02/11/2013 Newsletter

Greetings from the Wine Cellar:
The first and foremost thing to talk about this week is of course, Valentine’s
Day.  It’s arriving Thursday, and if you’re like me you generally wait to the last minute to pick up something nice for your significant other.  I’m not here to say it’s the only thing, but a nice bottle of wine should be a big part of the package!  We have lots of great options to choose from in that department:  Champagnes, sweet wines, top-flight Cabernets, you name it.  Drop by this week and we’ll help you pick out a Valentine’s Day vino your sweetheart will love.
Also this week, the 2013 Yuma River Daze celebration takes place Friday, Saturday & Sunday, February 15^th -17^th here on the Main Street Plaza.  Hours are 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM every day.  As always, it’s a full-on street fair, with
arts & crafts exhibitions and numerous vendors on the Plaza all three days,
live musical entertainment, multiple dance performances and lots of food and
beverage options.
And, a reminder that this coming Saturday, February 16^th, the Wine Cellar will hold another of our special beer tastings, sampling six different beers from our extensive collection of over 50 top imported beers & ales and fine American craft brews.  The tasting will run from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM; cost per person is just $5.00.  Hope to see you this week!
THURSDAY & FRIDAY WINE TASTING – $10.00 to try them all, or
$10.00 for a full glass:

Zilliken 2011 Butterfly Riesling (Mosel Valley, Germany)    $16.99
Zilliken’s Butterfly is a superb introduction to Mosel Riesling, offering classic aromas of mixed citrus fruits mingling with an almost stony quality.  It’s balanced and medium-dry on the palate, with ripe peach and zesty lime flavors that mingle on a bracing finish.
Laetitia 2010 Estate Pinot Noir (Arroyo Grande Valley)   $22.99
Exuding dark multerry tones and aromas of cranberry and spiced plums, this Pinot is rich and medium-bodied. Youthful flavors of pomegranate, sandalwood and black cherry are married beautifully with spicy cedar and smoke accents, all framed with silky tannins.
Toscolo 2011 Chianti (Tuscany, Italy)    $11.99
Toscolo delivers remarkable quality for a basic Chianti.  It’s 100%
Sangiovese sourced from prime Tuscan vineyards, fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged six months in oak.  A floral bouquet on the nose gives way to flavors of ripe red cherries, plums and a hint of black tea.  The finish shows pleasant accents of vanilla and licorice.
J. Vidal Fleury 2007 Côtes-du-Rhône (Rhone Valley, France)    $12.99
This is a classic Rhone blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre and 10% Cinsault. On the nose, aromas of ripe red fruit and spice mingle.  The soft, round palate offers abundant ripe black raspberry and plum fruit, enlivened by characteristic Côtes-du-Rhône spiciness.
Luis Cañas 2004 Rioja Reserva (Rioja, Spain)    $19.99
2004 was considered a classic vintage for Rioja.  This Reserva is a deep ruby red with a garnet edge.  The nose is redolent of ripe red fruit plus hints of spice and oak.  On the palate, cherry and brambly berry fruit is enlivened with complex spice and toast accents.
Conn Creek 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)    $24.99
Fruit from Conn Creek’s Collins-Holystone Vineyard in the St. Helena AVA forms the core of this Cabernet, along with other prime vineyards in the Stags’ Leap District, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, Mount Veeder, Atlas Peak and Spring Mountain AVA’s.  The quality of the ’09 vintage in Napa is very well reflected in this rich, supple and finely balanced Cabernet.
NEW ARRIVALS:
Venge Vineyards 2008 Syrah, Muhlner Steps Vineyard (Napa
Valley)    $39.99
The Muhlner Steps Vineyard is located on the steep eastern slopes of the Chiles Valley district of Napa.  Vines grow on steeply carved terraces high up
on the hillsides overlooking the valley floor.  They produce a rich, bold Syrah with dynamic black cherry, blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors, edged by spicy oak tones and savory hints of dark chocolate.
Fetzer 2011 Quartz White (California)    $9.99
The Fetzer’s Quartz white blend offers bright aromas and a lush palate resplendent with white peach and honeydew melon flavors.  Tangy notes of
ripe citrus weave gracefully through the wine, accented by crisp acidity that
carries it to a wonderfully fresh, satisfying finish.
Atrea 2007 Old Soul Red (Mendocino County)   $21.99
Old Soul Red is a Mendocino blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Malbec.  The wine’s bouquet reveals ripe red raspberry and blackberry fruit, along with accents of sandalwood, anise and white pepper.  The flavors are deliciously ripe and expressive, framed by supple, well integrated tannins.
Babich 2010 Pinot Noir (Marlborough, New Zealand)    $16.99
Rich dark fruit and herbal notes intertwine with vanilla accents and hints of
spice on the nose.  This Pinot seems slightly sweet at the first sip, with a fruit-driven character that extends the length of the palate.  But the bright black
cherry and raspberry fruit reveals a savory complexity on the finish.
Phoenix Ale Brewery Wheatstalk Hefeweizen (Phoenix, Arizona)    $5.99
Wheatstalk is a beautiful, orange-hued beer brewed with two-row pale and wheat malts, and a smaller portion of brown rice flakes. Distinctive aromas of cherries lead on to a full-bodied, complex brew, with a pronounced nuttiness and even a hint of coconut from the interplay of rice and wheat malts.
Cheers!

Mike Shelhamer
Old Town Wine Cellar
265 S. Main Street, Suite E
Yuma, Arizona  85364
928-373-0405

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