Eve's Wine 101

Oregon’s Domaine Serene Becomes the World’s Most Awarded Winery at Decanter’s 2020 World Wine Awards

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DAYTON, Ore., /PRNewswire/ — Domaine Serene is far and away the most awarded winery in the world at the prestigious Decanter 2020 World Wine Awards. This year, the Dundee Hills winery took home 23 medals including ‘Best in Show’ for their 2016 Domaine Serene Mark Bradford Vineyard Pinot Noir, earning 97 points. The winery also brought home four Gold medals, 17 Silver medals, and one Bronze medal, with five wines earning a remarkable 95 points or more. Domaine Serene was not alone in its success with additional rave reviews coming for Château de la Crée and Maison Evenstad, also owned by proprietors Grace and Ken Evenstad. Their two Burgundian wineries were bestowed with an additional nine medals including seven Silvers. Standing at the top, their 2017 Maison Evenstad, Premier Cru  Beaurepaire Santenay, earned 95 points, besting several Grand Cru Burgundies in the tasting.

 

Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) is widely considered to be the world’s most important international wine competition, making this recognition yet another big win for Oregon’s burgeoning luxury wine industry. With an elite international panel of judges, the DWWA began the painstaking task of evaluating over 16,500 wines from 56 countries in August. Over the course of 28 consecutive days, 118 expert wine judges, including 37 Masters of Wine and nine Master Sommeliers, bestowed the honor of most awarded winery to Domaine Serene.

“Ken and I are thrilled that Domaine Serene has received such incredible recognition across the board. To be the most awarded winery in the world at the DWWA is a testament to the quality of our vineyards and to the talent, hard work and dedication of our team,” said Grace Evenstad, Co-Founder and Owner of Domaine Serene. “To receive ‘Best in Show’ for our Mark Bradford Vineyard Pinot Noir is especially gratifying. We named the vineyard after our son, Mark Bradford Evenstad, and it was the first vineyard that we ever planted at Domaine Serene almost thirty years ago. Planting its high elevation slopes and west facing aspect went against advice from the local vintners, yet we knew it had the potential to make world-class wine and so we planted it anyway. It has always been one of my favorite wines and I have long appreciated the power, structure, and longevity of our Mark Bradford Pinot Noirs. We are thrilled that it has received such critical acclaim at such an important competition.”

“In its 17th year, the DWWA is the world’s largest and most influential wine competition. Judged by the top wine experts from around the globe, the DWWA is trusted internationally for its rigorous blind judging process and regional experts,” said Bree Stock, Master of Wine and Education Manager of the Oregon Wine Board. “It’s an enormous feat for a region like Oregon, that represents a fraction of US global exports, to receive ‘Best in Show’ along with the breadth of medals in such a prestigious competition. This award raises the profile and awareness of our region’s wines not only to Decanters’ highly informed consumer audience, but also to the global wine experts on the judging panel. Congratulations Domaine Serene.”

Domaine Serene took home a total of 23 medals from the elite London-based contest.  In addition to being awarded ‘Best in Show’, the winery earned four Gold Medals for the 2016 ‘Aspect’ Pinot Noir, 2017 Clos de Lune Vineyard Chardonnay, and 2016 Etoile Vineyard Chardonnay, each earning 96 points, with its 2016 Two Barns Vineyard Pinot Noir, earning 95 points. The Dundee Hills winery also brought home 17 Silver medals and one Bronze medal, more details can be found here. Domaine Serene wines have now earned 95 points and above by major critics an astounding 115 times! This is in addition to being awarded #1 Ranked Pinot Noir in the World by Wine Spectator in 2013 and in 2016 #1 Pinot Noir in the World by Decanter and #1 White Wine in the World by Wine Spectator, for its ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Chardonnay. This universal acclaim from an array of critics solidifies Domaine Serene as America’s Most Acclaimed Winery.

“We are humbled by this great honor and thank our members, distributors and customers supporting our pursuit of quality over the years. To celebrate these awards, we are making some of the medalists available for tasting at our winery Clubhouse in the Dundee Hills and at the Domaine Serene Wine Lounge in Lake Oswego. We are also opening up our wine library to new and existing wine club members so that they can share in the enjoyment of these cherished wines in their homes.” said Ryan Harris, Domaine Serene President.

