Volume I NUMBER 2 JUST A SPLASH November- December 2019

In the past, most fine red were meant to be aged. The world has changed, and has WHAT’S changed with it. Now most wines are produced with no forethought INSIDE to their long-term potential but • Long-Cellared Wine are meant to be consumed within and What to Expect five years of production. The Pages 1-3 reasons for this are predominantly economic—waiting until there is • New Wines At significant bottle age to release Splash wines is expensive for producers. Page 4 LONG-CELLARED Consumers don’t typically have • Seasonal Wine large wine cellars—only the most Cocktail WINE AND WHAT serious collectors have the ability Page 5 to purchase wine and sit on it for TO EXPECT years before drinking it. • Wine Word of the Month BY CHRISTIAN EDDLEMAN, Like so many other things in the Page 5 modern world, a great deal has OWNER-VINTNER OF SYLVANUS been gained in terms of overall • Holiday ESTATE AND EMPYREAN WINES wine quality with the modernization Merchandise here is great allure in the idea of growing and Page 6 of aged wine, with its promise techniques, but something has also T • ReWINEd Crafts of unique complexity and intense been lost. But what exactly? What delight. does proper “long-cellaring” do for Page 6 wine? The oldest wines from the finest • Spritz in Wines producers routinely garner the Long-term cellaring of wine allows Page 7 highest prices at exclusive auctions a balancing of complex primary • Meet The Team and secondary flavors, acids and around the world. Yet currently, Page 8 only 1% of all wine produced is tannins. A structural, tannic wine meant to be aged or cellared for will become softer and smoother • Splash Dogs many years. That makes wines that as tannins fall out (often in the form Page 9 both benefit from long cellaring, of sediment). Bright fruit flavors • Featured and are available at reasonable can transform into a profusion of prices, among the rarest pleasures subtle and unexpected tastes and Page 9 in the wine world. aromas. 1 from others of that bottling, even in the LONG-CELLARED WINE same case of wine. This is simply part of the AND WHAT TO EXPECT joy of drinking a properly aged wine. Luckily, wines that are built to age don’t (CONT.) suddenly “peak” and then fall apart. While WHAT SHOULD A FINE, AGED WINE there is a point in which they are at their most enjoyable, fine wines typically have a TASTE LIKE? window of several years in which they are The secondary flavors that emerge in wines at their most interesting. that are produced with an eye to cellaring are both interesting and enjoyable. In WHAT ARE POTENTIAL RISKS IN and , bright CELLARING WINE? red fruits and aromas can turn into soft plum, dried fig, and candied orange peel. While cellaring fine wine has obvious Notes of cedar and tobacco leaf become benefits, there are inherent risks as well. more prominent. In , a smoky and rich These risks fall into two categories: One cured meat flavor can emerge. notes is taint, where certain undesirable can change from simple wood and vanilla chemicals leach from the cork into the wine, into luscious crème caramel. causing unpleasant flavor changes. The signal for this is generally a musty aroma, A properly aged wine tends to be soft, and and muted flavors. Sometimes there’s smooth, yet rich and flavorful. So drinkable, only a trace of in a bottle, and a bottle might vanish before you know it. the mustiness will disappear if the wine is But this only occurs with time and proper exposed to oxygen (allowed to “breathe”). cellaring. The flavors imparted by cellaring Other times the cork taint spoils the wine are almost never present in young wines. entirely.

HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN TO DRINK A LONG-CELLARED WINE? When we speak of an aged wine reaching its “peak”, we mean a time in the future where the rough edges of the wine will be buffed off, and the wine will show its very best combination of flavors. Determining this time in advance is largely an art, based on years of experience with fine wines. The complex chemistry of slow micro-oxygenation provided by a good cork doesn’t always work on the same timetable for every wine, and sometimes it even works a bit differently from one bottle to another. This is why a bottle of long- cellared wine might taste a bit different

2 The second is oxidation. This comes from EMPYREAN WINES: BUILT TO AGE AND too much, rather than just enough, oxygen PROPERLY CELLARED filtering through the cork. The signs of this are a very brown, rather than purple, or red, Our Empyrean wines were stored under edge to the wine in glass. A slightly brown ideal conditions for aging, in a vast, thick- edge in an aged wine is not a bad thing, as walled, apple warehouse in northern long as the rest of the flavors are good. Red Washington State. Dry, dark, and partially wines tend to lighten in color as they age, underground, a space originally meant for white wines tend to darken. This, again, storing apples proved perfect for storing is not a problem, so long as the flavors are wine. good. Recent tastings of our 2007 Empyrean bottlings show them to be in fantastic shape for drinking. They are ready to drink now. Tasting notes below:

