A GIFT FOR YOURSELF, A SPECIAL
SOMEONE, OR BOTH....
Each month, these selections are sure to bring a smile to both the
aficionado and novice.
Why? Because nobody is more qualified than the Wise Buyers at Hi-Time Wine
Cellars who have been scouring the globe to seek out wine treasures for more
than
50 years.
No
long-term commitment: Simply choose the program and let us know
when you want to stop and we'll take care of the rest. We'll send an
announcement to the gift recipient along with background information and
tantalizing tasting notes on each wine. If
you do not want to sign up simply visit the website each month and purchase the
selections that sound interesting.
Gold Selection
Plan 1
$24.95
or
2 Bottles of red wine
(tax & shipping not included)
The Gold Selection Plan 1 is for red
wine lovers: two tasty selections
from California or Around the World.
August
Taster's Advantage Gold Selection 1
Esca 2005 Zinfandel, Sonoma County This Zin is
made by the husband and wife team of Mario and
Anna Monticelli. “Esca," Italian for allurement,
is an expression of winemaking and living that
they embrace. Mario has worked with Antinori and
Philippe Melka, while Anna honed in on her
skills at Cheval Blanc, Seavey, and Bryant
Family. This is pure (100%) Zinfandel from a
high-quality, yet not widely known vineyard in
the Dry Creek area of Sonoma County. Aged for 18
months in a combination of new and used American
and French oak, this crimson/purple-colored wine
has enticing aromas of wild berry, violets,
spice box and cedar. It is as intense and
alluring as the wine is bright, yet shows rich
raspberry, cherry, and blackberry notes, along
with good acidity. The mouthfeel is very ripe
and juicy, and retains soft and integrated
tannins, while vanillin notes linger on the
finish. Style #274166.
Joan d’Anguera 2009 Garnatxa, Montsant, Spain The red wines most of us enjoy in the summertime
are generally not heavy, have good fruit and can
be drunk alone or with a myriad of foods. This
little Garnatxa (Grenache) has a lot going on
that really entices the palate. There is a
great abundance of sweet, ripe red fruits
(blackberries, mixed red berries, ripe plum)
that intermingle with a charming spicy (garrigue
or Provencal herbs) character. The palate
showcases more of the red fruit scents evident
in the nose but also adds a brilliant watermelon
streak and even a hint of sarsaparilla in the
mid-palate that bring back childhood summertime
memories.
Brothers Joan (zho-ahn) and Josep d’Anguera run
this family estate which dates back 200 years.
Montsant (surrounded by Tarragona) is southwest
of Barcelona. The vineyards lie at an altitude
of 200 to 300 meters on clay and calcareous
soils. The winery specializes in Grenache,
Carignan and Syrah. Their late father, Josep,
was the first to plant Syrah in this area back
in 1977. The brothers are switching to
biodynamic farming and expect to be certified by
2011. Style #380831.
Gold Selection
Plan 2
$24.95
or
1
Bottle of red wine and 1 bottle of
white
wine
(tax & shipping not included)
The Gold Selection Plan 2 is for
those who like it red.... and
white! A solid two-pack selection.
August
Taster's Advantage Gold Selection 2
Aaron 2009 Rose “Swell”, Paso Robles Aaron
Jackson specializes in Petite Sirah (aka Durif).
He also surfs so has named one line of his wines
Swell for the Central Coast waves he loves to
catch when he can get away from the winery.
Aaron grew to love dry Rosé when he lived in
Australia where he and his friends would guzzle
bottle after bottle of dry Rosé to beat the heat
at barbecues. The 2009 vintage inspired him
enough to go ahead and produce a Rosé. He used
juice from two lots of Petite Sirah, one from an
Eastside vineyard and one from a Westside
vineyard.
Because of the monster color of Petite Sirah,
only 30-60 minutes of skin contact were
necessary to attain the vibrant pink color. His
goal was a Rosé in a crisp white wine style with
good fruit balanced with acidity. We adore the
aromatics of strawberry, watermelon, and
rhubarb, aided by the long, cold fermentation.
The bright, fruit-driven palate has plenty of
acidity and just a touch creaminess to add
complexity. Finishing fresh and clean, this wine
leaves your mouth watering and asking for more.
Drink it with fruit, oysters, or ice cubes; just
make sure you finish the whole bottle and enjoy
the sun! Style #201510.
Joan d’Anguera 2009 Garnatxa, Montsant, Spain The red wines most of us enjoy in the summertime
are generally not heavy, have good fruit and can
be drunk alone or with a myriad of foods. This
little Garnatxa (Grenache) has a lot going on
that really entices the palate. There is a
great abundance of sweet, ripe red fruits
(blackberries, mixed red berries, ripe plum)
that intermingle with a charming spicy (garrigue
or Provencal herbs) character. The palate
showcases more of the red fruit scents evident
in the nose but also adds a brilliant watermelon
streak and even a hint of sarsaparilla in the
mid-palate that bring back childhood summertime
memories.
Brothers Joan (zho-ahn) and Josep d’Anguera run
this family estate which dates back 200 years.
Montsant (surrounded by Tarragona) is southwest
of Barcelona. The vineyards lie at an altitude
of 200 to 300 meters on clay and calcareous
soils. The winery specializes in Grenache,
Carignan and Syrah. Their late father, Josep,
was the first to plant Syrah in this area back
in 1977. The brothers are switching to
biodynamic farming and expect to be certified by
2011. Style #380831.
Platinum
Selection Plan 1
$49.95
or
2
Bottles of red wine
(tax & shipping not included)
The Platinum Selection 1 features two bold reds which will
surely satisfy any wine lover. We include top wines from prestigious wine growing
regions.
