Issue 38 - Wilson Creek Winery
Transcription
Issue 38 - Wilson Creek Winery
“EXTENDED FAMILY” S U N S ET JAZZ WINE CLUB NEWS October/November 2007 Review ‘0 7 WOW! What a summer! In May we kicked off the Issue 38 season with the TOTAL TESH EXPERIENCE featuring the one and only John Tesh! Then in June legendary singer/songwriter Jeffrey Osborne gave us an incomparable evening of music, food, fun and wine! In July we hosted An Evening with Rufus & Special Guests (and one of our favorite fellows Everette Harp). In August, at our biggest concert EVER, we presented Norman Brown’s Summer Storm featuring Peabo Bryson, Marion Meadows and Jeff Lorber. Finally, in September we finished the season with jazz greats Warren Hill and Bobby Lyle. As always, proceeds from our Sunset Jazz in the Vines Concert series benefit Children with Autism! GREAT music for a GREAT cause! WILSON CREEK WINERY & VINEYARDS “Quality Wines & Quality Times!” We’d be remiss if we didn’t offer a special “THANKS!” to our friends from BB Jazz and The Forge Catering and especially our friends from Boar’s Head Meats who provided DELICIOUS treats for our pre-concert VIP Receptions in the Lower Garden! Yum! Watch upcoming newsletters for details and information about next year’s GREAT concerts! 2. 1. 4. Need more music? Join us as we present Tony Suraci as “The Highwayman”, a tribute to the original Highwaymen – featuring the music of greats Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash. Saturday, October 20th at 6:30PM. Opening act is The Mario Escovedo Experience bringing their interpretation of legendary Texas Tornados (Freddy Fender, Flaco Jiminez, Doug Sahm and Augie Myers). See the upcoming events section of his newsletter for more details! 5. Catalina Island Adventure What a weekend we had on Catalina Island! We survived a freaky Friday thunderstorm (the first rain in So Cal in September in almost 20 years!) and the subsequent mud slides and flooding! Saturday for the CIWF Wine Tasting dawned clear and bright, and we had a GREAT time sharing our Almond Champagne and “Decadencia” Chocolate Port with a whole new group of people! The Winemakers’ Dinner at The Catalina Island Country Club was extraordinary. Then we finished the adventure with Almond Champagne brunch on Sunday morning! Watch your newsletter for information about our next great adventure! (Santa Barbara Wine Country next summer anyone?!?!) 3. The 2007 HARVEST Our crush crew L to R: Benny Rodriguez, Mike Calabro, Donnie Ho and Eliseo Serrano. is almost over, and what a season it was! Our intrepid crush crew worked night and day to bring in the harvest! While yields are down slightly, the quality of the grapes is extraordinary, so we’re really excited about the vintage of 2007. The white wines that we are making from this harvest should be available sometime next summer, and the red wines in 2009 or so. Watch for 2007 Wilson Creek wines ‘cuz they are going to be EXTRA special! Harvest time in Wine Country always brings in the media types. Fritz Coleman of LA’s Channel 4 NBC News and Rick Lozano of Fox 11 News came out to visit and stomp! 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Chris Wilson working the harvest. Our vineyard crew hard at work picking Cabernet. Benny Rodriguez on the tractor. Freshly picked Viognier grapes. Winemaker, Mike Calabro working the crusher. Fritz Coleman of LA’s Channel 4 NBC News visits for some grape stomping. Bill with members Dee and Randy Heyden at the CIWF tasting. R: Our dessert reception moved inside to Bill & Jen’s hotel room due to the first night’s rain! L: Member Ginnie Burgwin with friends and family. R: Our pour team, Lisa, Bill & Jen and Dee The pour team with members Linda Ramage and Lee Otis. Club members kickin’ it in the courtyard of The Hotel MacRae. High Fashion at W C Construction Update Here are Bill & Jen Wilson and Deanna & Mick Wilson dressed for a casual family dinner. Well, not really! Actually they were models at the Women’s Council of Realtors fourth annual fashion show held at Wilson Creek on September 15th. The Women’s Council of Realtors is a national network of realtors designed to help women reach their potential as entrepreneurs and industry leaders. A portion of the proceeds from the