Monday, October 26, 2015

10/26 CHRISTOPHER SILA, ST. FRANCIS WINERY & VINEYARDS, MARC MONDAVI, CHARLES KRUG

CHRISTOPHER SILVA - CEO AT ST. FRANCIS WINERY & VINEYARDS

For more than four decades, the wines of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards have reflected the finest mountain and valley vineyards in Sonoma County. Our founder, Joe Martin, fell in love with Sonoma Valley and established St. Francis Vineyard in 1971, planting 22 acres of Chardonnay and the first 60 acres of Merlot in Sonoma Valley. After achieving great success as a grower, Joe opened his own winery in 1979 with his business partner Lloyd Canton. Our first winemaker, Tom Mackey, joined St. Francis in 1983 and was renowned for elevating both the quality and style of Sonoma Merlot as an ultra-premium, stand-alone varietal. He also cultivated an in-depth understanding of every Sonoma appellation, enabling us to acquire and develop new vineyards and expand our wine portfolio.

In 1988 St. Francis partnered with the Kopf family, long admired for their historic family legacy in the wine and spirits industry and a commitment to quality. That legacy began in 1933 upon the repeal of prohibition when Rudy Kopf founded the wine and spirits department of Macy’s Department Store in New York, turning it into what was then one of the finest wine and spirits retailers in the country. He later established his own wine and spirits company, now owned by his three daughters.

Today, a new generation of winemakers, Katie Madigan and Chris Louton, continues our long tradition of luscious, elegant, fruit-driven wines from Sonoma County grapes.  We farm more than 400 acres of Certified Sustainable estate vineyards in Sonoma Valley and Russian River Valley, each with varying compositions of loam, clay and volcanic soils. We also nurture long-term relationships with top Sonoma County grape growers, giving the Winery access to some of the region's most coveted old vines Zinfandel and other varietals from acclaimed vineyards.

St. Francis is a Certified Sustainable, family-owned Winery, and we have worked throughout our 42-year history to preserve Sonoma County’s natural resources. The state-of-the art Winery we built in 1999 includes a 457-kilowatt solar energy system, and we have been recognized for our work to conserve nearby creeks and waterways. Preserving Sonoma County for future generations is very much a part of who we are, what we do, and how we run our business.

Our commitment to showcase the best of Sonoma extends to our Tasting Room, which pairs our award-winning wines with the most breathtaking view in Sonoma Valley, and to our ZAGAT-recommended Wine & Food Pairing, which has earned worldwide praise from legions of fans and was voted "#1 in America" in 2013 by Open Table diners. In 2012 we planted a 2-acre Estate Garden, giving our chef access to fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs grown steps away from our kitchen, and giving our guests an unforgettable, farm-to-table Wine & Food Pairing experience in the heart of Sonoma Valley.

BIO:
A fifth-generation Sonoma County native, Christopher Silva is firmly rooted in Sonoma County agriculture. He was raised in a family of Petaluma dairy farmers, and nine years after graduating from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, he retired from practicing law to join St. Francis Winery. At the age of 38, he became President & CEO of St. Francis in 2003. He understands firsthand that a farmer’s footprint and intimate knowledge of the soil, microclimates and terroir of the region are the most important ingredients for healthy vines.

As President & CEO of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, Chris has a specific focus: crafting world class Sonoma wine. St. Francis is best known for luscious, elegant, fruit driven Sonoma County Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and “Old Vines” Zinfandel. Widely awarded as a quality leader, St. Francis is committed to being the premier producer of handcrafted Sonoma wines in each of its categories.  Additionally, St. Francis was named “#1 Restaurant in America” by OpenTable  in 2013 in recognition of its farm to table wine and food pairings offered on site to Winery visitors each day.

Under Chris’ leadership, St. Francis has also been recognized for its many green practices. A 457-kilowatt Solar Energy System, installed in 2004, provides up to 40% of the Winery’s energy from the sun. St. Francis has taken aggressive steps in water and creek conservation, recycling, eco-friendly packaging, and created an on-site sustainable vegetable garden to support its culinary programs. St. Francis is Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.

