[Newsletter rcvd 9-Apr-1998] Invitation to Walla Walla Vintners' Spring 1998 Wine Release You are invited to attend our Spring Wine Release for tasting and sales on May 2 & 3, 1998. The winery will be open from 11:00am to 5:00pm. Wall Walla Vintners -- bonded in 1995 -- is holding its third wine release featuring a 1996 WASHINGTON STATE CUVEE. Myles Anderson, Alan Jones, and Gordon Venneri, winemakers and owners, have tripled production during the 1997 crush in response to the growing interest in the Walla Walla Vintners' premium red wines. We will release the first wines of this vintage in Spring, 1999. The 1995 premier releases were reviewed in the December 15, 1997 issue of THE WINE SPECTATOR. We are proud of the ratings ranging from "very good, a wine of special qualities" for the Yakima Valley Cabernet Franc, and Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon, to "outstanding, a wine of superior character and style", for the Washington State Merlot and Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Wehn you visit the winery this Spring you will notice on the left, after you enter the gate, td Cabernet Franc vineyard. It is the work of Alan Jones, the newest vigneron in the Walla Walla Valley. The winery is located off of Mill Creek Road near the Blue Mountains. The winery is open for tasting and sales two weekends each year -- Spring and Fall. To reach the winery from US 12, take the Rooks Park exit. The winery is located 3.2 miles east from Isaac Avenue on Mill Creek Road in Walla Walla, Washington. We will showcase: 1996 Washington State Cuvee The wine is a blend of four vineyards: Drollinger, Pleasent, Hogue Cellars, and Windrow. The Cuvee includes 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. It was aged for 17 months in both American and French oak barrels in seperate lots. It is garnet in color with an interesting nose of vanilla and cedar. This is a medium weight wine that is packed with raspberry, black olive and basil. The Cuvee was first previewed during December during the December, 1997 Open House and Barrel Tasting. It received high marks for its silky-smooth complexity and immediate enjoyablility. It is a great value for a 1996 premium wine! $18.00 per 750 ml bottle -- $216 per case Note for Advance Orders We are not limiting the sale of the Cuvee during this release. However our mailing list has incresed way beyond the number of cases available. Thus, we recommend that customers make advance orders by completing and mailing/faxing the order form on the back. Please avoid phone orders since your signature is required. Wine orders will be handled in the order that they are received. Orders can also be picked up at the winery on May 2 & 3, 1998. Full case or one-half case orders can be shipped UPS.