09-27-2011 Newsletter

Greetings from the Wine Cellar:

Just a quick reminder to everyone – October is almost here, and with it comes Oktoberfest! (OK, I know they started a couple weeks ago in Munich, but this is Yuma).  Saturday, October 1^st at 6:00PM, Yuma Fine Arts Association’s 3^rd Annual Oktoberfest celebration gets underway
at the Yuma Art Centre (254 S. Main Street).   The party goes until 9:00 PM with all the classic Oktoberfest staples – beer, brats & sauerkraut and German potato salad, along with musical entertainment and lots of great art to enjoy while you nosh and imbibe.  Taste 10 different hand-crafted brews plus the food for $30, $12 for food only, and remember you can reserve a table for ten for $300 (and for a special donation of $5, you can drink Sam Adams Oktoberfest in a special glass stein and keep it!).  Tickets are on sale now at the Art Center Museum gift shop, or order yours by calling 329-6607, or you can just stop by the Wine Cellar and buy them here!

THURSDAY & FRIDAY WINE TASTING – $5.00 to try all six, or
$5.00 for a full glass:

Francolí Cava, Brut Reserva (Cataluña, Spain)    $15.99
The Francolí Brut Reserva is an elegant, medium-bodied and pleasantly dry sparkler made from a 50/50 mix of the native Macabeo and Parellada grapes.  The aromas are fresh and assertive yet delicate, with hints of flowers and honey.  It’s balanced and harmonious on the palate, with a satisfyingly persistent finish.

Cadaretta 2009 SBS (Columbia Valley)    $19.99
Cadaretta’s SBS Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend is a wine designed to be enjoyed in its youth: it’s crisp, fruity and bracing.  The nose is intense, with pear and lime scents and a backdrop of honeysuckle.  A rush of juicy acidity greets the mouth with a mix of tangy lime zest and clean, ripe stone fruit flavorss like white peach and apricot.
Monte Antico 2007 Rosso Toscana (Tuscany, Italy)   $12.99
The Monte Antico is a reliable alternative to a basic Chianti in every vintage.
This version offers lovely notes of dried cherries, dark plums and spice on the nose.  On the palate, the flavors are classic Sangiovese, with refined, tart red cherry and berry flavors that finish pleasantly dry

Avalon 2008 California Cabernet Sauvignon    $9.99
This was sourced from some of California’s finest regions for Cabernet,
including Napa Valley and Sonoma County.  Rich aromas of black cherry, boysenberry and dark chocolate lead into a supple and richly flavored palate.  12 months of oak aging helps to soften the wine and adds subtle hints of spicy vanilla.
The Crusher 2009 Petite Sirah (Clarksburg)    $13.99
The nose of this inky purple wine is rich and complex, offering aromas of
blueberry and cassis plus a hint of spearmint.  The palate is supple and full, with a lip-smacking caramel-and-vanilla quality that ends in a ripe, cassis-tinged finish.
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.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY “PREMIUM POUR” ($10.00 a glass)

Campo Viejo 2003 Rioja Gran Reserva (Rioja, Spain)    $24.99
This Gran Reserva is made from carefully selected, premium Tempranillo,
Graciano and Mazuelo grapes, and is aged for five years before being released.  The nose offers exotic aromas of vanilla, cloves and cinnamon.  The
smooth, velvety palate has abundant cherry and black plum fruit flavors, along with complex notes of tobacco and spices.

NEW ARRIVALS:

Wine Guerrilla 2009 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley)   $15.99
Wine Guerrilla, the nom de plume of Zinfandel specialist (and fanatic) Bruce Patch, produces a number of small-lot premium Dry Creek Zins.  This one is 88% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah, from two old-vine sites on Dry Creek Road, the Biglieri Vineyard and the Cartee Vineyard.  It’s a classic Dry Creek Valley Zin, fruit-filled and spice-laden, a vibrant expression of the varietal.
Gloria Ferrer 2007 Estate Chardonnay (Carneros)    $14.99
Complex ripe pear, citrus and honeysuckle aromas and background hints of
hazelnuts and baked apple mingle on the nose of this lovely Chardonnay.  It’s smooth and round in the mouth, with a firm, focused structure and juicy apple, citrus and toast flavors that linger on the lengthy and refreshing finish.
St. Francis 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County)    $18.99
The 2007 St. Francis is a classically styled Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, rich, chewy blackberry and black currant flavors are framed by smooth, round tannins, with complex elements of cedar, tobacco, spice and vanilla carrying to the lingering finish.
Capafons-Ossó 2004 Sirsell (Priorat, Spain)    $24.99
Produced from Grenache, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mazuelo and Syrah grapes that were fermented separately and aged 12 months in oak, this delicious Priorato jumps from the glass with rich black olive and dark cherry aromas.  In the mouth, pure blackberry and dark plum fruit is edged by a terrific slate minerality, giving this wine an amazing elegance despite its substantial structure and richness.
Cheers!

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

http://www.yumawine.com/

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