China Chow Chloë Sevigny Christina Aguilera Christina Applegate Christina DaRe
Sunday, October 31, 2010
From Chelsea to Vienna
This blog will be mainly dedicated to the upcoming European Wine Bloggers Conference (EWBC) in Vienna over the next week or so – assuming I find a moment to write thoughts down. However, I am also writing a bit on my Posterous blog (which is easier to write from my iPhone) which will, I hope, [...]
Jaime King Jaime Pressly Jamie Chung Jamie Gunns Jamie Lynn Sigler
The Perils of Being ?The Wine Guy?
This week I attended a technology conference held by one of my clients. It has been a long time since I have attended such a gathering but the change of pace was welcome. Like in my past life as a tech marketer, I was “the wine guy” at a dinner. You know, the guy you [...]
The Perils of Being “The Wine Guy” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Monica Keena Monica Potter Monika Kramlik Moon Bloodgood Mýa
Women of Washington Wine: Darcey Fugman-Small of Woodward Canyon
Today?s post is part of a series featuring the Women of Washington Wine. In an industry once dominated by men, more and more women are joining the ranks as winery owners, vineyard owners, and winemakers. Being a woman myself, I am fascinated by these women and what they have done and continue to do. Through [...]
Women of Washington Wine: Darcey Fugman-Small of Woodward Canyon was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Charlize Theron Chelsea Handler Cheryl Burke China Chow Chloë Sevigny
Harvest 2010
Last year as we were waiting for our good friends at the department of Alcohol Beverage Control to permit us, so we could begin Uncorked Ventures, both Matt and I took some time to work a day of harvest in Napa, while I worked another day here in San Diego. It’s hard to believe that [...]
Saturday, October 30, 2010
When I die, please bury me at the Golden Door-heaven on earth! pt.2
This is my kind of “diet” food. Love their bento box!
Eclectic mix of classes:
Daily hikes- choices include everything from a silent, soul reviving meditation walk through the bamboo garden to powering your way up the mountain where you?re rewarded with a calorie-free stunning view when you reach the top. The Door promotes the 10,000 [...]
Eclectic mix of classes:
Daily hikes- choices include everything from a silent, soul reviving meditation walk through the bamboo garden to powering your way up the mountain where you?re rewarded with a calorie-free stunning view when you reach the top. The Door promotes the 10,000 [...]
Zhang Ziyi Zoe Saldana Zooey Deschanel Aaliyah Abbie Cornish
Wine Tasting Dinner: 2006 Washington Merlot
On Friday evening, we hosted our 88th wine tasting dinner. This month?s dinner featured Washington Merlot from the 2006 vintage. For those of you still avoiding Merlot as a result of watching Sideways, it?s time to give this noble grape another chance. Merlot is a wonderful varietal, and Washington State makes outstanding Merlot. Washington Merlot [...]
Wine Tasting Dinner: 2006 Washington Merlot was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Ana Hickmann Ana Ivanovi Ana Paula Lemes Ananda Lewis Angela Marcello
California Prop 8 Overturned
Over the year or so that I?ve been writing this blog, I?ve tried to not get overly political, but given Proposition 8 (the Gay Marriage amendment to the California State Constitution) being ruled un-constitutional yesterday, I couldn?t think of anything more important to write about this morning. San Diego’s Union Tribune on Prop 8 Being [...]
Lindsay Price Lisa Marie Lisa Snowdon Liz Phair Lokelani McMichael
Friday, October 29, 2010
Starts Tomorrow: Boston Wine Week 2010
September 20th - 26th, 2010:
The first annual Boston Wine Week kicks off a week-long celebration of handcrafted wines by winemakers and growers from around the world, served by the glass or bottle at some of Boston?s top restaurants. Proving that great wine doesn?t have to be a great expense, all wines (some of which retail up to $90/bottle) will be offered at $9/glass and $32/bottle. Participating restaurants will offer a minimum of six wines, available at a substantial discount.
Here's a list of the participating restaurants.
Complaining about high restaurant wine prices is a bit like griping about high taxes -- it doesn't really improve the situation. But efforts like this show a thoughtful attempt to soften the blow at least for a week so I appreciate the efforts of the organizers and participating restaurants.
How compelling is the offer? It depends on the wines being offered and whether you want to eat at the participating restaurants in the first place. Looking through the list of restaurants, I think you'll see some interesting options. But at around 20 restaurants participating this year it's far from the levels seen for Restaurant Week. And that's fine. I understand it's the first year and you have to start somewhere. It just doesn't automatically make it a good time to try your favorite restaurant because your favorite restaurant might not be participating.
