The 2019 International Volcanic Wine Conference Explores Saltiness and Minerality in Volcanic Wines

March 10, 2019 by evebushman Leave a Comment

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – John Szabo, Master Sommelier and award-winning author, and Volcanic Wines International (VWI) are proud to announce this year’s International Volcanic Wine Conference (IVWC) theme: “Saltiness: Defining Minerality in Volcanic Wines,” as well as confirmed wine regions and producers. Following the successful inaugural conference in 2018, the IVWC aims to continue its mission of establishing a volcanic wine category, and to provide educational and promotional opportunities for volcanic wine producers internationally. The conference will be held at The Stewart Hotel in New York City on Wednesday, June 5th and will be open exclusively to qualified wine trade and media.

In 2019, the VWI continues its mission of exploring the defining characteristics of volcanic wines. John Szabo will be working with Benoît Marsan, Professor at the Université du Québec in Montréal and Wine Chemistry Specialist, to develop a research study related to minerality, including the presence of succinic acid in volcanic wines and its influence on perceived saltiness. Szabo and Marsan will co-present the research at this year’s IVWC in June.

“The inspiration for this year’s sub-theme came from feedback I received during last year’s conference. Minerality has always been a controversial subject in the wine industry and this study will allow us, through scientific research, to better understand and define it, specifically in terms of volcanic wines,” says John Szabo. “I look forward to presenting the results of our research during this year’s conference.”

Returning participants from last year’s conference include leading wineries from the regions of Santorini, Soave, Etna, Pico and Vesuvius, as well as volcanic wines from leading fine wine importers. This year, the conference welcomes wineries from Germany, Oregon and Spain, among others.

Further details regarding the conference, including additional confirmed participants and seminar schedules, will be announced in the following months.

For more information and latest updates, be sure to visit the Volcanic Wines International official website http://www.volcanicwinesinternational.com, and follow the VWI’s Facebook (Volcanic Wines International) and Instagram (@volcanicwines_intl) pages.

About John Szabo
John Szabo is a Toronto-based author and wine critic, and in 2004 was the first Canadian to add the Master Sommelier credential to his name. He was named ‘Canada’s best-known sommelier’ in Meininger’s Wine Business International, and he is a partner and a wine critic for WineAlign.com and freelances widely. In addition to Volcanic Wines, Salt, Grit and Power, his book titles include Pairing Food and Wine for Dummies and Sommelier Management. John also works as a restaurant consultant, and speaks and judges internationally, when he’s not making a few dozen bottles of wine from his vineyard in Eger, Hungary.

About Volcanic Wines International (VWI)
The mission of Volcanic Wines International is to take the leading role in defining and establishing a Volcanic Wine Movement, and to provide educational and promotional opportunities for volcanic wine producers internationally. Volcanic Wines International also plans to establish the volcanic wine brand as a premium category of high-quality wines with a true sense of place.

Second Annual ‘International Volcanic Wine Conference’ Coming to NYC in June

February 3, 2019 by evebushman Leave a Comment

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – John Szabo, Master Sommelier and award-winning author and Volcanic Wines International (VWI) are proud to announce the 2nd annual ‘International Volcanic Wine Conference (IVWC), to be held in New York City on June 5, 2019. The event follows the highly successful inaugural conference, held in March of 2018, and Szabo’s acclaimed book on the subject, “Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit and Power,” published in 2016.

The IVWC, in its second year, aims to continue its mission of establishing a volcanic wine movement, and to provide educational and promotional opportunities for volcanic wine producers internationally. The conference acts as a catalyst and facilitator to eventually bring together all of the world’s volcanic regions and wines, while incredibly diverse, represent a unique category of wines produced under some of the most extreme viticultural conditions on the planet. The annual conference also aims to help establish the ‘volcanic wine classification’ as a premium category of high quality, terroir-driven wines with a true sense of place.

“This year’s inaugural conference was wildly successful, exceeding all expectations,” says John Szabo. “Guests were able to taste quality wines from diverse volcanic soils and learn from leading winemakers and experts about the unique characteristics that make these wines special.”

A first of its kind, the 2018 conference brought together producers from all over the world, helping raise the profile of volcanic wines; exclusively for qualifying wine trade and media, 300 industry professionals attended the event. During the conference, guests were able to sample wines from over 50 wineries from 16 different volcanic wine regions and engage with some of the world’s leading volcanic wine experts.

“The Soave Consortium has always believed in the need of creating a specific category to identify volcanic wines and their unique characteristics,” says Sandro Gini, Soave Consortium President. “The event in New York in March 2018 brought us much satisfaction, especially by seeing a strong interest in these wines’ peculiarities by wine professionals and writers.”

Educational seminars included “Volcanic Italy… as seen through Aglianico and Garganega,” sponsored by LLS, a member of The Winebow Group, “Soave: A Never-ending Volcanic Wine Story,” sponsored by the Consorzio Tutela Vino Soave, “The Volcanic Wines of Santorini: 3700 years in the making,” organized by Wines from Santorini & Wines of Greece and “Extreme Cabernet from Lake County’s Extreme Volcanic Terroir,” sponsored by the Lake County Winegrape Commission & Lake County Winery Association. The seminars explored what differentiates volcanic wines in the world of wine, and what unites them. It also gave participants an unprecedented opportunity to taste a vast collection of volcanic wines under a single roof, with producers at hand to further explain their unique attributes.

