Raise your glass to summer!  Join us as we taste three light, refreshing and delicious summer varietals that just hit the shelves at Fresh & Easy.  Our wine expert, Richard Wherry, will lead the conversation while offering great wine tips and food parings. 

Hashtag: #freshandeasywine

Wines to taste:

Charonge – Under $10

A wonderful marriage between Chardonnay and orange, this wine has a blissfully citrus flavor profile, a perfect complement to any summertime white fish dishes and salads.  Best served chilled.

I heart CA Red Blend - Under $5

This fruity red blend has aromas of cherries and plums, with flavors of blackberry jam and a hint of toasted oak.  Serve at room temperature and enjoy with a barbecued ribeye steak or your favorite pasta dish.

Big Kahuna Sangria - Under $5

Our sangria is a refreshing blend of ripe citrus fruits and juicy red wine.  Add sliced oranges, strawberries, or melon and serve cold over ice.

Rodrigo Soto, winemaker, invites wine bloggers from across the US to join him for a live tasting of Veramonte's Ritual Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. These wines represent the Huneeus Vintners quest to produce exceptional wines from the family's Casablanca Valley Estate located northwest of Santiago, Chile between the soaring Andes Mountains and the rugged Pacific Coast.

2011 Stainless Chardonnay

No oak is used in crafting this wine, showcasing the essence of Central Coast Chardonnay. Crisp and clean, it captures the pure pineapple, juicy citrus and guava fruit that makes this noble varietal so popular.

2010 Estate Chardonnay

Round and rich, this single-vineyard Chardonnay bursts with citrus and tropical fruit, hints of vanilla and butterscotch lent by French oak and notes of wild fennel and nutmeg contributed by the signature “Chamisal Spice.”

Our latest bottling is big and bold with rich black cherry and dark berry fruit with a unique “Chamisal Spice” character showing in notes of tangerine zest and savory nutmeg.

2009 Grenache

 

Our small block of Grenache consists of two complementary clones. This vintage, 60% of the blend is comprised of the Noir clone, for its light berry and floral influence. The other 40% consists of the Alban clone, contributing darker fruit characters, structure and density.

TasteLive’s Café 140 inaugural webcast goes live on Wednesday, May 16^th from 6:00pm to 7:00pm PT from Café 140's home base, Heritage Public House with sponsor The Wineyard in Santa Rosa. Special guest winemaker Patrick Krutz of Krutz Family Cellars and House Band Wines will showcase four select wines, including the introduction of House Band Wines' new 375ml single-serve flex pouches that can go where glass cannot.

Click here to read TL blog and download Chef John Lyle's recipe pairings!

Sonoma County Chef John Lyle of Hardcore Farm to Face, known locally for his seasonal pop-up dinners in support charitable projects, is handling food pairings, while singer-songwriter John Pita will share songs from his new EP Color My World. Wines, recipes and music will be advanced to a select panel of lifestyle bloggers, who will join the event virtually from across the U.S.

Additionally, with new expanded hours at Heritage Public House to include Wednesdays beginning on May 9^th, guests are invited to join the live studio audience at 1305-A Cleveland Avenue in Santa Rosa, California. Heritage Public House, which specializes in California craft brews, will have its nano- and mirco-brews and show’s featured wines available for purchase during the webcast and evening mixer that follows. For reservations call (707) 540-0395.

Featured Wines

House Band Wines, Chardonnay, 375ml Flex Pouch

House Band Wines, Merlot, 375ml Flex Pouch

Krutz Family Cellars, 2009 Atkins Vineyard Pinot Noir

Krutz Family Cellars, 2008 Stage Coach Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon

Blogger Panelists

Katie Pizzuto > @gonzogastronomy
http://www.gonzogastronomy.com

Grace Hoffman > @cellarmistress
http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Dan Goderis > @dangod1
http://www.crwinenuts.blogspot.com

Ward Kadel > @drxeno
http://www.winelog.net/blogs/drxeno

Lain Bradford > @winereview
http://winetalk.org

Frank Morgan > @DrinkWhatYouLike
http://www.DrinkWhatYouLike.com

Megan Kenney > @Sonadora
http://wannabewino.com

Rosé Avengers & Producers and Chef Lam of Butterfly restaurant host the 8th Annual PINK OUT! SF on Tuesday, May 8th 2012. TasteLive will produce a live streaming webcast from Butterfly with wine bloggers tasting remotely from around the U.S. The virtual tasting is sponsored by CellarPass and will feature a variety of rosés styles from sparkling to still to Port!

Featured Wines

Gloria Ferrer 2007 Brut Sparkling Rosé

Chateau D'Esclans 2011 Whispering Angel Rosé

Envolve 2011 Sonoma Mountain Rosé

Croft Pink Rosé Port

Featured Bloggers

Katie Pizzuto > @gonzogastronomy
http://www.gonzogastronomy.com

Grace Hoffman > @cellarmistress
http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Dezel Quillen > myvinespot
http://www.myvinespot.com

Amy Corron Power > @WineWonkette

http://www.anotherwineblog.com

Joe Power > @HustonWino

http://houstonwino.blogspot.com

Dan Goderis > @DanGod1
http://www.crwinenuts.blogspot.com

William Allen > @SonomaWilliam
http://www.simplehedonisms.com

Lain Bradford > @winereview

http://www.winetalk.org

2012 Pink Out! Wineries to Date (More signing on weekly!)Abiouness Wines, Amorosa Bella, Carneros Wine Co., Château D'Esclans, Chateau Roubine, Cornerstone Cellars, Croft Pink, Cune Rioja Rosado, Dashe Cellars, Define Wines, Dunstan Wines / Durell Vineyard, Ellipsis Wine Company, Envolve Winery, Freixenet, Gloria Ferrer, Handley Cellars, Isabel Mondavi Wines, Kokomo Winery, Korbin Kameron, Kristine Ashe Vineyards, Lasseter Family Winery, Marotti Campi Brut Rosé, Midsummer Cellars, Muscardini Cellars, Peju Province Winery, Pisoni Vineyards, Robert Oatley Vineyards, Segura Viudas, Six Sigma Ranch, Tedeschi Family Winery, Think Tank Wine Company, Truett Hurst, VML...

