This week, April 29th
through May 3rd., The Wine Consultant's Tasting Bar will be focused
on SYRAH! A minimum of 12 wines are
ALWAY available to sample from our WineKeeper system. The tasting bar
is ALWAYS OPEN! A 2.5 ounce sample is served in Riedel Shiraz crystal
stemware for only one tenth the bottle price. Sharing is always
allowed!
*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE WEEK -
Please share your worst dining experience! We will "cut and paste" and
share the most disastrous with you!
****************************************************************************************************************************
DUCKHORN
RELEASES-
I have been a big fan of Dan and
Margaret Duckhorn and will always remember an afternoon in 1981 when
they took time away of their busy schedule to barrel taste with me. The "crush facility" looked more like a booth at the
farmer's market. They placed an emphasis on hand sorting their
fruit. Two small gleaming stainless steel fermenters stood openly
exposed on newly poured cement pads. By this time production had
reached about 2000 cases. Duckhorn's first vintage was 1978.
Yes, Duckhorn's premiere release in 1980 included a Cabernet
Sauvignon. But it was the first vintage of Duckhorn's 1978 Three Palms
Merlot that changed everyone's outlook about the potential of
California Merlot. Up until that time, and only in a few vintages, the
Merlot grape had only been commercially produced and labeled by Louis
Martini, Sterling and Burgess. The wines, at best, were from vineyard
experiments. Most of the wines were produced from under ripe and over
cropped grapes. The result was a diluted "quaffable" swill afflicted
with overt herbaciousness. Not only did Duckhorn pioneer the concept
of vineyard designation, but built its Merlot with a significant
"dollop" of high octane Cabernet Sauvignon and styled it by aging in a
high percentage of new French oak barrels. Duckhorn also adhered to
the French practice of gently racking or decanting from barrel to
barrel to remove lees and sediment and egg white fining before
bottling. I remember how difficult it was to find another bottle of
the 1978 Three Palm Merlot. I believe, I originally paid $12 for the
only bottle I could hunt down. I remember a few years later when
my mother stood in line an hour before the doors opened at a "library
sale" at the old Trumpetvine wine shop in Berkeley to snag another
bottle for me...This time it cost me $25! Thanks again Mom!
The Duckhorn success story has
been a paradigm for many aspiring wineries. 2002 crush
marked Duckhorn's 25th harvest. Duckhorn Merlot has been a fashion
trend setter and over the years has dispelled the notion Merlot does
not have cellaring potential! Duckhorn has always produced a Napa
Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (except 1979), but its great
status for superb Merlot has always directed the focus away from this
production. However, more recent rave reviews have now earned
Duckhorn's Cabernet Sauvignon a strong reputation and it is
now considered amongst the very best produced in Napa
Valley. Additionally, the proprietary blend Paraduxx (Artist Series -
Duck Stamp), an uncommon blend of Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon,
exemplifies Duckhorn's creative abilities and furthers the winery's
reputation for excellence.
The following Spring releases
are extremely(133-6059)limited and certainly live up
to the Duckhorn's standard of highest quality! They are priced at the
winery's retail. Asterisk**
wines will discount up to 10%, if a combined purchase of at least 12
bottles is made.
2000
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - $54.95**
75% CS, 13% CF, 12% ME - 19 mos - 100%
French oak 60 gallon barrique (78% new oak, 22% second year)
Last vintage received 94
points from the Wine Spectator!
2000 Three
Palms Vineyard Merlot - $74.95 NET
81% ME, 9% PV, 5% CS, 5% CF - 20 mos -
100% French oak 60 gallon barrique (100% new oak)
2000
Estate Grown Merlot - $79.95 NET
100% Merlot - 19 mos - 100% French oak
60 gallon barrique (100% new oak)
1999
Howell Mountain Merlot - $64.95 NET
93% ME, 7% CS - 100% French oak 60
gallon barrique (100% new oak)
2000
Paraduxx - $42.95**
66% Zinfandel, 34% CS - 18 mos - 66%
American oak (Zin), 34% French oak (Cab) - 70% new and 30% second year
Uncommon blend modeled after Italian
SuperTuscans - Substituting Napa Valley's Zinfandel for Tuscany
Sangiovese.
Last vintage received 96
points from Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine (3 "Puffs").
Bonus! If you missed out, I have
a little more of my allocation remaining from last Fall's release!
2000
Merlot - Napa Valley - $45.95**
84% ME, 16% CS - 16 mos - 100% French
oak 60 gallon barrique (40% new oak, 60% second year)
2001
Sauvignon Blanc - Napa Valley - $21.95**
76% SB, 34% SE - 100% French Oak 60
gallon barrique - 38% barrel fermented, 4 months sur lie
PLEASE
ORDER NOW BY EMAIL OR TELEPHONE! ALL ORDERS WILL BE CONFIRMED
BY REPLY EMAIL WITH YOUR INVOICE #.
TWC Gift Certificate worth $50 to
member identifying his or her # in text and then responding by reply
email within 48 hours of yesterday's email's time stamp - 11:55 AM -
4-30-03. Want to become a member? See below -
Passionately yours about wine,
Eric Stumpf
Proprietor, The Wine Consultant
8039 Greenback Lane
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
Tuesday - Friday: 11 am to 7 pm
Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm
(916) 721-WINE (9463)
Register
NOW for your FREE email "PRIORITY MEMBERSHIP" ID number at THE WINE CONSULTANT!
Not only will you receive advance notice for many sales and
promotions....BUT, you will also have an on
going opportunity to WIN store credits, gift certificates, tasting
bar passes, greater discounts, and wine!
Once you have received your
membership number, just look for your id # in
the text of any email you receive from Eric Stumpf. Simply
respond within 48 hours of the email's time stamp to claim your prize!
TO REGISTER:
Effective immediately, please reply
by email to provide and confirm your-
Name:
Email address:
Telephone number:
You will receive your TWC's
email "Priority Membership" id number by email and will be ready to
participate. All registered members must be 21 years of age.
View the Archives
