Dry Creek Vineyard Releases 2010 Fumé Blanc with QR Code Technology

 Dry Creek Vineyard has released of their flagship wine, 2010 Fumé Blanc, in a newly
designed package and incorporating QR code technology on the back label for the first time.

Using a smart phone, consumers can download a QR code reader from their app store. Scanning the image immediately takes a prospective buyer to a link featuring a two-minute video of the winery family discussing the new vintage. “QR codes allow us to engage our customers in a more intimate, personal way,” comments second-generation owner, Kim Stare Wallace. “Imagine standing in your grocery isle and being transported to the vineyard where you hear directly from Dave Stare, the pioneer of Fumé Blanc in Sonoma County. That’s a very connective experience.”

The QR code is not the only change for the 2010 Fumé Blanc. The wine is now offered in a clear glass bottle that the winery says presents a fresh, appealing look that connects to the wine’s immediate drinkability. Dry Creek is well known for their Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley style. It is finished in steel tanks and has refreshing citrus characters and steely minerality.
Here's a use of new technology that will really benefit wine lovers.

Snooth Launches Social Gaming Platform “Wine Rack”

Snooth is a wine media giant with 800,000 users who research wine, post reviews, participate in virtual wine tasting events and locate and buy wine from local retailers. Like others in the online wine business, Snooth is trying to figure out how to leverage the exploding interest in social media. 

They may have taken a major step forward in that effort by launching an online game where you earn virtual trophies for your wine accomplishments.

On June 1, Snooth Media launched Wine Rack, an innovative social gaming platform on Snooth.com (snooth.com/wine-rack). Wine Rack rewards users for reading, tasting, rating and reviewing wines and enables them to easily discover new bottles. At launch, Snooth users have over 20 flights of wine to taste through, and over 30 achievements waiting to be unlocked. Launch sponsor, Terlato Wines International, will be offering limited edition Terlato trophies for the completion of a series of quizzes.

Some of the trophies up for grabs include: Region Specialist, Diverse Palate, Horizontal Taster, and the coveted Aficionado trophy (reserved only for those who have over 50,000 interactions on Snooth). Active members will be able to obtain exclusive access to tastings and unlock special offers from retailers and partners.

“Each day, Snooth users log thousands of interactions on the site.  By organizing those interactions in a structured way, we can create powerful incentives for users to continue to discover new wines,” notes Snooth Media CEO, Rich Tomko. “Enjoying wine is social by nature; we’ve simply taken an age old concept and gave it the ability to live within the social web.”

“We have always looked to create integrated and engaging programs that really create buzz for our portfolio,” says Terlato Wines International VP of Marketing, Paul Ashworth. “Digital is a major initiative and this type of innovation allows us to continue leading the wine industry.”
Wine Rack is Snooth’s latest effort to make wine more accessible and less intimidating. Last year, Snooth launched Snooth Wine Pro, an iPhone app that made it possible for users to identify wines by merely snapping a picture of a bottle’s label.

At launch, Snooth’s 800,000 registered members will be able to view their earned and in-progress trophies and flights as well as wines in their wishlist and wine cellar atsnooth.com/wine-rack.  New users accessing Wine Rack will be able to register for Snooth or can login with their Facebook account.

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Ca’ Momi 2008 Bianco di California

This is a casual sipper from Ca’ Momi, a Napa winery with a heritage in Northern Italy. Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay are blended to create this popular white table wine.

We picked this up as something different to try during a close-out at Andersons. For $6.99 you can’t expect a dazzling wine experience – but even so, this wine was disappointing.

It has an inviting pineapple scent and a light body. The taste, though, is harsh with sharp edges that just don’t smooth out. It’s as if the bad qualities of each grape were accentuated and had a free-for-all in the bottle.

The winery offers two tiers of wine, the top being their Passion Wines that retail between $16 and $20. The House Wines, in which category the Bianco resides, sell for about $11 each. The 2009 Bianco, we notice from their website, is sourced from Napa Valley and so the fruit may be of tastier quality.

Ca’ Momi does get credit for innovation and sustainability. Most of their bottles, including this one, are enclosed with "Nova Twist." Nova Twist is a recyclable plastic material, has no sharp edges and is easily removed. They are the first winery in the US to use this closure.

Technorati Tags: wine

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Wine Tastings & Events: June 8-11, 2011

Wednesday, June 8

The Andersons, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Opolo Vineyards:
These Paso Robles closeouts are big, lush and intense. 1. Merlot, 2. Malbec, 3. Cabernet Franc, 4. Syrah. $7.50 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Nautical Themed Wines. $15.

