The South America Tasting

While Bill takes a couple weeks off to recover from back surgery, Jordy Grant from Young’s Market will be hosting this weekend wine tastings on both days. She will pour her favorite South American wines from their portfolio.

See you this weekend!

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, February 20th, 2015  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, February 21st, 2015  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
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Kaiken Reserve Malbec 2012     ($9.99 During Tasting)

• Fruity aromas that intermingle with aromas of wildflowers and a predominance of black fruits accompanies by notes of coffee and chocolate flavors that develop with oak aging. the palate is smooth, with a well-balanced acidity, round and elegant tannins, and medium-long persistence on the finish.

Norton Reserve Malbec      ($17.99 During Tasting)

• “Toasty yet ripe, showing ample mesquite and mocha notes to the raspberry ganache and rich plum fruit. Silky tannins line the dark, cream-tinged finish.” 92 Points and Top 100 WS

Amplus Cabernet 2012       ($21.99 During Tasting)

• Deep, intense red in color, this Cabernet Sauvignon has complex and intense aromas of dark fruit that are complemented by a touch of dark chocolate. On the palate, this Cabernet is mouth-filling and highly concentrated with firm, ripe tannins and persistent fruit on the finish!

Montes Alpha Carmenere 2012     ($19.99 During Tasting)

• “Here’s and honest, lively take on carmenere, without the herbal scents that often mark the variety. Pure ripe red fruit, with soft touches of spice, waits to be uncorked with a plate of charcuterie.” 91 Points W&S

Norton Privada 2012     ($24.99 During Tasting)

• “A pure-tasting red, with concentrated dark plum, kirsch, mineral and dark chocoalte flavors that glide over the palate. Long adn lush, presenting a core of sweet spice and creamy notes that fill the rich and powerful finish.”

The Valentine’s Tasting

It’s time for sweets and kisses – Valentine’s Day is upon us once again – and we have an appropriate flight of lovely wines for our tasting this weekend.

We’ll start off with a gorgeous, lipstick-decorated Korbel bubbly and then move to a delicate Cotes de Provence       rosé, a limited-release Santa Cruz Pinot Noir and two smooth California blends, including a 92-point-rated Ramey Claret.

We think you’ll find these wines quite interesting and enjoyable so please join your fellow tasters and your favorite Valentine, Bill Callahan, who will provide an assortment of cheeses, crackers and other goodies to accompany these fine wines.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, February 13th, 2015  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, February 14th, 2015  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
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Korbel California Brut Rosé     ($12.99 During Tasting)

• A pleasant, crisp California bubbly with bright flavors of cherry, melon and strawberry that pairs beautifully with a wide range of foods, including cheese, smoked chicken and sushi and is excellent with chocolate – making it the perfect choice for Valentine’s Day.

Minuty Rosé 2013      ($16.99 During Tasting)

• This light rosé wine expresses some very intense aromas of citrus fruits and white flowers. Its velvety mouth associated with its freshness gives it something very aerial. Delicious blend of Grenache: 60%; Tibouren: 10%; Syrah: 10%; Cinsault: 20%.

Chalone Pinot Noir 2010       ($14.99 During Tasting)

• “Grown on limestone- and granite-based soils not far from Calera, just west of the Pinnacles National Monument. It’s a robust pinot noir, the fruit sappy but also fragrant, suggesting the dry chaparral that grows in these hills. Match its power to twice-cooked pork.”  – 92 Points W&S

  Cinnabar Mercury Rising 2013     ($16.99 During Tasting)

• Smooth Bordeaux-style blend of Cab, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Petite Sirah opens with delicate aromas of blackberry, crème de cassis, cedar and honeysuckle and features pronounced flavors of ripe black cherry, plum, herbs, vanilla and toasted oak.

