Field Notes from a Wine Life – Story Edition

Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…

Words aren’t enough

I give to thee…the worst wine ad of all-time and that’s without delving into the ponderous name of the wine or, why, inexplicably, the back of the laptop in the photo has a big sticker for Ass Kisser ales…

…In the main visual, three people are huddled around the boss giving him “Ass Kisser” wine…Isn’t the point of being a brown-noser to do it subtly?  Who randomly gifts their boss right before their employee review? 

Even if you view this ad as schlocky hipster irony, it’s still bad and makes you wonder if the advertising sales guy at Wine Enthusiast couldn’t do a solid for his client and suggest creative that, well, actually makes sense.

Or, maybe being horrible was the plan – like a movie that becomes a cult hit a decade hence…so bad that it becomes a lofty ideal for bad, enjoying a following because of its campy nature. 

Bad Week for Eric Asimov?

On both Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Eric Asimov, the New York Times chief wine critic was taken to task for different reasons by Matt Kramer at Winespectator.com and Steve Heimoff at his blog of the same name.

This is interesting because wine writers of a certain stature very carefully call their shots amongst their peers.

Normally the shots are fired up (Parker) or down (bloggers), but usually never sideways amongst writers in the same strata. 

To watch Asimov, as seemingly decent of a guy as you’ll find, called onto the rug by two notable wine writers, to me, speaks to something much bigger.

With Parker stepping aside and Antonio Galloni receiving glancing admiration for hitting a stand-up triple by dint of his current position at the Wine Advocate, at the same time that the wheat and chaff are separating with wine bloggers, somebody has to step into the fray as a public foil for other wine writers to target.

Unwittingly, it might be Asimov for reasons entirely opposite of Parker’s hegemony.  Asimov’s palate for wine seems food-friendly and balanced; he takes an egalitarian approach to wine for the people without pretense and he doesn’t score wines.

In other words, Asimov is bizarro Superman to Parker’s swashbuckling empiricism and, perhaps, even a greater danger to the Ivory Tower of legacy wine media than the mere jealousy that passed for poking at Parker.

Just a thought…

It’s all about the story

The wine business has always been excellent at storytelling.  Virtually every winery has their origin story and that of their dirt down pat, even if not very compelling.

So, it is with interest that I’ve been watching Facebook’s recent changes keeping in mind that founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has emphasized emotional resonance, narrative and storytelling – factors that extend well beyond consumers using Facebook to “Tell the story of their life,” as Zuckerberg noted.  This will be inclusive of the brands that use Facebook for engagement, as well.

I was further intrigued after reading parallel news reports that Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), is singing the same song.

He notes in an article in Advertising Age, “Technology innovations are irrelevant to the future of advertising and marketing unless a more fundamental activity is understood, honored and advanced: the craft of storytelling.”

A quick Google search for “Mark Zuckerberg F8 Keynote” and “Randall Rothenberg MIXX Keynote” will yield a number of stories all occurring in September.  There’s no question about Facebook’s influence and the IAB is the thought-leader for digital advertising.  Between the two of them, they present an imposing shadow of influence on digital marketing.

If I were a winery with an understanding that digital marketing is a tsunami of change that is important, I might start revisiting my winery story for some fine-tuning…

Two books that I recommend to bone-up on the elements of good business storytelling are:  The Story Factor and Made to Stick.

On Sweet Wines

In an article this week from the San Francisco Chronicle called “Beginner drinkers get a crush on sweet red wines,”  E.&J. Gallo VP of Marketing, Stephanie Gallo, noted:  “There is a major shift going on in the U.S. wine drinking culture.  First, we noticed that regional sweet red blends were doing particularly well in Indiana, Texas and North Carolina. Second, our consumers were asking if we produced a sweet red wine after tasting our Moscato at events.”

Good Grape readers had the scoop on this months ago when I wrote:

How Sweet it is – The Growing Sweet Wine Trend in early October, 2010

And

Move over Moscato and Make Way for Sweet Reds in February of this year

Just saying…

Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_story_edition/

wine merlot chardonney rose wine

On Beer's Inherent Summer Vacation Advantage

Although beer consumption is way down annually at WWP headquarters, it tends to make a big comeback when summer vacation rolls around. As we were doing our grocery shopping to stock our vacation rental yesterday I couldn't help think: Beer has a tremendous set of inherent advantages over wine as the summer vacation beverage of choice.
 
First, beer is so much more affordable. I think I've been spoiled by buying really good wines at deep discount from online retailers with private email lists. Buying wine this way signifcantly increases the selection compared to what's in a typical grocery store. And it decreases the per-bottle cost. Lacking this angle when shopping at a supermarket in a vacation town amplifies the price advantage beer has over wine. You can get some really interesting local brews - even in your vacation town grocery store - for less than $10. In the wine aisles this price range keeps you squarely in a class of wines which are serviceable at best but all seem taste about the same.
 
Second, wine can be a hassle on vacation. Being on vacation means being away from your home turf. And it often means being at the beach, being on a boat, or being near a pool. All of these environments present challenge for wine service. Beer is packaged in a variety of user-friendly packages and retailers have an ample supply of them in coolers ready to drink. Compare this to wine where concerns about serving temperature, cork screws, stemware, and glass near water all conspire to make wine a pain to work with.
 
Third, beer producers have done a great job with summer brews. Although new vintages of favorite wines are exciting, beer producers have done a tremendous job developing seasonable brews to create compelling new reasons to buy their product each year. For example, the release of Samuel Adams Summer Ale signals the unofficial beginning of summer. And certain beers just seem to go hand in hand with summer beach vacation. Take Red Stripe and Corona: On their own they're not particularly great beers. But man - they hit the spot on a hot summer afternoon near the water. Certain varieties of wine like Muscadet, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc are great in the summer, but they don't make me immediately think of summer vacation the way certain beers do.
 
