Wine Paris and Vinexpo Paris postponed to 2022 and digitalized in 2021

April 27, 2021 by evebushman

The next physical edition of Wine Paris and Vinexpo Paris will take place from 14 to 16 February 2022. The decision to postpone the exhibition, once again imposed by the health situation, was taken in conjunction with the event’s partner wine marketing boards. Stakeholders across-the-board agreed that due to continued uncertainties, the success of the event rescheduled for June could not be guaranteed, neither from an organisational perspective nor for its anticipated benefits for business. However, to continue to maintain the close connection between the Paris event and its exhibitors and visitors from around the globe, Wine Paris and Vinexpo Paris will be providing an extensive programme of international content and tools for the wine industry next June on Vinexposium Connect, the group’s digital platform.

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022, an ambitious event highly anticipated by the entire industry

Partners, exhibitors and buyers continue to show a high level of involvement and support in the event, which many expect to be at the crux of post-pandemic recovery. Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris will once again draw its strength from the same unity, fuelling a surge in business dynamics at the first major international event of 2022 for the wine and spirits industry.

“We are very much looking forward to taking part in Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, which genuinely energises business. After more than a year with no major international events, we need to get back to the tastings and gatherings that provide our product catalogues with new listings”, admits Jürgen Schlanke, managing director of the German distributor Weinmarkt Mattheis.

“We are both relieved and disappointed by the decision to postpone the exhibition. Relieved because we prioritise the health and safety of our staff and partners, but disappointed because Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris is an unmissable event for Rhonéa, a time when we meet all our customers to present our innovations and latest vintages for example… The pandemic may well have enabled us to create new ways of engaging with them – particularly through digital technology – but nothing can replace face-to-face contact and the friendliness of chatting about our wines. We look forward to seeing them in February 2022!” comments Pascal Duconget, CEO of Rhonéa.

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022 will gather all the French wine regions and a large number of international wine regions under one roof. The spirits industry will enjoy its own dedicated Be Spirits area. The event will also offer high-value solutions and content to maximise business opportunities and return on investment for attendees.

“Everything is ready for February 2022 and we are now going to focus on making Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris an even more central event and business hub so that it can be instrumental in fostering economic recovery. The first step will be a digital month in June with key business-centric events on Vinexposium Connect, and a physical gathering in Paris from 14 to 16 February 2022”, stresses Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium.

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris goes digital to support business and trade in 2021

Producers and buyers will be able to network from June onwards through B-to-B meetings via the Vinexposium Connect platform. A programme of business-focused digital content will be rolled out throughout June so that industry members can stay connected through highly targeted meetings.

Support from Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris’ partners across the spectrum has been galvanised so that they can share valuable insight with a broad-ranging audience: The IWSR, the International Sommelier Association (ASI), the French Sommelier Association (UDSF) and Wine Tech & Vinocamp.

Three days will focus specifically on regional and international issues for now and the future on 14, 15 and 16 June with the theme of ‘Bouncing Back’ at their core. Each day will address the questions being asked for now and the future, from the perspective of geopolitics, distribution networks and wine and spirits producers.

Men and women from the wine industry will be able to meet up again in Paris from 14 to 16 February 2022. But in the meantime, they can engage with each other on Vinexposium Connect in June, where everything will be designed to offer them maximum business opportunities.

For more information on Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2021, visit wineparis-vinexpo.com

About Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris

On the initiative of their founding wine marketing boards and partners, VinoVision and Vinisud were merged to create WINE PARIS (founded by COMEXPOSIUM and run by 13 French wine marketing boards). In 2020, its role was further enhanced when it partnered with VINEXPO, the creator of international events for the wine and spirits industry. Founded in 1981 on the initiative of the Bordeaux-Gironde Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vinexpo has gained a unique understanding of the market along with an extensive network of influential distributors across the world.

About Vinexposium Connect
The Vinexposium Connect digital platform was created in autumn 2020 to coincide with Vinexpo Shanghai 2020, which was held in a digital format. Since then, it has continued to develop tools and content to provide support for industry members and wine and spirits enthusiasts across the world 24/7.

About Vinexposium
Owned jointly (50/50) by Comexposium and Vinexpo Holding, Vinexposium is the world’s leading organiser of wine and spirits trade events. Vinexposium organises over 10 iconic and recognised events worldwide: Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, World Wine Meetings and World Bulk Wine Exhibition – Amsterdam and Asia, Vinexpo Bordeaux, Vinexpo Hong Kong, Vinexpo Shanghai, Vinexpo India and Vinexpo New York, as well as Vinexpo Explorer and WOW! Meetings. Through these events, it welcomes over 78,000 visitors annually from 140 countries and 5,900 exhibitors.

