Dear Colorado Wine Club Member,

The cock pheasants are a-crowing, the Goshawks are a-nesting, and the Great Horned Owls are hatched and wooly.  Late March brings all this springiness along with spells of bloody stimulating weather.  There is little or no sign of budbreak in Grand Valley vineyards. Thank goodness, as there is still plenty of frost danger left at the end of winter.  Most growers have at least started pruning, and some have already finished.  It’s a fine line to walk.  Waiting until the last minute actually helps to slow down budbreak, which in turn helps avoid frost damage in late spring.  On the other hand, if you wait too long, you risk damaging the tender buds.  They become much more fragile and can be broken off very easily from bud swell through the first 12” of shoot growth.

Enclosed are your Wine Club bottles.  This month’s wines for the Vintner’s Choice Colorado Wine Club are:

2004 Cabernet Franc, Mesa Grande Vineyards

This wine snuck up on everybody.  It’s a gold medal winner from the 2006 Winefest Competition, and it packs some serious flavors.  It’s dark red and rich, with aromas of blackberries, plums, currants and smoke.  Fairly intense and structured in the mouth, and with aging potential of a decade or two.  Open this bottle with a top quality elk or buffalo steak and you’ll really be in the Colorado Rockies.

Mountain Spirit Winery Duet

The non-vintage Duet is a wonderful blend of Viognier and Chardonnay, roughly 70% & 30% respectively.  As you may know, we’re quite fond of Colorado Viognier, and this is no exception.  Exuberant, fruity aromas, backed by a solid core of clean fruit flavors reminiscent of mangos, pineapples, and just a hint of Chardonnay varietal character.  The wine finishes beautifully and begs you to continue enjoying it.

As always, enjoy the wines in good health!

Sincerely,

Glenn & Natalie Foster