Desert Wines and Spirits

Saturday, May 30, 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 may specialize in California wines but it is always instructive to experience what Oregon and Washington are doing.  So, this Saturday we are pulling from recent arrivals and providing a thumb-nail sketch of varietals and styles along the Pacific coast.  All are different varietals with one exception: a red blend of five grapes from the state of Washington.

2007 King Estate Pinot Gris, Oregon
Regular price 17.95; our price 12.99
My favorite Pinot Gris from King Estate is the Domaine bottling which sells for over $20.00 and is spectacular.  However, the Signature Collection being poured today is no slouch.  Enjoying an 89-point rating, the wine offers a bouquet of ripe peach, sweet grapefruit, orange blossom and tropical fruit.  In the mouth, the wine is lively and tasting of citrus/tropical fruit, kiwi and pear.  The long, cool growing season allowed for balanced acid with a nice mouth-coating texture.

2007 Columbia Winery Cellarmaster’s Riesling, Washington
Regular price 11.95; our price 9.99
This wine is almost clear in color as Rieslings have very little pigment and are generally tank fermented.  The grapes for this wine were selected because of their higher acidity, which emphasizes the apricot, peachy flavors and creates a good match for strong cheeses, desserts or extremely spicy/Asian foods.  The aroma is floral with hints of peach, quince, lime and clove.  It has rich and full-flavored fruit on the palate and is balanced by refreshing, crisp acidity.

2006 Montevina Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, California
Regular price 9.99; our price 7.99
This wine offers ripe cherry aromas, complex flavors, silky tannins and some age potential.  It is forward with wild currant and plum flavors as well as hints of allspice and dark chocolate on the palate.  Nice for the price.

2006 Napa Cellars Merlot, Napa Valley
Regular price 18.95; our price 14.99
Move south a little in the valley where the San Pablo Bay cools the vineyards in the afternoon and you have perfect Merlot weather.  The majority of this blend hails from these cooler regions in Napa Valley, such as Oak Knoll and Carneros.  This wine is classic Napa Valley Merlot with a deep ruby-red color; aromas of tart red cherry with hints of black tea and cinnamon-vanilla spice joining the supple tannins on the palate.

2006 Three Rivers Winery River’s Red, Washington
Regular price 15.00; our price 12.99
Five grapes formed this Columbia Valley blend: Syrah 48%, Cabernet Sauvignon 23%, Cabernet Franc 18%, Malbec 9% and Petit Verdot 2%.  It earned 89-points in Wine Spectator: “On the lighter side, but shows nicely focused blueberry and plum fruit, typical of Syrah with a bit more restraint, and firm tannins to lift the finish. Drink now through 2011.”

2007 Frei Brothers Zinfandel, Reserve, Dry Creek Valley
Regular price 19.95; our price 15.99
By 1895, Andrew Frei was producing 20,000 cases of high quality wine stored in huge redwood casks.  In 1903, Frei turned the business over to his two sons, Walter and Louis and the winery was officially named Frei Bros.  In the 1930’s, Julio Gallo entered a deal with the Frei brothers to buy all the wine they could produce.  Knowing the fine potential of the property, E. & J. Gallo Winery bought the winery in 1978.  The quality level has never wavered since.  Robert Parker rated the wine at 90 points: “A super bargain, the deep ruby/purple-tinged 2007 Zinfandel exhibits a spicy, flowery bouquet of blue and red fruits, gritty/robust flavors, abundant fruit, and an exuberant, lively finish with no hard edges. The alcohol is relatively restrained for a Zinfandel, and the wine is seamlessly constructed. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. One of the best value producers in the Gallo empire is the Frei Brothers Reserve.” (12/08)