Vintage Eve Circa 12/2018 – Local Author John Carter Pens Book on Wine and Cheese Pairings: Red, White and Bleu (Eve is highlighted)

April 20, 2021 by evebushman

I’ve known John Carter for many years, and it’s been a pleasure to watch his wine journey from selling great bar parts to now hosting this collection of interviews with experts on wine and cheese. Happy to be one of his subjects to share my own story, I also enjoyed reading the book to learn from the experts.

top row l-r: Tim McDonald, Richard Jennings, Eve, Steve Peck. bottom l-r: Eva and Fred Swan, Steve Heimoff, Gina DeGirolamo. (Just wanted to share this pic of Tim, the same night I interviewed him.)

From Michelle Chiu I learned about a new app that helps people find the right wine for their specific tastes; from Laurie Forster I learned that “if you can’t pronounce it, you should be drinking it”; I now want to do a wine tour with Leslie Frelow’s company in Maryland; from Jill Gerda I learned that there’s more to cheese than just the color; reading about Chris Hanson of the Laurentia Vineyard in Ohio I now understand a bit more about wineries that have to deal with blizzard conditions; Brian Heath and his vineyard in Texas…he makes wine there and buys grapes from Paso as well.

From there I learned from Stacie Hunt, who I’ve taken classes from as well as judged with. I always look forward to classes with Stacie. In her interview I did learn a few more things about her, including this gem when she was explaining her interests in Baja winemaking, “Grapes are very much like we are. Malbec doesn’t taste like Malbec in France at all when it’s coming from Argentina, but it’s wonderful and it’s delicious. The same goes for Nebbiolo in Baja, California.”

Washington state winemaker Reid Klei echoed my sentiment, and the sentiment of many of us in the book, in how there is too much “pretentiousness” in the wine industry – in between all of the great wine and cheese pairings we were asked about – and I hope this book helps to change that negative perception.

Another peer I’ve also had the honor to interview myself that is in the book is Tim McDonald. Tim is a revered wine judge I hope to judge alongside with someday! In the meantime, in this interview, new for me was his suggestion that we try more imported wines even though we’re here in California and home to some of the best wines.

Okay, that’s enough of a teaser from me. Grab the book so you can get the full story, and read the interviews from those I didn’t mention: cookbook author Jorj Morgan, lifestyle expert Jojo Pasters and one of the “five best female wine professionals in the world” – Amy Reiley.

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.

Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Launches The California Zinfandel Trail

April 4, 2021 by evebushman

GRASS VALLEY, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) is announcing that it will officially launch The California Zinfandel Trail starting March 29, 2021. Zinfandel lovers and the Zinfandel-curious will now have a powerful new tool to explore wineries and plan custom itineraries. This new platform is designed to boost tourism and raise interest in wineries that produce America’s time-honored heritage wine, Zinfandel.

“Consumers and wineries alike will benefit from this fast track connection directly to Zinfandel winemakers, featuring small production artisanal wines that are available to consumers only by visiting the winery in person or virtually,” according to ZAP Executive Director, Rebecca Robinson. “So many of these wines are from historic vineyards and come with wonderful, colorful family stories that are the fabric of American agricultural heritage,” she continues.

Mindful of travel restrictions due to the COVID 19 pandemic, virtual visits and tastings have been made available, in addition to the traditional in-person winery tastings and experiences. Visitors should contact wineries in advance about their latest visiting policies and experiences.

The Zinfandel Trail website includes an easy to use interactive map of California’s Zinfandel wineries for plotting and planning itineraries to vineyards across California. Here, visitors can explore Zinfandel winery experiences by region, such as vineyard and winery tours, specialized tastings, picnicking, food service, and pet-friendly policies. In addition to winery listings are featured winery to winery routes with beautiful Zinfandel vineyard images, regional travel blogs, points of interest, and winemaker stories.

In addition to the California Zinfandel Trail mapping website, ZAP is also creating virtual tours and tastings offered for sale to those wanting to sniff, swirl, and sip while enjoying a themed tour on Zoom hosted by travel experts. The first three-part series will begin in late April with a tour of Sonoma Valley, followed in May by sessions on Women in Wine and in June, Vineyard Tours.

Virtual Tour dates:
Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Tour | Thursday, April 29, 2021 – 4:00 p.m. PDT
HOST: Tim Zahner, Executive Director, Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau
Women in Wine Zinfandel Tour | Thursday, May 27, 2021 – 4:00 p.m. PDT
HOST: Lauren Mowery, Travel Editor, Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Zinfandel Vineyard Tours | Thursday, June 24, 2021 – 4:00 p.m. PDT
HOST: Paul Rubio, award-winning travel journalist AFAR, Conde Nast Traveler and more

The virtual sessions will provide photographic essays, interactive discussion, and in-depth guided tastings from three wineries based on each theme – the next best thing to visiting the wineries and vineyards in person.

