Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, November 21, 2009

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

With Thanksgiving Day less than a week away, we invited Ian Dealhey of Robert Oatley Vineyards to join us for a pouring of fine wines that will pair well with a turkey dinner, or for entertaining over the holiday weekend, or, for that matter, enjoying at home with a meal at any time. All are under $20.00 and represent a great price to quality value ratio. Bob Oatley is a proud and passionate Australian who is credited with pioneering Australian wine to the rest of the world. He owned Rosemount Estate, for several decades the most recognized and successful family-owned Australian winery. After selling off the Rosemount Estate, Bob looked around for something new to do and guess what? He started a new winery. In 2006, the family purchased the historic Craigmoor property on the outskirts of the Mudgee township in New South Wales. The old winery, now a tasting room and visitor center, was established in 1858. The surrounding vineyards grow some of the finest grapes in the region, all of which are in the capable hands of Sandy, his eldest son.

2008 Robert Oatley Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

List price 14.95; our price 10.99

This delightfully zesty, tropical flavored white wine is devoid of any oak influence. The development of tropical fruit flavors rather than Sauvignon’s often dominant grassy notes imply cool-fermentation in stainless steel. Most of the wine was racked leaving some portions on the lees to add structure, texture and additional palate weight. The wine is lean and fresh, enlivened by crisp acidity, and offering notes of peach, kiwi and mango with highlights of lime and grapefruit.

2008 Robert Oatley Vineyards Pinot Grigio

List price 14.95; our price 10.99

This wine is medium bodied and crisp, somewhere between Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, without a trace of oak to interfere with the spicy aromas and ripe apple and pear flavors. There’s plenty of acidity here for pairing with saltier foods and enough body and fruit to stand up to richer light meat dishes.

2007 Robert Oatley Vineyards Chardonnay

List price 15.95; our price 11.99

A variety of winemaking regimes were employed to produce a complex, yet fruit driven style. The fruit was grown on Oatley family vineyards and harvested at optimum ripeness. Half of the blend was cold fermented in stainless steel, and the remainder barrel fermented then aged in one-third brand new French oak. Much of the blend underwent a secondary fermentation that softened the wine’s acidity, leaving us to enjoy a delicious creamy texture.

2008 Robert Oatley Vineyards Rosé of Sangiovese

List price 13.50; our price 9.99

The blend for this rosé is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was produced in the ’saignée’ method of making rosé, where the wine is drained off the skins after only a short period of contact, producing a pink rather than red wine. It was deliberately made at the drier end of the spectrum for rosé, but with fresh wild strawberry aromas and a hint of leafy greenness. The flavors are cherry and stone fruit with big chewy berry fruit. It is an excellent value, in an excellent style that will please red wine drinkers.

2007 Robert Oatley Vineyards Shiraz

List price 19.99; our price 17.99

This is a fine display of the dense flavors of the varietal, offering candied cherry and blackberry on the nose with complex earth and spice notes. The deep dark fruit flavors are brightened by a zesty mineral note. It shows a wonderful balance and complexity with relatively low alcohol and good balancing acidity. There is a subtle smokiness but the wine finishes with inviting sweetness and straightforward, slightly jammy, dark berry flavors.

2007 Robert Oatley Vineyards Cabernet Merlot

List price 19.99; our price 17.99

This blend of 51% Cabernet and 49% Merlot is matured for 12 months in French oak barrels. The nose of this wine is filled with bright red cherry notes and a hint of vanilla. In the mouth it shows earthy herbal accents combined with ripe blackberry and toasted oak, some black pepper and hints of sour cherry. The tannins are nicely integrated and there is sufficient fruit to carry the wine through to a long, lush, mouth-filling finish. Delicious now, it will reward additional aging.

Saturday, June 6, 2009
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

Those of you who were not able to attend last Saturday’s event missed out on an impromptu attempt to pair cupcakes with the wines being poured.  The delicious pastries are made by Sisters Cupcakes by Design from Cathedral City (www.sisterscupcakes.com), 760-328-5620.  Josie and Sandy, who are indeed sisters, provided us an array of cupcakes from lemon-coconut to chocolate-raspberry.  I was quite skeptical when the idea was first suggested, but was amazed at the good reception we received, not to mention the sheer fun of it all.  We decided to repeat the event this weekend, but announce it in advance.  These baked jewels will go well with the wines we have selected, but you do have to like cupcakes.

