Uncorked Ventana 4C - The California Wine Club

TWO DELICIOUS WINES FROM ONE OF
PASO ROBLES’ PIONEER WINERIES
ROTTA VINEYARD & WINERY
2005 “Paso Robles”
Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 “Monterey”
Chardonnay
• The ’04 vintage won a Gold Medal
from the Beverage Testing Institute,
but no awards were available for this
newly released ’05 vintage at the
time of publication.
• Dark berry aromas and flavors, and a
touch of oak, greet the lover of
Cabernet Sauvignon in this Paso
Robles bottling. A lush creaminess
on the palate leads to an easy first
place finish in your glass.
• Fruit for this wine came from the
Rainbow’s End Vineyard in the Paso Robles appellation, 10 miles
northeast of Rotta Winery. “We have sourced this vineyard for four
years now,” notes Mike Giubbini, winery founder.
• Grapes were hand harvested from September 19th – 21st, 2005.
• The ’05 vintage won a Bronze
Medal at the Beverage Institute
World Value Wine Challenge.
This ’06 was recently released so
there are no awards or reviews
available.
• Tropical fruit and pineapple do a
samba in the nose and on the
palate of this classy Chardonnay.
Oak does a little turn too, with
crispness marking the beat.
• A dry-farmed Chardonnay
vineyard in the Monterey County appellation supplied the fruit
for this Chardonnay.
• Fruit was machine picked in the middle of the night to keep
grapes cold.
• Winemaker Marco Caporale cold-soaked the fruit for one night
before fermentation. Juice was inoculated with Geisenheim yeast
and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
Cold temperatures preserved the wine’s fruity character.
• All of the wine underwent malolactic
(secondary) fermentation for a creamy
mouthfeel.
• This Chardonnay aged six months on the
lees in French oak barrels. This allowed it
to extract more body from the lees.
• It was bottle aged three months prior to
release.
• Oysters, crab salad, oven-baked halibut
and fried chicken make this Chardonnay
a star.
• Enjoy now or hold up to three years.
• Alcohol: 13.33%; T.A.: 0.68 g/100ml;
pH: 3.59; Cases Produced: 1,300;
Bottling Date: January 3, 2008;
Release Date: April 2008.
• Fruit was carefully sorted, then cold-soaked for two days before
fermentation with Prise de Mousse yeast for seven days. The wine
spent a total of 15 days on the skins to absorb maximum color,
flavor and aromatics.
• This red completed malolactic (secondary) fermentation in stainless
steel tanks and was then racked to French and
American oak barrels for one year. It
aged an extra four months in the bottle
prior to release.
• Three percent Petite Sirah was added
just before bottling for “color, firmness
and backbone,” says Mike.
• Enjoy now or hold up to 12 years “if you
can stand to let it go that long!”
• A great companion to hearty fare such as
pot roasts, venison stew and meat lasagna.
• Alcohol: 13.12%; T.A.: 0.65 g/100ml; pH:
3.60; Cases Produced: 1,300; Bottling Date:
December 20, 2007; Release Date: April 2008.
Tasting Room Retail $17
Restaurant Wine List Price
(If you can find it) - $27 - $32
wines
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“Classic y turn heads.
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that real ers!”
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Tasting Room Retail $16
Restaurant Wine List Price
(If you can find it) - $24 - $29
Member Reorder Price - Just $10.99/Bottle
Save 31% off Tasting Room Retail
Member Reorder Price - Just $10.99/Bottle
Save 35% off Tasting Room Retail
It’s Easy to Reorder These Wonderful Wines!
800.777.4443
Save up to 35% while these wines are available.
Call today or visit our online winestore at cawineclub.com
For other available wine selections, please see page 11.
Page 2
The California Wine Club® · www.cawineclub.com · 1-800-777-4443
Rotta Winery,
Giubbini Vineyard
Location:
Templeton, Paso Robles
The Story Behind The Wines...
