Eve's Wine 101

WoodCraft Bourbon Blender is Taking Craft Bourbon Back to Its Roots

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Cincinnati, Ohio – The innovators at WoodCraft Bourbon Blender have created a system that brings the custom bourbon of the 1800s to all bourbon lovers today.  This has translated into a new way of consuming bourbon by giving patrons what they want; their own personal single barrel bourbon by the glass or bottle.

Initial consumer and industry reaction has been so positive that the team is now franchising WoodCraft Bourbon Blender.  The first WoodCraft Bourbon Blender franchise, Barrels & Billets, opened its doors in Louisville, on the famous Whiskey Row, on February 23rd.

This exciting new bourbon experience where guests can blend, create and bottle their very own bourbon will complement Louisville’s thriving bourbon tourism industry by offering guests a fun and unique way to participate in the blending of their own personal bourbon.  Guests will blend with six award-winning WoodCraft bourbons which include a 200 Year Oak, European Oak, American Oak, Cherry Wood, Maple Wood, and Smoked Oak. During the experience, guests will learn the art of bourbon blending before the blending process begins. Once the blending experience is complete, guests can have their recipe bottled onsite.

The franchisee is the  Hillerich family – famous for their Louisville Slugger baseball bats.  They have a link to whiskey as the original family immigrant, J. Frederick, was a barrel maker.  They also have showcased years of expertise with consumer experiences such as their famous Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.

“Some may be wondering why a sports and attraction company is getting into the bourbon business, but Barrels & Billets is actually a continuation of H&B’s long history of creating uniquely Louisville experiences for our fans and guests,” said John Hillerich, President & CEO of Hillerich & Bradsby Co.

Co-founders Doug Hall and Joe Girgash created the WoodCraft finishing system to offer everyone the ability to have their own custom bourbon.  Despite the chaos of Covid, they’ve worked through massive regulatory and production issues to make it possible for everyone to have their own bourbon again – one drink or one bottle at a time for a reasonable price. As Doug says, “Owning your own custom bourbon distillery is a ton of fun.  That said, you need to have patience as the process for regulatory approval is painful.”

It took three long years to turn this dream into a reality. Doug leveraged the invention skills from his other company, The Eureka! Ranch, and worked through the many challenges including those outlined below.

  • Working through state and federal rules and regulations
  • Teaching customers how to create their own custom bourbon recipes
  • Creating a way for the custom bourbon to have reliability so that it can be repurchased at later dates
  • Discovering a cost-effective system for creating individual bottles for the custom bourbon

The process is simple. Consumers can create their custom bourbon three ways:

  1. Enjoy a one hour blending experience, while learning about the art and science of master bourbon blending
  2. Work with a 2 minute Artificial Intelligence Bourbon Wizard
  3. Buy a custom Bourbon Blending Kit to do at home guided by an internet accessible video.

However, it doesn’t end here. Doug and Joe are constantly working on next steps.

They will continue to expand the franchising of the free-standing WoodCraft Bourbon Blending Machines in stores, as well as fractional franchising in over 20,000 distilleries, breweries, and wineries.  With a low investment, and small space requirement – franchisees can soon offer custom bourbon experiences and bourbon bottles to their clients.

They are also developing a way for a version of the blending machine to be available in bars and restaurants.  Additionally, they are building on their initial success of Dexter Bourbon and Noble Oak Bourbon and working to develop limited edition releases for franchisees to sell.  And, Doug, as a Canadian-American, is in talks to take the franchising of custom bourbon to Canada, and ultimately, around the world.

WoodCraft Bourbon Blending Franchising is currently not available in all states.  In keeping with Federal and State laws there is a disclosure process that must be followed.  To learn more, please visit www.BourbonFranchise.com

Active Wine Preserver Encork Launches Kickstarter Campaign

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SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) – A Kickstarter campaign has launched to fund Encork, an innovative, minimalist wine preserving device. The Encork is an easy to use, disposable stopper that actively removes oxygen to preserve wine, allowing consumers to taste more and waste less.

Encork was designed to fill a marketplace need in a growing sector for an inexpensive and effective way to preserve wine. US wine consumption has increased by 33% since 2005, but waste has also increased. Opened wine goes stale and spoils when oxidation creates off-flavors, and one study found that an average household throws away almost two glasses of wine a week — roughly twenty bottles wasted a year.

Encork stoppers make it easy to enjoy multiple bottles while keeping wine fresh. Each stopper contains a food-safe compound that removes 99.

9% of oxygen from one 750ml bottle to prevent wine oxidation. Simply remove the cap from an Encork to activate the oxygen absorber and press it firmly into an open bottle. To enjoy later, remove the device and listen for the “pop” that confirms the oxygen was absorbed.

