A live public tasting of these award winning wines will be at the Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center in San Francisco from 2-5 pm on February 18, 2012.  Only from 2-5pm???  How can you seriously taste all these award winners in just 3 hours?

Here are some of the winners for you:

The 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Sweepstake winning wineries hail from three different states! Dr. Konstantin Frank 2010 Finger Lakes Gewürztraminer Reserve $24.99 from New York took the White Sweepstake Award. Barnard Griffin 2011 Columbia Valley Rose of Sangiovese $12.00 from Washington state won the Sweepstake Pink category. Four wineries representing four different American Viticulture Areas took the four remaining Sweep Awards. Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards 2006 Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine $28.00 from the Carneros region of California took the Sparkling Sweepstake category. McGrail Vineyards & Winery 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $36.00 from the Livermore AVA of California captured the Red Sweepstake Award. Castello di Amorosa from the Napa Valley took the Dessert Wine Sweepstake Award with their 2010 Anderson Valley Late Harvest Gewurztraminer $35.00. Sweepstake Wine Label Winner Mutt Lynch Winery from Healdsburg, California 2009 Out of Reach, Muttitage takes the second year Sweepstake Wine Label Contest. All sweepstake, Best of Class, Double Gold, Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal winning wineries from over 5,500 entries are listed on the competition site

Burgundy in San Francisco!

When La Paulée, the  Burgundy wine celebration, comes to San Francisco Feb. 23-25, Michael Mina San Francisco will host a  four-course wine dinner on Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m.

It features Domaine Michel Lafarge, one of the first estates to bottle wines under its own label in 1934, along with special guest Benjamin Leroux, winemaker at the Domaine Comte Armand.

Tickets are $300 per person and can be reserved by emailing Melissa Lang at mlang@michaelminasf.com.

In addition, RN74, the Wine Spectator Grand Award Winner showcasing the best expressions of Burgundy, will present a series of La Paulée after-party celebrations  each of the three nights, with a late-night menu from 10 p.m., and a Zachy’s Auction Lunch on Feb. 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Attendees of the Zachy’s Auction lunch can bid on a selection of Burgundies and have a buffet luncheon from 11-2 p.m.

Visit lapaulee.com for more information.

Zin is IN

If your New Year’s resolution is to become a Zinfandel expert, then check out the annual ZAP Zinfandel Festival in San Francisco Jan. 26-28, with tickets starting at $59. Billed as the premier single-varietal tasting in the world, an estimated 200 wineries and approximately 10,000 attendees partake in the three days of festival events.

The Paso Robles Zin Fest is coming up March 16-18.  Visit www.pasowine.com for more info. This includes a Saturday Zin Tasting & Wine Country Auction that intertwines Zinfandel, Zin-friendly foods and wine country auction lots. In addition to the Saturday tasting, travel the roads of Paso Robles wine country throughout the weekend for a plethora of special tastings, dinner parties, meet-the-winemaker experiences, complimentary barbecues and more. Tickets start at $60. Tip: Purchase your tickets before January 31, 2012 to receive a $10 discount.

Napa news:

Out In The Vineyard and the Napa Valley Wine Train are hosting The (Bigger) Gay Train, a food and wine event on Saturday, March 31 that feature local lesbian, gay,  bisexual and transgender winemakers.

Sarah Bennett of Navarro Vineyards; Greg Bjornstad of Bjornstad Cellars; Mark Lyon of Sebastiani Vineyards and Jeff Durham and Joey Wolosz of Gentleman Farmer Wines will pour their wines that will be paired with a multi-course meal prepared Wine Train Chef Kelly MacDonald .

Boarding is at 6 p.m., a half-hour before the train leaves the station. The cost is  $160-$175 a person. For reservations call 800- 427-4124.

If you will be traveling in Provence, make sure you stop and visit one of our favorite unique wineries in the Var where you can stay in one of  three unique renovated apartments.  Located at Chateau Mentone, where  an ideal getaway awaits you, you can wine, dine, spa and swim… or bike or hike in their 170 hectares of forest.  We like the French hospitality in the heart of Provence and Chateau Mentone is full of charm, AND set in the forest,  Check out:

www.chateaumentone.com

Bruno Paillard founded his eponymous Champagne house in 1981 with the aim of developing Champagnes that are pure and elegant but also structured.