For more information, to visit our locations or to join the wine club or mailing list, please visit www.DomaineSerene.com or call 503-864-4600 and follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

About Domaine Serene
The Evenstads settled in the Northern Willamette Valley in 1989. Their spirit and passion to produce wines that rival the great wines of Burgundy led them to purchase and plant a hilltop estate that had just been logged in the now famous Dundee Hills.

Today, Domaine Serene produces wines from six individual vineyard estates, planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In Oregon, the Evenstads own nearly 1,000 total acres of land in the hills of Yamhill County, with 275 acres planted to vine.

Working every job in the winery for many years, Grace and Ken Evenstad built Domaine Serene from the ground up with a focus on producing high quality wines through innovation and a focus on excellence. The Evenstads have gained a true appreciation for the attention to detail required to make exceptional wines.

In 2015, Ken and Grace Evenstad fulfilled a lifelong dream of producing wine in Burgundy, France by acquiring Château de la Crée, the respected wine estate located in the birthplace of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay: the renowned Côte d’Or. They own 25 acres of prime vineyards in Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay and Maranges. This made them the first Oregon-based vintners to own land and produce wines in Burgundy.

In just under three decades, the Evenstads have propelled Domaine Serene onto the global stage as one of the world’s most acclaimed and respected wineries. Domaine Serene’s wines represent the achievement that is possible in Oregon, one of the finest regions in the world for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Vara Winery and Distillery Takes Home Gold Medal at Sommeliers Choice Awards

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ALBUQUERQUE, NM — A panel of high-profile sommeliers and wine directors awarded Vara Winery & Distillery a total of six medals at the 2020 Sommeliers Choice Awards, including a gold medal for their Silverhead Brut Cava.

Medals were awarded to those wines that meet very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying wines that should become additions to restaurant wine lists. Wines will be judged by Food Parability, Typicity, Value, Quality, and Package.

“We’re really excited that our Vara Silverhead Brut Cava scored so highly on the various factors making it a great wine for the consumers to enjoy in restaurants,” said Doug Diefenthaler, co-owner at Vara Winery & Distillery. “We really put a lot of emphasis on creating a wine with broad consumer appeal, and one that wine drinkers will enjoy for a variety of different occasions. This award is really a validation of our winemaking expertise.”

The top two questions that sommeliers were attempting to answer as they judged the wines were: “Would we stock this?” and “Will the consumer buy the 2nd glass”. Each wine had to score among these 5 criteria to get the best score: F (Food Parability Score) + T (Typicity Score) + Q (Quality Score) + Value Score (V) + Package Score (P) = Sommeliers Choice Awards Final Score.

The gold winning Silverhead Brut Cava has a brilliant light-yellow color with fine well-released bubbles forming a continuous bead and a fantastic crown. The nose is youthful and fresh with pleasant fruity and floral aromas. This bubbly is very pleasant on the palate with a mildly dry fruitiness and a nice persistence of liveliness. The finish is clean and very well balanced, inviting you to another taste.

Along with the gold winning Brut Cava, Vara also received medals for Vara Garnacha, Garnacha Rosado, Tempranillo, Viura, and Albariño.

Sid Patel, CEO of event organizers Beverage Trade Network, pointed out the significance of having world-class sommeliers choose the wines they think customers will most enjoy drinking, “The idea of the Sommeliers Choice Awards is to put the best judges forward to evaluate the best on-premise wines for the consumer. We were very pleased with the quality of the wines we received in the first year of the competition.”

Vara’s award winning wines are available to ship directly to your door at varawines.com. You can enjoy in person at our tasting room located at 315 Alameda Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87113.

ABOUT VARA WINES
VARA is an international family of Spanish and American wines celebrating the origins of the American wine experience thanks to the historical connection of Spain and New Mexico. Some wines have a story, we have a history. Visit www.varawines.com

About Sommeliers Choice Awards
Medals were awarded to those wines that meet a very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying wines that should become additions to restaurant wine lists. Wines were judged according to criteria such as how well they pair with food items in addition to their overall versatility. Highest marks were awarded to wines that provide value for money at their respective price points. To learn more about the judging process, please visit SommeliersChoiceAwards.com