Ramey Napa Valley Claret 2012     ($33.99 During Tasting)

• “Another outstanding example of value-priced Cabernet Sauvignon in a blend of 70% Cab, 24% Merlot and the rest Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. Consumers will love this beauty.” – 92 Points Robert Parker

The Pali Winery Tasting

The Pali Winery in Lompoc is enjoying a growing reputation as a solid producer of high-rated wines, particularly Pinot Noirs, and this week we’ll feature a flight of wines true to the winery’s philosophy of crafting affordable wines without sacrificing quality. Two of this week’s selections made Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wine list.

We’ll start off with something different, a Grenache white that pairs beautifully with oysters, followed by two terrific Pinot Noirs, one with grapes from the Sonoma Coast and the other from Santa Barbara. Just for fun, we’ll mix in an Italian blend from the Adriatic Coast and then wind up with the Pali Tower 15 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon.

We think you’ll find these wines quite interesting and enjoyable so please join your fellow tasters and host Bill Callahan, who will provide an assortment of cheeses, crackers and meats to accompany these fine wines.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, February 6th, 2015  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, February 7th, 2015  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Pali Tower 15 Grenache Blanc 2013     ($15.99 During Tasting)

• A refreshing white wine that would pair beautifully with raw oysters. Aromas of white peach, honey suckle, ripe grapefruit, and mandarin orange. Structured with lychee and honeydew and accented by almond paste, star fruit, and a clean minerality.

Pali Riviera Pinot Noir 2012      ($19.99 During Tasting)

• Big and dense from Sonoma Coast with blueberries, anise, dried lavender, cedar and black truffle on the nose.  A full mouth feel of currants, raspberry, iron, pomegranate and sage follows. Loads of fruit on the palate for a long finish.  – 93 Points Pinot Report

Pali Huntington Pinot Noir 2012       ($20.99 During Tasting)

• Santa Barbra grapes produce a wine with aromas of wild berries, white pepper, violets and light oak.  A full mouth feel of sweet black cherry, cinnamon, milk chocolate finishing with sea salt. #86 on Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2014.  – 90 Points Wine Spectator

Di Majo Norante Molise Ramitello 2011     ($18.99 During Tasting)

• Constructed from some of the best Montepulciano and Aglianico grapes grown in Southern Italy off the Adriatic Coast. Aromas of plums, forest fruits, dark chocolate, leather, and licorice. A rich and velvety body pushes flavors to continue over a long and intriguing finish. Another of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines. – 90 Points Wine Spectator

  Pali Tower 15 Cabernet Sauvignon 2011     ($27.99 During Tasting)

• Complex aromatics mask a big brooding Paso Robles Cabernet with blackberry, earth, cherry, cinnamon, cedar and plum. Ultra-concentrated sweet black currant, fresh blackberry and carbon marry with a chewy and rich texture to complete this intense, sophisticated wine.

The Dueling Cabs Tasting

No doubt about it, Cabernet Sauvignons are our biggest sellers and we’re offering a range of different styled Cabs for your tasting pleasure this weekend.

We’ll start off the flight with a tasty Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc before shifting to the reds, beginning with a Paso Robles Cab from the vaunted 2012 vintage.

From there we’ll taste a 90-point-rated Columbia Valley Cab, and two deep and rich Napa Cabs, one from Newton and other from Press Cellar’s Howell Mountain vineyards.

We think you’ll find these wines quite interesting and enjoyable so please join your fellow tasters and host Bill Callahan, who will provide an assortment of cheeses, crackers and meats to accompany these fine wines.

See you this weekend.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, January 30th, 2015  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, January 31st, 2015  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc 2013     ($12.99 During Tasting)

• An exotic white, offering notes of tropical fruits, fresh acids, a honeyed mid-palate, and soft, off-dry flavors. This white wine delivers plenty of flavor authority and deliciousness, which is what wine is all about.

Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon 2012      ($12.99 During Tasting)

• This 13.5 % alcohol-level Paso Robles Cab exudes aromas of plum, blackcurrants, blackberry with flavors of juicy raspberries and black cherries dominating as the wine unfolds on the palate and finishes with lingering, earthy hints of cherry.