night of fashion, food and wine go to benefit Michelle’s Place, a Breast Cancer Resource center. Work on our new facility is rolling along! Construction is scheduled to be complete by February. (Based on potential delays, we’re hopeful for the end of March or early April!) We can’t wait ‘til we open this new building with its new production and event facility, restaurant (serving lunches daily and dinner by appointment or special event), and offices! As soon as the new facility is completed, our construction crew will go to work remodeling the existing tasting room to include a special library reserve tasting area for “Extended Family” members and other VIPs! Thanks again for making this new facility necessary and possible! UPCOMING EVENTS – JOIN THE FUN! Need More Music? Toni Suraci as “The Highwayman” Saturday, October 20th, at 6:30 PM Join us as we present Tony Suraci as “The Highwayman”, a tribute to the original Highwaymen – featuring the music of greats Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash. Opening act is The Mario Escovedo Experience bringing their interpretation of legendary Texas Tornados (Freddy Fender, Flaco Jiminez, Doug Sahm and Augie Myers). General admission tickets $25/$20 for Wine Club members. Dinner and table service $80/$75 for Wine Club members. By VERY popular demand! Cigar Night – Fall 2007 Sunday, November 4th, at 5:30 PM After our spectacular Cigar Night last spring, we were CERTAIN that we could never top that! Well, here we go again! Plan to join us for another EXCEPTIONAL evening of great cigars, great food and of course GREAT WINE! Best of all, this evening will mark the NATIONAL release of the long-awaited Carlos Toraño Reserva Decadencia Cigar! That’s right, after our “market research” on this extraordinary cigar in the spring, our friends at Toraño went back to the “lab” and added a splash more port (here’s to MORE PORT!), and aged the tobacco to perfection! If you’d like to learn more about this cigar treat, please visit www.CIGARJACK.net. Click on the CIGAR REVIEW INDEX and check the list for Carlos Toraño Reserva Decadencia. Cost for this EXTRAORDINARY evening is just $99 per person/ Wine Club and guests $90 and includes food, wine, cigars and accessories to take home. If you ARE or KNOW a CIGAR LOVER, this is an evening NOT to miss! Call (951) 699-WINE TODAY for more details and reservations! Sippin’ & Shoppin’ Thursday, December 6th, at 5:30 PM See ne xt pa for deta ge ils! WHITE HOT New Year’s Eve at Wilson Creek Winery, Monday, December 31st That’s right! After taking a year off (worrying about construction, weather, etc.), NEW YEAR’S EVE at your favorite winery is back with a bang! Join us as we ring in 2008 with an elegant evening of live music, gourmet food and holiday cheer! The Tony Suraci Band will perform for your dancing and listening pleasure. (White tie optional, but won’t it be fun to dress-to-the-nines and kick off the new year?) This unforgettable evening is just $175 (plus tax and gratuity) for the general public and $150 (plus tax and gratuity) for our “Extended Family” members and their guests. Join us! T HIS S HIPMENT ’ S FEATURE WINES 2006 SAUVIGNON BLANC Our 2006 Sauvignon Blanc is a lovely crisp wine with hints of citrus, ripe pear and floral aromas. Some winemakers use the name Fumé Blanc for this wine and in Europe, it can also be known as Pouilly-Fumé. Whatever you call it, this is a versatile wine. Enjoy chilled. A perfect sip for an Indian summer afternoon! One red and one white. Two bottles of the same white. Two bottles of premium red. Add a bottle of Almond Champagne. Members of our Great Whites Club will receive TWO bottles of our delicious 2006 Sauvignon Blanc plus a bottle of Almond Champagne (at that crazy “Go Nuts” price of just $9.99). Great Whites Club Shipment Price 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (two bottles) $18.95 each Almond Champagne $9.99 With discount $40.31 – you save $14.54 2005 ESTATE SYRAH Our 2004 Estate Syrah was voted “BEST RED IN THE VALLEY” by our fellow winemakers and winery owners. This big, bold 2005 vintage could certainly give that one a run for its money. Fruit forward with hints of blackberry and dark cherry, this wine is ready to drink now (we know, we’ve