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November 2005 Monthly Newsletter ~ Gifts of wine, gift baskets, gift memberships
This Month's Wine
Food Recipe
Wine Quote
Newsletter Archives
Dear Wine Lover,
We are happy to announce a wide range of unique, seasonal gifts for the upcoming holidays, including, for the 1st time, fabulous gift baskets. our exclusive wine and wine related offerings will delight your family, friends and business associates.
Please be certain order by December 11th to insure delivery before December 25th.
Wine gifts
Your club membership brings you a wide assortment of fine California and International wines to give as gifts. These are wines that you have enjoyed through-out the year and specials wines we've added just for the holidays. As always, our selections are chosen for their value as well as superb quality.
New gift baskets
New this year are wide selection of gift baskets. Each basket is thoughtfully selected and a distinct experience! Consider "A Tour of Wine Country", "Down Under Delights", "European Rendezvous"
or "International Rewards" - each evokes a wine destinatioin and each has a delightful selection of appropriate food items to pair with the wines.
Membership gifts
Here is the gift that keeps on giving month after month, wine after wine, smile after smile. A Wine Club membership is a wonderful way to share the joy of wine with friends, relatives and colleagues.
There are four different clubs to choose from -- each club offers two wines, a red and a white: 1) California Club -- two great value wines from the Golden State; 2) International Club -- two great value wines from around the world; 3) World Classics Club -- Two premium world-class wines from the most prized grapes, the finest regions, the grandest winemakers; 4) Connoissseur's Club -- two top-self wines from the most highly regarded vineyards...the wines you read about...the award winners.
Wine Club Memberships make thrilling gifts for any occasion - holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations. They are such a memorable way to say, "I'm glad you're my customer, my friend, my family."
Why not place your order now! Once you do, we'll take it from there.
John Davis
Founder & Chairman
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This
Month's Wine Notes....
by Sharon Rosenbaum, Senior Wine Buyer
With year's end and the holiday season fast approaching, we are making the arrangements for our final 2005 wine selections.
Our buying covers all the finest wine regions of the world; from Bordeaux to Burgundy, Rioja to Rias Baixas, Maio to Mendoza...from the extablished vineyards to the latest arrivals on the flobal wine scene.
You can count on some very fine wines in the near future.
Wine Vocabulary
Here are some additional wine and tasting terms:
alcohol: Alcohol is the intoxicating element produced by the yeast fermentation of the sugar in fruit, in the instance of wine.
balance: Balance in wine is created when all the components - acid, alcohol, fruit, tannins, etc. - are in perfect harmony.
barrel: A wooden container of varying size used to age, store, and sometimes ferment and ship wine. Oak is the wood of choice, although redwood and chestnut are sometimes used.
barrel-fermented: The process of fermenting wines in small barrels instead of large vats or stanless steel tanks.
chewy: Descriptor for (usually red) wines that are rich, dense, intense, and full-bodied.
clean: A wine without faults, either in smell or flavor.
deep, depth: Signifies intensity of color, aroma, flavor.
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Food Recipe with Wine
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A Spicy Cranberry Sauce
A quick, easy sauce that tastes great with leftovers, too!
Ingredients
• 1 12-oz bag fresh cranberries
• 13/4 cups apple cider
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 tbsp grated orange peel
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients in a heavy, large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer just until berries burst and the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Remove cinnamon sticks, cloves and bay leaf.
Refrigerate sauce until cold. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
Makes about 2 1/2 cups (recipe can be doubled)
Roast Herb-rubbed Turkey
Ingredients
• For Turkey •
3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
1 20-pound turkey, neck and giblets reserved
Fresh herb sprigs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 tbsp butter, melted
4 cups chicken broth
• For Gravy •
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
3 tbsp butter
12 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
4 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Pat turkey dry with paper towels and place on rack set in large roasting pan. Place herb sprigs in main cavity. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey. Brush turkey with oil. Rub herb mix all over turkey. Place turkey neck and giblets in roasting pan.
Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Drizzle melted butter all over turkey. Pour 2 cups broth into pan. Roast turkey 45 minutes. Remove turkey from oven and
cover breast with foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Return turkey to oven; roast 1 hour. Remove foil from turkey; pour remaining 2 cups broth into pan. Continue roasting turkey until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F. or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 hour 40 minutes longer. Transfer turkey to platter; tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes. Transfer pan juices to large glass measuring cup. Let stand, then spoon off excess fat.
Meanwhile, prepare gravy:
Mix flour and wine in small bowl until smooth paste forms. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and rosemary and sauté until mushrooms begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add enough chicken broth to pan juices to measure 5 cups; add to saucepan with mushrooms. Add flour paste and whisk until smooth. Bring mixture to boil, stirring frequently. Boil until thickened to light gravy, about 10 minutes. Add cream, thyme and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.
• Serves 12-16 •
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