the bullhorn Summer 2009 An Exclusive Newsletter for Turnbull Wine Club Members What s Inside Letter from Our Winemaker This Month s Offerings

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1 Summer 2009 An Exclusive Newsletter for Turnbull Wine Club Members the bullhorn What s Inside Letter from Our Winemaker This Month s Offerings Wine Club Events Recipe from the Chef

2 from The Winemaker Nights in our Estate Vineyards Budbreak is evident at all of our Estate vineyards and with it comes sleepless nights for our crew, as we guard these delicate tender shoots from the night danger of spring frost. We ve been out in the cold for three nights this week at our northernmost ranch: Amœnus, with temperatures in the mid-to-high 20 s. These beautifully crisp and clear night skies with hardly a breeze let the cold sink in and without the use of our wind machines to mix in that slightly warmer air in any inversion layer we can find, we would lose the crop. In a few weeks as the new shoots harden, and the likelihood of frost passes until late fall we will begin removing errant shoots in a process known as suckering. This will leave the remaining shoots well positioned and not too numerous, which will allow for perfect fruit exposure once our clusters have set post bloom. In the cellar we have just finished blending and bottling our 2007 Old Bull- a great vintage for this amazing value in estate grown Napa Valley red wine. We are now back at the endless task of cleaning our equipment and topping our 2007 and 2008 vintage reds that are resting in barrel. Cheers, Peter Heitz, Winemaker Turnbull Wine Cellars Valentines Day at the Winery You really should have been there! Saturday, February 14th, twenty couples joined Winemaker Peter Heitz and his lovely wife Meg for a night of wine, food and romance. Chefs Marco Ilaria and Loretta Rampone created a blissful five-course menu that included everything from caviar to mini chocolate cannoli. The highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the first wines from the 2008 vintage, our Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. If these wines are any indication, 2008 should be a stellar year indeed! Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 13th 2010 when we ll do it all over again. 12 Women Artists An Exhibition of Fine Art Photography. Featuring: Berenice Abbott, Ruth Bernhard, Margaret Bourke-White, Jane Bown, Marsha Burns, Imogen Cunningham, Judy Dater, Mona Kuhn, Dorothea Lange, Tina Modotti, Bettina Rheims and Joyce Tenneson.

3 this month s Offerings 2006 Black Label Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Our 2006 Napa Valley Black Label Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted from our top Estate Vineyards, Leopoldina, Amœnus and Fortuna. Restrictive volcanic soils, both red clay and white tufa types, yield a wine that is deeply concentrated, with rich minerality. Characterized by aromas and deep flavors of dark fruits- black cherry, cassis and sun ripened blackberries- balanced by a dense layer of sweet chocolate and roasted coffee. A wine of power and finesse full bodied yet supple approachable in its youth but capable of extended bottle age. The wine is a blend of classic Bordeaux Varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Each vineyard block is vinified separately in small stainless steel tanks. The wine is then barreled down into discrete barrel lots and aged in French oak barrels for twenty months Everything we do in the vineyard is designed to maximize the intensity and balance of flavors and aromas in this wine. The low vigor, ancient volcanic soils naturally limit crop size and create beautiful harmony in our fruit. We further enhance fruit intensity by careful pruning and then making successive thinning passes in the late spring and summer. Fruit is sourced from our best blocks on our top ranches. Vineyards: 71% Leopoldina, 27% Amœnus, 2% Fortuna Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec Production: 4000 cases (6 x 750ml) Retail price: $100 Wine Club: $ Viognier Our 2008 Viognier is sourced exclusively from our famed Fortuna ranch. Successive picking passes allow for picking the fruit only once it has achieved golden hues from light striking the fruit. These suntouched clusters exhibit fantastic tropical-fruit intensity, which is preserved by gently pressing the whole cluster fruit once it arrives at the winery, just after day-break. The result of this laborious process is an ideal mix of fruit, floral notes, and acidity. Honeysuckle, white blossom and brown spice aromas, are followed by rich Meyer lemon peel, apricot and vanilla flavors. Hints of minerality accentuate the acidity that expands the complexities of this wine. Vineyards: 100% Skellenger Block 4 Blend: 100% Viognier Production: 500 cases Retail price: $30 Wine Club: $24 Pappardelle with a Braised Pork Ragu Recipe serves 4-6 This is a pasta dish that features a one-inch-wide fresh noodle in a hearty tomato-based sauce with pork shoulder and Italian sausage. This recipe is very close to my Grandma Guistina s. 1 lb. fresh Pappardelle pasta (found in the refrigerated section ) 2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, small dice 1 lb. Italian sausage hot and spicy (mild if you prefer), medium dice 1 onion, small dice 2 carrots, shredded 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup Turnbull Cabernet 4 cups tomatoes canned in juice (crush with your hands, or roughly chop) 2 Tbs. tomato paste 1/4 tsp. each oregano and basil, one bay leaf salt and pepper to taste parsley and basil to finish Start by browning the sausage and the pork in olive oil. Then add the vegetables and herbs and cook for 10 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and paste, and after a minute or two add the wine and cook for one hour over a low heat. Cook pasta in boiling salted water for about 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain and toss with meat Ragu and top with some fresh parsley and basil. Parmigiano, if you like, to top. This recipe was chosen to complement our featured wine by Chef Marco Ilaria C.E.C., Chef Instructor at the California Culinary Academy. Chef Marco will be preparing our Winemaker s Dinner this year. Attention Turnbull Wine Club Members! For Birthdays, Anniversaries, Special Occasions book a private tasting in our Reserve Room. Call us at (800) ext. 18 for an appointment.