One solution which helps a bit is to bring your own wine on vacation. I've done that before and it was nice to have good wines from my stash with me. But there's something about that experience that subtly diminishes an important aspect of summer vacation. My idea of a great summer vacation is easy going nastolgiac familiarity. Going back to the same place you've been going for years. Sharing the same foods with family and eating at the same old restaurants. Introducing your kids to family traditions you enjoyed when you were young... Bringing your own wine from home doesn't necessarily fit into that scheme. Buying beer at the stores and bars you only visit when on vacation seems to fit better.
 
Don't get me wrong - I love a nice glass of Pinot Noir at the end of the day after putting the kids to bed. But summer vacations are a tough occasion for wine.
 
Question of the Day: What do you think? Are there better ways to enjoy wine on summer vacation? Or is it better to go with the flow and drink beer?
 

Posted with Blogsy

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/jq69wmliErE/on-beer-inherent-summer-vacation.html

expensive wine dinner wine table wine shiraz

Rockin’ at Wine & Cars

Everyone had a great time at Wine & Cars Under the Stars last weekend. Don’t believe me? Check out the video: The evening was a great success, netting nearly $50,000 for the foundations at Fairplex and their programs. If you missed Wine & Cars, you can taste the award-winning wines of the Los Angeles International [...]

Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=100

rose wine red wine white wine expensive wine

Eater Tracking: Chez Mimi is indeed returning to...

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/07/06/eater_tracking.php

expensive wine dinner wine table wine shiraz

Wine in LA: Strides in Wine Culture as Three Restos Make Best of List

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/07/06/strides_in_wine_culture_as_three_restos_make_best_of_list.php

chardonney rose wine red wine white wine

Rockin’ at Wine & Cars

Everyone had a great time at Wine & Cars Under the Stars last weekend. Don’t believe me? Check out the video: The evening was a great success, netting nearly $50,000 for the foundations at Fairplex and their programs. If you missed Wine & Cars, you can taste the award-winning wines of the Los Angeles International [...]

Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=100

burgandy sirah wine grapes wine

Sparkling Wine Adventures in the Napa Valley & Carneros

Etoile is excellent and, in fact, a Micheline star-rated restaurant. As does Domaine Carneros, Domaine Chandon makes a number of different sparkling wines. One that we love and is very much overlooked is their Domain Chandon Riche. Continue reading →

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/sparkling-wine-adventures-in-the-napa-valley-carneros/

merlot chardonney rose wine red wine

Fighting for Foie: If only Food Republic's Jason Kessler...

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/07/05/fighting_for_foie.php

wine merlot chardonney rose wine

The Wine Industry Should Commit to Telling The Truth

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FermentationTheDailyWineBlog/~3/5fAMFHcrZMQ/the-wine-industry-should-commit-to-telling-the-truth.html

wine grapes wine merlot chardonney

On Beer's Inherent Summer Vacation Advantage

Although beer consumption is way down annually at WWP headquarters, it tends to make a big comeback when summer vacation rolls around. As we were doing our grocery shopping to stock our vacation rental yesterday I couldn't help think: Beer has a tremendous set of inherent advantages over wine as the summer vacation beverage of choice.
 
First, beer is so much more affordable. I think I've been spoiled by buying really good wines at deep discount from online retailers with private email lists. Buying wine this way signifcantly increases the selection compared to what's in a typical grocery store. And it decreases the per-bottle cost. Lacking this angle when shopping at a supermarket in a vacation town amplifies the price advantage beer has over wine. You can get some really interesting local brews - even in your vacation town grocery store - for less than $10. In the wine aisles this price range keeps you squarely in a class of wines which are serviceable at best but all seem taste about the same.
 
Second, wine can be a hassle on vacation. Being on vacation means being away from your home turf. And it often means being at the beach, being on a boat, or being near a pool. All of these environments present challenge for wine service. Beer is packaged in a variety of user-friendly packages and retailers have an ample supply of them in coolers ready to drink. Compare this to wine where concerns about serving temperature, cork screws, stemware, and glass near water all conspire to make wine a pain to work with.
 
Third, beer producers have done a great job with summer brews. Although new vintages of favorite wines are exciting, beer producers have done a tremendous job developing seasonable brews to create compelling new reasons to buy their product each year. For example, the release of Samuel Adams Summer Ale signals the unofficial beginning of summer. And certain beers just seem to go hand in hand with summer beach vacation. Take Red Stripe and Corona: On their own they're not particularly great beers. But man - they hit the spot on a hot summer afternoon near the water. Certain varieties of wine like Muscadet, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc are great in the summer, but they don't make me immediately think of summer vacation the way certain beers do.
 
One solution which helps a bit is to bring your own wine on vacation. I've done that before and it was nice to have good wines from my stash with me. But there's something about that experience that subtly diminishes an important aspect of summer vacation. My idea of a great summer vacation is easy going nastolgiac familiarity. Going back to the same place you've been going for years. Sharing the same foods with family and eating at the same old restaurants. Introducing your kids to family traditions you enjoyed when you were young... Bringing your own wine from home doesn't necessarily fit into that scheme. Buying beer at the stores and bars you only visit when on vacation seems to fit better.
 
Don't get me wrong - I love a nice glass of Pinot Noir at the end of the day after putting the kids to bed. But summer vacations are a tough occasion for wine.
 
Question of the Day: What do you think? Are there better ways to enjoy wine on summer vacation? Or is it better to go with the flow and drink beer?
 

Posted with Blogsy

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/jq69wmliErE/on-beer-inherent-summer-vacation.html

white wine expensive wine

Eater Inside : Score Your Poutine Fix Tomo at P'tit Soleil in Westwood

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/07/03/score_your_poutine_fix_tomo_at_ptit_soleil_in_westwood.php

expensive wine dinner wine table wine shiraz

Preview: Knights Bridge Wine Dinner at Blue Ginger

On Tuesday, April 24th 2012 Blue Ginger in Wellesley, MA is hosting a paired wine dinner featuring Knights Bridge Winery. The event costs $145 inclusive of tax and gratuity. Click here for details and more information.

