DESSERT WINES

Every so often, one of our wine distributors bring us a wine that throws us for aloop...this is one of those times! Mueller-Thurgau is a cross of two different varieties. This was done by Hermann Mueller from the town of Thurgau (yes, coming up witha name is that easy!). As of 2006, it is the second most widely planted grape in Germany, yet is also planted in Austria, Italy, U.S.A., and Australia, among others. It is hard to think a grape this obscure would actually light a fire under us, but this wine offers so much flavor, texture, and sheer pleasure, that every single person who tried it with the vendor was amazed!

Anne Amie offers two renditions of their Muller Thurgau dessert wines, one called "Anne" and the other called "Amie". The Anne bottling received a 7-month cool fermentaion, creating a Vin Glace dessert wine that highlights notes of honeysuckle, apricot and pineapple. This would pair exceptionally well with freshly sliced pears and pineapple upside down cake.

Every so often, one of our wine distributors bring us a wine that throws us for aloop...this is one of those times! Mueller-Thurgau is a cross of two different varieties. This was done by Hermann Mueller from the town of Thurgau (yes, coming up witha name is that easy!). As of 2006, it is the second most widely planted grape in Germany, yet is also planted in Austria, Italy, U.S.A., and Australia, among others. It is hard to think a grape this obscure would actually light a fire under us, but this wine offers so much flavor, texture, and sheer pleasure, that every single person who tried it with the vendor was amazed!

Anne Amie offers two renditions of their Muller Thurgau dessert wines, one called "Anne" and the other called "Amie". The Amie bottling was maderized and fortified to produce a Vin Doux Naturel styled dessert wine showing caramelized and nutty flavors that pair exceptionally with strong cheeses and candied almonds. We think this could be the perfect match with an apple pie!

Aromas of apricot, poached pear and orange rind dominate the more subtle clove and mineral notes. The flavors mimic the aromas on the nose, melding with a mouthwatering texture and added notes of juicy orange and citrus blossom. This wine shows the restraint of youthfulness with the expectation that its bottle bouquet will emerge with a few more years of bottle age.

Ficklin Vineyards is the first Port wine made in the United States entirely from four Portuguese grape varieties. These celebrated Port Grapes have been selected to produce our Ficklin Old Vine Tinta Port: Tinta Madeira for its fruity, almost spicy quality; Tinta Cao for its soft delicate flavor; the aromatic Souzao for its beautiful color; and the Touriga for its rich, full flavor. The grapes reach their perfection in th family vineyards under the favorable climatic conditions of southern Madera County. From grapes off the half-century old vines, the making of wines in small lots, the aging for several years in small oak casks, and the final aging in bottles, each bottle demonstrates the wonderful care and quality we strive for.

Close your eyes...imagine the flavor of a chocolate kiss melting with your tongue on a summer afternoon. Now open your eyes and find yourself a glass to pour this "manifestation in liquid form" of America's favorite fetish... Chocolate! Combined with the velvety rich character of our fine Cucamonga port, this release has no rivals but the fight with your guests as to who will get the last glass. The sweet creamy feel on your tongue and the aroma of chocolate make you taste what you smell. What translates as "Sweet Heaven", Fondante Ciello truly is. The original chocolate-essenced port wine which is great over fresh berries or vanilla bean ice cream. WOW! Multi-gold medals. 18.3% alc by vol. Limited production (500mls).

Typically a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer, Grgich's classically-produced late harvest wine is the result of Botrytis cinerea, a beneficial mold that evaporates moisture while concentrating the flavor in the berry but yielding very little juice when we press the grapes. Grgich fermented the thick, rich juice and then aged the wine in French oak to develop its subtle flavors and textures. Rich aromas of warm pineapple, baked pear and cinnamon lead to a long, vibrant finish of honeysuckle and lily. Violetta is spectacular when paired with desserts that echo these flavors, such as fruit tarts, creme brrlee and rich cheeses, or serve it all by itself to end a special meal.

The red berry characteristics of the vinifera grape Cabernet Franc translate as an Icewine into strawberry like aromas and flavours. This Icewine is completely different from the white Icewines. The colour comes from pressing only as there is no skin contact during fermentation. The earlier it is harvested, the darker the colour and the deeper the flavours.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 94 POINTS - "Intensely aromatic, this wine brings concentrated flavors of peach syrup, apricot jam and candied pineapple. Lush and tongue-coating, the sweetness (250 g/L residual sugar) is adequately offset with acidity, and as it rolls down the throat brings added layers of maple syrup, butterscotch and butter brickle. Editors' Choice

Vidal is a hybrid (Ugni Blanc and Seibel) that has a thick skin suitable for harvesting late in the season. It is the grape grown most for Icewine in Ontario. It's good natural acidity gives great structure to the lusciousness of its tropical aromas and flavors of mango and lychee.

