Wine

Naples Winter Wine Festival Proves Big Giving Is Back

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 30th 2011 at 3:00PM

Big giving is back at one of the year's grandest wine events. The Naples Winter Wine Festival in Naples, Florida was held over the weekend. It raised $12 million for Collier County's underprivileged and at-risk children during the live auction of 70 one-of-a-kind auction lots. The total was healthily above last year's $8.1 million and over double the $5.1 million raised in economically gloomy 2009. The total nearly grazed the $12.2 million record set in 2006. The festival has brought in over $94.5 million since it began in 2001.

Approximately 580 festival guests were seated under a giant tent set on the grand lawn of The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples bidding on lots that ranged from $30,000 to $1 million. The million-dollar lot was an 8-foot-tall bronze sculpture, Reina Mariana, by artist Manolo Valdés. The 2,000-pound sculpture had traveled to the festival grounds from New York City's Columbus Circle, where it had been on display. The top wine lot, modestly called Perfection, was a total of 100 bottles of 100-point wine in a custom cabinet. It equaled the highest bid of a wine-only lot in the festival's history at $400,000. A 39-bottle collection of Sine Qua Non, many in large format and including 100-point wines, captured a winning bid of $160,000; a 25-year complete vertical of Shafer's Hillside Select and 24 bottles of the vintner's Silver Anniversary Sensation, when released in 2013, resulted in a high bid of $150,000; and four magnums of Colgin Cellars IX Estate Napa Valley Red Wine went for $130,000.

Tags: naples wine festival, naples winter wine festival, wine festival

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Pinot Grigio by Real Housewives' Ramona Singer Available for Pre-Order

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) — Jan 27th 2011 at 9:31AM

Real Housewives of New York City Ramona Singer photo

Planning on watching the premier of Season Four of The Real Housewives of New York City on February 15? Be sure to place your order now for a few bottles or even a case of Ramona Singer Pinot Grigio wine, which is now available for pre-order. The first shipment from Veneto, Italy, which is expected to arrive in February, will sell out quickly. All pre-orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first served basis.

The perky blond cast member's love for Pinot Grigio is well-known to viewers. For three years, fans of The Real Housewives of New York City have been asking Singer the name of her favorite Pinot Grigio. Apparently, Ramona was always hesitant to answer the question, because she jumped from brand to brand, trying to find the Pinot Grigio she liked the best. When you consider that Singer is a serial entrepreneur who operates several successful businesses including True Faith Jewelry, Ramona Singer Jewelry line for HSN, Ramona Singer Collections for Amazon.com and Tru Renewal Skin Care, it is not too surprising that she teamed up Opici Wines to launch her own line of Pinot Grigio that suited her tastes.

Gallery: Ramona Singer Pinot Grigio

The wine is made from 100% Pinot Grigio grown in the picturesque Veneto region of Italy. The wine's label was designed by Ramona herself. The tasting notes describe the wine as having "Expressive citrus aromas with hints of mineral which show on the nose. On the palate you get fresh, clean white fruits and crisp acidity, with a kiss of lemon and stony mineral in the well-balanced finish. It is best enjoyed young and chilled." The wine is best paired with shellfish and other seafood; simple preparations of poultry, pork and veal; pasta salads; vegetarian dishes; mild cheeses; or enjoyed as an aperitif.

With 50 brands in its portfolio from such countries as France, Chile, Italy, Spain, South Africa and the United States, Opici Wines is an experienced and highly reputable player in the wine business, and thus an idea partner for Singer. Ramona Singer Pinot Grigio is priced at around $14.99. It will be represented nationally through Opici's distributor network covering close to 50 states. It can be pre-ordered for delivery in 35 states now, by the bottle ($13.99) or by the case ($167.88) through Bottle King.

Tags: bravo, bravo tv, Italian wine, Italy, Opici Wines, Pinot Grigio, Ramona Singer, real housewives of new york city, real housewives of new york city bravo, Veneto

FedEx Proposes New Temperature-Controlled Shipping For Wineries

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 26th 2011 at 12:01AM

For year wineries have fretted about shipping wine during the warmer months and the potential for having it be damaged on the way. That situation may be changing as FedEx is creating an overnight temperature-controlled wine shipping solution for wineries in Northern California. Trucks that maintain a steady 55 degrees will be used to ship to FedEx hubs. The FedEx Express and Ground shipments of wine can be sent to one of about 1,700 locations for the recipient to pick up. Using the hold-at-location option will help to avoid potential security and temperature-damage issues with wine shipments left at someone's home or business.Testing for the service was done last summer using sensors in shipping boxes to monitor temperature.

