Weekly Wine Journal | Best of 2011

2011 was a great wine year for me.  I traveled to British Columbia, Napa Valley and South Africa.  I drank amazing wine and met amazing people.  The following list represents the best wines I actually experienced.  I believe that to actually experience a wine, one must drink more than just a small sample.  The entire bottle must be sampled, although not all at one sitting!

2004 Beaulieu Vineyard George de Latour

Best drink now wine: Beaulieu Vineyard 2004 Georges de Latour, Cabernet.

Best buy and hold: Ridge Vineyards 2007 Monte Bello

Best Red (not already on the list) Robert Craig Winery 2008 Spring Mountain Cabernet

Best White: Page Springs Cellars 2010 Mourvedre, Colibri Vineyards

Best Wine under $20: Cameron Hughes Lot 287, Napa valley Cabernet

Honorable Mentions:  Cameron Hughes Lot 300 2009 Napa Cabernet, Cameron Hughes Lot 303 2009 Stag’s Leap Cabernet, Robert Craig 2008 Howell Mountain cabernet, Caduceus Cellars Anubis 2009 Cabernet, Clos L’Eglise 2006 Reserve Pomerol, Ladera Vineyards 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet

Napa valley wine bar

Zu Zu Tapas, Napa.

Best Wine Bar: Zu Zu Tapas, Napa Valley

Blue Tooth Wine Society celebrates with JAW cellars

Arizona wine broker

The lineup!

The “Blue Tooth Wine Society” celebrated the holiday season this past Saturday night at the home of Jim Wiskerchen.  Jim is the founder of the Blue Tooth Wine Society, a group of people who share a common interest in learning about wine in a relaxed and friendly environment.  The BTWS currently has 275 members.

Arizona wine maker

Jim Wiskerchen

Jim Wiskerchen is also a wine broker for many Arizona wineries.  Currently Jim sells just under 10,000 cases of wine a year for his winery partners, and he plans to double that in 2012.

But wait, theres more!  Jim is also a winemaker!  Jim’s first vintage was released just a few months ago: JAW Cellars “Meritaz”  a play on the Meritage name, containing a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec, aged 24 months in New French oak

Jim plans on increasing production in 2012 to over 175 cases.  He also will be releasing more varietals.  His plans include a Malbec, a dry Zinfandel, a Red Bordeaux blend and a white Bordeaux blend and a GSM.  He also is planning a Torrontes, a wine which has done quite well in Argentina.

Rare Jem: '95 Quilceda Creek

The holiday party was attended by a variety of guests, the more die hard fans of the Blue Tooth Wine Society!  Each brought a wine to share.  The variety was incredible.  From The Duro, Portugal to Campo de Borja, Spain.  From Sonoma, Napa and Lodi to Washington State and Arizona.

Some of the rare gems we enjoyed included a 1995 Quilceda Creek Cabernet and a 2005 Caduceus Cellars “Nagual Del

Rare Jem: '05 Caduceus Sensei

Sensei” and a Cameron Hughes Lot 200

Follow Jim Wiskerchen on Twitter

Join the Blue Tooth Wine Society here at Meetup.com

Arizona Winemaker wins big in National Competition

Eric Glomski

Eric Glomski, Page Springs Cellars and Arizona Stronghold Cellars

The Jefferson Cup wine competition held this past November was a major achievement in Arizona Wine. The Jefferson Cup is an invitation only wine competition held in Kansas City. The wines were judged by some of the industries most well known Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine from across the country, 13 in all. There are no Gold or Silver medals awarded.
Over 630 wines from all of America’s wine regions were selected to compete with just under 300 being awarded “Medals of American Merit”
52 wines won “Medals of American Excellence” and only 22 wines won Jefferson Cups.

In an Amazing feat for Arizona wine and for any winemaker, Eric Glomski (winemaker for Page Springs Cellars and Arizona Stronghold) took home 3 Medals of Merit, 2 Medals of Excellence and 2 out of only 22 Jefferson Cups awarded.

Here is an interview with Eric Glomski just after the awards were announced:

A List of Eric Glomski’s award winning wines:

Page Springs Cellars:

El Serrano 2010, Red Blend, Cochise County | Jefferson Cup

Mourvedre Colibri Vineyards 2010, Cochise County|Jefferson Cup

La Serrana 2010, White Blend, Cochise County | Medal of Excellence

Landscape Page Springs Estate Vineyard 2010, Red Blend, Yavapai County ………Medal of Excellence

Petite Sirah “Page Springs Estate Vineyard” 2010 Yavapai County | Medal of Merit

Pinot Noir “Bonita Springs”, 2010, Graham County | Medal of Merit

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards: Cabernet Sauvignon “Dala” 2009, Cochise County, Arizona | Medal of Merit

For a complete list of Jefferson Cup Competition award winners click HERE

2 Quick Video Interviews | Cellar Dwellers | Callaghan Vineyards

Flip cam interviews from the 3rd annual Arizona Wine Growers Association Festival on the Farm

Cellar Dwellers:

Callaghan Vineyards:

 

For more pictures visit facebook.com/weeklywinejournal

Arizona Wine Grower’s Association | 2011 awards banquet

November 21, 2010 Phoenix, Arizona

Quiessence Restaurant

2011 Arizona Wine Growers awards banquet at Quiessence

This past weekend the Arizona Wine Grower’s Association celebrated its 3rd annual awards banquet and festival.

