Eve's Wine 101

THE 13th ANNUAL HALL CABERNET COOKOFF

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ST. HELENA, CALIFORNIA – HALL Napa Valley hosted its thirteenth annual Cabernet Cookoff on Saturday, April 30 at HALL St. Helena Winery, with $105,00 dollars raised to benefit non-profit organizations. The event, hosted by Vintner Kathryn Hall, featured an impressive lineup of renowned culinary teams vying for a chance to win proceeds for a charity of their choice by participating in a food and wine pairing competition.

“It was so exciting to be back in person for the Cabernet Cookoff this year,” said Vintner Kathryn Hall. “This event makes a difference for many lives in our community. The twelve chef teams competing this year really impressed all of us – such colorful, delicious dishes with incredibly artistic presentations. I am absolutely thrilled to be able to bring together some of the best restaurants in the Bay Area and help support non-profit organizations near and dear to them.”

Hundreds of guests packed HALL St. Helena to sip on one of HALL’s most popular Cabernet Sauvignon wines, Jack’s Masterpiece, and celebrate the 2019 vintage. The sold-out event included a panel of celebrity Judges such as Natalie Morales, co-host of the CBS’s The Talk, celebrity Chef Brian Malarkey, NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai, and two stars from BRAVO’s Southern Charm, Shep Rose and Austen Kroll.

Each of the four winning chef teams helped hand out $23,000 each to the winning non-profit organizations. Additionally, all twelve non-profit teams participating in the 2022 event were given a $1,000 check from the Craig & Kathryn Hall Foundation as a thank you for being involved.

The four 2022 HALL Cabernet Cookoff Chef team and non-profit winners included:

• Judges Choice: InterContinental Mark Hopkins – Chef: Brian Sepulveda
Dish: Lamb Barbacoa sopes, adobo masala, pickled radish, queso cotija, salsa negra Charity Partner: Firefly Autism

“We will proudly and graciously put the winning funds directly to our programs and services,” says Dr. Amanda Kelly, Executive Director/CEO of Firefly Autism. “Specifically looking to impact our home-based services, this amount will cover one year of part-time in-home services for one of our deserving clients. Thank you, Chef Brian and HALL Wines, for making this possible!”

• Judges Choice Runner-Up: One Market Restaurant – Chef: Mark Dommen Dish: Octopus a la Plancha, braised beef cheek, kalamata olive vinaigrette Charity Partner: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

“JDRF is extremely grateful to HALL for hosting this fun and high profile-event. Special thanks to Chef Mark Dommen of One Market Restaurant who won second place and chose our organization to receive a donation of $23,000,” says Kellee Hearn, Executive Director, JDRF Northern California Chapter. “The funding will help propel our mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, treat, and prevent type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications. This generous gift will make a difference and improve the lives of millions of people around the world impacted by T1D.”

• People’s Choice: Hotel Nia – Chef: Chad Bayless Dish: Beet tartare, whipped brie, spiced berry Charity Partner: World Central Kitchen

“We are grateful for Chef Chad’s shared belief that food is a universal human right,” said Jason Collis, World Central Kitchen’s VP of Relief. “This support will help WCK continue to provide fresh, nutritious meals to people impacted by crises around the world.”

• People’s Choice Runner Up: Tarla Mediterranean Grill – Chef: Jason Naaman
Dish: Pomegranate-Cabernet braised short ribs, roasted mushroom, white truffle risotto, beef au jus Charity Partner: St. John’s Lutheran School

“St. John’s Lutheran School will be using the $23,000 to update our STEM program with new technology to further our students’ knowledge in coding and robotics,” says Principal of Napa’s St. John Lutheran School, Christy Wood. “Our purpose is to help students grow in their relationship with Christ and develop the knowledge and skills to be confident, academically capable individuals who serve Christ, His church, and His world.”

Sponsors for the 2022 HALL Cabernet Cookoff included Chefs Life by Brian Malarkey who served as title sponsor for the VIP Culinary Stage as well as Evan Healy, Cypress Grove, Corkcicle, Alastin Skincare, Re-Think Ice Cream, Kollar Chocolates, Proforma and Napa Sonoma Magazine. Since inception, the HALL Cabernet Cookoff has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for non-profit organizations. For more information and to get involved as a culinary team, sponsor, or non-profit organization, please visit www.hallwines.com/cabernetcookoff.

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HALL Family Wines produces high quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel under the HALL, WALT and BACA brand monikers. Owned by Craig and Kathryn Hall, the family-owned winery produces artisan wines that express the unique and diverse character of the wine country’s soils and climates through meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards and throughout the winemaking process. The family’s luxury wine portfolio, led by Winemaker Megan Gunderson, sources fruit from some of the most prominent vineyards up and down the West Coast and includes twelve Estate vineyard including Sacrashe, Bergfeld, Hardester, Cook, Deller-Freidkin, Walt Ranch, Rainin, Beller, Lamoreaux, Bob’s Ranch, Clos Pepe and The Corners. The HALL St. Helena winery was the first LEED® Gold Certified Winery in the State of California in 2009 and earned another LEED® Gold certification for its high-tech production facility and Tasting Room in 2014. Since the inception of HALL in 1995, the three luxury wine brands have earned over 700 ratings of 90 points or above from the industries top critics, including seven 100-point scores from the industry’s most notable wine critics. Visit www.hallwines.com, www.waltwines.com, www.bacawines.com for more information, or call 707-967-2626.

Reviewing the book, Malbec Mon Amour, by Laura Catena and Alejandro Vigil

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Recently offered a book written by a vintner I’ve met and admired for a long time, from a country I haven’t visited, and I jumped on it. Filling in the blanks, I’m sharing details from the publisher, my review of the book and their latest vintage below.

From the Publisher

I wanted to introduce you to a whimsical, yet informative book that has been in the works for over ten years, written by Laura Catena and Bodega Catena Zapata’s oenologist Alejandro Vigil.