Wine Business says that the new service will serve five hubs covering 70 percent of the country with delivery by 10:30 the next morning. The new service will launch on April 1 with a northern route and May 1 with a southern route. Pricing has not been revealed yet but this is big news for some wineries who have opted not to ship in the warmer months to avoid potential damage to their prized vintages.

Tags: fedex, wine, wine shipping

Who's Drinking Wine? A Look at the Wine Market Council's Latest Survey

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 25th 2011 at 2:00AM

The news is good for winemakers according to the recent presentation by the Wine Market Council. The council's sixth annual U.S. Wine Consumer Trends presentation on Friday confirmed that this new year marks 17 years of consecutive growth of wine consumption in the U.S.

John Gillespie, president of the Wine Market Council revealed that wine consumption continued to grow through two recessions, albeit at reduced rates. In 2010, U.S. consumers downed 276 million cases of table wine. But it is the core wine drinkers that really keep the numbers high. This group, defined as those who drink wine daily, several times a week or about once a week, is about 20 percent of the population (approximately 46 million U.S. adults). This dedicated group accounts for 91 percent of all wine consumption. Marginal drinkers defined as those who drink wine less often than weekly represent 31 million U.S. adults.

Tags: wine

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Halewood To Launch Prince William Royal Wedding Champagne

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 25th 2011 at 12:01AM

Halewood International has owned the Prince William Champagne brand for decades but now, with the Royal Wedding coming, the brand is looking to cash in. The brand is releasing a limited edition commemorative label, using the 'Prince William' and 'Royal Wedding' trademarks. The champagne is expected to retail for around £25 and is expected to sell well in England in advance of the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on April 29.

For the latest on the Royal Wedding, visit AOL's Royal Wedding site.

Tags: champagne-glasses, Prince William, prince william and kate middleton, prince william champagne, royal wedding dress

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Wine Collection Sells Strong In Hong Kong

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 23rd 2011 at 6:02PM

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's wine collection achieved a strong result in a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong on January 22. Part of Webber's cellar was sold in London by Sotheby's back in 1997 and took in $6.1 million. The current sale included lots of 10 cases of the first growths of the 2005 vintage, Petrus 2000, Cheval Blanc 1982, Domaine de la Romanee Conti La Tache, and Domaine Leflaive. Many of the older wines have been cellared at Sydmonton Court, his 16th century home in Berkshire, England Newer wines have been kept in professional storage.

The sale was estimated to bring in between $2.8 to $4.1 million but brought in 43.3 million Hong Kong dollars ($5.6 million), including the 21% buyer's premium. The Wall Street Journal reports that the six-hour auction, which took place at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, was filled to capacity. The top lot was a 1982 case of Château Pétrus (12 bottles) that went to an Asian buyer for $77,564. The WSJ article has a list of the top ten lots.

Tags: andrew lloyd webber, bordeaux, CHATEAU PETRUS, hong kong wine, hong kong wine auction, wine auction

Patricia Kluge: Billionaire's Ex-Wife Faces Foreclosure

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) — Jan 21st 2011 at 6:01PM

Patricia Kluge photos, Patricia Kluge house photos

Patricia Kluge, the 1980s society queen and ex-wife of billionaire media mogul John Kluge, has fallen on some hard times. Kluge was famously awarded the largest divorce settlement in history (a reported $1.6 million a week) but she seems to have figured out a way to spend it – and then some.

She's allegedly in default of nearly $23 million on her gilded mansion in Virginia, which made headlines for its outlandish $100 million price tag when it first hit the market in October 2009. Sotheby's didn't get that asking price, nor the drastically reduced $24 million it was eventually priced at. Instead, on Feb. 16, the 23,538-square-foot home will be auctioned on the Albemarle County courthouse steps.

Kluge's house isn't the only possession she's losing: Her antiques and jewelry have already been auctioned through Sotheby's. Her winery was foreclosed on and its inventory also sold off at auction. On top of that, several lots in the Vineyard Estates subdivision she devised for her property were also auctioned.