I sat down with Knights Bridge Managing Director Timothy Carl to preview the wines slated to be poured at the dinner and learn more about the winery. I hadn't heard of Knights Bridge until recently. For some reason, when I first heard the name Knights Bridge I immediately thought of the well-regarded-as-a-value-play Beringer Knights Valley line-up. The Beringer wines are good, but a better comparison for Knights Bridge would be Peter Michael whose vineyards are a stone's throw from Knights Bridge's 120 acre estate north of Calistoga in the slopes of the Mayacamas mountain range.

Tim is one of those guys who lives in many circles. PhD in genetics. Harvard Fellow. Consulting experience at McKinsey and Putnam Associates. Quartermaster in the US Navy. Chef. UC Davis-education in winemaking. The guy loves to learn.

In 2005 he left Boston to return home to northern California and he's now bringing that experience, backed by 6 generations of winemaking, to the relatively new endeavor that is Knights Bridge. Their first officially released vintage was 2006 and they currently produce 1,200 cases.

When I asked him how he plans to get the attention of today's fickle wine consumers he said, "By making the absolute best wine possible." For him, everything comes back to that: Producing the best balanced wines they can.

We started off with a 2009 Pont de Chevalier Sauvignon Blanc. French for Knights Bridge, it's their second label. It was aged in stainless steel and neutral oak barrels (previously used, in this case for Chardonnay). I thought it was golden and sunny yet balanced nicely by racy minerality and acidity. Green apples and lemon zest. Tasty. 120 cases produced, $40. 89/100 WWP: Very Good.

Next up was the 2009 Knights Bridge West Block Chardonnay. This wine was chosen, along with wines from Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Colgin, Staglin, Peter Michael and others, to be poured at a reception at last year's G-8 summit at the Louvre. After tasting the wine I can see why it was included in this illustrious company.

The wine weighs in at 15.5% alcohol but you'd never guess it. Light golden in the glass, it's tremendously round and creamy yet beautifully clean and elegant. Complex aromas and flavors that seemed to change each time I tasted it. Most notable were roasted pear with coconut cream pie in the background. But approached from a different angle when tasted with food, zesty citrus aspects came forward. Quite a wine. 200 cases produced, $65. 93/100 WWP: Outstanding.

Timothy explained that the Knight's Valley AVA is unique in it's ability to produce both great Chardonnay and great Cabernet Sauvignon. This, he said, was due to diurnal temperature swings greater than 50F in the summer along with cooler micro climates where Chardonnay can excel.

The winemaker for both the Chardonnay and the Cabernet Sauvignon is Jeff Ames. Jeff has served as an assistant winemaker to the highly regarded Thomas Rivers Brown and has helped produce wines for Schrader, Maybach, and and Outpost as well as his own label Rudius.

The first Cabernet we tasted was a 2008 Knights Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon produced from mountain fruit from their estate vineyards in Sonoma (the Bridge in Knights Bridge is named for the "bridge" of sorts their property forms between Sonoma and Napa). The wine was aged for 28 months in 100% new French Oak and weighs in at a moderate 14.5% alcohol. The wine snuck up on me a bit. At first it presented itself as a "nice", pleasant, smooth Cab. But it built power on the mid-palate as it rested in my mouth and finished with a brawny, delicious chocolate-laced finish. 300 cases produced, $115. 92/100 WWP: Outstanding.

Next up was the 2008 Knights Bridge Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Cabernet Sauvignon. It was aged for 21 months in 100% new French Oak and is 14.9% alcohol. The Dr. Crane vineyard is just west of Tre Vigne restaurant if you're familiar with the area and is known for its rocky soils which tend to produce wine with small berries and scorched earth characteristics. It was quite a bit more tannic than the Knights Bridge at this stage, but also more complex and powerful. 135 cases produced, $135. 92/100 WWP: Outstanding.

The final wine we tasted was the 2008 Knights Bridge Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon (pronoucned "tow-kuh-lawn" and Greek for "highest beauty"). To Kalon is arguably the most sought after vineyard in America - especially amongst those who sell their grapes to other producers. The only domestic wines Wine Spectator has ever rated 100 points came from this vineyard in the form of Schrader's 2007 MM-VII and CCS bottlings.

Also aged for 21 months in 100% new French Oak, the grape clusters were destemmed and cold soaked for 24 hours then fermented on skins in tank. The wine is massive with explosive notes of blackberries, mocha, cinnamon, and chocolate covered espresso beans. Chalky, mouth-filling tannins support a long flavorful finish. Quite spectacular. 110 cases produced, $135. 94/100 WWP: Outstanding.

At last check there was still some availability for the dinner Tuesday night. Give Blue Ginger a call if you're interested in attending: 781-283-5790 x18 
 
If that doesn't work out for you check out their wines at these (and other) restaurants and retailers in Massachusetts:

• Flemings
• L'Espelier
• Morton's Seaport
• Radius
• Bauer Wine & Spirits
• Gordon's

Next Steps:

• Check out the menu for the dinner at Blue Ginger Tuesday night
• Visit the Knights Bridge Winery website and sign up for their mailing list
• Look for their wines at retail via Wine-Searcher.com

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/5redtHy6nnE/preview-knights-bridge-wine-dinner-at.html

wine merlot chardonney rose wine

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/03/duck-duck-moose-i-attended-tasting.html

dinner wine table wine shiraz champagne

As my Riesling gently weeps

Riesling. It’s like the wine world in microcosm. Wine experts love it but cannot understand why consumers don’t go gaga over it, but ultimately this is our fault. Consumers have heard about it, and when it is poured in their glasses really do enjoy it, but feel confused by its many styles, provenances and the [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/spU8m9xDt3I/

chardonney rose wine red wine white wine

Winners, Losers, Surprises and Upsets: Tasting 2009 Pinot Noir Blind

I had mixed emotions as I was driving to a blind tasting of 2009 Pinot Noir this past weekend. When Wine Zag blogger Adam Japko announced the tasting I was thrilled because I've been enjoying so many 2009 California Pinot Noirs lately. But as the night was upon us I looked at it differently than other tastings I'd been to.