Today, one of the of the few completely independent Champagne houses, Bruno PAILLARD boasts prestigious vines and uses only the high quality juice produced by the first pressing. This is only very lightly sweetened before being left to rest in the cellar for a lengthy period of time before delivery.  Although the volume of production is limited, Bruno PAILLARD is measuring up to the great names in Champagne.  Winewomanworld says:  Bravo Bruno!

Burgundy is well known for its still wines, but it also knows how to sparkle in style!  The Boisset Family ‘s sparkling brand Louis Bouillot‘s (“The Bubble Maker” of Nuits-Saint-Georges) Crémant de Bourgogne style “Cuvée de l’Imagineur” was created in 2009, the fruit of an assemblage of six varietals planted in 2005 and it is ideal for an aperitif, very aromatic in a floral, fruity style, and its vivacity and freshness in the mouth is invigorating.  The delicacy of its bubbles is enough to stimulate the most jaded taste buds.

You’ll be surprised by the power packed in these tiny bubbles.  The varietals in the Cuvée de l’Imagineur are all Burgundian, originally planted for educational purposes: Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Aligoté, Pinot Gris or Beurrot, Pinot Blanc and the surprising Chardonnay Muscaté.  Made according to the traditional method, which is used for the best sparkling wines like Crémant de Bourgogne and Champagne, this wine cannot go under the Crémant de Bourgogne appellation because the vines are planted outside the designated zone and some of the varieties are not authorized by the specifications. It benefits from 12 months ageing on laths.

Recently, Louis Bouillot’s Crémant de Bourgogne Perle Rare 2007 beat more than 400 challengers to win the Vinalies Internationales Trophée for Best Sparkling Wine, the only Crémant de Bourgogne to win a prize at these prestigious awards organized by the Oenologists’ Union of France.  Its balance stems from Perle Rare’s origins in Burgundy, with its varied yet highly complementary terroirs. (From north to south: Yonne, Chatillonnais, Côte d’Or, Couchois, Mâconnais). It also comes from the blend of varietals used, dominated by the powerful Pinot Noir at 60%, softened by the freshness of Chardonnay with 35% and the fruitiness of Gamay, which makes up the remaining 5%. Lengthy ageing sur lattes for two and a half years and a medium dosage of 10g of sugar/liter help bring out the nobility of these terroirs and grapes over time.

The bright and golden color of Perle Rare 2007 goes on to reveal lightly toasted spicy notes which in turn open onto the delicate aromas of apricot, white acacia and peony blossom, ending up with a zesty citrus finish. In the mouth, the attack is fresh thanks to an ideally cool vintage. It offers tension, yet breadth and is a full wine with an interesting flavor profile and a long and powerful finish.

In addition to being an excellent aperitif, Perle Rare is ideally suited to luxurious dishes such as fresh asparagus, grilled sea bass and white meats. And it also stands out thanks to its very reasonable price tag of just €8!

In other Boisset family news in California, Buena Vista in Carneros, the oldest premium winery in California, has become part of the Boisset Family Estates.  This historical winery and producer of organic AND biodynamic Pinot Noir, fits in with the Boisset family philosophy of taking on the responsibility of shepherding exceptional estates with deep history in their respective terroirs.

In France you can purchase Louis Bouillot’s Cuvée Perle Rare 2007 at:  At the Imaginarium – Tel: +33 (0)3 80 62 61 40 – http://www.imaginarium-bourgogne.com/

We’ve come a long way baby – since the “Judgement of Paris” wine tasting in 1976!

On April 8 and 9, 2011 will be the 35th year of “the Challenge International du Vin which will take place in Bordeaux.  Over 5,000 wines from 38 countries will be tasted by 900 professionals but the jury also will include knowledgeable consumers.   Each jury consists of 4 tasters with different, but complementary profiles. These “quartets” make the Challenge absolutely unique.

