03-06-2012 Newsletter

Greetings from the Wine Cellar:
This area’s premier homegrown celebration, Yuma Lettuce Days kicks off this weekend at the Yuma Quartermaster Depot Historic Park on the Yuma riverfront.  This year’s event features the green theme “from our fields to  your table.” Hours have been expanded to run from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Saturday and from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday, and the $5 admission price
will get you in for the whole weekend (see the full schedule of events at www.yumalettucedays.com)
There will be way too much going on at the park this weekend for me to try to detail it here, so check the website – some highlights will be cooking demonstrations by nationally known celebrity chefs as well as the professionals behind the stoves at many of Yuma’s favorite restaurants, six different cooking contests available for local amateur chefs, including salsa, tacos, dates and drinks, and the Yuma’s Recipe Box tasting event from 1:00 to 5:00 PM Saturday – for $10, tasters can sample specialties from a
variety of local restaurants, along with wines and craft brews.  Plus lots of other great Ag-related stuff to see and do, so come on down to the Park, enjoy our great spring weather and help celebrate vegetables the Yuma way!
THURSDAY & FRIDAY WINE TASTING – $10.00 to try them all, or
$10.00 for a full glass:

Frank Family Vineyards 2010 Chardonnay (Napa Valley)   $32.99
If you like rich, buttery Chards, then look no further.  The bouquet entices with tangy citrus, peach and pear aromas, and a hint of apple-pie spice.  Lush, ripe tropical fruit, pear and citrus flavors are complemented with a delicious note of gingery spice.

Acacia 2010 Pinot Noir (Carneros)    $24.99
Classic Carneros Pinot Noir, overflowing with scents of ripe plum, raspberry and black cherry along with delicate floral nuances, while a light oak influence adds a hint of toast.  Pleasantly tart acidity on the medium-bodied
palate gives a nice balance to the smooth and supple tannins.
Tinto Figuero 2008 Roble 4 meses en barrica (Ribera Del Duero, Spain)   $17.99
Figuero’s Roble “4 Months in Barrel” is an intense deep crimson. The
nose is initially dominated by new oak, with aromas of fresh blackberries
and raspberries emerging after a little time. The palate is well-balbanced, with moderate yet firm tannins framing ripe wild berry flavors.
Hahn 2009 Meritage (Central Coast)    $19.99
This Bordeaux-style blend opens with cassis, dark chocolate and
raspberry aromas, plus a hint of vanillin oak toast to add richness and
complexity.  The smooth, juicy palate offers pure flavors of black cherries and black currants, hints of clove and a lingering touch of cocoa on the finish.
Amavi 2007 Syrah (Walla Walla Valley)   $19.99
This Washington Syrah opens with bright blueberry, plum and sweet spice aromas. In the mouth it’s velvety, round and open-textured, showing a solid tannic structure and enough snappy acidity to balance the rich fruit all the way through a long finish.
Allegrini 2007 Palazzo Della Torre (Veneto, Italy)   $22.99
A savory northern Italian red crafted in an innovative fashion, with a portion of the grapes dried for 3 months prior to pressing.  The result is a sort of “baby Amarone” style offering a silky texture, lower acidity, more refinement and greater extraction.  A bouquet of floral tones, vanilla and stewed fruits is followed on the palate by juicy dark cherry and plum fruit and
complex spice tones.
NEW ARRIVALS:

Nobilo 2010 Icon Pinot Noir (Marlborough, New Zealand)    $19.99
Nobilo’s premium Icon bottling is rich, mouth-filling and complex, showing fine structure and balance.  Aromas of ripe dark cherries and plums lead into generous dark fruit flavors, carried on a smooth and silky tannic frame.  The finish is lengthy and persistent, nicely enhanced by an appealing hint of spice.
Fizz 56 Brachetto Spumante (Piedmont, Italy)    $16.99
Brachetto is a native grape grown in a small area of northwest Italy’s
Piedmont region.  Fizz 56 is a delightful red sparkling wine that exudes distinctive strawberry and raspberry tones, with a wisp of black cherry.  It offers a much more luxurious character and mouthfeel, and lots more bubbles, than other sweeter styled sparkling reds such as Moscato Rosso and Rosa Regale.
Sebastiani 2009 Un-Oaked Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)    $18.99
Light gold in color with a big green apple and limestone aroma, this wine is remarkably rich and deep for being completely un-oaked.  The palate is of medium weight with concentrated white peach and nectarine flavors.  It finishes with a crisp, and very tangy splash of acidity.
Duckhorn 2007 Paraduxx (Napa Valley)    $47.99
Duckhorn’s Paraduxx, a classic Napa Valley Zinfandel-Cabernet Sauvignon blend, opens with vibrant aromas of raspberry, cherry, cedar and spice, with a touch of caramelized brown sugar.  Dark cherry and red raspberry fruit flavors greet the palate, accented with rich, compelling layers of cedar, sweet oak and molasses.

Lumberyard Hefeweizen Wheat Beer (Flagstaff)   $5.99
This German-styled Arizona wheat beer is refreshing, lightly hopped,
un-filtered and pleasantly yeasty.  It’s highly effervescent and just slightly sour, with aromas and flavors reminiscent of cloves and bananas in the classic hefeweizen style.  It’s a milder, less strongly hopped beer, perfect for warmer weather.

Stone Brewing Ruination IPA (Escondido)    $7.99
So called because of the “ruinous” effect on your palate!  This massive hop monster has a delicious and intensely strong, brawny flavor on a refreshing malt base.  One taste and you can see why Stone calls it a “liquid poem to the glory of the hop!”  Those who crave and rejoice in beers with big, bold character will find true nirvana in Stone’s Ruination.
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