WOMC-News507 4/19/07 2:18 PM Page 1 NEWS FROM WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB Since 1972 May 2007 Wines evaluated last month: 157 Rejected: 142 Approved: 15 Selected: 6 “ balanced with the acidity and What’s New little madness fragrance of Torrontes, this This Month in the Spring, wine is hard to resist. is wholesome see page 2 Aeven for the King." LIMITED SERIES EMILY DICKENSON 2003, Cosentino, Syrah. Napa Send Us Your Valley, California e-mail Address! REGULAR SERIES Syrah is a particular, demanding send to: 2005, CheapSkate, grape. It cannot be grown [email protected] Meritage. California everywhere. However, Mitch CheapSkate’s Miser Cosentino knows exactly where Meritage is quaffable and this grape thrives. His wine is Home Wine delicious with a price to a perfect example of Napa Tasting Parties! make your jaw drop. Cheap Valley Syrah. Lush and fruity, it’s the wine for grilled meats see page 11 Skate wines are not cheap on quality, just price. This and stews. blend is perfect for your after-taxes dinner party. 2002, Koonowla, Cabernet Gift Assortments Sauvignon. Clare Valley, Australia see page 9 2006, Martin Fierro, Chardonnay / Torrontes. There is so much to like about San Juan, Argentina this wine. We love that it’s New Member Blends of Chardonnay and bottled with a screw cap so Application Torrontes are becoming a that we can pour a glass to for a Friend trademark for Argentina. savor now, and easily recap it for tomorrow. This is a great see page 15 Full of the lush tropical Cabernet at a great price. flavors of Chardonnay, and INSIDE THIS MONTH WINEOFTHEMONTH CLUB NEWS 1 ORDER FORMS 7–10 WHAT’S NEW?2UPCOMING EVENTS 11 REG. MERITAGE, 2005. CHEAPSKATE 3 MEMBER COMMENTS 12 REG. CHARDONNAY/TORRONTES, 2006. MARTIN FIERRO 4 ADVENTURES IN GOOD FOOD 13 LTD. SYRAH, 2003. COSENTINO 5 REGULAR & LTD TASTING NOTES 11, 14 LTD. CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2002. KOONOWLA 6 WORD ON THE STREET 16 Join us on the Web: www.WineoftheMonthClub.com WOMC-News507 4/19/07 2:18 PM Page 2 A NOTE WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH? FROM YOUR CELLARMASTER We do a lot of research here. Constantly looking for wine related information. Keeping an eye on what is happening both in the vineyard and in the marketplace. One thing has remained true for all these years, 35 to be exact. You and I Paul Kalemkiarian want good value. After it is all said and done, it Folks, we are going to is what’s in the bottle that counts. Label changes, have to live with screw bottle changes, story lines, vineyard practices caps! Currently about and the like doesn’t mean a thing until you open 50% of the wine I taste is the bottle. The more wine I taste, the more in screw caps...wines obvious it becomes that they will put in the from $9.00 to $30! bottle whatever they make….good or bad. I think they are here to stay! One of the other facts that we have found through our research, is that we have the most comprehensive and voluminous wine TV sites…. Paul Kalemkiarian check it out at www.wineofthemonthclub.tv and watch us taste your favorite wines and talk about other aspects that affect your wine experience. Membership in THE WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB is open to anyone with an interest in and an appreciation for superb wines... and excellent wine values. Membership is FREE. For more info write: WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB P.O. Box 660220, Arcadia, CA 91066 Or call: 1-800-949-WINE (9463) or (626) 303-1690 FAX: (626) 303-2597 Visit us at: www.WineoftheMonthClub.com Newsletter written by: Elizabeth Schweitzer, Master Sommelier 2 1-800-949-WINE • www.wineofthemonthclub.com WOMC-News507 4/19/07 2:18 PM Page 3 DOMESTIC SELECTION heapSkate has six must be a blend of two or rules to make more Bordeaux grape wine by: 1. Make varieties—for red wines C only stunningly these are Cabernet Franc, good wines; 2. Sell them at Cabernet Sauvignon, outrageous value; 3. Use Carmenere, Gros Verdot, humor and honesty; 4. Let Malbec, Merlot, Petite the wine sell itself; 5. Use Verdot and St. Macaire. No smart and inexpensive pack- more than 90% of any single aging with lots of creative variety be used; 2. It must be thought; 6. Foster long-term the winery's best wine of its relationships with both type; 3. It must be produced 2005 growers and consumers. and bottled by a U.S. winery from grapes that carry a CheapSkate CheapSkate Winemaker U.S. appellation; 4. Its Miser Clark Smith has been production must be limited making wine since 1971. to a maximum 25,000 cases Meritage His approach is sensible, per