NEON CACTUS WINES

Friday afternoon, August 20
we offered a selection of red and white
wines from Portugal
for tasting, accompanied by tasty snacks!

This 100% Tempranillo is from 25-year-old family-owned vineyards belonging to the San Pedro family, located close to Laguardia, a medieval village in the heart of Rioja Alavesa, the northern region of Rioja, Spain.
Great value and easy to enjoy, this highly expressive Tempranillo is a soft and delicious red wine, offering a mouthful of crisp black fruit and tons of style. Great with red meats dishes, Asian fusion dishes, casseroles, pasta, and cheeses. $13.95*

Made from Dão red grape varieties such as Jaen, Alfrocheiro,Tinta Pinheira, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, grown by local winegrowers in partnership with Sogrape Vinhos.
Grão Vasco Dão Red 2007 has a ruby-red hue and primary aromas of plum and black cherry, with some balmy notes. In the mouth, it has great elegance and softness, with fine and fresh acidity, soft and round tannins, and a mouthfeel of medium intensity with a prevalence of fruit. A remarkably balanced red with a clean and mildly lingering finish.
A light and elegant wine that combines the profile and classical flavour of Portuguese Dão reds with the great versatility of an everyday wine. Ideal with light meals, such as cold meat, cheese and some fish dishes. $11.95*

This Reserva is made from selected Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes. 
This elegant gold-wire-wrapped bottle contains an excellently balanced and well-rounded wine. The intense ruby-red colour announces a full and fruity bouquet. This flavourful blend has a velvety, elegant finish. Suitable accompaniment for meat, game and spicy dishes. Serve at 18 degrees C. $12.95*

We extend a warm welcome to
JC Travel
our new neighbour!

JC Travel has moved in next door to Neon Cactus Wines to the west, in the spot where the Clearance Centre used to be. Drop in and see their beautiful new digs and, while you’re there, arrange for a great holiday!

Although the Clearance Centre is gone, wonderful bargains on clothing and gifts are available at Cactus Trading Company, just east of the wine store, where their HOT SUMMER SALE is now on!

At Neon Cactus Wines on Friday, August 6, from 3 to 6 p.m.
we offered two New Zealand wines for tasting,
Manu Pinot Noir & Manu Sauvignon Blanc,
along with delicious complementary food items!

A representative from Marram Wines, agents for Manu, was here to present the wines and answer your questions.

Manu is the Maori word for both bird and kite, and the Manu logo is an interpretation of a “Te Manu Tukutuki,” a beautifully crafted Maori kite. This kite represents the hallmarks of Manu wines: craftsmanship, elegance, and the pure nature of New Zealand.

Manu Pinot Noir
This elegant, fruit-forward, approachable red exhibits a bouquet of cherries, violets, red fruits and overtones of smoke and peat. On the palate there is a fruity concentration accompanied by chocolate, coffee bean, plum and toasty flavours with a very pleasant sweetness. A beautifully balanced wine. The finish is rounded and persistent. Serve with anything barbecued: one glass for the marinade and the rest for the chef. $26.95*

Manu Sauvignon Blanc
Fruit forward, bright, lively wine with a citrus, tropical, herbal bouquet. Gooseberry and passionfruit flavours dominate the palate with a hint of sweetness and herbal undertones. The acidity is tight and zesty and it has a clean, crisp finish. Great well-chilled with oysters or almost any shellfish. Has sufficient acidity to serve with light cream sauces. $21.95*

“Lot 96” was chosen as a name for this blend to reflect Foppiano’s original roots dating back to 1896; the vineyard is still family owned and operated.

28% Sangiovese, 19% Petite Sirah, 17% Zinfandel, 14% Carignane, 10% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc
The blend in this wine provides an entirely food-friendly experience. Sangiovese plays a big part in structure as well as a dynamic fruit component. Soft, ready to drink and very supple.
Simply enjoy with your everyday meals and share with your family and friends.
Pork shoulder, roasted low and slow ’til it falls off the bone, would be a great fit with this wine.  Then a gnocchi or pappardelle noodle with jus made from the drippings and rapini would be dynamite. $19.95*