The awards banquet was held at the AAA Four Diamond award winning Quiessence restaurant.  The cozy little farm house is nestled in the back end of the 10 acre urban Farm at South Mountain.  Executive Chef and owner Gregory La Prad created a stunning 5 course meal paired with the Gold medal winning wine in each category.  Guests paid $125 each to dine with the Arizona Republic Wine Competition winners.  The intimate evening was the culmination of 12 months of difficult work for the wine growers and makers, but made all the worthwhile by mixing with their biggest fans.  I was lucky enough to be invited thanks to Chris Fiscus at Moses Anshell, Patti King at the AZWGA and Peggy Fiandaca president of the AZWGA.

Watch this 2 minute video featuring scenes from the banquet:

Arizona Wine Festival on the Farm | Nov 19 2011

wine tasting farm at south mountain

Arizona Wine Festival on the Farm, held amongst the pecan groves on The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix Arizona

The 3rd annual Arizona Wine Grower’s Association Festival on the Farm will be held at The Farm at South Mountain this Saturday, November 29th, 2011

The annual wine festival is THE Arizona Wine event of the year – YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT! ;)

The Arizona Wine Festival will feature 20 wineries pouring wines from Arizona’s wine producing regions of Verde Valley, Wilcox, Sonoita and Elgin.  In addition  there will be a People’s Choice wine competition and educational seminars such as Wine Pairings 101.

wine peoples choice award

Wine education seminars and people's choice awards

The Festival will culminate with an amazing auction.  Last year some of the amazing items on the block included dinner for 4 prepared in your home by FnB’s Pavle Milic and Charlene Badman, and the top auction block which fetched $8000 was dinner with Maynard Keenan prepared by Mark Tarbel.

Tickets for the event are still available here:

International Wine Label Design competition winners

International Wine Label DESIGN competition ANNOUNCES WINNERS

wine label contest winners 2011 Napa, CA – The Volunteer Center of Napa Valley is proud to announce the winners of the 2011 International Wine Label Design Contest.  Lamoreaux Landing, designed by Veronica Martin for the eponymously-named New York winery, won the Overall Award.

2011 Wine Label contest winner

Overall winner "Lamoreaux Landing" by Veronica Martin

Entries were judged on the following criteria: overall originality and creativity, use of typography, and use of graphics.  Certificate Awards for the International Wine Label Competition will consist of Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards. The roster of international judges includes Paul Wagner, co-author of Wine Marketing & Sales and wine marketing instructor at Napa Valley College. “The single most important interface between the winery and the customer is the label; on the shelf, or in the restaurant. This competition brings attention to the people who are breaking new ground, and developing the most successful designs in the world. The winning labels were fun, dramatic, creative, and most of all, effective!” Rounding out the team of judges are Pascal Durand, Wine Marketing professor at the ENESAD program at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France; Tim Gaiser, MS, Director of Education, Court of Master Sommeliers Americas; Javier Merino, Management and Marketing Professor at the University of Mendoza, Argentina; Pierpaolo Penco, Director at the Executive Master in Wine Business program at MIB School of Management, Trieste, Italy; and Liz Thach, PhD, Wine Business Professor, Sonoma State University, who co-authored Wine Marketing & Sales with Paul Wagner.

The panel of international judges chose the winners in 6 categories:

Overall Winner:

Lamoreaux Landing, designed by Veronica Martin of Miami, Florida

Successful Innovation

design contest winner

Love Seafood, designed by Alan McCorkindale of Christchurch, New Zealand

GOLD – Love Seafood, designed by Alan McCorkindale of Christchurch, New Zealand

SILVER – Belle Dame, designed by Vanessa Mylchreest of Christchurch, New Zealand

BRONZE – Noir, designed by Karen Knecht of konnectDesign, Santa Monica, California

Dramatic Graphics

GOLD – Lamoreaux Landing, designed by Veronica Martin of Miami, Florida

SILVER – Buble, designed by Karen Knecht of konnectDesign, Santa Monica, California

BRONZE – Ray’s Station, designed by Mark Davis of Robert Mather & Gibbs,

Santa Rosa, California

Classic Style

Daniel B Kaplan wine label design

Finca Vides Torcidas, designed by Dan Kaplan of Daniel B Kaplan Design

GOLD – Finca Vides Torcidas, designed by Dan Kaplan of Daniel B Kaplan Design, New York, New York

SILVER – Ray’s Station, designed by Mark Davis of Robert Mather & Gibbs,

Santa Rosa, California

BRONZE – Wine by Numbers, designed by David Danz of LeBlanc Design,

Placerville, California

Label Series

wine label design winner

Vigne Note, designed by William Raineri of Raineri Design, Brescia, Italy

GOLD – Vigne Note, designed by William Raineri of Raineri Design, Brescia, Italy

SILVER – Sawhorse Cellars, designed by Karen Knecht of konnectDesign,

Santa Monica, California

BRONZE – BVN Wines, designed by Dan Kaplan of Daniel B Kaplan Design,

New York, New York

Labels Not Currently in Production

wine label contest winners

Between the Vines, designed by Dan Kaplan of Daniel B Kaplan Design

GOLD – Between the Vines, designed by Dan Kaplan of Daniel B Kaplan Design, New York, New York

SILVER – Sintonia, designed by Faini Eugenia of Grafica e Comunicazione, Jesi, Italy

A call for entries for the next competition will go out in spring of 2012. The proceeds of the competition, which are in the form of submission fees, go directly to benefit the Volunteer Center of Napa Valley.

About the Volunteer Center of Napa Valley
The Volunteer Center of Napa Valley, a program of the Community Action Napa Valley, has pursued its mission of “Connecting people who care with people in need” for over 35 years. CANV is an IRS sec. 501(c)(3) private non-profit. Please visit www.volunteernapa.org for more information.