Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, December 19, 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

Our annual Champagne event last week was a big hit and we are following it up with a Prosecco party.  This Saturday we will be visited by Kirsten York from Italy’s Mionetto Winery. The Mionetto family has been producing Prosecco wine in the very heart of Valdobbiadene since 1887.  The Prosecco zone, located in the Veneto, is comprised of an area between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.  This is the only place in the world where the Prosecco grape grows.  Mionetto makes a range of Prosecco styles, which would well accommodate year-end party needs at easy to manage pricing.  The best part is they are very festive, are under 12% alcohol and they taste really good.  Prosecco is an ideal accompaniment for a variety of cuisines and courses.  Whether served as an apèritif, or at the end of a meal, or any course in between, the natural acidity and fresh taste lightly compliments, but never over-powers, a meal.  Join us this Saturday to learn all about the famous grape that produces this wonderful wine, while sipping the lovely elixir.

Mionetto IL Prosecco, Veneto

List price 11.95; our price 9.99

This is a straw-colored wine with brilliant reflections. The aroma is fruity, reminiscent of pear and citrus with a slightly floral bouquet. The wine is fresh and crisp with apparent apple and peach flavors. This lightly sparkling (frizzante) wine typifies the traditional wine-maker’s Prosecco.

Mionetto Prosecco di Valdobbiadene

List price 18.00; our price 14.99

The Valdobbiadene winemaker’s art is full of long-standing traditions which the Mionetto Company has preserved, including the ancient custom of using string-tied corks, a rustic characteristic of the Valdobbiadene wines of the past lovingly maintained by Mionetto to this day.  The wine is slightly fruity and dry, with the perfume of golden apples.

Mionetto Prosecco Brut

List price 15.95; our price 11.99

This fully-sparkling wine is pale gold with greenish tints and a full and consistent perlage. Refined, light and delicate, it has a long-lasting aroma and fruity, crisp taste that recalls the freshness of golden apples.

Mionetto Sergio Spumante, Extra Dry

List price 24.00; our price 21.95

The blend in this sparkling wine is 70% Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOC and the other 30% is a blend of Verdiso, Bianchetta and Chardonnay.  It honors the traditions of the Veneto winemaking region and the long history of the Mionetto family.  Contemporary master vintner Sergio Mionetto produces this wine based on a formula handed down by Francesco Mionetto, who founded the winery.  A touch of two old grape varieties, unique to the region, are blended with the area’s finest Prosecco grapes; the result is a superbly dry, slightly fruity wine with just a hint of acidic crispness.  Wine Enthusiast gave the wine a 92 point-rating.

Mionetto IL Rosato del Veneto

List price 11.95; our price 9.99

This well-balanced and fruity wine has lively notes of cherries with a long and dry finish. Its pleasing aroma recalls the elegant mix of roses, raspberries and peaches.  This wine is lovely on its own, as an apèritif or paired with cured meats, mild cheeses or shellfish.  It particularly comes alive as a complement to fresh water fish such as rainbow trout and carp.

Mionetto Sergio Rosé

List price 24.00; our price 21.95

This is a brilliant, raspberry colored Italian sparkler with pretty and well-defined aromas of cranberry juice, almonds and roses.  Interesting mineral nuances that recall chalk or white stone add a patina of elegance and femininity to a fun and informal wine otherwise characterized by red berry fruit, white cherry and flower petal.

Saturday, December 12, 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 wouldn’t be a proper December without our annual Champagne event.  Lisa Wherry will be back discussing and pouring a selection of Champagne and other sparkling wines that should cover most celebratory needs.  So, if you have not begun your year-end celebrations, let us help you kick off the December bacchanal.  The following week, December the 19th, we will be visited by Kirsten York from Italy’s Mionetto Winery.  Mionetto is all about Prosecco, which functions well for year-end partying without breaking the budget.