tested it several times to be sure!) but will age well for up to a decade. Bet you won’t be able to wait that long! Collector’s Circle Club Shipment Price 2005 Estate Syrah (two bottles) $32.95 each With discount $52.72 – you save $13.18 G OOD C OMPANY, G OOD W INE , G OOD W ELCOME , C AN M AKE G OOD P EOPLE Classic Club Shipment Price 2006 Sauvignon Blanc $18.95 2005 Estate Syrah $32.95 With discount $41.52 – you save $10.38 – William Shakespeare WINE 101 Q UE SYRAH? SHIRAZ? This is a wonderful but misunderstood grape! Syrah, as it is known in France, and Shiraz, as it’s known in Australia, are actually the same varietal. The grape is thought to have been named for the city of Shiraz in Persia (now Iran) where it probably originated. It is believed to have been brought to France by a returning crusader, Guy De’Sterimberg, who retired in solitude to his vineyard in the Rhone River Valley, which would later become the famous Hermitage Vineyard. The grape was introduced to Australia in 1832 and initially was used as a “field blend” along with Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon or Mourvedre. This means that rather than picking and processing each variety separately and then blending them together, the grapes are all picked and crushed together. More recently, vintners have learned that this great varietal with its aromas of chocolate, berries, espresso and black pepper make an extraordinary wine on it’s own. (Wilson Creek’s 2004 Estate Syrah was awarded the prestigious “Best Red in the Valley” by the Temecula Valley Wine Society!) Recently we released 2005 Petite Sirah to our “Extended Family” members. No, Petite Sirah is NOT made from little tiny Syrah grapes! It is a totally different varietal. Petite Sirah more aptly refers to a generic group of grapes including Durif, which is now almost extinct, Peloursin, and clones of early forms of Syrah. Sort of a “Son of Syrah”. In addition to being bottled as a varietal wine, Petite Sirah is often blended with other varietals (Zinfandel, for example) to give them zest and complexity. Whatever you call it, Syrah grapes have shown that they can create some fabulous wines! (Can’t get enough Syrah or Shiraz? Try our upcoming release; “You Bet Shiraz” a lovely blend of 2005 Syrah softened with a splash of 2006 Mourvedre. In case you are wondering – yes, Bill did have a hand in naming it! Cheers!) SHOP EARLY! SHOP OFTEN!... AND WE’LL SHIP IT FOR FREE! SAVE on cases of Custom Labeled Almond Champagne! Limited time! EARLY BIRD SPECIAL ON CUSTOM LABELS Here’s the deal! Finalize your order for a case of Almond Champagne between October 22 and November 3, and you can have it personalized with a custom holiday label FREE OF CHARGE. That’s right, we’ll waive the labeling fee for a savings of as much as $54 on a case of everyone’s favorite, Wilson Creek Almond Champagne WITH your own customized label! Just in time for holiday gift giving! Can you believe the holidays are already upon us?! Well, your “family” at Wilson Creek wants to help make your parties fabulous, your meals memorable, and your holidays full of cheer! Check out the great ideas and offers below! • FREE Shipping on Internet Orders November 1st - December 31st • Sippin’ & Shoppin’ Night • Custom Labels for Your Business or Family Gathering • Gift Memberships – Includes a Almond Champagne Custom Label for Only $1 • FREE Additional Shipping - when you add to your December selection 2nd Annual SIPPIN’ & SHOPPIN’ Thursday, December 6th Shop ‘til you drop! One night only! Mark your calendar! The best prices of this or any other season! 5:30 PM What’s this, you ask? Well, we know it’s a perfectly CRAZY idea but, just in time for the holidays, we’re offering an extra discount to our “Extended Family” Wine Club for ONE NIGHT ONLY! Join us on Thursday, December 6th and bring your holiday shopping list for the best prices we’ve ever offered! • 35% discount on individual bottles of wine (an additional 15% over Wine Club discount!) • 35% discount on merchandise (an extra 15% on top of Wine Club discount!) • 40% discount on cases or mixed cases and full cases of Almond Champagne! • Champagne reception • Barrel and tank tastes, snacks • And so much more... Attendance will be limited to the first 