Desert Wines and Spirits

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, February 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

It has been over a year since we last visited the wines of South Africa, so we invited Katie Finn of import company, Epic Wines, to rejoin us for an excursion through the Cape wineries area.  Her company imports wines from some very fine wineries that are gaining renown worldwide.�
The following Saturday, the 14th, we will celebrate Vanentine’s Day by hosting Brandon Lee, representing import company Quintessential Wines.  The opportunity to broaden your horizens expands…

2008 Man Vintners Chenin Blanc, Paarl
7.99
The name for this company was formed by the first letters of the wives of the 3 partners of Man Vintners.  Only free-run juice was used in producing this wine.  The must was fermented over 20 days in stainless steel tanks, and then left on its lees until bottling to create a richer mouth-feel.  The wine displays tropical fruit, guava and melon aromas.  It is crisp and bold with a sweet citrus component backed by refreshing acidity and minerality, characteristic of the coastal vineyards.  It is a versatile food wine to go with most poultry, fish and salad dishes, and rates high as an apéritif.

2008 Neil Ellis Chardonnay, Stellenbosch
17.95
Wine man of the year in 1992, Neil Ellis is one of the Capes finest winemakers. In 1994 he relocated his cellar to the Jonkershoek valley in Stellenbosch.  A third of this wine was fermented with native yeast in new French barrels.  Another third went into used French barrels, while the final third was fermented in stainless steel.  All of the wine remained on its lees for six months.  The wine shows lemony/lime aromas with green apple and a touch of vanilla.  The tight focused palate displays citrusy fruit and an elegant long finish.

2007 Neil Ellis The Left Bank, Stellenbosch
10.95
The blend here is Cabernet Sauvignon (57%), Shiraz (33%) and Merlot (10%).  This is a full-bodied red wine with purple-red hues and good depth of color.  Concentrated red berry fruits of dark cherries, plums and spicy fruit cake flavors provide an uplifted intensity.  The nose is clean and pure with layers of rich dense fruits.  Oak provides a caramel/mocha complexity.  The long brooding palate has an abundance of soft, round, juicy red berry fruits.  The vibrant, sweet palate has aniseed spice and black pepper complexity with mineral-gravel texture providing some dryness.  Fine, soft, powdery tannins add structural focus and length.

2007 Neil Ellis Pinotage, Stellenbosch
15.95
Pinotage was produced by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault, and is grown primarily in South Africa.  Fermentation of this wine was initiated in stainless steel tanks, after which it underwent a series of pump-overs and punching of the cap.  This wine spent 15 months in French oak barrels of which 35% were new.  This deep red wine has plumy cherry fruit with subtle hints of tobacco that fill out the aroma of the wine.  It has well-balanced ripe tannins that give it a soft, elegant taste.

2007 Boekenhoutskloff “The Chocolate Block”, Franschhoek
34.00
Chocolate Block is a blend of Syrah (55%); Grenache Noir (20%); Cabernet Sauvignon (16%); Cinsault (5%) and Viognier (4%).  Although the varieties have remained the same for this wine since the initial 2002 vintage, the percentages of grapes in the blend may vary.  An increase in Cabernet Sauvignon meant less Cinsault made the final assemblage for the 2007 vintage.  Fresh berry flavors and a fine white pepper add a spicy profile to the nose.  This is a wine of elegance and linearity.  The palate seems almost seamless with the soft approachable tannins rounding off the mouthfeel.

2005 Engelbrecht Els Vineyards Proprietor’s Blend, Stellenbosch
37.00
Engelbrecht Els was created to celebrate the partnership between wine visionary Jean Engelbrecht and golf legend Ernie Els.  This red wine combines Ernie’s preference for Bordeaux blends with Jean’s love for Shiraz.  The blend is Cabernet (59%), Shiraz (21%), Petit Verdot (6%), Cab Franc (6%), Merlot (4%) and Malbec (4%).  The complex nose opens with rich cedar and cherry aromas.  Subtle white pepper spice combines well with a delicate floral and toffee component.  There is an extremely elegant tannin structure with robust mid-palate intensity.  The wine also shows juicy characteristics brought about by the Shiraz component and employs a powerful finish.