Issue 14 - Wilson Creek Winery

“EXTENDED FAMILY”Wine Club NewsOctober/November 2003WILSON CREEK WINERY & VINEYARDS“Fine Wines & Quality Times!”Issue 14It’s Squeezin’Season!Above: Bill Wilson overseeing thede-stemming of our Zinfandel.This year’s harvest was a great one.We look forward to 2003 to be a greatyear for Wilson Creek, and the entireTemecula Valley.Right: Thegrapes arepicked at nightbecause This is the taken from Craig Chaquico’s official web sitegrapes and was arewritten by a fan who attended the concert.cooler This and online the comment says it all.sugar content isstabilized.Left:Winemaker,Mike Calabro,inspecting abin of grapesbefore beingcrushed(the grapes thatis ).Above: Bill and Jenifer Wilson with their children,Cambria and Cassidy, after stomping grapes for thefilming of “Wine Country USA” for the Food Network.Left:Mike Wehrly (JeniferWilson’s brother)helpingwiththe crush.Taffy and Merlot overseeing the crush.Above: We just installed three beautifulnew stainless steel fermentation tanks.These babies are currently being used tomake our 2003 Zinfandel, Cabernet andWhite Cabernet.Left: Ryan(new assistantwinemaker) andwinemaker,Mike Calabro,pressingmerlot afterfermentation inthe tank.Right:Ryan helpingshovel grapes.Left: Our warehouse manager, Tim,fork lifting grapes into the de-stemmer.George W.BUSHWith Craig Johns &Libby Wilson JohnsCraig Johns and Libby Wilson Johns representingWilson Creek with the BIG CHEESE himself.How cool is this? Libby said he was warm,friendly, and they briefly talked about Wilson Creek.Can you imagine (in addition to our military labels)a personalized label on the Almond Champagnefor George W. saying “COMMANDER IN CHIEF’SPRIVATE RESERVE”? Hey, why not try?

WILSON CREEK“EXTENDED FAMILY”WINE CLUB • WILSON CREEK WINERY & VINEYARDSGreg Adams rocked the house recently atWilson Creek. By the time you get thisnewsletter, Eric Marienthal will haveperformed at Wilson Creek also, endingour second season of “Sunset Jazz in theVines”. What a great season! Look for nextyear’s line-up in upcoming newsletters.Right:TheWilson CreekstaffVIP Nightat thePadresgame.Left: Gerry (with Deanna in background), beingawarded a certificate after a presentation at aMBA class at USC. The professor met Gerry atthe winery and invited him to speak about WilsonCreek to his class, and to pour our wines (noticeglasses on desks). Gerry, Rosie, Deanna andMick all participated in the class presentation anddiscussion.Wine Club Membersin the “Wine Club VIPChampagne Reception”before the concert.WEB SITE FREEBIE!!!ENTER to WIN a FREE HOT-AIR BALLOON RIDE for 4with “A GRAPE ESCAPE BALLOON ADVENTURE.”All you have to do is go online (www.wilsoncreekwinery.com) andenter your email address in the FREEBIE section (you’ll find it).We will announce the winner in the December newsletter.CONGRATULATIONS!Winners of the last online drawing for a FREE Champagne brunch for fourat the wonderful Temet Grill at Temecula Creek Inn (THE best brunch in thevalley). Congrats to Octarve and Danee Mitchell of Los Angeles, California!Valued “Extended Family” Wine Club Members since June 2002!