2007 CYGNUS SYRAH This wine remains fresh and lively, with pepper and blackberry notes, hints of smoky, cured-meat aromas, and unctuous textures only a long-cellared Syrah can deliver. A way to check for too much oxidation is by placing the glass over a white sheet of 2007 DRACO CLARET paper and looking at the edges of the wine in glass. Another sign of oxidation is an Velvety and luscious, with deep abundance, rather than a small amount, black fruits and tobacco leaf. With of -like flavors. Sherry is a style of a little time in the glass, the flavors wine that is deliberately oxidized, so the evolve even further, yielding a presence of these flavors in an overly beautiful crème brulee on the oxidized bottle makes sense. finish.

Often a wine that was stored in improper 2007 ERIDANUS CLARET conditions will show signs of oxidation. Proper cellaring is crucial to aging wines. Still possessing good tannic Conditions should be cool, dark, and free of structure, but with soft edges, a great deal of light and vibration. That’s dried fig and earthy cocoa powder. why cellars are traditionally the ideal place to store wine for aging.

3 NEW WINES AT SPLASH

MAR SENHOR OBLISCO ADENTRO DA VINHA WHITE RED Hailing from Spain Mar Adentro, Meaning “Lord of and an esteemed meaning “Into the the ”, the favorite of the Sea”, is a tribute name refers to a Extremadura region, to Portuguese legendary local this Tempranillo explorers and man who was embodies the explorations. well-respected and essence of the This easy-going used to stand and regional terrior. This wine has floral observe the region young and bright, nuances and intense fruit from the highest points of un-oaked wine shows the real aromas which will mimic its the within the Tejo beauty of Tempranillo in its smooth and elegant palate. Region of Portugal. This region youthful state; featuring fresh The vineyards are situated in produces some of the most cherry and red berry fruit on the Tejo Region just north of refreshing wines in the world. the nose, with a palate that is Lisbon near the Tejo River. The Indigenous Portuguese grape classically soft, silky and savory proximity to the river leads to varieties produce this ruby with hints of sweet fruit, easy a more maritime micro-climate, colored wine, with mineral acidity and gentle tannins. Ideal moderating the temperature aroma and rich tannins. Soft with tomato-based sauces, and helping to contribute and fruity on the palate with barbecue meats and Mexican to the fruitiness, acidity and a lasting persistence. Ideal food. freshness of the wines. Ideal with red meats, pork and other with dressed salads, curry foods dressed in herbs to pick Grape Varieties dishes infused with coconut up on the savory balsamic Tempranillo and various seafoods such as character of the grapes. lobster and crab. Grape Varieties Grape Varieties Tinta Roriz and Rufete Fernão Pires and Arinto

4 GERMAN GLÜHWEIN (MULLED WINE) f you’re in a colder region of the Icountry, warmer drinks are needed for the Holidays. Roughly translated as “glowing-wine”, Glühwein is a traditional winter-holiday drink in German speaking countries.

INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS: -½ cup water Mix water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, wine - ½ cup sugar and the juice of the orange together in - 2 whole cloves heavy pot. Bring up the heat, but DO NOT - 2 cinnamon sticks BOIL. Add the orange peel and simmer 15 - 1 orange minutes. Serve immediately and keep as warm as possible. - 1 bottle of (we recommend our Florent Descombes ) WINE WORD OF THE MONTH “FULL-BODIED” seeds of grapes- the thicker the skin, the more tannins there are. Oak aging also adds tannin The body of wine is described as its texture or and aromatic compounds of vanillin that give a weight in the mouth. Full-bodied wines are big buttery texture and flavor. Finally, sugar levels and powerful. They are wines that have a rich, increase the viscosity of wine. complex, well-rounded flavor that should linger in the mouth. Most full-bodied wines are widely known to be reds, but whites like and There are several factors that give a wine a are also two examples that fall fuller body. Alcohol contributes to the viscosity into this category. of a wine, so the higher the alcohol content, the weightier the mouthfeel, and the fuller the When pairing full-bodied wines, remember body. Wines with alcohol levels above 13.5% that stronger, more robust flavors (dishes with are typically considered full-bodied. Tannins cream sauces, rich cheeses, mushrooms or give wine structure, creating a thicker sensation heavy meats like chicken, BBQ, or steaks) tend in the mouth. Tannins come from the skins and to pair best.