Made from Prosecco grapes grown on the graceful slopes near the beautiful hill-top town of Conegliano, very close to Venice in northern Italy. Fruity aromas, especially of unripe apples, lemons and grapefruit, and a pronounced aroma of wisteria in bloom and acacia flowers. Pleasantly acid, fresh flavour, full-bodied and well balanced. Prosecco became the aperitif of choice for Venetians in the nineteenth century and its distinct personality made it renowned throughout Italy and beyond. Aromatic, refreshing and fruity, Canaletto Prosecco is an impressive, yet easy-going sparkling wine, perfect for any occasion.
Pair with antipasti or canapés, cheeses ~ fontina, goat cheese, gorgonzola, cambozola and ricotta ~ almonds, pasta, oysters and other seafood, and all kinds of vegetables and salads. $17.95*

[ Vino Spumante Italian Brut Casa Girelli Veneto Valdobbiadene]

95% Shiraz, 5% Viognier
Sourced from grapes of Victoria’s cooler climate vineyards, this wine is an attractive, deep plum colour and displays great red berry notes, blackcurrant and mocha on the nose. The palate is well structured with nice soft tannins and plummy fruit flavours. The length and the balance make it very enjoyable to drink.  $21.95*

Rosé is red wine in a pink summer dress.

Friday July 23 & Saturday, July 24
we exposed the truth about rosé wines for you!
Myth:
Rosé wines are too sweet. Rosé is white zinfandel.
Truth:
The only difference between red wine and rosé is that the grape skins are removed earlier in the winemaking process, before the wine develops deep colour and strong tannins (the bite that makes you pucker).

We tasted a selection of rosés from around the world, paired with delicious snacks!

Have a look at the pictures of
Neon Cactus Wines’
Customer Appreciation Stampede Lunch!

Between noon and 3 p.m.
on Saturday, July 17
we provided a full, free, delicious lunch to our customers in appreciation for their patronage!

We offered Purple Cowboy, the Official Wine of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, for tasting. Attendees enjoyed the full-bodied flavours of Tenacious Red and Night Rider Merlot!

The cowboy met the old man who brought him some cuttings in a damp burlap sack. The old man said, “Plant these in the valley where the fog comes in at dusk and the soil is stony and no good for anything else. And someday you’ll have some fine dark wine. So dark it turns your teeth to purple.” So the legend goes.

Both Purple Cowboy wines are teeth-staining dark red with hints of purple. They each won Gold Medal, Best of Class at Jerry D. Mead’s New World International Wine Competition.

Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red
A rowdy blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Vibrant aromas of crushed red berries and cherries, notes of cola and cinnamon, and a hint of earthiness. Berry flavours explode in the mouth with cinnamon and cassis in the mid-palate leading to slight cocoa powder tannins on the finish. A very rich, full-bodied style. This wine is perfection with grilled tri-tip of beef roast ~ a signature dish of the Central California Coastal winegrowing region. In Paso Robles, the beef is grilled chuckwagon-style over a red-oak fire. Serve with other great cowboy fare like baked beans, garlic bread, and a green salad. $18.95*
Purple Cowboy Night Rider Merlot
Mostly Merlot with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon
Dazzling aromas of crushed black cherries and plums with rose petal, cola and a hint of smoked caramel. Mouth-filling flavours of cherry pie and cassis with silky, cocoa powder tannins on the long finish. Smooth and full-bodied. Try with slow-cooked, smoky barbecue, chili, chicken-fried steak, long-simmered pinto beans, Texas-style Coq au Vin and all your other favourite foods at home on the range. $17.95*

Purple Cowboy is the Official Wine of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys’ Association. The Purple Cowboy supports Tough Enough to Wear Pink and the fight against breast cancer.

Friday, July 9
starting at 2 p.m.
we offered our new Sledgehammer wines for tasting!
Sledgehammer Cab
Sledgehammer Zin
with scrumptious snacks!

Karen Thirlwell of Foster’s Group, agent for Sledgehammer wines, was here to present the wines and answer your questions.

Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon
Complex aromas of black cherry with cinnamon and nutmeg. Flavours of plum and dark fruit with supple tannins and integrated toasted oak from barrel aging. The fruit flavours along with a note of mocha create a lasting finish. $16.95*

Sledgehammer Zinfandel
Intense aromas of blackberry, black pepper, toasted oak and a hint of brown spice. Notice flavours of raspberry and blackberry with vanilla and toasted oak from aging in small barrels. Berries, brown spice and oak complexity continue in a long finish. $16.95*