Icewine is winter's gift to the wine lover and one of the best-kept secrets of the wine world. Grapes used to make Icewine are left on the vine well into December and January. The ripe berries are dehydrated through constant freezing and thawing which concentrates the sugars and acids, thereby intensifying the flavours. The grapes are painstakingly picked by hand in their natural frozen state with yields often as little as 5% to 10% of normal. Genuine icewine must follow VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) regulations that prohibit any artificial freezing of grapes. Much of the water in the juice remains frozen as ice crystals during the pressing, and only a few drops of sweet concentrated juice are salvaged. Sublime aromatics of fresh lime, apricot, grapefruit and peach blossoms with a slight mineral edge. A racy interplay of sweet and tart offer up echoing flavors of lemon, lime and candied apricot. Icewine is intensely sweet and flavorful in the initial mouth sensation. The balance is achieved by the acidity, which gives a clean, dry finish. Truly a vibrant and refreshing experience!

JEB DUNNUCK 99 POINTS - "Tokaji-like with its opulent apricot, honeycomb, fig, and toffee aromas and flavors, the NV La Miel 3 is a stunning dessert wine that shows an incredible sense of richness and sweetness yet stays light on its feet and flawlessly balanced. Based on Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, brought up in plenty of new oak, there's unfortunately not much of it to go around, but it ranks with some of the greatest dessert wines out there. Bravo!"

Since 2011, all of Kendall-Jackson's vineyards have been third-party certified as sustainable by CCSW (Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing) and SIP (Sustainability in Practice). Floral notes of orange blossom with aromas of orange, cinnamon and nutmeg tease your senses and this unctuous rich liquid gold coats your palate and tongue. Excellent balance of residual sugar and acid coupled with nuances of botrytis (noble rot) make this a wine to savor and remember. 10.0% alcohol, 8.5g/L of acidity, and 138g/L residual sugar.

Ripe berries, rich caramel and toffee aromas lead to a flavorful dessert wine with warm spice, raspberry and cream soda highlights. A very complex and rich dessert wine. Cellar note: Although ready to drink now, this port will benefit from aging for the next 10 years.

Golden-orange tawny color, with a fully developed bouquet of soft oak, orange-rind and anise. This tasty Port offers hints of light caramel, plum, and rich creamy texture with candied orange peel and walnut. This release is ready to drink now A great Cigar Port. This was bottled in 2012.

Produced fom Petite Sirah, Tinata Roriz, Tinta Cao, and Touriga. The depth and structure of the Petite Sirah compliments the soft fruit notes of the Portuguese varieties, resulting in a soft yet age-worthy Port with many layers of flavors.

Winery's Tasting Notes: This rose-like aroma led us to name the wine Elysium, Greek for heaven. Drinking this, you can almost feel you have fallen into a rose garden and been transported to heaven. Made in the same manner as Essensia, it is used, like Essensia to either accompany or replace dessert. One favorite is to pour the wine onto vanilla ice cream. Serve Elysium Sundae with a glass of Elysium. Great with vanilla, dark chocolate, blue cheeses, and candlelight.

Electra is a low alcohol (4.5%) delicately sweet wine - refreshingly crisp, and mysteriously aromatic. A picnic wine, it goes with salads, spicy foods, fruit, desserts, sunny afternoons, blue skies, and fresh air. To preserve the enchanting sweetness of ripe Orange Muscat, the grape juice was cold fermented and the fermentation arrested by chilling.

Bootlegger is an exceptional wine done in the traditional solera style used in the making of fine cream sherries. The solera system of fractional blending is used to maintain the consistency and style of the wine from year to year. For this reason, wines from the solera are non-vintage and each bottle has some wine in it from every year that the wine has been produced. Our version is layered with rich hints of peaches and pears combines with a hint of hazelnut.

An amazing late harvest Roussanne from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard. Clocking in at only 9.2% alcohol, only 4 barrels of this wine were produced. This wine displays notes of creme brulee, honeysuckle, bearclaw, mandarin orange, honeyed apricot, spiced apple cider, brown butter, and a refreshing rosewater finish.

This beautiful blue bottle contains incredible strawberry, mango, and peach flavors which makes it a great dessert wine.

Tobin James Cellars is, by far, the most popular winery in Paso Robles; and what’s not to love?!? The people are friendly (both staff and visitors), the wines are tasty and they don’t charge an arm and a leg! Late into the season, after the harvest is over, a few select rows of Zinfandel grapes are left on the vine. The luscious gems concentrate and intensify the flavors, creating a wine that is completely unique and one that winemakers Tobin and Lance love to make and drink... hence, Liquid Love!

It is a rich, decadently sweet red wine, with flavors of raspberry, cherry and strawberry, as well as aromas of lavender and vanilla. It is full-bodied, yet remarkably balanced and possesses that compatibility to match it with fresh fruit, chocolate and even on its own!Most people will tell you that you can't bottle love, but don't tell that to Tobin James, because he has already done it! Late into the season, long after the harvest is over, a few select rows of Zinfandel grapes still hang from the vine. These luscious gems concentrate and intensify their flavors, creating a wine that is completely unique! This is a sweet and decadent wine, with ripe jammy flavors or raspberry, cherry, cocoa, and a touch of bees' wax. This is a great match for dessert, to share with you your perfect match!

Pale Straw Gold Nose: Peach, Pear, Guava, and Orange rind Palate: Round, but not cloying, with hints of Juicy Fruit, yellow nectarine, and fresh flower petal.