$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

Our wine tasting events in January will be limited to the first Saturday and the last Saturday, as in between, we will be on vacation. This Saturday we will be pouring some interesting wines that have arrived here recently from south of the equator. I enjoy the crisp whites from South Africa and for reds Argentina and Chile cannot be beat. Join us for a great way to kick off the New Year or, at least, a great way to kick off Saturday night.

2010 Fleur du Cap Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa

List price 9.99; our price 7.99

The wine is brilliantly clear and lime green in color with golden highlights. On the nose it teems with herbaceousness and ample green pepper ending with whiffs of rich melon and guava. This medium bodied wine has a crisp acidity which complements the tropical fruit flavors perfectly on the palate. It is the ideal accompaniment to seafood, steamed vegetables and poultry dishes.

2010 Fleur du Cap Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, S. Africa

List price 9.99; our price 7.99

This wine was aged in wood on the lees for only 4 months in order to maintain its fresh crispness. On the nose it displays citrus fruit and melon with a hint of vanilla oak in the background. On the palate it is dry but rounded and packed with apricot and citrus fruit, supported by lovely nut and vanilla oak. It works well with seafood and poultry whether grilled or served in a white creamy sauce.

2010 Apaltagua Pinot Noir Reserva, Curico, Chile

List price 14.00; our price 11.99

The grapes come from Apaltagua’s own vineyard in Tricao in the Curico Valley. This Pinot emphasizes aromas of cherries and raspberries well combined with soft notes of oak. In the mouth it has smooth and elegant tannins that finish soft and delicate for a sophisticated finish. It serves well with Salmon and white meats, especially in red sauces.

2009 Apaltagua Malbec Reserva, Curico, Chile

List price 14.00; our price 11.99

Grown on low ridges at the foot of the coastal mountain range in Maule Valley, this well structured Malbec stands out as a robust and velvety wine with red fruit flavors, such as cherries mingled with plums, truffles and a touch of pepper. It is perfect for grilled red meats and roasts.

2010 Apaltagua Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, Curico, Chile

List price 14.00; our price 11.99

This Cabernet Sauvignon, from an excellent vintage, and has a nose of berries with hints of tobacco and dark chocolate. The bouquet is a precursor of what is to be experienced in the mouth, coupled with a ripe stone fruit character. This wine received minimal handling before bottling to preserve its unique body and flavors. This is a nice wine for prime rib with a sane amount of horseradish.

2007 Kaiken “Ultra” Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, Argentina

List price 18.95; our price 14.99

After coating your glass with an opaque purple color, the wine displays an expressive nose of cedar, spice box, black currant and blackberry. Full-bodied on the palate, it has spicy flavors along with good structure, and depth. Eighty percent of this wine was aged in French oak for 12 months which gives it a sophisticated character and a delightfully long after-taste. It received a 90-point rating from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. This is your wine for a steak dinner.

Enjoy an additional 10% discount by attending today.
Limited stock, come early.

$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

This is our last month to eliminate stock on hand and to prepare for the purchases next month that will carry us into the holidays. The quality of the selection below is every bit as high as when tasted earlier in the year, yet the price is even sexier. So allow yourselves to be seduced by our tasty all-enveloping wines that will leave you wanting more. It doesn’t get any better than this, and you can compliment yourselves on saving money while on your hedonist pursuit.

2009 Danzante Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, Italy

List price 9.95; our price 7.99; today only 6.99

A crisp lemon-blossom bouquet leads into vibrant flavors of citrus, melon and peach and a clean, well-balanced finish. Pinot Grigio is considered a natural mutation of the noble Pinot Noir grape, with berries often tinged cinnamon brown or even slightly grayish purple. It originated in Burgundy where it is called Pinot Gris (gray) and has been planted in Italy since the last century. Now Pinot Grigio is planted widely throughout northeastern Italy, especially Friuli, Trentino and Alto Adige, where it produces superior wines in the cool alpine climate.

