EMERIL LAGASSE FOUNDATION’S CARNIVALE DU VIN BREAKS RECORDS FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES

December 5, 2021 by evebushman

NEW ORLEANS, LA —The Emeril Lagasse Foundation celebrated its 19th annual fundraising weekend on November 5th and 6th in New Orleans, raising a Foundation record $3.75 million to support its mission to create opportunities to inspire, mentor, and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition, and arts education, with a focus on life skills development.

“After missing our live event last year, we were happy to come back together in person and celebrate with an amazing lineup of chefs and auction items,” says Chef Emeril Lagasse. “Alden and I remain ever grateful for the generosity of our donors, sponsors, participating chefs, and the New Orleans community. Their continued support changes the lives of vulnerable children in our community.”

The Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s annual fundraising weekend kicked off with events at the New Orleans Board of Trade and The Sazerac House. The Fillmore hosted Carnivale du Vin 2021, the foundation’s nationally recognized wine auction and gala dinner. Culinary greats Frank Brigtsen, Nina Compton, Ken Frank, Ken Lum, Ronnie Rainwater, and Frank Szymanski brought together the best in wine and food for a night of charitable giving. Four hundred guests experienced a four-course meal created by Chef Emeril’s team and culinary students from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Hospitality students from Café Hope, Café Reconcile, and Pro-Start received training from Emeril’s front-of-house staff, and together, they formed the service team for the special evening.

The live auction highlight was a six-liter bottle of The Setting Wines 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon that sold for $1 Million—shattering the World Record as the most expensive single bottle of wine ever sold at auction. “We are humbled to be able to offer $1 million to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation and its efforts to support youth, ” said Don Steiner, purchaser of the world record breaking lot.

Co-founded by Jeff Cova and Noah McMahon, who both come from philanthropic backgrounds, and famed winemaker Jesse Katz, The Setting Wines first broke world records when a 750-ml bottle of their wine sold for $350,000 at Carnivale du Vin in 2017. “We are truly honored and amazed to make history again, especially as part of an event that means so much to us,” said McMahon, who serves on the Advisory Committee of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. “Inspiring others in meaningful ways is a huge part of our brand ethos, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to know this record-breaking sale will have such a big impact on the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s mission to create uplifting educational and developmental programs for children.”

The Setting Wines 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the prestigious Glass Slipper Vineyard, located in Napa’s renowned Coombsville AVA. Made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this bottling is the first wine ever to be released from this vineyard, which is owned by long-time vintners, Paul and Suzie Frank. Marrying meticulous farming, of which the Franks are known for, with the world-class winemaking skills of Katz, the 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an exquisite wine that showcases finesse and age-ability while perfectly encapsulating the elegant nuances of the region. Only 75 cases and one six-liter bottle were produced.

The Emeril Lagasse Foundation continually provides capital and programmatic support to eligible non-profit organizations across the nation through its Community Grants Program. Recent grant recipients include Covenant House New Orleans, Second Harvest Food Bank, Arc Broward, Food for Thought, and NOCCA. The signature program of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation is Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen. This program was created to make a direct, lasting impact on the lives of young people. It reflects the foundation’s mission to inspire, mentor, and enable youth while broadening its reach nationally. Currently, there are five garden & kitchen programs around the country.

Sponsors for the weekend included Visit South Walton, Wicks Family Foundation, All Charities Ocean Reef, The Solomon Family, Buffalo Trace, Abita, GHMumm, Center for Restorative Breast Surgery, Jones Walker, Shipt, Bradshaw, GoodCook, Sands Cares, Marquee Brands and James G. Fifield Family Trust.

About Emeril Lagasse Foundation: Founded in 2002 by Chef Emeril Lagasse and his wife Alden, Emeril Lagasse Foundation is a 501c(3) public charity headquartered in New Orleans. The foundation’s mission is to inspire, mentor and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition, and arts education with a focus on life skills development. Since its inception, Emeril Lagasse Foundation has granted more than $15.5 million to children’s charities to support culinary, nutrition, and arts programs. The foundation was recognized as the 2016 Nonprofit of the Year by the Louisiana Association of Non-Profit Organizations. To learn more about the foundation and its beneficiaries, visit Emeril.org, or follow on Facebook, Twitter , or Instagram.

About The Setting Wines: The Setting Wines is a collection of luxury wines created by three friends: Jeff Cova, Noah McMahon and famed winemaker, Jesse Katz. Driven by their philanthropic backgrounds, Jeff and Noah partnered with Jesse to establish The Setting Wines in 2014, a brand that seeks to encourage the appreciation of the simple moments in life, embrace the transformative power of shared experiences, and give back in meaningful ways. Sourcing grapes from esteemed vineyards throughout Napa and Sonoma Valleys, The Setting produces high quality wines that express a delicate balance between purity of fruit and the unique characters of each vineyard site. Visit thesettingwines.com to learn more.

