8-9-11 Wine Cellar Newsletter
Greetings from the Wine Cellar:
Sure it’s hot around these parts – it’s the middle of August! But for an interesting way to cool down and still enjoy the great outdoors in the summer, how about a Full Moon Floatdown on the Colorado River? The Ohizona Society (a friendly group of outdoor enthusiasts here in Yuma) invites anyone interested to join up with them at Gateway Park here in Old Town at 6:00 PM this Saturday evening, August 13th. The group will then proceed to the confluence of the Gila & Colorado Rivers upstream, where the floatdown will commence, lasting well into the evening. All you have to do is bring your inner tube, some glowsticks, a cooler full of your favorite beverages and friends! They don’t have a website but they are on Facebook, so let them know if you have any questions. I may have to go look for a tube…
THURSDAY & FRIDAY WINE TASTING – $5.00 to try all six, or $5.00 for a full glass:
Darcie Kent 2009 Chardonnay, West Pinnacles Vineyard (Monterey County) $14.99
West Pinnacles Vineyard is a premier cool-climate site in Monterey County. The finest lots of Chardonnay are selected from this low-yielding vineyard, barrel-fermented and aged in French oak. Soft, elegant and creamy, this coats the palate with luscious, rich tropical fruit flavors, plus a nutty hint of toasted oak.
LangeTwins 2009 Viognier (Clarksburg) $15.99
This Viognier opens with lush scents of peach and pear fruit, mixing with hints of orange blossom. The enticing aromas introduce a similar flavor profile, well enhanced with a silky-smooth texture and a mouthwatering lime-zest finish. It superbly melds lush fruit with light floral tones to make a distinctive, crisp, and superbly refreshing white wine.
Renato Ratti 2009 Nebbiolo d’Alba Occhetti (Piedmont, Italy) $19.99
This single-vineyard Nebbiolo opens with a delicate, alluring bouquet of raspberries and strawberries. The palate displays the classic varietal characteristics of juicy red cherries accented by complex accents of dried herbs, earth and cedar, carried on an elegantly smooth and silky tannic frame.
Vitiano 2008 Rosso (Umbria, Italy) $9.99
Vitiano Rosso is a racy, sleek Umbrian red that offers layers of perfumed red cherry fruit flavors complemented with a pleasant touch of sweetly toasted oak. The wine offers terrific clarity and precision in a tightly focused style. A blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Sangiovese.
Hahn Winery 2009 Syrah (Central Coast) $13.99
This offers intense aromas of freshly cracked black peppercorns and raspberry jam on the nose. The entry is full-bore, full of dark red fruits like plum and raspberry. The mid-palate has enough tannic firmness to stand up to the lush entry, offering a swirl of black cherry and pepper-spice flavors that carry nicely through the finish.
Sebastiani 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County) $15.99
Sebastiani’s ‘07 Cabernet displays the depth and complexity one would expect from a truly fine vintage. The bouquet offers complex aromas of black cherries, herbs, black tea and coconut, and the palate is packed with flavors of ripe blackberries, spicy vanilla and toasty oak. The finish is long and nicely framed by firm, smoothly integrated tannins.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY “PREMIUM POUR” ($10.00 a glass)
Zenato 2007 Valpolicella Ripassa (Veneto, Italy) $29.99
This Ripassa opens with aromas of juicy black plums and coffee-scented spice. In the mouth, a ripe core of juicy currant and black plum fruit is accented with elements of spice and toasted oak. It’s a rich and mouth-filling red, with fine, fruit-drenched tannins and a clean, lingering, mineral-tinged finish.
NEW ARRIVALS:
Layer Cake 2006 Côtes du Rhône (Rhone Valley, France) $15.99
100% Syrah, wine red offers plenty of rich, forward fruit, but it’s accented by pleasant tones of minerality that speak “Old World” terroir. The result is an elegant, balanced wine with flavors of ripe blackberries and black currants plus hints of savory herbs.
Wild Rock 2010 Sauvignon Blanc The Infamous Goose (Marlborough, New Zealand) $10.99
Infamous Goose is lively and bright, a textbook Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. It has an intense bouquet of citrus fruits and freshly picked herbs. Crisp and dry on the palate, this wine offers pure, up-front and very tangy gooseberry and lime fruit flavors accented by racy acidity.
Turnbull 2009 Old Bull Red (Napa Valley) $18.99
Old Bull blends the power and richness of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with the bold, fruity essence of Syrah and Merlot. On the nose, sweetly ripe cherry and plum fruit is edged with pepper and spice notes. The palate shows complexity and richness, with dense, ripe flavors of juicy blackberries and hints of creamy mocha.
Cheers!
Mike Shelhamer
Old Town Wine Cellar
265 S. Main Street, Suite E
Yuma, Arizona 85364
928-373-0405
http://www.facebook.com/oldtownwinecellar
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