Zonin Prosecco Sparkling Wine, Italy
Regular price 11.00; our price 8.99
This is a very tasty sparkling wine, though without being overly carbonated.  The fruit is soft and pear-like and there are just enough sweet elements to remove the acidic edge one gets from Champagne.  Besides making an excellent Bellini cocktail, this Prosecco should pair well with the cupcakes.

2006 Annie’s Lane Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia
Regular price 13.50; our price 7.99
This Riesling is pale straw in color with green hues.  The nose shows the classic, elegant characters of Clare Valley Riesling: dried Lime rind, citrus and stone fruit.  The palate is tight and elegant, with lime flavors dominating throughout.  It can be enjoyed as an apèritif or as the perfect accompaniment to fruits de mer.  Its impressive length and natural acidity will allow for graceful aging over the next 5 years.

Grandial Muscat Rosé Sparkling Wine, France
Regular price 12.00; our price 9.99
This is a fruity elegant sparkling wine with fine bubbles and a fresh palate.  It is slightly sweet and should pair well with our cupcake selection.  This is a great price for this fruit-forward sparkling wine with fine bubbles and fresh palate.

2005 PKNT Carmenère Reserve, Rapel Valley, Chile
Regular price 9.00; our price 6.99
The wine is smooth and full bodied with a dark red color.   In the nose it has red cherries and plums with a touch of toasty oak.  There are hints of chocolate and berries in a setting of round tannins; soft but well structured. 

2006 Yangarra Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia
Regular price 20.95; our price 17.99
Rich spice, blackberry fruit, and hints of sweet vanilla are the hallmarks of this remarkable Shiraz.  On the palate, the wine is rich and full-bodied, with intense blackberry and dark cherry flavors, although soft tannins.  It was aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels to encourage the smoky, toasty oak flavors which, in turn, frame the rich, plush dark berry and plum flavors giving way to a balanced black pepper finish.

2006 Yangarra Cadenzia, McLaren Vale, Australia
Regular price 23.00; our price 19.99
This is a blend supposedly inspired by the opera term for an improvised personal expression at the end of an Aria (usually seen as “Cadenza”).  This blend of Grenache (68%), Shiraz (27%) and Mourvèdre (5%) blends together the array of flavors and terroirs of the estate, and is very representative of the McLaren Vale appellation in general.  The full flavor experience evokes blackberry, Bing cherry, mulberry, plums, nuts and subdued oak flavors slowly tapering off to a lingering finish.

Saturday, May 16, 2009
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

Since our last event featuring wines from the southern hemisphere, more wines have arrived from Australia, Argentina and Chile.  The prices for these finds run from under 10.00 to under 20.00, however it is the quality level that makes them excellent values.  There is definitely something here to satisfy everyone.

2008 Viña Calina Alcance Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca, Chile
Regular price 17.00, today only 14.99
Alcance means “to reach for” in Spanish, and this Sauvignon Blanc shows just how far Chili’s outreach has succeed.  The wine is light straw in color with expressive tropical fruit aromas of guavas, gooseberries, passion fruit, peaches and a hint of green grassiness.  The acid is firm, but not overpowering.  The palate is lush, long and weighty. This is a bold, overt, block-selected Sauvignon Blanc.

2005 Kangarilla Road Viognier, McLaren Vale, Australia
Regular price 18.00, today only 14.99
This South Australian Viognier displays an aromatic citrus blossom with hints of light orange peel, together with nuances of light citrus and apricot.  The palate is mouth filling with lively zesty citrus flavors combined with subtle honeysuckle.  This is an elegant style displaying tight acidity, great length of flavor together with integrated mid palate texture coming from the light use of oak.

2007 Marraso Vineyards Cabernet, Mendoza, Argentina
Regular price 9.99, today only 7.99
Complex and spicy, this Cabernet Sauvignon has an intense ruby color; plum and roasted pepper aromas; and well-rounded cherry and strawberry flavors with of smoky oak on the finish.  The tannins are soft and the finish is long.

2007 Doña Paula Cabernet Sauvignon, Los Cardos, Mendoza
Regular price 9.99, today only 7.99
Named Los Cardos for the thistle plant, which apparently thrives in the vineyards at Doña Paula, this cabernet sauvignon shows the classical aromas and flavors of black currant.  The focus of the winemaking regimen is the juicy black fruit with only a small portion of the wine having spent a couple of months in oak. The result is an easy-drinking wine that’s priced to enjoy with a burger.

