06/26/2012 Newsletter

reetings from the Wine Cellar:
My good friends at the Yuma Vistors Bureau just alerted me that the Cabelleros de Yuma are hosting a community “float-down” on the Colorado River through the heart of the historic Yuma Crossing here in Old Town, beginning at 8:00 AM Saturday, June 30^th.  The Territorial River Regatta is the modern incarnation of an old Yuma tradition that flourished  throughout the 1960’s and ’70s but went “underwater” for a couple of decades
until the Caballeros revived it last year.
The Regatta will begin at the confluence of the Gila River & Colorado River just a few miles upstream from the Crossing and includes pretty much whatever floats, from individual tubes to decorated floats up to 8×8 feet in size.  Prizes will be awarded for floats in categories including best nonprofit, best business and best overall.  Floaters will then debark at the West
Wetlands Park.  Depending on river flows and other conditions, the float usually takes about three hours, but all “official” regatta services will end at 3:00 PM, whether you’re ashore or not.
There are some Rules & Regs:  All participants must register ($5 admission fee), sign a release and wear a numbered wristband.  Floaters under 18 years of age must have a parent’s signature on their registration form, and those under 15 also must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  No glass is allowed on the river or at West Wetlands, and participants are encouraged to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.  Call the Caballeros’ “hotline” at 928-276-4803 or go to www.caballeros.org/river_regatta.htm for more info, entry forms and a map.  Summer’s here and it’s almost the 4^th of July – time to have some fun!
THURSDAY & FRIDAY WINE TASTING – $10.00 to try them all, or
$10.00 for a full glass:

M. Chapoutier 2010 Les Vignes De Bila-Haut Blanc (Cotes du Roussillon, France)    $14.99
Chapoutier’s Bila-Haut Blanc is a blend of the native Roussillon varietals Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris and Macabeu.  The nose offers elegant citrus
aromas with a light minerally edge.  On the palate, rich flavors of ripe apple and pear and a touch of mango extend through the fresh and spicy finish.
Joseph Drouhin 2005 Chorey-Les-Beaune (Burgundy, France)
$27.99
A textbook example of a good red Burgundy, this is a fresh and juicy
Pinot Noir, with spicy cherry and raspberry flavors and mouthwatering acidity on a harmonious, finely balanced tannic frame.
Piero Antinori 2008 Villa Antinori Toscana Rosso (Tuscany,
Italy)    $19.99
Villa Antinori is a Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, crafted by the renowned Piero Antinori.  The wine’s bouquet offers scents of sweet fruit, spice and a hint of oak.  Black cherry and cassis fruit dominates on the palate, accented by a touch of chocolate.
Jade Mountain 2008 La Provençale (California)    $14.99
Old-vine Mourvèdre, planted around 1890, forms the foundation for this
Chateauneuf-Du-Pape-styled red, providing a spicy element and a firmly tannic backbone.  Grenache contributes bright raspberry fruit, with Syrah very evident in the wine’s dark purple color and blackberry jam aromas and flavors.
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley)   $16.99
This Washington Cabernet is silky and generous, offering a plush mouthful of blackberry and sweet black cherry fruit flavors.  The fruit is framed with firm but polished tannins, and hints of licorice, coffee and chocolate.  The addition of 16% Syrah adds a nice dash of pepper.
Bodega Norton 2009 Privada (Mendoza, Argentina)    $22.99
Privada is Norton’s signature blend of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is a wine that really goes for the gusto, with plenty of toast and rich spice mingling with layers of fig, plum and black currant fruit.  It ends with a dollop of licorice and spice on a long, thickly textured finish.
NEW ARRIVALS:
Sonoma-Cutrer 2008 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)   $34.99
This is a classically styled Pinot Noir with a fresh and pure fruit character, good acidity, and an elegant structure. It opens with dark raspberry and Bing cherry scents accented by exotic notes of Asian spice. Smooth and seamless
in the mouth, with firm yet supple tannins, it delivers bright red fruit and spice flavors accented with a hint of French oak.
Veramonte 2009 Primus The Blend (Colchagua Valley, Chile)    $19.99
The Primus is a superb combination of power and finesse.  Made with the best fruit available from Veramonte’s Colchagua Valley estate, it’s a unique Chilean mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carmenère, and Merlot.  It’s savory and mouth-filling on the palate, with juicy flavors of black cherry, plum and blackberry.  The ample fruit is framed by notes of smoky, earthy spice.
X Winery 2010 White X Blend North Coast) $14.99
The 2010 White X Winemaker’s Blend offers alluring aromas that blend flowers, tropical fruits and minerals together for a fresh and lively bouquet.
The flavors bring lime and orange zest to the top, followed by creamy vanilla,
honeysuckle, melon and a distinct mineral edge.  The finish is rich and crisp.
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