Winner Announced in Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Giveaway

Thanks so much for the enthusiastic response to this giveaway of two tickets to the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival.

We received 20 entries via comments, and another 13 via email.

I assigned the entries received via comment the numbers 1-20 in the order they were received. Then I assigned the following numbers to email entries:

21. DD
22. MBr
23. MBot
24. MM
25. KQ
26. JS
27. MBod
28. ER
29. ML
30. NC
31. RS
32. RP
33. BW
34. LP

...then I generated a random number on random.org:

And the winner is...

Elizabeth R!

"My husband and I would love to have the opportunity to attend! We love food and wine!"

Congratulations Elizabeth! Please email me at wellesleywinepress@gmail.com to claim the prize.

For more information on the event, visit the Newport Mansions Food & Wine Festival website.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/ItgBENS2rUE/winner-announced-in-newport-mansions.html

rose pinot grigio chianti red chardonnay

5 Outstanding Terroir Driven California Pinot Noir Producers

We've had a good response to the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Giveaway - about 20 entries so far. The drawing is Friday so if you haven't already, leave a comment or drop me an email to enter. Thanks for the interest so far - the more people enter the more likely it is to get future giveaways like this one!

In general, domestic Pinot Noir is lighter in body and color than Cabernet and Merlot. However, some producers produce it in such a ripe fruit-forward style it bears little resemblance to lighter Burgundy or even Oregon Pinot Noir.

But that's not the case across the board. A small but growing group of winemakers are committed to producing California Pinot Noir that lets the site speak for itself. I'll call these producers terroir-driven. And as such, their wines are leaner in style. The best succeed in producing balanced, compelling wines that speak to where they were produced and at the same time are an absolute pleasure to drink.

Here are 5 outstanding producers to check out:

1. Littorai

Ted Lemon seems to have found the perfect intersection of being committed to his craft in an authentic way, and producing wines that are truly pleasurable to drink. Crazy-committed to biodynamic and all that - it's a wonder the wines aren't more expensive. Their appellation wines list in the high $30s, and the single vineyards go for closer to $60.

Availability: I've seen these around at retail occasionally, but they disappear quickly. You wouldn't know it from Wine-Searcher.com but The Urban Grape is the place to buy them in Massachusetts.

Guidance: Absolutely seek out and try Pinot Noir from Littorai. Great Chardonnays too.

http://littorai.com

2. Rhys

Rhys Vineyards is the poster child for a leaner direction in California Pinot Noir production. That being the case, they can be polarizing. They're the opposite of Kosta Browne.

My experience with their wines has been mixed. I've enjoyed their sub-$40 Alesia Pinot Noirs, but stretching further into some of their ~$60 single vineyards hasn't necessarily paid off. Some say they need time, but I couldn't see the 2009 Family Farm, for example, turning into a swan. That said, I could see the quality in the 2009 Bearwallow. Not my style necessarily, but I can see why they're well regarded.

Availability: Almost entirely mailing list. If you see it at retail, the price is typically jacked up.

Guidance: Find a friend on the mailing list and try a bottle of their Alesia to get a window into their style. If you like what you see wait on their mailing list for a long time and let their single vineyard Pinots cellar for a while before opening.

http://rhysvineyards.com

3. Cobb

If there is a winemaker's winemaker, it's Ross Cobb. The last time I visited Sonoma, I asked winemakers whose wines they enjoyed and whose style they'd like to be favorably compared to. I was amazed how often Cobb's name came up. He also makes wines for Hirsch, Claypool (love Primus, haven't tried Les's wines yet though) and Banshee. No wonder we've all enjoyed Banshee so much!

They're pricier for sure with most of their wines selling in the mid-$60s. A tough price point, but it's all here.

Availability: Quite limited at retail, but I have seen it from time to time. I spotted a couple bottles at Lower Falls in Newton recently, and I even saw some appear on WTSO.com (by way of WineNabber.com) for a short time.