New From Smith-Madrone

October 22, 2021 by evebushman

Earlier this year I reviewed the 2017 Chardonnay and Riesling from Smith-Madrone. Eddie and I really liked the wines and my two-bottle review is here if you would like to read it. To give you an idea of how much we appreciated these wines, here was my opening:

When was the last time you tried a new wine from Napa…but wait…let me re-phrase that: When was the last time you had a wine from Napa that you never had before, that has been around since the 1970s, and that you found to be damn good? Well I was what they say “today years old” when I had chance to review three new-to-me wines from Smith-Madrone…

Now it’s time to try the just-released 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon. I was really looking forward to sampling this new vintage, based on what I thought of the two I had already reviewed I hoped it would be just as great. I will share my tasting notes and then the notes from Smith-Madrone:

Eve’s Notes

Lovely bottle with a deep punt, the front label showing Estate Bottled, and the date they were established: 1971. Also made note of the 14.3% alcohol. Then I anxiously got down to the tasting. Noting the color first, it was opaque and reminded me of lush blackberries. After a few swirls I noted layers of blue and black fruit, dried cherries, forest floor, milk chocolate, toasted oak, spice tingling my nose and a very slight menthol/mint. Tasting the wine proved to be exactly what I was looking for: those same layers of both fresh and dried dark fruit, green peppercorns, followed by some spice – this time tingling my tongue – and a very long finish due to the drying tannins. Tried the wine again an hour later with food and it only improved. 94 Eve points indeed.

From Smith Madrone

Aromatically, the 2018 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon fills your glass with a magic conjunction of red and black fruit, cedar, graphite and perhaps a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.

The superb nose is followed by a palate sensation of impressive size, shape and amplitude. The wine is big and beautifully textured, but with such impeccable balance. The structure becomes a dimension in and of itself. The piercing, focused aroma leads to a solid core of dark Cabernet fruit. The wine is a veritable treasure trove of aroma and flavor; it finishes long and strong with moderate fine grain tannins that suggests a long and happy future.

It is often the case that the best older wines were once the best younger wines and we are betting our fifty years of experience that the 2018 Cabernet is further proof of the truth of this wise old adage.

WINE SPECS:

Vintage – 2018

Varietal – Cabernet Sauvignon

Appellation – Spring Mountain District

https://www.smithmadrone.com/

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.

Explore the Stags Leap District and its World-Class Wines at Vineyard to Vintner Weekend, April 22-24, 2022

October 17, 2021 by evebushman

NAPA, CALIF. (PRWEB) – The premier event for the Stags Leap District Winegrowers, Vineyard to Vintner, returns in 2022, bringing enthusiasts together with vintners, winemakers and principals for a memorable weekend of esteemed wines, enchanting dining and in-depth education. A celebration of the people and wines of the venerated AVA (American Viticultural Area), Vineyard to Vintner weekend will be held Friday through Sunday, April 22 to 24, 2022, offering an immersive Cabernet Sauvignon experience.

“This is the ultimate way to fully experience the Stags Leap District. Our guests will enjoy world-class dining and tastings, and there’s so much more – Vineyard to Vintner is the chance to meet one-on-one with all the personalities behind the wines, get into the vineyards, explore behind the scenes, and engage and learn directly from winemakers and proprietors,” said Nancy Bialek, Executive Director of Stags Leap District Winegrowers. “We are so excited to welcome cabernet lovers for an unforgettable weekend of extraordinary wines and curated experiences.”

Renowned for producing critically acclaimed wines with power and grace, lush fruit and complex layers of flavor, the Stags Leap District is the Napa Valley’s smallest sub-appellation by planted acreage, a sliver of land bounded by the Stags Leap Palisades to the east and the Napa River to the west. A valley within a valley at just a mile wide and three miles long, the region is defined by the distinctiveness of its soils. The climate, too, is unique. Warmed by the afternoon sun reflecting from the west facing towering rock facades, the vineyards are cooled in the evenings by breezes and marine air from the San Pablo Bay. This diurnal shift results in a long growing season – ideal for late-maturing varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon to develop phenolic complexity and deep intensity.

Guests at Vineyard to Vintner weekend 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.

Vineyard to Vintner Weekend Activities:
Library Wine Dinners: Friday, April 22 // 6:30PM – 10:00PM
Featuring rare library wines and exquisite menus crafted by some of the Bay Area’s most accomplished chefs, each exquisite vintner-hosted dinner offers guests the opportunity to experience Stags Leap District hospitality at its best, all while dining with the winemakers and principals from each winery. Hosts for the intimate dinners include Chimney Rock Winery (with cohosts Shafer Vineyards and Quixote Winery); Regusci Winery (with cohosts Lindstrom Wines and Stags’ Leap Winery); Silverado Vineyards (with cohosts Cliff Lede Vineyards and Ilsley Vineyards); Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (with cohosts Pine Ridge Vineyards, Malk Family Vineyards and Baldacci Family Vineyards); and Taylor Family Vineyards (with cohosts Clos Du Val and Steltzner Vineyards). Each dinner is limited to only 40 guests.

Digging Deeper: Vineyard Walks, Talks and Tastings: Saturday, April 23 // 10: 30AM – 12:15PM
Master classes in Stags Leap District viticulture and history, each of the four Digging Deeper seminars provide an engaging mix of hospitality and thorough education. A unique perspective will be offered at four venues along with a selection of storied wines. Each class is limited to only 50 guests. Programs include, Digging WAY Deeper at Baldacci Family Vineyards; Stags Leap District Then and Now: A Look Back at how Viticulture Practices have Developed in the Last 50 years at Clos du Val; The Clones that Shaped the Stags Leap District at Ilsley Vineyards; and Digging Deeper in the Vineyards at Pine Ridge Vineyards.

Vintner-Hosted Gala Luncheon and Appellation Collection Preview: Saturday, April 23 // 12:30PM – 3:00PM
Rarely in one place, winemakers, owners and principals of 16 District wineries will gather for a tempting luncheon and walk-around tasting. It’s also the first chance to sample the 2019 Appellation Collection, to be released in October 2022. Hosted at the historic Stags’ Leap Winery with more than 100 acres of breathtaking gardens and views of the towering Palisades for guests to enjoy.

