11/11/2014 Newsletter

Greetings from the Wine Cellar:

 

This Saturday, November 15^th, the Medjool Date Festival will take place right here in Historic Downtown on the Main Street Plaza from 9 AM to 5 PM.  It’s our annual celebration of “food, fun, family and all things dates!” presented by Yuma Heritage Festivals and Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers.  Yuma and nearby Bard Valley are among the world’s leading producers of this gourmet date – Medjools grown here are shipped worldwide, even to the Middle East.  The festival will have musical entertainment all afternoon, plus displays and demonstrations of the specialized machinery used for cultivating and harvesting dates, cooking demonstrations and recipe contests, historical exhibits, farm tours and lots of great festival food all day.  For more info, check out www.yumamedjooldatefestival.com  Hope to see you down here!

 

THIS WEEK’S WINE TASTING:

 

Pine Ridge 2013 Chenin Blanc-Viognier (Clarksburg)    $14.99
This wine shows hints of both varietals on the nose, with the honeydew melon character of Chenin Blanc uplifted by a hint of wildflowers from the Viognier. It’s crisp and fresh in the mouth, with a nice blend of citrus, pear and melon fruit flavors.

 

Argyle 2012 Reserve Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)    $34.99
The nose offers aromas of juicy ripe Oregon blackberry and Rainier cherry, with notes of cedar forest and a faint touch of rose petals. The palate offers richly vivid flavors of fresh-picked wild berries and exotic Asian spices, yet displays elegance, balance and finesse.

 

Cryptic 2012 California Red    $14.99
Cryptic Red is a regional blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes sourced from vineyards in Amador County, Lodi and Paso Robles.  It’s supple and seductive, with plenty of ripe wild berry and dark cherry fruit flavors, notes of toasted hazelnuts, vanilla mocha on the finish.

 

Château de Lascaux 2011 Coteaux du Languedoc (Languedoc-Roussillon, France)    $17.99
This red absolutely sings of southern France.  The nose is redolent of violets, dried herbs, cassis and raspberries.  The palate is smooth and enticing, with black cherry, currant and raspberry fruit flavors accented by hints of violets, earth, herbs and spice.  It ends on a bright, persistent finish.

 

Viña Mayor 2007 Secreto (Ribera del Duero, Spain)    $19.99
Secreto is a deep ruby in color, with a complex bouquet of black cherry and violets plus added hints of spices and vanilla.  Rich, full dark fruit flavors and exotic hints of spice and cedar predominate on the palate, with a harmonious balance framed by firm tannins.

 

Taliano Michele 2008 Barbera d’Alba (Piedmont, Italy)    $22.99
This is a traditionally styled Barbera that offers complex opening notes of vanilla, caramel and coffee from aging in small French oak barrels.  The savory, yet fully dry palate offers rich dark cherry and plum fruit flavors, with elegant notes of spice and smoke.

 

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2011 Canoe Ridge Merlot (Columbia Valley)    $24.99
Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Canoe Ridge estate vineyard offers an elegant expression of Washington Merlot, with a rich dark cherry fruit character.  Light overtones of green and black olives emerge on the palate, with notes of spicy char from aging in French and American oak.

 

NEW WINE & BEER ARRIVALS:

 

Gainey Vineyards 2011 Merlot (Santa Ynez Valley)    $17.99
Made with estate-grown fruit from Gainey’s Home Ranch Vineyard, this is a classic style of Merlot, full of plush black cherry and plum fruit enhanced with subtle hints of cinnamon and clove.  The abundant fruit is wrapped in a fine cloak of smooth, rich, velvety tannins.

 

Mer Soleil 2013 Silver Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands)    $21.99
Mer Soleil Silver unites the crisp essence of classic Chablis with the tropical accents of Pacific Coast Chardonnay.  Fresh and lively citrus scents lead to tangy flavors of green apple and lemon zest plus nuances of tropical fruits. A subtle mineral quality and bright acidity enliven the finish.

 

Tacora 2010 Gran Reserva (Colchagua Valley, Chile)    $22.99
Tacora’s Grran Reserva is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot, sourced from the premier winegrowing region of Chile, the Colchagua Valley.  This wine is packed with bold black fruit flavors of berries, plums and currants supported by a strong, balanced tannic frame.

 

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