Holding on to Wine Heritage
at Rotta Winery
Owner:
Mike Giubbini
Winemaker:
Marco Caporale
Established:
1908
Annual Production:
17,000 cases
Website:
www.rottawinery.com
CWC Wines Featured:
• 2005 “Paso Robles” Cabernet
Sauvignon
• 2006 “Monterey” Chardonnay
“Let us drink the juice divine, the gift of
Bacchus, god of wine.”
—Anacreon, Greek lyric poet (c. 570 - c. 475 BC)
CWC’s Bruce Boring checks out a Rotta wine award with Mike Giubbini, winery owner,
and Pam Boring. Mike remembers hanging that same Rotta sign at his grandparents
winery when he was just nine-years-old.
Got History?
D
IN THIS ISSUE:
A Phenolic Fountain of Youth? . . . . . . . . . 4
Recipe: Baked Ziti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
In Our Email Bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
All Aboard the Great
American Wine Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Wine Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Fun Fact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Reorder Your Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Game Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
On the Cover: Spring is in the air!
uring winters as a 12-year-old, when Mike Giubbini was elbow-deep
in cold soapy water cleaning glass jugs for Rotta Winery, he never
imagined that the winery owned by his grandparents would one day
become his life’s focus. Located mid-way between Los Angeles and San
Francisco in Paso Robles, Rotta was one of the first three wineries in a
region that now boasts more than 200+ wineries.
A Frenchman named Adolph Siot started the winery in 1856, then sold it
to Joe Rotta in 1908. In turn, Joe sold it to his brother Clement Rotta in
the 1920s. In the 1930s, Clement applied for a bond and began making
robust Zinfandel from his old vines.
Mike’s grandparents operated Rotta until the 1970s when they sold it.
“They didn’t want their grandchildren having to work so hard,” Mike says.
“In the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, wine here wasn’t what it is today. And our
family already had its hands full since we farmed 600 acres of barley and
also had a trucking business.”
Today, a modern facility is rising beside the old cistern and foundation
walls of the original stone building that was one of the first pioneers in
Paso Robles. No one would be more surprised at Mike’s resurrection of
Rotta than his late grandparents.
Pamper Mom this Mother’s Day!
Continued on page 5
Ask about our luxurious Mother’s Day Gift Set. Quantities
are limited, reserve yours now. 1-800-777-4443.
To Your Health
A Phenolic Fountain of Youth?
When researchers fed a group of elderly obese mice
a high fat diet supplemented by resveratrol, a
polyphenolic compound found in wine, those mice
lived longer, healthier lives than those in the nonreseveratrol control group. Their study, published
in Nature (Nov. 2, 2006) adds to the growing
interest about resveratrol and its anti-aging
potential. The compound exists in red wine, grapes,
peanuts and some berries.
“Resveratrol extends the lifespan of every species
we have fed it to,” said lead researcher David
Sinclair, an associate professor of pathology at
Harvard Medical School. Yet, researchers do not
know what its effect is on human beings. Could
resveratrol be linked to the 20-30% reduction in
heart disease among people who moderately
consume alcohol? Could it become an anti-aging
resource able to fend off diabetes, cancer and
dementia?
In an effort to learn more, researchers at the
University of California are conducting trials of
resveratrol for patients with colon cancer. Another
focuses on people with diabetes.
In the meantime, a glass of wine with dinner is a
great way to absorb a bit of resveratrol,
just in case it proves to be a
phenolic fountain of
youth! Salud!
In Our
Email Bag
“…I looked forward to receiving
my wine every month..”
Dear CWC,
“My son gave me a 3 month subscription to the
wine club and I looked forward to receiving my wine
every month. My wife and I enjoyed the wine and the
experience of receiving a new wine with each shipment.”
—Arthur Mcgonagle, MA
Recipe
A
from Rotta Vineyard
& Winery
Baked Ziti
A loyal Rotta customer, Zoe, supplied this recipe to go with
Rotta Cabernet Sauvignon. “I got the Baked Ziti recipe about
three years ago, but it called for bottled spaghetti sauce and I
don’t do bottled spaghetti sauce, so I put it together my way. I
have been making the pasta sauce for about 30+ years. I tweak
it from time to time. In fact, I just got a request to make it for
my daughter’s friend’s baby shower.”