Savor SLD: Winery Experiences: Sunday, April 24 // 10:30AM – 4:15PM
On Sunday, guests can create their own personal itinerary, selecting from among 13 wineries offering curated private experiences, including options to visit several properties not open to the public. Participating 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, Silverado Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Steltzner Vineyards.

Tickets and Additional Information
Tickets are now available 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 complete 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.

Learning, Tasting and Joining: Vegas Drammers!

October 15, 2021 by evebushman

As we have been in Las Vegas a lot more these days I sought out all kinds of food and drinking establishments. Through my “research” I found the global Drammers club founded by Charlie Prince and their newly established Las Vegas Chapter run by Bob Brown. Eddie and I attended our first meeting at a strip location where we had more than enough brown and clear spirits to warrant a second meeting. Below is the second invitation to join the club, with liquor descriptions by Prince, shared with his permission and in italics are my notes:

Vegas Drammers!

We wanted to make sure everyone had seen that our next Drammers Las Vegas tasting will be Sunday, September 26th at 6:30pm. We’re coming hot off visits to both Scotland/Europe and to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, so we’ve got a bunch of fun bottles in tow that you’re unlikely to get another chance to try! Drumroll please…

Very Old St Nick – Curia – Kentucky Bourbon Fest Exclusive. We’ll be coming to Seattle straight from the Kentucky Bourbon Fest, and we’ve got some fun bottles in tow to share. The team at Preservation (behind Very Old St Nick and Rare Perfection) released this bottle exclusively at the fest. It’s a bourbon bottled at 47.6% abv, and since it was released under the Very Olde St. Nick line, you know it’s not a young whiskey. I’ll try to find out more before we get there, but this is definitely a one-off-shot to pick this up. This was the first whiskey we tasted and was an immediate favorite for many of us. Charlie, along with his notes above, shared that this distiller was making wood-heavy bourbons before vodka took over in the U.S. The flavor was very popular in Japan before becoming well-liked again in the U.S. Aromas included sweet roasted and buttered corn, suede and no burn on the palate. Flavors like suede, toffee, corn nuts, creamy and smooth. Charlie said it had cherry cordial flavor and another bourbon lover noted fig.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. – Distillery Collection – Triple Stave Finish. Released to coincide with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, this special release was only available at the distillery when we picked it up a few days ago and is almost certainly now sold out. It is a blend of straight whiskies finished with oak staves. 54.% abv. I asked Charlie about this bourbon, as I knew one of my favorite Napa wineries – Phifer Pavitt – collaborated on a bourbon with them. He said they do a lot of collaborations, using a barrel that held Phifer Pavitt Napa Cabernet Sauvignon being one of them. He hadn’t had the Phifer Pavitt collaboration but he had plenty of others, and that the distillery is “huge…well financed…(and) shockingly big like an Olympic swimming pool.” The one we tasted wasn’t a collaboration but instead they had incorporated a “Triple Stave Finish” instead. On the nose there was that cream, white pepper and a lot of vanilla bean and toasted oak. A new friend said she noted maple syrup and waffles, that we all had to agree with. That same maple syrup over waffles was also apparent in the taste with some burn, vanilla, walnut and Charlie noted sweet marmalade.

2 Expressions of Buzzard’s Roost Rye. Bourbon Bistro was arguably the first major whiskey bar in Louisville, a game changer that was way ahead of its time, and today it is rightly celebrated as one of the powerhouse drivers of bourbon culture in Kentucky. So it was particularly exciting to learn on our recent trip that they have launched their own line of whiskies – Buzzard’s Roost! We’ll be trying two of them this evening — a straight rye in a peated barrel (!), bottled at a delicious 52.5% abv (batch 1), and a barrel strength, also bottled at 52.5% abv (batch 2). These releases were limited to 800 and 1100 bottles respectively. We’ve tasted them, and we’re really excited about them. Charlie told a story about the Bourbon Bistro – a game-changing bar in Louisville with a secret menu of prohibition era whisky. Of course he got his hands on that menu, and spent about $1,000 that night enjoying drams from it. These ryes are a launch of their own whisky line. First came the barrel strength. My new whisky pal immediately noted that it was almost like a tawny port, I agreed. Aromas reminded me of sweet frozen vanilla custard, hazelnuts, a wood sauna; with flavors of sweet Kettle corn, caramel corn and a hint of banana. Next we sampled the rye finished in a peated smoked barrel – something none of us had heard of before. Peat bogs were not used, instead the rye was aged in a peated smoked barrel, giving it a more subtle peat flavor. Reminded me a bit of the Ardbeg An Oa. I noted salted nuts and smooth white chocolate on the nose; with a drop of water it became a very easy sipper, maybe a gateway for those new to peated whisky, lots of nuts and others noted flavors of gingerbread and that the peat in the nose came out after tasting it.

