Old wines that have been cellared properly will contain sediment due to the aging process. By properly decanting the wine, the sediment will remain in the wine bottle.
Decanters are an essential item for any wine lover, and they also make for the perfect gift.
This video demonstrates how to handle, decant and serve a mature red wine with Master Sommelier David Glancy.
The Napa Valley Festival del Sole recently announced details of its 2012 event. Festival del Sole will be held July 13 – 22 and features an exquisite 10-day pairing of world-class artistry, exclusive food and wine events, wellness programs and premier lifestyle experiences.
This Napa Valley event has long been popular with music lovers, foodies and wine connoisseurs. Festival del Sole offers attendees a wide variety of intimate and unique settings for audiences to experience the world’s luminaries of music, dance and theater, in addition to incredible fine cuisine and wine that have made the Napa Valley one of the world’s finest lifestyle destinations.
This year’s Festival del Sole will feature an amazing list of performing artists, Including: violin superstar Joshua Bell, sopranos Danielle de Niese and Lisa Delan, famed mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, baritone Nathan Gunn, cellist Nina Kotova, guitarist Angel Romero, pianist Hélène Grimaud, the Russian National Orchestra, and dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet.
The exceptional entertainment that is planned will also be accompanied by an array of epicurean experiences that feature the legendary hospitality of nearly 40 of the Napa Valley’s finest wineries, estates and restaurants.
Festival del Sole highlights also include: the Napa Valley premiere of 24 Hour Plays, a feat of extreme theater that involves writing, rehearsing and performing a series of plays in just 24 hours.
The Napa Valley Festival del Sole is also a popular venue for celebrities. A-list actors appearing in this event include Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Chris Noth and Hugh Dancy. Additional performance highlights this year include the return of the popular Bouchaine Young Artist Series.
Throughout the festival, event guests may choose from a variety of unparalleled food and wine experiences ranging from intimate dinners at private wineries to outdoor Vintners Luncheons to tastings and samplings.
Prices for single ticket begin at $39. The Bouchaine Young Artists Series and Golden Gate International Children’s Choral Festival concerts are free, though tickets are required for admission.
To buy tickets and learn more about Festival del Sole and see an itinerary of each day’s events, please visit: www.festivaldelsole.org, by phone at 888-FDS-NAPA [888-337-6272], or in person at the festival office, 1556 First Street, Suite103A, in downtown Napa.
The Ramekins Culinary School, Events & Inn is located in Sonoma, California and just announced an exciting series of four-day Culinary Retreats.
The Culinary Retreats are idea for the true gourmand. These highly-anticipated retreats offer privileged itineraries that feature the very best of Sonoma’s world renowned Wine Country.
From Sunday, August 19 to Thursday, August 23, Ramekins Culinary School will offer the Sonoma French Retreat. In the heart of California’s culinary mecca, these four-day itineraries offer privileged access to the most exclusive elements of Sonoma and beyond.
A summary of what you can expect:
– access to some of Sonoma’s most pristine farms and gardens
– entrée to some of the most coveted cult wineries including Opus One and Domaine Chandon
– an elusive private dining experience at Thomas Keller’s renowned The French Laundry
– all complemented by expert guidance, insider tips, culinary classes, guest chefs and winemakers.
SONOMA FRENCH CULINARY RETREAT August 19-23, 2012
Sunday, August 19
· Welcome Reception in Courtyard with Wines and French Hors d’oeuvres
Monday, August 20
· French Culinary Basics including Soups, Stocks, and Mother Sauces with Pierre Lagourgue.