Visit zinfandeltrail.com to learn more about the virtual sessions and secure your spot.

“This program gives us the opportunity to expand Zinfandel’s appreciation and reach through a new platform,” explains Robinson.”

Over the last several years, ZAP has successfully reached millions of consumers to improve awareness and adoption of Zinfandel, America’s true heritage wine grape variety. “Zinfandel Stories” and “Legendary Zinfandel Vineyards” campaigns, were delivered with the aim to preserve, protect and continue to grow Zinfandel, both in the fields of California and as a wine category.

“Conditions are slowly improving for travel,” says Robinson. “We’re confident, based on our previous campaign successes, that we’ve got something special here, a unique tool that will last into the future, for when tourism rebounds.” Until then, we’ve developed what we believe are very entertaining, educational virtual sessions that will make people excited to hit The California Zinfandel Trail when they’re ready.”

About Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP)
Created for Zin lovers by Zin lovers, Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. ZAP is dedicated to advancing public knowledge and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history. ZAP actively involves hundreds of wineries and thousands of enthusiasts. Together, ZAP is gaining a national and international understanding of Zinfandel as America’s grape, serving as an innovator and industry leader in the world of wine. ZAP members enjoy benefits throughout the year including access to ZAP’s Premier Winery Experience program. ZAP can be found online at Zinfandel.org, on Facebook @ZAP.org and on Twitter @thezinfandelorg, #CAZinTrail.

Funding for California’s Zinfandel Trail was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant AM190100XXXXG008. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.

A Review of…by Phil Hofstee

March 29, 2021 by evebushman

A Review of…

“Wine for Normal People (a Guide for Real People Who love Wine, but not the Snobbery That goes with it)”

By: Elizabeth Schneider – Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Wine, MBA, Normal Person

Chronicle Books LLC

Marla and Phil Hofstee

At first glance, “Wine for Normal People” appears to be little more than a highly polished redux of the best-selling “Wine for Dummies” series of wine reference guides. It contains the obligatory pages on wine’s history, production processes, growing regions, and food pairings, but there the similarity ends. This elegantly crafted reference is not intended to turn someone into a wine fan, but to turn a wine fan into a well-informed wine lover. If you are not already a regular wine drinker, this may not be the book for you.

Having said that, the critical question is this. At what point in one’s relationship with wine would getting into this book prove beneficial?

The author addresses my concern at the end of the introduction with this:

“Normal wine person: This is someone who likes wine, like drinking wine, and likes learning about wine but doesn’t like people talking down to him or her or participating in one-upmanship of knowing this arcane fact and that random producer.”

To that end, this book (parenthetic humor notwithstanding) is a smooth reading, artfully crafted textbook and reference for “normal people”.

The first three chapters cover the topics of wine vocabulary, the tasting experience and the wine-making process while never once drifting into the wonky world of wine speak! These should be read like a text book with yellow highlighter in hand. You’ll refer back to them often as you encounter real world situations in your wine journey. Q&A blocks, charts, diagrams, and maps add interesting rest stops along the way.

Chapters 4, 5 & 6 are a comprehensive encyclopedia of wine regions, their history, varietals, governmental influence and culture. While a speed read though these chapters is sure to unearth some interesting tidbits, they should be considered a “go to” reference when trying to demystify the label on that gift Prosecco you got from a friend or on that value priced Croatian wine you picked up on the recommendation of a wine shop staffer.

Chapter 7 & 8 cover food pairing, shopping, and dining, which, with along with considerable trial and error will certainly enhance those experiences for you.

The book concludes with a number of valuable reference pages that can provide a quick answer that “What?” question that’s sure to arise from time to time along the way. There is a comprehensive index to help you navigate the chapters and topics.

The author achieves the stated goal of the book in a big way! Kept light and simple, it breaks down complex concepts into easily understandable bites that will likely stay with the reader for the duration. As a reference, this book should be kept on the eye level shelf in the library of anyone wanting to grow in their wine knowledge and to experience their personal wine journey to its fullest.

Phil Hofstee is a “certified” wine lover, tasting room business consultant, and legendary normal person.

Italian Wine Podcast: 450,000 listens during the pandemic

February 27, 2021 by evebushman

VERONA, ITALY (PRWEB) – First airing in March 2017, the Italian Wine Podcast has now entered its fourth year of broadcasting and is set to publish its 500th episode on February 9th, 2021. Originally conceived as a series of interviews with Italian wine producers at the OperaWine event in Verona, Italy, the program has since expanded its range to include key players in the wine industry from around the world. In 2020 Italian Wine Podcast took the decision to move to publishing five episodes a week allowing it to showcase more content and reach a wider audience with diverse topics.