vintage. CheapSkate is Cabernet imaginative, and savvy. an official member of the Sauvignon, Here’s what he has to say California Meritage Society Cabernet Franc, about his budget-minded and is proud to be the Miser project: “These are lowest-priced member. The Merlot seriously good wines, grapes are sourced from (ka-bur-nay made in classic styles for prestigious vineyard sites in saw-veehn-yawn/ progressive-minded people. Lodi and surrounding areas. ka-bur-nay frahnc/ mare-low) What we love to do is to This is a poor man’s Opus make beautiful wine and to One, and tasting is believing. California sell it for almost nothing. The catch is, we don’t make The color is a deep red. The Color: very much, so only those nose is full of ripe fruit, Deep red savvy enough to know will herbs, chocolate, tobacco, Nose: buy everything we make.” and tarragon. The palate is Ripe fruit, herbs, quaffable with deep flavors chocolate, tobacco, CheapSkate’s Miser is a of ripe red fruit, soft tannins, tarragon Meritage (rhymes with and dark chocolate. The Palate: finish lingers like a $60 “heritage”), a Bordeaux- Dry, medium- bottle. You saved some style blend with lots of bodied, soft tannins, money with this bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon, some dark chocolate Cabernet Franc, and a bit of Spend it on rib eye steaks Merlot. To be designated as or spicy sausages to serve Finish: Meritage, a wine must meet with your glass of Miser Balanced and the following standards: 1. It Meritage. lingering CELLARING SUGGESTIONS 507A Retail Price: $15.99/each Special Member Price: $9.99/each Drink now through 2008 Reorder Price: $6.99/each 56% Discount $83.88/case 1-800-949-WINE • www.wineofthemonthclub.com 3 WOMC-News507 4/19/07 2:18 PM Page 4 IMPORTED SELECTION hen an Italian foothills of the Sierras de Pie man immigrates de Palo, in the Tulum Valley. to a new It’s north of Mendoza, and W country, he it’s a warmer climate than looks to fill his wine glass. the other growing regions When Don José Borbore of Argentina. Torrontes is a immigrated from Italy to grape that thrives in the Argentina in 1936, he warmth and soils of San wanted to feel at home, so he Juan. Chardonnay also loves planted grapes and started a the sun, which promotes 2006 winery. He soon gained a fresh fruit with good acidity. reputation for producing Martin Fierro Vintage 2006 is one of the interesting, good wines, best on record for the San especially his licorice wine. Chardonnay/ Juan region. The grapes The historic Borbore Winery Torrontes were destemmed, crushed, has outlived two major (shar-doe-nay/ drained quickly, and chilled. tore-ahn-tehz) earthquakes and the political There is no malo-lactic, and upheavals that almost no oak influence. This is destroyed the country’s San Juan ultimate everyday drinking wine industry. In 2000, the Argentina wine at good price Pulenta family bought the Color: winery. The family has a The 2006 Martin Fierro Clear, pale yellow long winemaking tradition Chardonnay/Torrontes has in the region. They have a clear and pale yellow color. Nose: renovated and upgraded the The nose is fresh with peach, Fresh, peach, winery, and incorporated lychee, and guava. It’s lychee, guava new vinification systems. full-bodied with flavors of Palate: They are ready to make the ripe citrus, lychee, and spice. Full-bodied, ripe most of their winery’s It has a lingering, crisp citrus, lychee, spice reputation by producing finish. This wine is ideal quality wines for the with rich foods, Asian food, Finish: world market. and a simple dish such as Lingering crisp Onion Tart. (See page 13.) finish The vineyards are located in San Juan, Argentina, at the CELLARING SUGGESTIONS 507B Retail Price: $12.99/each Special Member Price: $8.99/each Enjoy now through 2007 Reorder Price: $5.99/each 54% Discount $71.88/case 4 1-800-949-WINE • www.wineofthemonthclub.com WOMC-News507 4/19/07 2:18 PM Page 5 IMITED ERIES L S SELECTION osentino Winery than 40 award-winning has been a staple in wines for Cosentino. Jeff the California wine Labard worked for Fess C community for 25 Parker. Together they are years. The winery has an a force to be reckoned unblemished reputation for with. Their passion and producing ultra-premium skills mesh perfectly. wines with passion and skill. They are inspired by Mitch Mitch Cosentino is the heart Cosentino’s artistic approach 2003 and soul of all these award- to winemaking. Each year winning hand-crafted wines. the production is different. He began making wine in Why? “I let the wines speak Cosentino small lots in 1980 in for themselves, based on the Modesto, California.