Mlody Ziemniak 2020 and The Barell Spirits Whiskey finished in a Pear Brandy Cask at 59.9$ abv, a Drammers Club pick. Whisky enthusiasts tend to be respectful of all other spirits categories except one — vodka. But these bottles might change your mind. The logic goes that by definition, the spirit needs to be tasteless and odorless, so what’s there to be proud of? The culprit here is that vodka is by definition distilled up to at least 96% alcohol, thereby eliminating a lot of the potential flavors. But what if you took the same distillate, and only distilled it once, stopping at 60% abv? And what if Poland’s most prestigious craft vodka distillery made a point to do it in a special limited edition series to highlight flavor differences among potato varietals? That’s exactly what Chopin did, and we were so blown away by the results, we flew to the distillery in Poland to do an event live with the founder, where our US members tried samples and voted to pick an exclusive batch for our club. That batch hasn’t arrived yet, but in the meantime, we’ve secured the very limited 2019 and 2020 special editions (From Eve: The 2019 was unavailable for this tasting) released under their “Mlody Ziemniak” (or “young potato”) line. These bottles can only be found in Poland currently, and in our opinion, they’re a game changer. Very anxious to cleanse my palate with a vodka, one where we could possibly taste the base potato spirit. Most of us didn’t care for this one much. On the Barell Spirits Whiskey Pear finish Charlie said that they make about 100 different weird finishes and this unaged version was finished in a pear brandy cask. Aromas reminded Eddie of bubble gum, while I noted dried berries, a boxload of Harry and David pears, flamed orange peel and fruitcake; with flavors of Triscuit crackers, hay, spam, Umami, and another person noted distinct “burnt popcorn”. This was not a favorite of the group.

Glenkinchie Distillery-Only Cask Strength Handfill. Diageo put a lot of money into revamping the visitor center at this Lowlands distillery just outside Edinburgh, and it opened in the middle of Covid, so that so far, they haven’t been able to welcome many visitors. If you haven’t heard of this distillery, it’s no surprise — over 90% of what they distill goes into the Johnnie Walker blends, so very little has been released under the “Glenkinchie” brand in the US, and of that virtually none of it is at cask strength, making this distillery only handfill bottle a particularly rare treat. Distilled in 2009, bottled in 2021, so approximately 11 years matured. I tried a small sip at the distillery, which was amazing, but otherwise haven’t really had a chance to try this yet. 55.2% Charlie said this was possibly 12 years old, hard to find, he picked up about 30 bottles just for his clubs. This was not the favorite in the line-up, but nothing wrong with it. While Charlie got notes of red apple cider, I noted toast, both sweet and spice notes, and a softness on the palate after adding some water.

Lagavulin Feis Ile Bottling 2020. About 10 of us had made plans to attend Feis Ile in 2020, and but for Covid, we just might have done it. If we had, the only way we would have had a shot at getting this bottle would have been if we’d camped out overnight at the distillery for Lagavulin’s big day. Instead, with the fest taking place virtually, we were able to pick up a bottle in their gift shop a couple weeks ago for us to taste! Bottle 1,924 of 6,000 bottles, it’s a vatting of 20yo refill and PX/Oloroso seasoned hogsheads personally selected by (then) distillery manager Colin Gordon and bottled at cask strength. Charlie said that before Covid maybe up to 3,000 people could score two bottles each of this whisky. This is a 13 year old. Found cream, grass, mushroom and umami notes on the nose, others also noted an earthy quality. The taste reminded me of olive brine and white pepper, another drammer noted Spanish olives.

That’s our lineup! And you never know with us, we might show up with a bonus surprise or two. We hope you can join us.

We’ll also provide yummy pizza as usual. A huge thank you to our Las Vegas chapter head Bob Brown for organizing!

Of course, we’re only getting started here in Las Vegas, and looking to continue to grow our chapter, so if you know anyone you think might be a good fit for the club, please feel free to invite them to join us…

Cheers,

Charlie Prince

President, Drammers Club

www.drammers.com

HALL, WALT & BACA WINES ANNOUNCE 2021 ‘MY WINE MOMENT’ PHOTO GIVEAWAY

October 14, 2021 by evebushman

(ST. HELENA, CALIFORNIA) – HALL, WALT and BACA Wines, a set of family-owned wineries based in both Napa and Sonoma counties, has launched its first ever My Wine Moment Giveaway, ahead of the much anticipated holiday season. The Photo Giveaway, which is open for entry October 1 through November 24, 2021, will award one participant with the ultimate Napa Valley retreat package.

Prospective entrants are invited to share an image enjoying wine as part of a special moment. The lucky winner and a guest will receive a four-day, three-night accommodations package in Napa Valley, roundtrip airfare, and private ground transportation. Additionally, the winner and a guest will visit all five HALL, WALT and BACA luxury Tasting Room locations for a series of private food and wine experiences, with private transportation being provided to and from each. The winners will also receive a $500 Visa Gift Card for a selection of HALL, WALT and BACA wines. Additionally, multiple ‘Honorable Mention’ special wine moments photographs will be selected.

“Wine has been a part of so many special moments throughout the course of my life –birthdays, graduations, countless holiday gatherings, as well as simple moments like an evening stroll through the vineyard with Craig” says Vintner Kathryn Hall. “We know others have these moments too and we love hearing about them. I hope this Giveaway will encourage you to share the joy of your own special wine moments.”

The My Wine Moment Giveaway is free to enter, and entries are being accepted October 1 through November 24. There are two ways to enter. Participants may submit a photo and comment on the HALL, WALT, or BACA websites at My Wine Moment or by posting a picture on Instagram using the hashtag #MyWineMoment and one of the brand hashtags; #HALLWines, #WALTWines or #BACAWines. The winner will be selected Monday, November 29. To review the official giveaway rules, please visit Terms & Conditions. Entrants must be 21 and over to be eligible.

For more information on the prize packages and to enter, please visit My Wine Moment Giveaway Submission page. For more information on HALL, WALT and BACA Wines, please visit HALL + @hallwines, WALT + @waltwines and BACA + @bacawines.