2007 Root: 1 Carmenère, Colchagua Valley Chile
Regular price 11.99, today only 9.99
The name comes from the fact that these grapes were grown on ungrafted, original root stock.  The nose is rich with blueberry, raspberry and spice notes coming through.  In the mouth the wine is spicy and fruity with plum and blackberry flavors, notes of clove and a really interesting sweet cigar flavor.  It is a little tannic at the start, but opens nicely in the glass with a little swirling.  Excellent!

2006 Kilikanoon Shiraz, Killerman’s Run, South Australia
Regular price 22.00, today only 18.50
The 2006 Killerman’s Run Shiraz exhibits a brick red color with crimson tints.  Lifted Shiraz characters dominate the nose with rich plum, mocha and blackberry notes supported by the French and American oak.  Made to showcase the unique flavors of Shiraz, the palate is fruit driven and balanced.  A sweet mid palate and soft tannins have created a wine with both power and finesse.

Saturday, May 2, 2009
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

It is officially a buyers market in wine, and we are pleased to be presenting excellent values to you.  This Friday we will focus on imports from lands south of the equator.  Argentina continues for a second year as the leader in growth of exports, with Chile some distance behind.  But Chile has already achieved big numbers in the export game and growth had to slow down.  Australia’s position in exports is already impressive, as well, and we are seeing more and more South African wines in our marketplace, too.  The slowing world-wide economy is having its effect on prices and you are to be the beneficiaries, but only if you come see what it is all about.

Toso Brut Chardonnay Sparkling Wine, Mendoza, Argentina
Regular price 10.95 Today only 8.99
Toso has been producing sparkling wine for 85 years, and is the second-biggest sparkling exporter in Argentina.  The sparkler is produced in the Charmat method with the Chardonnay wine in contact with its lees for 5 months.  It shows nice small bubbles and a bit of buttery, toasty quality which is a pleasure to discover.  The flavors are of apple and lemon fruit.  It is very pleasant on the palate, with a delightful crispness making it deliciously easy to drink.

2007 St. Lucas Torrontés, Mendoza, Argentina
Regular price 11.95 Today only 8.95
Exotic and unique, Torrontés is the white grape to watch in Argentina.  Showing superstar potential in this climate, it delights with a myriad of floral aromatics and enticing flavors of white peaches, apricots, honey, and lemon meringue.  The intense, sensually stimulating wines it produces are great foils for tough to- match foods like ginger chicken or spicy Thai dishes, yet they also shine when enjoyed on their own.  This bottling focuses on rose petals, tropical fruit and candied peach with a touch of spice, yet balanced with good acid and a crisp character.

2006 Au Chardonnay, Limestone Coast, Australia
Regular price 9.99 Today only 6.99
Produced by Aussie Vineyards Ltd of Queensland, this bottling is the Chardonnay in a line of “Au” wines developed with the North American market in mind.  Fruit was sourced from the cool maritime climate of South Australia’s Limestone Coast, and fermentation and maturation took place in a mix of new and used French Oak, as well as some stainless steel tanks.  On the nose are aromas of grapefruit, passion fruit, minerals and nuances of oak.  The wine is crisp and smooth in the mouth, with a nice balance between fruit-and-oak richness and lean acidity and minerality.  Flavors of pear, melon, grapefruit, and pineapple mingle on the palate, brightened by acidity and framed by buttery and toasty hints of oak.  The finish is a decent swell of tropical and citrus fruit notes, tailing off on an enjoyable mix of fruit and creamy oak.

2007 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Regular price 13.00 Today only 9.99
This wine gem is a beautiful rosé made of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from a winery that dates back to 1692.  It shows fragrant earthy aromas of cherry and strawberry and a creamy, flavor-packed palate with fresh acidity and a lingering finish.  Wine Enthusiast Magazine: 86 points “Bright, vibrant aromas of red berry and flowers open to an easygoing, fresh and fruity character that pairs well with almost any food; good minerality ensures an absence of sweetness.”

2006 Marraso Malbec, El Caballo Antiguo, Mendoza, Argentina
Regular price 9.99 Today only 7.99
This winery took the name of an ancient city named Marraso, which was protected by the spirit of an ancient horse, whose image was painted on the wall of a cave high in the Andes.  Unhappily, the cave was never found but the wine is a solid, reality Malbec, suitably dry and fruity.  It is full bodied with deep and forward berry and cherry fruit flavors.  It has mellow tannins, good acid and hints of dark cocoa, vanilla, and a note of tar for added complexity.