· Lunch with Pierre
· Private Dinner at ètoile restaurant at Domaine Chandon
Tuesday, August 21
· Classic French Pastries and Viennoiserie Class including Savory and Sweet Laminated Doughs, Crêpes, Soufflé, Brioche, and Quiche
· Lunch
· Wine Tasting & Education by Domaine Carneros
· Causal Demonstration Dinner with Local Chef
Wednesday, August 22
· Tour of Stone Edge Farm and Lunch
· Tour and Tasting at Opus One
· Private Dinner at French Laundry
Thursday, August 23
· Tour of Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company (lunch included)
· Winemaker’s Dinner with Andrew Mariani of Scribe
Pricing for the Culinary Retreats:
· Onsite, double-occupancy – $4,100 per person
· Onsite, single-occupancy – $4,500 per person
· Offsite, responsible for own lodging – $3,900 per person
Please plan on attending one of the other, upcoming Culinary Retreats
· Epicurean Retreat: October 14 – October 18
· Wine Country Harvest Retreat: October 28 – November 1
For more information or to book a retreat, please go to www.ramekins.com or contact Ramekins at 707-933-0450, info@ramekins.com.
William Grant & Sons
The recently held San Francisco World Spirits competition was the first comprehensive international spirits competition hosted in the United States. This premier event included some of the most respected names in the industry among its judges.
Independent family distiller William Grant & Sons was proud to be one of the big winners. The company was presented with the highly coveted Director’s Award.
The 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition’s esteemed judging panel, which was led by Executive Director Anthony Dias Blue, recognized William Grant & Sons for their extensive, super premium quality spirits portfolio, further solidifying the company’s reputation as one of the most pioneering distillers in the spirits industry.
William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887.
At this year’s competition, the impressive William Grant & Sons portfolio swept the board, winning the coveted Director¹s Award as well as 10 Double Gold Medals, awarded for The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Tun 1401 Batch 3, The Balvenie 21 Year Old Portwood, The Balvenie 17 Year Old Peated Cask, The Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel, Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Hendrick’s Gin, Milagro Unico Tequila, Stolichnaya Razberi, Stolichnaya Blueberi and Tullamore Dew 10 Year Old Reserve Blend Irish Whiskey. Further, the pioneering distiller received 6 Gold Medals and 20 Silver Medals across its unparalleled portfolio.
The impressive collection of event awards continues a very successful year for William Grant & Sons. The company’s was also presented awards at New York’s Ultimate Spirits Competition. William Grant & Sons was named Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge and International Wine & Spirits Competition for an unprecedented nine times in the past 12 years.
Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the USA with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick¹s Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Milagro Tequila, Stolichnaya Vodka, Grant¹s, Hudson Whiskey, Gibson¹s Finest, Monkey Shoulder, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Lillet, Licor 43, Art In The Age, The Knot and BOLS cordials.
Sonoma County features more than 300 wineries, miles of rugged Pacific Ocean coastline and some of the most fertile earth in California. This scenic area truly embodies the organic, natural and deliberate life that typifies wine country.
Wine enthusiasts already know of Sonoma County’s famed wineries and 15 distinct wine-growing areas that allow vintners to produce a stunning array of wines in an area slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island. Many visitors are pleasantly surprised to find that wine tasting in Sonoma County is a casual, friendly affair without pretense.
Many tasting rooms in Sonoma country offer free wine tastings, and often the person pouring the wine is the winemaker, eager to talk about their wine product and how it is made. One of the best luxury hotels anywhere can be found in Sonoma County – the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.
“America’s premier wine, spa and coastal destination” offers more than wine. The rugged mountains of western Sonoma County, where the Russian River flows past redwood-topped ridges, stand over the 80 kilometers/50 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline, offering stunning views along California’s famed Highway 1. Coastal towns like Bodega Bay entice seafood lovers with the bounty from the ocean, with Dungeness crab sold from the back of boats and salmon and cod appearing on local menus.
Further inland, Guerneville serves as both the West Coast’s “favorite gay and lesbian playground” and the entry point to the famed Armstrong Redwoods, a stand of old-growth redwoods where it is possible to get far from the madding crowds and enjoy the ancient giants in solitude.
Quirky small towns typify west Sonoma County, with the “Bohemian Connection” encompassing bastions of freethinkers in Occidental, Freestone and Monte Rio. Excellent inns, small wineries, artisan foods and even a spa that has gone “green” are to be found along the Bohemian Highway.
