Wine Club October Newsletter

Hello and Happy Autumn!

To start with, here’s advance notice of
your 4th Quarter Stock-up Days, which
will fall on Saturday November 30 and
Sunday December 1. That’s when you get
10% off everything in the store, so mark
those days down!

Your Wine Pick-up Party this month will
be on the SECOND TUESDAY, October 8th,
anytime from 5-9 pm. We’ll have both
the Silver and Gold level wines available
to taste, and doing so costs you nothing.

Congratulations to our October winner of the
monthly free bottle, Jay Miars. Jay, you may
choose any past or present Silver Level bottle.

Now for the wines, beginning with Silver Level:

First up is the 2010 Roblar Ottimo from Santa
Ynez Valley. This is a blend of 57% Cabernet
and 43% Syrah.

Structured and bold, this carries loads of ripe
cherry and currant fruit accented by subtle
earth and intriguing spice notes. It will pair
wonderfully with hearty meals, especially
red meat and barbecue.

Next up is the 2010 Michel-Schlumberger
Merlot from Dry Creek Valley, which has
12% Cabernet and 3% Petit Verdot added
for complexity.

This is yet another of those Merlots (and
there are lots of them out there, btw) that
put the lie to Miles’s famous rant in “Sideways.”
Rich aromas of black cherry and plum
foreshadow those same flavors on the lush
palate, with a tasty chocolate note jumping
in for good measure.

And now for the Gold Level Wines.
First we have the 2009 Il Grigio da San
Felice Chianti Classico Riserva.

This wine is beautifully aromatic, with classic
Italian earth and floral notes. On the palate it is
very well balanced, with firm tannins that frame
dark berries through the lingering finish. While
certainly impressive now, this shows potential
to age for many years. Serve with pasta, meat
dishes, or hard cheeses.

One more Goldie to go, which is the 2008
Hidden Ridge Cabernet. This is the winery
located on top of the Mayacamas Mountains
that divide the valleys of Napa and Sonoma,
its vineyard planted on a 55 degree slope.

We’ve now carried three vintages of this wine,
each one undeniably outstanding. The 2008
received 92 points from Wine Spectator,
along with this note:

“Rich, intense and well-centered, with vibrant
blackberry, cedar, crushed rock and tobacco
leaf flavors, ending with ripe, chewy tannins and
good length.”

Again, all four of these wines will be available
for you to taste on Tuesday, October 8th.
Please come give them a try!

Have a great month, and cheers!!