2009 LoTengo Torrontés Mendoza, Argentina

List price 999; our price 8.99; today only 7.99

Torrontés remains the largest production white wine in Argentina. The nose is floral, mainly rose and jasmine with lime fruit as well. Its flavor is very expressive: tart lime, floral, tart peach and tangerine with a clean spicy finish. The well-balanced acidity makes it a wonderful partner with smoked meats, mild to medium-strong cheeses, and seafood. It goes well with spicy food including Thai, as well.

2009 Bodega Elena de Mendoza Red Blend, Argentina

List price 9.95; our price 8.50; today only 7.65

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.

2009 GranRojo Garnacha, Castilla, Spain

List price 9.99; our price 7.99; today only 6.99

The Rojo Garnacha has pleasant aromas of licorice along with red and black berries filling the nose. Well-rounded and balanced on the palate, it is elegant and fresh. Red fruit, minerals and a hint of fresh thyme linger on the finish. It is surprisingly silky and full-bodied, with a rich varietal expression that glorifies the Grenache grape.

2009 Mirabile Nero D’Avola, Sicilia, Italy

List price 15.00; our price 12.99; today only 11.69

This Nero d’Avola (literally “the black grape of Avola”) has an intense ruby red color with violet highlights. The scent is elegant, with hints of ripe fruit and spices. It is complex on the palate thanks to polyphenols, (the chemical class of tannins is a subset of polyphenols) sustained by the right degree of tanginess. This is an everyday kind of wine showing good balance, persistence on the finish and representing excellent value.

2008 Catena Zapata Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, Arg.

List price 20.00; our price 17.99; today only 15.99

Mendoza is by far the largest of Argentina’s wine regions, producing around 70% of the country’s wine. Check out some ratings: 90 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: Medium purple, lots of spice, expressive black fruits, touch of balsamic, underlying structure. 90 points, Wine Spectator: This wine is solid, with dense but polished structure holding the weighty core of plum, fig paste and black currant preserves together. The dark, lengthy finish lets a nice Kenya AA coffee note chime in. Drink now through 2013.

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.

$10.00 per person
$5.00 is credited toward 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

Argentine wines continue to lead the pack of value wines from around the world. Much of it has to do with the price of land and therefore the price of the grapes grown on that land. Argentine vineyards can cost around $2000. per acre, while a vineyard in Napa runs above $200,000. Obviously, this has a profound effect on the price of a bottle of Cabernet. There are other mitigation factors, as well, such as American oak (300. a barrel) versus French oak (1000. a barrel). This is why we are constantly amazed at the pricing on the low level wines given their quality. Titan Wines and Spirits has an import hold on some great properties, some of which we will pour on Saturday. Representing the company will be our good friend, Noel Font.

2009 Lo Tengo Torrontés, Mendoza

List price 10.95; our price 9.99; today only 8.99

Argentina’s largest production white wine is the Torrontés. The nose is floral, mainly rose and jasmine with lime fruit as well. Its flavor is very expressive: tart lime, floral, tart peach and tangerine with a clean spicy finish. The well-balanced acidity makes it a wonderful partner with smoked meats, mild to medium-strong cheeses, and seafood. It goes well with spicy food including Thai, as well.

2009 Norton Rosado Malbec Mendoza

List price 9.95; our price 8.99; today only 7.99

This rosé from Bodega Norton is made entirely in stainless steel to capture the vibrant fresh fruit character. It has a lovely pale red color, and on opening delivers ample aromas of red fruit. Still, the wine remains dry which makes it a versatile accompaniment to a wide range of foods. Or, it is suitable for sitting around the pool and sipping at will.

2009 Kaiken Malbec, Mendoza

List price 11.99; our price 10.75; today only 9.69

In the nose there are notes of ripe fruit with traces of cedar and butterscotch. In the mouth it displays intensity, with strong, fleshy tannins; while at the same time it is juicy and enveloping, leading to a long, persistent finish. A harmonious liaison with the wood makes of this wine a fine example of the Mendoza wine value.