Ranching and organic farms and orchards give way to orderly rows of grapevines and the cities and towns of Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Cloverdale, Glen Ellen, Boyes Hot Springs, Kenwood and more. Michelin-rated restaurants, fine hotels, fun Bed & Breakfasts, unique inns, quiet spas, and even an African-style tent safari are the order of the day.
Just 65 kilometers/40 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the city of Petaluma invites visitors to explore the southern portions of Sonoma County with river-front access to the historic downtown, lined with shops, restaurants and nightlife.
Sonoma County is noted as having more artists per capita than anywhere else in California, and the profusion of galleries, studios and world-class performance venues bear this out. The Green Music Center, located on the Sonoma State University campus, is the newest addition to the Sonoma County arts scene, and the acoustic perfection of the Weill Concert Hall is already drawing favorable comparisons with Tanglewood.
At the extreme southern end of Sonoma County, the San Pablo Wildlife Refuge offers expansive views of the marshes and wetlands that drain into the San Pablo Bay and to the San Francisco Bay.
Of course, Sonoma County isn’t all wine and wildlife, as the furious racing action at Infineon Raceway shows. NASCAR, Indy-Car, and motorcycle racing are big draws as some of the biggest names come to compete on a road track with 11 challenging turns. Those wanting to experience racing on a more personal level can suit up and jump in a real race car at a driving school at the track.
Sonoma County offers direct air service at the airport named after long-time Santa Rosa resident Charles M. Schulz (creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip). Direct flights to and from Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego and Seattle are offered daily on Alaska Airlines. Sonoma County is also about 60 minutes from San Francisco and Oakland international airports, and 90 minutes to Sacramento international airport.
Sonoma County, located 50 kilometers/30 miles from San Francisco, is America’s premier wine, spa and coastal destination, featuring more than 300 wineries and 80 kilometers /50-plus miles of stunning Pacific coast.
To receive a free visitors guide or additional information on hotels, wineries, events, spas, attractions, and dining in Sonoma County, please visit www.sonomacounty.com or call (800) 576-6662.
One of the staple celebratory items for special occasions is a nice bottle of wine. Whether it’s red, white, or rose; sweet, dry, or crisp, a nice glass of wine always completes the celebratory atmosphere of Valentine’s Days, birthdays, anniversaries, and dinner parties.
Rhône Valley, one of the largest wineries in the world is adding another worthy holiday for celebratory wines, Mother’s Day, and why not?
With vines dating back to over 2,000 years, Rhône Valley is the second largest Appellation d’Orgine Contrôlée (A.O.C.) in France with more than 6,000 grape growers, covering 188,700 acres and delivering more than 400 million bottles of wine per year.
Located in southeastern France along the Rhône River between Lyon and Avignon, the scenic Rhône Valley wine region produces exquisitely crafted wines that show exactly why they’ve been around for as long as they have.
Rhône Valley offers an elite spectrum of red, white, and secondary varieties of wines. Their reds tend to be more intense, aromatic, and contain high anti-oxidant content. The whites tend to be lower in acidity than the reds in general, and possess a more light, delicate floral aroma. Rhône Valley’s secondary wines are everything in between.
Unlike some earthy wines native to Napa Valley, Most of Rhône Valley’s wines concentrate on more intense floral, fruity, and honey aromas. Their website offers wine pairing, tasting, and serving suggestions that best bring out the unique attribute of each of their wines.
Here are several recommended wines to consider:
· Château de Saint-Cosme, Gigondas, Hominis Fides ($70) is aged for 12 months and offers depth and finesse, as well as power and fruit.
· Château de Saint-Cosme, Gigondas, Valbelle ($50) is a well-known wine of the region that ages beautifully. It has a deep taste and is bottled without filtration.
· Château de Saint-Cosme, Gigondas, Le Poste ($65) is a very limited wine with only 120 cases made each year. Made with pure Grenache, only 30 of these cases are sold in the United States, making this wine experience truly special.