Villa Sandi Prosecco, Veneto, Italy

List Price 12.95; our price 9.99

Villa Sandi is an exquisite Palladian-style villa dating back to 1622, located at the foot of the Marca Trevigiana hills, in the Veneto region and represents the combination of art and agriculture which has characterized the Venetian landscape for centuries.  This Prosecco is an ideal accompaniment for a variety of cuisines and courses.  Whether served as an apèritif, or at the end of a meal, or any course in between, the natural acidity and fresh taste lightly compliments, but never over-powers, a meal.  This elegant sparkler achieves a nice balance between sweet, fruit flavors and lively crispness.  Look for peach, pear, jasmine, grapefruit and stone that characterize the fruit with a bit of almond bitterness at the finish.

Bouvet Brut, Saumur, Loire Valley, France

List price 14.00; our price 11.95

This is a well-rounded, Champagne-like bubbly that makes a superb apéritif on its own before a meal and complements most meals as well.  It is a delicately fruity sparkling wine showing crisp citrus and white fruit flavors with a hint of toast refined by notes of Chardonnay ending in a fresh, lively finish.  Mostly Chenin, with 10% Chardonnay, this delicious bubbly mixes spicy yeast with clove and herb scents, inviting repeated sips.  Full-bodied fruit flavors follow, with a slightly candied appeal, and the finish wraps you in hints of vanilla and light toast.  88 Points Wine Enthusiast.

2006 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, Napa

List price 30.00; our price 26.95

Blanc de Blancs was the first wine Schramsberg produced in 1965 and was America’s first commercially produced Chardonnay-based sparkling wine.  Small lots of malolactic- and barrel-fermented wines are added for complexity.  The wine is aged on the yeast lees in the bottle for about two years prior to disgorgement.  It delivers aromas of key lime, freshly cut green apple and honeydew melon, followed by just a hint of pineapple upside-down cake. Upon entry, the palate is layered with flavors of citrus, ripe Anjou pear, dried pineapple and baked apple pie. With its vibrant, fruitful and crisp nature, this sparkling wine will maintain its freshness, structure and refined finish for many years, following release.

Taittinger Brut, Cuvée Prestige

List price 39.00; our price 32.50

Pale almond gold in color, this Champagne is punctuated by delicate strands of fine, persistent bubbles.  The full, aromatic Pinot fragrance of berries, toast and earth is allied to subtle notes of white Chardonnay fruit, both of which are confirmed on the generously full bodied palate.  In the mouth, the wine is marked by a smooth, round, creamy texture and elegant, toasty nuances of black Pinot grapes. The ample fruit dimension is offset by a clean, delicate acidity which carries into a warm, yeasty finish of exceptional refinement and breed.

2004 Iron Horse Russian Cuvée, Sonoma

List price 30.00; our price 27.00

This wonderfully rich and creamy wine is a classy blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay, aged an average of four years on the yeast in the bottle.  It is finished with a rich dosage, which makes it more opulent, and slightly sweeter, heightening the fruit. This vintage was awarded 90 points by Wine & Spirits magazine. It was originally designed for the historic Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Meetings ending the Cold War.

Juve & Camps Brut Rosé Pinot Noir, Spain

List price 18.00; our price 14.99

Positively delicious; this juicy little number has a bright beam of ripe raspberries, vanilla and yeasty brioche right down the mid-palate.  Definitely balanced & fine, it appears to have been designed for heavier fish dishes where a crisp acidity is needed for balance.  It is produced from Pinot Noir grapes wherein the free run juice is allowed a brief maceration on the skins.  Long bottle aging has brought balance, length and weight while retaining freshness and vivacity; it has good legs!