“We were thrilled to support this unique opportunity to delve into a compelling and important topic that goes beyond any one specific region to foster a broader understanding of soil and geology, and its impact on winegrowing and winemaking,” said Ian Downey, Executive Vice President of Winebow Imports. “The high level of enthusiasm, questions, and dialogue surrounding the conference indicates that the discussion is far from over and we look forward to future initiatives.”

Producers from regions around the world such as Sicily, Soave, Campania, Santorini, Tokaj, Badacsony, Somló, Washington State and many more will be participating in the second annual conference. Winemakers, academics, and journalists will be presenting in-depth educational seminars during breakout tasting sessions on various aspects of volcanic wines.

“I am excited for what’s to come. Next year’s conference will give us the opportunity to present new volcanic regions and new research, and continue our mission to define and elevate the volcanic wine category in the eyes and palates, of industry professionals and wine lovers,” says Szabo.

Additional details regarding the conference, including confirmed participants and seminar schedules, will be announced in the following months.

For more information and latest updates, be sure to visit the Volcanic Wines International official website http://www.volcanicwinesinternational.com, as well as following the VWI’s Facebook (Volcanic Wines International) and Instagram (@volcanicwines_intl) pages.

About John Szabo
John Szabo is a Toronto-based author and wine critic, and in 2004 was the first Canadian to add the Master Sommelier credential to his name. He was named ‘Canada’s best-known sommelier’ in Meininger’s Wine Business International, and he is a partner and a wine critic for WineAlign.com and freelances widely. In addition to “Volcanic Wines, Salt, Grit and Power,” his book titles include “Pairing Food and Wine for Dummies” and “Sommelier Management.” John also works as a restaurant consultant and speaks and judges internationally when he’s not making a few dozen bottles of wine from his vineyard in Eger, Hungary.

About Colangelo & Partners
Colangelo & Partners specializes in premium food, wine and spirits brands, and has long-established relationships with the key press that drive these business categories and help determine the industry leaders. Agency principals have years of experience in retail and distribution as well as communications, a rare combination that gives Colangelo & Partners invaluable insights into consumer purchasing behavior. The agency focuses on “closing the loop” between creative communications programs, distribution, promotion, publicity, and the consumer in order to maximize the efficiency of its communications programs and deliver measurable results. Founded in 2006, Colangelo & Partners was honored as one of the year’s top integrated communications firms at the 2013 Agency Elite Awards and for one of the best digital marketing campaigns at the 2014 Digital PR Awards.

Wine Lovers: Supermarkets are making it easier to buy quality wines for less money under their own labels

December 30, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

NEW YORK,/PRNewswire/ — American shoppers, who may be enjoying more wines than ever before, need look no further than their supermarket to find quality wines that cost a-third less than similar bottles from the country’s biggest wine producers, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association.

“Why not buy the retailer’s own brands of wine at the supermarket and save?,” says Jeff Siegel, an award-winning wine writer whose blog The Wine Curmudgeon is one of the best-read wine websites on the Internet. “That’s the way it works in Europe. So why shouldn’t it work that way in the U.S.?”

And what better time to get those savings with the holidays here?

Siegel’s point: European supermarkets have sold private label wines for years, to both critical and consumer acclaim. Tesco, one of Britain’s biggest grocery chains, won more than 140 medals for its wines at the 2018 International Wine Challenge, while labels from discounter Aldi – costing an average of just $7 each – won 43 medals at a previous wine challenge.

Even more telling perhaps was recent news that thousands of British shoppers queued up on a sultry August morning a year ago to buy Lidl’s $5 Prosecco – and were devastated when the chain sold out almost immediately. This is the opportunity U.S. supermarkets have as well, says Siegel, whose blog focuses on the wines most Americans can afford to buy – and does so in English and not winespeak. “Imagine how happy their wine drinking customers would be hearing they can buy terrific sparkling wine for $5? They’d be waiting in line for the store to open too.”

It’s more than speculation: Whole Foods Markets introduced their Sommelier Selects program last year featuring seasonal wine recommendations under its own labels along with suggested food pairings by the retailer’s Master Sommelier. And this year, Walmart launched its curated Winemakers Selection label at very popular prices, with wines that are curated from many of the best wine regions of the world.

These are all wines offered under the retailer’s name, just like their other store brand foods and household products, and many retailer wine programs here in the U.S. have had international success. Bottles from Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Aldi were honored at the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s 2018 International Salute to Excellence Awards, which reviewed more than 300 wines from 39 supermarket chains in 13 countries. The judges, who included Masters of Wine, sommeliers, wine writers, and retail industry professionals, gave awards to a $9 chardonnay from Aldi, a $10 sparkling wine from Trader Joe’s, and a $22 cabernet sauvignon from Costco.

“But that should be just the beginning,” according to Siegel. “It shouldn’t be three wines, but dozens of wines. Why not a $6 rose? Or an $8 sauvignon blanc? Or a $9 pinot noir? The idea that quality wine has to cost a certain amount is as old fashioned as a dial telephone. Otherwise, how would the Europeans be so successful?”

Think of all the holiday celebrations that would be that much more enjoyable if shoppers would worry a lot less about what to drink at a time when value is even more important, given the tangle of gift lists, party demands, and stretched-to-the-limit budgets.