Ingredients:
1 pound dry ziti pasta
(or penne pasta)
6 1/2 cups pasta sauce
(recipe below)
6 ounces provolone cheese,
sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese,
shredded
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan
cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly
salted water to a boil. Add
ziti pasta, and cook until al
dente, about 8 minutes;
drain.
2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over
medium heat. Add pasta sauce (2 – 26 oz. jars of your
favorite spaghetti sauce or see page 8 for Zoe’s Pasta
Sauce recipe) and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of
the ziti, provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce
mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and
remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated parmesan
cheese.
Continued on page 8
Page 4
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Rotta Continued from page 3
Mike Guibbini’s vineyard occupies rolling hills in Templeton,
a cooler part of Paso Robles mid-way between Los Angeles
and San Francisco.
In the Blood
With a winery in the family, wine was on the table as Mike
grew up. “I remember my grandma would use her cane to
walk over to the tasting room 50 feet away to get a half
gallon of wine out of the cellar.” Mike’s uncle would give
the kids 7-up with wine. A little wine at lunch and dinner
was a good prelude to the hard work that would follow.
“They were good old Italians, from the old country, and
they worked like hell,” Mike recalls. So did Mike. “I
learned to drive the tractor, and later, my son did too. We
heard the stories of how Grandpa Clement would work the
vineyard with mules, and when it was lunchtime, those
mules knew to head right to the barn for their feed.”
In the days when wine was barely on the radar in Paso
Robles, the family tended their 40 acres of vines, including
the old vine Zinfandel that was their hallmark. When it
came time to sell the place, Mike never imagined it would
one day come back to him….
A New Day for Rotta
Rotta’s buyers ended up not paying for it, and in 1985, the
family took it back. At the time, Mike was a fire captain for the
California Department of Forestry. In 1990, he returned to the
property with his wife and children and began the long, slow
process of reviving its neglected vineyard. “Most of the Zin had
to be replanted, and we also planted Cabernet Sauvignon and
Cabernet Franc.” He also has rights to farm five acres of 60-yearold Zin planted by the Pesenti family. From 1992 to 2002, Mike
sold his Zin to Niels Udsen at Castoro Winery. “He made
Giubbini Vineyard kind of famous, with a vineyard designate.
But I always told Niels once I got my winery going, he probably
wouldn’t get any of my fruit anymore.”
That day has come…
Continued on page 7
Bruce and Pam visit the Rotta wine tasting bar along
Hwy. 46 west, soon to be replaced by a tasting
room at the new Rotta Winery a few minutes away.
Rotta winemaker Marco Caporale.
The California Wine Club® · www.cawineclub.com · 1-800-777-4443
Page 5
WINE TRAIN!
All Aboard...The Great American
U.S. Per Capita Wine Consumption Picks Up Speed
For the first time in U.S. history, wine drinkers outnumber beer drinkers. A toast! It has taken the Great
American Wine Train a long time to pick up speed, but wine is on the move!
1934
The year after Prohibition, just
0.26 gallons of wine were
consumed per American.
1980
1946
1967
Consumption jumped to 1.00
gallons – but dropped back to
0.67 gallons the next year!
We topped the 2 gallon mark at 2.11.
During the decade, Americans went wild
with 2.43 gallons of wine per year, but
by 1989, dropped back down to the
starting point, 2.11!
Twenty-one years later, it reached
1 gallon again —1.03 gallons of
wine per American. Maybe thank
the hippies for that!
1990-1999
In 1990, we were each drinking 2.05 gallons, but
kept drinking less through most of the decade.
1999 saw us drop to 2.02 gals.
2000-2004
The new century saw a steady uptick in wine
consumption—in 2005, at 2.37 gallons. Still
not as high as 1985, 1986, or 1987—but
chugging along.