FAMILY BIZLeft: Tocelebratetheirrecent 50thWeddingAnniversary,Gerry andRosie touredthe fiords ofNorway.Above: The entire Wilson family joins the Woolnerfamily in a picture at the tasting bar after Mickand Deanna’s wedding.Right: We still have a few datesavailable in next year’s spring andsummer wedding season. Call for availability.IT’S ABEAUTIFUL PLACE FORYOUR DREAM WEDDINGCraig and Libby Johnsat Pete Wilson's birthdayparty.HOW ABOUT A WINE CLUB CRUISE SOMETIME NEXT YEAR? TROPICAL? MEXICO?For thatSpecialSomeoneRight: Mickinstalling a new,hand-madebarrel fountain inour pond.A I talyLITTLE BIT OFat Temecula Creek InnBelow: Wine Club membersenjoying appetizers andchampagne.Right: Rosie withWine Club member, MikeTuscanyTaste ofLeft:Starting thefire we allenjoyed afterthe mealwhiledrinkingport andsmokingcigars.1996 CabernetWe just re-released this very special wine;our 1996 Inaugural “Library Reserve” CabernetSauvignon. It is sold in a gorgeous, velvet-lined box.Price is $100/bottle. Limit 2 bottles/person. This willsell-out fast (only 40 cases were “libraried”). Sorry,no discounts apply.Deanna Wilson with chef Tim Stewart,enjoying appetizers before the dinner.Above: Deanna andMike Calabro

HOLIDAYS CHALLENGES? Not any more!As all of us know, the holidays are a particularly stressful time. That is,until NOW! Let’s face it, whether we like it or not, we’re all subject tothe stresses of the holidays. There’s the wallet breaking gift-giving, themandatory get-togethers, and spending all that precious free time withour “not-so-perfect” families. So I got to thinking real hard about whatwe could give you, our valued “Extended Family” Wine Club membersfor the holidays! And then it came to me...• Wouldn’t it be great if we could actually pick and choose ourrelatives?!?!• Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could actually give great holidaygifts and save money at the same time?Guess what? Now, you can – compliments of Wilson Creek!Calling All Extended Family Wine ClubMembers; pick your relatives and get your FREE privatelabel Almond Champagne! Heres how...The ContestDuring the month of November, you will receive – not one but –TWO FREE bottles of Almond Champagne for every new “ExtendedFamily” Wine Club member you refer to our Wine Club! That’sright, if you refer two of your very best friends, they can become part ofyour chosen “Extended family” PLUS you get four bottles of AlmondChampagne to share (or keep for yourself) – absolutely FREE!!! Referfour of your very best friends or business associates, and they canAs you know, the Holiday Gift-Giving Season is fast approaching, and we have come up with two very special,No-Fail Holiday Gift Selections for you to give your friends, family and/or business associates this year.Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards now offers a 2-bottle gift wine assortment (one hand-picked red and onehand-picked white) which we send out every other month from you!!! These gift memberships are offered in 6-month and 12-month increments. These packages come with a special Members Only newsletter, complete with informationabout the wines, wine education, exciting “Extended Family” stories, recipes; up to 25% off purchases of ouraward-winning wines; VIP tours; complimentary tastings; seminars and invitations to special events and exclusive members-only activities.Our full-time staff is available to assist with restaurant and overnight accommodations.6-Month VIP GiftTwo bottles of ultra-premium wine delivered to your friend orbusiness associate’s office or front door every other month forsix months. The cost to continually show these importantpeople that you they are on your mind (for a full six months)is just $135 (plus tax in CA).replace your entire family PLUS you get eight bottles of AlmondChampagne FREE!!! Nah, go ahead and keep your family, but why notadd new members to it?PLUS, we’ll tally up the new “Extended Family” members each one ofyou referred during the month of November and the Wine Club Memberwith the most new member sign-ups at the end of the month receives:• A complimentary bottle of our 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon ($100)signed by the entire Wilson family• A private wine-tasting, with appetizers, in our barrel room withyour new (and old) “Extended Family” you signed up!Here are the rules, so please read carefully: The contest runs November1 through November 30! No exceptions please. All of your new WineClub Members MUST list you as a referral at the time of sign up, sorryno phone-in mentions can be accepted AFTER the sign up! (Best casescenario would be for you to bring them in personally for a taste andyou can personally put your name right on their “Extended Family”membership application!) Making people sign up by extortion,gunpoint, or the sword does not count . But, they must accept at leastone Wine Club shipment. So, at 5:00 PM on November 30th, we willclose the contest and tally your totals. The FREE private tasting in thebarrel room (with the people you signed up) will be held at a mutuallyconvenient time for you and your new “Extended Family” Wine Clubsign-ups during the month of January! The FREE personalized bottlesof Almond Champagne will be shipped to you FREE. Yes, FREE! Didwe say FREE enough?Give a Gift that keeps on Giving12-Month Grand VIP GiftTwo bottles of ultra-premium wine delivered to your friend’s orbusiness associate’s office or front door every other month for afull year. The cost to continually show these important peoplethat you care (for a full year!!) is just $270 (plus tax in CA).Orders for the holidays are being taken now, so we urge you to CALL TODAY. In fact, in the holiday spirit, if you call in to placeyour order by October 30, WE’LL GIVE YOU A GIFT for your thoughtfulness: TWO COMPLIMENTARY BOTTLES of PrivateLabel Almond Champagne for each membership you purchase! Hello! Did you just read that!!! How cool. We look forward to hearingfrom you soon.

