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Cheers 2 Wine News - April 2007 Issue
April 25, 2007
Cheers from Steve and Kathy Howe


Wine Quote

"The discovery of a wine is of greater moment than the discovery of a constellation. The universe is too full of stars."
Benjamin Franklin








Wine of the Month

Sanford Winery
WINE OF THE MONTH

Our latest wine of the month is Sanford Winery 2004 Chardonnay Santa Barbara. This wine is characterized with aromas of tropical fruit. Enjoy flavors of apples, pear and melon. This complex and creamy Chardonnay has hints of oak that complements rather than overpowering the flavors of the fruit. This perfect balance of oak was created by storing partly in tanks and partly in oak barrels. You will enjoy this nicely balanced Chardonnay. ($21)

Established in 1971, this Santa Barbara winery focuses on making excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The handmade adobe winery facility was completed in 2001. The 30 inch thick adobe walls keep the cellar temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees without the use of heating or air conditioning. The tasting room, located at 7250 Santa Rosa Rd, Buellton, California, is open daily from 11 AM - 4:00 PM daily. Call (805) (805) 688-3300 for more information.

Order a bottle of Sanford 2004 Chardonnay


Be sure to check back each month for our wine of the month.



Wine Picks

10% Off Orders Over $150 - Offer Expires April 30, 2007

Top rated wines all under $20

Learn more about our top picks by clicking on the links below.
Sign up for 10% off any order over $150 at checkout by using this password: LSAPR10. This offer expires April 30, 2007.

Hogue 2003 Genesis Cabernet SauvignonThis is a spicy wine at its core with anise, clove and coffee bean accenting its bright fresh cherry and raspberry fruit flavors. It is a rich, full-bodied, expressive wine that still shows some finesse with fine, almost powdery tannins and well-integrated oak. Tobacco and black pepper linger on the finish. Pair this wine with grilled tri-tip steak, aged cheeses or dark chocolate. ($13.99)

Silver Oak 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Silver Oak 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an opulent wine of great depth and concentration. It displays a dark, garnet color and aromas of black plum, cassis liqueur, rose petals, nutmeg and sandalwood. The palate offers a mouth-coating texture and a wonderful progression of flavors from berry fruit to tobacco to dark chocolate, culminating in an extraordinarily long finish reminiscent of a dark chocolate truffle filled with berry liqueur. Properly cellared, it should provide drinking pleasure until 2028. ($99.99)

De Martino 2005 Organic Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon grapes from the Maipo Valley are blended with Malbec and Carmen�re grapes to produce a deep red wine with violet hues and an intense aroma of blackberry, cherries and truffle. Great volume and cherry flavor. Aged in oak barrels for 12 months. Ideal served with pasta, red meat, and aged cheese. ($11.99)

Renwood 2003 Old Vine ZinfandelThe 2003 Old Vine Zinfandel is medium ruby in color. The bouquet consists of brown sugar, caramel, sage, eucalyptus, and bursting with dark berry fruit. The flavor is a sumptuous blend of warm blackberries on the entry, with a hint of dried fruit, finishing with sweet fleshy tannins.($19.49)

Rosenblum 2005 Heritage Clones Petite Sirah This wine is amazing both in aromatics and flavors, not to mention the color, which is jet black. It exhibits a bouquet and flavors of ripe blackberries, plums, chocolate, black pepper, violets and spice. ($18.49)

Alderbrook 2002 Zinfandel This dark rich wine issues ripe blackberry aromas in concert with black spice notes including anise and cola. The mouth feel is soft and juicy with hints of pepper and more blackberry and plum fruit flavors. The toasty oak finish is given a touch of warmth from the 14.2% alcohol. ($16.99)

Hartford Court 2005 Lands Edge Pinot NoirComplex aromas of ripe cherries, violets and cedar are followed by flavors of perfectly ripe, firm black cherries, mixed red and black berries. Allspice and coffee notes complement a long, multi-faceted finish in this exciting, new Hartford Court Pinot Noir. ($35.99)

Valentin Bianchi 2005 Elsa Malbec The classic Malbec aromas of ripe plum and violets are evident in the nose, with hints of vanilla. The beauty of the Malbec of Argentina is its ability to combine a rich, weighty mouth feel with a soft silkiness normally associated with lighter wines. Elsa Malbec takes the promise of the nose through to the palate, with pleasing fruit that mimics the aroma. The soft, supple palate leads to a lingering finish. ($8.99)

Greg Norman Estates NV Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir - Champagne & SparklingThe wine is a pale straw green in color and it has a very fine, yet persistent bead. On the nose there are lifted strawberry, citrus and nutty aromas with just a hint of sherbet character. On the palate it is a medium to full bodied style with generous stonefruit and citrus flavors and a very smooth, yet generous finish. ($16.79)

Ch. St. Jean 2003 Sonoma County Reserve Chardonnay The best fruit from Chateau St. Jean's premier vineyards (including Robert Young, Belle Terre, and Durell) is set aside for this Reserve Chardonnay. Great care is taken to create a great bottle of wine, including aging in sur lie for 17 months in French oak barrels, and then bottle aging for an additional year before release. ($39.99)

Provenance Vineyards 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Cold fermentation in a high percentage of stainless steel barrels allows captures and displays the zesty and fragrant flavors in the bottle. While a subtle textural richness is added by using a small percentage of new oak barrels, the fruit-forward nature is maintained. ($18.99)