CEO of Krug Champagne, Youngest Master of Wine, and President of Guildsomm to Lead wine2wine 2018 Line-up

October 25, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

VERONA, Italy (PRWEB) – At wine2wine 2018, wine producers, export and marketing managers, consultants, journalists, and experts from all spheres of the wine business will gather for a unique chance to participate in educational sessions, labs, and workshops held by an impressive line-up of speakers of national and international standing.

Margareth Henriquez, president and chief executive officer of Krug Champagne. Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Now at its 5th edition, wine2wine 2018 will open with a keynote address entitled “Luxury brand communication and women’s leadership: Margareth Henriquez shares her story.” In this speech, President and CEO of Krug Champagne and the LVMH Wine Estates will address the way digital tools and storytelling techniques are best integrated into the promotion and brand communication of wines.

In addition to Henriquez, wine2wine will also feature the youngest Master of Wine in the world, Sarah Heller, who lives and work in Hong Kong. Heller will explain how younger Asian female consumers are driving wine consumption growth and changing the tone of the conversation across the Asian continent. She will discuss the way Italian wineries can make their branding campaigns and promotional messages resonate with this new wave of eager wine consumers.

Another international guest of the convention is Geoff Kruth, Master Sommelier and President of the sommelier association GuildSomm. Kruth’s speech is entitled “Sommeliers and Their Influence in the US Market,” and will address the growth and influence of the sommelier figure in the US wine market. Kruth will touch on crucial topics for Italian wineries that are looking to deepen their understanding of the US market: how sommeliers add value to restaurants and their customers; how to extend the reach of the sommelier through social media; and how wineries can work with sommeliers to reach new customers.

This year wine2wine will also showcase a new 45-minute format, with each session being made up by a 30-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute Q&A. At the end of each presentation, the speakers will highlight practical ‘takeaways’, that is, hands-on suggestions that participants will be able to apply directly to their business. The Q&A part calls for a direct interaction between speakers and attendees. In addition, there will be another 15-minute time window during which participants will have the chance to connect and network with other wine professionals.

Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International, commented on the new format: “Every year we are striving to make slight but significant changes deriving mostly from requests we gathered directly from participants to the previous edition. We are especially mindful of the concept “WIIFM – What’s In It For Me,” since our main purpose is to give attendees solid takeaways to improve their business.”

As part of the revamp of the new edition, #w2wLabs have been included in the program. These sessions are practical demonstrations open to a selected audience, who will have the opportunity to learn about optimizing a website, write a successful PR, or leverage Instagram to grow business.

Participating wineries will also have the chance to enrol for B2B sessions, where they will meet and present their products to buyers from some of the world’s developing wine markets such as South Corea, Poland, Mexico, and Switzerland. Once again, “HireMeVinitaly” will open the second day staging a speed dating between winery owners and professionals seeking to work in the wine industry.

For the third year at wine2wine, Wine Spectator’s Senior Editor and Tasting Director Alison Napjus will reveal the 100 Finest Italian wine producers chosen by the magazine for OperaWine 2019, which will be held on Saturday, April 6th. In a dedicated session during wine2wine Napjus will also explain what wineries need to do in order to be selected for the glamorous gala that traditionally opens Vinitaly.

The 2018 edition of wine2wine will also be remembered for the strong presence of wine producers, who will moderate some of the 60+ sessions included in this year’s program: Valentina Argiolas (Argiolas Winery), Matteo Lunelli (FerrariTrento), Andrea Sartori (Sartori Wines), Ettore Nicoletto (Santa Margherita Group), Jose Rallo (Donnafugata) and Carlo Franchetti (Franchetti Wines) are just a few of the top names in the world of Italian wine that will be present at the event.

Other speakers include:

Lynne Sherriff MW;
Lady Penguin, top Chinese wine influencer;
Lorenzo Montagna, Founder of SecondStarVR;
Marino Braccu, General Manager at 8 1/2 Bombana;
Paul Mabray, CEO at Emetry;
Ayana Misawa. Winemaker at Grace Winery;
Sue Tolson, wine writer and editor;
Armando Corsi, senior marketing scientist;
Xiaohan Zhang, marketing director at Zacky’s China.

Other titles of sessions at a glance:

How wine brands grow;
Cannabis, beer and gin, and experiential marketing: the challenges and opportunities the wine industry faces today;
Brazil, the real deal: opportunities and pitfalls of an alluring country;
The landscape of wine online in the US market: which companies are relevant for sales, marketing, and awareness;
Wine tourism: regulations and opportunities;
How to be listed in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

An Early Bird special tariff is now available until the end of the month. For further information, visit the wine2wine website on http://www.wine2wine.net or write to info(at)wine2wine.net. Share your experience by using the hashtag #wine2wine.

Special thanks to ICE, the Italian Trade Agency and the Ministry of Economic Development that supported and financed the fifth edition of wine2wine as part of their campaigns aimed at promoting Italian wine and Made in Italy around the world.

About:
The grand Vinitaly 2019 will be held from April 7th to the 10th. Every year, Vinitaly counts more than 4,000 exhibitors on a 100,000+ square meter area and 130,000 visitors from over 140 different countries with more than 30,000 top international buyers. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine “Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers,” which will be held on the 6th of April, one day prior to Vinitaly will unite international wine professionals in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 100 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly International travels to several countries such as Russia, China, USA and Hong Kong thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA this year launched the seventh edition of its Certification Course and today counts 151 Italian Wine Ambassadors and 11 Italian Wine Experts.

