Chianti Classico Finds the Silver Lining of the 2020 Vintage

October 10, 2020 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – As the Covid-19 crisis forced tasting room, tourism, and restaurant closures across Italy and Europe, the winemakers of the Chianti Classico Consortium (Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico) have been able to spend more time than ever in their vineyards and cellars. The result is that in such a challenging and altogether unheralded year, Chianti Classico producers have had a chance to focus on the 2020 vintage with a never-before-possible commitment to detail and singular attention to every aspect of cultivation, vineyard management, and production.

While 2020 has not been an easy year, the quality of this Black Rooster vintage may well turn out to be legendary, according to Chianti Classico Consortium President GIovani Manetti—and perhaps one of the greatest in living memory.

“The pandemic has in fact given us a unique opportunity: that of being able to concentrate all our efforts on the care of the vineyard for a few months,” says Manetti. “The goal that we, Chianti Classico winemakers, have today is to produce the best wine of our career and that this is the memory that we will bring with us in a few years, when we will open some exceptional bottles of Gallo Nero 2020.”

While rooted in centuries of tradition and history, the Chianti Classico Consortium is a thoroughly modern organization making use of all new resources and support mechanisms available to assist innovation, cooperation, and production among stakeholders as member producers continue to maintain growth under challenging circumstances.

As winemakers spend more time than ever tending to their vineyards, the Consortium has approved an extraordinary plan of interventions to support the appellation in the post-Covid emergency period, with strategic planning designed so as to not to interrupt the path—undertaken for years—of valorization and development that has defined the denomination. The emergency actions taken by the Consortium have also provided for a January 1, 2021 release, instead of October 1, for the 2019 vintage, which is itself shaping up to praiseworthy.

Extraordinary times produce extraordinary wines, and the upcoming releases and vintage reports from Chianti Classico will undoubtedly show that this historical denomination’s future is just as bright as ever.

For more information, please contact Silvia Fiorentini of the Chianti Classico Consortium or Andrew Lohse of Colangelo & Partners.

About the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico:
The Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico exists to protect, oversee, and valorize the Chianti Classico denomination. Since the Consortium’s founding in 1924, the organization has changed its name and the design of its logo, the Black Rooster, which since 2005 has been the trademark of the whole denomination. As one of the premier institutional organizations in the European Union in the grape-growing and winemaking sector, the Consortium represents 96 percent of the DOCG production. The entire production chain is supervised by a public tracking system, which enables consumers all over the world to check the bottle they’ve purchased via the Consortium’s website. The Consortium also conducts research and development in the agronomic and enological fields, in collaboration with prestigious educational and research institutes. For more information, please visit http://www.chianticlassico.com.

Chilean Wine Sales Are Up, Reversing 10-Year Trend

October 3, 2020 by evebushman

On Friday, September 18, Chile celebrated its national Independence Day. The country’s wine exporters can also raise a glass to a recent sales turnaround: Reversing a ten-year downward trend, Chilean wines sales are up in the U.S. According to the latest import data, Chile is the seventh largest source of imported wine in the U.S., and the only one of the top seven to experience an increase in U.S. sales during the first quarter of 2020.

Wines of Chile, Year to Date

In a comparison of year-to-year sales, Chile saw a 40.68% increase in volume, translating into a 36.57% uptick in dollars in the 12-month period concluding June 30, 2020. While bulk wines account for roughly two-thirds of that volume, bottle sales have risen by 2% in volume, and 13% in value.
Red wines continue to drive Chilean wine sales, led by red blends and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Chile is riding high on three “on-trend” categories: rosés, bag-in-box, and Mediterranean wines here in the 12-month period ending June 30, 2020

- The country’s rosé sales have more than doubled — up 114%
- Bag-in-box exports have grown by over 19% in volume
- Mediterranean varieties like País and Carignan are not only catching the attraction of the trade and wine experts, including off-premise channels such as supermarkets

The leading driver for Chile’s wine sales in the U.S. continues to be the country’s larger, well-established players with broad nationwide U.S. distribution, who are benefitting from consumer reliance on “tried-and-trusted,” familiar and reliable brands during the pandemic.

– The current pricing sweet spot for Chile in the U.S. is $10-$20, with the biggest growth in the $11-$15 category. According to Alonso “This is where Chile excels and demonstrates outstanding value-to-quality performance.” The Chilean category has also been able to absorb with relative ease the average 1% pricing decrease affecting domestic and imported wines in the first semester of this year.

