Napa March And April Events - Art and Taste of Yountville

With Spring just around the corner, the itch to get outdoors is growing stronger day by day. It's easy to imagine how the grapevines must be feeling 'round about now... ready to burst forth and get busy bathing their buds in that sunshine.

Napa offers SO many great attractions the year round, but two of their outstanding events happen in March and April every year.

The first, Taste of Yountville, has been occurring annually for the past 20 years. With more excellent restaurants per capita than just about anywhere else on the planet, tiny Yountville really has something to offer... and boast about.

Better yet, each Taste Ticket costs only a buck ($1) and you can count on participants like Bouchon and Bardessono's Lucy being ever so present.

Yountville will host the 20th Annual Taste of Yountville weekend celebration March 14-16, 2013 to showcase the town's finest food, wine and arts.  Taste of Yountville will culminate in a town-wide block party on Saturday, March 16, 2013.  Admission is free, tasting tickets will be $1 each.  In addition to Saturday's signature block party event, the Taste of Yountville weekend will play host to several special events throughout Yountville. 

For more information click here or call the Yountville Chamber of Commerce 

More Info Here 

Arts In April

Relative newcomer as far as events go... is Arts in April, Napa. Started in 2011, this will be its 3rd year running. Best yet is that the event unfolds over the course of the month... so no matter which weekend in April you get yourselves up to Napa, you will find highlighted art shows and exhibits to accompany those great Napa Valley Wines.

April 1 - 30, 2013
Visit Website

And be sure to check the Special Events Calendar (like for bASH in St. Helena April 13th!!)  to help you plan your trip itinerary....

A celebration of the elemental connection between wine and the arts, this month-long program satisfies cultural cravings with an exploration of winery art installations, pop-up exhibitions and tastings. Introduced in April 2011, Arts in April offers special access and packages to enjoy The Napa Valley Collection, making it the perfect time to get a dose of Napa Valley culture with your Cabernet.

More INFO - VisitNapaValley

The NapaLife Insider's Guide to Napa Valley 

More than a guidebook, this newest Napa Valley Travel Book is written by Insider Paul Franson, a Napa resident  for coming on 20 years now. What's great is that he orients his book to the Digital Age. So, gone are the addresses and pet-friendly, smoking/non-smoking icons in minuscule type... 

Instead - since you can look up those other things on your SmartPhone, of course - what Franson gives you is honest, down home opinions of the best of what there is to find in Napa.

He's big on the local favorites, too, so you won't get just the tourist recommendations or places TouristAdvisors have reviewed and recommended...

In fact, as far as Travel Guides go, Franson seems to have hit this one out of the ballpark. It's like talking to a friend who has lived in Napa for a couple decades and getting the DL on good eats, good deals, good hikes and bike rides, where the celebs hang out, and even a bit of history as to who owns which winery and for how long and with whom?...

At any rate, you just might be tempted to pitch your tent until harvest time... Now that's not such a bad idea is it? Too bad that Ag Preserve is so vigilant, eh?! 

You can order NapaLife Insider's Guide to Napa Valley  guidebook directly from his website: NapaLife.com

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Paso Robles Grand Tasting Tour

Explore more than 150 wines from 40 Paso Robles wineries.

Paso Robles is California's third largest and fastest growing wine region,

so come taste a new vintage from your favorite winery or discover new ones!

Wineries from Paso Robles will showcase what sets this world class wine region apart.

Cheese and charcuterie will be presented by The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills

and Peacock Cheese Company to complement this Paso Robles wine experience.

This Thursday, February 28, 2013

6 - 8:30 p.m.