2005
We break the 3 gallon barrier weighing
in at 3.09 gallons. Maybe thank the
“Millennials” for that, those 20-29-yearolds who have embraced wine
enthusiastically.
Our Wine Train vs. Others...(per capita). Wow!
Page 6
U.S.
Italy
France
Australia
3.09 Gallons
16 Gallons
14 Gallons
5+ Gallons
The California Wine Club® · www.cawineclub.com · 1-800-777-4443
Rotta Continued from page 5
The Old & The New
After 33 years as a fire captain, Mike is now full-time at Rotta as he
works to complete a new 5,000 sq. ft. crush facility. It includes a
tasting room with a window for viewing cellar work that will replace
his current site on Hwy. 46 West. Though Mike had to tear down
most of the old winery due to earthquake codes, he plans to rebuild
it much as it was in 1909. At Rotta, you will find the old and the
new, side-by-side, along with Merlot, Reserve Merlot, Zinfandel,
Zinfandel Rosé, Muscat Canelli, Zinfandel Port, Cabernet Franc,
Cabernet Sauvignon (our CWC selection), Chardonnay (our CWC
selection) and Black Monukka dessert wine. “As far as I know, we
are the only ones that make Black Monukka, a grape that came from
Spain to the
Central Valley
in the early
’40s. It’s won
quite a few
gold medals.”
Mike sources
his wines from
his estate, Paso
Robles and
Monterey
County. Marco
Caporale, a
local
Pam, Mike and Bruce share a moment with Uncorked®
winemaker
at the Rotta tasting room.
who has a
Tiburon
degree from U.C. Davis, advises Mike and his cellar master,
Tiburon Mike
Tiburon
Sanchez, on every step of production. “Marco grew up
in Paso
Tiburon
Robles and knew my uncle when he was making wine here,” notes
Mike. It’s another thread of history at Rotta, where a family’s wine
heritage lives on! Before June, visit Rotta at their tasting room at
3750 Hwy. 46 West, Templeton, CA 93465, 805-237-0510. After
June 2008, drive to their tasting room at 250 Winery
Road, Templeton or email info@rottawinery.com.
Salud, to history!
131
Rotta family members in front of the old winery
circa 1940s.
The old Rotta Winery facility. The figure near the
door is a pet fawn. “We used to grow hay and
would get several orphan fawns every year,”
recalls Mike.
After the visit, Bruce and Mike shake
131 hands and say good-bye,
with Rotta’s old foundation and new
131winery in the background.
131
131
The old Rotta press of days gone by.
The California Wine Club® · www.cawineclub.com · 1-800-777-4443
Page 7
Wine Regions
Paso Robles
“Its hot, inland climate has long been considered ideal
for the Zinfandel grape, which has been part of the
Paso Robles wine scene since the late 1800s. But the
new headliners are Syrah and other Rhone-style reds,
which have made the most compelling wines of late,
fueling a debate on where the best new vineyards are
or should be planted. The changes underway in Paso
reflect the tectonic shifts underway in the entire
Central Coast region.”
“California’s New Frontier” by James Laube, Wine
Spectator (June 15, 2006)
Members Only
Offer
Fun Fact
Here’s a surprising statistic: 70% of the 250
million cases of wine sold in the U.S. is
controlled by families. This is an estimate by
David Freed, chairman of Napa-based wine
industry financer, The UCC Group. As
quoted in the North Bay Business Journal
report, the “Wine Industry in midst of new
wave of buyouts” (Jeff Quackenbush, Oct.
15, 2007). What makes that percentage so
large? The huge wine mega-business,
Constellation Brands, is family operated.
Recipe Continued from page 4
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or
until cheeses are melted.
Zoe’s Pasta Sauce
Try it and we’ll pay the shipping!
Note: For most robust flavors, make the sauce a
day ahead of time, before you make the casserole.