2008 Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza

List price 11.99; our price 10.75 today only 9.69

On the nose, it features good complexity where the Cabernet spiciness blends perfectly with mature fruit allowing plum
and cherry aromas to stand out. Its oak ageing contributes by adding complexity and sophistication to the wine. There is a small amount (7%) of Malbec added to the blend which increases the complexity. On the mouthfeel it’s a big wine, but with subtle tannins. To achieve this, 60% of the wine was aged for 8 months on American oak, while the other 40% was not exposed to wood at all. It has a long finish, where fruit flavors dominate and blend perfectly with the sweet notes provided by its oak ageing.

2009 Pascual Toso Malbec, Reserve, Mendoza

List price 19.95; our price 18.50; today only 16.65

On the nose, this Malbec is clean and fruitful. Its aromas are reminiscent of plums and quince with a little touch of elegant oak. The mouth has a mild bouquet of blackberry and licorice fruit that keeps a firm grip through the finish. This thick and burly Malbec has a rich and long finish with smoky accents of vanilla and lingering oak.

2007 Bodega Norton Privada, Mendoza

List price 22.00; our price 19.99; today only 17.99

The grapes for this wonderful wine come from vineyards between 50 and 80 years old, at altitudes above 3000 feet. The wine displays aromas of damp earth, spice box, violets, black cherry and a hint of balsamic. On the palate it is medium-bodied, savory, ripe, and concentrated, revealing good volume and balance with medium-length finish. This tasty effort can be approached now and will age well through 2018. Wine Spectator gave it a 91 points rating.

$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

Marin-based Cabernet Corporation is not your typical wine importer. The company has been privately owned by the Axelsen family since its inception in 1980. Among its ownership holdings are the LaPlaya Winery (in a joint venture partnership with two Chilean partners, the Sutil and Errazuriz families. of Chile) the Don Rodolfo Winery of Argentina, the Belasco de Baquedano Winery of Argentina and others. Soren Axelsen had lived in Chile in the ’50s and recalled the great wines he was drinking there even back then. In 1987, when the Chilean political climate opened up significantly, Soren went to Chile as one of its first foreign investors.

2010 Viña La Playa Sauvignon Blanc, Colchagua Valley, Chile

List price 7.99; our price 6.99; today only 6.29

Colchagua Valley is home to Viña La Playa Winery & Hotel. Besides visiting a world-class vineyard, one can enjoy the Four-Star accommodations, beautifully situated on the banks of the Tinguiririca River, near Lake Rapel. In the nose the wine shows floral aromas with lime citrus and a hint of honeydew melon. The lemon-lime citrus is at the front of the flavor experience with the typical grassiness following. It is bright and crisp, exhibiting some minerality and a lively acidity. The age of the vines is 18 years, and the grape yield is 6.5 tons per acre. The wine was aged for 3 months in stainless steel.

2010 Viña La Playa Chardonnay, Colchagua Valley, Chile

List price 7.99; our price 6.99; today only 6.29

For lovers of “unoaked” Chardonnay this is a perfectly marvelous deal. A fresh, fruit-oriented nose suggests pears and peaches, while on the palate it is bright and full, boasting candied citrus and pears. The grapes are from the same 18 year old vineyard as the Sauvignon Blanc and the grape yield is held to 6 tons per acre. Stainless steel for 3 months.

2009 Viña La Playa Merlot, Colchagua Valley, Chile

List price 7.99; our price 6.99; today only 6.29

The grapes for this wine were planted 19 years ago and are allowed a yield of 5 tons an acre. The wine spends 8 months in stainless steel tanks, followed by 1 month with French and American oak. The aroma begins with briary black berry fruits, then introduces some meaty character and proceeds to dried citrus rind. In the mouth it is fruity and round, with soft tannins and a long, savory finish. The short period of oaking accentuates the fruity character of the wine.