Malbec mon amour tells the story of Malbec, a story of near extinction, rebirth and in a joyful end, the story of how a plant has elevated the lives of millions of people for over 2,000 years. Laura and Alejandro had the vision of a book that would reflect the fun and inspiration that Alejandro and Laura experienced in their daily rides throughout the vineyards of Mendoza.  Why “mon amour”? Well, Alejandro Vigil has Malbec tattooed on his arm, and Laura’s family’s journey from Italy to Argentina began 120 years ago with a plant of Malbec.

Alejandro and Laura see the world of wine, its ancient history, its terroir, its people, its soils and climate in very romantic and artistic terms. But at the same time, they are both scientists. This illustrated book combines the art and science of wine in a way that has never been done before. It tells the story of how the Malbec variety went from fame to near-extinction and back, and why Malbec is so much more than a wine variety. It is a wine that tells the history of humanity and the journey of immigrants and plants across continents.

The book is currently available on Amazon in North America, Central America, Latin America, and Europe.

Book Review

What a gorgeous book, from the front cover through to the pages, inviting me to really want to get into it and into it I did! As well as the sample of their 2019 Malbec! Get your own book to see the pages and what’s inside, these are my takeaways:

  • “According to oral tradition, the Malbec grape expanded from its native Cahors to Bordeaux in the 18th century, introduced by a Hungarian winemaker called Malbeck or Malbek. In Bordeaux, producers used it to lend more color to their claret.”
  • Malbec may have been known as “the black wine” due to harvesting at night or the color that stained people’s teeth and tongue.
  • At one time England’s Henry III personally protected Cahors Malbec so that Bordeaux officials could not limit any sales or its transportation. And King Francis I of France liked Malbec so much that it was known as the King’s Plant, Plante du Roi.
  • One of our authors, Laura Catena, visited Cahors as a “pilgrimage to the original home of Malbec” studying the history and meeting with experts.
  • Malbec was just behind Cabernet Sauvignon, as the second most important variety, during the 1855 classification in Bordeaux. The grape was first planted in Argentina in 1853, from vines from Bordeaux, and resulted in a low yield and high quality wine.
  • When Phylloxera “wiped Malbec off the map” in Bordeaux it was replaced with Merlot. However, at the same time, Malbec was still doing well in Argentina.
  • Manual wine presses were used until the 1950s, some wineries still use this method for “uva francesca” aka the French grape known as Malbec.
  • Mendoza, Argentina, is the fifth largest wine producer in the world with 345,000 acres under vine, from hundreds of wineries. Many export their wines worldwide.
  • By the end of the 1970s there had been a financial crisis that changed grape production, Malbec was removed for higher-yielding varietals and “most Argentine wines were characterized by somewhat oxidized aromas, a soft mouthfeel, low aromatic intensity and little varietal typicity.”
  • In 1984 winemaker Nicolas Catena Zapata had just returned from a tour of Napa, and felt that if Napa could compete with the French (Judgement of Paris) so could Argentina. He planted Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, updated his winemaking practices and hired Paul Hobbs, a well-known and respected consultant from California.
  • “Catena Zapata has the largest selection of Malbec plants in the world.” The Catena Institute, where Alejandro Vigil works as a soil specialist, evaluates the soil’s “behavior with every vintage.” There is a lot of information on how soil effects terroir – and aromas in the finished product.
  • Mendoza is a desert, with an average of eight inches of rain per year, and water is 260 to 660 underground. The area requires drip irrigation, and this is generally used prior to bud break.
  • The book includes the Winkler Scale of the micro-climates of Mendoza, the Winkler Index charting temperature, the history of the Catena Institute, detailed descriptions of the Malbec vineyards in Mendoza, Uco Valley and other regions, as well as dozens of illustrations, photographs and maps.

Tasting 2019 Catena Malbec

A regal dark purple color, and a nose full of fresh lush fruit – juicy blackberry, crushed plums, blueberry – followed by hints of tri-color peppercorns, bark, moss and very dark sweetened chocolate. The taste reminded me of a bowl of fresh cut fruit – the same as on the nose – as well as layers of dark spices and drying tannins for a lingering finish. I didn’t have my sample with any food, and I didn’t need to. Well done.

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.

ADOBE ROAD WINERY WINS LA INVITATIONAL WINE AND SPIRITS CHALLENGE

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(Petaluma, Calif.)— Renowned family-owned producer, Adobe Road Winery is pleased to announce its 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer Vineyards-Georges III was honored with multiple awards at the inaugural 2022 LA Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge. The judges bestowed Adobe Road Winery with its prestigious Overall Winner “Best of the Best” along with “Best of Class” in the Cabernet Sauvignon category and “Best of Show” in the red wine category. The competition also awarded the wine 100 points making it the most talked-about wine of the entire competition. The winery secured additional awards during this year’s voting process including “Double Gold” for its 2018 Blue Dog Cabernet Sauvignon and “Gold” for its 2019 Sangiacomo Pinot Noir.

“It’s great when the team gets recognized for their hard work. We have an amazing group of people that are very good at what they do,” says Owner, Kevin Buckler. “There’s no secret sauce, it’s just passion and drive to make the best wines we possibly can.”

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon This 2017 Beckstoffer Georges III sports intense aromatics of licorice, shaved dark chocolate, ripe red fruits, and pencil lead. Since debuting, it has become one of Adobe Road Winery’s most desired red wines, known for a palate explosion of crushed blackberries and toffee mixed with forest floor and graphite. Super fine dusty tannins add focus and length to the extended finish.  The wine was barrel-aged for 30 months in 90% New French Oak and 10% Neutral French Oak. It comes charging off the line with an opaque black color in the glass. (SRP: $195)

“Making wine from a famous and historical vineyard such as Beckstoffer Vineyards Georges III is always a joy. The grapes are perfectly suited to their site there in Rutherford, expressing everything that is good from the soil, sunshine, and careful attention that the vineyard managers give. The resulting wines always speak eloquently of their place and time,” says Winemaker Garrett Martin. “2017 in Napa started unusually cool and wet. The season progressed into an intense summer with a few heat waves that accelerated ripening. Making the best wines in 2017 meant working extremely closely with our vineyard partners to make quick and thoughtful decisions to harvest incredible grapes.