“We designed Encork to improve the wine experience by making it affordable to open a bottle whenever inspiration strikes and save it without wasting a drop,” said Encork co-founder Tyler Rice.

“Encork wine preserving stoppers provide the freedom to create a flight at home or have just one glass on a weekday, empowering consumers to bring wine back for an encore performance months after opening.”

Made of eco-friendly TPE, Encork’s low-profile, tapered design functions as a universal stopper that fits wine bottles with corks and screwtops alike. Once depleted, stoppers can be disposed of or mailed back to be recycled. The Encork’s unique combination of simplicity, affordability, and effectiveness is unmatched by existing products available in the market. Encorks are an ideal solution for home wine consumption as well as for restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, and more.

For more information and to back Encork, visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/encork/encork

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PENNINGTON DISTILLING COMPANY EARNS 17 MEDALS

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Nashville, TN— Pennington Distilling Company earns 17 medals from the American Distilling Institute and the American Craft Spirits Association annual competitions.  

Davidson Reserve® is a big winner at the coveted 2021 ADI Judging of Craft Spirits Award earning Best of Class, Best of Category, and Gold.   The Davidson Reserve® Four Grain Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey, made with corn, wheat, barley and rye, topped the judging in the Distilled(1) & Certified Craft Distilled Spirits™ Whiskey division (specifically “grain to glass” distilleries).

Jeff and Jenny Pennington, co-founders of Pennington Distilling Company, state “We are very proud that our Davidson Reserve® Whiskies continue to showcase our passion to distill the best Tennessee Whiskey on our category.   Our entire team works hard every day to make Davidson Reserve an award-winning whiskey.”

Pennington Distilling Company also earned a Silver medal for the Davidson Reserve® Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a Bronze for the Davidson Reserve® Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a Bronze for each vodka, Pickers Vodka® and Walton’s Finest Vodka®.

In addition to the ADI awards, Pennington Distilling Company had an impressive tally at the American Craft Spirits Association Awards with the Davidson Reserve® Single Barrel Straight Tennessee Whiskey winning a Gold medal and eight Silver medals for other Davidson Reserve® whiskies and Walton’s Finest Vodka®.

About Davison Reserve


Davidson Reserve is the truest expression of what originally inspired the Pennington’s to open a distillery in Nashville.  It’s the first locally distilled six-year-old Tennessee Whiskey since Prohibition and is a reflection of Tennessee’s heritage and history that connects us to a long (and storied) history of distilling alcohol in our home state.

Davidson Reserve joins the very small club of Tennessee distilleries that perform every function of the production process on-site. At our facility in West Nashville, we do everything except grow the grain, which is sourced locally from Renfroe Farms just up the road in Huntington, Tennessee.  Davidson Reserve is one of the first distilleries in Tennessee to receive the sought-after “bottled-in-bond” designation since the laws were changed in 2009.

About Pennington Distilling Company
Pennington Distilling Company was founded in 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee by husband-and-wife team, Jeff and Jenny Pennington.  Located in the heart of their hometown, the Penningtons have personally crafted the finest in Tennessee Whiskey, vodka, and sipping cream.

From hand-selecting local farmers, gathering the best non-GMO grain, and remaining committed to “grain to glass“, to aging whiskey in oak barrels, combined with unique and flavorful spirit recipes, the Pennington Distilling Company brands are not only fan loved but also award-winning. The brands have garnered over 69 awards to date in competitions such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the International Wine and Spirits Competition, SIP Awards, Beverage Tasting Institute/Tastings.com Awards, and the American Distilling Institute Awards.

For almost ten years, Pennington Distilling Company has worked diligently to bring the finest alcoholic beverages to the ever-changing and highly competitive spirits industry. The Pennington Distilling Company family of brands includes three proprietary mash bills: Davidson Reserve Tennessee Straight Sour Mash Whiskey®, Davidson Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey®, and Davidson Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey®. Davidson Reserve Four Grain® and Davidson Reserve Genesis® are both Tennessee Straight Bourbon whiskeys created by blending small batches of these mash bills together.

Pennington Distilling Company also produces Pickers Original Vodka® with additional fruit-infused flavors including Blueberry, Blood Orange, and Pineapple; Pickers Unplugged Vodka Soda® in assorted low calorie, zero carbohydrate, and gluten-free flavors; Pickers Crafted Cocktails® in assorted flavors; Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream® (Cream Liqueur made with Tennessee Whiskey) available in Original®, Mocha, Peanut Butter Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice; and Walton’s Finest Vodka®, which is named after Jenny’s father and made with 100% Tennessee red winter wheat.

