alexis swanson

Swanson Vineyards Launches New Website

Filed under: Wine

One of our favorite wineries, Swanson Vineyards has launched a new website that presents Swanson as more of a lifestyle than just a winery. The brand already sold Swanson-branded caviar and the delectable Alexis bonbons (a delicious curry and cabernet sauvignon chocolate confection) but now the site includes more gifts. "We're presenting a new and lively face for our wines with our new website," explains proprietor W. Clarke Swanson. "This fresh approach with our website characterizes Swanson as a winery with elegant lifestyle choices, which is expressed by the detail and personality of our new site," he added.

Orchestrated by the winery's Creative Director, Alexis Swanson Traina, the Swanson Vineyards' new site communicates the Swanson wine experience through illustrator Jean-Philippe Delhomme's fanciful renderings. The website will offer new material each month and includes Alexis' Napa, a blog written by Alexis Swanson Traina, full of tips and her personal point of view on life in Napa. Her blog will also include profiles of San Francisco Bay Area personalities in a section called Peeps & Players: currently featured are Katrina Markoff, Ira Yeager, Trevor Traina, Andy Spade, Thomas Britt, Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Torryne Choate and Sam Godfrey.

Swanson Vineyards is also opening the Sip Shoppe this summer at the Rutherford, California vineyard. Billed as a candy store for adults the shop offers sips of Swanson Vineyards' finest library vintages paired with small bites as well as gifts and wines available by the case of the bottle. Tastings include caviar, chocolates, pates de fruits (jellies) and sorbets, in mini pairings such as Swanson Vineyards Pinot Grigio served with a large dollop of Swanson Vineyards' domestic caviar on a potato chip. The signature tasting is the Salonnière, featuring "Alexis" Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Alexis Bonbon and served with the highly delicate dessert wine Angelica. The shoppe sells playful kits including the Newlywed Kit: six bottles of Swanson Vineyards' special occasion wine "Just Married," accompanied by an ostrich feather duster and a sage bundle (complete with instructions to clear out bad energy and create wedded bliss). Coming shortly, The Break Up Kit, The Stork Kit and the Please Forgive Me Kit. Swanson Vineyards' partners include retail genius Andy Spade; renowned illustrator Jean-Philippe Delhomme; interior designer Thomas Britt; illustrious chocolatier Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut Chocolate; Singer Vanessa Carlton and her exclusive stationery line (unique to Swanson Vineyards); avant-garde florist Torryne Choate; and renowned California painter, Ira Yeager. The shop opens July 15, hours are Thursday – Sunday 11:00am – 5:00pm.

Tags: alexis swanson, alexis traina, napa valley, swanson vineyards, swanson wine

Alexis Wine and Vosges Chocolates, Heaven in a Box

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Wine

There's nothing like receiving a surprise box of chocolates. Even better when that box of chocolates is from Vosges and much, much better when that box of chocolates comes with a bottle of red wine. I'm traditionally a chocolate and Port girl but this combo works equally well, especially since it is a match made in flavor-pairing heaven. The set includes a bottle of 2003 Alexis Estate Red which is a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with a bit of Syrah. The Vosges chocolates are made to match the wine, the creamy ganache is blended with the Alexis Cabernet Sauvignon and then draped in dark chocolate and kissed with a dusting of curry powder. On the tongue, the dark chocolate and Cabernet Sauvigon form their usual happy marriage of strong flavors but the whisper of curry picks ups the spicier nuances of the Syrah.

How did such a delicious pairing come to be? Alexis Swanson the lovely namesake of the Alexis wine met the equally ravishing Katrina Markoff, who would go on to create Vosges, in Paris years ago. A friendship of palates developed over time and eventually the two decided to collaborate. It took nine months of testing to create the perfect truffle to match with the Alexis Estate Red.

The gift set sells for $110 and comes in a well-protected rosy pink box making it an unabashedly romantic gift for sharing . Those who want the complete Swanson experience can visit the Swanson Salon in Rutherford, California where intimate tastings are done by appointment in a charmingly elegant setting.

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Tags: alexis swanson, AlexisSwanson, katrina markoff, swanson vineyards, vosges