Monday, August 28, 2017

08/28 PETER MONDAVI JR., CHARLES KRUG WINERY, FRED SCHERRER, SCHERRER WINERY

PETER MONDAVI JR. – CO-PROPRIETOR, CHARLES KRUG WINERY

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.

WWW.CHARLESKRUG.COM


FRED SCHERRER – SCHERRER WINERY

THE WINERY AND WINEMAKING
“In the mid-1970’s, due to a normal teenage interest in alcoholic beverages, my family allowed me to make some wine from the family vineyard and beer at home (under adult supervision, of course). This led to a UC Davis degree as well as concurrent work at a local winery doing the dirtiest and most menial jobs imaginable. In the mid-1980’s good friends at Duxoup Wine Works (think Marx Brothers for the pronunciation) inspired me to try my hand at my own label so I negotiated cellar space in lieu of a raise by my then-current employer, Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in Anderson Valley (I got a raise anyway). Greenwood Ridge was supportive of my project and decided to have some Scherrer Zinfandel produced for their label as well. Unfortunately, I had a poor business plan and during the first year I realized I was not yet ready for this project. Greenwood Ridge continued to make a small amount of Scherrer Vineyard Zinfandel for many years.

Enter Dehlinger Winery in the late 1980’s. Tom Dehlinger was very supportive of my long-term plans and challenged me to develop a solid business plan, facilitating an important entry into my own project. In return, his winery received my heart and soul for a decade. The final key element in our getting started was from my parents. They allowed me to delay paying them for their fine grapes until we began getting cash flow from our wine sales. By 1997, we were ready to make the move to a facility of our own. In anticipation of this, we were able to add Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay to supplement the Zinfandel we were producing, all from my father’s vineyard in Alexander Valley. Tom Dehlinger supported this transition of my focus, allowing me to produce these additional wines in his facility and we parted very amicably after that vintage.

And so after the harvest of 1997, I moved our operation to a corner of an apple packing shed-turned-winery, finally leasing the entire building. During this period, our production grew from just the three varietals from Scherrer Vineyard, to now typically a dozen wines, about half of which are Pinot Noir. Total production is now 4000 to 5000 cases. My good frieStefanie Salem is the Founder & CEO of the Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival. Salem takes her entrepreneurial and international business background combined with her insatiable love for all things food, wine and cooking to curate and lead all programming for each year’s event. Her 20 years of business experience, which includes living and working in foreign countries, collaborating with political leaders and leading projects with economic corporations, has played a key role in helping her secure high-profile sponsors, participants and partners to make the Festival a true world-class event.

Salem’s impressive career accomplishments have included: promoting foreign investment in emerging markets by working with Heads of State, Ministers and CEO’s of multinational and local corporations in the countries of Greece, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Nigeria. Salem also led editorial advertising in US News and World Report, Sunday Telegraph (UK) and USA Today. Subsequently, she was Founder and President of Hampton Court Publishing, London, which published “In God’s Time, the Building of a Democratic Nation”, focusing on the cultural, historical and political independence of Nigeria where she worked with President Obasanjo, Vice President Abubakar, all 36 Governors and Ministers. After founding the Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival in 2014, Salem was honored as one of the “Most Influential People of 2015” by Newport Beach Magazine. In that same year, the Festival was also touted as the “Top 5 Places to Travel to in October (World-wide)” by Forbes Travel.

Salem considers herself a “taste-bud traveler”, gaining much of her inspiration for the Festival by experiencing cultural cuisine throughout her international business travels, and today, traveling the world with her two sons, family and closest friends. Salem also enjoys frequenting restaurants around Orange County, wining and dining with her chef and master sommelier pals, cooking gourmet meals at home and never missing an episode of “Top Chef.”

Salem was born and raised in Southern California and earned her BA in Psychology from UC Santa Barbara in 1992.nd, Don Bliss helped me whenever I needed a hand (or a finger to dial 911 in the unlikely event of a forklift mistake) during the first years until he sold his fine vineyard and moved back to his native Texas in 2006. Since then, I have been able to impose on a handful of friends and local customers when I have needed help, but still continue to work at the winery pretty much alone most of the year. Judi, my wife, has handled administrative and compliance for the winery since 2002, keeping me out of trouble with bureaucrats and making sure we are able to conform with the complex and changing world of direct shipping and wholesaling laws, reports and fees.”