Saturday, April 4, 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

Founded as a vineyard company in 1973, Sonoma-Cutrer’s foundation was built upon a selection of several key vineyard properties in the marginal benchlands, hillsides and rocky foothills in what later became recognized as the Sonoma Coast Appellation, an area with long, even growing seasons due to the cool and foggy coastal climate.  Initially, the company planted several different grape varieties.   By the end of the ’70s, Sonoma-Cutrer’s Chardonnay grapes had a reputation for exceptional quality and were in great demand by premium wineries.  It was not long before the idea for a winery was floated and eventually built, under the guidance of some of Sonoma County’s finest winemakers and growers.  Ground was broken for a new winery in 1981.  Today, Sonoma-Cutrer’s flagship wine, Russian River Ranches, is the number-one-selling Chardonnay in America’s finest restaurants according to the annual Wine & Spirits magazine.  Lisa Wherry, of Youngs Market Company, and I welcome this opportunity to bring you this interesting side by side tasting event of this fine company’s wines.

2006 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, Russian River Ranches
19.99
Russian River Ranches is a cuvée crafted from several estate vineyards, each contributing its own distinct personality. The gentle elevation, moderate temperatures and fine sandy clay loam of Vine Hill make it ideal for growing Chardonnay. Owsley Ranch stands closest to the Pacific and is influenced by cooling fog pushing through Bloomfield Gap each day. The soils at Shiloh reflect an ancient seabed and volcanic ash that changed the topography eons ago, while Les Pierres is situated atop an old rock quarry that imparts a flinty mineral character.  Vines rooted in clay at Kent Vineyard are cooled morning and night by fog, allowing for extended maturation, while the vines at the Cutrer Vineyard struggle through soils marked by the eruptions of Mt. St. Helena.  Pretty aromas of jasmine and rose petal give way to tropical fruits like pineapple and mango. Roasted hazelnut joins nougat and almond butter, finishing with a touch of lime and lychee. Medium-weight and clean with a wonderful acid backbone, the wine expands in the glass, offering up grapefruit, lemon, pear and kumquat with subtle vanilla bean and herbal mushroom.  The lingering finish displays hints of minerality, along with apple, lime and a surprising kiss of strawberry.

2005 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
23.50
Distinct aromas of ginger and lemon zest are joined by toasty coconut, melon and caramel alongside a mineral, flinty cedar chest oakiness overlaid by notes of honeysuckle.  Well-balanced with a solid acid backbone, the wine is rich and medium-heavy with a broad, yet firm, mid-palate.  The long, lingering finish displays a touch of spice and lively acidity.  Flavors of lemon, apple, pear, pineapple and cantaloupe, join a nutty, spicy, lightly oaky profile.

2004 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, The Cutrer
29.95
Planted on what was once an ocean floor, The Cutrer Vineyard stands hardly a dozen miles from the Pacific shore.  Intense aromas of ripe apple are dotted with cinnamon and clove, as hazelnuts bathed in cream join fragrant notes of acacia blossoms.  In the mouth, the wine is dense and concentrated, while simultaneously offering a softer, sensual side.  Flavors of baked apple appear alongside glazed pineapple and fresh tangerine, as a hint of clove entertains the taste buds.  The wine is in perfect balance given its backbone of acidity.

2004 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, Les Pierres
36.50
Sitting atop gravelly clay loam in an ancient riverbed thick with cobblestone, Les Pierres enjoys a long growing season, allowing for full maturation and ripening, by virtue of the daily fog shroud from San Pablo Bay.  Full of deep, complex flavors that speak to the leanness of the soil, and the cool weather ripening and maturation, the wine displays distinct aromas of spice and lemon-lime over a pronounced flinty mineral backbone typical of the vineyard.  Signature flavors of green apple and lemon evolve to dried lemon peel and lime zest, while floral notes recall acacia flowers.  A broad mid-palate reveals a touch of spun honey.  Judicious oak aging and fermentation impart a hint of fresh-baked bread crust.  The wine’s structure is firm, focused and elegant, and the remarkably long finish is classic Les Pierres: tight, lemon-mineral, extending with great acidity.