For more information about the company, please visit www.penningtondistillingco.com.

Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream, Pickers Vodka, Davidson Reserve Whiskey, and Walton’s Finest Vodka are registered trademarks. ©2020 Pennington Distilling Company. Pennington Distilling Co., Nashville, Tennessee. PenningtonDistillingCo.com. October 2020. Please Enjoy & Drink Responsibly * 21 + ONLY

SLO Coast Wines’ Roll Out the Barrels Celebration Is Back — Refreshed and Reinvented for 2021

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The longtime regional wine experience returns after a Covid hiatus, offering its first-ever auction of rare bottles and a series of new, exclusive experiences at the wineries.
The SLO Coast Wine Collective’s annual Roll Out The Barrels celebration, which has drawn thousands of wine lovers to San Luis Obispo’s wine country since 1990, returns this year with an all-new format: A series of exclusive events held at member wineries throughout the Central Coast, and for the first time, an auction of rare bottles curated by the winemakers. 
All of the events and the auction will take place June 24 through June 28.
As the region emerges from the 2020 Covid-19 shutdown, the SLO Coast Wine Collective is committed to restarting its popular yearly event, but in a way that is safe and comfortable for participants and winemakers. “Roll Out the Barrels is the perfect opportunity to taste new wines and say hello to our winemakers as Covid restrictions loosen up,” says Stephen Ross Dooley, President of the group’s Board of Directors. “We’re excited about being open again and seeing the people who’ve enjoyed our wines all these years.”
Roll Out the Barrels 2021 will offer unprecedented opportunities for wine lovers throughout the long weekend: Most events will be limited to 10 to 25 participants, allowing plenty of individual interaction with winemakers — and giving winemakers the chance to pour wines made in limited quantities and older bottles pulled from deep in their cellars. 
Among the wineries offering tasting flights of older vintages are Laetitia, Baileyana Wines, Edna Valley Vineyard, and Absolution Cellars. Other wineries will extend their hours into twilight, with tastings and tours that immerse you in the beauty of Edna Valley as the sun goes down. Sinor-LaVallee in Avila Beach will be featuring freshly shucked Pacific Gold oysters from Morro Bay Oyster Co, and at Center of Effort Winery, attendees will be guided through every step of the winemaking process — from grape to glass — while sipping current releases in the newly renovated facility.
Because attendance is limited and available by reservation only, we strongly suggest checking out the event list on the SLO Coast Wine Collective website at https://bit.ly/2TaC5Dp to secure reservations as soon as possible.
For the first time in history, Roll Out the Barrels will include an auction of exclusive wine lots curated by our members. And you don’t have to attend an event to bid: Anyone can take home our stellar selections of vintage Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Albariño, Grenache, Zinfandel, and more. Among the lots: large format bottles from Tolosa Winery, Biddle Ranch Winery, and Stephen Ross Wine Cellars; vertical collections from Talley Vineyards and Timbre Winery; mixed assortments from Croma Vera Wines, Absolution Cellars, Autry Cellars, and Saucelito Canyon Vineyard; plus some surprising bottles and limited releases. 
To view the lots and place bids, go to https://bit.ly/3hKXhKy. The auction site goes live 9 a.m. June 24 and closes at noon June 28.
Previously Roll Out the Barrels centered on a grand tasting in downtown San Luis Obispo featuring all of the wineries pouring their latest releases. This year, the SLO Collective emphasizes the one-on-one relationship wine lovers have with the wineries. Says Kathleen Naughton, the Executive Director of SLO Coast Wines: “We are ecstatic about the return of the event. We’ve put safety at the top of our list by shifting all of our events to the individual tasting rooms — with the happy result of everyone having a better chance to connect.”   
This year’s event also arrives as the region is on the verge of a new AVA (American Viticultural Area) designation, a coveted classification awarded by the Federal government that recognizes the distinct character of a region’s wines. It will put wines grown and made on the Central Coast in the company of AVA designates such as Napa Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Sta. Rita Hills.
“The SLO Coast is gaining great momentum as a wine region due in large part to the influence of the many incredible things to offer in San Luis Obispo,” Dooley says. “We’ve missed so much since the start of COVID and we urge all attendees to also explore the restaurants, shops, and galleries in the area when they’re visiting the wineries. We do hope you’ll come, enjoy the wines, stay and explore and fall in love with the SLO Coast.”
About The SLO Coast Wine Collective: SLO Coast Wine Collective is where the coast meets the vines. Our 30 wineries are in San Luis Obispo County on California’s Central Coast, encompassing vineyards and wineries along a 60 mile-long, 15 mile-wide stretch of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. This is the coolest-climate winegrowing region in California and has long been the source of some of the state’s most respected Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. It has recently won renown for its production of aromatic grape varieties such as Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, and Grenache. Website: https://slocoastwine.com/ 

Vintage Eve Circa Oct 2017: Live at Whisky Live LA 2017

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Thrilled to attend Whisky Live LA this past October with my husband Eddie, I found many new spirits beyond single malt whisky to sample and met up with many whisky people that I’ve seen enough times now to call friends.