About Adobe Road Winery

Kevin and Debra Buckler established Adobe Road Winery in 2002 with a commitment to making the very best small-lot wines by sourcing premier fruit from some of the most historic and finest family-owned vineyards in Sonoma and Napa Counties. To learn more visit adoberoadwines.com

About TRG and “The Racing Series”

Kevin and Debra founded TRG (The Racers Group) 30 years ago and have grown the company into one of the most successful sports car teams in history. Kevin was the lead driver and achieved international success with wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 hours of LeMans. Authenticity is in their DNA and as Kevin likes to say…“ I like to win”. Adobe Road launched “The Racing Series” in 2019 using the same philosophy that drives their success on the racetrack. “The Racing Series” is all about pushing the envelope and challenging existing norms. The wines represent the highest expression of what a premium red blend can be when pushed to the limit. The racing parallels don’t end with just the wine. All “Racing Series” wines incorporate physical aspects of auto racing into the packaging. For more information on The Racers Group visit theracersgroup.com.

CA Wins at NY International Wine Competition

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NYIWC Winners from CA in 2021

  • Aimee (Morgan Hill, CA)
    • Gold medal: Petite Sirah- Region lll 2017
    • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
    • Silver medal: Bollicine 2019
    • Bronze medal: Petite Sirah- Region V 2017
    • Individual award: Napa Petite Sirah Winery of the Year
  • Benson Marketing Group (Napa Valley, CA)
    • Gold medal: Vermouth di Torino
  • Blair Estate (Carmel By The Sea, CA)
    • Silver medal: Blair Estate Pinot Noir Morgantini Vineyard 2016
    • Silver medal: Blair Estate Rose of Pinot Noir 2019
    • Individual award: Arroyo Seco Rose of Pinot Noir Winery of the Year
  • Cameron Hughes Wine (San Francisco, CA)
    • Gold medal: Lot 746 Arroyo Seco Chardonnay 2019
    • Silver medal: Lot 765 Sierra Foothills Zinfandel 2018
    • Individual award: Arroyo Seco Chardonnay Wine of the Year
  • Clos de la Tech (Woodside, CA)
    • Double Gold medal: Domaine Lois Louise “Cote Sud”  2015
    • Silver medal: Domaine Valeta “Sunny Slope” 2015
    • Bronze medal: Santa Cruz Mountain Estates 2015
    • Individual award: Santa Cruz Mountains Winery of the year
  • DoublePlus Wines (St Helena, CA)
    • Gold medal: Rose 2020
    • Gold medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Individual award: Napa Sauvignon Blanc Winery of the Year
  • E&J Gallo Winery (Modesto, CA)
    • Barefoot Hard Seltzer
      • Gold medal: Peach
      • Silver medal: Pineapple
      • Bronze medal: Cherry
    • J Vineyards
      • Gold medal: Chardonnay 2019
      • Gold medal: Pinot Noir 2018
      • Silver medal: Brut Rosé
    • La Marca
      • Gold medal: Prosecco
    • Louis M. Martini
      • Gold medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
      • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon
      • Individual award: Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Wine of the Year
    • Alamos
      • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
    • Barefoot
      • Silver medal: Sangria
      • Silver medal: Pink Pinot Grigio
      • Silver medal: Merlot
      • Silver medal: Zinfandel
      • Bronze medal: Sauvignon Blanc
      • Bronze medal: Chardonnay
      • Bronze medal: White Zinfandel
      • Bronze medal: Moscato
      • Bronze medal: Pinot Grigio
      • Bronze medal: Moscato
    • Barefoot Bubbly
      • Silver medal: Brut Cuvee
      • Bronze medal: Brut Rosé
      • Bronze medal: Prosecco
    • Barefoot Fruitscato
      • Silver medal: Strawberry
      • Silver medal: Mango
      • Bronze medal: Watermelon
      • Bronze medal: Peach
      • Bronze medal: Blueberry
      • Individual award: Wines with Fruit Flavor of the Year
    • Barefoot Spritzer
      • Silver medal: Moscato Spritzer
      • Bronze medal: Summer Red
    • Black Box
      • Silver medal: Chardonnay 2019
      • Silver medal: Malbec 2018
      • Silver medal: Pinot Grigio 2019
      • Silver medal: Shiraz 2018
      • Bronze medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
      • Bronze medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2020
      • Individual award: Boxed Wine of the Year
    • Edna Valley
      • Silver medal: Chardonnay 2019
      • Bronze medal: Rosé 2020
    • MacMurray Estate Vineyards
      • Silver medal: Pinot Noir 2018
    • Prophecy
      • Silver medal: Pinot Noir 2018
      • Bronze medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Starborough
      • Silver medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Talbott
      • Silver medal: Kali Hart Chardonnay 2019
    • William Hill Estate Winery
      • Bronze medal: Chardonnay 2019
      • Bronze medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
      • Bronze medal: Chardonnay 2019
  • Fazeli Cellars (Temecula, CA)
    • Gold medal: Merlot 2017
    • Silver medal: Shiraz 2017
    • Bronze medal: Petite Sirah 2017
    • Individual award: Temecula Winery of the Year
  • Frey Vineyards (Redwood Valley, CA)
    • Frey Organic
      • Double Gold medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2019
      • Gold medal: Viognier 2018
      • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
      • Silver medal: Sun & Rain Chardonnay 2019
      • Silver medal: Pinot Grigio 2019
      • Bronze medal: Zinfandel 2019
      • Bronze medal: Chardonnay 2019
      • Individual award: California Organic Winery of the Year
    • Frey Biodynamic
      • Gold medal: Merlot 2019
      • Silver medal: Chardonnay 2019
  • Garemani Wines (Santa Barbara, CA)
    • Gold medal: Chardonnay 2019
    • Gold medal: Pinot Noir 2019
    • Silver medal: Merlot 2019
    • Bronze medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2019
    • Bronze medal: Tannat 2019
    • Individual award: Central Coast Pinot Noir Winery of the Year
  • Halleck Vineyard (Sebastopol, CA)
    • Double Gold medal: Pinot Noir; Three Sons Cuvee 2017
    • Gold medal: Calandrelli Vineyard 2019
    • Gold medal: Hillside Cuvee 2017
    • Silver medal: Little Sister Sauvignon Blanc 2019
    • Silver medal: The Farm Vineyards 2017
    • Silver medal: Clone 828 2018
    • Bronze medal: Pinot Noir; Haas Vineyard 2017