2005 Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
32.00
This wine is not shy.  Aromas of black cherry and currants leap from the glass, quickly followed by notes of cedar and allspice.  A strong floral component marries the fruit bouquet, while leaving room for the subtle influence of the new French oak. In the mouth the first impression is all berries, with raspberry, blueberry and blackberry all enjoying a turn.

Saturday, February 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

Sparkling wines may have been more apropos for out tasting on Valentine’s Day, but some of our industry representatives have to travel some distance to get to the valley. Consequintly, we give them first choice for the dates they can be with us. This will most likely be our last bubbly affair until December during which month we have two such events. Join us for the tasting of a flight of sparklers that are priced from 5.99 to 19.99, surely within everyone’s budget. The high priced spread we will save for the holidays to enliven the festive atmosphere. Next Saturday will be devoted to Steele Winery of Lake County, and the marvelous wines made by Jed Steele, Kendal-Jackson’s former winemaker.

Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine, Australia

5.99

Sourced from some of Australia’s premiere sparkling wine growing regions, this sparkling wine is a blend of 72% Semillon blended with Traminer, Viognier and Trebbiano. It is pale straw in color with Muscat-like aromas. The taste is fresh with flavors of tropical fruits that combine for a medium sweetness and end with a crisp, refreshing finish. The only knock on this wine is the inconsistency of bubbles between bottles. Some simply do not have the charge equal to other bottles. Still this fresh, fruit driven wine does have its charm and certainly the price is right.

Gloria Ferrer Brut

14.99

The blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is round and full-bodied, with rich, ripe apple, pear and honeydew melon flavors. This complex sparkler has a nice touch of yeast and doughy aromas that give it added character, turning creamy with a touch of vanilla. It is smooth and rich in the mouth, showing layers of black cherry, vanilla and ginger, with a hint of lemon drop. It finishes with a long, refreshing aftertaste of mineral and fruit. It was awarded Gold and Best of Class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Further, it picked up a 90 point rating from Wine Spectator along with a “Smart Buys” designation.

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noir

14.99

The Blanc de Noirs is predominantly made from hand-harvested Pinot Noir grapes, the hallmarks of which are a vibrant red fruit character. The creamy palate and rosy hue are a result of a small addition of Vin Gris, which was blended into the base cuvée. In the nose, there are bright strawberry and black cherry aromas with subtle vanilla highlights. Creamy cherry, lemon and cola flavors combine with a lush palate, with small, lively bubbles and a persistent finish. It received 91 points from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The Los Angeles Wine & Spirits Competition gave it a Platinum & Best of Class designation and the Sonoma County Harvest Fair awarded it Gold, and Best of Class.

Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvée

19.99

The Royal Cuvée showcases the superb quality of the grapes grown on the 335-acre estate vineyard in Carneros. Made only from the first pressing of grapes hand-picked from this vineyard, this classic Brut blend of two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay offers the delicacy and exuberance of perfectly ripe fruit well-integrated with mature complexities derived from over five years of aging on the yeast. A complex interplay of subtly nuanced berry and cherry aromas marries with mature yeast characters and a trace of graphite in the nose of this well-developed yet remarkably fresh sparkling wine. The wine holds in balance full, round, abundant flavors of citrus, ripe apple, spice and toast with vibrant acidity that refreshes the palate throughout the long finish. It received 93 points from Wine Spectator, and the Sonoma County Harvest Fair gave it a Gold Medal.

Cinzano Rosé Spumante. Italy

9.99

This dry sparkling rosé wine is the latest addition to the line of Cinzano wines. It is made from a blend of Durello, Garganega, Trebbiano and Pinot Nero grapes. It effervesces with aromas of delicate wild berries and rose flowers.

Cinzano Asti Spumante, Italy

9.99

The renowned Asti Cinzano is produced from the white Muscat grape in the DOCG area of Asti, at the heart of the Piedmont region. Its sweet and fruity aroma makes it the perfect choice for accompanying desserts or simply for adding a touch of sparkle to any occasion big or small. The wine shows pretty orange and spice aromas on the soft and foamy palate. Acidity balances the sweetness, making this a light, pleasant apéritif as well as a dessert sparkler.