Chris served on the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sonoma County and is now on the Dean’s National Advisory Board of the UNLV Harrah College of Hotel Administration. In 2011 he was honored by UNLV as the “Food & Beverage Industry Executive of the Year” and was named “2011 Healthy Business Leader” by the Northern California Center for Well Being in recognition of his workforce wellness initiatives at St. Francis. North Bay Business Journal has repeatedly named St. Francis Winery & Vineyards one of the "Best Places to Work" in NorCal.

WWW.STFRANCISWINERY.COM


MARC MONDAVI – CHARLES KRUG

HISTORY
Now under the guidance of Peter Mondavi Sr., the Charles Krug Winery honors its roots while forging ahead to the future. From the Wild West to the twenty-first century, relatively crude beginnings gave way to the finest form of winemaking.

Founded in 1861 by Charles Krug, the 27-year old Prussian immigrant came to America with little besides willpower and a willingness to work hard to build the cornerstone of the first winery in the Napa Valley. He became the major local winery figure of his era, greatly influencing Napa Valley's development as a world-renown wine producing region.

His leadership was said to be inspirational and his ideas innovative. Charles Krug introduced the cider press for winemaking, the first of which is still on display at the winery. He carefully selected rootstocks, varietals and vineyard sites - a novel concept in late 19th century America.

After his death in 1892, James Moffitt held the winery in proprietorship through Prohibition. By 1943, he found a pioneering spirit in Cesare Mondavi, an Italian immigrant with a passion for wine, and sold the winery to his family for $75,000.

At 60 years old, Cesare Mondavi spearheaded a dramatic renaissance in the decade that followed. Wine historian Charles Sullivan writes in his book, Napa Wine, “By the early 1950s it was irrefutable that the Valley's Big Four had been augmented by one - the Charles Krug Winery”.

Cesare died in 1959 leaving Rosa as President with sons Robert as General Manager and Peter as Vice President. In 1966, Robert moved south to Oakville and began construction of his own winery. Upon Rosa's death in 1976, Peter became President of the winery.

Peter's industry innovations from his studies at Stanford and Berkeley included revolutionary research on cold fermentation, enabling the production of exceptionally crisp, fruity white wines. His pioneering efforts to plant vineyards in the Carneros region with chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, cold sterile filtration techniques and aging wine in small French oak barrels contributed to his being named one of the twelve “Living Legends” in 1999 by the Napa Valley Vintners Association.

Above all else, Charles Krug Winery is a family winery. Peter Sr. and his sons Marc and Peter Jr. continue their dedication to producing the finest Bordeaux style wines in the Napa Valley. To achieve this, they initiated a nine-year, $22 million investment program completed in 2010. Over 400 of the winery's 850 prime acres in Napa Valley have been re-planted and state-of-the-art winemaking equipment is now in use.

BIO
Marc Mondavi is the eldest son of Peter and Blanche Mondavi and grandson of Cesare and Rosa Mondavi, the Napa Valley pioneers who purchased the historic Charles Krug Winery in 1943. As co-proprietor with his brother Peter Jr., he works closely with their father, Peter Sr. on issues of strategic importance, including stewardship of all the winery's brands.

Marc was born in 1954 and raised on the winery property. He caught the family winemaking bug early in life, holding his first official winery position at age 10. For Marc, growing up on the Charles Krug property meant summers running around the winery, climbing in empty tanks, packing gift boxes and working in the vineyards. But it wasn’t until he became a teenager and started tasting wines with his father that Marc knew he was destined for the family wine business.

Marc studied viticulture and enology at the University of California, Davis, and marketing at California State University, Sacramento. He returned to the winery in 1978 after his studies, at which time he immersed himself in every aspect of winery operations. He worked with his father to further his knowledge of winemaking, and applied the expertise he had acquired at U.C. Davis to the winery's numerous vineyard holdings. During the mid-70s, Marc experimented with canopy management in the vineyards which greatly reduced losses from mildew and facilitated grape ripening.

Marc continues to spend much of his time in the vineyards, where he works with his brother Peter Jr. to oversee the family’s $25.6 million investment in their 850 acres of Napa Valley vineyard land with mostly noble Bordeaux varietals. “What we are looking for with the replants is more flavor and aromatics,” he said. “Most of the vineyards that were replanted are 32 to 36 years old and the new grape varieties are selectively tailored to the different soil profiles.” On the subject of maintaining their independence, Marc is adamant: “Family ownership gives us a different perspective on the winery. We are not corporate employers; we are the owners and have a hand in anything that impacts the final product.” Marc takes that philosophy on the road where his busy travel schedule combines winemaker dinners, sales meetings with the distributor network and chain meetings around the country.