COURT OF MASTER SOMMELIERS, AMERICAS WELCOMES TWENTY-FOUR NEW MASTERS TO ITS PRESTIGIOUS RANKS

October 4, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

ST LOUIS, MO – The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas ™ welcomes 24 new members to the organization: Tyler Alden of Heavy Restaurant Group/Purple Cafe & Wine Bar in Seattle, WA; Scott Barber of Green Pin Wines, LLC in St. in Helena, CA; Peter Bothwell of Continuum Estate in New York, NY; Dana Gaiser of Lauber Imports in New York, NY; Morgan Harris of Saison Hospitality in San Francisco, CA; Andrey Ivanov of Bliss Wine Imports in San Francisco, CA; Maximilian Kast of Broadbent Selections in Chapel Hill, NC; Douglas Kim of Piccaso in Las Vegas, NV; James Lechner of Bastille/Stoneburner in Seattle, WA; Jane Lopes of Attica in Ripponlea, VIC; Steven McDonald of Pappas Brothers Steakhouse in Houston, TX; Vincent Morrow of One 65 in San Francisco, CA; Elton Nichols of Canlis in Seattle, WA; Robert Ord of Treasury Wine Estate in Napa, CA; Joshua Orr of Epic Wines and Spirits in San Diego, CA; Daniel Pilkey of Paul Hobbs Winery in Chicago, IL; Christopher Ramelb of Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits in Honolulu, HI; Steven Robinson of Atelier Restaurant in Ottawa, ON ; Justin Timsit of Martine’s Wines in Los Angeles, CA; Mia Van de Water of Eleven Madison Park in New York, NY; Greg Van Wagner of Jimmy’s and Jimmy’s Bodega in Aspen, CO; Steven Washuta of The Pool in New York, NY; Jessica Waugh of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits in Las Vegas, NV; and Jill Zimorski a Champagne Specialist for Moet Hennessy Portfolio in Chicago, IL.

Held at the Four Seasons Resort in St. Louis, Missouri from September 3rd – 5th, the invitation-only Master Sommelier Diploma Examination was attempted by 141 individuals from 23 states and three countries. The results were announced at the Krug Reception where new Master Sommelier, Greg Van Wagner, was also awarded with the coveted Krug Cup by passing all three sections of the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination with the highest aggregate score on his first attempt.

“This was, without doubt, the most successful Master Sommelier Diploma Examination the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas has ever administered,” said Devon Broglie, MS, Chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. “We commend the efforts of all candidates who attempted the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination this year and continue to be inspired by their passion and dedication to the hospitality industry. The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination is extremely demanding. After years of rigorous preparation, these twenty-four professionals have demonstrated the highest level of excellence within the hospitality industry with their exemplary service skill, beverage knowledge, and deductive tasting ability. On behalf of the Court of Master Sommeliers, I am thrilled to welcome these 24 new members with our most sincere congratulations.”

The Master Sommelier Diploma is the highest distinction a professional can attain in the beverage service industry. The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination consists of three sections: a verbal theory examination, a blind tasting of six wines in 25 minutes, and a practical service component that focuses on restaurant beverage service and salesmanship. Candidates must receive passing scores in each category in order to earn the highly coveted title of Master Sommelier.

ABOUT THE COURT OF MASTER SOMMELIERS, AMERICAS
The Court of Master Sommeliers sets the global standard of excellence for beverage service within the hospitality industry with integrity, exemplary knowledge, and humility.
The Court was established in England in 1977 to encourage improved standards of beverage knowledge and service in hotels and restaurants. The first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam to be held in the United States was in 1987. The title Master Sommelier marks the highest recognition of wine and spirits knowledge, beverage service abilities, and professionalism in the hospitality trade. Education was then, and remains today, the Court’s charter.

There are four stages involved in attaining the top qualifications of Master Sommelier: 1) Introductory Sommelier Examination; 2) Certified Sommelier Examination; 3) Advanced Sommelier Examination and 4) Master Sommelier Diploma Examination. There are 182 professionals who have earned the title of Master Sommelier as part of the Americas chapter since the organization’s inception. Of those, 153 are men and 29 are women. Two hundred and seventy-three professionals worldwide have received the title of Master Sommelier since the first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam. For more information, please visit www.mastersommeliers.org.

The Garagiste Festival Wins ‘Best Wine Festival’

October 1, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

PASO ROBLES, Calif. (PRWEB) – The Garagiste Wine Festival has been named the US’ “Best Wine Festival” in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards.

Launched in 2011 in Paso Robles, the Garagiste Festival was the first to define, and shine a spotlight on, the American “garagiste*” wine movement and features the wines of commercial artisan winemakers who make under 1500 cases. At its festivals across California – from Paso to Los Angeles to Sonoma to Solvang – The Garagiste Festival has introduced hundreds of outstanding under-the-radar California artisan winemakers to thousands of passionate wine consumers, members of the trade and media.

“When we came up with the idea eight years ago, we were pretty sure we had lightning in a bottle, but at that point it was just intuition,” said Doug Minnick, Co-founder of The Garagiste Festival. “Fortunately, there was an amazing core of people who understood our vision – from the wineries who poured, the sponsors who supported us, the volunteers who helped make it happen and the fans who bought tickets to what was then an unknown event. We sold out that first festival – and every festival since then.”