Tasters are selected according to their wine background and the type of wine to be tasted:

Producers (winegrowers, cellar masters, vineyard managers, etc.)

Technicians (oeoenologists, viticulture and winemaking teachers, etc.)

Distributors (brokers, négociants, sommeliers, wine shop owners, etc.)

Buyers (well-informed consumers, graduates of the DUAD tasting course at Bordeaux University, members of a wine club, etc.)

Wine from every vintage and all over the world

Registration is open by post or on-line from 15 December 2010 to 25 January 2011. Registered producers from around the world will be able to enter their regular wines, special wines, mistelles, and wine-based brandies. All vintages are accepted, with the proviso that they must already be in bottle.

Samples sent by contestants can be accepted until the 4th of February. However, producers who wish to ship their wines via the Challenge’s forwarding agent can only be received from the 17th to the 28th of January.

Medals with the effigy of Bacchus and special prizes

Other than gold, silver, and bronze medals, special prizes will also be awarded to medal winners: prizes for organic wines, Swiss wines, etc.

After validating the eligibility of the 2011 Challenge International award-winning wines (to make sure they respect all the competition’s requisite parameters), the results will be posted on-line on 15 April.

The Challenge International du Vin’s rules and regulations are available in French, English, and Spanish at:

www.challengeduvin.com Information: (+33 (0)5 57 68 25 66 – info@challengeduvin.com

Isabelle’s Central Coast faves include:  Windy Oaks – Pinot Noir, Margerum – Syrah, Testarossa – Pinot Noir, Bernardus – Pinot Noir, Alma Rosa – Pinot Blanc, J. Lohr – Gamay, Wind Gap – Grenache, Qupe – Syrah,  Madeleine – Cabernet Franc, and wines from L’Aventure and Bonny Doon.

Check out all the participating wineries at http://www.bigsurfoodandwine.org/wineries.html

www.revanawines.com

2930 Saint Helena Hwy N
St. Helena, CA 94574-9701
(707) 967-8814

Dr. Revana, a cardiologist in Houston with an interest in heart health AND wine -  was born on a farm in India.  His rural beginnings helped him to appreciate the laws of nature and understand the down to earth concept of relationships that resulted in his recent teaming up with wine rock star winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett, (and a respected vineyard manager Jim Barbour) resulting in a 2007 Cabernet that has earned great acclaim – from Decanter Magazine to in-the-know savvy drinkers.  Even though his inspirational 9 acres in St. Helena were freshly planted in 1998, their efforts have yielded a winner out of the gate.  Dr. Revana’s unwavering commitment is to create wines with exceptional qualities and we say – so far so good.

Heidi Barrett’s tasting notes:
“This wine is a delicious blend of our Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Black Raspberry in color with aromas of blackberry, currant, and layers of sweet toasty French oak. Perfect ripeness allowed for a wine of great depth and structure, flavors that mirror the nose, and a wine that, while tasty now, will age beautifully. The mouth feel has a lovely combination of power with extreme silkiness and flavors that carry a long time in the finish.  A great example from our Estate vineyard here in St. Helena.”

We also enjoyed Revana’s Sitar label made in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.  The first Sitar release is a 2008 Pinot Noir called Prelude, released in September 2010, is the first in a series of five year “limited editions.”  Names to follow will be:  Verse, Chorus, Finale and Encore.  Each vintage will feature a work of art (Prelude label and matching lithograph is created by renowned artist and musician Thomas Arvid).  If you are interested in ordering Sitar contact the winery ($570 per six-pack with only 500 allocations available).  The first 500 secured allocations of the five-vintage series will receive a limited-edition lithograph of the final image.

When you visit the Revana tasting room it’s clear that the visual arts and handcrafted wines are connvivial companions.  Highlights in the tasting room / art gallery include some masterpieces from Heidi’s own personal collection.

Keep posted for further visits with Spring Mountain, Boisset family’s Raymond and DeLoach plus a visit to the Big Sur Wine and Food Festival!