Would I be able to pick my favorites out of the line-up? Would I be able to differentiate California from Oregon and elsewhere? Would my favorite be a cheap wine - and make me feel like a fool for spending so much energy chasing after and exploring increasingly obscure producers the past few years?

The line-up included producers I'm familiar with and enjoy like Sojourn, Belle Glos, and Loring. Familiar names like Patricia Green, Melville, and Calera. Some I was looking forward to trying for the first time - especially Kutch. Some old world Pinot Noirs, including a few Burgundies, were thrown into the mix as well. And a low-priced ringer: Castle Rock.

All of the wines in the tasting were 2009s, and the focus was primarily on California. Wine Spectator has called 2009 California Pinot Noir the best vintage ever. 2009 red Burgundy is said to be an amazingly fruit forward vintage. A perfect time for folks like me to explore the region. 2009 Oregon Pinot Noir hasn't received the accolades 2008 did, but 2009 is a warmer vintage and the wines are more generous on release as a result. More like 2006 Oregon Pinot Noir - which I liked.

The wines were tasted blind in 3 flights with the wines assorted randomly. We knew the wines being tasted and their price points but we didn't know which of the 17 wines was which.

Flight 1

Patricia Green Estate Pinot Noir (Oregon)	$35
Kutch Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley, CA)	$68
Montinore Estate Pinot Noir (Oregon)	$28
Friedrich Becker Estate Spatburgunder (Pfalz, Germany)	$25
Sojourn Sangiacomo Vineyard Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast, CA)	$50
Brewer-Clifton Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Rita Hills, CA)	$60

Thoughts on the flight: Tons of stylistic diversity here. Guessing a lot of these aren't from California. Probably a couple are from Burgundy or Oregon.
   
Flight 2

Calera Pinot Noir (Central Coast, CA)	$26
Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Vineyard (Santa Maria Valley, CA)	$43
A Tribute to Grace Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyards Grenache (CA)	$42
Domaine Eden Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mountains, CA)	$32
Loring Graham Family Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley, CA)	$48

Not as much diversity here. Thinking all of these are from California. Good wines but no huge standouts.

Flight 3

Lignier-Michelot Cuvee Bertin Gevrey-Chambertin (Burgundy)	$70
Castle Rock California Cuvee Pinot Noir (CA)	$11
Sojourn Wohler Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast, CA)	$50
2010 Calatroni Pinot Nero (Italy)	$18
Melville Terraces Pinot Noir (Santa Rita Hills, CA)	$56
Bouvier Bourgogne Le Chapitre Gevrey-Chambertin (Burgundy)	$23

Best flight of the night. Diverse and a couple of standout what I'm guessing are California Pinot Noirs.

Winners

The wines from Sojourn, Brewer-Clifton, and Melville showed well for me personally. And Sojourn and Brewer-Clifton showed well according to the group at large.

Losers

Belle Glos caught my eye on the list going in. I though it would be a benchmark wine of sorts that I might even be able to pick out having tried several bottles of their single vineyard wines and detecting a consistent stylistic pattern. But, speaking in March Madness terms, it was upset in the first round. The wines from Oregon (Patricia Green and Montinore Estate) didn't do particularly well either.

Surprises

A late entry - an $18 Italian Pinot Nero - tied the Brewer-Clifton for wine of the night. Quite an accomplishment for such an affordable wine. And who says bigger wines always show better in this kind of tasting?

Upsets

I'd never tried Kutch but finishing near the back of the pack - and weighing in at $68 - has me spooked. Also, the most expensive wine in the tasting - a $70 Burgundy - didn't do much to impress either.

Tasting Notes (sorted from my favorite to least favorite)

2009 Sojourn Wohler Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast, CA) $50 94 WWP: Oustanding

Tasting Note:

Powerful with ripe strawberry and fresh produce aromas. Caramel notes remain in the glass after a couple sips, but it's balanced with fresh fruit and layers of more serious structure. Complex. Love it.

Observations:

Tied for 2nd amongst the group, this was my favorite wine of the night, and just a bit better than the Melville Terraces in the same flight. The Sojourn showed a purity of fruit and balance that others were lacking. Pleased to see this producer come out on top.


2009 Melville Terraces Pinot Noir (Santa Rita Hills, CA) $56 93 WWP: Outstanding

Tasting Note:

Ooo - pretty. Pure California. Round. A little heat. Is this Melville or Belle Glos perhaps?

Observations:

I've enjoyed Melville's entry level bottling (~$30) even though they occasionally have some rough edges and a little heat. This one was very nice. Edged out by the Sojourn because I thought the Melville's fruit was obscured just a touch behind what seemed like a fairly substantial oak regiment.


2009 Brewer-Clifton Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Rita Hills, CA) $60 92 WWP: Outstanding

Tasting Note:

Powerful flavors but balanced nicely with a good amount of acidity. Really nice. With a touch of heat it clings to the glass. But it's vibrant. This could be Sojourn. Or Belle Glos?

Observations:

I had no experience with Brewer-Clifton prior to this tasting. I hear the winemaker is the same as Melville so maybe it's not surprising to see them near each other in my rank order. A little on the spendy side but I'd buy more of this if I could find it in the $40s retail.


2009 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mountains, CA) $32 91 WWP: Outstanding

Tasting Note:

Limited aromatically but radiant and flavorful. Elegant. Pretty. If this is California, it's doing it in a restrained style. Kutch?

Observations:

A nice surprise here from an affordable producer I'd never heard of. And from the Santa Cruz Mountains too. If this is what I think Kutch would taste like after reading about Kutch, and this wine is quite a bit more affordable, I'll definitely be seeking this one out.