Wilson Creek WineryNICK AND ZITA’S FUNNYFAT GREEK WEDDINGThe Greek version of Joey and Maria’s Comedy Italian Theater.Don’t miss this new show!Saturday, November 1stCocktails at 6:00PM and Dinner at 7:00PM.$75/person includes Wedding, Greek feast, and Wilson Creek’swines with dinner. Sorry, No Wine Club Discount because the eventis for charity. This event benefits Susan G. Komen Race 4 the Cure.Held here at Wilson Creek Winery. Call for reservations at1-800-944 JOEY.SUNSET JAZZ IN THE VINESONLY ONE SHOW LEFTSaturday, October 18thFeaturing the sensational Eric Marienthal. The lastconcert of our first amazing season. If you getthis in time, call us for reservations. Tickets are$45 for general admission and $95 for GourmetDinner and Concert Package. Tickets available onwww.ticketweb.com or call the winery at (909) 699-9463.HARVEST WINECELEBRATIONSponsored by the Temecula ValleyWinegrowers Association.Saturday-Sunday, November 15-1610:00 AM to 4:30 PMFeaturing 17 wineries. Visit each of the wineries and sample winespaired with complementary food in a fun and festive atmosphere.Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance. Tickets are$70/person (inclusive) and $35 Designated driver discount (one pergroup). Tickets can be purchased by phone, or online at theTVWA 1-800-801-WINE, www.temeculawineries.orgTNT: THURSDAY NIGHT TAPASThursdays – Ongoing thru WinterWine Club Members and their guests meet us at the Winery on thefirst Thursday of every month – starting in December – 5:00 PM to8:00 PM. Big tastes and big appetites welcomed to these fun-filled“Extended Family” gatherings. It’s a time to unwind, relax, andenjoy some great food, fine wine, and some new releases. Checkonline for details. First TNT is on Dec 4th.CIGAR NIGHT AT WILSON CREEKWINE CLUBMEMBERS ONLY!Back by popular demand!Friday, November 14It’s our Wine Club exclusiveCigar Night !!!Members can bring up to 4guests. BOTH, men and women are welcome (last year’s CigarNight, about half of the members were women who enjoyed theslim, flavored cigars). Enjoy fine food, two hand-rolled premiumcigars and receive a cigar cutter FREE. Event begins at 6:30 PMand the cost is just $85 per person. Reservations required. Verylimited seating. Call today and indulge in this delightful treat.More information on our web site: www.wilsoncreekwinery.comTHERE’S ALWAYSSOMETHING HAPPENINGAT WILSON CREEK –SEE YOU SOON!ANNUAL NEW YEAR’S EVE GALAThis event sells out every year.Many say it is the BEST New Years partyin the valley!Wednesday, December 31Plan on ringing in the newyear with dancing, elegantfood, great wine andchampagne, and wonderfulpeople. Call the wineryto book your tickets.$175/person inclusive.You’ll enjoy appetizers,dinner, wine and champagne, beer, music, dancing, and dessert.Wine Club members price $150.EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT –Meet Jami,she will be overseeingPersonalized Labels,as well as assisting inEvents and Weddings.Jami

THIS SHIPMENT’SFEATUREWINES2001 ESTATE ZINFANDELHere it is, the long awaited, BIG, BAD, BOLD RED... our 2001 EstateZinfandel. We are pre-releasing it to the Wine Club (after the cases ofWine futures are handed out) in this shipment before the generalpublic can get their non-Wine Club hands on this BIG wine. ThisZinfandel is known by some other winemakers as one of the best redsto hit the valley. It was grown in our estate vineyards, andpainstakingly handcrafted in our cellar. Picked at a higher sugarcontent (26 brix), the wine fermented to a higher alcohol content (ABIG 16.6%). Check out the store shelves next time you shop for wineand see if you see wine at that alcohol level. Maybe one or two.Why? Not only was the brix (sugar measurement) higher, butTemecula Valley tends to produce “hotter “ (more alcohol) winesbecause of the hot days and cool nights here. It is a special wine, dueto a special harvest and great work by winemaker, Mike Calabro. Letthis baby open up a bit before drinking. Enjoy now, but this wine willage EXTREMELY well for years to come. Patience has its rewards.2002 ESTATE CHARDONNAYGrown in our estate Chardonnay vineyard that we named after ourmom (Rosemary’s Vineyard). This Chardonnay is excellent, not tootart, not overly buttery, not too oaky. Juuuuust riiiiiiight.Serve chilled.PRICE OF THIS SHIPMENT2001 Estate Zinfandel Retail Price $36.95Wine Club Price (20% off) $29.562002 Estate Chardonnay Retail Price $18.95Wine Club Price (20% off) $15.16Price of this Shipment $44.72(you saved $11.18)CA Residents add 7.75% Taxand Shipping Varies by Location“WHAT IS THE DEFINITIONOF A GOOD WINE?IT SHOULD START AND ENDWITH A SMILE.”-WILLIAM SOKOLINRosie’s RecipeRosie’s French StyleRoast LambGoes great with the 2001 ZinfandelHere's what you'll need:4-6 lb leg of lamb2 cloves of garlic1 small piece ginger root2/3 c Dijon mustard1 tsp honey1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed1/2 tsp dried thyme2 T olive oil2 T soy sauceHere’s what you do:Pierce holes in lattice pattern over top and sides of lamb.Cut 1 clove garlic into slivers; insert into holesalternately with slivers of ginger. Crush remaining clovegarlic. Combine with mustard, honey, rosemary, andthyme. Slowly beat in olive oil until thickened. Add soysauce. Spread over lamb. Let stand 3-4 hours. Placelamb on rack in roasting pan and roast at 400 degrees for15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast 10-12minutes per pound for medium rare.(4 to 6 servings)You’ll Have to trythese deliciousRecipes!Mick’s RecipeI’m no chef and I have never written(or even followed) a recipe(I heat food, not cook it ),but here it goes:Deanna and I had some friends over for a BBQ, and wediscovered a real treat for dessert. Simply pour theAngelica Cream Sherry over a slice of angel food cake.Then add some vanilla ice cream and berries. The Sherrysoaks into the cake and makes for a luscious and easydessert.

