3-28-06

Dear Colorado Wine Club Member,

Spring has sprung, and wine growers in Colorado are thankful they’re not growing apricots, cherries or peaches.  Why?  Because these fruits blossom quite early and danger of frost is not yet past.  In fact, apricots are in full bloom at the time of this writing.  Grapes are about as late breaking as apples.  That’s why many growers are switching to grapes, especially if they have apples.  The market for apples is very difficult these days because of a worldwide oversupply of them.

Enclosed in this month’s package is a “Vine” magazine, a new Colorado Wine Brochure put out by the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, and your March Wine Club bottles.  This month’s wines for the Vintner’s Choice Colorado Wine Club are:

Reeder Mesa Winery 2004 Merlot

Doug and Kris Vogel live on their ranch halfway between Whitewater and Grand Mesa.  There they grow several different varieties of grapes. The operation is small and the wines are handcrafted.  The ‘04 Merlot is fairly weighty, with tannins to allow some aging.  It’s got nice cherry flavors, along with spice and oak notes.  This wine will go nicely with a wide variety of stout or slightly spicy foods.

Stoney Mesa Winery 2005 Riesling

You may have had this wine’s older brother, the 2004 vintage.  Well, this one is just as nice.  Lightly sweet, green apple and peach bouquet, classic Riesling color with just a hint of green.  It even has a bit of a spritz to it, indicating the wine was bottled before it went completelly flat in the CO2 department.  Try it with milder cheeses with fruit pastes on mini toasts . . . delicious!

As always, enjoy the wines in good health!

Sincerely,

Glenn & Natalie Foster