New concepts initiated in 2020 included a series of video interviews (vlogs) connecting Italian wine professionals during Lockdown, and the first regular content in Italian; question and answer sessions with vine geneticist Professor Attilio Scienza, which are accompanied by transcripts in English. Another format that has proved particularly popular to listeners is the audiobook, with the podcast offering two ongoing narrated podcasts a week, for example, Let’s Get US Market Ready, a book by Steve Raye that was successfully launched as an audiobook; giving wine professionals concise and clear insight into how to gain traction in the US Market. It has proved that listeners are looking not only for personal insights into the lives of producers and professionals, but also clear instructional content to aid their business.

That said, the #iobevoacasa – LOCKDOWN SERIES in partnership with Colangelo & Partners, gave glimpses into the more personal aspects of life in Lockdown, it provided some lighthearted content that gave fans an unprecedented look into the lives of industry leaders. Similarly, the Everybody Needs a Bit of Scienza Friday series (ongoing) not only touches on serious scientific and genetic questions submitted by the community, but also features the often-hilarious rapport between Professor Scienza and Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International. Although conducted in Italian, translations are then provided thanks to the VIA community, and these are collected in a series of guest blog posts on the Italian Wine podcast website (http://www.italianwinepodcast.com). These different series demonstrate how the Italian Wine Podcast has kept listeners engaged and diversified to cover more aspects of the wine industry, a tactic that has worked as proven by the 454,000 listens across 50 markets in 2020.

The question is, where does the Italian Wine Podcast go from here? Regular host Monty Waldin will return to his roots and present a series dedicated to Organic and Biodynamic wine production, shining a spotlight on Italian producers using these methods. The broader industry focus will come in the form of a new series hosted by Dr. Rebecca Lawrence that will feature interviews with a wide range of people from the wine world, at the heart of which will be issues of inclusion, diversity and female leadership.

This year will also see the Italian Wine Podcast partnering with Colangelo & Partners once again, this time to create a series dedicated to wine business. Topics such as marketing, technology, retail solutions, importation and the like will be presented by host Juliana Colangelo as she interviews key guests using her wine industry know-how and millennial friendly voice.

Prof. Scienza and Stevie Kim will continue to provide listeners with Italian content that tackles the geekier (or funnier!) side of the Italian wine world, and the audiobooks will remain a stalwart, with How To Get US Market Ready continuing, and new content being provided in partnership with the Jumbo Shrimp Guides, this time with a focus on international grape varieties, giving readers exclusive and early access to new Positive Press Publication, the Jumbo Shrimp Guide to International Grape Varieties in Italy.

2021 is shaping up to be another exceptional year for the Italian Wine Podcast with series planned that will not only educate but also entertain, and continue to expose the audience to a broad range of voices within the wine industry.

About: the Italian Wine Podcast: Cin Cin with Italian Wine People! is a podcast project dedicated exclusively to the Italian wine world. The program uncovers the unique world of Italian wine in conversation with some of its key protagonists from all over the world. Italian Wine Podcast aims to inform, educate, and entertain listeners with content for wine professionals and casual listeners alike. Content includes interviews by organic and biodynamic wine writer Monty Waldin; interviews focused on women in the wine industry, hosted by Rebecca Lawrence DipWSET; chats between influencers, educators, and entrepreneurs in the wine world; deep examinations of individual grape varieties; a guest blog; Q&A sessions with vine geneticist Prof. Attilio Scienza, and audiobooks. Italian Wine Podcast is available on SoundCloud, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, XimalayaFM (for China), and on the official website. It now boasts almost 500 recorded episodes with a growing online following. Listeners interested in providing feedback about the show are encouraged to access a demographic survey on the podcast website. Donations to the show are welcomed and help fund a portion of the show’s equipment, production, and publication costs. To advertise on the show, please request a prospectus and/or customized advertising plan from info@italianwinepodcast.com.

Book Review: Wine For Normal People by Elizabeth Schneider

February 26, 2021 by evebushman

Always interested in learning about wine, and even more in masterful ways it can be delivered painlessly and with a little fun I was happy to read and review the book, Wine for Normal People by Elizabeth Schneider. This an excerpt of some of the information. I will follow up with my review below.

…author, certified wine educator and Court of Master Sommelier-certified Elizabeth Schneider will give it to you straight. In Wine for Normal People: A Guide for Real People Who Like Wine, but Not the Snobbery That Goes with It (Chronicle Books), Schneider gives real talk about wine without talking down to the audience and with a dash of humor to boot. Schneider carries her knowledge, personality and wit over onto her Wine for Normal People podcast, which boasts 7 million unique downloads, placing it firmly in the top five percent of all podcasts produced in the United States.

“I was a normal wine person before I became a wine dork. I understand the struggles that people have with wine and why they don’t like it,” she explains. “Because of that, I can show them things that actually matter to them and that will shift their thinking to enjoy wine more.”

