Wines evaluated last month: 316 • Rejected: 254 • Approved: 62 • Selected: 12 DECEMBER 2011 Whathat’s’s New ThiThiss MMonth?onth? ere we go. This is great. We have worked hard all year to bring some really fun wines and wine baskets to this year’s catalog. H Actually, I think this year has produced some of the best values we have had in some time. Of course, we only choose wines that we drink at our homes; in this recession, some wineries have had to step up and lower their expectations to bring us their wines in our price range. Here are some of the great gifts ideas from this year’s gift catalog… PK THE CONNOISSEUR Beautifully handcrafted in wood and leather, this six-bottle chest makes an impressive gift. Use it afterwards for stylish storage or to decorate your home or office. 1 trust that this newsletter 1 #TAFB $99.95 FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING 0 finds you and yours in good 2 spirits and health. Our (my) ** NEW FOR 2011 ** R I new family movie tradition E during the Christmas season is 6-BOTTLE “CELLAR SERIES” WINE CLUB B Bill Murray’s “Scrooged.” Though (Sent Every Other Month) M Our newest Wine of the Month Club offering E emotionally it is hard to turn on C “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Scrooged comes from our membership demand, “We E want more wine!” And we are here to please. D offers a more contemporary look at Send our 6-bottle club to the wine drinker on the same life perspective. And my your list who really loves the grape. Every other favorite quote is, "It's Christmas month, 6 bottles of our Classic Series wines will Eve. It's the one night of the year arrive at their door in perfect condition with our 4-color newsletter, “The we all act a little nicer, we smile a Tasting Room,” filled with wine facts, descriptions, serving suggestions little easier, we cheer a little more. and recipes. Choose from the standard selection of 4 red wines and 2 For a couple hours out of the white wines, red wine only or white wine only. whole year, we are the people that #2CGP 2 Shipments $178.50 #2CGP6 6 Shipments $504.50 we always hoped we would be. #2CGP3 3 Shipments $259.50 #2CGP12 12 Shipments $994.50 It's a miracle! It's really a sort of #2CGP4 4 Shipments $341.50 miracle! Because it happens every Christmas Eve. And if you waste SINFULLY SINFUL that miracle, you're gonna burn for If you haven’t tried this new chocolate wine, it! I know what I'm talking about..." don’t turn up your nose quite yet. This stuff is Have a wonderful season. incredible, and I have tasted all the brands on the market. We put together our favorite chocolate and dessert items—this thing should come with a warning sign it is so good. Paul Kalemkiarian #SINB $99.95 FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING INSIDE THE TASTING ROOM THIS MONTH What’s New? 2 Facebook 14 Classic Series: OMG Merlot 3 Limited Series: Lockwood Cabernet/Malbec 15 Classic Series: 2G2BT Sauvignon Blanc 4 Limited Series: Lockwood Pinot Noir 16 Classic Series: Lockwood Merlot 5 Limited Series: eco.love Sauvignon Blanc 17 Classic Series: Triada Chardonnay 6 Limited Series: eco.love Riesling 18 Classic Series Earlier Selections 7 Limited Series Earlier Selections 19 Cellar Notes 8 For Members Only 20 Vintners Series: Journée de Mistral Ventoux 9 Gifts & More 21 Vintners Series: Man O’ War Pinot Gris 10 Recipe: NY Strip Steak w/Caramelized Shallots 22 Vintners Series: Praxis Lagrein 11 Recipe: Pan-Fried Steak w/Mustard Cream Sauce 22 Vintners Series: Botalcura Sauvignon Blanc 12 Tasting Notes 23 Vintners Series Earlier Selections 13 The Corkboard 24 1-800-949-9463 • www.WineoftheMonthClub.com 2 D E CLASSIC C E Featured in the M CALIFORNIA WINE SERIES B E R 2 0 he inbred world and cool evening breezes 1 of California wine (marine influences) create 1 T personifies the old a uniquely Mediterranean adage, “It’s not about what climate perfectly suited to you know, it’s about who cultivating California's you know.” With more than top varietals: Cabernet a decade of experience in Sauvignon, Merlot, the wine industry, and an Chardonnay, Sauvignon enviable record of business Blanc and Zinfandel. While training, Reed Renaudin has all these grapes thrive built a pioneering winery (X here, Zinfandel is a singular C L Winery) on an interwoven phenomenon. Old vines, A Merlot S series of strategic partner - some over 120 years old, (Mare low) S I ships and relationships. gnarled and sculpted by C He specifically contracts time, yield small