​Saturday, December 19, 2015
4:00 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per customer
$5.00 will be credited towards purchase of wines below

Home of: www.WineAndSpiritGifts.com
611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #22, Palm Springs, 92264
760-327-7701, 800-925-0030
facebook.com/DesertWinesAndSpirits

For years now, we have enjoyed in our tasting room the wonderful wines of Opolo Vineyards. This Paso Robles winery produces rich, full bodied wines from excellent fruit sourced from the Central Coast. The wines lean to the higher alcohol levels, but are always well balanced. Leading the charge again this year is Cary Thrasher, but with something totally new; he is bringing with him Opolo wine-maker, Chris Rougeot, to answer any questions you may have about winemaking or about the great wines of Opolo we will be tasting.

2014 Opolo Vineyards Viognier, Central Coast

LIST PRICE 22.00; OUR PRICE 18.99
Normally associated with the Rhone Valley in France, this white wine has found its home on the Central Coast in California and is a great alternative to Chardonnay. The crisp acidity accentuates the bouquet of pineapples, apricots, butterscotch and citrus blossoms. Barrel aging in French Oak has infused this floral wine with added complexity and a toasty finish.

2014 Opolo Vineyards Roussanne, Central Coast

LIST PRICE 24.00; OUR PRICE 22.99
Here is another grape from the Rhone Valley in France. It, too, is a great alternative to Chardonnay. This golden colored, full-bodied wine offers subtle hints of honey, pear, citrus and vanilla. The wine finishes with a lingering, terror driven minerality combined with toastiness attributed to cellaring on French and Hungarian oak.

2011 Opolo Vineyards Concerto, Paso Robles

LIST PRICE 32.00; OUR PRICE 27.95
Concerto is a Bordeaux-style blend made from grapes sourced from the rolling hills of Paso Robles. Aging in French and American oak barrels highlights concentrated flavors of cherry and black current. There are ample soft tannins contributing to the long satisfying finish. Ask the winemaker himself about the blend.

2011 Opolo Vineyards Montagna-Mare, Central Coast

LIST PRICE 28.00; OUR PRICE 23.99
Montagna-Mare is a blend of Barbera and Sangiovese grapes from carefully selected vineyards. This “Italianesque” wine has a very long, spicy finish that is fruit driven yet integrated with judicious oak aging.

2012 Opolo Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Summit Creek

LIST PRICE 24.00; OUR PRICE 22.99
There are aromas and flavors of sesame candy, walnut nougat, and mulberries with a silky, crisp, dry-yet-fruity medium body and an interesting, crisp finish revealing shades of raisin, sweet spice, mocha, and cedar with soft tannins. It is a nice steak wine showing good fruit balanced with firm tannins.

2012 Opolo Vineyards Petite Sirah, Paso Robles

LIST PRICE 24.00; OUR PRICE 22.99
This dark wine presages the dark berry, plum and blueberry to be discovered. It is a well extracted wine exhibiting vanilla bean, black licorice and cherry. It is a full-bodied wine with firm tannins and a long finish.

2013 Opolo Vineyards Mountain Zinfandel, Paso Robles

LIST PRICE 28.00; OUR PRICE 23.99
​Appropriated named for where the grapes are grown, this full-bodied Zinfandel has plenty of black cherry, plum and spice and is framed by soft tannins and balanced acidity. This Zinfandel won the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle competition.

Saturday, December 12, 2015
4:00 to 5:30

$10.00 per customer
$5.00 will be credited towards purchase of wines below

Home of: www.WineAndSpiritGifts.com
611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #22, Palm Springs, 92264
760-327-7701, 800-925-0030
facebook.com/DesertWinesAndSpirits

It is that time of the year when we focus on Champagne and other sparkling wines. Once again, our host will be Lisa Wherry, representing Youngs Market Company. She will be pouring and discussing some of the many sparklers in her expansive catalogue. This is a great opportunity to get clued into the rarified atmosphere of bubbly beauty in a bottle. The wines selected will represent France, California and Spain.

2010 Juve y Camps, Cava, Spain

LIST PRICE 18.00; OUR PRICE 14.99
91-point rating from Wine & Spirits: “First produced in 1921, the Gran Reserva de la Familia is a traditional Cava. It has always been aged long on its lees, sometimes up to four years. In this blend of Xarel.lo, Parellada and Macabeo, with 10% chardonnay, that long aging comes through in the deep flavors of spice and brioche.

2012 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, Napa

LIST PRICE 33.00; OUR PRICE 29.99
This wine has fresh aromas of green apple, pear, grapefruit and lime zest. The fruitful nose is complemented by developed nuances of fresh baked bread and candied citrus. Generous flavors of grapefruit, lime and pineapple are present in this wine. The palate is crisp on entry with a long, tangy and refreshing acidity.

2011 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, Napa

LIST PRICE 37.00; OUR PRICE 33.50
The Noirs offers bright aromas of red cherry, peach, apricot, Mandarin orange and mango. The fruitful nose finishes with nuances of lemon-raspberry tart and marzipan. The palate is full on entry with flavors of raspberry, candied pineapple, guava and ginger, complemented by notes of hazelnut and warm pastry crust. Crisp on entry with a balanced acidity, the palate is refined and lingering.

Taittinger Champagne Brut, La Francaise, France

LIST PRICE 39.00; OUR PRICE 34.50
Traditionally elegant and floral, La Francaise is made with a higher proportion of Chardonnay, giving it crisp citrus and white flower notes. The brioche notes carry from the nose into the mouth. Classic.

Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée, Brut, France

LIST PRICE 68.00; OUR PRICE 64.99
93 points from Wine Spectator and Wine & Spirits: “One of Bollinger’s great assets is a massive stock of reserve wine, including 600,000 magnums held under cork. Gilles Descôtes tends those reserves, working with the blending team to subsume the variations of the current vintage into this Cuvée by using a majority of reserve wines in the blend. The result is a rich and harmonious Champagne with deep reserves of flavor”

2009 Reserve de Sours Brut Rosé, France

LIST PRICE 20.00; OUR PRICE 14.99
The color is bright salmon pink with a nose of vivacious, ripe red summer berry fruits and crushed raspberries. It is beautifully balanced with fine, persistent bubbles and a delicate mousse. On the palate it shows a good length with a refreshing and mouthwatering acidity.

Juve y Camps Brut Rosé Cava of Pinot Noir, Spain

LIST PRICE 19.00; OUR PRICE 16.99
91 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “The Non-Vintage Pinot Noir Rose Brut is salmon pink in color with alluring cherry blossom and strawberry aromas and flavors. Broad on the palate with savory, spicy fruit, it will make a superb match for jamon Iberico and other charcuterie.”

2012 Schramsberg Brut Rosé, Napa

LIST PRICE 38.00; OUR PRICE 33.99
​This blend of 76% Pinot Noir and 24% Chardonnay has generous aromas of mixed red berries, orange blossom, and white peach. Its fruitful nose is complemented by notes of shortcake and cream. The palate bursts with flavors of raspberry sorbet, lemon custard and apricot. The wine has a fresh and juicy acidity which drives to a supple, round finish. It received 92 points from Wine Spectator.

​Saturday, December 5, 2015
4:00 to 5:30 pm

$10.00 per customer
$5.00 will be credited towards purchase of wines below

Home of: www.WineAndSpiritGifts.com
611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #22, Palm Springs, 92264
760-327-7701, 800-925-0030
facebook.com/DesertWinesAndSpirits
​
Trinitas Proprietors, Tim and Steph Busch, began their winery in 2002. Trinitas sources a broad range of varietals from the regions where climate and soil conditions are exceptional. Some of the best grapes come from old vineyards in Northern California with a selection of vines that are over a century old. They opened their Meritage Resort and Spa at the winery in 2006, the perfect place to stay during your visit to Napa Valley. The Estate Cave tasting room, located 40 feet below ground, is a great place to enjoy a custom wine flight.

2012 Trinitas Chardonnay, Carneros

LIST PRICE 27.00 OUR PRICE 23.99
This is their famous “Butterscotch Bomb”; a perfect marriage of high-quality fruit and American wood barrels. The toast on the barrels is prominent, giving a “crème Brule” character to the nose. Underneath the toast, you get the intense tropical fruit – pear, peach, lemon zest and citrus. The rich mid-palate, explodes with cinnamon toast, cream and butterscotch – which is a contribution to the length of time spent in the Oak Barrels.

2012 Trinitas “Rose’ary” Rosé, California

LIST PRICE 18.00; OUR PRICE 14.99
The bouquet jumps right out of the glass with beautiful strawberry with hints of ripe cantaloupe. Notes of toast, watermelon, and cotton candy round out the aroma. The initial impression is watermelon and as the wine lingers, the refreshing acidity leads to pomegranate and cranberry flavors, which carry through the long finish.

2012 Trinitas Pinot Noir, Carneros

LIST PRICE 40.00; OUR PRICE 35.95
Aromatics of red fruit, vanilla and mocha lead to flavors of cherries and flowers with a rich entry and broad mid palate. The weight of the fore- and mid-palate over-shadow the delicate dark chocolate finish which will lengthen with age.

2011 Trinitas Mysteriama, Mendocino/Contra Costa

LIST PRICE 22.00; OUR PRICE 19.99
Floral aromas of fresh violet and fruit notes of quince, cranberry apple, and cherry cola invigorate the senses and prepare the palate for flavors of bright red plum and raspberry liqueur. Combined with silky tannins, and it’s mouthwatering acidity, this old vine blend is sure to maintain it’s reputation as a top selling wine. This year the blend consists of 49% Carignane (Mendocino County), 19% Old Vine Petite Sirah (Contra Costa County), 18% Old Vine Zinfandel (Mendocino County), 7% Old Vine Mataro (Contra Costa County), and 7% Alicante Bouschet (Contra Costa County)

2013 Trinitas Zinfandel, Old Vine, Mendocino

LIST PRICE 22.00; OUR PRICE 19.99
The nose reminds us of bright ripe cranberry notes, hints of forest, brown sugar, golden brown marshmallows, and cinnamon. This Zinfandel has a dominant presence right when it hits the front palate, which leads into a broad mid palate and enjoyable mouthwatering finish. The acidity perfectly balances out the bright fruit from the core and makes this wine perfect for food pairings or enjoying on its own.

2012 Petite Sirah, Old Vine, Contra Costa County

LIST PRICE 27.00; OUR PRICE 24.99
The Petite Sirah comes from the Gonsalves Vineyard in Oakley. Deep sandy soils with root-systems that stretch almost 60 feet deep make this area extremely unique for growing Petite Sirah. These vineyards are well over 100 years old and have survived both phyloxera and prohibition.

2010 Trinitas Meritage, Oak Knoll, Napa Valley

LIST PRICE 60.00; OUR PRICE 52.00
​This blend of noble Bordeaux style varieties consistently delivers lush tannins and intense blue fruit flavors. Blueberries intermingle with hickory and licorice & black cherry plums. This Meritage is full bodied with rich chunky tannins with a lengthy finish that will beckon to open up another bottle. The blend is 39% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet, 5% Petite Verdot and 4% Malbec.