Dubbed “tasting nirvana” ‘strange and wondrous,’ and “one not to miss” by the LA Times, the Garagiste Festival is renowned for its renegade spirit, passionate winemakers, handcrafted wines and rules-breaking, ‘no snobs allowed’ ethos. The non-profit festival, which celebrates its 21st festival in Paso Robles in November, has raised over $125K to support the education of future winemakers through the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

“We are eternally grateful to our supporters, a network that has continued to expand and which has had a real impact not only on the wine world, but also, through the Garagiste Scholarship Fund, on the future of winemaking,” continued Minnick.

A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Jill Barth, a Provence Wine Master; Karen MacNeil, one of the foremost wine experts in the U.S.; and June Rodil, a Master Sommelier were chosen for their knowledge of wine and the American wine scene.

“We have always been focused on quality and pushing the boundaries of convention, and we have never lost our healthy dose of irreverent optimism,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Stewart McLennan. “Thank you to everyone who voted for us as the Best Festival in the US for validating that optimism, and to the 10Best Editors for nominating us. The Festival, like the wineries who participate in it, sprang from humble beginnings and has flourished as a true labor of love.”

The US’ Best Wine Festival marks its 21st festival, and 8th anniversary, at its home base in Paso Robles, November 9th through the 11th, with three days of events, including a Grand Tasting that showcases over 60 micro production winemakers (20% pouring at the festival for the first time), tasting seminars, a Rare and Reserve tasting, a Keep It Rockin’ After Party, and more. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-8th-annual-paso-garagiste-wine-festival-tickets-49769338431?aff=web.

For full schedule details, go to http://californiagaragistes.com/2018-paso-fest. For special discounts and updates on Garagiste Festival events and news, sign up for The Dirt at http://garagistefestival.com/sign-up/, or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook (http://on.fb.me/1rgBC80).

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ producers who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News, * “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

*Garagistes (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011.

PRESQU’ILE WINERY SCORES HIGH AMONG USA TODAY’S 10 BEST TASTING ROOMS IN THE UNITED STATES

September 26, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Presqu’ile, the contemporary-styled minimalist estate winery poised high in the hills of Santa Maria with stunning ocean and vineyard views, announces their 2^nd place win in USA TODAY’s 2018 National Readers Poll of 10 Best Tasting Rooms across the United States today. Presqu’ile proudly served as the only representative and entry from Santa Barbara County, a region rich with over 200 wineries and tasting rooms.

Winemaker Dieter Cronje and Matt Murphy in Presqu’ile Vineyards | Photo courtesy of Bob Holmes

“Our mission at the Presqu’ile tasting room is to share our passion for the wines from Santa Maria Valley and our estate vineyard in a relaxed, elegant setting while providing world-class hospitality,” states Matt Murphy, co-founder and president. “The nomination for the top 10 Best Tasting Rooms and second place finish in the poll is a testament to the hard work our team puts in daily to deliver this experience. They are an extension of our family and do an incredible job living up to our high expectations for the guest experience at Presqu’ile. A huge thanks to our friends and extended family who voted for us; we are so appreciative of the support.”

Nominees for USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards categories are chosen by a panel of relevant experts which include a combination of editors from USA TODAY; editors from 10Best.com; relevant expert contributors; and sources for both these media and other Gannett properties and included experts Jill Barth, a Provence Wine Master; Shana Clarke, Wine Editor for inside.com and contributor to Eat Sip Trip; Karen MacNeil, one of the foremost wine experts in the U.S.; and June Rodil, a Master Sommelier were chosen for their knowledge of wine and the American wine scene.

All voting is digitally submitted by the public, and the 10Best Readers’ Choice Award contest is accessible on the 10Best.com website. 10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. The team of local travel experts is a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields – and their cities – but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about and the content is constantly updated. 10Best.com averages 5 million visitors per month.

The Murphy family’s efforts have established Presqu’ile as one of the Santa Maria Valley’s defining wineries, recognized for making balanced and sophisticated cool-climate wines. From directing the planting of the Presqu’ile Vineyard to overseeing the design and construction of the state-of-the-art gravity-flow winery, shaping the elegant stylistic identity of the winery’s Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, to shaping the tasting experience, the Murphys’ collective vision has established Presqu’ile as one of California’s leading wineries. And thanks to USA TODAY it is now a must stop on anyone’s wine-bucket list.

ABOUT PRESQU’ILE WINERY:

Located in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Maria Valley, Presqu’ile (pronounced press-KEEL) is a small, family-run winery dedicated to making exceptional cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Presqu’ile is a multigenerational collaboration between Madison and Suzanne Murphy, their three adult children, Matt, Anna and Jonathan, and their daughters-in-law, Amanda and Lindsey. No strangers to agriculture, four generations of the wine-loving Murphy family have been farming land in Louisiana for almost a century. Led by eldest son Matt Murphy, the family founded Presqu’ile—the Creole word for “almost an island”—both as a tribute to a beloved Gulf Coast family gathering place that was lost in Hurricane Katrina, and because they envisioned Presqu’ile as an island-like haven amid the vines. Also on the team is rising star winemaker Dieter Cronje.