Some of the restaurants don't have lists of wines they're offering on the site yet and that's a bit of a disappointment. When I was trying to get my arms around whether this was truly going to be a deal I wanted to see the wines being offered across all the restaurants at a glance.
Of the wines listed, let's take the 2006 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon being offered at Bin 26 Enoteca as an example. $45 retail price and they normally sell it for $85. Offer it for $32 as part of this offer -- yeah, that's a good deal if you like that wine. Others, like wines normally selling for $40 in the restaurant and being offered for $32, aren't as compelling.
Guidance and Outlook: Seek out the pioneering restaurants that are embracing the event enthusiastically and offer some special events as part of this promotion. I'll look forward to the list of participating restaurants increasing next year and seeing some healthy competition to see who will offer the best deals as part of this event.
What do you think? Are you going to take advantage of Boston Wine Week this year?
Rachel Blanchard Rachel Hunter Rachel McAdams Rachel Nichols Rachel Perry
Wines of Chile: Exploring Chilean Red Blends
Last week, we had the pleasure to take part in an online Chilean Red Blends tasting hosted by Wines of Chile. Eight Chilean winemakers/winery representatives convened in Chile to talk about their wines via videoconference to 50 wine bloggers across the United States. ?Chile is red grapes paradise,? said Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer who moderated [...]
Wines of Chile: Exploring Chilean Red Blends was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Kelly Clarkson Kelly Hu Kelly Monaco Kelly Ripa Kelly Rowland
Who Supports the Stake In The Heart of Wine Stores?HR 5034?
With the re-writing of H.R. 5034 (Download New HR 5034 Language), America's wine wholesalers and not a few congresspeople have concluded that it would be in the best interests of the United States to grant the states the ability to...
Freida Pinto FSU Cowgirls Gabrielle Union Garcelle Beauvais Genelle Frenoy
Chateau Razorwire? Grape thefts in three countries
Vineyards have their pests: consider the baboons, rattlesnakes and bears we have discussed before as well as birds, deer and other vermin. But the latest threat is a human one: roving bandits. Across three countries in recent weeks, grapes have been illicitly picked off the vines. In Washington State, 2,000 pounds of mourvedre grapes were [...]
Portia de Rossi Rachael Leigh Cook Rachel Bilson Rachel Blanchard Rachel Hunter
Who Supports the Stake In The Heart of Wine Stores?HR 5034?
With the re-writing of H.R. 5034 (Download New HR 5034 Language), America's wine wholesalers and not a few congresspeople have concluded that it would be in the best interests of the United States to grant the states the ability to...
Lisa Marie Lisa Snowdon Liz Phair Lokelani McMichael Lori Heuring
From Chelsea to Vienna
This blog will be mainly dedicated to the upcoming European Wine Bloggers Conference (EWBC) in Vienna over the next week or so – assuming I find a moment to write thoughts down. However, I am also writing a bit on my Posterous blog (which is easier to write from my iPhone) which will, I hope, [...]
Alecia Elliott Alessandra Ambrosio Alexis Bledel Ali Campoverdi Ali Larter
When Should You Return Wine?
From time to time everyone gets a bad bottle of wine. Most cases it’s due to faulty (natural) corks or high temperatures in shipping or storage. But there are also winemaking flaws that can make a wine undrinkable such as bacteria, wild yeast or reduction. Recently I came across a bottle that appeared to be [...]
When Should You Return Wine? originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Norah Jones Noureen DeWulf Olivia Munn Olivia Wilde Padma Lakshmi
Thursday, October 28, 2010
New Zealand?s Central Otago-Pinot Noir In-Depth-Overview and Vertical Tasting
Links to Article Sections: New Zealand’s Central Otago-Pinot Noir In-Depth: Introduction Overview and Vertical Tasting Touring Central Otago’s Subregions Conclusion E’ Sensual Pinot formally began on a chilly Thursday evening (this being Winter down under) with an initial overview of Central Otago, given by winemakers Matt Dicey (Mt. Difficulty) and Duncan Forsyth (Mount Edward), at [...]
Gisele Bündchen Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez Grace Park Gretha Cavazzoni
Lest They Think The Wine Industry Is Elitist or Stuffy.
As a service to readers of FERMENTATION and as a diversion from more recent political intensities here, we reach to the Department of Funny for today's post. The View Winery in the Okanagan Valley joins a number of other wineries,...
Taryn Manning Tatiana Zavialova Taylor Swift Teri Hatcher Teri Polo
Review: The 2nd Best Movie Ever About Wine
So it was with high hopes that I recently watched Blood Into Wine. I'm pleased to report the movie was thoroughly enjoyable and I highly recommend you check it out -- depending on whether you're interested in the subject matter of the film.