100 people. So call TODAY to reserve your spot! This is the holiday shopping opportunity of a LIFETIME! (OK, so you’re not lucky enough to live in Southern California, near our lovely winery? For ONE DAY ONLY, members who live outside of Southern California – LA, Orange, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties – can call in and receive these FABULOUS discounts on phone orders! Put together your shopping list and call (951) 699-WINE on Friday, December 7th from 10:00AM til 3:00PM. Don’t delay, this offer is TOO GOOD to miss!) Pick from one of our many templates on our web site at www.wilsoncreekwinery.com/Labels/Label_Maker.asp or for an additional small design fee of just $35, send a picture or logo and have our Custom Label Designer create a design just for you. Don’t delay! This is a VERY limited time offer! Call Sarah at (951) 699-WINE, x814 or email: [email protected] for more details and to get your order started TODAY! (Legal stuff - Custom labels offer is available only by the case. Orders MUST be finalized by November 3. Orders will be available for pick up or shipping after December 4th. Limit 4 cases per customer. Offer not available on 187ml “split” bottles.) “Extended Family” Wine Club GIFT MEMBERSHIPS Give the Gift of Fine Wine & Quality Times – all year long! Is there someone on your holiday shopping list who would appreciate the gift of fine wines, family and fun this holiday season? Call us today to purchase a gift membership to show someone you care, and we’ll throw in a custom label bottle of Almond Champagne for $1.00 (a $25 value) to include with your gift presentation (or keep it yourself, if you want! But remember, Santa knows who’s been naughty and who’s been nice!) Our gift memberships are offered in increments of 6 months or 12 months. The lucky recipients will receive our winemakers’ choice of our ultra-premium wines, every other month, along with all the other benefits that membership brings like: • FREE Tastings for up to four guests every time you visit the Winery • 20% Discount on merchandise and single bottles of wine • 25% Discount on cases or mixed cases • 40% Discount on cases of everyone’s favorite, Almond Champagne! • Event Discounts... and Member Exclusive Events... Plus SO MUCH MORE! 6 month 12 month Gift Membership Prices (plus tax): (3 selections) (6 selections) • Classic Club (1 white wine; 1 red wine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150.00 . . . . . . $295.00 • Collectors’ Circle (2 red wines) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $185.00 . . . . . . $365.00 • Classic Club & Go Nuts! (1 white wine; 1 red wine; 1 Almond Champagne) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $175.00 . . . . . . $345.00 • Collectors’ Circle & Go Nuts (2 red wines; 1 Almond Champagne) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $215.00 . . . . . . $385.00 • Great Whites (2 bottles of white wine; 1 bottle Almond Champagne) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150.00 . . . . . . $295.00 Call (951) 699-WINE (9463) today to give someone the gift of fine wine and quality times! ‘TIZ THE SEASON... TO STOCK UP Would you like us to add a little something to your December Wine Club selections? Just give us a call, and we’ll be happy to add a bottle or two to your shipment. Whether it’s a premium red, an estate white, or a bottle of our famous Almond Champagne or Cuvée, who wouldn’t love the gift of good cheer! Here’s the great news, we’ll pay for any additional shipping! Call by Friday, November 30th to insure receipt by Christmas. We look forward to hearing from you! FREE SHIPPING! That’s right! From November 1st through December 31st, place an INTERNET order, and we’ll pay for the shipping! How great is that?!?!?!? Just remember, our on-line store recognizes you as an “Extended Family” member by your e-mail address. Please make sure we have a valid e-mail address on file so our system recognizes you and gives you your “Extended Family” discounts! (OK, here’s the “official” stuff... Offers of FREE SHIPPING apply to standard FedEx or UPS ground shipping. Any requests for “expedited” shipping will be charged accordingly. Some restrictions may apply.) What’s Cookin’ at the Creek– Classic Beef Stew Pair