The Santa Maria Valley is one of the most distinctive winegrowing appellations in the world. With one of the longest growing seasons in all of California. The Santa Maria Valley is a true cool-climate winegrowing region, yielding wines of extraordinary elegance and purity—qualities that define the world’s best Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. To preserve the complexity of these grapes, the Murphys worked with acclaimed San Francisco-based Taylor Lombardo Architects to create a gravity-flow winery designed to Matt and Dieter’s specifications. And to ensure that each wine reflects its vineyard, Dieter practices a naturally minimalist approach to winemaking, with a focus on whole clusters, native yeasts and modest new oak. As a result, Presqu’ile’s wines are pure and purposeful, conveying the authentic charm, complexity and signature Santa Maria spice that have made the wines of the Santa Maria Valley famous among enthusiasts of elegant and balanced wines. In addition to being featured by USA TODAY, Presqu’ile Winery has received accolades in numerous publications including Vinous; Santa Barbara News-Press; The Daily Meal; Santa Barbara Independent’s “Tastings To Do;” Condé Nast Traveler’s “Beautiful Wineries in California;” Must Do Travel Show and the Travel Channel.

AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW: Click here for USA TODAY’S 10 BEST TASTING ROOMS

PRESQU’ILE WINERY

5391 Presqu’ile Drive

Santa Maria, CA 93455

Phone 805.937.8110

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Kenneth Freeman of Sixty Vines Named Best Sommelier at 14th Annual TEXSOM

September 9, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Irving, Texas – TEXSOM co-founders and Master Sommeliers Drew Hendricks and James Tidwell announced at the TEXSOM Grand Tasting presented by ProWein that Kenneth Freeman of Sixty Vines in Uptown Dallas is the 2018 TEXSOM Best Sommelier. The 2018 TEXSOM Best Sommelier Competition, presented by Texas Monthly, takes place during TEXSOM, the most prominent and influential wine education conference in the United States, held annually at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas.

Freeman topped an impressive field of 25 other competitors in a rigorous three-part wine examination involving service, blind tasting and theory. An elite panel of Master Sommelier judges named Freeman the 2018 TEXSOM Best Sommelier at a ceremony on Monday evening. The competition is a traditional part of TEXSOM. To participate, candidates must be a current resident of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, or Texas and must not have passed the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Advanced Sommelier Examination or won the competition previously.

“Though we’ve grown over the past 14 years, the mission of TEXSOM continues to be the advancement of our industry and the elevation of service standards in a constant quest for excellence,” said Tidwell. “The TEXSOM Best Sommelier Competition is an opportunity for those individuals who show both a drive to learn and a commitment to these principles. We offer wholehearted congratulations to Kenneth for winning the competition this year. We see a bright future for him and will follow with interest, his accomplishments over the next few years.”

In addition to laying claim to the title of “2018 TEXSOM Best Sommelier,” Freeman received a scholarship of $2,500 from SOMMFoundation to be used for a Court of Master Sommeliers certification program. Lindsay Drew of Guild in Austin was the runner up and will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and the 3rd place winner Morgan Gray of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Held August 10th to 13th at Four Seasons Resort and Club Las Colinas and co-presented by the not-for-profit organizations GuildSomm, SOMMFoundation, Court of Master Sommeliers – Americas, and Wine & Spirit Education Trust—TEXSOM is the only event of its kind in the United States. The speakers and judges constitute a who’s who list of the nation’s top wine professionals. Dozens of Master Sommeliers (MS), Masters of Wine (MW), Certified Wine Educators (CWE), and other respected industry professionals were integral parts of the conference.

The 2018 TEXSOM conference featured a stellar line-up of speakers, mentors, and competition judges, including:

Serafin Alvarado MS
•   Gillian Ballance MS
•   Christopher Bates MS
•   Wayne Belding MS
•   John Blazon MS
•   Bree Boskov MW
•   Devon Broglie MS
•   Jim Bube MS
•   Dilek Caner PhD MW
•   Christy Canterbury MW
•   Elaine Chukan Brown
•   Matt Citriglia MS
•   Jim Clarke
•   Craig Collins MS
•   Brian Cronin MS
•   Charles Curtis MW
•   Ian D’Agata
•   Frederick L. Dame MS
•   Mark Davidson
•   Laura DePasquale MS
•   Jessica Dupuy
•   Sarah Jane Evans MW
•   Michael Franz Ph.D.
•   Keith Goldston MS
•   Mary Gorman-McAdams MW
•   Peter Granoff MS
•   Greg Harrington MS
•   Ian Harris DipWSET MBE
•   Drew Hendricks MS
•   Jay James MS
•   David Keck MS
•   Geoff Kruth MS
•   Ernst Loosen
•   Jack Mason MS
•   Mary Margaret McCamic MW
•   Andrew McNamara MS
•   Melissa Monosoff MS
•   Sheri Morano MW
•   Antony Moss DipWSET MW
•   Nicholas Paris MW
•   Aaron Patrick MS
•   Francis Percival
•   Thomas Price MS
•   Josh Raynolds
•   Jean K. Reilly MW
•   Laura Rhys MS
•   Treve Ring DipWSET
•   June Rodil MS
•   Joseph Spellman MS
•   Guy Stout MS
•   Chris Tanghe MS
•   Liz Thach Ph.D. MW
•   Dirceu Vianna Junior MW
•   Kelli White
•   Nigel Wilkinson MS
•   Virginia Wilcock
•   David Wrigley DipWSET MW
•   Debbie Zachareas

2018 Sponsors: The event is made possible by the generous support of many sponsors, with scholarships provided by the SOMMFoundation.

Sponsors include:

(Presenting Sponsors) Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas; GuildSomm; SOMMFoundation; Wine & Spirits Education Trust.