He is a trustee and past secretary of the California Winery Workers' Pension Plan, a $300 million-plus pension fund, where he oversees investments. He also serves as Vice President of the Boone & Crockett Club, the oldest conservation group in America, started by Teddy Roosevelt in 1887. He is active in The Wine and Food Society of San Francisco and The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. He has served on the boards of the Wine Institute, the California Wine Commission, as past president of the Winery Employers Association and logistics chairman for the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 1988 and 1989.

WWW.CHARLESKRUG.COM

Monday, October 19, 2015

10/19 JEAN-FRANÇOIS PELLET, PEPPER BRIDGE WINERY, AMAVI CELLARS, LARRY VAN AALST, THE SONOMA WINE REPORT

JEAN-FRANÇOIS PELLET, PARTNER / WINEMAKER - PEPPER BRIDGE WINERY / AMAVI CELLARS - PEPPER BRIDGE WINERY NAMED TO WINE & SPIRITS MAGAZINE TOP 100 WINERIES LIST 

San Francisco Tasting on October 20 Showcases  - Five Walla Walla Valley Wineries as Part of Premier Line-up

October 14, 2015 (Walla Walla, WA) – Wine & Spirits magazine honors Pepper Bridge Winery, listing it among the top 100 wineries as part of the publication’s annual list. Critics look for consistency across a range of bottlings and consider wineries that make three or more wines each year to determine the annual list. Pepper Bridge was honored for its 2011 and 2012 vintages.

“At 170 acres, one of Walla Walla’s largest and most important vineyards serves a winery of the same name,” quoted the magazine’s critics. “Pepper Bridge’s intensely structured cabernet-based bottlings excelled in the warm 2012 vintage.”

Pepper Bridge along with four Walla Walla wineries: àMaurice Cellars, L’Ecole No. 41, Reynvaan and Spring Valley Vineyard will be part of a special Top 100 tasting in San Francisco on October 20 at City View at METREON. The entire award list can be viewed at Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting.
 “Receiving this honor from one of the top wine publications in the nation is a great accolade for our winemaking team,” said Jean-François Pellet, winemaker. The two vintages were very different as 2011 was a cool year while 2012 proved to be warm and dry. Both vintages added fruit from Octave, a vineyard plot on the SeVein Ridge parcel partly owned by Pellet. Pellet believes it’s a strong Cabernet site, with a strong wind influence that helps create small berries, dark fruit and lots of structure in the wines.

Pellet has been making wine for Pepper Bridge Winery for 16 years. Born and raised in Switzerland, he is a third-generation wine grower. He’s worked in Switzerland, Germany and the Napa Valley before coming to Walla Walla in 1999. In 2001, Pellet helped launch Amavi Cellars, a sister winery allowing him to expand his winemaking talents into Sémillon, rosé of Cabernet Franc and Syrah, working primarily with the Les Collines vineyard. A partner in both wineries, his passion is crafting wines from the estate vineyards of Pepper Bridge and Amavi Cellars.

ABOUT PEPPER BRIDGE WINERY - Pepper Bridge Winery represents the pioneering spirit of the Walla Walla Valley. Owned and operated by three families, the McKibbens, the Goffs and the Pellets, the winery is a leader in quality winemaking, innovative technology and vineyard development. Pepper Bridge Winery produces Bordeaux-style wines using traditional winemaking techniques, French oak and estate fruit from the Walla Walla Valley. Pepper Bridge wines are collectibles that showcase complexity, structure and balance. Combining old-world philosophy with modern innovation, the winery has become an industry leader. For more information visit www.pepperbridge.com 

ABOUT AMAVI CELLARS - Amavi Cellars signifies love (amor) and life (vita) through our wines, which are 100% estate, 100% Certified Sustainable,  and 100% Walla Walla Valley.  Located in the heart of Walla Walla wine country, our winery & tasting room offer sweeping views of surrounding Pepper Bridge Vineyard as well as the beautiful Blue Mountains. Dedicated stewards of the land, we are committed to making a positive impact both within our estate vineyards and within our community.