Thursday, June 9

The Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Spring / Summer Wines: 1. Davis Bynum – Chardonnay – Russian River Valley, California; 2. Gerard Bertrand – Natural Merlot – France; 3. 14 Hands – Hot to Trot Red Blend – Washington State. $4.00 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

The Andersons, Talmadge Road. Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Opolo CLOSEOUT TASTING. Opolo Winery in Paso Robles is in Ohio for the first time. The winery is offering some outstanding deals on older vintages. These vintages (mostly 2005) taste as fine as they will ever taste right now. The Opolo wines are typical Paso Robles, big, full, rich, intense reds with a lot of lushness. In particular the Cabernet Franc and the Petite Verdot have full tannins as well. 1. Opolo Merlot, 2. Opolo Syrah, 3. Opolo Petite Sirah, 4. Opolo Petite Verdot, 5. Opolo Cabernet Franc, 6. Opolo Malbec, 7. Opolo Meastro, 8. Opolo Rhapsody. Nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Nautical Themed Wines. $15.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. You Don't Know Paso!
Paso Robles is one of the hottest AVAs in the nation, literally and figuratively. The Rhone Rangers started here, with plantings of Syrah, and they certainly haven't stopped. Join us as we sample all kinds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, the aforementioned Syrah, and a bevy of other stellar bottles. Nominal fee per sample.

Friday, June 10

* Special Event * Toledo Museum of Art Wine by the Glass Pavilion series: Organically Grown. 7:00 to 9:30 PM in the Glass Pavilion. Enjoy four wines, light snacks, and a view of glassmakers working in the Hot Shop. Prices are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers.

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Summer Chardonnay: 1. Chehalem INOX, 2. Lioco, 3. Talbott "Kali Hart,” 4. Lafond. $15 tasting.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. You Don't Know Paso!
Paso Robles is one of the hottest AVAs in the nation, literally and figuratively. The Rhone Rangers started here, with plantings of Syrah, and they certainly haven't stopped. Join us as we sample all kinds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, the aforementioned Syrah, and a bevy of other stellar bottles. Nominal fee per sample.

Saturday, June 11  

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Summer Chardonnay: 1. Chehalem INOX, 2. Lioco, 3. Talbott "Kali Hart,” 4. Lafond. $15 tasting.

The Andersons, Woodville Mall. 1-3 PM. Saturday wine tasting: 1. Dad’s Day Off Pinot Noir, 2007, Italy; 2. Opolo Petite Sirah, 2006, Paso Robles; 3. Edna Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, San Luis Obispo; 4. Mirassou Riesling, 2009, California. $2.00 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample or by the flight. 

AREA WINE BARS

• Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
• Vino 100 Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 866-8466, Promenade West, 3355 Briarfield Blvd, Suite C, Maumee.
• Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.

Technorati Tags: wine

[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]

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Satek Winery Offering Wine 101 Class: Learn Your Own Wine Style

Image via Wikipedia

Satek Winery, 6208 N. Van Guilder Rd. Fremont, Indiana (260) 495-9463, is offering a Wine 101 Class to help those new to wine learn the basics and discover their taste preferences.

The goal of the wine tasting class is to help participants find wines they like. Tastes in wine can be diverse, but no matter the taste, Satek offers 34 different wines, so odds are you’ll find something you like.

Identifying your personal tastes in wine can be challenging. The class will help you find the wine characteristics that you like. That will help you navigate the many different choices in wines. Trained winery staff will be there to help you along the way.

The class is called "Wine 101: Terminology, Technique, and Taste." In this fun one-hour sit-down course, "students" are taught basic wine terminology, proper wine drinking and tasting technique, and led in a sampling of a large range of wines to help them discover and put a name to the particular characteristics of wines they like.

Students are asked: Do you know what you like, or do you like what you know? This is a chance to expand wine knowledge while learning your own tastes in wine. The class is offered all summer long on Thursday nights from 6:00 - 7:30 PM. for a fee of $20 per person. A limited number of spots are available in each class. You can call the winery for more information or to register for Wine 101.

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2007 Rubicon Estate Niebaum Coppola Captain’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Captain’s Reserve Cabernet is a magnificent wine that pays tribute to Gustave Niebaum, the sea captain who founded Inglenook Winery. Those historic grounds would later be purchased by Francis Ford Coppola for Rubicon Estate.

We purchased two bottles of this Rutherford Cab. One was served at a reception for a group of about 30 at my office. The other was enjoyed at home.

During the reception we decanted the Captain. It swirled a deep purple in the glass and unleashed a beautiful aroma. This has berries on the nose and cherries and soft spice on the palate. The tannins support a lingering finish, but are well integrated.

We had lined up several other nice bottles for the reception, but the Captain’s Reserve was such a superb wine that the other wines were forgotten and the decanter soon ran dry.

This is a wine with balance, warmth and a satisfying blend of earth and fruit. The wine is aged 20 months in French oak and sports 14.5% alcohol. It retails for about $48, but we were able to score a somewhat lower price.

This is one of the finest wines we’ve sampled during the last 12 months. Ahoy Captain, we’re coming aboard…

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