The BookBindery
8919 Lindblade Street

Culver City, CA 90232

Join us for this unique night of wine tasting where the winemakers and principals

will be on hand pouring their award-winning and nationally acclaimed wines.

info@pasowine.com l  pasowine.com

Participating Wineries and Partners:

Adelaida Cellars

Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery

AmByth Estate
Ancient Peaks Winery

Bodegas Paso Robles

Bon Niche Cellars
Caliza Winery

Cass Winery

Chateau Margene

DAOU Vineyards

Eberle Winery

Epoch Estate Wines
Halter Ranch Vineyard

Harmony Cellars

Hunt Cellars
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines

JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery
Kenneth Volk Vineyards

L'Aventure Winery

Le Vigne Winery
Lone Madrone

Midnight Cellars

Minassian-Young Vineyards
Nicora

Niner Wine Estates

Opolo Vineyards
Paso Robles Vacation Rentals

Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery
Proulx

Rangeland Wines

Record Family Wines

Silver Horse Winery
Stanger

Tablas Creek Vineyard

Thacher Winery

The Farm Winery
Treana and Hope Family Wines

Venteux Vineyards

Victor Hugo Winery
Vina Robles

Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards

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Cristal Roederer Champagne And Biodynamic Grapes

BY Paige Donner

Re-posted from Eco.Luxury.Style Magazine

Cristal Roederer champagne is one of the most famous high-end champagnes sold the world over.

Roederer Cristal Champagne

MANY OF US KNOW IT PROBABLY MORE FOR ITS STARRING ROLE IN RAP SONGS AND MUSIC VIDEOS… AND FOR ITS POSH PRICE TAG.

But Cristal was actually the first “prestige cuvée,” to be produced and exported from the region, Champagne. That was back in 1876 after Louis Roederer selected old vines in special parcels of vineyards he identified lending significant calcareous/ chalk mineral qualities to those particular grapes – which translated into a significantly “crystalline” wine. Hence Cristal.

The House of Louis Roederer Champagne itself was first born in 1776, the same year as the United States. By the 1840s it found itself becoming the favorite champagne of Czar Nicolas II and even the official champagne of the Imperial Court of Russia.

Cristal is a champagne reputed to age very well. 

Today, the house is embracing biodynamic vineyard cultivation. They first began their “biodynamic experimentation” in their champagne vineyards in 2000. Now they have 40 hectares they cultivate biodynamically out of a total of 230 ha. that the house of Louis Roederer itself owns. More here…

Their Cellar Master explains their philosophy towards embracing biodynamic vineyard cultivation,

With biodynamic viticulture, the path we are following is very simple. It’s about getting the best possible expression of terroir while observing viticultural practices that are the most respectful of nature.

The more you respect Nature, the better the fruit she yields.  -  Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon

Biodynamically cultivated grapes are used for Roederer’s Brut Premier, their Millésimé and even Cristal.

Champagne Louis Roederer

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Valentine's a la Paris

The Hôtel de Crillon invites you to celebrate love in the heart of Paris in its exceptional and romantic setting. Love is In the Air at the Winter Garden From Thursday 14 to Sunday 17 February, 2013

The historic and sumptuous setting of the Winter Garden is the ideal spot for a romantic tea, enchanting your senses with an exotically flavoured "little heart" to share. A special treat that paves the way to even more delightful culinary experiences... Crillon.com

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February Is Food Truck Fest at Vancouver Farmers Markets

This month Vancouver Farmers Markets hosts its first annual February Food Truck Fest. All month long, the Winter Farmers Markets will feature double the usual number of food trucks during the Saturday markets at Nat Bailey Stadium.

The Food Truck Fest will be a sort of audition. Visitors are invited to vote on their favorite food trucks and those will be invited to join the roster as regulars at the busy summer markets.

  

Food Truck Fest “New Recruits”

 

Blue Smoke BBQ: Blue Smoke's tag line is "Low and Slow on the Go" because their pork is smoked for almost 16 hours.

Chilitank: "The best mobile chili tank in town!" Try chili served hot from a ca. 1943 military soup kitchen!

Crêperie La Bohème: Sweet and savoury buckwheat crepes served on-site from a charming gypsy caravan.

Slavic Rolls: Slavic Rolls offers a great tasting pastry, made fresh in front of customers.

