International Wines for Summer
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011Saturday, August 6, 2011
4 to 5:30 pm
$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
No matter where you may be in the world today, your main vinous desire would be for something lighter, fresher and easier to drink. It is simply too hot for our favorite rich and heavy wines (except, of course, for the hard-core among us). With that in mind we are putting together some tasting events featuring wines from countries around the globe with the emphasis on summer use. The six countries we are visiting this week are:
Portugal: Aliança Vinho Verde
List price 8.95; our price 7.99
Vinho Verde is the name of the northern wine producing region of Portugal and is mostly synonymous with the fresh, crisp, slightly spritzy wine that accounts for 25% of all wine produced in Portugal. It is typically 8-10% alcohol and has a refreshing acidity. The grapes used in the blend include Trajadura, Pederña, Loureiro and Alvarinho. Aliança tends towards luscious flavors of lemon meringue pie. The granitic soil, the climactic conditions and the grape varieties of the region give this famous wine its special characteristics of crisp fruit, flinty minerality and delicate aroma. Lightness and freshness make this low alcohol crisp white wine ideal by itself and as a perfect complement to seafood, hors d’oeuvres, chicken and veal. Try it with stir fry’s, spicy dishes and oysters, or any other shell fish.
South Africa: 2009 Stellar Organics Chardonnay, Western Cape
List price 11.95; our price 9.99
Stellar Winery, South Africa’s largest producer of fine organic wines, processes organically-grown grapes for the South African and export markets. The grapes are drawn from farms from the Western Cape hamlet of Trawal. This is an area famous for its spring flowers and is also the only semi-arid biosphere hotspot in the world. The winery is privately owned, with the workers having a 26% shareholding in the cellar. This is a lightly-wooded wine with a complex spicy, fruity nose and a fresh, citrus-like acidity on the palate. The back label is marked “Vegan friendly” whatever that means.
California: 2009 Conundrum
List price 22.00; our price 19.99
From year to year this is a blend of popular and esoteric white grapes including in no special order: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier and Muscat. The “puzzle” of Conundrum lies partly in guessing the range of grape varieties used, because the Caymus family never reveals the exact composition. It is a quintessential sipper offering copious amounts of ripe, silky fruit, tropical in nature, along with vanilla notes, honeysuckle and honeydew melon. The complexity of this wine is brought into balance with a rich, round, soft texture; and fresh, supportive acidity.
France: 2009 Joseph Drouhin Brouilly, Beaujolais
List price 20.00; our price 17.99
Beaujolais Cru is the northern most appellation of Beaujolais, close to the Mâconnais border. This region constitutes ten separate areas, of which Brouilly is the largest, located at the foothills of the Beaujolais Mountains and produces some of the best quality wines from the Beaujolais region. Unlike the early drinking style found throughout most of Beaujolais, these wines are made to be cellared. Their ageing potential can be anywhere from three to fifteen years (or more) depending on the style and sub-region of the wine. The nose of this wine shows aromas of violet, lilac, sometimes blackberry and cranberry. It has supple tannins and lively acidity. On the palate, the wine leaves a pleasant note of blackberries and spice.
Chile: 2009 Terra Andina Carmenère, Valle Central
List price 12.00; our price 9.99
This bottling is100% Carmenère, the “lost” grape of Bordeaux. It is a tasty blend of black currant, blackberry, grilled red pepper and black pepper, in the nose and on the palate. The wine shows balance and softness with silky tannins and a pleasant finish. Black pepper, blackberries and oak round out the flavor profile. Grapes are sourced throughout the Central Valley.
Spain: 2006 Castillo Real Monastrell, Bullas
List price 9.99; our price 8.99
The Bullas appellation in the south-eastern part of Spain, south of Valencia, is known for its Monastrell (Mourvèdre in France or Mataro in Italy). The grapes are grown in limestone soil through long, hot summer days and cool nights, resulting in a ripe, fruit-forward, and concentrated wine with a subtle mineral character.