amounts of 2008 S E with the best, fruit to create R OMG I most suitable a wine that is E Lodi, California S vineyards in the ultimate Color: California. expression of Deep red the soil in Reed sourced which the Nose: this Merlot grapes are Spice, cranberry and from Lodi grown. chocolate where the Palate: varietal seems Soft and Firm, ripe berry with to prosper. The hot summers approachable, the 2008 hints of vanilla produce high yields and fruit OMG Merlot opens with Finish: of exceptional intensity and traditional aromas of Full and fresh with flavor. Lodi is still off most blackberry, cherries and lingering cranberry people’s radar, but that’s cassis on the nose. Note the beginning to change as we flavors of bacon and truffle see more and more great that add complexity to the wines coming from this area. palate and the velvety Drink now Of course, that could be a body and texture of the through 2013 problem, as we’re already wine. Round tannins and a seeing the prices start to lingering finish leave just skirt upwards, but even the enough to be desired. We’re WOMC RATING wine business can’t escape sure you’ll enjoy every 92 Points the laws of supply and aspect of this Merlot, demand. especially when matched ITEM #: 1211R1 with a beef tenderloin Retail Price: $18.99/each Lodi is ideally situated served on garlic mashed Member Price: $10.98/each between the Sierra Nevada potatoes with a gorgonzola Reorder Price: $7.99/each foothills and the San sauce. Francisco Bay. Warm days 58% Discount 1-800-949-9463 • www.WineoftheMonthClub.com 3 1 1 CLASSIC 0 2 R E B M E eed Renaudin has production in 1920. Many of C E been involved in the the vineyards were removed D R wine industry since and replaced with walnut 1996. He founded Amicus & and pear orchards. The X Winery in 2001 and has comeback of the wine helped guide this start up industry began in the company’s rapid growth. 1960s when a few growers Reed has an MBA from Cal rediscovered the area’s Poly San Luis Obispo and a grape-growing potential and BS from UC Davis. He has once again began planting also completed extensive S vineyards. Lake County now E graduate research in Enology I has close to 10,000 acres of R Sauvignon Blanc at UC Davis, and has present - E planted vineyards, and is (Soe ving yahn Blonk) S ed his works at the American among the fastest-growing C Society of Enology and I 2009 regions in California. S Viticulture’s S 2G2BT A annual The 2009 L (2 Good 2 Be True) C meeting. His vintage was Lake County, California resume is one of the Color: highlighted best there. The Very pale with viticulture long, slow and experience Nose: relatively cool White peach and citrus working for growing season Gallo of allowed perfect Palate: Sonoma, and maturation of Fresh herbs and lime enology experience working the grapes, and thus the for Napa Valley wineries Finish: resulting wine. Bursting with including Heitz and Cuvaison. Tart and herbal bright citrus aromas, this Reed also has winemaking Sauvignon Blanc is clean and experience with Cape refreshing. Notes of lemon, Clairault Wines in Australia. grapefruit and guava hit the nose and infuse well with In 1861 Lake County was the tropical flavors of kiwi created from parts of Napa and melon on the palate. Drink now and Mendocino counties and The finish is long and tangy through 2012 has since been well-known and the acidity is well- as a farming community. In the 1870s vineyards were balanced. Pair this wine WOMC RATING with a great cheese plate or 91 Points planted, and by the early 1900s the area was already challenging seafood dishes like Shrimp Diablo or fish ITEM #: 1211W1 earning its reputation for producing “the world’s and chips. Retail Price: $14.99/each greatest wines.” Member Price: $10.98/each Reorder Price: $6.99/each Prohibition forced an end 53% Discount to the Lake County wine 1-800-949-9463 • www.WineoftheMonthClub.com 4 D E CLASSIC C E M B E R 2 0 he partners of Merlot is still a hot grape 1 Lockwood Vineyard, here, honored for its bright 1 T Paul Toeppen, Phil fruit flavors and soft tannins. Johnson and Butch Lindley, It can easily go with fuller have a cumulative vineyard dishes like red meat and management experience of game as well as poultry and over 90 years. They first even fish. planted the large 1,850 acre After a cool morning pick, estate vineyard in 1981 after the fruit was crushed and concluding that the parcel cold-soaked for 48 hours. C was perfect for growing The must was then inoculat - L A premium grapes.