Eli's Serious Sausage: Eli serves up premium sausages handmade with BC pork and all natural ingredients. No filler, no additives, no preservatives.

Feastro - The Rolling Bistro: Feastro is the famous purple truck with the fabulous & award winning seafood tacos, fish & chips, salads, chowders and daily specials.

Vij's Railway Express: Celebrity chef Vikram Vij's latest venture brings his creative Indian cuisine to the streets.

JJ's Trucketeria: The brightest yellow food truck you've seen yet, serving seasonal creations made from scratch with a unique cultural mix of flavours.

Le Tigre: Chinese street food with a West Coast concept.

Old Country Pierogi: Old Country Pierogi brings to market homemade pierogies (regular and gluten-free!) with sweet and savoury fillings.

Pig on the Street: Pig On The Street strives to bring taste, sustainability, simplicity & creativity together to the bustling street food scene in Vancouver.

Taser Grilled Cheese: Serving gourmet and classic takes on an old favorite.

The Kaboom Box: The Kaboom Box is dedicated to promoting and highlighting local and sustainable food. They specialize in salmon and oysters and also make a mean poutine!

Transylvania Fresh: Delicious homemade pork-stuffed and vegetarian cabbage rolls made with homemade sour cabbage.

Ze Bite: Ze bite is Vancouver's premier French cuisine food truck featuring delicious stews and speciality sandwiches made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients.

(Photo courtesy Yum.Goodeat.ca)

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Pol Roger And Winston Churchill

by Paige Donner

The - new - Pol Roger Champagne Cellars took nearly 10 years to finish their complete refurbishment. Work began in 2000 and the beautiful, gleaming expansive caverns and stainless steel vats housing 10s of thousands of liters of the finest champagne the world has ever known were revealed in 2010 at the house's historic address 34, Avenue de Champagne.

The entire interior was demolished and re-done at these cellars which were first established by Pol Roger's offspring in 1933. But it wasn't the first time Pol Roger cellars were rebuilt. A history of the house reveals that their first cellars in Épernay collapsed in February 1900, were replaced, and then re-opened in January 1903.

Champagne cellars tend to be some of the cleanest you'll ever see in the wine world, reflective of the vinification process of the wine itself. But these sparkle. The complete renovations cost the venerable company 10 million Euro. There are about 71/2 km of Pol Roger cellar "caves" underneath the Avenue de Champagne which house about 8.3 million bottles of champagne.

SlideShow HERE >>> Click HERE for SlideShow

A few particulars about the great Champagne House's - Sir Winston Churchill's personal favorite - practices stand out:

They hand-riddle ALL their cuvées. When I questioned this to clarify that this was just for the prestige cuvées and certainly couldn't be for the Brut NVs too? I was corrected - ALL the cuvées, including the Brut NVs, are hand-riddled.

"We're the last of the Mohicans," explained Mr. Patrice Noyelle, Chairman of the Board of Pol Roger Champagne.

They have 4 career riddlers who turn approximately 50,000 - 60,000 bottles per day. The whole process lasts about 5 weeks at a spell.

Unlike the majority of the great champagne Merchant-Houses, but like Roederer, Pol Roger owns about 60% of their own ha. of champagne vineyards. Only the must is received at their cellars where vinification takes place of their annual approximate 1.8 million bottle production of champagne. Altogether there are about 50 pressoirs in their vineyards, with three in Chouilly alone. Once the must arrives, they chill it to about 5°C - 6°C to clarify it. Sometimes they chaptalize it, based on the year, - a year like 2012, there was no need to. "This year will be a vintage year," proclaimed Noyelle.

SlideShow HERE >>> Click HERE for SlideShow

I'm sure by now you're wondering where the Churchill - Pol Roger connection comes in? It's the name the Champagne House gave their Prestige Cuvée once Sir Winston passed away after spending a lifetime joyfully sipping Pol Roger vintage champagnes - when he wasn't saving the Western World. Legend has it, too, that he had a fairly longstanding friendship with Odette Pol-Roger, one of the great beauties of her day. Pol Roger Champagne is known as "The Gentleman's Champagne" and is a favorite of the British Royal family to this day.

