WOMC-News4/06 3/24/06 9:07 AM Page 1 NEWS FROM WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB Since 1972 April, 2006 Wines evaluated last month: 199 Rejected: 187 Approved: 6 Selected: 6 2005 Gracia De Chile; What’s New hat a great time we had Callejero Carmenere, This Month searching for Curico Valley, Chile Gracia De Chile winery’s see page 2 W this month’s wine. Marcel Proust was motto is “the south side of right when he said, “The life.” Where there is wine there is leisure and a real voyage of discovery moment to pause and Send Us Your consists not in seeking new consider the small joys of e-mail Address! landscapes but in having life. Within this newsletter, new eyes.” We selected two enjoy the story of the send to: wines that have been lost Carmenere grapes, [email protected] “rediscovered”—a delicious while discovering a soft, Viognier from California and balanced wine perfect for a Carmenere from Chile. We our Pork Roulade recipe. enjoyed finding both of these Home wines for you, and we know LIMITED SERIES Wine Tasting you’ll enjoy drinking them. 2003 Goundrey; Offspring, Cabernet Sauvignon, Parties REGULAR SERIES Western Australia Goundrey Wines lands on see page 11 2005 Steel Creek; Viognier, the international wine Central Coast, California landscape with this award- This varietal has been winning wine. Enjoy the grown for over 2000 years in taste of success in each glass. Gift Assortments the Rhone Valley of France, see page 9 but its production has 2000 Fife; Merlot, become so small as to be Napa Valley, California almost extinct. Viognier has Fife Vineyards has succeeded by capitalizing on superb found a new home in the vineyards and quality vineyards of California and New Member grapes to produce wines Application is making its comeback with unique personalities. with great style. Discover for a Friend We think that they’ve this distinctive yet familiar, succeeded with this Merlot; see page 15 delicious white wine in this it’s lush, fruity and full of month’s selection. complex flavors. Enjoy! INSIDE THIS MONTH WINEOFTHEMONTH CLUB NEWS 1 ORDER FORMS 7–10 WHAT’S NEW?2UPCOMING EVENTS 11 REG. VIOGNIER, 2005. STEEL CREEK 3 WINE SHOPPE 12 REG. CARMENERE, 2005. GRACIA, DE CHILE 4 ADVENTURES IN GOOD FOOD 13 LTD. CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2003. GOUNDREY 5 REGULAR & LTD TASTING NOTES 11, 14 LTD. MERLOT, 2000. FIFE 6 WORDONTHESTREET 16 Join us on the Web: www.WineoftheMonthClub.com WOMC-News4/06 3/24/06 9:07 AM Page 2 A NOTE WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH? FROM YOUR CELLARMASTER This was too much fun. My father-in-law turned 80 last night (3-19-06.) We had a party! There were 120 guests at the Sheraton Universal in Universal City (home of the famous movie theme park). The scene was that of a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast. Sort of a dicey undertaking with this crowd and of course, the MC, being me, had to be careful with the jokes. But it was incredible fun. My wife purchased two Dean Martin Roast DVD’s and we watched the Jack Benny and George Paul Kalemkiarian Burns episodes. All the greats were on there: Jimmy Stewart, Dom DeLuise, Phyllis Diller, Rich Little, We are in the middle of a Ruth Buzzy, you name ‘em! If you are a fan of the old Member-Get-A-Member time humor, get a hold of one of these DVD’s, you will love them. drive. Look for your M-G-M applications in your monthly Anyway, last night we set out to reproduce the evening with the same feeling and humor. And I am proud to say shipment. Take advantage we pulled it off. There was the “MAN OF THE HOUR” of free wine and wine sign behind the podium (complete with enlarged picture accessories just for calling of my father-in-law). There was the projected viewing of that friend and getting the Jack Benny roast, there was the background music from the Rat Pack and there was the scantily clad cigar their shipping and billing girl handing out commerative cigars for the men and information. For each club roses for the women. But the idea hinged on whether or they sign up for, you receive not these folks were going to get the humor. I was on website after website looking for Henny Youngman and more free goodies. I love this Rodney Dangerfield one-liners. Stuff like, “I take my wife promotion; I get to share everywhere, but she keeps coming back!” I guess they with your friends the love of got it, because they were all laughing. But the bottom line was this. We poured the Lake Sonoma Cabernet good wine and