It’s a winery AND a 4 star Relais Chateaux Hotel, filled with extreme Provencal charms and delights. Ask for their specials for the month of October…

Mystère des Vendanges (The Mystery of the Grape Harvests) break at Château de Berne (Provence) – 2 nights in a Deluxe room (breakfast and 1 dinner (Saveur menu) with tasting of the Château’s wines) and ½ day to “Discover the Grape Harvests” including lunch (drinks included).

A fun and instructive way to learn and discuss with the domain’s wine growers who love talking about their know-how and passion. The break involves picking grapes and taking them to the Cellar, a technical visit of the cellars and a tasting with commentary to make your taste buds tingle! Lastly, lunch at the Bouscarelle, in the shade of the olive trees, is a reward for all!

Starting at €520 per person in a double room (valid from mid-September to mid-October, subject to the season’s start).

Edouard Manet's Déjeuner sur l'herbe (Lunch on the Grass)

In 1863, Edouard Manet created the shocking (at the time) painting Déjeuner sur l’herbe (Lunch on the Grass) and this painting inspired similar works by Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso, and Claude Monet.

This “birth” of impressionism has brought us to the present moment where in the city of Rouen, Normandy, the region in northern France that was home to Claude Monet and a hotbed of impressionist activity in the latter half of the 19th century, is hosting its first-ever Impressionist Festival. From June to September, over 150 events celebrate the arts and culture influenced by the impressionist movement—not just painting (with 15 major exhibitions), but also music, dance, theater, photography, architecture, and more.

This summer, guingettes will be revived throughout the region. The lively open-air cafés were popular among—and immortalized on canvas by—impressionist artists; often set on the banks of a river like the Seine, the guingettes were characterized by carefree music, dance, games, drinks, and food. In the spirit of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s The Boating Party, find yourself some summer fun.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir's The Boating Party

One of the festival’s final events is the Great Impressionist Ball in Rouen on September 24. The public is invited to the indoor/outdoor ball, under only one condition: They must come dressed in white. As the crowd dances, it will serve as a blank canvas, on which a light artist will project splashes of color—like brushstrokes—an effect that will be captured on video and displayed on a wide screen so that the audience can watch themselves become transformed into a work of art.
Impressionist Festival Location

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
Esplanade Marcel Duchamp 76000 ROUEN
Date
Friday 4 June to Sunday 26 September.

Contact details
• Tel: + 33 (0)2 35 71 28 40
• Fax: + 33 (0)2 35 15 43 23

For a full list of events, including Seine cruises, picnics, painting workshops (learn to paint in one of Monet’s actual studios!), cooking classes, and special itineraries, visit
www.normandieimpressionniste.com.

Wines we are packing in our picnic baskets this summer include:

Conundrum, California White Table Wine, (2008) $21, a complex blend of white grapes,partially fermented in stainless steel and oak barrels for up to 10 months; tropical fruity with a round acid balance; perfect with drier cheeses, fish, salads, pasta – and even desserts.   To locate a retailer near you: www.whatsyourconundrum.com (see “where to buy”)

Grigch Hills Chardonnay Napa Valley (2006) (biodynamic) $45. A rich California Chardonnay infuses floral notes with lemon, honey, and minerals. https://www.grgich.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=productdetail&product_id=135

La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles les Quarts (2008) (biodynamic) $25. A white from France. Pouilly-Vinzelles tastes like ripe peaches aged with hazelnut and minerals.
http://www.bretbrothers.com/en/pouilly_vinzelles_les_quarts_millerandee.php

Chef de Cave, Jean-Pierre Vincent was the special guest, and we were able to coax some secrets out of the down-to-earth Frenchman, but first the menu (prepared by the Marquis’ chef Guillaume Burlion) paired with the sparkling Champagnes :

Oyster Croquembouche
with Blanc de Blancs* 2004 and Brut Vintage 2004
*100% Chardonnay

Ravioli of Foie Gras in a Sauternes Sauce
with Cuvee Speciale Vintage* 2000
*40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier

Roasted Chilean Sea Bass in a Bacon Crust with a Caviar Sauce
with Cuvee 225 Vintage* 2003
*50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay

Wild Mushroom Coated Filet Mignon of Venison with Braised Endives, Fresh Pea Fritters, Gilroy Crème Sauce
with Palmes d’Or* Brut Vintage 1996 in Magnums
*Palmes d’Or is Vincent’s masterpiece and is an elegant creation
50% Chardonnay from 3 Grand Crus: Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and 50% Pinot Noir from 5 famed Grand Crus: Bouzy, Verzenay, Ambonnay, Ay and Verzy. And one non grand Cru: Mongueux, always a favorite of Vincent.