WWW.SCHERRERWINERY.COM

Monday, August 21, 2017

08/21 JAMIE PETERS, WINESONG, SOMMELIER AUSTIN FLORES, THE WESTIN MAUI RESORT & SPA

JAMIE PETERS - EVENT DIRECTOR FOR WINESONG (MENDOCINO’S PREMIER FOOD & WINE EVENT

ABOUT WINESONG & THE MENDOCINO COAST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
Winesong is produced by the Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for the Mendocino Coast District Hospital. Its mission is to help the small rural Hospital provide the best possible medical care to residents as well as the many visitors to the Mendocino Coast. Winesong proceeds have enabled the Hospital to purchase chemotherapy equipment, portable ultrasound machines for the Emergency Room as well as a state-of-the-art Diagnostic Imaging Center, Cardiology Equipment, a Bedside Medicine Verification System and most recently, a Nurse Call System and a Patient Monitor Alert & Telemetry System.

OVERVIEW OF EVENTS:

A Pinot Noir Celebration: Meet the Winemakers
Friday, September 8, 2017 | 1 to 4 p.m.
The weekend kicks off with a prestigious Pinot Noir tasting, presented by Winesong and hosted by Little River Inn. Attendees will enjoy Pinot Noir from renowned Anderson Valley, along with wines from other award-winning pinot regions, alongside tastes of Little River Inn’s finest culinary offerings. General Admission Tickets for A Pinot Noir Celebration: Meet the Winemakers are $75 per person.

Wine & Food Grand Tasting in the Gardens
Saturday, September 9, 2017 | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Stroll through the lush Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens while enjoying vintages poured by world-class wineries from Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and beyond. Sample beer, spirits, and food from 50 of Mendocino County’s finest purveyors. The tasting is accented by various musical groups performing a variety of styles including jazz, classical, blues, calypso and folk rock. General Admission Tickets with festival seating at auction and access to wine and food tasting are $125 per person for Early Responders; $150 per person after June 1st.

Silent & Live Charity Auctions
Saturday, September 9, 2017 | SILENT: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; LIVE: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The centerpiece of Winesong weekend is the Charity Auction, featuring both a silent and live auction. Nearly 200 lots will be on offer, featuring spectacular wines from the world’s most prestigious wine producers, rare vintages, large format bottles and special vertical and horizontal collections, as well as original art from acclaimed California artists and highly coveted international and domestic vacation packages. Auction Reserve Tickets with assigned seating under the auction tent (w/catered lunch) and access to wine and food tasting are $225 per person for Early Responders; $250 per person after June 1st.

WINESONG.ORG


SOMMELIER AUSTIN FLORES - RESTAURANT & BAR MANAGER @ THE WESTIN MAUI RESORT & SPA

ABOUT THE WESTIN MAUI RESORT AND SPA
"Where Heaven and Aloha Meet"™

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa is situated along a spectacular stretch of the famed Ka'anapali Beach. This oceanfront resort blends an endless array of activities and amenities with gracious aloha spirit, perfect for any Hawaiian vacation.

Located beachfront with spectacular views of Lana'i and Moloka'i, The Westin Maui Resort & Spa is just minutes from Maui's many attractions, yet remains a world unto itself, where exclusive services, first-rate restaurants, cultured entertainment and thrilling diversions satisfy every interest.

WWW.WESTINMAUI.COM

Monday, August 14, 2017

08/14 JEAN-CHARLES BOISSET, RAYMOND VINEYARDS, MIKE REYNOLDS, WALT WINES

JEAN-CHARLES BOISSET - PROPRIETOR, RAYMOND VINEYARDS

RAYMOND VINEYARDS PURCHASES THE 55-ACRE  BARTOLUCCI-STICE VINEYARD IN ST. HELENA

Raymond Vineyards, and Boisset Collection, have purchased the 55-acre Bartolucci Vineyard off of Stice Lane in St. Helena. The vineyard is adjacent to Raymond’s existing Stice Vineyard, and has 47 acres planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Following the philosophy of all of Boisset’s estate vineyards, the Bartolucci vineyard will be converted to certified Napa Green, certified organic and certified Biodynamic®   farming. The addition of another estate vineyard in St. Helena, in the heart of the upper Napa Valley near the Raymond winery, shows Boisset’s ongoing, long-term commitment to the region. The addition of the Bartolucci-Stice Vineyard follows the 2015 purchase of the Ticen Ranch on Highway 29, with 25 acres of Rutherford vineyards. Raymond Vineyards now comprises 380 acres in Napa Valley.