Espanita Artisinal Anejo Tequila Awarded At Microliquor Awards

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ALPHARETTA, GA. (PRWEB) – Double Eagle Imports is pleased to announce that the Espanita® Anejo Artisanal Tequila received a Gold medal for its taste and a Triple Gold medal, which reflects the highest standard of excellence, for its package design. Marina Wilson, President Espanita Artisanal Tequila said, “This brand is rooted in heritage and traditional art. We have a deep respect for how this tequila is created and so very proud to be recognized by the MicroLiquor Awards.” Espanita Añejo is crafted using 100% ripe Blue Agave from the Highlands of Jalisco that is then aged for 18 months in ex-bourbon White Oak barrels. The opposing parts of the well-aged spirit of wood-driven flavors from the charred oak barrels combined with the slow-roasted Blue Agave characteristics creates a balance that is reflected in Espanita Añejo’s label of the sun and crescent moon. Wilson notes “Espanita Artisanal Tequila is affordable luxury without compromise.” Espanita Artisanal Tequila offers consumers true artisanal quality and upscale presentation at a highly competitive shelf price.

About Espanita® Artisanal Tequila

Espanita Tequila is already recognized as one of the most remarkable handcrafted tequilas on the market today, with numerous medals and distinctions awarded for its uncompromised quality, creativity of packaging and exceptional value. Espanita is created by using traditional production methods developed in Mexico over hundreds of years from 100% Agave, grown at high elevations of Jalisco’s Highlands. The brand’s commitment to heritage, authenticity and quality results in a sophisticated and velvety smooth spirit, which accentuates characteristics that are exclusive to tequila alone: the distinctive aromas and delectable flavors of traditionally slow-cooked Blue Agave. In addition to Espanita Añejo, there is also Espanita Reposado and Espanita Blanco.

Legendary Music Icon Armando Christian Pérez, widely known by his stage name Pitbull, the GRAMMY®-winning international superstar, education advocate and motivational speaker is a strategic advisor and a Global Brand Ambassador for Espanita tequila.

To learn more about Espanita tequila, or for more information, visit http://www.espanita-tequila.com and the brand’s social channels: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/espanita_tequila/) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EspanitaTequila).

About MicroLiquorSpirit Awards

MicroLiquor Spirit Awards is the world’s first spirits competition for craft & emerging brands. The MicroLiquor Awards are unique in that entry to the competition is tailored exclusively to craft & emerging brands in the marketplace. For established and emerging brands, this is a great launching pad to receive confidential feedback surrounding growing the brand along with launch efforts into new markets.

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V. Sattui Winery named “Domestic Winery of the Year”

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V. Sattui was named 2020 “Domestic Winery of the Year” after earning a remarkable 26 medals, including 10 that were awarded Platinum and 12 awarded Gold at the 38th annual San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge. The Napa Valley winery, specializing in vineyard-designate bottlings, produced a tie for “Wine of the Year” with their 2016 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon ($92) and 2016 Vangone Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($140), each dazzled with a score of 98 points out of 100.  V. Sattui’s Bordeaux-style blend, the 2016 Paradiso ($95), narrowly missed a three-way tie with a score of 97 points.

Seven more V. Sattui wines scored Platinum, including their 2017 Napa Valley Malbec ($46) with 95 points and 2015 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($52) with 96 points.  Their Estate Vittorio’s Vineyard produced two more Platinum winners:  2017 Petit Verdot ($47) and Cabernet Sauvignon ($78), both earning 94 points.  Additional 94 point wines included V. Sattui’s 2018 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($48), 2018 Los Carneros Pinot Noir ($39), and 2017 Napa Valley Syrah ($42) – further displaying the winery’s broad range of quality wine varietals.

The venerable San Diego International is one of the oldest and most revered competitions in the United States. Founded by award-winning wine columnist Dan Berger and Bob Foster and wine rep Dick Colangelo in 1982, the competition has been under the guidance of nationally syndicated wine columnist Robert Whitley for the past 17 years.

Whitley has assembled a remarkable team of dedicated wine enthusiasts, including Director Rich Cook and Chief Judges Michael Franz (Wine) and Maurice DiMarino (Spirits), to oversee planning and production of this important annual deep dive into wine & spirits evaluation. The San Diego International chooses its judges carefully, always with an eye toward giving each wine and spirit entered a fair shot on a level playing field.  This year’s panel of judges included a prestigious list of winemakers, wine writers, and sommeliers.

“American and foreign wine competitions can be, and often are, unpredictable.  It’s not unusual for an unknown to show up and claim a top award.  But some things never change.  One of those would be the inevitability of V. Sattui Winery, one of Napa Valley’s finest,” stated Whitley.  Speaking to V. Sattui’s richly flavored 2018 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, “Notes of black cherry, ripe strawberry, fall spice and gentle oak toast entice on the nose and please on the palate, with a supple texture and a long, fully integrated finish keep you coming back for more.  Wines like this are why Pinot Noir is so popular.” he added.