ABOUT HALL FAMILY WINES:

HALL Family Wines produces high quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel under the HALL, WALT and BACA brand monikers. HALL Family Wines collectively owns five wine country tasting rooms including HALL St. Helena, HALL Rutherford, WALT Sonoma, WALT Oxbow, and WALT | BACA Healdsburg. 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 Vice President of Winemaking Megan Gunderson Paredes, sources fruit from some of the most prominent vineyards up and down the West Coast including twelve Estate vineyards– Sacrashe, Bergfeld, Hardester, Beller, Atlas Peak, Lamoreaux, Rainin, Dellar-Freidkin, Cook, 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 industry’s top critics, including four 100-point scores. Visit www.hallwines.com, www.waltwines.com, www.bacawines.com for more information, or call 707-967-2626.

White Wine After Labor Day! A Round Up of Your Favorites!

October 8, 2021 by evebushman

There was a funny graphic on Facebook that I shared recently, about how it’s okay to have white wine after Labor Day. (Some crazy rule from the “Clothing Police” states we can’t wear white after Labor Day. So it’s a joke on that.) I used the graphic to get people’s attention and to ask what their favorite white wines have been so far this year. This is a roundup of their answers and a final one from me.

A few whites I have at home right now.

Sergio L: I enjoy the Koehler Reserve Chardonnay but the best? That’s hard. I’ve always loved the Rombauer Chardonnay. I know some think it’s a little too much but I love it.

Michelle T: Eek, I drink so little white wine that I can’t recall.

Karen B: Trimbach Riesling (Alsace) and White Burgundy. Grüner Veltliner for fall!

Michel D: Sauvignon Blanc – Ghost Block Morgan Lee Vineyard 2015, (and another is Sauvignon Blanc) Route Stock Napa 2015. Not a SB – my favorite is Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier fantastic.

PS: 2012 Pierres-Yves Colin-Morey Corton Charlemagne after 45 minute decant. Stunning.

Lynan Z: Quilt Chardonnay. And Cursive Chardonnay. I placed an order on Whole Foods and it popped up as available. Price point is excellent for every day. It works.

Donald S: ONX Wines Field Day is my go to white.

Jennifer M: Any white from Trisateum or Stoller!

Chris K: It would have to be that J Wilkes Pinot Blanc for a refreshing delicious anytime wine…

Briana O: I just had a St. Michael Eppan Pinot Blanc that was crisp, well balanced and summery. I’m trying to stretch out summer as long as I can.

Kristin S: Picpoul!

Shauna C: Pulchella Winery Latitude is my go-to white. (We also both enjoy their sparkling.)

Gerardo Z: Vinos Zanzonico 2020 Chardonnay.

Toni P: Eve, one of my favorite whites is Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay Estate. Haven’t had it in a while, but no time like the present!

Benay L.: Yes! Brecon Albariño. It’s fantastic.

Betty S: Liquid Farm Four Chardonnay or their champagne.

Wayne L: Opolo Albariño frown in Edna Valley and Moon Vineyards Viognier from Manteca.

Michael H: Any number of white wines both commercial and from the home winery. Depends on Day, Dinner, and Company… Roussannes are serious enough whites for red wine enthusiasts. Orange-type whites with extended skin contacts are interesting challenges for food pairings. Bodega Paso Robles has a Granacha Blanc on the skins they’ve just released. Angeleno Wine Co usually has a white on the skins, the most recent one a Chardonnay.

Me: Like Michael H above I have a hard time only selecting a few specific white wines as there are there are so many good ones. Of the ones mentioned above I’m also a fan of white wines from our local Pulchella winery, J Wilkes Pinot Blanc made by winemaker Wes Hagen, the Trimbach Riesling and Chardonnay from Vinos Zanzonico delivered from Baja, California. Not a huge fan of overly-acidic or lemon-y Sauvignon Blanc, but been happy with one from Paso’s Justin recently and Entourage by Two Papas. An every day Chard we like is from J. Lohr, TW Ferm Chardonnay and a Hoyt Sparkling from our last Paso trip, Margerum white Rhone blends and all the whites made by Kunin that are both from Santa Barbara tasting rooms, Frank Family Chardonnay and Beringer’s Luminus label Napa Chard are currently in my cellar. We also like white Rhônes and white Bordeaux if we can get them conveniently. I’m absolutely positive that I haven’t remembered every white wine I’ve enjoyed lately, and for that I apologize to any winemaker reading this that did not see his winery listed!

Discover Napa’s Rustic Elegance at the 10th Annual Taste of Atlas Peak on October 30th

October 3, 2021 by evebushman

NAPA, CALIF. (PRWEB) – This year’s 10th Annual Taste of Atlas Peak promises to be a memorable tasting event as winegrowers, vintners, and wine enthusiasts gather to celebrate the rustic elegance of Atlas Peak Appellation wines and raise funds for a cause that is especially important to Napa Valley community members. In collaboration with the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (NCFF), Taste of Atlas Peak will call on sponsorships and donations, in addition to ticket sales, to help support and sustain local fire-safety efforts. Net proceeds from this year’s event will be distributed through the NCFF to various fire safety projects, including fuel reduction, fire breaks, and the IQ FireWatch system.

The event will be hosted at the Silverado Resort & Spa on Saturday, October 30, 2021, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM and feature an exclusive walk-around tasting, the opportunity to mingle with winemakers, and enjoy gourmet food pairings. Guests will also experience live music plus an auction of collectible wines, local art, lodging and dining, and other highly desirable lots.

