Dear Colorado Wine Club Member,

May is the time of year when irrigation becomes very important.  There can be very hot days this time of year and the vines need moisture to maintain health and growth.  In some circles however, it’s recommended that you don’t water the vines until their growth slows to a rate of roughly 2 inches per week.  This rate is chosen because it takes about 40 inches of vine to make about twenty leaves, and it takes about twenty leaves to ripen two clusters of grapes.  What you want is for the vines to grow to that magical 40 inches tall, stop growing more leaves and start ripening the grapes right around the first of August. 

Enclosed are your Wine Club bottles.  Also enclosed is a summer concert schedule for Grande River Vineyards.  Tickets for the concerts are available here at the shop.  This month’s wines for the Dry Colorado Wine Club are:

Plum Creek Cellars 2004 Sauvignon Blanc

We’ve carried this wine now for some months and it continues to please a large portion of our customers’ demanding palates.  It’s light, slightly fruity, slightly grassy, and very refreshing.  There are hints of Apples, Apricots, Lilacs, and Russian Olives in bloom, with a short, clean finish.  Sip this cold with friends on a hot afternoon, with or without mild cheeses and crackers, olives, fruit pastes, and other light fare.

Sutcliffe Vineyards 2004 Merlot

This wine is rich, dark and focused.  Blackberries, cherries and a clear chord of toasted oak accompany the wonderful flavors of this wine.  The finish is broad and long, with the oak seeming to dominate slightly within the medium tannic structure.  This wine is quite nice now, and will hold up well for at least 5-7 years.  Enjoy it with hearty meals like beef stew or chili, bacon burgers or spicy BBQ ribs.

As always, enjoy the wines in good health!

Sincerely,

Glenn & Natalie Foster