

Mionetto Rosato del Veneto, Valdobbiadene, Italy

List price 12.99; our price 9.99; today only 8.99

This lightly sparkling rosé is made from the rosado grapes of the Veneto: Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella, the three main red grapes of Valpolicella and Amarone. It is a soft sparkler produced in the Prosecco style with a low alcohol, in this case, 10.5%. It has been a while since we served up this wine and the time is right for a revisit.

Cordorniu Pinot Noir Cava, Brut, Spain

List price 14.99; our price 13.50; today only 11.99

This is a marvelous sparkling wine. It never ceases to satisfy. Cordorniu makes several sparklers, but the Reserve White (Raventos) and the Pinot Noir Brut are exceptional, and are a high value consideration. The pale pink colored wine is refreshingly crisp and elegant with plenty of fresh raspberries and black currants.

2009 Bodega Norton Rosado Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

List price 9.95; our price 8.99; today only 7.99

This winery at the foothills of the Andes produces some of the best red wine of Argentina. Surely it follows that its rosés’ should be of the finest as well. We served this recently with other Argentine wines and wanted to see how well it holds up against other rosés. Besides, I wasn’t here for that event. There is ample red fruit within this dry delivery, but will it hold up to the California rosés to follow?

2009 Pedroncelli Dry Rosé of Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

List price 9.99; our price 7.99; today only 6.99

We don’t see a lot of Zinfandel rosé, and after tasting this value packed bottle, I can’t imagine why. Pedroncelli draws grapes from the Dry Creek area near Geyserville in Sonoma County; some of the best Zin grapes in California. The wine is refreshingly crisp and elegant with plenty of fresh raspberries and black currants to delight the palate.

2008 Terra d’Oro Rosé, Shenandoah Valley, Amador Co.

List price 12.00; our price 9.99; today only 8.99

Terra d’Oro Rosé is made mostly of Nebbiolo, the native red grape of Italy’s Piedmont region with 10% Syrah, blended in to deepen the color and focus the strawberry character. The nose entices the senses with strawberry, pink grapefruit, and melon scents. In the mouth, strawberries dominate, leading to a refreshing, just off-dry finish. A joyous sipper that fares well tableside or poolside, this rosé is both a perfect companion to summer weather and to any other time of the year, for that matter.

2010Toad Hollow Pinot Noir Rosé “Eye of the Toad”

List price 12.00; our price 9.99; today only 8.99

The wine has good body and weight for a Rosé of Pinot Noir. It displays a nose of rose petals and violets. Whether in sun or no-sun, this is a truly dry, uncomplicated statement of Pinot Noir at its lightest and most delicate. Spice and pepper bring out the wonderful wild strawberry flavors. It goes great with sushi and wasabi or spicy Thai food.

Saturday, August 6, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per person

$5.00 is credited toward 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

No matter where you may be in the world today, your main vinous desire would be for something lighter, fresher and easier to drink. It is simply too hot for our favorite rich and heavy wines (except, of course, for the hard-core among us). With that in mind we are putting together some tasting events featuring wines from countries around the globe with the emphasis on summer use. The six countries we are visiting this week are:

Portugal: Aliança Vinho Verde

List price 8.95; our price 7.99

Vinho Verde is the name of the northern wine producing region of Portugal and is mostly synonymous with the fresh, crisp, slightly spritzy wine that accounts for 25% of all wine produced in Portugal. It is typically 8-10% alcohol and has a refreshing acidity. The grapes used in the blend include Trajadura, Pederña, Loureiro and Alvarinho. Aliança tends towards luscious flavors of lemon meringue pie. The granitic soil, the climactic conditions and the grape varieties of the region give this famous wine its special characteristics of crisp fruit, flinty minerality and delicate aroma. Lightness and freshness make this low alcohol crisp white wine ideal by itself and as a perfect complement to seafood, hors d’oeuvres, chicken and veal. Try it with stir fry’s, spicy dishes and oysters, or any other shell fish.

South Africa: 2009 Stellar Organics Chardonnay, Western Cape

List price 11.95; our price 9.99

Stellar Winery, South Africa’s largest producer of fine organic wines, processes organically-grown grapes for the South African and export markets. The grapes are drawn from farms from the Western Cape hamlet of Trawal. This is an area famous for its spring flowers and is also the only semi-arid biosphere hotspot in the world. The winery is privately owned, with the workers having a 26% shareholding in the cellar. This is a lightly-wooded wine with a complex spicy, fruity nose and a fresh, citrus-like acidity on the palate. The back label is marked “Vegan friendly” whatever that means.

California: 2009 Conundrum

List price 22.00; our price 19.99

From year to year this is a blend of popular and esoteric white grapes including in no special order: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier and Muscat. The “puzzle” of Conundrum lies partly in guessing the range of grape varieties used, because the Caymus family never reveals the exact composition. It is a quintessential sipper offering copious amounts of ripe, silky fruit, tropical in nature, along with vanilla notes, honeysuckle and honeydew melon. The complexity of this wine is brought into balance with a rich, round, soft texture; and fresh, supportive acidity.

France: 2009 Joseph Drouhin Brouilly, Beaujolais

List price 20.00; our price 17.99

Beaujolais Cru is the northern most appellation of Beaujolais, close to the Mâconnais border. This region constitutes ten separate areas, of which Brouilly is the largest, located at the foothills of the Beaujolais Mountains and produces some of the best quality wines from the Beaujolais region. Unlike the early drinking style found throughout most of Beaujolais, these wines are made to be cellared. Their ageing potential can be anywhere from three to fifteen years (or more) depending on the style and sub-region of the wine. The nose of this wine shows aromas of violet, lilac, sometimes blackberry and cranberry. It has supple tannins and lively acidity. On the palate, the wine leaves a pleasant note of blackberries and spice.

Chile: 2009 Terra Andina Carmenère, Valle Central

List price 12.00; our price 9.99

This bottling is100% Carmenère, the “lost” grape of Bordeaux. It is a tasty blend of black currant, blackberry, grilled red pepper and black pepper, in the nose and on the palate. The wine shows balance and softness with silky tannins and a pleasant finish. Black pepper, blackberries and oak round out the flavor profile. Grapes are sourced throughout the Central Valley.

Spain: 2006 Castillo Real Monastrell, Bullas

List price 9.99; our price 8.99

The Bullas appellation in the south-eastern part of Spain, south of Valencia, is known for its Monastrell (Mourvèdre in France or Mataro in Italy). The grapes are grown in limestone soil through long, hot summer days and cool nights, resulting in a ripe, fruit-forward, and concentrated wine with a subtle mineral character.