“We believe in Napa Valley, and we believe in the importance of a long-term vision of making fine wines with a deep commitment and respect to the most prestigious and high-quality terroir,” said Raymond Proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset. “The addition of this phenomenal site in St. Helena from a great Napa family strengthens Raymond and ensures continuity and respect of the Bartolucci’s family legacy.”

The Bartoluccis are a multi-generational Napa Valley farming family that sought another owner to steward their vineyards for generations to come. They found in Boisset a like-minded commitment to family farming that will respect and enhance the quality of the site. The Bartolucci family has been farming in Napa Valley for four generations, starting in the 1920s, while Raymond celebrates a five generation family legacy of winemaking dating to the earliest foundations of the Napa Valley. The Bartolucci-Stice vineyard was originally planted in 1976, just two years after the first harvest of Raymond Vineyards in 1974.

With this year’s release of its 2014 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Raymond is celebrating 40 years of winemaking in Napa Valley since its first vintage in 1974. “We believe that Raymond, today, is characterizing a new style of Napa Valley wine with elegance, finesse, charisma, eloquence and power,” said Boisset.

Since purchasing Raymond in 2009, Boisset has infused the winery with energy, innovation, passion and dynamism while respecting and celebrating its family heritage, and deepening the winery’s commitment to Napa Valley vineyards and farming. Raymond Winemaker Stephanie Putnam, along with Consulting Winemaker Philippe Melka, makes Cabernet Sauvignon from 13 of Napa’s 16 sub-AVAs in order to highlight and express the incredible diversity of the valley and the winery’s dedication to terroir. Under Boisset’s vision, Raymond has been named Sunset magazine’s “Best Tasting Room – Experience Beyond Tasting” in 2011; the 2012 American Winery of the Year and the 2016 Wine and Culture Wine Star by Wine Enthusiast ; the “Best Unique Tasting Experience” by CellarPass; "Best of the Bay – Best Wine Tasting Room, Napa" by the North Bay Bohemian; and named to Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2013 for its Generations Cabernet Sauvignon.

ABOUT RAYMOND VINEYARDS 
Raymond Vineyards, founded in 1970, comprises a 380-acre estate in Rutherford, St. Helena and Jameson Canyon. Five generations of the Raymond family created a Napa icon, with an enduring reputation for elegant wines with a beautiful balance of finesse, power and complexity. Today, guided by the vision of Proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset, Raymond Vineyards is one of the wine world’s most dynamic winery destinations. Highly-ranked wines are crafted by Winemaker Stephanie Putnam and Consulting Winemaker Phillipe Melka from Raymond’s certified organic and Biodynamic® estate vineyards and select long-term vineyard partners. The winery’s guest experiences unite education, passion and entertainment, offering diverse opportunities to explore wine. The solar-powered winery is certified by CCOF, Demeter Biodynamic, Napa Green, Fish Friendly Farming and California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.

ABOUT BOISSET COLLECTION 
Boisset is a family-owned collection of historic and unique wineries bound together by a common cause: authentic, terroir-driven wines in harmony with their history, their future and the land and people essential to their existence. With more than twenty-five historical and prestigious wineries in the world’s preeminent terroirs, including the Côte d’Or, Beaujolais, Rhône Valley, California’s Russian River Valley and the Napa Valley, each house retains its unique history, identity, and style, and all are united in the pursuit of fine wines expressive of their terroir.

WWW.RAYMONDVINEYARDS.COM
WWW.BOISSETCOLLECTION.COM


MIKE REYNOLDS - PRESIDENT, WALT WINES

WHO WE ARE: 1,000 MILES OF PINOT
Owned by Vintners Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall, WALT has a passion for producing wines of a place – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Pacific Coast’s most distinctive vineyard sites. Spanning over 1,000 miles, the WALT portfolio of vineyards includes the Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, Los Carneros, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Lucia Highlands, and Willamette Valley appellations.