“I am very proud and happy for our vineyard and winemaking teams; they work so hard and deserve all the credit for this amazing recognition of our wines.  To be Voted Best Winery and tie with ourselves for Best Wine of the competition is a tremendous feat,” says Winery President, Tom Davies.

Pusser’s Rum Aged 15 Years wins Double Gold at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (PRWEB) – Pusser’s Rum is proud to announce that its 15 Year Old rum just earned the coveted Double Gold Medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition in the aged rum category. “This distinctive award endorses our own claim that it’s the ‘Crown Jewel’ of aged rums and unequivocally the best in the world,” says President and CEO, Gary Rogalski.

The SFWSC consists of four days of controlled blind tastings. Judges do not receive any information on producer or price point, ensuring each spirit is judged fairly, equally and without bias. While tasting, judges evaluate each product on an individual basis and determine which entries are worthy of a Gold, Silver, or Bronze medal. Double Gold Medals are only awarded to the entries that receive a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel.

The Pusser’s Aged 15 adds the SFWSC Double Gold Medal to a long list of other accolades, including the World’s Best Pot and Column Still Rum which it earned at the 2019 World Rum Awards sponsored by the Spirits Business in London.

Deemed “The Single Malt of Rum” by Forbes Magazine, Pusser’s Aged 15 is produced in small batches. The rum originates from stills located in Guyana’s Demerara Valley. The blend is heavily influenced by rum from vintage wooden pot stills – the signature of the Royal Navy. Constructed in the early 1700s, these historic “vat” stills produce flavors unmatched by modern metal column stills. The rum is then Caribbean aged for 15 years in once used charred bourbon barrels. Most other major rum brands add flavoring and sugar to make their products smoother and to give them body. By contrast, Pusser’s uses no flavoring agents or sugar. It is all natural.

Domaine Carneros’ Retiring CEO Eileen Crane Leaves a Legacy of Growth and Sustainability

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Carneros, CA – CEO of Domaine Carneros and sparkling winemaker Eileen Crane is retiring this June after 33 years spent crafting wine with attention to detail in the cellar and vineyards with a dedication to sustainability.  Her introduction of innovations such as the winery’s new electrical micro-grid, renewable energy systems, and packaging reuse programs garnered the winery and its team a host of accolades, most notably in 2019 when Domaine Carneros was honored with the California Green Medal Business Award. Crane will continue as lead sparkling winemaker through the 2020 harvest and cuvee blending, and leaves the company well-positioned to prosper in the coming years.
“Eileen has broken new ground with her approach to environmental and regenerative land use,” says Zak Miller, who will step into the role of sparkling winemaker at Domaine Carneros after a decade spent working side-by-side with Crane on the production of the winery’s luxury sparkling wines and alongside Pinot Noir winemaker TJ Evans. “She pioneered smart and sustainable initiatives at the winery—I can think of no better legacy to leave, especially now that climate change is challenging all wineries to become more self-reliant.”

Under Crane, Domaine Carneros emerged as one of the industry’s most forward-thinking brands. When Crane introduced solar power to the winery in 2003, it positioned Domaine Carneros as a pioneer in renewable energy production in the wine industry at large. Today, the new micro-grid allows the winery to continue production should California’s notorious seasonal fires force the statewide electrical grid to go dark. With fires often occurring during the harvest months, the system helps ensure smooth operations at a critical time. Miller stated,  “Domaine Carneros will keep disruptions to a minimum thanks to Eileen’s foresight and anticipation of our energy needs.”

Such environmental planning and sustainable efforts paid off under Crane. Her packaging reuse plan saw employees reclaiming both inserts and cases for in-house purposes. And like many green initiatives, it ultimately helped add more “green” to the winery’s bottom line. With an annual reuse rate of 20-25%, Domaine Carneros employees helped save the company an average of $75,000 per year since the program’s inception in 2011.

Such employee involvement in sustainability programs is vital. Once again Crane was ahead of the curve by instituting an open-book management plan that all workers could see. The plan set measurable goals every three years, reevaluated annually, that encouraged employee involvement in managing the winery’s sustainability efforts. These include installing skylights to reduce electricity use, recycling bottles, corks, and foil, and introducing owl boxes in the vineyards.

