05/30 MITCH COSENTINO, PURECRU NAPA VALLEY WINERY

MITCH COSENTINO – FOUNDER/WINEMAKER, PURECRU NAPA VALLEY WINERY & CONSULTING WINEMAKER FOR SEVERAL OTHER BRANDS 

Cosentino began making wine in small lots in Modesto, California in 1980. Ten years later he moved the Cosentino Winery operation to the Napa Valley, where he continued to make many award-winning varietal and blended wines.

Cosentino has a gift for identifying fruit sources and is highly skilled and artistic in determining blends. He’s a big believer in the hands-on, old world use of punched cap fermentation, a labor-intensive, hand-crafted method of winemaking. When it comes to the small lots Cosentino puts into his pureCru blends, this "micro" approach to winemaking allows him to better control the delicate process from the vineyard to the bottle.


pureCru Napa Valley Winery
Three wine lovers from the central valley join an award-winning Napa Valley winemaker to found pureCru, a winery producing small quantities of unique blends.

"I had been reminiscing about a small, hands-on entity where I could do it all myself again, like I did in the beginning." Mitch Cosentino

Celebrating 30 years of winemaking and with more than a thousand awards to his name, Mitch Cosentino is making another dream come true with his launch of pureCru Napa Valley.

What Makes pureCru So Unique?
Simply said…handcrafted exclusive award-winning wines.
When we say limited handcrafted wines, that's exactly what we mean.  It's like having your own custom winery that is dedicated to creating the most unique and award-winning quality wines.  pureCru wines are blended for taste and texture by hand and not mass produced by large winery facilities.

pureCru Wines provide a unique and exclusive experience.  Experience a taste like no other.  Visit our WINES page or WINE SHOP to learn much.

WWW.PURECRUWINES.COM

05/23 GIOVANNI BALISTRERI, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY WINEGROWERS, RUSSIAN RIVER VINEYARDS, SOMM CHALLENGE DINNER, RRV EXPERIENCE

GIOVANNI BALISTRERI - BOARD MEMBER, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY WINEGROWERS AND WINEMAKER/OWNER, RUSSIAN RIVER VINEYARDS  - SOMM CHALLENGE DINNER & RRV EXPERIENCE 

ABOUT RUSSIAN RIVER VINEYARDS
The softly undulating hills of the famed Russian River Valley, caressed by cool blankets of fog and anchored by volcanic soils, are home to some of the world’s finest vineyards, which consistently produce outstanding, distinctive and highly praised wines. In the heart of this renowned wine growing region is the picturesque and historic Russian River Vineyards, one of the valley’s oldest wineries.

From its original planting in 1963, Russian River Vineyards has established itself as one of the premier organic and sustainably farmed grape-growing properties in California. Since the fall of 2008, the historic estate has been owned by Chris O’Neill, Barbara Sattler, Giovanni Balistreri and Anthony Austin. With backgrounds in real estate development, environmental health, fine dining, winemaking, and catering, this group has created a dynamic team of individuals dedicated to building a state-of-the-art winery and crafting world-class wines, all while diligently serving as thoughtful stewards of the hallowed grounds.

ABOUT OUR ESTATE VINEYARDS
Our vines have deep roots in the Russian River Valley, practicing dry farming has encouraged our Estate vineyards to produce amazing fruit year after year. Instead of irrigating the vineyards, in this time of water shortage, we force the roots to dig deep down into the earth to find the water table independently. This creates a very complex profile in both our Estate Merlot and Pinot Noir because the vines are working so much harder and in return produce far less fruit but of incredible quality.

We leave our organic pest control to a colony of bats who take residency in our iconic Hop Kiln building. In return for their rent, they head out every evening and eat any insects they find on our farm and vineyard which allows us to farm organically (and celebrate our Estate Farm being granted Certified Organic by CCOF!) The Merlot vineyard, which has large thick trunks and roots reaching over 20ft in depth, is the oldest Merlot vineyard in Sonoma County.