2009 Viña La Playa Cabernet, Colchagua Valley, Chile

List price 7.99; our price 6.99; today only 6.29

The 18 year old vines yield 4.5 tons per acre. The Cab has an attractive, deep ruby red color. On the nose it is expressive and complex, displaying notes of candy, raisins, toast and tobacco. On the palate, it is round and robust, with an excellent structure, and hinting at mocha coffee in the flavorful, long finish. There is no wood ageing which goes to show how well a wine can display mature tannins that are the result of contact with seeds and skins, and not wood.

2010 Viña Cornejo Costas “Don Rodolfo” Malbec, Salta, Argentina

List price 12.00; our price 8.99; today only 7.99

This winery and vineyard in the Cafayate Valley is at 5900 feet which is a seriously high altitude. The winery is about 200 years old, making it the oldest winery in the valley, yet is endowed with state of the art facilities. The age of the vineyard is 20 years and the grapes are harvested by hand at 5 tons per acre. The wine is very fruity on the nose, with hints of plums, peppers and spices. It shows good volume in the mouth, is well structured and has a well-balanced finish. It was aged for 8 months in stainless steel.

2009 Belasco de Baquedano Malbec, “Llama”, Mendoza, Argentina

List price 12.95; our price 10.99; today only 9.89

This Mendoza vineyard goes back nearly 100 years and is a true expression of Andean old vine Malbec. The “Llama” explodes with flavors of black berries, ripe plums and robust spices. It is an elegant wine showing good balance and structure and a long rewarding finish. It was aged 6 months in French oak. Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it a 90-point rating: “Purple color; spicy black fruit and floral aromas, supple, easygoing, with incipient complexity.”

$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.

Saturday, July 3, 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

Periodically we come back to Argentine wines for the simple reason the element of value looms favorably before us.  We are pouring some very nice whites and reds this Saturday that make uncorking the second bottle affordable.  Mendoza produces over 80% of Argentina’s wines at over 900 wineries throughout the region.  Although Malbec is the major red grape in production, there are other varietals doing well there.  Torrontés is the major white wine grape but again other whites are well received, too.  In the early 1990′s Argentina was exporting only 1% of its harvest, but not until the peso was devalued in 2001 did the export industry take flight.  Argentina’s wine industry has come a long way since then, and we are the better for that.

2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontés, Salta

List price 15.00; our price 9.99

Sourced from 31-year-old vines in Cafayate (where the finest Torrontés grows), it displays a fragrant bouquet of spring flowers, honey, and tropical aromas.  Medium-bodied and dry on the palate, it has ample fruit backed by vibrant acidity leading to a lengthy finish.  Wine Advocate Review rated this wine 90 points: “Enticing aromas that are strikingly similar to Viognier, with hints of peach pit, white pear, flowers, and orange citrus fruit.  On the palate, it has beautiful structure and acidity similar to Sauvignon Blanc along with enticing fruit flavors that keep you coming back for another sip and plenty of body for a wine that shows such delicate aromas and flavors.  Fruity, floral and yet still quite dry, this wine has to be tasted to be believed.”

2008 Alamos Chardonnay, Mendoza

List price 9.99; our price 8.99

Founded by the Catena family in Argentina, Alamos produces terrific value wines year in, year out.  This Chard is no exception.  The wine has a truly fresh flavor profile, and would work as a perfect house white for Chardonnay drinkers, as well as a perfect bridge wine for those who prefer crisper, brighter, Chardonnay while their companions perhaps favor richer, oakier flavors.  It is full-bodied, with red apple and pear fruit filling the mouth, along with some bright yellow stone fruit and just a hint of toffee from brief oak aging adding some richness and texture.

2007 Bodega NQN Picada Blend, Neuquen, Patagonia

List price 10.99; our price 8.95

Argentina’s Bodegas NQN was founded with the notion of producing top-caliber red and white wines from their newly-producing vineyards in Patagonia.  This Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec and Pinot Noir blend is totally unique with a structure and finesse attributable to its unique grape composition.  It shows cherry/berry fruit with a hint of herbaceousness.