For the first time in its history, Taste of Atlas Peak will join with the Napa County Board of Supervisors, Circle R Ranch, E. & J. Gallo Winery, Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management, Marc and Lynne Benioff, and others to raise funds in support of various fire-safety programs. One of these programs is the installation of an IQ FireWatch camera at the top of Atlas Peak Road. IQ FireWatch is an artificial intelligence-based system that uses optical and heat sensors to detect fires day or night; it sends an immediate alert notification with images to authorities for rapid confirmation and proportionate response. The system will improve wildfire detection, help first responders to extinguish fires before they get out of control, and ensure that the public receives critical information in fire emergencies.

The fundraising effort comes on top of several new fire-safety additions to the county over the past four years. “This is a big step for the Atlas Peak Appellation and their collaboration with Napa County and the NCFF,” said Alfredo Pedroza, Chairman of the Napa County Board of Supervisors. “We are excited to bring wine enthusiasts to Atlas Peak to enjoy the wines of our county, while raising funds for a cause that will help protect the production of these wines, as well as the homes, businesses, and livelihoods of our community members.”

“We’re pleased to do our share as a friend and neighbor of the people of Atlas Peak,” said Chris Bailey, General Manager of Peter Read’s Circle R Ranch. “We need to do everything we can to fight fires and prevent damage to our community. We’re excited to partner with others to help ensure the IQ FireWatch system is installed and monitored. We think this is the best proactive measure to detect fires before they get out of hand, and we hope that others will join us in making this happen to protect Atlas Peak and the surrounding Napa Valley.”

“In cooperation with Napa County, many generous friends and neighbors, and the NCFF, our plan is to support and provide funding for the 24-hour monitoring of the IQ FireWatch system, which will help us protect and sustain our way of life on Atlas Peak,” said Peter Stoneberg, President of the Atlas Peak Appellation Association. With this early warning detection system in place, “it will minimize fires that could threaten the entire Napa Valley and beyond.”

Taste of Atlas Peak is the Atlas Peak Appellation’s premier annual event, offering guests an exclusive chance to taste premium wines from more than 20 wineries producing only the finest expressions from Atlas Peak terroir—all while raising funds to protect the vineyards, wineries, and local land. “We look forward to showcasing the best of Atlas Peak to wine enthusiasts from near and far at Silverado Resort & Spa,” says John Evans, General Manager. “Because many of the wineries in this AVA do not have traditional tasting rooms, this event truly is the best way to discover the rustic elegance of Atlas Peak.” Wineries will be offering exclusive bottlings not available anywhere else, and wine enthusiasts will have the opportunity to connect directly with the winemakers and vintners.

Participating Atlas Peak Appellation Wineries
Acumen
Alpha Omega
Antica Napa Valley
Atlas Peak Wine Labs
Burgess Cellars
Dos Lagos Vineyards
Hesperian Wines
Hill Family Estate
James Cole Winery
Jean Edwards Cellars
Llamas Family Wines
Lobo Wines
Prime Solum
Sequoia Grove
Sill Family Vineyards
Vin Roc
Williamson Wines

Ticket Information:
The 10th Annual Taste of Atlas Peak takes place on Saturday, October 30, 2021, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Silverado Resort & Spa, 1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napa, CA. Tickets are $150 per person. Visit https://bit.ly/EventbriteTicketsToAP2021 for full details and to purchase.

COVID Protocols:
Ensuring the comfort and safety of all attendees, wineries and event staff is a top priority. The event will be hosted outside on the veranda and will follow all California State and Napa County health guidelines and precautions. Masks will be required for unvaccinated attendees.

About Atlas Peak Appellation
Winegrowing families and winemakers have been growing grapes and making wines of renown in Atlas Peak since 1870. The committed and passionate locals on Atlas Peak worked to distinguish their rocky, volcanic landscape as a unique and singular place, and the appellation gained its official status in 1992. The association believes in community, preserving the land, fostering new friendships, and sharing the furrowed beauty of their grape-growing region with wine enthusiasts and collectors, and world travelers. The Atlas Peak Appellation works to promote the prestige and enhance the reputation of Atlas Peak wines, as well as educate wine aficionados about the rare and distinct wines that Atlas Peak produces. To learn more about the Atlas Peak Appellation, please visit http://www.atlaspeakappellation.com on Facebook.com/AtlasPeakAVA, Instagram.com/AtlasPeakAVA or twitter.com/AtlasPeakAVA

Eve Reviews The Vice Wine Trio and The Tri Blend

October 1, 2021 by evebushman

Received some new-to-me Napa red wines for review, and the accompanying news release below. This “vice” wine sounded fun, as did sampling the trio of reds that go into their blend. Though these were unsolicited samples, aka free for review, I would buy any of these wines. My favorites were The Tri Blend and the Cabernet Franc, the St. Laurent was super interesting chilled, and the Malbec was pretty good too. (Note: I reviewed these over several days, therefore I did not try blending these on my own as suggested in the news release.)

2019 Saint Laurent, Single Vineyard

Unfamiliar with the St. Laurent grape I grabbed this from their website, “Meet ‘Majorelle,’ a highly chillable red wine made from rare, aromatic St. Laurent grapes. Delicate and intense, savory and smooth, it’s the ideal in-between bottle for late-summer afternoons and chilly fall evenings…” So, I took their recommendation and chilled the wine a bit before decanting for 30 minutes, and the wine was quite nice to have before dinner. Beautiful red cellophane color. A nose filled with cherry cola, blackberry, blueberry, plum, some red fruit, sweet pipe smoke, dusty. Tasted that same cherry cola as well as the red, blue and black fruits, well balanced with some slight tannins.

