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!
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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.
 
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.
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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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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

4 to 6 pm      

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

We consider ourselves fortunate to be visited by the grand master vintner of Napa Valley, Mike Grgich.  Today he will discuss his wines and any other subject you care to bring up, including the famous taste-off between the best wines of California versus the best of France which took place in 1976.  The winemaker for the number 1 Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena was Mike, himself.  Try the current releases and perhaps even have Mike sign a bottle for you.

2007 Grgich Hills Estate Fume Blanc, Napa
26.75
This 100% Sauvignon Blanc was made from grapes that were certified organic and Biodynamic® at the cool American Canyon and Carneros vineyards, not far from the San Francisco Bay.  Complex and rich, this wine is packed with layers of tropical aromas including white peaches, grapefruit and lemon oil.  With its crisp, refreshing texture, hint of mineral and long finish, this versatile, flavorful white wine is a great companion to grilled shrimp, lemon risotto or a refreshing salad.

2006 Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay, Napa
37.50
This is the first vintage that Mike’s Chardonnay vineyards were certified organic and Biodynamic.  Beautifully balanced between acid, flavors and body, this Chardonnay displays notes of lemon zest, flowers and honey with a hint of crushed stones.  The wine’s elegance will shine by matching it with simple preparations of baked halibut, roasted chicken, grilled shrimp or pork, or pasta with a light cream sauce.

2006 Grgich Hills Estate Zinfandel, Napa
31.50
Grown at the estate vineyard in Calistoga, nestled in northern tip of Napa Valley, Mike’s Zinfandel grapes are certified organic and Biodynamic®.  The wine’s classic Zinfandel aromas and flavors of strawberries and raspberries are backed by hints of allspice and black pepper.  The appealing fruit, soft tannins and medium body make it a perfect partner with grilled meats, thin crust pizza and pastas with tomato sauce.
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2004 Grgich Hills Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
53.50
The Yountville vineyard, which began farming biodynamically in 2003, supplies the main body of this Napa Valley blend.  Nicely balanced between fruit and tannin, this elegant wine is rich with aromas of black cherry, crushed rose petals and cocoa powder.  This full bodied wine goes well with roasted meats, grilled Portobello mushrooms or a firm cow’s milk cheese such as Edam or Gouda.

Saturday, December 6, 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

Garvey Daniels of American Wines & Spirits will be joining us this Saturday to pour and talk about wines from his Italian portfolio.  All of the wines are excellent but two of the wines in particular have received considerable accolades including their listing in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of theYear.  There is something very cozy about Italian wines because they are satisfying but never overblown.  The wines function beautifully as apéritifs and provide excellent service with food.

2006 Rocca Delle Macie Orvieto Classico
8.99
The grapes for this wine are selected from vineyards in the heart of the Orvieto Classico region in Umbria.  The blend consists of Trebbiano (Procanico) 50%, Verdello 20%, Grechetto 20% and Malvasia 10%.  The wine is the result of pressing and fermentation at a constant temperature, then cold bottled.  The color is a brilliant pale yellow with green highlights and the nose is persistent, fruity, and intense.  On the palate it is dry and fresh, with a slight aftertaste of bitter almonds.

2007 Suavia Soave Classico
14.99
#75 Wine Spectator Top 100; 90 points Wine Spectator Designation: Smart Buys “Lots of lemon, white peach and mineral character, with hints of orange peel and dry almond.  Medium-bodied, with good acidity and a crisp finish, leaving a lingering citrus aftertaste. Racy, nervy and delicious. Minerally, almost flinty. Drink now. 6,000 cases made.” (08/08) According to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “Suavia’s 2007 Soave Classico shows the complexity and character of this hillside site in its ripe yellow fruits, smoke, earthiness and minerals.”

2007 Bottega Vinaia Pinot Grigio, Trentino
15.99
The grapes for this wonderful wine come from the Dolomite Alps area of Trentino, north of Lake Garda.  This area seems to be perfect for the Pinot Grigio grape due to warm days and cool nights with constant breezes clearing away moisture.  The wine is fragrant with fine pear-like fruit and displays its usual robe of minerality.

2006 Tormaresca Chardonnay, Puglia
9.99
This Chardonnay, light yellow with golden highlights, has aromas of exotic fruit, citrus and pineapple.  It is an elegant wine with pear flavors and a delicate minerality with bright acidity that pairs well with a wide variety of food.  It received 85 points from Wine Spectator: “Shows apple, lemon and honey on the nose and palate.  A full, straightforward Chardonnay.”

2003 Cantele Salice Salentino Riserva, Puglia
9.95
The grape varieties used in this wine are Negroamaro 80% and Malvasia Nera (20%).  Garnet highlights enliven this ruby red wine from the heel of Italy.  Caramelized red fruits, spices, tea and hints of wood, unfold in the mouth and are balanced by the tannins and acidy to create a smooth and luscious wine.  It is ready to drink immediately or to keep for 3-4 years.  Serve with pasta and meat sauce and red meats including lamb.  Ideal partner for medium to well seasoned cheese.
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2003 Travaglini Gattinara, Piemonte
24.75
This Nebbiolo from the Piedmont is a very hard wine to perfect but the people at Travaglini are surely among the very best producers in Italy.  Wine Spectator thought so giving it a position in its highly acclaimed top 100 wines of last year.  This wine has a reputation as the “poor mans Barolo” but over the past 10 years has began to shed its image and step out of the shadows.  Lots of dried fruits and flowers come forth accompanied with some traditionally Barolo like tobacco notes.  A super thick, full bodied and tannic wine, the finish goes on a full half minute and the wine has a coating, pleasant mouth-feel.  It needs a few years of age so you may consider opening after 2010.