Also of Note

– Eighty percent of Chilean wines exported are sustainable and verified as such. Notes Alonso: “Chile is a world leader in sustainability from vineyard to table and Wines of Chile has been instrumental in settings standards in this area.” The Wines of Chile Responsibility Code covers: (1) sustainable technical management of vineyards, (2) winery and bottling practices, (3) safety and social responsibility covering workers, nearby communities and even customers, and (4) Sustainable Wine Tourism, a recently launched initiative.

– 70% of Chilean wines exported to the U.S. are sold in off-premise accounts.

– In a new Wine Opinions survey, 48% of consumers who regularly spend over $20 a bottle reported an increase in their average weekly wine consumption. With great values at the $20-plus end of the spectrum, Chile looks to attract new converts.

– During COVID-19, the data also shows that the largest consumers of wine have been millennials. While millennials drink less wine than the previous generation, when they do, they are more adventurous, and willing to try new varieties such as País.

About Wines of Chile: The mission of Wines of Chile is to promote the quality and image of Chilean wines throughout the world. With offices in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil and Chile, the organization, working closely with ProChile, develops and offers promotional and educational programs. Its members represent over 75% percent of Chile’s bottled wine exports.

TOR Napa Valley Announces Four New Private Tasting Experiences for Summer and Harvest

July 27, 2020 by evebushman

ST. HELENA, Calif. /PRNewswire/ — TOR Napa Valley looks forward to welcoming guests back to the Napa Valley with a variety of new private experiences and tastings for summer and harvest. All tastings and experiences will be exclusively private and by-appointment-only, allowing guests the chance to visit some of Napa’s Grand Cru vineyards, walk amongst the vines and experience TOR’s famed wines—following the CDC’s extensive health and safe precautions and measures.

WHAT’S NEW FOR SUMMER AND HARVEST 2020

The Pritchard Hill Hike & Flight ($200 per person)

Greg Melanson’s Pritchard Hill vineyard is prime real estate for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Perched approximately 1500 feet above the valley floor. The vineyard shares august neighbors: across from Colgin and adjacent to Continuum and OVID.

After either a heart pumping vineyard walk or leisurely stroll, enjoy a tasting of TOR’s Grand Dames Chardonnays, followed by three vintages of TOR’s spectacular Melanson Cabernets paired with small bites.

The Black Magic Experience ($750 per person)

Only a select few can ever experience Napa Valley like this. The TOR Black Magic Experience is available on a very limited basis by-appointment-only.

Limited to a tiny handful of guests, this is a true behind the curtains peek into the life of a vintner at the top of their game, and what goes into making 100-point wines at TOR.

David Grega, TOR’s Associate Winemaker, will be the host for an exclusive tour of the haloed soils of the legendary Beckstoffer Dr. Crane. Beckstoffer To Kalon and Vine Hill Ranch.

Guests will then then have the rare opportunity to taste barrel samples considered for TOR’s next Black and Pure Magic wines, prior to relaxing over a delicious three-course lunch nestled in gardens beneath Vine Hill Ranch. With lunch, enjoy a selection of highly rated TOR wines.

Al Fresco Wines Experience ($125 per person)

Wheeler Farms’ 12-acre historic estate on Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena plays host to this al fresco tasting.

Guests will enjoy a stroll through Wheeler Farms’ gardens and state-of-the-art winemaking facility. Tastings feature five wines from a selection of Napa Valley’s First Growth vineyards, and the wines are paired with a cheese and charcuterie platter prepared by Chef Sarah Heller.

ABOUT TOR NAPA VALLEY
TOR Napa Valley produces single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in the Napa Valley. Tor Kenward has spent more than 40 years in the wine business and established TOR Wines in 2001 to produce wines from only the best blocks in great vineyard sites he knew and revered. In October 2016, Robert M. Parker Jr. said of TOR: “Tor Kenward is using his vast experience in the wine industry and impressive palate to find exceptional terroirs and produce fascinating wines that merit serious attention.”