Schneider is well versed in:

How to create wine pairings that really work (and why pairing wine with chocolate is almost always a mistake)
How to choose a wine that will impress a date
How her approach to wine is different than that of “the wine world”
Why it’s important to make wine accessible to all
The key to communicating difficult ideas in wine to an audience of all levels

Eve’s Review

Starting with the flyleaf we are told that we will “learn how to buy, sip and talk about wine” which is really what it’s all about! Of course that is just a snippet, and the rest of the jacket shares short statements, easily digestible by us normal people. We will also learn about tasting, tasting jargon, winemaking and winemaking jargon, how to pair with food, and if you want to push the edge or your envelope Schneider has included sections on Old and New World wine areas.

The 340-page books includes eight chapters, as well as travel tips, tasting sheets, serving temperatures, a bibliography and for us lazy readers: an index. It begins with “Introduction: Everything You Need to Know About Wine in Two Pages” that I found interesting indeed as she promises to give us “the basics plus more.” Especially enjoyed when Schneider gets her first taste, not of wine, but of what she calls “schmuck-ery” from a wine snob. Oh, how I both hate and enjoy those encounters!

There are helpful Q and A sections in the book, in boxes, as well as sidebars. This makes things easy as Schneider hopes to answer any question or thought you may have as you read.

As a seasoned wino myself I always look for things I didn’t already know or have forgotten, and the more wine-educated Schneider reminded me of: the different smell and taste descriptors often found for certain varietals (page 67), the old world wine names and the new world name for the same grapes (page 82), how to pronounce some of those pesky names (page 85), regulations and classifications for new world wines (page 90-91) and old world wines (page 93), two chapters with detailed descriptions of old world wine regions and new world regions with maps to help you find your way.

Further in the book we have a section on food and wine pairing, a question I often get, so this is great for peeps to just grab the book and look up for themselves. Schneider explains why foods go better with certain styles of wines and her own three-step process. She pays close attention to weight, structure and dominant flavors.

More charts end our lesson, so don’t ignore these great reference materials, especially if you need/want a quick answer to things like serving temperature and vocabulary.

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.

Advanced Sommelier Erik Segelbaum Joins the Grand Reserve Wine Advisory Board

February 18, 2021 by evebushman

PASADENA, Calif., /PRNewswire/ — Vertical Finance (verticalfinance.com) is proud to announce the addition of Erik Segelbaum to the Grand Reserve Rewards Wine Advisory Board, a team of wine industry professionals that support Grand Reserve Rewards and Grand Reserve™ World Mastercard®, the credit card for wine enthusiasts. As a wine advisory board member, Segelbaum brings nearly 30 years of industry expertise and knowledge to help build the program, its exemplary suite of benefits and its network of over 450 partner wineries.

Photo: Artful Living

Since launching in August 2020, Grand Reserve Rewards is quickly growing its base of wine enthusiasts and its network of partner wineries. Grand Reserve brings new ways for consumers to be rewarded for pursuing their passion for wine and connects high-quality producers with discerning customers.

“We are thrilled to welcome Erik Segelbaum to the Grand Reserve Rewards team of expert wine advisory board members. Erik understands the world of wine deeply and will help us to continually improve our program for everyone involved,” said Matthew Goldman, Founder & CEO of Grand Reserve Rewards. “The insights and excellence of every board member is reflected in our program offerings and helps ensure we are always on top of new trends, great ideas, and unique opportunities.”

Named 2020 Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 Tastemaker and 2019 Food & Wine Magazine Sommelier of the Year, Segelbaum is an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Certified Specialist of Wine (with distinction) with the Society of Wine Educators, and Wine and Spirits Locations Specialist (with distinction). Segelbaum has opened more than 30 restaurants, hotels and other venues where he has built and implemented beverage programs as Beverage Director and Head Sommelier. Segelbaum hosts ongoing wine education sessions at Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. and serves as the Vice President of the United Sommeliers Foundation, a charitable fund providing assistance to sommeliers in times of need.

“As a sommelier, I am constantly on the hunt for the best of the best in the wine world. I’m always looking for the hidden gems that, once discovered, forever improve my wine drinking life. I’m thrilled to have joined the advisory board of the Grand Reserve Credit Card. Without a doubt, this card will serve to be the most useful and practical wine accessory,” said Erik Segelbaum. “I look forward to applying my connections from nearly 3 decades in the industry to develop enriching card member experiences and opportunities.”