Chateau Smith Washington Cabernet Sauvignon 2012       ($16.99 During Tasting)

• “An outstanding Columbia Valley wine, the 2012 Chateau Smith (93 % Cab, 6% Petite Verdot and 1% Malbec) gives up  big blueberry, spice, crushed flowers and violets in a seamless, sexy, yet fresh and delicious package. A superb value.” – 90 Points Robert Parker

Newton Cabernet Sauvignon 2010     ($25.99 During Tasting)

• This Napa vintage offers a pure expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. Layers of black plum, white chocolate, vanilla and anise aromas arise leading to smoky plum, blackberry and supple leather flavors on the palate.

  Press Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2011     ($32.99 During Tasting)

• Consistent temperatures and superb drainage on the high slopes of Napa’s Howell Mountain produced complex Cab grapes blended with 4% Cabernet Franc for a decadent richness that lingers on the palate. Nuances of flavors through 28 months in 100% French oak barrels complement the fruit.

The California Tasting

Let’s sample a flight of wines from some of the most popular growing regions across the Golden State that offer up nice examples of just how varied and luscious the state’s wines can be.

This week’s highly rated wines range from the north’s Napa Spring Mountain – with a classic Cabernet Sauvignon — and Sonoma to the cooler Central Coast regions of Monterey and Santa Barbara, home to a terrific Andrew Murray Syrah.

We think you’ll find these wines quite enjoyable so please join your fellow tasters and host Bill Callahan, who will provide an assortment of cheeses, crackers and meats to accompany these fine wines.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, January 23rd, 2015  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, January 24th, 2015  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Acacia Chardonnay 2012     ($22.99 During Tasting)

• Appealing citrus-laced flavors from Sonoma grapes of fresh and baked apple, ripe d’Anjou pear and white nectarine punctuated by Meyer lemon zest, honeycomb, ginger spice and crème brûlée. This wine offers luscious texture and bright, balanced acidity.

Talbott Kali Hart Pinot Noir 2012     ($16.99 During Tasting)

• This Monterey Pinot features bright fruit aromas of cranberry, currant and plum, as well as hints of vanilla. The crisp red fruit flavors continue on the palate, accentuated by soft, smooth tannins. The finish is long with lush fruit and hints of vanilla and French oak.

Eponymous Cabernet Sauvignon 2009       ($29.99 During Tasting)

• Grapes from prime Napa hillside vineyards were fashioned into a wine rich in black cherry jam, mocha and toasty oak  on the palate. It offers the firm tannins rich flavors that give a Mount Veeder Cabernet its noticeable characteristics. – 90 Points Wine Enthusiast

Hess Select Treo Winemaker’s Blend 2011     ($10.99 During Tasting)

• A tasty blend from selected vineyards across California featuring Syrah, Petite Sirah and Merlot with a touch of sweetness from ripe, dark fruit accented by a big impression of Bing cherries and ripe plums with soft and inviting tannins.

Andrew Murray Syrah 2013     ($14.99 During Tasting)

• A bold and balanced, rich and smooth, fruit-forward and earthy wine from Santa Barbara grapes that is impossibly dark and full-bodied. Aroma and flavor dominated by black cherry, raspberry and toasted oak. – 93 Points Wine Enthusiast

The Sterling Vineyards Tasting

Perched 300 feet above the town of Calistoga, Sterling Vineyards offers panoramic views of Napa Valley from its iconic Greek-islands style white stucco architecture.

Sterling’s 1,200 acres of prime Napa terroir and long-standing contracts with other growers throughout California have allowed the winery to consistently produce quality, creative wines, some of which we’ll share with you this weekend.

We think you’ll find these wines great values as well as lush experiences so please join your fellow tasters and host Bill Callahan, who will provide an assortment of cheeses, crackers and meats to accompany these fine wines.

See you this weekend!

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, January 16th, 2015  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, January 17th, 2015  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Sterling Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2013     ($12.99 During Tasting)

• Zesty grapefruit, citrus, fig, and melon highlight this wine in which Napa County grapes were cool-fermented in stainless steel to capture their vibrant personality and older, neutral oak barrels were used for the balance to enhance the wine’s silky texture.