“To tend to the vine is to do the right thing. I have a responsibility to my winery, my employees and the planet,” Crane says, summarizing her dedication and passion for winemaking. “It was an honor and a privilege to work with the Taittinger family for these past 33 years. I know Domaine Carneros will continue to be a leader in winemaking and regenerative practices.”

ABOUT DOMAINE CARNEROS 

Founded in 1987, Domaine Carneros reflects the hallmark of its founder, Champagne Taittinger, in creating a vision of terroir-driven sparkling wine and preserving the quality tenets of the traditional method production.  Located entirely within the Carneros AVA, between Napa and Sonoma counties, the six estate vineyards total approximately 400 acres with 125 acres planted to Chardonnay, 225 acres planted to Pinot Noir, with the remaining acres currently in development. The winery focuses on making ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wines largely estate grown and limited production Pinot Noirs.

Domaine Carneros’ château has become a landmark and symbol of the region. The architecture and interior design were inspired by the 18th century Château de la Marquetterie, the historic Taittinger family residence in the Champagne region.

JEFF RUNQUIST WINS “WINERY OF THE YEAR” IN 2019 FOUR TIMES OVER

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PLYMOUTH, CA  – Jeff Runquist Wines has been awarded 2019 “Winery of the Year” at Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition, the California State Fair, Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition and by Robert Whitley’s “Wine Talk.”

This was Runquist’s third year in a row winning “Winery of the Year” at Berger’s competition and the fourth time in the last five years he has received this distinction. Runquist earned the David Stevens Memorial Trophy at the competition, awarded to him for the feat of earning 10 awards of gold or above from his 35 entries. Jeff Runquist Wines was also their Red Sweepstakes Winner, with the 2017 “R” Petite Sirah, Enver Salman Vineyard, Clarksburg garnering Best of Class Triple Gold.

“Jeff Runquist Wines has almost single-handedly added luster to the red wines of the Sierra Foothills and mid-eastern California,” states Berger.

Robert Whitley also recognized Jeff Runquist Wines as “Winery of the Year” in his syndicated “Wine Talk” column.

“Over the course of the past year, I have tasted thousands of wines, judged multiple wine competitions and traveled thousands of miles to evaluate wines from Bordeaux to the Napa Valley… [Jeff Runquist Wines] rose up and smacked me between the eyes in 2019,” said Whitley.

Jeff Runquist Wines was named “Winery of the Year—Domestic” at the Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition in San Diego. He entered 29 wines there and medaled with 28. That total included four platinum and 15 gold awards, with 19 of their 29 wines earning gold or better.

In addition, he was Winery of the Year for the second year in a row at the 2019 California State Fair, from this year’s field of 2,811 entrants.

Jeff Runquist is a small producer of single vineyard designated red table wines with the motto, “Come taste the diversity and drink the glass less traveled.” His winery and tasting room are located in the heart of the Sierra Foothills, in Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley.

Runquist produces 25 different red varietals in small lots, each from a single vineyard. His wines are fruit forward with emphasis on the terroir of the vineyard of origin and smooth, elegant tannins. The four principle wines that his winery tries to have on hand year round are Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Barbera, and Petit Verdot. Beyond that, anything goes – as long as the grape comes from California and has the ideal match of soil climate to personality. Sometimes this leads Runquist to varietals many may not have heard of, such as Tannat, Carignane and Charbono.

This insatiable curiosity combined with his four decades of experience helps take Runquist’s wines to the next level, but he also attributes his success to his unique partnerships with his growers. Depending upon the varietal, Runquist teams with sixteen different growers from different parts of Northern and Central California, pairing the particular grape varietal with a specific vineyard site.  The growers share his passion and know the value of harvesting grapes at their peak of flavor, color and character.  All but four of his wines carry a vineyard designation and the name of the grower and a close relationship with growers and a respect for their fruit is revealed in every bottle of Runquist wine.

One great way to get to know Runquist’s wines is at his elegant Tasting Room in quaint Plymouth, California, open seven days a week from 11:00am to 5:00pm. No two (or three, or four) tasting room experiences are ever the same, as Jeff Runquist Wines produces more than two dozen exciting and different varietals. The staff is savvy about the geography and history of each grape, curating a voyage through Runquist’s universe of wines.

