Artesa Cabernet and Clover Hill Riesling

Greetings from Vintage Connections! 
This week's wine tips.

Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 

This rich, deep red wine comes from two counties in California.  Sixty-three percent of the juices came from Napa County and thirty-seven percent came from Sonoma County.   It is not a pure 100% cabernet sauvignon, but is a blend of 85% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 4.5 % cabernet franc, 4.5% syrah, and 1% malbec.  You really could call a Bordeaux style blend, but because it is 85% cabernet sauvignon, Artesa is able to call it Cabernet Sauvignon.  

The grapes were hand-picked and only free run juices were used.  It was immediately put into 30% new and 70% used French oak barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation and aged for 25 months.

The aroma is full of dark red fruits with flavors of spice, leather, cassis and cherries.  Tannins are still noticeably present, but not overpowering.  The finish is long and satisfying.  Alcohol is 14.2% by volume.  PLCB product code is 15925 and is currently a Chairman’s Select.  It sells for $12.99 a bottle and is available at many PA Wine and Spirit stores.


Clover Hill Vineyards Riesling

This semi-sweet Riesling from Clover Hill Vineyards in Breinigsville, PA has a unique aroma and flavor not usually associated with most other Rieslings.

It is very light yellow in color with floral and mineral aromas.  The flavor was definitely floral, but not what you would expect.  The flavor had some fruit flavors like peaches and apricots.
It has 3% residual sugar, but is not syrupy.  It would be good with spicy Thai or Indian food.   It   is available at the winery and numerous tasting rooms around the area.  It sells for $10.99 a bottle.
Clover Hill Vineyards has a lovely California style tasting room.  The tasting room staff is very knowledgeable about their wines.  You can find other tasting rooms at the King of Prussia and Lehigh Valley malls, Allentown and Boscov’s Fairgrounds Farmers Markets, and their lovely country tasting room in Robesonia.

Up-coming Events

If you know of an up-coming local wine event, let us know and we will add it to our calendar.

Blues in the Barn at Pinnacle Ridge
June 19 and 20

Summer Solstice Festival at Manatawny Creek Winery  
June 19

The Great PA Wine Toast
Saturday, August 14

Bottle Shock Revisited!

Saturday September 18, 6:30 - 9:30 PM 
Seen the movie? Read the book?  
Now try it yourself!

Blind tasting of USA vs. French wines. Appetizers included.
Benefits the American Wine Society Educational Foundation

$49 per person, $90 per couple, $350 per group of eight.

Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
See more about the Perkiomen Chapter of AWS.


Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner

Saturday, October 23

Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  

Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8.  

For more information about Mom's House, click HERE

This Week's Fun Fact!
 

The largest cork tree in the world (on record) is in Portugal.  It averages over 1 ton of raw cork per harvest, enough to cork 100,000 bottles of wine. (From the Amazing Book of Useless Information).

There will be a quiz someday.