    • Individual award: California Gewurztraminer Winery of the Year
    • Individual award: Russian River Pinot Noir Winery of the Year
  • Hartlam Winery (San Gabriel, CA)
    • Gold medal: Grenache 2020
    • Silver medal: Syrah Rosé wine 2020
    • Bronze medal: Sauvignon blanc 2020
    • Individual award: California Grenache Winery of the Year
  • Herzog Wine Cellars (Oxnard, CA)
    • Double Gold medal: American Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
    • Gold medal: Choreograph 2020
    • Gold medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Gold medal: Rosé 2020
    • Silver medal: French Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
    • Silver medal: Four Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Bronze medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Bronze medal: Pinot Grigio 2020
    • Bronze medal: Momentus
    • Bronze medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Individual award: Kosher Winery of the Year
  • Kenwood Vineyards (Kenwood, CA)
    • Double Gold medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
    • Gold medal: Six Ridges Chardonnay 2018
    • Silver medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2019
    • Silver medal: Jack London Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
    • Bronze medal: Six Ridges Sauvignon Blanc 2019
    • Bronze medal: Six Ridges Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
    • Bronze medal: Chardonnay 2018
    • Bronze medal: Pinot Noir 2018
    • Individual award: Sonoma County Chardonnay Winery of the Year
  • Libelle Wines (St Helena, CA)
    • Gold medal: Grüner Veltliner 2019
    • Individual award: Gruner Veltliner Winery of the Year
  • Maker Wine Company (San Francisco, CA)
    • Gold medal: Chenin Blanc 2020
    • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Silver medal: Sparkling Rose
    • Silver medal: Merlot 2018
    • Bronze medal: Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Bronze medal: Rose of Grenache 2020
    • Individual award: Chenin Blanc Winery of the Year
  • Mystic Hills Vineyard (San Miguel, CA)
    • Gold medal: Unforgiven 2015
    • Bronze medal: Gran Trio 2015
    • Individual award: San Luis Obispo County Winery of the Year
  • New Clairvaux Vineyard (Vina, CA)
    • Gold medal: Moschofilero 2020
    • Silver medal: Barbera Rose 2020
    • Silver medal: Petite Sirah 2018
    • Bronze medal: Assyrtiko 2020
    • Individual award: Tehama County Winery of the Year
  • Nichelini Family Winery (St Helena, CA)
    • Gold medal: Remeber
    • Silver medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Silver medal: Engine 318
    • Individual award: Napa Rose Winery of the Year
  • Oak Farm Vineyards (Lodi, CA)
    • Gold medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Silver medal: Zinfandel 2018
    • Silver medal: Rosé 2020
    • Bronze medal: Chardonnay 2020
    • Individual award: Lodi Winery of the Year
  • Penrose Hill (Napa, CA)
    • Double Gold medal: Musa Noctuaria Rosé of Garnacha 2020
    • Double Gold medal: Trailstone Chardonnay 2019
    • Gold medal: Tintoretto Pinot Grigio 2019
    • Gold medal: Watchful Maker Bold Red Wine 2018
    • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
    • Bronze medal: Iron Arrow White Blend 2019
    • Bronze medal: Luxana Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Bronze medal: Penrose Hill Rosé of Pinot Noir 2019
    • Bronze medal: Tintoretto Sangiovese 2019
    • Individual award: Spain Rose of the Year
    • Individual award: Italy Pinot Grigio Winery of the Year
    • Individual award: Columbia Valley Winery of the Year
  • Perchance Estates (Rutherford, CA)
    • Double Gold medal: Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard 2018
    • Individual award: Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon Wine of the Year
  • PR Farms, Inc. (Clovis, CA)
    • Gold medal: My Italian Cousin Eugenio 2018
    • Silver medal: My Italian Cousin Eugenio 2016
  • Rodney Strong Wine Estates (Healdsburg, CA)
    • Double Gold medal: Russian River Valley; Estate Rose of Pinot Noir 2020
    • Gold medal: California Chardonnay 2019
    • Silver medal: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2017
    • Silver medal: River West Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2017
    • Silver medal: Red Blend 2018
    • Silver medal: Knotty Vines Pinot Noir 2018
    • Silver medal: Russian River Valley Estate Pinot Noir 2017
    • Bronze medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Bronze medal: Sonoma County Merlot 2017
    • Individual award: Russian River Winery of the Year
  • Vinesse (Westlake Village, CA)
    • Double Gold medal: Sangiovese 2019
    • Gold medal: Garnacha 2019
    • Gold medal: Merlot 2019
    • Gold medal: Chardonnay 2019
    • Silver medal: Merlot 2019
    • Silver medal: Chenin Blanc 2019
    • Silver medal: Bordeaux Superieur Red Wine 2018
    • Silver medal: Montepulciano 2019
    • Bronze medal: Syrah 2019
    • Bronze medal: Shiraz 2019
    • Bronze medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2019
    • Bronze medal: Aglianico 2019
    • Individual award: Wahluke Slope Winery of the Year
    • Individual award: International Wine Club of the Year
  • Vintage Wine Estates (Santa Rosa, CA)
    • Gold medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
    • Gold medal: Chardonnay 2020
    • Gold medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Gold medal: Malbec 2020
    • Gold medal: Zinfandel 2019
    • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
    • Silver medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Silver medal: White Zinfandel 2020
    • Silver medal: Moscato 2020
    • Bronze medal: Sangiovese 2020
    • Bronze medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
  • VJB Cellars (Kenwood, CA)
    • Gold medal: Barbera 2018
    • Silver medal: Primitivo 2017
    • Silver medal: Nebbiolo 2017
    • Silver medal: Wellington Cellars Merlot 2017
    • Bronze medal: Wellington Cellars 1882 Zinfandel
    • Individual award: Sonoma Winery of the Year
  • WineShop At Home
    • Gold medal: Sauvignon Blanc 2020
    • Gold medal: Alcedo 2019
    • Silver medal: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    • Silver medal: Hero’s Blend 2017
    • Bronze medal: Black Muscat 2020
    • Individual award: Chile Sauvignon Blanc of the Year