this interesting twist on classic beef stew with the 2005 Estate Syrah included in this shipment! Serve over garlic or horseradish mashed potatoes! Wow, talk about “comfort food”! Ingredients 4 tablespoons olive oil 3 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces 3 1/2 cups chopped onions 2 cups dry red wine* 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained 1/2 cup hoisin sauce** 2 bay leaves 1 pound slender carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley Preparation Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Add meat to pot; sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Push meat to sides of pot. Reduce heat to medium; add 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Add onions; sauté until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Mix meat into onions. Add 1 cup wine, tomatoes with juices, hoisin sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrots and 1 cup wine. Cover; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to high; boil until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes longer. Reduce heat to medium, add cornstarch mixture and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season stew with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before serving, stirring occasionally.) Transfer stew to large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley; serve. *You could use our lovely Estate Syrah but that might be “alcohol abuse”! Use something less expensive to cook with and enjoy a glass of our Syrah with it! **Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets. Recipe courtesy of www.epicurious.com Check out these on-line FREEBIES! Attention ALL Golfers! Take Your Game to the Next Level Here’s a freebie for everyone (and we mean EVERYONE!) Our friends at Temecula Valley Golf School have a terrific offer for ALL “Extended Family” members! That’s right, you don’t even have to win! Call 800-996-2283 to make an appointment for a FREE digital swing analysis by one of their top pros and a FREE bucket of range balls at the beautiful Temecula Creek Inn Driving range! That’s up to a $125 value FREE TO EVERY “EXTENDED FAMILY” member! Wow, membership has its privileges! (Offer expires November 30th.) C RWAVING FANS INE LUB Jamie Malik of Murrieta wrote... I was in your tasting room today. This is the first time I have been to Wilson Creek. In fact, I’m ashamed to say that this is the first winery I’ve ever been to. Well, I signed up to be a Wine Club member, that’s how impressed I was. I was too busy taking in everything to remember names but everyone was extremely gracious. Even Cabbie, your golden retriever, licked my one-year-old son’s toes and then proceeded to lay down next to his stroller... so cute. My husband is in the Marines. He just returned a few months ago from his 5th combat tour and is due to go back in January. Your winery is exactly the place I’ve been looking for – a place we could get away to, away from the city, to relax – even if it is just for 30 minutes or an hour now and then. Thank you everyone... your hospitality did not go unappreciated. Peggy Anderson of Vienna, Virginia wrote... We have moved to VA from San Diego and we miss you!!! Wilson Creek was our favorite “outing” and we can’t wait to get back. We are spreading the Almond Champagne obsession all about the place, and hopefully it’s catching on! We are SO glad we can order online and we just joined the Wine Club today. Seeing a little something delicious from So Cal is just what we need on our doorstep. Thanks!!! George and Norma Flynn of Whittier, CA wrote... On August 8, 2007 Bill (owner) at Wilson Creek winery met us and recommended a place for dinner. On August 9th we came back and brought eight people with us – we saw Bill again and Gerry and Rosie – and they recommended a great Italian restaurant. On August 10th we came in on a wine tour and the family all recognized and acknowledged us. Then today we saw Bill on our way home from San Diego – he stopped and said “Hi” even though he had two contractors with him. That says a lot to us. We are glad to have joined the Wine Club. We just stopped to pick up gifts and were greeted by the servers – each of you are very personable. Thanks to each of you