Saturday, December 20,2008
4 to 6 pm

$10.00 per person

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

The holiday season looms before us and what better way to beckon the season than to pop open a few bottles of Champagne.  Lisa Wherry will join us on Saturday to discuss and to pour the fine sparklers from her portfolio.  Hors d’oeuvres will be served.  This year we have increased the selection to include eleven sparklers!  Not to be missed!

Schramsberg Mirabelle, North Coast
$18.50
This delightful sparkler is a blend of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino county Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  It is big and buttery with aromas of baked apple, lemon curd, nutmeg, malt and bread dough.  A whiff of buttered toast leads to balanced flavors of citrus, white flowers and butterscotch. Its citrusy, nutty finish refuses to fade.

2004 Domaine Carneros Brut, Napa
$18.99
This winery blends Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at a two to one ratio and tosses in a splash of Pinot Blanc for good measure.  Typical of each vintage are lovely flavors of lemon blossom, honeydew melon, ripe peaches and pears. Toasted nuts, caramel and hints of baking spice add to the complexity.  The creamy mousse is very special.

Taittinger Brut Champagne, Cuvée Prestige
$33.50
The color is a brilliant, golden straw yellow and the bubbles are fine. The mousse is both discreet and persistent.  The nose, very expressive and open, is both fruity and bread-like, exuding aromas of peach, flowers, and vanilla.  On the palate, this lively fresh wine is harmonious and delicate with flavors of fresh fruit and honey.

2004 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, Napa
$29.95
The Blanc de Noirs bursts with a lively bright mixture of peach, strawberry, and candied orange aromas.  Honeyed and caramelized characters have developed over the course of bottle-aging in their mountain caves.  The palate shows off vibrant stone fruit flavors with a silky mix of vanilla crème and zesty acidity.

Perrier- Jouët Grand Brut
$39.95
Perrier Jouët’s house style tends to be light, fresh and elegant, showing apple blossoms, peach nectar, baked bread and a hint of ginger.  The bubbles are small and fine, supporting a creamy, rounded texture that is simply delicious.

Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge Champagne
$29.95
Cordon Rouge has always been a distinctly fresh, full bodied Champagne with impeccable consistency of taste.  Its richness and elegance have been symbolically represented by the diagonal red ribbon across the label since 1876. 

Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne
$26.99; $14.50/375ml; $9.95/187ml
The majority of the blend is Pinot Noir with small amounts of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier balancing out the blend.  Selected reserve wines from preceding years are incorporated into the blend to insure consistency of style from year to year.  The blend is aged on the lees for a minimum of two years before release.  Always excellent and a great buy!

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne
$39.99
From the bread-like, floral and citrus notes in the bouquet to the apricot, melon and rum pastry flavors, this well balanced wine performs well as an apéritif as well as a versatile accompaniment to food.  Wine Spectator scores this 92 points.

2002 Iron Horse Russian Cuvée, Green Valley, Sonoma
$27.00
The same base wine as Classic Vintage Brut, but with a richer dosage, which makes it more opulent, slightly sweeter and heightens the fruit . Originally designed for the historic Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Meetings ending the Cold War.

2003 Iron Horse Brut Rosé, Green Valley, Sonoma
$44.00
The wildest of the Iron Horse sparkling wines and surprisingly the driest.  Bold and vibrant in both color and taste, it is pure exuberance.  The color and richness come from cold soaking the Pinot Noir on the skins.  Brut Rosés are the most versatile of food wines, functioning perfectly as an apéritif or with a very wide variety of foods.  This one is fantastic!