New York Wine Events presents Private Day Trip To Wine Country

July 13, 2020 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – New York Wine Events is pleased to announce a new take on its popular Day Trip to Wine Country tours, offered Thursdays through Sundays from July 6 to November 15, 2020. The all-new Private Day Trip to Wine Country program offers private groups of 2-12 guests a safe, custom VIP tour experience all their own. All day trips provide private transportation with recommended health precautions in place as well as a completely private experience at the selected wineries. Customizing their day, guests get to select two featured wineries of their choice for tours to Long Island Wine Country or the Hudson Valley, plus have the option to include lunch. Additionally, all roundtrip transportation aboard luxury vans originates and returns to one location of the party’s choice, anywhere in midtown Manhattan from 23rd to 59th Streets. Guests also select their departure time. Arrival back in Manhattan is approximately 9 hours later.

Guided by knowledgeable wine connoisseurs adhering to social distancing practices and wearing masks, the private tours visit two award-winning wineries per excursion, sampling 4-5 selections at each. Spending an enjoyable 90 minutes at each winery, guests are hosted by winemakers and key vineyard personnel and gain first-hand insights into how the wine was made during friendly, informative chats and tastings with ample opportunity to ask questions.

Wineries included in this season’s Long Island tours include Jamesport Vineyards, Lenz Winery, Pellegrini Vineyards, Pindar Vineyards, and Sannino Vineyards. Hudson Valley wine tours include Benmarl Winery, Nostrano Vineyards, Robibero Winery, and Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery. An optional lunch (available for purchase at time of booking online) offers finger sandwiches including grilled local vegetables with a balsamic reduction on a baguette; fresh mozzarella with tomatoes, basil, and house-made pesto on semolina, and/or grilled antibiotic-free chicken with local romaine and house-made honey mustard on a rosemary roll.

“We understand that typically outgoing New Yorkers are in need of something fun to do after being homebound for so long. New York Wine Events created Private Day Trip to Wine Country tours to meet this need, with a fully private, safety-conscious VIP experience offering a relaxing, educational day amidst the vines, tasting the best regional wines,” explains New York Wine Event founder Sam Kimball, curator of the personalized tour series. “What better way to get out in the open, taking in stunning scenery and enjoying some of New York State’s finest wineries in a private group setting, just a short trip from Manhattan.”

All tours include a local farm stand stop where freshly baked pies, fresh produce, and other treats are available for purchase. Additionally, the wineries will be offering bottles for purchase, discount packs, and wine club memberships so guests can continue to enjoy their favorite wines at home.

Tours take place rain or shine. Guests can savor their VIP experience in comfort, in a private area designated for the group, safely distanced from other patrons. All guests must be 21 or older, no exceptions.

Private Day Trip to Wine Country bookings are available now, ranging $149-$249 per person, depending on the number of people in the private party. Check web site for special weekday discounts. Accommodations can also be made for larger groups of 13 or more; inquiries welcome at info@newyorkwineevents.com. All tours must be booked at least 48 hours in advance.

For complete details and to book a one-of-a-kind Private Day Trip to Wine Country, visit NewYorkWineEvents.com.

About New York Wine Events
New York Wine Events cultivates memories that last a lifetime through the unifying art of food and drink. We believe in the magic of treating yourself to the luxury and leisure you deserve, and we strive to provide you with valuable information and education, so you can discover your new favorite wine, craft food or beverage. Whether it’s at one of our virtual wine tastings, wine fests, on a private day trip to wine country, while browsing other area food and drink events, or reading our in-depth articles online about the area food and drink scene, however you indulge — be it through adventure, celebration, or curiosity — we’re here to make it easy, affordable, and most importantly, fun. Learn more at: NewYorkWineEvents.com.

Rocky Pond Estate Winery Adds Talented New Executive Chef

June 18, 2020 by evebushman

ORONDO, Wash., PRNewswire/ — Rocky Pond Estate Winery, the up-and-coming Washington producer crafting wines from their beautiful riverside and lakeside estate vineyards, is announcing a major advancement by adding an experienced Chef to develop a cutting-edge culinary program to further elevate and expand their highly regarded wine experiences.

Double D Vineyards

“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Chef Austin to our growing team,” state Owners and Founders David and Michelle Dufenhorst. “This is yet another way that we are elevating Rocky Pond as the Eastern Washington wine destination. The culinary program will be another shining piece of the puzzle and will accentuate the majestic setting, excellent terroir, sustainably farmed vineyards, and distinct wines. Chef Austin’s creativity and experience in fine dining will assist us in fulfilling our mission to create the most memorable wine experiences in the Pacific Northwest.”

