Spain is a large country geographically and has more acreage under grape cultivation than any other country in the world. Overall, Spain is the third largest in terms of world-wide wine production and grapes are grown throughout every region of the country. Since the 1950′s, Spain’s winemakers have worked steadily to improve quality and with their entry into the European Union, new legal standards for wine were put in place. Today, a new generation of winemakers have quietly begun crafting spectacular wines and experimenting with varietals that would have been unthinkable only a short time ago. Wine remains an important commodity and an integral part of Spanish culture.
Gold Medal Wine Club is pleased to present wines from three up-and-coming growing regions of the country as part of the International Series Wine Club.
The Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel is one of the new boutique-style wineries in the region of Ribera del Duero DO. The winery’s first release came in 2003 and has catapulted the winery into international prominence with exceptional scores and awards. Resalte de Peñafiel’s 2004 Crianza is 100% Tempranillo grape and was awarded 3 Gold Medals, 2 Silver Medals, and 89 Points at various international competitions.
Bodega Pardo Tolosa’s emphasis is on its old vines (some are 60-80 years old) and the incredible quality juice the grapes produce. Guided by noted Spanish winemaker Luis Jimenez, Bodega Pardo Tolosa has already made a mark on the international scene with excellent scores and top awards. The 2007 Senda de las Rochas is 100% Tempranillo and is designated as a ‘very high quality’ wine.
Bodega Alvarez y Diez is an old timer having been built in 1941. The winery is mostly planted to the venerable Verdejo grape that traces its ancestry back to the 11th Century and the reign of King Alfonso VI. A 1997 renovation installed new equipment and modern techniques and allowed Bodega Alvarez y Diez a new lease on life. The 2005 Mantel Blanco is entirely comprised of the Verdejo grape.This This delicious interpretation of the grape comes from old-vines and takes on a full-bodied, round mouth feel from the French and American oak barrel fermenting.
We hope you will enjoy these three excellent selections. Please let us know what you think.
One of Gold Medal Wine Club’s Platinum selections for this month is the 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Amicus Cellars.
This wine was selected for the “50 Great Wines of 2008” by award-winning wine blogger Frederic Koeppel. Mr. Koeppel has been writing about wine since 1984- way before the internet or email. He now publishes at www.biggerthanyourhead.com. He is among the most respected wine and food critics in the world.
Amicus/X Winery was started just six years ago by owner/winemaker Reed Renaudin, 34. He began drinking wine at age 12 during family gatherings and became hooked on wine as a business while at UC Davis. Over subsequent years, he worked at several brand-name wineries, and eventually earned an MBA and an MS in enology. His academic work involved a business plan for a start-up winery that subsequently became the framework for Amicus Cellars/X Winery. Amicus Cellars was designed to be the winery’s reserve designator for its upper class wines. Renaudin offers these limited production wines on a first-come, first-serve basis. Following a procession of 90+ scores and rave reviews, the Amicus 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is celebrated as one of their most promising and highly rated vintages to date. Gold Medal Wine Club is pleased to have secured this exceptional wine to offer to its Platinum members.
In addition to the accolades from Mr. Koeppel, the Amicus 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded 91 Points by Robert Parker: “Another superb value is the 2005 Amicus Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain…”
We hope you enjoy this exceptional selection. Please tell us what you thought about the wine.
Mission Trails Vineyards was started by husband and wife team Ken and Robyn Rauh, both long time veterans of California’s wine industry. Having done practically every concievable job related to wine making throughout their lives, they decided to take the best of what they had learned and apply it to their own venture in Monterey county. Monterey has a rich history in winemaking dating back to the Franciscan friars. For the Rauh’s, the eventual plan is to have a whole line of wines from throughout California that depict the various Spanish Missions on the label where the grapes are sourced. “What I can tell you is that my wines represent a compilation of everyone else’s winemaking techniques, or at least the best ones that have made the greatest impression on me.” says Ken Rauh, winemaker.
Monterey grows over 40 different varietals of wine grapes and a large portion of these varietals are blended or sent elsewhere for processing. Rarely are wines produced and available on their own as a stand-alone varietal, and for years, only vintners had the pleasure to sample these fine Monterey varietal wines in an individual form. Each variety grown in Monterey County has something special to express with its color, aroma and flavor, and it is in the spirit of exploration and promotion of the area’s quality that proprietors Ken and Robyn Rauh created Mission Trail Vineyards.
This month, the Gold Series features the Mission Trail Vineyards’ 2007 Sauvignon Blanc and Mission Trail Vineyards’ 2006 Syrah. For the Sauvignon Blanc, the grapes were hand selected according to flavor. Awarded a Silver Medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute’s World Wine Championships and a Silver Medal from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, this wine is a pleasing and refreshing summer wine with a true sense of origin.
