Desert Wines and Spirits

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 13, 2008
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

Here are a few wines that should prove adequate, if not perfect, for your holiday entertainment.  Surely, they should prove perfect for our party purposes on Saturday.  Next Thursday I will remind you of the annual Champagne bash to occur on the following Saturday, the 20th; always a high time.  As with last year, Lisa Wherry will do the honors, pouring forth that of which dreams are made.

2005 Barnard Griffin Fumé Blanc, Columbia Valley
8.99
We have made an excellent buy of this fine Sauvignon Blanc, taking advantage of the change of distributors to secure a great deal.  Producing Award Winning wines for over 30 years, Barnard Griffin Winery is situated in south-central Washington at the confluence of the Yakima, Columbia, and Snake rivers, in the heart of Washington State’s wine country.  The wine has aromas of citrus and herbs. Its acidity and crispness gives it a wonderful palate impression.  It is bright on the palate for greater length and finish.  Enjoy it with shellfish or as an apéritif. 

Viognier Special of the day
9.99
This just released Viognier was produced entirely in French Oak, with 50% of the barrels being new.  It shows good character with layers of honey, cantaloupe, lychee and white flower blossoms on the nose and mouth.  It shows itself best when served with only a slight chill.
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2004 Barnard Griffin Merlot, Columbia Valley
9.99
The aromas of black cherries and red currants dominate the nose. There is a good dose of medium toasted European oak barrels. You see a great vintage in the 2004 with moderate tannins and good acid.  Black cherry, currant nose with smoky pipe tobacco, caramel notes. Very fruity lively attack boasts ripe plum and cherry fruit accented by licorice and earthy qualities in the background. This wine delivers excellent fruit concentration, depth and density.  Think barbequed meats with rich sauces and marinades.  It received a 91-point rating from Wine & Spirits Magazine.

2004 Brassfield Merlot, Lake County
11.95
Here’s another great deal while it lasts.  The winery sits at an elevation of 1800 feet overlooking Clear Lake and the grapes are grown in well drained volcanic soil.  The blend is 86% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.  The wine has a deep, rich garnet hue, with aromas of black cherry, cola nut and cocoa.  The rustic flavors of cinnamon spice, plum and bay laurel are enhanced with subtle nuances of vanilla, oak, and soy.  The complexity of flavors is further enhanced by the soft middle and silky tannins that lead to a lengthy soft finish.

2005 Trentadue Old Patch Red, Sonoma County
11.95
Named for the original 1896 plantings, Trentadue’s Old Patch Red has remained the all time favorite among legions of Trentadue fans for over three decades.  The blend is comprised of 70% Zinfandel, 20% Petite Sirah, 5.5% Carignane and 4.5% Syrah.  The predominance of Zin in the blend brings in jammy, peppery, black cherry and strawberry aromas with spicy herbal nuances.  Further aeration reveals deeper and more complex layers of plums, brown sugar, graphite and earthy, dusty undertones.  The mouth feel reveals no hard edges, with a juicy middle but shows a solid tannin core suggesting a good aging potential.  This release has picked up 5 Gold Medals so far from prestigious California competitions including a “Best of Class” award at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.

2006 Robert Hall Orange Muscat, Paso Robles
9.99
Not all good dessert wines need to be expensive.  This high value Muscat (enjoying a 95 point rating) is effusive with fresh citrus & orange blossom aromas that entertain your senses with sweet spice and tropical fruit flavors.  It is crisp, with a bright finish; a delight by itself, or paired with Thai cuisine or as an accompaniment to crème brûlée.
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Saturday, December 22, 2007

4 to 6 pm

$5.00 per person

Home of: ExecutiveGiftService.com

611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #1, Palm Springs, 92264, 327-7701

When the needs of party provision or gift giving begin to outstrip the budget, it becomes imperative to find well-priced premium wines in attractive bottles and labels.  Here are a few suggestions from the many new arrivals at our store.

We will be closed only on Christmas day and on New Year’s Day and will revert to our usual schedule in January, closing each Sunday and holidays.  If you are unable to attend this wine party or next Saturday’s (and shame on you if you miss) then please accept our heartfelt thanks for your support of all we are trying to do here.  HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

n.v. Bellussi Prosecco di Valdobbiadene
$9.99               

It is getting increasingly difficult to find good Prosecco for 10.00 and under, given the free-fall of the dollar against the Euro.  We did, however, manage to force the price downward on this one after agreeing to a sizeable purchase.  Prosecco is a late-ripening, delicate white wine grape grown extensively in the region north of Venice.  This frizzante style wine (slightly sparkling) is light and dry, with a hint of pear in the taste.  It is quite delicious.

n.v. South Coast Winery Ruby Cuvée
$9.99

Are you ready for a sparkling Syrah?  This Temecula winery does a nice job with this bottling.  The “ruby” refers to the color of the wine.  The bouquet is fruit oriented showing red berries with a chocolate edge.  Likewise in the mouth the wine is fruity and lush and exhibits a lively acidity.

2003 Santino Zinfandel, Sierra Foothills, Amador
$9.99               

This Zin is sturdy and full of rich raspberries and blackberries, plums, and spice aromas.  The mouth is flush with berry fruit that connects with almonds, cinnamon and pepper.  The finish shows a slight tartness but seems to come together nicely.  It is a good wine for the price and it matches well with spicy and hearty foods.

2005 Jessie’s Grove Winery Zinfandel “EARTH, ZIN & FIRE”
$10.99

This winery sources fruit from the Lodi area and produced this bottling from vines 64 years old.  The wine has a rich bouquet with forward fruit, primarily strawberry and blackberry.  There is a dense jammy quality to the berry flavors that round out with exotic spice, soft tannins and a smooth finish.

2006 Puerto Viejo Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
$8.99

Argentina does an amazing thing with Malbec and this effort produced from 50 year old vines is no exception.  What’s amazing is the value.  This delicious wine is done in the plumy style and has a richness which belies its price.  The minerals and spice in the finish add a harmonious quality that impresses.

2005 Pascual Toso Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
$9.99

I am severely challenged to find wines of California that can match this one for value.  There are intense notes of blueberries and plums reinforced by vanilla and a touch of white chocolate contributed by French oak.  This is a very well-structured wine full of sweet tannins with good concentration and a long finish.  You can pair it with red meat, pasta dishes and fine or fermented cheese, such as blue cheese.