By adding Chef Austin to develop and lead the culinary program, the ownership team is looking to take another big step in taking their young wine brand to the next level through a variety of wine and food pairing experiences, wine dinners, and so much more.

Chef Austin is no stranger to the region. He grew up in the picturesque Lake Chelan area and graduated from Chelan High School before bouncing between California and Seattle to chase his culinary dreams. Ultimately, he would land starring roles in some of the top fine dining destinations on the West Coast, including Executive Sous Chef at the Craftsman in Encinitas California, Chef Tournant in Seattle Met’s Restaurant of the Year, Altura Restaurant, and most recently at the Campfire Restaurant in Carlsbad California. He is also no stranger to the world of wine, working at Carruth Cellars in Solana Beach California as the assistant winemaker over multiple vintages.

“I am so excited to be joining the Rocky Pond team as their new Executive Chef,” states Chef Austin. “They have been building an unparalleled paradise in one of the most underrated corners of the Columbia Valley that I have been lucky enough to call home for many years. I am beyond excited to create a culinary program like no other so we can continue to make this area a top travel destination for wine and food lovers not only from Seattle, but from the Pacific Northwest and the entire West Coast.”

The Dufenhorsts with John Ware and Chef Austin have more exciting plans in the pipeline that will be announced very soon. Soon, interested consumers can enjoy wines and a full culinary offering at both of Rocky Pond’s highly adorned tasting lounges located in Lake Chelan and Woodinville, WA in addition to at their winery in Orondo, WA. More info at: www.RockyPondWinery.com.

About Rocky Pond Estate Winery:

Rocky Pond Estate Winery was established in 2013 by David and Michelle Dufenhorst. The winery itself takes its name from the tumbled granite stones found on their estate vineyards located in one of the most awe-inspiring regions of the Columbia River Valley.

Regionally, Rocky Pond Estate Winery is making a name for itself as a premier Washington winery that is focused on producing Bordeaux and Rhone-style wines that showcase the truly unique terroir of their sustainably farmed riverside estate vineyards deeply rooted in the soils of the geographic wonder that is the Columbia River Valley.

Wine Enthusiast recently awarded multiple offerings 90+ points, and in 2019, Wine Press Northwest named Rocky Pond Estate Winery its 2019 Washington Winery to Watch.

Interested in Wines From Israel? Free, Live-Streamed Wine Events Until July

May 30, 2020 by evebushman

Join Wine Experts, Winemakers, and Celebrity Chefs in a 24-Part Series Celebrating All Things Israeli Wine- Through July 5th

(Israel, MAY 2020) – Have you ever dreamed of a sunset picnic in a historic vineyard? Interested in an exclusive tour of a secret wine cave? Curious about life on a kibbutz winery?

Flam Winery in Israel, photo from Israel Wine Producers Association on Facebook.

Novices and oenophiles alike can explore all this and more with Kosherwine.com’s free Live-Streamed Wine Events, presented in partnership with the Israeli Wine Producers Association (IWPA), now through July 5. Visit Kosherwine.com (www.kosherwine.com/experiences) for a full schedule, to register, receive notices of every event, and catch up on past episodes.

The 24-part series launched on May 3 with a tour of the internationally renowned boutique winery, Shiloh Winery, featuring winemaker Amichai Lurie. Another on May 14 offered a wine tasting with Illana Ben-Zaken from the famed Castel Winery, the first modern-day vineyard in the ancient Judean Hills. Upcoming highlights include a live cooking class with celebrity chef Avner Guzman, an introduction to the art of blending wines, a cocktail class featuring Morad wines, a walking tour of Jerusalem as it prepares for the Sabbath, and tasting notes with Shiloh winemaker Amichai Lourie.

Each event focuses on a different Israeli wine producer whose notable products are widely distributed across the U.S. and beyond: Yatir, Nadiv, Zion Winery, Binyamina, and others.

Viewers will be able to purchase Sampler Sets from each winery at a discount price to taste along with the experts or enjoy afterwards. They are encouraged to submit questions for the expert prior to these sessions, and one lucky winner will receive a free bottle of wine and a VIP winery tour for each live event.

