20908 Roscoe Blvd • Canoga Park CA 91304 Hours: Mon - Sat • 9AM - 6PM

Phone: (818) 341-1234 • Fax: (818) 341-9232 Outside California: (800) 4-FINE-WINE

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Central Coast Futures Program - Part II
Featuring the wines of Au Bon Climat, Qupe, Hitching Post and Margerum.

Cheers from the Duke of Bourbon!

We are pleased to continue our annual Central Coast Futures offering with two incredible wines from Hitching Post Winery and three equally sensational wines from Margerum Wine Company. Hitching Post partners Frank Ostini and Gray Hartley have been making exceptional wines from the Central Coast for years and the 2001 effort is right up there with their best. Doug Margerum, a strong proponent of the "garagiste" style of winemaking - small, handcrafted and personal - is a recent entrant into the winemaking field. Like Frank and Gray, he has been a leading restaurateur in Santa Barbara, having owned the Wine Cask for many years.

Before we talk about the yet-to-be released wines, we would be derelict if we didn't tell you about the Hitching Post 2001 Santa Barbara County bottling of their Pinot Noir. Frank and Gray normally would have released this wine in August, 2002, but the wine is so special that they decided to leave it in barrel for an additional 7 months, the same wood treatment given to their top-of-the-line bottlings. The wine has an expansive aroma of cherries and gentle spice leading to a palate that is round and full of fruit flavors, the hallmark of Hitching Post wines. While the retail price is $25.00, the Duke can offer it to you for current delivery at $19.99, a discount of 20%, while supplies last. Members of the Duke's staff tasted this wine most recently at the Santa Barbara Vintner's Festival - it was absolutely super!

Now, back to the futures!!

Hitching Post 2001 Pinot Noir, Highliner - October 2003 Release

Price $40.00; Futures Price $31.99

This is the fifth vintage of the famed Highliner and it is better than ever. Frank and Gray have chosen the best barrels from the best vineyard sites to bring you a wine that will definitely wow you. It is very aromatic with flavors of oak and dark fruit. It is 'well-stuffed' and built to age. The hedonists among us will be hard-put not to consume this decadent wine in its youth.


Hitching Post 2001 Syrah, Purisima Mountain Vineyard - October 2003 Release

Price $30.00; Futures Price $23.99

This is the second vintage from this new Syrah vineyard and a great follow-up to the very successful 2000 vintage. The 2001 vintage is richer and more exciting with complex flavors of blueberry, beef and white pepper. This one definitely pushes the flavor and intensity buttons all the way down - a real show-stopper from two gentlemen known for their elegant red wines.


Margerum 2002 Sauvignon Blanc, Vogelzang Vineyard - May 2003 Release

(Not really a "future", but we're still selling a tiny bit of it at an introductory price.)

Price $24.00; Futures Price $18.99

This is Doug Margerum's "dream Sauvignon Blanc." Working with the vineyard owners, Doug dropped fruit and leaves to reduce the crop and obtain the highest quality fruit possible. The wine was fermented in stainless steel using the famous "Cloudy Bay yeast." The results are mouthwatering - lush, concentrated gooseberry and grapefruit flavors backed by mineral notes and bright acidity. In a word, racy. The brilliant first impression leads to a balanced finish. Served at our Wine Association event on May 1 to great acclaim.


Margerum 2002 M5, Santa Ynez Valley - August 15, 2003 Release

Price $25.00; Futures Price $19.99

M5 is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourverdre, Cinsault and Counoise and very reminiscent of a great Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The grapes are sourced from some of the top vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley and have produced a wine with much substance. Violets, licorice, spice, pepper and a hint of spearmint come together to meet bold tannins melded with sweet red and dark fruit. The wine is intense and dark and the finish long and memorable. We served barrel samples of this wine at our seminar on May 1 - we have rarely seen a response as popular as this one. Doug has hit one out of the park this time. In fact, James Laube previewed this wine in barrel and scored it 90-95 points on the Wine Spectator scale.


Margerum 2002 Syrah, Great Oaks Ranch Vineyard - August 15, 2003 Release

Price $30.00; Futures Price $23.99

Here is another tremendous wine from Margerum - sexy, exotic and complex. It has all the components you expect in a great Syrah. Dark and intense, the flavors are incredible. This single-vineyard wine is "great," just like the name of the vineyard. It is not a wine to be taken lightly. We also served barrel samples of this wine at our May 1st event and, based on the verbal responses as well as the orders we received, it is sure to be highly sought-after and a real collector's item (only 150 cases produced). Mr. Laube also gave this wine a 90-95 score based on the barrel sample he tasted.


We are also continuing the special futures offer on the extraordinary 2001 Au Bon Climat and Qupe wines to be delivered in August of 2003. Here is the list (minus the tasting notes).

OK, take me to the tasting notes.


Au Bon Climat 2001 Hildegard - August 2003 Release

Price $35.00; Futures Price $27.99


Au Bon Climat 2001 Chardonnay, Sanford & Benedict - August 2003 Release

Price $25.00; Futures Price $19.99


Au Bon Climat 2001 Chardonnay, Mt. Carmel - August 2003 Release

Price $35.00; Futures Price $27.99


Au Bon Climat 2001 Chardonnay, Nuits Blanches au Bouge - August 2003 Release

Price $35.00; Futures Price $27.99


Au Bon Climat 2001 Pinot Noir, Sanford & Benedict - August 2003 Release

Price $35.00; Futures Price $27.99


Au Bon Climat 2001 Pinot Noir, Talley Vineyard "Rosemary's" - August 2003 Release

Price $50.00; Futures Price $44.99 (6-Bottle Limit)


Au Bon Climat 2001 Pinot Noir, Mt. Carmel - August 2003 Release

Price $50.00; Futures Price $44.99


Au Bon Climat 2001 Pinot Noir, Isabelle - August 2003 Release

Price $50.00; Futures Price $44.99 (6-Bottle Limit)


Au Bon Climat 2001 Pinot Noir, Knox Alexander - August 2003 Release

Price $45.00; Futures Price $35.99


Barham Mendelsohn 2001 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley - August 2003 Release

Price $50.00; Futures Price $39.99


Vita-Nova 2001 Sangiovese - August 2003 Release

Price $18.00; Futures Price $13.99


Qupe 2001 Syrah, Bien Nacido Hillside Estate - August 2003 Release

Price $40.00; Futures Price $31.99


Qupe 2001 Syrah, 20th Anniversary Harvest - August 2003 Release

Price $50.00; Futures Price $39.99

Ordering Instructions
Minimum: 3-bottle order for each wine
100% Deposit Required - August 2003 Releases

To place your order, please stop by the store or call us at 818-341-1234
or, if you are outside California, at 1-800-4-FINE-WINE



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Just Call (818) 341-1234 or outside California (800) 4-FINE-WINE
Store Hours: Monday-Saturday 9AM - 6PM Pacific Time

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