Californias Premier Distributor of Fine Wine, World Class Beer & Extraordinary Spirits. November/ December 2010 www.winewarehouse.

com

In This Issue
Bridlewood...............................(pg.1-2) Signorello....................................(pg.2) Lava Cap Winery..........................(pg.3) Galante Vineyards.......................(pg.3) Champagne Season....................(pg.4) Raymond Vineyards highlight....(pg.4) Karma Brut Info...........................(pg.4) Beer & Spirits page.....................(pg.5) Our Earth, Bruce Neyers.............(pg.6) Ampelos - Green Update.............(pg.6) Moscato Mania...........................(pg.6) Sustainable Practices................(pg.7) Wine Warehouse wishes everyone a safe and prosperous holiday season.

BRIDLEWOOD:

Artisan Wines from Californias Central Coast

hat is so special about Californias Central Coast? Well, this beautiful country links 250 miles of coastline vineyard into one vast American Viticulture Area (AVA). It spans over 100,000 acres of vineyard and encompasses 30 sub-appellations from Santa Barbara to San Francisco. All these vineyards share a common thread: the Behind the landmark West Coast bell be ll tower and d mi ission issi o marine effect, which styl st yle e fa f cade e lay l ys an a moderates in inti tima mate te win w i e ry y a n artwarm temist' is t's s wo work rksh shop sh op p --w whe here e peratures during the Wine Wi nema ma ake er Da Davi vid vi d g r o w i n g Ho Hopk pkin p ins s an nd a te eam m of season. enolog en ogis ists ts & win w i em m ak ker ers s Yet each vineyard craf cr aft t Brid dle lewo wo ood o 's represents arti ar tisa san wine wi ne e s s. . dramatic differences in climate and soil, stitching together an incredibly diverse wine map. Central Coasts northern Monterey County and southern Santa Barbara County are the regions pillars for incredible Chardonnay and highly acclaimed Pinot Noir. Bordeaux and Rhone varietal vineyards dot the south facing hillsides and high benchlands throughout with rich elegant fruit. While the warmer regions of Paso Robles and Santa Ynez Valley source world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Syrah. On the eastern edge of Santa Ynez Valley, just

ve miles north of Mission Santa Ines you will nd the picturesque winery and vineyards of Bridlewood Estate. The estate sits on 105 acres on a high bench of ancient seabed facing the Pacic breezes that meander through the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south and the Purisma Hills and San Raphael Mountains to the north. Behind the landmark bell tower and mission-style faade lays an intimate winery an artists workshop where Winemaker David Hopkins and a team of enologists and winemakers craft Bridlewoods artisan wines. Every Bridlewood wine is Winemaker: David Hopkins crafted to tell the colorful story of Californias Central Coast. Their 2009 Monterey County Chardonnay (SRP $14.99) and 2009 Monterey County Pinot Noir (SRP $18.99) benet from the extended hang time characteristic of the region. The vines and the wines from Monterey in 2009 tell an intense, concentrated story with excellent depth and structure. To make Bridlewood 2009

California's beautiful Central Coast.

About Bridlewood's Bell Tower

Bridlewoods new logo was designed to integrate elements of the winerys landmark bell tower. The original bell tower design was styled after the Old Mission Santa Ins, which is located ve miles south of the winery. Originally built in 1804 and nearly destroyed by an earthquake in 1812, the colorful history of the mission includes becoming the original site of Californias rst seminary, Our Lady de Refugio.
http://www.missionsantaines.org/history.html

Californias Premier Distributor of Fine Wine, World Class Beer & Extraordinary Spirits. Established in 1972
continued from page 1

www.winewarehouse.com

Central Coast Blend 175 (SRP $14.99), the winemakers tasted different lots 175 times before blending Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel to create a well balanced wine that embodies the vast Central Coast appellation. Early next year, Bridlewood is scheduled to release their 2009 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $14.99) which will embody the depth and complexity one can achieve from wonderful warm climate and soils of Paso Robles.