If you're interesting in wine, the rock band Tool, or Arizona you'll probably like this movie. If you like 2 of these subjects you may love this movie. If you're into all three you may find yourself feeling as if this movie was a gift made for you. I grew up in the Phoenix area and went to college listening to Tool's music in Northern Arizona. I obviously care a lot about wine so I find myself in the "gift" bucket. The movie delivered with stunning cinematography (it's unmistakably shot beautifully in Northern Arizona) and compelling story telling to provide a complete package I thoroughly enjoyed.
The story centers around Tool/A Perfect Circle/Puscifer front man Maynard James Keenan and his groundbreaking winemaking aspirations centered in Jerome, Arizona. He's partnered with the experienced, passionate, and well-spoken Eric Glomski to deliver wine under the Caduceus (kuh-doo-see-us) label. After overcoming challenges associated with being some of the first winemakers in the region, their wines have been rated between 86 and 91 points by Wine Spectator and have brought significant notoriety to winemaking efforts in Arizona.
Like a great wine, the movie delivers balance. If you're more into wine than Maynard's music, or vice versa, I think you'll find the story never strays too far from your interests. Eventually you'll likely find yourself focused on Keenan's story. Which is summed up eloquently at the end of the film when he shares that he felt it took 7 years for people to "get" Tool, 7 years for people to "get" A Perfect Circle, and 7 years for people to "get" Puscifer -- he fully expects it will take 7 years for his foray into wine to fully come together. His vision, passion, and persistence is inspiring. Especially when viewed in the context of an endeavor like blogging where someone who's been at it for 3 years is considered a veteran.
In the end you may realize the movie is essentially a well-crafted 90 minute commercial for Maynard's wine making efforts. And it may jump around with inadequate depth depending on your interests. But you'll likely forgive these small transgressions because overall the underlying story is so compelling, and you'll be so interested in trying his wines.
4.5/5 Stars WWP: Outstanding
Visit the official site and watch a trailer: HERE
Add it to your Netflix queue: HERE
Buy it from Amazon.com:
Further Reading: I think a visit to Caduceus would pair brilliantly with a trip from Phoenix to Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon. Along with two others, it's one of my favorite vacation destinations in the country.
Teri Hatcher Teri Polo Tessie Santiago Thalía Thandie Newton
On Good Morning America, box wine edition
I had a great time on GMA today even if it meant waking up before the crack of dawn (although, with a two-year-old son, that’s not exactly a foreign concept to me). Sam Champion is a hoot; I appeared on his weekly segment, “Just One Thing.” It was fun, it was fast! With wine, we [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/Yvbi3pcyzkY/
Jill Wagner Joanna Krupa Joanne Montanez Jodi Lyn OKeefe Jolene Blalock
Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart
I’m sitting here in my new home office with a fresh perspective and a touch of the misties, as in misty-eyes.� Rich and I have been moved into the place for just over a month and it has made a huge difference in how we feel about things.� I now recognize that we were both [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/thank-you-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart/
Kate Bosworth Kate Groombridge Kate Hudson Kate Mara Kate Moss
The Grapes around Texas at the Grayson Hills 2010 Grape Harvest
Technorati Tags: Grayson Hills Winery,Wine,Texas wine,Texas winery,Texas Grapes,The Grapes around Texas,The Grapes around Texas.com,Cab,Texas Winery’s,Grayson County,Grayson County Texas A wonderful Day at Grayson Hills! 
Sanaa Lathan Sara Foster Sara Spraker Sarah Gellman Sarah Michelle Gellar
Academy of Wine Communications:Twitter Basics Immersion for Wineries
Our next meeting of the Academy of Wine Communications here in the Finger Lakes will be followed by an interactive Twitter Basics Immersion for Wineries for AWC members.� The meeting and seminar will be held at Ravines Wine Cellars on Keuka Lake thanks to their offer to host us and let us utilize their wireless [...]
AnnaLynne McCord Anne Marie Kortright April Scott Arielle Kebbel Ashanti
Competition Winners Announced
The winners of the 70th annual Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced today and the list is an impressive one! A box wine, a Scotch whisky, repeat winners (Armida Winery and baseball legend Tommy Lasorda) and so much more! Take a look at the winners here then check out the buzz on [...]
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=78
Sienna Miller Simone Mütherthies Sofía Vergara Soft Cell Sophia Bush
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wine Event Announces Winners
The winners of the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced June 10 at a media roll-out in Los Angeles. Find the winners here.