The Hook reported that according to court records, Kluge borrowed a whopping $66 million for the house, winery and subdivision.

How could Kluge have blown through her fortune and now lost it all?

Tags: albemarle house, AlbemarleVirginia, Charlottesville, charlottesville virginia, kluge, kluge estates, kluge vineyards, kluge winery, KlugeEstates, patricia kluge, Patricia Kluge broke, vineyard estates, vineyard for sale, virginia real estate, William Moses

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Harry and David's California Wine & Dine Getaway

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Jan 21st 2011 at 2:03PM

Harry & David is celebrating Valentine's Day with a series of giveaways including a grand prize that will send one lucky couple on a romantic getaway to California wine country. The Grand Prize includes two nights at Hotel Healdsburg in Sonoma County, cooking class for two at Relish Culinary Adventures, dinner for two complete with a 6 course Chef Tasting menu and wine pairings, airfare for two, and a two-day rental car for a truly all-inclusive experience. The only downside is that winners won't be announced until after Valentine's Day, but on the bright side even if you don't win the trip they're also giving away more than 100 instant prizes in the form of truffle assortments, cheesecake samplers, and other awesome goodies. Enter now through Feb 14th.

Tags: giveaway, giveaways, valentines day, wine

Boston Wine Expo Celebrates 20th Year

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 19th 2011 at 9:02PM

Boston-area wine lovers are eagerly anticipating the 20th Anniversary Boston Wine Expo coming up this weekend, January 22-23, 2011 at the Seaport World Trade Center. This year's event includes the "Founding Chef" culinary series with celebrity chefs and local favorites Ming Tsai of Blue Ginger; Todd English of Olives, Figs and Kingfish; Jasper White of Jasper White's Summer Shack; Gordon Hamersley of Hamersley's Bistro; Michael Schlow of Radius, Via Matta and Alta Strada; Marc Orfaly of Pigalle and more.

The Boston Wine Expo also features keynote speaker Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine. The main event is the Grand Tasting showcasing over 300 international and domestic wineries pouring over 1,500 different wines. There is also an exclusive Grand Cru Wine Lounge, featuring high-end vintages; and a Seminar Series designed for all levels of wine enthusiasts. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $110 each after that date and two-day tickets are $145. Grand Cru Wine Lounge ticket prices are $175. Seminar and other events are priced separately. For more information on chef demonstrations, seminars, participating wineries and to purchase tickets, go to www.WineExpoBoston.com.

[via MetroWest Daily News]

Tags: boston, boston wine expo, wine event, wine events, wine tasting, wine tastings

Stanley Tucci Hosts New Wine Show

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 19th 2011 at 1:02AM

The always entertaining actor Stanley Tucci, famous for his turns in Julie and Julia and The Devil Wears Prada, is the host of a new wine-centric talk show. Vine Talk is a round-table show moderated by Tucci. Each week, a different wine region from around the world will serves as focal point for a discussion of wine with an ensemble panel of well-known entertainment personalities and celebrity chefs. Guests will taste six wines from a featured region and varietal as will the studio audience and will choose their favorite wine at the end of the show.

The pilot episode features Tucci, Vine Talk's resident wine experts and guests actress Patricia Clarkson, actor Penn Badgley and Chef Daniel Boulud. The show debuts on public television this spring. USA Today's Pop Candy columnist Whitney Matheson recently attended a taping that included author Gay Talese, 30 Rock's Cheyenne Jackson and chef Joey Campanaro and it sounded like one great time.

Tags: stanley tucci, vine talk

New Website Brings Grower Champagnes To The U.S.

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 18th 2011 at 10:01PM

While the French wine offerings in the U.S. often take up plenty of shelves, champagne is limited to a much smaller range of marquee brands. One company seeks to change that. Fatcork.com is a new website which imports and sells grower Champagnes. Wine Business reports that Bryan Maletis is the son of Columbia Distributor's owner Ed Maletis, who runs the largest beer, wine and soft drink wholesaler in the Northwest. The new start-up is a dream for Bryan Maletis and his wife. They are importing champagnes from 12 growers with a total of 39 cuvees, basically two to five cuvees from each grower. Most of the growers were not imported in the U.S. previously. The website gives tasting notes and food pairing notes for each bottle. Prices range from $40-$200, with a median price of about $52. Fatcork is using UPS to ship to states where direct shipment is allowed.