Newcomer Brenne Whisky from France, and fellow wine/spirits writer Judi Laing.

If you don’t have time to read this article you can view 18 of my pictures in two little grids here. This caption on one of the photos will tell you a little of how much fun there was to be had, “Ran into lots of pals from LA Scotch Club, LA Wine Writers, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, JVS Wines Import, Inc. and dead center is SENIOR WHISKY MASTER STEPHEN BEAL. OMG I met him at the end of the night, in the VIP lounge, where I almost didn’t get in…but you can see how welcoming Stephen looks! If you don’t know him Google him. He has built up an AMAZING wealth of knowledge spanning decades.

I had just read an article about him in Artisan Spirit Magazine. — with Monique Huston, Ries Michael, Kerry Moynahan, Chris Uhde and Judi Laing.”

Let’s Begin

Treated to VIP tickets we had early access to whisky sampling, a very nice VIP Experience Area, souvenir etched crystal tasting glasses, a full-sized event program with articles, a dinner buffet that included many items made with whisky and even some nice live entertainment. 

What We Tasted

From this VIP Pour List below, many were also available in the main tasting area. I will bold the ones that I had time to taste (at this event and/or previous events) and enjoyed.

  • Glenfarcias 25 Years
  • Al Young 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch
  • 2017 Limited Edition Four Roses Small Batch – ranked 96 points by Fred Minnick
  • Evan Williams Single Barrel – limited special Whisky Magazine bottling
  • Breckenridge Dark Arts Malt Whisky
  • Garryana Single Malt by Westland Distillery
  • Aberfeldy 21
  • Bladnoch Talia 25 Year Old Port Pipe Finish
  • Master’s Keep Decades
  • Glen Grant 18 years
  • Four Roses Single Barrel – limited Whisky Magazine bottling – Al Young Celebration
  • Maker’s Mark Private Selections
  • Woodford Single Barrel Special Selections by Whisky LIVE
  • Kentucky Peerless Single Barrel
  • Brenne 10
  • Johnnie Walker Blue
  • Old Forester 1920
  • Tobermory 21 years
  • Deanston 20 years
  • Jack Daniel’s #27 Australia Exclusive – Double Matured in Maple Barrels
    – (Australia/Euro-Asia Duty Free Exclusive)

The Main Arena Tasting (all listed here are the ones I was lucky enough to taste, maybe one third of what was available!) 

The Spirit of Mulholland Distilling had a tasty gin distilled from corn; Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company had a bourbon and rye, Kavalan single malt both the sherry and bourbon oak finishes; Nikka Coffee Malt Whisky; Old Portrero straight rye; everything I sampled from That Boutique-y Whisky Company*; Johnnie Walker Blender’s Batch 10-year-old; everything from Balcones distillery in Texas that included Baby Blue made from roasted blue corn, Rumble made from wildflower honey, turbinado sugar and mission fig spirit that was more spice than it was sweet, their Texas Single Malt and Brimstone which is labeled as Texas Scrub Oak Smoked Whisky; Mixwell ginger ale; Widow Jane’s lineup that were all made with “pure limestone mineral water from the Widow Jane mine in Rosendale, NY” and included a whiskey distilled from rye mash aged in American oak, another whiskey aged in oak and apple wood, a 10-year-old straight bourbon; then I got a totally different nose and flavor in the sweet Brenne 10-year-old that had been finished in cognac barrels; Peerless Kentucky straight rye whiskey; Few Rye Whiskey and finally, Deanston 20-year-old single malt.

*The event actually also had several classes concurrent with the tasting. I was able to snag a seat in one, led by Monique Huston who I had met earlier this year at the Nth show. She had a line-up of whisky that were not only new for me that I had never seen or tasted before, they were also rare. Stop in on this site next week to see the story on “That Boutique-y Whisky Company” U.S. launch.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Irreverent Wine Launches Great Tasting Wine in a Recyclable Pouch

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WALLA WALLA, WASH. (PRWEB) – Earth-loving, social, and health conscious wine lovers can now reach for the pouch vs. the bottle with Irreverent Wine (http://www.irreverentwine.com), a new monthly “Farm to Glass” sustainable wine subscription service. The new approach ships wine in a recyclable pouch to reduce the carbon footprint of wine by 80 percent, keeps great-tasting wine fresh longer once opened, and surprises wine drinkers monthly with high quality handcrafted blends from sustainable vineyards.