ABOUT JEAN-FRANÇOIS PELLET - Born and raised in Switzerland, Winemaker Jean-François Pellet is a third-generation wine grower. Working alongside his father, who has managed the same vineyard for 30 years, Jean-François always knew what he wanted to do with his life: make world-class wine.

Jean-François supplemented his experience by earning degrees in both enology and viticulture. As part of his studies, he interned in Switzerland, Germany and the Napa Valley. After graduating, he managed vineyards and made wine in Switzerland and Spain. Along with making wine in Spain, he was responsible for managing 500 acres of vineyards, designing a new winery and developing a market for the product.

His experience and reputation for meticulous winemaking brought him to the attention of Heitz Cellars in the Napa Valley, where he worked for four years. Pepper Bridge Winery then recruited him, so he moved to the Walla Walla Valley to become that winery's creative force. His success at Pepper Bridge (where he is still the winemaker, as well) allowed him the opportunity to join the Amavi partnership and to apply his winemaking skills to different grape varietals, particularly Syrah and Semillon. In addition to being winemaker, Jean-François plays a key role in the management of the winery's estate vineyards. He is also a founding member and current vice-president of the Walla Walla Valley's sustainable agriculture organization, VINEA.


LARRY VAN AALST – HOST OF THE SONOMA WINE REPORT – WINE TRENDS AND HAPPENINGS IN SONOMA

LARRY HOSTS A WEEKLY PROGRAM ON CRN AND ALSO IS AN EXPERT ON WINE WHO IS SOUGHT AFTER FOR EVENTS, TASTES AND MAJOR SOMMELIER EVENTS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA. HE COMMENTS ON THE INDUSTRY AND HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT WINE.

Monday, October 12, 2015

10/12 HEATHER MURAN, SAN LUIS OBISPO WINE COUNTRY ASSOCIATION, JACKY YOUNG, YOUNG INGLEWOOD VINEYARDS

HEATHER MURAN - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN LUIS OBISPO WINE COUNTRY ASSOCIATION – CHATS ABOUT HAPPENINGS IN THE REGION

The wineries of SLO Wine Country boast an average distance of just five miles from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in prevailing marine conditions that are among the most pronounced of any wine region in California.

Collectively, these growing conditions forge a unifying wine quality that is native to SLO Wine Country: The reliable cooling effect of the nearby Pacific Ocean ensures a long growing season, enabling the grapes to achieve physiological ripeness and natural balance. Cool-climate varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel in the heart of SLO Wine Country, and even the warmest areas benefit from considerable marine influence.   The ocean proximity also exerts a moderating effect on the climate, minimizing temperature swings so that growing conditions are rarely hot or cold. The result is an extraordinarily steady growing season that fosters balanced ripening and consistent quality from vintage to vintage. The imprint of the ocean is also evident in SLO Wine Country's uncommonly complex soils, which are frequently riddled with ancient sea fossils. Soil variation enables the winegrower to mix and match varietals to specific soil profiles, or to add more "colors" to the palette of a single varietal, heightening overall quality and complexity.


JACKY YOUNG – WINEMAKER, YOUNG INGLEWOOD VINEYARDS

Jacky is Scott's mom and together they do the winemaking - although Scott does more of the day to day. The family lives onsite at the winery and oversee all grape growing and winemaking. The estate is set on 20 acres of which about 16 are undervine - planted to all four of the classic red Bordeaux varietals plus a small plot of Aligote, that just bore fruit for the first time this year.  Their 800 case  portfolio ranges in price from $25 for their Vin de Rose - a Rose made predominantly from Malbec - to $90 for their flagship Estate Cab. They also make a Right Bank Blend red wine and small wine club only bottlings (ie 50 cases each) of the other red Bordeaux varietals grown at their estate. They also produce two Chardonnays from off the property; one from Napa Valley, one from the Sonoma Coast.  Their wines are sold via the winery, wine club and website and through distribution in select markets nationally - including of course California.  The winery is open by appt only for in depth private tours and tastings. The price is $40 per person.

ABOUT US
Young Inglewood Vineyards is the result of a family's love for wine and for each other. At Young Inglewood, Jacky and Jim, Mary and Scott Young, father, mother, son, and daughter, work together to create wines inspired by our early love for French wine, but made in the Napa Valley - unmistakably grown from our historic St Helena vineyard. Balance is our guiding principle: balance in the way we grow our vines; the balance of tastes and sensations in our wines; and balance in the way we live and work.

