04-10-2012 Newsletter

Greetings from the Wine Cellar:
Everyone is pressing me for more details about the Wine Cellar’s upcoming first-ever beer tasting next week, so here’s what we’ve got so far.  The tasting
will go from 2:00 to 6:00 PM Saturday, April 21^st, with six of our world-class brews on offer along with an array of beer-friendly chow prepared by local restaurateur and good friend Art Everett.  Art is of German descent, and when he thinks beer, he thinks brats and kraut – the more variety the better.  Plus lots of side options to nosh on – he always gets carried away, so nobody will go away hungry, I guarantee.  The cost for this special tasting will be $15 per person, in order for Art to come out whole after putting together the feast to go with the beers.  If you’re going to be in town a week from Saturday and you like great beer, come on down and join us.  And let’s not forget about great wine in the meantime…
THURSDAY & FRIDAY WINE TASTING – $10.00 to try them all, or
$10.00 for a full glass:

Talbott Vineyards 2010 Chardonnay, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard (Santa Lucia Highlands)    $29.99
This acclaimed Monterey County Chardonnay offers aromas of honeysuckle, melon, peach, pear and vanilla. The bouquet is framed by a hint of French oak, and a toasty/yeasty essence.  In the mouth, this offers a creamy character and a lush, silky richness, with flavors of pear, nectarine, peach and sweet toasted oak.  The finish is clean and fresh, with vibrant acidity.
Friedrich Becker 2008 Estate Pinot Noir (Pfalz, Germany)    $21.99
German Pinot Noirs, known there as Spätburgunder, are typically light in body and softly fruited.  This version, from one of the country’s foremost
producers, is full of bright, spicy raspberry, cherry and currant flavors.  The vivid fruit character is balanced by crisp acidity and a tangy mineral edge.
Mas de la Dame 2009 La Gourmande (Les Baux de Provence, France)    $17.99
This organically grown wine is an equal mix of Grenache and Syrah grapes, all hand-harvested.  It offers fresh, robust red cherry and dark plum fruit flavors, with smooth yet nicely assertive tannins.  The ample fruit is accented by a touch of spice, and just maybe a hint of dried herbs… de Provence.
Gundlach Bundschu 2008 Mountain Cuvée (Sonoma Valley)    $18.99
The 100% estate-grown Mountain Cuvée is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit  Verdot grapes.  Aromas of toasted oak and spicy hints of plums and dark cherries emerge on the nose.  In the mouth, supple flavors of black raspberry and currant fruit are edged with hints of dark chocolate and cedar.
Alamos 2009 Seleccion Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)   $18.99
The 2009 Seleccion Malbec shows an opaque dark violet hue.  The nose is full of ripe blueberry fruit, with notes of violets and sweet spices.  The mouthfeel is full and rich, loaded with ripe blackberry and cherry fruit layered with hints of wildflowers, spicy black pepper and anise.  The finish is supple and silky, with balanced acidity.
Ornellaia 2009 Le Volte (Tuscany, Italy)    $27.99
Le Volte is the “second wine” of Tuscany’s renowned Ornellaia.  It’s a Super-Tuscan blend of Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The 2009 release offers rich, intense fruit and spice notes, with no trace of over-ripeness. The palate boasts a supple and velvety mouthfeel, with fine tannins and a lively acidity.
NEW ARRIVALS:
Duckhorn 2007 The Discussion (Napa Valley)   $119.99
The Discussion comes from the very best barrels of wine from the finest blocks of Duckhorn’s estate vineyards.  Exotic aromas of mulberry, hazelnut, leather, cedar, tobacco and sweet spices give way to rich flavors of blackberry, dark plum, cassis, clove and chocolate.  The flavors evolve in the glass, achieving added depth and complexity and developing warm, earthy tones amid a hint of toasted coconut.
Ensemble 2010 California White   $8.99
The Ensemble White offers bright aromas and a lush palate resplendent with white stone-fruit and honeydew melon flavors.  Bright notes of minerals and
spice weave gracefully through the fruit, supported by crisp acidity that carries the wine to a fresh, satisfying finish.  It’s a blend of Chenin Blanc, Malvasia Bianca, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.
Ensemble 2010 California Red    $8.99
The Ensemble Red brings together Zinfandel, Syrah and Merlot in a wine with vibrant fruit and supple tannins.  Aromas of ripe raspberry and plum are joined by fragrant spice notes.  Juicy blackberry and ripe cherry fruit flavors extend beautifully into a long, lush, satisfying finish.
Conn Creek 2009 Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley)    $29.99
43% of the fruit for this wine came from Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak.  At over 1,400 feet of elevation, this vineyard’s grapes ripen more slowly than those on the valley floor, producing greater fruit intensity.  The Carpenter Vineyard located north of St. Helena provides the balance of the fruit.  Its richer, heavier soils contribute chocolate and spice tones, and a hint of mint to the final blend.
The Lost Abbey Serpent’s Stout (San Marcos, California)    $12.99
This massively thick and opaque beer pours dark and dense, with a creamy mocha head and aromas of roasted malt, dark chocolate and French Roast coffee.  The mouthfeel is full, smooth and round, offering rich flavors of roasted malts, cocoa, coffee and vanilla.

Cheers!

Mike Shelhamer
Old Town Wine Cellar
265 S. Main Street, Suite E
Yuma, Arizona  85364
928-373-0405
http://www.facebook.com/oldtownwinecellar

http://www.yumawine.com