09/18/2017 Newsletter
Greetings from the Wine Cellar:
This week heralds the arrival of the Fall season here in the great Southwest, and it’s not a moment too soon. And you’ll have to admit the weather, if perhaps not yet Fall-like in all respects, is lately a great improvement over what we’ve been going thru in recent weeks. So come by the Wine Cellar this week, raise a glass of wine with us and help celebrate Fall’s arrival!
THIS WEEK’S WINE TASTING:
Michel Delhommeau 2016 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (Loire Valley, France) $14.99 This fragrant Loire white, made from the native Melon de Bourgogne varietal, offers expressive aromas of citrus, apricots and wildflowers. It’s bracingly clean in the mouth, with a savory saline note and a crunchy, defined mineral character. Juicy white fruit flavors dominate the palate and a distinctive pear-skin accent enlivens the zesty finish.
Villadoria 2013 Nebbiolo Bricco Magno (Piedmont, Italy) $15.99 This Langhe Nebbiolo is a beautiful clear garnet in the glass. The nose offers a mix of toasty vanilla, rose petal and spice notes. The palate is velvety and welcoming, with a warm, complex profile of red cherry fruit, licorice, spices and a subtle underlay of earth.
Shoo Fly 2014 Shiraz (South Australia) $12.99 Shoo Fly opens with hints of spicy red berry fruits, plums and mint. In the mouth it’s a succulent thunderbolt of pure Shiraz, right to the last sip. Showing plenty of brawn as well as a surprising degree of finesse, it culminates with an irresistable “have another glass” finish.
Goldschmidt Winery 2013 Fidelity Red (Alexander Valley) $15.99 All the grapes for this wine come from Nick Goldschmidt’s Crazy Creek Vineyard in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley. A Meritage-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, it’s rich and supple, with flavors of ripe cherry, cedar and dark chocolate.
Marques de Vargas 2011 Conde de San Cristóbal (Ribera del Duero, Spain) $22.99 A smoke- and spice-accented bouquet evokes candied cherry, cassis, violet and vanilla hints. Sweet and penetrating, this offers lively cherry and dark berry flavors that gain depth with air. The smoke and floral notes come back on the finish, which features a savory hint of mocha.
Caymus Vineyards Red Schooner Malbec Voyage 4 (Mendoza, Argentina) $39.99 A deep plum color, this wine offers evocative scents of dark fruits, layered with cassis and fresh earth. In the mouth lush fruit flavors of ripe dark plums and cherries are edged with accents of Asian spice and cinnamon. The tannins add both structure and a velvety softness. Lingering flavors of rich dark fruits and chocolate swirl on a harmonious finish.
NEW WINE & BEER ARRIVALS:
Quinta do Crasto 2013 Douro Superior (Douro Valley, Portugal) $24.99 This is a blend of the native varietals Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Souzão, sourced from the Quinta da Cabreira in the upper Douro Valley (or ‘Douro Superior’). It’s vibrant and expressive, with black raspberry and cherry aromas uplifted by light floral tones. The palate is rich and velvet-textured, loaded with fruit and spice.
Tenshən 2015 Red Blend (Santa Barbara County) $22.99 Tenshən wines represent a collaborative effort by Santa Barbara winemakers Joey Tensley & Alex Guarachi. This is a “Rhone-style” blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvédre and Petite Sirah. It offers classic Rhone flavors of juicy berry fruit, white pepper and floral accents, with silky tannins and a hint of licorice.
Brack Mountain 2014 Boatman Red (California) $12.99 Made with fruit sourced from Mendocino, Sierra Foothills, Amador County and Lodi, the Boatman Red is a proprietary blend of 40% Alicante Bouschet, 26% Merlot, 23% Malbec, 7% Cabernet and 4% Petite Sirah. It offers a juicy array of savory red fruit flavors with pleasant peppery accents.
Lindemans Peché Lambic Ale (Belgium) $12.99 The Lindemans Peché is a lambic made with barley, un-malted wheat, aged hops, fresh peaches and airborne yeasts – no yeast is ever added by the brewer. Rich peach fruit flavors balance the wild yeast complexity. True lambic ales are crafted only in the Senne River Valley of Belgium.
Cheers!
Mike Shelhamer Old Town Wine Cellar 265 S. Main Street, Suite E Yuma, Arizona 85364 928-373-0405
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