SIGNORELLO:

Creates Dream Team with Winemaker Luc Morlet

here are two crucial components to making great wine, says veteran winemaker Luc Morlet, Great, unique terroir and a great team. As Signorello Estates newest team member, Morlet will endeavor to bring the world-class winery to the next level. As a winemaker, you only get at most 60 cracks to be perfect in a lifetime, says Ray Addition to the team: Signorello, Jr., Newest Luc Morlet founder and proprietor. That's why I don't want to leave any stone unturned. Bringing Luc Morlet on board reects my ceaseless commitment to producing the nest possible terroir-driven wines. Luc is a perfectionist whose body of work, from the vineyard to the nished wine, has put him in the forefront of winemakers today, not only in California but on a worldwide stage. His role as consultant winemaker is placing Morlet side-by-side with Signorellos long-time winemaker, Pierre Birebent collaborating on

Californias Central Coast is very special for a host of reasons and Bridlewood Estate Winery exemplies the casual relaxed lifestyle, awesome beauty and diversity of the region. Their range of critically acclaimed wines compliments the regions wonderful abundance of fresh local foods. We invite you to take on the adventurous spirit the region is known for and offer (& enjoy) the new wines of Bridlewood. www.bridlewoodwinery.com

every step of the process. With more than 26 vintages under his belt (17 in California and 9 in France), and with his own zest for innovation, Morlet uses century-old principles and classic Burgundy and Bordeaux methods, while adapting to Californias natural conditions. Raised in France and educated in Viticulture and Enology there, he is a fthPierre Birebent with Ray generation Signorello Jr. in the wine caves winegrower and winemaker. Morlet has enjoyed solid successes with excellent producers in Burgundy, Bordeaux, Napa Valley (Newton Vineyards and Staglin Family Vineyards), and Peter Michael Winery in Knights Valley. Almost all of the Signorello wines are currently rated 90+ points by the wine press. Just imagine where they are going with this dream team of Ray Signorello Jr., Pierre Birebent and now Luc Morlet. www.signorellovineyards.com

Signorello's Consistent 90+ Point Wines

SIGNORELLO PADRONE

Bridlewood Winery is located in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley of the Central Coast.

2004 v. 92 PTS - S.H, Wine Enthusiast Mag, Nov 2007 2005 v. 92 PTS - James Laube, Wine Spectator, March 2009 2006 v. 93 PTS Wine News, Winter 2010, 2007 v. 91 PTS - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, Issue #186, Dec 2009

SIGNORELLO ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON

SIGNORELLO ESTATE CHARDONNAY "Vielles Vignes"

2006 v. 90 PTS -- Wine News 2007 v. 92 PTS - S.H. Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2009 2008 v. 93 PTS - S.H., Wine Enthusiast, Jun 2010

2004 v.- 93 PTS - Wine News 2005 v. 97 PTS - S.H., Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2008 2006 v. 94 PTS - S.H., Wine Enthusiast, Jan 2010 2007 v. 94 PTS - R.P., The Wine Advocate, #186, Dec 2009

SIGNORELLO ESTATE SETA

2008 v. 92 PTS - S.H, Wine Enthusiast

November/ December 2010

LAVA CAP WINERY:

Finding gold in the Sierra Foothills

Lava Cap Winery began in 1981 when the Jones Family purchased an old 64-acre pear farm in the Sierra Foothills just east of the gold discovery town of Placerville, CA. It was the culmination of a year-long statewide search for premium vineyard land by David and Jeanne Jones. David Jones, a professional geologist at USGS and later University of California, Berkeley, knew the critical role that soil plays with premium wines. They found that the old farm met their requirements: volcanic soil of modest depth, gentle sloping terrain affording numerous microclimates, a high elevation providing moderate temperatures for even ripening, and an abundance of super quality mountain sourced water. The residual lava cap topography had eroded from the volcanic activity in the Sierra Nevada millions of years ago. The old pear farm showed the potential of tremendous terroir and superb wine grapes, and thus was reborn into a vibrant, new enterprise.