I recommend reading the book, Pol Roger & Co., an historical account of the house from its founding in 1849, at about the time when train transport between Paris and Épernay began, through to the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900 and on during the hard years of both World Wars, where accounts of harvests taking place while bomber planes swooped abovehead keep the pages turning.

The company is currently headed by Hubert de Billy, a direct family descendant of the founder, Pol Roger, and Laurent d'Harcourt.

Recommend: Pol Roger Pure, Pol Roger 2002, Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill. 

Pol Roger Champagne, Épernay 

♥Chérie Du Vin - You will LOVE my wine picks! 

Vinexpo Bordeaux June 16 - 20 2013 and Just Released Stats IWSR Study

THE U.S. CONFIRMS ITS LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD WINE MARKET 

In 2011, Americans consumed 4.5% more wine than in 2010, which was record growth in one year. 

Having consumed 317.87 million 9-liter cases (or 3.814 billion bottles), the market exceeded the expectations in VINEXPO's forecast, which the year before had underestimated 2011 growth at 311.31 million cases.
This outstanding performance was confirmed again in 2012, strengthening the U.S. position as the world's leading wine-consuming nation, ahead of France and Italy.
The VINEXPO study foresees that growth in American wine consumption will continue between 2012 and 2016, attaining 12.16%. The U.S. should therefore increase its consumption by 40.52 million cases (or 486.24 million bottles) over the period, equivalent to about two extra bottles for every American of drinking age.

- Source Vinexpo.com

Read My complete Article HERE - Including Interview with Vinexpo Chairman Xavier de Eizaguirre

THE WORLD STILL PREFERS RED 

Red wine accounted for 54.7% of all still, light wines drunk in 2011. 
Between 2011 and 2016, world red wine consumption is expected to grow by 9.1%, driven especially by the Chinese, while white wine consumption should only increase by 2.75% over the same period. 
The consumption of rosé wines, on the other hand, is expected to increase by 7.58% between 2011 and 2016, reaching a total share of 9.2% of all wines drunk. 

- Source Vinexpo.com

FASTER GROWTH IN SPARKLING WINES THAN STILL, LIGHT WINES 

In 2011, sparkling wines accounted for 7.7% of all wines drunk in the world. 
Between 2007 and 2011, the consumption of sparkling wines grew by 4.12%, compared to the 2.72% growth in still, light wines over the same period. Sparkling wine consumption is expected to grow by a further 8.52% between 2012 and 2016. 
This increase is primarily due to expected rises in consumption in the top four sparkling wine markets worldwide: Germany, France, Russia and the U.S. 

- Source Vinexpo.com

Read My Complete Article HERE

WORLD SALES SOAR FOR WINES PRICED HIGHER THAN US$10 PER BOTTLE  

These wines accounted for 213.56 million 9-liter cases in 2011 or 8.6% of all still, light wines consumed in the world, their consumption having grown by 12.59% since 2007, mainly in China, the U.S. and Canada. 

- Source  Vinexpo.com

♥Chérie Du Vin. You will LOVE my wine picks!

Les Meilleurs Vins du Canada by LRVF

Be sure to pick up February's issue of La Revue du Vin de France... British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario wines and wineries are featured in a multiple-page spread. 

For the Okanagan some beautiful highlights of Osoyoos Larose and also Quail's Gate, among others. Similkameen received due attention, though Naramata Bench didn't even get a mention. Well, the printed page can only hold so many words... Report prepared by Pascal Patron, a professor at Quebec's ITHQ.

Here's what the cover looks like so order your issues now!

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SHe in Las Vegas - by Morton's (and Eva Longoria)

Opened on NYE '13 in Vegas, Eva "Desperate Housewife" Longoria says her new restaurant is designed to cater to the ladies: small plates and a catwalk.