Other members of the Grand Reserve Rewards Wine Advisory Board include Helen Johannesen, Wine Enthusiast “Top 40 Under 40 Tastemaker” 2018 and Food and Wine “Best New Sommelier” 2016, Lance Reed, wine director for BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood, CA and winner of multiple awards including Wine Spectator’s “Award Of Excellence” and its coveted “Best Of Excellence”, Peter Yeung, wine business consultant, XChateau podcast co-host and author of Luxury Wine Marketing and Jamie Cegelski-Gaebe, Founder of Priority Wine Pass.

To learn more about Grand Reserve Rewards, sign up for the credit card or enquire about joining the partner network visit: grandreserverewards.com.

About Vertical Finance
Vertical Finance is a fintech and challenger credit card startup. The company’s modern credit card platform matches consumers with high-quality boutique merchants and authentic rewards that enhance their lifestyle pursuits. The company’s flagship program, Grand Reserve, rewards consumers when they shop at wineries, wine clubs, and wine shops. Vertical Finance is a 1% for the Planet company, a global network of businesses, nonprofits, and individuals working together for a healthy planet, committed to giving 1% of gross sales each year to approved nonprofit partners. Visit verticalfinance.com and grandreserverewards.com to learn more. Consumers can connect with Grand Reserve on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

Disclaimer
Vertical Finance reserves the right to modify or discontinue its products or offerings at any time and without notice. The Grand Reserve World Mastercard is powered by Deserve and issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank, Member FDIC. You must be of US legal drinking age to redeem certain rewards and/or experiences. We do not support underage drinking or any other misuse of alcohol.

Tasting Penfolds 2018 Kalimna Bin 28 Shiraz With Old and New Friends

February 5, 2021 by evebushman

From Penfolds, in the Barossa Valley, Australia, comes this 2018 Kalimna Bin 28 Shiraz. Had a lot of bins (just a numbering system Penfolds uses, they have many bins, aka Batch Id Numbers) and never had one I didn’t like. I also adore the little food and wine bar that had decided to host a tasting: great wine, service and under five minutes from my house – the Newhall Press Room!

The Tasting Details

…we are exploring one of the oldest and most prestigious Australia wineries, Penfolds. Instead of creating a flight, we wanted to take a deep dive into the history of Australian wine making along with experiencing Penfolds Shiraz Bin 28. 94 points James Suckling, 93 points Robert Parker.

From Vivino on Bin28

Following the creation of Grange, Max Schubert’s vision was to create ‘a dynasty of wines which all had an unmistakable resemblance to each other. The first wine created in the series was Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz in 1959, a wine initially made while Grange was still being crafted in secrecy. Originally a single vineyard wine, Bin 28 now characterizes Penfolds contemporary winemaking philosophy, with fruit sourced from premium vineyards across several regions, including the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale.

What We Learned

Treasury Estates Representative Scott Bowden shared many things about Penfolds. New for me was that Penfolds has an “old world approach in the new world”, the use of seasoned American oak barrels, they are the oldest iconic winery in Australia, they benefit from both warm and cold climates and they’ve had a fair share of 90 to 100 point wines. For this bin 28: They use ten different growing regions, it’s 100% Shiraz and the original Kalimna fruit source dates back to 1959. One more thing: stay tuned to Penfolds in March for news about their collaboration with California vineyards!

The Tasting and My Takeaway

We decanted the wine at 5 pm, tasted at 5:30, 6:00 and 6:30. At the start it was all red fruit, earth, cigarette, stewed fruit, dust, fig and tannins. The next time the wine was more open with more red to blue fruit, more pepper, more richness and more “grip” according to Bowden. Then again, nearly 90 minutes later there was an incredible balance. Quite remarkable.

You might expect my takeaway to be about the wine…it is but in a roundabout way. One of the things Bowden mentioned, when I asked about his favorite Penfolds wine, is that it’s never just the wine, or the pairing or the company, but you have to have it all for it to remain in your memory as a favorite. For me, it was virtually chatting with NPR’s somm Laura Raden like we have done at the bar many times. It was two of the three bar owners, Charles “Chaz” Potter and Dan Zebrowski, calling me out to “unmute” as I “always have something to say during a tasting.” It was chatting with people that I had never met before, again something I did often at their bar. For me, the best Zoom by far for in making me feel those experiences again. Cheers to the Press Room indeed.

The Latest from Newhall Press Room

It’s been an interesting year for all of us. We started off with a super fun January with our 50% by the glass wine and quickly moved into a great Spring. Once March hit, we had all had to figure out what was next. Luckily we started our grocery delivery business in support of the community and we were able to spin up our order online and food delivery business. This opened the door for us to deliver wine by the glass and offer new to go bottle pricing that matched or beat retail wine stores. We’ve been working hard to expand the amount of wine we have by the bottle in addition to adding new features such as espresso, cheese boards to go, along with wine related gifts and retail items.