August Taster's
Advantage Platinum Selection 1
Chateau du Donjon 2009 Rosé, Minervois,
France French rosé seems to quench our thirst on
a hot summer day even more than a white wine.
Made by separating the skins of the red grapes
from the juice after the desired color is
obtained and then fermenting the juice as you
would a white wine, these bone-dry yet flavorful
wines are popular on the Côte d’Azur in August.
We like them all year long, not just in summer.
The Chateau du Donjon is located
in the Minervois appellation in the Languedoc-Roussillon
wine region located just north-east of
Carcassonne. The Chateau was once the property
of the monks of the Abbey of Caunes but has been
owned by the Panis family since the 15th
century. (The word Donjon refers to a keep or
fortified tower, not a dungeon.) Their
delightful 2009 Rosé is composed of 40% Syrah,
40% Cinsault and 20% Grenache. It offers fresh
aromas of strawberry and cherry, with a touch of
citrus. It has a silky texture, and ends with a
long, piquant, dry finish. Excellent with
salads or omelettes, it can also accompany
salmon, chicken, sausage or ham. Serve
chilled. Style #311289.
Terra Andina 2007 Suyai Red,
Colchagua Valley, Chile Suyai means hope in the language
of Chile’s indigenous Mapuche tribe. A Meritage-style
blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet
Franc, 13% Carignan and 7% Carmenere, this wine
is Terra Andina’s salute to the very best of the
vintage. The Wine Advocate gave this
wine a 93 point score: "The winery’s
flagship is the 2007 Suyai, a true beast of a
wine. Saturated purple/black in color, it has a
nose of brooding black fruits, tar, and
licorice. Powerful, dense, and full-flavored,
the wine is surprisingly well-balanced and very
long in the finish. Delicate palates should
avoid this wine but if you want to grow some
hair on your chest, this might well be the wine
for you." The review was written in April 2009;
the wine has smoothed out in the bottle and is
showing well now. Give this some air and serve
with rack of lamb or filet mignon. Style
#380870.
Platinum Selection Plan 2
$49.95
or
1
Bottle of red wine and 1 bottle of
white wine
(tax & shipping not included)
The Platinum Selection 2 is a
special gift for the discriminating connoisseur. We showcase two outstanding bottles, one white and one red
from world-class vintners.
August
Taster's Advantage Platinum Selection 2
Barrel 27 2006 Syrah “Right Hand Man”, Central
Coast Russell From (owner/winemaker for Herman
Story) and Mac Meyers (owner/winemaker for
McPrice Meyers) both contribute a little wine
from their own (more expensive) projects in
order to make the Barrel 27 Syrah. Opaque
purple in color, the wine has a knockout nose
redolent of flowers, blackberries, black
cherries and grilled meats. The flavors start
out with blueberries, blackberries and crème de
cassis, then turns toward dense, rich, complex
flavors of spice, vanilla, oak and supple
tannin. This is full-throttle Syrah; it will
gain complexity over the next 2-3 years, and
hold well after that. You can, however, enjoy
this red this summer, perhaps with barbecued
tri-tip or Italian sausages. Style #202230.
Terra Andina 2007 Suyai Red, Colchagua Valley,
Chile Suyai means hope in the language of Chile’s
indigenous Mapuche tribe. A Meritage-style blend
of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc,
13% Carignan and 7% Carmenere, this wine is
Terra Andina’s salute to the very best of the
vintage. The Wine Advocate gave this
wine a 93 point score: "The winery’s
flagship is the 2007 Suyai, a true beast of a
wine. Saturated purple/black in color, it has a
nose of brooding black fruits, tar, and
licorice. Powerful, dense, and full-flavored,
the wine is surprisingly well-balanced and very
long in the finish. Delicate palates should
avoid this wine but if you want to grow some
hair on your chest, this might well be the wine
for you." The review was written in April 2009;
the wine has smoothed out in the bottle and is
showing well now. Give this some air and serve
with rack of lamb or filet mignon. Style
#380870.
Champagne Selection
No More Than $44.95
or
1
Bottle of Champagne
(tax & shipping not included)
The Champagne Selection is a special
gift for the discriminating connoisseur.
We will showcase artisinal discoveries in French
Champagne.
August
Taster's Advantage Champagne
Selection
Jean Milan Brut
NV Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs "Carte
Blanche" This family owned Champagne
house is located in the village of
Oger in the Côte de Blancs, not far
from Épernay. Oger is one of the 17
Grand Cru areas of Champagne; if you
like Blancs de Blancs Champagne, this
is the village to look for. Oger sits
in a bowl between the little hills of
Mesnil and Cramant, and the Chardonnay
vines bask in the extra warmth.
Caroline and
Jean-Charles Milan are following in
the footsteps of their parents:
respecting traditional methods (such
as fermenting and aging their base
wine in used oak barrels) while being
open to new techniques. They make
wines of marvelous purity and focus
with minerality and lovely apple-like
fruit. The Carte Blanche is one of
our favorite multi-vintage Bruts from
the Côte des Blancs. It is half 2004
and half 2005. Importer Terry Theise
captures the spirit of this beauty
when he writes: "The wine is a classic
cool Milan; fine Oger-apple and
graphite and just a hint of the '04's
grassiness; silvery and impeccable
with a mineral finish." Fans of White
Burgundy will particularly enjoy this
100% Chardonnay-based Champagne.
Style #325452.