Rhône Valley wines are widely available in the U.S. through sites like www.wine.com or www.thewinebuyer.com.
The prestigious English Wine Society has also published a “How to Buy Rhône” guide for people just trying out and for more avid wine connoisseurs.
Nebuchadnezzar Masseto 2007
At a recent Sotheby Auction, a rare Nebuchadnezzar (15L bottle) of Masseto wine 2007 was sold for $49,000 US dollars (37,000 Euros).
Sales of Masseto wine bottles at auctions are increasing steadily both in Italy (Pandolfini, Gelardini & Romani, etc.) and abroad (Christie’s and Sotheby’s London, New York, Hong Kong, Acer Merral, etc.).
The rare Nebuchadnezzar is one of only eight ever produced by esteemed Italian winery, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia. Due to its rarity, there was much anticipation for the Sotheby Auction. Many International collectors were ready to bid on this rare bottle of Masseto.
Such a rare bottle of wine, that 2007 Masseto wine was also featured on the cover of Sotheby’s auction catalogue.
Accolades rating for Masseto 2007: 97 points Wine Spectator, 96 points Wine Advocate, 98 points Falstaff e L’Eccellenza of the L’Espresso Guide.
CEO and President of Sotheby’s Wine, Americas and Asia, Jamie Ritchie, was quoted, “Masseto confirmed it’s highly desirable status with bidders from Asia, Europe and the Americas fiercely competing to win this very rare Nebuchadnezzar (15L bottle) of Masseto, which sold to a private Asian buyer for $49,000 after a protracted bidding battle. This was one of only eight Nebuchadnezzars produced, five of which are still at the winery. We were delighted that Giovanni Geddes, CEO of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia was able to be in our New York saleroom to witness the bidding war.”
AmaWaterways is proud to announce a variety of luxury Rhone wine cruises onboard the AmaDagio, which is one of AmaWaterways owned and operated ships.
Beginning March 25, the new wine cruise will travel through captivating Provencal Wine Country on the Rhone River.
To celebrate the debut of the AmaDagio on its first cruise on the Rhone, AmaWaterways’ President and Co-Owner Rudi Schreiner and Executive Vice President and Co-Owner Kristin Karst will host a President’s Wine Cruise on the maiden wine cruise.
Schreiner was quoted, “The Rhone wine cruises feature the world’s most popular regions and wine makers in Europe. Guests have the opportunity to celebrate wine culture in a unique and enriching way.”
The cruise will also feature renowned wine hosts Carissa Chappellet, Owner and Managing Director of Chappellet Winery and Archie McLaren, Founder and Chairman of Central Coast Wine Classic.
Each wine cruise features:
· Excursions to historic vineyards and cellars to learn firsthand about the “Old World” wine traditions of each region
· Complimentary wine lectures with renowned host(s)
· Wine tastings and the opportunity to sample award-winning vintages both onboard and on shore
· Fine dining with special wine pairings
This 7-night “In Celebration of Wine” cruise is part of AmaWaterways’ 15-day Provence and Spain itinerary. Begin with 3 nights in Paris, prior to embarking your cruise in Lyon. The excursions include the Beaujolais wine region; tours of Roman ruins and stops at UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Avignon and Arles, where many artists spent much of their life, including Vincent Van Gogh. After the 7-night cruise, guests will visit the medieval town of Perpignan, France before ending their voyage in Barcelona.
Including the new Rhone destination, AmaWaterways offers eight customized “In Celebration of Wine” themed cruises that also showcase wine regions along the Rhine and the Danube Rivers. These special sailings feature exclusive wine-themed excursions, such as a traditional “Heuriger” tasting of new wine in the villages of Grinzing and Neustift on the outskirts of Vienna; an introduction to Alsatian wines at the “Wunsch et Mann” winery in Wettolsheim and an unforgettable “Oktoberfest” in the village of Vilshofen created specifically for the guests.
