Tag: tasting

Whether you are entertaining a client over a meal, celebrating a special anniversary or hosting a Valentine’s wine tasting party at your home, serving wine is much easier when you are comfortable with the protocol. Here are a few wine tasting tips that will dazzle your Valentine and you can use all year around:

Bringing a Bottle of Wine as a Valentine Hostess Gift

  A bottle of wine makes a great hostess gift, but avoid bringing a chilled bottle as it will send the impression that you expect it to be opened and consumed at the party.

This year, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards celebrates its 45th anniversary as a producer of luscious, fruit-driven wines that demonstrate the unique and diverse characteristics of Sonoma County terroir. Since the founding of the vineyards and winery in 1971, St. Francis has enjoyed an enviable reputation for its distinctive wines and commitment to the land where the winegrapes are grown.

When B Cellars opened its doors along the renowned Oakville Cross Road last August, it was the first winery to do so in 18 years. Founded in 2003 by Duffy Keys and Jim Borsack, the winery is a fitting addition to the neighborhood, which includes Opus One, Silver Oak, PlumpJack, Groth, Gargiulo, and Rudd.

"We’re honored to find our permanent home amidst the celebrated wineries who help define Napa Valley’s esteemed Oakville AVA," Duffy says.

Le Vigne Winery was founded with a passion for terroir, exceptional wines, and spectacular food. This passion is evident more than ever this year as the Paso Robles, CA winery unveils its stunning new tasting room, exciting culinary offerings, acres of new plantings, and a series of compelling new releases.

The 100-acre vineyard estate property was one of the region’s first: planted by the Filippini family in 1981. Through the years, the land’s diverse terroir has yielded exceptional quality grapes.

When veteran grape growers Mike Rennie and Gary Winder founded their California winery in 2003, they chose the name Leoness Cellars, which means "village of dreams" in Gaelic.

Since then, many dreams have certainly come true at Leoness. The wines, born in premium vineyards that Mike and Gary were farming as early as 1990, have quite a following. Winemaker Tim Kramer continually strives to make the best wine possible to put Leoness Cellars on the map, and to build recognition for the Temecula Valley as well. His efforts have resulted in a stellar portfolio: four wines have earned 90+ points from some of the most respected wine publications in the United States. Leoness offers an impeccable three-tiered wine program: Cellar Selection wines are crafted to suit a range of palates; Vineyard Selection wines are handcrafted, small lot wines from single vineyards; and Signature Selection wines are blended for the utmost in elegance and character.

Like its exceptional estate wines, the name for Broken Earth Winery in Paso Robles, California, was born in the vineyard. Rancho Tierra Rejada (land of the worked earth) Vineyard was first planted in 1973, on a 2,500 acre ranch by the same name. The 522-acre vineyard was one of the region’s first commercial vineyards and sold its premium wine grapes to Napa Valley wineries for decades. Today, these highly coveted grapes stay in Paso Robles, in the capable hands of Broken Earth’s esteemed winemaker, Chris Cameron.

Thirty years have passed since visionary winemaker Jess Jackson produced his first bottle of Kendall-Jackson wine. It wasn't just any wine: the iconic 1982 Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay was crafted from a handful of distinct vineyards in several cool coastal regions of California. The wine sold out within a matter of weeks, and the following year, it won the first Double Platinum award ever at the esteemed American Wine Competition. This instant success set a standard for Kendall-Jackson wines that has never been compromised. Today, the winery consistently produces extraordinary wines from its own 14,000 acres of estate vineyards in prime coastal regions across the state.