About the New York International Wine Competition:

The NYIWC is part of the International Beverage Competition (IBC) series, a unique group of wine, beer, and spirits competitions taking place in New York City, Berlin, Melbourne, and Hong Kong annually. The judging panels at all IBC competitions consist entirely of active trade buyers, including sommeliers, cicerones, retail store buyers, distributors, importers, restaurant beverage directors, and more. The organizers of the competition feel that these judges, whose livelihood rely upon their skill set, truly know what the consumer wants, as they receive on a daily basis the feedback from the consumer of what is good and what will sell. The carefully selected judges taste the products in a blind tasting format, judging the products by both category and price.

From Founder Adam Levy:

“We’re the only international beverage competitions where all the judges are real trade buyers who are judging by category and actual price. These judges are buyers from the top New York Area liquor stores, restaurants, hotels and more. The submissions in 2021 were exceptionally good, and the judges were excited to be able to sample such a wide range of well-executed traditional styles of alcohol, as well as some more inventive products from all over the USA and internationally. Many of our judges discovered new products that they will be incorporating into their inventories in the coming year.”

View the full list of 2021 winners, learn more about the judging panel, and find information about submitting products for next year’s competition at https://nyiwinecompetition.com. In addition to the annual competition series, the IBC also publishes The Alcohol Professor – an online “homeroom” for the beverage trade and the enlightened consumer to learn about all things bibulous. Visit https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/ for thoughtful, in-depth articles about wine, beer, spirits, and more.

Get to know Priorat DOQ and Its Unique Landscape through “Taste the Difference: Quality Wines from the Heart of Europe” project

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NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Priorat is a small region in the southwest of Catalonia with a long winemaking tradition which today produces some of the world’s most sought-after wines.

The name Priorat has been linked to wine from the 12th century when the Carthusian monks brought from Provence the knowledge and techniques to develop a winegrowing culture. The Cartoixa (Carthusian Monastery) of Scala Dei, founded in 1194, represents the birthplace of winemaking in the DOQ Priorat region.

Unfortunately, the drama of phylloxera, which brought devastation in all Europe at the end of the 19th Century, didn’t spare the Priorat region, which lost almost all its vineyards. It was thanks to the old generation of farmers, their dignity and love of the land that Priorat was able to re-emerge in the 1950s with the replanting of vineyards and the preservation of the agricultural tradition and culture. At the end of the ‘80s a new entrepreneurial spirit which combined quality and innovation with the original wisdom laid the foundation of Priorat’s renaissance, which led to today’s development of Priorat wines to top class. The DOQ Priorat was formally created in 1954 and elevated to DOQ, Spain’s highest wine classification, in 2006, the second of the only two regions to hold this privilege, after Rioja.

The reason of such accomplishment lies in the uniqueness of the Priorat landscape. The DOQ Priorat forms a compact and well-defined landscape unit, formed by the great mountainous amphitheater that stretches out at the foot of the Sierra de Montsant, by the slate-bed of its hillsides. The vineyards are planted on the slopes at altitudes of between 100 m and 700 m. with such a tortuous geography that many of them are worked as “costers” (Catalan word meaning steep slope) with the resulting necessity to build terraces. What gives the typical minerality and longevity associated with the region’s wines is the special Priorat soil of volcanic origin, a combination of reddish and black slate with particles of mica, called “licorella” in Spanish, Quality is also linked to low yields, and Priorat is among Spain’s lowest yield-wines, often much lower than the authorized maximum yield of 6,000 kg/ha.

Priorat is most known for its powerful reds, mainly single varietal wines of Grenache or Carignan, or blended with international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah in a Bordeaux style. Among whites, the most common grapes are Garnacha blanca, Macabeo, Pedro Ximénez and Chenin.

Today, DOQ Priorat counts 107 wineries with 2.095 ha of vineyards, 155 of which were planted before 1945. The breathtaking views that characterize the Priorat landscape attract each year numerous visitors and wine lovers.

Priorat DOQ is one of the many PDOs featured in “Taste the Difference: Quality WInes from the Heart of Europe” campaign, which aims at promoting European Quality Schemes (PDO/PGI) and high-quality European wines, with a numerous series of activities in the program this year all over the US.

About TASTE THE DIFFERENCE PROGRAM:
The program: European quality wines: taste the difference is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and PRODECA for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad in China and US. In order to achieve this objective, the TTD.EU program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Spain and Italy, inviting wine professionals to join study trips to Europe. The program, realized in the span of three years (2021-2023) aims at creating awareness about European quality wines, in particular Italian and Spanish, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality.

The beneficiaries: Unione Italiana Vini is the oldest and most commissioned Association of the Italian wine market. It represents cooperative, private and agricultural wine-companies, bottlers, consortia, associations and wine-making machines or wine cellars / laboratory manufacturers, located throughout the Italian territory. Promotora d’Exportacions Catalanes (PRODECA) is a public company established in 1986 and part of the “Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia”. It supports the agri-food sector and its companies with the knowledge, tools and experience to increase their products in Catalunya and worldwide.

Stags Leap District Winegrowers Announces Esteemed Culinary Partners for Vineyard to Vintner, April 22-24, 2022

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NAPA, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Offering even more reasons to attend its signature gathering, Stags Leap District Winegrowers today announced the roster of elite chefs and culinary partners for the 2022 Vineyard to Vintner weekend. The annual celebration brings Cabernet Sauvignon enthusiasts together with vintners, winemakers and principals for exclusive tastings, in-depth education and exquisite meals. This year’s event will be held Friday through Sunday, April 22 to 24, 2022.

“While renowned wines and rare library offerings take the spotlight throughout the weekend, guests will also be treated to an array of opulent menus designed to beautifully complement the power and grace of Stags Leap District varietals,” said Nancy Bialek, Executive Director of Stags Leap District Winegrowers. “We’re thrilled to welcome some of the region’s most exciting chefs to Vineyard to Vintner this year.”