Oenophiles who stop by the Tasting Room on March 7 or 8 can enjoy the “Behind the Cellar Door” event, when 43 Amador County wineries, including Jeff Runquist Wines, will be opening their cellar doors for a weekend of education, food, and award-winning wine. For details about this event, visit BCDAmador.com.

Learn more about Jeff Runquist Wines at www.jeffrunquistwines.com.

The Wineries of Santa Clara Valley Association announces a full-year Wine Trail Pass

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Santa Clara Valley – The Santa Clara Valley association that represents the winery members of the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley, announced they discontinued their Spring and Fall Passport and have replaced it with a year-long Wine Trail Pass.

Young woman is drinking a glass of wine on a wine tasting together with friends

“Introducing a full-year Wine Trail Pass is something we’ve been wanting to do for some time.” said Stacy Giannini, Director of Marketing for the association. “We started with single weekend Passports when we had 20+ wineries. When we grew to 30+, we introduced the month-long Spring and Fall Passports. Both months were successful, but expecting visitors to wine taste 3-4 wineries every weekend including a few weekdays for a full month is a bit overwhelming for any wine lover. With a full year Wine Trail Pass, you’ll now have time to plan out your visits that work for your schedule.”

Whether you’re an avid wine lover, need a gift for friends, family, a high-end client or an employee is deserving recognition, the annual Wine Trail Pass is perfect purchase.  Come out and discover new wines in a wine region that is older than the more popular California regions – and just came home with 106 medals from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition including 3 awarded Best of Class!

For more details, click “take a peek” in the link below to view the Trail Pass, list of participating wineries and the region map: http://www.santaclarawines.com/wine_trail_pass.html

Here’s a run-down of how the year-long Wine Trail Pass works:

  • Wine taste in 34 tasting rooms any day of the week/weekend that the wineries are open
  • One Pass per person, one visit per Pass for three 1 oz. tastings
  • One full year to visit
  • Sold online $75 (+$4 fee) or can be in any of the participating wineries listed on santaclarawines.com
  • Wineries located in Saratoga, Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy and Hollister
  • Three Trail Days (Feb 1, Aug 1, Nov 7th) celebrated in each territory shown in Wine Trail Pass .

To learn more about the winery members of the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley, visit www.santaclarawines.com.

About the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley An association representing member wineries that grow and produce wines in one of the oldest wine producing regions of California. With the first plantings at the Santa Clara Mission in 1798, the region of Santa Clara Valley represents one of the oldest growing traditions in the country. The Santa Clara Valley is home to 100 year-old wineries to long-established family operations and those that are in relatively smaller tasting rooms. On March 28, 1989, the Santa Clara Valley received AVA status; prior to this the region’s wines were typically labeled ‘Central Coast’ or ‘Santa Clara County’.

Crittenden Estate of Australia Wins Top Honors in 2020 BRIT/FIVS International Sustainable Winegrowing Competition

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FORT WORTH, TEXAS (PRWEB) – The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) in partnership with FIVS, a global public policy federation serving the wine, spirits, and beer sectors, are pleased to announce the winners of their 2020 International Sustainable Winegrowing Competition. Topping this year’s competition is Crittenden Estate of Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, based on the winery’s on-going programs addressing the three elements of sustainability – environmental, economic, and social – as well as its wine’s flavor.

Founded in 1982 by Garry Crittenden, Crittenden Estate farms 27 acres in Dromana and is proud of its multi-generational family farm commitment to preserving the land while producing high-quality wine.

Among Crittenden’s many sustainable accolades are abandoning the use of chemicals in the vineyard for an innovative program of inter-row cover crops and soil cultivation; a twelve-month composting program to maintain soil health; introducing bees to the property to fertilize desirable fruit trees and supporting a diverse agricultural population of plants and insects while combating wasp species; reducing energy costs by sixty percent cost with the installation of solar panels; and reclaiming and reusing water through Crittenden’s water treatment plant.

The awarded wine was Crittenden Estate’s Cri De Coeur 2017 Pinot Noir, a new, premium wine that showcases Crittenden’s viticulture and winemaking efforts.

“The Crittenden family has taken great pride in working their land for two generations and in that time their wines have won the accolades of Australia’s food and wine critics,” said Dr. Ed Schneider, BRIT’s president and executive director. “The combination of sustainable programs with the family’s love of the land has produced a wine that’s truly outstanding.”

