Hot weather has arrived at last here in the Grand Valley.  High temperatures in the 90’s are typically here in late May, yet we are just getting them now in mid June.  Agriculturally speaking, we have been behind the normal course of things by a couple weeks all year.  From personal experience, this is a mixed blessing.  The upside is that there is no early bud break, with a corresponding risk of a late spring cold snap.  The downside is that we have a late start, and we’ll have to catch up in order to reach full maturity before a fall freeze halts the ripening process.  Wish us luck!

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

2005 Cabernet Franc, Mesa Park Vineyards

Dark in color and plums and smoke in the nose, this Cabernet Franc shows promise for several years to come.  In the mouth it is full flavored and well-structured.  The oak does come through fairly strong, although it’s still in balance.  The finish is typically lengthy for a dry red and packs a tannic tug.  This is a well-made wine and you should not be at all embarrassed to serve this to anyone.

2007 Riesling, Two Rivers Winery

A deliciously tropical nose with notes of pineapple and mango gives you the idea this wine will be quite sweet, but it’s not.  It has a somewhat soft mouthfeel and just a dollop of residual sweetness.  The finish is clean and medium in length and in breadth.  It’s a nice wine.  Try not to pump this one if you have a vacu-vin, as there is a certain amount of CO2 dissolved in the wine that makes it feel and taste more exuberant and fruity.  If you pump it, the CO2 will come out and make the wine taste a little flat.

As always, enjoy the wines in good health!

Sincerely,

Glenn & Natalie Foster