Photo from Irreverent Wine’s Facebook page.

Irreverent takes environmental impact seriously, while also obsessing to surprise members with exclusive wines that are crafted without added sugars and are gluten-free, vegan, FODMAP, keto and paleo-friendly. Subscribers are offered everything from Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio to interesting International-inspired blends. Members never get the same wine twice, so there’s always an element of delight and wonder, but without the waste generated with traditional bottles.

“Every year 70 percent of wine bottles (3 billion bottles) end up in landfills because they are hard to recycle and there’s not enough demand for recycled glass,” said Chris Dukelow, former Seattle technology executive turned chief winemaker and founder at Irreverent Wine. “Bottles don’t make wine taste better, so why are we using them other than those purchased for aging? By eliminating wine bottle production and partnering directly with sustainable vineyards, we can reduce wine’s environmental impact while also keeping wine natural and delicious for consumers.”

The Best Sustainable Monthly Wine Subscription
With so many wine clubs and wine delivery services, there’s no shortage of options for wine lovers to consider. Irreverent distinguishes itself from the wine club landscape by first making high quality wine, and second, by uncorking the bias and prejudices against wine in a bag or pouch. The company partners with the very best independent vineyards committed to Earth-friendly farming practices in renowned Washington and Oregon wine regions to make, source, and blend world-class wines with no unnecessary sugars, chemical additives, or manipulations.

The wine is then shipped in recyclable pouches that keep oxygen sealed out and freshness sealed in for up to four weeks after opening. The pouches are self-standing, can be kept on the counter or in the refrigerator, and are more durable, lighter, and friendlier to the planet than glass. An easy-to-use spigot allows members to enjoy the convenience of a smaller portion of wine at their leisure and never worry about finishing a bottle before it goes bad. The pouches are also perfect for social gatherings, camping, or other outdoor events.
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How Membership Works
First, members sign up by selecting the types of wine they would like to receive monthly. Members can opt-in to receiving reds, whites, or blends, and order 1.
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5 liter (two bottle equivalent) or 3-liter pouches (four bottle equivalent). Wine quality is similar to what you would get in a $30 bottle of wine, but delivered monthly at a 20-30 percent discount for an exceptional value. Members pay between $41-$49 monthly for 1.5 liter subscriptions (two bottle equivalent) and $59-$65 for 3.0 liter subscriptions (four bottle equivalent). Additional pouches can also be added easily to monthly deliveries that start at $39. Members have flexibility to purchase additional pouches or customize recurring monthly shipments for special occasions, including pouch size.

About Us
Born in the heart of the Walla Walla valley, Irreverent Wine is an eco-friendly monthly wine subscription service that delivers better wine, for a better world. Founded by 30-year technology industry veteran Chris Dukelow, Irreverent Wine is on a mission to change the way wine is packaged, shipped, sold, and enjoyed one-glass-at-a-time. In the U.S. alone, over 4 billion wine bottles are purchased annually, and the manufacturing and transport of these bottles emits approximately 10 billion pounds of CO2-equivalent emissions. By partnering with independent and sustainable vineyards, putting great-tasting, low carb, gluten-free, vegan, FODMAP, keto, and paleo- friendly wines in recyclable pouches, the company offers a unique “Farm to Glass” model that reduces the carbon footprint of wine by 80 percent. For every pouch delivered, Irreverent will donate $2 to EcoTrust, which has a mission to create economic opportunity, social equity, and environmental well-being. For more information, visit http://www.irreverentwine.com.

One Bottle Post: 2017 Hourglass Red Blend

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We visited Hourglass winery in 2017 and were so smitten with their wines that we put ourselves onto a wait list to get put onto their allocation list. Took a couple of years I think and now we are just getting into some of our new wines. Starting with the 2017s and their Napa Valley red blend. First I’ll share some notes from the winery, and then my notes on the wine.

Here is what vintner Jeff Smith said about their then-current 2017 harvest, “2017 was our 20th harvest! Doesn’t seem possible, yet here we are. We’ve learned a lot in 20 years and the journey is just getting started. Hourglass debuted during a time of profound change in Napa Valley. The 1990’s ushered in a radical stylistic shift toward high pH winemaking. A style pioneered by brave winemakers who dared go where they were schooled not to. Modernism was born and I’m proud to say we helped put an indelible stamp on it. In the ensuing years, we rode the pendulum swing of ripeness to its edges, and helped define the spectrum of stylistic choices Napa affords. In the process, we learned a great deal….” Read more here.