“To win such a prestigious international award, particularly given the caliber of our fellow entrants is very humbling for us,” said Rollo Crittenden, second generation winemaker at Crittenden Estate. “We’re passionate about our sustainability and regenerative programmes and delighted that they have been recognised in this way by BRIT/FIVS. There is no doubt these efforts contribute directly to an increase in the quality of wine we produce, and we will continue to strive further on both our land care and wine advances over the generations to come.”

Additional BRIT/FIVS sustainable awards went to:

Gold Medals

  • Vina Cono Sur, Santiago, Chile. Submitted Cono Sur Organic Red Blend.
  • C. A. Henschke & Co., Keyneton, South Australia. Submitted Henschke Mount Edelstone 2015.

Silver Medals

  • Herdade dos Grous, Albernoa, Portugal. Submitted Herdade dos Grous Red.
  • Valdivieso, Santiago, Chile. Submitted Valdivieso Eclat Vigno 2010.

Bronze Medals

Platinum Multi-brand Award

“A big round of applause goes to all of our 2020 winners,” says Greg Hodson, President, FIVS. “From their sustainable programs in the field to their progressive workforce and community programs, to being good leaders and stewards within the global wine industry, we congratulate their achievements.”

When entering the competition, wineries provide a self-assessment of their organization’s accomplishments in sustainable winegrowing, winemaking, and ecopreneurial/social responsibility practices. They describe their organization’s conservation efforts in the field and in their operations; how they have sought to minimize waste, how water is reclaimed, and how the winery extends conservation efforts to its customers and communities. They also are asked to submit a wine sample that best represents their sustainable efforts for a tasting by the judging committee.

Because the BRIT/FIVS award is the only international award of its kind, it is of primary interest to wineries who are taking a leading role in their community/region/country by embracing sustainable practices. Sustainable winegrowing programs are by nature ongoing, so a key component of each program involves its continual improvement process.

Presentation of the BRIT/FIVS glass sculpture award to Crittenden Wines will be made in Fort Worth on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, during BRIT’s Vine to Table award dinner and fundraising event.

The 2021 BRIT/FIVS International Sustainable Winegrowing Competition begins in the summer of 2020. Details of the 2021 competition will be posted on the BRIT web site, http://www.BRIT.org/wineaward and on the FIVS web site, https://www.fivs.org.

GOfermentor® wins innovation award for the Wine Industry

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FAR HILLS, N.J. /PRNewswire/ — The GOfermentor is an example of an industry outsider bringing a new perspective and expertise to winemaking and challenging how things are being done. Vijay Singh is a biotech engineer, who revolutionized the way pharmaceutical fermentations are done by introducing a single use sterile bag to replace stainless steel. Now he’s bringing the same concept to winemaking and is harvesting medals for his winery as well as significant production advantages.

“The wine industry can be slow to change, so it is invigorating to have experts like Vijay Singh come into the industry and bring their fresh approach and knowledge from another industry to winemaking. It is not often that you see new solutions that are at once cost saving and quality enhancing. The GOfermentor has the potential to cause a paradigm shift for small lot winemaking.” – George Christie, President Wine Industry Network

When grapes are crushed, they are placed into a one ton GOfermentor single use bag and the unit is programmed to automatically perform punchdowns at regular intervals. The automation reduces labor, and the frequent mixing action also eliminates temperature gradients within the fermentation, with the result that sulfides from yeast retooling are not observed. The plastic bag protects the wine from unwanted exposures from yeast, oxygen, smoke, and bacteria from the outside environment.

At the end of fermentation, the GOfermentor presses the grapes, leaving behind the pomace in the biodegradable plastic bag for easy disposal. The disposal of the bag means savings on labor and time spend cleaning as well as a 90% reduction in water usage. The GOfermentor is a paradigm shift in winemaking that many winemakers will likely be hesitant to accept, but the low cost and barebones infrastructure required to use the GOfermentor makes it easy to try with a very low investment.

“Traditional wineries are 90% janitorial and 10% winemaking. With the GOfermentor and SmartBarrel racking system, we changed that to 90% winemaking and 10% cleaning.” – Dr Vijay Singh, Inventor

About GOfermentor

The GOfermentor is an advanced winemaking system for artisanal and small batch (< 1 ton) production. Many units are in use worldwide. Automated punch and built-in press reduces cost and labor. Single-use technology minimizes water usage. US patents 9260682, 9611452, 9802805, France 14 61410, Australia 2014268161. Others pending.

For more information, visit www.gofermentor.com

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