Culinary partners include Michelin-starred and Wine Spectator Award-winning chef Ken Frank of La Toque; chef Daniel Gomez, who has more than 15 years of experience at Michelin-starred restaurants including The French Laundry and Cyrus; cookbook author and acclaimed Napa Valley chef Peter Hall; Top Chef finalist and fan favorite Casey Thompson of the newly opened Folk Table restaurant; chef, restaurateur and author Tanya Holland of Brown Sugar Kitchen fame; executive winery chef Travis Westrope of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, along with Elaine Bell Catering; and Tracy and John Anderson, proprietors of Woodhouse Chocolates in St. Helena.

Featured Vineyard to Vintner Culinary Highlights:
Library Wine Dinners: Friday, April 22 // 6:30PM – 10:00PM

  • An Illuminating Wine and Food Experience with Chef, Author and Restaurateur Tanya Holland, hosted at Chimney Rock Winery with Shafer Vineyards and Quixote Winery
  • Homegrown: An Exploration of Fine Wines and Farm-to-Table Dining in Stags Leap District with Chef Casey Thompson, hosted at Regusci Winery with Lindstrom Wines and Stags’ Leap Winery
  • NOLA in Napa with Chef and Author Peter Hall, hosted at Silverado Vineyards with Cliff Lede Vineyards and Ilsley Vineyards
  • A Feast of Legendary Wine and Food with Chef Travis Westrope and Elaine Bell Catering, hosted at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars with Pine Ridge Vineyards, Malk Family Vineyards and Baldacci Family Vineyards
  • An Evening Under the Stars with SLD’s Pioneering Families with Chef Daniel Gomez, hosted at Taylor Family Vineyards with Clos Du Val and Steltzner Vineyards

Vintner-Hosted Gala Luncheon and Appellation Collection Preview: Saturday, April 23 // 12:30PM – 3:00PM at Stags’ Leap Winery.

Guests, vintners and winemakers will join in a celebratory champagne welcome followed by a strolling lunch prepared by Michelin-starred and Wine Spectator Award-winning chef Ken Frank of famed Napa Valley restaurant La Toque, along with specialties from Tracy and John Anderson of Woodhouse Chocolates of St. Helena. Vintners will showcase critically acclaimed wines as well as a sneak preview of the Stags Leap District 2019 Appellation Collection Cabernet Sauvignons, scheduled for release in October 2022.

The full Vineyard to Vintner weekend also comprises “Digging Deeper: Vineyard Walks, Talks and Tastings,” on Saturday, April 23, and “Savor SLD,” exclusive winery tasting experiences, on Sunday April 24. Guests will have the chance to fully explore the region while tasting wines and meeting with vintners from 16 famed properties, including Baldacci Family Vineyards, Chimney Rock Winery, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Ilsley Vineyards, Lindstrom Wines, Malk Family Vineyards, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Quixote Winery, Regusci Winery, Shafer Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Stags’ Leap Winery, Steltzner Vineyards, and Taylor Family Vineyards.

Tickets, Schedule and Additional Information
A limited number of tickets remain available and can be purchased at http://www.stagsleapdistrict.com/V2V. The Friday through Saturday experience (April 22-24, 2022) is $1,200 per person, which includes the entire weekend’s offerings. Visit http://www.stagsleapdistrict.com/V2V for the full schedule and other details.

About Stags Leap District Winegrowers
The Stags Leap District Winegrowers is a non-profit association of vintners and growers united by the mission of enhancing the reputation of the appellation and its wines and sharing its quality with the wine-loving world. The SLDWA is comprised of 16 wineries and 9 grower members. Wineries include: Baldacci Family Vineyards, Chimney Rock Winery, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Ilsley Vineyards, Lindstrom Wines, Malk Family Vineyards, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Quixote Winery, Regusci Winery, Shafer Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Stags’ Leap Winery, Steltzner Vineyards, and Taylor Family Vineyards. To learn more about the Stags Leap District, please visit stagsleapdistrict.

com or find the Association on Facebook.com/StagsLeapDistrict, Instagram.com/StagsLeapAVA and Twitter @StagsLeapAVA.

HALL’S CABERNET COOKOFF RETURNS FOR 13TH YEAR

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HALL, one of the world’s most notable Cabernet Sauvignon producers, has announced plans for its thirteenth annual Cabernet Cookoff to return on Saturday, April 30 at HALL St. Helena. Hosted by Vintner Kathryn Hall, the annual event will feature an impressive lineup of renowned culinary teams vying for a chance to win proceeds for a charity of their choice by participating in a food and wine pairing competition. 100% of ticket proceeds benefit non-profit organizations as selected by the winning chef teams. The event includes a VIP Culinary Stage event from 11 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. prior to the Main Event that takes place from 12 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Chef teams are tasked to create a small dish that they feel pairs best with 2019 HALL Jack’s Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon, a top-rated wine that has earned praise from the wine industry’s top critics. The 2022 Cabernet Cookoff also serves as the release of the 2019 vintage of the Jack’s Masterpiece wine. Guests in attendance will sample all pairings to vote on the People’s Choice Awards, and a star-studded panel of celebrity judges will taste to vote for the Judge’s Choice Awards. In total, four winners will be announced. Past chef teams include One Market, Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ, Brix, Goose & Gander, Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, Paula Le Duc Fine Catering, Archetype, Harvest Table, PRESS, Blossom Catering Company, and Gran Electrica.

Prior to the Main Event, there will be a one-hour VIP Culinary Stage that will feature a live cooking demonstration with Celebrity Chef Brian Malarkey. The Culinary Stage, sponsored by Chef’s Life, will include Chef Brian sharing a few recipes using his new line of cooking oils, with Vintner Kathryn Hall sharing background into food and wine parings with those recipes in mind. This VIP Ticket includes an open wine bar, small bites for each dish Chef Brian is creating, a swag bag filled with a bevy of luxury lifestyle products, as well as access to the Main Event. VIP Tickets are $250pp. 