The “In Celebration of Wine” program selected dates and itineraries are as follows:
· PROVENCE AND SPAIN – 3 nights in Paris, 7-night cruise & 3 nights in Barcelona (or reverse.) USA/CANADA departs: Mar. 25, Nov. 4 & 11, 2012
· THE ROMANTIC DANUBE – 7-night Danube cruise & 3 nights in Prague (or reverse) USA/CANADA departs: Nov. 3 & 13, 2012
· THE LEGENDARY DANUBE – 3 nights in Prague & 7-night Nuremberg – Budapest cruise. USA/CANADA departs: Oct. 31, 2012
· THE ENCHANTING RHINE – 7-night Rhine cruise, 2 nights Lucerne & 2 nights in Zurich (or reverse.) USA/CANADA departs: Nov. 7 & 10, 2012
To take advantage of one of these great wine themed voyages or receive additional information about AmaWaterways, please contact a local travel agent or visit www.amawaterways.com.
G.H. Mumm Rosé NV champagne
Looking for that perfect Valentine’s Day gift with an extra sparkle?
The luxurious Champagne G.H. Mumm Rosé NV and Perrier Jouët Blason Rosé NV gift set for a fantastic Valentine’s Day should be tops on your list.
The boutique House of Champagne Perrier-Jouët was founded in 1811 and is world-renowned for the distinctive elegance of its wines—the result of its exceptional Grand Cru Chardonnay vineyards and a remarkable heritage of craftsmanship tended by only seven cellar masters in two centuries.
Consider pairing your Rosé with a home cooked menu for your loved one, to bring out the fresh and fruity, yet bold flavours of G.H. Mumm. Here’s a recommended sample menu for you to try at home:
– Entrée Salad of scallops and prawns in a grape and ginger dressing
– Main Roast duck in red berry sauce
– Dessert Lemon tart with raspberry coulis
For romantic lovers, consider the true meaning of Valentine’s Day with love by giving a Perrier Jouët Blason Rosé NV Gift Set. This luxury gift comes from the collective hearts of Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and his wife Adele Jouët.
Perrier-Jouët’s Blason Rosé NV is filled with floral nuances of rose petals, brioche and delicate flavours.
By sharing this wonderful gift set, your lover will also receive bespoke champagne flutes that bear the iconic Perrier-Jouët anemone floral motif.
Cambium 2007 – Sequoia Grove Winery
If you are looking for a terrific tasting Cabernet Sauvignon wine from Napa Valley, then consider the Cambium 2007 from Sequoia Grove Winery.
This holiday season, family-owned Sequoia Grove Winery in Rutherford, CA, is offering a limited production Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine. Cambium is ideal to cellar or simply indulge in now with a decadent meal.
If you have hard-to-please sophisticates or others who you want to impress witha great wine, then this inaugural vintage of Cambium – Cambium 2007 -should be your choice.
Cambium 2007 is a limited production Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine that embodies winemaker Michael Trujillo’s deep connection with world famous Napa Valley.
Cambium 2007 was conceived in the vintage and born in the cellar and is is a clear testament to Trujillo’s thirty years of viticultural wisdom and is made to authentically reflect the legacy of the growing season.
The name Cambium refers to the living soul of the great Sequoia, is a rich and complex wine which delivers a perfect arc of flavor, balance and structure.
To commemorate each vintage, Sequoia Grove will commission leading artists to create a signature artwork which pays tribute to the mighty Sequoias on the winery’s estate.
This proprietary program, the Cambium Artists’ Series, debuts with a striking photograph of the magnificent Redwoods by world-renowned nature photographer Art Wolfe. The limited-edition signed prints will be made available to the first 200 Cambium six-pack case subscribers this holiday season.
Each bottle of the Cambium 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon wine costs $140.
Courtesy of: Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
The luxurious Fairmont Mission Inn & Spa truly offers its guests an unforgettable experience in the heart of Northern California’s wine country.
The area is rich in history with its roots deep in Native American culture. From the time a natural underground hot spring was discovered, local tribes considered it a place of sacred healing.