2009 Sojourn Sangiacomo Vineyard Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast, CA) $50 90 WWP: Outstanding

Tasting Note:

Happy magenta color but the flavors are melancholy. Beautiful nose of black cherry, raspberries, and mushrooms. Secondary flavors of cola and coconut. Long finish. Like it.

Observations:

Another winner for Sojourn and looking back on the notes it sounds like one of the most compelling wines of the night. Would definitely buy again and recommend others check out Sojourn. They've got one of the most consumer-friendly mailing lists I've come across.


2009 Loring Graham Family Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley, CA) $48 90 WWP: Outstanding

Tasting Note:

Dark in color. Caramel, then strawberries and cranberries. Some rough edges. Is this Sojourn? Might be a little much, but it tastes really good. Could this be Belle Glos?

Observations:

A solid showing here for Loring and the tasting notes are not too surprising having tried a number of their wines from this and recent vintages. Along with Siduri I consider Loring to be a bell weather value-priced high quality California Pinot Noir producer. The single vineyard bottlings climb up a bit in price. As with many single vineyard wines I'm not sure they're always worth it. Another consumer-friendly mailing list to check out.


2010 Calatroni Pinot Nero (Italy) $18 89 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Note:

Oregon? Bubble gum. Don't think it's got that California Pinot Noir flavor profile. Nice, but not my favorite.

Observations:

Tied for 1st among the group. That's saying something for an Italian wine in a line-up of stacked California wines costing many times more. At $18 I'd try this one again if I could find it. Very interesting. Try to find it on Wine-Searcher

2009 Calera Pinot Noir (Central Coast, CA) $26 88 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Note:

Lively fresh fruit. Highish viscosity. Probably California. Straightforward. Tasty.

Observations:

Tied for 3rd in the group. Pretty much in line with what I wrote when I tasted this non-blind for the first time a couple weeks ago. I like this around $20 and my enthusiasm would increase more closer to $15. Can't see my way to the 92 point rating and accolades Robert Parker bestowed on this one but it is very good in my opinion.


2009 Friedrich Becker Estate Spatburgunder (Pfalz, Germany) $25 88 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Note:

Think this one is from Oregon. A little green and twangy. Low viscosity. Pretty, but not my favorite.

Observations:

Affordable and interesting to try a Pinot Noir from Germany.


2009 Castle Rock California Cuvee Pinot Noir (CA) $11 88 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Note:

Very enjoyable and surely from California. Liked it a lot but it lacks some markings I look for in California Pinot Noir flavor-wise. A little dusty and quirky.

Observations:

Pretty strong showing here for a widely available wine that can be found significantly south of $10 if you look around.


Bouvier Bourgogne Le Chapitre Gevrey-Chambertin (Burgundy) $23 88 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Note:

Leuden's cherry cough drops which I tend to like, along with some vegetal components that knocked it down a bit. Is this Grenache?

Observations:

Tied for 2nd in the group. An affordable Burgundy with some things I liked and others I didn't.


A Tribute to Grace Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyards Grenache (CA) $42 87 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Note:

Tied for 3rd in the group. Light in color. Muted nose. Some quirky notes. Germany? Not California.

Observations:

Well this one confused me. I was surprised to see a California Grenache so light in color compared to Pinot Noirs. Interesting.


Lignier-Michelot Cuvee Bertin Gevrey-Chambertin (Burgundy) $70 86 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Note:

Flinty with quirky bubble gum notes. Not bad but quite a few off notes.

Observations:

I think I said at the time, "typical Burgundy: An expensive wine nobody really cares much for". Nobody at the tasting had anything nice to say about this one and it was the most expensive wine tasted. I know it's a far reaching generalization to bag on Burgundy and some day I'll come back and laugh at myself for being resistant to Burgundy's charms, but this one did little to compel me to go deeper into Burgundy. The Wine Advocate rated this wine 90-92 points.


Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Vineyard (Santa Maria Valley, CA) $43 85 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Notes:

Smoky. Some slight nail polish notes distract. A really nice wine but too many off notes. Definitely California.

Observations:

Wow. What a huge surprise to see a single vineyard Belle Glos show so poorly blind when I've found their wines to be so utterly (and reliably) delicious. I will say that the Clark & Telephone is my least favorite of the 3 single vineyard Pinot Noirs they produce (Las Alturas being the favorite, and Taylor Lane being the second favorite).

I was disturbed by this result so I opened another bottle of it the next night at home. While I can see why I wrote the things I did, when tasting on its own there's no way I would have rated it this low. This wine has a unique style. It's bold and yes some of the notes are a little less than pure fruit. I'd probably rate the bottle I tasted from at home 90 points. Blind tasting is humbling once again.


Kutch Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley, CA) $68 85 WWP: Very Good

Tasting Note:

For a moment I thought this wine might be corked but it wasn't. Pungent with fruit that's muted and dominated by menthol (spearmint?) aromas. Low viscosity. Don't think this is from California. Quirky.

Observations:

Perhaps more of a disappointment than the Belle Glos. I'd never tried Kutch before and I just finished a month-long search to acquire some. Now I'm wishing I'd shown more restraint. I've read that their wines used to be bigger but were showing more restraint in a Rhys-like manner lately. Come to think of it I wasn't too thrilled with a bottle of Rhys I opened recently either. Definitely interested in trying more but will try my best not to fall under the spell of the pretty label.


Patricia Green Estate Pinot Noir (Oregon) $35 84 WWP: Good

Tasting Note:

Perfume nose. Falls a little flat on the palate. Kind of fake-tasting. Tastes like California but not high quality?

Observations:

Totally missed the mark here. I had a bottle of this ('08 vintage) and thought it was good but typical Oregon Pinot Noir. My tasting note makes it sound like I thought maybe this was the Castle Rock.



Montinore Estate Pinot Noir (Oregon) $28 78 WWP: Average

Tasting Note:

Not from California and possibly flawed. Smells of damp cellar floor or Home Depot near the fertilizer.