2018 Cabernet Franc, Oak Knoll District, single vineyard.

Cabernet Franc has been one of my favorite Bordeaux varietals for the past few years, so I chose this wine to open next. Greeted by lingering aromas of fresh black cherries, spicy plums, dark chocolate, cracked black pepper, toasted oak and cream just after opening. The dark fruit and spicy flavors on the nose transferred to the palate and were very appealing to me. I wanted the finish to go a little longer, but the spice tickled my tongue for a while as the tannins did their job gripping my tongue as well. Noticed the alcohol was 14.4 which accounted for some heat on the palate but no burn on the nose.

2019 Malbec, Oak Knoll District, Single Vineyard

We decanted this one as it was so young and I believe that, also with some additional swirling and time in our glass, it benefited the wine. Black cherry, cherry liqueur, dark and pungent, tri-color peppercorns, red earth and a wet forest floor all on the nose. Tasting the wine I noted that the spice danced on the palate, it was dry and dark but balanced, and was super yummy with our dinner of sous vide steak. 14.3 % alcohol.

2019 “The Tri Blend” Red Wine, Napa Valley

According to the informational postcard that came with the samples I followed their instructions and decanted for 30 minutes prior to serving. A very dark purple and opaque color, with notes of milk chocolate covered cherries, blackberry, crushed leaves, brambles, toasted nuts and pencil shavings on the nose. On the mouth there were hints of blue and black fruit together with peppery spices, mushrooms, tobacco and drying tannins that leaned into a long finish. Very pleasant.

Excerpts From News Release

The Vice Reveals the “The Tri” Tasting Kit

Deconstruct “The Tri” 2019 and Create Your Own Blend with The Vice’s Single-Varietal Napa Valley St. Laurent, Malbec and Cabernet Franc

The Vice Napa Valley Wines has revealed “The Tri” Tasting Kit, a unique tasting experience featuring “The Tri” 2019 and the single-varietal signature wines that are blended to create it: St. Laurent, “Majorelle” 2019; Malbec, Oak Knoll 2019 and Cabernet Franc, 2019.

A rare, complex blend, “The Tri”, named and inspired by founder/winemaker Malek Amrani’s passion for both wine and triathlon – is so much more than the sum of its parts. At once juicy and peppery, it’s an unlikely combination that simply just works, not unlike Amrani’s two greatest passions. In fact, the quantity of each grape in the blend – 18% Cabernet Franc, 52% St. Laurent and 30% Malbec – represents the 2016 Rio Olympics of swimming, running, and cycling time percentages of Olympic triathlete Joe Maloy. “The Tri” brings these stunning single-varietal Napa Valley wines together to create something completely different and uniquely stunning.

In partnership with the USA Triathlon Foundation, each purchase of “The Tri” Tasting Kit includes complimentary access to a series of live virtual tastings with Malek Amrani and Joe Maloy to provide a unique opportunity to deconstruct the blend, discover the process and experiment with blending yourself.

“The Tri” Tasting Kit – Napa Valley ($179.00/ 4 x 750ml bottles & tasting experience):

Tri Blend, 2019

St. Laurent, “Majorelle”, 2019

2019 Malbec, Oak Knoll District, 2019

Cabernet Franc, Los Carneros, 2019

Experience “The Tri” Tasting Kit with Malek Amrani and Joe Maloy during the event or save it for the perfect gift, tasting party or as your own foray into wine blending. A portion of proceeds are being donated to benefit the USA Triathlon Foundation.

Proceeds from each tasting kit will benefit the USA Triathlon Foundation, whose mission is to make the sport accessible to people of all backgrounds and abilities, so the pleasure of enjoying a glass of wine will contribute to someone’s healthy lifestyle, participation in sports, or even Olympic dreams.

About The Vice

The Vice is a Napa Valley luxury wine brand made in small batches. Each batch is crafted from single grape varietals sourced from hand selected vineyards that best express the grape varietal and the region that it comes from. The Vice is a result of passionate labor, sustainable farming, a long expertise of the wine industry and a current understanding of the consumer’s wine trend. The Vice is about as personal of a brand as it gets. Everything is done by the founders. We drive the truck to get our fruit, we crush, bottle, label; we do everything by hand when possible. We design the labels, work the market, and sell the wine. We believe that the best wines in the world aren’t the most expensive ones. We thrive at providing the best quality wine at the best value. For more information visit thevice.com and follow on @thevicewine.

Tasting Tequila Codigo 1530 Rosa Blanco

July 30, 2021 by evebushman

During last month’s Nightclub and Bar show in Las Vegas I tasted Tequila Codigo 1530 “Rosa” Blanco. I learned that this particular tequila spends one month in uncharred Napa Cabernet French oak barrels and is the only tequila that has been approved to use a particular cross emblem from the Jalisco state in Mexico, as seen on the front and the bottom of the bottle. The brief tasting, and only knowing some of the stories behind the tequila, made me want to learn and taste more. Before reviewing it in full for Eve Wine 101 readers, I did a little research via their website.

Codigo 1530

Photo from the Nightclub and Bar show, credit: Edward Bushman.

Just going to their website will blow you away as it opens up with a gorgeous short film to learn how this tequila came to be, in three glorious minutes. The family in Jalisco behind it, their water source, the filtering process, organic yeast from a local bakery, no flavoring or chemicals are added and having “the right people…that have been growing agave all of their lives.”