2017 Hourglass Red Blend, Napa Valley

14.5% alcohol

Color: blackberry, red cellophane edge, opaque.

Aroma: Ripe and juicy black cherries, dried plum, dark chocolate, green peppercorn, dusty, mushroom and sage.

Flavor: Dried red cherry, red to dark fruit again, cherry liqueur, black pepper, charred steak, drying tannin.

With food: Ed had made a simple Bolognese with ripe red tomatoes – giving it both a meaty and acidic flavor. After a few minutes in my glass, and with food, the wine became more layered, showing dry and dark fruit, pepper and lingering dark berries.

Conclusion: Probably should lay this one down a bit as the difference between having it alone and then in my glass longer, and with food, was remarkable for me. Betting more swirling and decanting would also work. (I tasted this in early April, a few weeks into the Coronavirus quarantine, when I was getting more than anxious for the good stuff.) I gave the wine 94 Eve points without food and 95 Eve points with.

“Hourglass. . . two vineyards, a winery and a compilation of estate wines: a vision unfolding.”

https://www.hourglasswines.com

https://www.facebook.com/pg/hourglasswine/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2017: Where Was Your Favorite Winery Experience? (Part Two)

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Last week I asked Facebook pals to share their favorite winery experience, something that made them lifelong fans. I had a few of my own, they had many more, so this is the second group of answers. Feel free to email me if you also have a memorable winery experience to share: Eve@EveWine101.com

Your Favorite Winery Experiences

Denise C. – Well, you know we love Paso Robles……I won’t say how many wine clubs we belong to there. But, like another comment on here we had to buy a big wine fridge and it still doesn’t hold all of it. Lol. But, one of our favorites is Pear Valley! Their wine is good and not too expensive and the views are amazing!

Annette S. – Palmaz Vineyard in Napa. Unbelievable winery and phenomenal wine.

Larry M. – Merry Edwards. Wonderful Pinot Noir up in the Russian River Valley. We were brought into a private room where our own dedicated sommelier taught us about the terroir that makes the Russian River Valley unique. He then guided us through tastings of all of their current offerings. Everything was laid out beautifully with a new glass for each wine. Totally classy.

David P. – Being a Napa boy (born and raised), I have a few. My #1 would have to be getting married at V. Sattui in St. Helena back in 1993. The wedding ceremony was out on the lawn and the reception was in the cellar.

Buttonwood Farm and Winery.

Beverly A. – When my husband and I went to Rosenthal winery tour with Ian Blackburn years ago, absolutely beautiful. Then again on the Wine101 with Ian to Karen Steinwachs/ Buttonwood Farm Winery had BBQ lunch, to name a few.

Kathie W. – My two favorites in Los Olivos – Carhartt Wine Tasting Room and Saarloos and Sons. Fabulous wine, and they both make you feel like family. Been members for years and always look forward to sharing the experience!

Mike B. – Del Dotto. My fav Napa winery. It’s the dark and musty cave experience. Cool atmosphere. Pourers are informative, entertaining, and funny. All tastings out of the barrel. Just very, very special. It’s a must-go-to every time I’m in Napa. His other tasting experience, what I call the “Italian” one,” is nice, but it’s the dark and musty I keep returning to. Would love to meet Del Dotto. I remember his infomercials from the 80s.

Michael and Lori F. – We cannot put to writing how special our tour of Robert Foley was… Lets just say his passion for music is just as strong as his passion for wine!

And I stopped into the tasting room at Quady up in Madera… Out in the Middle of nowhere (so it seemed). I can no longer remember the name of the assistant winemakers who led my tour and tasting of one, but we spent 4 hours tasting EVERY wine and port in their current release portfolio; barrel tasting dessert and port wines still aging and not yet ready to be released; and opening a half dozen bottles of the winery’s library collection of vintage port wines.

As an added bonus they had just finished their first release of “unaged” Brandy distilled from their Orange Muscat Wine…. They would not call it Grappa because it was distilled from the wine and did not include the “pressings” in the distillation… If you like Grappa this was fantastic in its lack of rough edges and smoothness.

I left the winery with about a case of wine and Brandy I purchased… He also gave me the opened library wines and some of the current release wines to take home telling me that there is not enough foot traffic for those bottles to last till the next visitor arrives!

That was a fantastic memory indeed!