2007 Root:1 Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Chile
Regular price 11.99 Today only 9.99
Chile’s distinctive geography makes it one of very few grape growing regions in the world where original European rootstock has been unaffected by phylloxera. While most vineyards around the world are planted on grafted rootstock, Root 1 Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on original, ungrafted roots, producing wines with intense fruit flavor and authentic varietal character.  This wine is a rich ruby in color with cherry, black currant, toffee and mocha notes.  Silky tannins and good structure lead to a long and complex finish accented with vanilla notes.

Saturday, March 7, 2009
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

We have happened upon some most excellent bargains from our Australian wine importers and will be showing them off this Saturday.  The offering centers on the wines of South Australia and Victoria, the major wine producing regions in the country.  Australia’s first vineyards were planted in 1788 in a small area near the Sydney Harbour Bridge in New South Wales.  Today you will find vineyards throughout all 62 designated wine regions totalling 420,000 acres.  Current export figures place Australia as the fourth largest exporter of wine, selling to more than 100 countries around the world and contributing $5.5 billion to the nation’s economy.

2006 Shoofly White Wine, Victoria
Regular price 13.50; Our price 9.99
Juicy, tropical Verdelho and exotically perfumed Viognier combine with dashes of Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling to provide a refreshing, succulent blend.  Crafted by leading Australian winemaker, Ben Riggs, the 2006 Buzz Cut exhibits aromas of tropical fruit, apricot, and grapefruit.  It is drinking well now and should last another year or so.  It pairs well with flavorful seafood such as coconut shrimp, and with pork dishes with sautéed pears or chili spices.

2006 Annie’s Lane Riesling, Clare Valley, South Australia
Regular price 12.50; Our price 7.99
This Riesling is pale straw in color with green hues.  The nose shows the classic, elegant characters of Clare Valley Riesling: dried lime rind, citrus and stone fruit.  The palate is tight and elegant, with lime flavors dominating throughout. It can be enjoyed as an apéritif or as the perfect accompaniment to fruits de mer.  Its impressive length and natural acidity will allow for graceful aging over the next 5 years.

2005 Andrew Peace Rosé, Murray River, South Australia
Regular price 5.99; Our price 1.99
The blend in this very dry rosé is Shiraz (55%) and Sangiovese (45%).  It delivers lovely flavors of berries backed by hints of crisp green apples.  It is an excellent accompaniment to shellfish dishes and other light meat fish, but rather dry to serve as an apéritif.  It also serves well as a cooking wine for fish, poultry and pork.

2003 Ross Estate Grenache, Old Vine, Barossa Valley
Regular price 19.50; Our price 9.99
Ross Estate is one of my favorite Aussie wineries and wine-maker Rod Chapman does an excellent job here with grapes from vines up to 90 years of age.  These low-yielding gnarled vines produce very high quality Grenache grapes which, with Rod’s help, become a rich succulent wine with concentrated flavors.  The soft tannins frame the lovely ripe and spicy cherry fruit for a most pleasant sipping experience.

2005 St. Marys Red Wine, “Bells & Whistles”, Limestone Coast, SA
Regular price 15.95; Our price 9.99
The blend in this fun bottling is Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Shiraz (20%), Cabernet Franc (11%) and Merlot (4%).  Dark ruby colored, it delivers a nose of spice box, clove, cassis, and black currants.  It is full and quite rich on the palate.  Black cherry flavors emerge to add a bit of complexity.  Meant for near-term consumption, this attractive, forward wine should provide pleasure over the next 4-6 years.

2003 Koonowla Shiraz, Clare Valley, South Australia
Regular price 26.50; Our price 15.95
Koonowla is one of the six original wineries of Clare Valley, and only the best vineyard parcels were used for the grapes that made this wine.  The bouquet is redolent with blackberry fruit, and hints of cedar spice.  The palate has great depth balanced with ripe acidity and fine tannins. Robert Parker, Jr., of The Wine Advocate, gave this wine a 92-point rating: “The 2003 Shiraz, aged in equal parts American and French oak, exhibits a dense ruby/purple color, blockbuster-like force and richness, and noteworthy blackberry liqueur-like notes intermixed with white flowers, smoke, and asphalt.  Chewy, heady, and rich, it is best drunk over the next 7-10 years.  This is a seriously, impressive Shiraz.”