Molten Chocolate Cake with Fresh Berry Coulis
with Brut Rosé Non Vintage

Each of these versatile Champagnes smoothly accompanied each course in a never-ending cascade of flavors in various shades of Rosé, with hints of apricot, strawberries to caramel and woodsy splendor.

After dessert Jean-Pierre graciously discussed his inspirations with us.
Here are the highlights:
WWW: After 34 years, you are #1 in France and #5 in the U.S. what does it mean to you?
JPV: It’s incredible. Because when I started to work in 76 at the Centre Vinicole de la Champagne and (with) then in 86 when we acquired Nicolas Feuillatte, we started with 500,000 bottles. At that time, we thought maybe it’s possible to sell 1 million, but now we sell more than 9 million. We ask ourselves why? I think because the wine is good, it’s modern, we are not so sophisticated, we like to drink, I think NF is not a snobby Champagne. I’m very proud.

WWW: In the U.S. we drink Champagne for special occasions – not everyday, do you think it’s different in France?
JPV: It’s the same in France. When I am at home I drink Champagne as an aperitif, but I normally drink wine with food. When we spend a day or lunch with Champagne it is magic. You don’t get tired or sick from it – I don’t know why but it really is magic.
WWW: I agree.

WWW: The Palmes d’Or – your masterpiece blend– what do you look for when you are blending it?
JVP: When I blend the Brut I am respecting the consumer; When I blend the Vintage I am respecting the Sommelier; When I blend the Palmes d’Or I respect my choice. Doing the Palmes d’Or is the only way to do the Champagne I love. It is not the problem of the consumer or the market, it is the wine I want. It is not easy to produce a million bottles, but for me it is good to do the wine that I like. For me it’s an easier wine to do. The Brut is very difficult, the Palmes d’Or the Prestige Cuvee is easy – I take the best of the best. Today the Palmes d’Or we are drinking is 14 yrs. old, and very well balanced.

(a long talk about expansion and Champagne politics which I will spare you)

WWW: Woman and Champagne – there is something about why we love it so much, being a French man, can you help us understand that?
JVP: There is a saying that a woman who drinks Champagne is more beautiful after than before. Champagne is magic. When we have a dinner, everyone is laughing, everybody is having a good time, I think women like that. Men do too, but men are very straight…I think Champagne is good for women.

WWW: You are in the world of Champagne and have a good life with your family there – which is like a dream for most people – what do YOU like to do to relax? Where do you like to go?
JVP: To relax I have a new thing now – a granddaughter – which is good for relaxation (he laughs) – I hope when I retire that I can stop “tasting” and just be able to drink –simply. I play golf, I read, I do other things, when I retire, I want to travel to relax – I have a passion for photography, I hope to do that – I hope to go fishing. Golf is good – only to face the small ball – I hope to have the possibility to that – just focus on the ball.

WWW: Do you have a favorite place in the world?
JVP: (no hesitation) San Francisco and New York. I had a chance to go to Polynesia – it’s expensive but very beautiful. In France, I like Brittany, it’s wild, I like Corsica, it’s different, but I prefer Brittany – it’s sunny, I like it very much. I like France because it is so beautiful. I like Ireland, Reunion, places like that. In a few days I am going to the Alps for the fresh air and relax. I love nature, I am not an ecologist, but I love to be in nature and photograph. In the beginning I wanted to work in the forest, but…ended up in Champagne…next month with my daughters we will spend 2 weeks in Brittany, in the north. I am looking forward to that.

WWW: Thank you Jean-Pierre. Have a wonderful trip.

Winewomanworld is happy to say that The Centre Vinicole-Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte uses 100% green electricity and 100% of the waste is recycled!