Saturday, January 31, 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

On Saturday I will be introducing to you Alison Sokol Blosser, the co-president of Sokol Blosser Winery in Oregon.  This charming lady is a font of information on the subject of the wine grapes of Oregon and specifically the Dundee area.  She will be happy to discuss recent scientific reports confirming the health benefits of resveratrol, a powerful antioxident present in red wine and especially the red wines of Oregon (due to its more humid environment).  There is an added benefit here: the wines are delicious.
When Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol Blosser planted their first vines in 1971 there was no wine industry in Oregon.  Today there are over 300 wineries and more than 13,000 acres of vineyards.  This remains a family owned and operated business with Alison and her brother, Alex, functioning as co-presidents.  The estate vineyards are farmed organically under full USDA organic certification.  The family is impressive in that it pursues environmentally friendly practices in all phases of the business.  In 2006 a 25kW photovoltaic solar panel system was installed furnishing the winery with 33% of its total energy needs.  What I want to know is why does Oregon see the benefits of solar panels while we in the desert employ pitifully few?

2006 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, Dundee Hill, Oregon
34.50
The 2006 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is extremely concentrated yet delicate and elegant.  It is soft, supple, harmonious, and packed with intense black cherry and berry fruit, mocha, and their distinctive Jory soil forest-floor earthiness.  (You will have to ask Alison about soils that are of a “Jory” nature.)

Nv Sokol Blosser Meditrina
14.95
Meditrina is a fine blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel that’s juicy, rich and full of fruit.  The aromas of red fruit and berries are followed by a taste that is lush and velvety with expressive notes of raspberry and cherry.  It is an unusual blend but one that truly works beautifully.

Evolution #9, Oregon
13.50
Every new bottling of 9 grapes has its own subtle and fresh personality. The blend consists of Pinot Gris, Müller-Thurgau, White Riesling, Semillon, Muscat Canelli, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sylvaner.  The 9 varietals blend together perfectly, creating a smooth, off-dry white wine with tropical fruit and a crisp finish.  It is extraordinarily food friendly, from light salads to the hottest fusion-style cuisine.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

4 to 6 pm

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

On Saturday I will be introducing to you Alison Sokol Blosser, the co-president of Sokol Blosser Winery in Oregon.  This charming lady is a font of information on the subject of the wine grapes of Oregon and specifically the Dundee area of the Willamette Valley.  She will be happy to discuss recent scientific reports confirming the health benefits of resveratrol, a powerful antioxident present in red wine and especially the red wines of Oregon (due to its more humid environment).  There is an added benefit here: the wines are delicious.
When Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol Blosser planted their first vines in 1971 there was no wine industry in Oregon.  Today there are over 300 wineries and more than 13,000 acres of vineyards.  This remains a family owned and operated business with Alison and her brother, Alex, functioning as co-presidents.  The estate vineyards are farmed organically under full USDA organic certification.  The family is impressive in that it pursues environmentally friendly practices in all phases of the business.  In 2006 a 25kW photovoltaic solar panel system was installed furnishing the winery with 33% of its total energy needs.  What I want to know is why does Oregon see the benefits of solar panels while we in the desert employ pitifully few?

2006 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, Dundee Hill, Oregon
34.50
The 2006 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is extremely concentrated yet delicate and elegant.  It is soft, supple, harmonious, and packed with intense black cherry and berry fruit, mocha, and their distinctive Jory soil forest-floor earthiness.  (You will have to ask Alison about soils that are of a “Jory” nature.)

Nv Sokol Blosser Meditrina
14.95
Meditrina is a fine blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel that’s juicy, rich and full of fruit.  The aromas of red fruit and berries are followed by a taste that is lush and velvety with expressive notes of raspberry and cherry.  It is an unusual blend but one that truly works beautifully.

Evolution #9, Oregon
13.50
Every new bottling of 9 grapes has its own subtle and fresh personality. The blend consists of Pinot Gris, Müller-Thurgau, White Riesling, Semillon, Muscat Canelli, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sylvaner.  The 9 varietals blend together perfectly, creating a smooth, off-dry white wine with tropical fruit and a crisp finish.  It is extraordinarily food friendly, from light salads to the hottest fusion-style cuisine.