JACKY AND JIM YOUNG
A love of wine and travel to the world's great wine regions have been a constant throughout Jacky and Jim's marriage. It was natural to them to pass that on to son Scott, Young Inglewood's winemaker, and to daughter Mary. Along the way the family got to know St Helena and the fine estate that is now Young Inglewood. Jacky and Jim devote all their time to the estate's management. Jacky can also often be found working and tasting side by side with Scott to help set the unique Young Inglewood estate style.

SCOTT YOUNG
Scott is Young Inglewood's winegrower and winemaker. Starting in 2007, when he moved to Young Inglewood to oversee the estate farming, Scott has produced a vintage every year, making 2015 his ninth vintage at Young Inglewood. Every season is different. Scott's philosophy is to seek out what is special to each, and make wine that accurately reflects it - to make wine "with the vintage." Each year, Scott relishes the hundreds of winegrowing and winemaking decisions necessary to achieve that goal and make not only wines we are proud to share, but wines that truly speak for the vintage, our family, and our vineyard.

WWW.YOUNGINGLEWOOD.COM

Monday, October 5, 2015

10/05 GERRET & TATIANA COPELAND, BOUCHAINE, IAN BLACKBURN, LEARNABOUTWINES.COM, 7TH ANNUAL STARS OF CABERNET

GERRET & TATIANA COPELAND – PROPRIETORS, BOUCHAINE 

Bouchaine is the oldest continuously operating winery in the Carneros District - a winery that began making wine long before the region earned its reputation for producing the great Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of Carneros today. The land was first owned by a Missouri native with the rather remarkable name of Boon Fly.  Fly grew grapes and fruit trees on the property in the late 1880s.  In 1927, an Italian winemaker named Johnny Garetto purchased the parcel that is today's Bouchaine.  Beringer bought the estate from Garetto in 1961 and used it as a storage and blending facility until 1981, when a partnership that included the current owners, Gerret and Tatiana Copeland, purchased the winery and surrounding land.  At the time, only a few winemaking pioneers realized the potential for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Carneros.  And by appearance, this run-down Carneros property hardly inspired optimism.

OWNERSHIP
While Bouchaine’s first vintage premiered over 30 years ago, the inspiration and vision took root long before. For owners Gerret and Tatiana Copeland, Bouchaine Vineyards is the perfect manifestation of their shared vision of a classic California winery. A vision built on equal parts love of wine, inspiration and adventure.

GERRET COPELAND - PROPRIETOR & CHAIRMAN
For Gerret, a love of wine and the journey that leads to the next great bottle is in his blood. Gerret’s father, Lammot du Pont Copeland, was the 11th president of the DuPont Company. Perhaps more influential to his son’s passion for wine, he was also a founder of the Wilmington, Delaware, chapter of the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. His mother, Pamela Copeland, a noted horticulturist, enjoyed fine wine as well and was the first woman in the U.S. invited to join the Chevaliers du Tastevin. Today, Gerret continues his parents’ legacy in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
Gerret’s wine education began early. His parents adopted the uniquely French tradition of diluting a half-glass of wine with water for their children at dinnertime. As the proportion of water decreased, Gerret's appreciation grew. Gerret and his wife, Tatiana, along with a group of partners, purchased and began renovating the oldest winery in the Carneros region. They gave a nod to his family's old world heritage by naming it Château Bouchaine.  A decade later, Gerret and Tatiana bought out the original partners and became sole proprietors of the winery and renamed it Bouchaine Vineyards. The Copelands and their new Bouchaine team revamped and rebuilt every aspect of both the winery and the vineyards.

Gerret’s passion for wine is matched by his passion for the environment.  After a career in finance, during which he developed a successful New York Stock Exchange brokerage firm, he helped establish the Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.  The Conservancy continues to protect the Brandywine River Valley from pollution and over-development.  He is also active with Longwood Gardens (world famous gardens in Pennsylvania), The Mount Cuba Center for Piedmont Flora (his childhood home, and now a major horticultural center in Delaware), and is the Chairman of the The Delaware Art Museum (founded by his grandmother). Gerret Copeland’s palate and his joie de vivre are complemented by his passion for beauty, his dedication to the environment, and his love of wine.  For him, Bouchaine is the ultimate adventure.