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=110
Sara Foster Sara Spraker Sarah Gellman Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Mutch
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: Opening Nights
WHAT: This unprecedented series features tastings of the entire Fleming?s 100, the award-winning list of 100 wines by the glass unveiled each September. It is a rare opportunity for all guests to sniff, swirl, sip and spit like an international wine buyer.
WHEN: Every Thursday in September 2010 (September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30) from 5:30pm ? 7:00 pm
COST: $25 per guest
Guests attending an Opening Night event will also receive a $25 Dining Credit for the main dining room that evening.
WHERE: Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
217 Stuart Street, Boston, MA
(next to The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers)
617-292-0808 / flemingssteakhouse.com
Click here for wines (20) served at each Opening Night.
Here's a list of wines being poured on September 23rd:
Sparkling
- SCHRAMSBERG, Blanc de Blancs North Coast, 2006
- M�NCHSHHOF, Riesling Sp�tlese Mosel Slate Germany, 2008/2009*
- CANTINA TERLANO, Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Italy, 2008
- MASO CANALI, Pinot Grigio Trentino Italy, 2008
- CANYON ROAD, California, 2009
- SONOMA-CUTRER, Sonoma Coast Russian River Ranches, 2008
- DMZ, Western Cape South Africa, 2008
- BENZIGER, Carneros Sangiacomo Vineyard, 2007
- MARK WEST, California, 2008
- RITUAL, Casablanca Valley Chile, 2008
- CAMBRIA, Santa Maria Valley Julia's Vineyard, 2007
- OTTIMINO, Zinfandel Sonoma County Zinfinity, 2006/2007*
- ORIN SWIFT, The Prisoner Napa Valley, 2008
- MARKHAM, Napa Valley, 2006
- CAIN, Cuv�e Napa Valley NV6/NV7
- FRANCIS COPPOLA DIAMOND COLL., Claret California Black Label, 2007/2008*
- YALUMBA, Barossa Valley The Scribbler Australia, 2007/2008*
- HESS, Napa Valley Allomi Vineyard, 2007
- TREFETHEN, Double T Napa Valley, 2007
- HALL, Napa Valley, 2006
I've enjoyed their by-the-glass selections in the past and I see some familiar favorites on this list. The Maso Canali, Sonoma-Cutrer, Cambria, and Hall wines jump out at me, and others look appealing as well. I think they do a nice job with their wine program - this looks like a good opportunity.
Further Reading: 10 ways to get into wine without spending top dollar.
Amanda Bynes Amanda Detmer Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti
The Harvest Ended in Napa/Sonoma this Weekend
First things first: No, "Napa Valley" and "Sonoma County" and the "North Coast" can not together nor separately appropriately be described as singular weather zones. Put another way, grapes grown on the valley floor in the Yountville region of Napa...
Scarlett Chorvat Scarlett Johansson Selita Ebanks Shakara Ledard Shakira
The American Wine Consumer Survey
The goal is to launch a true wine consumer advocacy organization. And we are working on creating just such a robust, active and relevant organization. You can indicate your interest by joining the American Wine Consumer FACEBOOK Page that currently...
Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci Amber Brkich
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Event Report: Fall 2010 Wine Riot
 |
| Me (middle) with Wine Riot founders Morgan First (left) and Tyler Balliet (right) |
I mentioned their mobile application (m.secondglass.com) earlier this week as an impressive addition, and it worked well for me during the event on my iPhone. The wines near the top of the list surprised me to be a bit. The list was dominated by white and sparkling wines, and I usually expect big, bold reds to be most noticeable in format like this. Perhaps it had to do with the crowd at the Wine Riot. Take note gentlemen: I'd estimate it as a 4:1 ratio of ladies to gentlemen and the crowd was very young. Alas, I'm a married man (and not so young anymore) so the most I'm interested in is getting those lovely young ladies to follow me on Twitter or read this wine blog.
 |
| Diana Magner and Lindsay Douglas with crowd-favorite Lambrusco, Si Soave Italia |
A wine I tasted at the event that caught my attention was the Educated Guess Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. I've tasted that wine a half-dozen times and each time I've had a favorable impression. Great $20 Napa Cab - highly recommended. I'm thinking it might be the Belle Glos Meiomi of Napa Cabs.
 |
| Brett Vankoski and Kevin Mehra, 90+ Cellars |
Their portfolio has expanded of late to include a diverse range of wines from all over the world (their first wines were primarily domestic) and a Chateauneuf-du-Pape was one of the 5 wines up for consideration. I hear they're working on a Barolo as well. The star of the 90+ Cellars area was an "under the counter" Oakville Napa Cab you might be able to find on retailer shelves for between $20 and $25 if you look hard enough. The original label sold for over $65 and it shows - very nice stuff if you can find it.
 |
| Brian Blomerth, Triumvir |
I felt the food offered at the event was quite compelling and affordable. I had a chance to try a slice of The Swellesley from Upper Crust Pizzeria ($3) which included chorizo - a hard to find commodity in the Boston area. A pair of pulled pork sliders from Red Bones ($5) satisfied as well. I appreciate the food offered at this event as it provides a nice break from the wine tasting which can become a blur after a few tables even if you're spitting everything.