They have five different types of tequila in their line-up – learn more about each of these award-winners via the film and the website. The Rosa is made with their Blanco that benefits from uncharred oak barrels from Napa, aged one month, and gained a beautiful color – and flavor – without any additional additives to make it so.

This recent article on VinePair shares even more interesting information: https://vinepair.com/articles/ntk-codigo-1530-guide/

The Cross

From their Facebook, regarding the cross embossed on their bottles I learned, “…Código 1530 proudly bears the Jerusalem Cross as the symbol of its heritage story. This iconic cross sits atop the Jalisco Coat of Arms and dates back to 1530 when after colonial struggle, Amatitán was officially recognized as a city of New Galicia and Jalisco was given a coat of arms by the Spanish monarchy, which was anchored by the Jerusalem Cross. Código 1530’s name honors ‘Los Códigos’, the old world codes and customs that shaped and still live on in Amatitán and the Los Bajos region to this day. These values are at the core of the proud families who served this tequila in their homes, and the artisan distilling family who has been the custodian of this private tequila for generations.”

The Tasting

After my brief tasting at the show, though I did benefit from having “ Bar Explorer” Collin De Laval (Instagram: @tilting_at_windmills_) there with me, I looked forward to sitting over a tasting and really getting my nose and mouth wrapped around this beautiful tequila. So here you go:

Greeted by the most delicate color of rose gold, and very leggy in my glass, I was ready to search my memory of what the aromas reminded me of and found: sweet cream, cling peaches, dried dark cherries, white chocolate and biscuit. On the palate I was rewarded with tingly flavors of dried red fruits and mixed nuts, with a rich and lingering creaminess coating my palate. Going in for a second sip, and using master mixologist Richard Paterson’s technique of allowing the spirit more time in my mouth before swallowing, I noted that the flavor just got richer and multi-layered. Though there are plenty of cocktails you can make with tequila, this is one I would sip, this is heady stuff.

https://codigo1530.com/

Orange is the New Napa from The Vice Wine

July 2, 2021 by evebushman

Years ago I attended an orange wine seminar led by old-world Italian winemakers. Interesting stuff. Orange may now be the new pink here in the states as the mecca of all U.S. winemaking areas, the Napa Valley, has theirs. The one to try: The Vine Wine orange wine made from Semillon grapes, named Brooklynites. See below for information on the wine, how the name originated and some tasting notes I collected.

The Vice Wine Releases Rare Orange Wine From Napa

Orange is the New Napa with The Orange of Semillon, “Brooklynites”, 2020

The fervor for old world style orange wines, once known as the ‘sommelier’s favorite’ because of their distinct color, story and ability to pair with many foods. The Vice Wine, an all Napa Valley wine producer has released one of the few orange wines to come out of the appellation.

Orange of Semillon, “Brooklynites”, 2020 is the name given to this gorgeous Orange of Semillon produced from a small vineyard in Napa and picked in 2020 right before the fires and ensuing smoke.

Sometimes known as ‘skin-contact white wines,’ orange wines are made by macerating white grapes with their skins, thereby lending the wine an orange hue. With the skin contact, the wine becomes more nuanced and layered thanks to the tannins and phenols released from the skins. The Vice Wine’s Orange of Semillon was made by leaving the juice and skins in contact for 21 days in two concrete eggs, before removing the skins for the rest of the eight-month fermentation using wild yeasts, much the way old-world orange wines were made for hundreds of years.

Everything The Vice Wine does is by hand and the team members themselves are integral in every step of the winemaking process. Work hard and passionately enough, like The Vice Wine team members and Brooklyn-natives Carly and Kenny, who support founders Malek Amrani and Torie Greenberg Amrani every step of the way, and there may just be a special wine named after your hometown.

Orange of Semillon, “Brooklynites”, 2020 – Napa Valley ($28.00/750ml)

The Orange of Semillon has structure and bright acidity as well as a full-bodied mouthfeel. Tropical on the nose with papaya, banana, kumquat and ginger, the wine gives way to citrus and dried apricot in the mouth. Unfiltered, unfined, this wine is a pure example of Napa Valley’s unique terroir.

The perfect wine to accompany dishes from charcuterie boards to Asian cuisine. The wine is made from 100% Semillon grapes, with an ABV of 13.7%. 249 cases were produced.

Eve, and Friends, Tasting Notes

Tasted first with one winemaker and a sommelier that found: Malolactic creaminess, rich mouthfeel and incredible viscosity, crisp with a playful acidity, oily slightly weighted texture and a tannin level that played nicely for this style of wine. A complex flavor of tropical fruit and wet stone. Balanced and ready to enjoy. I tasted the wine with family, poolside, and we found it lighter than expected, with extremely low acid compared to some other white wines like a Sauvignon Blanc, lovely fruit that reminded me of chilled fruit cocktail in a light syrup, apricot and fleshy peach. Perfect for a pool or picnic day!

About The Vice Wine

The Vice Wine is a Napa Valley luxury wine brand made in small batches. Each batch is crafted from single grape varietals sourced from hand-selected vineyards that best express the grape varietal and the region that it comes from. The Vice wines is a result of passionate labor, sustainable farming, a long expertise of the wine industry and a current understanding of the consumer’s wine trend. The Vice Wine is about as personal of a brand as it gets. Everything is done by the founders. We drive the truck to get our fruit, we crush, bottle, label; we do everything by hand when possible. We design the labels, work the market, and sell the wine. We believe that the best wines in the world aren’t the most expensive ones. We thrive at providing the best quality wine at the best value. For more information visit thevicewine.com and follow on @thevicewine.