More information can be found at: https://www.hallwines.com/cabernetcookoff.

Arizona Wines Score Big in San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

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San Francisco, CA. – The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (SFCWC) is one of the world’s most highly publicized and well-respected wine competitions of both local and large-scale wineries. A testament to the quality of wines being grown in the state, several of Arizona’s wineries have been chosen as winners in this year’s SFCWC competition.

Photo from Phoenix.org

Arizona has three wine growing regions (Verde Valley, Willcox and Sonoita/Elgin), all of which are designated American Viticultural Areas. In total, there are more than 120 wineries and tasting rooms, many of which grow varietals native to Italy and Southern France. The following wineries placed in the categories below:

  • Callaghan Vineyards:
    • Red Blend: Grenache leading blend – Up to – $29.99
    • Port – Up to – $32.99
    • White Blends – $28.00 and over
    • Cabernet Franc – $30.00 – $39.99
    • Red Blend: Grenache leading blend – $30.00 and over
    • Red Blend: Petite Sirah leading blend.
  • Copper Horse Vineyard:
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – $35.00 – $38.99
  • Four Tails Vineyard:
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – $35.00 – $38.99
    • Petite Sirah – $28.00 – $34.99
    • Viognier – Up to – $26.99
    • Petit Verdot – Up to – $39.99
    • Tempranillo – Up to – $34.99
    • Dry Rosé/Blush Blend – RS 0
  • Golden Rule Vineyards:
    • Red Blend: Sangiovese leading blend
    • Red Blend: Petite Sirah leading blend
    • Aglianico
    • Mourvedre
  • Heart Wood Cellars:
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – $39.00 – $41.99
    • Red Blend: Syrah leading blend – $36.00 and over
    • Tannat
    • All Other Red Varietals
    • Port – $33.00 and over
    • Red Blend: Petite Sirah leading blend
    • Sangiovese – $35.00 and over
    • Tempranillo – $35 and over
    • Dry Rosé/Blush – RS .1 – .299
    • Mourvedre
    • Petite Sirah – $46.00 and over
    • Pinot Noir – $44.00 – $47.99.
  • High Lonesome Vineyard:
    • Malbec – $37.00 and over
    • Tannat
    • All Other Red Varietals
    • Other White Varietals
  • Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery:
    • Rosé Sparkling
    • Merlot – $27.00-$30.99
    • Petite Sirah – $35.00-$39.99
    • Petite Sirah – $40.00-$45.99
    • Red Blend: Zinfandel leading blend – $25.00 and over
    • Riesling – Dry <.99 RS
    • Sangiovese – Up to $34.99
    • Sauvignon Blanc/Fume – $20.00-$25.99
    • Syrah/Shiraz – $31.00-$34.99
    • Tempranillo – $35 and over
    • Zinfandel – $42.00-$47.99
    • Barbera – Up to $34.99
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – $35.00 – $38.99
    • Dry Rosé/Blush Blend – RS 0
    • Red Blend: Merlot leading blend – $30.00 and over
    • Zinfandel – $32.00-$34.99
  • Jerome Winery:
    • All Other Red Varietals
  • LDV Winery:
    • Petite Sirah – $46.00 and over
    • Petite Sirah – $40.00-$45.99
  • Mogollon Vineyards:
    • Chardonnay – $23.00 – $25.99
    • Red Blend: Syrah leading blend – Up to – $35.99
    • White Blends – $28.00 and over
    • Grenache – Up to – $34.99.
  • Pillsbury Wine Company:
    • Petite Sirah – $46.00 and over
    • Syrah/Shiraz – $44.00 and over
    • Dry/Sweet Rosé/Blush – RS 1.00 and over
    • Grenache – $35.00 and over
    • Malvasia Bianca
    • Red Blend: Mourvedre leading blend
    • White Blends – $22.00 – $27.99
    • Mourvedre
    • Red Blend: Grenache leading blend – $30.00 and over
    • Red Blend: Syrah leading blend – $36.00 and over
    • White Blends – $28.00 and over
    • White Blends – Up to – $21.99
  • Strive Vineyards:
    • Aglianico
    • Cabernet Franc – $30.00-$39.99
    • Dry Rosé/Blush – RS 0
    • Petite Verdot – Up to $39.99
    • Port – $33.00 and over
  • Sultry Cellars:
    • All Other Red Blends: $35.00 and over
  • Tantrum Wines:
    • Chardonnay – $20.00-$22.99
    • Dry/Sweet Rosé/Blush – RS 1.00 and over
    • Red Blend: Petite Sirah leading blend
    • Pinot Noir – $32.00-$35.99
  • Winery 1912:
    • Grenache – Up to – $34.99
    • Albariño
    • Red Blend: Grenache leading blend – $30.00 and over
    • Verdelho
  • Zarpara:
    • All Other Red Varietals
    • Red Blend: Syrah leading blend – Up to – $35.99.

Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s competition! Find out more about Arizona Wines with Arizona’s Wine Trail Passport.

Puncher’s Chance® Bourbon Unveils 12-Year-Old Limited Release: The D12TANCE

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EUGENE, ORE. (PRWEB) – Wolf Spirit’s Puncher’s Chance® Bourbon has announced its first-ever limited release offering – The D12TANCE Straight Tennessee Bourbon. Aged for 12 years in traditional stone and wood rickhouses and finished in California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, The D12TANCE is now available at fine spirits retailers at $120 SRP for a 750 ml.

Just 70 barrels of The D12TANCE, sourced from the IJW Whiskey Company in Louisville, Kentucky, were born from a mash bill of 84 percent corn, eight percent malt, eight percent rye and a proprietary yeast strain. With a complex aroma of vanilla, dark cherry fruit and toasted oak, this Tennessee Bourbon yields incredible flavor. At a respectable 96 proof, the warm hint of caramel and vanilla hits the palate first. As the proof gently fades, the tongue picks up a long, fruity finish reminiscent of the French Oak wine barrels in which the liquid rested for two months.