Kosherwine.com is the largest kosher wine e-commerce retailer and a great resource for information and news about kosher wine. Under President Dovid Riven, the company carries the largest selection of kosher wines as well as the largest selection of wines from Israel. It ships to 46 states in the USA (free shipping with 12 bottle purchase).

The Israeli Wine Producers Association (IWPA) was established to unify the leading quality Israeli wineries to promote Israel as a fine wine growing region. Under Executive VP Josh Greenstein, IWPA positions these fine Israeli wines as an essential category to be included in all better wine retail outlets and restaurants. Israeli wine blends ancient history with the most modern technology to produce some of the industry’s finest wines, making Israel one of the fastest growing winemaking regions in the world.

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2017: Where Was Your Favorite Winery Experience? (Part Two)

May 12, 2020 by evebushman

Last week I asked Facebook pals to share their favorite winery experience, something that made them lifelong fans. I had a few of my own, they had many more, so this is the second group of answers. Feel free to email me if you also have a memorable winery experience to share: Eve@EveWine101.com

Your Favorite Winery Experiences

Denise C. – Well, you know we love Paso Robles……I won’t say how many wine clubs we belong to there. But, like another comment on here we had to buy a big wine fridge and it still doesn’t hold all of it. Lol. But, one of our favorites is Pear Valley! Their wine is good and not too expensive and the views are amazing!

Annette S. – Palmaz Vineyard in Napa. Unbelievable winery and phenomenal wine.

Larry M. – Merry Edwards. Wonderful Pinot Noir up in the Russian River Valley. We were brought into a private room where our own dedicated sommelier taught us about the terroir that makes the Russian River Valley unique. He then guided us through tastings of all of their current offerings. Everything was laid out beautifully with a new glass for each wine. Totally classy.

David P. – Being a Napa boy (born and raised), I have a few. My #1 would have to be getting married at V. Sattui in St. Helena back in 1993. The wedding ceremony was out on the lawn and the reception was in the cellar.

Buttonwood Farm and Winery.

Beverly A. – When my husband and I went to Rosenthal winery tour with Ian Blackburn years ago, absolutely beautiful. Then again on the Wine101 with Ian to Karen Steinwachs/ Buttonwood Farm Winery had BBQ lunch, to name a few.

Kathie W. – My two favorites in Los Olivos – Carhartt Wine Tasting Room and Saarloos and Sons. Fabulous wine, and they both make you feel like family. Been members for years and always look forward to sharing the experience!

Mike B. – Del Dotto. My fav Napa winery. It’s the dark and musty cave experience. Cool atmosphere. Pourers are informative, entertaining, and funny. All tastings out of the barrel. Just very, very special. It’s a must-go-to every time I’m in Napa. His other tasting experience, what I call the “Italian” one,” is nice, but it’s the dark and musty I keep returning to. Would love to meet Del Dotto. I remember his infomercials from the 80s.

Michael and Lori F. – We cannot put to writing how special our tour of Robert Foley was… Lets just say his passion for music is just as strong as his passion for wine!

And I stopped into the tasting room at Quady up in Madera… Out in the Middle of nowhere (so it seemed). I can no longer remember the name of the assistant winemakers who led my tour and tasting of one, but we spent 4 hours tasting EVERY wine and port in their current release portfolio; barrel tasting dessert and port wines still aging and not yet ready to be released; and opening a half dozen bottles of the winery’s library collection of vintage port wines.

As an added bonus they had just finished their first release of “unaged” Brandy distilled from their Orange Muscat Wine…. They would not call it Grappa because it was distilled from the wine and did not include the “pressings” in the distillation… If you like Grappa this was fantastic in its lack of rough edges and smoothness.

I left the winery with about a case of wine and Brandy I purchased… He also gave me the opened library wines and some of the current release wines to take home telling me that there is not enough foot traffic for those bottles to last till the next visitor arrives!

That was a fantastic memory indeed!

Justin G. – I grabbed 2 of the last 1975 vintage Colheita from Kopke while in Porto. My birth year.

Vicki H. – Mallow Run Winery in Indianapolis, is a fun place to enjoy music and wine. Especially when it is Beach Boys or Beatle day.

Terri S. – Broken Earth Winery in Paso Robles. Award-winning wines (they darn near swept the Central Coast Wine Competition), friendly and knowledgeable staff, excellent pricing, Thirsty Thursday wine specials and a great picnic spot on the way into town on Highway 46 East!