Sterling Vineyards Pinot Noir 2012     ($25.99 During Tasting)

• Aromas of vivid raspberry and subtle oak lead to a plush entry of silky red berry fruit, elegant supporting acidity and a long supple finish. The long Napa Valley growing season allowed time for development of complex flavors.

Sterling Vineyards Meritage 2012       ($16.99 During Tasting)

• A classic blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from Central Coast vineyards feature flavors of cherry, dark chocolate, black raspberry and vanilla culminating in a full, lingering finish.

Sterling Vineyards Anniversary Blend 2011     ($18.99 During Tasting)

• This wine celebrates the winery’s 50 years in the Napa Valley and is crafted from  Merlot, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and other red varietals as a medium-bodied red blend with inviting aromas and soft, supple flavors of ripe cherry pie, cranberry, black plum and vanilla.

  Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2012     ($25.99 During Tasting)

• Intense aromas, led by toasty oak and spice, unfold with layers of cardamom, cedar, dark chocolate and anise over briary fruit. Velvety, plush and round, the palate delivers layers of red fruit, brown sugar, and black licorice joined by chocolately tannins that melt into a long finish.

Kick off the New Year Tasting

Let’s really get the new year rolling with a splendid flight of wines that offers variety, quality and food-friendly tastes, including one of Wine Spectators Top 100 wines of 2014.

We’ll start off with a cool-climate Monterey Chardonnay and then move into the reds starting with a lovely Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara. A Napa Valley Merlot, a 95-Point rated Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon and a Napa Syrah will round out the tasting.

We think you’ll find these wines great values as well as lush experiences so please join your fellow tasters and host Bill Callahan, who will provide an assortment of cheeses, crackers and meats to accompany these fine wines.

See you this weekend.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, January 9th, 2015  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, January 10th, 2015  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

Monterey Vineyards Chardonnay 2013     ($12.99 During Tasting)

• Cool-climate fruit was 100% stainless steel fermented, producing a vibrant and refreshing fruit-forward profile bursting with flavors of pear, elderberry and acacia blossom. Crisp acidity and pronounced minerality shine throughout the palate.

Pali Huntington Pinot Noir 2012     ($19.99 During Tasting)

• One of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of the year this Pinot features cool-weather Santa Barbara grapes tasting of wild berries, white pepper, violets and a touch of light oak. A full mouth feel of sweet black cherry, cinnamon, milk chocolate finishing with sea salt.

Provenance Merlot 2010       ($25.99 During Tasting)

• Expressive aromas suggest plum, cherry, date, espresso and caramel. On the palate, rich layers of Bing cherry, mocha and black tea. Muscular, mouth-coating tannins frame the plush flavors, while integrated nuances of chocolate and smoky oak add complexity.

Antucura Cabernet Sauvignon 2013     ($16.99 During Tasting)

• “Gorgeously refined, almost French in style. Notes of violets, lavender, tobacco and black pepper on the nose. The palate is medium to full-bodied with very fine-grained, classy tannins.  – 95 Pts Decanter Magazine

  Novy Syrah 2012     ($21.99 During Tasting)

• You loved Novy’s Santa Lucia Syrah and this Napa Valley sister offers a rich melange of blackberry, currant and black cherry aromas on the nose. Flavors of berries and cherries explode on the palate yet are tamed with refined tannins and nuances of bacon and spice on the finish.

The BV Tasting

Let’s welcome in the new year with a flight of wines from an old friend and one of California’s best-known winemakers: Beaulieu Vineyard. The rich legacy of Beaulieu Vineyard began with Georges de Latour’s vision of making Napa Valley wines that would rival the finest wines of his native France and his pioneering role in California winemaking.

We’ll start off with cool-climate coastal Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignon before moving into a classic Rutherford Cab from Napa. The always highly rated Tapestry will follow and we’ll finish with a zesty, peppery Zinfandel.

We think you’ll find these wines not only tasty but also great values so join your fellow tasters and host Bill Callahan, who will provide a tasty spread of cheeses, crackers and meats to accompany these fine wines.