Each year since it's inception, Joel Quigley of Creative Furnace has hosted the wines at MUSEXPO: The United Nations of Music & Media in Los Angeles. MUSEXPO LA is one of the most focused and intimate music conferences in the world, thus allowing it to offer a much more upscale food and wine experience than other events with tens-of-thousands of attendees. From the opening night gala to dozens of music showcases to CEO/Chairmen dinners with the who's who in music, wine plays an integral role throughout.

Last year, we decided to share the MUSEXPO LA story and a selection of the featured wines with our TasteLive wine and music blogger friends around the US. Well, we're back in 2012 with a rockin' line up featuring Mumm Napa, House Band Wines, Wente Vineyards, Kokomo Winery, Krutz Family Cellars and Rodney Strong Vineyards. Along with special guest vintners, Rock 'n' Roll Sommelier Ziggy The Wine Gal will host the live webcast from Hollywood, California!

Featured Wines

Mumm Napa - Santana Brut

House Band Wines - White +3 Blend

Wente Vineyards - 2010 Morning Fog Chardonnay

Kokomo Winery - 2009 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Krutz Family Cellars - 2009 Stagecoach Vineyards Syrah

Rodney Strong Vineyards - 2007 Rockaway Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Blogger Panelists

Katie Pizzuto > @gonzogastronomy
http://www.gonzogastronomy.com

Grace Hoffman > @cellarmistress
http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Amy Corron Power > @WineWonkette
http://www.anotherwineblog.com

Joe Power > @HustonWino
http://houstonwino.blogspot.com

William Allen > @SonomaWilliam
http://www.simplehedonisms.com

Lain Bradford > @winereview
http://winetalk.org

Frank Morgan > @DrinkWhatYouLike

 http://www.DrinkWhatYouLike.com

Primus wines are crafted by a team of expert viticulturists and winemakers led by winemaker, Cristian Aliaga, who has over 10 years’ experience at Veramonte. Alvaro Espinoza, one of the world’s most respected winemakers, widely known as an innovator and champion of some of Chile’s best red wines, joined the team to craft the Primus wines. Alvaro works closely with the team to continually refine vineyard and winery practices that deliver rich, ripe fruit with complexity, intensity and distinctiveness.

2010 Carmenere, Colchagua Valley, Chile

2010 Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Chile

2009 The Blend, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Click links above to download tech sheets.

Agustin F. Huneeus, President of Huneeus Vintners, invites you to join him live for the introduction of Veramonte’s Ritual 2010 Sauvignon Blanc and 2010 Pinot Noir. These wines represent the family's quest to produce exceptional wines from the family’s Casablanca Valley Estate located northwest of Santiago, Chile situated between the soaring Andes Mountains and the rugged Pacific Coast.

In the 1990’s, Agustin Huneeus, Sr. identified Casablanca Valley as having potential to become a world-class wine appellation. Featuring a moderate climate with gentle Pacific breezes and early morning fog, Casablanca Valley is ideal for producing fresh, crisp, white varietals that produce wines with minerality, bright fruit flavor and balanced acidity. Huneeus also discovered that the higher elevations were ideal for producing the finest Pinot Noir.

Ritual 2011 Sauvignon Blanc
Ritual Sauvignon Blanc was created as an elegant, yet approachable interpretation of the varietal. Only the finest estate-grown fruit from vineyard blocks known to produce intense fruit flavors and higher acidity are chosen for this wine. The resulting Sauvignon Blanc is medium bodied, featuring a rounder, more textural mouth feel with balanced acidity. Intense flavors of ripe tropical fruit mingle with hints of citrus in structured complexity from 5 months of French Oak aging. The experience ends with a long, smooth finish.

Ritual 2010 Pinot Noir
Partnering with renowned American winemaker Paul Hobbs and applying the same time-honored viticulture and winemaking methods as those used in Burgundy, Huneeus set out to produce Pinot Noir of superior quality, structure and elegance. Fruit for this wine is selected from 3 distinct vineyard sites within the estate. Hand harvested in small batches in the cool morning fog, fruit from each vineyard contributes unique qualities to the finished wine in the form of character, dimension and personality. Together, they create a beautiful, elegant expression of Pinot Noir from Casablanca Valley.

Meticulously hand-crafted, the harvested fruit enjoys cold maceration for 3-5 days for color extraction before whole berries are fermented with wild yeasts to increase depth and intensity. Frequent, gentle punch downs in small open-top tanks bring out deep color, while malolactic fermentation and aging up to 14 months in French oak barrels (40% new) add complexity and elegance. The resulting wine brims with bright fruit aromas and flavors of black cherries, blueberry, raspberry and plum.

RITUAL BLOGGER PANELISTS

Frank Morgan / @DrinkWhatULike

http://www.DrinkWhatYouLike.com

Thea Dwelle / @winebratsf

http://www.lusciouslushes.com

Dennis Attick / @decaturwinedude
http://www.decaturwineandfooddude.com

Dezel Quillen / myvinespot

http://www.myvinespot.com

Megan Kenney / @Sonadora

http://www.wannabewino.com

Grace Hoffman / @cellarmistress

http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Lain Bradford / @winereview
http://www.winetalk.org

Matthew Horbund > @mmwine
http://agoodtimewithwine.com

Amy Corron Power > @WineWonkette

http://www.anotherwineblog.com

Joe Power > @HustonWino

http://houstonwino.blogspot.com

Lain Bradford > @winereview
http://www.winetalk.org

Join us as we taste the three below wines:

Montcadi Cava – Under $8

A deliciously fresh and balanced Cava with bright lemon fruit flavors. Finishes with an elegant, persistent fizz. 

