December 2008
Tres Bon Club $64.00 Tax and shipping not included.
Our Tres Bon Wine Club brings you 3 outstanding, premium wines from around the world. And the wines are exclusive to you, our valued Club member. Each month we send you an international selection of hard to find wines we feel are of exceptional quality and value. And, during the period of your monthly selection, you can purchase your favorites at the discounted Club member price, while supplies last. We look forward to sharing these wonderful, delicious and fun wines with you.
Wine club wines are available only for club members. They are not available in our regular inventory.
Truchard Cabernet Franc Carneros, California 2002 The Truchard Family planted their Carneros vineyards in 1974. As pioneers in the burgeoning Napa wine industry they focused on grape quality and sold off their fruit to other wineries until 1989, when they began making their own small-batch wines using only estate fruit. They consider themselves “a big vineyard and a small winery.” Although they currently grow over 10 grape varieties, they remain small and vineyard focused since most of their grapes are still sold off to other wineries. Less than 500 cases of this wine were produced. Cabernet Franc is not the most typical California varietal but is one of the principle grapes of Bordeaux. Steep vineyard slopes and an especially warm 2002 vintage, combined with 20 months in 40% new French oak barrels, produced a more fruit forward and rounded Cab Franc than is typical of Bordeaux - a wine that speaks of its Carneros origins. Flavors of raspberry jam, blueberries, green herbs, and cedar combine in this medium-bodied wine. The tannins are soft after years of bottle ageing, and it is drinking great now, although you could hold on to it another year or two.
list price$33.00 | arlequin regular price$25.00 | club member re-order price$22.00
Graff Pinot Blanc Chalone AVA, Monterey, California 2007 The Graff Family has a long winemaking history in the unique Chalone region of Monterey. Richard Graff purchased the Chalone Vineyard in 1964 and began using Burgundian winemaking techniques that were still novel in California at the time, including malolactic fermentation and French barrel aging on his white wines. The Pinot Blanc grapes for this wine come from the Graff and Antle vineyards in Chalone. The Chalone limestone soil produces grapes with high acidity and retains heat, which is important because the temperatures change dramatically in Chalone between day and night. California Pinot Blanc can sometimes be unfortunately flabby, but this one retains its vibrancy and balance. It is fermented and aged 10 months in a combination of new and old French oak barrels, contributing a creamy mouthfeel and notes of baking spice to the finished wine. This fairly full-bodied wine shows flavors of melon, peach, hazelnut, and chalky minerals. Braise some pork with persimmon in the fall or grill with peaches in the summer. Drink within the next year. list price$23.00 | arlequin regular price$21.00 | club member re-order price $19.00
Broc Cellars ‘Vine Starr’ Blend, California 2007 San Francisco winemaker Chris Brockway is the (nearly) one-man winery Broc Cellars, doing everything from overseeing conditions in the vineyards where he sources fruit to taking his grapes through the winemaking process. This is the second vintage of “Vine Starr,” named after his great-great-great-great-great-great grand uncle. The blend is mostly Zinfandel with Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Graciano rounding it out. The Zinfandel comes from the Arrowhead Mountain Vineyard, a steep Sonoma hillside with a 60-degree slope and volcanic soil, and the rest is a combination of other Sonoma and Paso Robles fruit. After ageing for 10 months on 30% new French oak, the wine is full of rich, spicy fruits like blackberry, boysenberry and plum, and has a velvety texture. It is enjoyable on its own or open it up at your next barbecue. Drink now to 2010.
list price$27.00 | arlequin regular price$25.00 | club member re-order price $22.50
