Just in time for summer, Real Sangria has announced the U.S. launch of Real Sangria White, the newest product to join its portfolio of true Spanish sangrias.
“For centuries, sangria has been one of the traditional drinks in Spain and it is steadily becoming one of the most fashionable in the U.S. People are entertaining more and more at home and a pitcher of sangria is now a must have item for home gatherings,” said Ricardo Febres of Shaw-Ross International Importers, importer of Real Sangria. Continue Reading »
Hosted by the Napa Valley Vintners, the 30th Annual Auction Napa Valley raised more than $8.5 million, smashing the results of the previous year. Over the course of four days, bidders, industry professionals, and members of the press from across the country and around the globe gathered in Napa Valley to enjoy fine wine and raise money for charity. Continue Reading »
Ever since its emergence in the market place back in the ’70s, organic wines have been receiving mixed emotions amongst consumers and wine geeks alike. As a culture, we are becoming more and more concerned with the environment and the products in which we consume. Local, sustainable, green, organic – these are no longer buzz words, but a part of our daily life. Continue Reading »
Sometimes, the health benefits from the ingredients of certain fine beverages extends far beyond its mere internal consumption. Some fine beverages can also provide external benefits. I have been known to wash my hair with beer after prolonged exposure to chlorine. There are even spas in the Czech Republic dedicated to beer treatments — beer baths, beer wraps, beer facials etc… Continue Reading »
A couple weeks ago you may remember seeing a mention on the Mutineer blog for the Mutineer sponsored Russian River Valley Wingrowers “Single Night” event happening in Sonoma County on June 5. Well, now there is an opportunity for San Francisco Bay Area folks to attend the event via a luxury bus road trip aptly titled: TAKE IT TO THE RIVER – A Russian River Valley Wine Country VIP Road Trip.
This VIP package is $260 per person. $260 might sound like a lot of money right now. BUT, as a sponsor of the event, Mutineer Magazine is offering tickets to our subscribers and blog readers at 50% discount until 9:00PM on Thursday, May 27th – or until tickets sell-out. Continue Reading »
Whether it be environmental or economical, more and more high-class wines these days are coming in screw top bottles. Unfortunately, there is nothing magical or exciting about unscrewing the cap off of a bottle. Screw caps have pretty much eliminated the opportunity for a mystical and romantic uncorking presentation, which is no good if you’re a sommelier at a fancy shmancy restaurant or if you are trying to impress a date with your Rico Suave vino skills.
Think about all of the anticipation and awe that happens when watching a proper uncorking. When perfectly orchestrated, it is like a dance. (However, fumbling and breaking the cork in the bottle can be disastrous to one’s wine reputation).
So how does one preserve one’s repertoire and class while opening a less-than-exhilarating screw capped bottle of vino? Continue Reading »
There are a lot of wine and beverage competitions out there, but there is only one Paul Pacult, so when I heard through my street sources that he was kicking off something called “Ultimate Wine Challenge“, it caught my attention. If you look at my dating history, it’s clear that “Ultimate”, “Challenge” and “Wine” are all concepts I’m drawn to, so from the get-go, this vision really speaks to me.
Continue Reading »
Yes, this happened over two months ago, but when you’re as unorganized and road weary as I am these things temporarily slip through the cracks. Today though, we revisit the momentous occasion of W. Andrew Beckstoffer of Beckstoffer Vineyards getting inducted into the The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Hall of Fame. Beckstoffer reflected on the advances in thinking and practices that he’s observed during his time in the wine business, and his speech can be viewed below.
There have been 28 inductees since the program began in 2007, with other 2010 inductees including Bonny Doon Mastermind/Issue #8 Mutineer Interviewee Randall Grahm, wine historian and author Leon Adams, Al Brounstein of Diamond Creek (one of my all-time favorite wineries), and viticulturalist Zelma Long. Continue Reading »