Kim Crawford 2006 Sauvignon BlancWine Spectator Top 100 of 2006. Unfolds with flavors of passionfruit, gooseberry and subtle herbaceousness. The wine is mouthfilling with good texture and finishes well with cleansing acidity and great length. ($16.99)

Ch. Ste. Michelle 2005 Indian Wells Riesling Unfolds with flavors of passionfruit, gooseberry and subtle herbaceousness. The wine is mouthfilling with good texture and finishes well with cleansing acidity and great length. ($9.99)

Columbia Winery 2005 Gewurztraminer -Unfolds with flavors of passionfruit, gooseberry and subtle herbaceousness. The wine is mouthfilling with good texture and finishes well with cleansing acidity and great length. ($9.99)

Bonny Doon NV Framboise Infusion of Raspberries (half-bottle) - Fruit Wines Dessert WineExplosions of raspberry - a delightful wine. ($12.99)

Do your own wine search:

Wine Name:
Vintage:
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All wines purchased by April 27, 2007 qualify for special 1 cent shipping. Use code: YOUWIN at checkout.

Wine Country Accommodations We are eager to help you find wine country accommodations in the California Wine Country. We hope you will let us share our experiences with you.

It�s easy to book lodging at the typical hotel chains you find in every city in California. There are many great hotels with good facilities. Sometimes, though, it�s more fun to stay in unique places that make the trip more special.

We have found some unique accommodations on our wine tasting trips that we would like to share with you. We have actually stayed at these places. They range from modern hotels, spa resorts, wine country bed and breakfasts, to luxury camping. They all offer wine country lodging that we would be happy to stay at again and we highly recommend them.







Wine Tasting Coupons As a subscriber to Cheers 2 Wine News you can access our pages of free wine tasting coupons. Some of these coupons allow you to taste for free while others let 2 people sample wine for the price of 1. The password for these pages will be included in each issue of the newsletter. You can contact us via our contact page and we will email you the password.







Romantic Wine Country Restaurants It�s fun to eat in a restaurant that�s not available in our hometown. We are constantly looking to discover unique and wonderful restaurants wherever we find ourselves traveling. We usually ask for recommendations in wine tasting room we visit. If we are staying in a hotel, we inquire with them as well. Often, we meet locals who are happy to suggest their favorite restaurant for a romantic evening.

We only recommend restaurants that we have eaten at ourselves. It must have top notch food, service, and surroundings or we will not recommend it to you. To read about the romantic restaurants we have found, click on the region of the California Wine Country you are interested in for your next romantic evening:






Mark Your Calendars!

May 3-6: Roll Out the Barrels Weekend - San Luis Obispo
Join in the fun of this 6th Annual festival. There are a variety of events featured including wine tasting, food, live entertainment, winemaker dinners, wine and food pairing, barrel tastings, and special discounts. You can arrange for a group shuttle bus. More Details

May 5th and 6th: Calistoga Wineries Annual Spring Celebration - Napa Enjoy wine tasting, barrel sampling, food, live music, and more at this annual event benefiting St. Lukes Preschool. Wineries participating include Bennett Lane Winery, Casa Nuestra Winery, Envy Wines, Graeser Winery, and Zahtila Vineyards. The cost is $15 for one or both days. Call (866) 844-9463 for more information.

More Details

May 5th and 6th: May 5th & 6th - 16th Annual Livermore Wine Country Festival- Livermore
Featuring wines from local wineries, shopping, dining, live entertainment, arts & crafts, wine tasting, family fun and more. Over 25 of the Livermore Valley's finest wines will be represented at the event, in addition to local microbrews and olive oils. Live music at Blacksmith Square, J Street, the Flagpole Plaza as well as on the Main Stage, located at First and N Streets. Call (925) 362-9734 for information. More Details

May 5: 25th Annual Sierra Showcase of Wine
Wineries of the Sierra Foothills will be pouring their fine wines from 2 to 4:30 PM to benefit Hospice. You can also sample gourmet food and enjoy live music. For more information call (209) 223-5500. More Details

May 19th: ZinFest Wine Festival - Lodi Lake, Lodi Taste award winning wines from over 40 Lodi wineries. Enjoy great food, live entertainment, cooking school demonstrations, arts and crafts exhibits, wine seminars, and more. The cost is $25 in advance or $35 at the door. More Details

May 19th and 20th: San Benito County Winegrowers Passport Weekend Enjoy gourmet food, wine tasting, and music. The cost is $25 in advance or $35 at the door. Visit the 8 award winning wineries over the weekend along San Benito County's 14 mile wine trail. Tickets are $30. For more information call (831) 636-1991. More Details

Easy Wine Recipes Cooking With Wine

"I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food."

W.C. Fields



Pork Tenderloin with Merlot Sauce


3 pounds pork tenderloin
6 ounces blue cheese
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Merlot
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 pint fresh raspberries

1. Pat pork with black pepper.
2. Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a nonstick pan. Add Merlot and saute pork to lightly brown.
3. Place pork in an oblong baking dish.
4. Then add the remaining butter, sprinkles of flour and whipping cream to the nonstick pan. Continue cooking using a whisk to blend until smooth and creamy.
5. Pour mixture over the pork and top with crumbled blue cheese. 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 7. Garnish with raspberries.

This will make 6 servings.






Wine Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 4 1/2 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding
4 large eggs
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup Reisling
1 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Combine all ingredients and mix with electric mixer for 5 minutes at medium speed.

2. Pour batter into a greased bundt cake pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes until done.

This will serve 8


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