Our winemaking philosophy deliberately approaches the vineyard as the priority in making these varieties. As stewards of the grapes, our winemakers work hard to firmly but delicately extract flavors and characteristics so that our wines naturally and honestly express the character of the sites where they are grown. Since the inaugural 2010 vintage, WALT is renowned for its consistency and believes strongly in the timeless qualities of balance and bold, flavorful wines. WALT is a part of the HALL Wines family in Napa Valley, one of the leading luxury wine brands in the world.

WINES
The current WALT portfolio of wines includes 12 Pinot Noirs, 3 Chardonnays, and 1 Rosé of Pinot Noir sourced from premier vineyards along the Pacific Coast representing 1,000 miles of Pinot. We seek locations in cool climates with low-vigor, hillside vineyards that produce bold, elegant, opulent, supple and silky wines. Our wines come from both Estate Vineyards (approx. 140 acres) and 17 unique vineyard partners. Each partner possesses an optimal site, infrastructure and a true passion for quality. We have enormous respect for our extended family of winegrowers.

WWW.WALTWINES.COM

Monday, August 7, 2017

08/07 SCOTT RICH - WINEMAKER, MORAGA VINEYARDS - LA'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS BORDEAUX STYLE WINE, RUSS JOY, STE MICHELLE WINE ESTATES, SONOMA WINE COUNTRY WEEKEND, SONOMA COUNTY WINE AUCTION

SCOTT RICH - WINEMAKER, MORAGA VINEYARDS - LA'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS BORDEAUX STYLE WINE

Moraga Vineyards is a wine growing estate in the Santa Monica Mountains at an elevation of 600 to 900 feet, five miles from the Pacific Ocean in the Los Angeles community of Bel Air. From the care of each individual vine, to the selection and blending processes, to the hand labeling of each bottle, every effort is taken to produce wine of distinctive style and quality.

OUR STORY
Grapes are not foreign to this canyon land. The overland expedition of Don Caspar de Portola, which established the route of the California missions (El Camino Real), passed by Moraga Canyon in August of 1769. In his diary, expedition member Father Juan Crespi mentions a “profusion of wild grapes and Castilian roses in full bloom” in the canyon. Wild roses still exist on the property and are represented on the four corners of the Moraga wine label.

OUR WINES
Our focus is to create the highest quality wine while preserving the essence of place. With the experience of each vintage, we have been able to improve our understanding of the ripening patterns of the vineyards. We selectively pick from vines that have come to full maturity on the basis of taste. Ultimately, it is all about flavor and tannin development.

MORAGAVINEYARDS.COM


RUSS JOY CURRENTLY SERVES AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SONOMA COUNTY VINTNERS BOARD AND IS A 4TH GENERATION GRAPE GROWER.

TASTE OF SONOMA :
LABOR DAY WEEKEND  |  SEPTEMBER 2, 2017
DONALD AND MAUREEN GREEN MUSIC CENTER AT SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Nestled in the picturesque foothills of Sonoma County’s esteemed wine country, the Donald and Maureen Green Music Center at Sonoma State University offers an exciting new location for an event where Sonoma County’s top winemakers, growers and chefs come together to celebrate the region’s finest wine and food.

At Taste of Sonoma at Green Music Center at Sonoma State University you’ll taste your way through a microcosm of Sonoma County’s most incredible flavors. Over 200 wineries pour literally thousands of wines. Over 60 local chefs concoct their most perfect pairings. All set within the backdrop of musical inspiration.

Plus, you’re invited to experience seminars and demonstrations that cover a wide range of topics from terroir to technique, as well as chef’s tips and tricks. Taste of Sonoma is THE wine and food event of the year, and it promises a weekend filled with fabulous wine, food and fun. Club Reserve ticket holders also receive exclusive VIP access to the entire event from 11 AM to noon on Saturday, September 2nd prior to the general admission entrance opening at 12 PM.

SONOMAWINECOUNTRYWEEKEND.COM
SONOMACOUNTYWINEAUCTION.COM