To date, we’ve been recognized by Elite Magazine and The Signal as the best wine bar in Santa Clarita, and we have been recognized with back to back 2019/2020 award of excellence by Wine Spectator Magazine 2019/2020.

Our Monday through Friday lunch service is back and strong as ever, and now you can order your food through our website or app for delivery or pick-up.

If you are looking to have some fun with friends, family or need food for an event or business meeting, we’ve got you covered. We love our community and look forward to see you soon! (Editor’s note: At press time we have learned that the Press Room has re-opened for patio dining as well has hiring a new Cordon Bleu Chef!)

https://www.newhallpressroom.com

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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.

15th Annual Kosher Food and Wine Experience 2021 Goes Virtual- LiveCast Sunday, FEB 21

February 3, 2021 by evebushman

New York, NY – With sold-to-capacity crowds, the annual Kosher Food and Wine Experience (KFWE) is undisputedly among the hottest tickets in the kosher culinary world. These massive events in New York, California, Israel, Miami, and London attract thousands of restaurateurs, chefs, caterers, and foodies who wait all year to sample the latest and greatest in fine kosher wines and creative cuisine.

Fans of the expo will be thrilled to know that social distancing won’t spoil the party this year. In fact, those coveted tickets won’t be needed when the 15^th annual Kosher Food and Wine Experience goes virtual on Sunday, February 21 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.

All are welcome to sip and savor with the pros during this free livecast, presented by Royal Wine Corp. Program highlights include guided wine tastings with Jay Buchsbaum, VP of Marketing and Wine Education for Royal Wine; Erik Segelbaum, Food & Wine Magazine’s 2019 Sommelier of the Year; wine blogger Gabriel Geller, Royal Wine’s director of PR; and others.

“We spent quite a bit of time behind the scenes trying to figure out how to safely bring this experience to people while still capturing the essence of the show,” noted Buchsbaum. “Yes, things will be a little different this year, but the virtual format creates new opportunities. For instance, the more intimate setting means we can do a deeper dive into the wines, wineries, and winemaking process.”

Another innovative twist is the Official KFWE Tasting Kit, which will allow home viewers to sample wines with the experts. Each kit includes 100mL samples of 25 featured wines – each enough for 2-3 pours – from some of the world’s most prestigious wineries. Kits also include a tasting guide, recipe cards, and shopping lists so guests can cook along too. Available for $250 (plus processing and shipping fees), tasting kits can be ordered through www.TheKFWE.com. Order by February 12 to ensure delivery in time for the event. Must be at least 21 years old to purchase.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a KFWE without the food. Celebrity chef, restauranteur, and James Beard Award winner Michael Solomonov will be on hand along with Chef Gabe Garcia of Tierra Sur and personalities from Kosher.com, the leading website for all things kosher. Viewers can watch their demonstrations and cook along in real-time. Detailed recipe cards with shopping lists and prep instructions will be available for download ahead of time.

“Just as Erik Segelbaum and Michael Solomonov are respected and admired in the global mainstream wine and culinary world,” noted Royal Wine’s Gabe Geller, “kosher and Israeli wines deserve the same indiscriminating quality and appreciation. KFWE was created to spread that message far and wide. So even though we are presenting on a smaller physical scale this year, KFWE 2021 will drive that message home to more people than ever.”

This year’s event focuses on the following releases – all of which are kosher for Passover:

Carmel Signature Mediterranean 2017

Barkan Special Reserve Winemaker’s Choice Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Shiloh Secret Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Jezreel Valley Argaman 2017

Binyamina The Chosen Diamond 2017

Gush Etzion Winery Blessed Valley Chardonnay 2019

Tulip Black Tulip 2017

Netofa Dor 2017

Flam Noble 2017

Tabor Malkiya Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Psagot Peak 2017

Teperberg Essence Malbec 2016

Hagafen Estate Bottled Coombsville Napa Valley Dry White Riesling 2018

Covenant Red C 2017

Herzog Variations Be-leaf Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Herzog Generation IX Stags Leap District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Chateau Leoville Poyferre Saint-Julien 2017

Chateau de Santenay Les Bois de l’Alier Mercurey 2019

Château Guiraud 1er Cru Sauternes 2019

Chateau Giscours Margaux 2017

Chateau Montviel Pomerol 2018

Capcanes Flor de Primavera Peraj Ha’abib Montsant 2017

Elvi Wines Herenza Rioja Reserva 2014

Terra di Seta Chianti Classico Riserva 2016

Sforno Gran Reserva Red Blend Mendoza 2020

For more information on KFWE 2021, to register, or to purchase the Official KFWE 2021 Wine Tasting Kit, visit www.TheKFWE.com. Participants will receive a viewing link for the livecast along with recipes, shopping lists, and a sneak peek at featured wines.