Tags: champagne, fatcork, french wine

Alsace Wine Festival Brings European Taste To Northern California

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 17th 2011 at 6:02PM

Northern California's Mendocino County offers a different wine profile than you can get in other places in the state. In many ways it is similar to Oregon with cooler weather that is favorable to pinot noir and to riesling and other aromatic whites. The Anderson Valley growing region will celebrate Alsace-style white wines next month in an decoration: underline;">Alsace Wine Festival weekend event February 12 and 13 that brings together a variety of different white wines including Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Muscat. The event includes a technical conference where participants can interact with winemakers and wine experts from around the globe and discuss the trends. This year's topic is Old World/New World and includes a discussion of Alsace wine and the wines of Germany as well as a look at Anderson Valley wines and the white wines of New York's Finger Lakes region.

The grand tasting brings together a variety of different wineries including Alderbrook Winery, Breggo Cellars, Domaine Weinbach, Foursight, Hagafen Cellars, Handley Cellars, Husch Vineyards, Lazy Creek Vineyards, Londer Vineyards, NY Finger Lakes Wine Alliance, Toulouse Vineyards and many more. A winemakers dinner is scheduled for the evening of February 12 in the private dining room at Scharffenberger Cellars. A sit-down dinner will be prepared by a renowned local chef and each course will be perfectly paired with wines featured at the festival or locally produced. The dinner is $125 and is nearly sold out.

The next day is given over to winery open houses. Local wineries are participating and hosting special programs. Events include live music, food pairings, cheese tastings and more. All together a lovely way to wile away Valentine's Day weekend in beautiful Northern California.

Tags: alsace, alsace-style wine, white wine, wine, wine event, wine events, wine festival

Scarlett Johansson's New Moet Poses

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 15th 2011 at 2:01PM

When Scarlett Johansson was named as the face of Moet & Chandon in 2009 she posed in a golden gown. Images from the 2011 campaign have been released which show the effervescent blonde in posed on a ladder in a robin's egg blue evening gown surrounded by champagne flutes. The images shot by photographer Tim Walker were taken at Trianon, an impressive residence built by Jean-Rémy's Moët between 1805-1817 on the Moët & Chandon Estate in Epernay, France. The campaign consists of three photographs which will be used in print, outdoor and online advertising.

Tags: moet, moet and chandon, Moet Chandon, scarlett johansson, tim walker

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Beau Joie Unveils Rose Champagne

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 15th 2011 at 11:01AM

Last year, we mentioned the debut of Beau Joie, the copper-encased champagne brand that made its world debut in Las Vegas in 2010. The brand is now expanding into Rosé (shown above on the right with its older sibling). The new bubbly is made from 50 % Pinot Noir and 50 % Chardonnay naturally derived from the finest grapes of Epernay, France. The Beau Joie Rosé has a crisp and fruity taste and like the Brut, it comes in a copper armored bottle. The Rosé's bottle features over 60 hand-applied rivets and the rose color peeks between the spaces. It's not just pretty, it's a little green, the encasing is created from second-generation copper scrap and the brand has activated a recycling program with venues so that each bottle's encasing can be further reprocessed. The copper also keeps it colder longer and provides a firmer grip while the bottle's rubber punt provides improved stability. The Beau Rosé is available in the U.S. just in time for Valentine's Day in many markets. Suggested retail is $125 to $135.

Tags: beau joie, champagne, epernay

Chateau Carmes Haut-Brion Sold In Bordeaux

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 14th 2011 at 11:01PM

A small Bordeaux chateau has sold for a record high price. Decanter reports that Château Carmes Haut-Brion in Bordeaux sold for 18 million euros. The vines cover 4.7 hectares with three hectares of parkland and the property has a 19th century chateau. Local paper Sud Ouest says this is the highest amount ever paid per hectare for a vineyard in Bordeaux. The vineyard is located close to Château Haut Brion. The 2009 vintage sells for around $50 a bottle.

The new owner is Patrice Pichet, head of Bordeaux real estate company Groupe Pichet. This is the first vineyard purchase for Pichet leading some to question whether Pichet is interested in the land or the vines. For his part, Pichet appears to be interested in wine, he released a statement saying that Groupe Pichet is "planning a series of investments, starting with the building of new vinification facilities, and the restoration of the park to encourage biodiversity."

Tags: bordeaux, chateau carmes haut brion, wine

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