good food. Sauvignon and the Bennett Chardonnay, and they loved Go for it and Salud! that too! In fact, I never got to the martini’s, I stayed with the Cabernet! Oh, by the way, at www.affinityimaging.com under “view current events” you can see the party (Ralph Paul Kalemkiarian Tufenkian’s 80th!). Membership in THE WINE OF THE MONTH CLUB and THE LIMITED SERIES 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 2 1-800-949-WINE • www.wineofthemonthclub.com WOMC-News4/06 3/24/06 9:07 AM Page 3 DOMESTIC SELECTION iognier, the often compared to rising star! Gewürztraminer, but the V Viognier, the flavors are similar (but not next Chardonnay! Wine the same!) to Chardonnay. connoisseurs around the The 2005 Steel Creek world are acknowledging Viognier is sourced from that the flavors and values of estate vineyards in Viognier rival those of California’s Central Coast, Chardonnay. In the Côtes du from Monterey to San Luis Rhône of France, Viognier is Obispo and the Santa Maria 2005 used to produce Condrieu, Valleys. These Central Coast an exceptional but hard-to- appellations are ideal for Steel Creek find wine with limited growing this classic Rhone Viognier production. Not long ago, varietal. The coastal breezes (vee-ahn-yeah) Viognier seemed to be an and cool climate give the endangered varietal. But the region one of the longest Central Coast last ten years have seen a growing seasons in California resurgence of the grape’s California. The 2005 Steel popularity with over 2000 Creek Viognier is a golden Color: acres planted in California straw-yellow color. The nose Golden-straw yellow and new plantings around is lush and inviting with Nose: the world. The major honeysuckle, pineapple, and Honeysuckle, melon, drawback of the Viognier lime aromas. On the palate pineapple, lime vine is that it produces very the wine is dry, full-bodied few grapes and is somewhat with delicious flavors of Palate: difficult to grow. It tolerates pear, peach, and tropical Dry, rich, pear, drought, but not dampness. fruit. The finish is lingering peach, tropical fruit It must be harvested at the and spicy. These fruit flavors Finish: precise moment of ripeness make it a perfect match for Soft, lingering in order to show off its Thai, Mandarin, and unique aroma and flavor Cantonese dishes as well as personality. The nose is grilled seafood. Enjoy! CELLARING SUGGESTIONS 406A Retail Price: $10.99/each Special Member Price: $7.97/each Drink within the year Reorder Price: $6.99/each slightly chilled 37% Discount $83.88/case 1-800-949-WINE • www.wineofthemonthclub.com 3 WOMC-News4/06 3/24/06 9:07 AM Page 4 IMPORTED SELECTION racia De Chile’s grafted and all was lost. winery is “the Across the world in Chile, G south side of wine lovers enjoyed another life where wine rich red wine—the Merlot is leisure.” Their wonderful grown in the local vineyards. wine philosophy says that, The original vines had been “Wines are a celebration of transplanted in the 1800s life, as life is a special from France. The wine was occasion to feel the splendor wonderful. In 1993, of being alive, which is at the Professor Jean-Michel end, what really matters.” Boursiquit discovered this Viticulturist and winemaker Chilean wine’s secret: it Thomas Evans bottled this was not Merlot, it was philosophy in the winery’s Carmenere. What a found 2005 Callajero Carmenere . treasure for Chile’s wine Thomas is part of the industry! Carmenere is now 2005 winemaking team of Gracia a signature wine of Chile. De Chile, owned by the Gracia Bodegas Corporation. He 2005 is an above average De Chile graduated from University vintage for Chile; there was Callejero of California at Davis and a long, cool growing season gained his wine experience and little rain. This exquisite Carmenere in California, France, and 2005 Gracia Callejero (kar-men-yair) New Zealand. He loves Camenere shows off a dark Curico Valley the great viticultural valleys red-purple color. The nose is Chile of Chile and the special assertive with spice, black Color: vineyards of the Carmenere pepper, plums, black tea leaf Dark, red purple varietal. and roasted green peppers. The palate is open and Nose: Carmenere has been known packed with sweet ripe fruit Dark spices, black as the “lost grape of and soft tannins. There’s the pepper, boysenberry Bordeaux.” Over 100 years distinct Carmenere flavor of fruit ago it was used in France to black tea and herbs layered Palate: produce rich flavorful red with black currant and a Dry, sweet fruit, soft wines.