Justin G. – I grabbed 2 of the last 1975 vintage Colheita from Kopke while in Porto. My birth year.

Vicki H. – Mallow Run Winery in Indianapolis, is a fun place to enjoy music and wine. Especially when it is Beach Boys or Beatle day.

Terri S. – Broken Earth Winery in Paso Robles. Award-winning wines (they darn near swept the Central Coast Wine Competition), friendly and knowledgeable staff, excellent pricing, Thirsty Thursday wine specials and a great picnic spot on the way into town on Highway 46 East!

Michael D. – Many years ago we took the Amtrak Coast Starlight to Seattle. They did a wine tasting on board and one of the wines we really liked was from a winery that we had never heard of – Del Dotto. A year or two later I had a business trip up at the Silverado Resort in Napa and on our way to the hotel we passed Del Dotto. Taking the tour of the caves and tasting the same grape in different types of oak was one of our favorite memories from that trip. We ordered several bottles from the actual casks that we tasted and still have some cellared to this day!

Tom H. – Frank Family in Napa the day after I proposed to Carole they treated us great…lots of good wine!

John M. – Jean-Pierre Gaussen in the Bandol area of Southern France. It was a cold day in December 2002 and my then Fiancé and I were exploring the area and stumbled on to this tiny vineyard of gnarled Mourvèdre vines. When we arrived at the Cave no one was there. Finally a a gentleman still in his pajamas peered down at us from a second story balcony and told us to come back in an hour because it was his lunch hour. We came back an hour later and the same man still in his pajamas opened the cellar and poured his wines for us to taste.

It turned out the man was Monsieur Gaussen himself. We spent the next 4 hours talking and drinking wine with him with subjects ranging from the history of the Mourvèdre grape to French politics all in broken English and broken French. In a few days my wife and I along with our 10 and 8 year old kids will be visiting this tiny vineyard again. For us wine lovers a special wine is a time capsule, a message in a bottle, the very notion of terroir itself.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits

The Art of Toasting Moutai From China

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Camus is delighted to invite you to a dynamic culture event to learn and experience the Chinese way of toasting and fine dining, with the iconic spirit Moutai and one of its kind Baccarat crystal drink set. Dress code: Elegant with a touch of red.

Well this was a new one for me. Never heard of the Chinese spirit Moutai or used the Baccarat crystal drink set. Intrigued by the idea of learning how to properly toast with a Chinese spirit, I was ready to learn. But first what is Moutai? From Wikipedia: Maotai or Moutai is a brand of baijiu, a distilled Chinese liquor, made in the town of Maotai in China’s Guizhou province. Produced by the state-owned Kweichow Moutai Company, the beverage is distilled from fermented sorghum and now comes in several different varieties. From the box: Made “only in small quantities” yearly, this “small batch blend” is “available only in the finest duty-free shops around the world.” 53% alcohol.

In the course of the evening (photos here) we tasted the spirit in two cocktails and on its own, both the Moutai Small Batch Blend ($275) and the Moutai Legendary China Collection Edition Li Bai ($375). This second edition “honors Li Bai (701-762) regarded as one of the greatest and most prolific poets of the Tang dynasty.”

But, before I get too ahead of myself, before the first cocktail we were entertained by a Chinese calligraphy artist, then before the first sip of Moutai on its own, we were told and shown the proper way to toast with Moutai and told that “in China we greet with spirits, with meaning and with gravity – to the future…Moutai is always considered the national symbol of China” and all Chinese enjoy toasting special occasions with Moutai.

To toast the spirit is poured at room temperature into a tiny glass “invented by Moutai” and then some simple rules are to be followed: Always fill to the rim, hold with both hands to toast each other, the person who wants to show respect to the host, for seniority or to ladies is to bring their glass lower than the person extending the toast. This last part can be quite fun as people will go down to the ground to get their glass lower than their esteemed friend. Then, more rules included “never leave a comrade’s glass empty” so you must help them to fill it. Never drink alone at dinner. If you are toasted then you must toast in return.

Don’t toast before the host toasts – who may toast to each table in the room. Then, and only then, it’s fair game to toast more people. The Li Bai edition was served with small Baccarat red crystal decanters into small round matching crystal glasses.

For me, always the student, after noting all of the rules in toasting I settled in to smell and taste both levels of Moutai. I got strong umami notes, soy sauce, salinity, grilled mushroom and maybe a hint of the terracotta vats the spirit had rested in before bottling.