Guidance: Worth seeking out and tasting. A benchmark for high end California Pinot Noir.

http://cobbwines.com

4. Kutch

Here's a producer who, I'm told, started out making bolder wines but is now firmly committed to producing more restrained Pinot Noir. Perhaps similar to Rhys, I loved the more affordable 2010 Sonoma Coast ($39) but the 2009 Savoy ($50) was less impressive. All things considered the price points are quite reasonable if you can buy them without a markup.

Availability: Very hard to find at retail near release price.

Guidance: I'm looking forward to trying more of these. Hop on their mailing list and have patience.

http://kutchwines.com

5. Red Car

The most famous Red Car bottling is actually a bit of a head fake. Their 2007 Heaven & Earth La Boheme graced the cover of Wine Spectator with a massive 97 point score. But it's not representative of their house style at all. The rest of the wines in their portfolio are far more restrained and they are absolutely a lower alcohol producer committed to producing wines that deliver a compelling experience without being overly ripe.

Availability: You do see these around at retail, so have a look on Wine-Searcher.com.

Guidance: Try the Heaven & Earth if you like a more fruit forward style, and compare them to other bottlings.

http://redcarwine.com

Further Reading

Question of the Day: Who are some of your favorite terroir-driven California Pinot Noir producers?


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/ghDHP_bzdKE/5-outstanding-terroir-driven-california.html

champagne red wine wine shop wine glasses wine tasting

I have seen the future of artisan wine, and it comes in a can

This may sound odd, but there is a link between packaging innovation and the increasing focus on biodynamics and ‘natural wine’, it just isn’t a simple one. I am not suggesting that natural wine producers are better served choosing tetrapacks, paper bottles or aluminium cans for their wines (although they might), but sometimes the simplest [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/4sUTVA9ewao/

wine bottles wine coolers wines and spirits wine store wine making

Nota Bene Cellars: Current Releases from the 2009 Vintage

Nota Bene Cellars is a small, family-owned winery located in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood. Owner/winemaker Tim Narby and his wife Carol Bryant founded Nota Bene in 2001. Tim got his start in winemaking over 15 years earlier in the Boeing Employee?s Wine and Beermaking Club. When their youngest child was out of preschool, they decided [...]

Nota Bene Cellars: Current Releases from the 2009 Vintage was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/jG7Geem-CNY/

wine white wine cellar cabernet riesling zinfandel

A 95 Point Rhone Red You Can Actually Buy

One of the more common complaints I hear from friends about Wine Spectator is that it's difficult to find highly rated wines the publication recommends. It can be tedious keeping up with for sure so we've got to help each other out. Here's one you can act on right now.

When you have a Wine Spectator online subscription, you also gain early access to their ratings through their Insider and Advance newsletters. These can give you a little bit of a head start in some situations.

Last week's Insider featured a sneak peak of ratings from the highly anticipated 2010 Rhones. My eyes were drawn to the big numbers for St. Prefert CdPs. But my pal @EvanDawson spotted an incredible QPR hiding behind the Chateauneufs: The 2010 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas.

With a score of 95 points, a release price of $41, and ample 3,300 case production - this is a fantastic quality-price ratio wine you can find at retail.

Click here to buy it now from Wine.com and stack it with code "10PER6" for 10% off 6 or more mixed bottles. And if you're not a Steward Ship member and haven't ordered from Wine.com before use "1CENTWELCOME" for $0.01 shipping on orders of $75 or more.

In the Boston area Blanchard's has it for $34.99 and eligible for discounts. Other MA retailers have it for a little more - check Wine-Searcher.com. Or search nationally.

Thanks for the heads up Evan! I ordered a bottle and will let you know how it goes when I taste it.

icon icon


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/NY3t2UW6PzQ/a-95-point-rhone-you-can-actually-buy.html

good wine wine warehouse wine company port wine wine spectator