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E- News from the Balistreri Tasting Room               January/February2010
Greetings!   flamescooking
 
 

It's time for our annual Cooking with Wine in the Cellar event.  We're warming up the cellar on Saturday Feb 6th for a tasty open house. Scroll down for all the details and please let us know if you will be joining us. Space is  limited.

 We also have an update from the winemaker on the 2009 Little Feet Merlot.   
 

Then, Valentines day is just around the corner and you may want to treat your Valentine with a gift from Balistreri Vineyards.

 
More In this Issue
Cooking with Wine in the Cellar....
Little Feet Merlot
Treat your....Valentine!
Monthly Winners!

Cooking with Wine in the Cellarcooking in cellar 2010

Saturday
February 6th
 
Join us for a sampling!
Once again we're warming up the cellar. The Balistreri Family will be demonstrating and sharing some of their favorite dishes made with wine.  Sample these tasty recipes while tasting the Balistreri's latest wines.
Each recipe is made with wine and also paired with wine. 
 
 
 
*This is a complimentary event, however because of limited space, please make your free reservation on line here.* or give us a call at 303 287 5156 
 
The available time slots  are:
11:3oam- 1:00pm
1:00- 2:30pm
2:30- 4:00pm
4:0o- 5:30pm
 
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 Little Feet Merlot Update
09gift 
First we would like to thank all of the kids who participated in our little feet grape stompings this last fall. They were all just amazing  stompers!!!
Twenty eight hundred little feet stomped 8000 pounds of Merlot grapes during the two days of Festival Italiano at Belmar in Lakewood. Wow...too much fun!! 
 
Then, at the Balistreri Annual Harvest Party over 120 children had a great time stomping another couple thousand pounds of Merlot grapes. 
 
Click Here to see if we caught your Little Feet Stomper on camera.
 

At both events parents were able to pre-purchase the wine made from the same grapes the children were stomping. A portion of Little Feet Merlot pre-sales benefit the Children's Hospital Foundation. Our thanks goes out to those parents and grandparents who pre-purchased Little Feet Merlot.
 2009 Little Feet Merlot update......
 After the kids stomp the Merlot grapes the bins are taken to the winery where they are combined to about 800 to 1000 lbs in each bin.  A couple of days later the grapes start to ferment and begin turning all of the sweet sugar from the grapes into alcohol. No need to worry about how well the kids washed their feet because during this primary fermentation anything that might be harmful "boils" out and after that the alcohol takes over. FYI... most wine grapes are never washed from the field. The natural wild yeast that is on the grape skins and in the air are what takes the grapes through the primary fermentation and anything harmful is eliminated through this process. Due to cooler weather this fall the Little Feet Merlot's took about 20 days to finish the primary fermentation. After that the wine was pressed off of the mash (skins, stems, & seeds) and put into American oak barrels where it will stay and age until next fall.   Winemaker John Balistreri tasted both Little Feet Merlots last week and said " They're good. Young, but good. Great color, nice berry aromas on both wines, they're both really young and "lovies vineyard" is just as intense as ever."  John expects this 2009 vintage to be just as exceptional as the past vintages. These Little Feet Merlot wines have another 7 or 8 more months to age in the barrel before they are bottled this coming fall. John will give us another up date in a couple of months so we can hear how these special wines are coming along!

If you didn't get a chance to pre-purchase this 2009 wine and would like to reserve a bottle or two of the same wine your kids stomped, just give us a call and we can get it reserved for you.  
 
 2008 Little Feet Reminder
If you pre-purchased Little Feet Merlot at the 2008 stompings, and haven't picked it up yet, we have it ready for you. They're great wines to enjoy with family and friends. 
 
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Treat your Valentine!  With a Gift from Balistreri Vineyards  

wine grapesStart with your Valentines' favorite Balistreri Wine and then add a few extra treats like: Wild Women Chocolate Truffles, Fresh Flowers, Crystal Wine Glasses, Cheeses, Fruit, Chocolate Cherry Cordials, a Romantic Candle and the list goes on. Ask about our Sweetheart Basket with wine, fresh flowers, and chocolate truffles $60.

Call the winery at 303-287-5156 for details on customized gifts, delivery, and shipping.

Happy Valentines Day!
 
 
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E-Mail List Winners


Congratulations!
to Roger G. , our December"Bottle of Wine" winner, and Sandy D., our January "Bottle of Wine" winner 

  We like to keep our customers and future customers informed. Please tell family and friends to join the Balistreri mailing list at www.BalistreriWine.com/contact.html contact page. They will automatically be entered in our monthly drawing to win a bottle of Balistreri Wine. 

 
 

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Contact Information
Balistreri Vineyards
1946 E 66th Ave
Denver CO 80229

Telephone: 303 287 5156
Fax: 303 287 0045