After that first sip we enjoyed a multi-course Chinese influenced dinner, while listening to different musicians and watching a cultural dance. By the end of the evening, and several more toasts of Moutai – for those that had drivers – I believe everyone attending walked away with not only more knowledge about the Chinese spirit, but an appreciation for Moutai and what China brings to the proverbial global table.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Check Out This Three day event and WineCrush is July 31: Aspen Art Museum’s WineCrush

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ArtCrush | WineCrush Facts & Figures: Master Sommelier Jay Fletcher

Held annually every summer, ArtCrush is Aspen’s premier summer gala and the major fundraising event benefiting the Aspen Art Museum. Over the past fourteen years, ArtCrush has cumulatively raised approximately $28,000,000 in support of the AAM’s groundbreaking contemporary art programming. ArtCrush brings the AAM’s most important donors, the world’s top art collectors, wine connoisseurs, artists, gallerists, curators, celebrities, and global business leaders to Aspen, making this event an internationally recognized hub of arts and culture.

Margaret Kilgallen: that’s where the beauty is.

Jay Fletcher, Master Sommelier, plus a team of six top sommeliers from Aspen’s best wine restaurants (Matsuhisa, the Little Nell, 7908, Caribou Club, Cache Cache, and Jimmy’s) give patrons a taste of old and rare wines during the event’s cocktail hour, followed by a pouring of two flights of wine prior to each of the four formally plated courses served during the dinners at WineCrush and ArtCrush. Fletcher calls in favors from Southern Wine & Spirits and the SommFoundation’s Old and Rare Cellar to source the vintage and old wines from around the world. The day of the event, he unpacks the boxes, sorts and hand-numbers each bottle, and decants and chills the vast array of wine.

  • 800 = The number of rare vintage wine bottles (seen only at auction) served at each event x 15 years = 12,000 bottles of wine served at ArtCrush and WineCrush.
  • 65 = The temperature in Fahrenheit that Fletcher keeps all bottles of wine prior to wine service at ArtCrush and WineCrush.
  • 40,000 = The dollar amount of wine in wholesale costs for 250 people at each event—approximately $150 per person in wine allocations. (To be approved.)
  • 50 = The number of tables with 10 bottles each.
  • 3 / 5 = Each table has 3 bottles of mixed white varietals and 5 bottles of mixed red varietals.
  • 500 = Total number of glasses of wine for each course = 2,000 glasses of wine poured at each ArtCrush and WineCrush event x 15 years = 30,000 glasses of wine served.
  • 11 = Master sommeliers that have helped Fletcher over the years at ArtCrush: Bobby Stuckey, Richard Betts, Fred Dame, Carton McCoy, Sabato Sagaria, Sean Razee, Jonathan Pullis, Brett Zimmerman, Doug Krenik, Jason Smith, Shayn Bjornholm.
  • 15 = Number of years the following rare, vintage wines have been served at WineCrush:

Domaine De La Romanée-Conti, Richbourg 1989

1937 Dr Barolet Clos Vougeot 1037

Domaine Leroy, Chambertin 1969

Etienne Guigal, Côte-Rôtie la Mouline 1978

Château Lafite Rothschild 1990

Domaine De La Romanée-Conti, La Tache 1988

Penfolds, Grange Hermitage 1985

Aldo Conterno, Barolo Riserva Gran Bussia 1990

Jaboulet-Isnard, Côte-Rôtie 1964

Domaine Ramonet, La Montrachet 1989

Domaine De La Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 1988 Six (6) Liter Format

Domaine Gros, Richebourg 1971

Château Haut-Brion 1961

Coche-Dury, Corton-Charlemagne 1995

Château Rayas 1990

 

Jay Fletcher, Master Sommelier, Chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers personal by-the-numbers list: 

  • 23 = # of years Fletcher has held his Master Sommelier title.
  • 8 = # of Master Sommeliers Fletcher has mentored in Aspen from the Little Nell’s wine program.
  • 20 = # of Master Sommeliers Fletcher has mentored in the world.
  • 41 = The years since Fletcher hitchhiked into Aspen from Madison, WI, to begin his career in the wine business.
  • 2 = # of daughters Fletcher raised as a single father while working in the wine business in Aspen.
  • 5 = Time in the morning that Fletcher has been known to skin (hike on skis) up and throw down first tracks on Aspen Mountain on most powder days.

The Aspen Art Museum is a non-collecting institution presenting the newest, most important evolutions in international contemporary art. Our innovative and timely exhibitions, education and public programs, immersive activities, and community happenings actively engage audiences in thought-provoking experiences of art, culture, and society.

AAM MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday–Sunday, 10 AM–6 PM

Closed Mondays

AAM ADMISSION IS FREE courtesy of Amy and John Phelan

Visit the AAM online: aspenartmuseum.org