The Second Glass is eyeing replicating the Wine Riot in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington DC in the coming year. Stay tuned for developments on that front. All in all, another good time at the Second Glass Wine Riot. I'd encourage you to check 'em out next time they come around in your area.
As a matter of disclosure I should mention I attended the event with a press pass, and the folks at the Second Glass gave away a pair of tickets to the event on this site earlier in the week. I'd like to thank them for their support.
Susie Castillo T.A.T.u. Talisa Soto Tamala Jones Tami Donaldson
My favorite award show of the year
So, I’m likely to date myself quite a bit here, but I grew up watching MTV and the video music awards which took place last night. �Aside from being more relevant to pop music than some others like the Grammy’s are today….it seems that the VMA’s always give us something to talk about. �This year, [...]
Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/588
Krista Allen Kristanna Loken Kristen Bell Kristin Cavallari Kristin Kreuk
Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart
I’m sitting here in my new home office with a fresh perspective and a touch of the misties, as in misty-eyes.� Rich and I have been moved into the place for just over a month and it has made a huge difference in how we feel about things.� I now recognize that we were both [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/thank-you-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart/
Tara Reed Tara Reid Taryn Manning Tatiana Zavialova Taylor Swift
The Pre EWBC Post
It is the final countdown for the start of the third European Wine Bloggers Conference, the annual gathering of wine communicators of all types, and this year representing 30 countries. There is so much about this event worth sharing but I have to be brief – I’ve a conference to put on and more than [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/qYfZRq7JgSU/
Uma Thurman Vanessa Hudgens Vanessa Marcil Vanessa Minnillo Vanessa Simmons
Monday, October 25, 2010
Dry Comal Creek Vineyards ? Order of the Purple Foot? Grape Stomp
Time is getting near for Dry Comal Creek?s 8th Annual Grape Stomp at Dry Comal Creek ? Aug 7-8 & 14-15 As of this post the Sat Aug 14 day has been sold out as per their web site. Sat Aug 7,8,15 are still open. What a great way to spend a weekend get away [...]
Krista Allen Kristanna Loken Kristen Bell Kristin Cavallari Kristin Kreuk
A rum experience at 6 am
When anyone says “I just don’t have the palate for wine” or “I can’t taste all those ‘things’ other people talk about in wine” I try to point out that we pretty much all have exactly the same ability to taste, but we all have different experiences, vocabulary and confidence. Image by VannaGocaraRupa via Flickr [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/k8GawU3PyWw/
Yamila Diaz Yvonne Strzechowski Zhang Ziyi Zoe Saldana Zooey Deschanel
Raising the Bar with Oz
Image by edgenumbers via Flickr The UK’s most popular wine personality, as measured not just in terms of his wine credentials, but also his reach through TV, must be Oz Clarke. I have just discovered that his ‘Buddy TV’ format has been adapted further in a programme to be called “Oz And Hugh Raise The [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/oyfOd8s3mmE/
Pamela Anderson Paris Hilton Patricia Velásquez Paula Garcés Paulina Rubio
The Future of Wine Writing
Image via Wikipedia “There’s something happening here / What it is ain’t exactly clear…”� — Stephen Stills, “For What It’s Worth” I’ve been away from the blog for much of this month but have been keeping up with my reading and, oh course, tweeting. A few weeks ago Tyler Colman, who blogs as Dr Vino, [...]
The Future of Wine Writing originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/yaZmJio-m18/
Sarah Silverman Sarah Wynter Scarlett Chorvat Scarlett Johansson Selita Ebanks
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The final report assessed the 2007 total economic impact of the Texas wine and grape industrie
A report from Txwines.org Its amazing the amount of money from this Texas industry that impacts this great state. The link is to the PDF of the report. Texas could be the next California in the wine industry if more people got involved in the grape growing and wine making aspect of the business. The [...]
Wineberry, the box wine in a wood crate
Wine in a box? Try wine in a crate. After my GMA segment last week, I thought I would elaborate a little more on one of the box wines that I tasted for the first time this fall: Wineberry box. The lineup includes about six wines, red, white and ros�, all from France. They are [...]