(Platinum Sponsors) Aqua Panna; Balzac Communications & Marketing; Broadbent Selections; Classic Wine Merchants; E&J Gallo Winery; Fortessa; Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas; ProWein; Republic National Distributing Company; Ribera y Rueda; San Pellegrino; Silver Oak/Twomey; The Sorting Table; Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits; TEXSOM International Wine Awards; TRU Estates and Vineyards; Washington State Wine; Wine Australia; Wines from Spain.

(Gold Sponsors) Australia Classic & Rare; Banfi Vintners; Banville Wine Merchants; Barossa Australia; Classified Wine Imports; Champagne Taittinger; Chappellet Winery; Coravin; Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.; GoVino; Irving Texas Convention & Visitors Bureau; Kistler Vineyards; Loosen Bros. USA; Louis Jadot; Lux Wines; Massanois; Mutual Trading Company; Old Bridge Cellars; Oregon Wine Board; Rhone Valley Vineyards; Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans; Texas Fine Wine; Repour Winesaver; Vintus; Wilson Daniels; Wines of South Africa.

(Silver Sponsors) Bliss Wine Imports; Cape Classics; Crimson Wine Group; DSWS; Domaines Albert Bichot; Empson USA; Esprit du Vin; Europvin; Folio Fine Wine Partners; Gerard Bertrand; Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District; Graves – Sauternes; Helen & Joey Estate; Iron Horse Vineyards; Jackson Family Wines; Jeroboam; Kobrand Fine Wine and Spirits; C. N. Kopke; Lake County Winegrape Commission; Lodi Wines; Multicarte Inc.; MundoVino; Napa Valley Vintners; New Zealand Wine; North Berkeley Imports; Old World Vines; Ole Imports; Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance; Provence Rose Group; Serendipity Wines; Sideshow Wine Freaks Tour; The Cultured Cup; The Wine Group; Vina Cobos by Paul Hobbs; Vini Fantini by Farnese; Vinos D.O. Navarra; West Sonoma Coast Vintners; Willamette Valley Wine; Wines of Chile; Wines of Georgia; Wines of Germany; Wines of Greece; Wines of Turkey; Wine of Uruguay; Winesellers, Ltd; Yraden Inc.

(Bronze Sponsors) Achaval Ferrer; Alexander Valley Vineyards; Almaviva; Arinzano; Austrian Wine; Barnett Vineyards; Becker Vineyards; Bellavista; Bending Branch Winery; Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana; Brazos Wine; Champagne Collet; Chapel Down; Charles Krug; Clos du Val; Craft + Estate; Crown Point Vineyards; Dalla Terra Winery District; Dashe; Delectatio; Domaine Roy & Fils; Dry Creek Vineyard; DuMol; Ehlers Estate; Emeritus Vineyards; Faustino; Fisher Vineyards; Foley Family Wines; Fredrick Wildman & Sons; Freemark Abbey; Gonzales Byass; Groth Vineyards & Winery; Gruet; Hahn Family Wines; Hartford Family Winery; Hope Family Wines; Hundred Acre; Jax; Joseph Phelps Vineyards; Lange Twins; Lede Family Wines; Left Coast Cellars; Lewis Wines; Mad Fritz; McPherson; Messina Hof Winery & Resort; Mionetto USA; Montagu; Murrieta’s Well; O’Neill Vintners & Distillers; Ontanon; Obsidian Wine Co.; Pahlmeyer Wayfarer; Patz & Hall; Pedernales Cellars; Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance; Premium Port Wines; Quivara Vineyards; R & R Selections; Ramey Wine Cellars; Ranchos de Ontiveros; Revana Family Vineyard; Rex Hill; Siduri; SM Wine Group; Ste. Michelle Wine Estates; Tamber Bey; The Hess Collection; Third Leaf; Torbreck; Trefethen Family Vineyards; Villa Maria; Ventisquero; Vineyard Brands; Vintage Point; William Chris Vineyards; ZD Wines; Zuccardi.

ABOUT TEXSOM
Founded in 2005, the TEXSOM conference was started by Master Sommeliers James Tidwell and Drew Hendricks to help promote professional wine service standards, outline paths for further wine education and certification, and raise public awareness about the professional standards and certifications for sommeliers. Today the conference draws more than 1,300 attendees, of whom more than 800 are sommeliers and other beverage industry professionals. In addition to the conference, the group also manages the TEXSOM International Wine Awards, one of the largest, most respected, and longest-running in the United States.

The Winners of the 2018 Global Wine Awards, Nine Judges (including yours truly) Select Best in Show and Highest Awards Winners

August 3, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Las Vegas, Nev. – The inaugural 2018 Global Wine Awards was hosted June 18- 20 at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The competition featured nine world class judges with a panel of the finest palates including, Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, wine educators and industry experts.

Bottom Row: Cami Sisk MS, Chairwoman of the Judges Panel Deborah Parker Wong, Eve Bushman, Stacie Hunt. Top Row: Danny Ronen, Paul Ellis, Cassandra Brown, David Glancy MS, Roger Bohmrich MW

L to R Top Row: Danny Ronen, Paul Ellis, Cassandra Brown, David Glancy MS, Roger Bohmrich MW. L to R Bottom Row: Cami Sisk MS, Chairwoman of the Judges Panel Deborah Parker Wong, Eve Bushman, Stacie Hunt.

The 3-day judging process for the diverse and specific wine categories began with a 100% blind tasting preliminary round, with the best wines advancing to the Sweepstakes Rounds, where the Double Gold and The Best of Show Categories were awarded.

