Enoteca Della Santina

Welcome back to all of our Enoteca members and hello to all of our new members. We hope your summer was relaxing and enjoyable and of course full of good wine experiences. Here in California, things have quickly changed in the last three months as local wine prices have basically begun to freefall. The amount of good juice flooding the market is astounding. We believe, however, that these prices are simply more in line with where they should be when you compare quality to cost. In contrast, overseas the dollar has lost ground to the Euro, thus raising most import pricing. As a result, four of this shipment’s ten wines are from California including one white wine from Gallo (We really wanted to brown bag this bottle for blind tasting purposes but it was to difficult to do!!) In addition, we also globe trotted a bit with two Aussie, two Spanish, one French (they’ve been taking a beating) and of course one of the best Italian wines we could find. Before we sign off, here are some important club notes, especially for our new members: * You can now access past wine club newsletters online at our new website: www.dellasantinas.com. *We would love to hear your feedback on the wines and the club either through e-mail at ndellasantina@mindspring.com, fax:707-933-0737, or phone: 707-935-7613 , and Rob’s cell phone, 707-529-0158. *We have one more shipment left this year, which will be shipped to you in December. *Please let us know if your shipping address changes. There will be an additional cost incurred for any address changes that are made after shipping. *And don’t forget about our special offer of10% off for every new member referral!   We hope you enjoy the wines and have a fun filled Halloween and Thanksgiving! Rob & Nicole Della Santina and J. Thaddeus Brennan Merlot, Atalon, Napa 1999 – $21 You’re not seeing things! We’re revisiting Atalon one more time because the vintage and the value are too good to pass up. If you recall, the ‘99 Cabernet Sauvignon was a club wine last year. The ‘99 Merlot, a sleeper of a wine also received, like the Cabernet, 91 points from our old friend Robert Parker. The wine is composed of 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is sourced from five separate vineyards in the Napa Valley including, Ahmann Vineyard in Napa Carneros, Stagecoach Vineyard in Atlas Peak, Beckstoffer Vineyard in the Oakville District, Berry Lane Vineyard in Napa and Keyes Vineyard on Howell Mountain. The wine sees 22 months in French oak with more than half of it in new barrels. In August of 2002, Parker noted, "a knock – out effort … exhibits a saturated purple color as well as a sweet perfume of black cherry liquor, smoke, cola and earth. Lavishly fruity, medium to full – bodied, low in acidity, pure and sexy." This wine definitely needs to be decanted. With air, the tannins soften and the dark berries, currants and spices become more prevalent. This wine is perfect with lamb, wild game or a grilled steak. Salute! Chardonnay, Gallo "Two Rock Vineyard," Sonoma 2000 - $16 Jug wine no more!! All kidding aside, the Gallo Sonoma project started by Gina Gallo and her brother Matt in the early 90’s has come full circle. This Chardonnay is simply stunning and bears resemblance to white Burgundies of France because of its mineral characteristics, low alcohol and crisp acidity. The Two Rock Vineyard is located in the bench lands of the southern – most tip of California’s Sonoma Coast appellation. This part of Sonoma County has the coolest climate due to the heavy fog intrusion from the San Francisco Bay that lingers for most of the day. As a result, the grapes ripen very slowly to showcase their refreshing acidity and concentrated citrus, apple and pear flavors and aromas. Furthermore, only 43% of the wine was barrel aged for an average of six months in French oak while the rest was fermented in stainless steel to maintain the bright, crisp fruit flavors. This wine truly sets a new standard for the typical over – oaked, creamy California Chardonnays. It’s a fantastic food wine especially when paired with grilled fish, shellfish or chicken. Salute! The Victor, Lengs and Cooter, Australia 2002 - $18 Yes, this is the correct name and spelling of the winery. The winery is a collaboration of two south Australian amateur winemakers, Karel Lengs and Colin Cooter. Originally a hobby back in the early 80’s, winemaking has now become a full time occupation for the two longtime friends. The wine, a blend of 70% Shiraz and 30% Grenache, is a serious effort and value from the Clare Valley. The Grenache is sourced from dry farmed bush vines in Watervale. This vineyard called Victor’s vineyard was planted in 1946 and gives the wine its fruit sweetness and