TATIANA COPELAND - PROPRIETOR & PRESIDENT
For Tatiana Copeland, the spirit of discovery and commitment to creating a unique and exceptional experience at Bouchaine is simply the natural extension of her roots. Heir to a truly remarkable legacy, Tatiana’s family tree includes such luminaries as her great uncle, composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, and her grandmother, the first woman to drive a car through Moscow’s Red Square. A true polyglot, Tatiana fluently speaks Russian, French, Spanish, German and English.
While her heritage reaches back over 1,000 years in Russia, Tatiana’s personal story began in Dresden, Germany, where she was born. After living in Denmark for several years, the family emigrated to Argentina where she would spend most of her childhood.  she says, recalling family gatherings.  The family then moved to California where Tatiana enrolled at UCLA and quickly began what would become a remarkable academic and professional career. At UCLA, she would make Phi Beta Kappa before graduating summa cum laude, ranking first in her class of 500. She then went on to earn her M.B.A. at the University of California at Berkeley.

At a time when women in business were rare, Tatiana went to work for Price Waterhouse before putting her multi-cultural perspective, extensive linguistic skills, and strategic business thinking to use at the DuPont Company's European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Soon after she returned to DuPont in Delaware, she met her future husband, Gerret Copeland. They quickly discovered a shared appreciation of beauty, a love of fine wine and food, and a strong commitment to philanthropy.
Tatiana has made it her personal challenge to use her business know-how, leadership skills and community standing to help benefit the world of music, arts and culture. She serves on the board of The Grand Opera House (Wilmington's historic opera house) and as Chairman of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. She donated a sculpture garden to the Delaware Art Museum and underwrote the new student center at the Delaware College of Art & Design. Her efforts in helping to recreate the “Kalmar Nyckel” (a full-size replica of the ship which brought the first Swedish settlers to America in the 1600s) resulted in her effigy being immortalized with a life-size carving at the ship's bow.  She also loves to look out for the underdog – literally.  After Hurricane Katrina, Tatiana helped rescue 150 dogs abandoned in New Orleans.

Both Tatiana and Gerret are deeply committed to the arts and have recently established a unique model of community philanthropy for the long-term stabilization of arts and culture in their home state of Delaware. In appreciation of this, they were awarded the "Order of the First State," the highest honor for meritorious service which can be granted by Governor Jack Markell. Today, Tatiana continues to exercise her business acumen. She directs the winery's marketing and finances, leaving the wines themselves in the hands of her husband and the winemaking team. Her pencil is at its sharpest when she is balancing beauty and the bottom-line at Bouchaine.

WWW.BOUCHAINE.COM


IAN BLACKBURN – FOUNDER, LEARNABOUTWINES.COM - UPCOMING EVENTS

7TH ANNUAL STARS OF CABERNET ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015

Upcoming wine tasting event showcases prestigious collectable wines from California and Washington; over 150 wines from 40 top Cabernet producers on Wednesday, November 18th, 2015 at PENINSULA Beverly Hills.

Beverly Hills, California (September 25, 2015) – wineLA has exceeded annual expectations and has procured the best ever - STARS of Cabernet gathering.  

It's back and better than ever! Over 40 top Cabernet brands featured including wineries from Napa Valley: Duckhorn, Alpha Omega, Paradigm, Michael Mondavi, Hendry, Raymond, Cairdean Estate, Acumen, St. Supery Estate, Tierra Roja, The Debate by Jean Hoefliger, Oakville East, Coquerel Family, ZD, Parry Cellars, Mario Bazan, Signorello Estate, Frank Family, Oakville Ranch, Ackerman Family, Priest Ranch, Bougetz, Salvestrin, Cain, Patland, Krupp Brothers, Round Pond Estate, Heitz Cellar, Broman Cellars, and Modus Operandi Wineries.  Paso Robles: Justin, Eberle, DAOU, and Calcareous!  and from Walla Walla in Washington: Long Shadows, Sleight of Hand Cellars, Va Piano, John Bookwalter and other parts of California: Jordan (Sonoma), Hawk & Horse (Lake County), Westerly Wines (Happy Canyon), and Hidden Ridge (Sonoma)!