Source: http://www.drvino.com/2010/10/18/wineberry-box-wine-france-wooden-crate/
Ashley Scott Ashley Tappin Ashley Tisdale Asia Argento Aubrey ODay
Zinfandel and Dark Chocolate
Chocolate is one of the most sensual foods out there in the world. And if you were to say it were to have a liquid counterpart, wine would be it. But with so many wines and so many chocolates out there, pairing them can be harder than one might imagine. One great combination is Zinfandel [...]
Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/zinfandel-and-dark-chocolate/
Julia Stiles Julianne Hough Julie Benz Julie Berry K. D. Aubert
Discover Mount Veeder ? Great Day Trip to the Napa Valley
We say visit Hendry Winery, Yates Family Vineyard, and Hess Collection Winery and then go to the town of Napa for a late afternoon lunch. Continue reading
Mia Kirshner Mía Maestro Michael Michele Michelle Behennah Michelle Branch
October 2010 Boston Area Wine Events
Trying something new here on the Wellesley Wine Press - a listing of upcoming Boston area wine events. If you're not aware of it already Local Wine Events does a fabulous job connecting those wanting to promote wine events with those interested in attending all over the globe. Increasingly, I've been receiving requests to mention events here as well - but specifically in the Boston area. Rather than publish a new blog entry for each event I thought it would be more useful to publish and maintain a list for each month.
Here are some that caught my eye for October:
October 14
6p-8p Joe Dressner | Free | The Wine Bottega
October 16
2p-5p Grand Tasting | Free | Ball Square Wines
1p-4p World of Wine Tasting | Free | Wine Nation
12-5p 3rd Anniversary Tasting | Free | Winestone
October 18
7p-11p Robert Mondavi Dinner | $105 | Stonehedge Inn
October 19
6p-8p Tuesday Tastings | $19 | pairings
October 21
7p-8:30p Around the World Wine & Food | $40 | Healthy Habits Kitchen
October 22
7p-11p Wine Riot | $55 | Cyclorama
5p-8p Hangtime Wines w/Jeff Slavin | Free | The Spirited Gourmet
October 23
1p-5p and 7p-11p Wine Riot | $45 | Cyclorama
1p-6p 1 Year Anniversary Grand Tasting | Free | Wine ConneXtion
October 25
5:30p-7p Wine and Hors d�oeuvres | $30 | The Capital Grille Newbury St.
6:30p-8p Uncorked Napa Reds | $40 | Morton's Back Bay
October 30
1p-5p The Great 2007 Napa Cabernets | Free | Wine ConneXtion
October 31
1p-5p Fine Wine Flea Market | Free | Bin Ends Wine
If you spot an error -or- if you'd like your Boston-area wine event included for this or an upcoming month E-mail me: wellesleywinepress@gmail.com
Please provide:
Date
Time Title | Cost | Venue Name
Optional: A link to a landing page for the event on your site
Here are some that caught my eye for October:
October 14
6p-8p Joe Dressner | Free | The Wine Bottega
October 16
2p-5p Grand Tasting | Free | Ball Square Wines
1p-4p World of Wine Tasting | Free | Wine Nation
12-5p 3rd Anniversary Tasting | Free | Winestone
October 18
7p-11p Robert Mondavi Dinner | $105 | Stonehedge Inn
October 19
6p-8p Tuesday Tastings | $19 | pairings
October 21
7p-8:30p Around the World Wine & Food | $40 | Healthy Habits Kitchen
October 22
7p-11p Wine Riot | $55 | Cyclorama
5p-8p Hangtime Wines w/Jeff Slavin | Free | The Spirited Gourmet
October 23
1p-5p and 7p-11p Wine Riot | $45 | Cyclorama
1p-6p 1 Year Anniversary Grand Tasting | Free | Wine ConneXtion
October 25
5:30p-7p Wine and Hors d�oeuvres | $30 | The Capital Grille Newbury St.
6:30p-8p Uncorked Napa Reds | $40 | Morton's Back Bay
October 30
1p-5p The Great 2007 Napa Cabernets | Free | Wine ConneXtion
October 31
1p-5p Fine Wine Flea Market | Free | Bin Ends Wine
If you spot an error -or- if you'd like your Boston-area wine event included for this or an upcoming month E-mail me: wellesleywinepress@gmail.com
Please provide:
Date
Time Title | Cost | Venue Name
Optional: A link to a landing page for the event on your site
Brittany Daniel Brittany Lee Brittany Murphy Brittany Snow Brittny Gastineau
Academy of Wine Communications-FLX: Invitation to our next meeting
Attention Finger Lakes wine PR & marketing professionals:� This is an open invitation to you to our next meeting on Thursday, 12/10/09.� Hope you can join us!� UPDATE 12/7/09: Meeting location is at Ravine’s Wine Cellars, 14630 State Route 54,� Hammondsport, NY 14830. Please RSVP to melissa (dot) dobson (at) avantguild.com before 12:00 noon tomorrow [...]