Experience the Addamo Estates 2005
“Santa Barbara County” Pinot Noir for
just $29. Add this highly-rated Signature
Series® wine in your next monthly
shipment and save $16.
1 lb. Italian sausage (casings removed)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 large can tomato puree (28 oz.)
2 small cans tomato paste (or 1 large)
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 cups water + or - (or half water and half good
red wine)
This 91 point-rated Pinot Noir is a
hallmark of Santa Barbara wine and one
example of the highly-rated and coveted
wines found in our Signature Series®.
To take advantage of this
special Uncorked® Offer,
please call us at
1-800-777-4443
UNCORKED® is published monthly by Bruce and Pam Boring Proprietors.
The California Wine Club® · 600 Via Alondra, Camarillo, CA 93012
Reorder your favorites, update your account and send gifts online at www.cawineclub.com.
Pam Boring: President
Bruce Boring: Vice President Sales and Marketing
Page 8
Brown sausage, add olive oil, onion and garlic –
sauté until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Use
amounts of water and wine to your taste and the
consistency you like. Simmer (the longer the
better) and remove bay leaves before use.
Enjoy with your Rotta Cabernet Sauvignon. Salud!
Judy Reynolds: Editor, writer, photographer
Tapia Studios: Graphic Designers
To send or receive information on the CWC and a complimentary issue of Uncorked®,
please call us at 1-800-777-4443 or fax toll-free at 1-800-700-1599.
www.cawineclub.com
The California Wine Club® · www.cawineclub.com · 1-800-777-4443
You Be The
ATTENTION
Wine Connoisseurs and
JUDGE
Take a look at this month’s upper level club
Signature Series® and our International Selections:
International Wine Explorers!
Spring into White Wines
With Spring knocking on our doors, it’s time to get the
picnic basket organized. Our CWC Judges seemed to be
doing just that with their white wine reviews, now coming
in. Every Judging Card we receive is entered into our
CWC year-end drawing for a case of CWC wine of the
winner’s choice. Also, Judges published in Uncorked®
receive an extra bottle in their next shipment. No wonder
our Judges have a spring in their steps these days!
(Wines are rated on a 20 point system....with 20 points being the highest.)
17 pts
Daniel Gehrs 2005 Unoaked “Santa Barbara County” Chardonnay
“I would recommend this wine to family & friends, fruity but
not overpowering, held its body well.”
- Christine Sam, HI
16 pts
Ledgewood Creek Winery & Vineyards 2003 Estate Grown “Suisun
Valley” Chardonnay “Very creamy – loved it!”
- Kristine Anderson, CA
20 pts
Summerland “Central Coast Collection” 2005 Sauvignon Blanc
“One of my favorites, goes with just about anything chicken to
steaks.”
- Marie Burkstaller, LA
20 pts Handley Sauvignon Blanc “Clean, crisp delightful wine. It
was especially enjoyed with the Roasted Tomatoes w/Garlic
recipe you provided in Uncorked.”
- Kathy Lawson, RI
®
Hear that deep sigh from our Signature Series®
members? It’s the satisfaction they’re feeling
on opening this month’s shipment of top quality
wines. Join them in a chorus of Oohhhs! and Ahhhs!
by calling 1-800-777-4443.
Willowbrook Cellars 2004 “Estate Grown, Russian
River Valley” Pinot Noir
• 4 Gold Medals and one “Best of Class!”
• Just 200 cases made.
Willowbrook Cellars 2004 JCO Limited “Russian
River Valley” Chardonnay
• This rich Chardonnay aged in 100% French oak.
• Just 350 cases made.
Miro Cellars 2005 “Dry Creek Valley, Sommers
Vineyard” Petite Sirah
• From a tiny vineyard of just four acres in the Dry
Creek Valley; its budwood came from a vineyard
planted in the last century.
• Only 650 cases produced.
Cost is $132 (includes shipping and handling).
Call 1-800-777-4443 to order.
20 pts
Gnekow Winery Campus Oaks Cum Laude 2005 Madera Viognier
“Loved this wine. I ordered a case because it was so terrific.”
