09-20-2011 Newsletter
Greetings from the Wine Cellar:
“Fourth Friday” is here again! This month is really whizzing by… which is
OK, because that means our late summer evenings are really getting to be
pleasant. In fact, let’s make that early fall, because this month’s Fourth Friday Block Party in Old Town is this Friday, September 23rd, the first day of Fall. Sounds like a great idea to come down to the 200 block of Main Street and join in the festivities. The party starts at 7:00 and goes until 11:00PM.
On-street activities will include live music from the bands AlienNVader(HipHopDJ), Stealing You Kill (Alternative/Progressive) and Dune Sea Crew (not really sure what). There will also be art exhibitions and other outdoor activities, and a variety of food and drink vendors along the street.
Old Town bars and restaurants will be offering associated Block Party drink
specials, with live music and extended hours for the occasion. And of course there will be wine tasting here at the Wine Cellar to get the evening off to a great start. See you down here Friday!
THURSDAY & FRIDAY WINE TASTING – $5.00 to try all six, or
$5.00 for a full glass:
Natura 2011 Un-Oaked Chardonnay (Casablanca Valley, Chile)
$11.99
This un-oaked Chilean Chardonnay offers refreshing notes of grapefruit and lime that intermingle with subtle tropical fruit scents of pineapple, starfruit and kiwis and a hint of herbs. It’s super-fresh, bright and juicy, with tangy citrus and tropical fruit flavors.
Donovan-Parke 2008 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast) $17.99
The grapes for this Reserve bottling were sourced from top vineyard sites
throughout the Sonoma Coast appellation. They were barrel fermented, in a mix of new and used French oak barrels. The result is a creamy, refined style of Chardonnay, with moderate oak, abundant ripe fruit and lots of finesse.
Bottega Vinaia 2009 Pinot Noir (Trentino, Italy) $19.99
Bottega Vinaia’s wines are sourced from select, family-farmed vineyards in the cool Trentino region of northeast Italy. It was produced from Dijon clones, and barrel-aged for six months prior to release. It displays fresh dark cherry and raspberry aromas that carry over to the medium weight palate. This easy-drinking Italian Pinot shows good acidity and excellent balance.
Montevina 2008 Zinfandel (Amador County) $9.99
A great everyday Zin from the heart of “Zin Central”, this wine delivers all the zest of Amador County, with bright aromas and juicy flavors of black raspberries and plums edged with touches of clove and cinnamon. It’s a great quaff to toast another rotation of the planet, and a fine match with pizza, burgers, tri-tip or any other kind of barbecue you can think of!
J. Vidal Fleury 2007 Côtes-du-Rhône (Rhone Valley, France) $13.99
A classic Rhone blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre and 10% Cinsault. On the nose, aromas of ripe red fruit and spice emerge. The soft, round palate offers abundant ripe black raspberry and plum fruit, enlivened by the characteristic Côtes-du-Rhône spiciness.
Donati Family Vineyards 2007 Claret (San Benito County) $17.99
Donati Claret, a ‘Bordeaux-style’ blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
and Cabernet Franc, exhibits an aromatic black raspberry bouquet. On the palate, the wine is nicely balanced and smooth as silk. The flavor profile shows a rich black cherry and and blackberry character, with just a hint of black pepper on the finish.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY “PREMIUM POUR” ($10.00 a glass)
Enrique Foster 2007 Malbec Reserva (Mendoza, Argentina) $25.99
This Reserva is a blend of two vineyards, one 53 years old and the other over 90. It spent 12 months in 40% new French oak. Deep purple in color, the wine exudes a complex, expressive bouquet of cedar, old leather, spice-box tones and black cherry fruit. It’s big, yet very smooth-textured on the palate, with lush dark fruit and savory spice flavors and a long, fruit-filled finish.
NEW ARRIVALS:
Castello di Bossi 2006 Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) $19.99
On the nose, aromas of sweet toasted oak mingle with nuances of ripe black
cherry fruit and elegant scents of violets. A full-bodied and nicely dry palate shows plenty of rich blackberry and red cherry fruit plus a hint of spice, with velvet smooth tannins.
Brophy Clark 2008 GSM (Santa Ynez Valley) $17.99
The GSM blends three classic Rhone varietals – Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre – from three different vineyards. The result is a rich and wonderfully expressive red, with deliciously ripe raspberry, boysenberry and plum fruit flavors accented by subtle notes of spices.
Acacia 2010 Pinot Noir (Carneros) $24.99
This classic Carneros Pinot Noir overflows with ripe plum, raspberry and black cherry aromas. A perfume of roses adds 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 its smooth and supple tannins. It finishes with a bright raspberry flourish.
Cheers!
Mike Shelhamer
Old Town Wine Cellar
265 S. Main Street, Suite E
Yuma, Arizona 85364
928-373-0405
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