BarrelingAlong...by Crystal Magon(Wine Club Manager)Some of the mostfrequently askedquestionsin our tasting roomare about barrels.What kind we use?Why?What are the differences?As the new Wine ClubManager, my first goal was tocatch up with our wine makerMike Calabro (which by the way is no easy feat)! But once I tackledhim down, Mike’s passion for creating a delicious wine, and theintricacies involved, came shining through. I found myself hard pressedto keep up with the wealth of information Mike explained to this“Newby”, that there are only three factors Wilson Creek uses to affectthe final style of the wine such as its body, color, flavor, tannins, et al.The three factors are:1. the grapes from which the wine is made2. the yeast used to ferment the juice3. the storage mediaBelieve it or not, wines like to breathe. Unlike stainless steel tanks,barrels allow an exchange of air through its wood. Yes, some of thewine actually evaporates through the barrels, so the barrels must betopped off to avoid any space or oxygen contact with the wine.If any of you have made it to our barrel room, you would have seen wehave both barrels and stainless steel tanks. Both are needed to capturethe style of the wine we are after. Typically, white wines are stored instainless tanks, and red wines in oak barrels. Chardonnay is one of thefew white wines that may benefit from barrel fermentation or barrelaging. Wilson Creek has 125 barrels in its program today and will add50 new barrels this year. Oak barrels have been used for thousands ofyears, and we still use them because it is still THE best way to age andadd complex flavors to wine. We are a bit more scientific andintentional in HOW the barrels are made and used, but there is nobetter way or type of wood that perfects a wine.While there are three types of barrels that vintners can select from(America Oak, French Oak, and European Oak), the finer grains in thewood are found in French Oak trees. It is for this reason that WilsonCreek uses mostly French Oak barrels to enhance the flavor, acidity andtannins for Mike’s Chardonnay and delicate Merlot creations. But whenMike is looking for a bolder oakiness, he likes to use older Americanoak barrels because of their larger grain.Mike is very particular about the forests his barrels come from and theamount of “toast” each one receives. And I must note that before eachbarrel is ready to house the wine, it must first get toasted. That is, theyget heated over a fire in the center of the barrel. Traditionally, the fire ismade from the same wood scraps and chips created in the barrel makingprocess. The toast gives thewine the oak flavors of theCabernet and the butteryvanilla flavors found in theChardonnay. The mostcommon toast level is“medium toast”.Without propermanagement, a barrel caneasily become the costliestpart of creating a wine.A barrel’s life expectancyis only three years before itneeds to be replaced; and ata cost of up to $850 abarrel, that’s nothing tobreathe easy about – ifyou’ll pardon the pun!A new barrel provides a higher impact on a wine and each life year ofthe barrel decreases the impact on the wine by about one-half. Thismeans that a one-year old barrel will have one-half the effect of a newbarrel; and a two-year old barrel will have one-quarter effect; and inyear three, just one-eighth the effect of the overall style of the wine.The trick is to find the right balance for the wine you’re creating. Somewines such as our Cabernet Sauvignon (what we call the “Brat” of allwines because it takes so much TLC) do well in a new French barrel;while our Mourvedre prefers the elegance and comfort of an olderbarrel. Of course there are some of our wines, like our Chardonnaysthat do well in a medium oak barrel. After the three year life, we eithersell the barrels or we cut the barrels in half, put top soil in it, and addflowers .Oh, and if you’re like me and are thinking about Christmas shoppingalready, here’s a great gift idea for the wine lover in your life: a barrelof wine!!! But do the math first: a barrel holds about 25 cases ofwine in it (59 gallons), and each case of red wine retails for around$200-400/case. So that gift must be for a very, very special friend.Sorry, the barrels do not come with wheels or tow hitches, or with a bigstraw. OK, maybe a better gift would be to join Mike at one of ourupcoming winemaker dinners or buy a bottle or two for that specialfriend.RosieRosie Wilson(right aftercooking forthe entire staff)jumps in andstocks wine.Amazingwoman!

