10-04-2011 Newsletter

Greetings from the Wine Cellar:

Fall is here – and lots of new wines are showing up.  It’s no coincidence; every year about this time as the weather cools (finally!), a variety of new and interesting wines start coming my way.  I can’t bring them all in; only some make the cut and there’s only so much space here in the Wine Cellar anyway.  It sure is fun to sample them, however.  And as the cool season gets underway, you’re going to find more and more new wines here at the Cellar that deserve your serious consideration.  In fact, several are on this week’s tasting – come give them a try!

THURSDAY & FRIDAY WINE TASTING – $5.00 to try all six, or $5.00 for a full glass:
Lagaria 2009 Pinot Grigio (Delle Venezie, Italy)     $10.99
Made with grapes sourced from premium vineyard sites in both Friuli and Trentino, this is a crisply elegant, finely balanced Pinot Grigio, with clean flavors of freshly-sliced green apples and juicy citrus fruits, plus a finely etched mineral edge on the finish.

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 a lengthy finish.
Matua Valley 2008 Pinot Noir (Marlborough, New Zealand) $12.99
Bright cherry-red color, the nose offers fresh plums and floral/violet aromas.  The palate is concentrated and fruit-driven, with ripe berry characters plus a silky, soft Pinot texture; an excellent example of Marlborough Pinot Noir.

Bodegas Muriel 2004 Crianza (Rioja, Spain)    $14.99
This Crianza is comprised of 100% Tempranillo. The wine was aged in
a mix of French and American oak for one year, and then aged another year in bottle prior to release.  The nose offers aromas of dried red fruits with hints of light spice. It’s supple, smooth and dry on the palate.
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.

Peñalolen 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley, Chile)    $16.99
Made from estate-grown grapes, this is a blend of 85% Cabernet, 7% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc.  It offers a complex mix of dark cherry, plum and black currant fruit, along with exotic  tones of dry herbs, mocha and dark chocolate on a long, spicy finish.

THURSDAY & FRIDAY “PREMIUM POUR” ($10.00 a glass)

Roth Estate 2008 Merlot (Alexander Valley)    $26.99
Roth Estate Merlot is a densely structured wine with aromas of black
cherries, violet, cedar and a touch of spice.  On the palate, rich flavors of blackberries, black currants and dark chocolate mingle on the smooth-as-silk mouthfeel, ending in a long finish.

NEW ARRIVALS:

Ridge Vineyards 2009 Estate Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains)  $39.99
The Ridge ‘09 Estate Chardonnay is a rich, intense and full bodied wine layered with bright citrus and floral tones, plus a touch of smoky sweetness from oak aging.  The palate is beautifully creamy, yet enlivened with a perfect degree of refreshing acidity.
Ghost Pines 2008 Merlot (Sonoma County / Napa County)  $14.99
Sourcing from both the Sonoma and Napa appellations enables Ghost Pines to blend a wine that shows the best of each region.  The 2008 is primarily from Sonoma County, as evident in the abundance of jammy mixed berries in its aromas and flavors.  The soft and velvety palate is classic Merlot, with a nice toasty note from aging in French oak.
Cherry on Top Sweet Red (California)    $11.99
A blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot and Grenache, this quaffer is packed with juicy red fruits and sweet spices, reminiscent of a freshly baked pie.  Rich cherry–berry flavors make up the pie filling, and oak aging imparts the vanilla and brown sugar of the crust.  A wonderful choice for an afternoon “sipping” wine.

Conn Creek 2008 Herrick Red (Napa Valley)   $19.99
The Herrick Red is a tour of premier Napa Valley vineyard sites in a bottle, beginning with Conn Creek’s Herrick Vineyard in Yountville that makes up  the majority of the blend.  The wine also incorporates fruit sourced from the St. Helena, Calistoga, Rutherford, Oak Knoll, Carneros, Mt. Veeder and Howell Mountain districts; each of them offering distinct characteristics and terroir to this mostly Cabernet Sauvignon-based red.
Cheers!

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

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