July 2008

• New Release! New Awards!
• Vineyard News
• Club Casa Shipment Schedule
• Events & Happenings
• Upcoming Bottling – What’s in a bottle?
• Welcome AP!

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2006 Tinto St. Helena Napa Valley Estate - New Release

This, our newest release of Tinto St. Helena, is from our vineyard planted fifteen years ago in a style now almost extinct called field blending.  The practice was to plant a recipe of grapes all together in one block, to be harvested and aged together for the purpose of making a family’s dinner wine.  We have kept the tradition alive with this vineyard, which offers a wine that has a deep ruby color along with complex flavors reminiscent of dark cherries finishing with tropical spice.  Only 330 cases were made - $30 a bottle, so make an appointment to stop by to this taste it soon.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Estate  - Three New Medals!

Silver- San Francisco International Wine Competition 2008
Bronze- San Francisco Chronicle’s International Wine Competition 2008
Bronze- Orange County Fair Wine Competition 2008

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was grown on the western-facing hillside of our St. Helena Estate.  This small block yielded enough juice to fill six small French Oak barrels, in which we aged the wine for eighteen months. The result is beautiful:  A bright and silky wine with complex flavors of black cherry and vanilla with a creamy finish.  136 cases produced, $55 a bottle.

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Vineyard News  - Did you know we are 100% organic, in our vineyards?

Vineyard work is tough this time of year when the heat and sun can be relentless.  Currently our main activity is “suckering” where we are removing the growth at the base of the vine coming up from the rootstock.   As you can imagine, it is also hard on the back with all the stooping.   In more plentiful years (this is our third year of drought) we would also be “thinning.”  Which is, well… exactly what it sounds like!   It is a good farming technique to thin the vines minimizing excess leaves and fruit.  It also allows us to manipulate the clusters’ exposure to sunlight.

Later in the summer when the canes holding the leaves reach full development, we may hedge and thin leaves and fruit in order to further manipulate the canopy over the grapes.  This will set the stage for production of the healthiest, highest quality grapes!

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Upcoming Club Shipments: 

August 2008*  CLUB CASA:  Three bottles at 20% off

2007 Riesling, St. Helena Estate, $23
2006 Merlot, St. Helena Estate, $35, New release
2005 Meritage, St. Helena Estate, $45, Four-time medal winner

Three Pack Total: $82.40 reflects 20% discount (add applicable taxes and shipping)

Club Casa GRANDE*: Doubles the above & you’d save on shipping!

*IMPORTANT NEWS REGARDING DELIVERY OF THE AUGUST CLUB CASA SHIPMENT:
If you are a Club Casa Member and haven’t responded to our email, please reply ASAP with your preference.
A) Send the wine as usual in August (we promise to keep an eye on the weather and send it during a not-so-hot period),
B) Keep your wine here at the winery for pick up (and perhaps you can attend our Club Casa BBQ August 9 ☺ ),
C) Have us Hold your wines until it cools down, and ship it closer to October
D) UPGRADE to 2 Day Air (about a $12 increase) for this shipment only.

“RED WINE ONLY” CLUB: Automatic shipment October 2008

One Bottle Each:
            2006 Tinto St. Helena, St. Helena Estate, $30
            2006 Merlot, St. Helena Estate, $35
            2006 Charbono, Old Vines Calistoga, $29
            2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena Estate, $55
By popular demand, you are getting two:
2006 Petite Sirah, Solano County, $30
           
            Six Pack Total: $167.20 reflects 20% discount (add applicable taxes and shipping)

“White Wine and Okay One Rose” CLUB:  Automatic shipment October 2008

Two 750 ml bottle 2007 Rosado, St. Helena Estate, $23
One 375 ml bottle 2007 Late Harvest French Colombard, $20
One 375ml bottle 2007 Reserve Chenin Blanc, St. Helena Estate, $16
Two 750 ml bottles 2007 Riesling, St. Helena Estate, $23

Six Pack Total: $102.40 reflects 20% discount (add applicable taxes and shipping)

Waiting List
Currently, our Club Casa is at capacity.  If you would like to be added to our Waiting List, we expect to be welcoming new members from the Waiting List with the November Club Casa shipment.

Please note that wine planned for all shipments are subject to change without notice.

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2008 EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS:

July 28 Bottling Day – look for new releases over the next six months
August 1   New Release of 2006 Two Goats Red A Napa Valley Red Wine  and 2007 Late Harvest French Colombard and 2007 Chenin Blanc Reserve
August 4 Club Member Only New Release of 2006 Petite Sirah, Charbono, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Meritage
August 7 Club Casa Automatic Shipment (Hey Club Member – did you select your shipping option??)
August 9 “Annual Industry Conference” AKA Club Casa BBQ!  Club members must RSVP for this free, club member only event.  We’ll have the Hell Hounds playing music on the deck and Blazing Saddles heating up the ‘Q and local members bringing their favorite picnic foods to share.
August 24 NV Wine Library Assoc. Annual Tasting on the lawn at Silverado Resort  Tickets are available: www.napawinelibrary.com
September 10 New Release to the Public of unclaimed allocations of 2006 Petite Sirah, Charbono, and Merlot
October Red Wine Club/White Wine Club Automatic Shipment
October 1 New Release to the Public of unclaimed allocations of 2006 Cabernet Franc, and Meritage
November 1    New Release to the Public of unclaimed allocations of 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
November 10 Club Casa shipment of three bottles – Two Goats Red, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon

November 27 Thanksgiving Day, we’ll be closed
December 24 through January 2,  Open to Club Members only, by appointment

UPCOMING BOTTLING

July 28, we will be bottling the next vintages of our Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Meritage, Petite Sirah, Charbono (a first!), Two Goats Red, a Reserve Chenin Blanc, and our Late Harvest French Colombard.

So, what’s in a bottle??

Here at Casa Nuestra, we have made a thoughtful decision to only use traditional bottles that maintain the average weight per bottle at about three pounds.   While a heavier, thicker bottle may feel more impressive to some, it can’t make the wine more impressive. Bottle bottom line is the lighter bottles mean lower shipping weights and lower shipping weights make for better energy efficient direct-to-consumer deliveries, as do our compost-able shipping containers.

We also strongly encourage our customers to have the same energy efficient attitude and supply business addresses for delivery (instead of a residential.) Wine deliveries require an adult signature during the day and businesses are more likely to have someone there to receive.  Additional delivery attempts waste energy and time.  Whether it’s lighter cargo, or fewer delivery attempts, every little bit helps!

WELCOME “AP!”

“Welcome and Salud”  To the newest member of our Weed Abatement Crew.  AP joins us here at Casa Nuestra from a small herd that lives at Old Faithful Geyser, just north in Calistoga who donated him not only be a buddy to Nava but keep our weeds under control and the visiting kids entertained!