Observations:

Well, it wasn't from California. I didn't hear anyone else say TCA so I don't think it was flawed. But it was funky.

Conclusions and Recommendations

What a tasting - full of winners and losers, surprises and shockers. Once again blind tasting proves to be a valuable tool for removing bias and analyzing wines without preconceived notions.

It was reassuring to see the Sojourn wines show well in this blind format. But not just for their brawn (some call them a Cab-drinker's Pinot Noir) but for the diversity they showed. They're definitely allowing the personality of each site to be reflected in their wines, but showing them in their best possible light. Like a portrait photographer.

The wines from Brewer-Clifton and Melville, along with some other recent favorable experiences from the region renew my enthusiasm for exploring Pinot Noir from Southern California. They're often plush and forward but when done well like these they can be quite enjoyable.

Both the Sojourn Wohler and the Brewer-Clifton Clos Pepe showed well with the group.

The $18 Italian Pinot Noir tying for 1st in the group was quite an accomplishment. I liked it (but didn't love it) and would be open to trying more Italian wine made from this grape.

The Domaine Eden (91 Wine Advocate, 91 WWP) is an intriguing play. I'd like to learn more about them.

If you like California Pinot Noir I'll be writing up a trip report from a recent trip to Sonoma. I'd love it if you subscribed to the Wellesley Wine Press to hear about those visits.

Question of the Day: What do you think about these results? Or blind tasting in general?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/6V998H28m1c/winners-losers-surprises-and-upsets.html

chardonney rose wine red wine white wine

Listage: Newest Laker Steve Nash's Secret Diet; Tongue Tacos in East LA

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/07/06/newest_laker_steve_nashs_secret_diet_tongue_tacos_in_east_la.php

red wine white wine expensive wine dinner wine

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/hello-world/

expensive wine dinner wine table wine shiraz

There’s no future for wine

Try this exercise. Imagine the world in 50 or 100 years. Picture the innovations, the changes to everyday life, and the things that will remain the same. How will life for you or your kids be different? [Maybe have a glass of wine while you think about it, why not?] Here’s a shortcut. Think of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/6-feNK_xsaI/

shiraz champagne wine blends burgandy

Littorai Visit and Tasting Report

 
Littorai is a Sonoma based winery focused on the sustainable production of high end Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Founded in 1993 by Heidi and Ted Lemon, they seek out sites with outstanding potential then let those vineyards reveal their unique character in the wines they produce.

 
I visited Littorai a month or so ago and got a chance to see first hand what makes them special. When you talk about "off the beaten path" in Sonoma it has an entirely different meaning than in Napa. If you think a small mailbox with a family name is charming, try visiting Littorai. They take take it to the next level. Ask for a visit and you'll be greeted with directions and a gate access code for a property you'd never find on your own with no signage whatsoever.

Founder, owner, and head winemaker Ted Lemon can seem like the grown-up in the room when extolling the virtues of terroir driven wines, balance, and the potential for California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. What resonated with me about his message is that he's not looking simply to emulate Burgundy in California. He's looking to embrace the unique characteristics and capabilities of each site and deliver wines that speak purely to that site.
 
When I visited I met with assistant winemaker John Wilson who most recently worked with highly regarded Thomas Rivers Brown of Schrader/Outpost/Rivers Marie fame. He took me for a tour around the thirty acre site - only three of which is dedicated to vines in the form of The Pivot vineyard. The site is also home to Littorai's winery which is built with hay bale walls and features gravity flow wine movement.
 

 
We tasted through the Littorai Chardonnays first. Ted Lemon has a great line in the video embedded below along the lines of "Chardonnay's first duty is to make you forget red wine." These white wines were brilliant and delicious and made me think I should drink more white wine - especially Chardonnay of this style. They're flavorful and powerful yet elegant and light. Really pretty.
 
The Pinot Noirs showed fabulously as well, each with different characteristics that rang true to the Littorai focus of letting sites speak for themselves. All of the Littorai single vineyard Pinot Noirs are made exactly the same way. The only difference is the site.
 
My only complaint with the tasting experience is that it was a little chilly so it was hard to differentiate the Pinots as much as I'd have liked to. The room felt south of 55F and I like to taste Pinot in the low to mid 60Fs.

 
When I got home I had a chance to sit down and spend some quality time with a 2010 Littorai Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. It was a beauty. Here are my thoughts on that wine:
 

2010 Littorai Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.3% alcohol
$38
 
Aromatically expressive immediately upon opening with rounded edges of strawberry and raspberry fruit, spice box, and tea notes. Elegant on the palate with a touch of acidity and tannic grip, it's a pleasure to drink.
 
Serious, but not overly so. This wine succeeds in finding the intersection between being terroir-driven and letting the site speak for itself and revealing the California sunshine. A tremendous introduction to the producer.
 
93/100 WWP: Outstanding
 
Lemon was named winemaker of the year in 2010 by The San Francisco Chronicle. Check out this excellent piece by Jon Bonne.
 
Check out this outstanding video with wine director Raj Parr of Sandhi Wines and Ted Lemon from Littorai:
 
 
(try http://vimeo.com/39280943 if the video doesn't embed sucessfully)
 
Littorai's wines can be hard to track down. You can do a wine-searcher.com search for retailers in MA that sell the wine but you won't currently find any. But check out The Urban Grape in Chestnut Hill if you're in the area. They've got a bunch of 'em. Case club?
 