4 Wine Spectator 90 Point Wines Package Turnbull 2005 Black Label Red Wine Score 90 Points Big and rich, yet elegant and stylish. Ripe, vibrant blackberry, black cherry and wild berry fruit, with firm, integrated tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot St. Helena Highway P.O. Box 29, Oakville, CA Phone (800) Fax (707) Turnbull 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Score 90 Points Ripe and fleshy with generous plum, black cherry and red cherry fruit that s intense and complex without being too powerful or overblown. Ends with firm, fine-grained tannins. Turnbull 2005 Fortuna Vineyard Merlot Score 91 points Rich, ripe and well structured, showing bold blackberry and toasty mocha aromas, with layered plum, red currant, spice and espresso flavors that finish with ripe tannins. Set of three wines in a deluxe wooden gift box. Retail Price: $ Wine Club: $ current releases We have a lively selection of estate wines ready for your drinking pleasure. Each and every one of them reflects our attention to detail in the vineyard and winery. As always, any Club Member purchase receives the 20% special discount. Call us at (800) , extension Turnbull Black Label Blend: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 4% Merlot, Production: 1,994 six packs Retail Price: $ Wine Club: $ Syrah Blend: 100% Syrah Production: 650 cases Retail Price: $30.00 Wine Club: $ Old Bull Blend: 44% Merlot, Tempranillo, 16% Sangiovese, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 6% Barbera, 2% Syrah Production: 4,200 cases Retail Price: $20.00 Wine Club: $ Zinfandel Blend: 86% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah Production: 175 cases Retail Price: $35.00 Wine Club: $ Merlot Blend: 100% Merlot Production: 1,600 cases Retail Price: $35.00 Wine Club: $ Amœnus Cabernet Sauvignon Blend: 96% Cabernet, 4% Syrah Production: 500 cases Retail Price: $70.00 Wine Club: $ Cabernet Sauvignon Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 4% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot Production: 20,522 cases Retail Price: $45.00 Wine Club: $ Cabernet Sauvignon Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 1% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot Production: 12,000 cases Retail Price: $45.00 Wine Club: $ Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc Blend: 77% Sauvignon Blanc, 23% Viognier Production: 140 cases Retail Price: $40.00 Wine Club: $ Sauvignon Blanc Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc, Production: 4,500 cases Retail Price: $18.00 Wine Club: $14.40 join! Become a Wine Club Member Four times a year we bring you hand-crafted, specially selected wines. On special occasions during the year we include one bottle of wine that is made just for Club Members and one bottle that is a current release. You have the first chance to purchase special lots, limited releases and library selections. Turnbull Wine Club Members are invited to exclusive events and enjoy privileges and discounts on purchases at the winery. Call us at (800) or visit us online at turnbullwines.com

5 ANNOUNCING! WINE CLUB EXCLUSIVE 2006 Toroso Sangiovese is sourced from Leopoldina and Fortuna ranches, fermented together in an upright French oak fermenter. The Syrah is sourced from Fortuna ranch, fermented in stainless steel. Both lots are gently pressed to barrel and aged 16 months in seasoned French oak. Similar to Zinfandel in its ripening characteristics, Sangiovese is notorious in its uneven ripening- some berries are green when others on the vine and even in the same bunch are ripe. To tame this troubled ripening, we make pass after pass through our tiny estate blocks of Sangiovese to thin the crop and remove those grapes that will not achieve full ripeness. Timing the pick comes down to shaking the clusters, once the berries start to pop of the stems the fruit will have the perfect combination of full flavors, sweetness, acidity, and suppleness. Our 2006 Napa Valley Toroso displays the bright crushed raspberry and field ripe strawberry notes you would expect from well farmed Sangiovese, with the spicy plump fruit flavors of our well tended Syrah. Raspberry preserves, and Bing cherry flavors are layered with black tea, brown spices and vanilla bean nuances. Rich in flavor and soft in texture. Blend: 91% Sangiovese, 9% Syrah ONLY 130 CASES PRODUCED! events Turnbull Food & Wine Pairing Education Classes Join us every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Turnbull Wine Cellars. Our Wine Educators guide you through the mysteries of food and wine pairing. Sip limited release wines accompanied by carefully prepared morsels. Each class is limited to eight people and begins at 10:30 am. The day s final seating is at 3:30 pm. $20 for Wine Club Members and $40 for non-members. For reservations, call (800) ext 18. If planning more than 72 hours in advance, you may us at: info@turnbullwines.com BBQ and Tour at Amœnus Vineyard Saturday, June 13 10:00 am - 4:00 pm This event was one of our most popular events last year. The day starts out at the winery where you ll board a bus for the short ride up valley to our beautiful Amœnus Vineyard (aka Blossom Creek). There you ll be greeted by our Winemaker, Peter Heitz, who will guide you on a walking tour of this special vineyard. Lunch prepared by Chef Marco will follow, paired with Turnbull s latest offerings. Call (707) ext. 14. Club Member Price $100, Non Member Price $125 Winemaker s Dinner Saturday, October 24, 2009 You won t want to miss our annual Winemaker s Dinner hosted by Peter Heitz. Enjoy Turnbull s incredible wines paired with delectable food created just for this special occasion by Chef Marco and his staff. Price: $ per person. Call (707) ext. 14. $24.00 PER BOTTLE FOR WINE CLUB MEMBERS ($30.00 retail) Visit us online at turnbullwines.com You must be a wine club member to order!