Brittany Lee Brittany Murphy Brittany Snow Brittny Gastineau Brody Dalle
Saturday, October 23, 2010
How To: Win a Pair of Tickets to Wine Riot
I tended to agree with the crowd at the last event - that the 90+ Cellars Shiraz/Viognier was a really nice wine. 90+ Cellars has a unique slot at the upcoming Wine Riot which is a Tasting Lounge. There you can taste not only their current releases, but you can taste wines they're considering for future bottling and help them decide on one of next year's 90+ Cellars wines. The wine will be bottled and sold as a 90+ Cellars/Second Glass Wine Riot wine to commemorate the event.
The event is split up into three segments: Opening night (Friday night), and then two riots on Saturday. I approached the good folks at Second Glass (the folks who put on the Wine Riot) and they agreed to give away a pair of tickets for the event here on this site. Two tickets for Saturday's Riot One which runs from 1p-5p: a $90 value.
To enter, leave a comment below saying you'd like to be entered in the drawing. If you'd rather keep it on the down low, drop me an E-mail asking you'd like to be entered: wellesleywinepress@gmail.com
Get your submission in by midnight eastern time tomorrow night (Tuesday, October 19th, 2010). I'll do a random number drawing and announce the winner Wednesday morning. Good luck!
Thanks to Second Glass for sponsoring this give away - it is appreciated.
To purchase tickets for the event click here.
Update (October 20th, 2010):
I did the drawing by generating a random number. I numbered the comments 1-7 in the order they were received. 4 E-mail submissions were numbered 8-11. I then asked for a random number between 1 and 11, and the winning number was 2:
If you didn't win tickets, you can still buy tickets online. I definitely recommend buying tickets ahead of time because this event does sell out.
Check back tomorrow for another giveaway for a Boston area wine event, this time for one of the top steakhouses in town. Thanks!
Kristy Swanson Kylie Bax Lacey Chabert Laetitia Casta Lake Bell
Just a Thought for a Thursday
Chile, Rhone, Soave, Champagne, Beaujolais, U.S. appellations and that’s just the press release related news I’ve seen in the last day. Many people (myself included) want to give short shrift to the wine business for not necessarily being great marketers, but wine does know its PR. In fact, at any given moment, there are hundreds of wine-related PR campaigns going on in the U.S.—all attempting to create lighting in the bottle, that magical confluence of time, place and circumstance in order to be the next sales equivalent of Pinot, or Malbec, or Sauvignon Blanc ...
It has me thinking about the battle for supremacy of another kind ...
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/just_a_thought_for_a_thursday/
Jill Wagner Joanna Krupa Joanne Montanez Jodi Lyn OKeefe Jolene Blalock
Morton's and the Mondavi Families: Celebrating the Legendary Blend
This Thursday October 7th, 2010 Burke Owens from Continuum Estate in Napa Valley will host a special event at Morton?s Seaport. Check out the information below and visit the Morton's event page for more details.
A toast to the past, present and future
Join Morton's and the Mondavi Families during this extraordinary event benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation�.
For the first time, the 2nd and 3rd generations of the Mondavi Family will come together to host an unforgettable wine dinner. Learn more about their family tree.
Broadcast live from the Carriage House of Charles Krug Winery in Napa Valley, guests will have a front row seat in the comfort of Morton's private dining rooms.
Enjoy incredible wines paired with four courses of brand new Morton's cuisine and an exclusive auction. View wine pairings and menu.
The esteemed hosts of the broadcast include...
Mr. Peter Mondavi, Sr. - President, CEO & Co-Proprietor of Charles Krug Winery
Mr. Peter Mondavi, Jr. - Co-Proprietor of Charles Krug Winery
Mr. Marc Mondavi - Co-Proprietor of Charles Krug Winery
Mr. Michael Mondavi - Founder and Coach of the Michael Mondavi Family Winery
Mr. Tim Mondavi - Partner of Continuum Estate
Ms. Marcia Mondavi Borger - Partner of Continuum Estate
Guests will be invited to bid on a silent auction that includes a trio of premium wines from Charles Krug Winery, Continuum Estate and Folio Fine Wine Partners, with 100 percent of the winning auction bids benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation�. View the tasting notes for these incredible wines.