family started clearing and planting the vineyard in 1981. Charlie took the reins of vineyard management and Tom as winemaker completing his Masters degree in Enology & Viticulture at the University of California, Davis in 1989. Over the years, Tom has worked hard to forge the Lava Cap style of elegant, textured-driven wines. Today, his winemaking style creates the consistent quality and concentrated avors recognized far and wide by Lava Cap fans. Charlie has developed over 90 acres of vineyard using sustainable practices for Lava Caps elegant estate wines. Three decades later, the old farm has indeed proven the wonderful terroir that was hinted at many years ago. Opportunity abounds with these award-winning wines from the appellations of El Dorado and the Sierra Foothills. Their lineup includes their renowned Reserve Zinfandel (SRP $19.99), luscious barrel-fermented Reserve Chardonnay (SRP $17.99), supple Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $19.99) and highly decorated Granite Hill Petite Sirah (SRP $29.99). Wine Warehouse denitely hit pay dirt with distributing these wines in California.

Lava Cap Winery has always been a family affair. Family members include sons Tom and Charlie, and their wives, Beth and Noreen. The www.lavacap.com

Carmel Valleys Galante Vineyards

At Galante Vineyards their philosophy is simple: grow the nest grapes possible and let the fruit express itself in the wine. Since all of their grapes are estate grown, each bottle of wine produced embodies the characteristics of a unique region, exhibiting the natural avors that are born from the land. The Galante Family has a long history in the Monterey area. Owner Jack Galante's great grandfather, J.F. Devendorf, was the founder of the town of Carmel. He later built the Pine Inn and the prestigious Highlands Inn. In 1969, Jack's parents purchased a 700-acre cattle ranch in rustic Carmel Va lley. While still maintaining a working cattle ranch, the Galantes, in 1983, began growing premium grapes on their property, specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1994, Jack Galante decided to build a winery and use some of his grapes to produce ultra-premium estate bottled wines. Today Galante is recognized as one of the premier Cabernet Sauvignon producers in Monterey County and all of California. www.galantevineyards.com

90
points

WINE ENTHUSIAST

"A very nice cab that is Bordeaux-like in its dryness, modest alcohol and tannic earthiness that grounds the blackberry and cherry fruit..."

Galante 2007 Red Rose Hills Cabernet Sauvignon:

November/ December 2010

Tis the Season to Break Out the Bubbly

Wine Warehouses World of Sparkling Wines include:
Champagne Louis Roederer NV Brut Premier 91 pts WS 11/09 (SRP $48.99)

Champagne Champagne Louis Roederer, Reims Champagne Deutz, Ay Gardet, Chigney les Roses Heidsieck Monopole, Eperney Roger Poullon, Mareuil-Sur-Ay Vranken Diamant, Eperney California Ariel Brut, (non-alcoholic) Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley Scharffenberger, Mendocino County KARMA California Brut McIntyre LHomme Qui, Monterey, Co. Thornton*, Temecula Shooting Star Black Bubbles*, Lake County Barefoot Bubbly* Wm. Wycliff*

French Sparkling Grandin Bailly-Lapierre, Cremant de Bourgogne Pol Clement Chamdeville Jean Philippe, Blanquette de Limoux Varichon & Clerc Italian Sparkling Bellavista, Lombardy Martelletti Asti & Brachetto, Piedmonte Bortolomiol Prosecco, Veneto Canella Prosecco & Cocktails, Veneto La Marca Prosecco, Veneto Spanish Sparkling Mont-Marcal, Cava Vega Barcelona, Cava Huguet, Cava

Mont-Marcal 2008 Brut Rosado Cava 88 Points WA 4/10 (SRP $16.99)

Heidsieck Monopole NV Blue Top 91 pts WS 10/07 (SRP $38.99)

La Marca Prosecco di Conegliano NV Light, refreshing & crisp (SRP $14.99)

Roederer Estate Brut NV 91 pts WS 11/09 (SRP $21.99)

*may not be available in all areas or available on-sale only

Scharffenberger Cellars NV Brut 91 pts WE 7/09 (SRP $18.99)