2005 Bodega NQN Malma Cabernet Sauvignon, Neuquen, Patagonia

List price 12.00; our price 9.99

Cabernet Sauvignon, like all the great grapes of Bordeaux, has been adopted by Argentinean winemakers, who are producing terrific, accessible, modern styled wines.  The Malma bottling is no exception; big cassis fruit and eucalyptus are the show-stealers here.

2008 Alamos Malbec, Mendoza

List price 9.99; our price 8.99

This wine has good richness, spice and complexity.  It shows subdued yet ripe aromas of blackberry, cassis and licorice, with complimenting suggestions of chocolate, herbs, and leather. It has a plumy fruit on entry, goes ripe and smooth in the middle, with a subtle hint of sweet oak in the finish.  Wine Spectator gave it a 90-point rating.

2007 La Posta Malbec, Mendoza

List price 15.00; our price 9.99

Dark raspberry, bitter chocolate and spice aromas are lifted by a floral element.  It is densely packed and spicy, with a fine-grained texture and a juicy quality to the fruit.  The floral element carries through in the mouth, giving this wine a light touch.  The finish shows firm tannic support.  This is excellent value, considering the price we are offering. Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar both rated this wine 89 points.

Saturday, March 6, 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

There is hardly another class of wine offering value than the Malbec bottlings of Mendoza, Argentina.  By “value” I mean considerable quality easily discerned, at very reasonable prices, or, “bang for the buck”.  Of course there are those producers that feel they should offer a densely made Malbec bomb at $100.00 or $150.00.  Unfortunately, these wines have to compete with similar bigger-than-life reds from California, which puts them at a disadvantage.  Happily you will not have to deal with this quandary on Saturday when we will maintain a sane pricing pulse rate.

2009 Elsa Bianchi Malbec

List price 9.99; our price 8.99

The classic Malbec aromas of ripe plum and violets are evident in the nose, with hints of vanilla.  The beauty of the Malbec in Argentina is its ability to combine a rich, weighty mouth feel with a soft silkiness normally associated with lighter wines.  Elsa Malbec takes the promise of the nose through to the palate, with pleasing fruit that mimics the aroma.  The soft, supple palate leads to a lingering finish.

2008 Alamos Malbec

List price 10.00; our price 8.99

The 2008 Alamos Malbec has a dark, blackish purple color.  The nose shows ripe black fruits, black pepper spice and floral notes.  The mouthfeel is full yet soft and supple, with black raspberry and currant flavors mingled with notes of sweet spice and a touch of leather. The finish is long and persistent with soft, sweet tannins.

2008 Zolo Malbec

List price 10.99; our price 9.99

The grapes are selected from Zolo’s best vineyards located in the wine-growing region of Mendoza.  These terroirs provide a wonderful expression of fruit and variety concentration.  This wine has an attractive and intense violet color, with black fruit, berry and raspberry flavors and a finish displaying complexity and elegance.

2008 Kaiken Malbec

List price 10.99; our price 9.99

In this wine, mature red fruits and chocolate are vividly present, mixing harmoniously with the oak, while violet aromas enhance the wine’s complexity on the nose.  The wine is velvety, with excellent structure and abundant, mature tannins providing a nice silkiness.  The wine is a faithful exponent of Malbec’s potential in Argentina, with unique characteristics, blending both intensity and softness along with a long and persistent finish.

2007 Pizzella Family Vineyard “La Posta” Malbec

List price 15.00; our price 13.50

Wine Spectator gave this delightful wine a 91-point rating: “Ripe and flashy, with a showy layer of mocha leading the way for spice cake, raspberry and boysenberry fruit flavors laid over a lush, creamy finish.  Dense but lithe, with the fruit echoing through the finish”.

