White
2004 Gerty del Sol (only 8 cases left!!)
$25 ($21.25 case price, mixed case OK)
Vineyard del Sol (132 cases produced, released 2/07)
Dry,
barrel-fermented Gewürztraminer is what this is. I have blended in a bit of
Riesling, its soul sister, to make a complex, interesting, better wine (and
keep my wife and mother happy). It is our most challenging wine to create.
Great Gerty requires a lot of attention in the vineyard. Thinning, leaf
pulling, careful water management, it’s very temperamental. But if you do it
right and pick at the peak of ripeness, the wine is amazingly good. But that’s
my opinion. Try it! We guarantee our wines, period.
2004 Riesling
$20 ($17 case price, mixed case OK)
Vineyard del Sol (209 cases produced, released 3/07)
I get to
write labels sitting outside on a warm August day while eating good food and
drinking wine. Lucky me! Sitting and sipping a lovely, nearly
dry, aromatic Riesling with fresh melons from the garden and grilled pork chop.
Mmm. As good as yesterday’s pairing with ceviche and fish tacos. A hint of
residual sugar ( 0.7%) to balance a hot spicy dish, snow peas with peanut
sauce. Sushi with wasabi and ginger, yum. Drink it with grilled chicken and
fresh peach salsa . . . ooh la la. Riesling—the most versatile
food wine!
This wine is sometimes available under our Naked Chick Wine label as Naked Chick Riesling.
Red
2005 Under 10 Buck Red New Release!
$9.25 ($7.86 case price, mixed case OK)
Yakima Valley (236 cases produced,
released 4/08)
Under 10
Buck Red. Basic, simple, pure essence of the Lemberger grape. Made in a big
tank, no frills. Great for washing down a home-grilled burger. Makes a
wonderful wine cooler. Our Monday through Thursday—no special occasion—wine.
Buy several cases ’cause it’s good and cheap. Thanks to Connie, Charlie, and
their crew for the sweat in the vineyard. Same wine as the “10 Buck Red,” just
a more descriptive name!
2003 Paradisos Red
$20 ($17 case price, mixed case OK)
Yakima Valley (308 cases produced,
released 5/07)
Paradisos
Red is a culinary creation of two unique varieties and two distinctive
vineyards. Lemberger (70%) from the Crawford Vineyard for softness, raspberry
and boysenberry aromas, and some spicy, black-pepper finish. Cabernet Sauvignon
(30%) from both Vineyard del Sol and Crawford Vineyard adds body, grip,
blackberry, and plum. Blended together, with a little bit of flavor from some
new oak, and elevated with some barrel aging. Blended with pizza on my
mind—real pizza, made with love and care at home, or from the best pizza joint
around. One of my goals is to make what is acknowledged as the World’s Best
Pizza Wine. But wait! Let’s not forget lasagna, pasta putanesca, spaghetti,
tacos, enchiladas, hamburgers, Cajun, barbeque . . . all made with love. That’s
why we make this wine!
This wine (in slightly different version) is sometimes
available under our Naked Chick Wine label as Old Rooster Red. It is an additional $2. There are just a few bottles left!
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon New Release!
$30 ($25.50 case price, mixed case OK)
Yakima Valley (146 cases produced,
released 4/08)
It had
something to do with sheep. It must have! I’d be crushed if there were no
connections between lambs in Bordeaux
and plant breeding. Were sheep the leavening in the élevage of Bordeaux wines from
Cabernet Franc-based pinkish Claret to Cabernet Sauvignon-based Rouge?
What
recipe required the creation of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety in 1600?
I’ll take the plunge . . . there was a lamb involved. ’Twas a conspiracy! A
cuvee of shepherds and vignerons . . . Yes! Now I understand! My neighbor
raises sheep and cattle, I make red wine.
If I am
eating lamb chops, beef steaks, or wild goose, my first thought is a red with
berry plummy flavors, some grip to balance the meat, plenty of depth of flavor
. . . oh! It’s in your hand!
Dessert
2003 Port Paradiso New Release! (only 6 cases left!!)
$35 ($29.75 case price, mixed case OK)
Vineyard del Sol (25 cases produced, released 02/08)
This is a single-barrel venture into the realm of sweet
red wine. A realm created centuries ago on the Iberian
Peninsula. An offshoot of a culture clash and war. A sweet end to
conflict? The Moors invaded Spain
and brought the knowledge and technology of distillation and al-kuhl or al-ka-ool.
The British fell in love with sweet wines from the Iberia Peninsula
and started importing them by the boat loads. Ships to this day are rated by
how many tons (from the tun, the large barrel used for transport) they can
carry. The city of Oporto became a major wine
harbor lending its name to the sweet wines shipped down the Douro River.
So, Port, which Barbara loves, and I love Barbara.
2004 Angelica G New Release!
$25 ($21.25 case price, mixed case OK)
Vineyard del Sol (161 cases produced, released 02/08)
Angelica is true American wine, created by the Franciscan
friars of California
over two hundred years ago. It was a sacramental wine made to endure, as they
and their burros hiked over hill and dale. The method allows the wine to retain
sweetness; early preservation captures the sweet lushness of ripe grapes. Their
craft has been improved by time and technology, including better grape
varieties like Gewürztraminer and bottles instead of goatskins, but we still
use barrels. We like to think Fr. Junípero Serra, the first successful
winegrower in what is now the USA
,
would be proud of what he started. We use it to celebrate the last course of a
meal with our friends.