Featured Award Winning Wines: ( For a complete list of all the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners, visit GlobalWineAwards.co/)

• Overall Best in Show and Best in Show, Red Wine:
o Martellotto Wine Productions, 2016 Il Cappocia Riserva (Barrel Aged)

• The Best in Show, White Wine:
o Frank Family Vineyards, Late Harvest Chardonnay

“Our expert judges are pleased to announce the 2018 Global Wine Awards winners who all represent excellence in winemaking skills and superior presentation from all around the world. The wines were judged based on varietal expression, uniqueness in character and approachability” said Eddie Rivkin, CEO/Executive Director of Global Wine Awards. “Las Vegas is an entertainment destination known globally for its vibrant wine culture, its fine-dining restaurants and celebrity chefs. It was the perfect paring to our first annual event.” he said.

Double Gold Winners (Listed by: Winery, Wine Name, Wine Type, Vintage, Score):

Martellotto Wine Productions, Martellotto, Il Capoccia Riserva, 2016, 97
Frank Family Vineyards, Frank Family Vineyards, Late Harvest Chardonnay, NV, 97
Wines Of Greece, VOURVOUKELI ESTATE MALAGOUZIA, Malagouzia, 2017, 97

2Hawk Vineyard & Winery, 2Hawk Winery, Viognier, 2016, 96
Penrose Hill, Cantharos, Grenache, 2014, 96
Cellardoor Winery, Cellardoor Winery, Petite Sirah, 2013, 96
Wines of Greece, HELEXO WINERY RETSINA White, RETSINA white, 2016, 96The prestigious judges, encompassing years of expertise, passion and credibility in the wine industry, featured: Deborah Parker Wong, Global Wine Chairwoman and Editor for SOMM Journal and The Tasting; David Glancy, Master Sommelier & CWE, Founder & CEO of San Francisco Wine School, the largest wine school in the USA; Cameron Sisk, Master Sommelier, with thirty-five years in restaurants; Cassandra M. Brown, Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers, and Certified Specialist of Wine from the Society of Wine Educators; Stacie Hunt, Certified Silver Pin Sommelier /North American Sommelier Association and Vice President of the Board of the National Association of Wine Retailers; Paul R. Ellis, Sommelier at Rao’s, Caesars Palace; Eve Bushman, 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); Roger Bohmrich, Master of Wine, independent consultant, writer, and educator; and Dänny Ronen, educator in spirit and cocktail development.
During the awards competition, all the wines, in their respective and specific sub-categories, were sampled together as flights, carefully evaluated in all aspects, and scored by each one of the skilled judges. All winners received industry acknowledgment and a distinguished medal of recognition.

The scoring ranges are: Bronze – 80-84
Silver – 85-89
Gold – 90-95

Double Gold – 96-100

About Global Wine Awards & Global Spirits Awards

Eddie Rivkin CEO/Executive Director of Global Wine Awards and Global Spirits Awards hosts the events from the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information and a complete list of judges bios, photos and winners, visit the website at www.GlobalWineAwards.co. Follow on Instagram at Globalwineawardslv.

Faking it and Making it: Groundbreaking Winemaking Process Revealed

July 5, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Denver, Colorado (PRWEB) – National wine producer, Integrated Beverage Group (IBG), was profiled last month in Wired Magazine for their unique approach to replicating popular wines. Partnering with Ellipse Analytics, an ISO 17025 accredited analytical chemistry laboratory in Denver, IBG can isolate the exact makeup of any wine at a parts per billion level to determine what combination of proteins, polyphenols, and other compounds make up the flavor profile of the world’s most popular and iconic wines. Combining this scientific process with classic winemaking techniques, IBG’s unique process of taste replication recently caught the attention of Wired Magazine.

“The Wired article is a great, in-depth representation of what we are doing with the Replica brand. It highlights the many levels of our process and shows that there is no voodoo with what we are creating—just a top-notch team of professionals making great wines at reasonable prices,” says Brett Zimmerman, Replica Wines’ Master Sommelier.

Using data collected from thousands of wine samples, IBG has been able to successfully reverse engineer America’s popular wines and understand, at the molecular level, what makes up our most popular wines. This groundbreaking process cuts the price of high end wines in half, making them more accessible for the casual American wine drinker. Replica Wines then takes these more inexpensive bottles of wine and distributes them across the country.

“Wired Magazine is a mainstay in reporting on emerging technologies and we are thrilled to have our process of making wines recognized and highlighted in this article,” said Ari Walker, CEO of Integrated Beverage Group.

In its 25 years of circulation, Wired Magazine has been noted as the leader when it comes to covering emerging technologies and their effects on culture. The article praised IBG’s revolutionary winemaking process, allowing its readers an inside understanding of how a replica is made. In the end, even the journalist couldn’t tell the difference between the expensive bottle and the incredible replica produced by IBG.

Read the full article “Your Next Glass of Wine Might Be a Fake – and You’ll Love It” published by Wired May 30, 2018: http://www.wired.com/story/your-next-glass-of-wine-might-be-a-fake/

Replica Wines are available at local retailers, wine.com, and their website http://replicawine.com/
Replica wines have all received scores of 90 or higher.

About Integrated Beverage Group
Based in Denver, Colorado, Integrated Beverage Group is the producer of Replica Wines. Replica Wines aspires to create wines that are indistinguishable to your favorite wines, while costing significantly less. With traditional winemaking techniques of our Winemaker, expertise of our Master Sommelier and science, we are able to get a 95% match of your favorite wine.