Meet the winemakers, executives or winery owners in this intimate tasting featuring over 100 wines. STARS of Cabernet features not only the best in Cabernet but a ratio of one winery to four guests - unmatched in the wine event universe.

Included in the “General Admission Ticket" are unlimited wine tasting, tray passed hors d’oeuvres, and an elegant assortment of breads, cheeses, and chocolate. Wine aficionados can choose from 2 VIP tickets, a $200 VIP ticket ($250 at the door) which includes a “Master Class with Jean Hoefliger" or a $250 VIP ticket ($300 at the door) that includes a "Master Class with 100-Point Collectable Producer - Lawrence Fairchild." Both include the special VIP tasting w/dinner and a VIP Gift Bag from the event sponsors and partners.

Guests will also have a chance to bid on an array of extraordinary auction items:  wine, dinners, collectables and trips ranging in value from $100 to $10,000. One hundred percent of the silent auction proceeds benefit the TJ Martell Foundation, a Los-Angeles based 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to supporting innovative groundbreaking research for leukemia, cancer, and AIDS.  We have raised over $300,000 and want to make this our largest contribution yet!

STARS of Cabernet begins at 7:00 p.m. for general admission ticket holders and 6:00 p.m. for VIP attendees.

WWW.STARSOFCABERNET.COM 

ABOUT WINELA
wineLA is focused on enhancing the wine culture of Los Angeles. wineLA hosts significant events, occasional classes, and tastings of merit. This is the second phase of what the organization started 20 years ago at LearnAboutWine.com - America’s first wine education website and first in wine event creation.

To accomplish its' mission, wineLA recognizes that wine must be placed in rhythm with fashion, music, food, geography, centers of interest, and architecture. Los Angeles is a giant playground with an amazing array of venues, spaces, wine bars, restaurants, beaches, rooftops, gardens, and magical views. wineLA is leaving a footprint of wine lifestyle by celebrating people, places, and passion.

WWW.WINELA.COM 

ABOUT IAN BLACKBURN:
Master of Wine Student and innovative wine industry spokesperson, Ian Blackburn drinks wine for a living. Since it was established in 1995, Ian Blackburn has worked on building Learn About Wineinto the leading source for wine education and events in Southern California. LearnAboutWine was the first business of its kind: a wine education and event website dedicated to the education, service, and enjoyment of wine.

Today LearnAboutWine has developed into Southern California’s premier company for wine education and events. Ian continues to innovate and focus on demystifying wine for everyone from the casual drinker to the potential collector. LearnAboutWine events include the wildly successful, monthly “TASTE” Series, a large-scale wine social; “PALATE BUILDER” Sensory evaluation class, VINTAGE – High end collectables tastings and LAW SCHOOL – the four week credential program that concludes with the BAR exam (Beverage Aptitude Review). Over 30,000 students in Southern California have participated in LearnAboutWine’s core class “Wine Camp,” an introduction into wine, and it is considered one of the top introduction courses in the region.

With a database of over 18,000 subscribers, Ian’s following and notoriety has grown with the popularity of wine. He has taught classes at Cordon Bleu, Cal Poly Pomona, UCLA, The Learning Annex, and other prestigious universities. LearnAboutWine maintains an active calendar of classes and events offered to the public, but thrive as a source of private and corporate events. Ian’s clients range from small social clubs and church organizations, to Fortune Five Hundred companies like Amgen, Pfizer, Disney, Nestle, Deloitte, Latham Watkins, Ernest and Young, Bank of America/US Trust/Countrywide, Paul Hastings, Quinn Emanuel and KPMG.

Ian’s passion for wine and entertaining makes him one of the top spokespersons in the United States; he was trained as an educational Ambassador for the Napa Valley Vintners and the Region of Champagne, France. Ian’s expertise and entertaining ways can be heard regularly on Los Angeles radio airwaves likeKCRW, KLOS, KROQ, INDIE 103.1, 98.7 and Ian even appeared as an expert on ABC’s “The Bachelor.” Creating wine lifestyle events in order to get more people involved in the enjoyment and appreciation of wine is Ian’s forte. Commissioned by Wiley Publications to write The Pleasure of Wine in 2004, Ian is currently studying for his Masters of Wine and working on his second book at his home office in Downtown Los Angeles.