Grandin NV Brut Methode Traditionnelle (SRP $14.99)

Pol Clement NV Rose Sec Great French Value (SRP $9.99)

Ariel Brut Cuvee NV Premium non-alcoholic (SRP $7.99)

Canella Prosecco Brut NV 87 Points Best Buy W&S 8/09 (SRP $12.99)

KARMA Brut
Introducing KARMA California Brut. Each single serve 187ml uteshaped bottle contains a delightful clean, crisp, and moderately dry sparkling wine. Hollywood celebrities are all over it (see website), however the price (SRP $4.99/ bottle, $19.99/ 4-pack) makes it accessible to anyone.

Raymond Vineyards
Stephanie Putnam was recently named Director of Winemaking at Raymond Vineyards (part of the Boisset Family Estates) joining Kathy George (Raymonds assistant winemaker since 1990), and famed Consulting Winemaker Philippe Melka. I have always considered Raymond Vineyards a benchmark for high quality Napa Valley wines with elegance and nesse. says Putnam. Our strength lies in our terroir and our people. I look forward to staying true to Raymond Vineyards wine style while making immense contributions to its future evolution. Putnam had spent the previous eight years with Far Niente as winemaker and prior to that part of the Hess Collection winemaking team. She is a native Californian and a graduate of UC Davis.

www.KARMAbeverages.com

Raymond's elegant R Collection re-launch: These great valued ($14.99 SRP) wines include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Field Blend, from one of Napa Valleys top wineries. www.boissetfamilyestates.com

November/ December 2010

Brinley Gold Rums

The Brinley family has taken the island air of St. Kitts in the Caribbean into a unique line of avored rums. You will not nd a white or aged rum coming from Brinley, instead they blend only the nest ingredients into their 72 proof (36% Alc by Vol) Caribbean Rum - natural Madagascar Vanilla, Brazilian Mango & Coffee, Tahitian Lime, and natural Coconut from the Tropics. Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum is the rst spiced rum that uses a premium 4-year aged rum infused with natural orange, vanilla, nutmeg, clove and exotic spices. All Brinley avors make for a very appealing, easy sipping rum ~ a rum that can be enjoyed by anybody (not just a rum drinker). It is great on the rocks, as an after-dinner drink, with your favorite mixer, and is the perfect rum to mix into a premium tropical cocktail. Take our word for it: Brinley Gold Rum is the best tasting avored rum in the world. www.brinleygoldrum.com

Iacopo Lenci craft brews Bruton in Tuscany. This boutique brewery produces only 70,000 bottles annually of Belgian-inspired, top-fermented, unpasteurized, unlBrewmaster: tered, and natural Iacopo Lenci yeast brews. Bruton selections include: Bruton di Bruton (Blonde with spices), Bianca (White Beer), Lilith (Amber Bitter), Stone R (Strong Blonde) and 10 Dieci (Barleywine). www.bruton.it

KAH Tequila was designed to pay reverence and honor to Mexico and its people. Its bottle and spirit are reective of Day of the Dead, the 3,000 year-old Meso-American ritual honoring deceased loved ones. Every bottle is an individual, hand-crafted work of art. While the bottle captured that enduring spirit, so does the tequila inside, as KAHs distillers transform hand-selected 100% Blue Agave into lively Blanco, Reposado and Anejo varieties that are both certied organic and Kosher. www.kahtequila.com

Cocktail Corner
Classic Cocktail - Sidecar
This classic is said to be invented during WWI in Paris where an American Army captain often traveled around in a motorcycle sidecar. One day, when he was under the weather, he requested a libation that would help him to feel better. The bartender, trying to nd something suitable to pair with the "medicinal" brandy, added an orange liqueur and lemon juice as a source of Vitamin C. The drink was named "Sidecar" as a tribute to its original patron, and the rest is history. 1 oz. Torres 10 Imperial Brandy 1 oz. Torres Orange Liqueur oz. FRESH squeezed lemon juice Combine ingredients in a shaker half full of ice. Shake until very cold, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass pre-rimmed with sugar. Garnish with a twist of lemon or orange.