Female-only restaurants are trending right now with another new one set to open on London's Frith Street on Feb. 1st. 

Relax, though, girls - SHe's "behind the scenes video" below features a few delicious-looking guys too. 

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Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut - Aÿ, Champagne, France

Bollinger  Spcial Cuvée Brut -  Aÿ, Champagne, France

by Paige Donner

Tasting Notes :  Hints of roasted apples, spiced apple compote, peaches greet your nose after your eyes have been seduced by the fluttering of fine bubbles in that golden champagne color indicative of a Pinot Noir predominant blend. Full-bodied and toasty pretty much sums it up but also perhaps oversimplifies the aromatic complexity of this champagne. Creamy on the palate with notes of brioche, pear, green apple – with some spicy and a bit of walnut that all goes down on the velvet of the very fine Bollinger bubbles.  12% alc. Between 8 -9 gr. Dosage.


Price: $57.99 (approx.)


Production Notes :  The secret to this iconic NV champagne is that it is mostly reserve wine, some aged in magnums for over 15 years in the Bollinger cellars in Aÿ, blended with harvest grapes. And, as any champagne aficionado knows, champagne ages superbly in magnums, a process that helps it acquire that biscuity, toasty quality so emblematic of the best champagnes. Over 85% of this blend is Grands and Premiers Crus; 60% Pinot Noir,  25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier.


Pair With :  Sushi and sashimi – the fresher the better; pata negra and prosciutto; Also grilled lobster, prawns; poultry and white meat; cashews, parmesan. Serve between 10 – 12˚C. You can keep it up to 8 years – that is, if you don’t drink it all now.

Notes from the House… for those who know that true elegance is born of simplicity will appreciate to the full this commitment to aesthetics and succinctness. It is also a reflection of the House’s commitment to concentrating on the essential: creating fine and good wines. Because in the end, everything else is simply superfluous.

The House of Bollinger Champagne began many decades before, but “Aunt Lily,” as she was known to her family members, still figures prominently in the House’s style and legacy ever since she was at the helm of the house in the 1950s until her passing in 1977. She is probably one of the most quoted dames of Champagne (see below).

Originally a Scotswoman, she married her husband Jacques, at one point the Mayor of Aÿ, in 1923 who himself had become the managing director of Bollinger Champagne at the tender age of 24. By the age of 42 she was a war widow and it was then that she stepped in, like other famous champagne widows before her, and took the reins of her house and steered it with an eye to perfection and unwavering dedication to excellence and innovation. This is the modern legacy “Madame Jacques,” became known for.

But going back to the previous century, 1829 to be exact, when the house was first formed is really to delve into the annals of international history. Original founder of Bollinger Champagne, Count Athanase de Villermont, was a nobleman and a war hero from the American Revolution. He became fascinated with the wines of Aÿ, Champagne when he inherited an extensive estate in this choice viticultural area of the Marne upon his return to France. The reason why the house did not take the name of “de Villermont” is because, at that time, the French aristocracy were forbidden to engage in trade. So Count Athanase partnered with Joseph Bollinger, a German, and Paul Renaudin, a Champenois.  And thus, on Feb. 6, 1829 a champagne house was born – one that has ever since become synonymous with excellence, quality… and international intrigue (as in, Diamonds Are Forever).

Since 2008 Ghislain de Montgolfier, a great-great grandson of Joseph Bollinger, passed the reins, for the first time in the house’s history, to a non-family member, Jérôme Philipon. In 2007 Ghislain’s great sense of humor coupled with his technical expertise got him elected as Head of the Board of the Union des Maisons de Champagne and co-Chairman of the Comité interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC).

"I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad.
Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone.
When I have company I consider it obligatory.
I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and I drink it when I am.
Otherwise I never touch it, unless I'm thirsty."

Lily Bollinger,
17th October 1961, Daily Mail

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