Located on the site of original mission in Sonoma, the Fairmont Mission Inn & Spa was built in the style of a mission back in 1926.
The Fairmont Mission Inn & Spa exudes class, style and elegance and is clearly the premier Northern California wine country destination resort.
The hotel is comprised of beautiful Mexican, mission-style buildings that are covered in both natural colored stucco and stone.
As you arrive and proceed down the circular driveway, you are politely greeted by the hotel valet staff. Approaching the hotel entrance along paved stones, you’ll notice a three-tier circular fountain that dominates the entrance plaza.
Courtesy of: Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa’s lobby is vast and the luxurious decor consists of rustic woods and wrought iron, in addition to numerous French antiques.
The spacious lobby offers its guests a chance to relax in the sitting area consisting of large, comfortable couches and wing-backed chairs.
The multi-story main building also includes beautiful arched windows that allow gazing out on the hotel’s main grounds.
For fine dining, you are in for a treat. Santé Restaurant is the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa’s signature dining room and has proudly achieved national status. This premier dining establishment was recently awarded the coveted Michelin star for the second year in a row in the new Michelin Guide San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country 2011.
For wine lovers, you don’t have to wait to take in a local winery tour. The hotel offers complimentary wine tasting every evening in the lobby’s sitting area. You can taste the area’s best wines in a relaxed environment between 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm.
There are two different categories of accommodations at the Fairmont Sonoma Inn & Spa. The guestrooms are quite large in size and are titled: the Fairmont Heritage Rooms, the Fairmont Wine Country Room and the Fairmont Room with Fireplace. These superior rooms are decorated with light pine wood furniture, plus cream and white accented walls with a floral decor.
The Fairmont Sonoma Inn & Spa. also offers luxurious suites that range from 500 sq. ft. in size for the Wine Country Junior, the 550 sq. ft. Mission Suite, up to the 600 sq. ft. premium Wine Country One Bedroom Suite. All of the Inn’s suites are pure luxury and include a two-person Jacuzzi tub.
Courtesy of: Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa – Mission Suite
We stayed in the romantic, signature Mission Suite. The suite includes a comfortable, king-size four-poster bed with a down filled comforter. The suite features a separate seating area, including a roomy love seat and two chairs, located in front of a wood burning fireplace and wall-mounted LCD TV.
Gorgeous French doors with wooden, plantation shutters revealed a ground level patio. We enjoyed a glass of wine listening to the nearby fountain, singing birds and light breezes blowing through the meticulous garden grounds.
The spacious bathroom has 2 sinks, a separate shower with plush towels and soft, cotton robes. Located between the bathroom and bed, the over-sized jacuzzi tub offers room for two. It’s the perfect way to end a romantic day in Sonoma’s wine country.
The rooms also come with high-speed Internet access, making it convenient to plan out your winery tour or just check your email.
To further your relaxation experience, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa features a renowned 40,000 sq. ft. spa that provides the ultimate in pampering and modern therapeutic enjoyment. The spa facilities are incredible and considered by many to be among the finest found anywhere.
Based on the belief of the healing powers of water, this comprehensive, full-service European style spa has long been a desired destination for both health and pleasure.
There are a variety of different treatments available including massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, as well as shiatsu.
The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa also features three swimming pools that are fed by body soothing, geothermal mineral waters.
For golf lovers, try the 18-hole championship Sonoma Golf Club golf course. This beautiful, yet challenging golf course plays approximately 7,100 yards from its championship tees. With a backdrop of magnificent oak trees, lakes, vineyards and mountains, this 177 acre property is one of the best golf courses in the world.
For an unbelievable experience, take a ride and enjoy a gourmet meal with incredible wine country views … on the historic Napa Valley Wine Train.
So whether you are looking for a romantic weekend getaway or a complete body & mind, rejuvenating experience, be sure to put the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa on top of your list.
For additional information and to make a reservation, please visit: http://www.fairmont.com/sonoma