About Royal Wine/Kedem

Since 1948, Royal Wine Corp., also known as Kedem, has been owned and operated in the United States by the Herzog family, whose winemaking roots date back eight generations to 19th century Czechoslovakia.

Today Royal Wine’s portfolio of domestic and international wines range from traditional wine producing regions of France, Italy, and Spain, as well as Israel, New Zealand, and Argentina. Additionally, Royal Wine Corp.’s spirit and liqueur portfolio offer some of the most sought after scotches, bourbons, tequilas and vodkas as well as hard to find specialty items such as flavored brandies and liqueurs.

The company owns and operates the Kedem Winery in upstate New York, as well as Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, California, a state-of-the-art-facility featuring guided wine tours, a fully staffed modern tasting room, gift shop and catering facilities. Additionally, the winery houses the award-winning restaurant Tierra Sur, serving the finest Mediterranean inspired contemporary Californian Cuisine. Follow Royal Wine on Face Book.com/RoyalWineCorp/, and instagram.com/royalwinecorp/, and twitter.com/royalwinecorp

2021 TASTE Hall of Fame Inductees include Gail Simmons, Gary Vaynerchuk, Jon Taffer, Ruth Reichl…

January 27, 2021 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES AND SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) – The TASTE AWARDS Committee, celebrating the best in food, fashion, and lifestyle programming on television, film, online and streaming video, on radio and in podcasts, is pleased to announce inductees in the Eighth class of the TASTE HALL OF FAME. Inductees include tastemakers, celebrities, and industry leaders such as Gail Simmons, Gary Vaynerchuk, Jon Taffer, Nigella Lawson, Questlove, Ruth Reichl, and Zendaya.

Eighth year TASTE HALL OF FAME Inductees are selected based on either having received numerous TASTE AWARDS and finalist nominations over the years, or having made a significant impact in the world of taste and broadcast entertainment. Inductees range from television and movies, to online video, radio, and real world experiences.

8th TASTE Hall of Fame Inductees are:

A Taste of Louisiana
Andre Leon Talley
Architectural Digest
Buddy Valastro
Burt Wolfe
Chefs Table
Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos
Dining with the Chef
Dwell
Engineer Your Space
Equitrekking
Gail Simmons
Gary Vaynerchuk
Hotel Impossible
House Hunters International
House of Style (CNN)
How Do I Look? (Style Network)
James Charles
Jon Taffer
Kitchen Nightmares
Lucky Chow
Masterchef Latino
Michelle Bernstein
Nigella Lawson
Paint this with Jerry Yarnell
Questlove
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Ruth Reichl
Unwrapped
WatchMojo
Wine Road Podcast
Zendaya

Says TASTE AWARDS Chair, A.K Crump, “We are very proud of this year’s TASTE Hall of Fame inductees and all that they have achieved and contributed. In a normal year we would hold their induction during the annual TASTE AWARDS ceremony and awards show in Beverly Hills. This year it does look like we’ll be doing at least that portion virtually.” The Academy also has announced plans for a live Hall of Fame exhibition in California in fall of 2021.

The Annual TASTE AWARDS have included appearances by stars, celebrities, producers and executives from networks and platforms such as the Food Network, the Style Network, Bravo, the Cooking Channel, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks, TLC, Discovery Communications, Lifetime Network, E! Entertainment Television, PBS, APT, Create TV, NBC, ABC, the CW, HGTV, the Travel Channel, HD Net, Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo, Vice, LiveWell Network, Esquire Network, Bio/FYI Channel, iHeart Radio, HBO, MyxTV, Small Screen Network, StyleHaul, PTA, Zagat, Mode Media, WatchMojo, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Instagram, Facebook, and more.

The viewer appetite and response to food and style programs has surged over the last decade, making them some of the highest watched and sponsored broadcast and broadband content. The TASTE AWARDS spotlight the year’s best achievements in food, fashion, and lifestyle programs on television, in film, online, in podcasts and on radio.

As an awards show and as an industry networking and validation event, the TASTE Awards have launched scores of notable business partnerships and projects for nominees, winners, presenters, and sponsors.

Along with the TASTE Hall of Fame announcement, several association partnerships and sponsorships for the upcoming TASTE Awards include TasteTV, Intermezzo Magazine, SIP For the Love of Drink Magazine, Schiltz Farm’s Roast Goose, PRWeb, SIXTY Beverly Hills, Clubcard Printing, BridalChocolate.com, KRCB, and FilmFreeway. In honor of this year’s TASTE AWARDS, a collab with R&B Cellars has also released an ultra-limited edition fine wine of only 100 bottles called “Domaine de Taste: The Gift”.

For more information about the TASTE Awards, go to http://www.TheTasteAwards.com, as well as get updates on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/TASTEAwards. Previous TASTE HALL OF FAME classes can be seen at http://www.TasteHallofFame.com