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, January 2nd, 2015  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, January 3rd, 2015  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

BV Coastal Merlot  2012     ($12.99 During Tasting)

• This dependable Merlot offers an accessible combination of fruit and spices perfect for everyday enjoyment. Lovely red fruit aromas and peppery oak notes, greet the nose. The palate is lively and bright, brimming with ripe plum and juicy black cherry flavors.

BV Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon 2013           ($12.99 During Tasting)

• Toasted oak and dark fruits lead to a well- balanced expression of blackberry, black cherry and black currant in equal parts to the toasty, vanilla-oak spices. Juicy and long, the palate is structured by ripe, easy tannins.

BV Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2012       ($33.99 During Tasting)

• This wine exudes the personality and quality of grapes grown on Napa Valley’s Rutherford Bench  with briary blackberry, dark plum, black cherry, chocolate and tobacco leaf. The famous Rutherford Dust lends cocoa-powder tannins and texture.

BV Tapestry 2011     ($38.49 During Tasting)

• The low-yields of an exceptional cool vintage produced a wine of refined elegance with five Bordeaux-heritage varietals contributing layers of flavor complexity with a core of briary blackberry and cassis expression and nuances of ripe plum, rose, forest loam and graphite.

BV Coastal Zinfandel  2011     ($12.99 During Tasting)

• A delicious jumble of berries, including black cherry, blackberry and raspberry, in typical Zin full aromas and zesty flavors. A dash of peppery spice mingles with toasty oak nuances to add complexity.

“The Bubbly Tasting”

The year’s almost over and the year-end festivities culminate next week with New Year’s Eve and what goes better with that special holiday than the bubbly.

This week we are featuring a range of sparkling wines that will fit into whatever celebration you have planned starting with our best-selling La Marca Prosecco and a tasty Spanish Cava Reserva. From there we’ll move to the drier offerings including the amazing Gruet from New Mexico (that is not a typo) and Tattinger’s Domaine Carneros and a 90-point rated Brut Rose from Schramberg.

We think you’ll find these wines not only tasty but also great values so join your fellow tasters and host Bill Callahan, who will provide a tasty spread of cheeses, crackers and meats to accompany these fine wines.

See you all this weekend!

Harvest Ranch El Cajon Wine Tasting Event:

Friday, December 19th, 2014  5pm – 7pm – $20/person
Saturday, December 20th, 2014  3pm – 5pm – $15/person

759 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019
619-442-0355
View Map

La Marca Prosecco    ($14.49 During Tasting)

• Pale, golden straw-colored sparkly with full texture and persistent bubbles. Fresh citrus with hints of honey and white flowers on the nose and  flavors of ripe citrus, lemon, green apple and touches of grapefruit. Terrific in mimosas.

Mont Marcal Brut Cava Reserva 2010          ($12.99 During Tasting)

• Pale yellow Spanish Cava with a nice bubble stream and notes of yeast on a fruity background of ripe apple, banana and pineapple on the nose. Good palate with a slight sweet touch, balanced, fresh, elegant character.

Gruet Blanc de Blancs      ($15.49 During Tasting)

• A long-time favorite of our customers who know the story of the French family that fell in love with New Mexico, yes, New Mexico, and are growing high-quality grapes. Abundant aromas and flavors recalling sweet apples, pears and citrus. This wine offers a pronounced classic toastiness with accents of roasted almonds and minerals.

Domaine Carneros  2010     ($25.49 During Tasting)

• Tattinger’s Napa farm club produced this intense and elegant bubbly that features lovely aromas of pear, golden apple, honeycomb, lemon zest and brioche which lead to a very round palate and a long silky finish.

 Mirabelle Brut Rose     ($27.99 During Tasting)

• A specially crafted blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Schramsberg’s select Northern California cool-climate vineyards, this dry rose has a lovely light salmon color, a big, sweet kiss of strawberries, and touches of raspberries and currants. The wine is medium-bodied and very frothy.  – 90 Points Wine Advocate