Larry James (WWs foremost authority on everything brewed) was ceremoniously knighted by the medieval Belgian Brewers Guild in Brussels. Larry joins WWs Senior VP/Specialty Division, Ed Rose as Knights of Honor by the Chevalier du Fourquet des Brasseurs.

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November/ December 2010

Interesting Farming Practice Notes from Bruce Neyers

I am frequently asked about the difference between the organic practices and sustainable farming practices we employ at Neyers Vineyards. Each has a different objective. Organically grown grapes are, just as youd suspect, Bruce Neyers farmed without the use of any chemically developed pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers or genetically modied soil amendments. Sustainable farming, on the other hand, is intended to provide long term viability to our vineyard by 1) replacing nutrients removed from the soil by the plants during the growing season 2) protecting the soil from erosion or excessive compaction, and 3) maximizing the long term health of the soil. Vines store much of their necessary growth nutrients in the stems of the leaves. Every year about this time as the growing season draws to a close, our organic farming consultant Bob Amigo Cantisano collects a selection of leaves, with their stems (known as petioles) intact, from different parts of the vineyard. These petioles are crushed, rinsed with a solvent and subjected to a sophisticated chemical analysis, which shows the nutri-

ent prole for the vines from which they were taken. Its called a petiole analysis, and the list of nutrients is reported with the approximate level of each. This nutrient report can then be compared with the previous years report, and a cover crop is designed to replace the nutrients that were depleted during the growing season. Here is an abbreviated version of Amigo Bobs Cover Crop report for CY 2010. I thought you might enjoy this insiders look at grape farming: Barbara & Bruce Your Cover Crop for Fall 2010 should contain seeds in the following mixtures: 15% Purple Vetch Makes most of its growth in the spring. It adds nitrogen, and increases the availability to the vine of phosphorus, sulfur, calcium and zinc. When mowed and worked into the soil, it develops organic matter, and attracts benecial insects to improve the natural control of grape pests such as leafhopper, mites and sharpshooters. 30% Lana wooly pod Vetch Makes most of its growth in the winter, so if we have a wet winter and dry spring (as is normal) the Lana wooly pod will perform the best. The nutrient contribution is similar, as is the effect on the

soil and insects. 40% Magness and BioMaster Peas These are used because they increase the nitrogen content through biological xation, and they increase phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, magnesium and iron. The cellular composition of peas is such that they decompose more slowly than the vetch, providing a longer supply of the nutrients to the plants than the vetch alone. 15% Cayuse Oats - These are chosen for their strong, brous root system for soil erosion protection. They also provide a "ladder" for the vetch and peas to climb, so they can get more sunlight, grow larger and x more nitrogen. Oats provide for the release of nutrients for the entire season, which improves water holding capacity and nutrient availability. Oats increase the levels of calcium, potassium, zinc, boron, magnesium and manganese available to the plant. Oats also have pollen in them when they ower, which attracts and feeds benecial mite predators, reducing any issues associated with mite pests.

Ampelos - Green Update

We are thrilled to announce that Ampelos is one of the rst vineyards in the US to receive all three 'green' certications! Ampelos vineyard is now sustainable, organic, and biodynamic certied. In addition to the great impact this has on helping to conserve natural resources and decrease carbon foot printing Peter and Rebecca Work believe this IS where great wines start...the vineyard!

Dont Miss Out on Moscato Mania

The varietal Moscato is becoming extraordinarily popular. Moscato DAsti is a wonderfully delicate, lightly sweet, gorgeously fruity, and lower alcohol frizzante. Did you know in Piedmont its traditional to drink a glass on Christmas? Check Marcarini out WWs best selling selections: Moscato DAsti
2009 SRP $15.99

Pio Cesare Moscato DAsti 2009 SRP $22.99

Golan Moscato 2010, Israel Release midNovember SRP $13.99

Oddero Moscato DAsti Cascina Fiori 2009 SRP $16.99 (750ml) also available in 375ml

Peter G. Michel