Michael D. – Many years ago we took the Amtrak Coast Starlight to Seattle. They did a wine tasting on board and one of the wines we really liked was from a winery that we had never heard of – Del Dotto. A year or two later I had a business trip up at the Silverado Resort in Napa and on our way to the hotel we passed Del Dotto. Taking the tour of the caves and tasting the same grape in different types of oak was one of our favorite memories from that trip. We ordered several bottles from the actual casks that we tasted and still have some cellared to this day!

Tom H. – Frank Family in Napa the day after I proposed to Carole they treated us great…lots of good wine!

John M. – Jean-Pierre Gaussen in the Bandol area of Southern France. It was a cold day in December 2002 and my then Fiancé and I were exploring the area and stumbled on to this tiny vineyard of gnarled Mourvèdre vines. When we arrived at the Cave no one was there. Finally a a gentleman still in his pajamas peered down at us from a second story balcony and told us to come back in an hour because it was his lunch hour. We came back an hour later and the same man still in his pajamas opened the cellar and poured his wines for us to taste. It turned out the man was Monsieur Gaussen himself. We spent the next 4 hours talking and drinking wine with him with subjects ranging from the history of the Mourvèdre grape to French politics all in broken English and broken French. In a few days my wife and I along with our 10 and 8 year old kids will be visiting this tiny vineyard again. For us wine lovers a special wine is a time capsule, a message in a bottle, the very notion of terroir itself.

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, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits

Quinta do Noval opens new visitor centre in Pinhão in the heart of the Douro Valley

March 8, 2020 by evebushman

Quinta do Noval is happy to announce the opening of our new visitor centre in Pinhão in the heart of the Douro Valley.

Quinta do Noval opened its first visitor centre in 1995 on the banks of the Douro in Vila Nova de Gaia, in the heart of the historic centre of the Port Trade. Since then we have been welcoming visitors from all over the world, sharing with them the story of Quinta do Noval, and organising tastings of our great Port wines.

With the opening of a second visitor centre upstream in Pinhão, in a former Port cellar, Quinta do Noval hopes to bring a new dimension to the experience of visitors from all over the world by welcoming them in the Douro, near our vineyards where the wines are made.

Situated at the source of production of Port wines and indeed of the new unfortified wines of the Douro, this new centre is a place of discovery, of exchange of information, and above all of wine tasting. A complete range of the wines from Quinta do Noval and of wine related products is on offer. With a number of interactive tools the visitor will be able to discover the terroir and the unique character of the vineyard of Quinta do Noval, and to understand the traditional methods of production of great Port wines.

Christian Seely, Managing Director, comments:

« One of the many exciting developments in recent years both in Porto and in the Douro Valley has been the dramatic rise in the number of visitors from all over the world coming to discover this magical region for themselves and to taste its wines.

We are delighted to be expanding our capacity to receive these enterprising travellers by opening this new centre in the Douro, and we look forward to being able to share our wines and our love of our vineyard and the whole region with visitors from all over the world. »

We will welcome you to taste our Douro wines and our emblematic Ports.

The Wine House Announces First Southern California Virtual Reality Wine Tour Featuring Three Prestigious Italian Wineries

January 11, 2020 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) – The Wine House, named one of the world’s best wine shops by Food & Wine, is excited to announce an exciting and immersive virtual reality wine tasting experience to Southern California on Wednesday, January 15th at 7:00 pm. The event will bring three wineries from the LUX Wines portfolio to life, offering a high-quality, 360-degree virtual reality technology viewed on an Oculus headset.

The event includes a seated tasting with virtual tours of three outstanding Italian producers: Jermann, Renato Ratti, and Allegrini. Representatives from each winery will be attending to guide participants through the tasting.

“Many of us have done vineyard tours, and I have been fortunate to visit all three wineries participating in this unique event, but I have never experienced anything like this before,” said Lance Montalto, Wine House Italian Buyer. “This VR immersion will certainly enhance participants’ wine-tasting experience by providing additional depth and understanding of the regions and wineries,” Montalto added.

This limited-seating event will offer each attendee the opportunity to use an Oculus virtual reality headset to enjoy new and unique winery perspectives, like aerial views. Participants also will enjoy nine incredible wines – three from each producer.