approachability. While the Shiraz component, which is sourced from three different vineyards, provides the structure. The flavor profile of the wine is quite elegant, exhibiting sweet, dense, black cherry and black currant fruit notes accompanied by tell – tale toasty American oak notes. Pair this wine with lamb, a hearty winter stew or a rare dry – aged piece of meat. Enjoy! Zinfandel, Perry Creek, Sierra Foothills, 2000 - $10 Wow!! We’ve found another steal. This Zin was just to good of a value to pass on. Located along a ridge – top above the middle fork of the Consumnes River in El Dorado County, Perry Creek Estate winery sits at an elevation of 2400 ft. The estate consists of 155 acres of which 70 acres are planted and bearing fruit. The winery produces sixteen different wines with zinfandel being its signature wine. In various state competitions, the wine has racked up five gold medals. The wine exhibits aromas of juicy raspberry fruit, spice and creamy vanilla. Moreover, ripe berry fruit, plums and chocolate notes, dominate the flavor profile. Interestingly, the wine is not heavy or extremely full – bodied like some Zins from Sonoma County. But the Zins from this area pack incredible intensity and higher sugar levels. Pop this wine and drink it with fruit and cheese or even a chocolate dessert course. Salute!! Paretaio, Falchini, Tuscany 1998 - $26 Tuscany is calling. Here’s another knock – out wine from the rolling hills of La Toscana. Just two steps outside the walls of San Gimignano lies the property of the Casale Falchini. The property, acquired by Riccardo Falchini in 1964, once belonged to an ancient Florentine family of viticulturists whom produced wine as far back as 1626 for Cosimo de’Medici. Situated 300 meters above sea level, the estate extends over a landscape of green rolling hills. The wine is a "Super Tuscan" blend of 90% Sangiovese from the Paretaio vineyard and 10% other red Tuscan grapes selected at harvest time. It undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrique for at least one year followed by refining in the bottle for the same amount of time. This Sangiovese is ruby red with garnet colors. Furthermore, it has revealing notes of dark cherry, dry prunes and spice with a harmonious touch of oak. The wine is definitely Italian due to its austere nature, revealing notes of saddle leather and damp earth. Enjoy this wine with red meats, heavy meat sauces and assorted cheeses. Salute! Crozes – Hermitage, Chateau Curson, France 2001 - $20 Politics aside, wine is wine and you can’t ignore the French. We’ve found another little blockbuster of a wine from a small bay area importer. The Chateau de Curson was built in the 16th century with Syrah vineyards being an integral part of the domain. The soil of the Chateau is covered with large "galets" rocks typical of this area. These galets seem to trap heat and ripen the fruit while adding a mineral like quality to the wine. Furthermore, this Syrah after aging in new and one year old French oak for 8 – 12 months is filtered with egg whites and lightly fine. The 2001 vintage is characterized by a great aromatic richness and supple acid – tannin balance, which is classic of a very good vintage. The wine has an intense purple color as well as a complex nose of ripe red fruit blended with violets, licorice and black pepper. Furthermore, it is creamy and full on the palate, due in large part to the oak. Pair this wine with wild game or a winter stew. Enjoy!! Pinot Noir, Morgan, "Santa Lucia Highlands," Monterey 2000 - $19 We’re going back to Cali, Cali, Cali …I think so. The sale has begun in California. The Santa Lucia Highlands, located at the northern end of the Salinas Valley, is ideal for the cultivation of Burgundian varietals with its cool, windy climate and well-drained soil. Furthermore, 2000 was a terrific vintage yielding beautiful fruit with ripe flavors and supporting acidity. The wine shows a brilliant garnet – ruby color. Aromas of red stone fruits and rose petals are ringed with toasty oak notes. Furthermore, these aromas are melded with a pleasing cola and spice element. The wine shows a silky texture that is offset by ripe fruit flavors and acidity combined with soft tannins. The experience is a New World wine with Old World style, showing perfectly expressed yet restrained California fruit combined with terroir, structure and elegance more often found in Old World wines. The wine is a perfect pairing with chicken, salmon or light pasta dishes. Enjoy!! Higueruela, Bodegas Tintoralba, Spain 2002 - $11 We’ve finally returned to Spain for an easy drinking red wine. Bodegas Tintoralba was founded recently in September 2001 and is comprised of the Alpera and Higueruela wineries. Similar