The D12TANCE is the second release from Puncher’s Chance – a new American Whiskey entry from Wolf Spirit, out of Eugene, Oregon, and comes on the heels of the fall 2020 release of the company’s foray into aged dark spirits with the release of Puncher’s Chance Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The brand name of Puncher’s Chance itself is a boxing reference, denoting that almost anyone is possible of a knockout punch, no matter what the odds. Naming our latest aged spirit entry The D12TANCE is a double entendre – referring both to the age of the liquid and the 12 official rounds in a formal boxing match.

Says Umberto Luchini, Founder of Wolf Spirit, “As a relative newcomer to the whiskey category, Wolf Spirit knew the liquid for Puncher’s Chance The D12TANCE needed to pack a punch (pun intended) if we wanted to make our mark, which is why we partnered with the talented team at IJW.”

“With The D12TANCE, we are finishing a 12-year-old Bourbon in wine casks, which is quite unique, as you usually see much younger whiskies receiving this treatment. This was critical to us because we didn’t want the fine Bourbon overpowered by the wine barrel finishing. Our goal was to use the finishing to coax more of the existing characteristics out of the whiskey,” Luchini continues.

The D12TANCE comes housed in the traditional Puncher’s Chance jet-black bottle with a gentle fade at the bottom to reveal the amber liquid within. The Puncher’s Chance tiger, a common symbol in boxing and MMA fighting, again graces the label, but this time in striking gold leaf making it easily identifiable on the backbar.

The D12TANCE is best served neat or on the rocks to truly experience the subtle effects the finishing has on this perfectly-balanced and nuanced liquid.

With only 2,000 cases produced for the U.S. market, The D12TANCE may be purchased in California, Florida, Kentucky, Colorado, Oklahoma and New Mexico (Southern Glazer’s); New York, Tennessee and Georgia (Empire); Massachusetts and Rhode Island (Atlantic Beverage); Missouri (Major Brands); Connecticut (Murphy); and Wisconsin (Badger/Frank).

Find Puncher’s Chance online at http://www.puncherschancebourbon.com and on social media Instagram and Facebook @puncherschancebourbon.

ABOUT WOLF SPIRIT
Perhaps the only liquor company in the world founded in an old laundromat (Nanny’s Wash & Dry, to be exact), Wolf Spirit is a true Eugene, Oregon original, producing fine, handcrafted products that capture the pioneering spirit of the American northwest. Founded by Campari Group veteran Umberto Luchini and helmed by longtime spirits industry expert Bradd Levitan, Wolf Spirit embodies the traits of its namesake. Guided by instinct and fueled by a hunger for brands with authentic stories, Wolf Spirit is building a pack of unique products with courageously bold identities that come together with purpose. Our premium brands include Puncher’s Chance® Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Tom of Finland® Organic Vodka, Blood x Sweat x Tears® Vodka and Bosscal Mezcal. Launched in 2017, Wolf Spirit’s products are now available in more than 35 states across the US with a keen focus on national and regional on- and off-premise chains. Find out more at https://wolfspiritdistillery.com/.

Really Good Boxed Wine Announces Master Sommelier Endorsement With Its National Launch

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HEALDSBURG, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Really Good Boxed Wine, the new direct-to-consumer wine brand whose mission is to elevate the quality of boxed wines, announces the release of its 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from a Certified Sustainable in Practice (SIP) vineyard in Paso Robles.

“Andy Myers, the first Master Sommelier to become affiliated with a boxed wine.”

This is the brand’s first broadly available release after two limited releases of a 2020 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, each time selling out in a few days. Really Good Boxed Wine is available as either a one-time purchase or as a monthly subscription.

The launch of the latest varietal comes with an endorsement from Andy Myers, the first Master Sommelier to become affiliated with a boxed wine. He found his love of wine while working at the three Michelin Star Inn at Little Washington and never looked back, later spending almost a decade as the beverage director for Chef José Andrés ThinkFoodGroup.

The Master Sommelier diploma is the highest distinction a professional can attain in fine wine and beverage service. There are only 269 Master Sommeliers worldwide, including 172 in the United States, with many sommeliers dedicating their lives to achieve this elusive designation.

“Boxed wine has gotten a bad rap from wine drinkers who perceive it as being inferior,” said Myers. “But since most of today’s wines don’t need to be aged in a bottle, it makes sense to take high-end wines like those offered by Really Good Boxed Wine and create better and more sustainable packaging, without inhibiting the drinking experience. I was thoroughly impressed with all of the wines Really Good Boxed Wine is releasing, and am excited to be part of their journey.”

Really Good Boxed Wine’s founder Jake Whitman concurs with Myers’ mission to revamp the image of boxed wine while helping to address the wine industry’s carbon emissions due to bottle manufacturing.

“Really Good Boxed Wine’s goal is to create the best boxed wine in the United States, and we’re beyond thrilled that Andy loved our wine enough to endorse it after trying it,” said Whitman. “Far from mass-produced, commercially farmed grapes, our wine is directly sourced from respected vineyards and award-winning winemakers. I believe boxed wines are one of the clearest ways to help reduce the carbon impact of packaging in our industry, and our hope is Andy’s incredible palate and Master Sommelier credentials will help educate consumers on the quality of our wine.”

Whitman followed, “Our team of sommeliers and industry experts tasted more than 50 options to find the perfect wine for our January release, ultimately landing on our new 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. We can’t wait to share it with the world.”

Each 3 Liter box of Really Good Boxed Wine, the equivalent of four bottles of wine, sells for $65, or $16.25 per bottle. Wines of this caliber typically retail for a minimum of to per bottle.

Consumers enjoy up to a 60% savings versus comparable premium wine bottles, since packaging costs and shipping are significantly lower.

Really Good Boxed Wine’s next varietals include a 2021 Pinot Noir Rosé from the Russian River Valley in February, followed by a 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County in March. For more information, visit https://www.reallygoodboxedwine.com.

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About Really Good Boxed Wine:
Really Good Boxed Wine combats the misconception that high-quality wine can’t be put in a box. They partner with world-class vineyards and award-winning winemakers to make ultra-premium wine, put it in the boxed wine format, and sell it direct-to-consumer through http://www.reallygoodboxedwine.com. It’s boxed wine you actually want to drink.