WINE CLUBMembers’FeedbackThanks for your help and your hugs today at the winery.We look forward to the time when we take a wine tour of thevineyards and facility... We appreciate your enthusiasm andattention to detail, as well as the impeccable service you and JRmake sure we receive each time we are there. Everywhere we go,we talk about Wilson Creek and the fabulous staff and family thatare impeccable and first class. Thanks so much!-SuzanneGreetings,We had an absolute BLAST at last weekends Sunset Jazz Concert!Maybe a little too much fun! he he he! ...Thanks again for a greattime! Wish we would have gone to more of these over thesummer!-Randy & LeslieWe had to take a few moments and thank you for the incredibleevening last night! The Taste of Tuscany was divine, and we werethrilled with every aspect! All of you went out of your way tomake our evening perfect... and the gift of Sherry was fabulous.We were so impressed with the attention to detail... we truly feltlike extended family! Thanks for bringing a bit of Italy to us..and the joy we have every time we encounter the Wilson Creekfamily. You are all VERY special and unique. Many thanks fromtwo grateful hearts!-Shane and SuzanneI just want to tell you how happy you just made me. I just receivedmy shipment of two bottles of Almond Champagne, which cameat lightning speed delivery. When I opened up the box, I saw thatyou had given me an extra bottle, in which I was delighted, butwhen I looked at the bottle, I realized you had made a private labelwith my and my husband’s name on it. How cool! It’s reasons likethis that I love your winery so much. I can’t wait for my friendsand family to try the different wines that I purchased from yourwinery at my wine tasting party this Saturday. I know for sure thatsomeone is going to want to become a member of your wine club.Thanks for your generosity and professionalism! Have a greatday........you already made mine!-JoanneEditor’s Note: Remember, it’s always great to hear from you,our valued “Extended Family,” especially with theholidays quickly approaching — so keep those emailscoming!Wine Club InformationWILL CALL UPDATEFor those who pick up your shipment at the winery, we ask that youpick up your shipment within 30 days after you get the postcard alertingyou that the shipment is ready for pick-up. If you cannot pick it upwithin that 30 days, we will ship it to you and charge the necessaryshipping costs. Thanks!UPDATE YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATIONTo keep the good wine rolling your way, please call us when your cardis near expiring or when any other account information will soonchange. Call, email, fax, send smoke signals, or write us. Thanks!BRING YOUR ADOPTION CARD TO THE WINERYWHEN YOU VISIT USThis makes it easier for us to keep the great WineClub benefits for Wine Club Members only.SHIP TO A BUSINESS ADDRESSBy law, we must have the wine delivered with an“adult signature required.” It is always best to haveyour Wine Club shipment sent to a business address.Call us to update your shipping address, so you getyour wine on time and in good shape.SHIPPING LAWS ARE FINALLY CHANGINGAs you may have read in the papers, California wineries can now ship toover 30 states (was only 10). The archaic laws are finally being seen asunconstitutional and outdated. So call us if you have a relative or friendin another state who would love to receive great wine every other month.CONCIERGE SERVICE FOR MEMBERSRemember, part of your benefits include the availability of insider/localknowledge on where to eat, what to do, and where to stay in Temecula.Call us, and we would be glad to assist you on your next visit.KEEP UPDATED BY EMAILING US YOUREMAIL ADDRESSWe will not bombard you with emails, but we will inform you onupcoming events, new releases, and Wine Club exclusives. Email is agreat way to stay connected to what’s happening at Wilson Creek.email us at info@wilsoncreekwinery.comEMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT –Meet Stephanie fromshipping. She willbe the one takingyour email and phoneorders and making sureyour order gets toyou ASAP!StephanieWe’d love to hear from you! Call (909) 699-WINE or visit our web site at www.wilsoncreekwinery.com35960 Rancho California Road • Temecula, CA 92591 • (909) 699-9463 • Fax: (909) 695-9463