to the Vina Alarba we found for one of our early shipments, this wine is made predominantly from Garnacha or Grenache grapes. The site of the vineyards is at an elevation between 900 and 11oo meters, which has proven ideal for this special clone of Grenache. Furthermore, the soil possesses little organic matter and is characterized by limestone with a sandy texture. The climate is dry and arid with cold winters and warm summers. As a result of the soil and climate, the yields on the vines are quite low. The 2002 Higueruela is 100% Grenache vinified using whole clusters and the most modern methods. The wine is made using carbonic maceration and fermentation and as a result, it is soft on the palate and should be consumed young. It has a strong violet – purple color, while aromatically possessing fruit notes suggesting strawberries and raspberries. On the palate, the wine has a good balance of fruit and acidity. Drink this wine anytime and anywhere. Enjoy it with a simple dish of pasta in a red sauce. Salute!! Jose Pariente Rueda, Bodegas y Vinedos Dos Victorias, Spain 2002 - $16 Wow!! That’s the first word that comes to mind when we tasted this little gem of a white wine made by los dos Victorias, Victoria Pariente and Victoria Benavides. The two Victorias both have solid technical backgrounds from work in wine – related fields. Moreover, their newly created winery is focused on limited production and intensive nurturing of the vines. Rueda "Denomination of Origin" covers the southeast of the Valladolid province in the northern half of Spain. This region has been producing white wines for centuries based on the Verdejo grape. The grapes for this particular wine come from thirteen acres of 35 – year old vines owned by the Pariente family, which is located in the La Seca (Valladolid). This vineyard has the best climate and soils in the Rueda district, comprised mainly of gravel and sand over limestone bedrock. Interestingly, the greatest challenge for producers working with Verdejo is to protect this grape from oxidation. At Dos Victorias, a blanket of inert gas (Nitrogen) is used in all the must handling from the moment the juice is liberated until the wine is safely in the bottle. The wine has a yellow color with a hint of green, while the nose has fine aromas of ripe tropical fruit, grapefruit, citrus and a touch of fennel. It is a very fresh, rich medium-bodied wine with lively acidity. Moreover, the fantastic aspect of this wine is the fruit driven flavors of melon, pear, lemon and mineral notes combined with a very long, elegant and dry finish. Drink this wine with shellfish, poultry or a piece of fish in a citrus - based sauce. Enjoy this one. Shiraz "Amery Vineyard," Kay Brothers, Australia 2001 - $30 It’s has to be Halloween right? This Shiraz is like drinking Aussie blood or as Robert Parker noted, "the 2001 Shiraz looks to be a return to the style of the blockbuster 1998. Richer than the 2000, this dense purple – colored effort is full – bodied as well as loaded, its sweet tannins suggests early maturity." Bordering St. Vincent’s Gulf, 40 kilometers south of Adelaide, the Kay Brothers McLaren Vale Amery Vineyards are located in the rolling foothills of the southern Mt. Lofty Ranges. Established in 1890 by Australian born brothers Herbert and Frederick Kay, the Amery winery celebrated its first crush in 1895 and is the oldest McLaren Vale winery still in founding family hands with third generation Colin Kay continuing the family winemaking tradition. Production for the winery comes from the Kay’s own 22-hectare Amery Vineyard and the neighboring Oliver’s Taranga Vineyard. Colin Kay’s winemaking philosophy is to make rich, full – bodied fruit – driven wines using original open fermenters and basket press, combined with small oak cask maturation. The wine itself is a monster possessing low acidity as well as dense, chewy notes of blackberries, blueberries, licorice, creosote, smoke and earth. It’s incredibly concentrated with a fabulous flavor extraction and a beautiful long finish. Drink this wine with a rare steak or heart winter fare. Salute!!   Re – Order Form Wine 4 bottles 6 bottles case Merlot, Atalon, Napa 1999 – $21 Chardonnay, Gallo "Two Rock Vineyard," Sonoma 2000 - $16 The Victor, Lengs and Cooter, Australia 2002 - $18 Zinfandel, Perry Creek, Sierra Foothills, 2000 - $10 Paretaio, Falchini, Tuscany 1998 - $26 Crozes – Hermitage, Chateau Curson, France 2001 - $20 Pinot Noir, Morgan, "Santa Lucia Highlands," Monterey 2000 - $19 Higueruela, Bodegas Tintoralba, Spain 2002 - $11 Jose Pariente Rueda, Bodegas y Vinedos Dos Victorias, Spain 2002 - $16 Shiraz "Amery Vineyard," Kay Brothers, Australia 2001 - $30

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