Shiraz Syrah Priorat Douro RedsPetite Sirah Mourvedre Neri D’Avola Cabernet Sauv.

5 WINE MERCHANDISE IN TIME GIFT BAGS: FOR THE HOLIDAYS! Wine always makes an awesome gift, but ooking for the perfect stocking stuffers? having the perfect bag LGifting Splash wine for the holidays? Look no to transport or gift the further! We are beyond excited to share with you wine is even better! some of the amazing Splash merchandise you Each bag can fit one can purchase for that ‘Wino’ in your life! 750ml , and is made of tear-resistant, UGLY HOLIDAY non-woven fabric! $9.95 for 3 bags (3 different SWEATER BOTTLE colors) or $11.95 for 4, randomly selected bags COVERS: Make wine gifting even more fun SPLASH with these snazzy ugly WINO HAT: Sport the sweaters. Fitting all Splash Wines logo with a 750ml wine bottles, one-size-fits-all black hat these knit sweaters with a high-quality, full- with matching hats will be the talk of any color, embroidered Wino gathering when you are planning on bringing a logo that will last through bottle of wine with you. years of wear. $9.95 for 2 or $16.95 for 4 $18.95/hat

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Place corks in boiling water and cover. Using tongs, remove corks once soft, about 2-3 minutes. 2. On a cutting board, slice each cork into sixths (if you want a thicker cork piece, slice into fourths) ReWINEd CRAFTS 3. Attach your charms by Daintry T., Operations Assistant or stick WINE CORK GLASS CHARMS your letter sticker on These handmade wine cork glass charms are the flat designed to liven up any drinking experience this side of holiday season. Get as creative as you would like each cork. as it’s the perfect time to have these ready for your next holiday gathering! Merry Crafting! 4. Screw eye hooks into MATERIALS: the top • Assorted corks side of • Letter stickers each cork. • Charms (get them from any craft store 5. Then just & they usually come 4 to a pack) unhook • Paintbrush/or foam brush your wire hoop and attach onto the base of each • Earring wire hoop . You are now ready for your next party! • Small eye hooks

6 SPRITZ IN WINE: IT ISN’T ALL BAD he doorbell rings, and there’s the delivery Tyou’ve been waiting for all week. A brand- new case of wine is ready to be unloaded onto the shelves of your cellar or wine rack, and most likely, a bottle is to be enjoyed that very night. You open a bottle of Cabernet and are taken aback by the first sip. It’s…slightly carbonated?

WHAT HAPPENED? Tiny bubbles in red wine can come from several sources, and they’re not always considered a flaw. Effervescence, or fizz, in WHAT NOW? wine is a sign of carbon dioxide, the same If you open a bottle, and are indeed taken chemical responsible for carbonation in aback by the first sip, give it a swirl and soda. The carbonation is added artificially wait a moment. Let the wine naturally to soda, while in wine it is almost always aerate and breathe a bit. Giving the wine the product of natural fermentation. During some air will help dissolve those carbon the fermentation process, the yeast feeds dioxide bubbles. A little bubble in the wine on grape sugars producing alcohol and is not bad. So long as the wine does not carbon dioxide. In wine, the carbon dioxide seem corked or spoiled, this can still be is released into the air prior to bottling. If enjoyed as any other glass of wine would wine is bottled before all the yeast has fed be. on the sugars, this process will continue in the bottle after it is sealed. Removing the If you plan on cellaring the wine, this can be cork or screwcap releases the pressure a long-term solution as the effervescence inside, allowing the dissolved CO2 to will diminish over time. Corks are slightly escape as those tiny bubbles you will find. porous, allowing the wine to age and eventually give way to the CO2 that will dissolve over the months/years. Let me let you in on a little secret: If enough yeast made it into the bottle to feed on the bit of sugar left over to produce the fizz, this will produce more alcohol, as well - you’re welcome.