Ombretta Chianti – Under $8

From Tuscany, this ruby red wine has delicious cherry aromas together with sweet raisin fruit flavors.

Chocolate Shop Red – Under $10

Inviting aromas of black cherry and dark chocolate, surrounded by hints of cocoa powder.  Nuances of red wine and residual sugar linger on the smooth finish. 

fresh&easy wine expert Richard Wherry will be on hand to answer your questions and get your feedback. 

The Wineyard at Santa Rosa Vintners’ Square is on the cusp of opening in January 2012 and proprietors Dino and Maria D’Argenzio cordially invite you to attend their VIP and industry sneak preview of the newly expanded facilities on Tuesday, December 20^th from 5pm to 7:30pm PT -- either in person at the event or virtually. Please note that trade and media credentials are required for the event at The Wineyard. To RSVP, please contact Chris O'Connell at chris@santarosawineyard.com or (707) 934-5002.

In addition to the special invite only event, The Wineyard at Santa Rosa Vintners' Square and TasteLive have announced a strategic partnership to promote the expanding urban wine village's facilities and give TasteLive a home base to produce its interactive wine, food, and music webcasts. Click here to read the complete news release. To Celebrate, the companies will host a live streaming demonstration webcast and virtual tasting with wine bloggers Amy Corron Power, Joe Power, Grace Hoffman, Dezel Quillen, Lain Bradford and Beau Caruful during the open house from 6pm to 7pm on TasteLive's Special Event Channel!

During the tasting, we'll meet members of the D'Argenzio family who will share the story and vision of The Wineyard. The Wineyard, and the entire Santa Rosa Vintners’ Square, is one of the most progressive examples in the trend of adaptive reuse in commercial real estate: converting a former strip mall into an urban winery village. Much of the venues materials, such as barrel staves and bar, have been reused from former projects and buildings. This is a great story of restoration, reuse, urban redevelopment and destination.

We'll also meet the winemakers and taste wines from The Wineyard's first coopertive of wineries: Atascadero Creek Winery, Flocchini Winery, Jazz Cellars and SRJC's Shone Farm Winery. More are on the way...

FEATURED WINES

Shone Farm Winery - 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Estate Grown, Block Seven, Russian River Valley

Flocchini Winery - 2006 Andea La Rue Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Atascadero Creek Winery - 2008 Haun Ranch Zinfandel, Russian River Valley

Jazz Cellars - 2007 La Madres Vineyards Syrah, Carneros

We invite you to follow The Wineyard on Facebook & Twitter.

Join winemaker Michael Beaulac and assistant winemaker Jason Ledbetter as they taste and discuss four wines that will surely make your holiday entertaining a success.

Featured Wines:

2010 Chenin Blanc + Viognier

This unique marriage of two varietals that would never share the same bottle in their native France unites the crisp, honeyed fruit of Chenin Blanc with the plush body and juicy stone fruit notes of Viognier, for a wine that is both sophisticated and easy to enjoy.

Our unique blend exhibits a bright, aromatic nose filled with crisp nuances of pink grapefruit, mango and sweet melon, interwoven with hints of soft white tea and honeysuckle. Bursting with juicy ripe fruits, the palate echoes the nose and boasts luscious flavors of Anjou pear, fresh pineapple, apricot and white nectarine.

Chenin Blanc + Viongier is the perfect apertif wine for your next holiday party and pairs beautifully with fresh oysters or Dungeness crab cakes.

2009 Dijon Clones Chardonnay

Grown on our estate vineyards in the cool rolling hills of Carneros, this is a Chardonnay that is stylistically original, a perfect marriage of both French and California winemaking techniques.

This supple, golden Chardonnay treats the nose to marvelously rich aromas of fresh lemon zest, ripe green apple and juicy Bosc pear, balanced by nuances of caramel and cinnamon bark. Upon entry, the palate overflows with multilayered flavors of ruby grapefruit, fresh pineapple and baked apple. Subtle hints of cinnamon sugar, ground clove and sweet vanilla round out the lengthy and clean finish.

If a turkey dinner is in your holiday plans, you'll find a delicious pairing in our Dijon Clones Chardonnay. Its crisp fruit and subtle vanilla spice will complement the savory poultry magnificently.

2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Since 1978, Pine Ridge Vineyards has proudly produced appellation Cabernets that showcase the unique characters of the AVAs. This Cabernet Sauvignon, however, was crafted to embody the ultimate essence of Napa, sourcing from our multiple appellations throughout the valley.

Deep garnet in color, this brilliantly youthful wine evokes aromas of blackberry, cassis, and stewed red cherries, draped in milk chocolate, toast and vanilla bean layers. On the palate, it enters subtly with flavors of roasted espresso bean and milk chocolate, then explodes with bright fruit notes of black plum, red raspberry and cherry, finishing smoothly with well-structured tannins and a hint of spice. 

Bright and approachable even in its youth, the Napa Valley Cabernet makes an excellent choice of red wine to serve at your next holiday occasion. This wine is very versatile and will pair famously with a number of dishes.

2008 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon

Our steep, densely-planted Stags Leap District estate has been the heart of the winery since Pine Ridge Vineyards was founded here in a farmhouse in 1978. This wine is a pure and exquisite expression of the world-famous Stags Leap District AVA.

This robust, ruby-black wine boasts a harmony of aromas including dense dried cherry, blackberry jam and red plum interwoven with rich toffee, dried herbs and cigar box notes. The equally bountiful and beautifully structured palate resonates with vibrant black cherry and currant fruits against a background of sweet briar, chocolate-roasted coffee and a subtle white pepper spice, leading into a soft, lengthy cocoa finish with silky-smooth tannins.

Elegant and extraordinary, this wine is a wonderful choice to share with close friends and family over a special holiday gathering. It would pair gorgeously with prime rib.

Join Cindy Friedman, CWP of Freixenet USA along with guest bloggers and get ready to sparkle and taste three distinct sparkling wines from Spain and Sonoma along with recommended cheese pairings to get you in the holiday mood!

FEATURED WINES

Freixenet Cordon Negro Cava
Produced in Penedes, Spain. This black bottle Cava is a blend of three white Spanish grape varieties called Macabeo (35%), Xarel-lo (25%) and Parellada (40%). It is medium-bodied with a palate of apple, pear and bright citrus flavors. Amongst its loyal consumers it is considered an affordable luxury that consistently delivers on quality.

Cheese Pairing recommendation: Manchego or Parmigiano Reggiano

Click here for our store locator to purchase wines from your local retailer.

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut
Produced in the Sonoma Carneros Region of California. This sparkling wine is a blend of 91% Pinot Noir and 9% Chardonnay. On the palate, one finds lively citrus, toast and apple flavors overlaid with persistent effervescence, a creamy mid-palate and toasty finish. Sonoma Brut has received multiple awards for its commitment to quality and clear fruit expression.

Cheese Pairing recommendation: Brie cheese with green apple slices

Click here for our store locator to purchase wines from your local retailer.

Segura Viudas Brut Rosé Cava
Also produced in Penedes, Spain, this boutique sparkling wine is a blend of  90% Trepat, 10% Garnacha and is a  perfect example of what a Cava Rosado should be like, with its intense fruitiness, on nose and palate, its lively color, and its finesse. It is considered a best kept secret in the Cava region and is just waiting to be discovered by you.

Cheese Pairing recommendation: Soft goat cheese with cracked pepper

Click here for our store locator to purchase wines from your local retailer.

TASTELIVE BLOGGER PANEL

William Allen > @SonomaWilliam
http://www.simplehedonisms.com

Frank Morgan > @DrinkWhatULike
http://www.DrinkWhatYouLike.com

Thea Dwelle > @winebratsf
http://www.lusciouslushes.com

Bean Fairbanks > @WineBeerWA

http://wine-beer-washington.com

Katie  Pizzuto > @gonzogastronomy
http://www.gonzogastronomy.com

Meghan Malloy > @traveleatlovemm
http://traveleatlove.com

Beau Carufel > @UCBeau
http://beausbarrelroom.blogspot.com 

Pamela Heiligenthal > @enobytes
http://enobytes.com

Dan Goderis > @DanGod1
http://www.crwinenuts.blogspot.com

Megan Kenney > @Sonadora
http://www.wannabewino.com

Lain Bradford > @winereview

 http://www.winetalk.org

Matthew Horbund > @mmwine
http://agoodtimewithwine.com

Michael Gorton > @michaelgotonjr
http://undertakingwine.com/author/undertakingwine

Amy Corron Power > @WineWonkette
http://www.anotherwineblog.com

Joe Power > @HustonWino
http://houstonwino.blogspot.com

The tasting will now be Friday, December 9, and will take place from 4:00 pm PT (7:00 pm EST) to 6:00 pm PT (9:00 pm EST).

We will taste the following wines:

1)      Château de Parenchère Bordeaux Clairet 2010

2)      Château Lamothe-Vincent Bordeaux 2009

3)      Château de Bel Bordeaux Supérieur 2009

4)      Château Reignac Bordeaux Supérieur 2008

5)      Château Larteau Bordeaux Supérieur 2005

Rodney Strong's "Down Home Downtown" Virutal Holiday Dinner Party

The holidays are rapidly approaching. Do you have your meals planned? Have you secured those special bottles of wine for holiday dinners? How about gifts…have you shopped early to avoid the crowds?

At our November 15th Rodney Strong TasteLive wine blogger event, we invited blogger followers and our wine club members to join us on this night for a virtual dinner party featuring four of our great tasting food friendly wines for the holidays, including our 2009 Chalk Hill Chardonnay, 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 2009 Knotty Vines Zinfandel and red Meritage, 2008 Symmetry. To make life a bit easier, the first three wines are attractively assembled as a gift pack for the holidays and available for doorstep delivery (where legal).

To make the evening more fun-filled, we’ve shared recipes from Rodney Strong’s Down Home Downtown cookbook by Wine Country Chefs Jeff Mall and Josh Silvers. (Another great gift for wine loving foodies.) The first recipe is a great fall starter, Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup by Chef Silvers of Syrah Bistro & Wine Bar, to pair with our Chardonnay and Zinfandel. The second recipe, by Chef Mall of Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar, is anApple Wood-Smoked Pork Chopcreated to pair with our Pinot Noir and Symmetry.

The night's guest list includes the Rodney Strong team, guest bloggers and their followers, and our wine club members ...all signing in to answer and ask questions, and post photos from their dinner parties!

So gather recipes, wines and friends and family! Here are some key links to RSVP for our virtual dinner party event and to help you secure the wines locally or by ordering directly from the winery:

Click here to purchase wines directly from Rodney Strong Vineyards
Click here for our store locator to purchase wines from your local retailer
Click here to create a TasteLive account
Click here to RSVP for the November 15th event
Click here to RSVP for the December 6th event

We look forward to tasting along with you and the Rodney Strong team, chatting about holiday food and wine pairings, and steering clear of crowded shopping malls. In the end, we hope that one or both of these pairings will be invited to share your holiday table this season.

Cheers from Rodney Strong Vineyards!

The holidays are rapidly approaching. Do you have your meals planned? Have you secured that special bottle of wine for Thanksgiving dinner? How about gifts…have you shopped early to avoid the crowds?

Our November 15th Rodney Strong TasteLive wine blogger event is geared to help in all the areas listed above. We’ll feature four great tasting food friendly wines for the holidays, including our 2009 Chalk Hill Chardonnay, 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 2009 Knotty Vines Zinfandel and red Meritage, 2008 ymmetry. To make life a bit easier, the first three wines are attractively assembled as a gift pack for the holidays and available for doorstep delivery (where legal).

To make the evening more fun-filled, we’re also sharing recipes from Rodney Strong’s Down Home Downtown cookbook by Wine Country Chefs Jeff Mall and Josh Silvers. (Another great gift for wine loving foodies.) The first recipe is a great fall starter, Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup by Chef Silvers of Syrah Bistro & Wine Bar, to pair with our Chardonnay and Zinfandel. The second recipe, by Chef Mall of Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar, is an Apple Wood-Smoked Pork Chop created to pair with our Pinot Noir and Symmetry.

The twist on this food and wine pairing event is that we will repeat the experience with the above mentioned "wine loving foodies" on Tuesday, December 6th. Along with our guest bloggers inviting their followers to join us in December for a virtual dinner party, we will also have wine club members signing in to ask questions and post photos of the evening's wine and food pairing experience!

Here are some key links RSVP for our December 6th virtual dinner party event and to help our guests secure the wines locally or by ordering directly from the winery:

Click here to purchase wines directly from Rodney Strong Vineyards
Click here for our store locator to purchase wines from your local retailer
Click here to create a TasteLive account
Click here to RSVP for the November 15th event
Click here to RSVP for the December 6th event

We look forward to tasting along with you and the Rodney Strong team, chatting about holiday food and wine pairings, and steering clear of crowded shopping malls. In the end, we hope that one or both of these pairings will be invited to share your holiday table this season.

Cheers from Rodney Strong Vineyards!

CELLARPASS' TASTELIVE STREAMING BROADCAST LIVE FROM NVFF YOUNTVILLE PAVILION

Alan Kropf of Mutineer Magazine Hosts Winemaker, Chef and Special Guest Interviews with Virtual Wine Blogger Tastings from NVFF Yountville Pavilion

Join CellarPass and TasteLive at the 2011 Napa Valley Film Festival with host Alan Kropf of Mutineer magazine for a one-hour live streaming broadcast from the featival's Yountville Pavilion at the V Marketplace. The show will feature a who’s who in regional winemaking, the culinary arts and special guests. Wine bloggers from around the U.S. will join the shows virtually to taste wines, post comments, and ask questions of guests. Guests wishing to join the conversation can create an account in advance at TasteLive.

Yountville Wine Pavilion
V Marketplace, Yountville
MAP: 1870 Parking lot, 6525 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599
12:00pm to 1:00pm

Featured Wineries & Wines

John Anthony Vineyards 2010 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc - $20

John Anthony Vineyards 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - $56

Jessup Cellars 2009 Napa Valley Red Wine, Estate Grown - $TBA

Chiarello Family Vineyards 2008 Roux Old Vine Petite Sirah - $46

Featured Wineries
Chiarello Family Vineyards, Jessup Cellars, John Anthony Vineyards

Blogger Panelists
Beau Carufel, @ucbeau
http://beausbarrelroom.blogspot.com

Dennis Atick, @decaturwinedude
http://www.decaturwineandfooddude.com

Dezel Quillen, @myvinespot
http://www.myvinespot.com

Grace Hoffman, @cellarmistress
http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Katie Pizzuto, @gonzogastronomy
http://www.gonzogastronomy.com

Lain Bradford, @winereview
http://www.winetalk.org

Matthew Horbund, @mmwine
http://agoodtimewithwine.com

Megan Kenney, @sonadora
http://wannabewino.com

The LIVE Broadcast is sponsored by CellarPass, the leading destination to explore, book and shared wine tasting experiences online. Visitors traveling to the Napa Valley Film Festival are encouraged to use CellarPass’ industry-leading winery reservation system to book movie-inspired wine tasting itineraries and experiences and enter its sweepstakes to win an exclusive VIP trip to Napa Valley. CellarPass also offers reservations with leading wineries in Napa, Sonoma, Calavera, Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley wine regions.

CELLARPASS' TASTELIVE STREAMING BROADCAST LIVE FROM NVFF NAPA PAVILION

Alan Kropf of Mutineer Magazine Hosts Winemaker, Chef and Special Guest Interviews with Virtual Wine Blogger Tastings from NVFF Napa Pavilion

Join CellarPass and TasteLive at the 2011 Napa Valley Film Festival with host Alan Kropf of Mutineer magazine for a one-hour live streaming broadcast from the featival's Napa Pavilion at the Napa Oxbow Public Market. The show will feature a who’s who in regional winemaking, the culinary arts and special guests. Wine bloggers from around the U.S. will join the shows virtually to taste wines, post comments, and ask questions of guests. Guests wishing to join the conversation can create an account in advance at TasteLive.

Napa Wine Pavillion
Napa Oxbow Wine Pavilion
MAP: 644 1^st Street, Napa, CA 94559
4:00pm to 5:00pm

Featured Wineries & Wines

 Swanson Vineyards & Winery 2009 Napa Valley Pinot Grigio - $21

Saintsbury 2009 Lee Vineyard Pinot Noir - $45

Swanson Vineyards & Winery 2007 Oakville Merlot - $38

Pine Ridge Winery 2007 Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon - $80

Featured Wineries
Swanson Vineyards & Winery, Saintsbury, Pine Ridge Winery

Blogger Panelists
Beau Carufel, @ucbeau
http://beausbarrelroom.blogspot.com

Dezel Quillen, @myvinespot
http://www.myvinespot.com

Grace Hoffman, @cellarmistress
http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Katie Pizzuto, @gonzogastronomy
http://www.gonzogastronomy.com

Lain Bradford, @winereview
http://www.winetalk.org

Matthew Horbund, @mmwine
http://agoodtimewithwine.com

Megan Kenney, @sonadora
http://wannabewino.com

The LIVE Broadcast is sponsored by CellarPass, the leading destination to explore, book and shared wine tasting experiences online. Visitors traveling to the Napa Valley Film Festival are encouraged to use CellarPass’ industry-leading winery reservation system to book movie-inspired wine tasting itineraries and experiences and enter its sweepstakes to win an exclusive VIP trip to Napa Valley. CellarPass also offers reservations with leading wineries in Napa, Sonoma, Calavera, Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley wine regions.

CELLARPASS' TASTELIVE STREAMING BROADCAST LIVE FROM NVFF CALISTOGA PAVILION

Alan Kropf of Mutineer Magazine Hosts Winemaker, Chef and Special Guest Interviews with Virtual Wine Blogger Tastings from NVFF Calistoga Pavilion

Join CellarPass and TasteLive at the 2011 Napa Valley Film Festival with host Alan Kropf of Mutineer magazine for a one-hour live streaming broadcast from featival's Calistoga Pavilion at the Mount View Hotel. The show will feature a who’s who in regional winemaking, the culinary arts and special guests. Wine bloggers from around the U.S. will join the shows virtually to taste wines, post comments, and ask questions of guests. Guests wishing to join the conversation can create an account in advance at TasteLive.

Calistoga Pavillion
Mount View Hotel, Calistoga
MAP: 1457 Lincoln Avenue, Calistoga CA 94515
12:00pm to 1:00pm

Featured Wineries & Wines

Mumm Napa Brut Reserve Rosé NV - $36

Merryvale Winery 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - $65

Tedeschi Family Winery 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - $58

Featured Wineries
Merryvale Vineyards, Tedeschi Family Winery, Mumm Napa

Blogger Panelists
Bean Fairbanks, @WineBeerWA
http://wine-beer-washington.com

Beau Carufel, @ucbeau
http://beausbarrelroom.blogspot.com

Dennis Atick, @decaturwinedude
http://www.decaturwineandfooddude.com

Thea Dwelle, @winebratsf
http://lusciouslushes.com

Dezel Quillen, @myvinespot
http://www.myvinespot.com

Grace Hoffman, @cellarmistress
http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Katie Pizzuto, @gonzogastronomy
http://www.gonzogastronomy.com

Lain Bradford, @winereview
http://www.winetalk.org

The LIVE Broadcast is sponsored by CellarPass, the leading destination to explore, book and shared wine tasting experiences online. Visitors traveling to the Napa Valley Film Festival are encouraged to use CellarPass’ industry-leading winery reservation system to book movie-inspired wine tasting itineraries and experiences and enter its sweepstakes to win an exclusive VIP trip to Napa Valley. CellarPass also offers reservations with leading wineries in Napa, Sonoma, Calavera, Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley wine regions.

CELLARPASS' TASTELIVE STREAMING BROADCAST LIVE FROM NAPA VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL GALA

Alan Kropf of Mutineer Magazine Hosts Winemaker, Chef and Special Guest Interviews with Virtual Wine Blogger Tastings from Robert Mondavi Winery

Join in the elegance of the evening at the historic Robert Mondavi Winery for the Opening Night Gala of the inaugural Napa Valley Film Festival. Guests will be sampling cuisine from 15 celebrated Napa Valley's Chefs, indulge in amazing wines from Robert Mondavi, walk the red carpet and dance the night away at this world-class, Opening Night celebration.

Featured Wines

Robert Mondavi Winery 2009 Fume Blanc Reserve - $40

Robert Mondavi Winery 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - $135

Alan Kropf, Editor-in-Chief of Mutineer Magazine will tackle the red carpet in his best black-tie tennis shoes. He will be tasting through the Robert Mondavi wines of the evening along with celebrities, wine professionals and the chef.

At homes across the USA, bloggers will be joining in the conversation and asking questions as they too, will be tasting the wines and sampling appetizers they made from recipes provided by the chefs of the evening. Guests wishing to join the conversation can create an account in advance at TasteLive.

The LIVE Broadcast is sponsored by CellarPass, the leading destination to explore, book and shared wine tasting experiences online. Visitors traveling to the Napa Valley Film Festival are encouraged to use CellarPass’ industry-leading winery reservation system to book movie-inspired wine tasting itineraries and experiences and enter its sweepstakes to win an exclusive VIP trip to Napa Valley. CellarPass also offers reservations with leading wineries in Napa, Sonoma, Calavera, Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley wine regions.

Blogger Panelists
Bean Fairbanks, @WineBeerWA
http://wine-beer-washington.com

Beau Carufel, @ucbeau
http://beausbarrelroom.blogspot.com

Dennis Atick, @decaturwinedude
http://www.decaturwineandfooddude.com

Dezel Quillen, @myvinespot
http://www.myvinespot.com

Grace Hoffman, @cellarmistress
http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Lain Bradford, @winereview
http://www.winetalk.org

Matthew Horbund, @mmwine
http://agoodtimewithwine.com

Megan Kenney, @sonadora
http://wannabewino.com

Thea Dwelle, @winebratsf
http://lusciouslushes.com

"Stock Your Cellar" Holiday Tasting

TasteLive is proud to welcome Bacchus Selections as our special TasteLive Tuesday event on November 8th. Bacchus Selections is a members-only source for exquisite wine offerings. The team discovers intriguing wines for its membership’s refined palates by rigorous screening and selecting the top 2% of wines based on intrigue, quality, and value. Trust is built through the qaulity and value Bacchus Selections brings with each purchase. Currently their membership is free, so CLICK HERE to register. The evening's featured wines are listed below. You can click on each wine link to learn more and order the wines!

The Evening's Featured Wines

Maison Champy 2006 Premier Cru Hospices de Beaune ~ $39.99
A tiny production gem, less than 50 cases, of Maison Champy 1er Cru Côte de Beaune Cuvée Brunet--from the premier auction in the world and stored in the winery's temperature controlled cellars in pristine condition.

This beautifully crafted cuvee combines some of the most prestigious 1er cru vineyards in Beaune. Like all the world-class wines produced by famed Pinot Noir specialist, Roland Masse, the results are truly spectacular. The aromatics are complex, showing black cherry, all spice, and a hint of cedarwood. The wine is well balanced with a sensational mid palate, with vibrant fruit including, black cherry, plum and coffee notes. The blend of the three vineyards allows a balance of the "muscle power” of the Cent Vignes, with the “roundness” of the Bressandes, and the “finesse” of the Teurons. The oak is well integrated, and the harmony of the blend make it drinkable now and cellar worthy through 2018.

SAVE 52% OFF THE RETAIL PRICE OF $84.99
shipping included when ordering 3 bottles or more

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Château Pontet-Caillou 2008 Pessac-Léognan ~ $19.99
50% Merlot for the roundness and fruit and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon for the tannin and aging potential.

This Chateau is located right next to the highly regarded and pricy Domaine de Chevalier, and shares the same unique rich black sand and gravel soil and climate conditions.

This red wine from Pessac Léognan has a powerful bouquet, fleshy and balanced, with structured tannins, and a long and pleasant finish. Best techniques and agronomic knowledge have been used to create a high quality vineyard, worthy of this great soil, and this great red wine!

SAVE 37% OFF THE RETAIL PRICE OF $31.74
shipping included when ordering 4 bottles or more

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Chateau Moulinet-Lasserre 2003 Pomerol $29.99
Rare Find in the U.S. by World-Renowned Consulting Winemaker, Michel Rolland

Produced by M. Jean-Marie Garde, with consulting winemaker, Michel Rolland, world-renowned winemaker, this Pomerol comes from 35 year-old vines in the perfect gravel and clay soil, with iron and clay subsoil, unfiltered and aged 18 months in oak. The wine has been kept in pristine temperature control conditions since the date it was bottled six years ago. It is a tiny production and is rarely found in the U.S., however, found in the greatest restaurants in Europe. Boasts a dark ruby hue with aromas of mocha, espresso, black jam and dark chocolate. On the palate, lush with round tannins including blackberries, plums, dark cherries, and sweet, smoky oak with violets resulting in a long and delicious finish.

SAVE 50% OFF THE RETAIL PRICE OF $59.99
shipping included when ordering 3 bottles or more

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Ridgeline Mountain Vineyards 2005 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, MAGNUM $39.99
91 Point Rated Wine, Gold Medal, San Francisco International Wine Competition

This deep, dark and delicious Cab has aromas of blackberry, leather and cedar. It has a silky mouthfeel, along with flavors of red fruit, blackberry, spice and a touch of vanilla. The wine is rich, but nicely balanced with acidity. Vanilla, clove, dark chocolate and a hint of cedar finely knit together in a seamless wine that has power, sophistication, and complexity. The vibrancy of the fruit and tannin guarantee this wine will continue to improve with age.

DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, Sonoma County Harvest Fair

SAVE 52% OFF THE RETAIL PRICE OF $85.00, MAGNUM
shipping included when ordering 2 bottles or more

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TASTELIVE BLOGGER PANEL

Frank Morgan / @DrinkWhatULike
http://www.DrinkWhatYouLike.com

William Allen / @SonomaWilliam
http://www.simplehedonisms.com

Thea Dwelle / @winebratsf
http://www.lusciouslushes.com

Dennis Attick / @decaturwinedude
http://www.decaturwineandfooddude.com

Dan Goderis / @DanGod1
http://www.crwinenuts.blogspot.com

Alan Chan / @amateurwino
http://www.amateurwino.com

Bean Fairbanks / @WineBeerWA
http://wine-beer-washington.com

Katie Pizzuto / @gonzogastronomy
www.gonzogastronomy.com

Amy Cleary / @amybcleary
http://winebookgirl.blogspot.com

Dezel Quillen / myvinespot
http://www.myvinespot.com

Beau Carufel / @UCBeau
http://www.beausbarrelroom.blogspot.com

Megan Kenney / @Sonadora
http://www.wannabewino.com

Grace Hoffman / @cellarmistress
http://cellarmistress.blogspot.com

Lain Bradford / @winereview
http://www.winetalk.org

Matthew Horbund / @mmwine
http://agoodtimewithwine.com

Pamela Heiligenthal / @enobytes
http://www.enobytes.com

Davis Family Vineyards ~ Creating Small-Lot Handcrafted Wines & Bringing New Meaning “Extended Family”

The team at TasteLive first met winemaker and farmer Guy Davis of Davis Family Vineyards through our good friend Ziggy, The Wine Gal back a couple years ago at one of her superb “house parties” in Sonoma County. We’ll never forget when she pulled us aside from a carnivorous pack of guests circling the BBQ ribs platter and said, “You’ve got to taste Guy Davis’ estate Zinfandel.”

That was it for us — we’ve been fans of Davis Family Vineyards ever since. Oh, you should know before you get too excited: the Old Vine Zinfandel is made from vines planted in 1896 on the family’s ridge top estate in the Russian River Valley, so they only make a handful of barrels each vintage, and most years only enough bottles for their wine club members. Of course, the solution to access is pretty clear, right?

Fast-forward to a few weeks ago: Guy sent us an email letting us know that he had a promotional program he’s developed that has taken on a life of its own. You see, “Davis” is the 6^th most common surname in the United States, so each year dozens of visitors to the tasting room and at special events would say, “Hey, I’m a Davis, too.”

Guy’s entrepreneurial instinct kicked in and he started the “Hey, I’m a Davis, too!” club with a host of special benefits. It took off, and now he’s expanding the program through Social Media outreach and adding contests that will include hosting wines for winning Davis family reunions and select charity events. If you know any “Davis” friends, share the word and stay close to them, because Guy has made it clear that, “Adoption is not an option.” [Insert smile.]

In his email, Guy also said that he wanted to engage with TasteLive to help reach more of the Davis Clan, as well as introduce his earth-friendly, small-lot wines to a new generation of influencers in today’s wine culture, i.e., wine bloggers. Far be it from us to get in the way of a good plan that calls for tasting fine wines from a great winemaker and sharing the news with our friends. Let’s get to it…

The Wines of Davis Family Vineyards

Though it’s true that Guy focuses on creating small-lot wines sourced from the family’s organically farmed estate — and select vineyards owned by a few close friends — which can be scarce like his Old Vine Zinfandel, there is good news. He’s one of those rare winemakers who consistently makes great wines from a wide-range of varietals. From Riesling to Chardonnay (and rosé) to a handful of Pinot Noirs to Cabernet Sauvignon to an estate Syrah that is one of the finest examples of the grape, in our opinion, out of California.

Guy has also dislayed a deft hand at blending, with his 2008 Cuvée Luke (49% Roussanne, 37% Marsanne, and 14% Viognier) awarded top honors at the California State Wine Competition with 94 points, Best of Class and Best of Region. His Barn D’Or, a Cab/Syrah blend, continues to win accolades and consistently making “Best Buy” lists.

As you can imagine, choosing a selection of just six wines for the Davis Family Vineyards’ inaugural TasteLive event was challenging, especially from a winemaker and farmer with innate desire to share his wines and break bread with everyone he meets. But he did it, with just a little emphasis on his 2009 new releases of Pinot Noir from the family’s Russian River Valley Estate.

So we invite you to join us on Thursday, October 27^th at 6:00pm PT, as we taste through the wines with Guy and our TasteLive blogger panel, and discuss his deeply passionate and hands-on farming and winemaking practices.

Guy, can we please reconsider the adoption issue?

Davis Family Vineyards Featured Wines

2009 Cuvée Luke, Sierra Foothills  $26 (new release link coming soon)

2008 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley Estate  $36

2009 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley Estate  $40 (new release link coming soon)

2009 Pinot Noir, Sole Patch, Russian River Valley Estate  $42 (new release link coming soon)

2008 Syrah, Russian River Valley Estate, Guyzer Block  $38

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley  $50 

As summer heat gives way to balmy autumn days and cooler evenings, the crew here at TasteLive begins to crave deeper, richer wines to sip and pair with the more robust foods of the harvest season. There is certainly a sense of indulgence that comes with the bounty of harvest, and perhaps this is why small-lot, Cabernet Sauvignons from the north coast of California are at the top of our list for satiating our desire for hedonistic celebration. These are wines made with special care and selection, and in very limited bottlings, making them as fleeting as the long days of summer past. So along with being rare in numbers, these wines, with their rich, velvety, lusciousness, are a must have for those special holiday occasions that call for serving up the best-of-the-best.

Our TasteLive Tuesday event for October features four such Cabernet Sauvignons, two from a pair of micro-wineries, Krutz Family Cellars and Chateau Felice, and two from a pair of larger wineries that have very successful small lot programs, Rodney Strong Vineyards and Wente Vineyards. The wines range in price from $50.00 to $75.00 per 750ml bottle and are sourced from four distinct regions on the north coast of California: Livermore Valley in Contra Costa County, Napa Valley, and Alexander Valley and Chalk Hill in Sonoma County.

Below are the featured wines listed in alphabetical order with links to explore more deeply. We’ll be announcing our blogger panelists in the coming days…

Chateau Felice
2007 La Craie, American Celebration, Chalk Hill  $50

Krutz Family Cellars
2007 Stagecoach Vineyards, Napa Valley  $75

Rodney Strong Vineyards
2008 Alexander’s Crown Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley  $75

Wente Vineyards
The Nth Degree, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay  $60

TASTELIVE BLOGGER PANEL

Dan Goderis / @DanGod1

http://www.crwinenuts.blogspot.com

Bean Fairbanks / @WineBeerWA

http://wine-beer-washington.com

Katie Pizzuto / @gonzogastronomy

http://www.gonzogastronomy.com

Dezel Quillen / myvinespot

http://www.myvinespot.com

Beau Carufel / @UCBeau

http://www.beausbarrelroom.blogspot.com

Megan Kenney / @Sonadora

http://www.wannabewino.com

Grace Hoffman / @cellarmistress

http://www.cellarmistress.com

Lain Bradford / @winereview

http://www.winetalk.org

Pamela Heiligenthal / @enobytes

http://www.enobytes.com

Amy Corron Power / @WineWonkette

Joe Power / @HoustonWino

http://www.anotherwineblog.com

In celebration of the expansion of our wine range, we're inviting you to taste some of our new, exclusive wines with us. 

 Join us online for our Twitter Wine Tasting hosted by our wine expert, Richard Wherry, on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 7pm (PT).  He’ll offer tips on varietal selection, food pairings and answer your questions. We're eager to hear what you think!

  We'll be tasting the following wines during the event:

  ·     Dreamstone Pink Moscato - Under $8

        Made from Moscato grapes grown in vineyards across the La Macha region in Spain, this sparkling Moscato has delicate bubbles and refreshing flavors of white peach, red berry and tropical fruit.

·       MaCherie White Cuvee - Under $8 

A crisp, ripe dry white wine with fresh lemon, apple and melon aromas. The palate is     deliciously round with tropical fruit flavors and a hint of peach.

·       Doon Buggy Red Blend - Under $10 

This fruit forward wine made from a blend of Syrah and Merlot, yields     straight from Napa Valley where the grapes deliver fantastic color and acidity. 

Hashtag for the event: #freshandeasywine

Tasting order: