1976-01 January Classic Newsletter

January 1976 Selection of California Wine

GEWURZTRAMINER "H" - 1973 - MIRASSOU VINEYARD

The heritage of Mirassou Vineyards dates back to 1854. The family has continuously operated the winery in a tradition established by the Great-great Grandfather of the present fifth generation. From 1854 to 1966, Mirassou wines were available only at the winery. Conservative expansions in Monterey and Santa Clara counties, now allows the Mirassou wines to be distributed through retail channels.

Special wines by Mirassou Vineyards are offered under their Harvest Selection label. This is a limited bottling of their choice wines, and is so indicated on the bottle. We particularly liked their Gewürztraminer "H" 1973 at a recent wine evaluation. Golden yellow, fruity and spicy, the wine shows a surprising full body and lingering taste, after the clean and deep nose. The wine has a 1.5% residual sugar and is more in the style of a dessert and sipping wine. This is the wine to linger over after dinner perhaps, with some fruit and cheese.

$4.50/fifth $48.60/case

January 1976 Selection of Imported Wine

MARQUES DE CACERES - 1970 - RIOJA

The best known red wine producing area in Spain is Rioja. Long known for its claret type wine, it has captured the hearts of many a traveler over wines produced in the other Spanish regions. Most of the grapes used for Rioja wines are local varieties. Only a few labels of Rioja are available in this country.

A new entry into the market is Marques de Caceres. The Marques, determined to produce a "great" wine at any sacrifice, is quoted: " It would have been easy for me to have found a fellow Spaniard to help me make a good wine; but, I wanted to make a great Spanish wine, and for that, I had to hire the expert of experts - Emile Peyraud, Professor of wine making at the Univer­sity of Bordeaux. What a pain in the head he turned out to be! He made me build a new winery, throw out all my old barrels, even change my fermentation process. All in all his advice cost me 122 million pesetas. But, when I tasted my wine, I had to reluct­antly agree it was worth it."

We agree too! For the price this is a charming wine. It has good color, a clean fruit nose, a smooth taste, with lots of fruit, well balanced, with some tannin. Serve at room temperature with red meats or sharp cheese, and imagine you are in Rioja, Spain.

$3.45/fifth $37.26/case

WINE COURSE

The fifth offering of a continuing course in "The Art of Enjoying Wine" starts on Jan. 14, 1976, at the Palos Verdes Community Art Association.

The class meets on alternate Wednesdays, at 7:30 p.m. for a 5 session course. The topic this semester is "An Overview of California Wines," which entails a discussion and tasting evaluation of red, white, rose, sparkling, aperitif and dess­ert wines.

The class is restricted to 28 participants and is held in the gallery of the Art Association where art and wine have blended well in the last 4 courses. Lectures on the various aspects of wine, like service, storage, meal matching, and wine lore are interspersed with evaluations of representative wines from each area of the wine spectrum. If you have always wanted to learn more about wine, whether you are a newcomer, or already a student, this is a good chance to participate in a non competitive class that is offered local­ly for your enjoyment.

Particulars about the class may be obtained from the Palos Verdes Community Arts Association office at: 5504 W. Crest-ridge Rd., Rancho Palos Verdes, or by phoning 541-2479. A brochure of the course is also available at the shop.

Want to Build a Wine Cellar?

We have reprints of articles and pamphlets from various sources about building your own wine cellar. These were collected and filed by us for the reference use of our customers. Using an existing room or building one from scratch is a great family project and a rewarding one, too. Stop in for a chat, the information is free for the asking.

If you wish to buy a ready made wine cellar, we have those too! Our wine shop is the agency for a couple of "ready to move in" wine cellar manufacturers. Literature is available.

Considering a wine tasting party?

Consult us for supplies. We have correct wine glas­ses for sale or rent, inexpensive champagne buckets as waste receptacles, and a brochure suitable for custom­izing your list of wines offered for tasting. It describes the highlights, of how to taste and compare wines and has room for notes.

Les Amis du Vin

As of November 1975, Les Amis du Vin has changed its policy regarding their wine of the month selections. The method of distribution to the affiliate stores has been improved by sel­ecting wines from nationally available distributors. This is a welcome development. The wine of the month availability was non existent, practically, during early 1975.

We now have in stock the November and December wine of the month as announced in the centerfold of the Les Amis du Vin Magazine, "Friends of Wine."

:Novembers selection,

"My Cousins Claret-Sichel" $3.69/fifth $39.86/case

Decembers selection,

"Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blanc" $15.55/fifth $167.94/case

Because of the national distribution of these wines, and the California Alcoholic Beverage Control laws, there cannot be a special member price on LADV wines.

Next Les Amis Du Vin , Palos Verdes Chapter, tasting and seminar is scheduled for Monday February the 9th,1976. It will be held at Gigi's restaurant in Palos Verdes, and will be restricted to 56 registrations because of the space limitation. Please calender this event. Details and reservation forms will follow.

RECENT ARRIVALS

Wrought iron wine racks, in 12 different styles, from 96 bottle capacity to 3 bottle capacity. A variety of shapes which are available in colors to match your decor (in addition to the traditional black).

Cellar decorations in the form of wood carvings, Bacchus wine fonts, ceramic and composition figurines, all in the wine motif.

Pewter and sterling bar accoutrements by world famous Stieff silversmiths and pewteres. Their authentic reproduction of a George Washington wine coaster is a classic of their Smithison­ian series. A wine funnel in pewter makes a handsome picture in any cellar. The Jefferson cup and Fort McHenry punch cup are a sight to behold for their simplicity in design and taste. Please come and see these pieces. They will make a good gift when you are considering one at a later date.

We have added several additions to our glassware shapes. In the low price range for everyday use, these fulfill a need for serving and enjoying your beverage in the correct glass. The maximum appreciation of all the qualities of the drink, appearance, nose, taste and feel are enhanced by the vessel.

"Wine of the Month" PROGRAM

REGISTER NOW!

for a fun way of discovering new wines each month.
We select one domestic and one imported wine and feature it in our wine shop.
We send you a bottle of each selection monthly.
We send you a newsletter describing the wine and its background.
We restrict our selections to the popular price range, not to exceed $10.00 for the two bottles of wine each month.

If you are new to wines, it is a good way to learn about them. If you are a seasoned connoisseur, we invite you to test our evaluations and make your recommendations for future selections.

Mail to: Palos Verdes Wines and Spirits, 77 malaga cove plaza. Palos Verdes Estates, Ca 90274