“Wine House customers love to explore, and they appreciate unique wine experiences,” said Bill Knight, President and Owner of Wine House. “We are always excited to present new and interesting events to our customers, and there is certainly a buzz surrounding this event since LUX held its inaugural events in New York and San Francisco,” Knight shared.

The Wine House’s Italian Virtual Reality Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting takes place Wednesday, January 15th, at 7:00 pm. Those interested in attending the limited-seating event can register HERE.

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About The Wine House:
The Wine House is a family-owned independent retailer that has been serving customers from around the world for over 40 years and was named as one of the Ten Best Wine Stores in the World by Food & Wine. Our 25,000 square foot facility in West Los Angeles, CA, has a vast selection of over 6,000 domestic and imported wines, spirits and beers that is one of the largest and well-curated collections in the country. With helpful and knowledgeable staff to help customers make their selection and a wide variety of events such as seminars, tastings, wine and food pairings – from casual, in-store tastings, to sit down dinners with winemakers from all over the world as well as in-depth seminars that lead to certifications – we provide a unique, exciting shopping environment for clients ranging in wine experience from the complete novice to the connoisseur. We are honored to be the First Call for customers seeking products or assistance with any of our wide variety of products.

500+ Wineries Add Augmented Reality to Labels en Masse

December 22, 2019 by evebushman

GEELONG WEST, Australia /PRNewswire/ — Augmented reality and artificial intelligence are propelling more than 500 wineries across the globe into futuristic marketing that cleverly connects wine-labels with millennial wine-lovers.

Winerytale is a groundbreaking app and platform that lets every winery and wine producer create, manage and market an augmented reality experience for their own labels via a smartphone app.

See AR wine demonstration video

App creator and Winerytale founder Dave Chaffey said 524 wineries from across the world were already part of the trial and accessing the marketing potential of a marriage of artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

Chaffey said in the past few years a handful of wine producers have created augmented reality apps for their specific brand. Winerytale aims to blow the augmented reality door open to any winery in an inexpensive and easy way.

“I don’t believe anything like this has been done to this level before – bringing together artificial intelligence, augmented reality, clever technology, 500 different wineries with different visuals and branding, as well as different languages,” Chaffey said.

“This platform is purpose-built for mass adoption and accessibility to any winery wanting to take advantage of a brand marketing and sales future that will undeniably involve augmented reality.”

The technology behind the App is designed to work on any wine label, using artificial intelligence to scan and recognize labels, and augmented reality to showcase the wine’s backstory by beaming it from an imaginary space inside and outside of the bottle.

Through that technology, multimedia branding content comes alive including winery tour videos, wine tasting notes, food pairing suggestions or nearby stockists.

The Winerytale team has also created a “fanwall” for every wine label. Through the use of augmented reality, the fanwall appears to be inside the wine bottle and – driven by hashtags – displays images of the wine’s biggest fans inside the bottle.

Given this potential, field testing of the Winerytale App has attracted world-wide interest and a selection of leading wine producers are on board from across Australia and New Zealand, as well as from wine regions in South Africa, France, North America, Canada, Croatia, Lebanon and Mexico.

Chaffey said the wineries involved in testing the beta version of the App are small to mid-level where the App has the ability to help them reach a broader market, boosting brand recognition and sales.

“Current world consumers – millennial or not – live their lives through their phones and being able to give them the information they need, in a way they want, influencing the choices they make and harnessing that purchasing power is a no brainer,” he said.

“When you switch the Winerytale app on, it becomes instantly activated on every bottle. And having every bottle activated is like having thousands of marketing machines all going to work for these wineries.

“The app allows them to tell their story, and through the App’s connection to social media, gives insta-obsessed customers their own virtual connection to the brands they love to love.”

Through the App field trials, Winerytale is also rolling out location-based services (where the wine bottle in your hand knows where it is and adapts the content) with self-translating wine bottles to follow in 2020. For example, a European traveler in Asia, could easily view information about a wine, which changes if they are within a winery’s boundaries, in a language they can fully comprehend.

“Through Winerytale, the wine industry is becoming an early adopter of technology that has the potential to be used across multiple industries like pharmaceutical and grocery,” Chaffey said.

“It will just build on our current internet-based consumer habits. Want to know something about a product? Ask your artificial intelligence and augmented reality-powered App!”

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