Our Pinot Noir vineyard, punctuated by a beautiful Oak Tree (the perfect spot for 3 beautiful wedding proposals this year!) produces a very rich and balanced Pinot Noir. The 2013 vintage is another amazing year and whether you’re aging these wines in your cellar or celebrating with them during your spring events, we hope you enjoy the amazing bounty the Russian River Estate Vineyards produce.

WWW.RUSSIANRIVERVINEYARDS.COM

ABOUT RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY WINEGROWERS
The Russian River Valley Winegrowers (RRVW) is a community dedicated to promoting the Russian River Valley as the premier region for growing cool climate grapes while producing wines that showcase the diversity of our many neighborhoods. Our farmers and winemakers work in a manner that is environmentally sound, socially equitable and economically viable in order to continue our legacy as good stewards of the land and producers of distinctive wines of exceptional quality, authenticity and integrity.

RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY SOMM CHALLENGE
Hosted at Sonoma-Cutrer
June 24, 5:30 pm

Wine Country’s coolest new event, the Somm Challenge Dinner, is right around the corner, and tickets are super-limited.  So grab yours now!
3 Rocking Somms – 5 Amazing Chefs
12 Incredible Wines – 150 Tickets

Stylin’: The Somm Challenge Dinner will take place on the gorgeous grounds of Sonoma-Cutrer, in the heart of Russian River Valley. We have chosen three top Somms from Northern California to pair their Russian River Valley wine selection with courses prepared by five of Sonoma County’s hottest chefs.  Then, the challenge is on!

You be the judge: You get to judge and decide who picked the best wine for each course. At the end of the evening, votes will be tallied and the Somm Challenge winner will be announced.  Get in on the action!

Participating Sommeliers:
Allegra Angelo of AQ Restaurant & Bar
Josephine Gutentoft of The Restaurant at Russian River Vineyards
Jeremiah Moorehouse of Gary Danko

Participating Chefs:
Steve Litke of Farmhouse Inn
Crista Luedtke of Boon Eat + Drink
Duskie Estes of Zazu Kitchen & Farm
Mark Stark of the Stark Reality Restaurants
Christian Sullberg of Mustache Bakery and Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie Bar

Participating Wineries:
Benovia Winery
Bucher Wines
Davis Bynum
Dutton-Goldfield
J Vineyards
Matrix Winery
Merriam Vineyards
Square Peg Winery
Trione Vineyards & Winery
Y. Rousseau

Dinner tickets – $195

RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY EXPERIENCE WEEKEND
June 25-26 – Throughout the Russian River Valley
11 am – 4 pm each day

Discover: During the Russian River Valley Experience weekend, you can visit five convenient RRV neighborhood “hubs”, where six or more wineries will gather to share wine, food, and more. This of it as a twist on our previous Russian River Valley Passport – similar concept, but less travel between wineries!

Sip: Sure there will be Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah – but RRV is home to loads of cool climate varietals you may have never heard of. Now’s your chance to taste and fall in love with all the RRV has to offer! You’ll find out what makes this place unique and amazing. You’ll meet the people, taste the wines and have a total “insider’s experience”.

Stay: Treat yourself to a weekend exploring the nooks and crannies of RRV in western Sonoma County. RRV growers and winemakers think of this area as a big group of really cool neighborhoods, each with its own flair and unique focus. This is your opportunity to dive deeper; explore the differing wine characteristics in various areas of the region.

Zoom: Don’t feel like driving? No problem! We’re offering a shuttle between the hubs with a local RRV guide to tell you about the neighborhoods as you’re heading to your destination.