Learn more about an upcoming online auction that will feature an invaluable 27-Liter blend from the Mondavi Families, with 100 percent of the winning auction bids benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Reception
Smoked Salmon Wedges
Tenderloin Crostinis
Miniature Crabcakes
Paired with:
Charles Krug - Peter Mondavi Family, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, 2009
Salad
Harvest Green Salad,
topped with Sea Bass and
Roasted Caper Vinaigrette
Paired with:
Isabel Mondavi, Sonoma Carneros, Chardonnay 2008
Entr�e
New York Strip Sirloin
Baked Sweet Onions with Gruyere
Roasted Tomato stuffed with Leaf Spinach
Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes
Paired with:
Continuum, Napa Valley, 2007
M by Michael Mondavi, Animo Vineyard, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Charles Krug - Peter Mondavi Family, Napa Valley, VS Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006
Dessert
Cappuccino Cream
Smoked Salmon Wedges
Tenderloin Crostinis
Miniature Crabcakes
Paired with:
Charles Krug - Peter Mondavi Family, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, 2009
Salad
Harvest Green Salad,
topped with Sea Bass and
Roasted Caper Vinaigrette
Paired with:
Isabel Mondavi, Sonoma Carneros, Chardonnay 2008
Entr�e
New York Strip Sirloin
Baked Sweet Onions with Gruyere
Roasted Tomato stuffed with Leaf Spinach
Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes
Paired with:
Continuum, Napa Valley, 2007
M by Michael Mondavi, Animo Vineyard, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Charles Krug - Peter Mondavi Family, Napa Valley, VS Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006
Dessert
Cappuccino Cream
Paired with:
Charles Krug - Peter Mondavi Family, Napa Valley, Zinfandel Port, Lot XIII
Cost is $175. For more information visit the page for this event on the Morton's website.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/6OuR8tcas6k/mortons-and-mondavi-families.html
Yvonne Strzechowski Zhang Ziyi Zoe Saldana Zooey Deschanel Aaliyah
Value Alert: 2007 Picket Fence Pinot Noir
I'd forgotten how fun it is to shop for wine at Trader Joe's. As much as I've been trying to curb wine spending lately I couldn't resist tossing in a couple of lower-priced bottles. Over the years they've really bolstered their selection of wines just above their rock-bottom-priced/famous Charles Shaw wines. They've got other wines between $3 and $10 that are fun to try because they've got such cool personalities: Interesting labels, interesting grape varieties, and interesting regions. Their buyers really know what they're doing and it's evident in the smiles you see on customer's faces and in the average amount of wine in a shopping cart in the store.
I picked up a few really inexpensive wines and then this one caught my eye: the 2007 Picket Fence Pinot Noir. I've seen the wine around before and the attractive label caught my eye. Something about it feels well suited to sharing with friends - especially neighbors.
I was anxious to crack open a bottle of it because I don't think it's going to last long. Why? Because it's a $30 wine they're selling for $8.99. It wasn't mind-blowingly amazing but I thought it was an elegant representation of Pinot Noir from Sonoma's highly regarded Russian River Valley appelation. It's also from a highly regarded vintage (Wine Spectator called 2007 the best vintage ever for California Pinot Noir).
Here are my notes:
2007 Picket Fence Pinot Noir
14.5% Alcohol
500 Barrels produced (around 12,500 cases)
Retail Price: $30
Visually, this wine is quite thin. But then again maybe it's varietally correct and the rest of the overblown California Pinot Noir I've been drinking is overly dark. Typical Pinot Noir aromas of strawberries and tart cherries but I get some slightly-green/twangy/stemmy aromas as well that I could have done without. I get these notes quite frequently in Russian River Valley Pinot Noir so depending on whether these bother you, you may want to proceed with caution. Quite nice on the palate with satisfying weight and creamy light vanilla notes. Seemed like lowish acidity. Nice aftertaste. Medium length of finish. I would have gone 90 points on this wine if not for the ever-so-slightly-off aromas. Your mileage may vary - I'd encourage you to check it out if you can find it under $15.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
Where to Buy: $8.99 at Trader Joe's in Framingham, MA
Further Reading:
- Is Trader Joe's a Good Place to Buy Wine?
- Charles Shaw Blind Tasting
- Value Alert: 2008 Meiomi Belle Glos Pinot Noir
- Value Alert: 2006 Londer Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Update: After publishing this blog post my pal DW pointed me to this *awesome* unauthorized Trader Joes video. I think it's spot on!
Have you had this wine? If so, what did you think?
Nicollette Sheridan Nikki Cox Nikki Reed Norah Jones Noureen DeWulf
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