Piper Heidsieck Brut Rosé Sauvage
$49.99
Piper mixes still red wine into the traditional Cuvée Brut recipe, resulting in a wine with a surprising dark red hue.  Beyond that, the wine is quite refreshing with citrus flavors and blood orange character. Tack on cherry, strawberry and plum and now you have something.  Despite all this wildness, the crisp beverage comes together in perfect harmony, delivering elements of richness.  This wine is age-worthy, but for now, pair it with roasted duck breast.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

4 to 6 pm

$10.00 per person

The first 36 guests will receive a souvenir champagne glass

Home of: ExecutiveGiftService.com

611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #1, Palm Springs, 327-7701

The holiday season looms before us and what better way to beckon the season than to pop open a few bottles of Champagne. Lisa Wherry will join us on Saturday to discuss and to pour the fine sparklers from her portfolio. Hors d’oeuvres will be served. Arrive late for this event and you will be sorry; miss this one and you will be even sorrier.

2004 Domaine Carneros Brut, Napa
$18.99

This winery blends Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at a two to one ratio and tosses in a splash of Pinot Blanc for good measure. Typical of each vintage are lovely flavors of lemon blossom, honeydew melon, ripe peaches and pears. Toasted nuts, caramel and hints of baking spice add to the complexity. The creamy mousse is very special.

2003 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, Napa
$27.75

Inviting toasty lemon-lime and tropical aromas combine with hints of vanilla spice. On the palate, it has zesty citrus and baked pineapple flavors that lead to a long, seamless finish. It is crisp and refreshing, showcasing sparkling Chardonnay at it best. Blanc de Blancs was the first wine they produced in 1965 and was America’s first commercially produced Chardonnay-based sparkling wine. Good stuff!

2004 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, Napa
$29.95

The Blanc de Noirs bursts with a lively bright mixture of peach, strawberry, and candied orange aromas. Honeyed and caramelized characters have developed over the course of bottle-aging in their mountain caves. The palate shows off vibrant stone fruit flavors with a silky mix of vanilla crème and zesty acidity.

2002 Iron Horse Russian Cuvée, Green Valley, Sonoma
$25.00

The same base wine as Classic Vintage Brut, but with a richer dosage, which makes it more opulent, slightly sweeter and heightens the fruit . Originally designed for the historic Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Meetings ending the Cold War.

2003 Iron Horse Brut Rose, Green Valley, Sonoma
$44.00

The wildest of the Iron Horse sparkling wines and surprisingly the driest. Bold and vibrant in both color and taste, it is pure exuberance. The color and richness come from cold soaking the Pinot Noir on the skins. Brut Rosés are the most versatile of food wines, functioning perfectly as an apéritif or with a very wide variety of foods. This one is fantastic!

Delamotte Brut Champagne
$29.95

The Delamotte brut is 50 percent chardonnay, 30 percent Pinot Noir and 20 percent Pinot Meunier. The focus is on a very fresh style, and the result is a crisp, toasty, white peach-pear nose that opens, upon sipping, to a toasty creamy texture, with fine bubbles.

Taittinger Brut Champagne, La Francaise
$15.50/375ml

The color is a brilliant, golden straw yellow and the bubbles are fine. The mousse is both discreet and persistent. The nose, very expressive and open, is both fruity and bread-like, exuding aromas of peach, flowers, and vanilla. On the palate, this lively fresh wine is harmonious and delicate with flavors of fresh fruit and honey.

Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne
$25.99; $14.50/375ml; $9.95/187ml

The majority of the blend is Pinot Noir with small amounts of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier balancing out the blend. Selected reserve wines from preceding years are incorporated into the blend to insure consistency of style from year to year. The blend is aged on the lees for a minimum of two years before release. Always excellent and a great buy!

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne
$29.75

From the bread-like, floral and citrus notes in the bouquet to the apricot, melon and rum pastry flavors, this well balanced wine performs well as an apéritif as well as a versatile accompaniment to food.

Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge Champagne
$29.95

Cordon Rouge has always been a distinctly fresh, full bodied Champagne with impeccable consistency of taste. Its richness and elegance have been symbolically represented by the diagonal red ribbon across the label since 1876.