for a great 50th birthday experience. “FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY” – Employee Spotlight – BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Meet our management team! One of the very “difficult” things about our jobs here at Wilson Creek is market research. We have to know what the “competition” is doing. Shown here are our Wilson Creek managers during a recent wine tasting, ummmm, we mean market research trip to Keyways Winery! It’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it! Shown left to right are: Mike Callabro - Winemaker Jeff Littrell - Banquet Captain Lisa Cherry - Wine Club Manager Christie Radican - Event Manager Dee Elliott - Accounting Chris Gregory - Tasting Room Manager Bill Wilson - General Manager Etienne Cowper - Winemaker Barbara Hilde - Wine Club Administrator Aaron Sepulveda - Facility Manager Cheo Serrano - Vineyard Manager Super Suppers For “Extended Family” Members ACROSS THE MILES Sorry, you might not be able to take advantage of the great FREEBIE above! Here is something for those of you who don’t happen to live near our lovely winery. Go to the Wine Club section of our web site and click on “WISH I LIVED CLOSER!” and your name will be entered into a drawing for a FREE wine tasting kit in a box! The Wino Club gives you all you’ll need to put together a fun and informative evening with your friends, learning about wine! The Wino Club is available in our gift shop for $34.95 ($27.96 for Wine Club members) and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Michelle’s Place, a Breast Cancer Resource Center! Two lucky winners will be chosen. W I N N E R S of our AND THE previous great “freebies” A R E... Jim and Leslie DiCenzo of San Diego were the lucky winners of the Wine Country Picnic package for four (a $50 value!) from our friends at Spuntino’s Pizzeria Delicatessen in the Barron’s shopping center in Temecula. Long-time member Tammi Rettig of Canyon Lake is the lucky winner of our Ajna Health Spa $125 prize package, a Maui Enzyme Facial or a Maui Enzyme Body Treatment, for a taste of the tropics! Relax and say “Ajna!” Kids, spouse, family whining “What’s for dinner tonight?” Well, here’s your answer! Super Suppers is a studio kitchen where customers make a week or month’s worth of delicious entrées during a fun and lively session. No time to make it yourself? No problem! The friendly staff at Super Suppers will make it for you, and you can pick it up curbside or they will deliver it to you. Super Suppers’ delicious menus are designed by Chef Judie Byrd and her staff of professional chefs headquartered at The Culinary School of Fort Worth. The Recipe Design Team provides 12 new recipes each month. All are taste-tested and quality-tested for easy assembly, freezing, defrosting and cooking – and aimed to bring great-tasting, family-friendly entrées right to your table. With its inviting décor, Super Suppers is the perfect venue for groups, private parties, and unique team-building events. Help Andrea and Michael celebrate the one-year anniversary of their store opening and come on in to say hello. To learn more about Super Suppers, visit them in the Business Directory section of our web site, go to www.ssmurrietaca.com or call them at 951-816-0886 in Murrieta. If that’s not enough encouragement to find out about Super Suppers, how about this? One lucky “Extended Family” member will win a FREE private party for 12 people! Each guest will receive a FREE entrée and the lucky prize winner will receive THREE FREE ENTREEs! A $210 VALUE! Simply go to the Wine Club section of our web site and click on the button that says “Super Suppers”. Your name will be entered into a drawing for this GREAT prize! To learn more about Super Suppers, visit their web site at www.ssmurrietaca.com. FIND OUT HOW YOUR BUSINESS can be featured in our newsletter and how you can generate NEW BUSINESS & ENJOY FREE WINE & CHAMPAGNE at the same time! Call us TODAY to find out more about the “Friends of the Family” Business Directory! We’d love to hear from you! Call (951) 699-WINE, visit our web site at www.wilsoncreekwinery.com, or email us at [email protected] 35960 Rancho California Road • Temecula, CA 92591 • (951) 699-9463 • Fax: (951) 695-9463 CHEERS!