2007 Kaiken “Ultra” Malbec

List price 19.95; our price 16.99

Showing outstanding and concentrated fruit, this wine has beautiful aromas of red berries, black cherry and a hint of cigar box cedar.  The full-bodied wine is round and velvety in mid-palate, with soft tannins.  An added touch of vanilla and toast, followed by a long and smooth finish makes this a very elegant wine.  80% of the Ultra was aged in French oak for 12 months which accounts for the considerable elegance of the wine.  Given its ripe core of spicy fruit, excellent concentration of succulent flavors, lengthy finish and balance, it should evolve for another 1-2 years and drink well through the rest of the decade.

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

Thanks to all who attended the event last Saturday featuring Mike Grgich and his fine wines.  Mike was gratified by the number of fans who crowded in to meet with him and taste the wines currently in release.  Melanie did amazingly well keeping up with the pouring duties and discussing the provenance of the varietals.  Our apologies to you who got to the counter after we ran out of Fumé Blanc and Zinfandel; the matter is rectified with the arrival of both now in the store.In the meantime, new arrivals are available on our shelves and really ought to be part of our sampling schedule.  This Saturday’s event will feature imports from Argentina, Germany Italy and Spain.Next Saturday, the 27th we will concentrate on Zinfandels and the following Saturday, the 6th of March, we will present Argentine Malbecs for your discerning pleasure.

2008 Banfi Principessa Perlante Gavi, Piemonte, Italy

List price 17.50; our price 13.99

Principessa Perlante captures the fresh, fruit-forward bouquet and elegant structure of Gavi with a delicate natural effervescence.  As well as an elegant apéritif, it is also an ideal accompaniment to all shellfish, and marries well with fish, veal and grilled chicken.  Its combination of delicacy and flavor makes it a most appropriate accompaniment to the nuances of Asian cuisine in general and Japanese dishes in particular.  Also, you might try it with Italian food.

2008 Alamos Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina

List price 10.00; our price 8.99

Built up by the Catena family in Argentina, Alamos produces terrific value wines year in and year out.  The wine is full-bodied, with red apple and pear fruit filling the mouth.  Some bright yellow stone fruit and just a hint of toffee from brief oak aging add some richness and texture.  The wine has a truly fresh flavor profile, and would work well as a bridge wine for those who prefer crisper, brighter, Chardonnay while their companions perhaps favor richer, oakier flavors.  Delicious and versatile, this is a “smoking” good deal on Chardonnay!

2000 Bert Simon Serrig Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese, Mosel, Germany

List price 24.90; our price 19.99

In 1968, as a young enologist, Bert Simon acquired the Baron von Schorlemer vineyards Serriger Herrenberg and Serriger Würtzberg.  Both vineyard sites of about 40 acres are monopole sites of the estate and almost all the vines are planted on steeply sloping hillsides.  This is a cool climate Riesling with aromas of minerals and bright citrusy fruit, with floral nuances in the background.  I love the citrus and honeysuckle fruit flavors playing off of the minerals, with a bright, tingly acidity to support it all.

2003 Conde de Valdemar, Reserva, Rioja, Spain

List price 16.50; our price 12.95

The Martinez Bujanda family, producers of Valdemar wines, founded their original winery in 1889.  They own 820 acres of vineyards, which makes Valdemar one of the largest estates in the Rioja.  A new winery was built in 1984 to take advantage of modern technologies, integrating both new and time-honored traditions of winemaking.  A blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Mazuelo, the wine is clean and bright with complex aromas of stewed black berries and spicy touches of black pepper and mineral notes.  It has a fleshy ripe berry character with fine tannins extending throughout the long and very persistent finish.

2006 Monte Antico, Toscana, Italy

List price 14.00; our price 10.99

The wine is 75 percent Sangiovese, 15 percent Merlot and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is made from 25-year-old vines, mostly from Pisa, Maremma and Chianti Classico areas.  The quality of the 2006 vintage in Tuscany shines brilliantly through this wine.  The superb 2006 Sangiovese year has produced an aromatic wine with beautiful plums, berries and fresh acidity; #61 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2009.