Participating Wineries

• Middle Reach Hub – Matrix Winery. Wineries attending: Bucher Wines, Davis Bynum, MacRostie Winery & Vineyards, Matrix Winery , Merriam Vineyards, Moshin Vineyards.
• Santa Rosa Plain Hub – DeLoach Vineyards. Wineries attending: Benovia, DeLoach Vineyards, La Crema, Medlock Ames, Parmeson Wines, St. Rose Winery, Trione Vineyards & Winery, Y. Rousseau.
• Laguna Ridge Hub – Martin Ray Winery. Wineries attending: The Calling Wines, Davis Family Vineyards, J Vineyards, Joseph Swan, Kobler, MacMurray Estate Vineyards, Ramey.
• Green Valley Hub – Dutton Estate Winery. Wineries attending: Camlow Cellars, Chenoweth Wines, Dutton Estate, Dutton-Goldfield, Iron Horse, Russian River Vineyards, Scherrer.
• Sebastopol Hills Hub – Balletto Vineyard House. Wineries attending: Alquimista, Balletto Vineyards, Ektimo Vineyards, MacPhail Family Wines, Square Peg Cellars.

We’re keeping tickets limited, of course … get yours now!

RRV Experience tickets – $65, Shuttle – $25

RRVW.ORG

05/16 MITCH COSENTINO, PURECRU NAPA VALLEY WINERY

MITCH COSENTINO – FOUNDER/WINEMAKER, PURECRU NAPA VALLEY WINERY & CONSULTING WINEMAKER FOR SEVERAL OTHER BRANDS 

Cosentino began making wine in small lots in Modesto, California in 1980. Ten years later he moved the Cosentino Winery operation to the Napa Valley, where he continued to make many award-winning varietal and blended wines.

Cosentino has a gift for identifying fruit sources and is highly skilled and artistic in determining blends. He’s a big believer in the hands-on, old world use of punched cap fermentation, a labor-intensive, hand-crafted method of winemaking. When it comes to the small lots Cosentino puts into his pureCru blends, this "micro" approach to winemaking allows him to better control the delicate process from the vineyard to the bottle.


pureCru Napa Valley Winery
Three wine lovers from the central valley join an award-winning Napa Valley winemaker to found pureCru, a winery producing small quantities of unique blends.

"I had been reminiscing about a small, hands-on entity where I could do it all myself again, like I did in the beginning." Mitch Cosentino

Celebrating 30 years of winemaking and with more than a thousand awards to his name, Mitch Cosentino is making another dream come true with his launch of pureCru Napa Valley.

What Makes pureCru So Unique?
Simply said…handcrafted exclusive award-winning wines.
When we say limited handcrafted wines, that's exactly what we mean.  It's like having your own custom winery that is dedicated to creating the most unique and award-winning quality wines.  pureCru wines are blended for taste and texture by hand and not mass produced by large winery facilities.

pureCru Wines provide a unique and exclusive experience.  Experience a taste like no other.  Visit our WINES page or WINE SHOP to learn much.

WWW.PURECRUWINES.COM

05/09 JASON PUGACH, THE 27TH ANNUAL CULINARY EVENING WITH THE CALIFORNIA WINEMASTERS, LARRY VAN AALST, THE SONOMA WINE REPORT

JASON PUGACH -  THE 27TH ANNUAL CULINARY EVENING WITH THE CALIFORNIA WINEMASTERS

ABOUT THE 27TH ANNUAL CULINARY EVENING WITH THE CALIFORNIA WINEMASTERS

Saturday, May 14th, 2016 6PM at Warner Bros., “Midwest Street”

A wine tasting extraordinaire and spectacular hors d’oeuvres dinner benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. One of WINE SPECTATOR’S “TOP TEN U.S. CHARITY WINE AUCTIONS” will be held on the “Midwest Street” backlot at Warner Bros.

The California Winemasters is a perennial Wine Spectator Top 10 Charity Wine Auction set for May 14, 2016 at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.  This extraordinary event showcases 50 international chefs and 75 of California’s Finest Wineries.  “Winemasters” has raised nearly $29 million in support of the mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The CF Foundation is a nonprofit donor-supported organization dedicated to attacking cystic fibrosis from every angle.  It’s focus is to support the development of new drugs to fight the disease, improve the quality of life for those with CF and ultimately, to find a cure. The Foundation’s drug development success has been recognized by Harvard Business School and by publications such as Forbes, Discover Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. Make your reservations NOW for this wine tasting extraordinaire and spectacular hors d’oeuves dinner!