- Alexandra de Pasquale, PA
Signature Series®:
20 pts LaFond 2003 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills “Very enjoyable. I
should not wait so long before sampling my monthly shipments.
Just ordered more.”
- John-Paul Luckett – LA
International Selections:
18 pts Barbaresco Langavine 2003 (Red) “Love this wine! Send me a
half case.”
- Mark Newkirk – NJ
®
www.cawineclub.com · 1-800-777-4443
THE CALIFORNIA WINE CLUB’S
INTERNATIONAL
Wine Club
Not found
The French have been conducting an
anywhere
historic love affair with wine, and you can
else in the
join them with our International Wine Club
U.S.!
Selections this month:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 Louis D’Armont
Chateau Guionne 2003 Côtes De Bourg
Try this spectacular shipment from our International
Selections. Cost is $135 (includes shipping, handling
and import charges). Call 1-800-777-4443 to order.
America’s only wine service featuring
real working, smaller family owned wineries.
Page 9
POPULAR SELECTIONS STILL AVAILABLE
REORDER YOUR FAVORITES NOW AND SAVE UP TO 50% OFF RETAIL!
Take a look at some recent selections still available in limited supply. Half, full and mixed cases okay!
All wines listed are just $10.99 per bottle.
TO OUR MEMBERS
One of the questions we often hear is, “Which wines have you featured in the past,
and how can I reorder them?”
The wines listed on the following page have been recently featured in our club.
All are exceptional and have gone through our meticulous selection process.
Reordering Is Easy:
After you’ve read the Tasting Notes for each wine, decide which wines you’d like to try.
Since we feature only smaller wineries, quantities are usually very limited, so don’t wait,
use the convenient Case Order form or visit our Wine Store at www.cawineclub.com.
Warmly,
Bruce and Pam Boring
CASE ORDER FORM
Simply complete this case order form and return by fax or mail.
You can also order via our Wine Store page at www.cawineclub.com.
Your Name:____________________________
Address: ______________________________
City:__________________________________
State: ______ Zip: ______________________
Phone:________________________________
Quantity
o Please bill my card on file
o Call me for credit card information
o Check enclosed
Wines Desired
______ __________________________________
______ __________________________________
______ __________________________________
______ __________________________________
______ __________________________________
______ __________________________________
Save up to 50% off normal retail. Just another benefit from your friends at The California Wine Club®.
Half or full cases only. Mixed cases okay. *All prices F.O.B. Camarillo, CA plus sales tax where applicable.
To taste the best wine from California, call us today or visit
our Wine Store at www.cawineclub.com.
Page 10
1.800.777.4443
Fax: 1.800.700.1599
The California Wine Club® · www.cawineclub.com · 1-800-777-4443
ALL WINES JUST $10.99 PER BOTTLE!
SOUTH COAST WINERY - Temecula
2
6
2004 “Rolling Hills”
Estate Syrah
1 2
2005 Reserve Chardonnay
4
• 1 Gold Medal, 2 Silver Medals and 4 Bronze
Medals.
• Ripe tropical aromas (pineapple, apple, guava)
mix with oak tones of vanilla, cinnamon and
spice.
• This Chardonnay was aged in both stainless
steel and oak.
• 2 Silver Medals and 6 Bronze Medals.
• Lush berry flavors with delicate earthiness and
hints of lavender lead to smoky oak tones and
soft tannins. Delicious!
• Wonderful with lasagna, hamburgers, steaks
and roast chicken.
Normal Retail: $24
Normal Retail: $22
WINDSOR VINEYARDS - Sonoma County / GIRARD WINERY - Napa Valley
3 8
5
Windsor 2002 “North Coast
Private Reserve” Cabernet
Sauvignon
Girard 2006 “Napa Valley”
Sauvignon Blanc
• What a vibrant wine, with its bright fruit and fragrances
of pear and tropical fruit. Flavors of citrus and grapefruit
add to the sparkle.