2006 Masi Valpolicella “Campofiorin” Ripasso, Veneto, Italy

List price 15.00; our price 12.99

Masi’s 2006 Campofiorin reveals a soft, floral expression of red fruits framed by silky tannins.  This medium-bodied, restrained wine shows a lovely balance.  Campofiorin is essentially a Valpolicella made in the ripasso style which involves a secondary fermentation on the skins and stems of the estate’s Amarone.

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

Next Saturday we will enjoy the company of George Horn representing Classic Wines of California. Always the perfect gentleman, George will present his favorite wines to you and happily discuss his reasons why. He believes in cost-to-quality value which will prove apparent as you taste your way through the following flight. Whether the choices are from France, Argentina, Chile or California, the quest is the same: bang for the buck.

2008 Patianna Estate Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Mendocino

List price 15.95; our price 13.99

When patriarch Barney Fetzer died of a heart attack in 1981, his 11 children took over, growing the business from 200,000 cases a year to 2.2 million by 1992, the year Brown-Forman bought the name and its brands. They smartly kept the vineyards and split the pieces among themselves. In 1997 Patti Fetzer Burke laid claim to 126 acres in the Sanel Valley near Hopland, a pristine former pear ranch bordering a mile or so of the Russian River, already planted in spots to her beloved Sauvignon Blanc. This wine’s aromas, Honeydew melon, white peach and citrus with a hint of wild fennel, are characteristic of Patianna’s grapes, grown by means of biodynamic protocols in gravelly, sandy loam soil. Luscious, vibrant flavors of grapefruit and lemon flavors, accented by a subtle mineral quality, carry through the wine’s expansive finish.

2008 Carmenet Vineyards Pinot Noir, California

List price 12.00; our price 9.99

Carmenet Winery was founded in 1982 by the Chalone Wine Group. The name Carmenet (Car-men-ay) was an archaic French term for the family of grape varieties used in traditional Bordeaux blends. In 2002 the brand was sold to Foster’s Group who later sold it to Franzia Wines. This really is a lovely Pinot Noir with good fruit and spice, excellent fruit and a full long finish. Quite the value!

P.K.N.T. Carmenère, Silver Collection, Rapel Valley, Chile

List price 6.95; our price 4.99

The PKNT Winery is located in the Central Region of Chile, the very heart of the country which includes its capital city, Santiago. The wine producing valleys of Cachapoal, Colchagua and Maule are located here. This wine is dark in color, smooth, deep, spicy, forward, delightful and unique; all for 4.99. Besides the berry notes there are hints of exotic spices that tantalize all the way to a long velvety finish. It is ideal with Tex-Mex or spicy food.

2007 Filus Winery, Malbec, Mendoza Argentina

List price 11.00; our price 8.99

This wine comes from a 68 year old vineyard in the Alto Medrano region of Mendoza. The low yield vines produce a wine that is violet in color with purple tones. The nose is intense and complex with the ideal balance of fruit and oak, resulting in a firm structure. Plum and blackberry fruits combine with toasty notes and sweet tannins for a long and persistent finish. The wine won a bronze Medal at the San Francisco Wine Competition.

2006 Chateau Lagarosse Cotes de Bordeaux

List price 18.00; our price 13.99

This blend of Merlot (80%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) is a harmonious blend of layered bright and rich berry fruit flavors. Château Lagarosse has been producing wine since the Roman period and continues to seduce the palate with a silky smooth texture and lingering finish.

2008 Masked Rider Gunsmoke Red, California

List price 9.99; our price 8.75

This young 2008 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Petite Sirah (38%), Merlot (15%) and Cabernet Franc (7%) shows aromas and flavors of fresh fruit, plums, black currant, herbs, and espresso notes, complemented with touches of earth. It is smooth in the mouth, with round tannins and a tasty finish.