CALIFORNIAWINEMASTERS.ORG


LARRY VAN AALST – HOST OF THE SONOMA WINE REPORT – SEASONS 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.

05/02 GARY PISONI, PISONI VINEYARDS

GARY PISONI – PISONI VINEYARDS

A special place, Pisoni Vineyards expresses the land and climate of the Santa Lucia Highlands and the spirit of the Pisoni Family. The site is a source of exceptional Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. First planted by Gary Pisoni in 1982, Pisoni Vineyards consists of small vineyard blocks arranged on and around the ridges of the mountainous landscape. Ranging in size from one-half to seventeen acres, the vineyard blocks perch at an altitude of 1,300 feet in the granite-laced mountains of the coastal Santa Lucia Range. Inspired by the Burgundy tradition of having several wineries source fruit from the same vineyard, Gary Pisoni has formed relationships with some of the most prestigious Pinot Noir producers in California. With agreements based on handshake alone, these wineries are guaranteed specific rows and blocks each year. They purchase grapes at a per-acre price rather than a per-ton price, which maintains the focus on quality and not yields. In addition to supplying fruit to artisan producers of vineyard-designated wines, the Pisoni Family retains a portion of the vineyard for the production of Pisoni Estate wine.

THE PRACTICE
Vineyard management is meticulous. Under Mark Pisoni's leadership, a long-time permanent crew of 18 skilled individuals perform all the work by hand. Every decision implements sustainable farming practices and long-term considerations. This commitment, combined with the rocky soils and cold Monterey Bay weather, produce serious and compelling wines.

THE FAMILY
In 1952 Jane and Eddie Pisoni began farming vegetables in the fertile Salinas Valley. A celery-crop profit in 1979 provided the down payment for the Santa Lucia Highlands property that became Pisoni Vineyards. Their love for the land provided the place where their son Gary could realize his dreams. Gary developed a love of wine while attending college. He started collecting fine French and German wines, and he made his first wine in his garage in 1978 at the age of twenty-five. In 1982, Gary broke ground and planted the first vines at Pisoni Vineyards. He was up against many obstacles, including not having a water source at the time.

Mark Pisoni, the vineyard manager, completed a B.S. in Agricultural Economics at the University of California, Davis, and an M.S. in Farm Business Management at Cornell University. He oversees the meticulous care of both Pisoni Vineyards and Pisoni Farms.  Jeff Pisoni is the winemaker. He earned a B.S. in Enology at California State University, Fresno, and got hands-on experience at premium wineries before becoming the Pisoni Estate and Lucia winemaker in 2002.

THE WINE
The Pisoni Family produces one wine each year under the label bearing its name: Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir. Although actual quantities vary with fruit yields, typical production is a mere 500 cases annually. Often noted for their deep color and intensity, wines from Pisoni Vineyards offer complex flavors and layers of undulating texture. The rocky mountain soil and the long, cool growing season provide the fundamental character of the wine, and the tannin and acid structure contribute to the age-worthiness.

LUCIA
Lucia vineyard designated Santa Lucia Highlands AVA wines. Lucia is the sister label of the Pisoni Estate wines. Whereas Pisoni Estate is committed to a single expression of the Pisoni Vineyards, Lucia represents the collection of vineyards that the Pisoni Family farms: Pisoni Vineyards, Soberanes Vineyard and Garys' Vineyard (the latter two farmed in partnership with Gary Franscioni).

The wines of Lucia are vineyard designated Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah from these vineyards and eponymous Santa Lucia Highlands AVA cuvées with varying percentages of each vineyard blended together. Lucia wines are made alongside the Pisoni Estate wines using the same exacting standards for quality. They are sold via mailing list and high-end restaurants and retailers. If you are on the mailing list for Pisoni Estate wines, you will automatically have the opportunity to purchase the Lucia offerings.

WWW.PISONIVINEYARDS.COM