The Syrah grapes matured on the vine for longer than usual, leading to darker fruit aromas and flavors, more depth overall and great length on the finish. The recipient of a Gold Medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute’s World Wine Championships and a Gold Medal from the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, this Syrah is an excellent portrayal of the big and robust Syrahs from Bianco Bench Vineyard of Monterey.
Enjoy these excellent selections and please tell us what you think. Comment here or rate the wine on our Judge the Wines page.
4 Stars – Restaurant Wine Online
Best Buy & 88 Points – SD Union Tribune
Elegant, well balanced, and juicy, the Vina Robles 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon was produced from Paso Robles Huerhuero Vineyard on the east side of the expansive Central Coast appellation. Awarded 4 Stars by Restaurant Wine Online and named a Best Buy with 88 Points by Robert Whitely of Wine Talk at San Diego Union Tribune, this Cabernet Sauvignon is very characteristic of Paso Robles, showing lovely soft red fruit and an alluring floral characteristic with impressive potential to age well. Vina Robles 2005 Cabernet is also Recommended with 3 Stars from Decanter magazine. Deep dark, bright garnet in color, this wine has an intense bouquet of dark sweet fruits with dominating senses of blackberry and blueberry, complimented by notes of tobacco and toasty oak. This is a supple, full-bodied, rich flavored Cabernet Sauvignon that has intense fruitiness of blueberry and dark fruits, light oakiness, bright tannins and excellent balance, with a medium finish.
There are only several days left to enjoy unprecedented discounts on award-winning wine. Our Summer Sale* winds down on Sunday. This sale offers Gold Series wines at $9.99 a bottle- savings of 30-70% off! Shipping is FREE on orders of three cases or more.
Order your favorites wines now. Not sure which one to get? Each wine in our store features a newsletter complete with tasting notes and/or a tasting video, accolades and winery information. If you don’t feel like researching, rest assured that all the wines in the Gold Medal Wine Club wine store are award-winners, practically guaranteeing a great wine every time.
*Shipping not included in above prices. Free shipping offer applies to 48 Continental United States.
Shipping cost based on Standard Ground Rates. Half Price and free shipping applies to Sale Wines only.
Offer valid until July 15th, 2009.
Please tell us what you think of the wines you purchase. We would love to hear from you. Co mment here or go to Judge the Wines.
Anglim Winery on California’s Central Coast is a micro-winery run by husband and wife team Steve and Steffanie Anglim. Although Steve’s passion for wine began in the early 1970′s, he became an earnest enthusiast after being given a home winemaker’s kit for father’s day from his daughter. What started as a hobby, developed into a passion fueled by winemaking classes at UC Davis and then to a commercial venture on newly purchased land in Paso Robles. Steffanie, who holds a Masters in marketing, takes care of the operations.
Anglim (the name is Irish) Winery’s first commercial crush occurred in 2002, a total of 800 cases of Syrah. Anglim’s early efforts were all Rhône-oriented but have recently expanded to include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and other varietals. Production now stands at around 3,500 and will eventually expand to the 5,000 case level.
Numerous awards and reviews later, Anglim Winery is secure in the ranks of ultra premiere boutique wineries. “We are very determined people,” says Steffanie. “In the beginning, Steve had his cell phone number on the corks so people could reach him with comments. That speaks of his willingness to listen and improve our quality. We are both committed to doing our very best.”
Our Platinum selection this month is the Anglim Winery 2003 ‘Best Barrel Blend’ Reserve Syrah. The wine was awarded 90 Points by International Wine Review, Critics Platinum by the Critics Challenge, and a Double Gold Medal at the West Coast Wine Competition. Medium to full bodied with aromas and flavors of jammy, cherry, blackberry, currant and fig, this Syrah’s ripe fruit and silky texture create a balanced style with enough character to be cellared but enough elegance to be enjoyed now.
We hope you enjoy this month’s Platinum selection. As always, this wine is available for purchase in our wine store to our wine club members and non-members alike. Members enjoy special discounts. If you are not currently a wine club member, consider joining. You will receive regular shipments of award-winning wines and the ability to re-order these fine wines from our online wine store. For us, it’s all about quality. Gold Medal Wine Club has been selecting only the finest highly-rated, boutique wines since 1992.
As America's leading wine club, we deliver to you two outstanding wines each month from California's family-owned ultra-premium vineyards. The wines featured in our wine of the month clubs have earned awards at major wine competitions or have been highly rated by a national wine publications.
Spain is a large country geographically and has more acreage under grape cultivation than any other country in the world. Overall, Spain is the third largest in terms of world-wide wine production and grapes are grown throughout every region of the country. Since the 1950′s, Spain’s winemakers have worked steadily to improve quality and with their entry into the European Union, new legal standards for wine were put in place. Today, a new generation of winemakers have quietly begun crafting spectacular wines and experimenting with varietals that would have been unthinkable only a short time ago. Wine remains an important commodity and an integral part of Spanish culture.
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