You can sign up for their mailing list by visiting their website: http://littorai.com

Question of the Day: Have you visited Littorai or tasted their wines? If so, what did you think? Either way, what are some of your favorite terroir-driven California producers?
 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/MJxhf7iNlg4/littorai-visit-and-tasting-report.html

red wine white wine expensive wine dinner wine

Chicago chefs pair with farmers at Localicious festival tonight

Source: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2011/03/chicago-chefs-pair-with-farmers-at-localicious-festival-tonight.html

expensive wine dinner wine table wine shiraz

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/hello-world/

burgandy sirah wine grapes wine

Fun Napa Valley Wineries to Visit

And we certainly don’t mean a hoity-toity, la-di-da atmosphere that is all too often the experience a visitor gets in many a Napa Valley tasting room. By fun we mean a winery that has a tasting room that is casual, inviting, friendly, and has hosts who are very happy to see you walk in. Continue reading →

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/fun-napa-valley-wineries-to-visit/

burgandy sirah wine grapes wine

Pre-Opening Alert: Laurel Hardware Set to Serve WeHo This Thursday

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/07/03/laurel_hardware_set_to_serve_weho_this_thursday.php

chardonney rose wine red wine white wine

Oregon Wine: A Leader in Sustainable Viticulture

The state of Oregon is recognized across the country as being environmentally friendly. Ask any American to list the “greenest” states in the country and Oregon is likely to make their top 5. It is no wonder then, that Oregon grape growers and winemakers are committed to green practices as well. Oregon has long been [...]

Oregon Wine: A Leader in Sustainable Viticulture was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/tLMbjLyGJgA/

rose wine red wine white wine expensive wine

I have seen the future of artisan wine, and it comes in a can

This may sound odd, but there is a link between packaging innovation and the increasing focus on biodynamics and ‘natural wine’, it just isn’t a simple one. I am not suggesting that natural wine producers are better served choosing tetrapacks, paper bottles or aluminium cans for their wines (although they might), but sometimes the simplest [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/4sUTVA9ewao/

wine blends burgandy sirah wine grapes

Pre-Opening Alert: Laurel Hardware Set to Serve WeHo This Thursday

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/07/03/laurel_hardware_set_to_serve_weho_this_thursday.php

dinner wine table wine shiraz champagne

The Top 10 Wines of 2010

I’m officially declaring 2010 the year of the rosé. Yes, I know that many wineries have been producing stellar rosés for years, but I felt that this year was the tipping point where the public started to get behind the … Continue reading →

Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/the-top-10-wines-of-2010/

rose wine red wine white wine expensive wine

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/05/76-wynns-cabernet-sauvignon-1957.html

dinner wine table wine shiraz champagne

Who are the RAW Wine Fair’s Natural Consumers?

Our first day at the RAW Fair in London, the artisan wine fair focused on organic, biodynamic and natural wines, was eye-opening in many ways. First, the space at the Truman Brewery at the top of Brick Lane, and its incongruous industrial past, seemed vast and empty when we arrived to see row upon row of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/k7Cgiu-fzfc/

chardonney rose wine red wine white wine

Jay-Z in Burgundy, wines to “arouse,” Canada, artisanal – sipped and spit

SIPPED: matters of taste Pictures of billionaires in Burgundy are generally disturbing (don’t drive up prices any more!). But in this one, of Jay-Z at Ma Cuisine in Beaune, it is reassuring to see that the superstar has moved beyond his own Champagne Ace of Spades and is delving into Roulot. Fellow wine geek!?! Meursault [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/kKXNbVphzoM/

dinner wine table wine

Eater Inside : Bon Vivant Market Celebrates the Good Life in A. Village

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/07/02/bon_vivant_market_celebrates_the_good_life_in_a_village.php

dinner wine table wine shiraz champagne

Commenting is back; farewell Dining@Large

Source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2011/06/commenting_is_back_farewell_di.html

wine grapes wine merlot chardonney

Time to Sniff, Swirl, Spit

Two weeks from today, nearly 100 international wine judges will converge on Fairplex to sniff, swirl and spit their way through more than 3,000 wines – all in attempt to crown the best of the best.  The Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition begins May 27. Right now, wine staff are busy preparing the thousands [...]

Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=39

wine blends burgandy sirah wine grapes

Napa Valley Happenings in May and June

Is the old Gordon’s Café and Wine Bar in Yountville set to reopen? We hope so! Remember, this was a popular spot among the locals but closed in 2007. Runners, walkers, and cyclists would convene here for their morning cup of java and other goodies. Continue reading →

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/napa-valley-happenings-in-may-and-june/

expensive wine dinner wine table wine shiraz

Blogging can’t die

Blogging can’t die. Take the original meaning of the word blog; it comes from the contraction of “web” as in the world wide web, and “log” as in to log ideas, or journaling. Today, and forever, there will be people logging what they think about all manner of subjects that they are passionate about. I recently [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/1q83xbmmM_0/

rose wine red wine white wine expensive wine

Good News Spreads Fast

Word on the winners of the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition is spreading like wild fire! A preview tasting for the media last week in Beverly Hills has generated a lot of buzz that we are really excited about! Take a look at some more posts: http://gastronomy-101.blogspot.com/2009/06/event-la-wine-competition-preview-and.html http://thirstyinla.com/2009/06/19/2009-la-wine-spirits-competition/ http://lablips.dailyradar.com/story/los_angeles_international_wine_and_spirits_2009/ http://www.womenwine.com/posts/journals/18487-winners-of-the-2009-la-international-wine-competition

Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=90

dinner wine table wine shiraz champagne

TMiW 1 – Looking Back, Looking Forward

This is the premier episode of This Month in Wine, a monthly discussion about what is going on within the wine world from a consumer and insider perspective. Hosts: Tim Elliott and Jeff Lefevere Topics What’s up with Good Grape? Is wine blogging on the decline? Wine Trends & Predictions for 2012 Value Replaces Cheap [...]

