Dear Colorado Wine Club Member,

We’re now approaching the end of July and the canopy should be full grown.  The berries should be roughly full size and we’ll begin to see the process of veraison, which is the final, ripening stage of  the growing season.  Wine grapes are much smaller than table grapes.  They have thick skins and quite a few large seeds.  One thing a good winemaker looks for in desirable grapes is small berries.  Smaller berries have a higher skin-to-juice ratio, which in turn may cause a greater level of flavor in the wine. 

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

Debeque Canyon Winery 2003 Gewurtztraminer

This wine shows the Gewurtztraminer varietal character, with just a bit of residual sugar.  Very spicy and floral, with a good acid balance.  Potent at 15% alcohol, rounded out by a great, unusual flavor almost like a mixture of orange zest, cloves and hazelnuts.

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