7 recipes and cooking them for concert I had the pleasure of MEET THE TEAM the family. I can’t say that I attending, and it was a blast! “ Cam B. am at Gordon Ramsey’s level yet, but it’s fun to challenge WHAT IS ONE RANDOM FACT Customer Service Rep. myself and see what I can ABOUT YOU THAT NOT VERY create! I also enjoy taking my MANY PEOPLE KNOW? son to ride his dirt bike. It is “Not a lot of people know this truly rewarding to be able to about me, but I used to be very provide a fun childhood to him involved in 4H. I tended to a as my father provided for me.” goat daily, attended weekly meetings and presented WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE my prized goat to fair which WINE WE HAVE AT SPLASH? resulted in me winning a fancy “Do I have to just pick one?!? belt buckle.” I enjoy a wide array of wines that we offer, but I would have to say my favorite is CAM, WALK US THROUGH the Camino Del Toro Malbec YOUR DAY from Argentina. It goes down “I start off by entering the smooth, has notes of plum & office and greeting my team blackberry, and pairs nicely members. I then dive into the with a good steak! “ most recent offers we have available, that way I’m always WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE prepared to answer any PART ABOUT WORKING IN questions and place orders THE WINE INDUSTRY? that best fit our customers’ “I can’t pick just one favorite needs. After I’ve brushed up part, but I can narrow it down NOW THAT YOU HAVE on the most recent specials, I to a few! Working in the wine FINALLY GOT YOUR FIRST prioritize our customer emails industry has given me the EVER FLIGHT OUT OF THE based on customer concerns. opportunity to improve my Ensuring I give them a prompt palate and decipher different WAY, WHERE IS ONE PLACE and personalized resolution notes and flavor profiles. I YOU WOULD LOVE TO VISIT? every time.” appreciate the opportunity I’ve Now that I know what to been given to explore different expect, I think I could handle a TELL US A LITTLE MORE vineyards/wines as a team and longer flight to somewhere far ABOUT YOURSELF OUTSIDE build our wealth of knowledge. away. I want to take my family OF THE OFFICE… It’s incredibly rewarding being somewhere tropical and work “I enjoy spending time with able to learn and give a more on my tan! Maybe somewhere my family and friends, I try personalized experience to our such as Bora Bora. to meet up with both at least customers because of this!” once a week to catch a movie or do something fun together. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST- One of my favorite things to EVER CONCERT? do is cook. I love learning new “Mayday Parade was the first

8 OFFICE SPLASHDOG FRIENDLY DOGS FEATURED WINERY: Marlow Imeson The Splash office is incredibly CALABRIA FAMILY DOG FRIENDLY dog friendly. We often have up WINES (Leonard Road) OFFICE to 4, yes 4, dogs in the office at one time. We’d like to introduce you to Marlow, In 1934, after Chief Operating Officer Parker’s half Mastiff- five years half Lab. apart, Founder AGE: 2 years ( August 25th, 2017) Francesco Calabria, BEST FRIEND: Her office dog-mates Kepner, Angus, and Charlie. wrote to his wife, FAVORITE TREAT: Marrow Bone, she’ll go at it Elisabetta, in for hours! Italy and asked BEST TRICK: Not Listening... her to join him FAVORITE THING TO DO AT WORK: in Australia Office-couch calendar model. Pretends to at Villa be a guard dog, but would never actually 116 on Leonard Road in the Riverina. cut it as a guard dog. Calabria had left Italy to pursue different opportunities SQUEAKY OR BOUNCY TOY: Squeaky toy--her and by 1945, Calabria Wines favorite squeaky ball is extremely squeaky, it and Sons was established has to get “lost under the couch” whenever she with homemade wine being gets her paws on it. supplied to family and friends. With their wine now being sold all over Australia and in more than 36 countries, this family winery will be celebrating 75 years in 2020. From one family business to another, we are proud to be able to supply their wine brand, Leonard Road. With four different wines, including: a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, a Cabernet Merlot, a Chardonnay and a Shiraz. You will find something to best suite your palate, with ideal cellaring being viewed as “ideal drinking is now.”

9 JUST A SPLASH

THANK YOU FOR READING n October, our team got together with Sophie Holzberg Ifrom Chateau Franc-Cardinal and held four dinners across the country—New York, Ft Lauderdale, Denver and San Francisco. We were joined by nearly 200 of our wonderful Splash customers from all over the country, who got the chance to hear Sophie share both her passion as well as the amazing wines of Chateau Franc-Cardinal. It was a fantastic meal and even better wine, but the best part for me was the company. It was an absolute pleasure to meet so many of our loyal customers, some of whom travelled great distances to be with us for the event. Being with them reminded me why we do what we do and how much we love it. So, thanks again to all of you that were there and to those that wish they were. It was a crazy, yet memorable week and I am already looking forward to the next one! Stay tuned…

Rob Imeson, CEO & Splash Founder

$ 10USE CODE: NEWS10DEC VALID THROUGH DECEMBER 2019

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