TMiW 1 – Looking Back, Looking Forward originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/G2HGzSDlbQM/

table wine shiraz champagne wine blends

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2007/02/luxurious-mid-week-meal-organic-veal.html

table wine shiraz champagne wine blends

The Art & Craft of Natural Wine

“… if you will make a man of the working creature, you cannot make a tool. Let him but begin to imagine, to think, to try to do anything worth doing: and the engine-turned precision is lost at once. Out comes all his roughness, all dullness, all his incapability; shame upon shame, failure upon failure; [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/UnY5bHBIPGk/

wine blends burgandy sirah wine grapes

Chicago chefs nominees aplenty at James Beard 2011; Tribune's Monica Eng also nominated

Source: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2011/03/chicago-chefs-nominees-aplenty-at-james-beard-2011-tribunes-monica-eng-also-nominated.html

red wine white wine expensive wine dinner wine

Enjoy Your Stay at Mardan Palace

Mardan Palace in Antalya is regarded as one of the most expensive hotels of Europe. Russian billionaire Telman Ismailov is the proud owner of this spectacular hotel. It is situated along the Mediterranean Sea in transcontinental state of Turkey lending it an amazing appeal that will interest many guests across the world. This more than [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/ByQ1vfeCORM/

wine grapes wine merlot chardonney

2007 St. Emilion Grand Cru Classé

In this post you'll find an overview of the ratings of the 2007 St. Emilion Grand Cru Classé wines. We have gathered all ratings from Robert Parker, Decanter and Wine Spectator.

Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/36/2007-st-emilion-grand-cru-classe/

white wine expensive wine dinner wine table wine

Littorai Wine Dinner at Legal Harborside Boston

Legal Harborside in Boston is offering a paired dinner featuring Littorai Wines. Owner Ted Lemon (featured in the video above) is scheduled to be on hand to present his wines. 

WHAT: On May 9th, Legal Harborside will team up with Ted Lemon, owner of Littorai Wines, for an exclusive four-course wine dinner. A vineyard known for producing world class chardonnay and pinot noir, Littorai Wines was founded in 1993 on the north coast of California between Sebastopol and Freestone in western Sonoma County.

This menu will be presented as follows on Legal Harborside’s scenic second level overlooking Boston Harbor:

HORS D’ OEUVRES

Gnocchi with Lobster, English Peas and Maitake Mushrooms

 Littorai “Charles Heintz Vineyard” Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, 2008

FIRST COURSE

Pan-Seared Loch Duart Salmon

lavender-scented honey, preserved lemon and fennel

Littorai “Les Larmes” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, 2007

SECOND COURSE

Braised Veal Cheek

grilled asparagus and spring onion

Littorai “Cerise Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, 2007

CHEESE COURSE

Saint-Marcellin

cardamom preserved cherries

Littorai “Savoy Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, 2007

WHERE: Legal Harborside at Liberty Wharf

270 Northern Avenue, Boston

WHEN: Wednesday, May 9th at 6:30pm   

COST: $125 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)

HOW: Reservations may be made by contacting 617.530.9470 or visiting www.legalseafoods.com

Video Credit: A visit to Littorai from WinoBrothers on Vimeo.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/r1csLW4AwlQ/littorai-wine-dinner-at-legal.html

expensive wine dinner wine table wine shiraz

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/02/old-franc-chinon-1996-clos-de-lolive.html

white wine expensive wine dinner wine table wine

Rue La La: $20 for $40 at Wine.com (ends this morning!)

UPDATE: This offer has expired.

Deal site Rue La La is running a $20 for $40 for Wine.com but you've got to act fast. The sale ends at 11:00 am EDT today (Sunday, May 13th 2012).

The usual restrictions apply to this offer - most meaningfully that the voucher can't be applied to the price of shipping.

If you're not yet a member of Rue La La sign up and get $10 off your first order, bringing the price down to $10:

http://ruelala.com/invite/winepress

Then head over to Wine.com to use your voucher. Check out the 2010 Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir- always enjoyable and for my money the best $20 Pinot Noir on the market today.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/_ZQzm-G-Nx8/rue-la-la-20-for-40-at-winecom-ends.html

red wine white wine expensive wine dinner wine

Eater Inside : Sycamore Kitchen Blasts Serious Baked Goods & Lunch

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/06/28/sycamore_kitchen_blasts_serious_baked_goods_lunch.php

rose wine red wine white wine expensive wine

An outstanding Outstanding in the Field dinner

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2012/06/an-outstanding-outstanding-in-the-field-dinner.html

burgandy sirah wine grapes wine

Haydn’s Review of the Hard Row to Hoe Shameless Hussy Sangiovese Dry Rose

Winery: Hard Row to Hoe Appellation: Lake Chelan AVA (just established last year!) Price: $22 Haydn gives this wine: 90pts You can buy this wine: Hard Row to Hoe’s website At least for me, when it comes to summertime, the … Continue reading →

Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/haydns-review-of-the-hard-row-to-hoe-shameless-hussy-sangiovese-dry-rose/

wine merlot chardonney rose wine

The West of the West Wine Fest: Reality Over Fantasy

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FermentationTheDailyWineBlog/~3/6QW6OidPYOw/the-west-of-the-west-wine-fest-reality-over-fantasy.html

red wine white wine expensive wine dinner wine

Making plans for the wine fairs

There are so many things going on in the next week, it is hard to keep track of everything. Here’s a handy summary and guide of some of the fun wine stuff we at Vrazon (that’s Ryan Opaz, Gabriella Opaz and myself, Robert McIntosh) are involved in. Why not add these to your calendar and [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/IaGwoBfRsDI/

merlot chardonney

Rue La La: $20 for $40 at Wine.com (ends this morning!)

UPDATE: This offer has expired.

Deal site Rue La La is running a $20 for $40 for Wine.com but you've got to act fast. The sale ends at 11:00 am EDT today (Sunday, May 13th 2012).

The usual restrictions apply to this offer - most meaningfully that the voucher can't be applied to the price of shipping.

If you're not yet a member of Rue La La sign up and get $10 off your first order, bringing the price down to $10:

http://ruelala.com/invite/winepress

Then head over to Wine.com to use your voucher. Check out the 2010 Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir- always enjoyable and for my money the best $20 Pinot Noir on the market today.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/_ZQzm-G-Nx8/rue-la-la-20-for-40-at-winecom-ends.html

merlot chardonney rose wine red wine