• A really food friendly wine, this one will pair well with
chicken salad, green bean salad, shrimp scampi and
other light chicken and seafood fare – or enjoy as a
quaffer!
Normal Retail: $16
• Three Gold Medals, eight Silver Medals and five Bronze Medals.
• A dark purple color with enticing blackberry aromas and, in the
mouth, strong notes of ripe cherries and blackberries. Enjoy the
smooth, spicy finish!
• Wonderful with the “usual suspects” for red wine as well as
prime rib, tri-tip steaks, and babyback ribs.
Normal Retail: $28
MADROÑA VINEYARDS - Sierra Foothills
Madroña 2006 Cardanini
Vineyards Syrah
Madroña 2006 Estate Grown
Zinfandel
• A luscious mouthful of black fruit, including blueberries
and blackberries. Nicely structured, its tannins are soft
and invite another glass.
• Madroña has bottled Syrah since 1997, but this is its
first vintage from the Cardanini Vineyards.
• Excellent with peppered steak, sausage, or spicy stews.
Normal Retail: $16
• A Zinfandel with a heady nose of black and red berry fruit
that introduces more of the same in your glass. Weighty in
the mouth, with a friendly, smooth finish.
• A good companion with venison, a Jack cheese sandwich,
spicy barbecue or eggplant lasagna.
Normal Retail: $17
THORNTON WINERY - Temecula Valley
2005 “California”
Thorny’s Côte Red
• As this red wine fills your glass,
breathe in the cherries! A mosaic of
plum, lavender, and rich red fruit on the
palate leads to a smooth finish of
toasty oak and vanilla.
CWC
• Wonderful with spicy dishes, meat Favorite!
off the grill and pasta.
4
2004 “Temecula Valley”
Syrah
• Four Bronze medals
• Aromas of deep red fruit with a touch of berry and
mocha lead to flavors of plum, lavender, maple and
toasty oak.
• Enjoy with pizza, hamburgers, tri-tip and pasta.
Another glass?
Normal Retail: $16
Normal Retail: $22
BALLENTINE VINEYARDS - Napa Valley
2005 Merlot “Napa Valley,”
Estate Grown, St. Helena
• A classic “Northern Napa Merlot” with aromas of
black cherry and spices on the nose and rich red fruit
flavors like cherry and blueberry. Smooth and
luscious!
• This 100% Merlot aged 16 months in French oak
barrels (33% new).
Decant
• Wonderful with grilled steaks, Beef Stroganoff and
for 30
some chocolate desserts.
minutes!
Normal Retail: $22
®
www.cawineclub.com · 1-800-777-4443
2006 “Old Vines” Chenin Blanc
• 91 points, Wine Enthusiast (Aug. 2007): “Ballentine’s
Chenins nearly always impress, and this is one of their
best.
• Scents of peaches and pears mingle with honeysuckle,
apple and lime in this crisp, silky Chenin.
• Delightful with roast chicken, white pasta sauces, crisp
salads and more.
Normal Retail: $16
Page 11
The Game Room
What’s in a Name?
It seems that almost every California
winery is named after the founder.
However, there are some exceptions.
See if you can match the name to the
meaning.
Name
1. Summerland
2. EOS
3. Pietra Santa
4. Baileyana
5. Castoro
6. ZD
7. Audelssa
8. El Molino
Meaning
a. It means, “blessed stone”, and refers to
this winery’s rocky soils.
b. A beautiful place where surf’s up
forever and where this winery has its
tasting room.
c. In Spanish, it means “the mill”, and it
commemorates an historic mill nearby
the winery.
d. It’s an engineering term, meaning, no
mistakes (the founders were engineers).
e. The neighborhood where the founders
met (they later married).
f. A blend of the names of the founder’s
three daughters.
g. It means “beaver” in Italian—for its
“eager beaver” founder, Nils Udsen.
h. The goddess of the dawn.
1. b; 2. h; 3. a; 4. e; 5. g; 6. d;
7. f; 8. c.
Answers: