http://www.the-winery.net/beringer-winery-napa/
Under the Festival Tent in the Naples Winter Wine
Under the Festival Tent in the Naples Winter Wine
A career in entertainment marketing and has taught me, at least, the importance of value and listen to your customer. In my role as semi-retired, I write about wine with a decided focus value despite constant struggle with the term.
For the most part, that means I can do my best to present to my readers wines of exceptional value for money. Finding large bottles of wine under $ 20, my reference point is feasible, but increasingly difficult, thanks in large part to an unfavorable exchange rate has driven prices of the imported wine, the escalating costs of U.S. producers, and sadly, the omnipresence of mediocre wine in this price category. One has to look deep and hard to find "exceptional" value wines. But what about the wines from the premium to super-premium range, the price of $ 50 to $ 100 and beyond? Can the value is there? A growing number of readers have asked wondering if some higher-priced wines represent a good relationship?
Of course, they can. That's not to say I have never been disappointed drinking a bottle of wine that cost $ 100 or more. I have. (Fortunately, most of the time was that someone else paid for it!) But the fact is that, for the most part, the higher the price, pleasant wine. Notice I did not even use the word "better." That is a term that over the years has cost me more than my share of shame in blind tastings, as the good wine was often not the most expensive wine. It is a drive to the wine store in a Jaguar better than Ford? Not necessarily will come to you, but it is certainly infinitely more enjoyable in the Jaguar!
This leads me to share with you so guests, sommeliers, and trade is said about three of the hundreds of different wines are being poured into the winter of this year's Naples Wine Festival. Vintners and collectors around the world to showcase their wines in this flagship event. There were red, white, rose, sparkling, ports, spirits, high alcohol wines, low alcohol content, large bottles, small bottles, large bottles, huge bottles (12 liters!), Wines of most continents, the wines of almost all countries wine producers in the world, wines from many states, and the wines of the names were almost as numerous as the attendees – over 600! But it was three of these wineries that generated the most enthusiasm.
Monitor the service of wine festival events this year gave me a unique opportunity to hear what the customer said about this wine competition. Somewhat surprising was that none of the three that captured the attention and sophisticated palates of the crowd were the cult wines, or wines super super-premium, costing hundreds of dollars. Despite receiving care favored wineries harvested, that could change soon.
All wine of this trio were red, except for a single vineyard chardonnay, and all were from California. Revan Family Vineyards Cabernet, the new company Mondavi, Continuum, and basements, Figge three wines, a pinot noir, syrah one, and a chardonnay, were all on demand so that by the final event on Sunday, there was very little of its wines left to pour. The only thing in common they all offer however, was amazing quality – and value – for the price!
Revan, now just their fourth season, just a sauvignon, cabernet, but what you! And no wonder. When you start with a remarkable piece of land, employ Jim Barbour, one of Napa most respected agronomists, and then hire world-renowned winemaker, Heidi Peterson-Barrett, to make their wines, good things are bound to happen.
Dallas-based cardiologist, Dr. Madaiah Revan fulfilled a lifelong dream when he bought the land for their winery of the same name in 1997 and began to craft world-class cabernet nine hectares of vineyard. Wine is definitely a growing walk of stars, but Dr. Revan has kept the price of your wine at a price reasonable $ 100 a bottle. An absolute "value" when considering the quality of wine, which is enjoying success, and pedigree.
There are only about 1800 cases that occur Revan. Given the response at the festival and the mid-90's critics scores for each of the first four harvests, only hope of production increases.
A little further south in Napa, in Oakville, another cabernet is taking place that has California, and now Naples, all abuzz. No newcomer to the wine or to produce world class wines, the Mondavi family, now in its fifth generation, is in agreement Tim Mondavi, "start" with the new company in the family, Continuum.
A corporate power struggle a few years ago unfortunately led to Mondavi is losing control over his own winery in what amounted to a battle of quality on the baseline focused Wall Street. Fortunately, Tim and the family remained faithful to their roots and are again producing the kind of quality wine that put them in, and Napa, decades ago the world wine map.
The inaugural vintage (2005) continuous, is hand-picked grapes from the vineyard of Marjorie (named after Tim's mother) and the famous To-Kalon site, which for decades produced the taxis of the Mondavi Reserve have been revered.
Tim's daughter, Carissa, and Robert's wife, Margit, arrived at the party a preview of this wine cabernet sauvignon-based (60%) and equally petite verdot and cabernet franc. Given the audience reaction, 1300 Continuum cases, will go on sale next month, they sell out immediately.
Fortunately, Tim said that the plans are to grow the brand 8000 cases.
Peter Figge, presented at the festival last year to its first wines, a pinot noir, a syrah, chardonnay and, which in turn had just been bottled. He returned this year with the same fabulous wines, along with its 2006 vintage of the same varietal. The people competing for the position to arrive at your table to renounce their passion for wine and the production of these wines, like Peter insists: "done."
That's Peter being modest. Yes, Pedro has a style of non-intervention wine making, and although quite young, his years working as a vineyard manager, for the first time in Girgich and Beringer in Napa, then on the ranch, is where he learned to "read" the land. It not only identifies the area of the vineyard can cause fruit to meet their demanding requirements, but has developed a keen sense of which of the row of vines ultimately offer the absolute perfect grape artisanal wines. This idea of the land has since Pedro in high demand in the area's first winery owners, and as a result has gained access to the best grapes County Monterey.
Pedro is defined as minimalist "not a" chemical, and he says he makes his wines regardless of aging, produce wines with a style he enjoys great balance and acidity. This means that wines that go with food. Judging by the demand in this year's festival Figge for wines, this is good news for wine lovers in Florida, since Peter has allocated one third of their wines to our state.
Value has been defined as "the market or estimated value" of something. The enormous popularity and demand for the wines of these three growers in the Naples Winter Wine Festival this year seems to indicate that yes, while the value is actually a relative term, customers do, and always will, seek quality. These wines clearly demonstrate that they are all well worth their price!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Bruce
About the Author
Naples Wine News is another step in a three decade long journey in the world of wine for its founder, Bruce Nichols. First introduced to the hospitality industry as a teenager in a summer job, Bruce worked in restaurants and hotels through high school and college. In the 1980’s, in his position as Director of Restaurants for Sheraton Hotels, based in San Francisco, Bruce served as wine buyer, conducted wine education programs and hosted California winery owners and winemakers, and worked with syndicated wine writers, Leon Adams and Jerry Mead.
Over the next two decades, Bruce managed the corporate food service program for a global financial company while consulting on wine programs for independent restaurants and developing and conducting wine education classes.
Fast forward to late 2004, Bruce retired to beautiful Naples, Florida. In 2006, Naples Wine News was born and “A Nichols Worth of Wine”, was introduced to Naples and surrounding community wine enthusiasts through his internet-based, on-line publication www.napleswinenews.com.
Beringer_Slow_Mix, Beringer Vineyards, Napa Valley, California, USA